Hosea 10-11 God's Love Blasting Out From These Pages

“The more prosperous they became, the more they turned away from God.”  It was that way with Israel back then, much like it is with us today.  “[The Northern Kingdom of Israel] had not only broken the law of God; they had broken the heart of God … After all God did for His son [Israel], he will refuse to return His love or obey His will.”

In 11:1-4, God lays out the way Israel had treated Him:  “They went away from Me.  They offered sacrifices to the Baals … They did not understand that I had healed them.”

My commentary said, “The more God called to Israel, the more they strayed from Him.  They were happy to enjoy His gifts, but they didn’t want to obey the Giver … and all of us are prone to do what Israel did:  enjoy God’s blessings, but take God for granted.  ‘My people are determined to turn from Me.’”

It also pointed out that God chose to be longsuffering.  His heart of love cries out in 11:8, “Israel, how can I give you up?  How can I give you away, Israel?... My heart beats for you, and My love for you stirs up My pity.  I won’t punish you in My anger, and I won’t destroy Israel again.  I am God and not a human; I am the Holy One, and I am among you.  I will not come against you in anger.”

My commentary concluded, “God is longsuffering with His people, as He is with all sinners, even though they lie to Him and rebel against Him.”

Father, I cannot understand such love, and I’m glad I don’t have to – I only need to accept it.  Help those I love to do the same!  Thank You for Your longsuffering.  Without it, I would have been destroyed long ago.  Such love You have for me!

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

Hosea 8-9 -- Coming Home To Roost

It would make my blood run cold to hear God say these things about me that He said here about Israel:

“They have broken My agreement and have turned against My teachings … so the enemy will chase them … I am very angry with the people … Israel’s foolish plans are like planting the wind, but they will harvest a storm … Although Israel built more altars to remove sins, they have become altars for sinning.  I have written many teachings for them, but they think the teachings are strange and foreign … The Lord is not pleased with them.  He remembers the evil they have done, and He will punish them for their sins … They will become slaves again … The time of punishment has come, the time to pay for sins … You think the prophet is a fool, and you say the spiritual person is crazy.  You have sinned very much, and your hatred is great.  How terrible it will be for them when I go away from them! … Because of the sinful things they have done, I will force them to leave My land.  I will no longer love them …”

Father God, I would take Your discipline and punishment any day over having You leave me.  I can’t imagine life without You anymore!  Use Your Holy Spirit to quicken my soul to You.  Warn me when I’m in danger of sinning.  Remind me to trust everything You say, regardless of what my own heart is telling me, for I can trust You, my God!

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

Hosea 7 -- Wrong-headedness

The citizens of Israel seem to have lost their senses.  “It never enters their minds that I remember their evil deeds … They make agreements with those who do not know the true God … Israel’s pride will cause their defeat; they will not turn back to the Lord their God or look to Him for help in all this.”

Although they’d cried out to God, their motives were wrong.  “They wanted God to act on their terms and not according to the conditions of His holy covenant.  They thought they could get away with their many sins, but God saw them all and remembered them,” my commentary said. 

God compared them to a half-baked pancake, which is really good for nothing.  “When it comes to our relationship with the Lord, we must be thorough and not half-baked.  His gracious work must permeate our whole being so that heart, mind, and strength are all devoted to Him.”

Israel couldn’t see this, and my commentary said, “The tragedy of undetected losses quietly lead to ultimate failures.”  It called us to see whether we are like that – half-baked in our devotion to God, not allowing Him to permeate every corner of our lives.

