Inside First

Wednesday, November 20, 2024

by Dr. Paul Chappell

But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness. None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity.

Isaiah 59:2-4

William Bennett was Secretary of the Department of Education during the second Reagan Administration. He did a detailed analysis of problems in schools, and pointed out the staggering increase in crime among young people and what it said about our society. Bennett's conclusion was that unless the underlying moral issues were addressed, nothing else would do. He wrote, “If we turn the economy around, have full employment, live in cities of alabaster and gold, and this is what our children are doing to each other, then we still will have failed them.”

It is nothing new for God's people to live in a society filled with immorality and unbelief. It is not a novel experience to have governments honor and justify things that are wrong and condemn things that are right. History is filled with examples of nations that have turned away from following God. Yet in the midst of those moments, God's people are still commanded to do right. Before we turn our attention to the sins of society, we must make sure that our hearts are clean and the sins in our lives have been dealt with.

Only then will be prepared to answer the call of God for someone to stand up for a sinful people. “And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none” (Ezekiel 22:30). Only when our hearts are in tune with Him are we able to pray for the strength and wisdom to be His voice to a world in need.

Today's Growth Principle
We must ensure our own relationship with God is right before we work on the problems of others.

Old Testament Reading

Ezekiel 14-15

CHAPTER 14

¹ Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me. ² And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, ³ Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them? ⁴ Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols; ⁵ That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols. ⁶ Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations. ⁷ For every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to a prophet to enquire of him concerning me; I the LORD will answer him by myself: ⁸ And I will set my face against that man, and will make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of my people; and ye shall know that I am the LORD. ⁹ And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel. ¹⁰ And they shall bear the punishment of their iniquity: the punishment of the prophet shall be even as the punishment of him that seeketh unto him; ¹¹ That the house of Israel may go no more astray from me, neither be polluted any more with all their transgressions; but that they may be my people, and I may be their God, saith the Lord GOD.

¹² The word of the LORD came again to me, saying, ¹³ Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it: ¹⁴ Though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they should deliver but their own souls by their righteousness, saith the Lord GOD. ¹⁵ If I cause noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they spoil it, so that it be desolate, that no man may pass through because of the beasts: ¹⁶ Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only shall be delivered, but the land shall be desolate. ¹⁷ Or if I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off man and beast from it: ¹⁸ Though these three men were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only shall be delivered themselves. ¹⁹ Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast: ²⁰ Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness. ²¹ For thus saith the Lord GOD; How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast? ²² Yet, behold, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be brought forth, both sons and daughters: behold, they shall come forth unto you, and ye shall see their way and their doings: and ye shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought upon it. ²³ And they shall comfort you, when ye see their ways and their doings: and ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, saith the Lord GOD.

CHAPTER 15

¹ And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, ² Son of man, What is the vine tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest? ³ Shall wood be taken thereof to do any work? or will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon? ⁴ Behold, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire devoureth both the ends of it, and the midst of it is burned. Is it meet for any work? ⁵ Behold, when it was whole, it was meet for no work: how much less shall it be meet yet for any work, when the fire hath devoured it, and it is burned? ⁶ Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; As the vine tree among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so will I give the inhabitants of Jerusalem. ⁷ And I will set my face against them; they shall go out from one fire, and another fire shall devour them; and ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I set my face against them. ⁸ And I will make the land desolate, because they have committed a trespass, saith the Lord GOD.

New Testament Reading

James 2

CHAPTER 2

¹ My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. ² For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; ³ And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool: ⁴ Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? ⁵ Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? ⁶ But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? ⁷ Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?

⁸ If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: ⁹ But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. ¹⁰ For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. ¹¹ For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. ¹² So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. ¹³ For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

¹⁴ What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? ¹⁵ If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, ¹⁶ And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? ¹⁷ Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. ¹⁸ Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. ¹⁹ Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. ²⁰ But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? ²¹ Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? ²² Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? ²³ And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. ²⁴ Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. ²⁵ Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? ²⁶ For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Proverbs Reading

Proverbs 20

¹ Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise. ² The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul. ³ It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling. ⁴ The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing. ⁵ Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out. ⁶ Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find? ⁷ The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him. ⁸ A king that sitteth in the throne of judgment scattereth away all evil with his eyes. ⁹ Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin? ¹⁰ Divers weights, and divers measures, both of them are alike abomination to the LORD. ¹¹ Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right. ¹² The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them. ¹³ Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread. ¹⁴ It is naught, it is naught, saith the buyer: but when he is gone his way, then he boasteth. ¹⁵ There is gold, and a multitude of rubies: but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel. ¹⁶ Take his garment that is surety for a stranger: and take a pledge of him for a strange woman. ¹⁷ Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel. ¹⁸ Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war. ¹⁹ He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips. ²⁰ Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness. ²¹ An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed. ²² Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee. ²³ Divers weights are an abomination unto the LORD; and a false balance is not good. ²⁴ Man's goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way? ²⁵ It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry. ²⁶ A wise king scattereth the wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them. ²⁷ The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly. ²⁸ Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy. ²⁹ The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the gray head. ³⁰ The blueness of a wound cleanseth away evil: so do stripes the inward parts of the belly.