Focus.

"And thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah; and he did what was good, right, and true before the Lord his God" (2Chronicles 31:20). Right actions--did what was good, right, and true. Right motivation-- "...before the Lord his God". Good reminder to me of what I should focus on and why--do what is right before the Lord (not to please men).

Merry Christmas

I want to wish all of my facebook friends a very Merry Christmas. To My Hungarian friends, Boldog karácsonyt! Jesus told His disciples, "Let not your heart be troubled, you believe in God, believe also in me...I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me" (John 14:1,6).

Whose Approval do I Love?

Many of the rulers in Jesus' day were silently supportive of Jesus, "...they were not confessing Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God" Jn.12:42-43. As we gather with family and friends to celebrate Christmas may we sensitively, yet boldly declare that Jesus is the reason for the season. I hope and pray that I will never love the approval of men rather than the approval of God.

Warning.

Solemn warning in Malachi 4:1-2, "the day is coming...and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff...But for you who fear My name the sun of righteousness will rise with healing it its wings..." Here the danger of rebellion against God prompts us to ask--"Am I guilty?" The delight coming to those who fear God gives courage to face life's current difficulties.

A Great King

"...for I am a Great King, says the Lord of hosts, and My name is feared among the nations" (Malachi 1:14). "The most important thing about a person is their concept of God." The Lord is a Great King and feared among the nations, but in my eyes is He truly Great? Is He truly feared? What do my actions reveal about my attitude towards God? The priests in Malachi's day offered blind, lame, and sick animals for sacrifice instead of offering their best to God. They were despising God's very being by their worthless, half-hearted sacrificing. They were going through the motions, but their hearts were not in it. I wonder if that is not the way many of us are going through this Christmas season. Sort of "doing the religious stuff" out of duty but not in sincere devotion. Maybe we need to hit the "pause" button and stop to reflect on this Great God we serve and what a wonderful, marvelous, merciful thing it was that He sent His Son. If He is truly a Great King then He deserves our very best.

Caution against Stone Throwing.

Most of us find it easy to find fault in others but to overlook our own sin. In John Chapter 8 Jesus gives us a glimpse of His mercy...the mercy Scripture elsewhere calls on us to "love" (Micah 6:8). To those who brought the woman caught in sin and demanded that she be stoned Jesus said, "He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her" (Jn.8:7b). Nobody did. Better think twice before I pick up any stones.

Whose Glory am I seeking?

Jesus was defending His own teaching which baffled the people because He was not formally educated, but He spoke with authority. When he said, "He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the one who sent Him, He is true..." (John7:18) He declared that He was seeking the glory of His Heavenly Father. His words prompted the question in my mind, "Am I speaking from myself and seeking my glory or God's?"