zach pippin

This post goes out especially to my fellow B90Xers. Diana, Marcus, Charity, Bryn, Michael, Kevin, and others.

I spend a lot of time driving. I started thinking this weekend, “I wish I could be doing my B90X reading  during that time, it would be much more productive than just listening to music.” Then I remembered Pastor Steven Furtick talking about listening to an audio version of the Bible for part of his B90X.So I found that app, downloaded it to my beloved iPod Touch, and was able to use it for the first time tonight during the 3-4 hours that I was driving.

There are a few drawbacks to this app. I would only recommend listening to the Bible if that’s the only way you can get it at a certain time. It’s much slower than reading, so it’s not going to save you any time back home. It’s also harder to go back if you missed something. Also, the app I found only had the King James Version,  not my first choice, but it’ll do. Overall, however, I give the app a thumbs up for transforming an otherwise unproductive time of sitting in the car into a Scripture “reading” experience.

Proverbs 25:20 Singing cheerful songs to a person with a heavy heart is like taking someone’s coat in cold weather or pouring vinegar in a wound.

I used to have a tendency to try and cheer up people whenever they were down. That could come in the form of trying to be optimistic, make them laugh, or just put their mind off of their troubles. Even though it usually didn’t work I continued for some reason. I read this Proverb several months ago, and realized that maybe I shouldn’t always do that. It came up the other day in my #B90X reading, so I decided to share it with yall.

Sometimes we need to let a friend be sad. The best way we can help might be a word of wisdom, a shoulder on which to cry, or just silent presence.  We can’t fix everything with a laugh or a song.

2 Chronicles 25:1-2

Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. And he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, yet not with a whole heart.

Amaziah starts off as a good king.  He does what’s right and even succeeds in battle, but he falls into idol worship and throws everything down the drain. It all started because he did not do what was right with his whole heart.

I think that passage, along with many others, speaks for its self. God reminds us over and over in the scriptures that He wants our whole heart. I wear a necklace almost 24/7 that says passion. It’s a daily reminder to me to do God’s work, and do it with passion. When we lose that passion, when we’re not doing God’s will with our whole heart, then we’re doomed to fail like Amaziah.

Don’t lose your passion. Find what God wants you to do and do it with all your heart, mind, and strength.

1 Kings 22:8

And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the LORD, Micaiah the son of Imlah, but I hate him, for he never prophesies good concerning me, but evil.”

In the rest of this passage King Ahab surrounds himself with people that will tell him what he wanted to hear. He wanted to hear that the LORD was going to bless him with victory. That’s exactly what he heard from the advisors, except one. Micaiah. Ahab became angry when Micaiah prophesied his demise saying “Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?” Ahab ignored this warning, went into battle, and was killed.

Let this be a lesson to us. Don’t just surround yourself with “yes men” when you seek counsel. It could have saved Ahab’s life, and you never know what effect it could have on yours.

Earlier this year I needed some help making a decision. I talked to some people that I knew would probably tell me what I wanted to hear. Then, after some struggling, I figured I’d probably be happier in the end if I got an opinion from an expected naysayer. I had decided that I would follow what this person said whether I liked it or not at the time. To my surprise, this individual also confirmed my thoughts, and helped me make what I believe was the right decision.

More recently a similar incident came up, and when I asked another person’s thoughts he advised me not to do what I was planning. I listened, and have received a ton of affirmation that I was right in listening to this advice.

Now, I’ve taken it for granted that you should seek advice and wisdom from others. Please do that if you don’t already. Even the wisest man ever (Solomon) knew enough to know that he didn’t know everything. Let this story be a reminder though to not shelter ourselves from criticism. Please keep some people around that will tell you no. It can be very helpful sometimes.

PS

For another good story about the importance of getting advice and the dangers of “yes men” read about Rehoboam in 1 Kings 12

From Judges 3

And Ehud said, “I have a message from God for you.” And he arose from his seat. And Ehud reached with his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into his belly. And the hilt also went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not pull the sword out of his belly; and the dung came out. Then Ehud went out into the porch and closed the doors of the roof chamber behind him and locked them.

Background: Ehud was a judge of Israel. He led them out of captivity by killing King Eglon of the Moabites in this graphic scene. He was able to do so because he was left-handed. The king’s guards would check the left hip of people coming into the chambers, which is where most (right-handed) people kept their weapons.After deceiving the guards and gaining the king’s trust. He delivered his secret message, a swift thrust to the gut!

Over the years we lefties (yes I’m one of them if you didn’t know) have had to endure many hardships. The Greek for left, sinister, has come to mean evil. The devil is left handed. All sorts of nonsense. My grandfather was punished in school for writing with his left hand, and forced to be a righty.

Fortunately, today we have grown into acceptance, not that ours was ever a great civil rights issue. But I believe we can learn a lesson from Ehud. God can use things that man sees as hindrances or defects for good. A righty would have been captured by the guards, but God used Ehud because he was a lefty, he was sinister. Learn to accept what makes you different: height, weight, skin color, IQ. God made you that way for a reason. You never know how He’ll use you.

Numbers 25:10-11
And the LORD said to Moses, “Phinehas the son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, has turned back my wrath from the people of Israel, in that he was jealous with my jealousy among them, so that I did not consume the people of Israel in my jealousy.”

Everyone knows the story of  Noah. He was the one righteous man during his day. Because of this he, and consequently the whole human race, was spared. Phinehas is a lesser know Biblical figure. But he was also one man that made a huge difference. Because of Phinehas’ actions God spared the entire nation of Israel. Had it not been for him this text suggests that God would have destroyed the people.

Let this be a reminder to us to have integrity. Integrity has been defined as doing what is right when nobody is watching. I believe it is also doing what’s right when everyone is watching, but not doing right themselves.Often times when this is the case they seek to pull you down to their level.

To those of you who may feel like a lone soul striving to obey God in the midst of people trying to get you to do the opposite, do not be dismayed. Keep it up. God is watching, and you never know how He might use you if you have the willingness to serve Him.

In Numbers 13 Moses sent 12 spies into the land of Canaan. They came back with mixed reviews. The land was just as God had promised. Flowing with milk and honey, and huge grapes, etc. On the downside the cities were well fortified, and the people were giants.

Caleb was not phased by it.  He said “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.” Sadly only Joshua was with him. The other eleven spies said,  “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.” The people of Israel then spent the next 40 years wandering around the wilderness.

How much time do we waste because we don’t believe we are able to do something. Are we wandering around a wilderness because we’re afraid of fighting a few giants? Are you in a job you hate because you’re not willing to give up the security of that steady paycheck and go do something amazing for God?

I’m going to graduate in December. I don’t have a job lined up. More than likely I won’t be using my major, at least not in the way I had envisioned it 4 years ago. I’m not afraid, though; I’m excited.  I decided a long time ago to have faith that God would provide, and show me what to do when that time came. Now I’m starting to see that I will not have a problem finding a job, God is putting so many opportunities in my life that I’ll be having to pray and make sure I make the wisest choice.

If it is something that God has told us to do, then we are more than able to do it because He has our backs. Do not be afraid. Even though the goings may be tough, though there may be giants that stand in your way do not give up. Be bold and confident like Caleb.