wrongdoing – Praying Pint

51.n. Wilderness – 15.t. “Both parties to the dispute shall appear before the LORD”

Deu 19:15-20 “A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established. If a malicious witness arises to accuse a person of wrongdoing, then both parties to the dispute shall appear before the LORD, before the priests and the judges who are in office in those days. The judges shall inquire diligently, and if the witness is a false witness and has accused his brother falsely, then you shall do to him as he had meant to do to his brother. So you shall purge the evil from your midst. And the rest shall hear and fear, and shall never again commit any such evil among you.

This isn’t just because it is possible for one witness to lie without having his story corroborated. It is because one witness can be confused, or mistaken in his testimony. It is a basic measure of reliability that it must be more than a simple case of “my word against theirs.” At the trial of Jesus, many false witnesses rose up against him, and were demonstrated to be false witnesses by their confused and contradictory testimony (Matthew 26:59-60). The false witnesses, under Jewish law, should have been put to death, because that is the punishment they sought for Jesus.

Many modern people doubt that the punishment of others is an effective deterrent to crime; but the Bible clearly says that it is. Weak or inconsistent punishment does not deter crime, but effective punishment does. This was an important principle for the Biblical court of law; here, connected to the punishment described for false witness, it shows that whatever evil was planned or practiced against another, a similar punishment should be brought against the false witness.

Our tendency is to want to do more to the offending party than what they have done to us. But we cannot punish from a motive of revenge, only from a motive of justice.

Many Rabbis in Jesus’ day taught that the eye for eye law meant you were obligated to avenge yourself of a personal insult or attack brought against you. Jesus rightly disallowed the application of this law in our personal relationships; it was a law intended to guide the judges in the law courts of Israel, not to guide our personal relationships. (Guzik)

It is hard for us to know the truth of a witness. How could we? However, many people are swayed by the charismatic or crafty words of a single witness. How many true things have happened and a witness proclaims it, but there is no collaborative witness? How many false things have happened and a witness proclaims it, but there is no collaborative witness?

We have social media where people say just about anything, about anybody, and there are no checks or balances to it. The same can easily be said about news outlets. The truth of the matter is that people lie or embellish events to suit their narrative. It would do us well to keep our eyes and ears away from it, but that seems impossible due to the wide acceptance of both social media and news outlets.

The heart that is seeking to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all thoughts, words, and actions will need to be continually attentive to the Holy Spirit’s leading in all things. God’s Word is truth. God’s Word benefits the heart, mind, and soul. God’s Word is sharper than a double-edged sword and able to discern the intents of every person.

Our hearts get filled with so much worthless dribble if we let it. We get swayed by it. We even chase after it. We like it. We talk about it. We worry about it. We get angry about it. We get confused by it. We get to the point where we even believe what is being said is true. We might even proclaim it.

This should not be so. What would our lives be like if we were to desire and seek truth from God’s Word with the intent of honoring and glorifying Jesus Christ in all of our thoughts, words, and actions? What would our lives be like if we had a deep desire to know more and more about God?

God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, three in one, will bear witness for us or against us. God knows our every thought and intent. He knows it all and were we to stand before Him and He is the witness against us – who would be guiltless? What defense could be given? We would stand before Him on judgment day and be declared guilty, without hope of appeal. But praise be to God. He sent His one and only Son to bear our punishment and be our witness as to the debt of our offenses being paid in full by His death. Jesus is our advocate, savior, and redeemer.

Confess and repent of your sins and trust in, cling to, and rely on Jesus Christ’s work completed on the cross for all who believe.

28.t. “Think about these things”

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

1 Thessalonians 4:12    so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.

Titus 3:14   And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.

1 Peter 2:12   Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

Titus 2:14    who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7    Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant  or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;  it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

What in life is true, sincere, and genuine? How do we know what is true? What is honorable, respectable, moral? What is just, fair, equitable, ethical, and impartial? What is pure, uncontaminated, wholesome, innocent, and above reproach? What is lovely, pleasing, and heavenly? These are seemingly easy questions but just try to answer them. How we answer them will depend on the conditioning of our hearts and minds. What feeds our hearts and minds will be how we define truth, honor, justice, purity, and what is lovely. We can easily see flagrant cases of the opposite. However, the lines blur when we try to define truth, honor, justice, purity, and love. Culturally acceptance does not make for a good basis to define them. Culturally, a homosexual life is acceptable and called an alternative lifestyle. Abortion is acceptable and called a right. Pride is acceptable and is called a self-made man. Greed is acceptable and called being a good businessman. Pornography is acceptable and called adult entertainment. In the eyes of God, they are all void of godliness, holiness, and righteousness.

