"Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross: therefore I love they testimonies." (Psalms 119:119)
Don't you just love how God works? I mean, just take notice of the chapter and verse, Chapter 119, Verse 119; let it take a moment for the reality to set in, because there is reinforcement of meaning that is being presented, whether you believe it or not. Case in point: one of the things they tell us to do in a verse by verse study of the Bible, is that, when you come across the word, "Therefore," you need to look at the statement before and take notice of what it is there for. Okay, so you might not see it yet? That is okay, because before there is something catastrophic that happens to someone's life, they very seldom see it coming before it actually happens; so don't worry too much about it. Don't listen to that! You must be seriously worried about this; this is the matter of life and death! Matthew Henry, for those that might try to understand his viewpoint, says it like this: "I see what comes of sin; therefore I love thy testimonies, that warn me to take heed of those dangerous courses and keep me from the paths of the destroyer. " Getting back to the point of what this law might look like, that God looks at our hearts; He sees everything we think, all that we plot, and the real intensions of our hearts. When it comes to God's "testimonies," they are always plural! You know how that looks? You know that old saying, "For every action, there is a reaction"? God has stated in His word, "For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and taketh it bring forth and bud, that it give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." (Isaiah 55:10-11) In other words, God never speaks without His words making things happen! If you don't understand what that might imply, then you should honestly get back to the basics and simplicity of the Gospel! We do not change ourselves! I know that doesn't play well in the playbook of the world's definition of recovery and rehabilitation, but it is a fact! God must change our hearts! It is God doing something in us that will make the difference! My mom always use to tell me, A leopard cannot change its spots. Guess what mom? God can change a leopards spots! Maybe that was the whole point of Jesus cleansing the lepers? Oh, you think that I am off point? Really? Okay, the point to be made regarding the "wicked," is that the wicked represent anyone that is guilty of sin. So, in the testimonies of God, how many sins do I need in my life to be guilty of sin? Oh, I forgot to mention, that the reaction to sin, in case you do not know, is death! I love the verses that follow 55:10-11...
"For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the briar shall come up a myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off." (Isaiah 55:12-13)
Thursday, February 28, 2019
Wednesday, February 27, 2019
"Touched in the Head"
"Thou hast trodden down all them that err from thy statutes: for their deceit is falsehood." (Psalms 119:118)
If you were offended by anything I said yesterday, then don't take it personal, it is only me and my way of expressing the things I don't like about the way this country is turning. That said, this verse speaks very pointedly towards that point; no pun intended! Let's take this whole thing about Climate Change, the great illusion that is being given to the younger generation, and the urgency they feel that something must be done. As if they don't have enough to worry about, now we are strapping the bomb of world destruction upon them and telling them that they need to raise their voices. God is the one in control! If there is anything that has prevented them from seeing that, it is the fact that they are taught that there is no God, the falsehood of evolution, and the complete abandonment of the sanctity of human life. Think about what this might look like from a Biblical point of view: as more and more people follow the way of the world, they are getting more and more dependent upon something that changes and that cannot be controlled. The whole point of what God is saying through David, is that there is no wisdom anymore being used to determine anything; everything is based upon falsehood, so the fact that anyone is even trying to be logical is not even important anymore, only that the deceit is still real and the false narrative continues to fuel their passions. The whole point about "Trodden Down," which is a way of expressing God's rejection of all those who error in their own stupidity, is a lot like the pot calling the kettle black; the rejection of God and His hand upon the world is making them more and more independent and lost to God. In other words, the more they express how hopeless they are, the more hopeless they become! What a strange set of affairs they are placing themselves into. It can only get taken so far, until there will be desperation and the will to force things to happen, regardless of any rule of law. Basically, the point David is trying to make, is that there will be no regard for right or wrong, because there is no real desire for wisdom; everything becomes about emotions and what feels good or what makes people feel good. If it feels good do it, is not what we want to rule the day; yet it seems to be the thing that everyone is rising to. I have a good feeling about this, so it must be right...
"This man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies. Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth." (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12) NLT
If you were offended by anything I said yesterday, then don't take it personal, it is only me and my way of expressing the things I don't like about the way this country is turning. That said, this verse speaks very pointedly towards that point; no pun intended! Let's take this whole thing about Climate Change, the great illusion that is being given to the younger generation, and the urgency they feel that something must be done. As if they don't have enough to worry about, now we are strapping the bomb of world destruction upon them and telling them that they need to raise their voices. God is the one in control! If there is anything that has prevented them from seeing that, it is the fact that they are taught that there is no God, the falsehood of evolution, and the complete abandonment of the sanctity of human life. Think about what this might look like from a Biblical point of view: as more and more people follow the way of the world, they are getting more and more dependent upon something that changes and that cannot be controlled. The whole point of what God is saying through David, is that there is no wisdom anymore being used to determine anything; everything is based upon falsehood, so the fact that anyone is even trying to be logical is not even important anymore, only that the deceit is still real and the false narrative continues to fuel their passions. The whole point about "Trodden Down," which is a way of expressing God's rejection of all those who error in their own stupidity, is a lot like the pot calling the kettle black; the rejection of God and His hand upon the world is making them more and more independent and lost to God. In other words, the more they express how hopeless they are, the more hopeless they become! What a strange set of affairs they are placing themselves into. It can only get taken so far, until there will be desperation and the will to force things to happen, regardless of any rule of law. Basically, the point David is trying to make, is that there will be no regard for right or wrong, because there is no real desire for wisdom; everything becomes about emotions and what feels good or what makes people feel good. If it feels good do it, is not what we want to rule the day; yet it seems to be the thing that everyone is rising to. I have a good feeling about this, so it must be right...
"This man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies. Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth." (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12) NLT
Tuesday, February 26, 2019
"Be It As It May!"
"Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually." (Psalms 119:117)
How about a little respect! Doesn't that hit home, in so many areas, or what? A little respect for life might be what is needed, especially when it comes to the lives of unborn children that are being sacrificed on the alter of who knows what! Mike Huckabee said this morning that the Democratic Party should change their name to the Canaanite Party. I think the Demonic Party best describes some of the actions and principles that they are beginning to be know for. Between the indoctrination of our children, as young as five, to the life of strange sex, to the lust for the killing of countless millions of children, in and outside of the womb, the stand that is being presented has tossed any sense of belief in the God of the Bible right out the window. My only prayer right now for this Country, is that those that might still remain Believers in the party that is embracing evil, might revolt and switch parties; which would surely shake things up in Washington! When Isaiah pinned the verse, "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil," he must have envisioned something very similar to what is being displayed here and elsewhere throughout the world. Anywho, I got that off my chest; now let me let you see what I see; if anyone is still listening? I see Paul letter to the Ephesians, from cover to cover! From the book by Watchman Nee, which I have shared on before, he described it as if we are paraplegic and dependent upon moving around in a wheelchair. The book is called, "Sit, Walk, Stand," and makes the case that before we can walk in Christ, we must be seated in Christ, continually! And, as if by some sort of power outside of ourselves; if we are going to stand, just as a paraplegic might some how be able to get up out of that chair and stand, we are going to stand by the power of Christ in us! What might happen to a paraplegic if they might try to stand on their own, is a pretty good picture of what it might look like to disrespect the statutes of God when it comes to being safe; safe referring to the victory that we have in the liberty and deliverance of our Lord Jesus Christ. Without Christ, we are never ever going to be able to walk, let alone be able to stand...
"But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God's love. And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but to do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives. Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen." (Jude 20-25) NLT
How about a little respect! Doesn't that hit home, in so many areas, or what? A little respect for life might be what is needed, especially when it comes to the lives of unborn children that are being sacrificed on the alter of who knows what! Mike Huckabee said this morning that the Democratic Party should change their name to the Canaanite Party. I think the Demonic Party best describes some of the actions and principles that they are beginning to be know for. Between the indoctrination of our children, as young as five, to the life of strange sex, to the lust for the killing of countless millions of children, in and outside of the womb, the stand that is being presented has tossed any sense of belief in the God of the Bible right out the window. My only prayer right now for this Country, is that those that might still remain Believers in the party that is embracing evil, might revolt and switch parties; which would surely shake things up in Washington! When Isaiah pinned the verse, "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil," he must have envisioned something very similar to what is being displayed here and elsewhere throughout the world. Anywho, I got that off my chest; now let me let you see what I see; if anyone is still listening? I see Paul letter to the Ephesians, from cover to cover! From the book by Watchman Nee, which I have shared on before, he described it as if we are paraplegic and dependent upon moving around in a wheelchair. The book is called, "Sit, Walk, Stand," and makes the case that before we can walk in Christ, we must be seated in Christ, continually! And, as if by some sort of power outside of ourselves; if we are going to stand, just as a paraplegic might some how be able to get up out of that chair and stand, we are going to stand by the power of Christ in us! What might happen to a paraplegic if they might try to stand on their own, is a pretty good picture of what it might look like to disrespect the statutes of God when it comes to being safe; safe referring to the victory that we have in the liberty and deliverance of our Lord Jesus Christ. Without Christ, we are never ever going to be able to walk, let alone be able to stand...
"But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God's love. And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but to do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives. Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen." (Jude 20-25) NLT
Monday, February 25, 2019
"Living for God"
"Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope." (Psalms 119:116)
If you don't think this is a thing, think again, because being ashamed of the hope that is within us, might not be openly expressed, but it is real enough to stop us from sharing that hope with others! Not all those that confess to be servants of the Lord are serving the Lord, not in the ways that matter in the Kingdom of Heaven. To put it in a way that might make better sense: if the hope within us is enough to make our faith sure, then it should be enough to make us share our faith. Actually, I have found it actually builds our faith and strengthens our hope to share Jesus with others, especially with those that the Holy Spirit tells us to share with. There are a couple different ways to look at this; one from the perspective of being creditable, the other from the perspective of being dependable. Paul speaks of the creditable part in 1 Corinthians 9:26-27, saying, "I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: but I keep under my body, and bring it into submission: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." The short explanation of what was just said, is that power and certainty of what it means to be changed, seriously looses its certainty of power when we do not let God change us! There is not a single one of us that does not know what God wants to change in us, yet we skirt around the main issues by taking the focus off what is important and putting it on something else; anything else, but what God wants us to deal with! In that regard, "that I may live," is the kind of living that makes us constantly aware of God's presence and working upon our lives. Our living for God is based upon pleasing Him and not pleasing ourselves. Paul also speaks of the dependable part in 2 Corinthians 4:5-7, saying, "For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus our Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us." The amazing thing about what this says, it how much we get to depend upon Christ for our creditability...
"What does this mean? Even though the Gentiles were not trying to follow God's standards, they were made right with God. And it was by faith that this took place. But the people of Israel, who tried so hard to get right with God by keeping the law, never succeeded. Why not? Because they were trying to get right with God by keeping the law instead of by trusting in him. They stumbled over the great rock in their path. God warned them of this in the Scriptures when he said, "I am placing a stone in Jerusalem that makes people stumble, a rock that makes them fall. But anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced."" (Romans 9:30-33) NLT
If you don't think this is a thing, think again, because being ashamed of the hope that is within us, might not be openly expressed, but it is real enough to stop us from sharing that hope with others! Not all those that confess to be servants of the Lord are serving the Lord, not in the ways that matter in the Kingdom of Heaven. To put it in a way that might make better sense: if the hope within us is enough to make our faith sure, then it should be enough to make us share our faith. Actually, I have found it actually builds our faith and strengthens our hope to share Jesus with others, especially with those that the Holy Spirit tells us to share with. There are a couple different ways to look at this; one from the perspective of being creditable, the other from the perspective of being dependable. Paul speaks of the creditable part in 1 Corinthians 9:26-27, saying, "I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: but I keep under my body, and bring it into submission: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." The short explanation of what was just said, is that power and certainty of what it means to be changed, seriously looses its certainty of power when we do not let God change us! There is not a single one of us that does not know what God wants to change in us, yet we skirt around the main issues by taking the focus off what is important and putting it on something else; anything else, but what God wants us to deal with! In that regard, "that I may live," is the kind of living that makes us constantly aware of God's presence and working upon our lives. Our living for God is based upon pleasing Him and not pleasing ourselves. Paul also speaks of the dependable part in 2 Corinthians 4:5-7, saying, "For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus our Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us." The amazing thing about what this says, it how much we get to depend upon Christ for our creditability...
