TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 23:1-39
Their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men. - Isaiah 29:13
TODAY IN THE WORD
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is a governing body formed in the 1990s by the world's most prominent and influential providers of Internet content. Their goal was to regulate the format of online material in order to be accessible by anyone on any brand of computer or software. Anyone publishing on the Internet is supposed to consult them as a standard. But a 2002 survey showed fewer than 5 percent of W3C members actually adhered to their own criteria!

The Pharisees had the same “Do as I say, not as I do” philosophy, only their failures were far more destructive than a computer problem. They moved their trust from God to their own superior obedience. Jesus dedicated one sentence to mentioning their authority, and then He unleashed a long list of accusations, denouncements, and judgments against the corrupt religious leaders.

For anyone with a passing knowledge of the Bible, the sins of the Pharisees are well known. They publicized their good deeds and exaggerated their righteousness. They abused their authority and did nothing to encourage others. They paid a great deal of attention to the tiniest details of obedience, but they completely overlooked the big picture. Jesus called them hypocrites, because their outward displays of mock righteousness covered up their inner wickedness. At the center of their ungodliness lies a topic that has become a familiar theme in our study of biblical bad boys: selfishness.

The Pharisees' selfishness meant that they put themselves in the place of God. They went beyond merely studying the Law and began writing it, today's verse prophesied. And verses 16 through 22 show their skewed perspectives on oaths: they gave more credence to the things provided by men than the objects that represented God. The deeper problem was that they didn't truly revere God Himself. They simply refused to accept the truth and submit to a higher authority than themselves.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Someone once said, “There is a Pharisee in all of us,” a sad truth about a weakness we all share. As we draw comfort from Christ, it's easy to get too comfortable in our positions of privilege. As we have seen and will continue to revisit, humility is the perfect antidote for self-centeredness. Humbly approach the throne of grace today and worship Christ as Lord. Ask Him for forgiveness for your sins and the grace to forgive others, encouraging them to follow Christ.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Matthew 26:1-50
He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief. - John 12:6
TODAY IN THE WORD
The intentions of the human heart can be complex and misleading, and William Shakespeare depicted that mystery in the character of Hamlet. Shakespeare's signature play is one of the most debated and discussed works of literature in all of history. Thousands of essays have been written by scholars all over the world about Hamlet's true motives, why he acted (or failed to act) the way he did. Even in a fictional character, the reasoning of a person can be impossible to distinguish.

That complexity makes Judas Iscariot a character who invites speculation. Many things might have motivated him, but through the Gospels, God presents one clear motive that drove Judas—greed.

The action in today's passage switches abruptly from scene to scene. It starts at Jesus' prediction of His betrayal and crucifixion, and then jumps to the court of Caiaphas where those treacherous acts were being plotted. Next, the scene cuts to Bethany for what should have been a tender moment of worship. Instead the disciples scolded the woman's sacrifice. The Gospel of John singles out Judas and his thieving greed as the one most offended by the so-called waste of perfume (12:4-6).

As we leave the scene of the anointing (where Judas disguised his greed with righteous indignation), Matthew takes us to the first step toward the ultimate act of treachery. It's hard to fathom how someone Jesus called “friend” could trade that relationship, along with the very life of the Son of God, in exchange for some silver. We know from John's account that the Devil was involved as well (13:2), but the seed of evil was already deeply rooted in Judas.

In the final analysis, Judas's motivations weren't at all complex or fascinating but straightforward and saddening. The disciples as a group failed Jesus, despite their arguments to the contrary. The truth of the matter is that we all, even those closest to Him, desperately need Jesus.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Judas holds a unique place in human history because of the enormous consequence of his betrayal, but his traits are imitated by many. Search your heart today: are you disguising your sinful attitudes with delusions of righteousness? Perhaps you're labeling unkindness as justice. Or you could be excusing stinginess with a desire for simplicity. The Holy Spirit will convict you of any deceit in your heart—when He does, take hold of the freedom He offers by openly and honestly confessing your sin to Him.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Genesis 3:1-24
Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men. - Romans 5:12
TODAY IN THE WORD
In August 2007, the Australian government spent $89 million developing an Internet filter for parents to install that would prevent their children from viewing objectionable content online. Just a few days later, a teenager developed a code to bypass the filter. It took a single boy about a half an hour to virtually destroy what the government had planned for millions of homes.