Much of the Christian life comes down to the mind. Romans 12:2 speaks of the essential place of being transformed by the renewing of your mind and 2 Corinthians 10:5 speaks of the importance of casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. What we choose to meditate on matters. (Guzik)

What is it that mingles around in your mind throughout the day? Is it thinking about things of God? Is there any time during the day you are mauling over His Word, what it means or how to apply it? Are we seeking wisdom and understanding between (holiness, godliness, and righteousness) and things of this world? Do we even try? When I was in my early 20’s my old Pastor (in his mid 50’s) (I don’t think this is old anymore) said it seems like the church is only 10 to 15 years behind in accepting what the world says is ok. In my 60’s now I find this to be so true. I fear to say it, but I know it to be true, God’s Word is being neglected in our daily lives, many Pastors proclaim shallow truth and do not address culturally accepted norms, and our thinking has become void of that which is pure, true, just, honorable, and lovely. It would seem most Christians shamefully find it easier to fill their minds with CNN, FOX, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, ……………………… than to fill it with God’s Word even one-tenth of the time. Test me on this and you will find it is not far off. What would it take to clarify what is true, just, honorable, pure, and lovely? Try this, intentionally choose to be void of any time listening to or reading CNN, FOX, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, … for one week. Read God’s Word and allow the Holy Spirit to guide your mind and thoughts in what is true, just, honorable, pure, and lovely. Try it. I know without any hesitation that you will see things differently. The hymn by Helen Lemmel has this line, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace.”

“Just as a gardener cultivates his plot, keeping it free from weeds, and growing the flowers and fruits which he requires, so may a man tend the garden of his mind, weeding out all the wrong, useless, and impure thoughts, and cultivating toward perfection the flowers and fruits of right, useful, and pure thoughts.” Yes, we are responsible for the thoughts we cultivate in our minds. (James Allen)

19.o. “So as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.”

Romans 6:13 Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.

Colossians 3:5    Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

James 4:1   What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you?

Romans 7:5 When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death.

Isaiah 55:7   let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

2 Peter 2:13-15   suffering wrong as the wage for their wrongdoing. They count it pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, while they feast with you.  They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children!  Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing,

2 Chronicles 30:8    Do not now be stiff-necked as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to the LORD and come to his sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever, and serve the LORD your God, that his fierce anger may turn away from you.

1 Corinthians 6:20     for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

1 Peter 4:2     so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.

A person can be “officially” set free, yet still imprisoned. If a person lives in prison for years, and then is set free, they often still think and act like a prisoner. The habits of freedom aren’t ingrained in their life yet. In the fourteenth century two brothers fought for the right to rule over a dukedom in what is now Belgium. The elder brother’s name was Raynald, but he was commonly called “Crassus,” a Latin nickname meaning “fat,” for he was horribly obese. After a heated battle, Raynald’s younger brother Edward led a successful revolt against him and assumed the title of Duke over his lands. But instead of killing Raynald, Edward devised a curious imprisonment. He had a room in the castle built around “Crassus,” a room with only one door. The door was not locked, the windows were not barred, and Edward promised Raynald that he could regain his land and his title any time that he wanted to. All he would have to do is leave the room. The obstacle to freedom was not in the doors or the windows, but with Raynald himself. Being grossly overweight, he could not fit through the door, even though it was of near-normal size. All Raynald needed to do was diet down to a smaller size, then walk out a free man, with all he had before his fall. However, his younger brother kept sending him an assortment of tasty foods, and Raynald’s desire to be free never won out over his desire to eat. Some would accuse Duke Edward of being cruel to his older brother, but he would simply reply, “My brother is not a prisoner. He may leave when he so wills.” But Raynald stayed in that room for ten years.

This accurately illustrates the experience of many Christians. Jesus set them forever free legally, and they may walk in that freedom from sin whenever they choose. But since they keep yielding their bodily appetites to the service of sin, they live a life of defeat, discouragement, and imprisonment. This accurately illustrates the experience of many Christians. Jesus set them forever free legally, and they may walk in that freedom from sin whenever they choose. But since they keep yielding their bodily appetites to the service of sin, they live a life of defeat, discouragement, and imprisonment. Your members are the parts of your body – your ears, lips, eyes, hands, mind, and so forth. The idea is very practical: “You have eyes. Do not put them in the service of sin. You have ears. Do not put them in the service of sin.” The parts of our body are weapons in the battle for right living. When the parts of our body are given over to righteousness, they are weapons for good. When they are given over to sin, they are weapons for evil. (Guzik)

It is a test of our claim to be Christians. Does anger have dominion over you? Does murmuring and complaining? Does covetousness have dominion over you? Does pride? Does laziness have dominion over you? If sin has dominion over us, we should seriously ask if we are really converted. It is a promise of victory. It doesn’t say that “sin will not be present in us,” because that will only be fulfilled when we are resurrected in glory. But it does promise that sin will not have dominion over us because of the great work Jesus did in us when we were born again. It is an encouragement for hope and strength in the battle against sin. God has set you free in Jesus. This is encouragement for the Christian struggling against sin, for the new Christian, and for the backslider. (Spurgeon)

14.v. “They have hearts trained in greed. Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray.”

