Category Archives: Morning Thoughts

Morning Thoughts (II Chronicles 19:2)

Morning Thoughts

II Chronicles 19:2, "And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the LORD."

This morning, certain subjects seem to stir the emotional juices more than others. These subjects are those that even the most passive of conversants get worked up about – generally speaking. Such a subject is upon our mind this morning, and the subject is still very much relevant today. We see Scriptural prophecy fulfilled with things getting worse and worse, and therefore should not be surprised by that. (II Timothy 3:13) Yet, what exactly is getting worse and worse? Man – by nature – is just as depraved today as he was immediately after Adam's transgression in the garden. The nature of man is just as wholly filthy now as then, but the manifestation of that nature is getting worse and worse. People seem to outwardly push things further and farther than they did before, making the circumstances worse and worse. Even though this should not be surprising, this situation should not contaminate us, though it could very well do so if we fail to follow after Scripture's injunction.

I am always amazed when I read the Bible, for the rich treasures keep coming forth no matter how many dozens of times we may have perused or pored over its contents. Sometimes, a passage yields rich thoughts that make us think, "Why have I never seen that before? I can't believe that I missed that all this time." Our study verse above yielded things on my latest pass through it that I had never really "seen" in the verse before. The thoughts relate to the interaction that God's people should have in the world in which we live.

How many times have you heard somebody say that we should love everybody? Equally often, we hear people say we should treat everybody the same. Do these concepts have merit or stand up to the Scriptural test? If I treated everybody the same, then logically I would treat all women (married or not) as I treat my wife. I would treat men and women the same. Children would receive no difference of treatment than anyone else. Such behaviours are patently foolish, for no man would prefer his wife to be treated as my wife, women should be handled with more tenderness and differently than a man, and discretion and prudence dictates that certain things should not be discussed around children as they "are not ready" to handle certain subjects due to their development. Equally conclusive, we should not love everybody, for the Scriptural test will not allow it.

Our verse describes a rebuke that God's prophet gave to Judah's king Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat – unlike many other kings in Judah and all the kings of Israel post-split – followed after the Lord doing that which was right in His eyes. Yet, even the righteous kings had problems in the flesh. Even king David, a man after God's own heart, had problems in the flesh. David's particular brand of weakness was lust and pride. Jehoshaphat's brand of weakness was quite different, for his righteousness and uprightness was sometimes overshadowed and clouded by the company that he kept.

One of the most wicked kings that ever lived – Ahab – ruled over Israel concurrently with Jehoshaphat's rule over Judah. How did good king Jehoshaphat interact with his fellow ruler? He aligned himself with him to the point of declaring himself one with him: "I am as thou art, and my people as thy people." (II Chronicles 18:3) Before going to battle with the Syrians, Jehoshaphat not only pledged himself personally to Ahab, but he pledged the nation of Judah to him as well. When that campaign against the Syrians ended with misery and failure, Jehoshaphat returns home to Jerusalem only to be met with rebuke from Jehu. What was Jehoshaphat's error? The prophet specifically calls reference to Jehoshaphat showing love to them that hate God.

Many times, the concept of love is muddied and muddled in people's minds, for they do not properly understand what it means. Love is not to be confused with feelings of lust, nor is it to be confused with tenderness and puppy feelings. Also, it is not to be confused with gentility or a cheerful disposition. Love can be shown in unpleasant scenes and times, and love should never be equated to carnal desires or natural emotions. Love is action borne of devotion and sacrifice. The action is neither self-serving nor self-promoting, but it freely gives to the point of personal sacrifice if necessary and complete loss should the need so require it. The Bible equates love to a man being willing to give everything – life included if necessary – for his wife. (Ephesians 5:25-30) The Bible also equates love to a man being willing to apply the rod to his son for the son's well-being and instruction in uprightness in this world. (Proverbs 13:24) Quite a far cry from the talks of love by the world at large.

Therefore, knowing that love is rooted in sacrificial action, a good connection passage to our study verse is the language of David in Psalm 139:21-22. David claimed a perfect hatred over the wicked that hated God, for he hated them as God would hate them. How does God hate those that are not His? God suffers the wicked in this world (while also providentially restraining them at times from fulfilling all the wicked desires of their filthy hearts) full well knowing that their judgment is coming. Our course should be to suffer them if necessary, knowing that their judgment cometh right soon, but also – should providence allow – prevent them from furthering their cause against the name of Christ. 

Thoughts on love and hate definitely stir the emotions of people, but let us put these two together and see what the message is for us today. Since love is not equatable to kindness or civility, nor is hate equatable to torture and death, Jehoshaphat should not have actively sought Ahab's harm (kill him or overrun him). We should, as much possible, live peaceably with all men, but being civil and kind does not equate to furthering their cause. The first clause of Jehu adequately explains the second. If we help the ungodly the way that Jehoshaphat helped Ahab, then we are loving those that hate the Lord, which the prophet declares ought not be done.

When we see people today that actively pursue a life of hating God, despising His name, and actively running contrary to His ways in this world, we should not actively seek these people's hurt, but we should not assist them in their pursuit. Nor should we fail to hinder that pursuit should providence so provide opportunity to do so. Our love – sacrificial actions of devotion to God – should overwhelm all desire to be at one with God's enemies. When at one with those in the world, following after the lusts of this world, one cannot tell the difference between them and us. The battle against the Syrians in the previous chapter even included the Syrians for a time during the battle mistaking Jehoshaphat for Ahab. When we are at one with God's enemies, it might be hard for others to tell us apart.

