BE JUST

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In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judging is not good:

Whoever says to the guilty, “You are innocent,” will be cursed by peoples and denounced by nations. But it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come on them.

Proverbs 24:23-25         

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

How do you feel about our justice system today?

Maybe the answer comes in looking at things from a case-by-case basis but I think there are more than a few cases adjudicated each and every day that leave us angered by the sense of injustice in the verdict rendered.

Often times, this infuriation comes when someone who has committed an offense with the facts all pointing to guilt is determined to be innocent and set free. These cases typically involve a person who has a lot of notoriety or money or both. Meanwhile, similar cases involving people who are of a lesser status result in guilty verdicts with the people held accountable for their actions.

Yes, we hate injustice and the associated corruption that often comes with it.

So how can we stop these events from happening?

Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do about it except let our voice be heard in advocating for justice when it’s warranted. That might be difficult to take but there are things that are out of our hands, a lot of things. We know that and we also know one other thing that we tend to forget when we consider matters like this and others that seem to be so wrong and so out of our control.

We need to remember that there is nothing that is out of the control of the God we serve.

Do you remember the closing words to the Pledge of Allegiance?

“One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

How do we have liberty and justice for all in a world populated by sinners?

Because we are all under God, the Author of liberty and justice, and His word from the 24th Chapter of Proverbs today speaks out loudly with guidance for anyone who has to judge and render verdicts on others. Look at these three verses which send a direct command to “Be just!”:

These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judging is not good:

Whoever says to the guilty, “You are innocent,” will be cursed by peoples and denounced by nations. But it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come on them.

It’s rather simple, right? This direction from the word of God is not some complicated law to translate. It doesn’t require us to go to years of law school to learn how to best make determinations. It doesn’t require us to pass an exam to qualify to practice these principles. No, it’s just a demand to not show partiality when judging.

If you convict those who deserve conviction, those who are guilty, then you will receive a rich blessing.

Conversely, if a guilty person is said to be innocent and allowed to go free, the person judging will be cursed by peoples and denounced by nations. Worse yet, they will have to deal with a Lord who will not allow unjust actions to go unpunished, the Lord of justice who is over every nation and every person who renders decisions on others.

Yes, the call is to be just and we can ensure we will always be just that when we allow the Lord to be the sole influence over the decisions we make.

He will never lead us anywhere except to what is right and righteous.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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DO NOT (PART 28) – RESPECT AUTHORITY

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In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Fear the Lord and the king, my son, and do not join with rebellious officials, for those two will send sudden destruction on them, and who knows what calamities they can bring?

Proverbs 24:21-22         

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

After a long military career, you learn many, many lessons. In regard to leadership, you quickly are taught this one:

You may not always agree with leadership but you will respect and honor it nonetheless.

When a person is in a place of authority, they are to be followed unless what they are ordering you to do is completely inappropriate and outside regulations. There is to be no rebuttal or undermining or rebellion against those placed in a position of leadership, only compliance, conformance, and obedience.

There’s a danger that comes with consistently adopting an attitude that rejects and objects authority. We can become people who are unwilling to follow anyone including the Lord God Almighty, the King of kings and Lord of lords, the One who reigns and rules over all.

As we look at the final sayings of the thirty Saying of the Wise, we find Solomon touching on the matter of respecting authority as he wrote the following words:

Fear the Lord and the king, my son, and do not join with rebellious officials, for those two will send sudden destruction on them, and who knows what calamities they can bring? Proverbs 24:21-22

Note what God’s word tells us our attitude should be toward those placed in positions of leadership over us. We are to fear the Lord and other authorities and refrain from any action rebellious in nature. Now as we see in other places in scripture, fear in this instance doesn’t mean a cowering in a corner, afraid to the point of being paralyzed kind of fear. No, fear here means a respect for authority, obediently following their guidance and loyally serving them.

Let’s be honest. We’re not always as good at this as we should be. In fact, sometimes we are downright awful at it.

We tend to want to find every single wrong in the people we work for and rail against it, forgetting that they are no different than we are, imperfect sinners who are under the rule of a perfect Lord. Rather than comply and seek to support those who lead us, too often we try to work against them instead of for them as we are supposed to do.

That’s why this word of the Lord is one we had better pay attention to for it sends a “do not” caution we would be well served to observe:

“Do not” disrespect and/or rebel against authority.”

Why?

Solomon tells us the consequences for taking such a stance:

“Those two will send sudden destruction on them, and who knows what calamities they can bring?”