Father, looking at my own life, I want so very much to remain devoted fully to You.  I never would have dreamed that the forces trying to undo that devotion might come from within the church of all places!  Guide me.  Keep me devoted to You in spite of those forces.  And if I am wrong-headed in my thinking about anything, show me clearly where I need to change my thinking.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

Hosea 6 -- REAL Repentance Required

Verse 1-3 sound so good.  The people seem to be agreeing to return to God.  But my commentary calls it false repentance.  “To begin with, their concern was for healing and not for cleansing … Furthermore, the people of Israel thought that the remedy would work quickly … Expecting a quick fix is one of the marks of an unrepentant heart that doesn’t want to pay the price for deep cleansing.  There is a third evidence of their shallowness:  they saw forgiveness and restoration as a mechanical thing that was guaranteed and not as a relational matter that involved getting right with God … This is formula religion, like getting a candy bar out of a vending machine … The Christian life is a relationship with God, and relationships aren’t based on cut-and-dried formulas.”

They’re about to have to reap what they had sown, and their false repentance would catch up to them.

Father, I thank You for the hurt I feel when I sin against You, for it is evidence of Your Holy Spirit working within me, helping me to understand that I’ve been unfaithful.  Please help me to understand that true repentance is vital.  You can see false repentance a mile away.  Help me to want cleansing, no matter how long it takes, and give me the patience to wait on You to carry it out in me.  Don’t let me presume on Your grace and mercy, either.  Help me to obey so I won’t have to ask for forgiveness.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

Hosea 5 -- Determined To Be Unfaithful

God had news for Israel – all the people, including the religious leaders, would be judged for their sins.  I’m sure this stunned the nation.  “You have done many evil things … I know all about the people of Israel; what they have done is not hidden from Me … They will not give up their deeds and return to their God.  They are determined to be unfaithful to Me.  They do not know the Lord … Israel went to Assyria for help (not to God) … I will attack them … Then I will go back to My place until they suffer for their guilt and turn back to Me.” 

We cannot love sin so much that we ignore God’s warnings about it, for presuming on His grace is a dangerous thing.  We cannot believe that He doesn’t know what we do.  And hearing Him say, “I will go back to My place until they suffer for their guilt and turn back to Me,” should fill our hearts with fear.

Father, I know that You know everything about me, even better than I know myself.  I know that You love me and want me sanctified, yet I constantly fight against the sin that infects this fleshly body.  I want obedience to You to become like a reflex action, not a struggle.  Guide me and keep me focused on You and not on the world.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

Hosea 4 -- Warning! God Always Keeps His Promises

God conducted a “trial” against the people of the northern kingdom.  He called them out for their disloyalty to Him.  In fact, their basic sin was ignorance of God.  My commentary said, “This means much more than knowledge about God.  The Hebrew word describes a husband’s most intimate relationship with his wife.”  They’d refused to learn about God and forgotten the teachings of God.  In fact, the priests wanted people to sin more so they’d bring more food offerings, giving the priests more to eat!

The effects of this sinfulness on the nation would be disastrous.  Infertility would result from their worship of fertility idols, and their use of temple prostitutes would cause their children to become temple prostitutes.

Something the people were failing to realize was this:  “Whether to bless or to judge, God always keeps His covenant promises.”  That should serve as a wakeup call, but it didn’t.

Father, a lack of knowledge of You and Your holiness is a dangerous thing, and people ignore You at their peril.  I remember too well doing so myself.  My supposed knowledge and wisdom was foolishness because it took me away from You.  Help my sons to understand this and to not repeat my mistakes.  Grow us in our knowledge of You.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

Hosea 3 -- Buying Back Someone Who May Not Want To Be Bought Back

Hosea’s wife had run off and was living with another man.  Any other man wouldn’t want her back after such behavior, and he certainly wouldn’t pay money to get her back.  But that’s exactly what God told Hosea to do.  The townspeople would certainly take notice, and that’s what God intended.  This was another action sermon to grab their attention.

Remembering that we are like Gomer, we can see that God is showing His love in that, even in the depths of our unfaithfulness to Him, God bought us back – not at half the price of a slave, but at the exorbitant price of the death of His only Son.

God said that, like Hosea told Gomer, Israel would have to wait a long time for renewed intimacy with Him (they are still waiting today).

