Are you righteous?

 Psalm 143:1–12 (ESV):  

1  Hear my prayer, O Lord; 

give ear to my pleas for mercy! 

In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness! 

 2  Enter not into judgment with your servant, 

for no one living is righteous before you. 

 3  For the enemy has pursued my soul; 

he has crushed my life to the ground; 

he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead. 

 4  Therefore my spirit faints within me; 

my heart within me is appalled. 

 5  I remember the days of old; 

I meditate on all that you have done; 

I ponder the work of your hands. 

 6  I stretch out my hands to you; 

my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Selah 

 7  Answer me quickly, O Lord! 

My spirit fails! 

  Hide not your face from me, 

lest I be like those who go down to the pit. 

 8  Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, 

for in you I trust. 

  Make me know the way I should go, 

for to you I lift up my soul. 

 9  Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord! 

I have fled to you for refuge. 

 10  Teach me to do your will, 

for you are my God! 

  Let your good Spirit lead me 

on level ground! 

 11  For your name’s sake, O Lord, preserve my life! 

In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble! 

 12  And in your steadfast love you will cut off my enemies, 

and you will destroy all the adversaries of my soul, 

for I am your servant. 

‘in your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness! Enter not into judgement with your servant for no one living is righteous before you’. No-one is good, righteous or perfect when compared to God. Even the best, most just, kind, loving, well behaved person you know is; wicked, corrupt and flawed when compared to God. Even if you try to be good, follow the rules, you are never going to be good enough to reach the standard of being pure and holy. If your actions don’t let you down, your inactions, words or thoughts will. You are not perfect and you will never be completely righteous. Only one person that ever lived was, and his name is Jesus. 

The standard of righteousness that God has is impossible for you to reach, without accepting the love and sacrifice that Jesus made for you. He did live a perfect, holy life. Even though tempted, he never sinned. He too underwent peer pressure, had family expectations, encountered difficulties, had desires, wanted to do his own thing, but not once did he sin. The only way that you can be made righteous, like Jesus, is to accept that because he lived a perfect life and died a sinners death, all of your unrighteousness died with him. 

Unlike the writer of this psalm, David, you can know that you are made righteous. You are not going to be judged by God for all your sin, because when you accept Jesus life, death and resurrection and choose to live your life in submission to him, God sees only His perfect son, Jesus. He attributes to you the perfect ways, decisions, words and actions that Jesus did. If you accept that your life is in him, then you are pure, holy and righteous as Jesus is. You can know freedom from feeling less than good. You do not have to fear the final judgement when you have put your life into God’s hands through Jesus. Jesus put to death sin and judgement, so that you do not have to live in guilt and shame any more. Have you accepted this freedom? 

For ‘no one living is righteous’. In your own will and power you cannot reach the standards of goodness and purity that the Law of God requires. There is only one way. That is through dying to yourself and letting Jesus take charge of your life by accepting his sacrifice for you, and choosing to put God first for the rest of your life. Then, when God looks at you, He does not see that you are corrupt, evil or wicked. Thankfully, He sees the perfectly holy and good reflection of His son, Jesus! You cannot attain that standard by yourself no matter how hard you try.

David who wrote this psalm lived in the time before Jesus came, so he did not know that he could be made righteous, he knew that he tried but could never reach the standard of perfection required. He pleaded for mercy, he felt crushed and concerned about the weight of ungodliness in him and around him. He says, 'my spirit faints within me’ and ‘In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble’. You now live in a time when you can be free from that! Are you? Have you accepted that the life, death and resurrection of Jesus has made you holy? Are you living with your life dead to self and dedicated to following him? Jesus has done the work that David longed for. David pleads, ‘bring my soul out of trouble!’ God has done that through Jesus. Your soul no longer needs to be conflicted or in despair, you can have hope and joy again when you give your life to God because of all Jesus has done and modelled. You can be made new, given new life, hope and righteousness. Have you accepted it?

God has promised in his holiness:

 Psalm 108:1–13 (ESV):  

1  My heart is steadfast, O God! 

I will sing and make melody with all my being! 

 2  Awake, O harp and lyre! 

I will awake the dawn! 

 3  I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; 

I will sing praises to you among the nations. 

 4  For your steadfast love is great above the heavens; 

your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. 

 5  Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! 

Let your glory be over all the earth! 

 6  That your beloved ones may be delivered, 

give salvation by your right hand and answer me! 

 7  God has promised in his holiness: 

“With exultation I will divide up Shechem 

and portion out the Valley of Succoth. 

