Moderation is Not Following Christ.

Some conversion stories are dramatic: The boss of a motorcycle gang has raped, killed, and spread crime all over the nation. He lands in prison and finds Jesus—and his life is radically changed! He has seen the dark side, and he’s never going back! 

Most never see such highs and lows.  Many believers grew up in church, and when they rebel rarely end up criminals. 

But high school and college students often have to see the darkness before they fully embrace the LIGHT OF THE WORLD. 

But there is risk: some will see the darkness, enjoy the darkness, and EMBRACE the darkness. 

Others step back from darkness, but embrace something equally wrong, but socially acceptable: the pagan notion of MODERATION. 

Some of us are not walking with Jesus, we are merely living “in moderation.”  We are gluttons for Mexican food, but in moderation.  We drink wine, but in moderation.  We cuss, but not that much.  We read our Bible but only a little. 

We follow Jesus in moderation, arguing, ‘I don’t want to be a fanatic!’ 

We are judgmental and gossip in moderation.  We watch sex on TV, but in MODERATION—We’re not perverts like So-and-So.  We are ambitious, jealous, selfish, hateful—but in MODERATION.  Is that what being a Christian means—a life of MODERATION?  Is that what Jesus meant in Matthew 16:24 when He said “if any man wants to follow Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me”?

Elijah confronted his people:

“How long will you waver between two opinions!?” 1 Kings 18:21. 

Others translate it:

How long will you hesitate between two sides? How long will you sit on the fence? How long will you hobble back and forth? How long will you try to have it both ways?

Have you seen enough darkness? Many of us have seen enough to step back.  But don’t step back to a life of moderation. 

Embrace Jesus to the extreme! 

He give you purpose and joy.  Moderation is selfish. Jesus calls you to selflessness.  Deny yourself. Take up your cross.  You cannot serve Jesus in moderation.

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Can You Hear the Whisper of God?  1 Kings 19:11-12.

Imagine you and I head into the wilderness to spend time with God. Life slows down when we leave the city where we are stressed, anxious, and too busy. In the wilderness, there are no honking horns. Phones don’t ring.  Notifications are off. No one looks at email or social media. It’s freedom and peace.

One day we find a cave.  It’s cool inside and we sit down. Then as we get up to leave, it’s suddenly too dangerous. A roaring wind picks up, loud as a passing locomotive. The mountain is coming apart, rocks are falling and bouncing, the cliffs above are breaking off, boulders crushing trees.  We cannot take another step.

Suddenly the wind stops and things are quiet.  Until the earthquakes begin. The earth pitches and rolls like a ship in a storm.    

But suddenly the earth is still and the wind is still.

“What just happened?”

“I don’t know. You want to get out of this cave?”

But before we can answer, fire breaks out.  Suddenly everything is red and smoky. There is a forest fire in all directions, but we are safe inside the cave.  We stand there staring until the heat makes us turn away.

“What is God doing? He sure got my attention.”

Suddenly the fire goes out.  All is still and quiet.  We look at each other and we hear a still, small voice. God speaks quietly, explaining that He was not in the wind, though He controls the wind. He was not in the earthquake, though He controls the earthquake. He was not in the fire, though He controls fire. God was in the still, small voice.  1 Kings 19:11-12.

A week later we are back in the city—stressed, anxious, and too busy. But we learned something: if we want to hear God’s voice, we need to get away from the wind, the earthquakes, and the fires—all the noisy distractions—and find a quiet place where we can hear His STILL, SMALL VOICE.

That’s why they call it A QUIET TIME.  God will not compete for your attention: you must regularly give Him 100% of your attention or you will rarely hear His voice.

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WE CAN PRACTICE JOY AND TEACH JOY.  2 Chronicles 17:6-7.

Everything Andrew touched turned to gold. After college he rented a funky space in downtown New Orleans. He poured money into it and transformed it into a restaurant he called “The Grotto.”  The Grotto became the city’s hot spot.  It was wildly successful, and Andrew was the owner and chef. Then the landlord raised the rent and put The Grotto out of business.  Andrew was suddenly the owner of a restaurant that failed.  Andrew failed. 

Worse still, Andrew’s father, a jeweler and preacher, died when Andrew was in second grade.  Andrew never recovered.  Andrew was not a talker.  He buried the loss inside himself like an abscess.  Then his restaurant failed and Andrew bounced around the food industry for twenty years, never finding the right fit and always blaming everyone else. Then one day Andrew drank himself to death.

