Tag Archives: behavior

The Voting is Over, November 2, 2020

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Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.

We are in the week of our election in the United States. Depending on when you’re listening, we are choosing tomorrow, have chosen, or are awaiting news of who garnered the most electoral votes and will sit in the Oval Office on January 20^th. Will it make a difference to the country? I’m not sure.

In the last few decades, we polarized ourselves to such a degree I’m not sure anyone can bring us together unless we, as a people, choose to stand up as a whole and demand change from within. Jesus described our political parties well from his description of the political parties of his day when he said in Matthew 23:

²‘The scribes and Pharisees,’ he said, ‘sit on the seat of Moses. ³So you must do whatever they tell you, and keep it, but don’t do the things they do. You see, they talk but they don’t do. ⁴They tie up heavy bundles which are difficult to carry, and they dump them on people’s shoulders – but they themselves aren’t prepared to lift a little finger to move them!

⁵‘Everything they do is for show, to be seen by people. Yes, they make their prayer-boxes large and their prayer-tassels long, ⁶and they love the chief places at dinners, the main seats in the synagogues, ⁷the greetings in the market-places, and having people call them “Rabbi.” (Matthew 23: 2-7 NTE)

Take a look at what goes on within the political arena in Washington. We’ve had so little happen for the people in the last 20 years unless it brought attention to the bill’s author. We hear about Obamacare or the Affordable Care Act, but if you read the 10,000 pages of its legislation, it’s not much different from the Trump Healthcare plan except for the act’s regulation. They both provide the same care to those who can’t afford it. They both ensure pre-existing conditions are covered. They both try to reduce unpredictable and uncontrollable costs.

The big difference is in the regulation. The Republican Party doesn’t like big government, so gets rid of regulation whenever it can, which means getting rid of government oversight and government jobs. The Democratic Party favors big government and management and adds regulation and government jobs. The two have much more in common than in differences. But we don’t read the 14,000 pages of legal jargon, so we don’t know that. We only hear what each side tells us through their media, and we buy their stories.

I’m thrilled we finally turned out to vote this year and discovered the importance of letting our voices be heard in an election. Maybe we won’t crawl into a hole until the next general election but will instead continue to provide a voice through letters, calls, attendance at local venues with our representatives in the local, state, and federal legislatures to let them know what we think. We have let them run amuck far too long. It’s our fault the right and left have grown so far apart. We have failed as citizens to reign them in and make them sit down at the table and discuss meaningful compromises that will do what we want them to do. They are our representatives, not our kings, our princes, or bosses. They should be giving voice to what we want, not what they want.

How do we make that happen? When they fail to voice our concerns and a more moderate line, which is what I think most Americans would prefer, we should vote them out of office and replace them with someone who will listen to our voice. Recalls can still happen when our representatives fail to follow what we insist they do. Our laws allow us and demand us to take such action for the good of the citizens they represent. But we must stay involved and informed if we plan to do those things.

We can’t blindly take the word of what we have found to be a significantly biased media. Both left and right spin their stories to inflame the other side. Now we see both sides of social media intentionally censor their clientele to ensure only one side gets told on their platform. As Christians, how are we to overcome this divide that plagues our nation?

First, recognize what is happening. As Jesus said, “A house divided cannot stand.” If we continue to allow the media and our politicians to inflame the populace along far-right and far-left ideologies, America will dissolve as a democracy. We cannot continue to survive as a nation under these conditions. Nor can we survive as a far-left or far-right nation. Neither side will meet the needs of the majority. The radical fringe ideologies that both sides propose daily will destroy what we built over the last 244 years. Both extremes are wrong. Both sides lay burdens on the backs of the people they are not willing to carry themselves. Note the exemptions Congress gives itself regarding the laws it enacts for the rest of us concerning taxes, healthcare, banking laws, salary for life after serving just one term, and many other regulations that burden the people but not them.