 8  Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine; 

Ephraim is my helmet, 

Judah my sceptre. 

 9  Moab is my washbasin; 

upon Edom I cast my shoe; 

over Philistia I shout in triumph.” 

 10  Who will bring me to the fortified city? 

Who will lead me to Edom? 

 11  Have you not rejected us, O God? 

You do not go out, O God, with our armies. 

 12  Oh grant us help against the foe, 

for vain is the salvation of man! 

 13  With God we shall do valiantly; 

it is he who will tread down our foes. 

From verse 5 this psalm is the same as psalm 60. I wonder why this section has been repeated. So, today, we will look at the listed places more closely to try to understand why the judgements and promises upon these places is so significant. But to begin with lets consider that the first few verses as they are an encouragement to exalt God, to worship Him and give thanks to Him. When you recognise His love and faithfulness, you can trust that what ‘God has promised in His holiness’ He will do. That includes the blessings and curses over people and places, as we shall see as we consider the named areas that are spoken of;

Shechem God proclaims will be divided, and the Valley of Succoth portioned out. These places are situated at one extreme to the other in the Promised Land with Succoth on the East and Shechem on the West. Thereby signifying that God will apportion all of the Promised Land and assign every part of it for His purposes. There is no part that cannot and will not be redeemed in God’s hands. What God wills, happens. Shechem was a special place for the Israelites, being the place where Abram received the promise of the Promised Land, many generations before this psalm was written. It was also a place remembered for sin, when Jacob’s daughter was raped by his son, Shechem. Therefore the reputation of the city was divided, being a place known for worship by Abram and Jacob, but also known as a city of man’s sin. Therefore the promise that this place would be physically divided to represent the divided reputation makes sense. God is promising to outwork physically the division that has begun spiritually. The Valley of Succoth  is promised to be portioned out, the other side of the Promised Land. This was where Jacob stayed for a while after marrying both Leah and Rachel. It was a temporary abode, which is why it has this name which means tents or booths. No longer will this land be a place of temporary living. God decided that it would be a permanent living space for the tribe of Gad. The proclamation over these towns shows that God can change the story and the reputation of places. If God can do this for towns, cities and nations - what do you believe He can do in the lives of individuals? Does that alone not make you want to sing His praise and give Him thanks?!

Next this psalm mentions that Gilead and Manasseh are owned by God. Reuben, Gad and half of the tribe of Manasseh inherited the land of Gilead to the East of the Jordan river. They requested to remain there when they arrived at the Promised Land, and their wish was granted. The land of Manasseh in the Promised Land was apportioned to the other half of that tribe. This shows the unity of the nation. Even though they had different areas to inhabit, they are still one nation. The tribe of Manasseh, though split in it’s inheritance was joined through God’s blessing and kingship. Wherever you are, if you are one of God’s people, you remain one of His people. Different tribes, different locations, different people, but one kingdom under Almighty God, therefore lets 'sing praises to you among the nations.'

‘Ephraim is my helmet’. Ephraim was one of the prominent tribes of Israel and this phrase signifies Ephraim's strength, power and security, all of which are ordained by God. Being a place centrally located in the Promised Land, it was a place of safety, especially as it had one of the 6 cities of refuge within it, plus it housed the Tabernacle. Therefore a place of physical and spiritual safety, a place used to resemble the importance of God being the centre. God established the place of worship and meeting with Himself in the central location of the Promised land, amongst a place and tribe which is strong and secure. What a beautiful image that keeping God at the centre brings these attributes!

Judah is God’s sceptre. A sceptre represents power and leadership both in the military and public domain. God promised in the Old Testament that ‘the sceptre shall not depart from Judah’ (Genesis 49:10), so God is reminding people that He always fulfils His promises, even though it may be generations later. God is steadfast and faithful. God will always work to ensure that His will is done, it may not look like it to us, and there may be waiting involved, but what God determines, He will do. God decided that rule and governance belong to this tribe. Years after entering the Promised Land, Israel saw this in part as King David was of this tribe, so showing God’s steadfastness. Jesus also is from the tribe of Judah, beautifully demonstrating that forever the law, rule and authority still belong to Judah. Jesus is reigning in right power now at the right hand of God the Father in the heavenly realms. Jesus now holds the sceptre - he is the one who reigns, leads and has authority. Are you trusting in Him? 'For your steadfast love is great above the heavens'.

