Weekly Teachings

1 Kings 17:1 Elijah’s name means “Yahweh is my God.” He wants to attack Baal directly, by undermining his alleged weather powers. It will not rain until Yahweh’s prophet says so. 1 Kings 18:5-18 After 3 1/2 years (James 5:17), Elijah meets Ahab again who hasn’t repented or turned away from supporting Baal worship in the land. 1 Kings 18:19-22 Elijah challenges the prophets of Baal and Asherah to a contest. Whoever answers by fire is the true God. This occurs before an assembly of Israelites who stand as witnesses. 1 Kings 18:27 Elijah mocks Baal publicly. He’s certainly not holding back here. 1 Kings 18:36-39 Yahweh comes through, and the people say, “Yahweh, He is God; Yahweh, He is God.” 1 Kings 18:46 Elijah ran before Ahab’s chariot for 17 miles while the rain storm approached. Upon arrival, Elijah’s heart must’ve thought, “This is it! Revival at last!” 1 Kings 19:1-4 However, Jezebel, undaunted by her god’s obvious inferiority to Yahweh, vows to capture and execute Elijah. He’s ready to quit. 1 Kings 19:9-18 Elijah speaks to God at Mount Horeb, where Israel first became a nation when they left Egypt. God asks him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He is worn out; he needs a word from the Lord. 1 Kings 19:13-18 God doesn’t spend much time comforting Elijah, but gives him important work to do. He assures him that he’s not alone, but that 7,000 others are faithful as well. God’s not done with him yet. Is God done with you, or does He still have more work for you to do? What’s God calling you to do? Is it to volunteer here on Sundays, invite your neighbors over for dinner, invite your coworker to church, start teaching your kids the Bible, go to a foreign land as a missionary, serve the poor, feed the hungry, or clothe the naked? Whatever God’s calling you to do, it’s time to do it.

Colossians contains ancient insights that are eerily relevant in our culture today. Though the philosophies and cultural pressures have new names and angles, Pauls’ prescription remains the preventative cure for them as well as us. Colossians 2:1-3 The Apostle Paul has never met the Colossians but he wants to encourage them to stick with what they have learned about Christ. In him God has hidden incredible treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Christ is a big deal. He’s not just another religious teacher or life-coach guru. Colossians 2:4-10 If he can just get the Colossians to grasp how highly God has exalted Christ that will protect them from getting taken in by other religions and philosophies that are harmful to them. Christ is all sufficient and above other rulers and authorities so there is no need to go elsewhere or augment their faith with other allegiances and practices. God dwells in Christ fully (Col 1:19; 2 Cor 5:17) and wants to dwell in them/us as well (Eph 3:19). Ephesians 1:20-23 20 ...he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. Colossians 2:11-15 Christians need not take on Jewish practices to find salvation since through the cross God has made a new kind of forgiveness available. Rather than the expression of Rome’s power to strip and disarm rebels, the cross is where God has defeated the authorities and triumphed over them. The cross is not an embarrassment or cause for shame, but a cosmic victory! Colossians 2:16-17 We shouldn’t let people push us around and judge whether we practice or don’t practice dietary restrictions, Jewish festivals, or the Sabbath. We have freedom in Christ to embrace these shadows or not. Colossians 2:18-23 Asceticism is denying pleasure. Certain philosophical sects taught that pleasure was inherently evil and truly enlightened people should resist gratifying their bodily appetites. Paul comes against this strongly, arguing that Christians should not enslave ourselves to “elemental spirits.” Though strict denial sounds wise, it actually doesn’t help in stopping the indulgence of the flesh. Today, we have the opposite pressure acting on us--hedonism. Commercials tell us, “You deserve this.” Social media users declare, “I’m doing this for me.” Our movies urge us to “Be true to yourself.” All of this is pressure to embrace our desires and live them out regardless of what anyone else says. Whether asceticism or hedonism, Christ has set us free.

