I am a nerd. I admit it. I enjoy reading Chronicles. If you don't get hung up on the names, there are some interesting stories. With Chronicles, you also get commentary about the individuals, sometimes including their motives. Chapter 26 tells of King Uzziah. I suppose he's most famous for dying. (You know, Isaiah 6:1… 'In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, sitting on a throne, high and lifted up…")

He became king at 16 and reigned for 52 years. That's a tremendous burden, being responsible for a nation of God's people, surrounded on every side by enemies, especially for a teenager. There was a prophet named Zechariah- not THAT Zechariah- and Uzziah depended on the prophet's counsel. Verse 5 says 'as long as [Uzziah] sought the Lord, God made him prosper'.

However, verse 16 says, "But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction…" After a string of successes, he decided he could set his own agenda. The rest of the chapter tells how he went into the temple with the intent of burning the incense. That was a job for the descendants of Aaron and them alone. For his presumption, he was immediately struck with leprosy and lived out the rest of his days in exile in his own house.

That's where the story hits home – There have been times when I've presumed to do things my way, and expected Him to bless my efforts. He'd blessed me before with success. To me, that indicated I knew what I was doing. I was wrong. We will never get to the place where we can operate on our own. It is only when we seek the Lord that success comes. And in truly seeking God, success is no longer the goal, but a footnote. 

[This is a repost- VBS & football camp this week- things are crazy. Thanks for understanding.]

Why do you ask Me [My doctrine]?  John 18:21

Annas was searching for evidence of a hidden agenda, a secret motive, hypocrisy that was ripe for exposure. Jesus had none of those things. He taught with complete integrity. His public and private discourses were the same. He neither pulled punches with the outcasts of society nor with the pious religious establishment. His message was consistent, confrontational and convicting. And He lived what He taught. Even when He was hungry, tired, stressed or alone.

Like Annas, we hate that.

Too good to be TRUE
We dig for weasel words that allow us to self-justify. We hope for skeletons that indulge our self-righteousness. We want inconsistency that lets us off the hook. We want to be as good as Jesus, without having to "be" as good as Jesus.

Too good BUT true too
Jesus offers a trade. His righteous for ours. But only if we see our righteousness the way He does. That was His doctrine. Stop trying to be good enough. You can't. Stop weaseling, indulging, justifying.

Jesus doctrine – It is GOOD and it is TRUE

Bible study… Intimidating? Frustrating? Go to the Source.

The Holy Spirit inspired every word written in Scripture.  He is the One who pulls back the curtain revealing new things each time we study Scripture. In fact the Bible itself underscores how necessary the Spirit is for understanding.

1 John 2:27 He teaches us

Isaiah 11:2 He is the source of all wisdom

John 14:26 He will teach us all things and remind us

John 16:13 He guides us into truth

Nehemiah 9:20 God gave the Spirit to instruct us

1 Corinthians 2:10-13 The Spirit searches and reveals the deep things of God, the things only He can know and teach

1 Corinthians 2:14 Learning from the Spirit is the mark of a believer

Seek the Holy Spirit’s guidance as you read and study.  Let this be your prayer. “Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your Law.”  Psalm 119:18

The key to authentic Christian faith is an honest assessment of who I am. I have to grasp that everything I have is a result of Christ’s work and not any merit of my own. However, that’s nothing to be ashamed of. I can’t say or do anything to make God love me any more. I can’t do anything to cause Him to stop loving me, either.

I love the story of the prodigal son, and the father’s unfailing, unconditional love for his son. Many times though, I’ve wondered what it must have been like to be that boy in that moment before he walked into the banquet his father threw in his honor. Was he uncomfortable? Did he feel like he was home, or was he ashamed to face the rest of his family and friends?  I’m not sure I could have walked into the banquet.

God speaks to His enemies in Isaiah 65:13  ”Behold, My servants shall rejoice, but you shall be ashamed.”

Joy is a confidence that is future focused.  No matter what happens NOW, I know what will be. (Through faith, I know it.) Shame dwells on the past.  Shame says, Because of what happened THEN, I know what I am. (Through experience or through someone else telling me, I know it.) Joy is to trust God. Shame is to trust man -whether self or someone else. Joy is empowering. Shame is debilitating. Shame comes from the outside, joy from within.

Being one of God’s children cannot co-exist with being ashamed. He removed all my shame when the salvation transaction was completed. I’m the only one who can allow the shame back. When Satan delivers it to my doorstep, it may be labelled failure, or regret, or a label I’m not expecting. No matter what, I must not pick up the baggage.

There are times in Scripture where God helps us out, highlighting His word for us. The highlighter used most often is ‘behold’.

Behold!

I don’t typically use that word in my everyday conversation, and except for Phineas and Ferb, I don’t even hear it on a regular basis. In Scripture, when God uses it, He’s drawing special attention to what He’s saying or doing and that deserves a closer look.

In Luke 2:10, the angel says, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.” Behold. Get this. Pay attention. The shepherds probably needed a little focus after the whole miraculous, angelic appearance thing. (Just guessing, but I figure they were a little freaked out.)

In Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and will call His name Immanuel.”
Behold. Watch for this.

Psalm 33:18 “Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy.” Behold. You can count on this. I’m telling you…

As you study, watch for the ‘pre-highlighted’ verses, slow down and catch what God has for you in them.