"Standing Firm"

"They continue this day according to thine ordinances: for all are thy servants." (Psalms 119:91)

  As hard as it might be to imagine it, there is going to be a day when everyone will bow down and worship Christ Jesus. How that is going to look and where it is going to happen, is something I really look forward to seeing. In this verse that are two very important factors that are being discussed, God's ordinances and His servants. The most amazing thing that I see these two factors have in common, is that they remain standing firm; not because they have power within themselves to do so, but because God has established it so! This is probably very closely related to the Great Mystery that Paul speaks about, the phenomenon of predestination. We cannot explain it because it is based in the eternal; something that none of us mortals have any clue what it looks like or how it even works. Paul might have been one of the very few that was able to witness what it was like; because his expression of it was not light, as many have shared who have died and been brought back to life, but is was more about sound, as in something so spectacular to hear than there was no way to explain it. I heard Rush Limbaugh say something the other day that I needed to write down, he said, "Audio Closes the Deal." This might be something he said to express the impact of radio over TV, and how people are more effected by what they hear than what they see, but whether he realized it or not, God communicates with us through His Word. The devil, on the other hand, will use our vision or our eyes to get us tempted into sin and to deceive us. Amazing how it all works, but something else that Rush said before, is that being deaf is the only sense you cannot fake having. Anywho, that main point of what I believe is being expressed, whether David is specking of people or the elements, is that God holds everything together, no matter what matter it might be dealing with, He controls all matter...

"Then this message came to Jeremiah from the LORD: "This is what the LORD says: If you can break my covenant with the day and the night so that one does not follow the other, only then will my covenant with my servant David be broken. Only then will he no longer have a descendant to reign on his throne. The same is true for my covenant with the Levitical priests who minister before me. And as the stars of the sky cannot be counted and the sand on the seashore cannot be measured, so I will multiply the descendants of my servant David and the Levites who minister before me." The LORD gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, "Have you noticed what people are saying? -'The LORD chose Judah and Israel and then abandoned them!' They are sneering and saying that Israel is not worthy to be counted as a nation. But this is what the LORD says: I would no more reject my people than I would change my laws that govern night and day, earth and sky. I will never abandon the descendants of Jacob or David, my servant, or change the plan that David's descendants will rule the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Instead, I will restore them to their land and have mercy upon them."" (Jeremiah 33:19-26) NLT

"Connectability"

"Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth." (Psalms 119:90)

  It is really not all that hard to understand where this world is headed, the further they get away from the One True God, the more dependent they get on themselves; and what a scary place that ends up to be! Take the whole climate-change scenario, whether it is true or not true, when you are ignoring that there is a Creator, and the fact that the Creator holds all things together, then any sign of change in the climate becomes catastrophic and out of proportion. Does that make me into a Denier? Well, if it involves denying that God is in control, then I will gladly say that I am; because not only do I believe that He is in control, but I believe this world is going to get exactly what it deserves! Just read it for yourself, in 2 Peter 3:5-7. Obviously we don't have any control over the climate; anyone that thinks that we do, is buying into the way that the governments in control gain more control of peoples lives, fear! I was watching Fox & Friends this morning, and they showed a couple of things that caught my attention. One was a lone teacher that was standing up for the Pledge of Allegiance because the School Board wanted to ban it. The footage that was shown, showed her obviously scared, but none the less, she completed the whole thing on her own, in front of what sounded like people demonstrating opposition. The second was a clip from a legislative meeting in Virginia, where it appears that they too are taking up the notion to allow abortions to be performed right up to the moment of birth. If you are not paying attention, you could be easily persuaded that everything is just as it always has been, and the Lord is not coming soon. On a more positive note, scientist in Israel say that they have discovered the cure for cancer. I really hope that your eyes are looking up...

""Yes," says the LORD, "I will do mighty miracles for you, like those I did when I rescued you from slavery in Egypt." All the nations of the world will stand amazed at what the LORD will do for you. They will be embarrassed at their feeble power. They will cover their mouths in silent awe, deaf to everything around them. Like snakes crawling from their holes, they will come out to meet the LORD our God. They will fear him greatly, trembling in terror at his presence. Where is another God like you, who pardons the guilt of the remnant, overlooking the sins of his special people? You will not stay angry with your people forever, because you delight in showing unfailing love. Once again you will have compassion on us. You will trample our sins under your feet and throw them into the depths of the ocean! You will show us your faithfulness and unfailing love as you promised to our ancestors Abraham and Jacob long ago." (Micah 7:15-20) NLT  

"LAMED"

"For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven." (Psalms 119:89)

