Keeping It Real: Our Money

In this lesson, we’re going to look at how God views money. What is the reality of God’s expectations for how treat the money we have? To many of us, our money can become everything. Think about it – when we lose our jobs or financial disaster strikes, we may say, “I’ve lost everything,” but the truth is we haven’t. Yes, we’ve lost things that make us feel secure in our lives, but we have not lost the reality of God’s salvation. We have to remember that our finances are not, in fact, everything.

A Different Priority

In Matthew 6:19, Jesus says:

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

If we’re dedicated to accumulating and building up stuff, we’re setting ourselves up to fail. It cannot last. I Timothy 6:5-7 reminds us that we enter the world with nothing and can take nothing with us while criticizing those who look to religion as a financial opportunity. Paul goes on to call greed the root of all evil.

Laying Up Treasure with Treasure

So what should we be doing with our money? How can we lay up treasure in Heaven with the treasures of this world? Paul tells us providing for our family is important in I Timothy 5:8. II Thessalonians 3:6-11 talks about encouraging one another to avoid idleness in providing for our own. Also, Acts 2:42-47 and Acts 4:32 show Christians not just taking care of their own families; they took care of each other too, giving up things we have a hard time imagining to help each other out.

Even beyond using our resources to care for our families and our fellow Christians, we should be looking out for the poor and needy. There are about a hundred passages in the Bible about providing for the poor. Matthew 25:31-46 drives this point home, showing Jesus judging His disciples by the way they gave of themselves to those in need. Matthew 6:1-4, though, talks about our motivation in our generosity; not for praise or attention but simply because it is the right thing to do. Like the rich young ruler, though, we sometimes find this tough because we don’t want to lose “everything.”

Content with God’s Grace

What attitude do we have about our money, our financial security, about our generosity, about our giving? In no part of our lives does God want a portion of our dedication. As Christians, we know we should not be selfish with our time or with our effort, so why do we think it’s okay to be so selfish with our money? We know we are living sacrifices, and that we entirely belong to God, so we have to realize that if we are God’s, then all that we have is also His.

Think about that first sin in the garden, Eve being enticed by the serpent. Satan is promising her more than God has given her. He tells her, “You deserve more,” and he does the same to us today. He entices us away from investing in treasures in Heaven, and he drives us to focus on ourselves instead of others.

We need to think about our spending priorities. We need to search out opportunities to give of ourselves – to the poor, to missionaries, to those with an immediate need – keeping a humble spirit in our giving. And we need to realize that the things of this world are not everything. This is not our reality. God is, and we have to be willing to turn away from the priorities of this world and turn toward those we see in God’s word.

lesson by Ben Lanius

A Spiritual Mind

In Philippians, Paul addresses the Christian mindset. Like the Beatitudes of Christ’s sermon on the mount, these words focus on who we should be inside, and these internal attitudes should then affect everything we say, think, and do. Philippians 1:21 initially proclaims that to live is Christ, and Paul feels torn between his desire to join Christ in Heaven and his need to continue helping Christ’s cause in this life. All Paul does is focused on living Christ and drawing closer to a home with Him, and he encourages his fellow Christians to have that same focus. Like him, our single-minded focus must be Heaven and the expectation of our salvation.

In chapter 2, Paul turns his thoughts to having the same mind as Christ. In verses 2-3, he calls on us to have one love and one mind in humility. He calls on us to have a humble and submissive mind. Paul goes on to emphasize that this was the mind Christ had in this life, humbling Himself, obedient even unto death. This Jesus, equal to Father and Spirit in the Trinity and instrument of Creation, submitted Himself to become a sacrifice for the sins of the world. He had a right to resist, to refuse, but He did so willingly. He did so sacrificially. He put on submission and humility, and we should be likewise willing to submit and abase ourselves despite the rights we think we have.