"What does this mean? Even though the Gentiles were not trying to follow God's standards, they were made right with God. And it was by faith that this took place. But the people of Israel, who tried so hard to get right with God by keeping the law, never succeeded. Why not? Because they were trying to get right with God by keeping the law instead of by trusting in him. They stumbled over the great rock in their path. God warned them of this in the Scriptures when he said, "I am placing a stone in Jerusalem that makes people stumble, a rock that makes them fall. But anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced."" (Romans 9:30-33) NLT
Sunday, February 24, 2019
"Standing for God"
"Depart from me, ye evil doers: for I will keep the commandments of my God." (Psalms 119:115)
Be it as it may, was the title I was thinking of, but it was not quite ready yet for that to be presented. If you think this world is getting more and more wicked, you really haven't seen anything yet. There is coming a day when all those that are in Christ will need to take a stand; no more silence and sitting still, there will be moments of declaring the side you represent, and it will be a time of testing. The subject of when that might take place is debatable; some think it will be before the rapture, and others think it will be during the Tribulation. Personally, I believe it will be both, before and after the rapture of the church. The only difference between the two, is one will involve comfort and the other will be based upon life, physical life, as in making the choice to live or die. In some regions of the world the choice to live or die is already the case. Here in America we are spoiled and do not need to be all that concerned about dying for our faith, not yet anyway. This verse speaks more about drawing lines in the sand, as to who you will associate yourself with and what you will stand for. If there is something that must be presented in us, it is loyalty to the Body of Christ. If there is one good example for how that looks, it would be the situation of having a brother or sister come into a room while you are with your other friends, the ones that don't quite believe as you do, but they are still your friends. If your brother or sister gets into a discussion about the Lord with one of your friends, what side will you be taking? Or will you take your brother or sister aside and try to convince them that this is not the place? The greatest command that we have been given involves love, as in loving God and loving our neighbor as ourselves. If push comes to shove, what is it that matters most if you love your friends, to be able to hang out with them, or to get to see them in heaven? I remember back in the 80's going to a Sunrise Service, before Calvary Chapel of Diamond Bar, and Pastor Raul had just lost his very best friend, and he had died in his sin. Raul was noticeably very upset and shaken up about it. He had known that friend over thirty years, and chose to not offend him by trying to make him a believer. We don't know what might have happened in the final seconds of his life, if there were any. This great commission is for all, and it is not our fault if those that we love don't accept it, but it might be are fault if they haven't received it...
""Not everyone who calls out to me, 'Lord! Lord!' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, 'Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.' But I will reply, 'I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God's laws.'""
(Matthew 7:21-23) NLT
Be it as it may, was the title I was thinking of, but it was not quite ready yet for that to be presented. If you think this world is getting more and more wicked, you really haven't seen anything yet. There is coming a day when all those that are in Christ will need to take a stand; no more silence and sitting still, there will be moments of declaring the side you represent, and it will be a time of testing. The subject of when that might take place is debatable; some think it will be before the rapture, and others think it will be during the Tribulation. Personally, I believe it will be both, before and after the rapture of the church. The only difference between the two, is one will involve comfort and the other will be based upon life, physical life, as in making the choice to live or die. In some regions of the world the choice to live or die is already the case. Here in America we are spoiled and do not need to be all that concerned about dying for our faith, not yet anyway. This verse speaks more about drawing lines in the sand, as to who you will associate yourself with and what you will stand for. If there is something that must be presented in us, it is loyalty to the Body of Christ. If there is one good example for how that looks, it would be the situation of having a brother or sister come into a room while you are with your other friends, the ones that don't quite believe as you do, but they are still your friends. If your brother or sister gets into a discussion about the Lord with one of your friends, what side will you be taking? Or will you take your brother or sister aside and try to convince them that this is not the place? The greatest command that we have been given involves love, as in loving God and loving our neighbor as ourselves. If push comes to shove, what is it that matters most if you love your friends, to be able to hang out with them, or to get to see them in heaven? I remember back in the 80's going to a Sunrise Service, before Calvary Chapel of Diamond Bar, and Pastor Raul had just lost his very best friend, and he had died in his sin. Raul was noticeably very upset and shaken up about it. He had known that friend over thirty years, and chose to not offend him by trying to make him a believer. We don't know what might have happened in the final seconds of his life, if there were any. This great commission is for all, and it is not our fault if those that we love don't accept it, but it might be are fault if they haven't received it...
""Not everyone who calls out to me, 'Lord! Lord!' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, 'Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.' But I will reply, 'I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God's laws.'""
(Matthew 7:21-23) NLT
Saturday, February 23, 2019
"Taking Shelter"
"Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word." (Psalms 119:114)
As much as there is to avoid in having bad thoughts or intentions, there is far more to be gained by taking shelter in God's mercy and grace. Those are the two practical applications to those things listed above; "hiding place" and "my shield." It is really very difficult to avoid having any vain thoughts. James makes this point very clear in James 4:5, "The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy." He was not speaking of the Holy Spirit, but that fallen spirit of man, the spirit responsible for man's natural tendency to sin. It is more about selfishness, as in, what works best for me and my desires. But, there is something good to be said for those thoughts, believe it or not; they let us know just how much we need God's unfailing mercy! Please hear this! Nobody except God knows your thoughts, not even the devil. It is God, and God alone that will be judging your thoughts. Our actions and the things we might do based upon our thoughts are seen and known by others, including the devil. So those are the things covered by grace, as in, despite those things, God will grant us privilege and power in His Kingdom; His Kingdom includes those things done in His name here on this earth. This I would ask that we view as the "shield," because it is something worn by us that yields power and protection. To the point of God's mercy, when it comes to the vain thoughts and bad intentions, it is only God that knows what they are, and those secrets are safe with Him. We confess them as much as any other sin that we discover in our lives, because they are just as much part of our fallen nature as the act of committing a sinful action. Just as was spoken in the closing Scripture from yesterday, God just wants us to come clean before Him! He already knows what we do, just as He knows every thought and intention of our heart. We just need to confess it before Him and ask His forgiveness! In that, we have hope in His word, because He said that He will forgive us, if we simply ask Him for it...
"Look, a righteous king is coming! And honest princes will rule under him. Each one will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a parched land. Then everyone who has eyes will be able to see the truth, and everyone who has ears will be able to hear it. Even the hotheads will be full of understanding. Those who stammer will speak out plainly." (Isaiah 32:1-4) NLT
As much as there is to avoid in having bad thoughts or intentions, there is far more to be gained by taking shelter in God's mercy and grace. Those are the two practical applications to those things listed above; "hiding place" and "my shield." It is really very difficult to avoid having any vain thoughts. James makes this point very clear in James 4:5, "The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy." He was not speaking of the Holy Spirit, but that fallen spirit of man, the spirit responsible for man's natural tendency to sin. It is more about selfishness, as in, what works best for me and my desires. But, there is something good to be said for those thoughts, believe it or not; they let us know just how much we need God's unfailing mercy! Please hear this! Nobody except God knows your thoughts, not even the devil. It is God, and God alone that will be judging your thoughts. Our actions and the things we might do based upon our thoughts are seen and known by others, including the devil. So those are the things covered by grace, as in, despite those things, God will grant us privilege and power in His Kingdom; His Kingdom includes those things done in His name here on this earth. This I would ask that we view as the "shield," because it is something worn by us that yields power and protection. To the point of God's mercy, when it comes to the vain thoughts and bad intentions, it is only God that knows what they are, and those secrets are safe with Him. We confess them as much as any other sin that we discover in our lives, because they are just as much part of our fallen nature as the act of committing a sinful action. Just as was spoken in the closing Scripture from yesterday, God just wants us to come clean before Him! He already knows what we do, just as He knows every thought and intention of our heart. We just need to confess it before Him and ask His forgiveness! In that, we have hope in His word, because He said that He will forgive us, if we simply ask Him for it...
"Look, a righteous king is coming! And honest princes will rule under him. Each one will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a parched land. Then everyone who has eyes will be able to see the truth, and everyone who has ears will be able to hear it. Even the hotheads will be full of understanding. Those who stammer will speak out plainly." (Isaiah 32:1-4) NLT
Friday, February 22, 2019
"SAMECH"
"I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love." (Psalms 119:113)
Believe it or not, but the word above is pretty close to the word I used as a child for sandwich. As many of you know, I feel that God's word is more than just instruction for how we should live, it is also instruction for how we should think. Whether we believe it or not, God looks at the heart, the inner man or woman; what we hold to within our hearts is more important to God than what we do or how we look on the outside. This is both good and bad, depending upon what is in your heart. If you have good intentions, sometimes your intentions far exceed the actual work or task you are given. Then again, sometimes the work you are involved in, in no way displays the intentions of your heart, because your intention is not to give God the glory, but to receive the glory for yourself. If there was going to be a law of God that is displayed within this section of Scripture, I believe it would be the law of God's judgment of our hearts; as in, "the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7) The way Matthew Henry explains this, David is not speaking about his hate for the vain thoughts of others, but the vain thoughts of himself; for who can know the thoughts of others, but God? David was not stating that he did not have vain thoughts, but he was stating that he hated them; which means that they were the vain thoughts he saw within himself. We cannot escape the fact that God knows those thoughts we have within us, because we honestly think them! Try and figure out how to correct that situation, because it is not going to happen. I will associate it to the statement Rush made about how being deaf is something you cannot fake. Try it and see! I can close my eyes and pretend to be blind; but if I close off my ears, then my hearing is turned up on myself...
""Seek the LORD while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the LORD that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously."" (Isaiah 55:6-7) NLT
Believe it or not, but the word above is pretty close to the word I used as a child for sandwich. As many of you know, I feel that God's word is more than just instruction for how we should live, it is also instruction for how we should think. Whether we believe it or not, God looks at the heart, the inner man or woman; what we hold to within our hearts is more important to God than what we do or how we look on the outside. This is both good and bad, depending upon what is in your heart. If you have good intentions, sometimes your intentions far exceed the actual work or task you are given. Then again, sometimes the work you are involved in, in no way displays the intentions of your heart, because your intention is not to give God the glory, but to receive the glory for yourself. If there was going to be a law of God that is displayed within this section of Scripture, I believe it would be the law of God's judgment of our hearts; as in, "the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7) The way Matthew Henry explains this, David is not speaking about his hate for the vain thoughts of others, but the vain thoughts of himself; for who can know the thoughts of others, but God? David was not stating that he did not have vain thoughts, but he was stating that he hated them; which means that they were the vain thoughts he saw within himself. We cannot escape the fact that God knows those thoughts we have within us, because we honestly think them! Try and figure out how to correct that situation, because it is not going to happen. I will associate it to the statement Rush made about how being deaf is something you cannot fake. Try it and see! I can close my eyes and pretend to be blind; but if I close off my ears, then my hearing is turned up on myself...