My commentary said the key word in this chapter is return.  “When Israel repents and returns to the Lord, then the Lord will return to bless Israel.”

Father, I remember how I’d been like Gomer.  I’d broken my fellowship with You, thinking that I knew better how to live my life.  But I was wrong.  You came looking for me despite my rebellion.  You initiated my return, and Your steadfast love, in spite of my actions, drew me back to You.  Thank You for having such love for me, Father!  Don’t let me ever slip away again!

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

Hosea 2 -- God's Love Doesn't Minimize His Holiness

This new way of looking at Hosea’s words – seeing myself as the unfaithful wife – really gets serious here.  My commentary says that though Hosea speaks so much about God’s love, he doesn’t minimize the holiness of God.  He doesn’t condone sin and pamper sinners in His love.

Hosea saw several areas where God wouldn’t let things slide:

Idolatry:

If the people acted like prostitutes with whatever had become an idol in their lives, God promised to treat them like prostitutes, shaming them publicly.  “Unfaithfulness to the Lord is a serious sin, just as unfaithfulness to one’s mate is a serious sin.  The man who says he’s 90% faithful to his wife isn’t faithful at all.”

Ingratitude:

“One of the first steps toward rebellion against God is a refusal to give God thanks for His mercies.  God will not allow us to enjoy His gifts and at the same time ignore the Giver, for this is the essence of idolatry.”

Hypocrisy:

“How easy it is to attend divine services and go through the motions of worshiping God when our hearts are really far from Him … One of the greatest judgments God can inflict on any people is to let them have their own way.  God is holy and will not permit His people to enjoy sin for long or to live on substitutes.”

God promises His love to His people here by saying:

“I will allure …”  He woos us to Him.  He never forces.

“I will give …”  He’ll take defeat and shame and turn it into victory and glory.

“I will take away…”  He’ll end idolatry among His people.

“I will betroth …” He’ll enter into a covenant relationship with each of us.

“I will respond …”  He’ll send His rich blessings.

“I will plant …”  He’ll sow His people where He wants them to be.

Wow, Father!  I’m so thankful that You wooed me back.  Thank You for giving me victory and for taking away idolatry in my life.  Keep doing that as You see it rearing its ugly head!  Thank You for making an eternal covenant with me and for blessing me.  Plant me where You want me to bless others.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

Hosea 1 -- I Didn't Know I Was Gomer

Hosea was given a tough action sermon by God to be delivered through his own life.  He was told to marry a known prostitute, which would be a very gracious act for any man, but particularly a man of God.  What’s worse about it is that God knew she’d be continuing her trade.  Hosea would have to love her despite her actions.  Together, they got pregnant and she had a son, who was named to let the people know that God was about to break the power of the northern kingdom of Israel.

His wife got pregnant again, but unlike the first time, there’s no mention that the child is Hosea’s.  The baby girl’s name meat “unpitied” or “not loved”!  How sad for the little girl.  And how sad for Israel, for God was going to withdraw His love and no longer show them mercy as a nation.

My commentary had a profound comment:  “The expression of God’s love is certainly unconditional, but our enjoyment of that love is conditional and depends on our faith and obedience.”  It’s almost like God was still going to love, but He was applying a Teflon coating to those people so that none of His love could “stick”.

Hosea’s wife gets pregnant again, and again there’s no mention of the little boy being Hosea’s son.  In fact, the child’s name meant “not My people”.  My commentary said, “Not only would God remove His mercy from His people, but He would also renounce the covenant He had made with them.”  Israel would cease to exist.  Yet God does leave a message of hope:  The Israelites would one day again be too numerous to count, they would again be called “children of the living God”, and Judah and Israel would be joined together again when they recognize Messiah and submit to His rule.