Chapter 3 touches on having a spirit-centered mind. For several verses, Paul lists his own qualities that could allow him to boast among his peers – a Pharisee, a zealot, a Jew’s Jew one might say. He had power, admiration, and respect in his previous life. By verse 8, however, Paul claims to see these physical accomplishments as nothing compared to his relationship with Jesus Christ. The accolades and praises of man mean nothing compared to spiritual victory in Christ.

Finally, in Philippians 4, Paul calls on Christians to have a contented mind. Verse 7 describes a peace that surpasses all understanding, a peace that comes from a life of prayer and rejoicing in God. Verse 11 encourages contentment, and verse 13 reminds us that our strength comes from Christ. How do we accomplish this? Verses 8-9 tells us to meditate on the true, the honorable, the pure, and the lovely.

Our minds define who we are. As followers of Christ, we should be content, spiritually-minded, and Christ-centered in our hearts and minds. If we can have these qualities in place, then we can have peace and contentment in Christ incomparable to any other peace we can have here in this world, and we can then share that peace with others, continually helping the cause of Christ in this life.

lesson by Tim Smelser

Fret Not

Psalm 37 is a Psalm of David that contrasts the ways of the wicked with the ways of the righteous. David is in a good position to comment on the things listed in this Psalm, for David really did face almost every high and low a person can experience in their life. He faced trials, violence, poverty, betrayal, and hunger alongside the wealth and power he would have later in his life. Many wanted him to fail. Many wanted him dead. Still, time and again in the psalm, David admonishes his readers to “fret not.”

We worry about the harm we perceive as possible from others. We sometimes become envious when we see those we perceive as less righteous succeeding financially where we struggle. Other times, we may feel we have no choice but to become like the wicked if we are going to be successful ourselves. Still, our admonition is the same: “Fret not.”

Purging the Stress of Comparisons

David first suggests to us that God is ultimately in control. We may look around and see a world spiraling out of control, but verses 7, 12-13, 17-18, 25, and 40 reinforce God’s involvement in upholding and preserving the righteous. It may be hard to remember, but our God is in control of eternity.

David also encourages us to take positive action. Verses 3 and 27 admonish us to actively do good. Instead of dwelling on all others are doing wrong, we can make an effort to be a light of goodness in this world, just as Peter tells Jesus did in the face of detractors (Acts 10:38). Romans 12:21 encourages to overcome evil with goodness, and Galatians 6:10 tells us to work good toward all. Finally, I Peter 2:12 reminds us that our good works glorify God, even in the face of persecution and discouragement. When we are engaged in active good, it’s all the harder to waste our time fretting over the evil we see in others.

We also to direct our minds to higher goals and higher ideals. Instead of focusing on succeeding in this world, we should be lifting our eyes higher. Psalm 37:4 tells us to delight in Jehovah, and Colossians 3:1-2 reminds us to set our minds on things above instead of upon this world. Our aim is not to get ahead in this life. Rather, it is to achieve a heavenly goal. If our eyes are lifted to Heaven, the burdens of this world way much less.

Psalm 37:5 encourages us to commit ourselves to God, just as Jesus said to seek God’s kingdom first above all things. Philippians 1:12-14, verse written by Paul while in jail, speaks of the progress Paul makes in the Lord’s work while in captivity. Instead of looking upon all he had lost, Paul focuses on the accomplishments he can achieve for God in the circumstances he is in. Regardless of our own circumstances – perhaps pressured to compromise morals, loss of income or friendships, alienation of peers – we can remain committed to God’s work.

In the end, we have to fall back on a foundation of patience in God. We are used to instant gratification, but God’s timetable is not our timetable. In Psalm 37:7, David encourages on us to wait in the Lord. We need to trust in Him and not let impatience derail our spiritual peace.

Conclusion

In Romans 5:3, Paul says that endurance is sometimes developed in times of trial. When we face difficulties, we find out what we are really made of. Paul goes on to remind us that those trials redirect our minds toward the hope we should have in Christ. When we are in pain, when we are worried, when we are facing trials, it is easy to lose sight of this. Our hope is in Him, though, and we can be patient in Him, keeping our eyes on things above.