‘Moab is my washbasin’. The area of Moab was a neighbouring kingdom of Israel. So this phrase demonstrates that God is the God and king of all nations. Even the ones who do not honour Him like Moab. God determined that Moab would be minimised in prominence and become a place used in service for His purposes, like a washbasin. This phrase is in line with the sense of a servant who brings a wash basin to clean the feet of guests. Moab is less important than the servant as they are merely the bowl in God’s eyes. Therefore, even when Moab rises in power in history, God always ordained for it to be insignificant due to their lack of recognition of Him and His power. Now, Moab does not exist as God has fulfilled His promise over this place. One whose people used to terrorise His nation now no longer exists, such is the judgement of God. If people choose to reject and deny God, this is fair warning that even if they seem to have moments of success and renown, God will keep His promise to diminish them if they refuse to turn and believe in Him. Such is God's love and faithfulness for His people.

‘upon Edom I cast my shoe’. Shoes are dirty, even nowadays, but at a time when the roads were dusty and dirty with no concrete or pavement, imagine how grimy they would be. God saw Edom as a place worthy of only having a dirty, discarded shoe thrown at it! This demonstrates God’s frustration with the actions of the Edomites. They were meant to be a part of Israel as they were descended from Esau, the brother of Jacob, but as generations went by they showed contempt and hatred for the nation of Israel. Some of the ways Edom showed their dishonour for their kin were by; not allowing them safe passage, raiding them, and rejoicing when Israel was brought low. Therefore God’s judgement was that He would throw His shoe at them. This shows His contempt for their actions, His frustration at how they have treated their brothers. Yet this response seems mild in comparison for what they have done. This is because God gives everyone the opportunity to know His anger at sin and the chance to repent. Edom had treated God’s family with dishonour, so He dishonoured them, but not with the full force of His wrath. Instead, God chose to throw His shoe to express His displeasure and give people the opportunity to turn to Him. He is still doing so, giving people the opportunity to receive salvation.

For many generations the Phiistines had been enemies of God’s people. They seemed to be strong, mighty and authoritative, yet God says He will shout in triumph over them. As David brought down one giant Philistine in his youth, so God used him to wipe out the Philistines when he was king. God shouts in triumph over those who make themselves His enemies and the enemies of His people. So, which side are you on?

So, overall, what can we take from God’s promises for the lands and the peoples? 

- God has a plan that will be fulfilled

- God gives people a chance

- God honours those who love and follow Him, and fights on their behalf

So, today, are you someone who God favours? Are you one of His people, with promises over your life that you are obediently waiting to be fulfilled? Or are you one who is rejected by God and waiting for Him to throw His shoe at you? Be mindful how you live. God’s purposes will always be fulfilled. ‘with God we shall do valiantly’. How would you do without Him?

What do you do when wickedness seems to be winning?

Psalm 94:1–23 (ESV): 

O Lord, God of vengeance, 

O God of vengeance, shine forth! 

 2  Rise up, O judge of the earth; 

repay to the proud what they deserve! 

 3  O Lord, how long shall the wicked, 

how long shall the wicked exult? 

 4  They pour out their arrogant words; 

all the evildoers boast. 

 5  They crush your people, O Lord, 

and afflict your heritage. 

 6  They kill the widow and the sojourner, 

and murder the fatherless; 

 7  and they say, “The Lord does not see; 

the God of Jacob does not perceive.” 

 8  Understand, O dullest of the people! 

Fools, when will you be wise? 

 9  He who planted the ear, does he not hear? 

  He who formed the eye, does he not see? 

 10  He who disciplines the nations, does he not rebuke? 

  He who teaches man knowledge— 

 11  the Lord—knows the thoughts of man, 

that they are but a breath. 

 12  Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O Lord, 

and whom you teach out of your law, 

 13  to give him rest from days of trouble, 

until a pit is dug for the wicked. 

 14  For the Lord will not forsake his people; 

he will not abandon his heritage; 

 15  for justice will return to the righteous, 

and all the upright in heart will follow it. 

 16  Who rises up for me against the wicked? 

Who stands up for me against evildoers? 

 17  If the Lord had not been my help, 

my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence. 

 18  When I thought, “My foot slips,” 

your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up. 

 19  When the cares of my heart are many, 

your consolations cheer my soul. 

 20  Can wicked rulers be allied with you, 

those who frame injustice by statute? 

 21  They band together against the life of the righteous 

and condemn the innocent to death. 

 22  But the Lord has become my stronghold, 

and my God the rock of my refuge. 

 23  He will bring back on them their iniquity 

and wipe them out for their wickedness; 

the Lord our God will wipe them out. 