The toughest part of this action sermon for us today?  We are to realize that our part is that of Gomer, not Hosea, my commentary said.  God married us, knowing we’d be unfaithful, and sure enough, we have been.  Yet He still loves us.  Our unfaithfulness produces things within us that God abhors, yet He continues to love us, as Hosea did Gomer.  Wow!  We’ll be watching ourselves as Gomer as the story unfolds, also watching God’s reactions to our own unfaithfulness to Him.

Father, I’ve not read this in this manner before.  Help me to be keenly aware of how this describes my own relationship with You; then help me to become much more faithful.  Remove my tendency to stray.  Continue to change my heart of stone into a heart of flesh that beats only for You.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

Philippians 4:10-23 I CAN, Through Christ!

Paul says here that he can accept all things, he can do all things, and that he has all things.  He wasn’t the victim of circumstances, but the victor OVER circumstances.

“Contentment is not complacency, nor is it a false peace based on ignorance … It’s not escape from the battle, but rather an abiding peace and confidence in the midst of the battle.  ‘I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content.’”  Paul had learned through experiences how to have contentment.

Paul listed three spiritual resources to provide contentment:  The first was God’s overruling providence – God sees to it BEFOREHAND.  Not that He simply knows beforehand.  He works in advance to “arrange circumstances and situations for the fulfilling of His purposes … Life is not a series of accidents, it is a series of appointments,” my commentary said.  I agree!

Another spiritual resource we can tap into is God’s unfailing power.  “The most important part of the Christian life is the part that only God sees … I can – through Christ! was Paul’s motto.”  J.B. Phillips’ translation of verse 13 says, “I am ready for anything through the strength of the One who lives within me.”  “The Christian has all the power within that he needs to be adequate for the demands of life.  We need only release this power by faith.”

There’s one more resource – The Unchanging Promises of God.  The Philippians had sent Paul help, but Paul didn’t see that help as coming just from Philippi.  He saw it as the supply of his needs from heaven.

“God has not promised to supply all our greeds.  When the child of God is in the will of God, serving for the glory of God, then he will have every need met,” my commentary said.

Father, give me Your abiding peace and confidence in the midst of each and every battle.  Help me learn Your contentment in every situation.  You’ve taught me that life is a series of appointments.  Now continue to teach me a new motto:  “I can, through Christ.”  Also, help me to live for You promises.  Let me see their fulfillments as Your supplying of all my needs.  As Your child, keep me in Your will, serving for Your glory, knowing that You’ve got my back!

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

Philippians 4:1-9 How NOT To Worry

Paul mentioned several things causing him concern, but he did not worry, and here he shows us how to not worry.

My commentary said worry is being pulled in different directions – our hopes one way and our fears another.  “From the spiritual point of view, worry is wrong thinking (the mind) and wrong feeling (the heart) about circumstances, people, and things … The antidote to worry is the secure mind … when you have the secure mind, the peace of God guards you and the God of peace guides you.”

To get this secure mind, we must meet conditions that God lays down here:  right praying, right thinking, and right living.

With right praying, we don’t rush to God and tell him our needs.  Instead, we approach the throne calmly and in deepest reverence and give Him adoration first.  Then we share with Him our needs and our problems.  Finally, we thank Him for His watchcare over us.  We don’t just ask about the big things, either.  We are to take everything to God in prayer, keeping the little things from becoming big things.  Doing this is the first step to victory over worry, I read.

“The peace of God stands guard over two areas that create worry – the heart (wrong feelings) and the mind (wrong thinking).”  About thinking, Paul told us to focus only on whatever is true (not thinking about Satan’s lies;  whatever is honest and just (not focusing on thoughts of dishonorable things); whatever is pure (majoring on high and noble thoughts, not base thoughts); and whatever has virtue (we can’t waste mind power on thoughts that tear us down or tear others down), my commentary said.

Paul also told us to concentrate on right living.  “You can’t separate outward action and inward attitude.  Sin always results in unrest, and purity ought to result in peace … Facts in the head are not enough; we must also have truths in the heart.”