Proverbs 3:5 encourages us trust God. Verse 7 admonishes us to reverently honor Jehovah, and verse 9 calls on us to honor Him. He will uphold us and protect us if we seek refuge in Him. Our minds should be set on Him, honoring and trusting in Him, rejecting the strains of this world so we can reach for a home above.

lesson by Tim Smelser

Fulfilling the Whole

Many Christians are familiar with the general outline of Ecclesiastes. The first couple chapters follow the author – very likely Solomon – searching for fulfillment in the accomplishments and possessions of this life, and none of these bring satisfaction. He then turns to various states of emotion, of intelligence, of sorrow, and ignorance. Throughout this, we see glimpses of the conclusion he comes to at the end of his book:

The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.

Why should we fear God and keep His commandments? Why should we honor and revere Him, and what does it mean to be the “whole of man?”

An Unfulfilling Relationship with God

Some might serve out of a base fear of punishment. It is less an act of reverence than an act of self-preservation, much like a child might follow certain rules – not because they understand the rules or respect the authority behind them, but because the fear consequences. Others may serve God because they inherited it from their parents, blindly following a tradition passed from generation from generation. Finally, we may follow God for selfish reasons, for the benefits and blessings we believe we have in Him. None of this, however, is what Solomon speaks of in his book, and none of these attitudes will satisfy our relationship with God.

Nothing in this life completes us the way our God completes us. Until we recognize that, until we stop superficially serving while seeking other answers, we will never achieve true contentment and peace in this life.

Finding Fulfillment in God

Our Emotional Needs

God fulfills our emotional needs. All of the feelings given to us by God, those emotional needs and responses given by Him, are fulfilled by His presence in our lives. Take Noah, in Genesis 6:9, who is described as man who “walked with God,” implying that God also walked with Him. Job, like Noah, is pictured as a perfect man. Abraham and God, chapter after chapter, have a close relationship in the book of Genesis, and David, the man “after God’s own heart,” shares a mutual love with God. To these individuals, God is not pictured as a distant being. They commune closely with their God.

John 3:16 begins with “God so loved the world,” and when we read that, we should see ourselves in that. God so loved me that He gave His only son. Romans 5:6 describes the mercy with which God looks down upon us and His willingness to love us even when we are unloving. Where it is easy to love those who reciprocate our love, God continually loves us even when we do not love.

We love because He first loved us.

- John 1:19

Our Intellectual Needs

Mankind is an inquisitive and curious species. We are always trying to do more, discover more, accomplish more. Genesis 1:26-27 records God placing Adam and Eve in the garden, He affirms that all He has made is for the fulfillment of His Creation. There is so much to enjoy in this world; there is so much to pursue and try to understand; so much to create and discover; but none of these things can ultimately fulfill us.

Hebrews 1:1 reminds us that God has always spoken to man, and II Peter 1:2-3 encourages us to grow intellectually, learning more of His word, understanding all things pertaining to life through Him. It is a knowledge of God that leads to a deeper understanding of who He is and who we are. No other wisdom can satisfy our minds like God can.

Our Spiritual Needs

Returning to Genesis 1:27, we see ourselves created in God’s image. This is not a reference to God’s physical appearance. Instead, as reinforced in Genesis 2:7, it is a reference to our living souls. Our spiritual nature reflects God’s spiritual nature, and that eternal spirit longs for a fulfillment that this world is unable to provide. Every human being has eternity in their hearts.

Romans 6:23 tells us God’s gift to us is eternity for our souls. Luke 10:25 and Luke 18:18 both demonstrate individuals who are contemplating the fates of their individual eternal souls. Romans 1:19-20 even reminds us of the eternal nature testified by the world we see around us. Our souls long for something we cannot find in this world.