1 Corinthians 10:31 Do all to the glory of God Judges 6-7 God’s whittling down of Gideon’s army provides us a prime example of how important it is to God that He receives proper glory for what He does. He could have worked with thousands, but then they would have thought they had won the victory because of their own military prowess. 1 Peter 4:11 In everything we should give God glory through Jesus Christ. This is not limited to when we are here on Sundays or at other fellowships, but it applies to our whole lives. Matthew 6:1-18 Jesus teaches us about doing righteous deeds for God, not people - Pray to God in private - Fast secretly so God sees, not people - Give to the poor secretly Romans 16:27 To God be glory forevermore Ephesians 3:21 To God be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus Philippians 1:11 Righteousness comes through Jesus to the glory and praise of God. 1 Thessalonians 2:4 We speak not to please people but God who tests our hearts. Jesus made his whole life about glorifying God. - Jn 5:41 “I do not receive glory from people” - Jn 7:18 “The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent me is true, and in him there is no falsehood” - Jn 8:50, 54 “Yet I do not seek my own glory...if I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ”˜He is our God’” - Jn 12:43 “for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God” - John 5:30 "I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.” How to glorify God in 2017: - Love God - Love people

Luke 1:26-38 Gabriel visits Mary and tells her God’s plan for the birth of the Messiah. If she agrees, this will irreversibly change her life. John 8:41 “You are doing the deeds of your father.” They said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father: God.” Luke 2:1-5 They had to travel approximately 90 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem over unpaved roads and significant elevation changes. Luke 2:6-7 After Mary gave birth to Jesus, she laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn. Luke 2:8-20 God announced the birth of His Son to some unnamed shepherds rather than the powerful rulers of the age. Luke 2:21-24 From Leviticus 12:7-8 we know that the offering Joseph and Mary gave was a provision for those who could not afford a lamb and a pigeon. Simeon and Anna offered encouragement in the midst of it all. Matthew 2:7-21 Now Herod orders a hit on the child to eliminate any threat to Herod’s legacy that he may pose later once he’s grown. The family becomes refugees in Egypt to escape the slaughter. God doesn’t stop all suffering in the world; God doesn’t prevent all pain for His people; God didn’t even eliminate hardship for His own Son, but you can trust Him to get you through it.

Exodus 3:7-8 God tells Moses His plans to deliver His people from slavery. Exodus 6:5-8 God plans to rescue them so they can become His people and He can become their God. Exodus 12:30-32 After the ten plagues, the Egyptians released the Israelites. Exodus 14:27-31 God splits the Red Sea and then destroys the Egyptian army, freeing His people once and for all. Exodus 16:2-4 Remember sitting by the meat pots and eating bread to the full? Numbers 11:4-6 Remember the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic of Egypt? Numbers 14:1-4 Let’s choose a leader and go back to Egypt! Numbers 20:4-5 Why have you made us come up out of Egypt? 1 Corinthians 10:1-14 Let’s learn from their example and not desire evil or give ourselves to idolatry. “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” --Jesus (Mt 11:28-30)