Disrespect your boss at work and you could find yourself out of work.

Disrespect the Lord and you’ll have much more to worry about than just losing your work for you could lose a lot more than just that.

The bottom line is that nothing good comes out of rebelling against authority unless the rebellion has been ordered and blessed by the Lord who at times has sanctioned the overthrowing of leaders who chose to abuse their authority and mistreat the people the Lord placed under their control.

Know and trust that the Lord has, is, and will always look after His people. Because of this truth, we should show nothing short of our greatest gratitude to Him, honoring our Maker and Keeper with our obedience to everything He calls us to do.

The call here is clear. We are to respect authority.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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DO NOT (PART 27) – KEEP YOUR FOCUS

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In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Do not fret because of evildoers or be envious of the wicked, for the evildoer has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.

Proverbs 24:19-20         

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

How many times have we seen or experienced this scenario?

A person who does good for others and seeks to follow the Lord faithfully struggles to make it day in and day out or seems to always face hardship while someone who has cheated or done something wrong prospers.

It happens, right?

So how do we respond to these matters? What is our reaction when the wicked seemingly thrive while the righteous toil in difficulty?

I will say that we often turn to envy more times than we would care to admit. We yearn to have a life free from challenges, a life where we can flourish financially and physically, a life free from cares, a life on easy street.

That is our dream life but that life is centered on the wrong thing. That life is a life where our focus has lost with the center of attention being the world and those in it as it applies to our situations. And in living that kind of life, we pull away from the One we should be centered on, Jesus, the One who desires us to seek treasures in heaven instead of the treasures on earth (Matthew 6:19-21).

When we lose our focus, directing it toward the world, we zoom in on the domain of the sinful for Satan’s work is done in this world we live in. The world is where wickedness is the normal way of doing business and so many find gains here doing evil. That in no way elevates them above those who stand firm of the foundation of Christ and remain satisfied with their life in Him. Conversely, a life lived in wickedness only carries with it the harshest penalties imaginable and if we remember this, we never will ever find ourselves envying those gaining in sin. Instead, we will find ourselves pitying and praying for them, seeking to do what we can to rescue them from the consequences sure to be placed upon them.

What are those consequences?

Look at the words of the 29th of the thirty Sayings of the Wise found in the Book of Proverbs:

Do not fret because of evildoers or be envious of the wicked, for the evildoer has no future hope, and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out. Proverbs 24:19-20

Did you fully grasp the negative consequences awaiting the evil and wicked of the world, the ones who choose sin over righteousness?

First, they have no future hope. There is no life beyond the one they revel in presently. They can enjoy their riches and bounty but after life is over, their fun ends. They leave their possessions behind for someone else because they can’t take them with them.

It’s saddens me greatly to know there are so many people in our world who choose willingly to reject and His offer of eternal life in exchange for present day satisfaction. The wicked and evil are willing to forfeit everlasting life for the here and now, knowingly surrendering future hope.

That surrendering of future hope leads to the second consequence that the wicked and evil will suffer. For they will find their lamp snuffed out. The only light the wicked have is worldly light as they snub the One, Jesus, who is the Light of the world, the One who can and will make a person’s lamp shine forever if they place their faith, hope, and trust in Him and in Him alone.

I don’t know where you might be today in regard to your life circumstances. All I know is that if you have lost your focus and have centered your view on yourself and what the world brings you, then you have relinquished your future hope and death will be the end for you, as your lamp will be snuffed out.

The “do not” caution today is simple. The Lord is telling all of us to “do not” lose focus and “do not” attach ourselves to the things of the world, the treasures of the earth, forfeiting the Lord Jesus Christ, and the treasures of heaven He gives to all who believe and trust in Him.

God’s word calls us all to assess where we are today and make changes, if necessary, to get us back on the right path, focusing fully on our Savior Jesus, the source of our future hope, the One who will always keep our lamps lit, the One who is the Way and the Truth and the Life, and the only One who can bring us to the Father.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

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DO NOT (PART 26) – REJOICE IN THE LORD, NOT MISFORTUNE

Can I pray for you in any way? Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk.com.

In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice, or the Lord will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from them.

