Sowing Righteousness

Hosea 10:12

Sow for yourselves righteousness;
reap steadfast love;
break up your fallow ground,
for it is the time to seek the Lord,
that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.

• What does spiritual fallow ground look like?
• How do you recognize ground like this?
• How do you break up fallow ground?
• How does seeking the Lord relate to this plowing, sowing and reaping?
• Where does the righteousness come from?

Harold's Musings:
The soybean field across the street from my house did not just happen. Last year it was filled with corn stalks. After that harvest the field just lay there empty until spring when the tractor came with a big cultivator to break up the soil to get ready for this year's planting. The farmer intentionally planted soybeans. He did not just plow and wait for something to come up. If he had, the weed crop would have been impressive. We have to sow righteousness like it is a crop with all the work involved with preparing, sowing, and nurturing. God will provide the righteousnss and steadfast love. What crop are you cultivating today?

Clothed in Righteous Deeds

Rev. 19:6-8

6 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. 7 Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; 8 it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure — for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

• Who is the Bride in this passage?
• How has the Bride made herself ready?
• How was she granted/given the ability to clothe herself?
• What is the purpose for righteous deeds?
  
• How often do you recognize yourself as the church?
• How often do you appreciate the gift of doing righteous deeds?

Harold's Musings:
Funny how God works. This was part of the text for the sermon yesterday. As it was being read, verse 8 jumped out. We know we cannot save ourselves. We know that Jesus' blood is what washes us. We know we are not worthy on our own. So why bother with doing good? It indicates here that we have been granted (NIV/NASB given) the right to clothe ourselves in righteous deeds. Our righteous deeds are part of God's grace. If you will, God has given his Son's future bride a line of credit so that she can have an appropriate wedding gown. The image in the passage shows the gown to be white and dazzling. Are you content with the blue jeans and flannel shirt you have on now? Ouch! I need to go change clothes.

Anger and Righeousness

James 1:19-20

19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.

• How does willingness to hear and reluctance to speak relate to your anger?
• What does God mean by the phrase "slow to anger"?
• What is the speed of your anger switch?
• When have you confused your anger with God's righteousness?
• If your anger will not bring about righteousness, why do you hang on to it?

Harold Musings:
I've always had a bit of an anger problem. My parents did their best in stressing that I should not be angry, but I merely tucked it inside instead of venting. You could say that instead of losing my temper I kept it close. Over the years I've slowed the speed that I go from calm to angry. God put anger in the make up of mankind for a reason, but like so many other things, Satan has made it his tool. I've found that anger has some pals: judging, unforgiving, and selfishness. None of these are related to righteousness. If I can control or diminish these, my anger is much slower to appear. The anger mechanism may be built in, but these add-on's did not come from God.

Righteousness dependent on faith

Philip. 3:8-11

8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

• How does being in Christ relate to righteousness?
• In what ways do you seek a "righteousness of your own"?
• What does your personal checklist that confirms you are ok contain?
• Why is self-righteousness such a temptation and danger?
• Which would you prefer to have, a good-looking "I'm OK checklist" or to know Christ, His suffering, and death?
  

Harold's Musings:
I frequently talk about an "I'm OK checklist". I have found that many of us have an unseen list of the things we do and don't do that let us feel OK as a Christian. Perhaps it is "faithful" attendance. Perhaps it is "I don't drink, smoke, cuss, or run around on my spouse". Regardless of the contents and the goodness of the contents, the question is "Whose righteousness are you depending on?" I struggle with a righteousness that depends on faith. I don't have much control over that. A righteousness that is dependent on faith is not measurable. I cannot "know" that I'm OK. I have to believe that Christ will forgive my sins and make me righteous. That is harder for me than it should be.

The Way of Righteousness

2 Peter 2:20-22

20For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22What the true proverb says has happened to them: "The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire."

• What comes to mind from the phrase "the way of righteousness"?
• How is righteousness related to commandments and to knowledge of Christ?
• What has happened to the people this passage is about?
• Why would anyone want to return to their spiritual dirt?
• How is this a warning to you?

Harold's Musings:
What delightful images! I have dogs and my parents used to raise pigs; so the picture is very clear to me. When it would be my job to feed the pigs, I was very careful to walk on the path to the feeding trough. If I strayed from the way to the trough, I would be in ... well, I would not like where I would be. When I truly came to know what Jesus had done for me, I committed to following Him along the way of righteousness. I have slipped into the mud more times than I like to think of, but I have gotten back on the path through the help of God and my brothers and sisters in Christ. Satan continues to lie to me that the mud is cool on hot summer days and that I would be better there. I've seen a pig pen. I've fallen in a pig pen. I know that the way of righteousness is best.

