Want to be Wise??

Read 1 Kings 3:5-15

I remember hearing this story as a child and imagining what it would have been like to have been in King Solomon's shoes at this point in his life. What would I have asked for if God had offered to give me anything at all? I hope it would have been something as noble as Solomon's request was. Most of us would probably ask for something primarily selfish that would benefit ourselves. However, the passage tells us that Solomon asked for "a discerning heart" (9). We see in verse 10 that this greatly pleased the Lord. He not only gave Solomon the wisdom he asked for, but he also gave him riches and honor (13). If you have read much of the Old Testament, you know that Solomon was famous for his tremendous wealth, as well as for his wisdom (he wrote many of the Proverbs).

So why don't we get such an amazing offer from God like Solomon did? Actually, James 1:5 tells us that we do!

"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him."

This is an amazing verse for believers. Our God is a generous God who will give believers wisdom when they ask for it. So why don't we ask? I think the main reason is that we don't fully believe this verse. It's hard to believe that God would make unworthy sinners wise. Instead, we try to get wisdom on our own, by reading lots of books, listening to sermons, etc... Sure, those things give us insight and knowledge, but God alone makes us wise. We can't obtain His wisdom unless He gives it to us.

James goes on to describe how to ask for this wisdom in 1:6-8:

"But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does."

When you ask the Lord for wisdom, also ask God to give you faith and to erase your doubts! I know that I have often been like the double-minded man in this verse, blown and tossed by the wind because of my lack of faith. I must continue to ask the Lord to increase my weak faith!

Solomon was a very wise man, which is shown through many stories of him in Scripture, as well as through the Proverbs that he wrote. However, if you read the entire story of Solomon's life, you see that he ultimately turns away from the Lord. He marries foreign wives and lets them lead his heart astray to follow other gods (read 1 Kings 11:1-13). The once wise king turns away from his God-given wisdom and follows the foolishness of the world. Solomon knew the truth, but he failed to follow the Lord in obedience later on in life.

You can be wise, but only by God's grace. In faith, ask Him to give you wisdom to use for His glory. Then, (unlike Solomon) follow the path of wisdom all of the days of your life.

Girls, have you ever struggled with this?

Hey girls,
A friend of mine from seminary, Michelle Myers, recently gave a radio interview on her struggle with Anorexia. It is an incredible story of how the Lord delivered her from this disease and used the trial for His glory. If you have ever struggled with an eating disorder or know someone who has, please check her story out by clicking on the link below:
http://ow.ly/wOTb

Worship: 2 Samuel 6:12-23

Read 2 Samuel 6:12-23

This story in 2 Samuel is one of the reasons David is my all-time favorite Old Testament character. After a time of great tragedy (you can read about this in 2 Sam. 6:1-11), David is now moving the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. During this processional, a huge praise service is taking place, and the people are praising God "with shouting and the sound of the trumpet" (v. 15). David joins in with all of the people and praises God "with all his might" and is "leaping and dancing before the Lord" (vs. 14, 16). Does this surprise you? Picture this scenario in your head. The King of Israel has thrown off all restraints and hindrances. He is unashamedly sold out for God, and he doesn't care who knows it! His soul is so overflowing with joy and praises, that he is actually leaping around and dancing in celebration. What a worship service that must have been!

As David is worshiping, his wife Michal is observing from a window in the distance, and verse 16 says that she "despised him in her heart." In verse 20 she rebukes David for how he had acted and basically calls him a fool. Is David embarrassed or regretful of what he has just done? Quite the opposite! He responds by claiming he would gladly be even "more undignified than this" (22). David is clearly only concerned with what the Lord thinks, rather than preoccupied by what others are thinking about him.

Why was Michal so repulsed by David's actions? We don't know exactly what was going on in her heart. Perhaps she felt guilty because she wasn't worshiping God in such a way as David was. By tearing him down she could make herself look better and could justify her own failure to praise God with such a display of worship. Or perhaps she didn't walk with God herself and simply couldn't understand why David would act that way. Regardless of her reasons for despising him, we can see that the sight of David worshiping God made her angry, ashamed of him, and bitter.

When reading this story, it's easy to criticize Michal and look down on her. However, the more I read this story, the more I start to realize that I am oftentimes just like her! I will be the first to admit that I have, like Michal, judged people during worship times. Perhaps they were raising their hands a little too much, or on the other end of the spectrum, perhaps they were too motionless or stoic. Who am I to judge the heart? We must recognize that believers worship in many different forms. It's interesting to note that during this time of great celebration and worship, that Michal was not worshiping at all! She was too busy watching other people worship and evaluating what they were doing to actually praise God herself. We must let God alone determine whether or not a person's worship is truly authentic; it's not our role!