""Seek the LORD while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the LORD that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously."" (Isaiah 55:6-7) NLT
Thursday, February 21, 2019
"Bound to the Word"
"I have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes always, even unto the end." (Psalms 119:112)
If it is not this way, then it is no way at all! John speaks very strongly to this fact in 1 John 2:19, saying, "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us." In other words, it was not only their choice, but it was God's doing also, to prompt them out of the congregation or church body, as to filter out those that did not belong. Quite simply, some people attach themselves to Christ for selfish reasons and reasons that do not stand the test of fire. You know that old saying, "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen." Well that is pretty much how it works; those that cannot take the pressure from the trials and testing, will depart. The unfortunate thing, is that they sometimes will take some with them that do not know any better. That is the most important part of this law; if we are going to consider this to be a law or instruction in the way to obey God's precepts, statutes, and ordinances. God's Word must always be the lamp for our feet and the light to our path; if that is not how we view His Word for our lives, then it is extremely easy to be taken off the path and miss the trouble we are walking into. The most important witness to the power behind living in obedience to this law, is the fact that every situation or circumstance that we might find ourselves in, if we ended up there by following God's statutes, then we are 111% covered under His protection! No matter what! Paul was not blowing smoke when he said that nothing, absolutely nothing can separate us from the love of God, if we truly love Him...
"Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shinning like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ's return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless. But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy. Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy." (Philippians 2:12-18) NLT
If it is not this way, then it is no way at all! John speaks very strongly to this fact in 1 John 2:19, saying, "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us." In other words, it was not only their choice, but it was God's doing also, to prompt them out of the congregation or church body, as to filter out those that did not belong. Quite simply, some people attach themselves to Christ for selfish reasons and reasons that do not stand the test of fire. You know that old saying, "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen." Well that is pretty much how it works; those that cannot take the pressure from the trials and testing, will depart. The unfortunate thing, is that they sometimes will take some with them that do not know any better. That is the most important part of this law; if we are going to consider this to be a law or instruction in the way to obey God's precepts, statutes, and ordinances. God's Word must always be the lamp for our feet and the light to our path; if that is not how we view His Word for our lives, then it is extremely easy to be taken off the path and miss the trouble we are walking into. The most important witness to the power behind living in obedience to this law, is the fact that every situation or circumstance that we might find ourselves in, if we ended up there by following God's statutes, then we are 111% covered under His protection! No matter what! Paul was not blowing smoke when he said that nothing, absolutely nothing can separate us from the love of God, if we truly love Him...
"Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shinning like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ's return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless. But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy. Yes, you should rejoice, and I will share your joy." (Philippians 2:12-18) NLT
Wednesday, February 20, 2019
"Bound to Mercy"
"Thy testimonies have I taken as a heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart." (Psalms 119:111)
I can't say that there are not days that I don't feel worthy of God's mercy, because there are; those are usually the days when I am feeling seriously offensive to the love Jesus displayed upon that cross, as He gave His life to pay the price for the sins, sins I obviously still like to hold onto. There might be some out there who will disagree with what I am about to say, but that is totally okay. I was reminded of a lunch meeting I once attended, it was at Marie Callender's here in Redding, back in the late 90's. My wife and I sat across the table from another couple, maybe 20 years older then we were. The lunch was put on by someone that was a local estate planner, as a means to get new clients. The man across from me was seriously staring at my logo on the pocket of my shirt, that said Calvary Chapel. He finally broke his silence, and pointed at my shirt and said, "Why do we need that?" I politely responded, "What sir?" And he said, "Why do we need that, 'Calvary Chapel?' I believe that everyone must be baptized before they are saved!" So I leaned over to him as to make my point, and said, "That, sir, is why we need Calvary Chapel!" Then his wife started choking on the food that is in her mouth and his countenance began to change, and he became very angry; even though his wife was choking, he only cared about arguing with me about how we must be saved. Finally, after I could get a breath in, I asked him about the thief on the cross, as to whether he was saved or not, after Jesus said, "Today you will be with me in paradise." Then I asked him one more question: "Say, for example, you went to visit a dying friend in the hospital; a friend that had never been saved. And say that you led him to the Lord, right there in that hospital before he passed away. Would that friend be saved?" Both he and his wife became as white as ghosts, and for the rest of the lunch they did not say another word about salvation. It was obvious to me that he was a pastor and that they both had experienced exactly what I had suggested might happen. This might not make all the sense that I wanted it to make, but that is what I believe David is saying about "taken as a heritage." It is pretty much the same illustration Paul gives of this "Spirit of Reconciliation" in 2 Corinthians 5:17-21. We cannot outlive God; neither can we sin more than God can forgive; neither can we place a boundary around God's mercy! Yet, there are so many people, even good intended people, that continually do...
"So we have stopped evaluating others from the human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we see him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift of God, who bought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ's ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, "Come back to God!" For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ." (2 Corinthians 5:16-21) NLT
I can't say that there are not days that I don't feel worthy of God's mercy, because there are; those are usually the days when I am feeling seriously offensive to the love Jesus displayed upon that cross, as He gave His life to pay the price for the sins, sins I obviously still like to hold onto. There might be some out there who will disagree with what I am about to say, but that is totally okay. I was reminded of a lunch meeting I once attended, it was at Marie Callender's here in Redding, back in the late 90's. My wife and I sat across the table from another couple, maybe 20 years older then we were. The lunch was put on by someone that was a local estate planner, as a means to get new clients. The man across from me was seriously staring at my logo on the pocket of my shirt, that said Calvary Chapel. He finally broke his silence, and pointed at my shirt and said, "Why do we need that?" I politely responded, "What sir?" And he said, "Why do we need that, 'Calvary Chapel?' I believe that everyone must be baptized before they are saved!" So I leaned over to him as to make my point, and said, "That, sir, is why we need Calvary Chapel!" Then his wife started choking on the food that is in her mouth and his countenance began to change, and he became very angry; even though his wife was choking, he only cared about arguing with me about how we must be saved. Finally, after I could get a breath in, I asked him about the thief on the cross, as to whether he was saved or not, after Jesus said, "Today you will be with me in paradise." Then I asked him one more question: "Say, for example, you went to visit a dying friend in the hospital; a friend that had never been saved. And say that you led him to the Lord, right there in that hospital before he passed away. Would that friend be saved?" Both he and his wife became as white as ghosts, and for the rest of the lunch they did not say another word about salvation. It was obvious to me that he was a pastor and that they both had experienced exactly what I had suggested might happen. This might not make all the sense that I wanted it to make, but that is what I believe David is saying about "taken as a heritage." It is pretty much the same illustration Paul gives of this "Spirit of Reconciliation" in 2 Corinthians 5:17-21. We cannot outlive God; neither can we sin more than God can forgive; neither can we place a boundary around God's mercy! Yet, there are so many people, even good intended people, that continually do...
"So we have stopped evaluating others from the human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we see him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift of God, who bought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people's sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ's ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, "Come back to God!" For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ." (2 Corinthians 5:16-21) NLT
Tuesday, February 19, 2019
"Out of Bounds"
"The wicked have laid a snare for me: yet I erred not from thy precepts." (Psalms 119:110)
To the best of my ability, nothing that I do even begins to come close to measuring up to what Christ has done for me. That being said, the simplest way to acknowledge what He has done for me, is when I walk in His finished work. Think of this like a baseball batter up to bat, who is kept up to bat by continually hitting the ball out of bounds; the hit never counts as a strike because it was hit out of bounds. It might have counted as a strike had he never swung and hit it; but as long as he swings the bat and makes contact, his effort is counted as an action that keeps him safe. That is pretty much the point of what I see here today; that no matter what the enemy might throw at me, as long as I use the tools that Christ has given me, deliverance from sin, guilt, and shame, there is nothing that can knock me off the path that He has set me upon, or cause me to be captured or ensnared in a trap. The enemy of my soul has many tools in his toolbox, the most powerful one is that of discouragement. If I keep my focus upon my own abilities and failures, it is really easy to get discouraged; and the enemy is right there to encourage and add to any discouragement that I might feel. If the bat was to be given a characteristic description, it would be the word of God; as long as I hold to the Word, I will never strike out, I will never be knocked out of the batter's box, and I will never loose the ability to try again and again. The goal is to hit a home run; and the beauty of hitting it out of bounds, is that I get to keep trying and trying until it happens! Keep your eyes on Christ Jesus, the Umpire; the One who not only watches and enforces the game, He made the rules...
"So the administrators and high officers went to the king and said, "Long live King Darius! We are all in agreement -we the administrators, officials, high officers, advisers, and governors -that the king should make a law that will be strictly enforced. Give orders that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human -except to you, Your Majesty -will be thrown into the den of lions. And now, Your Majesty, issue and sign this law so it cannot be changed, an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked." So King Darius signed the law. But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its window open towards Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God." (Daniel 6:6-10) NLT
To the best of my ability, nothing that I do even begins to come close to measuring up to what Christ has done for me. That being said, the simplest way to acknowledge what He has done for me, is when I walk in His finished work. Think of this like a baseball batter up to bat, who is kept up to bat by continually hitting the ball out of bounds; the hit never counts as a strike because it was hit out of bounds. It might have counted as a strike had he never swung and hit it; but as long as he swings the bat and makes contact, his effort is counted as an action that keeps him safe. That is pretty much the point of what I see here today; that no matter what the enemy might throw at me, as long as I use the tools that Christ has given me, deliverance from sin, guilt, and shame, there is nothing that can knock me off the path that He has set me upon, or cause me to be captured or ensnared in a trap. The enemy of my soul has many tools in his toolbox, the most powerful one is that of discouragement. If I keep my focus upon my own abilities and failures, it is really easy to get discouraged; and the enemy is right there to encourage and add to any discouragement that I might feel. If the bat was to be given a characteristic description, it would be the word of God; as long as I hold to the Word, I will never strike out, I will never be knocked out of the batter's box, and I will never loose the ability to try again and again. The goal is to hit a home run; and the beauty of hitting it out of bounds, is that I get to keep trying and trying until it happens! Keep your eyes on Christ Jesus, the Umpire; the One who not only watches and enforces the game, He made the rules...
"So the administrators and high officers went to the king and said, "Long live King Darius! We are all in agreement -we the administrators, officials, high officers, advisers, and governors -that the king should make a law that will be strictly enforced. Give orders that for the next thirty days any person who prays to anyone, divine or human -except to you, Your Majesty -will be thrown into the den of lions. And now, Your Majesty, issue and sign this law so it cannot be changed, an official law of the Medes and Persians that cannot be revoked." So King Darius signed the law. But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its window open towards Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God." (Daniel 6:6-10) NLT
Monday, February 18, 2019
"Out of Control"
"My soul is continually in my hand: yet I do not forget thy law." (Psalms 119:109)
These are very serious matters of the heart, because in all sincerity, we truly do have no control over life and death issues, they are all based upon God's will and purposes. Why would God allow this or that to happen? There are some things we question God's intention about, where it is really not our place to question. Who are we to try and figure out God's plans and purposes? We can not even control our own hearts, how can we pretend to be able to control the world around us. This verse speaks powerfully to the point James makes in James 4:11-17. In verses 12, James declares, speaking about those who think that can judge others, "There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and destroy: who art thou that judgest another?" We are all just clay in the hand of the Master Craftsman, the Potter. When we try to make something, the clay becomes sand; as David illustrates, the sand just slips through our figures and cannot be held onto! Which James explains further in verses 13-17, as he shows how evil it is for anyone to believe that he controls tomorrow: "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." When it comes to remembering God's law, in matters of life and death, we need to focus upon those things we can have a choice in controlling, our actions and words. These are the serious matters that need to concern us: How does my life affect those around me? That sand running though my figures, is just for counting my days, or is it for making my days count...
"Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, "For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.") No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels or demons, neither fears for today nor worries about tomorrow -not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below -indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35-39) NLT
These are very serious matters of the heart, because in all sincerity, we truly do have no control over life and death issues, they are all based upon God's will and purposes. Why would God allow this or that to happen? There are some things we question God's intention about, where it is really not our place to question. Who are we to try and figure out God's plans and purposes? We can not even control our own hearts, how can we pretend to be able to control the world around us. This verse speaks powerfully to the point James makes in James 4:11-17. In verses 12, James declares, speaking about those who think that can judge others, "There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and destroy: who art thou that judgest another?" We are all just clay in the hand of the Master Craftsman, the Potter. When we try to make something, the clay becomes sand; as David illustrates, the sand just slips through our figures and cannot be held onto! Which James explains further in verses 13-17, as he shows how evil it is for anyone to believe that he controls tomorrow: "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." When it comes to remembering God's law, in matters of life and death, we need to focus upon those things we can have a choice in controlling, our actions and words. These are the serious matters that need to concern us: How does my life affect those around me? That sand running though my figures, is just for counting my days, or is it for making my days count...
"Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, "For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.") No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels or demons, neither fears for today nor worries about tomorrow -not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below -indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35-39) NLT
Sunday, February 17, 2019
"Control Your Words"
"Accept, I beseech thee, the freewill offering of my mouth, O LORD, and teach me the judgments." (Psalms 119:108)
Maybe not what you want to hear; and then again, maybe you shouldn't say it! I hear myself saying what my wife always reminded me, "Do you hear the words coming out of your mouth?" If there are choices to be made, the way we use our words, or choice of words, is one that is very important. The main reason we have this vocabulary we do, is based upon what we allow into our minds; garbage in, garbage out, is what my mother always told me: "You are what you eat," she always said. Another strong indicator of why it is important to daily read your Bible. If you want good things put into your mind, then there is nothing better than the word of God! There is another issue being discussed here, besides bad language, which is talking behind people's back, or speaking judgments against others, especially false ones! James spends quite a bit of time taking about this, because it is high on the list of the things that God hates. My mom always said, "If you don't have something nice to say about someone, don't say anything." Believe it or not, but when you speak bad about someone else to someone, they automatically think that you speak bad about them to others also. It is only common sense, the more you do it, the more you find opportunities to do it more. It is a choice! Just as David proclaims above, 'Lord, I freely give you the words of my mouth!' It is something that we need to give over to the Lord like any other sin, because it is sin! What is sin, besides not hitting the mark? And what is the mark of every Christian? To love one another as we love ourselves! Sure, it is a challenge; especially when you want to make fun of someone else and the stupid things they might do. But it really comes down to your own stupidity; as in, would you like God telling others what you might do in your stupid moments? He knows everything you do, everything you say, and everything that is in your heart...
"Indeed, we all make mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way." (James 3:2) NLT
Maybe not what you want to hear; and then again, maybe you shouldn't say it! I hear myself saying what my wife always reminded me, "Do you hear the words coming out of your mouth?" If there are choices to be made, the way we use our words, or choice of words, is one that is very important. The main reason we have this vocabulary we do, is based upon what we allow into our minds; garbage in, garbage out, is what my mother always told me: "You are what you eat," she always said. Another strong indicator of why it is important to daily read your Bible. If you want good things put into your mind, then there is nothing better than the word of God! There is another issue being discussed here, besides bad language, which is talking behind people's back, or speaking judgments against others, especially false ones! James spends quite a bit of time taking about this, because it is high on the list of the things that God hates. My mom always said, "If you don't have something nice to say about someone, don't say anything." Believe it or not, but when you speak bad about someone else to someone, they automatically think that you speak bad about them to others also. It is only common sense, the more you do it, the more you find opportunities to do it more. It is a choice! Just as David proclaims above, 'Lord, I freely give you the words of my mouth!' It is something that we need to give over to the Lord like any other sin, because it is sin! What is sin, besides not hitting the mark? And what is the mark of every Christian? To love one another as we love ourselves! Sure, it is a challenge; especially when you want to make fun of someone else and the stupid things they might do. But it really comes down to your own stupidity; as in, would you like God telling others what you might do in your stupid moments? He knows everything you do, everything you say, and everything that is in your heart...
"Indeed, we all make mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way." (James 3:2) NLT
Saturday, February 16, 2019
"Guard Your Heart"
"I am afflicted very much: quicken me, O LORD, according unto thy word." (Psalms 119:107)
I really don't know how else to describe what I feel the Lord speaking into my heart this morning, except to say that we must prepare our hearts for all that is false and evil all around us. The Bible truly teaches us that it will be very difficult for even those that are of the elect to not be deceived. (Matthew 24:24) God's word is not only a light for our path, which shows us the direction; it is a lamp unto our feet, which guides us in the darkness. Maybe this might seem outdated to some; especially those that are not quite certain that the Old Testament and New Testament are one of the same; as if the old no longer matters and it is now all about grace. It is easy to be deceived in that area, because we tend to believe what best agrees with the desire of our hearts. It is only going to get harder to endure sound doctrine; more and more churches are giving into the more modern way of thinking; as if the grace of God allows for people to live and explore all the desires of the heart, as long as it involves love, it must be of God. We are surely living in the last days! Every day I hear of something new that is happening which points to the sign of the season we are living in. The word "afflicted" is really quite an unusual word. It speaks to something of akin to becoming worldly, as in to till the ground, to bring the earth into cultivation; to submit yourself to anyone, or labor upon anything. Whether it counts for anything or not, it is this kind of thing that takes its toll upon those saints that serve in ministry. Serving the Lord is not meant to be laboring, it is meant to be joyful and energizing the soul. The word "quicken" is a word that speaks off giving life, reviving and refreshing are hearts and soul; causing there to be a glow in our lives and in the way feel by walking with the Lord. This is hard to talk about because there are so many brothers and sisters that I know that just don't look happy. I mean, I know that there is not much to rejoice over here in this world, but this is all temporary and the best is just around the corner...
"Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all." (Psalms 34:19) KJV
I really don't know how else to describe what I feel the Lord speaking into my heart this morning, except to say that we must prepare our hearts for all that is false and evil all around us. The Bible truly teaches us that it will be very difficult for even those that are of the elect to not be deceived. (Matthew 24:24) God's word is not only a light for our path, which shows us the direction; it is a lamp unto our feet, which guides us in the darkness. Maybe this might seem outdated to some; especially those that are not quite certain that the Old Testament and New Testament are one of the same; as if the old no longer matters and it is now all about grace. It is easy to be deceived in that area, because we tend to believe what best agrees with the desire of our hearts. It is only going to get harder to endure sound doctrine; more and more churches are giving into the more modern way of thinking; as if the grace of God allows for people to live and explore all the desires of the heart, as long as it involves love, it must be of God. We are surely living in the last days! Every day I hear of something new that is happening which points to the sign of the season we are living in. The word "afflicted" is really quite an unusual word. It speaks to something of akin to becoming worldly, as in to till the ground, to bring the earth into cultivation; to submit yourself to anyone, or labor upon anything. Whether it counts for anything or not, it is this kind of thing that takes its toll upon those saints that serve in ministry. Serving the Lord is not meant to be laboring, it is meant to be joyful and energizing the soul. The word "quicken" is a word that speaks off giving life, reviving and refreshing are hearts and soul; causing there to be a glow in our lives and in the way feel by walking with the Lord. This is hard to talk about because there are so many brothers and sisters that I know that just don't look happy. I mean, I know that there is not much to rejoice over here in this world, but this is all temporary and the best is just around the corner...
"Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all." (Psalms 34:19) KJV
Friday, February 15, 2019
"State Your Case"
"I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments." (Psalms 119:106)
Before you get too concerned, there are a couple of things you need to know about how this all plays out. The first thing is made very clear in Peter's case, who told Jesus he was willing to die for Him, even though Jesus told him that he would deny Him three times. The second case would be the oath that Abraham made with God, the one where Abraham slept, while God signed the oath for the both of them. The point that I am trying to make, is that we should not try to pretend to be something that we are not! We are not God; only God keeps His promises, and only God is righteous at His word. This is something that we need to come to terms with, because until we actually own it, we cannot truly give it over to the Lord. Besides, the way I see it, David is not making a declaration about him being able to keep the law; this is more about David stating that he will keep whatever God gives to him; whether good or bad, if it is from God, it is always what is best. Basically, it is how we must be when we surrender our lives to the Lord, we give up our rights and we give Him the wheel. No more trying to be in charge, it is God's way, 100%! Easier said than done, that much I know! But God is patient with us and knows the progress we are going to make before we even set out to do it. He really just wants us to trust Him and let Him guide our hearts; if we would only let Him. We cannot do this without Him, so don't even try. When we try to do it on our own, we only make a mess of things and end up looking foolish, or worse. It is better to give God the glory than to take the blame...
"Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, what God in his kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia. They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity. For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will. They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem. They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to." (2 Corinthians 8:1-5) NLT
Before you get too concerned, there are a couple of things you need to know about how this all plays out. The first thing is made very clear in Peter's case, who told Jesus he was willing to die for Him, even though Jesus told him that he would deny Him three times. The second case would be the oath that Abraham made with God, the one where Abraham slept, while God signed the oath for the both of them. The point that I am trying to make, is that we should not try to pretend to be something that we are not! We are not God; only God keeps His promises, and only God is righteous at His word. This is something that we need to come to terms with, because until we actually own it, we cannot truly give it over to the Lord. Besides, the way I see it, David is not making a declaration about him being able to keep the law; this is more about David stating that he will keep whatever God gives to him; whether good or bad, if it is from God, it is always what is best. Basically, it is how we must be when we surrender our lives to the Lord, we give up our rights and we give Him the wheel. No more trying to be in charge, it is God's way, 100%! Easier said than done, that much I know! But God is patient with us and knows the progress we are going to make before we even set out to do it. He really just wants us to trust Him and let Him guide our hearts; if we would only let Him. We cannot do this without Him, so don't even try. When we try to do it on our own, we only make a mess of things and end up looking foolish, or worse. It is better to give God the glory than to take the blame...
"Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, what God in his kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia. They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity. For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will. They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem. They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to." (2 Corinthians 8:1-5) NLT
Thursday, February 14, 2019
"NUN"
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." (Psalms 119:105)
Matthew Henry introduces this section of Scripture with, "Observe here." It fits the narrative perfectly, because the point being made is that God's word is the source of understanding; for man to understand who God is, who he is, and why it is that we need to read this Book! We had a candidate for President announce her intention to run, while it was snowing, and not wearing gloves; as a matter of fact, it looked like she made everyone up on the stage with her not wear gloves. But that wasn't the dumbest thing she did, she proclaimed that the first thing she was going to do when she was elected was to get the U.S. back into the Climate Accord, because, as she said, "I believe in science!" As soon as she said it, I could not help think of the movie Nacho Libre, when Nacho asked Esqueleto if he believed in God, and he replied, "No, I believe is science." That pretty much sums that up; and it is the basis on which many people discard the Bible as anything of authority. How do we get real understanding from the Bible? By believing that it is God's written word! If we do not believe that it is His word, we will come away confused and still wondering what it all means. It is more that just His love letter to His people, it is instruction for living and full life here on this earth, and to the eternal life hereafter...