The Fruit of Righteousness

Philip. 1:9-11

9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

• Why are you to be filled with the fruit of righteousness?
• Who does righteousness come through?
• Why does your daily life matter if righteousness is from/through Jesus?
• How does knowledge relate to love and righteousness?

Harold's Musings:
Love with knowledge and discernment. Now that is something we seldom see packed together. There are a lot of books on love but not so many on discernment. There is an intriguing formula here. Growing love, knowledge, and discernment is the first step of making excellent choices. Our choices determine if we are pure and blameless and filled with the fruit of righteousness. Ultimately God is glorified and praised. Jesus is involved all the way but we still have to make the choices each day. The intriguing part is that I have considered righteousness to be a fruit, not something that has fruit. I am curious. What do you consider the fruit of righteousness through Jesus to be?

Foolish Righteousness

1 Corinth. 1:27-31

27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

• What reasons do you have to boast in the Lord?
• In what ways does the wisdom of God seem foolish to your human nature? Be truthful.
  
• How is Jesus your wisdom from God?
• What does Jesus' being your righteousness from God accomplish in your life?
• Why is there such a temptation to seek our own righteousness instead of the righteousness through Jesus?
• What is the difference between trying to live a life pleasing to God and seeking your own righteousness?

Harold's Musings:
Some days I just look at all the stuff that I think I need to do and want to sit down and quit. This is especially true when I look at what I could do for God. Add to that getting rid of the sins that continue to tempt and snag me and I can feel pretty miserable. I suspect that a good portion of my feelings come from my metric of righteousness. I'm not talking about an "I'm OK checklist". I talking about a feeling that no matter what I do, it is not good enough. Well, that is right. My feelings come from my being foolish because I am using my human wisdom, not God's wisdom. I need to learn to be satisfied at where I am in my walk, but not content with staying here.

Are you hungry?

Matthew 5:6

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

• When have you been truly hungry or thirsty?
• What would you have done to be satisfied?
  
• How hungry or thirsty are you for righteousness?
  
• What are you willing to do or not do in order to be satisfied?
  
• Why is righteousness not something we routinely think about as a need (like food or water)?

Harold's Musings:
I not sure that I have ever been truly hungry or desperate for water; at least not to the point of willing to do anything to get food or drink. In Jesus' day (and in many parts of the world today), people really understood. I know that my life has not been one of deprivation. If I'm hungry, I choose what I want to eat. If thirsty, I choose which beverage I want. Affluence has dampened my understanding of hunger and thirst. Perhaps knowing the grace of God, knowing that Jesus died for us, and living according to our personal checklist of righteousness have dampened our hunger for righteousness. To a hungry person, a McDonald's cheeseburger is pretty good. To a full person, it is not so appealing. How hungry are you for righteousness?

Seeking

Matthew 7:7-8

7 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

Jeremiah 29:12-13

12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

• In general, what do you ask God for?
• What do you seek?
• How diligently do you seek God in your daily life?
• How can you find God in your life if you choose to not seek him?
• What doors do you want opened?

Harold's Musings:
I heard The Who's The Seeker the other day at a restaurant. It is about a person seeking to find something meaningful in his life. I mused yesterday that perhaps I did not see God in my daily life because I did not seek him. These two passages popped in my head. (Thank you, Holy Spirit) As I looked at these verses, I realized that my idea of God being present in my day must be that He should be obtrusive, making Himself known to me. I think the key is for me to look. If I misplace something in my office or home, I don't expect it to jump out of where it is hiding and yell, "Here I am!" I look for it. I seek it. How much effort I put into the search is dependent on how important it is to me. God has given me a choice: seek Him with all my heart or not. I can ask for His help in finding Him. I can ask that the doors between us be opened. But the ball is in my court. I need to be The Seeker.

Work goes both ways

Eph. 6:5-9

5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, 6 not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, 8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free. 9 Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.

• How would you like to be a slave?
• How is rendering service to Christ different from rendering it to man?
• Why is doing good worthwhile?
• How are Christian employers supposed to treat their employees?
• How does your ability to choose where you will work affect your approach to your work?

Harold's Musings:
Like yesterday's post, the bulk of the passage is written to slaves. I cannot truly comprehend what it would be like to be a slave. No choice, no freedom, no hope. Yet, Paul tells slaves do their work for Jesus. He tells masters to not threaten their slaves because they have a Master as well. Since I am not a slave nor do I own anyone, I could blow past this verse, right? I am concerned that our ability to choose the everyday things of life diminishes our feeling of responsibility. How often have you heard, "well, I'll just quit"? Or "I'm thinking about finding a better job"? What is the motivation for leaving? What is the motivation for staying? Is your decision based on seeking to serve Jesus or is it just self-serving?

