“The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him.” Proverbs 15:8 NIV
One of the many traits of humans made in the image of God (Gen. 1:27) is the sense of kindness. On our own with are sinful nature we would never show kindness to anyone except ourselves. We all have been born with a sin nature, but our first parents, Adam and Eve, were created perfect in the image of God. The fall of Adam and Eve created a sin nature in all humanity going forward, but the characteristics of being made in the image of God; love, righteous anger, a sense of right and wrong, and emotions including kindness are still part of our DNA of God’s image.
The ability to show kindness is solely God given. Scouting programs inspire young children to serve others doing good deeds in their community and helping those in need. The Boy Scouts slogan is, ‘Do a Good Turn Daily.’ But even the image of God as the source and the example of kindness administrated by the scouts, our sin nature gives us the ability to do a good deed with the wrong motives. How many times have you heard or said it yourself, ‘I’ve done my good deed for the day.’ This attitude equates doing a good deed as a service to God pleasing Him. In other words, ‘I’m good for the day.’ But God wants much more from us than that.
One of the many proverbs of Solomon addresses, in direct terms, is the attitude of trying to please God by doing a good deed. “The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him.” (15:8) The Lord God sees our heart and knowns our attitude in the good deed we are doing. The deed itself may be good, but trying to score points with God is not what pleases Him. God is pleased as we engage with Him in prayer. He desires a growing relationship with the ones who were made in His image to do good deeds. Make your first good deed for the day be talking with God and he will give you more good deeds than you can handle, and God will be pleased, and many people will be blessed.
“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” Proverbs 14:12 ESV
“The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” Psalm 14:1 ESV
A familiar saying throughout the years has been, “All roads lead to heaven” or “All roads lead to God.” Many times this statement goes unchallenged, but those who adhere to this logic are an example of Solomon’s proverb, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” What seems right based on feelings, philosophy, astronomy, good works towards mankind, or being a follower of one of the many religions in our world today is a false hope. God has laid out His plan of salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ in the written scriptures, His book to us, the Holy Bible.
By rejecting what is clearly spelled out for us in the Bible, one is actually portraying what Solomon’s father, King David wrote, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’” As the masses flock to the false religions of the world or try to fend for themselves with good works, they are saying the God of the Bible does not exist. They imply He misspoke and has given us an incomplete Word, but God’s Word stands complete and it stands true. Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (Jn. 14:6)
So how about you? Which road are you on? Are you on one of many religious roads throughout history? Are you relying on your good works, your kindness, and your love for others? Are you on the road of trusting what feels right and reasoning through science and philosophy? “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” Jesus says there is only One Road that leads to heaven.
“This is what the LORD Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.’” Zechariah 7:9-10 NIV
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8 NIV
Are you an advocate for the administering of true justice with mercy and compassion? Where do you find the source for true justice, mercy, and compassion? There can only be one source, the Word of God. The prophet Micah confirms this by saying ‘He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.’ (Mic. 6:8a) Therefore by following the principles and guidelines found in Scripture we have a solid foundation to build upon in administering justice with mercy and compassion.
Every Christian is to be outspoken with the injustices committed in our society. Whether it is the neglect of the poor and homeless, or discrimination based on race, ethnicity, gender, or religion, Christians should be out front not only with calls for justice, but with the actions to back it up. The New Testament book of 1 John tells us, “If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” (3:17, 18)
The key word in in I John 3:18 is ‘truth.’ Our advocacy must be based on truth. The truth of God’s Word. There is a problem today for many Christians and it has made its way into many Christian churches. God’s justice (Biblical justice) is being intermingled with the world’s term of ‘social justice.’ They are not one and the same. It is true caring for the poor, the homeless, and standing in the face of discrimination are some tenets of ‘social justice’, but not all the tenets of ‘social justice’ are tenets of ‘God’s justice.’
As Christians we are to be wise and discerning in what constitutes ‘social justice’ of our day. The cries of each injustice are to be examined in the light of Scripture to test and prove it is a Biblical principle that has been violated. It is to be understood that it also does not contradict any other of God’s principles in Scripture. If it passes the test then we are to be an advocate for the injustice by following Micah’s exhortation, “And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (6:8b)
“Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars! Let them praise the name of the LORD! For he commanded and they were created.” Psalm 148: 3, 5 ESV
On August 23, 2023, India successfully landed a spacecraft near the south pole of the moon. It was a major step forward for India’s space program as they are the first to explore this area of the moon beating out Russia by only days as its spacecraft crashed upon descent after losing communication. A week later, India launched spacecraft ‘Aditya-L1’ on a 930,000 mile four month journey to explore the sun. The distance is only about 1% to the surface of the sun, but sufficient to pull the craft into an orbit around the sun. According to the Indian Space Research Organization, the mission is to study the sun’s corona, chromosphere, photosphere and solar wind.
The sun is the center of our solar system and is 93 million miles from earth. It is a known fact through science that life would not exist without the energy of the sun, a star of hot glowing gases with a surface temperature of 10,000 degrees and 27 million degrees at its core. The earth is positioned perfectly to sustain life in our solar system. Further away and the earth would be a frozen rock, and any closer the earth be a scorched rock.
