“And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Acts 20:32-35.
Christmas is about giving and receiving, but if we were honest with self and others the emphasis for most of us would be on the receiving. Notice that most of us wish to receive before we want to let go of anything. However, the joy of giving always seems to bring more joy and satisfaction because people like to see people smile!!
With the New Year quickly approaching, why not do something a bit differently? Many make those New Year’s Resolutions that most often focus on ourselves for self improvement. Why not make some resolutions that will literally change your life that in turn will impact the lives of everyone around you? But this resolution will not be just for 2008, but will be for the remainder of your life. Maybe this will be of help. Look at this Scripture, Acts 20:32-35 and replace the “I” with your name:
Bob
1. Commends others to God
2. Commends others to the Word of His Grace
3. Encourages others in service to God
4. Ministers with his hands to meet the necessities of others
5. Will help the weak to become stronger in some way
6. Will focus more on giving than receiving accolades for doing so
We have received much this past year only because we are privileged to live in the greatest Nation on the planet, therefore, we are blessed beyond measure. May we never forget that.
And I am now thinking of our men and women serving in other parts of the world in efforts beyond our imagination. I think or our son, David who is somewhere in Iraq. We received a telephone call from him yesterday…Christmas day…as he and several other Marines are protecting our freedom. In their outpost these men have no beds, no chairs, no running water, etc while I sit here in the comfort of my home. This causes me to want to share with others what God has so graciously given me.
My prayer for you today is just that….that God will impress upon your heart to be generous in your life. My prayer today is that you will not forget the Christ who stepped from His place in Heaven to walk this earth for you. My prayer for you is that you will know Christ and share your faith with others. And my prayer for you is that you will not forget the Nation that God has allowed us to live in.
“The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
2 Corinthians 9:6-7.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Returning the Gifts
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Eternity is Forever
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23:6
In the OT, goodness and mercy are related directly to the Covenant of God and man’s relationship with God through the Covenant. With that in mind, we can now understand why David writes that ‘goodness and mercy shall follow me…’
With that said, relate to that statement as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ because He is the New Covenant who lives in every believer. Jesus Christ does not simply ‘follow’ the believer He lives and becomes the life of the believer. This is the reason that the Apostle Paul could write,
“I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another.”
Romans 15:14
AND
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”
Galatians 5:22-23
The difference between the Old Testament Covenant and the New Testament Covenant if found in the Person of Jesus Christ. The difference, therefore, between you and David is found in the same, Jesus Christ. David’s relationship with God was founded in the written Code and the demands of keeping that Code whereas your relationship with God is founded in your personal relationship with Jesus Christ through His blood. There is a tremendous difference.
David’s relationship with God depended upon how well he performed, and yours is dependent upon a personal relationship with Jesus Christ founded upon faith in Him.
The consequence is the same, but the avenue of arrival is quite different. Personally, I am so blessed because Jesus paid the price for my eternal life. His righteousness does not follow me because it is who I am in Him. His righteousness is who I am. And because of His righteousness I demonstrate His mercy. Praise the Lord!!
The disciples of Christ had explain, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
The fact today is that my righteousness and my place in Heaven do not depend upon my feeble attempts to fulfill the standards of the Old Covenant. Only my faith in Jesus Christ demonstrated by His residence in my daily life makes my place secure in the Heavenly City. There is, indeed, Power in the Blood!
However, the day in which we live is not without difficulties because there are people who demonstrate their dislike for you and me on a daily basis. And they do so only because of our faith and life in the Christ. The Scriptures tell us that these kinds of issues would be ours to face. Look at this example:
“But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.” Jude 17-21.
Now, read the 23rd Psalm in its entirety and praise God from whom all blessings flow….
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures.He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.He leads me in paths of righteousnessfor his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,for you are with me;your rod and your staff,they comfort me. You prepare a table before mein the presence of my enemies;you anoint my head with oil;my cup overflows.6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow meall the days of my life,and I shall dwell in the house of the Lordforever. "
In the OT, goodness and mercy are related directly to the Covenant of God and man’s relationship with God through the Covenant. With that in mind, we can now understand why David writes that ‘goodness and mercy shall follow me…’
With that said, relate to that statement as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ because He is the New Covenant who lives in every believer. Jesus Christ does not simply ‘follow’ the believer He lives and becomes the life of the believer. This is the reason that the Apostle Paul could write,
“I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another.”
Romans 15:14
AND
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”
Galatians 5:22-23
The difference between the Old Testament Covenant and the New Testament Covenant if found in the Person of Jesus Christ. The difference, therefore, between you and David is found in the same, Jesus Christ. David’s relationship with God was founded in the written Code and the demands of keeping that Code whereas your relationship with God is founded in your personal relationship with Jesus Christ through His blood. There is a tremendous difference.
David’s relationship with God depended upon how well he performed, and yours is dependent upon a personal relationship with Jesus Christ founded upon faith in Him.
The consequence is the same, but the avenue of arrival is quite different. Personally, I am so blessed because Jesus paid the price for my eternal life. His righteousness does not follow me because it is who I am in Him. His righteousness is who I am. And because of His righteousness I demonstrate His mercy. Praise the Lord!!
The disciples of Christ had explain, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
The fact today is that my righteousness and my place in Heaven do not depend upon my feeble attempts to fulfill the standards of the Old Covenant. Only my faith in Jesus Christ demonstrated by His residence in my daily life makes my place secure in the Heavenly City. There is, indeed, Power in the Blood!
However, the day in which we live is not without difficulties because there are people who demonstrate their dislike for you and me on a daily basis. And they do so only because of our faith and life in the Christ. The Scriptures tell us that these kinds of issues would be ours to face. Look at this example:
“But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.” Jude 17-21.
Now, read the 23rd Psalm in its entirety and praise God from whom all blessings flow….
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures.He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.He leads me in paths of righteousnessfor his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,for you are with me;your rod and your staff,they comfort me. You prepare a table before mein the presence of my enemies;you anoint my head with oil;my cup overflows.6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow meall the days of my life,and I shall dwell in the house of the Lordforever. "
Extreme Measures for Extreme Conditions
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:5 (ESV)
Most of the time our daily lives are hectic and stressful simply because we are alive. We can deal with those day to day issues with no problem, but there are events that fall in on us. Our emotions become overloaded and simply crash…just like our computers sometimes fail. And when this happens we are then forced to call on technical help. The ‘techs’ are the professionals, the computer ‘geeks’ who live their lives in some tiny cubicle solving computer glitches around the cosmos.
But for us, there is a better idea. His Name is God and He does not live in some unknown cubicle waiting for a telephone call from someone who has an unexpected event that overloads emotions. But what you must not do is begin with your emotions, with yourself. Begin with God….. begin with your problems and the problems remain. Begin with God and He will remove the stress and help you solve the problems. They may still exist, but the pressures will not be as extreme….He will deal with issues of the problem, expose them and help you solve them.
Read Exodus 6:1-13 and discover how God helped Moses solve a very difficult problem. The problem was not removed immediately, but God helped Moses to solve the problem. The problem was not Moses’ emotions, it was far larger than him, but Moses went to the One who is able….
“But the Lord said to Moses, ‘Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for with a strong hand he will send them out, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.’ God spoke to Moses and said to him, ‘I am the Lord. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by my name the Lord I did not make myself known to them. I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they lived as sojourners. Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the people of Israel whom the Egyptians hold as slaves, and I have remembered my covenant. Say therefore to the people of Israel, ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I will give it to you for a possession. I am the Lord.’ Moses spoke thus to the people of Israel, but they did not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and harsh slavery. The Lord said to Moses, ‘Go in, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the people of Israel go out of his land.’ But Moses said to the Lord, ‘Behold, the people of Israel have not listened to me. How then shall Pharaoh listen to me, for I am of uncircumcised lips?’ But the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron and gave them a charge about the people of Israel and about Pharaoh king of Egypt: to bring the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt.” (ESV)
These are but a few verses of Scripture that give direction for conquering fear in daily living…..Use them and search your Bible for more. Your most difficult problem will the application of God’s Word. But remember this…You cannot do this alone. You must submit your desire to Him and then His desire becomes your desire and reality.
“…your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
Throughout scripture, the "staff" is a symbol of authority and power. Commanders, rulers, kings had a staff or rod symbolizing their power. When David challenged Goliath, he did so with 5 smooth stones and his staff. I Sam 17:40.
Elisha regarded his staff as powerful enough to deliver a child from death. II Kings 4:29.
Where God delivers, the power of the enemy is broken, symbolized repeatedly by the enemy's broken staff. Jeremiah 48:17, II Kings 18:21, Ezekiel 29:6, Isaiah 14:5.
The "rod of God" is pictured throughout scripture as the power and authority of God to judge and discipline the nations (ob 9:32, 21:9, Lamentations 3:1, Micah 6:9.
Jesus was given a staff before His crucifixion symbolizing his power and authority, and then they took it from him and beat him with it, symbolizing that his rod was powerless. Matthew 27:29.
And the crucifixion of Christ became the power of God for our salvation. "He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him." Colossians 2:15.
Remember, Extreme Conditions call for Extreme Measures and His Name is God…..
Most of the time our daily lives are hectic and stressful simply because we are alive. We can deal with those day to day issues with no problem, but there are events that fall in on us. Our emotions become overloaded and simply crash…just like our computers sometimes fail. And when this happens we are then forced to call on technical help. The ‘techs’ are the professionals, the computer ‘geeks’ who live their lives in some tiny cubicle solving computer glitches around the cosmos.
But for us, there is a better idea. His Name is God and He does not live in some unknown cubicle waiting for a telephone call from someone who has an unexpected event that overloads emotions. But what you must not do is begin with your emotions, with yourself. Begin with God….. begin with your problems and the problems remain. Begin with God and He will remove the stress and help you solve the problems. They may still exist, but the pressures will not be as extreme….He will deal with issues of the problem, expose them and help you solve them.
Read Exodus 6:1-13 and discover how God helped Moses solve a very difficult problem. The problem was not removed immediately, but God helped Moses to solve the problem. The problem was not Moses’ emotions, it was far larger than him, but Moses went to the One who is able….
“But the Lord said to Moses, ‘Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for with a strong hand he will send them out, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.’ God spoke to Moses and said to him, ‘I am the Lord. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by my name the Lord I did not make myself known to them. I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they lived as sojourners. Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the people of Israel whom the Egyptians hold as slaves, and I have remembered my covenant. Say therefore to the people of Israel, ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I will give it to you for a possession. I am the Lord.’ Moses spoke thus to the people of Israel, but they did not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and harsh slavery. The Lord said to Moses, ‘Go in, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the people of Israel go out of his land.’ But Moses said to the Lord, ‘Behold, the people of Israel have not listened to me. How then shall Pharaoh listen to me, for I am of uncircumcised lips?’ But the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron and gave them a charge about the people of Israel and about Pharaoh king of Egypt: to bring the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt.” (ESV)
These are but a few verses of Scripture that give direction for conquering fear in daily living…..Use them and search your Bible for more. Your most difficult problem will the application of God’s Word. But remember this…You cannot do this alone. You must submit your desire to Him and then His desire becomes your desire and reality.
“…your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
Throughout scripture, the "staff" is a symbol of authority and power. Commanders, rulers, kings had a staff or rod symbolizing their power. When David challenged Goliath, he did so with 5 smooth stones and his staff. I Sam 17:40.
Elisha regarded his staff as powerful enough to deliver a child from death. II Kings 4:29.
Where God delivers, the power of the enemy is broken, symbolized repeatedly by the enemy's broken staff. Jeremiah 48:17, II Kings 18:21, Ezekiel 29:6, Isaiah 14:5.
The "rod of God" is pictured throughout scripture as the power and authority of God to judge and discipline the nations (ob 9:32, 21:9, Lamentations 3:1, Micah 6:9.
Jesus was given a staff before His crucifixion symbolizing his power and authority, and then they took it from him and beat him with it, symbolizing that his rod was powerless. Matthew 27:29.
And the crucifixion of Christ became the power of God for our salvation. "He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him." Colossians 2:15.
Remember, Extreme Conditions call for Extreme Measures and His Name is God…..
Worthy of the Gospel
“He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.”
Psalm 23:3 (ESV)
One of the most difficult things to do as a Christian is learning how to ‘let go and let God’. The most faithful of God’s Kingdom have seemingly had that particular issue to deal with. You and I are no different, but if we are to know the success of living the life that God has for us we must do so on a daily basis. And if we do not, if you do not, His Blessed Assurance will never find a place in your lifestyle. The desire of The Shepherd is restore your soul, lead your steps in righteousness, and this not for you, but for His honor. That is, we must remove our desires from the equation. When this becomes the purpose for our living, those fears, sense of security, etc. will never again be the issue…He will be the Issue…Because He is the Issue.
“He restores my soul….for his name's sake.”
Each of us knows that life is not easy and the simple reason for that is simple enough. How do you respond to stressful issues? Do you sit down and eat a bag of chips, a large bowl of ice cream or do you kick the dog? Or do you sit down and have a chat with the Lord? Why do we not do the most obvious first? Is it because we feel that our solution is the best one? Probably…..
But notice what David has written for us…..He (God) restores my soul… and by the way, the Hebrew word for ‘soul’ can also be translated as ‘life’. With that in mind, it is your present life that you are concerned about…and tomorrow, as well, but let us think about right NOW, because He is thinking about your circumstance RIGHT NOW, too.
But, why are you doing this? So that you will feel better are you doing this for others? Remember that everyone around you knows when you are angry, sad, or glad. Do this for them, too. And the first person to think about is the Lord….for the advertisement of who His name in our world. Think about that. Paul had a firm understanding as to why he served the Lord, and he says it this way, “I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.” 1 Corinthians 9:23 (ESV). Do you have a better idea? Neither does God….
“He leads me in paths of righteousness….for his name's sake.”
Every day there are many, many paths that we may choose to travel….the point to be made here is not necessarily which path we are going to choose, but why do we choose this path? This is called situational ethics. This ethic in a nutshell is s’Situational ethics is a consequential theory that is concerned with the outcome of an action as opposed to an action being wrong. In the case of situational ethics, the ends justify the means.” And let me assure you; allow God’s word to assure you, that the ends do not justify the means.
“Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.” 1 Corinthians 13:8-10 (ESV)
The love of God found in Jesus Christ is found in every path of righteousness, and this is the basis for every path that He will always guide you in. And every one will lead you to the Cross. Because it is in the Cross of Christ that Christian faith finds its source.
“You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion is not from him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view than mine, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!” Galatians 5:7-12 (ESV)
As you are seeking the direction of God in your life….do so for his gain, not yours….”Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ…” Philippians 1:27 (ESV)
Psalm 23:3 (ESV)
One of the most difficult things to do as a Christian is learning how to ‘let go and let God’. The most faithful of God’s Kingdom have seemingly had that particular issue to deal with. You and I are no different, but if we are to know the success of living the life that God has for us we must do so on a daily basis. And if we do not, if you do not, His Blessed Assurance will never find a place in your lifestyle. The desire of The Shepherd is restore your soul, lead your steps in righteousness, and this not for you, but for His honor. That is, we must remove our desires from the equation. When this becomes the purpose for our living, those fears, sense of security, etc. will never again be the issue…He will be the Issue…Because He is the Issue.
“He restores my soul….for his name's sake.”
Each of us knows that life is not easy and the simple reason for that is simple enough. How do you respond to stressful issues? Do you sit down and eat a bag of chips, a large bowl of ice cream or do you kick the dog? Or do you sit down and have a chat with the Lord? Why do we not do the most obvious first? Is it because we feel that our solution is the best one? Probably…..
But notice what David has written for us…..He (God) restores my soul… and by the way, the Hebrew word for ‘soul’ can also be translated as ‘life’. With that in mind, it is your present life that you are concerned about…and tomorrow, as well, but let us think about right NOW, because He is thinking about your circumstance RIGHT NOW, too.
But, why are you doing this? So that you will feel better are you doing this for others? Remember that everyone around you knows when you are angry, sad, or glad. Do this for them, too. And the first person to think about is the Lord….for the advertisement of who His name in our world. Think about that. Paul had a firm understanding as to why he served the Lord, and he says it this way, “I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.” 1 Corinthians 9:23 (ESV). Do you have a better idea? Neither does God….
“He leads me in paths of righteousness….for his name's sake.”
Every day there are many, many paths that we may choose to travel….the point to be made here is not necessarily which path we are going to choose, but why do we choose this path? This is called situational ethics. This ethic in a nutshell is s’Situational ethics is a consequential theory that is concerned with the outcome of an action as opposed to an action being wrong. In the case of situational ethics, the ends justify the means.” And let me assure you; allow God’s word to assure you, that the ends do not justify the means.
“Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.” 1 Corinthians 13:8-10 (ESV)
The love of God found in Jesus Christ is found in every path of righteousness, and this is the basis for every path that He will always guide you in. And every one will lead you to the Cross. Because it is in the Cross of Christ that Christian faith finds its source.
“You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion is not from him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view than mine, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!” Galatians 5:7-12 (ESV)
As you are seeking the direction of God in your life….do so for his gain, not yours….”Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ…” Philippians 1:27 (ESV)
Fulfillment
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want…." Psalm 23:1 (ESV)
The very well known and inspiring Christian singer, Ethel Waters sang the song, His Eye is on the Sparrow that concludes with this phrase, “and I know He watches me.” The truth of that statement comes from Luke 12:5-7, “Yes, I tell you, fear him! Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.” (ESV)
Here are two testimonies coming from two sources that are well-known and documented that dramatically depict the awesome love that God has for us…for you in particular. And both are secured in the Bible that points to the goodness and love that God has for you. And my prayer is that you are walking in His love today…not just for the moment, but for the entirety of your waking hours. And you are enabled to do this only because His is your Shepherd.
There is no doubt in my mind that many Christian people sometimes get caught up in themselves and forget Whose they are…that is, to Whom they belong. This happens because they begin to desire what they want and what God’s desire is for them and when this happens temptation becomes sin and this breeds the unhappiness of emptiness, look at the following from God’s Word…
“And Samuel said to the people, “Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty. For the Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name's sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself.” 1 Samuel 12:20-22 (ESV)
My prayer for you is that you will find the satisfaction of knowing that His desires for you are far better and longer lasting than any desire that you might have for yourself. Therefore, my prayer is that you seek His desires for your day…for your life…for as you seek His desires only then will you know the contentment of complete fulfillment.
As we pray for one another ask the Good Shepherd, to meet every need as you seek Him. Remember that He will if you will….
The very well known and inspiring Christian singer, Ethel Waters sang the song, His Eye is on the Sparrow that concludes with this phrase, “and I know He watches me.” The truth of that statement comes from Luke 12:5-7, “Yes, I tell you, fear him! Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.” (ESV)
Here are two testimonies coming from two sources that are well-known and documented that dramatically depict the awesome love that God has for us…for you in particular. And both are secured in the Bible that points to the goodness and love that God has for you. And my prayer is that you are walking in His love today…not just for the moment, but for the entirety of your waking hours. And you are enabled to do this only because His is your Shepherd.
There is no doubt in my mind that many Christian people sometimes get caught up in themselves and forget Whose they are…that is, to Whom they belong. This happens because they begin to desire what they want and what God’s desire is for them and when this happens temptation becomes sin and this breeds the unhappiness of emptiness, look at the following from God’s Word…
“And Samuel said to the people, “Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty. For the Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name's sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself.” 1 Samuel 12:20-22 (ESV)
My prayer for you is that you will find the satisfaction of knowing that His desires for you are far better and longer lasting than any desire that you might have for yourself. Therefore, my prayer is that you seek His desires for your day…for your life…for as you seek His desires only then will you know the contentment of complete fulfillment.
As we pray for one another ask the Good Shepherd, to meet every need as you seek Him. Remember that He will if you will….
Lonesome Dove
"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Psalm 23 (ESV)
In 1989 the epic mini series Lonesome Dove appeared on American television. This is probably one of the very best if not the very best western produced for television. My guess is that the big Screen has never viewed anything quite like this story.
I have done a fair amount of study about the Old West, the cattle drives, etc, and this story pretty well depicts what may have taken place in a very hard land crossed by very tough people. And this is the reality of the show. Demonstrated for the viewer is the heart of man in bone-chilling form. Not bone-chilling as in horror, but reality.
Indescribable human courage is depicted as the drovers move a herd of cattle across miles of wild and hostile land. There is the near inexhaustible human will accomplishing the near impossible.
Ethics, the principles and faithfulness that at one time were the primary guides for every man and woman in America are viewed in a harsh reality. The unforgotten principle of not tolerating a wrong, no matter how slight is demonstrated throughout. The basic elements of humanity are also seen in the horse thief and bank robber who murders and then burns the bodies of his victims.
But what the movie does not depict is the need for lonesome man in search for an all loving God. The reality is that most of these very hard men who did drive cattle across the harshest of unrelenting difficulties had no idea of who God is. And in the comfort of being a person being born into a Christian environment, I have the luxury of pronouncing an unmet and unmentioned need of those people. But your reality is different. You do know the Presence of God, and His unrelenting desire to be your Guide.
When David wrote this Psalm, we find that he is in a difficult situation, and we know this because he says, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…” Something was going on in his life that causes him to write about death. But he drew great strength in knowing that his God is the Shepherd of his life…something that he lived as a boy. But now he is a warrior seeking deliverance from King Saul.
You and I have this day, no matter the difficulties of our 21st century, God as our Shepherd. We are not being pursued by a jealous and outraged enemy, and we do not drive our food to market….we drive in our air conditioned vehicle and shop in cool comfort for every necessity of life. No pain and suffering there. But, God is our Shepherd in our very stress-filled lives.
For those of us here in the States must remember that our family member, David, is in a reality at this very moment that none of us here will ever know. Pray for him and his warrior friends who are very much living out the harsh realities of the 23rd Psalm.
Think about us for the moment….Rebekah is nearing her 17th birthday preparing to go to college in 18 months…remember those days…you who have already travelled that street??? Robin and Robert are moving in with us…in Hope, Arkansas…entering a new phase of life….Kae-la and Greg finishing up college and re-entering college almost in the same breath…new challenges there, too. David and Lisa…separation beyond any comprehension that I have ever known. No doubt more stress and fear than any of us can understand at this moment in time.
But, each of us is able to reach out and know that our God is here with us. No matter the difficulty or horror of the moment, He is here with you. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
In 1989 the epic mini series Lonesome Dove appeared on American television. This is probably one of the very best if not the very best western produced for television. My guess is that the big Screen has never viewed anything quite like this story.
I have done a fair amount of study about the Old West, the cattle drives, etc, and this story pretty well depicts what may have taken place in a very hard land crossed by very tough people. And this is the reality of the show. Demonstrated for the viewer is the heart of man in bone-chilling form. Not bone-chilling as in horror, but reality.
Indescribable human courage is depicted as the drovers move a herd of cattle across miles of wild and hostile land. There is the near inexhaustible human will accomplishing the near impossible.
Ethics, the principles and faithfulness that at one time were the primary guides for every man and woman in America are viewed in a harsh reality. The unforgotten principle of not tolerating a wrong, no matter how slight is demonstrated throughout. The basic elements of humanity are also seen in the horse thief and bank robber who murders and then burns the bodies of his victims.
But what the movie does not depict is the need for lonesome man in search for an all loving God. The reality is that most of these very hard men who did drive cattle across the harshest of unrelenting difficulties had no idea of who God is. And in the comfort of being a person being born into a Christian environment, I have the luxury of pronouncing an unmet and unmentioned need of those people. But your reality is different. You do know the Presence of God, and His unrelenting desire to be your Guide.
When David wrote this Psalm, we find that he is in a difficult situation, and we know this because he says, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…” Something was going on in his life that causes him to write about death. But he drew great strength in knowing that his God is the Shepherd of his life…something that he lived as a boy. But now he is a warrior seeking deliverance from King Saul.
You and I have this day, no matter the difficulties of our 21st century, God as our Shepherd. We are not being pursued by a jealous and outraged enemy, and we do not drive our food to market….we drive in our air conditioned vehicle and shop in cool comfort for every necessity of life. No pain and suffering there. But, God is our Shepherd in our very stress-filled lives.
For those of us here in the States must remember that our family member, David, is in a reality at this very moment that none of us here will ever know. Pray for him and his warrior friends who are very much living out the harsh realities of the 23rd Psalm.
Think about us for the moment….Rebekah is nearing her 17th birthday preparing to go to college in 18 months…remember those days…you who have already travelled that street??? Robin and Robert are moving in with us…in Hope, Arkansas…entering a new phase of life….Kae-la and Greg finishing up college and re-entering college almost in the same breath…new challenges there, too. David and Lisa…separation beyond any comprehension that I have ever known. No doubt more stress and fear than any of us can understand at this moment in time.
But, each of us is able to reach out and know that our God is here with us. No matter the difficulty or horror of the moment, He is here with you. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
God Sense
"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm." Ephesians 6:10-13 (ESV)
We live in a very complex world that demands Christians to firmly stand on the Word of God all of the time. Our culture is in a very difficult place because far too few of us who claim to be Christians stand firmly entrenched in Scripture.
We must first understand that all issues of life must be understood from the perspective of Scripture. For it is here that we are able to grasp the fact that all problems come from the forces of evil in our world and that the solution to each of them come from the Lord…the Author and the Rock of our faith.
This day, as you enter your day, make certain that you have put on the whole armor of God “that you may be able to withstand in the evil day”. You cannot walk nor stand without dressing your spiritual self in Him. Have you ever watched a football game and wondered what it would be like for one player to think that he could be the only participant without pads? SUICIDE.
So it is with Christians. We would be committing spiritual suicide if we thought for a moment that any one of us could enter life without the Christ and survive. God’s Word has given us all sorts of directives about how to survive in a world that is on a slippery slope to spiritual destruction.
I am not a pessimist by any stretch, but the reality is that since Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden things have not been real good. Read the book and you will find that to be true. However, God has given us all sorts of really good ideas on how to conquer evil in our time. Seems to me that it makes good spiritual sense to follow the course that He has set for us…….
We live in a very complex world that demands Christians to firmly stand on the Word of God all of the time. Our culture is in a very difficult place because far too few of us who claim to be Christians stand firmly entrenched in Scripture.
We must first understand that all issues of life must be understood from the perspective of Scripture. For it is here that we are able to grasp the fact that all problems come from the forces of evil in our world and that the solution to each of them come from the Lord…the Author and the Rock of our faith.
This day, as you enter your day, make certain that you have put on the whole armor of God “that you may be able to withstand in the evil day”. You cannot walk nor stand without dressing your spiritual self in Him. Have you ever watched a football game and wondered what it would be like for one player to think that he could be the only participant without pads? SUICIDE.
So it is with Christians. We would be committing spiritual suicide if we thought for a moment that any one of us could enter life without the Christ and survive. God’s Word has given us all sorts of directives about how to survive in a world that is on a slippery slope to spiritual destruction.
I am not a pessimist by any stretch, but the reality is that since Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden things have not been real good. Read the book and you will find that to be true. However, God has given us all sorts of really good ideas on how to conquer evil in our time. Seems to me that it makes good spiritual sense to follow the course that He has set for us…….
Compassion
“Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” Colossians 3:12-14 (ESV)
What do you think of when you think of compassion? This morning as I was writing this, I began searching my catalog of thoughts attempting to draw from experience something that depicts compassion beyond reason. And, of course, I immediately thought of the Christ hanging on the Cross. But, He pointed me to something different.
A dog. These humble creatures are what you and I should be in every case. Think of it. You can beat these animals and they will come back and love you…not just follow you, but love you. They will stick with you through thick and thin, no matter the cost. That is true compassion. (I have a pic of Chance, but it was too large for the moment…use your imagination of your own pet)
But, now He directs my thoughts to us…those who belong to Him…by grace through faith. Look at what His Word says…”put on”…. Not only is this a command in the Greek, but interestingly it carries with it the idea of ‘sinking into’. That is, we are to immerse ourselves with “compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”
You might think, ‘how can I do that after what that despicable person has done to me’. Have you seen the Compassion of the Christ, and have you read the Gospel accounts of the Crucifixion? And do you not recall the thief hanging next to the Christ as he pleads with Him “Please forgive me!!!” Do you remember what the dying figure of your Lord said? “Forgive you? Are you kidding…after what you have done to me?” NO, THIS IS NOT WHAT HE DID!! RATHER, HE LOOKED ACROSS HIS PERSONAL PAIN AND SUFFERING AND REPLIED, “TODAY YOU WILL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE.” And in a few moments he cried out to the Father, “FORGIVE THEM BECAUSE THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING.” You and I are commanded by Him to do no less. This is compassion beyond reason….
What do you think of when you think of compassion? This morning as I was writing this, I began searching my catalog of thoughts attempting to draw from experience something that depicts compassion beyond reason. And, of course, I immediately thought of the Christ hanging on the Cross. But, He pointed me to something different.
A dog. These humble creatures are what you and I should be in every case. Think of it. You can beat these animals and they will come back and love you…not just follow you, but love you. They will stick with you through thick and thin, no matter the cost. That is true compassion. (I have a pic of Chance, but it was too large for the moment…use your imagination of your own pet)
But, now He directs my thoughts to us…those who belong to Him…by grace through faith. Look at what His Word says…”put on”…. Not only is this a command in the Greek, but interestingly it carries with it the idea of ‘sinking into’. That is, we are to immerse ourselves with “compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”
You might think, ‘how can I do that after what that despicable person has done to me’. Have you seen the Compassion of the Christ, and have you read the Gospel accounts of the Crucifixion? And do you not recall the thief hanging next to the Christ as he pleads with Him “Please forgive me!!!” Do you remember what the dying figure of your Lord said? “Forgive you? Are you kidding…after what you have done to me?” NO, THIS IS NOT WHAT HE DID!! RATHER, HE LOOKED ACROSS HIS PERSONAL PAIN AND SUFFERING AND REPLIED, “TODAY YOU WILL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE.” And in a few moments he cried out to the Father, “FORGIVE THEM BECAUSE THEY DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING.” You and I are commanded by Him to do no less. This is compassion beyond reason….
Foundations
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it. And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching,” Matthew 7:24-28 (ESV)
The most accurate elevation data are collected through a process called “spirit leveling,” which is performed with an instrument that is a combination of a telescope and a spirit level vial. Called a level, the instrument is used to read values from a set of specially constructed and marked rods.
Because my father and uncles were in the business of residential home construction, I had the opportunity to observe the “leveling” of many foundations before concrete was poured or the house was placed on foundation piers. I learned the importance of laying a solid foundation from childhood.
But let me assure you that the solid foundations under the houses constructed by work crews for family dwellings are not nearly as important as your personal spiritual foundations. This is true because you will pass on to your children what you have learned from your parents, i.e., Patti and me...and girls, your parents. To some degree, we reflect our heritage, thus the importance….
“therefore thus says the Lord God, ‘Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: ‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’ And I will make justice the line, and righteousness the plumb line; and hail will sweep away the refuge of lies,’” Isaiah 28:16-17 (ESV)
Take a quick note of the passages of Scripture that relate to ‘storms’ that will come against all of us, and especially the destruction upon those whose lives are not founded upon the Word of God. “And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell…”…”hail will sweep away the refuge of lies,’” Let me assure each of us that God’s Word is completely true and no matter how we may ‘feel’ about life around us or about friends who live outside the rule of God….His justice will come against us all. Thus, the importance of knowing and trusting in His Word cannot be overlooked.
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”
There is an insurance company that advertises that they represent the ROCK OF GIBRALTAR among all insurance companies. Well, I am not sure completely certain of this, but the one thing that I am certain of is that our lives must be founded upon the Person of Jesus Christ….the Rock of Ages cleft for me, I hide myself in HIM. And I pray that you do as well.
Because my father and uncles were in the business of residential home construction, I had the opportunity to observe the “leveling” of many foundations before concrete was poured or the house was placed on foundation piers. I learned the importance of laying a solid foundation from childhood.
But let me assure you that the solid foundations under the houses constructed by work crews for family dwellings are not nearly as important as your personal spiritual foundations. This is true because you will pass on to your children what you have learned from your parents, i.e., Patti and me...and girls, your parents. To some degree, we reflect our heritage, thus the importance….
“therefore thus says the Lord God, ‘Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: ‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’ And I will make justice the line, and righteousness the plumb line; and hail will sweep away the refuge of lies,’” Isaiah 28:16-17 (ESV)
Take a quick note of the passages of Scripture that relate to ‘storms’ that will come against all of us, and especially the destruction upon those whose lives are not founded upon the Word of God. “And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell…”…”hail will sweep away the refuge of lies,’” Let me assure each of us that God’s Word is completely true and no matter how we may ‘feel’ about life around us or about friends who live outside the rule of God….His justice will come against us all. Thus, the importance of knowing and trusting in His Word cannot be overlooked.
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”
There is an insurance company that advertises that they represent the ROCK OF GIBRALTAR among all insurance companies. Well, I am not sure completely certain of this, but the one thing that I am certain of is that our lives must be founded upon the Person of Jesus Christ….the Rock of Ages cleft for me, I hide myself in HIM. And I pray that you do as well.
Andalucia, Spain
Solid Ground
"He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber." Psalm 121:3 (ESV)
How many times have you been walking and suddenly your feet simply ‘go out from under you’? This has happened to me on a number of occasions. On some of those moments of falling I truly felt that nothing could stop the slide and there were other moments that the fall came quickly and painfully. But in the end we recognize the Presence of God and immediately thank Him for His protection….no matter the consequence.
Just outside the walls of Camp Shiran, the Baptist encampment north of Lima, Peru, is a very high rock mountain. Every year many people walk the very steep and slippery incline to see the majesty of God’s hand in Creation. The path is actually the spine of the mountain from which the viewer can see three valleys becoming one. In fact, there are remains of an ancient outpost no doubt used by another civilization for security reasons. The steep approach to that location is without protection.
Going up that incline is not really difficult, but the steps are to be taken with care because the fall would be a long, fast and painful one. Coming down is the exciting part of the journey. I recall a stretch of about 75 feet that the path is quite steep and slippery because of the very small pebbles that cover the surface. Two or three times I made that trip to see the beauty of the river that courses its way far, far below. And each time that one treacherous pathway inched its way into an otherwise carefree experience.
Every time I recall such exciting moments of life, God always reminds me of His Presence. Life’s entire journey is like this, however. Life is full of excitement and beauty when we allow ourselves to view our days through His eyes and assurance.
The most difficult thing that we must do is give our every experience of life to the Father before the day begins. No matter if you are in Fort Worth, Marshall, Hope, Houston or Iraq, God will not allow us to be without His protection…He is always by our side. You are on solid ground…
Remember that if salvation depends upon us, our end is void. If the order of the universe is ours to determine, chaos would be the order of the day! How dark it would be if we were to be the source of light! But be thankful that nothing is of our own doing. By God’s decree all that is…is…..praise be to Him!!
“And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.” Genesis 1:31 (ESV)
The Spirit of Christ(mas)
Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Romans 12:9-16.
I have often wondered why Christmas is often times very frustrating and disappointing to me, and the Lord has shown me in His Word 'why'. Did you read the statement from Paul? This is the spirit of christmas, but the spirit of 'Christ in us the Hope of Glory' should be the mark of every believer day in and day out. Note: I intentionally wrote Christmas with a lower case 'c' to emphasize my point.
Perhaps the reason that the world looks forward to Christmas every year is because there is such an enormous emptiness in their lives. And Christmas seems to fill that void, therefore putting a sort of euphorian touch on the end of every year. (you will not find the word eupohorian in Webster's...only in Williford's) It is interesting to note that the word euphoria comes from the Greek word euphoros meaning 'healthy'. With that in mind, people seek just a bit of good emotional health, for just a moment, in an otherwise very unsettling way of life. Thus euphoiran...
God's Word encourages us " in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching."
2 Tiomothy 4:1-2.
"Preach the Gospel all of the time. If necessary, use words." -- Emerson
Live in harmony with one another.
If I were to describe the Spirit of Christmas in our day and age, I would think of this phrase live in harmony with one another. And you might ask, why? Why would you choose this? Well, have you been shopping since Thanksgiving? People are nuts and there is not a sense of harmony or oneness. There is no sense of peace that Christ represents. All that I see is a world so desperately in need of the Prince of Peace and this is so, so frustrating. The Christmas season of 2007 is not what I remember as a child growing up in Lubbock , Texas
The Question is two-fold:
1. What is the Christmas season?
2. What, then, is the Christmas season, really?
What it is has happened over a long period of time. But what Christmas really is has been lost in the culture of our time. Therefore, the only hope is in Christ Jesus our Lord. And we should be sharing the Reason for the Season to a desperate people in search of happiness, but in the wrong places and things. He did not show up on His day of birth and leave us alone 33 years later. He is with us with you, if you know Him.
Celebrate Christmas? I would hope not. Celebrate Christ for sure!!
Blessings to all, and to all....
"Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all."
--- Isaac Watts
What Does He See?
“And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, ‘You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me. Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.’” Mark 10:21-22 (ESV)
The rich young man encounters the Christ looking for something more than he had already achieved in life, but does not find his object of desire. Look at the reaction to what Jesus says to him:
1. He is feeling rejection
2. He leaves unhappy
Jesus looks at him and what does He see?
If you will go back and read the story in its entirety, you will find very quickly that the Lord reveals a person who is wealthy, religious, and very poor. And his poverty is of the worst kind. He uses his wealth and he uses people to achieve his self-serving purposes. His world revolves around himself. We might know him as the proverbial ‘spoiled brat’ who goes away mad when he does not get everything he wants and when he wants to have it
Jesus looks at him and what does He require?
1. Look beyond the written words. Literally, Jesus instructs this wealthy man to sell all that he owns and give the proceeds to the poor that live in the shadows of his mansion on Broadway.
2. He must now become like those that live around him and become their servant. This is what Jesus is really saying when He tells him to give to the poor. Jesus requires that he is to follow Him, that is, to become a disciple of the Christ.
Jesus looks and Him and what does He promise?
“…and you will have treasure in heaven.” There can be no better gift….the promise of eternal life...a treasure in heaven. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23 (ESV)
When Jesus looks at YOU, what does He see?
Now, change the direction of the focus of the previous words from the wealthy guy, to you. What does Jesus see when He turns His Holy gaze upon your heart? You know, and He certainly knows…no excuses here. Note the following statement and reflect upon it…..
"But oh, I would have my whole being to be such, that whenever Jesus comes into it, he may see himself everywhere - above, below, to the right, to the left, and on all sides! Oh, to have him shining even into the inmost closet of our nature, so as to have no part dark! Oh, to become new editions of the life of Christ! We would not only look into the mirror, but we would be ourselves mirrors, reflecting the beauties of the holy Lord Jesus."
- Charles Spurgeon -
The rich young man encounters the Christ looking for something more than he had already achieved in life, but does not find his object of desire. Look at the reaction to what Jesus says to him:
1. He is feeling rejection
2. He leaves unhappy
Jesus looks at him and what does He see?
If you will go back and read the story in its entirety, you will find very quickly that the Lord reveals a person who is wealthy, religious, and very poor. And his poverty is of the worst kind. He uses his wealth and he uses people to achieve his self-serving purposes. His world revolves around himself. We might know him as the proverbial ‘spoiled brat’ who goes away mad when he does not get everything he wants and when he wants to have it
Jesus looks at him and what does He require?
1. Look beyond the written words. Literally, Jesus instructs this wealthy man to sell all that he owns and give the proceeds to the poor that live in the shadows of his mansion on Broadway.
2. He must now become like those that live around him and become their servant. This is what Jesus is really saying when He tells him to give to the poor. Jesus requires that he is to follow Him, that is, to become a disciple of the Christ.
Jesus looks and Him and what does He promise?
“…and you will have treasure in heaven.” There can be no better gift….the promise of eternal life...a treasure in heaven. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23 (ESV)
When Jesus looks at YOU, what does He see?
Now, change the direction of the focus of the previous words from the wealthy guy, to you. What does Jesus see when He turns His Holy gaze upon your heart? You know, and He certainly knows…no excuses here. Note the following statement and reflect upon it…..
"But oh, I would have my whole being to be such, that whenever Jesus comes into it, he may see himself everywhere - above, below, to the right, to the left, and on all sides! Oh, to have him shining even into the inmost closet of our nature, so as to have no part dark! Oh, to become new editions of the life of Christ! We would not only look into the mirror, but we would be ourselves mirrors, reflecting the beauties of the holy Lord Jesus."
- Charles Spurgeon -
Follow His Advice
“But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.” Philippians 3:12-15 (ESV)
“I learned that the hard way.” How many times have you heard that or perhaps even expressed the same about a lesson learned? Certainly, I have. We have also heard, “learn from experience, but do not repeat the past.”
John Maxwell has written a book entitled, Failing Forward, and the basic premise of the book is simply to learn from mistakes and allow them to become stepping stones for greater things. But do not make the same mistake again because that could be fatal. That is good advice for living.
Paul was a murderer. Before coming to faith in Jesus Christ, Paul was a Bounty Hunter. He tortured, imprisoned and even directed the deaths of those that had become followers of ‘The Way’. He was genuinely a ‘bad guy’ who was not to be messed with. After his experience on the Damascus Road, his reputation was a problem for him and perhaps kept him from relationships among ‘the faithful’. Therefore, he speaks from experience when he says, “forgetting what lies behind.”
Each of us, however, will learn from Paul if we would indeed forget what has taken place in our lives and “strain forward to what lies ahead.” We are who are, and we are where we are, in part, because of decisions that we and others have made. And Jesus tells us, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:62 (ESV)
Experiences, both good and bad, tend to mold the way that we think and act, therefore impacting our present state of affairs. And we allow them to dictate our lives. But, here is Biblical advice from which each of us would reap huge results if we follow:
“Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion is not from him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view than mine…” Galatians 5:7-10(ESV)
Our lives would be much better if we would do these things:
1. Read God’s Word daily
2. Apply God’s Word daily
3. Talk to the Father daily
4. Follow His advice….”God will reveal that also to you.”
Come on Down!!
“I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 18:12-15 (ESV)
Most of us have heard that statement many times, “Come on Down!!” And with that, an excited and ecstatic person runs from a seat in the audience to win some very nice prizes on the “Price is Right” show. The really interesting thing about the show is that the contestant must have absolutely no inhibitions about exhibiting their emotions on stage for millions of people to see. They must come down in order to win.
Christians must come down in order to receive the blessings of God. Believers must not do things in order to be recognized by friends and colleagues. Believers must allow others to receive attention, even if it is undeserved…at least in our way of thinking.
Charles Spurgeon probably says it best, “For us the way upward is downhill. When we are stripped of self we are clothed with humility, and this is the best of wear. The LORD will exalt us in peace and happiness of mind; He will exalt us into knowledge of His Word and fellowship with Himself; He will exalt us in the enjoyment of sure pardon and justification. The LORD puts His honors upon those who can wear them to the honor of the Giver”
You might look at Luke 18:12, “I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.” This comes from the heart and mind of a person is already well known in community because of social standing and prominence. But he continues to seek more recognition by publically vocalizing personal achievements. In God’s economy this is foolishness.
Quickly note that the most hated person in that social order remains in his corner and only seeks forgiveness from God for his sin and is justified because of his recognition of who he is in the eyes of God. Paul wrote, “for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God…” Romans 3:23 (ESV). And this is the obvious difference between the two characters that we see in this scripture.
Each of has sinned at one time or another and must recognize that we must come down from how we really feel about our personal achievements and understand that we achieve because of, not in spite of, the presence of the Almighty in our lives. When we understand that, we will be exalted in His Presence. How we are seen by others is really not important in His economy.
COME ON DOWN
Most of us have heard that statement many times, “Come on Down!!” And with that, an excited and ecstatic person runs from a seat in the audience to win some very nice prizes on the “Price is Right” show. The really interesting thing about the show is that the contestant must have absolutely no inhibitions about exhibiting their emotions on stage for millions of people to see. They must come down in order to win.
Christians must come down in order to receive the blessings of God. Believers must not do things in order to be recognized by friends and colleagues. Believers must allow others to receive attention, even if it is undeserved…at least in our way of thinking.
Charles Spurgeon probably says it best, “For us the way upward is downhill. When we are stripped of self we are clothed with humility, and this is the best of wear. The LORD will exalt us in peace and happiness of mind; He will exalt us into knowledge of His Word and fellowship with Himself; He will exalt us in the enjoyment of sure pardon and justification. The LORD puts His honors upon those who can wear them to the honor of the Giver”
You might look at Luke 18:12, “I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.” This comes from the heart and mind of a person is already well known in community because of social standing and prominence. But he continues to seek more recognition by publically vocalizing personal achievements. In God’s economy this is foolishness.
Quickly note that the most hated person in that social order remains in his corner and only seeks forgiveness from God for his sin and is justified because of his recognition of who he is in the eyes of God. Paul wrote, “for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God…” Romans 3:23 (ESV). And this is the obvious difference between the two characters that we see in this scripture.
Each of has sinned at one time or another and must recognize that we must come down from how we really feel about our personal achievements and understand that we achieve because of, not in spite of, the presence of the Almighty in our lives. When we understand that, we will be exalted in His Presence. How we are seen by others is really not important in His economy.
COME ON DOWN
Home is Where the Heart Is
“No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.” Revelation 22:3-5 (ESV)
Recalling our time with the International Mission Board is easy. But those times when we came back to the States for Furlough (today this time is referred to as Stateside Assignment) Patti and I always looked forward to going back Home. And family and friends here never really understood our thinking of Peru as ‘home’, but what they knew about ‘home’ they never understood about us. ‘Home really is where the heart is’ and our hearts were in Peru. We were never really at home in the United States during our time of service in Peru.
And now, we enjoy our family even though we often think of our Peruvian friends, we want to visit with you all. Our hearts are here with you. But there is yet a better place that we call home, too, and that place is Heaven. The Apostle Paul wrote, “My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.” Philippians 1:23 (ESV) Paul’s desire to depart this earth and go home to Heaven is understandable, his heart belongs to Jesus and that is where he really wanted to be. But he also understood that his place at the time was to be with his earthly family, yet his heart belongs to Jesus.
Reality being as it is, our hearts…those of us who know Jesus Christ as Savior belong to Him and our greatest desire is to be with Him…at Home in Heaven. And why is that so? Why was Paul’s desire ‘to depart’? Well, here are the reasons for his desire…
1. No more curse….no more sin
2. Jesus is there….worship of Him
3. We will be with family…our real family in Christ
4. No more night….perpetual daytime
5. Eternity….forever we will reign with Him
And his desire to remain was far more than his God-given love for family and friends, “But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith…” Philippians 1:24 (ESV) This, too, will continue to be my concern for you all…your progress and joy in the faith of our Lord….
Recalling our time with the International Mission Board is easy. But those times when we came back to the States for Furlough (today this time is referred to as Stateside Assignment) Patti and I always looked forward to going back Home. And family and friends here never really understood our thinking of Peru as ‘home’, but what they knew about ‘home’ they never understood about us. ‘Home really is where the heart is’ and our hearts were in Peru. We were never really at home in the United States during our time of service in Peru.
And now, we enjoy our family even though we often think of our Peruvian friends, we want to visit with you all. Our hearts are here with you. But there is yet a better place that we call home, too, and that place is Heaven. The Apostle Paul wrote, “My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.” Philippians 1:23 (ESV) Paul’s desire to depart this earth and go home to Heaven is understandable, his heart belongs to Jesus and that is where he really wanted to be. But he also understood that his place at the time was to be with his earthly family, yet his heart belongs to Jesus.
Reality being as it is, our hearts…those of us who know Jesus Christ as Savior belong to Him and our greatest desire is to be with Him…at Home in Heaven. And why is that so? Why was Paul’s desire ‘to depart’? Well, here are the reasons for his desire…
1. No more curse….no more sin
2. Jesus is there….worship of Him
3. We will be with family…our real family in Christ
4. No more night….perpetual daytime
5. Eternity….forever we will reign with Him
And his desire to remain was far more than his God-given love for family and friends, “But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith…” Philippians 1:24 (ESV) This, too, will continue to be my concern for you all…your progress and joy in the faith of our Lord….
Speaking the Truth in Love
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 (ESV)
“so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.” Ephesians 4:14-15a (ESV)
I hear this often but I continue to be more and more disturbed each and every time. “The preacher read the Scripture text and his sermon had nothing to do with ‘the text of the day’. One of two things is happening when this does occur. Either the preacher has no reverence for the Word of God or he has no idea how to properly handle the Word of God. My firm belief is that the second thought is closer to the truth than the first, but the two are related. And the danger of false teaching is enormous when little care for God’s Word is taken by the messenger.
When we lived in Peru we saw a practice used that is not often used here in the United States, except verbally. Paint stores sold a water-based paint in powder form that was easily used to cover the adobe walls that are the most common means of construction. Although we call this ‘white washing’ this media of painting comes in many colors, but the effect is the same. The colors fade quickly and when, more like if it rains; the wash is immediately washed away. Thus the term ‘white washing’.
Gratefully, I was able to sit under the feet of some of the world’s best theologians and instructors of homiletics and preaching. Learning to study the Word of God and to deliver the message of God has remained the priority of the ministry of preaching that He has given me. And I simply want to pass this heritage on to my family because false teachers are misleading God’s people, “saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace, and because, when the people build a wall, these prophets smear it with whitewash, say to those who smear it with whitewash that it shall fall! There will be a deluge of rain, and you, O great hailstones, will fall, and a stormy wind break out. And when the wall falls, will it not be said to you, ‘Where is the coating with which you smeared it?” Ezekiel 12:10-13 (ESV)
Notice that Paul posts a warning not to be “carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes…” But this is a real danger when we listen to people who call themselves teachers of God’s Word and do not know and (I am afraid) really do not care how to deliver the Message. And by this truth false teachers protect homosexual life-styles as genetics, safe sex and abortion as choices when God’s Words references these as sin. The teaching of God’s Word becomes a mere ‘white-wash’, a ‘smear job’.
With all of this said, I want to encourage each of you to read, study and apply God’s Word to your life so that you will be one who is not ashamed of Scripture in order that you will be able to speak the Truth in His love.
There will be greater storms in life that will come your way and you do not want to be covered by someone’s ‘whitewashed’ teaching. If you have a secure foundation in Scripture, the harsh storms of life will not be able to wash away the Truth of His word that your heart has been immersed in…..
“so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.” Ephesians 4:14-15a (ESV)
I hear this often but I continue to be more and more disturbed each and every time. “The preacher read the Scripture text and his sermon had nothing to do with ‘the text of the day’. One of two things is happening when this does occur. Either the preacher has no reverence for the Word of God or he has no idea how to properly handle the Word of God. My firm belief is that the second thought is closer to the truth than the first, but the two are related. And the danger of false teaching is enormous when little care for God’s Word is taken by the messenger.
When we lived in Peru we saw a practice used that is not often used here in the United States, except verbally. Paint stores sold a water-based paint in powder form that was easily used to cover the adobe walls that are the most common means of construction. Although we call this ‘white washing’ this media of painting comes in many colors, but the effect is the same. The colors fade quickly and when, more like if it rains; the wash is immediately washed away. Thus the term ‘white washing’.
Gratefully, I was able to sit under the feet of some of the world’s best theologians and instructors of homiletics and preaching. Learning to study the Word of God and to deliver the message of God has remained the priority of the ministry of preaching that He has given me. And I simply want to pass this heritage on to my family because false teachers are misleading God’s people, “saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace, and because, when the people build a wall, these prophets smear it with whitewash, say to those who smear it with whitewash that it shall fall! There will be a deluge of rain, and you, O great hailstones, will fall, and a stormy wind break out. And when the wall falls, will it not be said to you, ‘Where is the coating with which you smeared it?” Ezekiel 12:10-13 (ESV)
Notice that Paul posts a warning not to be “carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes…” But this is a real danger when we listen to people who call themselves teachers of God’s Word and do not know and (I am afraid) really do not care how to deliver the Message. And by this truth false teachers protect homosexual life-styles as genetics, safe sex and abortion as choices when God’s Words references these as sin. The teaching of God’s Word becomes a mere ‘white-wash’, a ‘smear job’.
With all of this said, I want to encourage each of you to read, study and apply God’s Word to your life so that you will be one who is not ashamed of Scripture in order that you will be able to speak the Truth in His love.
There will be greater storms in life that will come your way and you do not want to be covered by someone’s ‘whitewashed’ teaching. If you have a secure foundation in Scripture, the harsh storms of life will not be able to wash away the Truth of His word that your heart has been immersed in…..
God Did It…for His Glory
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” Revelation 22:13 (ESV)
It is now about 3:30 AM, and I was awakened at 2:30. Has that kind of thing ever happened to you? Learning many years ago to take advantage of the opportunities that God gives me is very important, because that moment in time may never come again…most likely will not. And the same is true for each of us. But here is the deal….
I read this most ludicrous statement the other day, “Evil is the absence of God just as darkness is the absence of light.” That statement might have some justification if it were true. But because it is not true makes it wrong. The problem is that when that statement is made the Bible becomes false because the Bible proclaims the presence of the Almighty in everything that takes place….everything. Remember that everything happens to bring honor to His Name. Even evil brings honor to Him because God is triumphant over the presence of evil…that being Satan.
“The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble.” Proverbs 16:4 (ESV)
Before you go nuts over what I have just said, remember that God’s Word is the final authority for faith and practice of the Christian life, and if the Bible does not express the premise, the premise is absolutely wrong and is not justifiable.
Remember that when Moses was preparing to lead the Hebrews out of Egypt that God first told Moses to tell the Pharaoh that he was being sent by the “I AM”. Well, the Pharaoh did not listen and God hardened his heart and they were swallowed up by the Red Sea….would we not consider that act an act of evil?? And if my memory serves me correctly, the story of the Exodus when the Egyptian Pharaoh executed all of those Hebrew boy babies, Moses was placed on the Nile River and reared in the Court of the Pharaoh. Moses later murdered an Egyptian and so the saga goes. Evil was most certainly present in order to bring honor to the Person and Name of Yahweh!!
“Then Moses turned to the Lord and said, “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all.” But the Lord said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for with a strong hand he will send them out, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.” God spoke to Moses and said to him, “I am the Lord. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by my name the Lord I did not make myself known to them. I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they lived as sojourners. Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the people of Israel whom the Egyptians hold as slaves, and I have remembered my covenant.” Exodus 5:22-6:2 (ESV)
God designed the entire event(s) of history to move the dramatic story of man through God’s remarkable epic of the death, burial and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. And why did the Creator go to so much trouble of destruction, illness, life and death? He did so in order to demonstrate that He is in control and that His Name will be honored.
“But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” Genesis 50:19-20 (ESV)
“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12 (ESV)
The problem for us is that we too often fail to recognize God for who He is and what He does in our lives. We see bad things and fail to sense the presence of the Lord in everything that takes place. We may see bad and call it evil only because what we see does not serve our purpose. But God has a reason for causing the things in our lives to occur and because we do not take time to listen to Him we too often forget that He is involved in everything whether we call those things good or evil. He is always present for our good and for His glory.
Therefore, evil is not the absence of God, but rather evil is most likely His Divine Presence presenting a lesson in living. Satan may very well be the one moving the evil along to bring confusion, but if you know God, the Person of peace, there will always be peace and victory in your life……
It is now about 3:30 AM, and I was awakened at 2:30. Has that kind of thing ever happened to you? Learning many years ago to take advantage of the opportunities that God gives me is very important, because that moment in time may never come again…most likely will not. And the same is true for each of us. But here is the deal….
I read this most ludicrous statement the other day, “Evil is the absence of God just as darkness is the absence of light.” That statement might have some justification if it were true. But because it is not true makes it wrong. The problem is that when that statement is made the Bible becomes false because the Bible proclaims the presence of the Almighty in everything that takes place….everything. Remember that everything happens to bring honor to His Name. Even evil brings honor to Him because God is triumphant over the presence of evil…that being Satan.
“The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble.” Proverbs 16:4 (ESV)
Before you go nuts over what I have just said, remember that God’s Word is the final authority for faith and practice of the Christian life, and if the Bible does not express the premise, the premise is absolutely wrong and is not justifiable.
Remember that when Moses was preparing to lead the Hebrews out of Egypt that God first told Moses to tell the Pharaoh that he was being sent by the “I AM”. Well, the Pharaoh did not listen and God hardened his heart and they were swallowed up by the Red Sea….would we not consider that act an act of evil?? And if my memory serves me correctly, the story of the Exodus when the Egyptian Pharaoh executed all of those Hebrew boy babies, Moses was placed on the Nile River and reared in the Court of the Pharaoh. Moses later murdered an Egyptian and so the saga goes. Evil was most certainly present in order to bring honor to the Person and Name of Yahweh!!
“Then Moses turned to the Lord and said, “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all.” But the Lord said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for with a strong hand he will send them out, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.” God spoke to Moses and said to him, “I am the Lord. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by my name the Lord I did not make myself known to them. I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they lived as sojourners. Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the people of Israel whom the Egyptians hold as slaves, and I have remembered my covenant.” Exodus 5:22-6:2 (ESV)
God designed the entire event(s) of history to move the dramatic story of man through God’s remarkable epic of the death, burial and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. And why did the Creator go to so much trouble of destruction, illness, life and death? He did so in order to demonstrate that He is in control and that His Name will be honored.
“But Joseph said to them, “Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” Genesis 50:19-20 (ESV)
“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12 (ESV)
The problem for us is that we too often fail to recognize God for who He is and what He does in our lives. We see bad things and fail to sense the presence of the Lord in everything that takes place. We may see bad and call it evil only because what we see does not serve our purpose. But God has a reason for causing the things in our lives to occur and because we do not take time to listen to Him we too often forget that He is involved in everything whether we call those things good or evil. He is always present for our good and for His glory.
Therefore, evil is not the absence of God, but rather evil is most likely His Divine Presence presenting a lesson in living. Satan may very well be the one moving the evil along to bring confusion, but if you know God, the Person of peace, there will always be peace and victory in your life……
Barriers
“Do you not fear me? declares the LORD. Do you not tremble before me? I placed the sand as the boundary for the sea, a perpetual barrier that it cannot pass; though the waves toss, they cannot prevail; though they roar, they cannot pass over it. But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart; they have turned aside and gone away. They do not say in their hearts, 'Let us fear the LORD our God, who gives the rain in its season, the autumn rain and the spring rain, keeps for us the weeks appointed for the harvest.'Your iniquities have turned these away, and your sins have kept good from you.” Jeremiah 5:22-25 (ESV)
Have you ever noticed how ‘barriers’ seem to irritate us (you), however good they may be? There are speed limits, speed bumps, no turn areas, no pass zones, and the list goes on and on and on. At school there are rules that prevent the students from doing certain things, like ‘no talking’. School teaches have all sorts of forms to fill out before the teaching day begins and after it is over. And then there are the 'end of the month' reports that are due in order for statistics to be reported. These are barriers that hinder our ‘personal’ freedom.
And these are man-made barriers. But what about the so-called ‘laws of Nature’ that prevent us from jumping 20ft vertically in order that we can reach the first limb of a large tree.? Or holding our breath long enough to swim at a depth of 100ft and more. But, these are God’s laws that keep this planet intact. Only birds can easily get to that limb, and fish can only float around at a 100 ft depth….naturally. “I placed the sand as the boundary for the sea, a perpetual barrier that it cannot pass….” And man has attempted to keep the seas from their natural shores, but what God has placed as a boundary, man, even at his best, cannot change those boundaries without consequences.
God has given us laws to keep us within His boundaries of moral expediency. The laws are not to keep us in bond of tyranny, but to give us freedom to enjoy His blessings of life. Those spiritual guides are found in His Word and we must live under the Manual for living without placing our own feelings and desires over the Scriptures. This is another topic, but we cannot successfully interpret the Bible from our experiences, but rather allow the Bible give direction to our experiences.
Because we want to challenge God, He has said, “But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart; they have turned aside and gone away …” We want things our way, and when this happens we find ourselves under the consequences of ‘doing it our way.”
God has a plan, not an opinion that He has designed for each of our lives. ”Let us fear the LORD our God, who gives the rain in its season, the autumn rain and the spring rain, keeps for us the weeks appointed for the harvest.” His water from heaven is present to clean the air and give life to the earth, and the seasons provide times of refreshing for all of His creation….and then there is the Harvest time that He has given for us to enjoy the fruit of His Blessings.
Jesus tells us that he has come to give us life in it abundance…within His life-giving boundaries. ENJOY
Have you ever noticed how ‘barriers’ seem to irritate us (you), however good they may be? There are speed limits, speed bumps, no turn areas, no pass zones, and the list goes on and on and on. At school there are rules that prevent the students from doing certain things, like ‘no talking’. School teaches have all sorts of forms to fill out before the teaching day begins and after it is over. And then there are the 'end of the month' reports that are due in order for statistics to be reported. These are barriers that hinder our ‘personal’ freedom.
And these are man-made barriers. But what about the so-called ‘laws of Nature’ that prevent us from jumping 20ft vertically in order that we can reach the first limb of a large tree.? Or holding our breath long enough to swim at a depth of 100ft and more. But, these are God’s laws that keep this planet intact. Only birds can easily get to that limb, and fish can only float around at a 100 ft depth….naturally. “I placed the sand as the boundary for the sea, a perpetual barrier that it cannot pass….” And man has attempted to keep the seas from their natural shores, but what God has placed as a boundary, man, even at his best, cannot change those boundaries without consequences.
God has given us laws to keep us within His boundaries of moral expediency. The laws are not to keep us in bond of tyranny, but to give us freedom to enjoy His blessings of life. Those spiritual guides are found in His Word and we must live under the Manual for living without placing our own feelings and desires over the Scriptures. This is another topic, but we cannot successfully interpret the Bible from our experiences, but rather allow the Bible give direction to our experiences.
Because we want to challenge God, He has said, “But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart; they have turned aside and gone away …” We want things our way, and when this happens we find ourselves under the consequences of ‘doing it our way.”
God has a plan, not an opinion that He has designed for each of our lives. ”Let us fear the LORD our God, who gives the rain in its season, the autumn rain and the spring rain, keeps for us the weeks appointed for the harvest.” His water from heaven is present to clean the air and give life to the earth, and the seasons provide times of refreshing for all of His creation….and then there is the Harvest time that He has given for us to enjoy the fruit of His Blessings.
Jesus tells us that he has come to give us life in it abundance…within His life-giving boundaries. ENJOY
Following Christ…Not an Assumption
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32 ESV)
As one who has confessed Jesus Christ as Savior, the following assumption is true: “I will follow Him.” However true the assumption may be, is it being completed?
The desire of every believer is to ‘follow Christ’ to the best of abilities. And this is the point at which each of is wrong. The ability to follow Him does not come from our desires or strengths (weaknesses). This ability is not ours because this does not come from within. We do not possess this…ability.
There are many abilities that each of us is born with and somewhere in our physical and emotional processes of maturing these abilities are demonstrated. Some folks can sing, write, draw, express themselves articulately, etc. and these are truly gifts from God that help us in social environments and in the workplace.
But what we are not born with is an ability to follow the Christ.
The key to following Christ is His teachings and these are only found in Scripture. Jesus said to these Jewish believers, “IF you abide (follow) my word, you are truly my disciples…” Simply stated, we must not only read the Scriptures, but we must also put them into practice. This is what the word ‘abide’ means…to put those things of God into practice.
One might argue that, “I cannot do that…put His word into practice”. The only answer to that objection is that person is not a believer. Remember that the ability to follow Christ does not come from within….this ability comes from knowing Him. If we know Him we will follow Him. Jesus said that if we put His teaching into practice, that is abide in His word, “you are truly my disciples.”
And this is not all. By living His word in daily living and being His disciples (followers), we will know (understand) His truth and by His truth we will be set free.
Without His word we cannot understand His truth and without His word we cannot be free from the power that temptation has over our lives. Without His word the temptation will almost always become the sin that so easily causes us to fall short of His glory.
Remember that you are to follow Christ and not your assumption that everything is going to be okay only because I confess Him. Follow the assumption and your life will be crazy….Follow the Christ and His word and your life will know truth and freedom from the assumption.
As one who has confessed Jesus Christ as Savior, the following assumption is true: “I will follow Him.” However true the assumption may be, is it being completed?
The desire of every believer is to ‘follow Christ’ to the best of abilities. And this is the point at which each of is wrong. The ability to follow Him does not come from our desires or strengths (weaknesses). This ability is not ours because this does not come from within. We do not possess this…ability.
There are many abilities that each of us is born with and somewhere in our physical and emotional processes of maturing these abilities are demonstrated. Some folks can sing, write, draw, express themselves articulately, etc. and these are truly gifts from God that help us in social environments and in the workplace.
But what we are not born with is an ability to follow the Christ.
The key to following Christ is His teachings and these are only found in Scripture. Jesus said to these Jewish believers, “IF you abide (follow) my word, you are truly my disciples…” Simply stated, we must not only read the Scriptures, but we must also put them into practice. This is what the word ‘abide’ means…to put those things of God into practice.
One might argue that, “I cannot do that…put His word into practice”. The only answer to that objection is that person is not a believer. Remember that the ability to follow Christ does not come from within….this ability comes from knowing Him. If we know Him we will follow Him. Jesus said that if we put His teaching into practice, that is abide in His word, “you are truly my disciples.”
And this is not all. By living His word in daily living and being His disciples (followers), we will know (understand) His truth and by His truth we will be set free.
Without His word we cannot understand His truth and without His word we cannot be free from the power that temptation has over our lives. Without His word the temptation will almost always become the sin that so easily causes us to fall short of His glory.
Remember that you are to follow Christ and not your assumption that everything is going to be okay only because I confess Him. Follow the assumption and your life will be crazy….Follow the Christ and His word and your life will know truth and freedom from the assumption.
By His Strength…Alone
Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts. Zechariah 4:6. ESV
Life is a journey…period. And the journey is predicated by the many decisions that each of us will make along the way. Factually, it is very much like plotting a trip…however you may choose.
Some sort of simply ‘do it’, and we might refer to those folks as living on the edge. These are the people that simply get in or on their vehicle and travel.
Others are somewhat akin to the former, but they will use maps along the way for a feeling of security…I guess.
Destination is a must for some, but actually planning the trip may not be an option, they, too will take off with map(s) in hand just in case there is a need. Meticulous planning is the group that fascinates me the most (I am not one of them), because every moment of every day is planned for enjoyment…to the last drop of nourishment involved. The ‘LIST’ is followed to the hilt.
And the ‘Journey of Life” is very much like that. Having lived for almost 60 years, viewing the various methods of fulfilling the journey has intrigued me. From the very careless to the minutest of detailers, I think that I have seen them all….each and every one. What I have discovered is that none is really better than another, simply different. But being different is not my point of reference. My point of reference is WHO makes the impact upon the difference.
Yes, we are able to live this life alone and without a Guide, and most do. From the very ‘edge of the envelope’ risk takers to the most detailed of planners, life is lived to the fullest extent of excitement and boredom…take your pick. But news stories will always reveal that even the best of plans will sometimes end in tragedy.
As the Lord revealed to Zerubbabel, we cannot successfully live this life by our own mental toughness or according to our physical strength. The Bible tells us that successful living can only be achieved by living according to His Holy Spirit. This is the Person that our Lord said that He was to send to the earth to give us daily instruction for successful living. “…it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.´(John 16:7-11) ESV
My counsel, therefore, is to enjoy life at the fullest extent possible. But do so with the joy of knowing that the Holy Spirit is your daily Guide and Strength for living…..
Life is a journey…period. And the journey is predicated by the many decisions that each of us will make along the way. Factually, it is very much like plotting a trip…however you may choose.
Some sort of simply ‘do it’, and we might refer to those folks as living on the edge. These are the people that simply get in or on their vehicle and travel.
Others are somewhat akin to the former, but they will use maps along the way for a feeling of security…I guess.
Destination is a must for some, but actually planning the trip may not be an option, they, too will take off with map(s) in hand just in case there is a need. Meticulous planning is the group that fascinates me the most (I am not one of them), because every moment of every day is planned for enjoyment…to the last drop of nourishment involved. The ‘LIST’ is followed to the hilt.
And the ‘Journey of Life” is very much like that. Having lived for almost 60 years, viewing the various methods of fulfilling the journey has intrigued me. From the very careless to the minutest of detailers, I think that I have seen them all….each and every one. What I have discovered is that none is really better than another, simply different. But being different is not my point of reference. My point of reference is WHO makes the impact upon the difference.
Yes, we are able to live this life alone and without a Guide, and most do. From the very ‘edge of the envelope’ risk takers to the most detailed of planners, life is lived to the fullest extent of excitement and boredom…take your pick. But news stories will always reveal that even the best of plans will sometimes end in tragedy.
As the Lord revealed to Zerubbabel, we cannot successfully live this life by our own mental toughness or according to our physical strength. The Bible tells us that successful living can only be achieved by living according to His Holy Spirit. This is the Person that our Lord said that He was to send to the earth to give us daily instruction for successful living. “…it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.´(John 16:7-11) ESV
My counsel, therefore, is to enjoy life at the fullest extent possible. But do so with the joy of knowing that the Holy Spirit is your daily Guide and Strength for living…..
Protected by His Love
"Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation." -Psalm 91:14-16 (ESV)
Being from West Texas, sand storms are frequent and daily winds of 20 mph are the norm. I recall that my mother would always wear a headscarf. In fact, women go nowhere without those head coverings. Trees are planted around farm houses that are standing on the flat and otherwise treeless plains. The point to be made here is that God offers protection from the elements of life if we love Him.
After the discovery and study of the HMS Titanic, an incredible weakness was uncovered. There was a huge flaw in the construction of the ship that helped to create the unlikely sinking of the huge ship. The steel plates used in the building of the vessel were secured with wrought iron rivets instead of much stronger steel rivets. There were many other structural problems, but this would have been an unlikely suspect if the material had been of the 'right stuff'.
The irony is that much money and tremendous effort were used to make the ship comfortable for the wealthy guests that were to make ocean crossings a pleasure. However, not so much effort was made to secure the safety of the pleasure-seekers. The statement can be made that the “Unsinkable Titanic” proved to be far less safe than was predicted. The wealthy travelers had placed their most valuable possessions, their very lives, in faulty advertisement.God tells us in Psalm 91, ESV, that He is our strength if we love Him.
Those who love Him live within the safe cover of our God who is above all gods. He is our strong haven and we are protected by His Mighty Presence. When life becomes difficult and things do not seem to be going in ‘my direction’, I will remember that I am standing in the strength of God's love. What a wonderful place to be!
Being from West Texas, sand storms are frequent and daily winds of 20 mph are the norm. I recall that my mother would always wear a headscarf. In fact, women go nowhere without those head coverings. Trees are planted around farm houses that are standing on the flat and otherwise treeless plains. The point to be made here is that God offers protection from the elements of life if we love Him.
After the discovery and study of the HMS Titanic, an incredible weakness was uncovered. There was a huge flaw in the construction of the ship that helped to create the unlikely sinking of the huge ship. The steel plates used in the building of the vessel were secured with wrought iron rivets instead of much stronger steel rivets. There were many other structural problems, but this would have been an unlikely suspect if the material had been of the 'right stuff'.
The irony is that much money and tremendous effort were used to make the ship comfortable for the wealthy guests that were to make ocean crossings a pleasure. However, not so much effort was made to secure the safety of the pleasure-seekers. The statement can be made that the “Unsinkable Titanic” proved to be far less safe than was predicted. The wealthy travelers had placed their most valuable possessions, their very lives, in faulty advertisement.God tells us in Psalm 91, ESV, that He is our strength if we love Him.
Those who love Him live within the safe cover of our God who is above all gods. He is our strong haven and we are protected by His Mighty Presence. When life becomes difficult and things do not seem to be going in ‘my direction’, I will remember that I am standing in the strength of God's love. What a wonderful place to be!
Being Good while Being Faithful
Being Good while Being Faithful
Matthew 25:14-23
Faithfulness is completing assignments with competence.
Matthew 25:14-23
Faithfulness is completing assignments with competence.
The Parable of the Talents
Matthew wrote, "Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. "After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.' "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' "The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.' "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!” Matt 25:14-23 (NIV)
Here are a couple of Jesus’ parables that reflect faithfulness
In Matthew 24:45-46, the story begins with the words Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time?" (NIV)
In Matthew 25:14-23, the first two people are commended as "good and faithful" servants in vv.21 and 23.
"Good and faithful" does not apply to a general thought of goodness. Here faithful defines goodness and points to the attitude of the servant. He is good because he is faithful. He is not faithful as a result of being good. This is the basis of the approval of every servant. Being good does not result in competence, but faithfulness demonstrates competence.
What does it mean to be a faithful servant?
1. Understanding God’s call.
In Matthew 24 the assignment is to feed the family.
2. Patience and faithfulness go together.
Faithfulness demonstrates personal consistency.
3. Completion of the task is obedience.
Obeying God-given assignments.
4. They do their work with competence.
There is personal life investment.
5. Diligence in light of discouragement.
The coming of their master is delayed but the workers remained focused on appointed
objectives.
Follow His Advice
“But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.” Philippians 3:12-15 (ESV)
“I learned that the hard way.” How many times have you heard that or perhaps even expressed the same about a lesson learned? Certainly, I have. We have also heard, “learn from experience, but do not repeat the past.”
John Maxwell has written a book entitled, Failing Forward, and the basic premise of the book is simply to learn from mistakes and allow them to become stepping stones for greater things. But do not make the same mistake again because that could be fatal. That is good advice for living.
Paul was a murderer. Before coming to faith in Jesus Christ, Paul was a Bounty Hunter. He tortured, imprisoned and even directed the deaths of those that had become followers of ‘The Way’. He was genuinely a ‘bad guy’ who was not to be messed with. After his experience on the Damascus Road, his reputation was a problem for him and perhaps kept him from relationships among ‘the faithful’. Therefore, he speaks from experience when he says, “forgetting what lies behind.”
Each of us, however, will learn from Paul if we would indeed forget what has taken place in our lives and “strain forward to what lies ahead.” We are who are, and we are where we are, in part, because of decisions that we and others have made. And Jesus tells us, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:62 (ESV)
Experiences, both good and bad, tend to mold the way that we think and act, therefore impacting our present state of affairs. And we allow them to dictate our lives. But, here is Biblical advice from which each of us would reap huge results if we follow:
“Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion is not from him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view than mine…” Galatians 5:7-10(ESV)
Our lives would be much better if we would do these things:
Read God’s Word daily
Apply God’s Word daily
Talk to the Father daily
Follow His advice….”God will reveal that also to you.”
“I learned that the hard way.” How many times have you heard that or perhaps even expressed the same about a lesson learned? Certainly, I have. We have also heard, “learn from experience, but do not repeat the past.”
John Maxwell has written a book entitled, Failing Forward, and the basic premise of the book is simply to learn from mistakes and allow them to become stepping stones for greater things. But do not make the same mistake again because that could be fatal. That is good advice for living.
Paul was a murderer. Before coming to faith in Jesus Christ, Paul was a Bounty Hunter. He tortured, imprisoned and even directed the deaths of those that had become followers of ‘The Way’. He was genuinely a ‘bad guy’ who was not to be messed with. After his experience on the Damascus Road, his reputation was a problem for him and perhaps kept him from relationships among ‘the faithful’. Therefore, he speaks from experience when he says, “forgetting what lies behind.”
Each of us, however, will learn from Paul if we would indeed forget what has taken place in our lives and “strain forward to what lies ahead.” We are who are, and we are where we are, in part, because of decisions that we and others have made. And Jesus tells us, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:62 (ESV)
Experiences, both good and bad, tend to mold the way that we think and act, therefore impacting our present state of affairs. And we allow them to dictate our lives. But, here is Biblical advice from which each of us would reap huge results if we follow:
“Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion is not from him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view than mine…” Galatians 5:7-10(ESV)
Our lives would be much better if we would do these things:
Read God’s Word daily
Apply God’s Word daily
Talk to the Father daily
Follow His advice….”God will reveal that also to you.”
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