Do you ever ask God to destroy the wicked? You can, it is allowed. Many of the psalms ask for God to destroy the proud, the wicked, end evildoers. Not for no reason though, nor just for their own relief, but so that God’s people and His kingdom benefit. The psalmists are concerned not only with their own situation, but also for God’s reputation and the welfare of His people. So when you pray for evil to end - what is your reason? Is it just so that things are better for you? If you pray for evil to end because you wish to stop suffering that is too narrow-minded. God’s vision is beyond your own life and circumstances, His vision is wider and further, and so should yours be.

Instead of just asking God for vengeance or judgement on a person or situation because they bother you, let God hear your concern for the widespread problems of wickedness. The oppression of those God cares about like the widows, strangers, fatherless, His people. Tell God what you see and why it is not ok. Sure, tell Him your experience too and how tough it has been on you, but don’t limit your vision of what God can do. He can work on a much bigger scale than you expect, He has the future of a whole kingdom that He is concerned about.

If you are oppressed by wickedness in the workplace, then consider who else is affected. Petition God for them too, ask Him to see and hear and make Himself known in the whole of the workplace, for His kingdom to come there - imagine how many people would be impacted by the love, mercy and justice of God then! The same is true for any area of life you are seeing evil influence. Whether it be in your family, community, country, friendship group or neighbourhood. Pray and rely on God for the solution. 

In times when wickedness seems to reign there is often little that you can do to change the circumstances. You do not have to fix it. Often you cannot as it is a spiritual battle. So the most powerful weapons are prayer, dependence on God and love. You do not need to be the one that is trying to resolve things in your own strength, plotting and scheming the downfall of the wicked or digging the pit for the evildoers to fall into. Let God lead. ‘For justice will return to the righteous and all the upright in heart will follow it’. God is responsible for justice, you are responsible for remaining 'upright'. So make sure you are doing your part. Pray and pursue righteousness in the way you are living your life, even when you are encountering trouble and wickedness. Otherwise when God comes to judge wickedness, will He need to pour out His judgement on you too? 

When you feel overwhelmed, upset or angry, allow the thoughts of who God is for eternity comfort your soul, ‘When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.’ Consider God when you are afraid, worried, concerned, when you are facing a battle or seeing persecution. Approach God, and allow the truth of who He is and what He is capable of bring you comfort. Remember what God has said, and allow His words cheer you up. For His Word is everlasting and always true. Allow Him to take care of your heart, and trust Him with the hearts of those around you. Difficulties are an opportunity for your faith to be displayed. This involves being less dependent on yourself, less swayed by emotions and more invested in your relationship with God. He can become your stronghold and rock of refuge (v22), whilst also cheering your soul and taking care of your heart (v19). God sees and hears it all and, ‘the Lord will not forsake his people’. Trust Him. Not just for your protection, salvation and comfort, but trust that, ‘the Lord will not forsake his people; he will not abandon his heritage; for justice will return to the righteous, and all the upright in heart will follow it.’

Keep praying, Keep believing. Keep being upright.

Do you judge fairly?

 Psalm 82:1–8 (ESV):  

1  God has taken his place in the divine council; 

in the midst of the gods he holds judgment: 

 2  “How long will you judge unjustly 

and show partiality to the wicked? Selah 

 3  Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; 

maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. 

 4  Rescue the weak and the needy; 

deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” 

 5  They have neither knowledge nor understanding, 

they walk about in darkness; 

all the foundations of the earth are shaken. 

 6  I said, “You are gods, 

sons of the Most High, all of you; 

 7  nevertheless, like men you shall die, 

and fall like any prince.” 

 8  Arise, O God, judge the earth; 

for you shall inherit all the nations! 

This psalm is a great reminder of the responsibility we have to one another. God has created and equipped each of us to bear responsibility on Earth for justice. He has delegated us authority in whatever areas we have jurisdiction, whether that be; in the family, at work, in the community or even as a judge/leader in some capacity. Yet God is in supreme authority over all things to ensure justice is done on an overall and eternal level (v1). 

There are several things you need to know about justice that Psalm 82 reveals:

1) It is a delegated authority that you have from God to ensure justice is done for all people. 

How are you using that God-given authority and conscience to ensure you ‘give justice to the weak…..maintain the right of the afflicted’? 

2) You are expected to treat everyone fairly (v3-4). 

Do not discount people because they are different to you, or others speak negatively of them. Give everyone a fair chance. Society talks about equality - it is not a new idea - God has instructed us to do this in His word! Have consideration for those who may not present themselves as well as others, be mindful and ask God for discernment as you encounter others in your daily life. If you are kind and fair to everyone, then you are displaying the love and kindness of God.