Proverbs 24:17-18         

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Yesterday, I wrote from verses 15 and 16 of Proverbs Chapter 24 about how bad things sometimes happen to good people and those who commit offenses against the righteous, those who place their belief and trust in the Lord, should not waste their time as the Lord will restore His faithful ones over and over again while sending consequences on those who victimized them, namely the wicked. This is why it’s a fruitless endeavor to try and do anything against one who is righteous because it won’t really hurt them in the long run but it will hurt the offender.

I say this because there’s little doubt that bad things happen to bad people just as much as they happen to good ones, maybe even more so.

So how are we to respond when someone who committed wickedness on someone faces the Lord’s correction and discipline? Are we to rejoice in their misfortune as if to say, “Good for them. They are getting just what they deserved”?

Human nature would tell us to celebrate in the misfortunes of the wicked, to glory in their difficulties. But as we well know, the Lord does not agree with the world’s view on things and His spirit is in direct contradiction to our flesh.

As we come down the homestretch of our examination of the thirty Sayings of the Wise, we come to the 28th saying which sends us a stern caution regarding how we should react when one who committed a sinful action falls as a result. Look at the words of Solomon:

Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice, or the Lord will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from them. Proverbs 24:17-18

Want people who have committed wrongs to be held accountable for their actions?

Then “do not” gloat or rejoice when a wicked person falls for trust in this, they will fall.

The Lord does not want us to rejoice in the shortcomings of anyone. After all, who are we to judge as we are sinners just as much as anyone else. No, the Lord desires for us to reserve our rejoicing for Him and Him alone, to show Him all our gratitude as He is the one and only source of anything good and perfect that comes to our lives, to include disciplining someone who may have done us or someone else wrong.

Want the Lord’s approval? Serve Him and Him alone. Trust Him and Him alone. Worship Him and Him alone. Rejoice in Him and Him alone. And most of all, love Him and Him alone.

For He will always lead you to His righteousness, His holiness, and His mercy, grace, and love when we place our full focus on Him and Him alone.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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DO NOT (PART 25) – A FRUITLESS ENDEAVOR

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In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Do not lurk like a thief near the house of the righteous, do not plunder their dwelling place; for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes.

Proverbs 24:15-16         

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Bad things happen to good people. You’ve heard the saying over and over again.

It’s true I guess as every day innocent people get victimized by someone in some way, whether by way of assault (maybe you’ve read about the “knockout” incidents that have happened recently), theft (think home robberies, stolen cars, pick pockets, or purse snatchers), or scams (we read about these all the time on the news and I would throw identity theft into this category).

Yes, there is no shortage of people in our society today who intentionally look to take advantage of others to their own gain. And many of the victims are Christians, believers in a Lord who promises to protect and avenge wrongdoing. Perhaps the offenders would be less likely to do what they do if they remembered the latter, that God will judge and punish those who willfully sin and do harm to others.

Truly, those who choose to commit crimes against others will pay the price for their wickedness and the people they affect, if righteous, will rise up from the misfortune and be brought back to prosperity. We know this because God’s word promises such. Look at these words from the 27th of the thirty Sayings of the Wise found between Proverbs 22:17 and Chapter 24:

Do not lurk like a thief near the house of the righteous, do not plunder their dwelling place; for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes. Proverbs 24:15-16

Note the specific “do not” warning here for the wicked who would try to do harm to a righteous one:

“Do not” victimize the righteous. It’s a fruitless endeavor.

Why?

Because the Lord watches over the righteous, those who are that way because they live for the Lord and remain obedient to His will, way, and word. Our scripture offers great hope and reassurance for the righteous because even when they suffer hardship from the sinful actions of others, they will be restored by the Lord, rising again to a place of thanksgiving and praise over the way the He has rescued and blessed them.

As for the wicked, well, good luck when difficulty comes your way. For there’s another saying we use besides “bad things happen to good people”. It’s “what comes around, goes around”. For the Lord will teach sinners a lesson, they will be held accountable and suffer the negative consequences for their negative actions. They will experience hardship at the same level or worse than what they brought on the righteous they victimized and when they cry out for rescue and restoration, it often falls on deaf ears. For the wicked will stumble when calamity strikes and will have to wait until the Lord decides it’s time to forgive them and restore them back to a normal life again free from penalty. This will only happen when the Lord sees that they have truly had a change of heart and desire to live differently, to live righteously like the people they affected.

And so for the wicked, the message is clear. “Do not” even think about it. For the end result of your actions is not worth it, not worth experiencing the wrath of the Lord who watches over the righteous.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

PS: Please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it.

Send any prayer requests to OurChristianWalk@aol.com