Work Hard for the Lord

Col. 3:22-25

22 Slaves, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. 23 Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.

• How fearful are you about your job?
  
• What would mere eye-service look like where you work?
• What would working for the Lord, not men, look like at your job?
• How often are you aware that you are working for Jesus and not your employer?
• What reward do you expect from your employer? How long will it last?
• What reward do you expect from Jesus? How long will it last?
• Why is the passage about doing wrong follow working for the Lord?

Harold's Musings:
Most of my worries are work related. I'm not really afraid of losing my job or anything like that. I'm afraid of not doing a good job or at least the best I can. Too often I think I work for myself, not Jesus. I am more concerned about how I think I did on a project than how Jesus thinks I did. Perhaps I am the "people" I am trying to please. It is so easy to lose sight of the presence of Jesus in my day-to-day stuff. Michael said in his comment yesterday: Worry is easy, prayer is hard. I don't find prayer so hard when I remember the presence of God. I do find that to be harder than it should be. Maybe that is why He says we are to seek Him.

Worry is Dangerous

Philip. 4:6-7

6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

• Why do you guard things? What do the things you guard have in
  common?
• What does anxiety do to your heart and mind?
• How does thanksgiving influence our worry-related prayers?
• Where in life do you turn to God?
• after your plans fall apart
• when all is lost
• when you can do no more on your own
• after you have given it your best shot and failed
• before the plans, during the worry, after the peace comes

Harold's Musings:
I can quote this passage, but I continually struggle to do it. Pride, American self-reliance, whatever the "reason", it is still a struggle. While I see the command in verse 6, the motivation for me is in verse 7. My worry puts my heart and mind at risk. I think about the previous post where worry is mentioned immediately before the devil roaming to find someone to devour. When worry is strong enough, I (perhaps you also) turn to something for comfort. Too often it is not God. The key to this seems to be pray about the little things all day long. Pray about things that I truly can take care of on my on. Let praying about the little worries build up a coating on my heart and mind, layer after layer after layer. Then when the big struggle hits... No worries, mate. :-)

Worry and Pride

1 Peter 5:5-9

5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.

• What attitude must you have to cast all your anxiety on God?
• How are humility and worry related?
• How does realizing that God cares for you help you with your worries?
• When are you willing to cast your anxiety on God?
• What underlying bad attitudes does anxiety evidence?
  
• How is worrying connected the fact that the devil is roaming?
• How do you feel knowing that you should not be worrying about your suffereing?

Harold's Musings
When I first found this passage, I focused on verse 7. I wanted to know that God was there and that He cared for me and my worries. I brought up this verse in a class and a sweet sister pointed out the two verses before it. Oh, did it hit home! Most of my worries were about me losing face or what others thought about me. Later I found even more in those two verses; especially that my worry was showing how I thought I knew better than God how my life should go. Today I was struck by the verses following. The connection between my worry and the devil is bothersome. When I worry, it is frequently pride related and the devil will use that pride to his end. The devil appears to want us to worry; so he sends stuff our way, even suffering and persecution. To not worry when being persecuted is almost beyond my comprehension. Got a ways to go on this.

Plans and the Lord

Prov. 16:1-6

The plans of the heart belong to man,
but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,
but the Lord weighs the spirit.
3 Commit your work to the Lord,
and your plans will be established.
4 The Lord has made everything for its purpose,
even the wicked for the day of trouble.
5 Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord;
be assured, he will not go unpunished.

• What does it mean to "Commit your work to the Lord"? [Note: NIV uses 'plans']
• How might our plans seem pure to us but not seem pure to God?
• What is our common response when things do not go our way?
• How might the obstacles to our plans be in God's purpose?
• How does God feel about our making plans, especially plans for Him, without considering Him in them?

Harold's Musings:
I think you can see the connection to the previous post. God does not give us the plan to follow as we live our life, but He expects us to consider His wishes as we make our plans. I know I get great ideas and then turn to God to bless them. How foolish and arrogant! I need to be praying for ideas and guidance first; make the plans that I think of then wait to see what God has in store. There is much more to committing a plan to God than just saying the words. It involves dealing with the unexpected stuff along the way and continuing to trust in God, not the plan.

Worry's First Response

James 4:13-17

13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

• What are your first responses when faced with something worrisome?
• How can you plan for something significant and not "think about tomorrow"?
• If v. 15 is not merely talking about words, what does it mean to say, "If the Lord wills, ..."?
• Although v.17 is most commonly used out of context, what is "the right thing to do" in this passage?
• If your plans do not succeed, what is your most common response?
  
• How frequently do you plan in arrogance? [ouch!!]
• How do you feel knowing that leaving God out of your plans is sin?