3) ‘you are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you’. You are made in God’s image, under His authority, therefore you are expected to demonstrate justice as He does. 

 It is His instruction, and He has entrusted and equipped each of you to rule, govern, guide, discipline and instruct others in His ways. Humanity is uniquely created to reflect God, His will and His ways, we are all ‘gods, sons of the Most High’. Therefore it is your duty to display God’s character. You are God’s child and you have been created and empowered to do what is right and fair for all people. Therefore be mindful of how you treat and speak about others - they too are created in God’s image, they also are His children, and you are expected to help and support those that need it by exercising your God-given authority to be a fair administrator of justice.

4) At the end of days God will ‘judge the earth’, including you. 

All things on Earth will come under God’s scrutiny as He assesses whether they lived up to His expectations. This includes you as an individual. How will He find you have been living your life? Have you been abiding by His laws and expectations, being fair and just? On that day, God will consider how you have followed Him, and treated people. If that day were today, what would you change? If there is something that you know you would do different, then start doing it. You do not know when this day will come, so live today determined to honour God and bring justice to those around you, one day it will be too late to live different and you will face God and Hid judgement.

Are you living to receive the salvation of God?

 Psalm 50:1–23 (ESV):  

1  The Mighty One, God the Lord, 

speaks and summons the earth 

from the rising of the sun to its setting. 

2  Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, 

God shines forth. 

3  Our God comes; he does not keep silence; 

before him is a devouring fire, 

around him a mighty tempest. 

4  He calls to the heavens above 

and to the earth, that he may judge his people: 

5  “Gather to me my faithful ones, 

who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!” 

6  The heavens declare his righteousness, 

for God himself is judge! Selah 

7  “Hear, O my people, and I will speak; 

O Israel, I will testify against you. 

I am God, your God. 

8  Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you; 

your burnt offerings are continually before me. 

9  I will not accept a bull from your house 

or goats from your folds. 

10  For every beast of the forest is mine, 

the cattle on a thousand hills. 

11  I know all the birds of the hills, 

and all that moves in the field is mine. 

12  “If I were hungry, I would not tell you, 

for the world and its fullness are mine. 

13  Do I eat the flesh of bulls 

or drink the blood of goats? 

14  Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, 

and perform your vows to the Most High, 

15  and call upon me in the day of trouble; 

I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.” 

16  But to the wicked God says: 

“What right have you to recite my statutes 

or take my covenant on your lips? 

17  For you hate discipline, 

and you cast my words behind you. 

18  If you see a thief, you are pleased with him, 

and you keep company with adulterers. 

19  “You give your mouth free rein for evil, 

and your tongue frames deceit. 

20  You sit and speak against your brother; 

you slander your own mother’s son. 

21  These things you have done, and I have been silent; 

you thought that I was one like yourself. 

But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you. 

22  “Mark this, then, you who forget God, 

lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver! 

23  The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; 

to one who orders his way rightly 

I will show the salvation of God!” 

One day everyone on the whole Earth will be judged. There will be no escape and no valid excuses when you are face-to-face with the Almighty God. He knows what your life has been like, and He will judge you on how you have chosen to live it. He will not be bothered by how much money or material goods you have presented Him with - He does not care about the content of your wallet - but He will judge you for the level of sacrificial obedience you have shown, for He cares about the content of your heart.

God’s expectations of how you live your life might be different to yours. You see, He sees beyond your outward actions and He sees the motives and desires within. God requires that you live a genuine life that demonstrates faith in Him that is not just an internal belief, but outworked. This psalm tells tells us that His 'faithful ones';

• live with God in mind, 
• listen to Him and practice obedience,  
• give to Him (not for show but as a devoted response), 
• keep their promises, 
• express gratitude even when it is difficult, 
• do not just recite the rules but keep them, 
• accept discipline, 
• reject and revile evil, not support it, 
• consider who they spend time with, 
• watch what they say, 
• do not lie,
• honour others and do not speak ill of them, 
• do not forget or reject God.

It is easy to just skip through that list, but it is worth reflective consideration. Are you falling down on any of these points? How is your life of obedience looking in comparison to God’s expectations? Maybe there are some things you need to change in order to be considered a 'faithful one'. If so, that's ok, you can start work on that today. One day, and no-one knows when, you will be face to face with God. Then it will be too late to start work on being a faithful follower of God. For God will, 'judge his people', are you living in such a way that prepares you well for that time?

