Isaiah 5:22

Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine And valiant men in mixing strong drink,

Society often times has a skewed idea of what it means to be a hero. “Manly men” are able to hold their liquor. Men are praised and esteemed because of their physical relationships with women; the more women the better. These standards are ungodly, and yet it is easy to get caught up in them. We may even have standards, that while not sinful are not God’s standards. The man who lifts weight up to two times his own body mass or the one who can repair anything with ductape, a two by four, and three nails.

Women have it no easier. The heroes for women are those who rebel against the domestic chores and focus solely on their career. Women are mocked for wanting to stay at home. There is nothing wrong with working, but it can not come at the expense of the family either (same with a man). Furthermore, women are highly esteemed who are “independent” and who refuse to submit to a husband. Yet in the Bible, we see that the woman to be praised is the exact opposite.

If we are not careful, we can allow society to define our views of what it means for us to be a hero. Instead, we need to see what it is that God has laid out. To be a hero in the kingdom of God is not easy. It takes hard work and discipline. Also, we need to understand that knowing what God views as a hero is not something that comes naturally. It takes diligent study on our part.Yet the reward for the position is incomparable. We need to earnestly strive to be a hero as God defines it, not the world.

Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine And valiant men in mixing strong drink,

Mark 8:36

“For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?

While playing an old school video game, I saw a chance for an extra life. The route was fraught with peril but I felt the need to chance it anyway. The opportunity for another turn was too good to pass up. Unfortunately I was not good enough to obtain it. Even worse, I ended up dying in the process. By being too greedy, not only did I not get what I was hoping for, I lost what I already had.

When people look out to the world, they see many things that look to good to pass up. They see money and will risk anything to obtain it. They may chase after the lust of the flesh or the lust of the eye. Like Eve, when they look out, they see that it is desirable. The problem comes when they decide to disobey God in order to meet their desires. When they do that, the lose the good life that God intended for them.

In playing the video game, I would have been better off staying on the course to the finish line. Christians are the same way. If I had not gotten greedy I would have kept the life I had. When Christians try to reach for more of a life than God designed for them, not only do they fall short of the life they desire, they lose the one they already had. We need to be content with the life God has given us and be sure to stay always in His commands.

“For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?

Romans 1:8

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world.

Paul pays the Romans one of the greatest compliments that could ever be paid to an assembly of believers. He tells them first of all that he is thankful for them. It always nice to be appreciated and to know someone is glad that you are who you are. So his appreciation for them is a compliment in and of itself. It becomes even greater when you see why he is thankful for them: because of their faith.

This is high praise indeed coming from a man who has faith so strong that he would devote his entire life to preaching the gospel despite persecution at every turn. Paul tells them that it is their faith he is thankful for. Apparantly he is not the only one who has noticed either. Paul also mentions that their faith is an example throughout the world. People were actually talking about the Romans, saying things like, “Those Christians in Rome have great faith. It is amazing what they have gone through and yet they have still stayed strong.”

We too can be an example of faith. Granted, our intention is to never make our faith external only. It would be wrong for us to be all about appearance. That is what the Pharisees did. Nor should we desire great faith to stroke our own ego. However, if we are of great faith, we are an example to others. We are a source of encouragement in their times of weakness. They know that following God is possible because brother so-and-so has already paved the way. We should aspire to have a faith that encourages and uplifts other, not for our own benefit, but so that we can glorify God both to the world and to the church.

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world.

Psalm 34:14

Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it.

The news world today wants a story. They want bad things to happen. They desire controversy. It is with these negative things that people will read or watch the news and opinions they provide. You can see how this could be dangerous. There would be a temptation to make an issue bigger than it actually is or to ruffle feathers more than is necessary. Failing enough newsworthy events, people in the news exaggerate because it gets them noticed. More notice means more money, and the news is definitely a business.

Some people are like news stations. They create drama in their life. Instead of pursuing peace they sometimes take a secret delight in causing a commotion. It may be boredom that causes them to act this way. Others do so because they are miserable and want other people to be as well. Another group does it because it is fun. There are many reasons why people do it, but we see that often times people start a stir where there never even had to be a ripple.

We must always guard against this mindset. Instead of trying to stir up trouble, we need to be people who make peace. We need to reassure people that things are okay in times of trials. We need to speak words of kindness and gentleness so that we invoke comfort instead of strife. As much as relies on us, we need to take the initiative to be peaceable. We want other people to feel comfortable and safe around us. We should pray for wisdom and love so that can say and do the right things in our every day lives.

Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it.

Hebrews 6:18

so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.

As I cast my early voting ballot, I overheard a lady talking to the city staff. She was wondering if there would be a lock on the absentee ballots throughout the night. She was afraid that someone might come and steal her ballot, thus negating her vote. While I sympathized with her concern, I also realized that if someone was motivated enough and especially if corrupt people were in the right places, her vote would never be tallied and she would never know about it nor have any recourse.

This is a scary realization about life: so many of the things we do rely on trust. We trust that the bank will give us our money back when we need it. We trust that our votes count. We trust that our government is accountable to its people. Yet that trust might very well be in vain. We trust people, and people as a whole are very unreliable. We see this over and over again in both the Bible and our own lives. People lie, steal and cheat.

The good news is that we serve a God for whom it is impossible to lie. Whenever he tells us that there is a home in heaven awaiting us, then we know that such a home does exist. When he tells us that our sins are forgiven when we obey, we know that we are no longer under the wrath of God, even though we never actually see the sins removed. The list goes on and on. As the Hebrew author said, for our God it is impossible to lie, unlike with mankind. With men we may not want to get our hopes up too high, but with God we know that His word means that it will happen without a doubt.

so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.