Setting these principles in our lives brings about the peace of God, and “the peace of God is one test of whether or not we are in the will of God … If we are walking with the Lord, then the peace of God and the God of peace exercise their influence over our hearts.  Whenever we disobey, we lose that peace and we know we have done something wrong.  God’s peace in the umpire that calls us out.”

Father, I want a secure mind that causes me not to worry.  Help me to have right praying, right thinking, and right living so that worry will not gain a foothold in my life.  Help me to have Your peace.  I trust You, God!

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

Philippians 3:17-21 Living In The Future Tense

My commentary calls these verses “Living in the Future Tense” and we find Paul weeping for professed Christians who were living for earthly things.  He said, “Many people are living like enemies of the cross of Christ.”  Paul has been talking about Christians, so something is wrong with Christians here, he says, that will end in their destruction.

First, they are doing whatever their bodies want.

Secondly, they are proud of their shameful acts.

Also, they think only about earthly things.

They were to be spiritually minded – “looking at earth from heaven’s point of view,” seeing things as God sees them.  When we do this, “we stop being attracted by things of this world.  We make decisions on the basis of eternal values and not the passing fads of society.”

We even see today people who profess to be citizens of heaven but whose lives don’t show it – there’s no evidence that the Holy Spirit is controlling their lives.  They’re energized by the flesh and they get all the glory, my commentary said.

In contrast, a true believer crucifies the flesh and the world.  “It is the cross that is central in the life of the believer.”  We are looking for our Savior to return, and “there is tremendous energy in the present power of a future hope.  Abraham looked for a city, so he was content to live in a tent … Because of the joy set before Him, Jesus was willing to endure the cross.”  We should do the same – knowing that He’s coming back for us we should be content to obey, not living for the things of this world.  “What we do today is governed by what Christ will do in the future,” my commentary added.

Verse 21 says Christ will “subdue all things unto Himself.”  My commentary says that means “to arrange in ranks,” and that our problem today is that we don’t arrange things in their proper order.  So we waste energy on useless activities; also we allow our vision to be clouded by these things, to the point that Christ’s return isn’t our primary motivation for living.  It says we have to let Christ arrange the things in life according to their proper rank, living with eternity’s values in view.

Father, allow me to see things from Your point of view every day.  Don’t let me get my priorities out of order from Yours.  Keep me motivated to do what You want me to be doing.  I want that tremendous energy that comes from the present power of my future hope!

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

Philippians 3:112-16 Sanctified Dissatisfaction

“Paul was satisfied with Jesus Christ,  but he was not satisfied with his Christian life.  A sanctified dissatisfaction is the first essential to progress in the Christian race,” my commentary said.  Instead of comparing himself with others, “he compared himself with himself and with Jesus Christ.”  “He has not arrived yet at perfection, but he is ‘perfect’ [mature] and one mark of this maturity is the knowledge that he is not perfect!”

My commentary also mentioned the devotion implied by focusing on one thing.  We must devote ourselves to running the Christian race.  We succeed by specializing, not trying to do every job at once.

It also mentioned direction – not being controlled by the past but looking toward the future.  When Paul said, “Forgetting the things which are behind,” “he knew that humans are incapable of forgetting our past.  In Bible terms, it means no longer being influenced by or affected by it.  God has said that He will no longer hold our sins against us.  They can no longer affect our standing with Him or influence His attitude toward us, according to my commentary.  “We break the power of the past by living for the future.  We can’t change the past, but we can change the meaning of the past … Joseph saw the past from God’s point of view.  As a result, he was unable to hold anything against his brothers.  Joseph knew that God had a plan for his life and in fulfilling that plan and looking ahead, he broke the power of the past.”