God cares about your decisions and your behaviour. The list of attitudes and actions in this psalm reflect how much you really believe in, trust and follow Him. Interestingly, it seems that your faithful obedience to God actually reveals itself through your attitude and behaviour towards other people. How you treat others matters because it shows if you are really obedient God or not. If you mistreat someone, no matter their behaviour to you, you are not demonstrating that you understand how to live a life loving God as you are disregarding the fact that each individual has been created in the image of God. How can you honour God if you dishonour His creation? 

‘Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High’ (v14). Living a sacrificial life sometimes means not behaving in the way you naturally want to, and it often means not going along with the crowd. So ensure that you are not; swearing, lying, taking part in coarse jokes, complaining, stealing even by taking things from the workplace, talking against others. I am sure you come across people that take part in these types of behaviours often, they are quite universally common. Yet you, if you are someone who desires to be acceptable to God, you need to stop behaving like this. These actions do not honour God or anyone else. God requires that you live sacrificially, gratefully and keep your promises, do not be like everyone else. Instead be genuine and sacrificial in your dealings with others, be kind, gentle, respectful, and speak up for those no-one else will for this is what Jesus would do. Live above reproach and ask God for His Holy Spirit to help you do the things that you know are right but are difficult. God wants you to succeed, that is why you have scripture to help inform and guide you! Are you taking note of how God is instructing you to live? Making the hard changes that will develop your character and show others that you are living for something beyond yourself?

One day you will be called to come face-to-face with God. It is important you prepare for that day. The Bible tells us what God is like, has examples of how His people should and should not live - are you taking these things onboard to influence your behaviours and decisions? Just reading the Bible, attending church, praying and financially contributing to the church will not provide you salvation. This psalm makes that clear as does the rest of scripture, these actions will not necessarily make you acceptable or righteous before God. You need to implement the Word of God to your life, not just go through the motions. God requires ‘faithful ones’ who ‘orders his way rightly’ and offer ‘thanksgiving as his sacrifice’. God does not want people who; can recall His words but not do them, give money abundantly but do not give Him their heart, say one thing and do another, are different in different situations, are uncontrolled in their speech or who disregard His teachings and do their own thing. If you know that is how you have been living, today is a chance for you to repent. To recognise where you have gone wrong and turn your life around. It is important how you live now and how you treat others because it shows how much you really believe and trust in God. How you manage your mouth, your mind and your body reflect your obedience and love of God and is demonstrated in your interactions with others. What do these things show about the faith you have?

The day of judgement is coming. If you live your life dependent upon and obedient to God, then God promises that you will shown His salvation (v23)! What a marvellous promise! If your life is dedicated to God it will be seen by others and by Him. Not only will you have the joy of acceptance on that day, but God also promises that when you, ‘call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will glorify me’. Even in the here and now God assures you that He will be present and help. He will hear the cries and please of His faithful ones. He will rescue you when you are in trouble. What a great reassurance and hope you can have when you live as a dedicated follower of God! You can know God's presence now, and you can be assured of His acceptance when the day of judgement comes. Are you living in such a way to receive it? 

love your neighbour as yourself

‘My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. 2 For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, 3 and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” 4 have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? 6 But you have dishonoured the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honourable name by which you were called? 

8 If you really fulfil the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself,” you are doing well. 9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. 11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. 13 For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. 

James 2:1-13

In the verses above, James is telling us that favouring one set of people or one person above others is wrong. We should not judge anyone for the way they look, speak, their age, background or how much/little money they have. This may seem obvious to us today as we teach about equality and diversity wherever we go, yet this was clearly an issue to those to whom James wrote (and if we are honest with ourselves, we have so much training because it is still an issue today). It was obvious then that the rich were given preferential treatment over everyone else. So it is useful for us to consider if there are people that we are bias towards or against. 

We must remember that Jesus died for the rich and the poor, old and young, the beautiful, ugly, well-spoken and the common, those you like and those you don’t. Jesus made no distinction. Nor should you. 

In this text James reminds us that Jesus has instructed us to, ‘love your neighbour as yourself’. In verse 8, James challenges - are you REALLY loving your neighbour as yourself? If so, you are doing well. If not, well, then you aren’t. If you show favour/bias/partiality to others then you are not loving your neighbour as yourself, and therefore you are not carrying out the command of Jesus. James goes onto say, ‘if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.’ It is a serious thing to be bias towards or against others. It is a sin. It is breaking the law of God. Jesus in the book of Mark precedes the command to love your neighbour with loving God first and foremost. This is the law of liberty that James refers to, loving God and loving others. Jesus shows how the rest of the laws from the Old Testament are stemmed from these two commands. If you live out these commands to love God and others this will effect your speech and actions and you will be following the 'law of liberty', honouring God and living life Jesus’ way. 