Because of this problem that Jehoshaphat had, Jehu prophesied that God's wrath would be upon him for this offense. We should likewise expect the displeasure from our God when we align ourselves with His enemies. Rather, we should do as David did, hate them with perfect hatred and thereby leave them with our God. He deals with injustice, and He will rightly and justly repay. Sometimes, He gives us the circumstance and situation to rightly put down those that rise up against Him (such as courts of justice and judgment in this world). May we seek His face of guidance and counsel, and may our lives never be found aligned with God's enemies. By doing so, we love those that Scripture demands we not love.

In Hope,

Bro Philip

Morning Thoughts (John 20:4-6)

Morning Thoughts,

John 20:4-6, "So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,"

This morning, the proper balance between guided bounds and personal identity need proper maintenance. Have you ever heard someone today say, "I'm just being me, and this is just who I am." More often than not, they are using that expression as a license for some sinful behaviour or lifestyle that they are engaged in. On the other hand, have you ever heard someone say, "I just want to be like so-and-so." This mindset, more often than not, is borne from a lack of comfort in being "who we are" by attempting to emulate someone else. No where is this discussion more pertinent than within the bounds of the kingdom generally and among the ministry particularly. We have guidelines and boundaries in the kingdom that MUST NOT be crossed. Morality does not change based on the times, but different personalities come and go with the passing of different generations. Therefore, we should seek to stay within the bounds of Scripture and use our proper gift as the Lord has given us. (I Corinthians 7:7)

In the context of our study verses, the disciples have just heard the news that Jesus arose from the grave. When the women that came early to the tomb brought this wonderful news, Peter and John rose up to see for themselves. From the verses above, we can glean that John was the superior runner, but perhaps Peter was the more curious seeker. Since the Scriptures are not explicit about John's reason for not entering the tomb and stopping at the entry, all surmising would be fruitless along those lines. Yet, even not knowing his reasoning, we can still see some rich insights into this lesson that apply for us today. We will try to investigate the primary thought as it relates to the gospel ministry and then broaden the thought somewhat to see how it applies to church-goers in a general way.

Sometimes when people hear something they have never heard before, we see those that "pick it up quick" while others are slower to get there. Sometimes these quick learners are even lauded for their ability to grasp harder concepts more quickly. Yet, sometimes it is those that grab things more slowly that seem to be able to "go further" in their understanding and depth of a subject. These men are sometimes lauded for their rich insights to see great things far and wide in God's word. Both abilities are admirable and certainly profitable in God's house and to God's people. Yet, notice that one of these apostles models one ability and the other models the other ability.

Would it have been right for John to feel uncomfortable that he was a faster runner than Peter? Would it have been right for Peter to complain that John was too fast? Should John have discouraged Peter from walking into the tomb when he did not, or should Peter have grabbed John's arm with the command, "Let's go in there"? Indeed, any of these situations, while well intentioned, may have led the other man to be uncomfortable. The point is that John ran faster than Peter did, and Peter went further than John did.

Today we see many problems that ministers have to fight: discouragement, fear, jealousy, etc. Yet, the more I travel and the older I get, I see many men that are just uncomfortable with who they are as a minister. They judge their efforts, goals, and successes (or lack thereof) based on other ministers. Since each man has his proper gift to preach, our measure of success should not be based on the men around us, but when we faithfully discharge the duty that God called us to bear. Too many times, a man becomes uncomfortable by another man's strength and thereby loses sight and potential of his own strengths that the other minister did not have. One of my weaknesses is that I have a difficult time with Biblical areas of prophecy and types and shadows. However, if I see another man – gifted in those areas – really push deep and pull out bright nuggets, my course should be to rejoice in those treasures not become uncomfortable that I am not gifted in those things.

What if Peter had arrived at the tomb – huffing and puffing – with the thought "John runs faster than I do"? Had that been Peter's foremost thought, he might have missed his great blessing of standing in the midst of the tomb taking in every detail of the rich scene. When we become uncomfortable with ourselves in our calling, we can miss some of the rich scenes from His word, His house, and His saints. On the other hand, our strengths themselves should never impede us from discharging our duty either. When a man believes the lauding that he receives from his strengths, he can easily be consumed with the pride that swells up. Therefore, may we have a proper understanding of our gift, and use it as God has prospered us.

Moving out a touch into areas outside the ministry, we can see some applications in this for those that are not preachers. Sometimes people come to the church and understand the beauty and glory there at an early age. Some people come to see these things late in life. Some are able to see better and clearer than others. Each member of each congregation has their own unique understanding level, and some in the church will know more than we do, less than we do, pick things up faster than we do, or pick things up slower than we do.

Yet, knowing that such is the case, we should never judge our comfort level based on how we measure up to everyone else. We should not try to be someone else. As the old saying goes, "When the Lord quickens us by His grace, or even calls a man to preach, He doesn't assassinate our personality." Since we have different personalities and associated skill sets, we should measure our growth in grace and knowledge by how we use what the Lord has given us, not what He has given to someone else.

Have you ever heard someone make excuse for laziness by saying, "Well, I don't have a mind like so-and-so does"? Such a question would be like Peter stopping his journey to the tomb by saying, "John runs faster." Whether or not we are quick learners or more detailed seekers, we should use what the Lord has given us heartily, not uncomfortably since we are different from someone else.

Therefore, whether preacher or not, may we take the news, "He is risen" with fervor and zeal to the best of our ability. Individuality does not excuse exceeding moral bounds, but individuality does grant comfort in knowing that we use what the Lord specifically gave to us. Whether you run fast, see more deeply, or both, always remember where the blessing came from to know and understand that Jesus ever lives with no power anywhere that can take us from Him. Knowing what the news is, seeking it with all of our ability, and desiring to praise Him in the effort will afford us the comfort not found otherwise. Run brethren. Run as the Lord has given you ability. Seek. Seek as He has given you the insight, and in your course, keep the peace that He is alive.

In Hope,

Bro Philip