How do you want God to treat you?

Luke 6:37-38 CEV

Jesus said: Don't judge others, and God won't judge you. Don't be hard on others, and God won't be hard on you. Forgive others, and God will forgive you. If you give to others, you will be given a full amount in return. It will be packed down, shaken together, and spilling over into your lap. The way you treat others is the way you will be treated.

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The good news of the day of that God will forgive you!

And oh boy do you need a heap of forgiveness. I've heard it said that every time you point the finger you've got three pointing back at yourself.

Who are we to judge others harshly? Who are we to draw the line and assume grace and mercy have run thier course.

I can tell you that when you face the Almighty God you'll hope that he is more merciful than you.

Thankfully God is more merciful. Thankfully Jesus trays his enemies like family and loves them.
Thankfully the Holy Spirit lives in the heart of a believer and all the selfish, hateful pride we have doesn't drive him away.

We are covered by the righteous of Jesus.

Hate bribes

Exodus 18:20-22 NLT

Teach them God’s decrees, and give them his instructions. Show them how to conduct their lives. But select from all the people some capable, honest men who fear God and hate bribes. Appoint them as leaders over groups of one thousand, one hundred, fifty, and ten. They should always be available to solve the people’s common disputes, but have them bring the major cases to you. Let the leaders decide the smaller matters themselves. They will help you carry the load, making the task easier for you.

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Disputes come with the territory. People, even God's people, maybe especially God's people, have a keen sense of injustice. Everyone knows when they have been wronged. Well at least everyone knows when they feel like fairness hasn't been observed in their behalf. Seems one of the first phrases a child declares with passion is, 'that's not fair'.
And who do we imagine will right the wrong? At first it is our parents. But then it is innate that we appeal to leaders for justice.
"Billy took my toy!, " we cry expecting our toy to be returned and maybe Billy will get a good thrashing so he'll not take my toy again.
We long for mediators who will dispense fair, considered, impartial, wise justice.

I think one of the first interesting things in this passage is that this was not a particularly democratic process. Moses chooses these intermediaries. Next I've observed that as Moses chooses he determines the level of responsibility each leader will have from a handful of people to a thousand.

But what stands out most to me is the relativity short list of relevant criteria.

• Capable 
• Honest 
• Fear God 
• Hate bribes

Dispensing justice requires capability. There is a skill or talent that enables some persons as capable.

Then next in the list is a character trait, possibly a reputation of honesty. A person in leadership whose role it is to dispense justice has to love the truth, they must be without a practice of lying. It is interesting that the primary character trait of arguably one of the greatest presidents in American history was honesty. It has been passed down through the years that he was even known for the practice of honesty so much that he was nicknamed, 'Honest Abe.'
I wonder could it be that actually there are only two requirements on this list stated first positively and then reiterated negatively.

Cable = fear God
Honest  = hate bribes

It was not an uncommon literary device of Moses' people or time to emphasis by restating the points in opposite ways, or by building the point.

We'd do well to consider the possibly that real capability in leadership, particularly in dispensing justice, comes from the humility of  knowing your place before God. The Fear of God the Bible says is the starting blocks of wisdom.

And valuing the truth over personal gain is foundational. I've once heard it said that leadership requires an insight into the trajectory of truth. I'd heartily agree, that a person that sees the tangled web that is woven through deception will at all cost avoid the peril of entrapment and the demise of entanglements with bribes and lies.

For ultimately God knows exactly what has happened. God has seen both the action and the intent of your heart. Nothing has escaped God's view and God will ultimately dispense justice. The capable leader will be acutely aware that justice is not some subjective abstract concept but rather is deeply rooted in the person of God. And further that it has been imprinted on the human heart with the image of God given at creation.

First trust God to give you justice.
Secondly, pray for mercy!

Rebellion, gone

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I will cleanse them of their sins against me and forgive all their sins of rebellion. Jeremiah 33:8

We are all prone to giving up. It is so easy to be a quitter. And we have good reason to feel despair  We have offended God. In our rebellion, we have broke his every law. We have treated his kindness with disregard and we have flaunted our hard hearts and sin. We think that we will change but we fail. We put our foot in it and hurt people with our words. We lack the discipline to exercise properly or to eat sensibly. We fail to do the good we know we should. We procrastinate. We are lazy. Or we are full of pride at our hard work and accomplishments but fail to realise the full potential of the good we could do for others and satisfy only ourselves. We see our neighbor in need and pass him by. We know of the pain and suffering of so many but think only of how to better our own situation and choose to forget the hardship of others. We are easily corrupted by power, we think more of everything will solve our problems so we we strive for wealth and ease.We lust, we complain, we compare ourselves with others and feel smug.We ought to compare ourselves to God and be humbled.
And like the Israelites, when we are warned by God to repent, we  harden our hearts instead.