However if you do not keep these commands then it doesn’t matter what other rules you follow, you have still broken the law. It is not permissible to be committed to keeping some of the Law. If you break one part of it, you break all of it. If you steal, lie, cheat, murder, hurt someone, blaspheme, you are breaking the law of God and that is serious. You break God’s law, then you break relationship with Him and separate yourself from others. James wants you to be aware that just as not murdering or stealing is important for maintaining the law of God, so is your treatment of others. If you're unfair or unkind, treating some people with distinction and others with derision, you are breaking the same law that a murderer or an adulterer does. Breaking the law in any way has the same effect - separation from God. 

You may be reading this and be thinking you’re ok because the blood of Jesus has wiped away all your sin. It is 100% true, Jesus died for all your sin, he took it all on, so that when you decide to live your life following him you are free from the weight of sin and free to live a new life. A new life where you are dead to sin, as it no longer has power over you and you can receive forgiveness and mercy. This is all completely true. However when you gave over your life to Jesus you did not die to responsibility. 

Jesus died to release you from the consequence of sin when you turn your life around and follow him, but that carries with it a responsibility. Letting go of the old sinful life means that you’re born into a new life with new rules, roles and responsibilities. It means that you have been born into the life of Jesus, the life of following the law of liberty, of prioritising loving God and loving others. Being a follower of God means being obedient to his instructions. Jesus says, ‘if anyone loves me, he will keep my word’ (John 14:23) are you keeping his word? Are you obeying Jesus instructions to love God and love others? 

If you are someone that believes in God, then your life should be known for how you love, honour, serve and follow God, and in turn, how you speak, act, love, honour and care for others, all others. You should celebrate that mercy has overcome judgement in your life as Jesus has taken, destroyed and forgiven all your sin, but it doesn’t stop there. Are you extending mercy or judgement to others around you? If you wish to receive the mercy of Jesus, you need to be one who acts with impartial mercy to others. This is how you will show that Jesus Christ lives in you as you, ‘love your neighbour as yourself’.

The deceptiveness of pride

The book of Obadiah is a short one in the Old Testament. The author, Obadiah, has written down what God has shown him about the judgement for the country of Edom. Here are the first few verses that we shall consider today;

*1*The vision of Obadiah. 

Thus says the Lord God concerning Edom: 

We have heard a report from the Lord, 

and a messenger has been sent among the nations: 

“Rise up! Let us rise against her for battle!” 

*2* Behold, I will make you small among the nations; 

you shall be utterly despised. 

*3* The pride of your heart has deceived you, 

you who live in the clefts of the rock, 

in your lofty dwelling, 

who say in your heart, 

“Who will bring me down to the ground?” 

*4* Though you soar aloft like the eagle, 

though your nest is set among the stars, 

from there I will bring you down, 

declares the Lord. 

Obadiah 1–4.

A pretty harsh judgement you would think, but that is because of the harsh way the Edomites have treated others. The reason that Edom is going to be overcome is because they assisted the Babylonians in capturing the Israelites that fled when Jerusalem was destroyed. This is serious to God because the Edomites are actually relatives of those Israelites! Edom consisted of the descendants of Esau, who was one of the sons of Isaac, and the brother to Jacob. Jacob is the one from whom all of the tribes of Israel descended. Therefore, the Edomites are related to the Israelites and their tribes, so they had, in essence, turned against their own family to support the unholy Babylonian nation. Instead of caring for and assisting their fleeing family, they turned against them. So, God pronounces what He intends to do to Edom through the prophet Obadiah. 

The Edomites would have been aware of their heritage and who the Israelites were, they could not feign ignorance about knowing who their ancestors were. Yet this does highlight the fact that although people can be brought up in the same family, with the same values and expectations, they still get to choose their own way in life just like their forefathers; Jacob and Esau. Jacob chose to honour God and the nation that came through him did consider God in some way throughout their history. They have times of following and disobeying, but God's voice doesn't ever seem too far away. Whereas Esau's descendants, the Edomites, seem to have rejected God, living their lives for what they can get out of it with no consideration for God. We see that through this book of Obadiah. The Edomites believe they are thriving, they are successful and capable. Yet, despite appearances, God is showing that there are more important things to life than the outward visible achievements. God proves through this prophecy that he is concerned about the hearts of His people. Even though the Edomites may not consider themselves His people, He does. He still cares about them and wishes to warn them about their impending doom because of their disregard for Him and their kin.

