Do You Break the Law?

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Day 543: Evidence of Responsibility, Part 5 of 6: Romans 2:23 You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law?     Thoughts for Today:   I was on a financial blog the other night discussing the Biblical principles related to making money -- whether through interest charged, making a profit in business, or savings (interest earned). It was very interesting to hear how some people were absolutely convinced the Bible is against making a profit and saving. Others passionately took the opposite position and provided just as compelling arguments. So what does the Bible say about these issues? A lot. But I think it can be summed up in the story of the rich young man from Matthew 19 -- I'm sure you remember it well: A young man approached Jesus and asked what good thing he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus told him to follow the commandments. The young man confidently replied, "All of these I have kept. What do I still lack?" Jesus told him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." The story ends with the young man walking away in disappointment because he had great wealth. Most of us when looking at this story come to the conclusion the young man valued riches in this world over treasure in heaven. Others might add Jesus was speaking about the condition of his heart. Jesus knew both pride and possessions were between the young man and God. I believe in our passage today, Paul was speaking on a parallel subject -- the Jews like the young man were prideful, covetous, and self-righteous. They bragged about the law and by doing so, broke it. Paul is telling the Jews: The big thing between you and God is the law -- you've made it into something you own and boast about -- as a result you've not only lost its meaning, but it's source as well. You have brought dishonor to God.     Questions to Ponder:   What is more important to you, following rules or your relationship with the Lord?   The problem with the law is it is hard to follow, subject to multiple interpretations, and cause many to get caught up in legalistic wording rather than divine intent.   Are you more concerned with the law or its purpose? Which of your rules need to be reevaluated ?

Do You Rob Temples?

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Day 542: Evidence of Responsibility, Part 4 of 6:  Romans 2:22b You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?     Thoughts for Today:   Although the Jews hated the idols worshipped by pagans, it didn't stop them from selling or using them in some other way in their own businesses -- I believe that's what Paul is speaking about. In other words, making money in un-Godly ways. It is always interesting to me how some find a way to separate their business, professional or personal activities from church life. However, a number of the more tragic cases of fraud have been intentionally perpetrated by one church member upon another ("robbing temples"). One extreme example came to a conclusion in 2007 when Donald Deardoff, the former treasurer of the Baptist Foundation of Arizona was ordered to serve four years in prison and pay $159 million to victims of an investment scam (former foundation president William Crotts and general counsel Thomas Grabinski were sentenced in September 2006 to eight and six years in prison, respectively, on fraud and racketeering charges). According to the Associated Baptist Press: "The foundation collapsed in 1999 after state regulators ordered it to stop selling securities. Controlled by the Arizona Southern Baptist Convention, it had generated money by soliciting funds from clients -- mainly elderly Baptists -- ostensibly to build churches and retirement homes. Instead, courts found, foundation leaders used the funds for a classic pyramid scheme. The foundation shuffled bad debt and overvalued property between phony companies, paying high profits to backers from the money paid in by subsequent investors. About 11,000 investors lost more than $550 million in the foundation's collapse." In a Feb. 6 editorial, the Tucson Citizen called the case a "sordid story" and predicted that investors wouldn't get back nearly the amount of money they had entrusted to the foundation. "It is a sad story of greed perpetrated in the name of a church," the editors wrote. I think that quote pretty well sums up what Paul is addressing in our passage today as well as the core issue in every investment scam: Greed.  To Ponder:   I have always made it a practice to not mix business with church. Not that my business is conducted in anything other than high Biblical and moral standards, but rather so no one would confuse my intent or position at church with business objectives. I am a little concerned whenever I see someone using the church membership directory as a network for business -- and equally concerned when a member thinks doing business only with Christians is a guarantee of "fair dealing". In several instances, including the one cited in today's devotion -- just the opposite is the case. So be careful -- especially where money is concerned. Greed is a potential snare for all of us.

Wherever Life Takes You Be prepared to share the Gospel !

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Do You Commit Adultery?

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Day 541: Evidence of Responsibility, Part 3 of 6:  Romans 2:22a You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery?     Thoughts for Today:   Many of us feel that un-acted upon impulses or thoughts is not really sin. It only becomes sin if it is acted upon. Jesus clears this up for us in Matthew 5:28: "But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." James Allen (1864-1912) wrote: "The aphorism, 'As a man thinketh in his heart so is he,' not only embraces the whole of a man's being, but is so comprehensive as to reach out to every condition and circumstance of his life. A man is literally what he thinks, his character being the complete sum of all his thoughts." I think James Allen got it right although his "aphorism" is a quote from Proverbs 23:7a: "For as he thinks within himself, so he is." Or the King James Version: "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he." The Bible agrees, we are indeed a sum total of our thoughts. In our passage today, Paul asks the Jews: "Do you commit adultery?" God himself broadly defined adultery as not just relations with a member of the opposite sex (whether actual or fantasy), but all activity which takes us away from His influence and Lordship over our lives. (For more information on this subject: The Book of Hosea emphasizes all the ways the Jews had distanced themselves from God by establishing other priorities and chasing after other interests -- God considered all of this adultery. Questions to Ponder:   If you consider God's definition of adultery -- have you been faithful? Have you been pursuing other interests or placing greater priority on activities not directed by the Lord? Do you need to re-order some of those activities? Do some need to be eliminated? "For as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." What thoughts are in your heart? Would God be pleased? Do you need to do some housecleaning?

Do You Steal?