Creating something meaningful requires intellect, design, and power—ruining it comes effortlessly. Today, we shift our focus from the perpetual bad boys—known for a lifestyle of sin and rebellion—to those individuals who achieved notoriety because of a single crucial mistake. Adam and Eve defined the category of destructive decisions. Their choice to disobey the one rule of the Garden of Eden brought sin and death upon all humanity.

On the surface, the downfall began with Eve's misunderstanding of God's Word (compare 2:17; 3:3). While this is an instructive lesson for us, looking deeper at Adam and Eve's decision reveals another principle. Judging by their actions, they lacked spiritual maturity, but their basic human desires were fully developed.

The more Eve looked at the fruit, the more her desires were stirred within her, both for the immediate pleasure of eating it and the desire to be like God. Being more like God wasn't inherently evil; the wickedness came in the approach that Adam and Eve chose. They disobeyed a direct command, they made a foolish choice on the advice of an animal, and they relied entirely on their own actions instead of asking God for help. That is the formula for making an ungodly mistake.

Adam's role in the sin is particularly troubling because, as Paul would later assert, Adam wasn't deceived at all (1 Tim. 2:14). He understood what God said, what the tree was, and what the consequences of his actions would be . . . and he did it anyway.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The bottom-line lesson to glean from Adam's sin is that humans need help. On our own, we who are made in the image of God still fall short of the glory of God. To obey, we need to remember His rules. To avoid foolish choices, we need His wisdom. And to be like Him, we need His personal and direct help. He speaks to us through His Word. He showed us the truth through His Son. And He helps us and indwells us through the Holy Spirit. Don't ignore His help!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Genesis 19:1-29
The men of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord. - Genesis 13:13
TODAY IN THE WORD
The three rules of real estate are location, location, location. Factors like the strength of the school system, the quality of the water, the level of crime, the overall feel of the neighborhood, and the values of surrounding properties all contribute to the full assessment of a location. And if any of those details are unsatisfactory, it's difficult to change them after you've made your choice.

When Lot made the infamous decision to settle in Sodom (see Genesis 13), he failed to factor in all the elements of a quality location from God's perspective, and he paid the consequences in today's reading. Actually, he had met trouble in Sodom before, when the city was conquered by foreign kings, only to be rescued by Abraham's heroics (Genesis 14). But Lot was insistent on his choice of residence, and his stubbornness was most pronounced on the eve of the city's destruction. His decision to live there and his unyielding commitment to stay secure a place for Lot on our list of bad-boy decision makers.

It didn't take long for the angels who came to Sodom to see firsthand the wickedness of the city. And Lot showed he was both offended by the immorality of the men of Sodom (v. 4) and conflicted by his desire to remain at peace with them. He used his own daughters as a bargaining chip for compromise (v. 5). Lot must have done an incredible amount of rationalization to remain so attached to a place that was so obviously and hopelessly corrupt.

Leaving proved difficult for everyone in Lot's family. He couldn't convince his daughters' fiancés of the gravity of the situation (v. 14), he hesitated to leave at all when destruction was imminent (v. 16), he was still negotiating his next real estate move on his way out the door (v. 20), and his wife made the most destructive decision of all by turning back to look on a city that didn't deserve a second glance (v. 26).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The things of this world have no eternal value, but we base many of our decisions on our material desires. If you want a litmus test for revealing an improper dependence on worldly things, moral compromise is a prime indicator. If you find yourself rationalizing away the convictions of the Holy Spirit, postpone whatever decision you're about to make and isolate the worldly object or ideal that is causing the conflict, be it riches, power, or pleasure. Now make the decision to pursue God instead.

[Soldier4Christ]

TODAY IN THE WORD
Ted Turner and Time Warner thought they were getting stronger when they merged with AOL and yielded control to the Internet giant, but at least one of their competitors saw it as a sacrifice of the future of the company. Media mogul Rupert Murdoch said Time Warner “gave away their company for a mess of porridge, and they've got to live with that forever.” Not long after the merger, the dot-com bubble burst, and Murdoch's words proved prophetic.

Any combination of overvaluing what you don't have and under-appreciating what you're giving away will result in a bad deal. Esau joins the list of bad boys for his costly gut decision to trade his birthright for a bowl of stew, obviously a poor choice. The motivation behind his actions is a universal drive just as prevalent today, even among believers.