So does this mean we should all start leaping and dancing around on Sunday morning? I think the point is not necessarily the outward expression of David's worship, but his heart. This was total abandonment. He was surrendering everything to the Lord in worship and holding nothing back. He wasn't focused on what others were doing but was instead tuned into God alone. How many of our worship times look like that? It's much easier to watch what others are doing around you and copy them so you can blend in. If everyone else is closing their eyes, then you feel like you'd better do it also. If no one else is clapping, then you'd better restrain from doing so. I definitely don't think our worship should be a distraction to those around us, but I wonder why we are so tuned in to what others are doing during worship time. I am just as guilty of this as the next person. During worship time I am often thinking about why I don't like the song played, or how I can harmonize with the melody; this keeps me from truly worshiping God in my heart. This is certainly something I need to pray about, and I hope you will as well!

I'd encourage you to spend some time in private worship this week. When no one's around, go in your room and turn up Hillsong or another worship band of your choice, and worship God! With no one else there, all of your focus on what others are doing disappears, and it's just you and God~

1 Corinthians 12: What's your part?

Read 1 Corinthians 12

What's your spiritual gift? I've always loved this passage on the body of Christ. There are several things we can learn about spiritual gifts from 1 Corinthians 12. In verses 4-6 we read that different gifts are given out to different Christians. Though these gifts are different, they are all from the Lord. This may sound simple, but it's important to understand this truth. Just as children receiving different Christmas gifts often start to fight and become jealous of what the other child has received, Christians receiving different spiritual gifts can become competitive and envious in the church. Paul reminds Christians that everyone is on the same team and working for the same purpose, which leaves no room for jealousy!

We read on in verse 7 that each Christian gets a gift from the Spirit, and that the purpose of these gifts is to benefit the common good. We are not given spiritual gifts to benefit ourselves, and we are not given spiritual gifts so they can remain unused. We are given these gifts to edify the church. There are so many Christians who fail to use the gift that the Spirit has entrusted to them.

Paul stresses unity many times in this passage. It is God's will and purpose for the different parts of the body to work together in unison to further His kingdom. How many times do we fail to accomplish God's will because we are preoccupied with our own envious and competitive spirits? I am sure all of us at some point have desired a gift that we don't possess. We may wonder why we can't speak like Beth Moore or sing like Natalie Grant. Their gifts are so exciting and have touched so many people! However, we're assured in this passage that all gifts are important and significant parts of the body. Verses 22-23a state, "On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts we think are less honorable we treat with special honor." This is so encouraging to Christians who have more behind-the-scenes gifts such as service. They may not get recognized by others or viewed as the really important and honorable parts of the body, but they are in God's eyes!

I find verse 18 to be the most encouraging verse in the entire chapter. It states, "But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as He wanted them to be." This makes me feel so special! God knows you better than you know yourself, and He specifically selected the perfect gift for you...the gift He desired you to have. How encouraging!

If you don't know what your gift is, I would advise you to start praying about it. God wants you to know your spiritual gift, and He will reveal it to you if you ask! A great way to discover your gifting is to start serving in the church. Oftentimes this opens people's eyes to what they are gifted in. You can also ask other Christians who know you well what they think your gift is.

I hope that this passage encourages you to contemplate how you can use your particular gift to build up the body. I also hope that it challenges you to stop envying other Christians' gifts and be content with your own...the gift He chose especially for you.
What a privilege to be part of His body!

Micah 6:6-8: "What does God want from me?"

Read Micah 6:6-8

In this short book of the Bible, the prophet Micah is bringing God's message to the people of Judah. These people had been rebellious and would soon face God's wrath and judgment for their wickedness. After announcing the coming judgment of Judah, Micah anticipates the Israelites' response in Micah 6:6-7. In these 2 verses, Micah voices what he knows the Israelites are thinking, which is ultimately, "how many sacrifices will it take to get us out of this mess?" The people of Judah would first think of offering sacrifices to appease the wrath of God. In verses 6-7, Micah lists extravagant sacrifices such as burnt offerings, yearling calves, thousands of rams, ten thousand rivers of oil, and even a firstborn son! Micah isn't literally suggesting human sacrifice as a way to please God, because this act is something God detests. Rather, Micah is exaggerating to make a point--how many sacrifices should be given to the Lord to appease Him, and how costly must those sacrifices be?

In verse 8 we see what God really wants from His people...a loving heart and a godly life! Yes, God created the sacrificial system, but He is stressing the fact that costly sacrifices mean nothing to Him without a changed heart. God wants obedience and godliness over rituals. Those sacrifices should be an outward act of obedience overflowing from a loving heart. Though we don't perform sacrifices today, this concept can still apply to us. Do you think going to church, singing praise songs, and giving money to the church means anything if your heart is far from God? He cares more about the state of your heart than about how many church functions you have attended. Again, ministry and worship should be an outpouring of your love for God, not an empty ritual.