John 2:13 The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.” His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

Jeremiah 7:11     Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I myself have seen it, declares the LORD.

Isaiah 56:10-11   All you beasts of the field, come to devour— all you beasts in the forest.  His watchmen are blind; they are all without knowledge; they are all silent dogs; they cannot bark, dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber.  The dogs have a mighty appetite; they never have enough. But they are shepherds who have no understanding; they have all turned to their own way, each to his own gain, one and all.

1 Timothy 6:5    and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.

2 Peter 2:3    And in their greed they will exploit you with false words

2 Peter 2:14-15    They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children!  Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing,

Jews came to the Temple from all over Israel, indeed from all over the known world. Most of the time, they couldn’t bring animals with them to sacrifice.

Moreover, Passover was the time that people paid the annual temple tax (Matthew 17:24-27; Exodus 30:13, 26). In Jesus’ day, many kinds of coinage were circulating. The Romans, of course, had their own coins, but so did many kings and city-states across the empire. The various Herodian kings issued coins, as did the Phoenicians, Aegeans, Corinthians, and Persians. If these were voluntary offerings, perhaps, coins from these various countries and kingdoms might have been accepted. But this was a tax, not an offering. So, probably because of its exact weight and good alloy, Tyrian coinage (from Tyre) is specified in the Mishnah as the only coinage acceptable for the temple tax. Of course, there was a fee to exchange one’s coins for the Tyrian coins. The chief priest controlled the entire enterprise of money-changing and sale of sacrificial animals — and got his percentage of the gross. The sacrificial animals and money-changing tables were located in the Court of the Gentiles within the temple grounds. So the place designated for believing Gentiles to pray and worship was cluttered with the clink of coins, the braying of animals, and the sounds of commerce — hardly a place of peace wherein to seek the Lord. Jesus was offended, not that pilgrims needed to purchase sacrificial animals — cattle, sheep, goats, doves/pigeons, etc. — but that God’s house had become perverted from its main function as a house of prayer, and turned into something resembling a market, at which everyone brought their products, set up stalls, and crowds came to do their shopping.

Psalm 69: “I endure scorn for your sake, and shame covers my face. I am a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my own mother’s sons; for zeal for your house consumes me, and the insults of those who insult you fall on me.”

I recently asked my Pastor about something that had been on my mind for a while and I could not wrap it up to understand it. I love to listen to godly expositional preaching on the radio when I am driving. There are some who seem to bring the Word of God alive. The problem I had was at the end of their message there were 3-5 minutes of requesting money, need for money, and promise of blessing for sending in money. To add to this problem I routinely would visit their web sites and read their sermon. During visits to their web-site, I would be required to give my email address. During my visit to their web site, there were pop-up ads for donations. After they had my email address I would at least once or more per day get offers of deeper meaning to enhance my walk, through books, tapes, pod-casts., and other teachings for either a minimum donation or a flat fee. This was the problem for me, there were more promotions and marketing for selling and making money than there was for proclaiming God’s Word. The second concern I had was for what I was hearing on certain Christian radio stations. They were offering a chance to win something. If you call in and donate today we will enter you into a “chance to win” this once in a life time experience. They all seem to be exchanging the humble sacrificial giving of a servant of Jesus Christ for a personal book that will bring you closer to God or a game of chance. In either case, they are robbing that person of giving the honor and glory to Jesus alone. I have no problem with being made aware of a need for a ministry. It is when a ministry converts to using worldly marketing and cultural enticements to obtain donations or sell merchandise that I think it is wrong. My Pastor said this “God’s will, God’s bill”. God will provide, empower, and supply for those who do and follow His will. When we go about commercializing His Word He is not being honored or glorified or worshiped. God’s Word is given to us by our loving heavenly Father and its application in our lives is through the Holy Spirit’s leading, and the blessings that come from and through His Word are rewards directly from and through Jesus Christ. God’s Word and its application into our lives is not something that can be bought and sold.

Some scripture is difficult for me to understand and I go searching for help. I came across “The Enduring Word” website by David Guzik and his commentaries on the bible. I have used it often and especially when studying the Old Testament. I notice early this week that other than personal use permission must be given. I had been using this commentary for over a year. I sent David an email confessing my use and how I used it. This was his response “Please, don’t worry at all about citing or using my online commentary in the preparation of your devotional writings. I make my material freely available; my main concern is that they would not be sold in some form without my permission. I’m happy to hear the online resources have been of some use to you.”

