“¹²Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up your hand; forget not the afflicted. ¹³Why does the wicked renounce God and say in his heart, ‘You will not call to account’? ¹⁴But you see, for you note mischief and vexation, that you may take it into your hand; to you the helpless commits himself; you have bee the helper of the fatherless. ¹⁵Break the arm of the wicked and evildoer; call his wickedness to account til you find none.” – Psalm 10:12-15 (ESV)

We are all accountable. If not in the world, to God.

I struggle daily with feelings of persecution, and what I feel is a lack of appreciation, and being “dumped on”, and not taken seriously. This is difficult for me I need all the help I can get to pull myself up.

That is where verses like this really make an impact. God will take care of us. He will hold them accountable those that should be. Those that take advantage may not even know that they are, although I suspect otherwise based on human nature to concern ourselves with “self” first and over all else.

God’s Word is the only with the ability to keep me going. God’s Word drives our lives and allows us to continue looking for the good. God’s Word gives us hope of better. We have to lean on God and His Word each day and know that He will prevail.

When you are out there, are you feeling persecuted and under-appreciated? Are you looking for those against you to be held accountable? Will you take solace in the fact that God will hold accountable?

“¹⁴But even if you should suffer for righteousness sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, ¹⁵but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, ¹⁶having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. ¹⁷For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.” – 1 Peter 3:14-17 (ESV)

The final verse in the passage above is where I was directed this morning. I have struggled with the persecution that comes with doing the right thing and made to feel as though I am somehow in the wrong. Integrity, whereas right, does not always bring joy and adulation from others.

It is not our duty to change the approach just so people will like us. There is a falsehood that comes with that approach. We are liked for what we give the others, not for who we are. We should be treating others with respect and love as opposed to cowering to their wishes and acceptance.

When we do not understand we “lash” out as if to accuse others of being wrong. We will be persecuted for being followers of Christ. We will be treated unfairly for doing the right things and holding ourselves accountable, and expecting others to do the same. When we act out of love and care and respect as Christ does, it is difficult for others to understand our motives (to simply love, care, and respect).

When you approach a situation, are you apprehensive to just do good for fear of what others may “think” or say about you? Do you find yourself somehow thinking that you are the one that is “wrong” when you are doing good? Are you able to accept that it is better to suffer for doing good?

“²²But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, ²³and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, ²⁴and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.” – Hebrews 12:22-24 (ESV)

We, as Christian, have already been granted access to heaven. With the willing shed blood of Jesus, and our acceptance of His sacrifice for us, we are now heirs to the Kingdom of God. I personally feel blessed to call myself an heir and brother of Christ.

“²⁸Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us off to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,” – Hebrews 12:28 (ESV)

What do you think about being an heir to the Kingdom of God? Are you thinking about the glory of heaven? Are you aware that heaven is better?

Heaven. Life with Christ. Doing that which is pleasing to God.

All of these things are better, but not necessarily looked at this way here in the world.

What is it that we get here in this world for our work for Christ?

“³⁵Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise to a better life. ³⁶Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. ³⁷They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—³⁸of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.” – Hebrews 11:35-38 (ESV)

Not a very rosy picture of the great things that come from being a follower of Christ. Beaten, killed, exiled, and poor. Doing for God is not something that most would want to be a part of seeing the rewards for that work as described above.

But, here is what I realized this morning. God provides his blessing of heaven and heavenly perfection to all his people, not just those of Old Testament “fame”.

“³⁹And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, ⁴⁰since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.” – Hebrews 11:39-40 (ESV)

“something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect”. We are all in this together. If as a Christ follower I am made perfect in heaven, then so are you, and all that come after and before you. We all receive the same reward. Not here on earth, but with Christ in heaven.

We have been fortunate to live in the time after the coming of Christ and know of and can hang our hat on the sacrifice of Christ for us. Those that came before Christ had faith of what was to come and did not get to experience firsthand the whitewashing of ourselves thanks to the sacrificial death of Christ. But, we all get to experience the same perfection, together as brothers and sisters in Christ.

When you approach life, are you looking for your rewards of the day? Are you looking for what is better? Are you aware and celebrating the better that is to come?

This is quite the reminder for me this morning. We have to know there is better for which we are moving toward.

“¹³These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. ¹⁴For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. ¹⁵If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.” – Hebrews 11:13-16 (ESV)

When we look back in the Old Testament, there are a number of faithful righteous men and women that continued to seek better even though the thoughts of it were a bit far-fetched. Noah built an ark for a flood that was nowhere to be seen. Abraham, went to a promised land in a foreign land he had not been to. Sarah sought faithfully to conceive a child even though she was “too old” and considered “barren”.

Each of these as others were seeking faithfully due to knowing there was better waiting for them. They all could have taken the “safe” way and; stopped building the “foolish ark”, stayed in the land that was familiar, and given up on having children.

We have an opportunity to seek that which is better. We are in this world to do the will of God and in doing so we have to act on our faith in that what we are tasked with is better than what we have now. We could fall back on the familiar, but wouldn’t that be the same as giving up on God?

What is there that you have been pursuing that is better? Are you faced with the possibility of giving up and going back to the familiar? Will you press on knowing that it is better?

October 6, 2016 I began writing as our small group was studying “Jesus is Better” and here we are as I continue to study, I again come to that same topic; “Jesus is Better”.