"For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw his majestic splendor with our own eyes when he received honor and glory from God the Father. The voice from the majestic glory of God said to him, "This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy." We observed and heard that voice from heaven when we with him on the holy mountain. Because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place -until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts." (2 Peter 1:16-19) NLT
Matthew Henry introduces this section of Scripture with, "Observe here." It fits the narrative perfectly, because the point being made is that God's word is the source of understanding; for man to understand who God is, who he is, and why it is that we need to read this Book! We had a candidate for President announce her intention to run, while it was snowing, and not wearing gloves; as a matter of fact, it looked like she made everyone up on the stage with her not wear gloves. But that wasn't the dumbest thing she did, she proclaimed that the first thing she was going to do when she was elected was to get the U.S. back into the Climate Accord, because, as she said, "I believe in science!" As soon as she said it, I could not help think of the movie Nacho Libre, when Nacho asked Esqueleto if he believed in God, and he replied, "No, I believe is science." That pretty much sums that up; and it is the basis on which many people discard the Bible as anything of authority. How do we get real understanding from the Bible? By believing that it is God's written word! If we do not believe that it is His word, we will come away confused and still wondering what it all means. It is more that just His love letter to His people, it is instruction for living and full life here on this earth, and to the eternal life hereafter...
"For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw his majestic splendor with our own eyes when he received honor and glory from God the Father. The voice from the majestic glory of God said to him, "This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy." We observed and heard that voice from heaven when we with him on the holy mountain. Because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place -until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts." (2 Peter 1:16-19) NLT
Wednesday, February 13, 2019
"Fear No Evil"
"Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way." (Psalms 119:104)
What exactly does that mean, to fear no evil? Taken in the context of what David is speaking about in Psalms 23, it is pretty much about being struck by or in awe of; in a more complex way of thinking, it would almost be kind of like being caused to be astonished or captivated by something that is not of any value to waste your time thinking about. Long story short, don't waste your time thinking about it and think about God and His goodness. This morning I woke up to what I thought was gunfire. I went out on the front porch to look down over the valley below, and I felt as though I was in a dream. It appeared for a moment that there were people firing guns in all sorts of different directions; and to make matters worse, there were flashlights beaming to a fro in random areas down below. It was 4:00 in the morning, what the heck was going on? My power went out a little after midnight, and PG & E called to let me know that it would be back on at 6:45 this morning. At 4:30 this morning they called again and said it would be more like 3:00 pm; and I think they said the cause of the outage was God! When I went back outside, I finally realized what was going on: trees were breaking and falling all over the mountains and the valley below; it was snowing and raining at the same time. How bazaar is that? Anywho, I figured that today is not going to be a workday after all; I will most likely just stay next to Marianne and keep her warm. It hasn't got below 60 yet in the house, so I think we are going to be fine. On a positive note, God found us a new house. The last fire season spoke very strong to me about finding another place off of this mountain. Waiting on the Lord is always worth it! Which is pretty much the complete meaning I think I was looking for! When we understand how God works, we really don't pay any attention to all those false ways...
"Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good." (Romans 12:9)
What exactly does that mean, to fear no evil? Taken in the context of what David is speaking about in Psalms 23, it is pretty much about being struck by or in awe of; in a more complex way of thinking, it would almost be kind of like being caused to be astonished or captivated by something that is not of any value to waste your time thinking about. Long story short, don't waste your time thinking about it and think about God and His goodness. This morning I woke up to what I thought was gunfire. I went out on the front porch to look down over the valley below, and I felt as though I was in a dream. It appeared for a moment that there were people firing guns in all sorts of different directions; and to make matters worse, there were flashlights beaming to a fro in random areas down below. It was 4:00 in the morning, what the heck was going on? My power went out a little after midnight, and PG & E called to let me know that it would be back on at 6:45 this morning. At 4:30 this morning they called again and said it would be more like 3:00 pm; and I think they said the cause of the outage was God! When I went back outside, I finally realized what was going on: trees were breaking and falling all over the mountains and the valley below; it was snowing and raining at the same time. How bazaar is that? Anywho, I figured that today is not going to be a workday after all; I will most likely just stay next to Marianne and keep her warm. It hasn't got below 60 yet in the house, so I think we are going to be fine. On a positive note, God found us a new house. The last fire season spoke very strong to me about finding another place off of this mountain. Waiting on the Lord is always worth it! Which is pretty much the complete meaning I think I was looking for! When we understand how God works, we really don't pay any attention to all those false ways...
"Don't just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good." (Romans 12:9)
Tuesday, February 12, 2019
"Shall Not Want"
"How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth." (Psalms 119:103)
In a perfect world, we would all have everything that we need and most of everything we could ever want; but in the life of the believer, our wants and our needs are one in the same: provisions given us by our Heavenly Father. Taking a look at the three temptations the Lord was tested with in the wilderness, the three represented those same desires that Eve needed to satisfy in the garden, as she "saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise." These are also the same temptations we all struggle with in our daily lives; our fleshly desires, the desires of the eyes, and pride of possessions. Many seem to think that Eve's first big mistake was adding to God's word, in that she added, "neither shall ye touch it." There are some things that are best left alone, adding or taking away from the word of God is one of them! This, to some might not seem like such a big deal; but to those that study the Scriptures as the Holy Word of God, it is critical and absolutely forbidden! If anyone can remove or add to God's word, then what is to prevent them from adding or taking away from His commands? If you have ever heard the phrase, "Give an inch, Take a mile," it is nowhere more clear than in our current culture, and with those that make a choice to live in an alternative life style. It cannot stop with just acceptance, it must be pushed forward to having power and authority. This is not any kind of great mystery; the world has been in this same fallen state since Adam and Eve disobeyed God and did eat of the tree that He told them not to eat from. Reading Pauls letters to Rome, sin has life within itself, but the life that sin has to offer leads to death! This is the point David is making with this verse: God's word must satisfy our wants and our needs; and more importantly, His words are pleasant, because they lead to eternal life: there is nothing sweeter; not even close...
"Kiss me and kiss me again, for your love is sweeter than wine. How fragrant your cologne; your name is like its spreading fragrance. No wonder all the young women love you! Take me with you; come, let's run! The king has brought me into his bedroom. How happy we are for you, O king. We praise your love even more than wine. How right they are to adore you." (Song of Songs 1:2-4) NLT
In a perfect world, we would all have everything that we need and most of everything we could ever want; but in the life of the believer, our wants and our needs are one in the same: provisions given us by our Heavenly Father. Taking a look at the three temptations the Lord was tested with in the wilderness, the three represented those same desires that Eve needed to satisfy in the garden, as she "saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise." These are also the same temptations we all struggle with in our daily lives; our fleshly desires, the desires of the eyes, and pride of possessions. Many seem to think that Eve's first big mistake was adding to God's word, in that she added, "neither shall ye touch it." There are some things that are best left alone, adding or taking away from the word of God is one of them! This, to some might not seem like such a big deal; but to those that study the Scriptures as the Holy Word of God, it is critical and absolutely forbidden! If anyone can remove or add to God's word, then what is to prevent them from adding or taking away from His commands? If you have ever heard the phrase, "Give an inch, Take a mile," it is nowhere more clear than in our current culture, and with those that make a choice to live in an alternative life style. It cannot stop with just acceptance, it must be pushed forward to having power and authority. This is not any kind of great mystery; the world has been in this same fallen state since Adam and Eve disobeyed God and did eat of the tree that He told them not to eat from. Reading Pauls letters to Rome, sin has life within itself, but the life that sin has to offer leads to death! This is the point David is making with this verse: God's word must satisfy our wants and our needs; and more importantly, His words are pleasant, because they lead to eternal life: there is nothing sweeter; not even close...
"Kiss me and kiss me again, for your love is sweeter than wine. How fragrant your cologne; your name is like its spreading fragrance. No wonder all the young women love you! Take me with you; come, let's run! The king has brought me into his bedroom. How happy we are for you, O king. We praise your love even more than wine. How right they are to adore you." (Song of Songs 1:2-4) NLT
Monday, February 11, 2019
"Paths of Righteousness"
"I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou hast taught me." (Psalms 119:102)
When we follow Jesus, goodness and mercy will follow us! This is really a no-brainer. If there were some kind of law to be assigned to this, it pretty much is the law of following the Lord; in and through all our ups and downs, where ever we might find ourselves, and most surely when we feel as though we don't belong! If that is you, you do have a friend in God; He loves you so much more than you know, even more than you think that you love yourself. The key to understanding this verse is that of God's "judgments." It the court of public opinion, judgment has taken off the blinders and put on magnifiers to take even the slightest offense, and has blown it way out of proportion. In the case of God's judgments, mercy is at the center of the act of deciding a case, whatever that offense might be, it is never beyond His mercy! Does that mean that there are no consequences? Absolutely not! There are always consequences for the wrong things we do; if you drop an egg on the ground, it is going to break! However, even though all the kings horses and and the kings men can't fix it, there is a God that can and will; because, He is into all things that are considered impossible! In the offenses that David had performed against God, he always was willing to be judged by God. If it came down to a choice, whether to be judged by men or God, he was never hesitant to choose God as his judge. It always amazes me why anyone would put there trust in an idol, something that is made by another man; as if that thing which has been made by another man can somehow give them any protection whatsoever. Here is a very simple test, for those that might have anything other than God they use for protection: If whatever you worship cannot judge you, it cannot protect you either...
""They will be my people, and I will be their God. And I will give them one heart and one purpose: to worship me forever, for there own good and for the good of their descendants. And I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good for them. I will put a desire in their hearts to worship me, and they will never leave me. I will find joy doing good for them and will faithfully and wholeheartedly replant them in this land. "This is what the LORD says: Just as I have brought all theses calamities on them, so I will do all the good I have promised them."" (Jeremiah 32:38-42) NLT
When we follow Jesus, goodness and mercy will follow us! This is really a no-brainer. If there were some kind of law to be assigned to this, it pretty much is the law of following the Lord; in and through all our ups and downs, where ever we might find ourselves, and most surely when we feel as though we don't belong! If that is you, you do have a friend in God; He loves you so much more than you know, even more than you think that you love yourself. The key to understanding this verse is that of God's "judgments." It the court of public opinion, judgment has taken off the blinders and put on magnifiers to take even the slightest offense, and has blown it way out of proportion. In the case of God's judgments, mercy is at the center of the act of deciding a case, whatever that offense might be, it is never beyond His mercy! Does that mean that there are no consequences? Absolutely not! There are always consequences for the wrong things we do; if you drop an egg on the ground, it is going to break! However, even though all the kings horses and and the kings men can't fix it, there is a God that can and will; because, He is into all things that are considered impossible! In the offenses that David had performed against God, he always was willing to be judged by God. If it came down to a choice, whether to be judged by men or God, he was never hesitant to choose God as his judge. It always amazes me why anyone would put there trust in an idol, something that is made by another man; as if that thing which has been made by another man can somehow give them any protection whatsoever. Here is a very simple test, for those that might have anything other than God they use for protection: If whatever you worship cannot judge you, it cannot protect you either...