Jesus and Pharisees 1. Mark 2.16-17 16 And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?" 17 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." 2. Mark 3.1-6 1 Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. 2 And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. 3 And he said to the man with the withered hand, "Come here." 4 And he said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?" But they were silent. 5 And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 6 The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him. 3. Matthew 23.23-26 23 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. 24 You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel! 25 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean. what do you think when you hear the Pharisees? - “Yeah, Jesus, give it to those no-good Pharisees” - “I can’t stand Pharisees” - “nothing worse than a Pharisee” - “man, I gotta watch myself, because I don’t want to fall into that same way of thinking” history of Pharisees - Pharisees were the separate ones--”those who dedicated themselves to taking God and his law seriously - Shaye Cohen:* “Practically all scholars now agree that the name “Pharisee” ...means ”˜one who is separated’” - ancient Jewish historian Josephus:** “They are extremely influential among the masses” - Josephus:*** “[T]he Sadducees are able to persuade none but the rich...but the Pharisees have the multitude on their side.” - not professional hypocrites - wanted to live according to God’s commands - which is why, they couldn’t help but looking down on the poor unwashed masses, the am ha eretz the dark side of holiness - it’s so easy to slip into moral superiority - to think other’s sins are worse than your own - as you conquer sins, and put some time between you and them, you start to feel like anyone who is still caught in that behavior is so behind or backwards or not with it - you quit lying to people, say 10 years ago - when you see someone lying, it’s hard not to look down on them”¦oh, they’re still lying to people Romans 2.1-4 1 Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man-- you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself-- that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? - we’re convinced God’s going to grade on a curve - I’m not as bad as other people - murderers, rapists, and child molesters Even David struggled with this very issue! 2 Samuel 12.1-4 "There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. 2 The rich man had very many flocks and herds, 3 but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children. It used to eat of his morsel and drink from his cup and lie in his arms, and it was like a daughter to him. 4 Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the guest who had come to him, but he took the poor man's lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him." - David grew very angry - David: “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die” - Nathan: “You are the man!” Luke 18.9-14 9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.' 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted." Dale Tuggy: “God would rather have ten humble Trinitarians that are trying to follow Jesus every day, and act his teachings in their daily lives, he’d rather have ten of those guys than one constantly battling and self-righteous, angry, condemning, doctrine-obsessed Unitarian, who’s got the correct theology. So”¦don’t be that guy. If we’re that guy, the movement’s doomed.” but, this issue runs deeper than - pharisaic hypocrisy - foul language - doctrinal arrogance Frederick Douglass I find, since reading over the foregoing Narrative, that I have, in several instances, spoken in such a tone and manner, respecting religion, as may possibly lead those unacquainted with my religious views to suppose me an opponent of all religion. To remove the liability of such misapprehension, I deem it proper to append the following brief explanation. What I have said respecting and against religion, I mean strictly to apply to the slaveholding religion of this land, and with no possible reference to Christianity proper; for, between the Christianity of this land, and the Christianity of Christ, I recognize the widest possible difference--so wide, that to receive the one as good, pure, and holy, is of necessity to reject the other as bad, corrupt, and wicked. To be the friend of the one, is of necessity to be the enemy of the other. I love the pure, peaceable, and impartial Christianity of Christ: I therefore hate the corrupt, slaveholding, women-whipping, cradle-plundering, partial and hypocritical Christianity of this land. Indeed, I can see no reason, but the most deceitful one, for calling the religion of this land Christianity. I look upon it as the climax of all misnomers, the boldest of all frauds, and the grossest of all libels. Never was there a clearer case of "stealing the livery of the court of heaven to serve the devil in." I am filled with unutterable loathing when I contemplate the religious pomp and show, together with the horrible inconsistencies, which every where surround me. We have men-stealers for ministers, women-whippers for missionaries, and cradle-plunderers for church members. The man who wields the blood-clotted cowskin during the week fills the pulpit on Sunday, and claims to be a minister of the meek and lowly Jesus. The man who robs me of my earnings at the end of each week meets me as a class-leader on Sunday morning, to show me the way of life, and the path of salvation. He who sells my sister, for purposes of prostitution, stands forth as the pious advocate of purity. He who proclaims it a religious duty to read the Bible denies me the right of learning to read the name of the God who made me”¦ The Christianity of America is a Christianity, of whose votaries it may be as truly said, as it was of the ancient scribes and Pharisees, "They bind heavy burdens, and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders, but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers”¦Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint, and anise, and cumin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith; these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Ye blind guides! which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter; but within, they are full of extortion and excess”¦Such is, very briefly, my view of the religion of this land; and to avoid any misunderstanding, growing out of the use of general terms, I mean by the religion of this land, that which is revealed in the words, deeds, and actions, of those bodies, north and south, calling themselves Christian churches, and yet in union with slaveholders. It is against religion, as presented by these bodies, that I have felt it my duty to testify.**** even as I read this description, what thoughts are aroused in your heart? - “those hypocritical southern plantation owners; how could they?” - “if I was alive back then I wouldn’t be a slave holder” - self-righteousness - these plantation owners are sincere bible-believing Christians, yet their hypocrisy is so evident we can barely stand to look at it - are you better than they? - do you think because we live in an enlightened age with superior technology and information access that we are above them? - well, then you are the same as they since that is the same superiority attitude they used to justify the holding of slaves so what’s the solution? Tim Keller’s moral performance narrative vs. grace narrative - what makes you so great? - it’s not your grit, your looks, your athletic prowess, your intelligence, your holiness - what makes you great is God saved you and continues to save you There are two basic ways of thinking about your self-image. One is one I’m going to call a moral-performance narrative. A moral-performance narrative says, “I’m ok, I’m a good person, I feel significant and I have worth because I’m achieving something.” So if you are a liberal person and you feel like, “I’m a good person because I am working for the poor and working for human rights and I’m open minded,” you can’t help, in a moral performance narrative, where your self-image is based your performance as a generous liberal activist person”¦you can’t help but look down your nose at bigots; you can’t but feel superior to bigots. On the other hand what if you are a traditional, religious person and you go to church and you read your bible or you go to synagogue and read your bible or you go to the[]mosque and read the Koran. You're working hard to feel good and serve God, etc. Now in that case, you have to look down your nose at people who don’t believe in your religion. They’re not being as good as you are. Maybe you’re just a secular person and you’re a hardworking decent chap. You can’t help it--if you’re self-image is based on the fact that you’re a hardworking decent chap--you can’t help but look down your nose at people who are lazy. But the gospel, the gospel is something different. The gospel says, “Jesus Christ comes and saves you.” The gospel says, “You’re a sinner.” The gospel says, “You don’t live up to your own standards.” The gospel says, “There is no way you are going to live up to your own standards.” The gospel says, “You have failed; you’re a moral failure and salvation only belongs to people who admit their they’re moral failures.” Jesus came in weakness and died on the cross. He says that salvation is only for weak people; it is only for people who admit they’re not better than anyone else and they just need mercy. If you have a grace narrative, if you say, “The reason I can look myself in the mirror, the reason I know I have significance is because Jesus died for me. I am a sinner saved by grace.” If you say that, then you can’t feel superior to anybody. I’ve got a Hindu neighbor in my apartment building and I think he is wrong about”¦many things but he probably is a better father than me; he could be a much better man, why? “Aren’t you a Christian and he’s a Hindu? Don’t you think you have the truth.” Yeah, but here’s the truth! The truth is I’m a sinner and I’m saved by grace...I’m not saved because I’m a better man. I’m saved because I’m a worse man, really. And so what happens is the grace narrative takes away the kind of superiority and removes that slippery slope that I mentioned in the very beginning, that leads from superiority to separation to caricature and to passive and active oppression. It just takes it away. Now Christians have got to admit in a great degree that we operate out of a[]moral-performance narrative and we don’t have to because we’ve got the gospel.***** we need humility not smugness - that doesn’t me we shouldn’t care about holiness - but it means that as we strive to do what’s right, follow Christ more closely, we don’t start building our since of worth on our accomplishments or disciplines - we must remember who we were before - we were the one drunk in the gutter, mouths full of four letter words - we were the ones enslaved to lust, pornography, premarital sex - we were the ones cursing, deceiving, back-biting, gossiping, dishonoring - that was us, that was you, that was me - anything I’ve overcome was a gift from God--a result of his grace no longer look down - so you look at someone out there w/ tattoos and going to parties, do you say to yourself, I’m glad I’m not like that? - did Jesus say to himself when he encountered the town sinner, “wow, you’re really bad...I’m glad I’m so perfect?” - no! when you see that person whose caught in the clutches of vanity, whose numbing themselves with drugs and alcohol, whose rebelling against God and doesn’t even know it...you have compassion! - that’s what Jesus did - he cared! - we need to care! - do you care? - yes, they’re in sin, which is precisely why we should reach out in love James 4.10-12 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. 11 Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 12 There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor? * Shaye J.D. Cohen, From the Maccabees to the Mishnah: Second Edition (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press 2006), p. 152. ** Josephus, Jewish Antiquities 18.1.3-4 ***Josephus, Antiquities 13.10.6 ****Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. Written by Himself. (1845) *****“The Reason for God,” Authors @ Google Talk, March 5, 2008

