“…do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.”

                      -Galatians 1:10

Many Christians today are under the false impression that you can live in this world while pleasing both God and man. And while it’s true that some occasions may arise in which you can do the will of God without being hated, it is impossible to consistently live a godly life without ruffling the feathers of at least a few.

Take the life of David, for example. Today he is admired as a great hero of the faith; yet during his time on earth, it was not at all uncommon for him to spend the night in caves and other makeshift shelters just to avoid being murdered by his enemies. Among these enemies was his own son, Absalom, who tried to usurp his fathers authority (II Samuel), and his predecessor, King Saul, who had massive armies at his disposal with which he sought David’s life. During these times, David was no less than a vagabond, wandering from place to place in search of safety, and rarely finding any.

At any of these times, David could’ve cried “uncle” and saved himself a lot of earthly trouble. He could’ve stepped to the side and allowed Absalom to become king just as easily as he could have told Saul he could have the spotlight again and keep being the terrible king he truly was. In other words, David could have chosen to please men; but the fact was, and often is, that pleasing men would have been displeasing God.

David, though not without his faults, was somebody who had a very good set of priorities. He put first things first, and let everything else take care of itself. Whether hiding in the Israeli wilderness hoping to live through the night, or sitting on the king’s throne enjoying the best that life could offer, he made up his mind that pleasing God would always be at the top of his list. We would do well to make that same decision.

 

In life, it’s very easy to become so consumed with what goes on around us that we forget the importance of “watching our step.” Whether we neglect to pray about crucial decisions, don’t spend enough time reading the Word, or start compromising in areas God has dealt with us about, we can be sure that trouble lies ahead when we begin pushing God to the sidelines of our day-to-day lives.

In Psalm 119:133, David prayed that his steps be ordered according to God’s Word. That is, he wanted every single thing he did to be pleasing to the Lord. So it should be in our lives, that every step we take is not only acceptable in God’s sight, but directed by Him. We don’t  simply want to be in His permissive will, only sliding by and seeing how much we can get away with; we want to be in His perfect will, doing all that He’s called us to do with a pure and holy heart. It is only then – when our steps are ordered by the Lord – that we can run full speed ahead and not stumble. (Proverbs 4:12)

Over the course of a long journey, even one step off the beaten path can result in a person becoming miserably lost in the wilderness. It is no less true that, in our walk with the Lord, making one decision without His guidance could potentially cause a lifetime of hurt and frustration. Taking  the wrong job, attending the wrong college, or marrying the wrong person are all choices that will often irreversibly damage your life. On the other hand, however, ensuring that you are in the Divine Will at all times will yield  innumerable benefits in both this life and the life to come.

 

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.”

                                                            -Psalm 37:23

If we hope to please God in this life, every step we take must be ordered in holiness. In ourself, this is impossible; but through Christ, we are enabled to do the impossible.(Philippians 4:13)

Over the past few years, it seems that Thanksgiving has become almost completely lost in the celebration of Christmas. “Black Friday”, as it’s come to be known, is held by many in higher anticipation than the holiday of Thanksgiving itself. And though I by no means condemn bargain hunting or Black Friday, I find it ironic that a day which represents thankfulness and contentment is followed up by the biggest shopping day of the year, where people often buy things they don’t even need simply because it’s on sale.

The question we need to be asking ourselves, however, is not “Where did Thanksgiving go?” The real question, and the one we should be considering, is this: “Where did thankfulness go?” When did sitting around the table sharing what each person is thankful for get replaced with passing around Black Friday ads and pointing to all the things we’re going to purchase? When did making it to the local Wal-Mart before midnight take precedence over spending quality time with loved ones that are rarely seen? It’s not that standing in line to get a good deal is wrong; it’s about the priorities of the person standing there. A simple analysis of your thought life over the past 24 hours may help you determine your condition: have you spent more time today being grateful for what you do have, or looking forward to what you will have after a day of shopping tomorrow?

Once again, I’m not against Black Friday. To prove that, let me tell you that in about 30 minutes I’m hopping in our car and going bargain hunting with my mom. The point of this post isn’t that you should spend tomorrow counting your blessings while sitting quietly at home; it’s that in the process of transitioning into the Christmas season, we must be careful not to lose sight of what thankfulness really means. No, thankfulness is not being happy that we were able to buy a cartful of electronics that we’ll probably never use. That’s greed. True thankfulness is understanding that even if we’re never blessed with another material possession, or given another spiritual gift, we’ve already been given more than we deserve. And for that, I am truly thankful.

You may have heard that the first Thanksgiving took place way back when the pilgrims first settled in the New World. While this may be partially true, the spirit of Thanksgiving has been around for much longer, extending at least as far back into the realm of history as Psalm 136. 26 times we are reminded of the greatest reason we have to praise God: “for His mercy endureth for ever.” Though we might have a nice family and a nice home, nothing could ever compare to what we have in God.