Acts 5:41

So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for {His} name.

Pride is a nasty problem for many people. It causes them to act with reckless abandon. I makes them give up friendships and family members that once were considered crucial. They have a desire to be right all the time. They also want to be the best. Even more than being the best, they want everyone to know it. Yet as Christians, people soon find out that pride and Christianity do not mix.

In fact, it is impossible for us to be the best Christian and have pride in our life. This is ironic considering that many people’s desire to improve themselves as Christians is to stroke their ego. They want to be the best. Unfortunately, we need to take stock of what it means to be the best. Peter and John had an odd barometer of success. Do you know what told them that they were being good, strong Christians? The fact that they were being persecuted. Can you imagine? “How was your day Peter?” “Pretty good, got flogged today!”

We need to remember that being a Christian is not about vanity or glory. It is not about making ourselves look good or being part of an important social group. It is about one thing and one thing only: serving God. And that is the essence of humility. We serve God. The apostles did not get a preverse pleasure out of pain. Instead it was that they knew the pain was in service to God. They were willing to do anything and everything to serve Him. That was what made them worthy. Are you willing to do the same?

So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for {His} name.

Matthew 5:37

“But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ {or} ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil.

In Matthew 5, Jesus tells us something that seems quite contrary to us and probably to those listening then as well. He tells them that they should not make an oath. This seems odd to me, since from the time I was a little kid, I would assure people that I meant what I said with an oath or a promise. If they did not believe me, I could just say that I promised and normally that would be sufficient.

Jesus tells us that we should not make such promises. One of the primary reasons for this is that we should not have to make an oath. People should know that we do what we say we will do. If we say something, it is the truth. They have no need of an extra promise, because the fact that we have said it is promise enough. Our yes means yes, and they know that without a doubt.

In order for us to no longer need such oaths, it requires work on our part. It would be nice to tell people that they should not have to rely on a promise from us. It is another thing entirely to live in such a way that they know that about us and do not even question it. To reach such a status, we need to be completely honest. Anytime our mouths open, trut should flow out. There is no room for lies or deception. Also we must be dependable and carry out what it is we said we would do. If we can do these things, we will go along way in becoming what Jesus desires us to be.

“But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ {or} ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil.

Ephesians 6:7

With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men,

In Ephesians 6, Paul continues his directives to people of different stations and is here considering the slave. He tells the slave that he ought to work hard. You can imaging the slave grumbling about having to serve his boss in such a way. His boss is a fool who never takes the best course of action. Should a fool really be worth the slaves stongest effort, day in and day out? It is easy to see the slave say that the boss does not deserve such respect or dedication.

While the slave system is not in existence in our society today, there is still a parallel between this and our work place. Employees are always poking fun at our grumbling against their superiors. Sometimes it may be foolish management, like the slave above. It might also be because the boss is a selfish jerk who shows no kindness to anyone. There are many factors that could cause us to disrespect him. We must be careful that even if we do disrespect him, that does not affect our work.

Paul tells the slaves here to be in service as if it were to God. We know that we should serve God with all our hearts, souls and minds. We know that it is righteous for us to put all effort into the things which He asks us to do. It is that same attitude that we should carry over into the work place. We should always be diligent, giving our best effort. We should also be mindful of our attitudes, watching that they do not border on contempt. Why should we do this, even if our boss is unworthy of respect? Because rendering such service to Him is the same as rendering such service our Lord and Savior.

With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men,

Acts 8:18

Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money,

Simon was a newly converted Christian who used to be a sorcerer. Considering his previous profession, it is really no suprise to see that he was impressed with Apostles power. It seems as though there is a stark contrast between what he used to do and what the apostles were now doing. When he sees their great works he offers them money in order to be able to pass on such gifts. Peter then offers him one of the harshest rebukes in the Bible.

Simon’s problem was not that he wanted spiritual gifts. Paul tells the Christian’s at Corinth to pursue and even to diligently desire spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 14:1). No, Simon’s mistake was the he was after the gifts of God for financial gain. Having previously profited on much lesser gifts, you can almost see his eyes line up with dollar signs as he sees these great gifts. After all, one who would purchase the gift would have no problem selling it to those who also desired it.

It was these wrong motives that caused him to earn such a stinging rebuke. This teaches us a very valuable lesson. We can desire and run after spiritual things and still sin against God. We need to make sure not make fleshly gain the reason for seeking after godly things. The goal of biblical fasting should not be to lose weight. The goal of preaching the word should not be to make a profit. The list could go on and on. Instead of using spiritual things for earthly gain, we should desire the things of God for their spiritual benefit.

Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money,

1 Corinthians 15:17

and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.

Christianity is distinct from many religions in the world in that it bases itself off the claim of an historical event. That event is the resurrection. Paul tells them in 1 Corinthians 15 that Jesusis risen from the dead and that there are many witnesses for them to authenticate the claim. The resurrection is what proves that Jesus was who He said He was.

The historical fact of the resurrection is vital to Christianity. From it we base everything, since it proves to us Jesus spoke the truth. If the resurrection is not true, then as Paul says everything that we have believed is in vain. The Bible is just a story and the directives given by the Apostles are just helpful suggestions that can be taken if it suits you. The resurrection is vital to our faith, and we need to treat it as such.

Aside from the apologetic concerns mentioned above, the resurrection also sends a very powerful message. Through the resurrection Jesus overcame death. He proved that there is life after death and that dying is indeed temporary. He is the firstborn of the resurrection, which means that we will follow in His footsteps. While the resurrection is indeed the basis of our faith, it also the basis of our hope. It shows that God is indeed ruler over all, and that if we obey Him, we too will be risen from the dead.

and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.