Esau had his character flaws; overthinking the situation was not one of them. Giving away his birthright hadn't crossed his mind before encountering Jacob. In fact, before coming inside from hunting, Esau had done nothing wrong. There was no spiritual lapse, no mental breakdown leading up to Esau's sin. He hunted, he got hungry, and he was looking for something to eat. Jacob seized the opportunity of Esau's weakness and proposed a deal that, had Esau thought about at all, he never would have accepted. The problem came in just one critical moment—Esau didn't think at all, allowing his immediate physical need to direct a decision that would affect the rest of his life and all of his descendants. He gave up his inheritance because he was hungry. Thoughts never entered the equation, as evidenced by Esau's reaction after losing out on his birthright: after he satisfied his hunger, Esau just “got up and left” (v. 34). The full weight of what he gave up didn't register with him at all.

Unfortunately for Esau, his thoughtlessness was not a momentary lapse; it was a way of life. He disregarded his birthright because it held value only in the future. Esau's concern was for the moment.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Philosophies such as “live for the moment” and “live every moment as though it were your last” may sound appealing, but they put a foolish stress on immediate satisfaction with little regard for the long-term implications of our actions. Living for the moment causes us to make decisions based on physical urges. If you want to make better decisions, change your desires—ask God to give you a hunger for righteousness, and you'll base your decisions on eternal rewards.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Genesis 37:1-36
Do not hate your brother in your heart. - Leviticus 19:17
TODAY IN THE WORD
A 2002 study at Texas Tech University examined the development of jealousy in children. Infants as young as six months became visibly upset when seeing their mothers hold and caress a baby doll. Reactions ranged from mild disturbance to intense sadness or anger. The mothers would immediately set aside the dolls to comfort their children, but those brief reactions showed that jealousy for a parent's affection may begin very early in a child's life.

As life goes on, the propensity for jealousy grows stronger and stronger. Jacob's lavish affection toward his favorite son was a disservice to Joseph—his brothers hated him for it. Hearing Joseph's dreams of being bowed down to provoked their hatred into action. On the day they plotted to kill him, the mere sight of him approaching (arrayed in his robe and not helping them work) was enough to trigger their wrath (v. 18). They wanted to prove that his dreams were nothing but proud nonsense, when in fact they were prophetic (v. 20). Their jealous rage completely clouded their perception. Looking back at when Joseph told his family about his dream, even Jacob rebuked him—but he still considered the possibility that the dream was true (v. 11). His brothers, on the other hand, did more hating than thinking. Because they hated their brother so strongly, there was a fundamental disconnect between their hearts and the truth.

Only Reuben was sensible enough to consider retaining Joseph as a member of the family. And only Judah was rational enough to try to profit from the situation. The remaining brothers were convinced, but they were oblivious to the pain they would cause their father (or the divinely guided journey on which their brother would be embarking). Jealousy has a way of blinding people to the consequences of terrible decisions.

So Joseph was sold to a caravan of what were most likely his distant cousins, the grandchildren of their great-uncle Ishmael. Ironically, Joseph's great-grandmother's jealousy had cast Ishmael away from the family so long before.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Jealousy is an irrational emotion that separates us from the truth. It is a sort of anti-desire. We see someone enjoying someone or something, and we want that person not to have it—we feel the urge to make the truth untrue. As Joseph's bad-boy brothers showed, that can lead to hatred, which can lead to very costly decisions. To override jealousy, we need to inject truth into our hearts. Memorize a passage about love (1 Cor. 13:4-8) and recall it whenever jealousy strikes.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Joshua 7:1-26
But sin . . . produced in me every kind of covetous desire. - Romans 7:8
TODAY IN THE WORD
In 1954, President Eisenhower gave voice to a pivotal part of U.S. foreign policy known as the “falling domino” principle. The concern was that if even a small country or remote island came under communist influence or Soviet rule, the spread of communism would continue, one country at a time, across the world like a string of falling tiles. The theory gave America incentive for involvement in altercations far from home, because the government believed no incident could be considered truly isolated.

That's the way today's reading directs us to view sin. There is no such thing as isolated disobedience. When Achan disobeyed God's command about people and items He claimed for Himself, that personal infraction had effects nationwide. It begins from the very first words of the first verse: “The Israelites acted unfaithfully.” One man's sin classified them all as unfaithful. And the Lord's anger didn't burn against Achan, it burned against all of Israel. Achan was the bad boy, but Israel bore the consequences as well.