Second, pray that God will intervene and soften the hearts of the men and women in our elected positions, that they will listen to his voice and act accordingly. Pray that he will hear our prayers and heal our land. Pray that he will bring safety to our country; that he will return a sense of humanity to the hearts of both sides of the aisles in our legislators at all levels of government. Pray that the radical actors burning our cities and committing violence against innocent citizens will stop, repent, and discover God.

Third, find out the facts about what our governments at local, state, and federal levels are doing. Don’t listen to the news outlets, but instead, get involved and read the legislative bodies’ official records. Go to the public documents that record the legislation and the votes of those who represent you. See how they acted, not what they said. It’s often interesting the differences you find in the two. You don’t get prosecuted for lying to the press, but you do when you perjure yourself in court or Congress. So read the official records.

Fourth, vote for the individuals who act according to what you think is right for the community at large. Don’t vote based on what you hear in ad campaigns or what the media splashes across their platform. As we have seen in the campaigns this year, both sides do their best to take one statement, spin it a million different ways, and try to trash their opponent. This has nothing to do with how they will help you or your community. So, vote for the person who acts to do what is right for the community at large. That is what democracy is about—doing the majority’s will while protecting the few’s rights.

Next, get involved. Go to the meetings your representatives hold—Voice your opinions and concerns. Ensure your representatives carry out the will of the people, not their agenda. They represent the majority that put them in office, not some isolated group somewhere, or at least that is how our government is supposed to work. When they fail to meet your expectations, vote them out of office. Don’t let politicians continue to hold offices that fail to carry out the will of the majority. Hold them accountable for their promises.

Finally, force your representatives to sit down at the table and listen to the other side. Find the commonalities between the two. Negotiate a reasonable plan that will satisfy both sides. We don’t need to operate on the far left or far right. In fact, we should probably never find ourselves living in either space. Find a moderate compromise that takes both sides’ best and legislates a sensible plan free of all the add-on amendments that too often cause good bills to fail. Get involved as one not driven by either extreme to let your voice, driven by the King of kings, be heard.

The voting is over. Right now, the country is in turmoil, and it’s our fault as Americans, as silent Christians. We have not played our part as good citizens. It’s time we do what we should and let our voices be heard so that the King of kings can rule this nation along with all the others. It’s time to participate in politics and tell those the country elected to do the right thing and make sure they do. Remember, separation of church and state was always to keep the government out of the church, not keep the church out of government. We need to raise our voice and let God back into the running of our country. It’s our fault as Christians we are where we are today. We can help fix it if we dare.

You can find me at richardagee.com. I also invite you to join us at San Antonio First Church of the Nazarene on West Avenue in San Antonio to hear more Bible-based teaching. You can find out more about my church at SAF.church. Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed it, tell a friend. If you didn’t, send me an email and let me know how better to reach out to those around you. Until next week, may God richly bless you as you venture into His story each day.

It’s a Good Way to Live, February 17, 2020

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Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.

Do not cross the double line. Do not pass. Do not enter. Do not steal. Do not kill. Do not lie. Do not commit adultery. Do not covet. Do not. Do not. Do not.

Have you ever noticed how negative life can sometimes get if we are not careful? We can get trapped in the “do not” whirlpool and feel like everything around us is taboo. Anything we do will bring lightning bolts down on our heads. Growing up, I felt that way. I grew up in an era when the church laid down lots of rules and regulations and said if you don’t do any of these things, you’ll be alright with God.

It’s funny how easy it is to get trapped in that mentality. The church still has that problem in many ways. The Pharisees still live in too many of our congregations. They quickly point to the things we shouldn’t do and tell us how evil we must be because of our behavior.

Jesus never seemed to work that way. It seems to me that he operated from a different point of view. It’s not that he didn’t understand the laws the Pharisees preached. His Sermon on the Mount proved that and went far beyond what they held as the universal standard. You can hear his explanation of the law in his words recorded by Matthew:

“You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire.

So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell.

“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

“Again, you have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.’ But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let your word be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’; anything more than this comes from the evil one. (Matthew 5:21-37 NIV)

These demands certainly go much further than the Pharisees required, but Jesus puts a spin on what he asks of us that the temple could never do. Remember the two commands he says sums everything up? He puts those in pretty positive terms. Love God and love others.