Andrew achieved great successes but he suffered too, and he had no father to teach him what to do with grief and failure.  Andrew needed to be taught joy.

Perhaps his preacher father would have pointed to Ecclesiastes: Life is hard and unfair, but you can find the joy of the Lord in anything.

King Jehoshaphat understood. “His mind rejoiced in the Lord’s ways” and the king sent his top officials to TEACH God’s joy-filled ways to the people. 2 Chronicles 17:6-7.  If only Andrew could have learned God’s way to find joy during grief and failure.  Andrew was wry and funny, but no one would ever describe him as happy.  He needed a teacher to teach him about joy. 

God, teach us to find joy in all things, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Most of all, to find joy in Your ways.  Help us find joy in our work, our meals, our family and friends, in nice days and stormy days, and in all things. Help us live it and teach it: “find joy in the Lord always!” Philippians 4:4.

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Beware of Shortcuts.

I love a good shortcut. I’ll never forget taking a shortcut back to our campsite. The rest of our scout troop was convinced I was wrong. But when I arrived back at camp alone, the men looked at me wondering where the others were. Then I took a shower and got cleaned up. An hour later the others dragged in, covered in mud, most of all Chris, who had gotten stuck in the mud. They were all mad.

But most shortcuts don’t work out. I’ve often gotten off a freeway and regretted it. I’ve left hiking trails and ended up covered in scratches. And when your enemy tempts you to take shortcuts—to achieve godly goals by ungodly means—you will pay for it. And that is what the devil does. He doesn’t tempt us to become murderers often. Usually, he tempts us to grab some achievement that we were already destined for, but he urges us to seize that goal prematurely or in an improper way. David was tempted to kill Saul so he could become king, and he KNEW God had already anointed him king. But David also knew killing Saul was wrong.

The evil kings of the Old Testament had it all. But something tempted them—more wealth, more wives, more power? Whatever it was, they were tempted by the shortcut of idol worship. And God punished them severely. Consider Baasha—God struck down his whole family:

“Anyone who belongs to Baasha who dies in the city, the dogs will eat. Anyone who is his and dies in the country, the birds will eat.” 1 Kings 16:4.

There are NO SHORTCUTS with God. Instead, honor Him like David and like Jehoshaphat—whom God blessed with “riches and honor in abundance.” Why? Because—

“His mind rejoiced in the Lord’s ways.” 2 Chronicles 17:6.

Pray. Dear God, help us be patient and serve You faithfully. Never let us be distracted by shortcuts. Help our minds rejoice in Your ways.

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Choices.

Your life is not based on one BIG DECISION, but on thousands of small choices. 

And the most important of those choices is the seemingly small choice to spend time with God every day.

When Israel was a divided kingdom, the nation’s kings made bad choices.  King Nadab was an evil idol worshipper and Baasha conspired against him. King Baasha was evil and when he died, his son Elah became king. King Elah was evil and his servant Zimri conspired against him. Zimri was king seven days when Omri raised an army and Zimri burned the palace down around himself. King Omri was evil and his son Ahab became king after him…. The immoral, idol-worshipping kings of Israel were destroying the nation.

Meanwhile in Judah, King Jehoshaphat was following God and remained on the throne the entire time the six kings of Israel (above) were killing each other.  His people lived in peace.

What does a king do when he is not busy fighting wars or being assassinated? Solomon built the temple.  But Jehoshaphat built THE NATION.  How? By TEACHING.

“His mind rejoiced in the Lord’s ways … Jehoshaphat sent his officials … to teach in the cities of Judah … They taught throughout Judah, having the book of the Lord’s instruction with them” 2 Chronicles 17:6-10.

What was the result? “Jehoshaphat grew stronger and stronger” 2 Chronicles 17:12.

THAT is great leadership. While Israel’s kings were leading people into idolatry and the horrible sins that go along with that, Judah’s king was sending ambassadors throughout the land to teach people how to follow God better. What a contrast! The people of idol-worshipping Israel were watching the nation crumble around them, while the people of Judah had hope and peace. And it comes down to small choices.

Make the “small” choice to spend time with God today.

Does your mind REJOICE IN THE LORD’S WAYS? Do you know His word? Can you teach it to others? If so, God can use you to bring peace to the world around you.