Conclusion

God’s sacrificial love for us should elicit a response from us. He fulfills us as spiritual, intellectual, and emotional creatures in a way nothing physical can. We can return His love; we can know His plan and intentions for us; We can accept His gift of eternity. In Him, we find the only true answer for the deepest needs of our souls. His word, His love, His gift – these complete mankind. He is, as Ecclesiastes states, the whole of man.

lesson by Tim Smelser

The Tao of Christ

We don’t often study world religions and philosophies in our Bible studies and classes, and, often when we do, we study these faiths merely to disprove them. We are dismissive of the belief systems around us. I believe, however, that we can learn a great deal about ourselves when we look at these faiths openly and honestly. In Ecclesiastes 3:11, the Preacher passingly remarks that God “has put eternity into man’s heart.” I take this to mean that God has placed an awareness of the divine nature in man, enabling us to be aware of the divine even before we experience it.

If we truly believe the entirety of our world is the result of the efforts of one divine being, then the ancient faiths of this world can be seen as reflections of His divine nature. They are expressions of man wishing to experience the eternity in his heart and trying to touch the divine. Therefore, just as the Hebrew writer tells us we can see shadows of Christ in the workings of the Old Testament, I believe we can see God’s nature reflected in the ancient faiths of our world. One of these ancient faiths is the East Asian philosophical tradition of Taoism.

The Tao of Christ

Taoism: Some Background

The central text of Taoism is a collection of writings called the Tao Te Ching, which can be translated loosely as the Way of Virtue. A more literal translation might be The Book of the Virtuous Way. It’s difficult to fully appreciate East Asian culture – particularly that of China – without having some understanding of the Tao Te Ching, for the text influences Chinese religion, art, and philosophy in fundamental ways. It is very much to them as the Christian Bible is to Western European culture.

The text is some 2600 years old, dating back to around 500 BCE. There is some debate surrounding this date for numerous reasons, mostly due to the ambiguity of its author or authors. The book is attributed to a man named Lao Tzu, translated Old Master or Ancient Child, who served as the Imperial Archivist under the Chou Dynasty and was possibly a contemporary to Confucius. Some debate surrounds whether or not Lao Tzu actually existed or if he is a mythological figure who embodies a collection of writers, both male and female.

The Tao and Christ

In many ways, Christ is the Christian Tao Te Ching. He is our Book of the Virtuous Way. The teachings of His and His apostles lay out the case that He is the essence of Tao.

• Tao, the Way. Chapter 21 of the Tao Te Ching says, “The greatest virtue is to follow the Way and only the Way.” In John 14:5-6, Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the light…” He claims to be the path to experiencing the divine. He is our Divine Way.
• Te, Virtue. Chapter 60 of the Tao says, “Guide the world with Tao, and evil will not be a problem; not that it will not be around, but it will not find an opening.” Jesus says much the same thing in Matthew 5:43-48: Evil is in this world, but the spiritual person has no room for it in their life. Christ is our example of virtue.
• Ching, the Book. Chapter 1 of the Tao says, “Tao existed before words or names, before heaven and earth, before the ten thousand things. It is the unlimited father and mother of all living things.” John 1:1-5 shares how all things were created through the Word, and John 1:14 then claims that Christ is that word. You might also recall Peter, in John 6:68, saying Jesus contains the words of eternal life. He is our Book of Life.

To the Christian, Christ is our Tao. His are the footsteps we should follow after if our way is to be one of virtue.

Christian Tao

What then is the Tao of Christ? The way, or the path, that we walk should align with the path He has set before us. We should walk in His footsteps in our lives as spiritual individuals. Here are just three parallels between Tao and Christ’s Way.