God, through Obadiah reveals that the cause of the Edomites issues is not hatred, greed, jealousy or a violent temper, but pride (v3). The Edomites were deeply satisfied within themselves. They took great pleasure in who they were and what they could do. This is the source of their problems; a confidence in oneself, and a reliance on one’s possessions and capabilities. They were ok with that, but God says, 'The pride of your heart has deceived you'. 

You may have heard of the proverb, ‘pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall’ (`Proverbs 16:18). Pride - the deep pleasure and satisfaction of your own achievements or possessions is destructive. It is a problem because it is me-focussed. It gives no honour, glory or concern to anyone else, just oneself. The proud can be spotted as those who consider themselves better than others because of what they have got and achieved, they look to themselves for the solutions to life’s problems and think that they are responsible for their own success. The Edomites were such people. They knew what they were good at, and revelled in it. Even where they lived demonstrated something of how apart and above others they felt - they lived up high in the rocks - what a secure, solid powerful environment to oversee the other land and nations from, they would literally have to look down on everyone else from their dwelling place. They felt safe and secure, just like an eagle soaring around; confident, and unconcerned, unaware of any danger. Yet, in verse 4 God promises, ‘from there I will bring you down’. It seems impossible. From the top of a solid mountain plateau, from the soaring heights of the eagle, from there God will bring the nation of Edom down. It does not seem like it can happen, certainly not to the Edomites from their privileged position. Yet, no matter how secure you can feel in life, if you are consumed with pride and fail to acknowledge God’s favour, then you may be heading for a downfall just as these people were.

No matter how high you may feel in life, no matter the height of your achievements or capabilities, God can bring you down. So, what can you do to avoid it? Ensure that you are not 'deceived' like the Edomites were - that you are not blinded by success or achievement or that getting something or somewhere in life is your ultimate goal in life. Make sure that you are caring for others, that you are not destroying or degrading others in your attempt to succeed. Most importantly, consider God. What does God want you to achieve in life? What and who has He given you to take care of? Are you showing your gratitude and acceptance of God's favour, generosity and love to those around you? Do people hear you boast, not of yourself, but of what God has done for you?

Be aware of your attitude and behaviour towards God, yourself and others. God sees the deceptive nature of pride, and it is so easy to fall into the trap of self-sufficiency and feeling good about success and hardwork, after all, isn't that what the rest of the world emulates? God would like to rescue you from pride - will you let Him? Or are you just going to wait for the fall?

It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

As Christians, we know that we are forgiven A LOT. We have been given relief from shame and guilt because Jesus was punished for all we have done wrong. We know that, and we live that. Yet, do you live that out in your daily life? Or do you take for granted the freedom Christ bought for us? These following verses are a stark warning for those of us who are not living out the fullness of the freedom from sin that has been purchased. Are you one who is falling ‘into the hands of the living God’?;

if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, *27*but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. *28*Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. *29*How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? *30*For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” *31*It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Hebrews 10:26-31

 These are pretty harsh words right? If you go on intentionally sinning, then you will encounter the wrath of God - Are you putting yourself in that scary position?

If you consider yourself a follower of God, yet continue to knowingly do things wrong, go against what He asks you to do - then you are sinning. You are trampling the Son Of God, and you will encounter the Father’s anger about that. You have been enlightened as to a better way, so why would you keep ignoring it?

Today is a chance for you to change. If you know there are thing in your life that you wouldn’t want anyone else to find out about, that you convince yourself aren’t that bad, or if it doesn’t hurt anyone it doesn’t matter, then know tat God sees. God cares. God has given you a way out - so why aren’t you taking it?
If you continue to sin then you are intentionally offending God, that brings consequences as you are effectively demonstrating that Jesus’ sacrifice wasn’t enough. It may of been enough for some things in your life to change, but is it enough even for the hidden things? How much do you trust that Jesus has covered it all? How much faith do you actually have that God is bigger than it all?

These verses serve as a harsh warning, but some of us need waking up! God, through these verses is showing that new life is possible. You do not have permission to keep on going the wrong way, to continue to offend Him. Jesus covered it all, but you need to start living differently. The writer of Hebrews clearly points out that if you are sinning and you know it, then you will ‘fall into the hands of the living God’, and you have, ‘trampled underfoot the Son of God’. God is a God of love, but how do you think He will react when he sees you making a mockery of His son’s death?

Be warned.

You will face God one day.

How will He respond when He sees you?