To me, this is a humble heart wanting to honor and glorify and proclaim Jesus Christ. We do well to seek God’s discernment in applying His Word without contaminating the honor and glory Jesus Christ deserves.

114. Your wisdom and your knowledge led you astray.

1 Samuel 25:36 And Abigail came to Nabal, and behold, he was holding a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. And Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk. So she told him nothing at all until the morning light. In the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal, his wife told him these things, and his heart died within him, and he became as a stone. And about ten days later the Lord struck Nabal, and he died.

When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Blessed be the Lord who has avenged the insult I received at the hand of Nabal, and has kept back his servant from wrongdoing. The Lord has returned the evil of Nabal on his own head.”

2 Samuel 3:28-29    Afterward, when David heard of it, he said, “I and my kingdom are forever guiltless before the LORD for the blood of Abner the son of Ner.  May it fall upon the head of Joab and upon all his father’s house, and may the house of Joab never be without one who has a discharge or who is leprous or who holds a spindle or who falls by the sword or who lacks bread!”

1 Kings 2:44    The king also said to Shimei, “You know in your own heart all the harm that you did to David my father. So the LORD will bring back your harm on your own head.

Psalms 7:16   His mischief returns upon his own head, and on his own skull his violence descends.

Psalms 37:12-13   but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming.

Isaiah 47:10 You felt secure in your wickedness; you said, “No one sees me”; your wisdom and your knowledge led you astray, and you said in your heart, “I am, and there is no one besides me.”  But evil shall come upon you, which you will not know how to charm away; disaster shall fall upon you, for which you will not be able to atone; and ruin shall come upon you suddenly, of which you know nothing.

Psalms 52:7    “See the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches and sought refuge in his own destruction!”

Ecclesiastes 8:8    No man has power to retain the spirit, or power over the day of death.

W. Alderman – When a person puts his confidence in that which he has, including money, he is doomed to failure./riches trust in their riches only. Unless the word of God speaks into their life there is no hope for them.n is now. The day of commitment is now. The day of forgiveness is now. The day of bringing to live for Jesus is now. Anything that causes us to take our eyes off of Jesus will get us out of focus spiritually. The love of money can certainly do this. When they trust their money and their job for their provisions they are out of focus spiritually and no longer know where they were going. The trusting in riches lays a snare that will trap you suddenly and it will hinder your faith. a snare that will trap you suddenly and it will hinder your faith. The love of money traps many a good person. It happens so suddenly. There are many lusts that will consume the person who follows after riches. Money has a way of causing displaced trust. Instead of trusting God for the needed provisions, those who trust in wealth/riches trust in their riches only.

Unless the word of God speaks into their life there is no hope for them. They become self-centered and consciously or unconsciously make decisions that affect and harm others. Their money/wealth has gone to their head and heart and they trust in this alone. Psalms 52:7 “See the man who would not make God his refuge, but trusted in the abundance of his riches and sought refuge in his own destruction!” They did not obey God. They did not honor God. They do not have reverence for God. In protecting their riches they make decisions that cause harm to others. They are boastful, arrogant, prideful, seekers of pleasure, and give no thought to the day of judgment or their day of death. In their foolish wisdom and knowledge, they have cast God aside. How many people have died thinking they have time to make things right with God? How many have died and not given any thought to the judgment they will face?

The day of salvation is now. The day of forgiveness is now. The day of commitment is now. The day of beginning to live for Jesus is now.

Love one another

“By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.”

John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

John 15:12-13 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

Acts 4:32 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.

1 John 2:5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him

1 John 2:10 Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling.

Galatians 6:2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

Leviticus 19:18 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.

Romans 12:10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

1 Peter 1:22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,

1 Corinthians 13:4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Philippians 2:1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,

Reread this again. What is God revealing to your heart? If this is what love looks like lived out where do I fall short? How do I recognize these shortcomings? How do I put them into practice? What are those triggers in my life that seem to take me down paths contrary to the principles of love? Pride, selfishness, greed, self honor, impatience, lack of sympathy, self centeredness, “ME” – “MYSELF” – “I”……. I am instructed to keep my eyes focused on Christ and His example, sharing the burdens of others, allowing myself to be wronged, seeking to keep unity, and doing this for the honor and glory of Jesus Christ. This is very contrary to the sinful nature. When my focus is on me I soon lose sight of Christ’s love. Even if I stay in His word and seek to honor Him, if I’m not continuously conscious of demonstrating love it is easy to let that sinful nature of me, myself and I to hinder any effect I might have to honor and glorify Jesus. Practice the love of Christ each day. Ask Jesus to fill you with His love and lead you down paths giving opportunity to demonstrate it.