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions"

 Saint Bernard of Clairvaux

So it is a wonder that we could somehow get out of the rut we have dove headlong into. In fact we can not. But God sees us in this pitiful state and promises to change us. First, the muck that we have smeared all over us and only succeed in spreading further is cleaned away. We are put right. We are going to be sorted out. We are going to be lifted up. We are going to be dressed a new, gone will be the ragged clothes of rebellion and coming are the clothes of righteousness. And the stains of before are gone too. We are free of the debts and the burdens of our past behaviour. We are not going to be held responsible for our insurrection. We are unfettered by the debts of our treason and adultery.

How is this done? What must I do to be saved? It is done by God. And I can do nothing to merit it! It is a gift! It is the will of God that although we deserve punishment we get forgiveness.

Jeremiah, was getting a glimpse into the future and he was seeing Jesus. 

Listen to Jesus claim the power and right of forgiveness!

The Gospel of Mark Chapter 2

Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man

1 When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the news spread quickly that he was back home. 2 Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While he was preaching God’s word to them, 3 four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. 4 They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. 5 Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.”


6 But some of the teachers of religious law who were sitting there thought to themselves, 7“What is he saying? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!”


8 Jesus knew immediately what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you question this in your hearts? 9Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk’?10 So I will prove to you that the Son of Man has the authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, 11“Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home!”


12 And the man jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers. They were all amazed and praised God, exclaiming, “We’ve never seen anything like this before!”

Jesus can forgive your sins!

http://bible.us/116/JER33.8.NLT

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Where is God in the darkness?

Monday, February 18, 2013
Where is God in the darkness?
Psalms 88:18 NLT

You have taken away my companions and loved ones. Darkness is my closest friend.
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Jesus is the main character of all history. It was Jesus himself that revealed he was the key to understanding all the bible.
I've heard it suggested that we ought to consider that the Psalms may be more appropriately messianic prophecies rooted in King David's experience but more fully expressed in the life of Jesus. There are a few Psalms where it is easy to see that it describes the circumstances of the cross better than any thing David is recorded to have gone through. But it is easy to forget the link to Jesus when we read some of the Psalms and then we wonder what place it has in our daily life.

Jesus used the prophet Jonah's big fish saga to explain what his death would be like and maybe here we have a little hint of that too.

This Psalm is written before Jonah and before Jesus. But it foreshadows the judgement of sin that is bore by Jesus while on the cross and in death.

But don't stop there Jesus' has gone before and so we don't have to be judged but we will suffer in many ways as he did.

We will face rejection. We will be misunderstood. We may be oppressed and persecuted and some who follow Jesus will come against opposition so strong their own lives will be taken (only momentarily, for no evil can touch the soul.)

This is a dark Psalm and still we see the light within it :

It begins,  "God of my salvation..."  and then goes on to say that this individual so deep in despair is praying, crying out to God. No matter how low you feel, you can cry out to God, knowing he can save.

Yes it is true God judges sin but it is also true as this psalmist knew God is full of mercy, able to preform wonderful deeds, worthy of praise for His unfailing love, and he is entirely faithful.

See the lovely, uplifting, hope giving character of God can be found even at the darkest times. Praise is possible even in excruciatingly painful depression. Praise is what the psalmist sees as the reason for holding on to life. Will God's righteousness be your life line in your darkest hour?

Praise him and see the difference.

Repeat often the truth, he is good.

Our God is merciful, righteous, wonderful, just, faithful, and loving.

