MAY 2018: 

5/1/18                                    Minds Governed by the Spirit                                    1 
Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.  Romans 8:5

 

RECOMMENDED READING: ROMANS 8:1-6 “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.² For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.³ For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:⁴ That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.⁵ For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.⁶ For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”

COMMENTS:  Good reputations take a lifetime to build but can be destroyed almost instantly by foolish and sinful acts of passion or thoughtlessness.   Satan has a sinister way of tempting everyone to do such acts while motivating others to accuse and try to destroy their good reputations after yielding to temptations to do those sinful acts.   One only needs to watch the news once to see the destruction to careers of a long list of famous successful people especially in the entertainment and News industry.  Careers spanning many decades destroyed overnight.   Likewise, the destruction to victims of those acts suffering during those decades suffering in secret or without public exposure or awareness.

The hypocrisy evident from non-Christian news reveals little or no path to redemption or forgiveness or healing for accused while accusing Christians of identifying sinful behavior as judgmental and discriminatory.  Then to judge Christ’s plan of redemption and forgiveness and healing as intolerance and unacceptable.   Christ’s Gospel and message is that all, everyone, are equally sinful and in need of a Savior.  Both victim and criminal are included but only Christ can bring a transformation to both and healing to both and forgiveness to both.  Man’s laws do require justice and still need enforced to bring order and peace and safety to society, but only God’s redemptive intervention can transform sinners into saints and criminals into productive contributors of society and again worthy of trust. 

Well, we shouldn’t be surprised.  Christ faced rejection and hatred and persecution and martyrdom and warns us that we will too if we choose to follow Him and do His will. 

In the USA, we’ve enjoyed freedom to live and share our faith like no other time in history or in any other country.  But that freedom is slowly being eroded and persecution is beginning to be experienced by Christians even in USA.   As we look around the world, the mystery of how Christians are judged as intolerant and persecution and hatred of Christians by radical Muslims and those who follow other religions as justified or acceptable.   What the world has forgotten is history.   Freedom and prosperity is the history of Christianity.  All the great hospitals and schools came out of Christianity, not other religions.  Democracy is a product of Christianity.   Dictatorships are not.  Roman government claimed to be a democracy but reigns a mightily conquering army on the world with great suffering and an iron arm on resistance.  Even Roman citizens were not free to protest or vote against the reigning monarch without consequences.  Paul was the most famous Roman citizen who was beaten and ultimately killed for preaching Christ’s gospel during the peak of Roman rule.  Yet that Gospel resulted in citizens becoming kind and forgiving. 

Satan is a skillful counterfeiter and has offered and persuaded men and women, boys and girls, poor and rich, weak and strong, master and servant, ruler and subject, Christian and non-Christian to believe they can earn their way to heaven or a better life by their own work and deeds without any heal from God.  But Christ teaches the only way to heaven or a meaningful life is by accepting His offer of forgiveness, to let His guiding Holy Spirit into our life and follow His guiding council.  

I know I am reaching to the choir mostly, but in case one is lost and needing His saving grace, THE ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN IS THROUGH CHRIST (JOHN 14:6 “⁶ Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”)

I invite you to open yourself and pray to Jesus seeking His help and forgiveness and mercy.  I invite you to invite Him into your life.  I invite you to start reading the Bible, possibly starting      with the Gospel of John and then going on to read Romans and Psalms and …  

If you have been a Christian for a few years or many years, I also invite you to join me in seeking a deeper walk with Christ and make David’s prayer yours too “²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:²⁴ And see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23-24

I CLOSE WITH Romans 8:6: “The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace” (NIV).

“Clean thoughts make clean habits.”  James Allen, in As a Man Thinketh

5/2/18                                                          Golden Words                                              2

   And treasure my commands within you…Write them on the tablet of your heart.  Proverbs 7:1, 3

SCRIPTURE: PROVERBS 7:1-5  “My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.² Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.³ Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.⁴ Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman:⁵ That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.”

COMMENTS: 

Memorizing scripture is much easier as a youth than as an adult or a senior, but knowing key scriptures and able to access them from memory is vital when temptations come.  Some examples:  When worried, recite Philippians 4:6: “Be anxious for nothing.” When tempted speak impulsively when angry: James 1:19: “Be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” When problems keep you up at night: Psalm 46:1, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

God doesn’t intend for you to live a trouble-free life.  He doesn’t intend to provide a life of ease and comfort.  What He does intend and offers is a life free of guilt and judgment.  A life with His help and fellowship always available 24×7.  A life that will be followed by a perfect eternal life / body / home without evil or death or pain with Him and our loved ones.  A life of worth and purpose and a legacy of great positive impact on others and of great worth to Him.

He uses hardship and even tragedy to make us stronger and to prepare us for greater service and purpose. 

We go to school to prepare for life and to prepare for successful employment.  To become a productive part of society and community.  Time daily in God’s Word, in prayer, and in fellowship with other Believers all serve to draw us closer to Him, closer to the Holy Spirit ready to guide and help and encourage and strengthen us. Preparing us for greater service and for Him and for others.  Past history affirms God desires and specializes using common people with modest faith and gifts to do great things resulting in transformation to many.   He uses difficulties they struggle with to prepare and equip them for service.  For service those better gifted and equipped are unwilling to use.   God equips and prepare the willing but passes by the unwilling well gifted. By memorizing scripture, we enable ourselves to become open and willing to know and obey God’s nudging daily and ultimately God’s call.

“The internalized truths of God’s Word keep us mentally healthy. It’s the greatest secret I know to personal resiliency.”

Robert J. Morgan, in 100 Bible Verses Everyone Should Know by Heart

 

5/3/18                                         A Ready Writer                               3 

My heart is overflowing with a good theme…my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.

Psalm 45:1

Recommended Reading: PSALM 45:1-6 My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.² Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.³ Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty.⁴ And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.⁵ Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king’s enemies; whereby the people fall under thee.⁶ Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.”

COMMENTS:   Few, if any, of us would ever think our lives or experiences would hold a candle to those recorded in Old Testament or New Testament scripture.  Those identified were not generally unusual in background or circumstances for the day, but their relationship and obedience for God did stand out.  Their surrender opened a door for God to use them for a greater mission.  A mission that not only had an eternal positive impact on those of the day, but on millions down through the generations since because their stories are recorded in scripture.

Even though our lives and obedience are not destined to be included in scripture, our stories are being recorded in heaven’s record and potentially will have impact after us if we write down and share our stories.   Journaling is typically another way of keeping a diary of daily events and experiences, but in the case of a devotional journal, give opportunity to share insights and thoughts that come from our daily prayer and scripture meditation time.  That is exactly what I do each day when write in this journal.  I have to say I never could have imagined the support and interest and response to my daily devotional journal when first started the discipline.  But I wasn’t long into doing this when God’s Holy Spirit revealed to me this journal was His Will and He would use it to minister to and use it as a tool to open hearts for His salvation.  He even revealed to me that more will be blessed and saved from it after I’m in heaven than will be while I am alive and writing it.   That gives me greater motivation to continue but also to try to get it out to as many people as possible.

You may not feel gifted to write, and especially intimidated to publish on Facebook or WordPress or similar media options.  I too did not consider such until encouraged to do so by family and friends.  Their encouragement opened me to seek God’s council, which came in short order to proceed.  That I began doing March 2016 after already keeping a daily devotional journal for 3+ years. 

Even if publishing a journal isn’t your calling, creating a record for family and descendants after you as a legacy for them.  I would have considered such a gift from my parents or grandparents a priceless treasure even though your lives and faith greatly impacted me.  That realization motivated me to begin this journal mainly for family but then expanded from there.  Who knows, taking the first step may open more doors for you too, but if not, would it not be worth discipline of doing this just for your children and grandchildren as your legacy for this sufficient worth to continue?  It was for me in the beginning and would still be if that was all it still was, so will be for you too. 

Besides, the revelations and insights God gives in response are such a growth blessing personally too.  God’s word never returns void or lacking.  Besides, it is God’s love letter to each of us.   From the One who created everything and has lives forever past and shares boundless wisdom.  And it is freely available and accessible to everyone.  What a blessing and opportunity, right?  AMEN!

Journaling helps you leave a record of your daily life for those who will find it after you’re gone. When we write down what God has done for us, it creates a record of His faithfulness, preserving the lessons He teaches us in His Word.

 

The next time you sit down for your Bible study, try using the pen of a ready writer.

 

“What happens to us is not as important as the meaning we assign to it. Journaling helps sort this out. “Michael Hyatt

 

5/4/18                                Writing for the Future                                             4  

Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.  1 Corinthians 10:11

Recommended Reading: PSALM 71:1-3 “In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.² Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me.³ Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.”

COMMENTS: 

David wrote in Psalm 34:4, “I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.”

Do you think that record of God’s faithfulness would inspire David in the future? No doubt—and journaling will do the same for us. As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 10:11, the record of Israel’s experience with God was “written for our admonition.”

If you don’t keep a journal now, consider starting. And re-read it often to stay mindful of the faithfulness of God.

The gospel…is the record of a person who is the Truth.   Alexander Maclaren

5/5/18                      Spring Cleaning—Put Off the Old                                                5

But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth…put off the old man with his deeds.
Colossians 3:8-9

Recommended Reading: Colossians 3:12-14 “¹² Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;¹³ Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.¹⁴ And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.”

COMMENTS:  Spring house cleaning and garage sales have the purpose of removing dirt and worn out and unneeded items that no longer work nor are needed.  By hanging on to them, they hinder us by cluttering our path, blocking us from doing the tasks planned in our day.  How often have you found it difficult to find tools or a clear space to work because of clutter?  Not taking the time to put tools back in their place and cleaning up workspace at end of day results in being unprepared for the next day’s work.

Possessions, especially unneeded ones and seldom used ones, drain funds needed for more important purposes.  Possessions tend to demand attention and work to preserve, demand money to maintain and keep be usable, so become a burden.  Only acquiring and keeping possessions absolutely needed and no more, keeps us free to work and serve Christ efficiently and also be more flexible and ready to go where He calls us. 

So, spring is a good time to clean house and get rid of items we don’t need.   Maybe even some items we may still enjoy possessing but can get along just fine without them.   God has a way of pruning dead branches and possessions from us out of love and concern for our wellbeing.  Can you recall God’s pruning in the past?   How much did you like or appreciate God’s pruning at the time?  If we are honest, we would have to admit not very much.  Pruning is painful and maybe even scary. 

But God’s pruning demands complete trust in Him.  As we trust and surrender to a skilled surgeon, God requires us to submit to Him when we are sick from the world’s dirt and clutter and decay.   God gives and sustains life and heals.   Satan takes life and weakens our ability to find evil. 

We must not forget what is important and what will last and what will not.  I see many who have spent a fortune collecting possessions and properties and lands believing they would be enjoyed at retirement.  But as they got old and frail, those possessions were sold off to pay for medical expenses at a fraction of their appraised value.  Truth was those possessions deteriorated because their owner could no longer take care of them. 

I too felt that temptation, but God’s conviction brought me to my senses before it was too late.  I would not be able to fund ministries using my blog materials if I’d indulged a desire for things years ago as my income grew.  Instead God led me to increasing giving and He also helped me save for future needs. 

Truth is, God is the owner of everything and we are only caretakers and tenants. The only thing we can take to heaven is the souls of others we led to Christ while on earth.  Every material thing we possess will be left behind.  Every one.  Even our bodies will be left behind, but I have to admit as I get older, I am pretty glad for that.

So how deep is your faith?  How much do you trust God?  What are you hanging on to which is keeping you from fully trusting Him?  From loving Him more deeply?  From serving Him more faithfully?  Can you say the prayer David prayed and mean it? Psalm 139:23 “²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:²⁴ And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

I too am reflecting and seeking the Holy Spirit’s searching light to reveal additional work and house cleaning needed to enable me to draw closer to Him, so this prayer is on my mind too. May 3^rd was the world day of prayer, but any day and time is a good time to pray.  AMEN?  AMEN!

“Never is a man…rightly clothed till he has put on the Lord Jesus Christ.”    J. C. Ryle

 

 

5/6/18                                           Documentation                                        6

Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord” shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.   Matthew 7:21

Recommended Reading: Luke 6:39-49 “³⁹ And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?⁴⁰ The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.⁴¹ And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?⁴² Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother’s eye.⁴³ For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.⁴⁴ For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.⁴⁵ A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.⁴⁶ And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?⁴⁷ Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:⁴⁸ He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.⁴⁹ But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.”

COMMENTS:  We live in a world requiring constant proof we are who we say we are.  We are not permitted to drive a car without a driver’s license that has personal information and a current picture of us on it.  We can’t fly in an airplane without an ID with the same personal information and picture on it either.  Security to prevent dangerous or hostile individuals from infiltrating and causing harm to others makes such measures and inspection for weapons necessary at more and more public gatherings as well as before traveling in groups or in public transportation.

We see consequences all to often of consequences when such security fails and a hostile is able to inflict harm. 

Danger to Christians and Christ’s church from counterfeit Christians and false teachers was a problem even in the first century church. Danger is people believe false teachings instead of scripture and become deceived into common lies like “salvation by works or earning a way to heaven” or “name it – claim it prosperity theology”.  To allow such false teachers an audience in our churches without being accountable to scripture teaching empowers their deception.   Some may be sincere but still wrong.  Scripture must be our barometer and enforcer.  A standard to judge truth from deception and sound bible teachers from counterfeits and genuine Christians from counterfeits. 

Truth is, we all are still sinners saved only by grace and Holy Spirit still has work to do.  Our lives still do not adequately reflect Christ’s example.  The difference is whether we only teach scripture and only let Christ’s example and the Holy Spirit influence and guide us.  We all need to be accountable to other faithful Christians so we don’t become deceived or blind to satan’s cunnings and sinister ways of influencing our thoughts and actions.

Even David, as faithful and courageous in obedience as he was, was not always in close communion with God and sinned without even realizing he had ventured away from God.  If he could, so can we.  By seeking the Holy Spirit to search us and show us our soul’s state, we are regularly seeking course corrections necessary to stay true and faithful.  Psalm 139:23-24 “²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:²⁴ And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

“Salvation is only by a working faith. In short, good works are the fruit of saving faith. “R. B. Kuiper

5/7/18                                             A Life Worth Living                           7    

The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, “Follow Me.”  John 1:43

Recommended Reading: LUKE 14:26-27  “²⁵ And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,²⁶ If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.²⁷ And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.²⁸ For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?²⁹ Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,³⁰ Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.³¹ Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?³² Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.³³ So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.³⁴ Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?³⁵ It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.”

COMMENTS:  Adrian Rodgers is well known for a radio and television ministry entitled “A Life Worth Living”, but Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is credited for the statement “life is not worth living until you find something worth dying for.”.   Martin Luther King found that something as being freedom from knowing Christ.  The equal rights movement he championed and ultimately died for still continues but was transformed by his life and even by his death.  His famous speech “I have a dream” included “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”   His death was tragic and his message of equal rights, as important as it was, was also overshadowed by his message of redemption from the blood of Christ.  As a pastor and evangelist, his greatest message included equal blessing and forgiveness and redemption of all colored people of all social and economic status, which also included equality in freedom and liberty established by God fearing patriots who established our country’s government and laws.

Our founding fathers feared and loved God above all else, but that devotion motived and inspired and drove them to fight for freedom and establish a constitution and government that has survived intact for over 200 years.  Martin Luther King Jr. shared their passion and devotion and took their battle to defend those in America still not enjoying those freedoms. 

What do you live for?  What do you value that is worth dying for?  I would dare say your family would be near or at the top of the list.  But what about your faith in Christ?  Are you prepared to live for Christ and share His Gospel Message by conduct and testimony?  Have you faced persecution for doing so and would you be willing to do so at risk of prison or execution?   In much of the world, Christians face just that.  

Prophecy warns us that a day is coming when to follow Christ will mean risk of prison and death even in free countries like USA.  We need to prepare ourselves and our families and church for this so we will be ready and faithful.   Dr. David Jeremiah shared in his radio program that during the terrible time of Great Tribulation 144,000 Jewish evangelists will be preaching the Gospel and many will be saved.  But those saved during that time will face great persecution and be forced to receive satan’s mark in order to buy or sell essentials.  To refuse will mean either certain death by execution or starvation.  The choice will be to either be obedient to God and suffer a short time to achieve eternal life or be obedient to anti-christ for short term life and endure eternal judgment.

Far better is to accept Christ’s redemption now before Christ returns and before the terrible time of Great Tribulation and be Raptured to heaven and spared that terrible time.  Christ is merciful and offers forgiveness but a time of judgment is coming.  God will not always offer His redemption and is and will do all He can to persuade us to accept Him before it is too late.

That is our mission to live in such a way to show Christ’s transforming Grace and be ready to give the reason for our hope and joy.  To not be ashamed or bashful in sharing His Good News.  Not everyone is called to be a preacher or evangelist or to write books or keep and share a journal or blog like I am, but every Christian is called to share and live in such a way to positively impact those we meet and interact with each day.  To stop and take time each day to show kindness and a caring smile and ear.  To be willing to pray for and share Christ as He gives opportunity.  AMEN?  AMEN!
5/8/18                                                Profitable                                    8                   Blessed are You, O Lord! Teach me your statutes.  Psalm 119:12

Recommended Reading: Psalm 19:9-16 “The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous.¹⁰ They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. ¹¹ By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward. ¹² But who can discern their own errors?  Forgive my hidden faults. ¹³ Keep your servant also from willful sins;  may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression. ¹⁴ May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight,  Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.”

COMMENTS:   School is an essential part of equipping children for adulthood and becoming a productive part of their community and world.  Historically boys would learn trade and skills from their father and girls would learn homemaking skills from their mothers.  Times have changed and more men train and obtain jobs and careers in fields much different than their fathers.  Likewise, women are training and seeking jobs and careers beyond the home and much different from those of their mothers.  But such opportunities start with goals and dreams and follow through with proper elementary school and then high school to prepare for vocational and college higher education training.  Public schools and vocational training schools and colleges were established in order to provide opportunities and training for anyone with determination and ability to work to achieve their goals.

Noteworthy is the most respected and successful hospitals and colleges and universities were founded and built by Christians or Christian organizations.  That is not a coincidence or accident, but a vision and passion God instilled in Christians to accomplish. 

Scripture encourages education and training for employment.  Society insists that be the only purpose and goal of education.

Scripture, however, reveals an additional and even more important goal of education as God intended it to be.    Proverbs 9:10 and Psalm 111:10 are two example scriptures sharing that goal.

 Proverbs 9:10 “¹⁰ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.”

Psalm 111:10 “¹⁰ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth forever.”

When the United States was young and its now famous universities were young as well, education also included instruction with God’s Word.  But the fear of God and discovering and exploring and building a close relationship with Christ typically started at home and in the local church congregation.  That was the way God intended the early settlers to live and build this new country and the legacy to be passed on and observed to future generations.  That legacy and vision and goal has faded and is barely noticeable.   In fact, most of the universities and colleges founded with a Christian focus and mission have become so secularized that those promoting or even acknowledging Christian values and morals are at very lease criticized and more commonly punished or even expelled.   Times have certainly changed and fruit of this change has become dramatically increased violence and evil in those schools but also in society.

History is supposed to teach us both the mistakes and wise choices of past generations so the wises ones could be repeated and mistakes and unwise ones avoided.   Yet history is being rewritten to hide the wise choices and promote the unwise ones.

Scripture tells us the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and following His commands is the way to life. 

When we deny or even neglect God and our relationship with Him, we put ourselves and our families at great risk.  The Old Testament is full of examples. It is also full of examples of how God blesses and helps and enables those who follow God and obey Him.  The New Testament continues those examples but reveals to us how the Holy Spirit enables us to live in and sustain a real and meaningful relationship with God and enjoy His forgiveness, His council and wisdom, His strength and protection, and confidence of eternal life beyond the grave, while enjoying real purpose for living while on earth.

When will we learn that God’s ways are the best ways and ours are at best second best and at worse a sure path to misery and destruction?  The proof and evidence of that fills the history books and includes examples from the lives of family and friends and neighbors near us and news reported every day. 

 “The Scriptures contain the deep things of God, and therefore, can never be sufficiently searched into by a careless, superficial, cursory way of reading them, but by an industrious, close, and humble application.”  George Whitefield

5/9/18                              Read and Mark                                                9   

 

The entrance of Your words gives light.  Psalm 119:130

Recommended Reading: PSALM 119:124-130  “Deal with your servant according to your love
and teach me your decrees.¹²⁵ I am your servant; give me discernment
that I may understand your statutes.¹²⁶ It is time for you to act, Lord;
your law is being broken.¹²⁷ Because I love your commands
more than gold, more than pure gold,¹²⁸ and because I consider all your precepts right,
I hate every wrong path.¹²⁹ Your statutes are wonderful;
therefore I obey them¹³⁰ The unfolding of your words gives light;
it gives understanding to the simple.¹³¹ I open my mouth and pant,”

COMMENTS: The Bible is available in many English translations and paraphrases to make it more readable and understandable, but many still prefer King James Version because it is the version they grew up with and were first introduced to and also because it has a style of rhythm that makes it a bit easier to memorize.  I use King James when copy scripture into these devotional because King James is old enough to be in public domain so is not restricted by copyright or other legal restrictions imposed on newer translations. The reasons I include scripture in these devotions instead of just identifying the scripture reference is both to make devotion complete for reader and to provide scripture quote for reader who does not have access to a Bible.  That is all too common in underdeveloped countries and especially in countries prohibiting Bibles due to oppressive leadership in those countries.

Our Bible was written by many men all inspired by God Himself over a 1600-year period.  Many years and exhaustive work of many devoted men also discerned in selecting books and letters which would become scripture and standard for selection.   The Bible has been debated and method of selection of it’s contents debated as well, but it has withstood all critics and debates over the centuries and still does.  The New Testament books and letters was added to the already established books of the Old Testament in 3^rd century and King James was first to authorize the translation into English in 1619 so all could have access to it.  The printing press enabled it to be mass copied so it would be available to every household desiring it and over recent centuries has consistently become the most acquired book.  Voltaire was a famous atheist who once said his books would last forever and the Bible would be forgotten.  Yet 50 years later Voltaire was long dead and his very home had become a place Bibles were printed.  No other book has impacted and transformed the lives of so many over so long a period of time, but no other book has survived and maintained the reputation of being God’s Word.  NOT OTHER BOOK HAS BEEN CALLED GOD’S LOVE LETTER TO HUMAN BEINGS.  No other book even calls itself the LIVING WORD. Also, no other book has persuaded atheists to accept Christ and become Christian simply by reading it without outside persuasion.  Thousands if not millions had done just that over the centuries.  Thousands still are. 

There are many valid ways to read and study scripture.  The reading through the Bible in 90 days is a more recent method, requiring reading 12 pages per day.  This method can be valuable in gaining an overall perspective and discovering how well it moves through history and how God interacts and responds to people throughout history.  But a slower and more detailed study of each book opens hidden treasures and truths the reader discovers to be just as true and applicable today to each of us individually as it was when written.  The wisdom of Proverbs and the worship and praise of Psalms reveals words and truths and methods that draw the reader closer to God and also to a much deeper and wiser discernment when making critical life choices.   The stories given in scripture shows mistakes and consequences as well as wise choices and blessed results.  They also showed God’s influence and impact as well as His mercy on those who repent and judgment on those who refuse to repent.   Scripture also reveals who our real enemy is.   Scripture also reveals how powerful and good God is and assurance He always prevails and always will.  Many may not like or agree with God’s commands and truth and instruction, but we are told one day “every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Romans 14:11, Philippians 2:10, Revelation 5:13)

Studying the Bible is not like studying a textbook or reading a novel.  Only when we read it in an attitude of prayer seeking God’s instruction and council can it become alive and we can feel and hear the Holy Spirit speaking to our soul and revealing Himself to us. 

That is my experience often while reading each day’s scripture and as write these comments.  My prayer also is that you also experience God’s presence and council as you read and reflect on His Word as well.  

The patriarchs and matriarchs of the Old Testament, and many others who were in close fellowship with God, enjoyed a close relationship with God but did not have the New Testament and a complete Old Testament to read and council them.  They did not have the Holy Spirit or the revelation of Christ’s redemption in the cross and resurrection to inspire and guide them, but they still lived amazing lives and left a legacy that not only transformed their lives but continue to impact and transform ours because of being recorded in scripture.  We have the benefit of a complete Bible available to us and the revelation and abiding presence of the Holy Spirit available to each of us, so we have an advantage they did not. That means we are also more accountable.  Maybe we don’t have talents or gifts like some, but God has shown many times throughout history that He enjoyed and prefers using unlikely people from modest places and modest means and with modest gifts and talents to do His great work and accomplish things of eternal worth and eternal impact.  We just need to get close to Him with open ears and an open heart to receive and to obey.  That is how we need to approach scripture, how we need to approach prayer.  How we need to approach Him.  AMEN?  AMEN!

 

“I have carried one Bible with me a great many years. It is worth a good deal to me, and I will tell you why: I have so many passages marked in it.”  D. L. Moody

 

5/10/18                              Reading for Change                                         10       

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.  Proverbs 3:5-6

Recommended Reading: PROVERBS 4:20-27 “²⁰ My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.²¹ Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.²² For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.²³ Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.²⁴ Put away from thee a forward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.²⁵ Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.²⁶ Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.²⁷ Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil..”

COMMENTS:  God has a wonderful way of using modest people to do extraordinary things, but not before they receive extraordinary instruction and an extraordinary transformation. Truth is God must first instill His Word and be present in His people first.  That requires a willingness to repent and turn from personal sins, a willingness to invite the Holy Spirit in and begin following His instructions.  That requires a deeper level of faith and trust than most Christians have, but a level God desires to have with every Christian.   The difference does not lie with God but with a willingness of each Christian to receive.  If we are willing and seek Him, He will come to us like the Prodigal’s father came running to him when he returned to his father.  This parable (Luke 15:11-32) gives us a clear idea of God’s heart and position.  We must turn to Him with a repentant heart but if we do, He will run to us. 

We may think a lack of talents or status or gifts lets us off the hook to do and go where we want and simply go to church once a week to satisfy our time with God to stay in His good graces.  But God is seeking a daily relationship with us so we will know and follow His instruction daily and not weekly or on special occasions.  Giving up our independence and freedom and “WILLS” to Him doesn’t come easily and battle comes back because God keeps stretching our faith and trust by asking us to do and go outside our comfort zone.  But when we do, we discover opportunities to serve and bless both ourselves and others in ways we could never had imagined or thought possible. Such was so with examples in scripture and with countless examples over the centuries and more recently with those we know personally.   All these examples and our own experiences with God serve to encourage and help us to trust Him for greater and more challenging things and obedience.  

So, what will He ask us to do?  Where will He ask us to go?  As I was approaching retirement, I wondered and prayed for God’s council on how He would have me spend my retirement years.   Opportunities He gave me at work were noteworthy.  He enabled me to know and converse with people I would likely never had met or known if had not been employed where I was for over 39 years.  When I retired, I would have more time and freedom to minister.  God knew and had been training me to write and gave me a path and opportunity to do just that.  To help equip God filled pastors in distant countries to minister to people desperate for hope and very open to the Gospel.  Over the past 1-1/2-year, God has developed an extraordinary relationship between me and 5 evangelists / pastors resulting in a good number of converts thus far.   The ministry and outreach are growing and new opportunities are opening.   God is indeed opening opportunities to minister in ways and to people I never would have been able to on my own or limited by my own comfort zone and imagination.  But He is using a passion to write and joy in studying His Word to equip pastors and ministers in distant countries.  To those more open to receive than what I’ve noticed and experienced in my own country and community.  I am convinced people are far more open in times of poverty and crisis than in times of prosperity and safety. 

Don’t read your Bible as a requirement or obligation. Read it to become a different, more Christ-like you.  I pray you will find your nitch of ministry.  I know you will if you too accept the role of the prodigal returning to you Lord with an open and penitent heart.  But if you do, be prepared for He will run to you ready and eager to take your hand and guide you through wonderful ministry and service opportunities that will likely be beyond our capability or comfort zone but within His.  We shouldn’t forget that.  He asks more of us than we can do alone but never more than we can do with Him.  AMEN?  AMEN!

 “Will power does not change men. Time does not change men. Christ does.”

Henry Drummond

 

5/11/18                              The Lost Love Letter                            11     

I long for Your precepts; revive me in Your righteousness. Psalm 119:40

Recommended Reading: PSALM 119:33-40   “³³ Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end.³⁴ Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.³⁵ Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.³⁶ Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.³⁷ Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.³⁸ Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear.³⁹ Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgments are good.⁴⁰ Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy righteousness.”

COMMENTS: 

I am privileged and blessed to have a mother and father who showed me by example and by character both how to be a good parent and follower of Christ.   Their love for each other and for us was truly amazing.   They lived to see their 66^th wedding anniversary.  They are both in heaven but faced the end of their lives with confident peace knowing their future in heaven was secure and Christ was waiting for them.  A few months ago, we discovered an old shoe box that had love letters from my dad to my mother during the early years of their marriage when my father was away helping on his grandfather’s farm during the summers.  They were able to preserve that longing to be together all their lives.  They never spoke ill of each other even when they disagreed.  Arlene and I just celebrated our 40^th anniversary and have strove to follow their example too.  Arlene’s parents provide us with the same example as well.  Their legacy is continuing through us to our children and other family who were impacted by their lives.

Our Bible is God’s love letter to us, showing us God’s heart and character and love for each of us. He does this by not just giving us a book of knowledge and history.  Not just a book of wisdom and instruction.  Not even just a book of instruction of how to be forgiven and get to heaven.  Not even just of book telling us of future events.  It is a book through which the Holy Spirit reveals God’s abiding presence as we read and pray.   The Bible is a living Book because the Holy Spirit dwells in each word of scripture and also in the hearts of all who read it with an open and receptive mind and heart.  Once we accept Christ’s gift of forgiveness, the Holy Spirit is available to live in and guide us 24x7x365.  But even before, the Holy Spirit is providing opportunities to repent and turn from sin to His Grace.  The Bible is full of countless examples of those who suffered greatly by refusing and examples of those who enjoyed God’s blessings when turn back to Him with repentant hearts.  

 

Charles Stanley wrote, “The Bible is God’s love letter to mankind. You may never have thought of it that way; many people tend to think of the Bible as a rule book or a story book. In reality the Bible is a magnificent love letter in which God tells His children how He longs to care for them and bless them, forgive them and shower them with His mercy.”¹

“The Bible is God’s “love letter” to us, telling us not only that He loves us, but showing us what He has done to demonstrate His love.”   Billy Graham

 

5/12/18                         Key Words                                                 12      

 

When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth.  John 16:13

 

 

Recommended Reading: JOHN 16:12-15 “ 12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you..”

COMMENTS:

The Bible is not only a living Book instructing and guiding us to life and life eternal, it is God’s love letter to you and me and everyone.  He longs for everyone to enjoy its contents and be drawn into a personal relationship with Him.  His guiding Holy Spirit draws and invites us into His Word and into that relationship.  

A bible study book first published in 1901 and written by James McConaughey, professor of Mount Hermon School in Northfield, Massachusetts, gives us the following guidance in studying our Bible:

 “To get the most good from your daily reading keep in mind these key words: (1) Think. Keep the mind fixed on the passage. If it is difficult, read aloud. (2) Pray. The heart must be taught as well as the mind. God’s Spirit only can do this. (3) Obey. God’s Word is more than history, more than literature. It is a revelation of His will, a message to the reader… Only those who do what is written in it are blessed. (4) Share. The Gospel is not private property. The things which have been seen and heard must be spoken…The privilege of following a course of Bible study brings with it the responsibility of using the results for God.”

 His Word “is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105).

 

“Bible study differs from all other study in this respect; it is profitless unless the Guide is ever present and leading into the truth.”  James McConaughey

5/13/18                                                   Food for the Race                      13       

 

My soul melts from heaviness; strengthen me according to Your word.  Psalm 119:28

Recommended Reading: I CORINTHIANS 3:1-16: “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.² I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.³ For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?⁴ For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?⁵ Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?⁶ I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.⁷ So then neither is he that planted anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.⁸ Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.⁹ For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.¹⁰ According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.¹¹ For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.¹² Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;¹³ Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.¹⁴ If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.¹⁵ If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.¹⁶ Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

COMMENTS: Successful athletes must be disciplined, possess a clear vision of the goal, a passion and willingness to sacrifice to achieve the goal, and also a skilled coach to guide and motivate and encourage and make the athlete follow the goal.  But natural talent and ability is also vital.  Take a moment to reflect on an example you are familiar with either from your own family or from news or sports.   During Olympics games, successful candidate and metal winners often share their life experiences and impact parents and coaches have had on their lives and successes.  Love and devotion from these people is also very evident, but also their sacrifices are evident as much as sacrifices of Olympians.

As we look at the lives of Christ’s disciples and Christians of the first century recorded in the New Testament, we see parallels.  Their goal and race started with salvation and continued until their death.  Their race was a race of being faithful and sharing Christ’s redemptive Gospel to as many as possible.  They gave up wealth, security, safety, and even life.  They endured persecution and suffering beyond what we could imagine or endure.  But then again, I’m sure most feel the same way about the Olympic competitors.

Likewise, those of us who work or worked for a large employer in a team setting have been amazed at times at what can be accomplished when team works together instead of competing with each other.  None strive for own recognition or success but for accomplishment of the team goal and success of the team. I worked over 39 years for an employer with that goal and enjoyed that team spirit over personal recognition as the atmosphere and mind set.  Because of that, trust and friendships flourished generally, but there were threads of selfishness and self-ambition that would hinder or tarnish team success at times.

Paul compared his life as a race, as so should we.  Our journey with Christ and abiding fellowship and relationship with His Holy Spirit sets us on a journey, a race of discovery and adventure while encountering tasks and work, much of which may seem to bring little lasting value but also a few instances of significance.

OK, most of our days are filled with routine tasks that repeat themselves every day, but most Christians in the world outside the USA or many Christians based countries, must do so under constant threat of prison or violence at hands of radical groups or individuals offended by their faith in Christ.   The race they run is more intense and requires more faith consistently.

But every Christian is in constant need of a constant relationship with the Holy Spirit to achieve and sustain a faithful life and stay on focus of the goal of obedience and faithfulness.  You and I, whether we just became a Christian recently or 50 years ago, all have times of weak faith and times of strong faith.  When we are diligent in prayer and devotion and keep our eyes on Him, we are prepared for life’s battles and dangers and opportunities.  We allow life’s distractions and overscheduling and poor priority choices and impatience to prevail.  When we compromise or cut short our morning and regular time with Him, we then quickly become ill prepared.

Truth is, our job is accepting Christ’s gift and being faithful to Him by obeying Him and staying focused on Him.  His job is providing the help and council and resources we need to be and remain faithful.  His job is also to prepare our eternal home and be faithful to keep His promises to us.

Let’s not forget He is infinitely better at His job than we are.  He has infinitely more experience and resources at His disposal than we do.  That makes our failures understandable but not excusable. So instead of beating ourselves up when we fail or fall short (or beat up others for their failures), we should turn back to Him on our knees.  Since Christ’s example is perfect and ours has been and still is less than perfect, we need to always seek a deeper walk with Him so as we age, we and others will see progress in us becoming more Christ-like and field of influence increasing.   Our goal at end of life is for Christ to greet us with “Well done good and faithful servant…” and not “depart, I never knew you…”  Likewise, achieving wealth or possessions or success or popularity or power or respect of others fades at life’s end but impact of our lives and faith and others and others who accepted Christ because of our faithfulness is what lasts and goes with us to heaven.  All else is left behind.

Join me in taking some time to reflect on years spent and seek God’s help in evaluating how we spent those years and seek His forgiveness for poor choices and time squandered but also His help and council in spending remaining years wisely and as He intends us to. AMEN?  AMEN!

“Within the Scripture there is a balm for every wound, a salve for every sore.”

Charles H. Spurgeon

5/14/18                               The Seed of the Word                                     14    When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. Matthew 13:19

Recommended Reading: I PETER 1:10-25  ¹⁰ Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:¹¹ Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.¹² Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.¹³ Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;¹⁴ As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:¹⁵ But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;¹⁶ Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.¹⁷ And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:¹⁸ Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;¹⁹ But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:²⁰ Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,²¹ Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.²² Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:²³ Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.²⁴ For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:²⁵ But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”

COMMENTS: As I was preparing to write today’s devotion, I learned there is a Norwegian island called Spitsbergen located 800 miles from the North Pole.  Obviously, it has a very cold climate.  I also recalled learning about that island many years ago when representatives from that island came to purchase some mining equipment from my employer.  They solicit coal miners from other countries for 6-month tour of duties mining coal to be shipped mostly to Europe in summer when shipping lanes are not frozen and passible.  Miners live and work underground during the 6 months when shipping lanes are frozen and impassible.

An additional importance of that island, I learned, is the Svalbard Global Seed Vault.   Also underground in an abandoned mined area is stored hundreds of thousands of seeds from tens of thousands of crop species from around the world.  Vault is designed to preserve and be a source of seed for replanting food crops in the aftermath of a global catastrophe.  Such planning and forethought reflects global concern for self-destructive nature of man but also wisdom in doing everything possible to prepare for the unthinkable.

Yet, we have a God who is the creator of all and who has been in full control from eternity past and will be for eternity future.  He gives us free will to choose wisely or foolishly.  To heal or destroy.  To love or hate.  To follow satan’s evil deceptions or His good plans.  To choose death or life.

He knows what will happen and is offering to prepare us for what is to come.    We go to great lengths preparing for some things that likely will never happen but all too many fails to prepare for what will ultimately happen.  Our Bible tells us man will ultimately strive to destroy himself but Christ will one day return and stop it and bind and cast satan and all his followers into hell and restore the earth and all His faithful followers. 

So why not put our trust and allegiance on One who loves us like none other and has the will and plan and power and authority to fulfill all promises He has made to us.  Faithful Christians have boldly followed Christ in the midst of terrible unfair persecution and torture and even martyrdom from the early Church through the centuries to even today.      Many countries target and inflict persecution of Christians today just as was done to the first century church by Roman.  What gave them hope to continue was the confident hope of a home in heaven with loved ones and with Christ.  Their suffering would be over and a home was waiting beyond their wildest dreams.   I have witnessed the death of a number of loved ones who put their faith in Christ.  They all faced death with excitement and anticipation and not with fear or dread.   The joy in their face as they each passed seeing the face of their Savior who was waiting for them gives you and me confidence we too can trust Him and know He will be waiting to greet us too.

There is no better way to prepare for the future or more important preparation we can do.  Investing in the future is best done by investing in eternity.  Investing in Him and in the legacy, He is preparing to be our legacy.   We have promised to return but withholding revealing when.  It could be today or not in our lifetime.  Every generation of Christians anticipated His return to be in their generation.  If He had returned then, we would have missed the opportunity to live and choose Him too, but by waiting He has enabled us to be born and live and choose Him and eternal life too.  By sharing His Good News and love, we are partnering with Him so others can hear and know His Good News too and also have the confident hope of heaven those faithful Christ followers had before us.  AMEN?  AMEN!

“Anyone can count the seeds in an apple, but only God can count the apples in a seed. “

Robert H. Schuller

5/15/18                                              The Dark Season                                15     

Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.

1 Corinthians 3:5-6

 

Recommended Reading: Matthew 13:1-9 “The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.² And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.³ And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;⁴ And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:⁵ Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:⁶ And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.⁷ And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:⁸ But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.⁹ Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.”

COMMENTS:  Jesus used illustrations His listeners were familiar with.  He taught fishermen telling them to become fishers of men.  He taught farmers to scatter their seed knowing some seed would fall on stony ground and die while some would fall among weeds and get chocked out but also that some would fall on good clear ground and grow strong and bear much fruit.   He showed them the eternal importance of listening and obeying His instruction and ultimately importance of first becoming the fruit of His teaching and then planting the seed He planted in their souls in the souls of others.

The seed He is spreading is the Good News of   His death on the cross as the ultimate and complete sacrifice for all our sins past – present – future but also His resurrection as the first which will include all who put their trust in Him, including you and me when we receive His redemptive sacrifice for our sins too.  Christ’s sacrifice was sufficient to redeem all from all ages but requires each to accept and receive His sacrifice in order to be applied against each person’s sins.  A gift is free but must be accepted in order to be used and enjoyed.  Otherwise, it will never be of value to the received and giver will never enjoy knowing the receiver has received and enjoyed His gift. 

By rejecting or delaying receiving Christ’s gift, we deprive ourselves new abundant eternal life and deprive Christ the joy of seeing new eternal life blossom in us and deprives Him new fellowship and relationship He longs to have with us.  A tragedy for us and also for Him too.  He illustrates His love for us like a bride-groom for His bride.  What a tragedy when the bride rejects her groom’s love and instead chooses to live alone following her own foolish destructive choices.

Likewise, when we refuse to share His Gospel with others and reflect the joy He puts in our hearts, we are refusing God’s gift to others.  We are hindering God’s desire and plan to have a relationship with them too.  God is big enough to love and have a personal relationship with everyone at the same time without diminishing His relationship with you and me.  In fact, His relationship with us grows deeper and richer as we share His Good News with others.  That is His Great Commission and instruction to us (Matthew 28:16-20   ¹⁶ Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. ¹⁷ When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. ¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”)

Eternal life is not just His gift to us but is a gift we are called to share and invite others to receive too.  By giving it, we are using and enjoying His gift and growing in our quest and His dream to become more like Him ourselves.  We are also fulfilling His mission He is calling us to partner with Him fulfilling.  

“If you have knowledge, let others light their candles at it.” Thomas Fuller

5/16/18                                             Cocoon of Light                                  16    

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Psalm 119:105

 

RECOMMENDED READING:  Psalm 119:105-112  “¹⁰⁵ Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.¹⁰⁶ I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments.¹⁰⁷ I am afflicted very much: quicken me, O Lord, according unto thy word.¹⁰⁸ Accept, I beseech thee, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O Lord, and teach me thy judgments.¹⁰⁹ My soul is continually in my hand: yet do I not forget thy law.¹¹⁰ The wicked have laid a snare for me: yet I erred not from thy precepts.¹¹¹ Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart.¹¹² I have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes alway, even unto the end..”

COMMENTS: 

Today’s scripture gives us insight of the value and purpose of scripture.  Psalm 119 was written long before Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, before His wisdom and teachings recorded in the New Testament, before Paul’s letters and John’s revelation and the giving of the Holy Spirit to us at Pentecost.  Long before the New Testament was written and included as scripture.  But these words apply just as well to our New Testament as they do to the Old Testament and its stories and teachings, and the rest of Psalms.  As we read scripture, we discover how God helped and revealed Himself to seekers long ago and how they approached and communicated and communed with Him.  We also discover the benefits and blessings that came from doing so.  We also discover the consequences of rejected God’s open hand offering redemption and fellowship.  Those consequences were severe at times, but always followed again by opportunity for redemption again. 

But we must not forget the warning from New Testament scripture and from Old Testament examples is that judgment and death are permanent and the opportunity for redemption is only good while we are alive on earth.   That is why God has done so much and delayed judgment as long as He could and can so we all would have as many opportunities as possible to avoid judgment.  But His warning is that His Grace will not be in force forever, so we need to receive it while Grace is still available and before it is too late.

Works and good deeds cannot cancel sin or buy our way to forgiveness or heaven but do much to bless and encourage and strengthen us and others.  We do good deeds in order to praise and thank Him for His Grace, not to earn that Grace.  We do good deeds in order to encourage and show others how to receive His Grace too.  Joy is meant to be shared, not hoarded or bartered.  That means we leave keeping track of our good deeds to others or others good deeds to us to God and not to ourselves.  

Scripture gives God’s divine guidance, His wisdom, and His assurance and reassurance.  By neglecting it, we neglect a tremendous resource available to us and transformation the Holy Spirit can and will do in us if we are open and listen to scripture’s teaching and instruction and insights and examples. 

Christians in many parts of the world would give anything to have a Bible and be able to read and study and memorize its verses.  They treat verses they receive and learn as priceless jewels.  We would do well to follow their example.

God not only reveals existing paths and choices, but creates new ones not available before, but unless we are open, we won’t know or see or be willing to consider those choices and options.  Satan is good at distracting and blinding and giving us excuses and lies to keep us from meditating on God’s Word.  He knows how powerful Scripture so doesn’t want us exposed to it.  But God lets us choose to follow or reject Him, to open or close His Word, to listen or ignore, to obey or disobey. 

“We are indeed the light of the world—but only if our switch is turned on.”

John Hagee

5/17/18                                      Stepping Stones                                           17             

I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. John 15:5

RECOMMENDED READING:  JOHN 15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.² Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.³ Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you⁴ Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.⁵ I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.⁶ If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.⁷ If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.⁸ Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.⁹ As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.¹⁰ If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.¹¹ These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.¹² This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.¹³ Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.¹⁴ Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.¹⁵ Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.¹⁶ Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.¹⁷ These things I command you, that ye love one another.¹⁸ If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.¹⁹ If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.²⁰ Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.²¹ But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.²² If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.²³ He that hateth me hateth my Father also.²⁴ If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.²⁵ But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.²⁶ But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:²⁷ And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.”

COMMENTS:  There are countless examples in nature and all around us in life experiences to help us understand God’s connection to us and relationship with us.  To consider the Christian life as a relationship with God through Christ.  To consider accepting Christ is the greatest but just the first step in the journey of being in relationship with God and growing day by day to become more Christ-like.  The comparison Christ made to the vine and branches helps us to understand the Christian journey is impossible on our own because we need to be connected to Him to receive spiritual nourishment and life.  Bearing fruit is only possible if have His life in and flowing through us.  Allowing ourselves to be connected and routed deeply in Him using His Word and our relationship with His Holy Spirit to guide and nourish us enables us to become prepared for life’s storms, difficult choices, and temptations so we can make wise choices consistently.  Yet, when we choose foolishly, His mercy and forgiveness are available to pick us up and get back on the narrow path again.  We are designed to be in fellowship with Him but also with each other.  To be accountable and strengthened and encouraged by each other too.  Being a disciple but also discipling others is a vital part of our calling and purpose.  Hebrews 12:2 “Jesus…the author and finisher of our faith.”  To focus on connecting more than performing.  Truth is abundant life comes from God’s work in us and our willingness to surrender to His work.  When we get impatient or try to outguess Him by venturing out on our own pursuing our own wills or anticipating His, we more often discover we are wrong – going a wrong direction or failing to do what is best.

Are we trying to scale a building ourselves or following His directions to the stairway?  I’m still relearning this lesson because waiting and using that time to focus on Him is hard and requires discipline.  Abraham Lincoln once said is better to take 6 hours to sharpen an axe and cut for 2 hours than to sharpen for 2 hours and chop for 6 hours.  More is accomplished with less effort.                                             Which stepping stone will you choose to draw close to Him today?                                     “God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself because it is not there. “C. S. Lewis

5/18/18                                                    The Only Way                                        18            

 

When He had by Himself purged our sins, [He] sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.   Hebrews 1:3

 

Recommended Reading:  ACTS 4:10-14  “ ¹⁰ Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.¹¹ This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.¹² Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.¹³ Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.¹⁴ And beholding the man which was healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it.”

COMMENTS:  We live in a world that calls itself “tolerant” and compromising but becoming very intolerant of individuals and businesses and churches that set a moral or conduct standard based on scripture.  The idea that there is “Only One way” to a destination or goal is becoming “intolerant” and worthy of severe punishment in increasing circles of authority.  Yet Jesus Himself said “⁶ Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.⁷ If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him and have seen him.” John 14:6-7. 

The message of forgiveness and eternal life through Christ alone is dominant in the New Testament scripture.  Christ exampled and taught inclusion of all who came to Him seeking forgiveness for sin.  He showed love and compassion to even those who rejected and killed Him but without accepting their beliefs.  He prayed “Father forgive them for they know not what they do”.   Stephen, the first Christian martyr prayed that same prayer as he was stoned to death without compromising or diminishing the message that Christ is the only way to salvation.

The world confuses believing only one answer is being intolerant or prejudicial but what if our GPS or road map showed all roads going to a specific destination?  What if we accepted all answers to the math problem 2+2=?  Is it being intolerant to say 2+2=4 and accept no other answers?  Is it intolerant to accept only maps that show the correct road going to a destination?  So why would be accept anything less in determining the way to heaven and to God?  Then again, why would we accept there is only one God as creator and redeemer?  BECAUSE THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE ANSWER TO THESE QUESTIONS!   So why do we think our Christian faith and our Bible is the only accurate and true scripture?   Why not the Koran or other religion “holy book”?  Is it not just our opinion or background and upbringing that causes us to believe our Bible is any better or more accurate than any other?  How can we know or be certain that our Bible is the only accurate and true scripture and our God is the only true God and Christ is the only way to salvation and to heaven? 

There have been countless genuine atheists and followers of other religions who read the Bible in an attempt to discover and proof it not genuine but concluded it to be God’s true Word and God to be the one and only true God, resulting in readers coming to faith as well.  Lee Strobel is on of those atheists who was converted by reading and studying the Bible.

If you are experiencing doubts or are convinced Christianity is not better or truer than any other religion, I invite you to read the Bible and let it prove itself to you.  The Bible calls it self God’s living word. 

Jesus claimed to be much more than a prophet of God.  He claimed to be God Himself coming to earth to become our human sin sacrifice so His requirement for sacrifice for our sins was paid by Himself instead of by us.  He is either who He says He is, which means our Bible is true; or He is a liar and very dangerous.  As for me and my house, we believe and accept He is God’s Son and Christ, the only way to the Father’s forgiveness and heaven, and the Bible is true.  I invite you to read the Bible and take the journey to your own conclusion.  

But if you believe Jesus is the Christ and the Bible is true but have become indifferent towards Him because of busy schedules and other pursuits, I encourage you to set aside some time and read the Bible and let it speak to you too.  We reject Him with our neglect as well as with our unbelief.  We receive Him by faith when we come to Him with open ears and hearts.   There is no guarantee we will live to see old age and God doesn’t owe us another day of life.  If hell is as bad as the Bible describes, we dare not risk our eternal future on just a hope we won’t end up there.  If heaven is as wonderful as the Bible describes, we dare not risk missing going there on just a hope we are good enough to go there.   The Bible tells us no one is good enough and only by receiving Christ’s sacrifice for our forgiveness will we become worthy of heaven.  Why risk facing God unprepared when accepting Christ provides what He requires.  The price to enter heaven costs us little but cost Him greatly.                                                                                                                                               “Free justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. “  Sinclair Ferguson

 

 

5/19/18                                                 Doctrinal Drift                             19     

Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. Hebrews 2:1

 

RECOMMENDED READING: Proverbs 3:13-27  “¹³ Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.¹⁴ For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold.¹⁵ She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.¹⁶ Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honour.¹⁷ Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.¹⁸ She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.¹⁹ The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens.²⁰ By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew.²¹ My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:²² So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck.²³ Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.²⁴ When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.²⁵ Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh.²⁶ For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.²⁷ Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it..”

COMMENTS: We live in a time of rapid change that has been so for a number of generations, but even more significant today.  Modern innovations and inventions have impacted us like no other time in history. Travel and communication capability are beyond the imagination of kings and science fiction novelists living in the 1800’s.  But not all is better.   Moral standards and world views have shifted from a Christian standard based on the 10 commandments and the Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12) to a world view of “do your own thing”.  The term doctrinal shift refers to a sense of right and wrong and society laws based on the Bible and 10 commandments God gave Moses and Israel.  Even atheists or followers of other religions accepted and respected the 10 commandments wither they obeyed them or not.  Today the doctrinal shift has moved far enough that much of society has accept the belief there is no right or wrong and tolerance, as defined as accepting all faiths and belief systems except Christianity and its moral standards. 

God has not changed nor has He changed or diminished His standards.  His requirement for eternal life is still perfection in conduct.  Since we are not able to meet that standard, He paid price of redemption for us on the cross.  He provides a constant relationship and help so we can progress toward the standard, but the standard has not changed.  The solution is not ignoring or denying that standard, but to embrace the creator of that standard and His plan of redemption.  Recognizing and dealing with sin is not being intolerant any more than recognizing illness and treating it and providing healing.  Sin ultimately causes death just like cancer and other dangerous illnesses do.  To deny sin or disease is not being kind to individual infected by it.

We are told that in the last days before Christ’s return society will call evil good and good evil.  Men will follow their own sinful lusts and passions and ignore or deny value and need for God.   They will persecute and condemn those who follow Christ or teach His Gospel. So, which is better, to be judged and condemned by man or judged and condemned by God?  100 years from now what will be results of that choice?  I dare say it won’t matter what society or others think but will vitally matter what God thinks.   We can not choose consequences of our choices.  Only God can do that!  Satan’s deceptions promise happiness and wealth and popularity but never deliver.  God doesn’t promise wealth and popularity and even health while in this world but promised all and so much more for eternity in the next life.  He also promises to be with us forever in a home He is preparing for us and for all who follow and trust Him.  

Christ’s Gospel and His Word offer God’s perfect standard that does not change.  A standard of life and conduct that is a safe anchor we can depend on to hold and keep us safe from the storms and currents of temptation and deception that can pull us off course.  Holding us safe instead of allowing us to drift away from shore into deep dangerous waters.   Imagine being in a small boat without any way to steer or move boat.   Without an anchor, the open tide and current will move the boat away from shore and out to sea.  If we were napping we would not notice and waken to find we were at mercy of any storm or shark determined to destroy us.  God does not give us laws and boundaries to spoil our fun or make us miserable but to protect and help us, because He loves us.  A good parent does so for his children.  His boundaries provide protection from same dangers today, which are just as real and dangerous today as they were for past generations.  Those who follow Christ will be glad 100 years from now.  Those who don’t will spend eternity regretting they did not.  No one can be good enough or do enough good to compensate for past sins.  Only Christ’s redemptive sacrifice can redeem us from judgment and only if we accept His redemptive gift of salvation.

We prevent personal doctrinal drift by Bible study, fellowship, prayer, worship, and “earnest heed” to matters of the faith. Send the roots of your faith deeply into Christ to avoid drifting from Him so the storms and lures of life will not uproot or topple us during life’s storms like a tree without deep roots.

“Faith cannot stand, unless it is founded on the promises of God.” John Calvin

5/20/18                                                  So Great!                                                 20           

How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?  Hebrews 2:3

 

RECOMMENDED READING:  HEBREWS 2:1-9 “ Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.² For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;³ How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;⁴ God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?⁵ For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.⁶ But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man that thou visitest him?⁷ Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:⁸ Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.⁹ But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.”

COMMENTS:

Why is salvation great? Because we have a great need, which burdened the heart of a great God, who paid a great price by sending a great Savior. But there’s more. It’s also great because it saves us from great danger. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones said, “This is so great a salvation because it saves us from a great and a terrible calamity. ‘How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?’ You measure the greatness of the salvation by measuring the greatness of the calamity from which it saves us.”

The word “great” is used many times in scripture, often referring to deliverance from death or peril for blessing and redemption.  Psalm 21:1 refers to a God following individual as: “[He] shall have joy in Your strength, O Lord; and in Your salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!”

We need to rediscover and realize the great peril Christ’s sacrifice saves us from and how tremendous the fellowship and relationship He offers us.  Such blessing and future is not possible by any other or any other way.  No blessing provided or earned from any other can continue into eternity beyond the grave.  Our hope is totally in Christ and our future is completely in His hands.  Be glad for that!  I am!!

“This is a great salvation not only because of the greatness of what it saves us from, but because of what it saves us to, what it saves us for.”  Martyn Lloyd-Jones

5/21/18                                         Furrows of Faith                                          21     

Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, “Why do you reason because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still hardened?”  Mark 8:17

 

RECOMMENDED READING:  MARK 8:13-21 “ ¹³ And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other side.¹⁴ Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf.¹⁵ And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.¹⁶ And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread.¹⁷ And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened?¹⁸ Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?¹⁹ When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve.²⁰ And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven.²¹ And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand?”

COMMENTS: Jesus did miracles during his 3-year ministry not just to meet an urgent need for healing or for provision but to teach a truth and give an insight into the nature of God.  Jesus shared with us to know Him was also to know the Father (John 14:6-7).  Mark 8 reveals to us the disciples missed the truth and insight Jesus intended for them to receive with the miracles of the feeding of the 5000 and then the 4000.  Jesus showed disappointment and concern that His disciples still had hard hearts even as did the Pharisees and King Herod. The disciples expected Jesus to conclude His enemies and those who opposed Him to have hard hearts, not open to receive His instruction, but they weren’t prepared for Jesus to call them out for having hard hearts too.  Healthy hearts are prepared to soak up God’s Word.  Hebrews 6:7 “When the ground soaks up the falling rain and bears a good crop for the farmer, it has God’s blessing”. As a farmer plows his land in the spring, he is preparing that land to receive seed and spring rains so the land will soak in and hold the nourishing water, soften the seed so can spout and absorb nutrients from the soil and water from the rains.  The seed hungers and thirsts for those nutrients and water but is dead to them until his hard shell is softened.   Our souls and minds are so hard toward God’s Word until our soul is broken up so it is able to absorb the life-giving water of His Word.   When is open ourselves to learn and receive God’s insights and instruction.  When we open ourselves seeking His presence and fellowship, we allow Him to plow the soil of our souls so we can absorb His instruction, His Word and its life-giving water and nourishment.  When we thus forget the works of God, and distrust him, we should chide ourselves severely for it, as Christ doth his disciples here: “Am I thus without understanding! How is it that my heart is thus hardened?”  Matthew Henry

 

5/22/18                                                   Lord, I Believe!                                  22    

Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!  Mark 9:24

RECOMMENDED READING MARK 9:14-29   “¹⁴ And when he came to his disciples, he saw a great multitude about them, and the scribes questioning with them.¹⁵ And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him saluted him.¹⁶ And he asked the scribes, What question ye with them?¹⁷ And one of the multitude answered and said, Master, I have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit;¹⁸ And wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him: and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away: and I spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out; and they could not.¹⁹ He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me.²⁰ And they brought him unto him: and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming.²¹ And he asked his father, How long is it ago since this came unto him? And he said, Of a child.²² And ofttimes it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters, to destroy him: but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us.²³ Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.²⁴ And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.²⁵ When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.²⁶ And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.²⁷ But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.²⁸ And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?²⁹ And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.”                                                                                                                COMMENTS:    Are there times your faith is stronger than other times?  Why is that?  We tend to think of faith as confidence based on positive emotions.  When we feel good and confident, faith is easy.  But when risk is great and doubt is creeping into our thinking and into our souls, fear starts overtaking faith.  Fear is the opposite of faith and lack of trust is then reflected in our choices and direction.

God’s promises are many and eternal.  He promises to never leave or forsake us.  He promises eternal life with Himself.  He promises to prepare an eternal home for us.  He promises any hardship or trial or persecution or injustice experienced in this life will be short and replaced with an eternal reward.  He promises to abide with us hand in hand through this life’s hardships providing direction and courage and strength.  His promises are many and past history from scripture and from more recent past generations, Christian experiences from those we personally know, and our own experiences all provide proof and confidence God will continue to provide and keep His promises going forward.  Early Christians demonstrated great faith and trust and courage, but also great joy and peace in the face of certain death. 

When we doubt, we need to remind ourselves of their example and remind ourselves of those promises God gives us.  Satan will cause us to forget them and remind ourselves of what could happen.  But God wants to remind us what will happen if we continue to trust Him and keep our hand in His.

God understands our doubts and encourages us to come to Him seeking His help to strengthen our faith and trust.  Mark 9:24 is a good way of seeking His help and opening ourselves for His Holy Spirit to guide and encourage us as He does best.  The Holy Spirit is near ready when invited and will guide our prayers and comfort and encourage us.  That is what He does best and is committed to do.  Mark 9:24: “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

“Lord, give me such a faith as this, and then, whate’er may come, / I’ll taste, e’en here, the hallowed bliss of an eternal home.”  William Bathurst

   

5/23/17                                                       Fear Factor                                            23      

Therefore, since a promise remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it.   Hebrews 4:1

RECOMMENDED READING:  PSALM 111:1-10  “ Praise ye the Lord. I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.² The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.³ His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever.⁴ He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the Lord is gracious and full of compassion.⁵ He hath given meat unto them that fear him: he will ever be mindful of his covenant.⁶ He hath shewed his people the power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of the heathen.⁷ The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure.⁸ They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness.⁹ He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.¹⁰ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.”

COMMENTS:   Fear is the opposite of faith.  Fear is what gripped Peter’s soul and caused him to sink when he was walking from the boat on water towards Jesus.  Isaiah 41:10 “¹⁰ Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”  Isaiah is reassuring us to trust God especially during times of crisis.  It is easier to trust God when risk is little but when risk of sacrifice or death is greater, our level of trust in Him is revealed.  If we can trust Him to save our immortal soul from damnation and hell, shouldn’t it be easier to trust Him during life crisis or trials?  Unfortunately, satan is very skillful at convincing us to make illogical – foolish – destructive choices instead of wise choices.  But then again, God’s wisdom is foolish in the world’s eyes and mind.

So, what is the difference from the fear described in Isaiah 41:10 and the fear of the Lord described in Psalm 111:10 “¹⁰ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth forever.”  Reverence for God and Trust in Him is much different than fear from doubt and lack of faith in God.  Fear of the Lord reflects respect of His power and authority and Knowledge and Wisdom and involvement.  Fear of the Lord reflect faith in Him, which also empowers us to make wise choices and to be fellowship with Him, resulting in gained wisdom.  The Holy Spirit is available to help us gain the Fear of the Lord as well as the fellowship and wisdom and council necessary if we ever hope to sustain the quest of becoming more Christ-like each day.

Our problem is we, as humans, tend to default back into mentality we need to earn our way to heaven or work our way to courage or faith or obedience or Christ-likeness. But the Holy Spirit keeps reminding us the way to becoming Christ-like is to surrender to Him.  We must die to self in order to live. Luke 9:23 “²³ And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”  Our carnal nature doesn’t die easy and like a bad weed, grows back again and again without discipline to defeat it.   Only Christ can defeat our carnal nature with His blood.  Only the Holy Spirit is able to defeat satan’s constant attacks on our souls and is near than our breath 24x7x365 without rest or absence to assure we will never be alone or defenseless.  But we must be in surrender to the Holy Spirit’s direction.  The Holy Spirit is always in agreement with His Word.   May 20 was Pentecost Sunday, the day celebrating the birth of the Church and day the Holy Spirit came to abide in and with the early Christian then and since.  The Holy Spirit enabled them and us to live faithful and consistently both in peace and in mist of crisis and imminent death without denying Christ or backing from His calling. 

When we are weak, He is our strength.  When we doubt and are fearful, He gives us courage.  When we are distracted and discouraged, He guides us back on path and on focus encouraged. We are not called to a life of comfort and pleasure.  We are called to have faith in Him and called to obedience even at risk of sacrifice or even death.  I have seen a number of faithful Christ followers, especially dear family members, face their death a wonderful confidence and peace.  They all knew Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross was sufficient for their redemption and they knew they accepted that sacrifice for their sins.  They couldn’t have had that confidence without knowing personally Christ and being in frequent fellowship with Him.  The Holy Spirit’s presence was vital for them and is for us too. 

It will be worth it all when Christ greet us at heaven’s gate.  It will be worth it all when our loved ones who passed ahead of us greet us and welcome us to heaven too.

So, we have plenty of proof and examples to convince us and encourage us to follow the good examples of those before us and join them in following Christ.   He has planned and is prepared to take the journey of obedience with us until He greets us at heaven’s gate too.

Even if we weaken and take our eyes of Him, He is still faithful to forgive and pick us up and put us back on the straight and narrow path again.  He loves us and so passionately wants us to succeed.  But He doesn’t force Himself on us nor His will on us.  We still can choose wisely or foolishly.  We still have that freedom but choosing wisely becomes easier and more consistent as we walk with Him more. 

OK, maybe all this discussion seems a bit dramatic, but we are at war against a formidable enemy.  We are defenseless against satan BUT WE ARE NOT ALONE! 

Do you know we will be there when Christ comes to defeat satan and bind him for 1000 years, as described in Revelation 18-22?  John reveals God’s revelation of satan’s final battle against Christ and his final defeat. We will join Him but in white robes.    Revelation 19:11-16 ¹¹ Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. ¹² His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He ^[ad]had a name written that no one knew except Himself. ¹³ He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. ¹⁴ And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. ¹⁵ Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. ¹⁶ And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”

When Christ returns to bind satan and establish His reign on earth, we will be with Him in white robes shouting His praises in worship.  As His army we are not armed to fight but in white robes to witness His defeat of satan.  We won’t be fighting but witnessing our Lord fighting and fulfilling His promise to us.  I encourage you to read these chapters in Revelation and reflect on the Christ we serve and resolve to follow Him with renewed conviction and praise.  He is more than worthy of our love and trust but also our devotion and obedience.  When you feel overwhelmed or discouraged or alone, remember where that is coming from and remind satan his future and reflect on your future.  I am doing just that.  AMEN?  AMEN!                                                                                                                         “It is only the fear of God that can deliver us from the fear of man” John Witherspoon

 

5/24/18                                              Living Word                                                 24 

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

 

RECOMMENDED READING: PSALM 107:15-30  “¹⁵ Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!¹⁶ For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.¹⁷ Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.¹⁸ Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death.¹⁹ Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses.²⁰ He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.²¹ Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!²² And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.²³ They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;²⁴ These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep.²⁵ For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.²⁶ They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.²⁷ They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit’s end.²⁸ Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.²⁹ He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.³⁰ Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.”

COMMENTS: Have you ever taken someone very important to you for granted?   Maybe a parent or spouse or a grandmother or even a child.   Someone who serves or provides for you faithfully.   How would you be impacted if they stopped or were no longer near.    Well, reflect on how much we depend on Christ.  How much we depend on His Holy Spirit and mercy each and every day without fail.   We don’t worry about the sun coming up or if we will live another day or if gravity will hold us on earth while we sleep.  We don’t worry if we will wake up the next morning. 

But many in the world live with uncertainty if ruling dictator will order military to imprison or murder them or their family for simply sharing Christ’s message.  Some live with risk of severe weather like tornados or hurricanes common during summer months or severe blizzards and snow slides and bitter cold in winter time.  Consider what the world would have been like if Hitler had won WWII.  His vision of exterminating all Jews everywhere was his passion and obsession.  But recall God’s promise to Abraham including promise to bless those who bless him and his dependents and curse those who curse him and his descendants.  Consider the countless other evil men who terrorized conquered countries reigning death and separation of children from parents.

Few sane people want to live in the world Hitler tried to create and rule.  Few reasonable people would choose the world satan is working hard to create either.  Instead satan masks his destructive goals and methods with lies of short term pleasures and gain.  You and I can easily come up with a long list of examples of those who yielded to satan’s temptations and lived to regret those choices and are suffering the consequences.  Even you and I have endured some consequences of our sinful or foolish choices.  God’s grace provides redemption and a fresh start and a way back into His will and from those consequence.

Life without Christ is unbearable.  Life with Christ is wonderful.  We have no hope without Christ, but with Christ we have nothing to fear.  So, we need to stop taking Him for granted and start praising Him each new morning and each evening and often in between.  Doing so increases our faith and trust in Him.  Doing so draws us closer to Him and makes Him more real to us and more involved in our lives.  Doing so also empowers us with joy and energizes our day.  Doing so enables us to love Him more deeply and others too.

Scripture, our Bible, is God’s precious gift to us, His love letter to us, His living Word available to each of us.  Consider all the tremendous resources He has made available to us to aid us.  His living Word, His abiding Holy Spirit, Christ’s redemptive sacrifice, encouraging Christian friends and family and church to make us accountable for our actions and words. 

Roads are designed and built to provide a safe and reliable path to travel to intended destinations.  Roads may not provide the shortest distance but surest route to those destinations.  Along those roads are signs to help us avoid making wrong turns resulting in lost time and loosing our way too.  God’s Word is a wonderful road map too in guiding us through life safely to Christ’s waiting arms eager to greet us and welcome us to the eternal home He is preparing for us.                                                                                                         “How great and glorious a thing it is to have… the Word of God!”   Martin Luther

5/25/18                                        Our Great High Priest                                 25              There were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood.  Hebrews 7:23-24

RECOMMENDED READING: HEBREWS 7:20-28 “²⁰ And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest:²¹ (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)²² By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.²³ And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:²⁴ But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.²⁵ Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.²⁶ For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;²⁷ Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.²⁸ For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.”

COMMENTS: We live in a time when expectations are instant and highly visual.  Results are short attention spans and demands of instant gratification from both children and teens but also from adults.  Planning and working towards long term goals but that isn’t the case in all aspects of life.  Training for careers and professions require many years of training and study.  Those with chronic diseases suffer while hoping cures will be realized before they die.  Researchers working on those cures endure countless failures before finally a cure is discovered.  But even then, diligent testing and study is necessary to proof if cure is genuine and any side effects are known and managed.

That said, we should also realize how deliberate and diligent but also how faithful God is to prepare and follow through with the wisest and best plan for each one of us His followers.   That likely means at times it seems He has forgotten us.  That likely means we will be tempted to jump in and try to help or hurry Him up, like Abraham did in having Ishmael with Hagar or Saul did in having doing the sacrifice before battle instead of waiting for Samuel as he should have.

Results are never good when we proceed without God’s blessing and involvement, but waiting is so hard.   

Yet we must not forget God is orchestrating a plan that perfectly reflects His love and faithfulness for you as well as me and as well as millions of other faithful followers while also working hard to encourage millions of those who don’t know or follow Him to do so.

Truth is God’s best is certainly worth waiting for but acting boldly and quickly when God opens door is vital too.

So how do we know when to wait on God and when to proceed with confidence?

The answer likely will vary on circumstances and even with magnitude of problems and consequences relate to those choices.

It doesn’t make since to wait all day for God to speak to us telling us where to go or what to do.  Much of our day is determined by commitments like jobs and appointments and regular duties like going to market or post office or doctor’s appointments and scheduled meetings.  During those scheduled obligations, if we are open and mindful, God will and does often nudge us to stop and spend some time with someone on our path. 

But other times especially when seeking God’s input in making life changing decisions like a who to date and marry, jobs or careers or schools to pursue, what church to attend and where and how to serve in that church,

The answers to these concerns and questions like with having and maintaining an ongoing close relationship with Christ and seeking continual fellowship and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s presence and influence.  God may seem distance at times, but we need to realize He always is near and wants us to give Him our full attention.  So, at times He needs to wait for us to put aside distractions and give Him our full focus. 

I think, if we reflect, we will realize the difference between proceeding with our day’s schedule open to His lead and waiting patiently in prayer for His lead before proceeding.  There is a time to do both, but we should seek His help to both discern which to do and help to have courage and discipline to follow the Holy Spirit’s instruction and lead.  AMEN?  AMEN!

 

“Jesus, my great High Priest, / offered His blood and died;/ my guilty conscience seeks no sacrifice besides. / His powerful blood did once atone, and now it pleads before the throne.”   Isaac Watts

5/26/18                                               Undergirded                                           26   

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.  Hebrews 4:16

 

RECOMMENDED READING:  HEBREWS 4:14-16  “ ¹⁴ Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.¹⁵ For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.¹⁶ Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

COMMENTS:  Stop and imagine what it would be like to have an audience with the President of the USA or Queen of England or any other powerful leader or famous person.  How would you prepare and what would you say?  How would you dress?  Then imagine during the interview the young son or daughter of that leader comes into the room in his bedclothes for a hug and kiss before going to bed.  Did that child need to prepare or get dressed up before entering that room?  Do you think that child would have to worry about giving a good impression to earn his father’s love and affection?  Of course not.  So now reflect on what is different.  I don’t think I need to explain.  That ruler has a personal relationship because he is the father of that child and the child with his father.  He doesn’t know him as a famous powerful leader but as his loving father. 

Christ’s sacrifice bought our salvation.  His resurrection gives us the confident hope of eternal life.  Our scripture, above, also tells us His sacrifice not only buys our redemption but gives us an open door to a personal relationship with the Father through Christ’s blood and with the Holy Spirit as our guide and helpmate.  This scripture also tells us we can boldly go to the Father, when we accept Christ as our Savior and Lord, knowing He will give us His full attention.  Why?  Because we are His child and Christ has removed all barriers our sin created between us and the Father.  We must not take for granted or forget just how great a privilege we have as Christ followers.  Privilege we don’t deserve but privilege that provides us with a daily relationship with the Creator of everything and an eternal home His is preparing for us.  How tragic for us when we neglect or take for granted or allow far less important things to distract us from such a precious relationship with such an AWESOME and GOOD and LOVING GOD!  We sadden Him when we neglect fellowship with Him and open ourselves to satan’s evil mischief. 

He provides us with all we need to have and sustain a personal daily relationship with Him.  He provides us with His living Word, with His constantly abiding Holy Spirit.

He has also provided forgiveness when we turn from Him and return, as the prodigal. How many times will He forgive us?  How many times then are we to forgive those who sin against us?  The answer is the same.  God forgives us as many times as it takes.  Truth is, we fall and He picks us up over and over again all the way to heaven.  We won’t be perfect as long as we are humans living in this sin filled earth, but His mercy is sufficient to forgive us.  He also expects us to show the same mercy to others (Matthew 18:20-22).                                                                                                         I JOHN 1:3-2:2:12 ³ That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.⁴ And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.⁵ This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.⁶ If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:⁷ But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin⁸ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.¹⁰ If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.                                            2 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:² And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.³ And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.⁴ He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him⁵ But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.⁶ He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.⁷ Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.⁸ Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.⁹ He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.¹⁰ He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.¹¹ But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.¹² I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.”

He has everything planned for and covered.  He knows we are imperfect and weak and easily distracted and discouraged.  He also knows the future and will help and guide us safely to journey’s end if we only trust Him and keeps our eyes and minds and heart on Him.  We can do that and still live a normal life with a job and family.  He will help us not only with our relationship with Himself, but with our spouse and children and others in our family and community and church and ….  He will also help us battle satan’s lures and temptations too.  He requires our love and trust and surrender.  He offers eternal life and abiding presence.  AMEN?  AMEN!

“We pray to Him for help in the time of need.” David Jeremiah     

5/27/18                                 Powerful Prayers                                27

And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

1 John 2:1

 

.RECOMMENDED READING:  ROMANS 8:28-37 “²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.²⁹ For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.³⁰ Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.³¹ What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?³² He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?³³ Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.³⁴ Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?³⁶ As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.³⁷ Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”

COMMENTS:  I recall hearing a testimony from an elderly widow.  She recalled how she prayed for her husband for over 50 years.  He would come home from the local tavern drunk finding her praying. A few months before he died, he yielded to those prayers and accepted Christ and turned from alcohol. He told her that he could no longer run from her prayers nor from God.  It was her faithful example and love for him and her faithful prayers without any evidence of their influence that convinced him that her faith was real and so was God. 

When we pray for things or blessings motivated by our selfish desires, we have no assurance God will answer yes to our prayers, but if we pray for the same things God desires and wants, we do have that assurance.  However, we still don’t usually know or have assurance of when other than in God’s perfect timing.  We do have to realize God not only hears and answers our prayers, but also the prayers of millions and millions of others at the same time, many of whom are impacted by our prayers and His answers to us.  So, implementing all these prayer requests in a way that does not hinder positive responses to other’s prayers does take time, especially when God needs to work in our soul and other’s too so our faith and obedience grows and others are drawn to have faith in Him as well. 

A mother’s prayers for her children is a powerful force, even more so than a father’s prayers, but God honors both using them to open doors for Him to act.  I believe the reason that God works and responds as we pray is so we too are blessed and draw closer to Him and to each other as a result.

Can you recall times we knew someone was praying for you and could feel their prayers? To know others are praying for us brings great comfort but also gives us assurance we are not alone.  God is near and available but so are others.  Such realization helps us strive to be better people and to rely on others for help and encouragement.  Such realization helps us to pray for others too.   Such realization also helps us to seek and draw closer to Christ and allow His Holy Spirit to influence our thinking and actions and decisions.                       

If you don’t like the person you’re becoming, remember Who is interceding for you and place your trust in Him.

“Jesus’ intercession for us is far stronger than Satan’s accusations against us.”

Mike Bickle

5/29/18                                                    Milk or Meat?                                29

But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. Hebrews 5:14

RECOMMENDED READING: I CORINTHIANS 3:1-20 “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.² I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.³ For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?⁴ For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?⁵ Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?⁶ I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.⁷ So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.⁸ Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.⁹ For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.¹⁰ According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.¹¹ For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.¹² Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;¹³ Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.¹⁴ If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.¹⁵ If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.¹⁶ Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?¹⁷ If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.¹⁸ Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.¹⁹ For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.²⁰ And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.”

COMMENTS:  A new born is not able to eat adult food but must receive nourishment from milk and then progress to baby food designed for their underdeveloped digestive system.  Eventually they will be able to eat and digest adult foods. But even adults encounter disease or unhealthy foods that result in sickness and weakness from insufficient nutrients their body needs.   Our spiritual bodies also require nourishment in order to grow stronger, but they too need to progress from infancy to adulthood.  But that progression can move quickly or stall to little or no growth. 

God provides healthy foods for our bodies, but unhealthy foods are grown and manufactured to satisfy desires for pleasurable tastes.  Human tastes can become corrupted and distorted so healthy foods no longer taste good nor are as appealing as unhealthy foods. 

Today’s scripture draws parallels with spiritual food God desires for us to take in so our souls grow stronger and closer to Him as a result.  God’s Word provides needed nourishment but progression needs to include deeper study of His Word and deeper surrender of carnal appetites we still hold on to that also hold us back from a deeper relationship and walk with Christ and a deeper relationship with His Holy Spirit.  Discerning satan’s deceptions and temptations can be difficult and will be if we are always alert and seeking Christ and His Holy Spirit continually.  The only way we can discern temptation while sustaining a healthy appetite for God’s Word requires continual fellowship with Christ.        

We need to also be accountable to other believers.   God never intended for us to follow Him in isolation, but in community with each other and together with Him.  Our private personal time with Christ is vital, but time of worship and fellowship with Christ in community with His church and with those we are also accountable to is also vital.  Such a connection with each other for Bible study, prayer, and worship reduces satan’s influence and creates a more open atmosphere to receive the Holy Spirit’s council and influence. 

“We grow in proportion as we know.” J. A. Motyer

5/30/18                                                One Corner                                              30   

For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful.

2 Peter 1:8 .

RECOMMENDED READING:  II PETER  1;3-8  “ And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up toward Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail against it.² And it was told the house of David, saying, Syria is confederate with Ephraim. And his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind.³ Then said the Lord unto Isaiah, Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shearjashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller’s field;⁴ And say unto him, Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted for the two tails of these smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria, and of the son of Remaliah.⁵ Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have taken evil counsel against thee, saying,⁶ Let us go up against Judah, and vex it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and set a king in the midst of it, even the son of Tabeal:⁷ Thus saith the Lord God, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass.⁸ For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin; and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken, that it be not a people.⁹ And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah’s son. If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established.”

COMMENTS:  Do you know the hymn “Brighten the corner where you are” written by Ina Mae Duley Ogdon in the early 1900’s.  Song is based on Matthew 5:14-16, “Ye are the Light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden, neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candle stick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.”  Ina Mae dreamed of becoming a preacher even as a child but had to abandon those plans to care for her ailing father.  This scripture from Matthew encouraged her to instead be faithful to serve where she was, which became writing hymns, resulting in God using to evangelize much further and longer than she would have likely evangelized if her plans would have materialized.  Author Aldous Huxley wrote, “There is only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that’s your own self.”

Our walk of faith and obedience to His calling and Will starts with us and where we live and expands from there.  It may simply be spending time listening and encouraging a neighbor or friend next door or on the phone or down the street.  It may be stopping to visit with someone while going about normal daily duties and obligations.  It may be taking time out to visit a shut-in in their home or convalescent home.  It may be keeping a devotional journal and sharing it like I am doing here.  It may be taking time to volunteer at a local food pantry or hospital or in your local church or other community volunteer organizations and sharing Christ’s message there.   In other words, brightening the corner where you are and being open for the Holy Spirit to guide you to new corners.   We have no idea where that journey of faith and obedience will lead us or what opportunities God will provide.  Joseph’s brothers brought evil on him, but Joseph remained faithful to God both as a slave and in prison resulting in his corner moving eventually into the palace of the Pharoah of Egypt.  His story is one of faithfulness but also one of forgiveness that God viewed important enough to include in His Living Word so we can still be impacted and taught by it today many centuries later.    God has a wonderful way of using the least likely, least gifted, least popular people to do His greatest work.  I believe that is no accident because such people are the least likely to accomplish great things on their own and tend to be the most dependent on Him.  The most gifted may accomplish impressive things but without God, they are short lived and at best last only one lifetime and at worst cause harm instead of good.  

We may admire and want to be like those who are strong or attractive or admired for their great accomplishments or influence or abilities, but God offers to us better examples.  Examples of those who simply surrendered to Him and followed Him both in times of hardship and tragedy and in times of blessing and peace and prosperity.  Joseph was one of those as was Daniel.  There are many others, but these are two of my favorites from scripture.  I encourage you to pick a few examples from scripture and let their stories guide and encourage you too.  Also let examples like Ina Mae’s encourage and guide you as well.  There are many good examples even within our own circle of family and friends if we simply look.  God will bless them and us by noticing and learning from those examples too.   AMEN?  AMEN!

 

“God wants the whole person and He will not rest until He gets us in entirety. No part of the man will do.” A. W. Tozer   

 

5/31/18                  ABRAHAM’S FAITH IN GOD – HOW DEEP WAS IT?                             31

 

Scripture:

GENESIS  22:1-18

And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.

² And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

³ And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him.

⁴ Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.

⁵ And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.

⁶ And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together.

⁷ And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?

⁸ And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

⁹ And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.

¹⁰ And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.

¹¹ And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.

¹² And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

¹³ And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.

¹⁴ And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.

¹⁵ And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time,

¹⁶ And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son:

¹⁷ That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;

¹⁸ And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

¹⁹ So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.

 

Hebrews 11:1-40

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

² For by it the elders obtained a good report.

³ Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

⁴ By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

⁵ By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

⁶ But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

⁷ By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

⁸ By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

⁹ By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

¹⁰ For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

¹¹ Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

¹² Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.

¹³ These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

¹⁴ For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

¹⁵ And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

¹⁶ But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.

¹⁷ By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

¹⁸ Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:

¹⁹ Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.

²⁰ By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.

²¹ By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.

²² By faith Joseph, when he died, made mention of the departing of the children of Israel; and gave commandment concerning his bones.

²³ By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment.

²⁴ By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;

²⁵ Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

²⁶ Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

²⁷ By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

²⁸ Through faith he kept the passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.

²⁹ By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.

³⁰ By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days.

³¹ By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.

³² And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:

³³ Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions.

³⁴ Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

³⁵ Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:

³⁶ And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:

³⁷ They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;

³⁸ (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

³⁹ And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

⁴⁰ God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

COMMENTS:

Our adult Sunday School teacher at our local church discovered a powerful revelation about Abraham during her preparation for class and blessed us with this discovery recently during class.  I would like to share that discovery with you too.

The historical account of God telling Abraham to sacrifice Isaac on an altar and how Abraham’s obedience unfolded are given in Genesis 22.  The story tells the miracle of Isaac being born to Sarah.  Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90.  Even in those days child bearing years ended long before that age.  After the time of Noah, people no longer lived to 800-900 years of age and had children over that length of life. Sometime from early post-flood age to King David’s time the average lift expectancy dropped from 120 years to 70 years. Psalm 90:10 NIV “Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.”    Abraham was 86 when Ishmael was born to Hagar, Sarah’s handmaid.    Abraham would live to be 175 when he died and Sarah would live to be 127 when she died. 

Abraham’s trust and faith in God would drive him to take great risk but at times his faith would weaken and tempt him to make terrible mistakes and to sin.  Twice he lied saying Sarah was his sister instead of his wife out of fear he would be killed to acquire his beautiful wife (Genesis 12 and 20). 

Abraham was human so doubt and fear dampened his faith and judgment and obedient at times, but God’s mercy and Abraham’s redemption was restored as Abraham yielded and returned to the path and instruction God set before him.

God initially told Abraham to leave the pagan land of Ur where his father and family lived and where Abraham grew up.  Abraham obeyed without knowing what dangers and obstacles were on his path and without understanding God who was speaking to him.  But he knew enough and believed God enough to obey His instruction.

As Abraham fellowshipped with God more and saw God’s help unfold and saw God’s promises beginning to unfold, his faith and trust grew as well.  But when he went to Egypt, he feared pharaoh would kill him to possess his beautiful wife Sarah.  He should have been honest with God and asked God for help.   He made that same mistake again with the king of Gerar.  His fears may have been justified but he failed to trust God to protect him.  After all, they had no children and he still did not have the land promised him by God.

When the years passed and Abraham was 86 and Sarah was 74, they became impatient with God even though God had promised a son to them, a son that would yield descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky.  So, they followed the practice of wealthy pagan people and Sarah encouraged Abraham to father a child through Sarah’s handmaid Hagar.  That act of disobedience and lack of faith is why Arabs and Jews have been fighting bitterly for centuries for the land God promised Abraham.  All that would have been avoided if they would have waited a few more years, 13 more years to be exact.   They couldn’t imagine Sarah would be able to have a son nor did they understand why God was taking so long to fulfil His promise to them.   BUT HE DID FULFILL HIS PROMISE TO ABRAHAM NOT THROUGH ISHMAEL BUT THROUGH ISAAC.    God even confirmed to Abraham His promise was to be through Isaac, not Ishmael.  The story is told in Genesis 16-18.  Notice that God changed Abram’s name to Abraham and Sarai’s name to Sarah when He fulfilled His promise and His plan to do so through Isaac.  Their relationship with God and the covenant God made with them was to go to a much deeper and significant level and importance, which would transform them and change their legacy forever.

They were both still human but God was preparing them to trust Him like they would never be able to do before.   The next 13 years would mean Abraham went from a normal man to a man of great faith, a man willing to obey the God he knew and who’s voice he knew, a man even willing to sacrifice the son God promised to fulfill a promise of descendants as many as the stars in the sky.

So, what was Abraham thinking when he raised that knife to take his son’s life?  Genesis 22 doesn’t tell us but Hebrews 11 does.   We can use Hebrews 11 to show us since both Hebrews and Genesis are included in our Holy Bible so is scripture valid for instruction as the inspired Word of God.

Notice:  Abraham told the servant he and Isaac left behind when going up Mt. Moriah to do sacrifice, that both he and Isaac would return.  If Isaac would have been killed and sacrificed, his body would have been burnt up in the fire.  Also notice Abraham had Isaac carry the wood for the fire while Abraham carried the knife, but Isaac still was not aware what Abraham was instructed to do.  So, did Abraham lie or did he know more than he let on?   We can only speculate but Hebrews 11 gives us a bit more of a clue. 

Abraham had no evidence or examples to believe God could or would raise Isaac from the died after being sacrificed but Hebrews 11:19 (¹⁹ Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.) This verse tells us Abraham believed God could raise a dead son burnt to ashes.  This verse along with Genesis 22:5 indicate Abraham also expected God would do so in order for both he and Isaac to return to that servant intact and alive.

Did God reveal this to Abraham or did he know God well enough to believe that is what God would do.  Fact is Abraham didn’t know for sure and felt the full temptation and emotion of fear that Isaac would die and Abraham would never see him again.

The other side of this story is what was Isaac thinking and what enabled him to let his father tie him up and make him the sacrifice God required.  What kind of faith did God require and generate in Isaac.  At the point of raising that knife and start to thrust it toward his beloved son’s chest and heart, what was racing through the mind of each.  I dare say they were both praying aloud with tears at that moment.  Genesis 22:10-12 gives us that moment and God’s intervention stopping him in the nick of time.

Why did God bring both Abraham and Isaac to that point? THE SACRIFICE HAD TO BE WILLING AS MUCH AS THE PRIEST DOING THE SACRIFICE.  God required a depth of faith essential before His promise could be fulfilled through them and an eternal legacy beyond their imagination could be implemented through them. 

Can you imagine the praise and worship they both gave God when they then sacrificed the ram God then provided after their test was over?  God knew what they would do but He also knew what was necessary.  God honored their faithfulness and chose Mt. Moriah to become the temple mount where Solomon’s temple would be built.  There for centuries priests would sacrifice for the sins of Israel.  The temple was destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar, rebuilt 70 years later by Jews led by Nehemiah and in 70AD destroyed again by the Romans because of Israel’s unfaithfulness.  A Muslim Mosque stands there today but one day the temple will be built but one day Christ will return there to set up His kingdom. 

You and I may have similar but unique experiences.  We all are tempted to disobey and sin.  To allow fear to hinder our faith. To try to force God’s hand or “help Him” because we get tired waiting.  How many Christian young men and women seek God’s help finding a mate but settle for someone else before God’s choice is revealed.  My story is unique and took 2 years longer than needed to, but because Arlene and I both waited until His opportunity was revealed to both of us, we have now a marriage of 40 years and 2 grown children.  It was well worth the wait for us and for our children and their families.  He is building our legacy on a foundation of obedience and not regrets. 

 

Abraham’s story is valuable to teach us the important of trusting and being in deep fellowship with God.  But we have Christ as our Sacrifice and we have the Holy Spirit to provide us a deeper relationship and fellowship not understood nor as accessible to Abraham.  Yet He found a way to provide Abraham enough to be faithful to the degree  required and a way through sacrifice to forgiveness and redemption.  The way of surrender and sacrifice.

Truth is God could have let Isaac die and even be the burnt sacrifice Abraham was prepared to give.  He could have then raised him as Abraham was anticipating.  Isaac could have died willingly.  God could have accomplished His purpose of instilling the level of faith and surrender Abraham and Isaac needed in any number of other ways we could not imagine but He could.  But God didn’t and He chose to spare Isaac’s life in this way.

God’s revelation to us is greater than revelation given to Abraham.  Abraham did not have the New Testament to inspire and guide him or even most of the Old Testament. He did not have Christ’s example and redemptive sacrifice to strengthen him either.  He did not have the Holy Spirit to guide him, but it is evident the Holy Spirit was involved, just not identified or revealed as He now is to us.  Abraham and Isaac had enough to trust God enough and God honored and blessed their faith and obedience.

God does not change, but His revelation to us and our understanding of Him enables us to trust Him to do significant things as well.  God’s revelation and help is even more powerful and effective for us because of Christ, His Word, and His abiding Holy Spirit.  Consider how Peter and John and Paul and countless thousands of other first century Christians were transformed to suffer terrible suffering and loss of family and life just to tell others of Christ’s sacrifice and Good News of redemption.   God’s promise to us is even better than His promise to Abraham.  A promise of eternal life in heaven with Him, with immortal bodies, in a place He is preparing for us, and much more.   Do we have enough faith to trust Him in the midst of persecution?  In the midst of danger and ridicule or loss of possession? Even at the risk of loss of life?

As we approach the time of Christ’s second coming, which He has promised, we will see satan’s mischief getting worse and persecution of Christians becoming more widespread and worse.  We need to be prepared for that persecution and we need to prepare our family and church for that persecution so we and they will have the strength and presence of the Holy Spirit to help and sustain them.  To sustain us.  To sustain as many as God enables us to tell and invite to Him.   Only He knows how long, but only He can get us through dark times to the other side.  “IT WILL BE WORTH IT ALL WHEN WE SEE JESUS!”

  

 

If this journal has been a source of encouragement and if you wish, I encourage you to  access my blog at “https://donsdevotions.wordpress.com“. There you will find 160 blog posts I have made plus a link to my devotional journal material archives from 2013 to present. I you have any difficulty doing so or would like to correspond with me, you may do so by email at dmcdaniel12@verizon.net

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