Father, thank You for showing me that You have a plan for my life.  I know I can’t forget the past, but I can view it in the light of all You are doing in my life.  Thank You for breaking the power of the past and helping me to want to run the race You’ve set out for me today.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

Philippians 3:1-11 Paul's Treasure

On, how these 11 verses must have shaken the other Pharisees who ever read them!  Paul had it all, as far as they were concerned, yet gave it all up for Christ.  They were consumed with never having sinful actions, yet they completely missed the fact that they had sinful attitudes and appetites.  Their treasures of their religion were nothing but refuse and Paul had discovered that and cleaned it out of his life.

Paul took an accountant’s view of it all here.  He listed all of his good works as assets and assigned very little value to them as far as making himself right with God.  It tallied up to spiritual bankruptcy compared to Christ’s spiritual balance sheet, which was perfect.  Paul realized that God had made some adjusting entries on his behalf.  He added Christ’s righteousness to the asset side, and then He subtracted Paul’s sins from the liability side, moving them over to Christ’s books!  “And God promised Paul that He would never write his sins against him anymore!”

My commentary wrapped it all up:  “When he was living under law, all Paul had was a set of rules.  But now he had a Friend, a Master, a constant Companion!”

Father, I agree with what Paul said here:  “I want to know Christ and the power that raised Him from the dead.  I want to share in His sufferings and become like Him in His death.  Then I have hope …”

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

Philippians 2:12-30 The Working Out

My commentary explained that the “working out” of our salvation uses a word that is illustrated by working out a math problem or working a mine to get as much valuable ore out of it as possible.  That sure helps me to understand it better.

Paul wants us to understand that for all Christians there is a power to receive (it’s there in us, but we have to receive it).  “God had a special purpose for each one to fulfill … His commands are His enablements.”

The Word of God is an important part of receiving that power, but we need to do three things, my commentary said:  Appreciate it, appropriate it (receive it), and apply it. “We have to trust God’s Word and act on it for God’s power to be released in our lives … God’s Word has the power of accomplishment in it, and faith releases that power.”  I remember going through this myself when I heard God say in Svir Stroi, Russia, that I was to adopt, and that Word instilled me with faith that allowed me to act on that Word and endure such trials to get to my sons!

It said God’s third tool He uses in the working out is suffering, and I’ve seen that many times as well.  Suffering is where our faith is built up.

“The Word of God, prayer, and suffering are the three tools that God uses in our lives.  Just as electricity must run through a conductor, so the Holy Spirit must work through the means God has provided.  As the Christian reads the Word and prays, he becomes more like Christ, and the more he becomes like Christ, the more the unsaved world opposes him.  This suffering drives the believer back to the Word and prayer, so that all three tools work together to provide the spiritual power he needs to glorify Christ.  If we are to have the submissive mind, and the joy that goes with it, we must recognize that there is a purpose to achive (God’s plan for our lives), a power to receive (the Holy Spirit), and a promise to believe.”

That promise is joy as a present reality – not something we’ll get someday in heaven.  And it comes through sacrifice and service.

Father, please remind me often of Your purposes for my life.  Cause me to seek out the power to accomplish that purpose through Your Holy Spirit, and give me often that joy You promise.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

Philippians 2:1-11 -- The Submissive Mind

More about the single mind today.  It is “the secret of joy in spite of circumstances.”  Verse 3 also says, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”  My commentary said this speaks of having a submissive mind.  Humility must be understood as not thinking poorly of oneself, but simply not thinking of oneself at all.  “The truly humble person knows himself and accepts himself.  He yields himself to Christ to be a servant to use what he is and has for the glory of God and the good of others.”

It points out that a submissive mind doesn’t mean we place ourselves at the beck and call of others.  It isn’t being a religious doormat.  “If we have the single mind of Philippians 1, then we will have no problem with the submissive mind of Philippians 2.”