What did Jesus believe about the Kingdom? 1. The Kingdom to Come (Hope/Judgment) Matthew 19:27-28 Jesus told his disciples they would rule with him in the Kingdom to come. (See also Revelation 2:26-27.) The Kingdom to come involves both restoration and judgment. 2. The Kingdom Message (Gospel/Repentance) Mark 1:14-15 This message should grab our attention! It sounds a lot like the prophets: Isaiah 13:6; Ezekiel 30:3; Joel 2:1; Obadiah 15; Zephaniah 1:14; Matthew 3:2. The Kingdom gospel inspires repentance. Are you hanging onto sin? (1 Corinthians 6:9-10) 3. The Kingdom Way (Lifestyle/Allegiance) Luke 11:17-20 Long before Gandhi allegedly said, “Be the change you want to see in the world,” Jesus embodied the Kingdom in his ministry from his exorcisms to his healing ministry to his love ethic. 4. The Kingdom Mindset (Identity/Messiah) John 4:25-26; 11:21-27 Jesus claimed to be the Messiah and took seriously his role in the age to come. If you don’t have the Kingdom, you don’t have Jesus! The Kingdom changes everything! It’s the hope we long for and the judgment we fear; it’s the gospel we share with the world inspiring repentance; it shapes how we live as well as our allegiances; it alters our identity as the royal rulers of the age to come. The Kingdom is a big deal.