• Humility. The Tao Te Ching chapter 7 teaches “…the wise person puts himself last, and thereby finds himself first,” and Matthew 20:28 records Jesus saying He came to serve rather than be served. Prior to this, in verse 16, Jesus is recorded as saying the last will be first. Furthermore Tao 40 reads that “Reservation is the action of Tao. Quietness is how it functions,” and we see Jesus facing injustice and mockery silently in Matthew 27:11-31. Jesus’ Way is one of humility and quietness.
• Contentment. Tao 80 teaches, “Let people’s responsibilities be few…Let them be content with their clothes, satisfied with their homes, and take pleasure in their customs.” Jesus’ teachings on contentment are similar in Matthew 6:25-34. Also Tao 9 says, “Amass possessions, establish possessions, display your pride: Soon enough disaster will drive you to your knees.” Does Jesus not warn as much in Luke 12:13-21? Luke 9:58 reveals that Jesus claims no home as His own, but He goes about His work as the embodiment of contentment rather than ambition.
• Peace. Tao 43 reads: “The soft overcomes the hard in the world as a gentle rider controls a galloping horse.” Isn’t this similar to how Jesus says we should answer enmity in Matthew 5:43-48? In chapter 31, the Tao teaches, “A person of Tao values peace and quiet…His enemies are his enemies second, his own brothers and sisters first.” Do we not see this epitomized in Jesus’ life when the mob comes to get him in John 18, and Jesus heals one attacked by Peter. By His life, Jesus shows us He is the Prince of Peace.

Conclusion

Taoism is an ancient tradition of philosophy and spirituality that curiously mirrors teachings found in our own faith. Had we the time, we could more closely examine the Taoist canon and compare it to the writings in Proverbs, in Ecclesiastes, and in the epistles along with the examples we see in the life of Christ. Taoism is sometimes criticized as being “The Art of Doing Nothing,” but I think it is more accurately described as “The Art of Self Control.”

As Christians, our lives are to be epitomized by self-control and restraint. The central key to living in peace and harmony with others, in living contentedly, and in living humbly before man and God is the simple quality of self-control. Sometimes, such restraint may seem foolish as does the word of God in I Corinthians 1:18-25 or in the Tao chapter 41: “When a wise person hears Tao, he practices it diligently…When an inferior person hears Tao, he roars with laughter.” We are not conformed to this world, but rather we are seeking to conform to the divine nature of Christ. That journey begins with a principle the Taoist understands well: self control.

lesson by Robert Smelser

Reprogramming Ourselves

In early December, I went through a seminar called Breaking Through, and one lesson from the lectures was that we have a great deal of extra content in our minds. We operate consciously about 10% of the time and subconsciously about 90% of the time, and the speaker emphasized that we have to reprogram our subconscious thoughts to influence our conscious actions.

The first principle to reprogram is that we do, in fact, have the ability to change. James 1:19-26 affirms that we have the ability to look into God’s perfect law and become a doer of that word. Do we truly believe this? Do we believe God’s word is powerful, and do we believe we are capable of following it? When we are indecisive about our goals, we seldom get far. Romans 12:1-2 encourages to renew our minds and focus on God’s plan, but we have to overcome our self-limiting thoughts if we are to attain this goal.

Being Versus Having

We have a Have-Do-Be culture. The condition upon us being happy is us doing what we want and having want we want in this world, but the mark is always moving in this approach. There are always better opportunities and better things toward which to reach. I Corinthians 4:11-13 speaks of being content in all economic conditions because of his trust in God. Instead of looking for having things and doing things that lead to peace. Paul finds peace independent of his situations. He sets his mind on peace, then pursues his life. In Colossians 1:1-3, Paul reminds us to set our minds on things above first. Contentment and peace is with God, and through Him, Paul could remain at peace despite any other challenges.

Creative Versus Reactive

When we choose contentment and peace, we will seek after things that promote those conditions. It is having a creative mind rather than a reactive mind. When we are reactive to our lives, we seek to place the responsibility for our actions and attitudes upon others. Someone else is to always to blame. Accepting responsibility, however, is ultimately liberating. We stop worrying about how others impact our lives, and we become the driving forces in our lives. We can live as God wants us to live, and Acts 5:41-42 records Jesus’ disciples doing just that – living a godly life despite persecution that could have led them away. When we react to situations, our choices immediately become limited, but the creative mind is unlimited and free. In Ephesians 3:14-21, Paul writes that we can be filled with God’s fulness.