It is especially difficult for me to imagine the size of the sun as compared to earth and the great distance between us of 93 million miles, and still be able to burn us if we are not careful. It is truly amazing and a testament to how great God is in His creation of the sun. India’s Aditya-L1 spacecraft is named for the Hindu Sun deity in their mission of the exploration of the sun. The palmist writes in Psalm 148, “Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars! Let them praise the name of the LORD! For he commanded and they were created.” The God of the Bible is the creator of the sun, the moon and all the stars of the universe. He is the true and only God over all creation, for He created everything. He created you and me for a relationship with Him. Do you know Him and His Son Jesus? The ‘sun’ of our solar system sustains life on the earth, Jesus, the Son of God sustains eternal life in heaven for all who trust Him as Savior. Have you accepted the ‘Son’ as your Savior?
‘“At last!’ the man exclaimed. ‘This one is bone from my bone, and flesh from my flesh! She will be called ‘woman,’ because she was taken from ‘man.’ This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” Genesis 2:23-24 NLT
God’s design and purposes for us are always perfect. They are just the right fit for us to live comfortably in this world. There may be times we do not see God’s design for our lives as we struggle in the confusion of our current day. But God’s way and purposes are right. He does not make mistakes, especially when it comes to His creation.
Adam may have felt God make a mistake after he was given the task to name all the animals God created and found none he could relate to or even have a conversation with. Unknowingly to Adam, God had a plan for an equal partner for him. He will create the perfect helper for him, a woman. “And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.” (Gen. 2:21-22) Adam was blessed and encouraged by God’s provision and perfect plan in providing him a helper by establishing marriage and the way to populate the earth.
We share the same blessing today. It is still God’s perfect design of male and female created in His image. “In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Then God blessed them and said, ‘Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it.’” (Gen. 1:27a-28b) God’s design for marriage is naturally between one man and one woman, and it is the only way to populate the earth. No wonder Adam was excited and exclaimed, “At last!”
“Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing.” Psalm 100:2 NASB
Whether an old time hymn, a chorus medley, or one of our many contemporary compositions, worship songs tell the greatness of God, His Holy attributes, His love and mercy and our response to Him through Praise and Worship.
The psalmist writes, “Come before Him with joyful singing.” Unfortunately or not, our response and participation in worshiping God through song is not always “with joyful singing.” There made be instances when your mind is clouded, you are not feeling well, or you are having one of those days. Well take heart my friend, the Lord knows of your situation.
Participating in worship songs is not only an outward activity, but also an inward response to our Lord. It is a matter of the heart. I admit my musical ability is limited, in fact it is very limited, including singing. My singing is anything but joyful to the general public, and I am not one who adheres to “make a joyful noise to the Lord.” Yes, the Lord knows of my situation, but I do not want to subject my brothers and sisters to my joyful noise.
So whether you are having a bad day and you are not yourself, or your musical talent is on the short side, worshiping the Lord through song can still occur as the Lord knows your heart. You can worship, sing along and praise God in your heart. And the good news is that one day we will all be worshiping God around the throne in heaven with nothing to distract us, no sickness, no cares of this world, only joyful singing and with no one singing off key, not even me.
“Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. Such shifts can be natural, due to changes in the sun’s activity or large volcanic eruptions. But since the 1800s, human activities have been the main driver of climate change, primarily due to the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas……Because the Earth is a system, where everything is connected, changes in one area can influence changes in all others. The consequences of climate change now include, among others, intense droughts, water scarcity, severe fires, rising sea levels, flooding, melting polar ice, catastrophic storms and declining biodiversity.” (1)
The above statement is furnished to us from the ‘United Nations Climate Action’ page. The following are from the pages of the Bible which concurs with the United Nations at least to the effects of climate change. “Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.” (Ro. 8:20-22 NLT) Scripture confirms the created earth is under the curse of God and it came about after sin entered the paradise of the Garden of Eden. “And to the man he said, ‘Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it.’” (Gen. 3:17 NLT) The earth experienced its first ever change of climate during the great flood of Noah’s day, for it had never rained before that time in history. Scripture records for us in Genesis 7:11-12, “When Noah was 600 years old, on the seventeenth day of the second month, all the underground waters erupted from the earth, and the rain fell in mighty torrents from the sky. The rain continued to fall for forty days and forty nights.” (NLT) Waters bursting up from the ground with rain falling from the sky for the first time ever no doubt that is climate change.
The point is, climate change is not restricted only to the last 200 years. But the recent noticeable changes cannot be denied. Every individual living on planet earth, especially Christians, has a responsibility to be a good steward of God’s creation for our generation and the generations to come. We are to praise God for His magnificent creation and work to maintain its wondrous beauty as far as it depends on us with what we can do.