1 Peter 1:3-5 As opposed to a dead hope, we have a living hope that should affect us in the present. This hope is available to us because of Christ’s resurrection. It is not fragile but imperishable, undefiled, unfading, and reserved in heaven. Your faith activates almighty God’s power to guard and preserve you for that day! Mark 14:27-42 Sadly, most people (at least in America) believe in the ancient Greek philosopher Plato’s theory of the immortality of the soul over what the Bible teaches us: that the dead are asleep until resurrection. By comparing the last moments of Socrates’ life vs. Jesus’, we can observe the stark contrast between evacuationism and restorationism. Afterlife Options 1. Evacuation (72% of Americans) 2. Reincarnation (Buddhists, Jains, Sikhs) 3. Annihilation (atheists, agnostics, non-religious) 4. Restoration (some Christians, Muslims, and Jews) 1 Peter 1:3-7, 13-17 If this hope is living in you, then it should change you. Here are eight Kingdom effects: 1. Help you get through trials and suffering 2. Your body matters; part of God’s design 3. What you believe and do determines your destiny 4. Creation itself is good and lasting (stewardship) 5. Understand God’s heart, His dream for the world 6. Understand Jesus’ identity as Messiah 7. Allegiance to God’s Kingdom over other nations 8. Called to live the Kingdom lifestyle now as a witness Do you have a Kingdom worldview? Are you with Socrates or Jesus? Does the Kingdom affect how you live? As Kingdom citizens, we are not supposed to think and live like everyone else.