The sin was so simple. He saw the valuables, he wanted them, and he took them (v. 21). He didn't misunderstand the rules. He knew what he did was wrong, and he hid everything in his tent.

We have seen that progression of behavior before: first a desire, then disobedience, and finally concealment. Adam and Eve did it. Cain did it. And now Achan. But in all these cases, the progression eventually led to death, discovery, and judgment.

Thirty-six soldiers died because of Achan's greed. It crippled the courage of Israel (v. 5). And just as God dealt His wrath to the people as a whole, He exposed the sin to everyone. After humiliating his family and his tribe, Achan confessed his sin. But he was not excused from punishment. He, his sons and daughters, and all his livestock were publicly stoned to death for his crime. All of those devastating consequences sprouted from a tiny seed of desire for something that was not his.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Greed manifests itself very early in life, as we can see in a small child clinging to a toy and yelling, “Mine!” Commit yourself to conquer greed by doing the opposite. When covetousness pops up in an advertisement or drives by in a convertible, tell yourself, “Not mine!” Then let go of the desire in your heart. You'll find it much easier to seek God's will and obey His commands when you stop longing for the things that your eyes and your flesh desire.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Judges 11:23-40
And the fool multiplies words. No one knows what is coming-who can tell him what will happen after him? - Ecclesiastes 10:14
TODAY IN THE WORD
The subprime mortgage crisis has hurt many people. In 2007, 1.3 million homes were subject to foreclosure, combining for a total of almost $300 billion in default payments. The customers, their lending agencies, and the investors in those markets all relied too heavily on the unknown—the cost of their commitment proved greater than they expected.

It's unwise to commit too much on unknown information. Jephthah earned his spot on the bad boy roster by doing just that. He was obedient in many ways, but he was frivolous with his worship. One moment of thoughtlessness cut off any hope he might have had for descendants.

Jephthah was a man of faith (Heb. 11:32). He showed valiant leadership, strong commitment, and an obedient heart. Even his key mistake had a spirit of generosity. After he found his daughter declared a sacrifice, Jephthah's integrity called him to follow through on the vow he wished he could take back (v. 39). So what was his mistake?

First of all, Jephthah's promise of a sacrifice was a completely unnecessary bargain with God. The Lord didn't need added incentive to give His people victory. Jephthah took attention away from God's deliverance by attempting to add to it with overzealous vow.

Secondly, by invoking a random sacrifice, Jephthah imposed his own guidelines on the sacrificial system, and he took the meaning out of the sacrifice itself. What symbolism is there in giving “whatever” to God?

And finally, the fact that Jephthah was willing to sacrifice his own daughter shows that he may have considered the possibility of human sacrifice from the beginning. Even if he hadn't thought his vow would lead to something so barbaric, he certainly left his vow vague enough to allow for a sacrifice that clearly didn't meet God's prescribed rules. Jephthah's is a tragic case of outstanding faith being tainted by a limited knowledge of God's commands.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Judges 16:4-31
Know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord will hear when I call to him. - Psalm 4:3
TODAY IN THE WORD
Dave Kingman wasn't the life of the clubhouse on any of the seven Major League Baseball teams for which he played. He wasn't well liked by reporters. He couldn't make it as a pitcher. His defense was weak. He wasn't fast. He struck out more frequently than almost anyone, and his batting average was miniscule. But when Dave Kingman stood at home plate, everyone in the stadium stopped and gawked. Because when he hit the ball, he crushed jaw-dropping home runs.

As godly character goes, Samson didn't have a lot going for him. He wasn't moral. He was vengeful. He was dishonest. Most Bible translations refer to him as a Nazirite, but the story of his birth indicates his parents may not have known what that was (cf. 13:8-14). He eventually violated all of the terms of the Nazirite vow. He was supernaturally strong, but that's not a character trait. His biggest strength was one he possessed since he was in the womb. For when an angel foretold Samson's birth, he gave one specific instruction regarding Samson: his hair was to go uncut, for Samson would be set apart unto God (13:5). That was the essential meaning of the term Nazirite, and the primary positive characteristic of Samson. He was set apart for life, and his hair was the mark of his purpose.