How much more positive can his commands get? He gives us two and says he will send his Spirit to empower us to keep these two commands. He gives us simple rules to follow, then tells us he will provide us with the means to do it — what an extraordinary deal.

We could never keep the old rules. Jesus comes and explains the old rules start with thoughts we harbor and mull over until they become more than just ideas. They grow into acts of disobedience. Murder begins with anger. Rape and adultery start with lust. Theft grows from the seed of covetousness. Acts of disobedience don’t just happen; they germinate from ideas planted in our minds because of the evil desires within us. We take the God-given emotions and feelings we have and allow Satan to twist them and try to satisfy them in unhealthy disobedient ways to gain temporary pleasure.

Those who listen to Jesus’ words and follow him have found the promise God gave to the Israelites pretty applicable in their everyday life as well. Moses shared it with them in Deuteronomy 30, and it goes like this:

See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, death and adversity. If you obey the commandments of the LORD your God that I am commanding you today, by loving the LORD your God, walking in his ways, and observing his commandments, decrees, and ordinances, then you shall live and become numerous, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to possess. But if your heart turns away and you do not hear, but are led astray to bow down to other gods and serve them, I declare to you today that you shall perish; you shall not live long in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.

I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, loving the LORD your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him; for that means life to you and length of days, so that you may live in the land that the LORD swore to give to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. (Deuteronomy 30:15-20 NIV)

I think I’ll choose life by following his decrees as simple as they are: love God and love others. It’s a good way to live.

Scriptures marked NIV are taken from the NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (NIV): Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ®. Copyright©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™. Used by permission of Zondervan

Pleasing the Father (John 8:28-29), February 23, 2017

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Today’s Podcast

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Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
How hard did you work to make your father pleased when you were a kid? I sometimes worked really hard, but often failed miserably. My early days of sitting on the front pews of the church were often accompanied by spanking for my misbehavior when I got home. Not exactly pleasing behavior, I expect.
Scripture
1. John 8:28-29
2. They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.”
Devotional
1. I’m a preacher’s kid. Growing up, my brother and I usually sat on the front seat so my dad could keep an eye on us.
  1. Had a problem sitting still
  2. Got in trouble almost every service
  3. I wanted to please my father, but just had to cut up with my brother instead of paying attention to the service
  4. I knew the rules, sit still, be quiet, and listen
  5. I could only do that for a little while when I was in elementary school
  6. Wanted to please, but got in trouble a lot
2. We’re like that with THE Father
  1. We know the rules
  2. We know when we are about to break them
  3. We know what He wants from us and how He wants us to behave
  4. Like little kids that can’t sit still, we can’t please Him sometimes
  5. We do our own thing instead of obeying
  6. And we get in trouble
3. As I matured, I learned to appreciate what the pastor was saying
  1. First my dad
  2. Later other pastors
  3. I still want to please my earthly father
  4. I want to please my heavenly Father more
4. Always present to help me know how to please Him
  1. Sometimes have to guess with our earthly fathers
  2. We think we know what they want, but we don’t
  3. God lives with us and in us to guide us if we will listen to His voice
  4. Earthly fathers can’t be with us all the time to help us through life and let us know what they want. God can and does
  5. Earthly fathers change their minds and change the rules sometimes
  6. God never does, His plan for our salvation has not changed since the beginning of time and Adam’s first sin
5. Do I always please Him?
  1. No
  2. But He always forgives when I ask in true repentance
If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved. In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Do what they say, not what they do (Matthew 23:2-12) May 25, 2016

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Psalms 60-62

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 23:2-12
Jesus: The Pharisees and the scribes occupy the seat of Moses. So you should do the things they tell you to do—but don’t do the things they do. They heap heavy burdens upon their neighbors’ backs, and they prove unwilling to do anything to help shoulder the load. They are interested, above all, in presentation: they wrap their heads and arms in the accoutrements of prayer, they cloak themselves with flowing tasseled prayer garments, they covet the seats of honor at fine banquets and in the synagogue, and they love it when people recognize them in the marketplace, call them “Teacher,” and beam at them.