Deuteronomy 6:4 This verse begins the passage known as “the Shema.” Shema Yisrael, Yahweh eloheinu, Yahweh echad Hear, O Israel: Yahweh [is] our God, Yahweh [is] one Deuteronomy 6:5 Not only is God one, but we are to love Him with everything we have, including all our heart, all our soul, and all our might. These are more than just words on a page for Jews. It’s what they die for, what they live for. Deuteronomy 6:6-7 Jews say the Shema each morning and night in obedience to this command. The Shema is not a silent belief but something spoken aloud daily. Deuteronomy 6:8 For prayer, Jews wear tefillin, small black leather boxes with scrolls in them. Deuteronomy 6:9 On Jewish homes all around the world you can find mezuzah, small decorative cases hung on their door posts containing scrolls. Deuteronomy 6:10-15 Sadly, Israel did forget God’s commands, and they did worship other gods, which resulted in their exile from the Promised Land. However, after they returned, they remembered. How do we process this as Christians? We must look to Christ and see what he said about this idea. Did he accept it, reject it, or change it? Mark 12:28-34 Jesus and the scribe completely agree on who God is. “He is one, and there is no one else besides him.” Jesus knows the Shema and endorses it. What about you?

Hospitality to the Saints Romans 12:13 “Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.” Hospitality = stranger love Seek to show = to run, persecute, chase after Hospitality to the Stranger Lev 19:33-34 33 When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. 34 You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God. Genesis 18:1-10 Abraham and Sarah showed hospitality to travelers. Luke 14:12-14 Jesus was passionate about showing hospitality to the needy. Matthew 25:31-40 Jesus saw refusing kindness like hospitality to the needy as a major problem on judgment day. Hospitality to the Unbeliever 2 Kings 6:19-23 When the king of Israel showed hospitality to his enemies, they stopped attacking. You can be hospitable here at Living Hope by welcoming people and reaching out to those you don’t know. Are you ready for the hospitality challenge?

Psalm 16:1-11 The psalmist looks to God as his refuge, only good, and the portion of his inheritance. No matter what people do in the land, he stays true to Yahweh, finding the fullness of joy in His presence. Because he sets God continually before him, nothing can shake him. In this little psalm, we learn the key to a properly ordered heart. We cannot let other pursuits, even good ones, replace God as our ultimate treasure. Here are some of what we allow to take priority over God: - Lust: Solomon (1 Kings 11:3-4) - Money: Gehazi (2 Kings 5:20-27) - Spouse: Samson (Judges 16:4-6, 15-17) - Popularity: Saul (1 Samuel 15:9-30; 18:6-9) - Respect: Levite (Judges 17-18) - Career: Jeroboam (1 Kings 12) Your issue may not be one of these. One way to find out what has captured your heart above all else is to ask the question, “What thing, if you lost it, would devastate you to such a degree you couldn’t go on?” “An idol will always break your heart because no created thing can bear the freight of your deepest hopes or the weight of your soul’s longings. Idols will always break your heart.” --Tim Keller The Scriptures also provide several positive examples of keeping God first: - Abraham was willing to give up Isaac (Genesis 22:2, 12, 16-18) - Joseph wouldn’t sell out God no matter how much he suffered (39:9; 40:8; 41:16) - Jesus said his food was to do the will of God (John 4:34) Ironically, by living for God, you will become a better parent, employee, or friend. With God first, you won’t put all of that pressure on other pursuits to provide what only God can--true fulfillment.

Leviticus 16:21-22 The Day of Atonement was a special holy day when the high priest atoned for the sins of the entire nation. Isaiah 53:4-6, 11-12 Jesus bore our griefs, our sorrows, our iniquities, and our sins. 1 Peter 2:24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. Hebrews 9:6-14 Christ is both the high priest and the sacrifice to make atonement, cleaning our consciences from dead works to serve the living God Hebrews 10:1-4 The old animal sacrifices were limited in that the priests needed to offer them repeatedly since they did not make people perfect or cleanse their consciences from sin. Hebrews 10:10-22 Through Christ’s one super sacrifice, he perfects those who are being sanctified and eliminates the need for any future offerings. Romans 6:6-7, 11-14, 17-18, 22-23 Because of Christ, we are no longer enslaved to sin; we are liberated to serve God. However, this is a daily decision you must make. Whom will you serve?