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CAN YOU IMAGINE A MEAL FIT FOR A KING?

When Daniel was taken captive into Babylon, he determined NOT to defile himself with the “royal food and wine.” You know the story: the servant was afraid he’d be killed if Daniel and the other Jews lost weight. Daniel said, “Give us vegetables for ten days, then check. If we look poorly, we’ll eat the king’s food.” But after ten days, they looked good, so the vegan diet continued. 

But why the veganism? Jews had always eaten lamb, beef, mutton, milk, poultry, and eggs. But the king of Babylon’s food was too rich. What does that mean? More salt, more fat, more carbs, more sugar, more protein—and probably many ingredients, flavorings, and spices that were not allowed under kosher law.

In other words, ‘a meal fit for a king’ would probably be today’s basic American restaurant food. Think about it: any king from history would be blown away by the abundant choices at Luby’s, or the Golden Corral, or by the quality and quantity of delicious, healthy (though fattening) food at places like Saltgrass, Red Lobster, Chili’s, or the Olive Garden. Today’s restaurants would amaze even the pickiest royal palates of the past. And I think Daniel would refuse to eat in any of them. Seriously.

And why did the diet work in ten days? It was probably lack of acne and their good complexion—that’s the fastest thing to change. Eating “clean,” does wonders for your skin.

But there’s more. God blessed them:

“God [also] gave these four young men knowledge and understanding in every kind of literature and wisdom.” Daniel 1:17.

That is, God chose to bless Daniel for his obedience. It’s not just about food. When we determine to honor God with our choices, He will bless us in many areas. When you eat right, He will bless your health, complexion, or weight. But when you obey Him, He will also bless your mind with wisdom and understanding. God is looking for people to bless—and He loves to bless those who are determined to obey Him.

“His eye roams to and fro about the earth seeking to support those whose hearts are truly His.” 2 Chronicles 16:9.

If you crave God’s blessings, make up your mind to obey Him. Plant good seeds, and remember that the harvest comes later.

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The Eyes of the Lord.

Who do you depend on? God, or yourself? We train children to work hard and do what they are supposed to do. And wisdom requires you to fulfill your obligations. Why rely on others for tasks you can complete on your own? It’s like a farm: you should plow your own fields, plant your own crops, irrigate your own orchard, harvest your own grain, bake your own bread. One of the TOP values of Americans has always been SELF-RELIANCE. We are proud to do our duties, and help each other, but ashamed to take advantage or “mooch” off each other.

But there is no shame in relying on God. You should do your part AND leave it in God’s hands. To extend the farming metaphor, we plant the seeds but we trust God to create the harvest. We do our part, but GOD HAS TO MAKE IT RAIN.

Asa was a good king who loved God and did right after many before him had worshipped idols. But when he was under attack, he sought military help from a neighboring king, (rather than God) and when he grew sick late in life, he went to physicians, but did not go to God. God sent a prophet:

“You have been foolish in this matter… For the eyes of the Lord roam to and fro throughout the earth to show Himself strong for those whose hearts are completely His.” 2 Chronicles 16:9.

God is looking for chances to help us when we are faithful to Him. Is your heart completely His? Do you look to Him to bring the rain? To heal your body? To protect you from threats and dangers? To provide you with blessings? Remember, His eyes are always searching for those whose hearts are completely His. Is your heart completely His?

Talk to God about your heart.

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God is LOOKING for Someone to Bless!

Israel fought many wars against pagan nations. As a Bible reader, it is easy to assume God will always intervene so His people win every war.  After all, the surrounding nations worship idols but Israel worships the One True God, right?  

But what if Israel has a civil war?  If Judah and Benjamin take on the remaining tribes (collectively known as “Israel”), who will win?  How does God decide whom He is going to bless?

“So the Israelites fled before Judah and God handed them over….  Judah succeeded because the people depended on the Lord, the God of their ancestors” 2 Chronicles 13:16-18.

When Israel erupts in a civil war, God is not wringing His hands, wondering what to do.  Obviously, God knows what He is going to do.  But as humans, we want to be on the right side of conflicts.  The answer is to support the side that is faithful to God.

King Asa put all his trust in God: 

“Lord, there is no one besides You to help the mighty and those without strength. Help us, Lord Our God, for we depend on You” 2 Chronicles 14:11.