But you: do not let anyone call you “Rabbi,” that is, “Teacher.” For you are all brothers, and you have only one teacher, the Anointed One. Indeed, do not call anyone on earth “Father,” for you have only one father, and He is in heaven. Neither let anyone call you “leader,” for you have one leader—the Anointed One. If you are recognized at all, let it be for your service. Delight in the one who calls you servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

It’s easy to play the church game. We can belong to the biggest, most popular church in the city. We can recite the Apostles’ Creed and the tenets of our doctrine. We can sing in the choir and teach a Bible class. We can be on the church board or council of elders. We can sing the right songs, pray what sounds like holy prayers. We can dress just like the preach and even fill in for him when he is absent. We can do all those things, but does that make us right with God?

Of course the answer is no. God doesn’t look at those things by themselves. He care less about the external trappings and actions that we do to impress others and looks at the inside as to why we do the things we do. Others will see all those things and might even view us as righteous, right with God, on the inside track with Him. But we and God know better. We know if we do those things to impress people or in service to God. We know if our actions please Him or us.

That’s what Jesus was talking about here. The Pharisees appeared to do all the right things. They prayed long prayers in the temple and synagogues. They wore robes that others thought showed their piety, maybe like the robes of the priests and pastors in some of our churches today. They wore headgear that showed the status of their position in the priestly hierarchy. They kept their solemn demeanor in the presence of their parishioners to let them know how serious they were about their faith. These Pharisees let people know they fasted at least twice a week instead of once a week. They let everyone know they prayed three times a day. They let everyone know all about their religious disciplines.

Everyone knew just how great these men were. Or at least they thought they knew. Then Jesus comes along and looks in their heart. He sees why they do the things they do and recognizes the paradox in their actions. None of their demands on the people fit the reasons carried out their own daily behaviors. They wanted others to act the same way they did. None of those actions were wrong. But the reasons were. The Pharisees did all those things to be noticed by men, not God. Jesus says, do them, but do them for God. Let go of the selfish desire to be recognized by others and just be good because God is good.

Jesus says to understand the meaning behind all those rules the Pharisees spout so eloquently. The meaning God intends is to love. Jesus shared the truth behind the rules. They are good, holy, God gave them, so they are right. But as Paul points out, we perverted the rules. We twisted them so that they only point out our sin. The rules can’t lead us to God, but rather, they drive us toward evil. But when we exercise faith in the truth of God’s word, He gives us deeper understanding that leads us to salvation.

God wants our heart. When we give it to Him completely, we will do the things the Pharisees say we should do. We will give. We will help the poor. We will pray. We will study God’s word. We will work tirelessly to build God’s kingdom. We will do all kinds of things willingly for the Creator of the universe. We will do it all with a smile on our face and joy in our heart. Why? Because of the grace He gives us and the grace He enables us to extend to others,

The Pharisees’ words were good, their displays were sometimes right. But their hearts centered on themselves and their satisfaction, not on God. So Jesus tells us don’t be like them. Do what they say, not what they do. Be real, act from your heart in service to God.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

What should we look like? (Matthew 11:16-19) March 9, 2017

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Psalms 27-29

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 11:16-19
Jesus: What is this generation like? You are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out, “When we played the flute, you did not dance; and when we sang a dirge, you did not mourn.” What I mean is this: When John came, he dressed in the clothes of a prophet, and he did not eat and drink like others but lived on honey and wild locusts. And people wondered if he was crazy, if he had been possessed by a demon. Then the Son of Man appeared—He didn’t fast, as John had, but ate with sinners and drank wine. And the people said, “This man is a glutton! He’s a drunk! And He hangs around with tax collectors and sinners, to boot.” Well, Wisdom will be vindicated by her actions—not by your opinions.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

What do you look for in a Christian, a real follower of Christ? Many today look for an always somber, downcast demeanor, someone who looks like they have a perpetual case of indigestion or who lost their kitten and can’t find it. Some think Christians must always be frowning and wearing this mask of sorrow and grief because of the ills and evils present in the world today. Perhaps that’s the picture Jesus painted of John in the wilderness. His was not an easy life wearing camel skins and eating locust and the honey he could find in the trees and bushes in the wild.