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Psalms 88:1-18 NLT

O Lord, God of my salvation, I cry out to you by day. I come to you at night. Now hear my prayer; listen to my cry. For my life is full of troubles, and death draws near. I am as good as dead, like a strong man with no strength left. They have left me among the dead, and I lie like a corpse in a grave. I am forgotten, cut off from your care. You have thrown me into the lowest pit, into the darkest depths. Your anger weighs me down; with wave after wave you have engulfed me. Interlude You have driven my friends away by making me repulsive to them. I am in a trap with no way of escape. My eyes are blinded by my tears. Each day I beg for your help, O Lord; I lift my hands to you for mercy. Are your wonderful deeds of any use to the dead? Do the dead rise up and praise you? Interlude Can those in the grave declare your unfailing love? Can they proclaim your faithfulness in the place of destruction? Can the darkness speak of your wonderful deeds? Can anyone in the land of forgetfulness talk about your righteousness? O Lord, I cry out to you. I will keep on pleading day by day. O Lord, why do you reject me? Why do you turn your face from me? I have been sick and close to death since my youth. I stand helpless and desperate before your terrors. Your fierce anger has overwhelmed me. Your terrors have paralyzed me. They swirl around me like floodwaters all day long. They have engulfed me completely. You have taken away my companions and loved ones. Darkness is my closest friend.

Williambode.blogspot.co.uk

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Does God rescue the rebellious?

Psalms 106:7-8 NLT

Our ancestors in Egypt were not impressed by the Lord ’s miraculous deeds. They soon forgot his many acts of kindness to them. Instead, they rebelled against him at the Red Sea. Even so, he saved them— to defend the honor of his name and to demonstrate his mighty power.

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Do you think God will only help you if your good enough? Think again. God's own people were very bad. It's often the way out of it. God did amazing miracles and they were not impressed. The Son forgot his kindness to them. They rebel!
Even so, he saved them.

If you take the time to read the whole chapter posted in below you'll get an even clearer idea of their unworthy belligerent state.  Still God is good to them.

Can you accept the fact that God is good. You don't have to earn your keep. You can't somehow be worthy. It is not about cleaning up your own act so he'll help you.
God helps because of who he is. His character is what matters, not yours.
He is kind.
If you read the rest of the chapter you'll see that God's people really go of the deep end and even sacrifice their own children. They don't care at all about God. It gets very very nasty. But read how God ultimately responds:

" Even so, he pitied them in their distress and listened to their cries. He remembered his covenant with them and relented because of his unfailing love. He even caused their captors to treat them with kindness. Save us, O Lord our God!"

Please don't think you can bargain with God. Please don't think you can somehow earn his favour with your good works.

See that God is good. See his kindness and love. Yes, he is not pleased with our rebellion and may let us suffer in the results of our evil choices, but he does good to us and blesses us because of his character not ours.

Don't insult God by thinking you can earn his help.

Rather, praise his goodness. And accept his help, so willingly offered to the rebellious evil people he gave kindness to.

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Psalms 106:2-48 NLT

Who can list the glorious miracles of the Lord ? Who can ever praise him enough? There is joy for those who deal justly with others and always do what is right. Remember me, Lord , when you show favor to your people; come near and rescue me. Let me share in the prosperity of your chosen ones. Let me rejoice in the joy of your people; let me praise you with those who are your heritage. Like our ancestors, we have sinned. We have done wrong! We have acted wickedly! Our ancestors in Egypt were not impressed by the Lord ’s miraculous deeds. They soon forgot his many acts of kindness to them. Instead, they rebelled against him at the Red Sea. Even so, he saved them— to defend the honor of his name and to demonstrate his mighty power. He commanded the Red Sea to dry up. He led Israel across the sea as if it were a desert. So he rescued them from their enemies and redeemed them from their foes. Then the water returned and covered their enemies; not one of them survived. Then his people believed his promises. Then they sang his praise. Yet how quickly they forgot what he had done! They wouldn’t wait for his counsel! In the wilderness their desires ran wild, testing God’s patience in that dry wasteland. So he gave them what they asked for, but he sent a plague along with it. The people in the camp were jealous of Moses and envious of Aaron, the Lord ’s holy priest. Because of this, the earth opened up; it swallowed Dathan and buried Abiram and the other rebels. Fire fell upon their followers; a flame consumed the wicked. The people made a calf at Mount Sinai ; they bowed before an image made of gold. They traded their glorious God for a statue of a grass-eating bull. They forgot God, their savior, who had done such great things in Egypt— such wonderful things in the land of Ham, such awesome deeds at the Red Sea. So he declared he would destroy them. But Moses, his chosen one, stepped between the Lord and the people. He begged him to turn from his anger and not destroy them. The people refused to enter the pleasant land, for they wouldn’t believe his promise to care for them. Instead, they grumbled in their tents and refused to obey the Lord . Therefore, he solemnly swore that he would kill them in the wilderness, that he would scatter their descendants among the nations, exiling them to distant lands. Then our ancestors joined in the worship of Baal at Peor; they even ate sacrifices offered to the dead! They angered the Lord with all these things, so a plague broke out among them. But Phinehas had the courage to intervene, and the plague was stopped. So he has been regarded as a righteous man ever since that time. At Meribah, too, they angered the Lord , causing Moses serious trouble. They made Moses angry, and he spoke foolishly. Israel failed to destroy the nations in the land, as the Lord had commanded them. Instead, they mingled among the pagans and adopted their evil customs. They worshiped their idols, which led to their downfall. They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons. They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters. By sacrificing them to the idols of Canaan, they polluted the land with murder. They defiled themselves by their evil deeds, and their love of idols was adultery in the Lord ’s sight. That is why the Lord ’s anger burned against his people, and he abhorred his own special possession. He handed them over to pagan nations, and they were ruled by those who hated them. Their enemies crushed them and brought them under their cruel power. Again and again he rescued them, but they chose to rebel against him, and they were finally destroyed by their sin. Even so, he pitied them in their distress and listened to their cries. He remembered his covenant with them and relented because of his unfailing love. He even caused their captors to treat them with kindness. Save us, O Lord our God! Gather us back from among the nations, so we can thank your holy name and rejoice and praise you. Praise the Lord , the God of Israel, who lives from everlasting to everlasting! Let all the people say, “Amen!” Praise the Lord !