When we are reactive, we see things from the middle of problems and circumstances we are unable to control. When we create, we take control of the opportunities and possibilities before us. It takes commitment to be creative, though. Are we committed to being the example we should be? Are we committed to being the Bible students we should be? Are we committed to having the character we should have? WHen it comes to commitment, we may fall under one of five categories.

When we commit ourselves to a goal, we often convince ourselves we do all we can by simply wishing to do better or trying to improve without making any real progress. Other times, we let other factors come between us and our commitment, showing that those interferences are actually more important to us than our goal. Instead, we should let nothing stand in our way. Paul writes of his peace and contentment despite all odds. He is a godly person no matter the cost. We should be so committed to God’s work that we will pursue it whatever it takes.

Conclusion

Where are your commitments, and how committed are you to those goals? What if Christ showed as much commitment to my salvation as I show to His service. Romans 5:8 makes it clear that Jesus would fulfill His mission regardless of the cost. II Corinthians 11:20-33 records the measures to which Paul goes to fulfill his ministry. At what point in his story would we have simply given up? Our church family depends on our commitment to better themselves. We are all here to edify each other. We are here to encourage one another. We cannot, however, be the example we should be if we are letting the world dictate our attitudes and actions. We should commit ourselves to being the Christians we should be, and we have to decide first that we will possess God’s peace and contentment despite all around us. We can do all things in Him.

lesson by Donn Koonce

Are We Having Fun Yet?

There are times in this life when sorrow rolls over us and peace is far away. There are times when our sin is ever before us. The phrase, “Are we having fun yet?” is a sarcastic remark that permeates pop culture. Usually, when we ask this question, we are feeling the exact opposite. “Are we having fun yet?” may have, in fact, made a good title to some of the chapters in the book of Ecclesiastes. Many of the issues we find in the wisdom literature still exist today.

Solomon recognizes times of trouble, times of sin, times of conflict. He sees much around him that is without endurance and without foundation. He sees that we live in a broken world where bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people. We see twisting of justice. We see a lack of fairness. It is not life itself that is unprofitable or vanity. Rather, vanity comes from living to the world’s standards of success and happiness. Successful jobs, praise from others, material possessions, pushing boundaries – none of these things fulfill man’s purpose nor provide enduring contentment.

Seeking the Next Fix
We grow dull and desensitized to those things that give us joy and excitement. Solomon begins looking for pleasure in chapter 2, but that is not enough. He then moves on to building great works – houses, gardens, parks, pools, etc. Verse 7 then transitions to material possessions. He has servants, flocks, silver and gold. It begins with him seeking pleasure, and he moves on time and again to the next fix. By verses 10-12, Solomon indulges in any and every joy he sees – whether wise or foolish.

By chapter 2:17-20, all of this brings him despair and dissatisfaction. He seeks pleasure in this life, regardless of the source. Hebrews 11:24-25, in the context of Moses’ life, speaks of the pleasures of sin, yet the writer calls these pleasures seasonal. They are temporary and transient. Moses recognizes this and chooses God. While we acknowledge the ability of sin to deliver pleasure and satisfaction, but what long-term gains come from it. Romans 6:20 calls sin freedom from righteousness, but verse 21 asks what the point it, though, when the end of that freedom is destruction.

Discovering True Contentment
Can respect, honor, dignity, and love come from living in sin? Paul says no – shame and death come from sin. Are we having fun yet, while we continue to distance ourselves from God? Returning to Ecclesiastes 2, however, Solomon sees hope. In verses 22-24, he sees that one can enjoy life in this broken world while acknowledging God and keeping Him in perspective. Chapter 5:18 reinforces this idea of enjoying our possessions and labors in gratitude to God. Chapter 8:12 reminds us that those who do good will do well before God. He concludes in chapter 12 by admonishing us all to remember our Creator and to live our lives for Him.