A person with a submissive mind thinks of others, not himself.  And simply thinking of others isn’t enough.  “We must get down to the nitty-gritty of true service” – putting the submissive mind in action.  It also requires sacrifice.  “The test of the submissive mind is not just how much we are willing to take in terms of suffering, but how much we are willing to give in terms of sacrifice… It is one of the paradoxes of the Christian life that the more we give, the more we receive; the more we sacrifice, the more God blesses.  This is why the submissive mind leads to joy; it makes us more like Christ … When love is the motive, sacrifice is never measured or mentioned!  The person who constantly talks about his sacrifices does not have the submissive mind.”

Finally, such a person glorifies God … The person with the submissive mind, as he lives for others, must expect sacrifice and service; but in the end, it is going to lead to glory … The joy comes … primarily from the knowledge that we are glorifying God.”

Father, help me to put myself aside, to serve others, and to know the joy of glorying You through service.  Don’t let it even fell like sacrifice.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

Philippians 1 -- The Single Mind

I kept seeing a phrase show up in my commentary this morning – the single mind.  Paul had it, and it showed as “he lived for Christ and the gospel.”

“It’s an attitude that says, ‘It makes no difference what happens to me, just as long as Christ is glorified and the gospel shared with others.’  Paul rejoiced in spite of his circumstances, because his circumstances strengthened the fellowship of the gospel, promoted the furtherance of the gospel, and guarded the faith of the gospel.”

“When you have a single mind, you will not complain about circumstances because you know that difficult circumstances will result in the strengthening of the fellowship of the gospel.”

“This, then, is true Christian fellowship – a having-in-common that is much deeper than mere friendship.  ‘I have you in my mind… I have you in my heart … I have you in my prayers.’  This is the kind of fellowship that produces joy, and it is the single mind that produces this kind of fellowship.”

“When you have the single mind, you look on your circumstances as God-given opportunities for the furtherance of the gospel, and you rejoice at what God is going to do instead of complaining about what God did not do.”

“Criticism is usually very hard to take, particularly when we are in difficult circumstances, as Paul was.  How was he able to rejoice even in the face of such diverse criticism?  He possessed the single mind! … His only desire (because he had the single mind) was to magnify Christ in his body.”

“We are also soldiers defending the faith of the gospel, and the believer with the single mind can have the joy of the Holy Spirit even in the midst of battle … There is joy in our lives, even as we battle the enemy, if we live for Christ and the gospel and practice Christian teamwork … The single mind … produces in us consistency, cooperation, and confidence … as we strive together for the faith of the gospel.”

Father, please continue to sanctify me and to change my thinking toward the single mind I’ve read about today.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

Haggai 1-2 -- What Hinders The Work?

The exiled Jews had returned home but had chosen to build not just shelter, but fancy houses for themselves, leaving the Temple in ruins.  They couldn’t see that their actions were causing their crop failures.  They had chosen not to put God first in their lives.

God’s name wasn’t being honored.  My commentary noted how we say the Lord’s prayer, starting with “Hallowed be Thy name”,  yet it’s often the last thing we thing about as we seek to serve God.

“When God speaks to us by His Word, there’s only one acceptable response, and that’s obedience.  We don’t weigh the options, we don’t examine the alternatives, and we don’t negotiate the terms.  We simply do what God tells us to do and leave the rest with Him.  Faith is not believing in spite of evidence.  It’s obeying in spite of consequences.”

Haggai also had to get the people to see that working on the Temple didn’t make them holy.  In fact, their sin and defilement had contaminated their relationship with God.  Once their defilement was removed and they stood ready to work, they could trust “the Holy Spirit for the enablement needed to do God’s will.”  My commentary also quoted A.W. Tozer, who said, “If God were to take the Holy Spirit out of this world, must of what we’re doing in our churches would go right on, and nobody would know the difference!”