""They will be my people, and I will be their God. And I will give them one heart and one purpose: to worship me forever, for there own good and for the good of their descendants. And I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good for them. I will put a desire in their hearts to worship me, and they will never leave me. I will find joy doing good for them and will faithfully and wholeheartedly replant them in this land. "This is what the LORD says: Just as I have brought all theses calamities on them, so I will do all the good I have promised them."" (Jeremiah 32:38-42) NLT
Sunday, February 10, 2019
"Goodness and Mercy"
"I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word." (Psalms 119:101)
This might be the place where "101" came from, as in, the 101 of doing what is right! If life is all about choices, then there needs to be something consistent that keeps tipping the scale towards the right thing to do. Remember those days of the W.W.J.D. decisions? Everyone was wearing brackets and hats and shirts that had those initials on them, and Jesus was actually becoming part of the discussions when it came to making choices. The best thing to do if we are going to error, is to error on the side that is good. I think that was something my mother always said, "If you are going to error, it is best to error on the good side of every issue." She also simply said, "Don't walk down that road," every time I thought it might be okay the challenge her authority. The title up above was taken from the last verse of Psalms 23, where David says, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all of my life." My little nephew is so cute; he has discovered how much he loves to walk, sometimes aimlessly and in any direction. When he first learned how to walk, I witnessed him coming to a line on the ground and bending down to crawl over it, as if the line was a step or object to be cautious with. Now I see him walking fearlessly over anything; sometimes he doesn't even look where he walks, he just turns and goes and keeps on going. The point to this verse is pretty much the same as that; not the aimlessly part, but the point of caution. Every time we come to a line, line referring to the choice between good and evil, we must cautiously make a choice. It is not about fear, it is more about the desire to do what is right, regardless of the way we might feel or our desire might speak otherwise. If you could put in a way that is easy to follow; the further we get down that wrong road, the more committed we are to walking down it. It is best if we just don't go down that road, at all...
"Slaves must always obey their masters and do their best to please them. They must not talk back or steal, but must show themselves to be entirely trustworthy and good. Then they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive in every way. For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, is revealed. He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds." (Titus 2:9-14) NLT
This might be the place where "101" came from, as in, the 101 of doing what is right! If life is all about choices, then there needs to be something consistent that keeps tipping the scale towards the right thing to do. Remember those days of the W.W.J.D. decisions? Everyone was wearing brackets and hats and shirts that had those initials on them, and Jesus was actually becoming part of the discussions when it came to making choices. The best thing to do if we are going to error, is to error on the side that is good. I think that was something my mother always said, "If you are going to error, it is best to error on the good side of every issue." She also simply said, "Don't walk down that road," every time I thought it might be okay the challenge her authority. The title up above was taken from the last verse of Psalms 23, where David says, "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all of my life." My little nephew is so cute; he has discovered how much he loves to walk, sometimes aimlessly and in any direction. When he first learned how to walk, I witnessed him coming to a line on the ground and bending down to crawl over it, as if the line was a step or object to be cautious with. Now I see him walking fearlessly over anything; sometimes he doesn't even look where he walks, he just turns and goes and keeps on going. The point to this verse is pretty much the same as that; not the aimlessly part, but the point of caution. Every time we come to a line, line referring to the choice between good and evil, we must cautiously make a choice. It is not about fear, it is more about the desire to do what is right, regardless of the way we might feel or our desire might speak otherwise. If you could put in a way that is easy to follow; the further we get down that wrong road, the more committed we are to walking down it. It is best if we just don't go down that road, at all...
"Slaves must always obey their masters and do their best to please them. They must not talk back or steal, but must show themselves to be entirely trustworthy and good. Then they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive in every way. For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, is revealed. He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds." (Titus 2:9-14) NLT
Saturday, February 9, 2019
"Cup Running Over"
"I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts." (Psalms 119:100)
Yes, this too is a reference to Psalms 23; it just seemed to fit nicely into what I feel this verse is speaking about and why it is the David realized this amazing truth about God's word. As I have mentioned before, the instruments God instructed Moses to make in the Tabernacle were all given measurements, with the exception of one, the Water Basin. We can agree to disagree on what 'water' represents in the Bible, some say the Spirit, some say the Word; but if you listen to what Jesus says about the Holy Spirit, water is actually a representation of both, the Spirit and the Word, aka Jesus Christ! To be more specific, you cannot have one without the other. Jesus said it over and over, that the Father and Him were one; therefore it is quite easy to assume that this "One" Jesus is speaking about would also included the Holy Spirit, which is what it means when the Bible speaks of, Father, Son, and Spirit. Regardless what you think the water represents, it cannot be measured or limited by any container or space. In other words, the cup is not only full, put the cup is always running over! If you don't understand how this relates, it is really quite simple to explain. What has already been discovered or written is not the end of discovery or explanation. John mentions a small hint of this in the end of his account of Jesus, saying, "And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they could be written every one, I suppose even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written." That pretty much means that there are still many more things to learn and to discover about God's Word! And in case you might have forgotten, John starts out his account of Jesus by saying, "In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God." To the point of David statement, "because I keep thy precepts," God's precepts are not that hard to keep, because His precepts never ever change! Jesus is the same, yesterday, today, and forever...
""Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won't collapse because it is built on bedrock."" (Matthew 7:24-25) NLT
Yes, this too is a reference to Psalms 23; it just seemed to fit nicely into what I feel this verse is speaking about and why it is the David realized this amazing truth about God's word. As I have mentioned before, the instruments God instructed Moses to make in the Tabernacle were all given measurements, with the exception of one, the Water Basin. We can agree to disagree on what 'water' represents in the Bible, some say the Spirit, some say the Word; but if you listen to what Jesus says about the Holy Spirit, water is actually a representation of both, the Spirit and the Word, aka Jesus Christ! To be more specific, you cannot have one without the other. Jesus said it over and over, that the Father and Him were one; therefore it is quite easy to assume that this "One" Jesus is speaking about would also included the Holy Spirit, which is what it means when the Bible speaks of, Father, Son, and Spirit. Regardless what you think the water represents, it cannot be measured or limited by any container or space. In other words, the cup is not only full, put the cup is always running over! If you don't understand how this relates, it is really quite simple to explain. What has already been discovered or written is not the end of discovery or explanation. John mentions a small hint of this in the end of his account of Jesus, saying, "And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they could be written every one, I suppose even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written." That pretty much means that there are still many more things to learn and to discover about God's Word! And in case you might have forgotten, John starts out his account of Jesus by saying, "In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God." To the point of David statement, "because I keep thy precepts," God's precepts are not that hard to keep, because His precepts never ever change! Jesus is the same, yesterday, today, and forever...
""Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won't collapse because it is built on bedrock."" (Matthew 7:24-25) NLT
Friday, February 8, 2019
"Green Pastures"
"I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation." (Psalms 119:99)
You have got to love the way God works: His ways are always higher and greater than ours. Besides all the noise in the news, there are some very important things going on in our world today, some of which we can only shake our heads and be amazed in God's handiwork. In reading this verse, I pictured a lamb that has been satisfied in green pastures, content on where it has been placed, and simply enjoying the nourishment that it has been provided. Looking at it from another angle, it is said in almost every single sport or business or profession: those that are great at what they do set new records and achieve greatness; those that can't, teach. Don't ask me how that works, because I simply do not know; because you cannot teach greatness. It is something that is born inside an individual that they have from the moment of birth; something that sets them apart from their piers and makes them somewhat odd, as in the story of the "Ugly Duckling." In the case of David, his was pretty much the same; the runt of the family, sent out to care for the sheep, while his brothers were more fit to fight in the wars. Even when Samuel came to the house of Jesse to search out the new king, David was not even considered by his father to be one of his sons worthy to be chosen. After he brought out seven of his sons, Samuel had to ask, "Is this all you got?" And Jesse answered, "There remains one, but he is out tending the sheep"; as if a Shepherd could never be qualified to be chosen as King! God works in ways that don't quite fit the mold of what the world considers worthy of acceptance. In any case, my point is that David realized the green pastures that he was placed within, and there he remained...
"Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil people and imposters will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived. But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work." (2 Timothy 3:12-17) NLT
You have got to love the way God works: His ways are always higher and greater than ours. Besides all the noise in the news, there are some very important things going on in our world today, some of which we can only shake our heads and be amazed in God's handiwork. In reading this verse, I pictured a lamb that has been satisfied in green pastures, content on where it has been placed, and simply enjoying the nourishment that it has been provided. Looking at it from another angle, it is said in almost every single sport or business or profession: those that are great at what they do set new records and achieve greatness; those that can't, teach. Don't ask me how that works, because I simply do not know; because you cannot teach greatness. It is something that is born inside an individual that they have from the moment of birth; something that sets them apart from their piers and makes them somewhat odd, as in the story of the "Ugly Duckling." In the case of David, his was pretty much the same; the runt of the family, sent out to care for the sheep, while his brothers were more fit to fight in the wars. Even when Samuel came to the house of Jesse to search out the new king, David was not even considered by his father to be one of his sons worthy to be chosen. After he brought out seven of his sons, Samuel had to ask, "Is this all you got?" And Jesse answered, "There remains one, but he is out tending the sheep"; as if a Shepherd could never be qualified to be chosen as King! God works in ways that don't quite fit the mold of what the world considers worthy of acceptance. In any case, my point is that David realized the green pastures that he was placed within, and there he remained...
"Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil people and imposters will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived. But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work." (2 Timothy 3:12-17) NLT
Thursday, February 7, 2019
"Rod and Staff"
"Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me." (Psalms 119:98)
Before we can truly appreciate what David is saying here, we really need to have settled this issue of God knowing all things and having ultimate control over everything, whether it is seen or unseen. This is something that many people struggle with, without even knowing it. It's not that they don't believe in God, it is not even that they don't believe that He is Almighty; it is more about whether or not He is watching and caring over them, personally. We have really got to settle this once and for all: God is big enough and powerful enough to truly know every hair upon my head, and He cares for me! Don't see it? Look again, because there is something about wisdom that requires more than just knowledge, it requires a personal relationship with the Source! I was reminded about this yesterday by Pastor McGee, that you cannot determine what is counterfeit by studying the false religions, you must know and understand what is truth, and then the things that are false will be made obvious. We can actually see where this is going and everything that is behind it; instead of being led astray by something that is not founded in truth. As to the title above, the Rod signifies more than just a instrument to strike with, it is also referring to an instrument used for measuring; kind of like where Mark Twain got his name. This type of measurement it to determine what is safe and what might cause harm; just as it is with every commandment of God, they are rods used to show where we stand in the light of what He requires. As Paul said in Romans 7:7; 'I did not know that I coveted until I knew the law that said, "Thou shalt not covet." Paul used that example for reason, because it was something that he knew personally from experience. The Staff is pretty much about support, of any kind. What that means in regards to wisdom, is that of a Foundation, as in: Does it stand up on its own, and can it be built upon? A really good example of what that might look like, is that of everything else in our lives being stripped away, and would Jesus still be our Rock! This is the kind of personal relationship that I am talking about. Where there is no second guessing on what is truth, because the Source of the Truth is living in us; and there is no match for where we stand, because our Foundation is Christ...