God sent a prophet to encourage King Asa:

“The Lord is with you when you are with Him…. But if you abandon Him, He will abandon you” 2 Chronicles 15:2. 

Consider this amazing promise:

“For the eyes of the Lord roam to and fro throughout the earth to show Himself strong for those whose hearts are completely His” 2 Chronicles 16:9.

Sadly those words were spoken to Asa after he made a covenant with the Arameans.  Asa made a truce with one enemy so that enemy would help him defeat a second enemy. The prophet rebukes Asa, explaining God would have helped Judah defeat BOTH enemies—because the eyes of the Lord are always roaming, searching the earth for someone wholly dependent on God that God can help and bless.

Shouldn’t that be you? Shouldn’t that be me? Is your heart “COMPLETELY HIS”? If so, God will SHOW HIMSELF STRONG for you.

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Warning! There are Risks to Success.

Success comes with great risks.

David would never have gotten in trouble with Bathsheba were he not the king. All of Solomon’s failures were tied to his royal crown. Many great people end up famous for great failures: Ken Lay, Richard Nixon, Harvey Weinstein, Matt Lauer.

“When Rehoboam had established his sovereignty and royal power, he abandoned the law of the Lord—he and all Israel with him.” 2 Chronicles 12:1.

Uh oh. As soon as he was powerful, the king and son of Solomon turned his back on God—and took the nation with him. Can you guess what happened? A prophet arrived:

“This is what the Lord says, ‘You have abandoned Me; therefore, I have abandoned you.” 2 Chronicles 12:5.

But the king and the people humbled themselves. They repented and God was merciful.

“When the Lord saw that they had humbled themselves, [He said] ‘I will not destroy them completely, but I will grant them a little deliverance’” verse 7.

When God blesses you with success, don’t look at the success. Don’t meditate on your own accomplishments. Keep your focus on Him. When God blesses us with money, Deuteronomy 8:18 says to remember: “It is God who is giving you the power to make wealth.” He is the giver of all good gifts, and if you fail to stay humble, He can take those gifts away.

Pray. Dear God, thank you for giving me so many gifts. I want to thank you for the gifts of ___________, ___________, and ___________. Never let me focus so much on my talents or goals that I lose sight of You and all that You have planned for me. You are the giver of all good gifts, and I never want to take credit for things that You gave me—which is EVERYTHING. Keep me humble, modest, kind, down-to-earth, and friendly to everyone. Never let me become proud or act as if I am special. Remind me that I am just a regular person. Keep me humble, as Jesus was humble.

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“Thus Sayeth the Lord …”

Let me tell you a crazy, obscure story from the Old Testament–

Prophet A came to Bethel and prophesied destruction. As he was leaving, the king invited him to the palace for a meal.  Prophet A said, “If you were to offer me half your kingdom, I would not eat with you, for this is what I was commanded by the Lord:

“You must not eat bread or drink water in this place” 1 Kings 13:8-9.

Prophet B lived in Bethel.  When he heard what had happened, he told his sons to saddle his donkey. He caught up to Prophet A.

“Are you the man of God?”

“I am.”

“Then come home with me and eat.”

“I cannot go back, eat bread, or drink water, for a message came to me by the word of the Lord, ‘You must not eat bread or drink water or go back by the way you came.”

Prophet B replied:

“I am also a prophet. An angel spoke to me by the word of the Lord, ‘Bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat bread and drink water.”

So Prophet A was persuaded and went to the home of Prophet B and ate with him.

During the meal the word of the Lord came to Prophet B and he shouted at Prophet A:

“This is what the Lord says, ‘Because you rebelled and … went back and ate bread and drank water … your corpse will never reach the grave of your fathers.”

The two prophets finished the meal, Prophet A left, and a lion killed him and sat guarding the body until Prophet B retrieved the body and buried it, 1 Kings 13:11-30.

Prophet A was starving. He was tempted but obedient—until Prophet B played the THUS SAYETH THE LORD card. But Prophet B was lying when he said an angel had come to him (verse 18). 

Obedience is simple when God speaks clearly. But what if someone else says God told them something too? Do you listen (like Eve in the Garden)? 

You must obey the Lord.  He holds you responsible for obeying what He tells YOU.  Remember: God spoke to you once.  If He has something new to say, He can say that to you also, not to some other person.

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