When Samson toyed with Delilah about the true source of his strength, he wasn't respectful towards her, and he was also being disturbingly flippant toward his relationship to God. Every time, Delilah explicitly followed Samson's instructions for humiliation, so he should have seen her betrayal coming one last time. He may as well have cut his own hair and given himself over to the Philistines. In effect, he threw away the only thing about him that identified him as belonging to the Lord. It wasn't just a haircut; Samson was set apart no longer, and his strength was gone. With one final cry for help to God, Samson gained the power to avenge the captors who blinded him, but he died with his enemies, not apart from them.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Like Samson, we have little to boast of, outside of the fact that God has set us apart from the world (Gal. 6:14). And we, like Samson, often fail to honor the special relationship we enjoy with God; instead we flaunt our freedom and abuse His grace. For us, the Spirit sets us apart, so honor the Spirit in your life right now. Yield to His control, and the world will notice a difference in you, and you will receive strength that comes only from Him (Eph. 3:16).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Samuel 3:1-21
The Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in. - Proverbs 3:12
TODAY IN THE WORD
Criminal negligence is an act of omission in which a person fails to foresee the consequences of a situation and then fails to take reasonable action to prevent harm from taking place. An individual convicted of negligence is considered dangerous to society because he or she doesn't have the sense to protect others from avoidable suffering or loss.

In God's judgment, Eli was found guilty of negligence as a priest and as a father. As we studied earlier in the month from 1 Samuel 2, Eli's sons committed multiple despicable sins against God. They abused their office as priests and showed contempt for the Lord and those who worshiped Him. If we removed his sons from the equation, Eli would appear to have been a humble man of God with a heart for serving Him. But taking the full picture into account, Eli was a failure. A parent can't be held accountable for all the sins of their children, but Eli let their sin go completely unchecked, even allowing them to keep their positions of service.

One item in question is just how much Eli knew about his sons' behavior. Chapter 2 indicates that Eli was very old when he finally learned of everything they had done (2:22), but today's reading implies he had knowledge of their sin (v. 13). It's likely that he knew they were sinning but turned a blind eye to the full extent of their misdeeds. Then, when rumors of all they had done finally reached his ears, it was much too late to do anything about it.

Eli's sin is another instance of a failure to embrace the truth. But unlike jealousy (which leads to wrath against another person) and pride (which results in self-service and self-promotion), Eli's sin brought about no action at all. The judgment against his family effectively ended his service for the Lord, and pointed to the beginning of a new priestly ministry through Samuel. Eli's reaction of resignation is sad, for it reaffirms that Eli had a good heart—he just lacked a backbone.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Do you have the courage to stand up to sin when the offending party is someone you love? Don't wait for things to work out on their own. Sin doesn't dissipate; it festers and grows. Address your friend or loved one before the sin takes hold even deeper. But before you do, ask God to show you where you are guilty, and be sensitive toward anything you may have done to contribute negatively to the situation. If you're seeking growth and change, humility is vital.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 2 Samuel 6:1-8
Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere him. - Psalm 33:8
TODAY IN THE WORD
Daredevil Charles G. Stephens was one of many to attempt to survive a barrel ride over Niagara Falls, but his technique was probably the most interesting—and disastrous. He put an anvil in the barrel with him for ballast. In the end, the anvil served only to speed up his demise.

Stephens was a victim of a bad plan to challenge an immense power, so his only claim to fame was the way he died. Uzzah fits into that same barrel, except the force that struck Uzzah dead would make Niagara Falls look like a leaky faucet.

The Ark of the Covenant was viewed as the presence of the glory of God (1 Sam. 4:22). It had become the seat of His earthly throne (v. 2). God had very specific instructions about how this precious representation of His holiness and power were to be handled and by whom. The High Priest and his sons were to cover all the holy furnishings of God's holy sanctuary, including the Ark of the Covenant (Num. 4:15). The Kohathites, a specific clan within the priestly tribe of Levi, were to carry these items, but they weren't allowed to touch them or even watch them being covered, or they would die (Num. 4:20). To avoid touching it, the Kohathites carried the Ark on their shoulders using poles that ran through rings on either side (Ex. 25:14-15, Num. 7:9). These strict regulations showed reverence for the Ark and the Lord of the covenant, and bearing it on human shoulders demonstrated respect.