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Day 540: Evidence of Responsibility, Part 2 of 6:  Romans 2:21b You who preach against stealing, do you steal?     Thoughts for Today:   I was on a plane returning from a grueling twelve day overseas trip. Just before landing the flight attendant passed out the Customs Declaration Form for us all to fill out. I had been on this particular flight for the last seventeen hours -- the final leg after two days of travel from Nepal to Los Angeles and home. To say I was in a hurry to see my wife, daughter, and the comfort of my own bed is an understatement. I looked at that Declaration form for a full five minutes -- I envisioned the long lines waiting for me if I answered the questions truthfully. Endless bureaucratic delays. I fantasized about lying on the form, then sending in a letter from home including a check in the amount of the duty I owed -- apologizing for my oversight. What harm could there be? I intended to pay the duty -- right? I was just making paying the duty a little more convenient. Then reality kicked in, I filled out the form correctly, and when I got off the plane -- I took my place in the appropriate line. Surprisingly the line moved quickly. When it was my turn the Custom's Officer asked me: "Do you really want to declare this much?" I answered: "Yes, it's what I bought -- I have a big family." He asked: "Is all this from Nepal -- not Bangkok (I had a stopover in Bangkok)?" "No," I answered. "Well you're in luck, because no duty is due from Nepal. You are free to go." I stood there in shocked silence -- it taken all of two minutes -- start to finish, yet I had agonized on the plane for over an hour about how long I would be delayed. It is always interesting to me how we can so easily rationalize our decisions to steal. Yes, that's right -- not paying duty is stealing -- just like so many other things we do or are tempted to do. I have seen normally good, ethical, Christian men and women who think nothing of taking something which doesn't belong to them. A pen from a restaurant, office supplies from work, pirated copies of a new movies, hotel towels, unauthorized music downloads, etc. Small thefts but stealing none-the-less. In our passage today Paul asks, "You who preach against stealing, do you steal?" I think that's a good question for us all to answer.     Questions to Ponder:   What do you consider stealing? Many times I hear people rationalize thefts: "They can afford it," or "They expect you to take stuff -- it's included in the price." Stealing is stealing whether it's a home break-in, theft of an auto, or packing a hotel towel in your suitcase. Where do you think God draws the line on acceptable thefts? Or is a theft a theft, no matter how minor the cost or who it belongs to ?

Do You Not Teach Yourself?

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Day 539: Evidence of Responsibility, Part 1 of 6: Romans 2:21a ...you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself?     Thoughts for Today:   We just finished a four part series which was titled: "Questions of Responsibility." Paul now asks six more questions which have to do with the "Evidence of Responsibility" as demonstrated in our lives. Today we deal with the first of these: "If we know God's Word so well that we teach it to others, then why don't we teach it to ourselves?" A few days ago I had some words in anger with a guy who did something I wished he hadn't. The problem was threefold: what I said, how I said it, and what I felt -- none of which were good. Unfortunately the situation was compounded because my eight year old daughter Amanda overhead a large portion of it. Not only did I need to apologize to the guy for my words, ask God for forgiveness and pray for Him to change my heart -- I also had to sit down and talk about it with Amanda. I decided the direct approach with Amanda was the best: "I was wrong to say what I said. No matter what someone else does it is never right to use unkind words." Amanda responded matter-of-factly: "I know." Then I asked her: "Will you forgive me for being a poor example?" Amanda answered: "Of course I will -- we all make mistakes, that's why we need Jesus -- right Daddy?" I have to say I didn't feel too good about my behavior that day, yet somehow God turned the ugliness into a teaching experience for both Amanda and myself. Paul's words came to me: "You who teach others, do you not teach yourselves?" My answer is: "Yes, even when I make a mistake."     Questions to Ponder:   Too often when we make mistakes, rather than confess and ask forgiveness we seek to cover and excuse. On that day I could have easily covered my behavior with self-righteous indignation. If I had done so, Amanda may not have said anything, but she was watching -- she knew what I did was wrong, and just as important, she was paying close attention to how I handled my error. Confess and seek forgiveness or cover and make excuses -- it's a choice we make in these types of situations. Fortunately I did the right thing even in my error.   How do you handle your errors?   Is there anything you need to clear up and take responsibility for right now?

God's Judgment: Fear, Ignore or Deny ?

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Day 522:  Romans 2:2a Now we know that God's judgment...     Thoughts for Today:   Most people (Christian and non-Christian alike) would agree, that some of history's greatest villains (Jeffery Dahmer, Adolf Hitler, etc.) deserve eternal punishment for their acts while on this earth. Our passage today begins with the words, "Now we know", for Paul is discussing every man is born with the inherent knowledge one day we will be judged by a power higher than ourselves for the way we have lived. It is curious to me how many people will say when discussing a person (OJ Simpson for example), who appears to have done wrong yet escaped punishment, "He'll get what he deserves in the next life." Then in the same breath, argue against God's right to judge their own sinful acts. "I'm a good person," is what I hear most often. So does that mean God won't judge us? Does God hold up a scale and place all of our good and selfless acts on one side and all of our lies, gossip, insults, etc. on the other -- and make His decision accordingly? Do we get to choose what is sinful and what is not? I don't think so. Here is what the Bible says about God's judgment: Psalm 9:6, "The Lord reigns forever; he has established his throne for judgment." Ecclesiastes 3:17, "God will bring to judgment both the righteous and the wicked." Jeremiah 2:35, "You say, 'I am innocent; he is not angry with me.' But I will pass judgment on you because you say, 'I have not sinned.' " Matthew12:36 [Jesus speaking], "But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken." This coming judgment of God is something we either fear, avoid thinking about, or completely deny. Many people in our country have deceived themselves into believing judgment by God is an archaic and uneducated concept. However, regardless of how we feel about it -- it is something all will face. 2 Corinthians 5:10, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad."     Questions to Ponder:   Do you believe in eternal life? What about God's judgment? I know when I die and appear before the Lord, my sins will have been paid and washed away with the blood of Jesus. Do you have the same confidence?