No Compromise

Thursday, February 2, ‎2023

Good morning, Lord

Verse of the Day: Psalm 59:16

But I will sing of Your power; Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; For You have been my defense And refuge in the day of my trouble.

Memory verse: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Readings: EXODUS 29-30 MATTHEW 21:23-46

No Compromise

Are you Bible taught or have you invited the Holy Spirit to teach you as you study the Word of God? There is a difference. Main line Christianity or orthodoxy to some, is dangerously caught up in what some call 'textualism'. This is what went on with the Jews of Jesus' day. They knew the word backwards and forwards and lived by the letter of the law thinking they knew all of the truth and it was theirs exclusively.

The Bible is God's inerrant word, no question. The problem is that God never intended for the inspired word to be the end of His word to us.

Jesus said, "But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you." John 14:26

If you blow up a balloon and let it go it flits about and falls empty. That is because of the pressure of the atmosphere of the world. If you blow it up and tie it off, it will take days to leak down to nothing. That is because the balloon, the air, the knot, and your efforts are all temporary.

The Holy Spirit cannot be seen or touched. We cannot get our hands on the Holy Spirit. We cannot convince the Holy Spirit to be on our side. We cannot perform enough ceremony to see the Holy Spirit move. The Holy Spirit cannot be impressed enough to bless us nor will the Holy Spirit empower that which He does not control.

Paul writes in Romans, chapter 2: "11 For there is no respect of persons with God."

We cannot impress God by following all the rules and performing better than anyone else. So, what do we do?

Paul continues in Romans 2:13 "For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified."

So what is that law that justifies? Jesus said in Matthew, chapter 22 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

The truth remains that we cannot do this without the wisdom of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said the Holy Spirit would teach us all things-all things-that means all truth from His heart.

When you read the scripture, do you ask God to show you what He wants you to hear today or do you just read to so you can say, "I read my Bible reading for the day"? Or, do you look at it and think, "I remember this" and skim over it so you can get on with the rest of your day? Or, do you walk by the Bible on the shelf and keep walking....?

The voice on my phone maps told me to take the exit and follow the I-10 service road and I missed over five miles of stopped traffic. The next time I could see trouble ahead, I took the exit and got lost. It took me an extra hour to arrive.

If we listen to God's voice, we can miss trouble sometimes but we are always moving the way He wants. If we are following our own hearts or instincts, we waste a lot of life He has for us.

There is no compromise; we either listen to the Holy Spirit or we listen to something else or someone else or self. We waste life if we do not seek God and the presence of the Holy Spirit.

What do we do? We humble ourselves in front of God and ask His Spirit to help us practice His presence all the time...

and...go to work.

...because He loves us...

Father in Heaven,

Forgive me for not being serious about You, Holy Spirit. My time is not my own, it is yours. Clear my heart and mind so I can concentrate and meditate on You.

Wise and wonderful and always present God,

In the name of Jesus,

Amen