So what exactly does God want from us, according to Micah 6:8? The prophet lists 3 things that the Lord has revealed. First, we are to "do justice." You don't have to read far in Scripture to see that God hates dishonest gain, lying, and cheating. God wants Christians to be fair and honest, living lives of integrity and justice. We're also to "love kindness." We are to love others, demonstrating compassion and loving kindness in our everyday lives. Last, we are to "walk humbly" with the Lord. Again and again in Scripture we see that God detests pride. Christians are to live lives of humble devotion to Christ rather than displaying arrogance or even self-reliance. We are to be dependent on Him in complete humility and to never forget the price Christ paid for us! We are undeserving of His salvation and that humble gratitude should govern our lives.

Pray right now that God would change your heart and help you to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly before Him. This is what He wants from us!

Luke 18: "God, can you hear me?"

Read Luke 18:1-8

Have you ever felt like your prayers were just bouncing off the ceiling? Have you ever prayed for something over and over again, only to have that prayer remain unanswered by God? I think we have all felt discouraged in our prayer lives at some point. That's why I love this parable. It offers great encouragement for those who are weary in their prayer lives and feel that God has forgotten them.

In verse 1, we read that this parable was told so the people would learn that, "at all times they ought to pray and not lose heart." Christians must persevere in prayer, even when they don't see immediate results. We must trust God to answer our prayers according to His will and in His perfect timing.

In this parable, a widow was in need of help. Widows are characteristic of people who are needy, alone, vulnerable, helpless, and afflicted. This poor widow persistently went to ask a judge for help, over and over again. This judge was not a God-fearing man, and he did not care about people; therefore, he continually denied this poor woman’s cry for help. However, because the widow was so persistent in her request to him, he eventually gave in and granted her appeal in the end.

When you compare this scenario to a Christian’s prayer life, you can see how God feels about prayer. We are like the widow; we are weak and in need of help. However, God is not like the judge in the story. While the judge was unkind and unrighteous, God is merciful and delights in showing compassion to the helpless. If the unrighteous judge eventually granted the widow’s persistent cry, of course our Lord will answer our cries! Psalm 145:18-19 says, “The LORD is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry and saves them.”

Believe this truth: God hears all of your prayers and will answer them in His time. Be encouraged by Jesus' words in Luke, and do not grow weary or lose heart! Persevere in your prayers to the Father, trusting Him to answer them. This parable ends with a challenge in verse 8, as Jesus asks, “when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” When Christ returns, will you have given up on God? Or, will you be found to be a faithful and prayerful Christian, who demonstrates continual perseverance in crying out to God? I know which one I want to be!

1 Peter 2:11-17: Respect for Authority

Read 1 Peter 2:11-17

How do you feel about President Obama? Do you respect your teachers? Do you follow your parents' leadership? Do you take your boss at work seriously? If a cop pulls you over for speeding, do you laugh it off?

Many teenagers have a big problem with authority. Because they are growing up and don't feel that they are kids anymore, they think they can make their own rules. Many think that they shouldn't have to answer to anyone. I remember being shocked by how other students treated our teachers in school. Still others would appear polite but slander them behind their backs. I know I've been guilty of that last one. What does God say about all of this? Isn't He our only authority as Christians?

God is certainly our ultimate authority, but He also places other authority figures in our lives for us to follow. Verse 13 states God's will clearly: "Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority or to governors..." Of course we don't have kings in America, but we all have various authority figures in our lives. In a teenager's life, the authority figures include parents, teachers, principals, ministers, employers, government officials, etc. The truth to be gleaned here is simple. As Christians we are to be law-abiding citizens who respect the authority figures in our lives and follow their rules. We are doing this "for the Lord's sake;" whether we personally like the authority figure or not, we are submitting to him/her out of obedience to the Lord (13).

Clearly, if your leader asks you to do something unbiblical, you should disobey, because God is the supreme authority of Christians. One example of this is the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego;the king asks them to worship a statue, and they refuse. Obviously this was a rule they could not submit to, because it broke God's law. You also see this in the lives of the apostles, who were commanded by city authorities to stop preaching the gospel, but kept on spreading the good news of Jesus anyway.

Not only does this type of respect for authority please God, but it serves as an excellent witness to those who fail to do so. Verse 15 states that your godly actions may "silence the ignorance of foolish men." Your good deeds will bring glory to God and lead others to Him (12).

Are you respectful to authority? Do you grumble complaints against our president or ridicule your teachers? It is hard to respect someone when you don't agree with their beliefs or admire them personally. However, regardless of how we feel about a leader's choices or values, they deserve our respect. Do you need to repent of disrespecting authority figures in your life? I know I do! Ask the Lord right now to help you show respect to the authority figures in your life and follow their rules with a joyful heart.