David and his men put the Ark on a cart as if the throne of God were nothing but cargo, a lucky charm they had to lug around. That wasn't necessarily Uzzah's fault, but he shared in the prevailing attitude of disrespect as he guided the Ark. When the cart became unstable, Uzzah tried to protect the Ark from harm, but there was nothing to protect him from the wrath of God. His sin was irreverence or negligence. Even as the people in the convoy were celebrating in worship, they stood in violation punishable by death.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
There are no specific objects in the church today comparable with the grandeur of the Ark of the Covenant. But when God's people come together to worship, we're paying tribute to the very same Lord who was enthroned between the cherubim. When we do so, we should be humble and reverent. Whether you shout and clap to praise Him or quietly bow your head, may your heart tremble in awe of Him. Treat His worship, not as a casual token ritual, but as sacred time in the presence of the King.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Kings 11:1-13
Commit yourselves to the Lord and serve him only. - 1 Samuel 7:3
TODAY IN THE WORD
In one of his most well-known books, famed psychologist Dr. Robert J. Stenberg took a unique approach to the study of the human intellect. The subjects that he and his colleagues studied were among the smartest people throughout modern history. But the focus of their study was not the mental composition that gave these great minds their genius—instead, they explored their most foolish mistakes. The book is aptly titled, Why Smart People Can Be So Stupid.

Solomon's departure from God is one of the great mysteries of the Bible. He was the wisest king of all time, and his wisdom came as the blessing of God. Many of the proverbs he wrote directly condemn his foolish decision to multiply his wives and his gods. It is a paradox that Solomon lands on our list as one of the Bible's bad boys, because he was in all other ways a great man.

So what was the temptation for Solomon? Why go astray? The marriages could have been the consummation of treaties with other nations. They may have paved the way for introducing academics and industry developed by other cultures. But for Solomon, the principle attraction was to the women themselves (vv. 1-2).

In that sense, Solomon presents a strong case for just how weak humanity really is. He was the richest, most powerful, wisest person in the entire world. But in his romantic relationships—all one thousand of them—he wasn't the influential one. He made accommodations for their gods in every case (v. 8 )! An interesting fact here is that the text makes a very direct connection between the human heart's affection for other people and its devotion toward God. Solomon could not separate his feelings for other women from his spiritual convictions.

Unfortunately, if there was any trait that Solomon passed on to his descendants and the rulers of both branches of the kingdom divided due to his sin, it was his propensity to stray from the one true God.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
If the wisest man in the world can be swayed by the impulses of his heart and the desires of his eyes, we all should be very afraid. It is crucial to guard your heart. If you “fall in love” with a person or a philosophy in a way that contradicts your love for God, you will be greatly tempted to follow a path away from the Lord. Don't believe the lie that you have no control over the desires of your heart. Don't let your mind and your emotions dwell on worldly attractions.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Acts 4:32-5:11
No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. - Acts 4:32
TODAY IN THE WORD
Politician Huey Long of Louisiana was once advised in his campaign to appeal both to Roman Catholics and to Baptists. So Long told the crowds how every Sunday morning he'd hitch the family horse to a buggy and drive one set of grandparents to Mass and the other grandparents to church. After Long's speech, his advisor expressed his surprise to learn that Long had Catholic grandparents. “Don't be a fool,” Long snapped. “We didn't even have a horse!”

Bending the truth for personal glory might get a politician elected, but it didn't achieve the desired result for Ananias and Sapphira. A severe form of church discipline struck them swiftly.

The text doesn't explicitly say what motivated the couple to lie or whether a partial gift would have been acceptable had they been forthright about the price of the land. But the context gives us clues why they made a disastrous decision that earned them the notoriety of being a bad boy (and his wife) of the New Testament.

The end of Acts 4 describes the spirit of the believers in Jerusalem in absolute terms: all were one, no one was selfish, they shared everything, and no one was in need. However, he changes the terminology when discussing the sale of property. From time to time landowners would sell what they owned to bring the proceeds to the Apostles. It wasn't a mandate. It was an incredible display of spontaneous, cheerful generosity . . . in public. Ananias and Sapphira wanted to be recognized for being more generous than they really were.

Peter's rebuke spells out the nonsense of their sin. They essentially stole what already belonged to them so they could lie to God about a gift. What was there to gain? The community spirit of the time was such that no one lacked anything, yet two rich landowners were unsatisfied. They were the antithesis of a community concerned only with providing for others, and their selfishness doomed them.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Communities like the one described in this passage are so rare, how can we not be convicted either by the generosity we fail to duplicate or the two-faced giving that is probably closer to the norm in our society? Take this step to cultivate a generous spirit. When you give a gift or perform an act of service, don't let your mind wander to the expectation of thanks and recognition. Instead, immediately ask yourself, “What else can I do and what more can I give?”