"Let the message about Christ in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father." (Colossians 3:16-17) NLT
Before we can truly appreciate what David is saying here, we really need to have settled this issue of God knowing all things and having ultimate control over everything, whether it is seen or unseen. This is something that many people struggle with, without even knowing it. It's not that they don't believe in God, it is not even that they don't believe that He is Almighty; it is more about whether or not He is watching and caring over them, personally. We have really got to settle this once and for all: God is big enough and powerful enough to truly know every hair upon my head, and He cares for me! Don't see it? Look again, because there is something about wisdom that requires more than just knowledge, it requires a personal relationship with the Source! I was reminded about this yesterday by Pastor McGee, that you cannot determine what is counterfeit by studying the false religions, you must know and understand what is truth, and then the things that are false will be made obvious. We can actually see where this is going and everything that is behind it; instead of being led astray by something that is not founded in truth. As to the title above, the Rod signifies more than just a instrument to strike with, it is also referring to an instrument used for measuring; kind of like where Mark Twain got his name. This type of measurement it to determine what is safe and what might cause harm; just as it is with every commandment of God, they are rods used to show where we stand in the light of what He requires. As Paul said in Romans 7:7; 'I did not know that I coveted until I knew the law that said, "Thou shalt not covet." Paul used that example for reason, because it was something that he knew personally from experience. The Staff is pretty much about support, of any kind. What that means in regards to wisdom, is that of a Foundation, as in: Does it stand up on its own, and can it be built upon? A really good example of what that might look like, is that of everything else in our lives being stripped away, and would Jesus still be our Rock! This is the kind of personal relationship that I am talking about. Where there is no second guessing on what is truth, because the Source of the Truth is living in us; and there is no match for where we stand, because our Foundation is Christ...
"Let the message about Christ in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father." (Colossians 3:16-17) NLT
Wednesday, February 6, 2019
"MEM"
"O how I love thy law! It is my meditation all the day." (Psalms 119:97)
Don't be surprised by this, because with the way I have seen God work, everything is for reason. We might not understand it, but the choices we make, even those that are contrary to what we should do, God allows them to happen, for one reason or another. In this section of Scripture we are given a glimpse of the benefits to loving God's law, which for the sake of argument, is His Word! This goes back to something that I have shared about over and over, that the Bible must be considered the written Word of God, period! If we cannot get past the first verse, we will stumble throughout the entire Book, because the power of God must be something that is settled deep within our very core. Doubting God can do all things, means that we doubt He can anything, it is just that simple. He is either God over all, or He is not God at all; it is the choice we make in our own hearts and minds. This last Sunday Pastor Rick shared about choices, as in the choices we make and why we make them. There are things that God has ordained for each and everyone of us to walk in; some of us will do what is right, and some of us will not. But don't think for a moment that your wrong choices will prevent God's will from being done, because one way or another, God's plan is never altered! This is part of the motivation I see David trying to share with us this wonderful morning; that loving God's word is more than just for learning, it is for living! We need to appreciate God's goodness for our lives, that He is for us, not against us, and that meditation in our hearts should be towards all the great things He wants to do in us, if we only obey His commands. In John 5:3, it says, "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and he commandments are not grievous." The things we love will be the things we think about, that is just a fact. If we love God because He first loved us, then we will love everything that He commands us to do, because they are all intended to be for our benefit and for good. What is so hard to understand in that? It is real wisdom to choose what is good and it going to benefit our soul...
"O the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit for each season. Their leaves never whither, and they prosper in all they do." (Psalms 1:1-3) NLT
Don't be surprised by this, because with the way I have seen God work, everything is for reason. We might not understand it, but the choices we make, even those that are contrary to what we should do, God allows them to happen, for one reason or another. In this section of Scripture we are given a glimpse of the benefits to loving God's law, which for the sake of argument, is His Word! This goes back to something that I have shared about over and over, that the Bible must be considered the written Word of God, period! If we cannot get past the first verse, we will stumble throughout the entire Book, because the power of God must be something that is settled deep within our very core. Doubting God can do all things, means that we doubt He can anything, it is just that simple. He is either God over all, or He is not God at all; it is the choice we make in our own hearts and minds. This last Sunday Pastor Rick shared about choices, as in the choices we make and why we make them. There are things that God has ordained for each and everyone of us to walk in; some of us will do what is right, and some of us will not. But don't think for a moment that your wrong choices will prevent God's will from being done, because one way or another, God's plan is never altered! This is part of the motivation I see David trying to share with us this wonderful morning; that loving God's word is more than just for learning, it is for living! We need to appreciate God's goodness for our lives, that He is for us, not against us, and that meditation in our hearts should be towards all the great things He wants to do in us, if we only obey His commands. In John 5:3, it says, "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and he commandments are not grievous." The things we love will be the things we think about, that is just a fact. If we love God because He first loved us, then we will love everything that He commands us to do, because they are all intended to be for our benefit and for good. What is so hard to understand in that? It is real wisdom to choose what is good and it going to benefit our soul...
"O the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit for each season. Their leaves never whither, and they prosper in all they do." (Psalms 1:1-3) NLT
Tuesday, February 5, 2019
"Through Thick and Thin"
"I have seen an end of all perfection: but thy commandment is exceeding broad." (Psalms 119:96)
If there is something you are looking for here in this life that shows perfection, good luck with that; this world we are living in is a fallen world, all that was good before the fall has been corrupted by sin, and perfection was destroyed the moment Adam disobeyed God's command. This might be the stumbling block for many who put their hopes in anyone else but Jesus Christ, making those that are flawed and human out to be perfect and infallible. I can't remember where I heard this, but sin enters our hearts as easy as picturing pink elephants enters our minds, when we are told not to think of them. The harder we try not to sin, the easier it is for sin to enter our hearts. It is as if sin gets stronger the more we focus upon the commandments of God. That is the whole point Paul makes in his picture of sin living in him, given in Romans 7:14-25. We cannot control sinful desires by thinking about controlling the sinful desires; it is a loosing battle that is not going to end well. I know I have brought this up before, but why did God place the thing forbidden in the middle of the Garden? It sure made thinking about it pretty easy to do, and the temptation was pretty hard to miss. There is another end of every single commandment of God, the end that makes perfect sense and gives life. When we focus upon the part that is our requirement, we are taken to the point of failing almost every time; but when we focus upon the part that is our benefit, we are taken into the place of security in God...
"Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, "You must not covet." But sin used this command to arouse all kinds of covetous desires within me! If there were no law, sin would not have that power. At one time I lived without understanding the law. But when I learned the command not to covet, for instance, the power of sin came to life, and I died. So I discovered that the law's commands which were supposed to bring life, brought spiritual death instead. Sin took advantage of those commands and deceived me; it used the commands to kill me. But still, the law itself is holy, and its commands are holy and right and good. But how can that be? Did the law, which is good, cause my death? Of course not! Sin used what was good to bring about my condemnation to death. So you see how terrible sin really is. It uses God's good commands for its own evil purposes." (Romans 7:7-13) NLT
If there is something you are looking for here in this life that shows perfection, good luck with that; this world we are living in is a fallen world, all that was good before the fall has been corrupted by sin, and perfection was destroyed the moment Adam disobeyed God's command. This might be the stumbling block for many who put their hopes in anyone else but Jesus Christ, making those that are flawed and human out to be perfect and infallible. I can't remember where I heard this, but sin enters our hearts as easy as picturing pink elephants enters our minds, when we are told not to think of them. The harder we try not to sin, the easier it is for sin to enter our hearts. It is as if sin gets stronger the more we focus upon the commandments of God. That is the whole point Paul makes in his picture of sin living in him, given in Romans 7:14-25. We cannot control sinful desires by thinking about controlling the sinful desires; it is a loosing battle that is not going to end well. I know I have brought this up before, but why did God place the thing forbidden in the middle of the Garden? It sure made thinking about it pretty easy to do, and the temptation was pretty hard to miss. There is another end of every single commandment of God, the end that makes perfect sense and gives life. When we focus upon the part that is our requirement, we are taken to the point of failing almost every time; but when we focus upon the part that is our benefit, we are taken into the place of security in God...
"Well then, am I suggesting that the law of God is sinful? Of course not! In fact, it was the law that showed me my sin. I would never have known that coveting is wrong if the law had not said, "You must not covet." But sin used this command to arouse all kinds of covetous desires within me! If there were no law, sin would not have that power. At one time I lived without understanding the law. But when I learned the command not to covet, for instance, the power of sin came to life, and I died. So I discovered that the law's commands which were supposed to bring life, brought spiritual death instead. Sin took advantage of those commands and deceived me; it used the commands to kill me. But still, the law itself is holy, and its commands are holy and right and good. But how can that be? Did the law, which is good, cause my death? Of course not! Sin used what was good to bring about my condemnation to death. So you see how terrible sin really is. It uses God's good commands for its own evil purposes." (Romans 7:7-13) NLT
Monday, February 4, 2019
"I am Secure"
"The wicked have waited for me to destroy me: but I will consider thy testimonies." (Psalms 119:95)
No matter what you might think about eternal security, you have got to agree that the price has been paid in full for your salvation; anything else is robbery and taking away from the finished work of our Lord and Savior. There are plenty of false religions that will fit your way of thinking, if that is what you are looking for; but why would anyone even consider it, based upon the unrighteousness of the human heart? There are at least two very important points that I see being made in this verse; both of which are the two major differences between those that trust in the finished work of Christ, and those that pretend otherwise. The first is explained by the definition of 'the wicked,' which are those that are guilty of sin. There is really nothing wrong with being guilty of sin, because there really is none that are righteous, and we are all guilty of sin; the big difference is that those who confess that Jesus died for their sins have been forgiven, and those that do not, are convicted and really don't feel nice towards those that spout forgiveness of sin. My mom always use to say, "Misery loves company," which is one way of saying that those who are miserable by choice, choose to be around miserable people. Which brings me to the second point, in that, our security is a choice! This is Paul's heart in Galatians 3:1, as he asked a very serious question to those that somehow thought they needed to add to the finished work of Christ: "Who has bewitched you, that you should not obey the truth?" Believe it or not, but it most surely is a spiritual issue. How is it that anyone who has been delivered from the bondage of sin, can turn again looking for chains to be bound with? I totally get why, because I do struggle with sin; as do many, if not all my other brothers and sisters. But the difference between those that put all their in Christ and those that do not, is those that walk by faith and those that walk by sight. I other words, if you are measuring the finished work of Christ by the challenge you have to be holy, you have missed the whole point of putting all your faith in Christ. In this very important point, it is 'His testimonies' that give us our choice: as in, will you believe them or not. Whether you might know it or not, believing is a choice...
"I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ. In the same way, Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith. The real children of Abraham, then, are those who put their faith in God." (Galatians 3:5-7) NLT
No matter what you might think about eternal security, you have got to agree that the price has been paid in full for your salvation; anything else is robbery and taking away from the finished work of our Lord and Savior. There are plenty of false religions that will fit your way of thinking, if that is what you are looking for; but why would anyone even consider it, based upon the unrighteousness of the human heart? There are at least two very important points that I see being made in this verse; both of which are the two major differences between those that trust in the finished work of Christ, and those that pretend otherwise. The first is explained by the definition of 'the wicked,' which are those that are guilty of sin. There is really nothing wrong with being guilty of sin, because there really is none that are righteous, and we are all guilty of sin; the big difference is that those who confess that Jesus died for their sins have been forgiven, and those that do not, are convicted and really don't feel nice towards those that spout forgiveness of sin. My mom always use to say, "Misery loves company," which is one way of saying that those who are miserable by choice, choose to be around miserable people. Which brings me to the second point, in that, our security is a choice! This is Paul's heart in Galatians 3:1, as he asked a very serious question to those that somehow thought they needed to add to the finished work of Christ: "Who has bewitched you, that you should not obey the truth?" Believe it or not, but it most surely is a spiritual issue. How is it that anyone who has been delivered from the bondage of sin, can turn again looking for chains to be bound with? I totally get why, because I do struggle with sin; as do many, if not all my other brothers and sisters. But the difference between those that put all their in Christ and those that do not, is those that walk by faith and those that walk by sight. I other words, if you are measuring the finished work of Christ by the challenge you have to be holy, you have missed the whole point of putting all your faith in Christ. In this very important point, it is 'His testimonies' that give us our choice: as in, will you believe them or not. Whether you might know it or not, believing is a choice...