But Jesus came and He wasn’t like John. He didn’t stay in the wilderness eating locust and wearing the skins of animals He killed in the brush to survive. He didn’t walk around with a sour disposition preaching doom and gloom. He didn’t keep His head bowed and His eyes on the ground groveling in false humility. Jesus loved people and embraced life everywhere He went. If He didn’t, I don’t think He would have gathered crowds of thousands around Him when He spoke. Think about the charasmatic speakers you see today. There are few that can surround themselves with thousands of listeners. And today they have the advantages of multimedia advertising to help draw their crowds. Jesus had word of mouth to let people know He was coming, yet scripture records events in which He spoke to multitudes…often.

So what should Christians look like and act like? Jesus had fun. He ate with prostitutes, tax collectors, who everyone considered thieves, sinners. He conversed with outsiders, the most poverty stricken who sometimes did unscrupulous things to survive. He ate with the wealthy who sometimes did unscrupulous things to gain and maintain their wealth. How could He associate with such people if He were the Son of God? In those settings, too, He had a crowd around Him. He laughed, He smiled, He told stories, He listened to other people’s stories. He enjoyed life.

The religious leaders of the day, thought Jesus should fit their mold. They thought He should look and act a certain way. They thought He should fit into their picture of what a righteous person looks like. The problem with their thought process, though, they didn’t know what righteousness was. They assumed they were righteous because they kept the rules. But we cannot be righteous just by keeping rules. Remember what Paul says? “We have all sinned. All our attempts to reach out to God have failed.” We cannot become righteous through our actions. It’s not possible.

But God made it possible for us to wear His righteousness. We can wear His likeness and when we do, we won’t look like the crowd. We won’t act like the crowd. We won’t worry about what others say about our actions, either. We will do what Christ would do because He will be directing our actions. We will act like He acts and look like He looks because we will be more interested in pleasing Him than pleasing others. We will want to go where He would go and say what He would say. We will be His emissaries and represent Him in all we do.

So what should Christians look like and act like? Sometimes we will look and act like John the Baptist. Sometimes it’s necessary to be the prophet with the message of repentance. When Christ asks us to take on that role, it isn’t always pleasant and our countenance will probably reflect the difficulty of confronting others with the truth of the gospel. We will sorrow for those who refuse to listen and continue on their selfish path to ultimate destruction and eternal punishment.

But most often, we will be like Jesus was as He drew crowds around Him. Welcoming the children. Singing. Laughing. Telling stories of God’s grace and goodness. Helping others understand the good news of God’s salvation and His empowerment in our life, now, in this place, in the middle of all the evil that surrounds us. Our lives as Christians today are certainly no more difficult than that of the early followers of Jesus. In fact, we probably have life too easy. Maybe a little persecution would help us understand just how much we need to rely on Him instead of ourselves.

The leaders in His day couldn’t understand how Jesus fit it to their religious formula. Because He didn’t. He didn’t come to uphold or create a religion but to create relationships. That’s what God wants from us. So He was just Jesus, the Son of Man, the Son of God. What should we look and act like as His followers? Him, that’s all.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Which measuring stick do you choose? (Matthew 7:1-5) January 28, 2016

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Today’s Podcast

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Today’s Bible reading plan:

Read it in a year – Job 7-8

see the whole year’s plan [here](http://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf)

Today’s Devotional

Matthew 7:1-5
Jesus: If you judge other people, then you will find that you, too, are being judged. Indeed, you will be judged by the very standards to which you hold other people. Why is it that you see the dust in your brother’s or sister’s eye, but you can’t see what is in your own eye? Don’t ignore the wooden plank in your eye, while you criticize the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eyelashes. That type of criticism and judgment is a sham! Remove the plank from your own eye, and then perhaps you will be able to see clearly how to help your brother flush out his sawdust.