Solomon recognizes that striving after fulfillment in this life ultimately results in vanity. No matter how we try to ignore it or run from it, we know eternity awaits us. Many aspects of life lose meaning without God. Without Him, all these pleasures and achievements are mere distractions that will leave voids needing to be filled again and again. Are we having fun yet? Perhaps that is the wrong question altogether. Paul asks of the fruits of sin, but he offers hope in Romans 6:22-23. We are free from sin in Christ’s sacrifice, and he concludes where Solomon concludes: serve God. We can enjoy the things of this life, but we have meaning and contentment when we acknowledge the temporary nature of this world. In serving God and obeying Him, we can enjoy life and find peace in a broken world.

lesson by Tim Smelser

Biblical Appeals

In Ecclesiastes 3:11, the author observes that God makes everything beautiful in its time, setting eternity in the heart of man. The latter part of the verse explains that God has given us a sense of something greater in our hearts, some recognition that we owe our existence to One greater than us. Our compulsive drive to understand the forces behind the world around us results from our creation after the image of He who set these forces in motion. We come to a better understanding of God and ourselves when we study from God’s word.

Wanting God in our lives without having his word in our lives is like being a lawyer that does not study law, like an engineer that knows nothing of physics. To know Him requires interaction with His word. Too often, our Bibles collect dust on days between worship services, and we are inundated with the concept that God’s word is out of date. We believe it no longer applies to us. How could something written two thousand years ago still appeal to mankind? The Bible does, and it appeals to man on an intellectual basis, on a philosophical basis, and a spiritual basis.

Rational Appeal

• The Bible teaches us to learn from the actions of others. I Corinthians 10:1 begins a passage that opens with a reminder of things happening to those in the Old Testament, and Paul states those events happened so we may have an example. We learn from those who have come before us. Israel’s interactions with God teaches about the nature of God, His justice, His mercy, and His expectations.
• The Bible teaches what we want is not what we need. In I Samuel 8, the people call for a king, and God gives them a king impressive to the people. The second king, a boy called David, defies expectations, but God, in I Samuel 16:7, tells Samuel to look beyond David’s appearance. God see the heart. The king the people expect and want is not the king they need.
• The Bible teaches that nothing escapes God’s notice. In Genesis 47, Jacob looks back on the deceptions filling his life, and he recognizes that he has received as he had given. Back in Genesis 42, Joseph’s brothers recognize their guilt over their brother’s disappearance – years after the event. They see they are reaping the consequences of their actions.

Philosophical Appeal

• The Bible appeals to the pursuit of logic and wisdom. It is full of practical wisdom that can guide our lives. Proverbs 15:1, for example, encourages us to answer anger with softness. Proverbs 14:29 esteems one slow to anger. Proverbs 27:15 tells of the dangers of nagging. Proverbs 2:1 talks about seeking after wisdom and the importance of one generation passing wisdom on to the next. The Proverb writer is saying that listening to our elders and seeking wisdom leads to a better life.
• The Bible speaks to counsels relationships. Many wonder why the Song of Solomon is included in the Bible, but in chapter 2:7, the beloved advises her friends to be careful about rushing into relationships. This is repeated in chapter 3:5. Even after she is married to Solomon, she again entreats her friends to seek love only when the person and the time is right. It is a message we would do well to apply in our own relationships
• The Bible addresses pain. On the nature of pain and suffering, we have the book of Job. One frustrating aspect, though, is that Job never receives and answer. What he does learn is that we are not defined by what we have. Luke 12:15 records Jesus saying that life does not consist of things. Instead, Jesus teaches, and Job learns, that sustenance is found in God.