Why do the enviable wicked seem to live such painless lives?

Psalms 73:1-28 NLT

Truly God is good to Israel, to those whose hearts are pure. But as for me,
I almost lost my footing.
My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone. For I envied the proud when I saw them prosper despite their wickedness.

They seem to live such painless lives;
their bodies are so healthy and strong. They don’t have troubles like other people; they’re not plagued with problems like everyone else.

They wear pride like a jeweled necklace and clothe themselves with cruelty. These fat cats have everything their hearts could ever wish for! They scoff and speak only evil; in their pride they seek to crush others. They boast against the very heavens, and their words strut throughout the earth. And so the people are dismayed and confused, drinking in all their words. “What does God know?” they ask. “Does the Most High even know what’s happening?” Look at these wicked people— enjoying a life of ease while their riches multiply. Did I keep my heart pure for nothing? Did I keep myself innocent for no reason? I get nothing but trouble all day long; every morning brings me pain. If I had really spoken this way to others, I would have been a traitor to your people. So I tried to understand why the wicked prosper. But what a difficult task it is! Then I went into your sanctuary, O God, and I finally understood the destiny of the wicked. Truly, you put them on a slippery path and send them sliding over the cliff to destruction. In an instant they are destroyed, completely swept away by terrors. When you arise, O Lord, you will laugh at their silly ideas as a person laughs at dreams in the morning. Then I realized that my heart was bitter, and I was all torn up inside. I was so foolish and ignorant— I must have seemed like a senseless animal to you. Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny. Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth. My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever. Those who desert him will perish, for you destroy those who abandon you. But as for me, how good it is to be near God! I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter, and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do.

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Are you green? Has envy stricken you? If it has you are vulnerable to slipping away from God.

It may appear now that life is not fair. Look at this Psalm. The writer is very honest. It doesn't seem right that evil, wicked, godless people look like they're getting away with it all. They've got nice tan healthy fit bodies and they live in huge homes with expensive cars. The godless appear to be getting one over on God.
And it doesn't seem fair. Why does God let them get away with murder?

It feels like, "I get nothing but trouble all day long;" and that "every morning brings me pain." Do you ever feel like that?

It doesn't stay that way though. God will make things right. We just have to be patient. God's apparent slowness to bring justice is motivated by his grace and mercy. It is the same grace and mercy you need to be saved.

And yet ultimately the wicked will slip off the cliff of justice! The godless will meet their destruction. All is not as it appears. It may seem like wicked people are making a mockery of God and his people but God promises that it is temporary!

But this envy you have misses the point and reveals an unbelief on your part. You and I need to get our focus off the wealth of the wicked and onto God.

God is offering us himself. And more than our health, more than our will to succeed, we can be in love with God.

Let God so captivate you that you are filled with all you desire. Look way into the future and see that nothing, not even death will separate you from God. A fall in the economy will not strip you of the wealth of His love, he is yours forever. Live threatening disease can not take away the strength of God's presence with you. Pain will only bring him closer. Suffering only serves to make him more glorious. Loss only reveals the great gain that is had in following him.
What the rich of this world have is fleeting,  empty and leads to certain destruction.

Tell everyone that God is better than anything this world has to offer!