Built on the Rock

"And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." - Joshua 24:15

As you can see in the image attached to this post, today we’ll be focusing on the phrase, “choose this day whom you will serve…” This verse comes to us from the Old Testament in the first book following the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible, also known as the Torah).

Joshua’s fatherly model is similar to that of Abrahams in Genesis 18:19. It was his desire for his family and for himself to serve the Lord, and not to serve any false gods.

“For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.” – Genesis 18:19.

Not only did Joshua command his household to follow the one and only God, but he also called others throughout Israel to do so as well. This is pretty bold, and something that I wish that we saw more of today. As Christians we’re to keen on helping ourselves, we’re too comfortable with going to church on Sunday and then feeling all good about ourselves, and then during the week doing absolutely nothing to further the kingdom of God. Not only did Joshua call out those across Israel, but we see just a few verses later, that they committed themselves to serve the Lord as well. This is incredible!

“And the people said to Joshua, ‘No, but we will serve the LORD.'” – Joshua 24:21

I want you to think about the impact that your faith can have on those around you. The words you say, the actions you take, the way that you carry yourself. It could be something so small that you don’t even notice you’re doing it, that might make someone ask themselves, “what makes them different?” “Why do they carry themselves that way?” And all it takes is one conversation out of your day to change someone else’s eternity.

Our words are extremely powerful. Our actions are extremely powerful. It’s our duty as Christians to be the ambassadors of Christ to those that don’t know Him. I want to urge each and every one of you to pray about who you could witness to, or who you could be a positive influence for. Asking your neighbor to go with you to church might feel weird and might make you nervous, but that one Sunday could change their eternity. One question is powerful. Our faith is powerful.

If you’ve been a Christian for any amount of time, you may have realized that unfortunately, there are those that are Christian in name only, and their lives aren’t characterized by a pattern of repentance to God, and obedience to His Word.

The entirety of James has to do in large part with explaining that the living faith that is the effect of our salvation always results in a change in character that demonstrates a willingness and desire to obey God in all things.

When James tells us that we must all “be quick to hear, slow to speak,” and “slow to anger”, we do this because “the anger of man does not produce the righteousness that God requires” (James 1:20). This isn’t referring to our gift of perfect rightness in Christ and our right legal standing before God. James is referring here to the living that God desires of His people, which is the obedience to God’s law (Matthew 5:17).

Before you jump to a conclusion about what I’m saying here, consider this: when we have authentic faith in Christ, we seek to please God in all things. It’s what we naturally want and strive to do. However, if we’re too willing to jump to conclusions without allowing those around us the benefit of the doubt, we can become angry in a way that is sinful, and thus sneakingly hastily.

R.C. Sproul puts it like this: “…if we aren’t slow to hear our fellow believers, we might burn with unjustified and unrighteous anger and thereby do things that do not please God. We must, therefore, take the time to understand others before jumping to conclusions.”

As I’m writing this, I know I’m guilty of it. This is an area that I really need to improve on. We can all recall times when we were far too quick to speak and not patient enough to hear the whole story. Sometimes we become angry far too quickly and say things that we don’t mean. Some of the most hurtful things we say can come out of these impulsive outbursts.

Have patience with your fellow believers. Hear what they have to say. As you go about your day, week, and month, listen carefully before just saying the first thing that comes to mind.

I want to leave you with a few verses to look at in addition to James 1:19-20. These are Genesis 4:6-7, Proverbs 17:27-28, & Ephesians 4:26-27.

First, let's establish the context of this verse. This verse comes from the section of Proverbs 3:1-12, which is an exhortation from Solomon to his son, as he is urging him to listen to his teaching to trust wholeheartedly in the Lord (also giving some valuable results of obedience and trust). Further, in this section, Solomon is building on the counsel that he provided in Proverbs 2.

John Piper puts it like this, “So, at every turn, every new choice you have to make, every new conversation you are in, you are sending up a message: God, I acknowledge you here. I know you here. I am drawing you in here. You are decisive here. I need you here.”

This specific verse is referenced directly by Jesus in Matthew 6:33: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

This citation in Matthew of Proverbs 3:6 by Jesus is one of the key verses in all of His teaching. We see it used in quotes, artwork, and Bible memorization from an early age. Yet, like with all scripture, it must be understood in the context of the verses surrounding it. Far too often these words have been ripped out of the context of Jesus’ teaching and applied to the false teaching known as the “prosperity gospel.” If you’re not aware of what the prosperity gospel is, I’ll explain it very briefly here, but look for an upcoming article in the future as we’ll cover it in depth.

Prosperity gospel preachers and televangelists teach that those who practice and exercise true faith in Christ will subsequently attain physical, material, and financial prosperity in this life. And it sounds great, and it appeals to people. The problem? That’s not promised anywhere in the Bible. What this practice is doing, is redefining our “wants” (money, health, material things) as “needs”, and then saying that if we have true faith we’ll get those things. Do you see what’s happening here? This practice is defining the will of God as this: “God wants you to be rich, healthy, and have a lot of material possessions.” When we look at the context of what Jesus says we “need” in this verse, it’s the opposite. It’s the other way around. What we “need” is the will of God. And that may look very different from what we “want” or prefer (Matthew 5:3-12).

So back to the context of Matthew 6:33. Let’s look at two specific words: “these things”.

Jesus is referring to the basic needs of life: food and clothing. We know this because of the verses immediately preceding this by Jesus’ reference to God feeding the birds and clothing the lilies beautifully, and that His children are far more valuable.

Jesus wants us to trust the heavenly Father instead of living in constant and fruitless worry. And He gives us a different outlet for our energy: pursue God’s kingdom, trust His righteousness, and leave it to Him to take care of the basic needs of our life.

Look at your values and your priorities. What is truly important to you? There may be areas of your life that you already acknowledge God, but in those areas where you attempt to either knowingly or unknowingly restrict or ignore His influence, that will cause you grief.

This verse is pretty self-explanatory, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t powerful

David, the author of this Psalm, experienced as many ups and downs as anyone in life. “As a shepherd, giant-slayer, folk hero, warrior, fugitive, exile, father, and king, he had seen it all and was certainly no stranger to the unexpected and unpredictable nature of life.” (Joel Ryan). Through it all, however, we see that David kept his eyes on the Lord. We see David crying out to God in frustration when times were tough – and when they were good his sang praises.

Today, you should look at this passage and be encouraged by David’s life and his transparency. He proved to be so much more than just a warrior or a king. In every moment and season of his life, he poured his emotions into poetry and into music – which today we know those songs as the Psalms.

This particular Psalm today, Psalm 30:5, gives us direct insight into the promise of Jesus’ resurrection. It’s a renewal that after our darkest nights we can see joy in the morning.

As you’re going about your day today, I want to leave you with some encouragement for finding hope in the midst of trying times/struggle:

You can always find hope in the promises of God and in the power of His name. People always say, “God will never give you more than you can handle.” Well, that’s not true, and the Bible never says that. You will absolutely face things that are more than you can handle, but know this:

God will never give you more than He can handle.

In your darkest night, hours of fear, and in moments of uncertainty, anxiety, or struggle, God is in control.

As we look over this section, we’re going to look at verses 1-6 to gain some context. This passage focuses on creation as a means by which God reveals Himself to mankind. We see right here in verse 1 that the heavens and the sky are the testimony to about God in both night and day. The revelation of God reaches everyone, just as the sun in its strength appears daily and reaches everywhere. This is one of the verses that establishes, in part, the idea that all people have ample evidence telling them that God exists.

Now as we dive into verse 1, it’s important to know that King David, who wrote this Psalm, was first a shepherd (if you don’t know his story, you’re in for some pretty incredible stuff). But as a shepherd, he was used to spending ample amounts of time outdoors. Both day and night he would scan the sky in awe.

A lot of the earth today is absolutely covered with what is known as “light-pollution.” This is where lights from cities and civilization in general are bright enough that it blocks out the stars at night. It’s basically the presence of artificial light in the night environment. If you’re unaware, check out this map just to get an idea of what it is: https://www.lightpollutionmap.info/

Now imagine a time where there is relatively no light pollution. Have you ever driven out into the country, or been on a boat away from land? The amount of stars you can see is unbelievable, and it’s beauty is almost beyond words. David saw the sky this way, and he knew that what we see in the heavens and sky keep on declaring God’s glory. All of the stars, moon, and clouds are His “handiwork” (as the ESV puts it).

And this is true today just as it was thousands of years ago. The more we learn about how the universe is structured and how it works, the more fully we grasp the immense power and glory of God.

The natural world around us reveals much about who God is. Paul wrote that God’s “invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world” (Romans 1:20).

This verse in Psalm 19 is also as much of a statement of theology as it is a form of worship. In Deuteronomy 4:19 God said, “And beware lest you raise your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, you be drawn away and bow down to them and serve them.” David is illustrating that nature itself shouts of God’s existence and glory – those stars and planets aren’t deities, or spirits – they are the creations of God.

This passage comes to us from when Jesus was led by the Spirit to the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. While rebuking each of the devil’s temptations, all three of His replies were taken from the book of Deuteronomy. 

In this particular verse, Jesus is quoting Deuteronomy 8:3. “And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.” 

It’s important to look back at this verse to gain the context for which Jesus chose this verse as His reply to the devil. We see that God sustained the Israelites in the wilderness with food that was previously completely foreign to them, manna. The next part of this verse is largely taken out of context when used today, so here’s what it really means: When we read in Deuteronomy that “man does not live by bread alone,” Israel’s food in the wilderness was only present and consistent because God commanded it to be so. Therefore, this verse is saying that ultimately it was not the bread that was keeping them alive – it was God’s word. He was teaching Israel to trust in Him to be their provider.

This verse is directly applicable to the circumstance in which Jesus found himself in the wilderness against the temptation from Satan. Essentially, Jesus is telling Satan by quoting this Scripture to him, “Every word that comes from the mouth of God is a more important source of sustenance than food.” How powerful and incredible is that?

God’s word nourishes our spiritual needs in a way that eternally benefits us. Following Jesus’ example, we should place at the top of our priorities the following: investing and reading God’s Word rather than turning to the world for temporary relief.

Let’s establish some context around where this verse comes from. In the book of Isaiah, the Jews were living in exile in Babylon. This was a foreign land to them, far away from their home, and it was a land that was broken. Because of their surroundings, they started to believe that their way was hidden from God and disgraced by Him (Isaiah 40:27). So it is to these people who were hurting and exiled, that the prophet Isaiah spoke with amazing language surrounding the supremacy of God.

So now look at what Isaiah is telling us in this verse:.

“The lord is the everlasting God…” – Isaiah doesn’t address the Jews’ situation right off the bat. He starts by shifting the focus from their problems and suffering to focusing on God. Despite what anyone in that culture thought at the time, God, who lovingly covenanted with His people, was wholeheartedly committed to them. In the rest of this verse we see a list of descriptions about who God is. A list that at the time would have given an exhausted and tired people hope.

And that’s what we need to do today. No matter how exhausted, tired, or broken you are, or how bleak life may feel – shift your focus to God.

Unlike any nation, circumstance, or obstacle, God is everlasting.

“…the Creator of the ends of the earth…” As Ray Ortlund comments, “There is not a single square inch on this earth unknown to God or lying beyond the range of his presence. Anywhere life may take us, whether Babylonian exile or a lonely hotel room or an intensive care unit, God will already be there for us. We lie in his grace and power at all times, everywhere.”

“He will not grow weary” – It’s in the times that life makes zero sense, that we need to remember that God is in control, powerful, and all-knowing. He’s never perplexed or overwhelmed by any situation, for who He is and His character is far beyond anything we’ll ever know. It’s easy to lose trust when things go bad. It’s easy to wonder if God cares when everything feels like it’s breaking. These thoughts come from a place of doubt. And doubt is natural within faith. It comes from our human weakness and frailty. We naturally want certainty when things require faith. Instead of dwelling on doubt and uncertainty, think of your faith as a lifeline to God. A God who will never grow faint or weary.

“…and his understanding no one can fathom.” – Rest easy in knowing that God’s power, majesty, glory, and character are far beyond anything that we can comprehend. All throughout history we’ve tried to place God in a box, tried to rationalize his essence, tried to explain things in ways that make sense to us. And that’s natural to do, but it should be awe-inspiring that there are some things about God that we can explain, but will never comprehend.

In any trial that we go through, it’s so easy to become narrow-sighted and to lose focus on what God is doing in our lives through the hard times. Do you feel like fainting? Draw near to God, He will not faint. In our weakness, He is strong (2 Corinthians 12:9).

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” – Matthew 11:28-29.

We can find comfort, healing, joy, and rest in a Creator who is everlasting, will not grow faint or weary, and whose understanding is beyond anything we can fathom. Draw near to God. Spend time with Him today. Pray, read His Word, and draw near to Him. You will find rest.

As you read through the book of Psalms, you'll notice that in many of them, David addresses God as "my God." However, today's verse is different. In verses 1-7, David pleads for mercy and cleansing, as he admits that he has sinned against God.

"Have mercy on me, O God,

according to your steadfast love;

according to your abundant mercy

blot out my transgressions.

Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,

and cleanse me from my sin!

For I know my transgressions,

and my sin is ever before me.