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Psalm 136

(Read it Slowly!)

“O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever.

O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.

To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever.

To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever.

To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever.

To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever:

The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever:

The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever.

To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever:

And brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth for ever:

With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever.

To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever:

And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth for ever:

But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea: for his mercy endureth for ever.

To him which led his people through the wilderness: for his mercy endureth for ever.

To him which smote great kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:

And slew famous kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:

Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever:

And Og the king of Bashan: for his mercy endureth for ever:

And gave their land for an heritage: for his mercy endureth for ever:

Even an heritage unto Israel his servant: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever:

And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever.

O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever.”

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This weekend I went on a hunting trip several hours north of where I live, and the whole time I was in complete awe of God’s creation. I enjoyed beautiful scenery, gorgeous sunsets, and abundant wildlife. I literally felt surrounded by God the whole time.

Experiences like these always tend to humble a person, because they remind us of the immensity of God. As I sat watching the most beautiful sunset I’ve ever seen, I wasn’t concerned in the least about the trivial things we often get distracted with; I simply soaked in the majesty of my Creator. While I listened to the calls of hundreds upon hundreds of migrating geese, I didn’t care about whether or not I had lots of friends; I was too consumed with the infinite wisdom of our Lord in teaching those geese to fly miles and miles south without the aid of a map or compass and somehow make it to just the right place at just the right time. You see, when we actually take the time to stop and realize the beauty that is all around us, things like pride and selfishness seem to vanish away. After all, who of us has ever made the sun rise?

Perhaps the arrival of the holiday season has you consumed with thoughts of what to cook for Thanksgiving, what to buy relatives for Christmas, and how to make it through December without going bankrupt. Though these thoughts are often unavoidable, could it be that they are distracting you from the true meaning of what we are supposed to be celebrating? Is thankfulness being replaced with greed (“Give me bargains!”), and worship with complaining (“I can’t wait until Christmas is over!”)? If so, let us be reminded of the greatness of our God, and refocus our attention on Him. As Paul said, “…let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” (Hebrews 12:1)

NOTE: The below devotion is based on 1 Kings chapter 20. I didn't cite individual references throughout the text as usual, but instead I encourage you to read the entire chapter. It's a great story with a great meaning.

“…Thus saith the LORD, Because the Syrians have said, The LORD is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into thine hand, and ye shall know that I am the LORD.”

                                                               -1 Kings 20:28

During the reign of King Ahab, the nation of Israel came under great attack from Ben-Hadad, the king of Syria. His goal was to rob them of anything valuable, whether it was silver, gold, or even their wives and children. He wanted it all, and was willing to do whatever was necessary to obtain it.

At first, Ahab seemed surprisingly submissive. Not at all known for his valor or good character, we have no record that he even prayed about what to do. He simply told them they could have it, and nearly gave up without a fight. Obviously no less outraged than we would be if our government told a foreign nation to come and take everything we own, the Israelites began to cry out for armed resistance. From their perspective, dying in battle was better than living in shame.

Apparently the pleas of the people were too much for Ahab to ignore, and so He gathered together an army of about 7,000 and went to war instead. With God on their side, they easily defeated their adversaries without the slightest trouble. Yet instead of realizing their fate, Ben-Hadad’s servants came and told him,”…Their gods are gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.” (v. 23)

God’s response in verse 28 (top of the page) was fulfilled, and Israel triumphed over their Assyrian enemies despite the valley they had to go through in order to win. On that day, God proved once and for all that He is not only the God of the mountains, but also God of the valleys.

Like Ben-Hadad, the devil wants to rob you. He wants to steal your joy, your peace, and your salvation – no matter the cost. With this in mind, he gathers together his host of demons and goes to war against the Christian expecting easy victory.

Perhaps his first attempt is unsuccessful. The zeal in your heart is too much for him to conquer, and so he gives up after only a short time and waits until later to strike again. He tells himself that the only reason you won is because you were on a mountain. He reasons further that once you come down into the valley, where it’s dark and lonely, you won’t stand a chance. On this note, he patiently waits for your descent when he will attack again, with even more ferocity than at the first.

The lesson God has for us in these Scriptures is twofold. (1) Valleys are inevitable, and (2) when we get there, we’re going to have to fight some serious battles. But let us remember that the same God who gave His people victory in the midst of unfavorable odds and bleak circumstances, is the very same God Who will be with us through our valleys just as He has been with us on the mountaintops. His grace reaches to the highest mountain, and it flows to the lowest valley. He will never leave us nor forsake us.

The majority of us have probably been in or around church most of our life. We’ve heard the stories dozens of times, and maybe even told them ourselves. We know the lingo, can quote the verses, and “believe it all with our whole heart”. But sometimes, I’ve noticed a personal tendency to become so used to hearing the same messages and praying the same prayers that I forget the reality of what I’m claiming to believe in.