Father, help us to remain aware of our state before You.  Show us where we need to remove defilement.  Cause us to seek out Your Holy spirit rather than simply doing something for You.  Help us to remember that sin hinders Your work and robs us of Your blessings.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

Ecclesiastes 11-12 -- A Wrap-Up Of How To Live Life

I’m preparing for Dnow this weekend, and I’ll have 6^th grade boys in my home.  I thought God’s timing was again incredible based on what I read during my quiet time today:

“Those of us who are older need to remember that God expects young people to act like young people.  The tragedy is that too many older people are trying to act like young people! … Young people who take care of their minds and bodies, avoid the destructive sins of the flesh, and build good habits of health and holiness have a better chance for happy adult years than those who “sow their wild oats” and pray for a crop failure!”

“We don’t own our lives, because life is a gift from God.  We are stewards of our lives, and one day we must give an account to God of what we have done with His gift… The fear of the Lord is that attitude of reverence and awe that His people show to Him because they love Him and respect His power and His greatness … An unholy fear makes people run away from God, but a holy fear brings them to their knees in loving submission to God.  The remarkable thing about fearing God is that, when you fear God, you fear nothing else; whereas, if you do not fear God, you fear everything else … God created life and He alone knows how it should be managed … When Solomon looked at life without God, everything was fragmented and he could see no pattern.  But when he looked at life from God’s point of view, everything came together into one whole.  If man wants to have wholeness, he must begin with God.”

Father, help me to impart Your wisdom to these young me this weekend.  Let them see in my life what You want them to do with theirs.  Show them the importance of living life in You and with You.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

Ecclesiastes 10 -- Foolish Leadership

Solomon takes on politics as he discusses foolishness.  He’d likely seen a lot of bowing and scraping, but also knew what was really going on behind his back.

A key indicator of foolishness is an inability to control oneself.  “He who is slow to anger is better than the might, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city (Prov. 16:32).

My commentary differentiated between righteous indignation and simple jealousy and malice disguised as holy zeal for God, particularly in religious leaders, since they would be the ones claiming to be acting for God.

Solomon also thought that a ruler who was too pliable was also a fool, putting incompetent people in high offices and leaving competent people doing menial jobs.  “The best rulers and leaders … are tough-minded but tenderhearted, who put the best people on the horses and don’t apologize for it,” my commentary said.  (This was in reference to what Solomon’s son Rehoboam had done, choosing his young friends as advisors rather than the older and wiser men who’d served his father, actually making the older men walk while the younger men rode horses.)  “It is a judgment of God when a people are given immature leaders.  This can happen to a nation or to a local church.  It is wrong for a believer to be thrust into leadership too soon, having no maturity or experience.”

Father, we so desperately need to hear this.  We have let popularity overrule competence and we suffer greatly as a result.  Please give us wise leaders and restore what we are losing and have already lost.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

Ecclesiastes 9 -- Death And Life

As cynical as Solomon starts to sound here, my commentary reminded me that we have to remember that Solomon is a preacher preaching this to his own citizens.  A preacher wouldn’t be cynical, so there has to be a deeper meaning.

My commentary listed two main points Solomon was pressing home here:  “Death is unavoidable and life is unpredictable.  That being the case, the best thing we can do is trust God, live by faith, and enjoy whatever blessings God gives us.”

Solomon speaks of the different ways people deal with the reality of death, and it’s revealed in how they deal with life:

They ESCAPE – They drink, fight, spend, and try anything to forget that death is not there.

ENDURANCE – Many simply grit their teeth, hold on, and hope for things to change.  “Life is not easy, but there’s more to life than simply enduring … Solomon was emphasizing the importance of seizing opportunities while we live, rather than blindly hoping for something better in the future.”

ENJOYMENT – He said, “Don’t sit around and brood!  Get up and live!  Yes, death is coming, but God gives us good gifts to enjoy, so enjoy them!”  Those things include “common experiences of home life:  happy leisurely meals, joyful family celebrations, a faithful, loving marriage, and hard work … Everything that’s really important is back home at the Father’s house.”

Father, thank You for helping me to get the most out of life, by helping others and enjoying my family.  Your truths here are real, and they make life enjoyable despite the hardships.  Keep reminding me of them and never let me get down on life.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford