20-20 Blog

Scripture Focus:

2 Chronicles 35:22-24 But Josiah was spoiling for a fight and wouldn’t listen to a thing Neco said (in actuality it was God who said it). Though King Josiah disguised himself when they met on the plain of Megiddo, archers shot him anyway.

The king said to his servants, “Get me out of here—I’m badly wounded.”

So his servants took him out of his chariot and laid him down in an ambulance chariot and drove him back to Jerusalem. He died there and was buried in the family cemetery

Observation:

Josiah was such a good king. He swept away all the idols and altars to false Gods in Judah and Israel. He reinstituted the Passover holiday after it had lain dormant since the days of the prophet Samuel. (Even David and Solomon hadn’t observed the Passover.)

Then we read this story about a foolhardy decision he made to fight Neco, king of Egypt, when Neco was busy making alliances with the King of Assyria to go after the Babylonians. Neco warned him that not to fight saying that he had no quarrel with Josiah, but Josiah went after him anyway.

The end of the story? Josiah got killed, even though he disguised himself.

It’s a sad ending to an otherwise exemplary life.

Application:

If I’m doing all the right things, I can get cocky and bull-headed and not listen to good counsel or good judgement. I should be humble and pray for wisdom no matter how much “success” I’ve previously encountered.

Prayer:

Father God, I want to finish strong. Too many leaders are great for a season and then poop out right at the end. Help me to keep my eyes on you.

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Scripture Focus:

Daniel 4:37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.

Observation:

Nebuchadnezzar was king over a mighty empire and great city. Not realizing it was God who raised him up for His own purposes, Nebuchadnezzar pridefully took the credit for what had been accomplished. God humbled him for 7 years, and then restored him. That’s when he made this statement: “Those who walk in pride He is able to put down.”

Application:

Anything I have a hand in building can become a point of pride. This is a very dangerous place to be, for God hates pride and loves humility. May I see my accomplishments for what they are—God working through me to fulfill His purposes!

Prayer:

Father God, may I see you as the president and CEO of my home, my ministry, and my business. I’m just working for you!

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Scripture Focus:

Ezekiel 28:17 “ Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty;
You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor;
I cast you to the ground,
I laid you before kings,
That they might gaze at you.

Observation:

Over and over in Scripture we read the end of those who are lifted up with pride. It corrupts judgment. It makes a person feel like God. This is something God does not tolerate. He will have no other god before him, so beware when pride appears, for a fall is coming for sure.

Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

Application:

Remember what Jesus taught—that humility and servanthood is the mark of true might. It’s the opposite of the world’s definition and goes against human thinking, but I’d rather think God’s way!

Prayer:

Father God, give me a nudge with your Spirit when prides creeps in so I can root it out.

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Scripture Focus:

Jeremiah 26:11 And the priests and the prophets spoke to the princes and all the people, saying, “This man deserves to die! For he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your ears.”

Observation:

When Jeremiah went to the house of the Lord and spoke the words of warning from God, asking the people and priests to change their ways, he was vehemently opposed, especially by the “establishment”—the priests and prophets. They went as far as to ask for a death sentence for Jeremiah.

Application:

One of the pitfalls of becoming a leader is being blind to your own sins and desperately clinging to power no matter what. When someone brings an accusation, or simply disagrees, the one in leadership wants to squash the “rebellion.”

It takes true spiritual maturity not to respond defensively, but to respond with humility, being willing to carefully examine the accusation before God and with the other leaders to see how to respond.

Prayer:

Father God, help me respond with humility when accusations, or even suggestions, are posed.

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Scripture Focus:

Zephaniah 3:12 I will leave in your midst
A meek and humble people,
And they shall trust in the name of the LORD.

Observation:

This is a theme repeated over and over and the Bible: God loves those who are humble and trust in him. Humility and trust are childlike qualities. As we mature, we tend to leave them behind, yet this is what God wants to see in his people. Is that why Jesus says, “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:3?

Application:

Humility and trust. Those are the qualities I need to exhibit today. Humility and trust.

Prayer:

Father God, may I be like a child before you today, humble and trusting in you.

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Scripture Focus:

1 Peter 2:20–23 …But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:
“ Who committed no sin,
Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;

who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;

Observation:

This goes against every grain in our body—first of all to suffer, and secondly to suffer in silence, but Jesus is our example, and we are called to be like him—to take it when someone reviles us and not revile in return, but instead to commit ourselves to God and let him be the judge. Wow.

Application:

To do this takes humility. I keep coming back to this concept in my Bible reading, and every time I do, I realize that I have a long way to go to achieve the status of “humble.” However, if I’m going to be like Jesus I must be willing to suffer and to do so humbly, trusting in God to be the judge.

Prayer:

Father God, help me to be willing to be like Jesus.

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Scripture Focus:

Micah 6:8 He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the LORD require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?

Observation:

This verse lays out God’s requirements pretty succinctly: God wants us to be just, merciful, and humble. Seems pretty clear to me! But these three characteristics get progressively harder.

Justice is the easiest. All of us want justice, and we’re especially quick to see when we should be getting justice.

Mercy is a little tougher. We like to be shown mercy, but it’s a little hard to give mercy to someone who has harmed or wronged us, or simply fallen short of our yardstick.

Humility . . . now that’s a tough one. That deals with an attitude of the heart, and it’s a rare character trait to find, even among believers. We have our rights, you know, and by golly, we should get the justice we deserve! Aaaaah. It’s so hard to be truly humble and to lay aside our rights, like Jesus did, who humbled himself to the point of going to the cross because of the greater good—yours and my salvation.

Application:

Humility is not one of my strong suits. It’s quite apparent when I start a rant that I’m not being humble. This is an area where I have a lot of room to grow, so today is a good day to start.

Prayer:

Father God, I want to be like Jesus. He was not weak, but he was humble. Help me to respond with humility to the people and circumstances I encounter today.

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