9/1/18                                    All Things Bright and Beautiful                                   1 

A righteous man regards the life of his animal.   Proverbs 12:10

RECOMMENDED READING: MATTHEW 10:27-31 “²⁷ What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.²⁸ And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.²⁹ Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.³⁰ But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.³¹ Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.”                       COMMENTS:  We only need to look around to discover just how creative God is and how much He loves to create.  Every human is unique and different from every other.  Every animal has amazing and unique differences too.  The detail and thought He gave to creation of ant as He did to largest animal and to you and me only confirms the love and interest He has in every living creation.  How much more does He love and care for you and me.  He even tells us so “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”  Matthew 6:26.

This scripture does not diminish God’s love and care for the animals and plants He creates, but does underscore how much more He loves and cares for us.  Christ’s sacrifice was to redeem us so we again have the choice to be in relationship with Him, the choice He desires most but none the less the choice He still gives us to make.  To love and respect us enough to refuse to force us to make the best choice.  To still allow us to make foolish and self-destructive choices shows value He has on preserving our freedom to choose.  But He does use every method and effort He can to persuade us to make the best choices without forcing us to make them.  He still allows satan limited opportunity to tempt us to make foolish choices.  The allows us to make choices but doesn’t give satan unfair advantage to tempt us.  When we choose to sin, it isn’t because of satan overpowering us or overpowering God’s gift of freedom to choose.  It is because we chose sin over grace.  And still He loves us and desires to forgive us.                                                                                                                              The addiction of sinful behavior, especially in relation to drug additions directly and indirect addiction related to strong physical habits and alcohol.  Satan does have powerful tools that humanly are extremely hard to resist.  BUT GOD NEVER INTENDED FOR US TO DEFEA T SATAN ALONE.  HE INTENDS FOR US TO DRAW CLOSE TO CHRIST SO HE WILL FIGHT OUR BATTLES AND DEFEAT SATAN’S TEMPTING SNARES FOR US.  He provides the shield to deflect satan’s fiery darts (Eph. 6).                                        We are foolish to think we can travel life’s journey alone either.  No one in history has been able to but countless millions have with God’s abiding presence to help and guide.  We can too.                                                                                                                                                  “All things bright and beautiful, all creatures great and small, / All things wise and wonderful, the Lord God made them all.”       Cecil Frances Alexander

 

 

9/2/18                                    Love Unstoppable                                     2

Love Unstoppable
“And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.” 1 John 4:16
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”” John 13:34-35
“He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”” John 7:38
“Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:5
“We love Him because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19
COMMENTS:   Our perfect example of perfect love is Christ.  Love He gave and lived and continues to do so.  Love at no greater sacrifice and benefit to His Beloved (us).  No one is more worthy of our love and devotion.  Yet, loving Him gives us greater capacity to love each other, especially those we find difficult to show love and kindness and compassion.  To love those who do not love with kind in response.

What hinders our capacity to love Christ?  Sin in the form of worry, unforgiveness (anger, bitterness, hurt, rage, vengeance, revenge), pride, selfishness, greed, lust, sexual immorality. and Unkindness. Of course, any unrepented sin has the same affect of separating us or hinders our relationship with Christ.  Yet Christ’s redemptive Love is ready and willing to forgive, remove the stain of sin and remove the barrier sin caused.  Barrier to Himself He quickly removes, but barriers sin causes with other people can take years to remove and only then by commitment living the life change Christ makes possible.  Christ knows our heart but others may not be so convinced or willing to be convinced.  But convinced they will become in time if we truly repent and let His Holy Spirit do the transforming work He desires and we desperately need.  Yet repentance does not result in     transformation without putting action to words, including turning from sin and old habits and making new ones at any cost or sacrifice. 

 
9/3/18                           Man Who Lashed Out at Me                                    3 “Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you,
And revile you, and cast out your name as evil, For the Son of Man’s sake.
Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven,
For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.” Luke 6:22-23
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Mt. 5:10-12
“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” 2 Tim. 3:12
““If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” John 15:18-19

COMMENTS: Have you ever been made fun of or ridicules or worse for confessing your faith in Christ?  In my distant past I recall a homeless man who asked for a handout but handed him a Bible Track with the gift.  He responded scoffing God but I reacted by saying I would not have been motivated to show Him kindness without God’s nudging to do so.  I realized there was likely a betrayal in his life that caused him to blame God.  Most times I would rush on hoping not to get into a lengthily debate. This time I did but believe I at least softened the man’s bitterness to God.  I felt so unprepared when debate started but was humbled at response God guided me to share.  I was glad afterwards for opportunity and for God’s nudging to give this man a bit more than typically gave.  The larger gift gave greater credibility to track given with it and discussion that followed.  I prayed for that man for a time and by this reminder am praying again that he found redemption and healing but most of all a relationship with God he desperately needed and God wanted.

Have you had a similar experience, an opportunity God interrupted your day to minister to someone?  I’ve had others, some I didn’t follow and later regretted, but some I did and felt blessed as a result.  How about you?  I pray He will give more such opportunities with necessary preparation to be faithful.

9/4/18                                Satan Speaking to you?                                        4 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.” 1 Peter 5:8-9                                   “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” James4:7-8

“And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.” 2 Cor. 11:14
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” John 10:27

COMMENTS:  Satan’s communication to us is in the form of powerful temptations appealing to our eyes and mind and senses.   His communication is often directly by his voice in our minds as an idea or thought.   How do we know it is his voice and not our own or even God’s voice?

Well, a good clue is what he is asking or motivating us to say or do.   If we know it is evil and sinful, that is an obvious red flag.  If consequences are harmful to us and/or others, is a pretty clear red flag also.  If it also goes against scripture commands including the 10 commandments and Christ’s instruction recorded in scripture, including His beatitudes, that is a strong red flag. 

Truth is, if we would delay responding to a temptation, we would likely find the temptation would quickly loose its strength and appeal.  It certainly would if we would delay and use that time to seek the Holy Spirit’s council and help.  If we would do that, I dare say we would quickly gain victory over habitual temptations and sins.  But we don’t and then face consequences, some of which often remain after we seek Christ’s forgiveness again. 

Not all temptations carry the same level of consequence or damage at least on the surface, but potentially instead keep us from full obedience and fulfilling God’s call in every situation.  Deciding not to visit or call someone God nudges you to because a small voice tells you can’t take the time or have other things would rather do first.  Sin includes “sin of commission” or actions that are sinful but also include sins of “omission” or good things we decline to do.  You and I are guilty of both and need to repent of both to fully surrender to His Loving Will and Wise Plan.      

9/5/18                                       God Over All                                                      5

And seven times shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.  Daniel 4:25

Recommended Reading: Isaiah 40:15-17 “¹⁵ Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing.¹⁶ And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt offering.¹⁷ All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity.”

COMMENTS:  History is full of dictators thinking they are all powerful and worthy of becoming a world ruler.  Nebuchadnezzar was a tyrant and example in Daniel’s day.  Nero was in Paul’s day.  Hitler was in my parent’s day.  But every generation had such an example either attempting to or nearly successful at conquering the known world of his day.  But all found success empty and ended up defeated by another foe leaving a legacy of destruction instead of life.  They overall left the world worse off for their influence instead of better.   How do you think that is working for them today in eternity?  To put ourselves in conflict or at odds with God is such a foolish and dangerous thing to do. To think they know better than God or even believe they are a god worthy of worship. 

God will not be mocked for very long.  His Will will prevail even though He may delay enforcing that will for a time.  He is longsuffering giving even tyrants time and every opportunity to repent.  Nebuchadnezzar was an amazing example.  He ruled successfully receiving visions and dreams with the precious influence of Daniel drawing him to a knowledge and relationship with God.  God was hard on him at times and even made him endure 7 years living as an animal, the only effective way to get his attention and convince him to surrender and worship and honor God above all else.  But in the end, Daniel’s faithfulness partnered with God’s intervention resulting in redemption for Nebuchadnezzar.  Even tyrants are loved by God.  God didn’t condone Nebuchadnezzar’s actions and did hold him accountable, but not without the opportunity of redemption.  You and I might not think it far for God to withhold judgment on him for destruction and death he forced on his subjects, but truth is his subject were not faithful to God either.  Daniel and many in Israel enduring the ravaged of Nebuchadnezzar’s rule but Daniel also showed us God was faithful to them providing opportunity for redemption and a path to freedom as well.

When we endure hardship and crisis or even tragedy, we also need to realize God is near enduring those times with us.  If we reach out to take His hand, we discover how close He is and tap into His help and strength.  His Holy Spirit is His abiding presence but God the Father and God the Son are as close to us as His Holy Spirit because they are all One.  WE ARE NOT ALONE NOR ABANDONED!  It just might seem that way at times, but such times grow faith to endure.  It did for Daniel and will for us too if we follow his example.  AMEN?  AMEN!

“Let God be the sovereign over your life. He gives grace to the humble as we recognize He is God over all “(James 4:6).

 “To be God and sovereign are inseparable.”  Stephen Charnock

 

9/6/18                                    Never Alone                                     6                   To this end I also labor, striving according to [Christ’s] working which works in me mightily.

Colossians 1:29

Recommended Reading: Mark 16:1-20 “  And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.² And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.³ And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?⁴ And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.⁵ And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.⁶ And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.⁷ But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.⁸ And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.⁹ Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.¹⁰ And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept.¹¹ And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.¹² After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.¹³ And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them.¹⁴ Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.¹⁵ And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.¹⁶ He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.¹⁷ And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;¹⁸ They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.¹⁹ So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.²⁰ And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.”

COMMENTS:  Christ submitted to the evil plans of satan carried out by sinful men when He died on the cross.  He could have called 10,000 angels to spare him.  He had the power to do so on His own, but chose to fulfil the plans of His Father, plans the Father-Son-Holy Spirit had developed together long before they even began creation.  They knew the cross was necessary even before they began creating man.  They knew but still created.  Christ knew His mission was the cross, but the Holy Spirit knew His mission was to abide in human souls and guide and help and council them, a mission only possible with Christ’s sacrifice.  The Father knew the pain He would face to redeem His creation but still created.  This is a wonderful mystery but wonderful good news for you and me.  We get do-overs but far more.  We get opportunity to be in a personal one with one relationship with the One and Only Creator who is also the redeemer of our souls.  The same One who is also preparing an eternal home with Him for us. Who is also preparing an eternal body for us that will not age or die. As I grow older and weaker, I am appreciating that more and more, but am also enjoying a deeper and richer relationship with Him than I had 57 years ago when I first asked Him into my soul at age 10, richer than when I was 18, richer than when I was 30 or 40 or 50 or even last year.  I know if He tarries and I live to be 90, my fellowship with Him will be even richer.  Trading a failing body for a richer relationship with Him is very good trade.  But I also know when I see Him face to face not only will I get a new body but even more my relationship with Him will be complete and far richer than I can attain here in my corrupt body and in a corrupt world.  The closer I get to Him, the more I see remaining sin in my life with greater longing to be like Him and with greater realization how far short of that goal I still am.  Yet I look back and see the progress God has made in me towards that goal and am both humbled and grateful because it is all His work and for His honor and glory and praise.  I pray you discover this to be true as well.   

9/7/18                                       Dangerous Lovers                                   7     

Recommended Reading: “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.” 2 Tim. 3:1-5
““I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.” Rev. 2:2-5

““I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.” Rev. 3:15-19

COMMENTS: Who do you and I love and serve? Who do we worship and follow? Once wee repent of our sins and accept Christ’s gift of salvation, we begin a journey of fellowship and growth as we get closer to Him.  We slowly become more like Him and less like satan who tempts us to sin.  But the above scriptures are samples reminding us our first and greatest love is reserved for Christ alone.  Our self is no longer our first love.  That change may be strong in the beginning of our relationship with Him, but over time it will weaken and decay from neglect if we are not careful to nurture it.  God desires daily fellowship with us but we also desperately need His fellowship to sustain life in us.   Temptation and the cares of this world grow dimmer as we look to Him and spend time with Him.  But He also warns us neglect from us will make us weak and easier for satan to distract us from keeping our eyes on Him. 