What do Jesus’ words mean for us today?

If I’m honest with myself, it’s easy to criticize others. It’s easy to find faults in others work, their language, their dress, the way they do anything and everything. And it’s easiest in those areas where I think I’m pretty good at something. I’ve been at this church stuff for a long time, so it’s easy to criticize others in how they do church. What kind of music they sing. How they pray. How they preach. What lessons they choose to share. If you’re honest with yourself, you can do the same thing in your areas of expertise.

Adam gave us a great system of selfish comparison when he passed down those genes to us through his progeny. We’re great at magnifying the faults of others to minimize ours. We want to make ourselves seem better than others so we don’t feel as bad about our own faults. The problem is that the things we see in others are often the very things we do ourselves but just overlook in our own behavior.

Paul talks about it in Romans when he addresses the plight of humanity. We know the law implicitly. God places it in our hearts. We fail to obey it, but criticize others for doing the same. Our hypocrisy is obvious to everyone but ourselves and Jesus points it out clearly in his admonition to those who will hear His words.

Does Jesus tell us not to provide constructive criticism to those around us? No. We should be mentors to those who come behind us. We should help our juniors on life’s journey, in whatever areas of life, through sound constructive criticism and instruction. But Jesus warns we must remove the obstacles from our own life first. Be wary of the hypocrisy He saw in the Pharisees and teachers of the law who prided themselves on their knowledge of the law, but failed to live by its precepts.

Some will tell you not to judge. Quite frankly, I’m not sure it’s possible. We will judge. But Jesus reminds us with this stern warning that we will be judged in return by the same standards. If we become critical, demeaning, out to gain glory for yourself, that same measure of judgement will be leveled against you. It will not be a pretty sight in the end. Your charade will come to an end and your fall will be great, just like that of the Pharisees as the people saw their veil ripped apart with Jesus’ words.

So what is our response to His words today? Do we sit by and let behavior go unchecked because of a misinterpreted pronouncement of “don’t judge or you’ll be judged”? No. Do we let anything go because of a fear that we cannot adequately know what is right and wrong in a world that continues to slide down a steep path of degradation and evil? No. The words Jesus shares here doesn’t mean we don’t have a responsibility to stop bad behavior, but to first police our own behavior before we level judgements against others.

He says we must look at our own actions first. Make sure we are prayed up, in right relationship with God and man, before going to our brother to judge his actions. Know that we are doing some self-assessments and cleaning up our own act before we try to clean up the actions of those around us. It’s easy to see the bad behavior around us and announcing bad behavior for what it is doesn’t violate God’s commands or the precepts in His word. Jesus just says to also take inventory of our own lives as well.

For instance, it wasn’t okay to commit murder to stop the preaching of those opposed to the teaching of the Torah. Nor is it okay to burn down abortion clinics or shoot those who work there because of the right or wrong aspects of abortion. Violating God’s laws is still violating His laws. He doesn’t contradict Himself in His principles and precepts. So when you go about doing very unChristian things to prove your Christian point of view, what are you really doing? Aren’t you as guilty as those who violate those laws in the first place?

That’s the point Jesus makes here. Be careful that you don’t miss error in your own thinking and actions while looking for some misdeed in your brother. You’ll be measured with the same yardstick, so what kind of measure do you want to use? One of grace and mercy or one of wrath and anger? It’s still up to you. Choose wisely.

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

Watch what you say and do, but smile…a lot! (Ephesians 5:1-10), June 9, 2015

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Today’s Scriptures

Today’s Bible reading plans include:

Ready – Ephesians 5:1-20
Set – Ecclesiastes 12; Ephesians 5
Go! – Ecclesiastes 10-12; Psalms 94; Ephesians 5

Ephesians 5:1-20
¹ So imitate God. Follow Him like adored children, ² and live in love as the Anointed One loved you—so much that He gave Himself as a fragrant sacrifice, pleasing God.