For example, if you’re anything like me, you’ve heard about the return of Christ since you were very young. Even if you didn’t always believe in it, you’ve probably seen your fair share of church signs proclaiming “Jesus is coming soon!” along the highway. Whether it encouraged you, or just caused you to drive a little bit faster, we’ve all been there.

The problem we often face, however, is that this often causes us to forget the truth of these messages. If we’re not careful, heaven can be reduced to a lyric in a song, and the second coming of Christ to a message worn on a t-shirt. No, it’s not wrong to wear the t-shirts and post the signs; it’s simply our neglect to continue taking it seriously that creates the problem.

The dangerous thing is that Christ’s return is something we can’t afford to forget about, for the Lord said in Matthew 24:44, “…in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” Amazingly enough, I’ve found that it is in fact possible to forget about the rapture even if you sing about it every week in church! Nobody is exempt from this.

Whoever you are, let us never forget the reality of these things we hold to be true. It’s easier than we might imagine.

Yesterday morning, A Look at Life from a Deerstand had its very first Blogoversary. For a year now, I’ve been sharing my thoughts about the Word of God, and I must say that I’ve been surprised at the response. Since November of ‘09, I’ve had visits from Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Russia, South Korea, Sweden, Australia, Pakistan, Argentina, Germany, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Switzerland, Nigeria, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Singapore, Spain, India, Japan,  the Dominican Republic, and 43 of the United States. Thank you!

52 weeks and 38 followers into this, I must say that I’ve been blessed. Your faithful comments are so encouraging, and I’ve been continually amazed to see how God has used this site to encourage, uplift, and convict, not only the readers, but me as well. I’m in awe of how God has been able to take a little piece of cyberspace and turn it into something far more than I ever imagined it to be.

While I don’t know what the future holds, I’m anticipating another great year of posting and I hope you’ll continue to be a part of it. Thanks for reading!

“How much better is it to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver!”

               -Proverbs 16:16

My Bible reading this week  has found me in the book of I Kings reading the story of Solomon. Of course, with him being the wisest man who ever lived (1 Kings 3:12), it’s difficult to read his story without giving careful consideration to the concept of wisdom and how we as Christians should continually be seeking after it (Colossians 1:9). Questions like, “What is wisdom?”, “How do I get it?”, and “Why is it important?” are all bound to float through our mind at some point during our life, and no person better answered these questions than Solomon.

Solomon’s life taught us many things, including the fact that wisdom and knowledge are two completely different things. Growing up surrounded by the royalties of ancient Israel no doubt left him with a great amount of knowledge concerning laws, customs, and a multitude of other things. Nevertheless, when God gave him the opportunity to ask for anything his heart desired, his wish was not for riches or fame; rather, he desired wisdom: the ability to apply his knowledge properly. (2 Chronicles 1:7-12).

Though knowledge is often mistaken for wisdom, I’ve known many intelligent people who, quite simply, were not wise. They could tell me random facts about how the universe operates and the intricate facets of advanced math and science, but when it came to things of eternal importance they didn’t have a clue. That might sound a bit rude, but the truth of the matter is that an abundance of knowledge doesn’t necessarily indicate wisdom. On the other hand, however, wisdom is unattainable without knowledge. Wisdom to apply the Word of God is impossible without a knowledge of the Scripture itself, just as a pilot must know what all the different buttons and meters on a plane do before being able to maneuver it skillfully through a  thunderstorm or land it smoothly on a strip of pavement.

Wisdom will never be spotted apart from knowledge, but all to often we find knowledge alone and without its counterpart. For every ounce of knowledge, we should have an equal amount of wisdom to go along with it. It is then, and only then, that we will be able to please God to our fullest potential.

 

When God does something, He does it right. When He created the universe, He didn’t just throw a few planets into space and hope that everything turned out alright, but instead took great care in ensuring that everything came together in perfect order. Even when He created me and you, He made certain that everything was just the way He wanted it. No job was left undone.

You see, God is a perfectionist (Matthew 5:48), and perfection is therefore His standard. Even Earth itself was created in perfect condition. I would imagine that prior to the fall of mankind, flowers were always in bloom, birds were always singing, and Adam and Eve always smiling. God’s standard of perfection was met in every aspect of Creation, and nothing ever went wrong. But we all know that this didn’t last, and mankind eventually became what it is today: greedy, selfish, and hateful.

Nevertheless, God’s standard remains the same. Perfection has always been His standard, and will continue to be. This means that He isn’t satisfied with lukewarm Christian’s, or half-hearted saints. He wants full devotion and absolute dedication so that He can complete the work He has begun in you, carrying it out to completion (Philippians 1:6). He wants to perfect each of us(Matthew 5:48)!

When serving God, don’t hold anything back. When He returns, He is coming back for a people “…not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing.” (Ephesians 5:27) His standard of perfection will be fully met, and if we hold back we’re going to miss out.

As a final thought, let us remember the words of Christ in Matthew 24:42-44

“Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.”