“²⁰And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath, ²¹but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him: ‘The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever.”’ ²²This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant.” – Hebrews 7:20-22 (ESV)

Levite priests were “born” into the priesthood based on the fact that they were Levites. Jesus was brought forth by God to be our “priest forever”.

A “guarantor” of matters was someone that was ultimately responsible, the highest power, the final say. Now imagine in our lives having someone ultimately responsible and willing to have the final say. Jesus is that someone.

I am certainly not worthy of having someone vouch for me. I am a sinner and do not feel as though I am living to my potential as set by God. BUT, Jesus is my guarantor. Jesus claims me. Jesus has the final say about me. Jesus is BETTER.

Looking at your life, are you in a similar position to not feel worthy of having someone vouch for you? Are you aware that Jesus is here to do just that? Will you allow Him to do so and accept that “Jesus is Better”?

I do not want to sound like someone that is ill-informed for I know there are plenty of generous individuals and organizations out there. However, we are a selfish society by nature. We are self-serving and really do things for ourselves.

“²¹For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. ²²if I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. ²³I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. ²⁴But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. ²⁵Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and join in the faith, ²⁶so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.” – Philippians 2:21-26 (ESV)

I believe that we, as a society want to be better at serving others first, but we are fighting the urges to serve ourselves. It is natural to want the best for ourselves, who does not want to be secure, safe, and profitable?

Paul gives us his view and as you read, you can feel how, in prison and considering his current position, he is torn between death (which provides instant gain by being with Christ) and life (which allows for more work to be done for others). It is not an easy decision and truly, how many of us have the decision to make.

Paul makes the decision to continue serving others as that is what he is called for by Christ. Will his decision generate more safety, security, and profit? Not likely. But, he is willing to do what is better for others based on his calling.

I get caught up in trying to figure out how I can do more to impact the lives of others for Christ. Am I doing my part? Am I doing enough? The answer as I read and study is, YES. I am doing my part. I am doing enough. I am and we are called to do the work God has established for us. The biggest part of that is to do for others for it is better.

When you look at your workings, are you working for others first? Are you serving yourself or others first? Are you thinking of better for others?

“⁸To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single as I am. ⁹But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.” – 1 Corinthians 7:8-9 (ESV)

Paul is speaking to the Corinthians at this point and setting a few things straight as well as giving them sound biblical teachings. The Corinthians believed, at this time, that all sex was a sin and were avoiding marriage to avoid the sin.

Paul lets them know that sex out of wedlock is a sin, not sex in and of itself. Verses 8-9 lay out how to give in to the sexual desires of us as human. Doing things the right way by committing to the person is the better way to go.

I want to be careful and quote the commentary from my NIV Bible: “This does not mean, however that people who have trouble controlling themselves should marry the first person who comes along. It is better to deal with the pressures of desire than to deal with an unhappy marriage.” So, do not marry for sex, but commit to the right way.

We find ourselves in a number of situations where we are struggling with what to do and simply give in to our desire. It is up to us to research and find the “right way” to approach and commit to taking that appropriate action to be better.

When you are experiencing desire, what is your first tendency? Are you looking for the opportunity to give into the desire and maybe find yourself sinning? What if you looked for the right way and commit for the sake of better?

Do we have something in our lives that consumes us, causing us to act in ways that are not in accordance with God’s Word? I am sure that most of us have something that gets in our way.

“²⁹If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. ³⁰And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.” – Matthew 5:29-30 (ESV)

Notice in the verses above that we should be removing that with causes our sin. Jesus is speaking figuratively with the reference to the law of the time. If someone was caught stealing, a punishment was to remove the hand (if you have to hand, you cannot steal).

Jesus was not advocating the removal of the hand or the eye, only making the connection to something people already knew. If we are aware, or are made aware of a desire that could lead to sin, then we should take action now to avoid the sin (“it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell”). If the liquor store you drive by continually temps you to stop and buy more to feed your drinking habit, then decide on and take a different route. If you are made aware of your increasing tendency to seclude yourself from others, then get rid of your video game console that consumes your time.

We find ourselves in a situation where our temptations become desires and desires become actions. When the temptations and desires arise, it is better to remove them than to act on them. It is better to be without something than to allow it to continue consuming our minds, for if left unchecked, we will likely act.

Your actions, what is the likelihood that they began as temptations and desires? Are you aware of those temptations and desires? Will you begin to take action to remove them in the interest of being better without?

I know, my title is not exactly awe inspiring, but I do believe it is accurate based on my closer examination and what God’s Word gives.

“¹A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of birth. ²It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. ³Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad.” – Ecclesiastes 7:1-3 (ESV)

When I read God’s Word above, I am taken to any time I have experienced loss or adversity. Ultimately we come out the other side better for having gone through the experience. We have taken time to think deeply and cherish more of those things around us. Our adversity or loss have driven more introspection and learning, thereby giving us the opportunity to grow.

Now think about the “good” times we experience. Where they are wonderful to have and enjoy while going through them, I do not feel the same growth and learning when I come out the other side. I will remember the time itself and reflect on the experience as a “fun” and “good” time, however other than the memory of the experience, not much else materializes.

I am not saying and would not recommend we are out there seeking adversity and loss, for that would be a bit counter intuitive to living a life of Christ. What I will say is that when we do experience the loss and adversity we should look at that time as one of contemplation and introspection and learning. It is not the adversity that defines us, but what we learn from it that makes us better.

When you look at adversity and loss, what is your take? Are you able to embrace the opportunity for growth? Are you able to grasp that adversity and loss are better?