Harold's Musings:
I do worry well and I like to have a plan for everything. So, this passage is troublesome for me in several ways. You might be thinking this passage is not about worrying. I would suggest that it is; although it is not obvious. I find I worry when my plans are not going as I expected. I then make more plans and worry that they may not go well. I see someone having problems and my first response is to start planning a way to help to deal with my concern/worry for them. I've made many plans with prayer, but eventually begin to worry about the outcome. I think you can see how this passage relates to worry, at least in my life. I'm worried about my arrogance. I think I have a plan.... :-)

Tomorrow, no worries.

Matthew 6:24-34

24 No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.25 Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, "What shall we eat?" or "What shall we drink?" or "What shall we wear?" 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

• What is the stated reason that we are not to worry?
• How do you feel when you realize that, while God takes care of the world, he loves you?
  
• Of the things you worry about, which are things non-Christians"eagerly seek"? Are the things you are seeking inherently wrong?
• What is the difference between good planning and worry? How do you know when you've crossed the line between them?
• Who is the other master when you begin to worry?
  
• What does this passage promise?
• What are the conditions of the promise?
  

Harold's Musings:
I came in fourth in the Olymics in freestyle worrying. I was beat by three mothers of teenagers. Seriously, worry is one of my major challenges. I too frequently consider it "good planning" but slide into worry if my plans are the least bit askew. I do much better when I remember that God really is in control and that He loves me. I mean He LOVES me. I have to remember that even if I suffer pain, hurt, and the other bangs and bumps of life, He is concerned about my eternity with Him first and foremost. Have a great weekend in the Lord!

Teach, not quarrel

2 Tim 2:22-26

22 So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 23 Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. 24 And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

• According to this passage, how is a Christian supposed to respond when challenged about their belief in Christ?
  
• How is correcting with gentleness different from winning an argument?
• Who has the power to change the heart of your "opponent"?
• Who are you actually struggling against when you are being opposed?
  
• What sort of foolish controversies have you seen cause discord in the church?
• How can a person pursue peace and controversy at the same time?
• How do you feel when you win an argument? When you lose?
• Are the challenges you think you face more about Christ or matters of opinion?

Harold's Musings:
Yet another passage that I don't remember being taught when I was growing up. I grew up in a time and place where debates were prized and defending the faith meant winning the argument even if the loser was hurt in the process. How many churches have been split over foolish controversies? God only knows. As I study God's Word I find new (to me) insights and possible ways to change. When I tell someone what I found and they disagree with my view, deep within me is an ego that wants to prove I am right. Those feelings have little to do with peace, kindness, gentleness, and love. They are about self. Why do I keep bringing up these difficult passages? Maybe so I will do better.

Don't judge, help

Gal. 5:26-6:5

26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. 6:1 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. 2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. 5 For each will have to bear his own load.

• What is the motivation for your temptation to judge others?
• What is your first thought when you see someone sinning?
• What is your first thought when you find out someone is caught in sin?
• What should you do when these situations occur?
  
• Why does God warn you about being tempted when you try to help a fellow Christian in sin?
• How often do you compare your actions to the actions of others, whether good or bad actions?

Harold's Musings:
I wonder what the ratio is between the number of lessons/sermons I have heard about the fruit of the Spirit and this passage that follows it. Probably fairly high. The fruit of the Spirit can be abstract. This passage is nothing but real. It uncovers our pride of being righteous and tells us not to be that way. I have grown much less judgmental about others sins as I realize how often I have failed God. I have a ways to go. It is so easy to be aloof around those who are caught in 'bad' sins, avoiding the person like a Pharisee would. It is so easy to proclaim some Bible verse to them, wielding it like a sword. It is messy to embrace the person, to admit that you have sinned, to tell them to call you any time, to just be there. Lord, forgive us of our arrogance.

Who are you to judge?

James 4:11-12

11 Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 12 There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?

• How is speaking evil of a person related to judging them?
• Why would your judging a brother be considered judging the law of God?
• How often do you consider some one evil or wrong based solely on your standards?
• How might you point out a sin to a brother/sister without being judgmental?
• How does this passage motivate you to be more careful in your judgments of others?

Harold's Musings:
I find that I tend to judge people by my likes and dislikes or by attaching the sinful state to a person. Sometimes it is semantics, but too often it is my attitude. I see someone with tatoos, studs, rings, and multicolored hair and if I'm not careful, I'll mentally discard them like I'm rumaging through the discount DVD bin at Wal-Mart. They are not worthy of my attention. Judging can be placing a value on someone or something. God has placed a value on everyone and that value is VERY HIGH. When I decide that the tatooed kid is not worthy to hear the gospel of Christ, I am judging him and also judging the value God has put on him. Ouch! Gotta work on this for sure.