Making the Simple Wise

Brain Food
As I have shared previously I have been working through Psalm 119 for the past several weeks.  I work through three octets a week with a group of men most of whom I have known for 40 years.  It is a great time.  We meet on line, video chat.  I share that to emphasize that whatever you need to do to get pushed in Bible study, do it.

This week we are in Psalm 119:121 – 141, it is a good section, but truthfully there isn’t a bad one.  I want to focus on Psalm 119:130 and while you are at it check out Psalm 19:7.  Those passages describe me perfectly.

I wrote about this some time back, but it bears another look.  Through nearly 40 years of working with men in the Word, I can say with complete certainty that learning to study the Word will prepare a person to learn better than any other discipline of which I am aware.  I have seen men who have been labeled dumb jocks, who struggled with academics, after diving deep into the Word not only be transformed intellectually, but begin to lead others in and through the Word.

Why is that?

Tailored Brain Food
Psalm 119:73 gives us a hint.  God made each of us.  He knows us intimately, for instance the number of hairs on our head, Matthew 10:30.  He also knows how we best learn, what it is that will allow us to learn more of Him.  Couple that with one aspect of the ministry of the Holy Spirit, John 16:13, and we have the case where the author of the book created us, knows how we learn, and is personally guiding us into truth.  That is an impossible combination to beat.

The Only Barrier
We are the only ones who can short circuit that process.  How?  By either not doing what Christ said, abide in His Word, John 15:7, or by bailing out of a passage before we have struggled with it and dive into secondary sources like the notes in our study Bibles, commentaries, other experts, or that repository of all knowledge and truth, the internet via Google…

The Incomprehensible Offer
Think of the reality that these passages reveal.  I’ll say it again, the creator of the universe who was intimately, intentionally involved in your creation, who knows how you best learn, is committed to lead you into truth, to teach you personally.  How can we turn that down?

Don’t Settle for the Crumbs
Sadly, many of us do.  We settle for a steady diet of books about the Bible, good but not inspired.  We settle for listening to our favorite speakers.  We settle.  Why settle when we have been offered a completely transforming educational experience?

Fearing the People

The Command
Saul was chosen to be the king of Israel by God through the agency of Samuel.  He was a good looking, forceful, leader.  But, like all of us he was flawed.  He was told, in 1 Samuel 15:3, to destroy Amalek.  In Exodus 17:8 – 16, we read that as Israel was coming out of Egypt, Amalek came and fought them.  God was not pleased with this.  He commanded Saul to destroy, completely destroy Amalek.  He told Saul to leave absolutely nothing alive.

The Excuse
But we read in 1 Samuel 15:7 – 9, that although Saul did roundly defeat Amalek, he did not wipe them out.  He kept what he considered to be the best destroying only what he deemed worthless.  When Samuel confronted Saul’s disobedience, Saul, in 1 Samuel 15:24 blamed the people.  He said that he feared the people.  He was more concerned with what he said the people wanted than what God wanted.

The Lie
Couple of side notes here.  First, in the text there is no indication that Saul was approached by the people.  He is portrayed as being in on the decision to keep the “best”.  Second, since the garden it has been human nature to blame shift when we disobey.  Adam blamed Eve and ultimately God for his disobedience.  Eve blamed the snake.  None of us seem to want to quickly own up to our disobedience.

The Ongoing Pattern
Saul disobeyed because he feared the people.  Let’s go with that for a minute.  It made me wonder in what ways I am disobeying the Lord because of my fear of people.  I am not a big fan of conflict.  I enjoy being accepted much more than I enjoy rejection.  If at all possible I would prefer to avoid persecution and suffering.  There have been times that I have stopped short of sharing my faith with people for fear they would react negatively.

Our Call to be Different
In the culture today there are several “third rail” topics.  Homosexuality, same sex marriage, abortion, ordination of homosexuals, to name a few.  Conversations that drift toward those topics are confrontational.  As believers we are to engage.  We are to engage on the basis of Christ’s provision for our salvation and of those with whom we may have the chance to interact and under the umbrella of 2 Timothy 2:24 - 25.  But rather than engage Biblically, some of us, me included, at times have drawn back.  I did it last week because of the time and place.  Not sure that was the right decision.

Some organizations and denominations have chosen to embrace the culture over and against the Bible.  Rather than stand on what God has said, like Saul, they have chosen to disobey for fear of the people.

We will all give an account of our obedience.  I am not sure – no I am sure – I do not want to stand before the One who was nailed on a cross for me and tell Him I did not share my faith because I was afraid of being shunned.

Guarding the Baggage

Unwarranted Despair
I met this morning with a friend with whom I had lost contact for several years.  We spent some time getting caught up on our families and then he asked me to share about what we have been doing in our ministry, Entrusting Truth.

After I shared what we have been doing here, in Africa, and Asia, he shared that he had felt called to do more but was stuck in his current situation.  This man is president and CEO of an organization.  His position in his company and community affords him opportunities that I will never have.  Because of his financial success he is able to support multiple ministries.

When he shared he felt like he wasn’t doing more I reminded him of Psalm 139:1 – 18, and Ephesians 2:10.  He is right where God wants him now.  I also reminded him of Philippians 1:3 – 7; 4:17.  There Paul tells the Philippian believers that their support of his ministry credited the work he had done to their account.  His sandals may have been in the sand but it was their ministry.  Same with my friend.

Equal in Ministry
We give too much credit to those of us who go to places like Nepal and Morocco.  In reality I cannot accomplish anything here, in Nepal, Morocco, or any other place for that matter, without the prayer, and that is listed first on purpose, and financial support of those who are on my team.  It is their ministry as much if not more than mine.

David believed that as well.  In 1 Samuel 30:22 – 24 there was controversy among David’s men.  The ones who went to the battle with him felt that those who stayed behind to guard the supplies should not share in the spoils of their victory.  David said emphatically that those who stayed behind had an equal share in the spoil and thus the victory.  They were as much a part of the victory as those who went with David to the battle field.

Equally Critical Roles
Thus it is today.  Those who pray and give to a ministry share in result of that ministry equally with those whom they pray for and support.  We are a body.  We have different functions.  All of those functions are critical.