Against you, you only, have I sinned

and done what is evil in your sight,

so that you may be justified in your words

and blameless in your judgment.

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,

and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being,

and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;

wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow."

-Psalm 51:1-7

Notice in these verses that David's approach to confessing his sins is to take God's attitude toward sin. Just as God sees them, David also sees his sins as transgressions, iniquity, and evil. He sees them as a result of a life of offensive nature. He prays, "O God." David knew God well enough to know God's character as gracious, loving, and merciful; it's with this knowledge that he prays to God to show His unfailing love and mercy through blotting out his transgressions.

This phrase "blot out my transgressions" is important to understand within the context of the time it was written. The word "transgressions" indicated a revolt against God. And it was through David violating God's commandments (adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah). David had revolted against God, and that it was only by God's grace, mercy, and unfailing love that could erase his sin. In the time that this Psalm was written, when debts or crimes were forgiven, they would be blotted out (or erased) from the books in which they were written. So this language of David asking God to blot out his transgressions is asking God to erase his sin.

We also see this same language being used in the New Testament. In Acts 3:19, Peter urges a crowd that had gathered to repent so "that your sins may be blotted out." 

The context of this verse is important in its application (as is every verse in the Bible). This entire book is an incredibly personal letter. We are able to read Paul’s words of love and exhortation while witnessing his commitment to the truth of God’s Word as well as him defending his authority as a genuine apostle while simultaneously pointing out the deceptive influence of the false apostles (10:1 – 13:10).

John Piper summarizes this passage wonderfully:

“it’s as if Paul is saying, ‘I am visiting these rascals in Corinth who are so boastful in their philosophical prowess that I am going to demolish them – not by counter philosophy, but by divine power. I am going to show them power, and they are going to collapse in their thinking. And then I am going to take their thoughts captive so that they now obey Christ.'”

We are plagued by a society that is consumed with the “strongholds” or “fortresses” of false teaching, false religions, cults, existentialism, and secular philosophy that we see in verse 5. And it’s this obsession that has created a societal thinking that has imprisoned the minds of millions. We could discuss how specific false teachings go against the Word of God, and what following a secular philosophy leads to, and we’ll cover all of that eventually, but today I want to explain it simply: any idea, opinion, or worldview that asserts that Christ is unnecessary is a direct reflection of Satan’s pride. It’s these thoughts that must be taken captive and made obedient to Christ.

If you only take away one things from this today, let it be this: Paul isn’t telling us here that we are to take our own thoughts captive. “When Paul says first that he is destroying arguments and arrogant opinions against God and second that he is taking thoughts or minds captive, we need to realize that it is the minds and thoughts of others. He is not talking about his own thoughts. It is the thoughts of others.” (Piper, 2015)

We are the warriors, and the enemies are those whose minds and arguments are filled with pride and lifted up against God. Yet we do not rely on ourselves, manmade plans, or human ingenuity for victory, for the flesh is powerless against the schemes of the devil (2 Corinthians 10:3).

So how do we do this? We should listen to what Paul is saying here, and submit all of our thoughts and feelings about God and about our life to what Scripture says for scrutiny. If anything is out of sync, we should let the Holy Spirit destroy it. Again, like we’ve mentioned before, this is far easier said than done. It’s not easy, nor is it in our nature to want to submit all of our ideas, worldviews, and viewpoints to God saying, “let your word destroy what’s necessary.” And this isn’t to say that we won’t keep sinning, we will. But we should be striving and seeking for the Holy Spirit to be conforming us to Christ.

It’s through doing this that we ask the Holy Spirit to work, because, again, Paul teaches us that we don’t fight with mere human arguments. Every single one of us has a ministry, and our ministry has power: “The weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power” (2 Corinthians 10:4). As we are transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2), we engage the battle against pretense and arrogant philosophy in the world. “For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience” (Romans 15:18). This is the...

To us weak and feeble people, we can find strength in the Lord. This is one of His attributes, and we as His people, therefore, should put our trust in Him, and look to Him in aid (2 Corinthians 12:9).

We see, in addition to this verse, in 2 Corinthians 12:9 that we have no might in ourselves, but “in Him [we] have strength and He ‘increases’ that strength.” (Jamieson, Fausset, Brown).

So as you’re going about your day, remember that in tough and trying times like these, when we feel weak, to put our trust in the Lord. Although our world as we know it has changed, God remains the same (Hebrews 13:8; Malachi 3:6; James 1:17; Psalm 90:2; John 1:1).