Israel endured God’s judgment over and over again as a consequence of mingling with their pagan neighbors.  Mingling not to evangelize them but to discover their pagan ways.  They married pagan spouses, causing them to be unequally yoked to their pagan ways and beliefs.  The danger they exposed themselves from was turning from God and His protection and guidance and wisdom.  From His alerts and plans.  From His Will.

They mingled with pagan god worshipers, with adulterers, prostitutes, liars, and murderers.  Mingling with lovers of self – money – pleasure, resulting in getting increasing appetites for these sinful desires instead of an appetite for a deeper relationship with Him and a greater understanding of His Word.  A deeper passion to follow and obey Him.

We can’t have it both ways – keeping one foot in the world and one foot in heaven.  One foot in satan’s house and one foot in Christ’s house.  They are too far apart to hang on to both.  We either focus on one or on the other.

So, will be make this world our home or our mission field?  Will we fall in love with the world or with Christ?  Will we love people in the way Christ loves, seeking to give opportunity for eternal life, or with selfish love seeking what we can gain to satisfy our selfish desires and ambitions.

We need to wisely choose where we let our soul love and discern the motives.  The fruit of our love will reveal if our love is Christ-like and Christ motivated, or motivated by our own selfish nature or worse (by satan’s temptations).  Remember satan brings death sooner or later.  Only Christ brings life – even eternal life.

     
9/8/18  Life is What You Spend Your Time Doing – Spend Time with God!         8                   

I rise before the dawning of the morning, and cry for help; I hope in Your word. My eyes are awake through the night watches, that I may meditate on Your word.  Psalm 119:147-148

Recommended Reading: Psalm 119:145-152  “¹⁴⁵ I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O Lord: I will keep thy statutes.¹⁴⁶ I cried unto thee; save me, and I shall keep thy testimonies.¹⁴⁷ I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word.¹⁴⁸ Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word.¹⁴⁹ Hear my voice according unto thy lovingkindness: O Lord, quicken me according to thy judgment.¹⁵⁰ They draw nigh that follow after mischief: they are far from thy law.¹⁵¹ Thou art near, O Lord; and all thy commandments are truth.¹⁵² Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever.”

COMMENTS: My favorite time of day is not watching the sun rise or set, but I love to witness a beautiful sunrise seeing the darkness give way to day or a beautiful sunset seeing the stars and moon finally come into dominant view.  My favorite time is not greeting my wife when she gets up after me, but that is a good time too. But since I’m a morning person and she isn’t, I have to be restrained in my enthusiastic Good Morning greeting.  My favorite time is not any of the day’s work or routine, but I am appreciating and enjoying    walking and doing much I have taken for granted but now am requiring more mental focus and energy to do.  My favorite time is right now, when it is still dark – praying and taking in God’s Word and council and fellowship.  Then putting in text here what God then puts on my heart.  Response from many of you confirms to me God is pleased with this journal and wants me to continue.  By the time the sun comes up, I usually have the day’s journal nearly complete, but sometimes it is as late as 9AM before this daily work is completed.  I prefer to have it completed so can be in fellowship with Him as I view my surroundings getting brighter with raising sun.  Experience just draws me closer to Him.  How about you?

Well, how we start our day does make a big difference on how rest of the day goes, but I admit some days are difficult even with good beginnings.  But difficult days without spending time with Christ letting the Holy Spirit speak to my soul can only turn out more difficult than otherwise would have.  I have experienced both and so much prefer facing difficult days with my hand firmly in His than not.  

Our grandchildren are back in school now.  Summer vacation is done and this weekend is Labor Day Weekend.  The last holiday of summer.   County fairs are going on this weekend with a lot of activities fun for kids (young and old).  Gardens will soon be yielding the last of their crop and summer tools and jobs will give way to snow shovels and snow blowers.  Summer cloths will be put away and winter coats and boots will be pulling out of closets ready for use again.   Season cycles, especially in northern parts of the world, and extreme southern parts, bring God’s wonderful clarity showing life and vegetation dying each fall and giving way to winter’s cold barren hand but then finally giving way to fresh new life in the Spring and finally Summer.  This same cycle relates to our human cycle of life.   Those of us in the fall of our life are reminded to prepare for winter.  We do so by spending more time with Him. AMEN?  AMEN!!                                                                                                                                 Happiness does not depend on outward circumstances but on the state of the heart.  J. C. Ryle

9/9/18                     A Hiding Place From Life’s Storms                                 9   

Over everything the glory will be a canopy.  Isaiah 4:5, NIV

Recommended Reading  Isaiah 4:4-6  “⁴ When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning.⁵ And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence.⁶ And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the day time from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain. “

COMMENTS: When we share our testimony with others at church or where life takes us, we filter out the uncertainty and just share the conclusion.  The answers to prayer and victory over sin and triumphs.  We hold back in sharing struggles that are still going on and answers still not given or given completely.   We’d rather wait until the uncertainty is over.  Such was not the case in scripture.  The doubts and struggles of those we are very familiar in scripture are given in detail.   Their fears and doubts and even failures as well as their faith and faithfulness along with God’s abiding presence and faithfulness and answers.   Those stories all tells us God allows satan’s temptations and miseries within His constraints to strengthen and draw us closer to Himself.   He also allows them so we have credibility and wisdom and understanding when witnessing and fellowshipping with others.  He is preparing us for service and even for heaven.  He is also preparing us for a deeper fellowship with Himself while on earth too.   Yet, He assures us He will not permit us to be tempted and endure hardship greater than our ability to do so.  But He doesn’t intend for us to face such alone nor without Him walking the journey hand in His.  It has been told life is a cycle of being in trial to peace to preparing for another trial to going through another trial.   It is also noticeable that not everyone goes through the same degree or intensity or frequency of trials.  It seems some seem to have more than their share of trials while others are spared most. 

It is true, our foolish choices and past sins, even though forgiven, still have lingering consequences.  Yet, many endure trials they are victim to and not because of their sins or foolish choices.  Yet, both are in God’s loving Hands and both have His abiding presence and Hand reached out available to us to guide us thru to the other side.  He provided a hiding place for David in caves from King Saul’s army seeking to kill him.  Yet during those years of hiding, He had God’s promise that he would one day be king, but during those years there is no evidence he could escape King Saul’s relentless obsession to seek him out and kill him.  Yet David remained faithful and in fellowship with God during those years. Recorded are some of David’s times of fear and weakness and anxiety that clouded his thinking and caused him to make some foolish choices like fleeing to their enemy the Philistines for protection. Such stories confirm God’s mercy and forgiveness and faithfulness.  God has not changed, and unfortunately, we are all too much like those of bible times.  Satan hasn’t changed either, so the trials and temptations people faced in ancient bible times, and even those of great faith, are the same ones we face and endure.  But since God hasn’t changed, His help and protection are still available to each and every one of us.  Even more so, because of Christ’s sacrifice for our sins, His Holy Spirit is even more accessible and available to us than for Old Testament followers.  They had redemption from altar sacrifice.  We have redemption directly by Christ’s sacrifice and His abiding presence by the Holy Spirit that came at Pentecost.

Verses 5-6 say, “Then the Lord will create over all of Mount Zion…a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night; over everything the glory will be a canopy. It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day, and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain” (NIV).

We have God’s promise of His return and our deliverance from sin and death and promise of an eternal home and body being prepared for us while we reside on earth.  We also have His promise to return and evidence that return is very close.  

Every generation since Pentecost believed His return would be in their generation and have evidence to believe that.  So, do we.  So why would we think ours is different.  The answer is the reestablishing of the nation of Israel and return of the Jewish race to rebuild that nation in their promised land of old.  Scripture tells us when we see that, then that generation will not be gone before His return.   That happened in May 1947.  My wife was born May 29, 1947.  I’ll leave it to you to speculate how soon before He returns or how many more years can pass before her generation is gone.  There is nothing more needing fulfilled before His return, so Christ could return today.   But His compassion and passion for us, I believe, causes Him to delay so more will have opportunity to accept His redemption, including many in my own family and yours too.   Yet we are told He will come to stop the path to extinction satan will persuade the world’s people to take.  To stop the war on Christ’s followers satan will wage.  Satan is waging that war today, just look around and watch the news to prove that.  The war is getting more intense and obvious as each day passes.  We are satan’s enemy simply for following Christ.  Whose enemy would you rather be?   Satan’s or God’s.  Christ calls us friends when we accept Him.  That makes us satan’s enemy.  We don’t have the option to be in both camps.  We have to choose.  Will we be satan’s friend or God’s friend.  That is our choice and the choice of every living human.  Let’s make the wise choice and make our lives and conduct and words and actions encourage others to make the wise choice and example the same too while HE tarries. Time is running out and His return is approaching.  AMEN? AMEN!!

“When the world is tossing me, like a ship upon the sea / Thou Who rulest wind and water, stand by me.”Charles A. Tindley

 

 

9/10/18                                                Known by Our Name                                  10   

Then [Jesus] asked him, “What is your name?” And he answered, saying, “My name is Legion; for we are many.”  Mark 5:9

Recommended Reading: Mark 5:6-9 “⁶ But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him,⁷ And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.⁸ For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit.⁹ And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many.”

COMMENTS:  The demoniac described in the above scripture was possessed by a band of demons calling themselves “legion”.   During the time when this scripture was written, the Roman Empire ruled with an army organized into groups of soldiers.   The largest group was the “legion” which comprised 6000 soldiers.  Legions were divided into 10 “cohorts” of 600 soldiers each and those into 6 centuries of 100 soldiers each.

We don’t know how many demons possessed this man. Is it possible there were 6000 demons in this man and that is the reason legion was their name?  Is it possible to be possessed by 6000 demons? We simply don’t know because scripture doesn’t tell us, but there was many.  So why were many in that man?  I don’t know.  Yet, when read this account in Mark, we discover Jesus had authority to command all the demons out of him.  The many were not strong enough together to outflank or overpower Jesus.  It was no contest.  Romans had great power and authority to overpower and rule over their subject by the way they were organized.  Large numbers of soldiers working together were almost irresistible.  Satan does the same resulting in ability to overpower those who resist him.  Where resistance is greater, he responds with greater force either by more demons or stronger demons.

But satan’s powers and abilities, even though far greater than ours, are held to strict limits set by God Himself.  Christ died and took our sins so we would have Himself as resource to fight and overcome satan.  His Holy Spirit came so access to Himself would be instantly and always available.

Do you know those who fight sin and never seem to get victory?  The harder they fight, the weaker and more discouraged they get.  Well, the strongest addictions involve both mental and physical and chemical addiction.  Drugs are among the many examples.  Yet why do some gain victory more quickly and successfully than others? 

God gives each of us a unique and incredibly complex body.  He made each of us unique but similar.  Satan knows this and uses our weaknesses and vulnerabilities to gain control of us and pull us away from having a meaningful relationship with God.  Satan knows our name and knows our weaknesses. 

BUT GOD ALSO KNOWS OUR NAME AND KNOWS US FAR BETTER THAN WE KNOW OURSELVES AND BETTER THAN SATAN KNOWS US.

He knew us before He created us and even before He began creating.  Satan doesn’t love us, but He loves us far more and more deeply than anyone else.  But the only reason satan tempts us and the only reason he succeeds in drawing us into sin and harmful addictions and habits is God allows us to choose good or evil.  He allows us to choose wisely or foolishly.  When we choose wisely, we allow Him to draw closer to us and us into a deeper fellowship with Him.  When we choose foolishly, we move away from him and toward satan and his demons and their influence.  God is still there and continues to limit satan’s influence.  God continues to provide opportunities to repent and turn back to Him.  Consider those times you and I have chose foolishly and take note of ways God put up roadblocks in the form of people or circumstances or reminders or good books or scriptures or ??? to draw us back.  My experience has been that He would do so early and quickly persuading me to turn back before greater damage was done.  Yet sin and temptation are a lifelong battle.   The closer I get to Him, the more I realize the “harmless sins” and many things I never thought were sinful, simply are sinful and need to be removed and thrown away.  Things that consume time and energy.   Things that distract me from greater focus and energy invested into my relationship with Him and in serving Him.  Things that only last a short while instead of things that make an eternal difference in me and those whose lives I impact.  You see, the closer we get to Him, the more we discover how perfect and good He is and we aren’t.  Grey may look white next to black, but grey looks terrible next to white.  White looks grey and we see purer white.  That is how we see ourselves as we get close to Christ.    That sounds depressing and self-defeating, but it is really wonderful news.  It is not self-condemning or self-defeating but self-motivating to go to the source capable of showing and making us more like Himself.   We never were intended to face satan alone nor to be satisfied with how good we are.  We were designed to be in relationship with our Creator and to grow to become more like our Creator.

Children become either more like their parents (good or bad).  If they wonder away from or rebel against their parents, then they become more like (good or bad) those they gravitate to and follow.  Who do you want to be like?  That is who you will spend time with and become like.  If you don’t desire to draw close to God, that can only mean you simply don’t know Him.  If you don’t like who you are or do, consider who you are closer to and see if you are more like them. 

Where there is life, there is still time and opportunity to change direction.  Christ and the Holy Spirit are still near and ready to respond if invited.  If you don’t see them or feel their presence, TURN AROUND and talk to them.  Satan has his loud music and voice shouting to you, so you can’t hear Christ’s voice softly saying “Come to me”.  If you believe and understand that, ask God for help and then demand satan to turn down the volume.  We can’t face satan alone, but need to ask for Christ’s help first and put your hand in His before facing Him.  Some battles Christ will fight for us.  Others He will fight with us.  The choice is His since He knows which battles we need to fight with Him to make us stronger and which battles we simply are not prepared or able to fight.  Such wonderful Good News.  What a wonderful God we serve.  HE KNOWS OUR NAME BUT HE KNOWS US FAR BETTER THAN JUST THAT AND STILL LOVES US DEARLY!  AMEN?  AMEN!

   

9/11/18            9/11 Anniversary – A Reminder What is Important             11

 ^“6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.⁷ Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.⁸ Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.⁹ Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.¹⁰ Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.¹¹ Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.¹² There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?¹³ Go to now, ye that say, To day or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:¹⁴ Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.¹⁵ For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.”  James 4:6-14

COMMENTS:  Today 17 years ago (9/11/2001) was the day a few evil inspired men planned and implemented the plan to destroy the twin towers in New York City killing as many as they could.  The plan included destroying the Pentagon building, which was only partly accomplished, but the third plane (Flight 93) intended for the capital building was stopped by the brave passengers who overpowered their captors.  Everyone, especially in the US can remember exactly what they were doing when they heard of the attack in NYC.  I can too. I was at work in the middle of a customer presentation.  I was focused and at first was tempted to delay the distraction, but quickly realized the magnitude of what was unfolding and my work quickly took a back seat.

I can recall many praying and prayed with many of them during those uncertain hours.  I can remember our pastor calling the church to prayer and sanctuary being filled with community coming to pray.  No one knew what would happen next but what was in the back of my mind, and probably with most Christians, was “Are we at the door of the Great Tribulation” and “Is Christ’s return immanent”?   Well, 17 years later those questions are still on my mind and on the minds of many Christians.  But instead of terrorist attacks spurring those thoughts, it is a bolder amoral behavior in society and even in my own community that makes us think His return is immanent.  It is hostility towards Christians and disgust for Christ’s redemptive message that is more evident worldwide today than 17 years ago.  But then again, a genuine deep hunger for the Gospel is become more evident in countries where poverty or persecution is most severe.  Those who hear of Christ’s sacrifice and His love and see themselves as God does but also for who God dreams of them to become.  In large numbers they see what Christ is offering, the empty religion they have been following, and embrace the Gospel, but often at great cost.  As in the first century, to be a Christian comes at great cost in job and security and even in acceptance of family.

Truth is no one but God knows when He will return, but we are 17 years closer today and the level of persecution is pointing to that fact.  The indifference more common in USA and other prosperous free countries is also where the persecution of Christians is mildest, but is steadily increasing.  Could it be persecution makes Christians stronger in their faith and attracts new believers to join them?  That doesn’t make human sense, but history confirms that to be true.  Why?  Because the conduct of Christians who endure persecution confirms the truth of what they believe.  The evil of those motivated to persecute becomes more evident to those who witness it and maybe even to some who are doing the persecution.

God will have His Way either with us or in spite of us.  When we resist or oppose His Will, we put ourselves and those influenced by us at risk.  Well, most don’t think they are opposing God, just continuing down the road of life doing what makes sense to them doing the best they can.  Doing what seems right to them.  When life is good and peaceful, they are content to repeat what seems to work.  When they feel empty, they try to fill that emptiness with things or pleasure or other distractions.   Cost in time and money for such pursuits may not be sinful of themselves but can be satan’s way of distracting us from better pursuits.  Pursuits God designed us to reach for and do.  Pursuits that change us to be more like Him and draw others as well.  Pursuits to eternal life and not to empty dead ends.  By sharing this message, I too am reflecting and recognizing I still fall short of the goal of pursuing eternal goals instead of selfish goals that don’t last.  I still waste time and money on things and activities and pleasures that don’t last but bring pleasure for a time. But as God continues to work on and guide me in the pursuit of His Will, I pray and encourage you too to reflect and seek His loving and guiding Holy Spirit to show you and help you pursue the Will and Plan He has for you on both the big things that require a major change in direction but also the little things we waste time and money on each day we need to let go and use that time and money in better ways.

Today we remember the events of 9/11/01 and those who lost their lives that day.  We also remember those who endure suffering and sickness and loss that still endure that loss over the years to today.  God has protected our country from outside invaders desiring to destroy us, even during times of world wars with powerful enemies approaching.  God’s protection can only continue if we surrender to His Will and follow Him.  History proves that as does scripture.  The consequences of that protective hand being removed during judgment from rebellion against Him also is proven by history and scripture.

God is calling us back to Himself and away from satan’s lures and pleasures and distractions.  He is calling us to turn from sin and to Himself.    He is calling us to repentance.  But He is calling His people, the Christian Church people, first to repentance before calling them to lead others to the cross, to repentance, to redemption, to eternal life.

Take time today to stop and remember, to reflect, but also to review and turn from ourselves and towards Him.    Even the best of us are unrighteous in His eyes, so we all have work to do.  Work of repentance and turning from sinfulness and selfishness – disobedience and towards our Savior and Redeemer.  Towards Christ.   I am doing that and will do so when I finished this post and at times throughout this day.  It is 6AM and still dark but the hope of the sun rising again is about to be revealed once again.  God’s confirming mercy.  

Such reflections draw us to hold our families close and express our love to them.  As we do that, I also encourage you to express gratitude and worship to God for His mercies but also seek His forgiveness and healing for our sins.  Our future is in God’s hands but our choices decide what future we will experience.  Let’s choose wisely. 

I invite you to read 2 Chronicles 5-7.  This is the account of Solomon’s dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem.  Chapter 6 reveals his prayer and Chapter 7 include insight God gave Solomon during that dedication including warnings of consequences of rebelling against God but then the promise if we turn back is given by him:

2 Chronicles 7:14 “14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”                                  

9/12/18                     God’s Healing vs Our Expectation                    12      

Suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment.   Matthew 9:20

Recommended Reading: Matthew 9:18-26 “¹⁸ While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.¹⁹ And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples.²⁰ And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:²¹ For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.²² But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.²³ And when Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise,²⁴ He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.²⁵ But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.²⁶ And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.”

COMMENTS:  The Gospels are full of miracles of healing Jesus did during His ministry on earth.  Acts also included miracles His disciples did after His Resurrection.  His miracles confirmed His power to heal death, sickness, sin, relationships, and even power over satan and the demons of hell.   Each miracle met a great need and revealed great compassion for those affected, but far more.  Each miracle confirmed Jesus had authority and power over heaven and earth and hell while being attentive to the needs and weaknesses of the weakest of children and adults.

Each one who came to Christ for healing had an expectation.    Jairus and Lazarus expected Jesus to come quickly and heal their loved one, not be delayed by the needs of others until their loved one was dead.  But Jesus’ delay resulted in healing of sickness to become healing from death.  They gave up and lost hope when death came before Jesus’ healing. They had enough faith to believe Jesus would heal but couldn’t imagine healing from death.  No one had come back from the grave (ok, maybe Elijah raising the widow’s dead son) and couldn’t bring themselves to dare believe and ask for a resurrection.  But Jesus told them trust Him, watch and believe.

I have attended a good number of funerals over the years. The most difficult ones were of close family and friends but especially difficult when death came suddenly to young children.  When parents lose their children, there is a special sadness.  Likewise, when young children lose a parent, there is a special sense of loss and grief that grips our hearts.  At those times we are puzzled and often ask God why?  Those answers seldom are clear or even speculated.    Yet Jesus didn’t ask those He was about to bless with a healing to understand but to trust Him and believe and have hope. 

God doesn’t ask or expect us to understand His Will and Ways and Timing.  HE simply asks us to trust Him and be faithful and specially to draw close to Him and be in fellowship and relationship with Him.   Having expectations isn’t wrong or sinful.  But the closer we get to Him, the more we learn about Him from scripture, and the more we experience life with Him, the more we then discover just how better His Will and Timing and Ways are than our expectations.  I believe that will be one of the many wonderful discoveries He will reveal to us in heaven will be knowing the reasons and outcome of the suffering and tragedy and difficulties we asked for help and help came later and differently than we asked or hoped for and expected. 

In the meantime, look back at examples of past suffering and clarity for those sufferings that was revealed in time.  Then seek His Help for faith and trust during present storms.   We are told to ask when encounter life’s storms. But once we’ve asked and prayed through, we need to simply    praise and worship Him and sit at His feet soaking up His presence and loving Him in response. The answers we seek   will come.  Just be prepared to see them when they do come and don’t alienate yourself from Him waiting for those answers.  Only He knows and understands His Ways.  He knows that we don’t but is growing a deeper and stronger faith in you and maybe countless others in the meantime.  That will be far more important 100 years from now.  AMEN?  AMEN!     

 

“Father, there is nothing too hard for You. When You take us by the hand, we’re in good hands.”  David Jeremiah

 

 

9/13/18                           Life is What You Make of It                                13                    

Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.   Colossians 4:17

Recommended Reading: Colossians 4:7-17 “⁷ All my state shall Tychicus declare unto you, who is a beloved brother, and a faithful minister and fellowservant in the Lord:⁸ Whom I have sent unto you for the same purpose, that he might know your estate, and comfort your hearts;⁹ With Onesimus, a faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They shall make known unto you all things which are done here.¹⁰ Aristarchus my fellow prisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sister’s son to Barnabas, (touching whom ye received commandments: if he come unto you, receive him;)¹¹ And Jesus, which is called Justus, who are of the circumcision. These only are my fellow workers unto the kingdom of God, which have been a comfort unto me.¹² Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.¹³ For I bear him record, that he hath a great zeal for you, and them that are in Laodicea, and them in Hierapolis.¹⁴ Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.¹⁵ Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.¹⁶ And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.¹⁷ And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.”                                                                                      COMMENTS: Consider with me some of the most amazing, and most common, ways God reveals His Mercy and Faithfulness to each and every one of us.  As I reflect on work I did yesterday and people I crossed paths with and talked to, recalling the details of how I spent the last day’s 24 hour; I realize everyone had the same 24 hours to use as they wished.  Granted jobs and many obligations fill that time, but none the less God gave each of us that same 24-hour day to live.  When He decides to stop, it will not matter what we planned to do.  Our lives will end and we will face Him in eternity when that time for each of us comes.  Right now, it is still dark and 6AM as I write this journal entry.  I am reflecting on work an obligations I accomplished yesterday and things I am hoping to accomplish today, but I also am seeking His council so at end of day I will accomplish His Will over mine.  Much of the time both match mostly when I take time to seek His Will.  All too often what I thought was His Will, which I was planning to do, was not or at least not in His planned time schedule.  I am amazed how different His ways and thinking are different than mine.

Yet, now I am praying and reflecting and seeking His direction as I get ready for another day.  Each morning He gives us another 24-hour day to either build off of previous day’s accomplishments or progress or to do over or try to fix errors or mistakes or poor choices or sins of yesterday.  He is there and ready to forgive when we seek and ask, but often wrong choices require time and energy to correct.  Such delays progress but is necessary so a proper foundation is laid to build another day’s work on.

Making wise choices each day, building off wise choices and good work completed the previous day, becomes a blessing to us and also to those we serve and interact with.   Doing so also blesses and pleases God as we involved and follow His council.  His ways are always best but likely much different than ours.  Isaiah 55:8-9 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.⁹ “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.”

God’s ways and plans are far better and above ours, so why not seek to know and follow His ways and plan.  That is my goal and quest and pray is yours too.  Sometimes I prefer mine over His.  Sometimes I struggle to discover His ways and plan, but mostly because I’m not as open to risk giving up my plans.  But times like 6AM on a Saturday morning I have opportunity to lay down my plans and seek His.

Tomorrow morning, I begin playing our church organ for worship.  I previously have only played the piano, but have been practicing the organ for some time now.  Granted the differences in skill needed are minimal, but are note worthy differences and challenging.   But God has been nudging me to invest the effort and now to use this neglected instrument.  It hasn’t been used for many years and neglect means risk is greater it will not be functional. 

What is God nudging you to do that has been neglected or postponed?  Ignoring or putting off isn’t God’s will nor best choice, so why not just do it?  You’ll have fewer regrets and do-overs later.  Agree?   AMEN!

“Behold, thy servants are ready to do whatsoever our lord the king shall appoint.” Amy Carmichael

9/14/18                                               Feeling Trapped?                                     14   

“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.” Psalm 91:1
“My beloved spoke, and said to me: “Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.” Song of Solomon 2:10

COMMENTS: The 10 Commandments were written by God and given to Moses to provide clear direction of God’s Best way to live.  Obeying them would bring blessing and life instead of regrets and death.  Bring blessing instead of consequences.  Life instead of death.  But everyone as broken many or all of these commandments.   Christ came to provide the way of forgiveness to God where obedience was not possible or adequate.  Yet the 10 commandments still are in force giving the best way to live and conduct ourselves.  Obeying them still brings life and disobeying them still brings consequences and death.

But following Christ is so much more than just obeying the 10 commandments, it is being in relationship with our Creator and Redeemer.  It is putting our hand in His at the beginning of each day and walking through each day with our hand in His.  It means seeking His help when tempted or uncertain what to do.  It means when we don’t know which path to take or even when feeling trapped:

• Placing ourselves and our trust in Him moment by moment
• Consciously putting our hand in His and being in an attitude of prayer waiting for His direction and stepping out open to His direction with each step take.
• Seeking and listened for Holy Spirit’s council and spending time seeking God’s council from scripture while doing so.
• Being in and staying in close contact and fellowship with other Christians – seeking their council and help too.
• Looking from a perspective of 100 years in future. Looking from God’s perspective.

9/15/18                                              House of Kindness                                 15     

Then [Jesus] took the child by the hand, and said to her, “Talitha, cumi,” which is translated, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.”  Mark 5:41

Recommended Reading: Acts 9:36-43 “.³⁶ Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did.³⁷ And it came to pass in those days, that she was sick, and died: whom when they had washed, they laid her in an upper chamber.³⁸ And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them.³⁹ Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.⁴⁰ But Peter put them all forth, and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.⁴¹ And he gave her his hand, and lifted her up, and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive.⁴² And it was known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord.⁴³ And it came to pass, that he tarried many days in Joppa with one Simon a tanner.”                                                                       COMMENTS: Today’s account of Dorcas’s resurrection recorded in Acts reveals that Christ’s prophecy to the disciples that they would do the same and even greater miracles than Jesus was doing was being fulfilled.  Peter healed Dorcas in the same manner as Christ raised Jairus’s daughter and Lazarus.  Yet in all cases God was the healer and Christ as well as Peter was the channel.  The same goes for Elijah when the widow’s son was resurrected.  Christ had to power to raise Lazarus and others but chose to put aside His authority and power to access same through the Father as Peter and even we do.  The Holy Spirit was at work providing access to the Father even in Old Testament times, but His accessibility and availability changed at Pentecost.  His accessibility and availability became more personal and continuous and our understanding and comprehension of that became more real and closer at Pentecost.  That means the personal relationship Joseph and Daniel and David had with God can be discovered and enjoyed by everyone who accepts Christ’s redemption and seeks that relationship.  The Holy Spirit never enters uninvited and leaves when neglected or shunned, but is always near and accessible. 

Yet there is a mystery that remains over the centuries.  Why are some quickly and completely healed while others endure a lifetime of suffering without physical healing.  Why are some healed of cancers or paralysis or even raised from the dead while many like Joni Eareckson Tata endure paralysis for 50+ years serving faithfully and believing yet still waiting for their healing?  God is sovereign and answer lies exclusively with Him.   We can not presume to understand such differences but can gain clues as see how His will unfolds in the lives and ministry of those who both are healed and those who’s healing is delayed.  Suffering and hardships open doors of ministry to many, as do full healings.   Faith is strengthened by both even though we still wonder why God couldn’t have healed some and accomplished the same good without their lingering suffering.  Likewise, who do some die early, leaving their loved ones to continue their work of ministry without them.  I am thinking of Eric Little and Jim Elliott.  Eric was an Olympic winning runner who left his successes to serve as a missionary in China.  Jim Elliot reached out to the Auca Indians with the gospel.  Both died young when their work was only beginning. 

We don’t know or understand but do know satan is behind the suffering and death.  He wants us to blame God. Yes, God allows satan to do his mischief but within defined limits and boundaries, as the book of Job shares with us, but scripture assures us satan’s time will end and Christ is returning to bind him and set up His eternal kingdom.  God continues to bring good out of satan’s evil deeds and from suffering and death His faithful followers continue to endure.   Lazarus and Jairus’s daughter and Dorcas still endured a second death.  Over the centuries what mattered more to them was Christ’s salvation for them rather than the resurrection that extended their life a few more years.  If you or I live to be 100 or 25, what will matter to us will be receiving Christ’s redemption, not how many years of life we experienced. 

Look at the extremes.  Is it better to live 100 years in great wealth, enjoying healthy bodies and luxury or endure paralysis at age 17 and build a ministries to millions like Joni Eareckson Tata or die at age 28 trying to reach an isolated pagan tribe with the Gospel like Jim Elliot.  Jesus gave us the answer with the parable of Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:19-31).  Sure, we should seek healing and relief in prayer when encounter suffering and hardship and tragedy, but there comes a time when we need to accept God’s response and focus on the work and ministry, and even the opportunities suffering opens, to move on and get on with the work God is calling us to do.  Is hardship or suffering preventing you from doing His Work or is it enabling you to do that work?  If the suffering is preventing, is it because His healing is needed or because we are dwelling on the suffering instead of focusing on Him?  The closer we get to Him, the clearer His perspective becomes and our response need to become.

Prayer is our access channel.  We enter the first room of prayer with our prayer requests and needs to communicate with Him. We progress into the second room of prayer when we let go of our requests and begin releasing our praise and worship to Him.  But then we progress to the third room of prayer when we “sit at Jesus’ feet” just enjoying His presence hanging on His every word not wanting to leave.

Such prayer is life changing and life directing.  Such prayer is what He is longing to share with us in suffering and in peace and prosperity.  We are more likely to journey into these rooms of prayer during suffering and crisis than during times of peace, but we need to motivate ourselves to enter these rooms every day and in both extremes of life’s cycles.  Some of our crisis may indeed be optional to God but some may be necessary to accomplish His Will.  If we are faithful, at least we can avoid the optional ones avoiding consequences from poor or sinful choices and wasting precious time that could be focused on ministry and worship to His Honor and for His Will.  AMEN?  AMEN!

God’s healing is always a gift of kindness and mercy. Ask Him if you are in need, and trust Him for His answer.  

“Earth has no sorrow that heaven cannot heal.”   Thomas Moore

9/16/18                              Afraid of the Light                                           11      

Then they began to plead with [Jesus] to depart from their region.   Mark 5:17

Recommended Reading: Mark 5:14-17  “.⁴ So those who fed the swine fled, and they told it in the city and in the country. And they went out to see what it was that had happened. ¹⁵ Then they came to Jesus, and saw the one who had been demon-possessed and had the legion, sitting and clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. ¹⁶ And those who saw it told them how it happened to him who had been demon-possessed, and about the swine. ¹⁷ Then they began to plead with Him to depart from their region.”

COMMENTS: This morning, as I write this, it is 5AM and is still very dark outside.  I enjoy getting up early when it is quiet and pray and in the quiet reflect.  As I read the above scripture and the story of Christ casting out the legion of demons from the man (yesterday’s devotion), I am pondering why darkness is appealing to many.  In darkness lurks evil like hiding robbers or murderers or molesters.  In the darkness lurks dangers like holes we can walk into or objects we can walk into unaware harming ourselves.  Dangerous animals may lurk in the darkness waiting at attack. 

In the light of day, it is easier to see such dangers and avoid them.  We shouldn’t venture down a dark alley unless we had a good reason to and even then, not without proper lighting or a flashlight and maybe even some sort of weapon for protection.  But in the light of day, the flashlight isn’t needed and light brings greater awareness of our surroundings so we can respond more wisely.

Likewise, we are surrounds by many dangers that thrive in the darkness of ignorance and absence of presence of God.  With God’s presence comes light and knowledge and better life-giving options.  Option to choose wisely and not foolishly.  Options He provides and options satan wants to hide or deprive from us.  Options He hates and chose not to consider a long time ago and not available to him, but are still available to us.

Options like redemptions through repentance at the Cross.  Options like fellowship with Him instead of following our own way.  Options of seeking His Will and choice to follow His Will.  Options of obedience following His path of life.  Options He designed us to follow instead of options that just feel good or satisfy short term needs only.

Well, this morning in the darkness of early morning, I am reflecting how foolish it would be to try to do yard work or do work I’m planning today in the darkness of night when in a few yours the light of day will enable work to be done safely and efficiently.  Waiting for God’s timing, likewise, provides opportunity to prepare with fellowship and nourishment with and from Him.  Likewise, avoiding the dangers and failures from darkness.  By waiting, more work can be done without failures and damaged inevitable in darkness.

This seems obvious but so many times not so much in spiritual realm.  Our battles with sin and temptation and even in timing of doing His Work require similar preparation and timing but without access to information we rely on our senses like sight and sound to provide.  We must rely on information only He can provide and will if we take the time to quietly wait and seek.  When we let the world’s noise and distractions, some of which are not evil or wrong but still distract us if we let them deprive us of needed quiet time with Him first. 

Don’t forget your time with Him today.  We don’t know what today will bring or obstacles or distractions we will encounter but HE DOES.  When we miss our time with Him, which I am often still guilty of, we miss a lot without realizing it.  We also miss out on His help and council and special blessings and opportunities often by doing so.

But the wonderful news is those opportunities are offered by Him again each morning.  Each new day brings new opportunities.  He is still available and still patiently waiting for us to invite Him into our quiet time and into our day.

Just now in the background Christian radio is playing softly and the hymn “Redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb” is playing inviting me to fellowship with Him.  I am pausing writing to spend some time in worship and praise and some time at His feet. 

I encourage and invite you to do the same.  To discover and use the time and opportunity to fellowship with Him.  If the best time for you is the same time best for me, that is ok.  God is more than able and willing to fellowship with both of us, any millions more, at the same time.  My time with Him is not diminished when shared with others.  Isn’t that wonderful news?  AMEN!!

Well, we also need to realize most people don’t embrace Christ’s light and prefer the darkness (John 1:4-5).  But we are called to embrace the light and share His light (Acts 17:11-12) even if rejected in this dark world that seems to be getting darker and the moral compass respected even by none Christians seems to becoming less and less accepted or even recognized or followed.   If these are indeed the last days we are living in, then we don’t have much time left and need to use it wisely.  There are many that need to hear and see from and in us His redemption and presence.

“A glory gilds the sacred page, majestic like the sun; it gives a light to every age, it gives, but borrows none.” William Cowper

9/17/18                              Recognizing Jesus                                      17    

Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?  Mark 6:3

RECOMMENDED READING:  Matthew 12:48-50  “⁴⁸ But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?⁴⁹ And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!⁵⁰ For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.”

COMMENTS:  The family unit is God’s creation and organization God planned to nurture and teach us how to have healthy relationships with each other but also teach us how to have a meaningful healthy relationship with our Creator.  Even Christ experienced the love and bonds of a human family unit as His body and mind grew from infancy to adulthood.  He experienced the bond and love between brothers and with a human father and mother.  He felt their love for him in those roles even though He was (and is) God of all. 

The Nicene Creed was written from this revelation at the Council of Nicaea in 325AD.  The council debated the nature of Jesus Christ and His relationship with God the Father.  Christ was recognized as the Divine God while also being God the Father’s only Son.

Those who knew Jesus as a human child and young adult from a humble poor family were amazed as they saw His wisdom and understanding (Mark 6:2).  As He began His preaching and teaching and healing ministry, people continued to be amazed, even those in leadership positions.  They knew Jesus didn’t have access to a prestigious education. Those not open to receive His message were threatened by it and rejected Him.  Those who were open were amazed and impacted by His message.   

Yet the mystery remains.  How can Christ be a human with human physical limitations and pray to the Father as He did while also being God and one with the Father?  Don’t expect to be able to understand that as a human living on this earth.  But then again, God isn’t fully comprehendible nor are His abilities.  How can God be everywhere at the same time and not be limited or bound in time?  Is that any easier to comprehend or understand?  I think not, but I’m so glad He can and does, aren’t you?  We can understand in part but know we will understand fully when we see Him and receive our eternal home and bodies with Him one day.  We will know and understand when we see Him face to face.  But until then, we can only imagine and speculate, but be careful not to let you mind get carried away or believe some speculation as truth.  I believe we all will be surprised and enlightened when we get to heaven.  But until then, taking what scripture tells us and what Jesus taught at face value is best we can do or hope for.  That is enough for now.  AMEN?  AMEN!

“Jesus Christ is not only the Son of God mighty to save, but the Son of Man able to feel. “ J. C. Ryle

9/18/18                                Learning to Trust                                              18                   

Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?  Matthew 6:25

RECOMMENDED READING: Mark 6:7-9  ^“7 And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;⁸ And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse:⁹ But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats.”

COMMENTS:  How great is your faith?  We tend to have more faith in things than we do in people or individuals.  We trust a car to take us reliably from one place to another at high speeds in severe weather without thinking about it.  We don’t think about a wheel coming off or car stopping in the middle of no-where.  We don’t think about gravity failing, resulting in us floating out into space.  We don’t think about the sun burning out or failing to come up in the morning.  We may doubt if our mother or father can carry us as a grown adult like she or he could as an infant but wouldn’t doubt their faithfulness to pick us up at school or work.

So, how strong is our faith when it comes to God keeping His promises?  How much faith did some familiar people from old testament and new testament times have?   How does our faith compare to theirs and how do we develop such faith?

 

Faith sufficient to go into a lion’s den rather than deny your Lord.  Faith sufficient to face danger in obedience to God’s call.  Faith sufficient to visit or witness to someone who has mistreated you.  Faith sufficient to forgive when we are bitter or angry.  Faith like Christians in China or North Korea or in many Muslim dominated countries where Christians are persecuted.    As we look more closely at the first century Christians, how they lived and conducted themselves as well as the persecution they endured, we discover their faithfulness in the midst of persecution strengthened their faith, strengthened their witness and impact on others, and was a great catalyst to strengthen and grow the Church in numbers and in confidence during those years. 

Truth is, we believe what we choose to believe and who we choose to believe.  We put our trust and faith in who we want, whether they are worthy of that faith or not.  Consider how some put their complete faith in Jim Jones or Adolf Hitler or…  The list is long and dates back to ancient times.   People tend to trust and follow people they admire or like or who are charismatic or persuasive orators.  Kings and rulers are more often tall and physically strong and good looking because people choose them before potential leaders who are short or less attractive.  Israel’s first king, Saul was tall and attractive but failed and was rejected by God  Saul was their choice, not God’s.   David was God’s choice even as a small young inexperienced boy.  God sees the soul and mind and weighs qualities hid there instead of outward appearances and gifts.

Well, who should we follow and put our faith in?  Who has a track record worthy of our trust and faith?  Who can we confidently rely on and lean on during crisis as well as in calm?  Scripture doesn’t reveal those who blindly put their faith in Christ.  Jesus proved His was who He said and worthy of their trust, but a response was required from them as from us.  We need to seek Him and trust Him but often hold on to a safety net that is keeping us from trusting Him fully.  What is your safety net?  What is He asking you to give up in order to fully trust Him?  Afraid to ask?  Well, that is what faith requires.  Consider what we lose because we don’t.  Go ahead, ask.  I am asking Him this morning…

9/19/18                                          Who is the Greatest?                  19            

Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Matthew 11:11

Recommended Reading:  John 3:27-31 “²⁷ John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.²⁸ Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.²⁹ He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.³⁰ He must increase, but I must decrease.³¹ He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.”

 

COMMENTS:

John the Baptist was called to prepare the way for Jesus’s ministry.  He preached about and pointed his followers to Jesus as the Messiah the prophets foretold.  His calling was to prepare the way for Him and then fade away.  He insisted his followers become Christ’s followers.

John’s ministry only lasted about a year.  He began his ministry and quickly gained a large following.  His preaching and sincerity and character impacted his listeners.   But when Jesus prepared for His ministry, John knew his work was nearly completed.  He may not have known his death was near, but we have some clue to believe he did.  His boldness in preaching and confrontation of King Herod for his sin with his brother’s wife, Herodias (Mark 6:14-29).  John knew such boldness had consequences but was ready and willing to pay he price.   King Herod was impacted by John’s preaching too and may have repented if it wasn’t for the influence of Herodias, his brother’s wife who Herod took to be his wife.

Sin has a way of pulling us in when we allow it to stay near us.  It’s lure and draw is irresistible when we stay close to it, even when we have not intention to.  Sin pulls us to do things we don’t want to and face consequences we never would consider or intend.  Such was the case of Herod.  He neve intended to kill John the Baptist but influence of Herodias pulled him into a position he saw no other choice.  Herod doomed himself to God’s judgment instead of accepting the path to eternal redemption John was pointing him to.

What a different story could have unfolded if Herod would have obeyed instead of just listened to John’s message. What if Herod would have become a Christ follower? What if Judas had waited, like Peter, and received Jesus’ mercy too.

Well, Jesus was born to die on the cross for our sins, but there are many who chose to reject His redemption and doomed themselves to hell that could have ended up much different.  They could have chose wisely, but influence of sin remaining near them was too strong for them to resist.  Like a strong magnet, the closer metal gets to the magnet, the stronger the pull of the magnet on it and less influence outside force has on it.  Sin is like a very strong magnet.  When we choose to keep temptation close, we set ourselves up for failure.  WE NEED TO FLEE TEMPTATION AND KEEP AS FAR AWAY FROM IT AS WE CAN (2 TIMOTHY 2:22). 

God has great things planned for each one of us. Don’t let satan’s distraction get close enough to pull you off track.  If you think you are great enough to resist, YOUR WRONG!  If you think you are weak and run from temptation and into Christ’s arms, you can’t fail.  His Holy Spirit is available all the time to guide and encourage and strengthen and inspire.  Satan is no match for Him.   We can’t lose when we are near Him, but requires daily submission – surrender to the Holy Spirit’s instruction.  The Holy Spirit is God’s presence abiding in and working through us.  God the Father and God the Christ abide in us through the Holy Spirit’s presence abiding in us.  

Great men never think they are great; small men never think they are small. Anonymous

9/20/18                                             Out of the Heart                                    20     

For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.   Matthew 15:19

RECOMMENDED READING: Matthew 14:1-12  “At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus,² And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.³ For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife.⁴ For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.⁵ And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.⁶ But when Herod’s birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.⁷ Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask⁸ And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist’s head in a charger.⁹ And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath’s sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her.¹⁰ And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.¹¹ And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother.¹² And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.”

COMMENTS: Why is a democracy a better form of government over a dictatorship?  After all, God rules heaven and will rule earth Himself.  Well, maybe not completely because Jesus did say we will rule with Him when He sets up His rule on earth.  Truth is a dictatorship works better with a wise benevolent ruler than with an arrogant selfish power-hungry ruler.  Evil inspired rulers like Nero or Hitler have done devastation to their subjects and countries and beyond. Even good rulers like Solomon went astray and were corrupted by the power they had. 

Truth is each and every human, no matter how wise or smart or discerning they are, are flawed and influenced by satan’s deceptions.  When they think they can do well without constant input and council of the Holy Spirit, it is then they are at great risk of satan’s influence.  Even good intentions can bring disaster without God’s wisdom and direction.

An example is Mao Zedong decided sparrows were pest and ordered them destroyed.  He didn’t realize they were predators to locusts.  With the sparrows gone, the locust multiplied and devastated the Chinese agriculture, causing famine and starvation.  30 million Chinese people died due to Mao’s mistake!   Mao leaded on his own defective thinking instead of God’s wisdom.  Why would a democracy be any better?  Well, potentially not, but wisdom of a group of people would at least give the potential of those with more wisdom and greater insight to provide input closer to or including God’s wisdom.

Herod’s decision to steal his brother Philip’s wife, Herodias, set a chain of sinful events in motion and compelled Herod to kill John the Baptist instead of letting John’s preaching lead him to Christ.  Herod was becoming open to John’s message but a foolish choice changed his future and a multitude of others.   God’s work was not hindered for He knew what Herod would do and worked even his evil choices into His plan.  But if Herod would have chosen more wisely, he and many others affected would have had a much brighter future and Christ still would have fulfilled His mission.

Adolf Hitler grew up in a Christian family but his family failed him and he failed his family and nation.  He chose to follow a satan inspired path instead of embracing the Savior who died and rose to offer him redemption. 

With great power and ability comes great responsibility due to potential to do great good or great harm.  We are accountable for what we do or say or don’t do or say.  Hiding our gifts is just as great a sin as misusing our gifts.  Both have the potential of harming not only ourselves but others God wants us to positively impact. 

Scripture tells us: “To be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Romans 8:6). The only hope we have for our actions and words to do good and not harm is to be and stay in constant fellowship with Christ through the Holy Spirit’s abiding presence in our lives.  We accomplish that by keeping open to and seeking His council and refraining from acting until He sense His direction.  Maybe we don’t need His help to pick the cloths we will wear each day or other simple unimpactful choices we make each day, but then again, how can we judge how God can and will use even simple choices to do His Will?  Why not make it a discipline and practice to keep Him in all we do instead of trying to figure out when to rely on ourselves and when not too.  We can’t bore Him.  He won’t grow weary or tired of us if we go to Him too often.  His passion is to be in fellowship with us.  AMEN!!

“Every day in which I do not penetrate more deeply into the knowledge of God’s Word in Holy Scripture is a lost day for me.”  Dietrich Bonhoeffer

 

9/21/18                             True Friends – a Source of Strength                               21          

Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to… his companions, that they might seek mercies from the God of heaven.  Daniel 2:17-18                                                                             RECOMMENDED READING:  Daniel 2:16-19 “¹⁶ Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and that he would shew the king the interpretation.¹⁷ Then Daniel went to his house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions:¹⁸ That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.¹⁹ Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.”

COMMENTS:   We typically have a good number of people in our lives we would call friends.  Maybe some we work with or know from church or neighbors we cross paths with now and again. They know us by name and casually but not at a personal level.  Truth is, we only have very few in our lives we would call personal friends.  Those we trust and who we can depend on when in need and they us.  Hopefully, our spouse is among them.

Friends make us stronger, friends draw us closer to Christ and strengthen us when temptations and distractions are weakening us.   Friends give wise council and are not a drain on our finances or time.  They add to our resources instead of drain them. Do you and I have such friends?  Are you such a friend to someone?  Truth is, we have a much better opportunity of having such a friend if we first become such a friend to someone else. 

Daniel had 3 such friends.  His visions, his visits, his dreams from God were attributed to his faithfulness to God and diligence to prayer, especially in the environment of a pagan culture and his position as a conquered slave in that culture.  His 3 friends shared his faith and commitment to God, so they more naturally would strengthen and encourage and support each other.  When they faced the fiery furnace, Daniel was supporting them in prayer.  Why wasn’t Daniel there facing the furnace with them?  We are not told in scripture, so answer is strictly speculation.  However, likely he was doing the king’s business somewhere else.  Otherwise, he certainly would have been standing with and enduring the fiery furnace with them.

But they did have another faithful friend with them in that furnace.  Even though it was centuries before the human birth of Christ, Christ was with them in that furnace.  Read Daniel 3.  Verse 25 refers to the fourth person in the furnace with them.

Christ is our dearest and most faithful and best friend.  He is also our creator and savior and source of greatest wisdom and knowledge and help.  God has revealed Himself to us, over the centuries, as our heavenly father and creator.  He has revealed Himself as a human personal perfect friend and savior sacrificing His life to take the punishment of our sins for us.  His love and compassion were reflected in what He taught and lived and exampled for all who knew Him personally then, and who discovered Him through scripture and by personal relationship with today.  He has also revealed Himself to us through the Holy Spirit who came at Pentecost to abide with and abide in all the time in each believer who would invite Him into his soul.  Since God has no limits in power or abilities, He is able to reveal Himself in     ways we can’t comprehend nor understand, but in ways we need to discover and enjoy. 

Yes, we can have and enjoy friendships with a number of worthy people, but our best friend, who loves us like none other, who is more faithful to us than any other can, who has knowledge and wisdom and abilities to help and strengthen us like none other, and who understands and  guides us to the best choices like none other, and who will remain our best friend for eternity beyond the grave like none other.

Yet, friendships require a two-way commitment.  Friendships in one direction are not healthy nor sustainable.  A friendship with Christ based only on what we gain and not also on what we give Him in response is not sustainable.  What could we possibly give Christ that He desires?  It is our love and praise and worship. It is our obedience and fellowship regularly with Him.  It is by living as He exampled to us.  It is by walking the path He desires hand in His.  When we give to Him, we receive far more back than we imagine and far more than we give.   WE CAN NOT OUTGIVE GOD!!

“They are rich who have true friends.”  Thomas Fuller

 

 

 

9/22/18        A Hero Who Forgets to Pray or A Hero Who Always Prays?                               22     

“After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias.² And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.³ And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples.⁴ And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.⁵ When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?⁶ And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.⁷ Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.⁸ One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him,⁹ There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?¹⁰ And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.¹¹ And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.¹² When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.¹³ Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.¹⁴ Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.¹⁵ When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.”  John 6:1-15

COMMENTS:  Prayer is one of the top subjects of sermons and I’ve come back to this subject many times in my devotions too, as is true also this morning.  Even Jesus felt the need to pray often.  One of the many mysteries is how and why God separated Himself so Jesus would come to earth to be born and live as a human being without His divine power and attributes.  He became vulnerable to temptation but chose not to sin.  He became vulnerable to human weakness and discouragement and fatigue as well.  So, He prayed often to maintain fellowship and tap into the strength and insight and direction God the Father had available for Him.  Jesus prayed because He needed to and prayed because He desired to be close to the Father.  Even in the above scripture, He prayed before beginning the miracle of the feeding of the 5000.  He then knew what to do and how to do it.  He also had discernment to know when to leave too.  All because He prayed first. His life example and sacrifice are our perfect example and standard to strive to follow. 

Many heroes in scripture failed because they failed to pray.  They because lax in their daily prayer time.  King David was faithful in prayer as a boy and young man but as king he fell into grave sin and nearly lost his throne because he forgot to pray, not just once but for over a year.  His predecessor lost his kingdom and life because of his failure to sustain a viable prayer life.   Daniel, by contrast, sustained a powerful witness and faithful life because He never failed to spent time with God in prayer often, even with a certain destination of a lion’s den.

They were all heroes but flawed heroes.  But it is impossible for a hero, someone we admire and want to be like because of great achievements or good deeds, to sustain those achievements without accessing the source of those accomplishments.  Humans are too easily distracted and fatigued.  Our foe, satan, is too strong and determined for us to battle alone.

George Muller was such a hero who lived in 1800’s.  He was not a man of exceptional intellect or physical strength nor of attractive appearance.  He was not a man of wealth or famous lineage.  Instead, he was a man of great faith and prayer.  He started an orphanage in London as a young man that impacted England powerfully.  He was a great preacher and evangelist and writer who lead countless thousands to Christ and still does through his writings.  I have a “pdf” of his biography, a 133-page book well worth reading and would love to share it with you by email if request it at dmcdaniel12@zoominternet.net.  By example, he had 5 friends he longed to accept Christ.  He committed to pray for their salvation every day until they all accepted Christ.  He died at age 75 in 1905.  The last of the 5 he prayed for was converted at his funeral.

He lived and operated an orphanage by faith often with an empty food cupboard, but with provision coming when orphans were waiting at the table.  His estate was worth only $230 but his impact was greater than mighty kings of his day.  He sustained the demanding work and faith only by diligence in prayer. 

He was one of the great Christian heroes we need to learn about and be encouraged by.  By doing so, we also can be added to his legacy which continues to live on in his ancestors as well as the countless ancestors of those converted in his orphanage and preaching meetings and in his writings from years past but also today through his writings.

God gave him great wealth, but not wealth he had to leave behind when he died.  Wealth he would take with him and enjoy in eternity.  We strive to gain things we can’t keep and can only enjoy for a short time when God desires us to gain wealth far better.  Wealth we will be able to enjoy forever and with Him to share it with.  Where we often stumble is being willing to do somethings we really don’t want to nor feel able to for a time.  Things we need help in order to do.   The good news is, He really wants to do them with us hand in hand and side by side with us.  We just need to remember to keep our hand in his and be in conversation with Him often and daily.  AMEN!!

9/23/18                              Better Days are Coming                        23    

The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former.

Haggai 2:9

Recommended Reading:  Haggai 2:1-9  “In the seventh month, in the one and twentieth day of the month, came the word of the Lord by the prophet Haggai, saying,² Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and to the residue of the people, saying,³ Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing?⁴ Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the Lord; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the Lord, and work: for I am with you, saith the Lord of hosts:⁵ According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not⁶ For thus saith the Lord of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;⁷ And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts.⁸ The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts.⁹ The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts.”

COMMENTS: Discouragement is a common weakness of humans.  Everyone gets discouraged now and again, needing encouraging words from others to lift them up and keep going.  We want to be optimistic and believe things will get better but realize they won’t unless something or someone makes them better.  Yet we have God’s promise that He will make things better for those who put their trust in Him.  We have countless examples of such in scripture.  During times of discouragement, God came to give encouragement and direction.  Better times came but often not right away, but God always came giving encouragement and hope and a hand to give companionship while going through the remaining portion of difficult times.  Unfortunately, turning from God when peace and prosperity came was also a common weakness that would come out as well.       Robert Mills was the designer of the Washington Monument.  In 1836, his plans were chosen but construction was delayed due to lack of funds to build it. Engineers also discovered the ground was too soft to support the structure so site had to be moved.  To make matters worse, saboteurs destroyed a prize block of marble reserved for structure, and donations began drying up.  Vandals defaced the unfinished structure and construction stopped. Mills died in 1855 only seeing his design unfinished as a stump and in disrepair and ugly.  Millions have walked by and climbed the steps in this monument since both enjoying and marveling at its beauty and remembering the president it commemorates.  Also, at the monument’s pinnacle are the words “Laus Deo” which is Latin for “Praise the Lord”.  Others needed to come with Mills’ vision and passion to complete the monument.  The waiting resulted in a monument that honored George Washington and not Mills.  A monument that also honored and gave praise to the author of our country and God of George Washington too. The stories of miracles sparing Washington’s life during his life and devotion to prayer and God’s leading were evident in historical accounts of his life.  Yet those accounts have been erased from school textbooks in recent years and mention of God’s intervention and influence erased as well.  God is being ignored in present day prosperity but such will come to an end and one day crisis or disaster will force our people to once again admit and come back to God, our creator and redeemer and only source of help during crisis.  History hasn’t taught us that and great effort has been made to erase documented history of past evidence of His intervention and help.  BUT GOD IS STILL ON HIS THRONE AND HE WILL NOT BE MOCKED AND IGNORED FOREVER.  HE PROMISED TO RETURN AND MAKE THINGS RIGHT.  I believe that day of reckoning is near and those who have followed satan’s deceptions will be judged. So, who will we follow?  Who will we believe?  Discouragement pulls is to believe God has failed us, so we need to go another way.  That is a lie satan tries to get us to believe.  He tries to get us to believe his way is better and follow him.  Well, millions have and are facing judgment today.  Millions still are becoming deceived, and at times many of us are too.  Yet, who will we believe and trust?  The God who works in His time and way but always comes through, or the devil who promised great things and leads down a dark deadly path that seems good for a time until we come to a “dead end” that brings great disappointment and death.

We are still enjoying a great free country built on a foundation of trusting in God by those who did just that.  It is no accident “IN GOD WE TRUST” is still stamped on our money.   Efforts to have it removed have failed so far.

Israel had enduring 70 years of slavery in Babylon.  It was due to their own sin and rebellion against God.  But God sent Haggai and Zechariah to encourage them and point them back to God for hope and help instead of letting discouragement lead them back down the dead-end path they just came from.  The rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem was difficult and people were getting discouraged, but Haggai and Zechariah encouraged the workers giving them hope and clear thinking but also God’s insight as to what to do.

Discouragement clouds our thinking and prevents us from thinking and doing logically.  Discouragement drains our energy hindering us from being able to work efficiently and logically, but perseverance enables the job to be completed.  A job with the words at its pinnacle “Praise be to Lord”.  Consider the alternative and consequences of not following God against the bright future God is promising us.  Are you willing to go through short term difficulty with the Holy Spirit’s promise to walk through it with you, or settle for satan’s short term distractions like alcohol or drugs or things to make us feel better for awhile and worry about our problems later.  That is why all too many do, resulting in problems more difficult to solve later and us less able to do so.  But God is faithful and His offers remain even when we delay a response.  HE IS FAITHFUL, even when we are not.

“It is always hard to see the purpose in wilderness wanderings until after they are over.” John Bunyan

9/24/18                                    Miracle Memory                                     24      

Then [Jesus] went up into the boat to them, and the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled.

Mark 6:51

RECOMMENDED SCRIPTURE: “³⁰ And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught.³¹ And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.³² And they departed into a desert place by ship privately.³³ And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him.³⁴ And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.³⁵ And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed:³⁶ Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat.³⁷ He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat?³⁸ He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes³⁹ And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass.⁴⁰ And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties.⁴¹ And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all.⁴² And they did all eat, and were filled.⁴³ And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes.⁴⁴ And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men.”   Mark 6:30-44

COMMENTS:  The more I live, the more amazed I am at how choices made affect future events and how past choices impact current choices.  Wrong choices tend to make good choices harder to make and poor choices easier to make.  Likewise, wise choices tend to build off previous wise choices.  Yet temptations still litter our days, don’t they?

A movie released a number of years ago called “Groundhog Day” depicted an individual who went to Punxsutawney, a small town in Pennsylvania, to observe an old annual community celebration of predicting if winter was nearly over or would linger another 6 weeks.  In the movie, the actor had to relive that day hundreds of times.  Each time he would change something he did or said, which would change subsequent events but eventually the day would end unpleasantly and he would wake the next morning to live the day over again.  Eventually the cycle ended and he began living normally as others.  I mention this only to be a reminder of how much even simple uneventful choices do impact our day and even how obedient we are to God’s nudging.  I also am reminded just how well He interweaves our lives and our prayers with everyone else to accomplish His Will and Plan.

I can’t imagine what it would have been like to witness the miracles and sit at Jesus’ feet listening to Him teach and share.  Yet today’s scripture gives us a hint of the interruptions that shortened or competed with opportunities disciples’ desires for one on one time with Him. Previously I had failed to notice the disciples desiring to share their successes with Jesus, seeking His encouragement, when came an interruption which ushered in the miracle of feeding of the 5000.  They wanted to be alone with Jesus to be encouraged by Him but had to put that off.  How often is our time with Jesus delayed by distraction or interruptions of life.  Yet how many more times do we put Him off when we do have time but aren’t in the right mind or attitude to fellowship with Him? 

It is important to treat time and opportunity to fellowship with our Lord as precious instead of thinking we can do so any time we want, so no big deal to put it off.  By delaying opportunities to fellowship, we put up walls separating ourselves from Him and enable other distraction to usher in more frequently.

When we treat our daily devotion time as sacred and give it priority over life’s duties and obligations, we are removing those walls and opening our minds and souls to receive His council and fellowship as well as receiving a blessing from giving worship and praise to Him.  He desires our praise and worship and our fellowship, but we desperately need to give it for our welfare too.  Through such we are nourished and fed.  Through it we give Him opportunity to prepare us for our day and opportunities He provides to minister to others.  Spending time with Him also sharpens our memories of past blessings and times with Him as well as impact of those times on days that follow.  When we miss those times, we tend to forget and follow our own flawed logic and plan or worse, follow the distractions satan litters our path with.  No one is exempt from satan’s temptations nor strong enough to resist.  We all desperately need one with one time with Him and the abiding Holy Spirit’s continuous council and help to sustain each day’s journal down a right path.

I may be “preaching to the choir” but I think not because I am also preaching to myself.  You see, it still is a battle for me to be faithful to each day’s devotion time with Him even though writing this journal is very helpful in keeping me faithful to that time.  “Meditation is the best help to memory.”  Matthew Henry

 

9/25/18                                              HELP!                                                    25 

“And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught [Peter], and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?””           Matthew 14:31
RECOMMENDED SCRIPTURE READING PSALM 69:1-3 “Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.² I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.³ I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.”
COMMENTS: Trusting God requires faith, especially without a safety net.  When consequences are greater.  But consider this, when we accept Christ as our Savior, receiving His forgiveness for our sins and His promise of an eternal home with Himself in Heaven, we are also accepting redemption from eternal judgment and from judgment to hell.  The bible speaks of the torment of hell and separation from God.  Jesus’ parable of Lazarus and the rich man give a visual image of what hell is like and how good heaven will be.  This parable is told in  Luke 16:19-31 “¹⁹ “There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and ^[a]fared sumptuously every day. ²⁰ But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, ²¹ desiring to be fed with ^[b]the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores. ²² So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. ²³ And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.²⁴ “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ ²⁵ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. ²⁶ And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’²⁷ “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, ²⁸ for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ ²⁹ Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ ³⁰ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ ³¹ But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ ””

So, if we are willing to trust Christ with our eternal future, why is it so difficult to trust Him for something far less too?   But then again, why are most willing to trust their future on their own abilities and hope they can earn their way to heaven by their own good deeds when scripture tells us we can’t.

“⁶ Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. ⁷ If you really know me, you will know^[a] my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”” John 14:6

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”  Ephesians 2:8-9

Truth is, we doubt the bible or only believe some parts.  But it is very dangerous to not embrace and believe the Bible.  IT IS GOD’S WORD AND IS TRUER THAN ANYTHING ELSE WRITTEN BY MAN.  Believe it or not doesn’t change truth it reveals to us.  We need to judge truth by it and not it by what others write or say.  

Likewise, trust Him doesn’t mean blind faith but informed faith.  Walking in front of a bus or walking on a tight rope without a net is not exercising faith in Him.  One preacher said if walk in front of a bus believing you can’t die until God says it is your time is not exercising faith.  That preacher responded “if you walk out in front of a moving bus, it will be your time”.   God permits our will to prevail (both wise and foolish choices) along with consequences of those choices.  But He also uses both to comply with His will and interweaves both into His Will.  That doesn’t mean He wills our foolish choices and their consequences.  He prefers we always choose wisely and avoid the pain of tragedy of those consequences.  He can and often erases those consequences but likewise will soften or delay those consequences.  But God is sovereign and we can’t understand His ways and timing, BUT HE IS ALWAYS FAITHFUL AND WORKS TO OUR ETERNAL GOOD AND ETERNAL GOOD OF ALL WHO PUT THEIR FAITH IN HIM!

Well, we can and should trust and have faith in Him, but only should take associated risk of stepping out in faith after He confirms to us by scripture and wise council of trusted Christians and confirmation directly by the Holy Spirit.  He doesn’t expect us to blindly follow Him but wants us to follow Him. 

What does that mean and what is the difference between doubting Him and seeking confirmation to make sure His direction is genuine?   What kind of fleece is honest seeking confirmation and what type of acts of faith tend to require more confirmation than other choices?  Well, big life changing choices like choosing a wife or husband qualifies.  Choosing a career or moving to a new place can qualify.  Choosing a church to commit to should qualify. Even planning a family should as well.  Such choices require us to draw closer in fellowship and devotion and worship so we are more open to hear from Him and to listen to His Small Voice.  Such is always a good thing to do whether we are seeking Big Answers or just guidance for the day.

So, such Big Choices should signal us to take some time before deciding to seek council from Christian friends we trust and who example Christ well.   We should take time in prayer and in His Word seeking as much council as we can.  After all, we should commonly do so in order to build strong relationships with other Christians as well as with Christ and a familiarity in His Word and in Prayer as well.  Good habits are a benefit when our thinking is clouded or distracted by emotions.

But then again, less life changing choices may not motivate such disciplines because the consequences of poor choices are less severe.  Choosing a car or a short-term job or planning a schedule for next day would apply.  BUT THEN AGAIN, spending time in prayer and devotion in His Word before we start each day and as reflect on day at end of day, only services to open our minds and souls to choose better tomorrow. 

God desires and is able to abide with us through His Holy Spirit but we desperately need to let Him do so.  Reflect back and how often small poor choices come one after another before creating bigger problems.  Likewise, reflect how more commonly they came as we neglected our regular time with Him. 

So, what should we learn and practice.  A daily and regular time of worship and fellowship and praise with Him in prayer and study of His Word.  The Bible is a living book since God’s Holy Spirit abides in it’s Words and in the soul of those who read it with a seeking and open mind and soul. 

He is there to respond to our cries for HELP!  But He would much rather accept His Help long before desperation and crisis engulf us.  AMEN?  AMEN!

“I never have any difficulty believing in miracles, since I experienced the miracle of a change in my own heart.”  Augustine

9/26/18                                        What is Going on Here?                           26            

Tell them what great things the Lord has done for you.

Mark 5:19

RECOMMENDED SCRIPTURE READING  MARK 5:15-43 “¹⁵ And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.¹⁶ And they that saw it told them how it befell to him that was possessed with the devil, and also concerning the swine.¹⁷ And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.¹⁸ And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.¹⁹ Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.²⁰ And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.²¹ And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea.²² And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet,²³ And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.²⁴ And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.²⁵ And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,²⁶ And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,²⁷ When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.²⁸ For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.²⁹ And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.³⁰ And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?³¹ And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?³² And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.³³ But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.³⁴ And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.³⁵ While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue’s house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?³⁶ As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.³⁷ And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.³⁸ And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.³⁹ And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.⁴⁰ And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.⁴¹ And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.⁴² And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.⁴³ And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.”

COMMENTS: The last couple of days have been busy, working long and hard mowing our local cemetery.  It covers 8 acres.  A summer of frequent rainfall has stimulated grass to grow so fast, requiring mowing twice a week in rear half but only able to mow once a week.  Trimming around tombstones also has been falling behind but help is on the way.   However, yesterday was an especially beautiful day as I was mowing and took notice of names on many of those tombstones I mowed around.  Many I knew but discovered most didn’t live as long a life as I have already lived, especially those who died over 100 years ago.  I reflect on those who died in wars at young ages and those who died near the time when I was born.   I also reflected on the lives of those who I knew well and impact knowing them had on me.  Some graves were well cared for with fresh flowers showing loving care of relatives.  Others show neglect with weeds overtaking faded plastic flowers placed on grave some time ago.  Most have no flowers and even though are the easiest to trim around, only reflect a story written in my memory or written on stone of a life lived long ago.  But there are many graves with flags reflecting military service given.  Fresh flags are place each year prior to annual Memorial Day celebration in May to honor American Veterans.  But many of those flags by now are starting to show their ago and either needing straightened or replaced.  Some tombstones are huge and magnificent while others are small and simple and even just metal plaques driven into the ground.  Yet everyone whose body lies beneath the surface went on without the wealth or poverty they possessed while on earth.  They only took with them their deeds and relationship with Christ.  They left their possessions all behind.

My own father mowing this same cemetery for 15 years after he retired.  I would help him often after work and would kid him how all these people, many he knew, were just laying around watching him work and none would offer to help.  We would both chuckle at that thought, but that memory comes back especially as I mow around my own parent’s grave stone and my sister’s grave stone. They too are in heaven waiting for me and my family too.

As I reflect on the above scripture from Mark and how Jesus healed the woman and raised Jairus’s daughter and demonic man as well as raising of Lazarus.  As I reflect on the parable Jesus shared on Lazarus and the rich man, as I think about all those grave I mowed around recently, I am reminded just how precious and brief life is.  I am also reminded that He is still on His Throne and in control and my relationship with Him is what matters most and will be most important to me when I joint them.  What will also matter will be those I know and love who will joint me. 

Sounds depressing to make such reflections but does fill my heart with hope knowing the grave is not the end but the beginning and Christ gives us a sure path to and describes for us the eternal home He is preparing for us.  We only need to accept and take that path.  Those who have sufficient wealth to purchase a great tombstone are not better able nor have any more opportunity to receive than those who only can afford a simple metal marker on their grave.  All are equal in His eyes and equally loved by Him but equally in need of His redemptive sacrifice for their sins and redemption.

But today is a fresh new day with new opportunities and work to be done and people to interact with.   I pray I will be faithful to His plan and opportunities.  I pray you will too.  Success one day will not be judged by status or wealth or looks or possessions since all will be left behind.  Success will be judged only by Christ and how we responded to Him. AMEN?  AMEN!

“If being conventional doesn’t succeed, try being original!”  Greg Laurie

 

9/27/18                               Plowing before Planting                                          27   

Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
Galatians 6:9

RECOMMENDED READING:  GALATIANS 6:6-10  “⁶ Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.⁷ Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.⁸ For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.⁹ And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.¹⁰ As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.”

COMMENTS: If you ever planted a garden, you know it is hard disciplined work that starts with plowing and continues throughout the spring and summer weeding and cultivating until finally harvest time comes.   This time of year, is harvest time when all the time and work is rewarded.  Farmers live by faith each year hoping the harvest is sufficient to sustain them for another year.  But disappointment and even disasters often robs the farmer of his harvest

Farming for new converts and disciples is much like farming.  Satan is determined to discourage and prevent us from sharing Christ’s message of redemption and eternal life, but Christ is committed to support us in that endeavor.  Such is our called and our purpose.  He desires us to share the blessings He gives us.

Karl Friedrich Gutzlaff was the first Lutheran missionary to China but died in 1851 discouraged in Hong Kong.  He was only 48 and didn’t see any fruit of his lifelong labors and evangelization in China.  But he paved the way and inspired J. Hudson Taylor to to go into the interior of China with the Gospel.  Gutzlaff, through his writings, also inspired David Livingston to go into the interior of Africa with the Gospel as well. Result was ripples resulting in missionary growth in both continents far beyond what Gutzlaff could have dreamed.

Today China’s communistic government has tried to eliminate Christianity in China since the 60’s.  During the early ‘70’s they have inflicted persecution and prison to Christians who dare own a bible and share its teachings with others.  Yet, in spite of or because of that persecution, Christian has expanded explosively in China.  This movement has spread throughout China and even into surrounding countries.  A specific movement has a goal to evangelize the Gospel west through every country to Jerusalem.  The movement identified as “The Road to Jerusalem” has focus on Islam dominated countries in that path specifically.

Today there are believed to be over 100 million born again Christians in China alone committed to evangelization.

Plowing is hard work breaking up the hard-barren soil and eliminating the weeds and debris from neglect.  Hope of a harvest is unrealistic without plowing.  Planting on unplowed soil would not be practical.  We need to likewise realize God doesn’t expect us to save people, but simply to obey His commands.  We are not failures if we don’t win others to Christ since some are called to plow the ground for the planters.  Others must nurture those when are learning and young in faith while some come later to harvest.  It is God that is responsible for saving others and will use us to that end if we let Him.  Our lives and conduct and conversation and compassion toward others will be instrumental.   Spending time with and loving others will be instrumental. 

Discouragement is not from God, it is from satan.  God’s history includes encouraging those who get discouraged.  God’s history is to come through at the 11^th hour, especially when little or no progress is evident until then.  We should learn from history and draw closer to Christ so our faith and trust in Him will grow stronger and our obedience to His direction will grow stronger as well.  It will be worth it all when we see Jesus.    “Discouragement cannot have its source in God…discouragement comes from an evil source.”
Hannah Whitall Smith

9/28/18                                       Search Me Oh God!                                       28

He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.”  Mark 7:9

RECOMMENDED SCRIPTURE READING:  2 THESSALONIANS 2:15  “¹³ But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits^[b] to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. ¹⁴ He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.¹⁵ So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings^[c] we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.”

COMMENTS: Old habits and traditions all too often take on a life of their own driving us to continue empty practices without even knowing why we do them.  I recall the story of a Christmas tradition of family gathering at “Grandma’s house” for Christmas dinner.  Ham was the traditional meat served and one end of the ham was cut off before cooking.   Eventually grandma became great grandma and mom became grandma and Christmas dinner was served at her house and then the daughters became grandma and mom became great grandma.  The tradition of the Christmas ham continued and one end of the ham was always cut off before cooking.  One Christmas a grandchild asked why the end is cut off the ham before cooking and no one knew or remembered why.  But finally, someone discovered great-great grandma’s pan she used to cook the ham.  They decided to use it to cook the Christmas ham and soon discovered the reason for cutting off the end of the ham. THE PAN WAS TOO SHORT FOR THE HAM.   All the years of cutting off the end of the ham without needing to because the reason was eliminated with a longer pan and no one bothered to discover or asked the reason for cutting off the end of the ham while great grandma was still alive.  Sounds like a silly story but is actually true and reminds us how silly and handicapping many traditions in the church established by humans are while forgetting or ignoring essential traditions established in scripture by God are.  Take some time to reflect and discover some traditions that are manmade in your church and discover if they are held sacred and if they still have value.  Also take some time to recall years long gone when church congregations were large and strong and people were being saved and discipled in growing numbers.  Then consider what traditions have faded and forgotten and consider if they were manmade or God directed?  We might just discover some traditions we need to let go off and some we need to re-discover and embrace. 

Do we still preach sin and repentance and salvation through Christ’s blood?  Do we still since the old hymns that teach these truths?   When is the last time your church has had an altar call?    Is the pastor using scripture as his text or just news events and writings of others?  Human traditions are not bad unless they lose their link to God’s traditions.  Even   God’s traditions can lose their effectiveness if we neglect the personal relationship with Christ those traditions are guiding us to establish and develop.  Repenting of our sins and accepting Christ as our Savior and Lord begins a relationship of love and worship and obedience that transforms our life and begins a journey of eternal life not known by us before.  When we neglect that relationship, we become vulnerable to satan’s pull and delusions and insensitive to dangers he puts on our path.  We become insensitive to dangers and no longer are aware of God’s warning and protection and walk away or out from under God’s protection and guidance.  Our actions and habits may continue but reason for doing them is forgotten or loss.   Not until difficulty or disaster stops us do we realize and come back to Him for forgiveness and healing.  Far better to stay faithful and avoid our natural wondering and rebellion and neglectful nature.  King David wondered away from God without realizing it and didn’t fear or avoid temptations or sin he wouldn’t have considered if had remained close and in relationship with God.  Result of adultery and murder and ….  He didn’t realize his peril or extent of his sin until confronted by prophet Nathan.  He ran back to God and repented and was restored in relationship.  Some consequences remained for him to endure even though he was forgiven.   We need to learn from David’s mistakes and realize our own vulnerability and be diligent and alert and work on our relationship with Christ.  Pray as David did as recorded in 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.”

We need to always be open and hungry for Christ to guide into a deeper and more perfect fellowship and relationship.  He is perfect but we still have a long way to go to be like Him.  That means we still have areas of our lives we still need to surrender to Him.  He in His mercy and wisdom only asks what we are willing and able to do.  He knows our limits and doesn’t ask what He has not yet prepared us to do.  A child cannot do Algebra problems until he goes through the years of school learning simple math first.  Our fellowship and obedience to Him opens us to His loving but skillful hand to prepare and perfect us too.   Do we have faith and trust Him enough to let Him do so?  If we do, we might just discover Him preparing us for a greater work that will excite and amaze us.  Work that will give us greater purpose and fulfillment and joy.  Work that may be too scary for us to consider now but work He has already created us for and wants to prepare us for.  But work we may never know or do until we open ourselves to His skillful – loving transforming Hands. 

What is that work and what changes does He want to do to you?  I don’t know because I believe it is unique for each one of us.  For me that work began unfolding when our daughter asked me to begin keeping a devotional journal for her to have and share with her family.  A transformation began in me as I began to keep that journal.  If you are reading this, you know the result thus far and what I am writing and sharing ministers to me as I pray it does to you.   You see, God is still working on me and I still have a long way to go for I am still light years away from being like Christ.  But I continue to discover, as I draw closer to Him, ways I hadn’t realize that I still fall short and fresh attributes of Him I hadn’t realized that I need to strive to be like.   God is so far above and more perfect than us, that we should realize this quest is a lifelong but wonderful quest.

A recent devotion talked about entropy, a principle of thermodynamics.  This principle states that everything naturally deteriorates from a state of order to disorder, from a state of strength to weakness or decay.  This conflicts with theory of evolution or modern humanistic idea of man evolving or moving toward perfection.  Truth is God only has the ability to make us more perfect.  We are only capable of becoming less perfect.   Only God can prepare us for eternal life.  We are only capable of preparing for death.

Sounds pretty obvious now, right?  Following Christ is logical and obvious once we clear away the clutter and distractions that deter and deceive us.  I encourage you to do your own reflection and spend some time with Him making David’s prayer recorded in Psalm 139:23-24 your prayer and desire too.  I too am doing so.  AMEN?  AMEN!

“Hypocrisy is the loudest lie.”   George Swinnock

 

9/29/18                         God’s Food Makes Us Well                                      29

There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man.  Mark 7:15

RECOMMENDED READING  JEREMIAH 17:9-10“The heart is deceitful above all things
and beyond cure. Who can understand it?¹⁰ “I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind,
to reward each person according to their conduct,according to what their deeds deserve.”

PSALM 139:23-24  “²³ Search me, God, and know my heart;test me and know my anxious thoughts.²⁴ See if there is any offensive way in me,and lead me in the way everlasting.”

COMMENTS:  The Old Testament gives rules of what was acceptable to eat and what was not.  “We are what we eat” is a famous statement that dates back to 1836 in France.  Jesus took a softer approach to subject but hit harder on evil actions we let into our souls. Jesus responded to the Pharisee’s diligence in avoiding defiled foods by reminding them that a person is not defiled (made unclean) by what food he eats. Rather, it is what comes out of the heart that renders us clean or unclean. We defile ourselves when we eat greed, deceit, and other sins (Mark 7:20-23).                             Eating healthy wholesome foods is important to be well physically. But more importantly, feeding our heart on the Word of God and that which honors Him gives our soul healthy food for its health (Philippians 4:8-9).

Adam and Eve tried to hide from God after they ate the forbidden fruit but they could not.  We cannot hide secret sins and thoughts from God either. He knows the most secret thoughts and sees in remote neglected corners of our soul too.

As I reflect on the above scripture in Jeremiah 17 and Psalm 139, I am reminded how foolish it is to ignore or hid from our remaining sinfulness or to try to hide it from God.  Yet it is human nature to do so.  To do so only makes consequences and hope of redemption worse, not better.  Far better to do as David did when confronted by Nathan for his sin of adultery with Bathsheba and murder of her husband.  When he realized his sin, he ran to the temple to face God seeking mercy and forgiveness.  He received that forgiveness and healing.  He still had some residual consequences to endure but his soul was healed and he was allowed to continue to rule as well as enjoy God’s forgiveness, in contrast to loss of life and throne Saul faced for refusing to repent of his sin when confronted by Samuel.

These verses are a source of great encouragement but carry a formidable warning not to be dishonest with God.  We will not do well in that environment and don’t need to.  We have so much to gain and so much to lose when we put ourselves in His merciful hands.  Afterall, anything less may make us think we are still in control but we really aren’t!!  So, the question is, “Do you trust Him enough to surrender to Him?”  That is the real question.  He is worthy of our trust but we need to discover that personally.  There is no one else we can trust to that extent and past betrayals from others likely are why most are reluctant to trust Him.  BUT HE KNOWS AND UNDERSTAND THAT.  HE WANTS TO HELP US WORK THROUGH THOSE ISSUES OF TRUST BUT REQUIRES US TO TRUST HIM FIRST.   By giving us examples from scripture and access to others before us transformed by His mercy and healing intervention and abiding presence, He helps us forgive those who hurt us and heal from those hurts.  He helps us heal from scars and a withered damaged soul resulting from our own sins.  He only has our best interest in mind because He loves us more deeply and purer than anyone else.  It breaks His heart to see us sick and dying.  It also breaks His heart to see us continuing to hide from Him too.  Reflect how you would feel as a parent if you had such a child.   So, if you are reading this and know you are that child, don’t wait any longer.    RUN TO HIM!!  HE IS WAITING JUST FOR YOU!!  Truth is we all are still imperfect and still have residual decay from past sin and present sin no matter how long or how deep or healthy our relationship is with Him because we still are living in a human body living in a sinful world.  So, we all need to take Jeremiah 17 and Psalm 139 to heart and respond in kind too.  HE IS WAITING FOR US TOO! He desires a deeper walk – a deeper fellowship with us too…  AMEN?  AMEN!!

“The pure heart is God’s paradise where He delights to walk.”  Thomas Watson

9/30/18                                    The Heart of Life                                       30

Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23

RECOMMENDED SCRIPTURE READING: PHILIPPIANS 4:6-10 “⁶ Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.⁷ And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.⁸ Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.⁹ Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.¹⁰ But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.”

COMMENTS: A source of pure clean water is essential to life.  Communities can not sustain life without it.  Wars have been won by gaining control of sources of water.  Fortified walled cities can not win or remain safe without it.  Likewise, the slightest amount of poison or contamination will render huge amounts of water unusable and dangerous.  Water is second only to air / oxygen on list of human necessities.  Stop and think how well God provides both in abundance.  Man can and has captured and charged huge amounts of money to supply water to groups of people but air is free to and available to all.  We can go a few days without water but no one can go more than a few minutes without healthy air.  But air too can be contaminated by small amounts of poison or pollutants too.

Likewise, God has designed us to live and thrive with the spiritual food and air and water He makes freely available to us through His Word and His Holy Spirit.  That life begins the day we accept His free gift of forgiveness and redemption Christ sacrificed and paid for us to have.  This gift is life changing for now and eternity and without cost to us, but does require that we accept it in order to enjoy and experience.  His Holy Spirit provides life giving water and food to sustain that life and grow stronger in our relationship with Him and healthier in our spirits.   Satan can still contaminate / poison us by feeding us that poison but we must eat and drink his poison by our choice.  He makes his poison look and taste good but becomes bitter and causes death.  The Holy Spirit warns us and His Word shows us consequences of those before us who ate satan’s evil food and drank his water.                                                                                                    As humans, we are extremely weak and vulnerable and fragile.  Consider how easily we can be overpowered or killed or distracted.  Yet our bodies are extremely complex and resilience in healing and repairing damage done to it.  BUT WE SERVE A GOD WHO IS NOT WEAK OR VULNERABLE OR FRAGILE.  HE IS NOT DISTRACTED NOR CAN BE OVERPOWERED OR KILLED.  Christ died as a human, but was resurrected as our Savior and our Lord and King.  He chose to take on human form and human weaknesses and frailty. He had to receive His spiritual strength and nourishment from the Father and not from within Himself even though He was and is divine. How He could do so is a mystery but did so in order to become our sacrifice and redeemer.   We don’t need to understand this and really can’t, but we can enjoy the benefits of that mystery.  Let’s reflect and respond with gratitude and praise and worship to Him.  Afterall, He is our Creator, our Savior, our source of life (both mortal life and eternal life), our truest and dearest friend and mentor.  We are totally dependent on Him, like it or not.  AMEN!

“The heart of the problem is the problem with the heart. “ Woodrow Kroll

 

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