The Bible also gives us encouragement that we will not destroy the earth. Our planet will not succumb to our increasing manmade climate change. After the great flood, God told Noah, “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.” (Gen. 8:22 ESV) The seasons will not change regardless of our recklessness, but will remain. They will remain until the next disastrous climate change effect takes place during the tribulation period described in the book of Revelation. “I watched as the Lamb broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became as dark as black cloth, and the moon became as red as blood. Then the stars of the sky fell to the earth like green figs falling from a tree shaken by a strong wind. The sky was rolled up like a scroll, and all of the mountains and islands were moved from their places.” (Rev. 6:12-14 NLT) We can eliminate fossil fuels entirely, but it will not save the planet from the sure destruction during the tribulation period.
The earth as we know it will be radically changed in the future, but not by us driving our electric vehicles. Jesus Christ will return at the end of the tribulation and established His Kingdom and will rule on earth for a thousand years with Satan bound and cast into the bottomless pit. What will our environment and climate be like, we don’t know. But we do know that Christ, God the Son, will be here on earth ruling, I’m sure the ‘son’ will shine.
The ultimate and final climate change will be at the end of Christ’s thousand year reign on the earth. Satan will be sent to his eternal final destination, the lake of fire, along with all those whose names were not found written in the book of life. The apostle John writes in Revelation 21:1-4, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever,” and no worries about carbon emissions, fossil fuels and climate change. https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/what-is-climate-change
“So Cain left the LORD’s presence and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.” Genesis 4:16 NLT
One of the most tragic verses in all of Scripture is found in the very first book of the Bible, the Old Testament book of Genesis. The results of leaving the presence of the Lord is to live a life in the land of Nod, a life of wandering. The familiar story of Cain and Abel is well-known even among occasional church goers. It is a story of jealousy between siblings leading to the first murder in history. It is a story of obedience and disobedience. It is a story of anger when one does not get their own way, and it is a story of the consequences when one turns their back on God doing their own thing without acknowledging who He is.
Although this story appears at the beginning of human history, it is still found and very active in our present day. Certainly not all wanderers have murdered a brother or sister, but all who wander have rejected God in one form or another. There are two types of wanderers, those who have never accepted Christ as their Savoir, rejecting His plan of Salvation, and then there are those who are born again, but find themselves turning their backs on God by ignoring His guidance and living their life on their own terms.
The truth of the matter is, living every day without God in your life is living in the land of Nod, the land of wandering. We were created in the image of God and made to have a relationship with Him. If we are not in a relationship with the one who made us, how could we be anything but unsatisfied with life wandering about seeking true contentment?
Living in Nod is living outside the presence of God, but God is aware and see us even as we are not living before Him. Wherever you are today, give up your wandering by turning back to God and allow Him to lead your life. If you have never turned to God do so now and accept His Son Jesus for Salvation. Live in God’s presence and turn away from living in Nod.
“Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!” Psalm 100:1-2 ESV
Legendary singer, musician, and entertainer Neil Diamond wrote most of his recordings including ‘Beautiful Noise’ in 1976. Diamond’s career is such a success that his popularity has earned him the biggest tribute, a Broadway musical based on his life and music entitled ‘Beautiful Noise.’ I can testify, he being one of my of my favorite musical artists, Neil Diamond’s music and live performances are nothing short of a ‘Beautiful Noise.’ Diamond wrote, “It’s a beautiful noise, Made of joy and of strife, Like a symphony played, By the passing parade, It’s the music of life.”
The music of life is indeed a beautiful noise for God is the creator of life. All our joys and our sufferings are known to Him. In His providence our lives are mapped out for us under God’s direction. We have free will, but God is directing and is aware of every step and misstep we take. He is there when we mess up forgiving us of our sin as we confess and repent. It’s a beautiful noise.
The Psalmist writes in Psalm 100, “Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!” (100:1-2) Gathering together for worship each Sunday is a time for rejoicing and singing to the Lord. But notice, the Psalmist says ‘all the earth’ is to make a joyful noise. All the earth is to be glad and serve the Lord. Everyone is encouraged to come at anytime and anyplace with singing, making a joyful noise to the Lord. Now that’s a ‘beautiful noise!’
“O LORD, You have searched me and known me, You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar.” Psalm 139: 1-2 NASB
What a comfort it is to know that God, the God of the universe, knows us intimately. He knows of our struggles, our fears and our limitations. He also knows of our joy and all our successes. But let us also look at the other side of coin; yes it is a comfort to know that God knows all about us, and He does know ALL about us. Look again at the end of verse 2, “You understand my thought from afar.” He even knows the thoughts of our minds, yes, good thoughts pleasing to Him and evil thoughts that fly in the face of His Holiness.
King David wrote Psalm 139 as a prayer of devotion to the Lord to examine his heart and to get rid of anything displeasing in His sight. King David wanted to be true to the Lord and be led in His righteousness. (Psalm 139:23-24) And how is it with you? The comfort of knowing that God sees all and knows all about us is a great comfort, but it should also serve as a great wakeup call as He does see ALL and knows ALL about us, good and bad.
May we be as King David desiring to be true to God and be led in His righteousness. For He Knows You and He Knows Me!