³ Listen, don’t let any kind of immorality be breathed among you. Any demoralizing behaviors (perverse sexual acts, uncleanliness, greediness, and the like) are inappropriate topics of conversation for those set apart as God’s people. ⁴ Don’t swear or spurt nonsense. Don’t make harsh jokes or clown around. Make proper use of your words, and offer them thankfully in praise. ⁵ This is what we know for certain: no one who engages in loose sex, impure actions, and greed—which is just a form of idolatry—has any inheritance in the kingdom of God and His Anointed.

⁶ Don’t be fooled by people whose sentences are compounded with useless words, empty words—they just show they are empty souls. For, in His wrath, God will judge all the children of disobedience for these kinds of sins. ⁷ So don’t be persuaded into their ignorance; and don’t cast your lot with them ⁸ because, although you were once the personification of darkness, you are now light in the Lord. So act like children of the light. ⁹ For the fruit of the light is all that is good, right, and true. ¹⁰ Make it your aim to learn what pleases our Lord. ¹¹ Don’t get involved with the fruitless works of darkness; instead, expose them to the light of God. ¹² You see, it’s a disgrace to speak of their secrets (so don’t even talk about what they do when no one is looking). ^13-14 When the light shines, it exposes even the dark and shadowy things and turns them into pure reflections of light. This is why they sing,

Awake, you sleeper!
Rise from your grave,
And the Anointed One will shine on you.
¹⁵ So be careful how you live; be mindful of your steps. Don’t run around like idiots as the rest of the world does. Instead, walk as the wise! ¹⁶ Make the most of every living and breathing moment because these are evil times. ¹⁷ So understand and be confident in God’s will, and don’t live thoughtlessly. ¹⁸ Don’t drink wine excessively. The drunken path is a reckless path. It leads nowhere. Instead, let God fill you with the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ When you are filled with the Spirit, you are empowered to speak to each other in the soulful words of pious songs, hymns, and spiritual songs; to sing and make music with your hearts attuned to God; ²⁰ and to give thanks to God the Father every day through the name of our Lord Jesus the Anointed for all He has done.

Today’s Devotional

From today’s background scripture God might say:

I’ve found that sometimes you take Paul’s words a little too far when he says don’t make harsh jokes or clown around. In other translations, it says to be sober and you really take it to heart. So much so that people around you think you’re eating lemons all the time. That’s not who I want you to be. Why would anyone want to be around you if you never have a smile on your face?

Can you imagine Jesus attracting children to Him if he never smiled? It’s the friendly face that fascinates children. It’s the smile that draws others to that singular personality. The dole and dreary expression drives people away, it never attracts them to you. Is it any wonder My church has trouble growing when its members look like they had spoiled prunes and leftover mush for breakfast?

I do want you to guard your speech. I do want you to watch your behavior. I do want you to control yourself and keep yourself far from the behavior of the world, but that doesn’t mean you cannot enjoy life. It doesn’t mean life isn’t fun. It doesn’t mean you don’t smile and play and even act silly sometimes. Remember you are My children. And at times it’s even okay to act like My children.

Jesus, while He walked with you, sat and played games with the children. He sang songs with them. He played hide-and-seek with them. He ran in the fields with them. He enjoyed life like they enjoyed life. He told you that unless you approach life the same way children approach life you cannot enter My kingdom. Children approach life with curiosity, faith, trust, joy, peace, contentment – all those attributes that make life enjoyable and put a smile on your face.

Paul tells you when you are filled with My Spirit you are empowered to speak to each other with the soulful words of pious songs, hymns, and spiritual songs. You know where you find those? The Psalms that speak of My joy. The Wisdom books that tell My story, strength, and glory. The Prophets that promise the riches of heaven to those that follow Me. Those pious songs are filled with the joy of following Me. There are no funeral dirges in those songs, but rather hymns of praise to Me.

Life can be full of fun and laughter and joy without crossing the line of bad behavior or speech. After all, I created all good things. Why wouldn’t they bring a smile to your face?

The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.