Waist Deep 2018 - A Daily Dip in the Bible

Ezekiel 3: 18, 19 “When I say to a wicked man, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his life, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. But if you do warn the wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his evil ways, he will die for his sin; but you will have saved yourself.” (NIV) The definition of evil in the world is when good men and women see injustice and do nothing.* These words of God were spoken specifically to Ezekiel, but we can find a similar message for us in the New Testament. With his last recorded words on earth, Jesus made it our responsibility to preach the Good News to the world. While Jesus didn’t include a warning of the consequences for failure to comply, there are other passages that contain clues to what our expectations should be. In Luke 17: 1 and 2, Jesus warns us about causing others to sin. “Woe to tha...

Lamentations 3: 55–57 I called on your name, O Lord, from the depths of the pit. You heard my plea:  “Do not close your ears to my cry for relief.” You came near when I called you, and you said, “Do not fear.” (NIV) The worst thing that could happen to you may be the best thing that could happen to you if you don’t let the worst get the best of you.* Have you ever chanted the mantra, “Everything is going to be okay,” but you didn’t really believe it? God has never let me down, but every time I face a new crisis, there’s a part of me that wonders if this is the time that he will forsake me. But no matter how low I go, God is there with me. God doesn’t say, “There’s nothing to be afraid of.” But, when God says, “Do not fear,” then do not fear . When God says it, it’s not a suggestion or a good idea - it’s a command – a command accompanied by a promise. It is not a promise that bad things are not going to happen. It’s not a promise that we will be healthy, weal...

Lamentations 3: 26, 32 It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. . . . Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. (NIV) We cannot see what loss, sorrows, and trials are accomplishing.* The words in this passage are spoken from the perspective of people who are longing to be freed from their captivity in Babylon and to be allowed to return to their homeland. We can relate to the words from a spiritual viewpoint as our confidence in God’s promises frees us to wait quietly for salvation. We can count on his unfailing love and his faithfulness. But what about the grief referred to in this passage? Does God really cause grief? We punish our kids and yet we still love them. We punish them because we love them. We want them to learn that their actions have consequences so that they don’t keep repeating their bad behavior. Sometimes, in our love for our children, we allow them to learn from their mistakes instead ...

Lamentations 3: 19-22 I remember my affliction and my wandering; . . . yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. (NIV) The study of the past can enrich the present.* I really get tired of hearing people say, “Everything happens for a reason,” because I don’t believe it’s true. Not the way they mean it. They’re implying that everything that happens to us – good or bad – is part of God’s big plan. Rather than discussing my reasons for disagreeing, let’s look at an alternate premise: Everything that happens to us is an opportunity . We are shaped by a world that is beyond our control, but we are also shaped by the choices we make. Things that happen to us require us to make choices and those choices make things happen. The random happenings of our lives and the choices we make and the results of those choices are fuel for the fire of our memory. Remembering adversity help...

Jeremiah 29: 13 “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (NIV) Sinners can’t find God for the same reason a bank robber doesn’t want to find a police officer.* You’ve heard it said – and maybe you’ve said it yourself – “Where was God when I needed him?” It’s all well and good to believe that God never forsakes us, but what comfort is that as we watch a loved one suffer and die? When we are betrayed by a spouse or a dear friend? I have three friends each of whom has a son who suffers from bipolar disorder and/or substance abuse. What am I supposed to say to them when everything is beyond their control and nothing makes their sons any better? Are you expecting me to reveal the answers to these questions? Prepare for disappointment. Nothing I say will make a difference. I might be able to do something that will offer a small measure of comfort and of course I can pray for my friends, but the fact is, everyone has to find the face of God ...

Jeremiah 22: 16 “He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?” declares the Lord. (NIV) The right knowledge of God consists in doing our duty.* Many years after the Lord spoke these words about King Josiah, James wrote, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress.” (James 1: 27) There are lots of religions in the world and people are religious about a lot of things but knowing God “does not consist merely of having heard of him, or having read his word, or having been associated with God-fearing people.”*   Even the world can tell the difference between someone who is “religious” and someone who really walks the talk.  We might say that King Josiah was proactive. Not only did he not use his power for evil, he actually used it for good. God held him up as an example of what pure religion looks like. “This is what it means...

Jeremiah 15: 16 When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God Almighty. (NIV) Have you ever thought about how amazing it is to have daily access to the Word of God?* Jeremiah was so delighted by God’s words that he gobbled them up. He gladly received the message from God as a starving man would consume food. The Word of God, like food when eaten, becomes part of you. It circulates throughout your body and fuels all your functions and activities. Think of the most delicious food you ever tasted. Think of how it felt in your mouth. How you savored every bite. How satisfied you felt after eating it. And how you wished you were alone so you could lick the dish! Now think of that food having no calories! Would that not qualify it as a joy and a delight? God’s word is like food. Food on the shelf in the pantry does not provide nourishment. You have to prepare it and eat it for it to do your body any good. In ...