Spiritual Appeal

• Sin separates. Genesis 3 demonstrates the separation between man and God resulting from sin. We see the promises later made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Old Testament tells a story of the fulfillment of God’s promises, leading to a Messiah brought to this world. John 1 describes this Messiah as God in flesh. Without studying His word, we remain unaware of God’s unending nature. The problem of sin remains the same, as Isaiah describes in Isaiah 59:2 and Paul describes in Romans 3:23.
• God’s love remains the same. Isaiah 55:6 calls on God’s people to repent of their sins and return to God. The prophet reassures them He will forgive. We would have a hard time forgiving someone who has wronged us as much as His people wronged Him, but verses 8-9 explain that God’s nature and His love make such forgiveness possible. No matter how many times we let God down, if we turn away and repent, God is willing to forgive. His love has not wavered.
• God’s word is urgent. It can be tempting to be like Agrippa and procrastinate God until another time. However, In Psalm 95:6-9, David appeals to God’s people to respond to Him today. In Hebrews 3:7, 3:15, and 4:7, this same plea is repeated. We never know what the next moment will bring, so the time to respond to His word is always the same: now.

Conclusion

II Peter 1:2-3 speaks of God’s divine power to give us all things pertaining to life and godliness. To fully appreciate the wisdom contained in God’s word, we have to study. For the Bible to be applicable to our lives, we must apply it. We may have eternity in our hearts, but, to spend eternity with God, we must know His word, His plan, and His expectations.

lesson by Tim Smelser

Be Still My Soul

It doesn’t catch any of us by surprise anymore to be confronted with dire circumstances. Over 250,000 Americans lost their jobs in October. Unemployment is at 6.5%, and this doesn’t count the number of people who have given up looking for work. Our politicians and media have gone from terming our economic situation as a recession to a depression. We might look around and ask ourselves, “Does God know? Does God care?”

Habakkuk was living in a period of terrible unrest for God’s people. In Habakkuk 1:2-4, the prophet asks, “How long shall I cry, oh Lord, and You do not hear?” He describes the terrible morality of the nation around him, the wicked prevailing at the cost of the righteous. Psalm 73:1-8 speaks of the goodness of God, but the psalmist acknowledges the challenges he himself has in keeping faith in that goodness. The psalmist sees righteousness suffering and wickedness prospering.

Changing Perspectives
This very problem afflicts Solomon in Ecclesiastes 8:9. He speaks of times when men have power over others to their hurt. He sees the wicked celebrated in their death, and justice remains undelivered. It does not add up in his or in our eyes. Returning to Habakkuk, God assures his prophet that He is in control. In Habakkuk 1:5-6, God tells Habakkuk he is rising up Babylon against Judah. In chapter 2:1, Habakkuk says he will wait for another answer.

Though it is hard, the righteous must accept God’s dealings. Returning to Psalm 73:11-14, the psalmist asks what good his godly behavior has done for him. Starting in verse 17, however, he takes a step back and looks at the bigger picture. He sees the end awaiting those wicked. Psalm 73:23 reassures his faith in God, his trust in Him despite those things he witnesses that tear at his faith. His conclusion, in verse 28, is to make God his refuge.

Stilling Our Souls
God has promised He will not forget the righteous. Psalm 94:12-14 states that God will not cast off His people. He is in control. While we may not necessarily understand or like all that is going on, we have to take comfort in the knowledge that God is still active. We have to still our souls in the knowledge of His presence. Psalm 37 calls on us to calm our souls and avoid fretting over others, to commit ourselves to Jehovah and wait patiently for Him.

Exodus 14:14, Psalm 46:10, Psalm 5:3, Psalm 27:14, Psalm 33:20, Psalm 37:7, Psalm 119:166, Psalm 130:5, Lamentations 3:24, Isaiah 30:18 – these passages and more ask God’s followers to lay their concerns aside to wait on God. Perhaps this material world has come to mean to much. Hebrews 11:8-10 speaks of Abraham looking beyond this material world. He lived in hope of something better. I Peter 2:11 speaks of us as sojourners and pilgrims, not citizens of this world, but citizens of Heaven (Philippians 3:20).

Habakkuk 3:16 closes with the prophet confessing his stress over the hopelessness of Judah’s situation. He goes on to say, however, that his strength and his hope is in the Lord. Regardless of the troubles of this world, our hope is in something higher. We may not know what our immediate future may hold, but we can have hope, for our God is as alive and as active as He was in the days of Habakkuk.

sermon by Tim Smelser