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Exodus 2:11-3:12
Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt? - Exodus 3:11
TODAY IN THE WORD
Ronald Reagan was an actor. Adolf Hitler was a painter. Fidel Castro was a baseball player. Mikhail Gorbachev operated a combine harvester. Early in their lives, none of these men looked to be carrying a one-way ticket to leadership. But now they are remembered almost exclusively for their roles on the world stage.

Moses is most often remembered as Israel's greatest leader. After that, he's remembered for the story of his birth. But after being removed from the basket in the Nile and before crossing the Red Sea, Moses was a murderer. Moses was a bad boy. But for the rest of the month, we'll be studying how God redeemed him and other bad boys of the Bible.

One fascinating thing about the life of Moses is that he was never where he was “supposed” to be. When he was born, he was supposed to be killed. Then Pharaoh's daughter found him but hired Moses' mother to nurse him. A Hebrew, he was raised as an Egyptian, but as an Egyptian, he fled to Midian. He lived two thirds of his life removed from Hebrew culture (Acts 7:23-36). Then he led his people through the wilderness, but he never entered the Promised Land.

We don't need to analyze the murder; the facts speak for themselves. Moses didn't think anyone was looking, so he killed an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew. Then he did what any murderer whose crime was discovered would do: he ran away and settled in a place where his identity and his crime weren't known. At that point, Moses didn't look like the ideal candidate to lead Israel out of Egypt.

So when the Lord appeared to him in the burning bush, Moses asked the obvious question: “Why me?” God's answer is important for anyone who feels unworthy to serve Him. It wasn't important who Moses was or what he had done. Israel would not leave Egypt on the strength of Moses' public image. The only thing that mattered was that God was with him.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Here's the good news about being a bad boy: God doesn't need perfect people to accomplish His goals. The important question is this: is God with you? Remember that Jesus Christ is called Immanuel, which means, “God with us.” If you have a relationship with Him established by faith, there is no end to what God can do through you. Praise God for His grace and mercy, and rejoice in the redemption available to us through Christ.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Daniel 4:1-37
The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor. - Proverbs 15:33
TODAY IN THE WORD
When the curtain rises on Shakespeare's historical play Richard II, the king is seated in the full glory of his throne with the firm belief that as royalty he is not subject to human limitations. By the end of the final act, Richard II has been imprisoned, murdered, and replaced on the throne by Henry IV, an enemy of the deposed king and a friend of the lower classes.

Richard II discovered too late that while a king may receive power from God, he should not confuse himself with deity or ignore the plight of the oppressed. King Nebuchadnezzar received a second chance to learn that lesson. He was a bad boy whose primary offense was self-worship.

Nebuchadnezzar had praised the God of Daniel before, but none of his encounters truly changed his heart or his behavior. He still preferred to consult his pagan advisers before Daniel (v. 7). He had not subjected himself to the rule of God (v. 26). And he generally reigned oppressively and without compassion for the poor (v. 27). What followed was the ultimate in degradation for a man who ruled over one of the largest, most impressive kingdoms in the history of the world.

Daniel's warning obviously hadn't sunk in, because Nebuchadnezzar's assessment of his kingdom was the epitome of pride. One moment he was giving himself all the glory, and the next moment he was eating grass. He was afflicted with boanthropy, a form of insanity in which he thought he was an animal, for seven times (probably seven years, although in Nebuchadnezzar's state of mind, it was a moot point). The important thing was that Nebuchadnezzar came to an understanding that his power was subject to the unlimited power of God.

When the king returned to his senses, he lavished unrestrained praise upon the God he now knew reigned over him. His majesty returned with his sanity, but his pride had vanished. People often need to sink to their lowest point before they realize the need to lift up His name.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
God has many ways of humbling His people, but we don't always recognize it for what it is. Whereas Nebuchadnezzar's pride was voiced in extreme boasting, complaint is usually a good sign of someone failing to get the message from a punishment less severe than insanity. If there is a complaint that consistently leaves your lips, ask God if the source of your dissatisfaction should be a warning to be humble. The sovereign God has control of your situation. Humbly thank Him today.