"I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ. In the same way, Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith. The real children of Abraham, then, are those who put their faith in God." (Galatians 3:5-7) NLT
Sunday, February 3, 2019
"I Am Loved!"
"I am thine, save me; for I have sought thy precepts." (Psalms 119:94)
There is simply no other way that we can say this, but to announce to the world the great power of God's unchanging love! This is where I want to be, standing in the midst of His love; a love that overshadows everything that is wrong in this world, and everything that is wrong in me. Some don't get it, because they have not experienced for themselves, the unfailing love of God. It is not easy to understand something that you can not actually see or feel without first committing yourself, by first believing it is real. I have to share this simple illustration, only because I see so many young children missing out on the experience of fine dinning, just because they refuse to taste and see how good great food can be. But that was easy for me to see it in my own life, how I failed to experience certain foods, only because I was not willing to experience the taste of different foods. It was not until I was in my thirty's that I had actually started to change my mind on trying new types of food, like Sushi and Thai food; which are now two of my most favorite things. Now when I try and invite certain people to join me for lunch, the rejection I get when I mention those two foods, is a lot like the rejection we get when we offer to share Jesus with some people. They say things like, 'Oh, I have tried that before, and it was not for me.' As it might be with the food, they never really tried it, not really. not with the intent to try and experience the goodness of what it had to offer; they could not get past the things that they thought they did not like. There has got to be more to it than just trying, it has got to be more about a need, as in, 'I need this, or I am going to die!' I have thought about some of the children I know, and wondered what it would be like if they had no food for a little while; would that change the resistance to try something new, anything else, other than chicken nuggets! When we look at this verse, we can get the impression that David is speaking God making him His and saving him because he has keep His precepts; but nothing could be further from the truth. The truth is that David is acknowledging that God has made him His, based upon His love for him, and he is simply asking God to save him, not based upon the things that he has done, because we can never earn God's love; but based upon what God has done, David is seeking to stay in God's love; a love that never changes. If I was to base my being loved by God upon my performance, I would be utterly miserable and feel unloved. God's precepts do not change, they are always the same; I must continually seek after them, because that is really all I have to offer...
""The idol makers encourage one another, saying to each other, "Be strong!" The carver encourages the goldsmith, and the molder helps at the anvil. "Good," they say. "It's coming along fine." Carefully they join the parts together, then fasten the thing in place so it won't fall over. "But as for you, Israel my servant, Jacob my chosen one, descended from Abraham my friend, I have called you back from the ends of the earth, saying, 'You are my servant.' For I have chosen you and will not throw you away. Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand."" (Isaiah 41:6-10) NLT
There is simply no other way that we can say this, but to announce to the world the great power of God's unchanging love! This is where I want to be, standing in the midst of His love; a love that overshadows everything that is wrong in this world, and everything that is wrong in me. Some don't get it, because they have not experienced for themselves, the unfailing love of God. It is not easy to understand something that you can not actually see or feel without first committing yourself, by first believing it is real. I have to share this simple illustration, only because I see so many young children missing out on the experience of fine dinning, just because they refuse to taste and see how good great food can be. But that was easy for me to see it in my own life, how I failed to experience certain foods, only because I was not willing to experience the taste of different foods. It was not until I was in my thirty's that I had actually started to change my mind on trying new types of food, like Sushi and Thai food; which are now two of my most favorite things. Now when I try and invite certain people to join me for lunch, the rejection I get when I mention those two foods, is a lot like the rejection we get when we offer to share Jesus with some people. They say things like, 'Oh, I have tried that before, and it was not for me.' As it might be with the food, they never really tried it, not really. not with the intent to try and experience the goodness of what it had to offer; they could not get past the things that they thought they did not like. There has got to be more to it than just trying, it has got to be more about a need, as in, 'I need this, or I am going to die!' I have thought about some of the children I know, and wondered what it would be like if they had no food for a little while; would that change the resistance to try something new, anything else, other than chicken nuggets! When we look at this verse, we can get the impression that David is speaking God making him His and saving him because he has keep His precepts; but nothing could be further from the truth. The truth is that David is acknowledging that God has made him His, based upon His love for him, and he is simply asking God to save him, not based upon the things that he has done, because we can never earn God's love; but based upon what God has done, David is seeking to stay in God's love; a love that never changes. If I was to base my being loved by God upon my performance, I would be utterly miserable and feel unloved. God's precepts do not change, they are always the same; I must continually seek after them, because that is really all I have to offer...
""The idol makers encourage one another, saying to each other, "Be strong!" The carver encourages the goldsmith, and the molder helps at the anvil. "Good," they say. "It's coming along fine." Carefully they join the parts together, then fasten the thing in place so it won't fall over. "But as for you, Israel my servant, Jacob my chosen one, descended from Abraham my friend, I have called you back from the ends of the earth, saying, 'You are my servant.' For I have chosen you and will not throw you away. Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand."" (Isaiah 41:6-10) NLT
Saturday, February 2, 2019
"Impressions of Love"
"I will never forget the precepts: for with them thou hast quickened me." (Psalms 119:93)
Here is that word again, "Quickened." Another look is available to what this word implies, as we see what life might actually feel like. If you have ever gasped for air, not knowing if you were going to be able to breath again, when you finally do get to catch your breath, it is an experience that is not soon forgotten. This is something close to what I believe David is trying to represent. Knowing what we know, that God has snatched us from the fires of hell, we can appreciate how much He loves us and how desperately we need Him to continue loving us. Fortunately for His Word, we don't really need to guess whether or not that is true, because as we read in yesterday's post, His word was written to give us hope and encouragement, as we wait patiently for promises to be fulfilled. One such promise was revealed the day before, and we saw that God is not likely ever going to go back on His promise, ever! You do know that Israel represents all of His people, right? When ever I see God use all three references, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, I picture the three aspects of what gives us security in this thing we commonly refer to as Christianity. How ever you care to look at it, we are called, chosen, and verified, to be one of His anointed. Each and every one of us that are His, there is really never any long lasting doubt that we are, because we have experienced His love. Just like it might feel to experience catching our breath, this is like breathing anew, as if it is more than a second chance, it is indefinite and forever. Just as His statues are prescribed and enactments that are measured out, His precepts are fixed and stand for ever. In other words, one might be portioned out as needed, while the other is always the same and never changes. If you need a little more comfort as to what that might mean, it pretty much means that no matter where you are or what you might have done, you can always go back, because His love for you never changes. A real good illustration for that is the Prodigal Son; who, even though we had squandered all of his inheritance and ended up eating along side the pigs, he remembered his fathers love, and how even the lowest servant in his household was better off than him. Going back, he ended up being quite amazed...
"For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. As the Scriptures say, "People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades. But the word of the Lord remans for ever." And the word is the Good News that was preached to you." (1 Peter 1:23-25) NLT
Here is that word again, "Quickened." Another look is available to what this word implies, as we see what life might actually feel like. If you have ever gasped for air, not knowing if you were going to be able to breath again, when you finally do get to catch your breath, it is an experience that is not soon forgotten. This is something close to what I believe David is trying to represent. Knowing what we know, that God has snatched us from the fires of hell, we can appreciate how much He loves us and how desperately we need Him to continue loving us. Fortunately for His Word, we don't really need to guess whether or not that is true, because as we read in yesterday's post, His word was written to give us hope and encouragement, as we wait patiently for promises to be fulfilled. One such promise was revealed the day before, and we saw that God is not likely ever going to go back on His promise, ever! You do know that Israel represents all of His people, right? When ever I see God use all three references, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, I picture the three aspects of what gives us security in this thing we commonly refer to as Christianity. How ever you care to look at it, we are called, chosen, and verified, to be one of His anointed. Each and every one of us that are His, there is really never any long lasting doubt that we are, because we have experienced His love. Just like it might feel to experience catching our breath, this is like breathing anew, as if it is more than a second chance, it is indefinite and forever. Just as His statues are prescribed and enactments that are measured out, His precepts are fixed and stand for ever. In other words, one might be portioned out as needed, while the other is always the same and never changes. If you need a little more comfort as to what that might mean, it pretty much means that no matter where you are or what you might have done, you can always go back, because His love for you never changes. A real good illustration for that is the Prodigal Son; who, even though we had squandered all of his inheritance and ended up eating along side the pigs, he remembered his fathers love, and how even the lowest servant in his household was better off than him. Going back, he ended up being quite amazed...
"For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. As the Scriptures say, "People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades. But the word of the Lord remans for ever." And the word is the Good News that was preached to you." (1 Peter 1:23-25) NLT
Friday, February 1, 2019
"Over the Top"
"Unless thy law had been my delight, I should then have perished in mine affliction." (Psalms 119:92)
You would not believe how many times I have wanted to continue another day on some of this verses; but I made the choice to not stop going from verse to verse every single day. Odd title, I know; but if you can just bear with me, I am sure it will be made perfectly clear, somehow. Taking these last three verses into consideration, there are three very important things that they all have in common: Surety! There is simply no other way to explain it, but God has given this example in all that He has created, everything! The most important thing of all, is His Word! How important is God's Word? God's Word is the most important thing that there is; even so much, He has magnified His Word above His Name. (Psalms 138:2) I hope that we can understand the importance of this, and why it is that this can give us such comfort and peace. When we talk about the fact that He chose us, we should consider how that is represented when it comes to adoption and being given inheritance in something that we were previously not entitled to being a part of. This is something we cannot walk away from, even if we tried! I know, there are great disputes and arguments about the difference between whether our salvation can be lost or taken away; but this is something all together different. What we are talking about here is the realm of His perspective, no that of our own. God knows the beginning to the end! When it comes to the conclusion of the matter, that is His domain, not ours. This is something that we need to take comfort in and cherish it like there is no other way...
"For even Christ didn't live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, "The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me." Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God's promises to be fulfilled." (Romans 15:3-4) NLT
You would not believe how many times I have wanted to continue another day on some of this verses; but I made the choice to not stop going from verse to verse every single day. Odd title, I know; but if you can just bear with me, I am sure it will be made perfectly clear, somehow. Taking these last three verses into consideration, there are three very important things that they all have in common: Surety! There is simply no other way to explain it, but God has given this example in all that He has created, everything! The most important thing of all, is His Word! How important is God's Word? God's Word is the most important thing that there is; even so much, He has magnified His Word above His Name. (Psalms 138:2) I hope that we can understand the importance of this, and why it is that this can give us such comfort and peace. When we talk about the fact that He chose us, we should consider how that is represented when it comes to adoption and being given inheritance in something that we were previously not entitled to being a part of. This is something we cannot walk away from, even if we tried! I know, there are great disputes and arguments about the difference between whether our salvation can be lost or taken away; but this is something all together different. What we are talking about here is the realm of His perspective, no that of our own. God knows the beginning to the end! When it comes to the conclusion of the matter, that is His domain, not ours. This is something that we need to take comfort in and cherish it like there is no other way...
"For even Christ didn't live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, "The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me." Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God's promises to be fulfilled." (Romans 15:3-4) NLT
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