  Half way done, and yet it goes on and on, with new revelations. In this section of Scripture the point is made perfectly clear by the word "settled," as in fixed or established. In other words, God does not change, and we should not ever stop believing! If there has been a change in the relationship or we feel distant from God, it is because we have changed, not God. Obviously, there must be more to that word than just that; believing that God's word does not change, is not only important to our faith, it is what gives our hope satisfaction and purpose. On this side of heaven there is only one thing that must be fixed in our lives, our stand on what we believe! There are so many forces that are against us, it must be something that we determine to do; recommitting and checking ourselves over and over, to assure that we are still standing firm. This was Paul's point in several of his letters, especially in his letter to Ephesus. In the beginning of his letter, he expresses the importance of being chosen by God. This is so important to remember, that it is God who chose us; without this bit of knowledge being established, there might be room for mistakes. God does not make mistakes! In the closing of his letter, Paul makes it abundantly clear how critical it is that we stand! Do all that we can to stand! And to stand strong! 'Weebles wobble but they don't fall down!' That is the kind of stand we must be about! Because there will be issues and detours to our walk, it is just undeniable. We might think we have everything under control, but it is that kind of thinking that will continually get us in trouble. No, this is a strategic determination, much like keeping your wedding vows, no matter what! If the point of how that relates somehow does not connect with you, I am sorry for you and your spouse. That is another topic Paul addressed in his letter to Ephesians; a point about the relationship between and husband and wife being like Christ and the church...

"For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless, let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband." (Ephesians 5:30-33) KJV

"Life Summed Up"

"Quicken me after thy lovingkindness; so shall I keep the testimony of thy mouth." (Psalms 119:88)

  If there was a way to sum up this section of Scripture, it would be expressed in the word above, "quicken." So many different aspects of living and being alive; as fleeing as life might be, having eternal life guaranteed makes a world of difference. As I said earlier, there are only a few things in this life we are guaranteed, and the things guaranteed to us here are not all that pleasant. But what we guaranteed in Jesus, that is something that is out of this world! I don't really know who is reading this on a daily basis, but I do know that God is speaking to several people in various places all over the world. My prayer regarding these last eight days of writing, is that anyone that might have been afraid in their situation, has been strengthened. I know that I have. Hardly a day goes by that God is not speaking into my heart through all of these postings. As I said from the very beginning, I wanted this to be a living journal; like a personal conversation with God that is made public. If you are reading this, and you are that person who might have been feeling fear in your circumstance, and you are no longer afraid, your greatest obligation in that is to strengthen someone else around you. If you have been given another outlook, then there are people in your life that might have been watching your life, and they desperately need to see hope in a hopeless situation! So, keep the testimony of the mouth of Jesus, and let someone in on your little secret, and give some glory to God...

"We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his power and his mighty wonders. For he issued his laws to Jacob; he gave his instructions to Israel. He commanded our ancestors to teach them to their children, so the next generation might know them -even the children not yet born -and they in turn will teach their own children. So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting his glorious miracles and obeying his commands." (Psalms 78:4-7) NLT

"Life Complete"

"They had almost consumed me upon earth; but I forsook not thy precepts." (Psalms 119:87)

  Okay, so the thing that I feel God speaking into my heart this morning, is about the respect for life; not just the chance to live, but the aspect of life and all of the difficulties and tragedies that come with it. As I was thinking about this, I could not help but think of the new legislation the is being celebrated in New York, and on the way to be celebrated here in California; that an unborn child can now be terminated right up to the time of birth, for any reason! How is this not murder! As many of you are aware, I do not think life can be taken from another without it being viewed as taking a life; no matter what state or condition a persons life is in, if they are alive, they are in God's hand, and only God has the authority to take their life. This is not just my opinion, it is my passion. For over 15 years, I have been caring for and continuing to love and cherish my wife. There are more people than I care to think about that do not understand, nor do they appreciate the fact that there is still a life there; she might not be able to do much of anything, but she is still alive and she still has a soul. Don't think that I am weird for saying this, but our souls do still communicate together. I can't explain it, but there is still a connection between us that is deeper than just flesh and blood. Do I have issues with the state that she is in? You bet I do! But it is not up to me how long this goes on, it is up to God! My only concern is to continue to care for her as long as she still lives; I promised her I would, so this is how that promise is fulfilled. All that said, there is something else that God has spoken into my heart this morning, it involves real living and the journey of living life at its fullest. That word you see up there, "consumed," speaks far more than just about being used up; it speaks more about being complete! Yes, that's right. Amazingly, our lives cannot be complete without having lived in the face of adversity or having suffered through some sort of calamity. As I thought about this, I could not think of any single person in the Bible that did not live without suffering through something, whether it was put upon them or self-imposed, everyone had to deal with some kind of trial or calamity in their life. We are all familiar with the term, "Refiner's Fire": and for all it's worth, the part of us that survives the fire is our soul...

""Students are not greater than their teacher, and slaves are not greater than their master. Students are to be like their teacher, and slaves are to be like their master. And since I, the master of the household, have been called the prince of demons, the members of my household will be called even worse names! "But don't be afraid of those who threaten you. For the time is coming when everything that is covered will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all. What I tell you now in the darkness, shout abroad when daybreak comes. What I whisper in your ear, shout from the housetops for all to hear! "Don't be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell."" (Matthew 10:24-28) NLT

"The Sure Life"

"All thy commandments are faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me." (Psalms 119:86)

 It really doesn't get much better than this; whether you realize it or not, when God is on your side, it really does not matter what anyone does or how the battle might look against you, you have nothing to fear! What is faith without confidence in the God that loves you? It pretty much comes down to us believing and trusting God; if we can't believe Him as we should, then our trust in Him will mirror that belief. If you look closely at this verse, there is something missing in the way David is asking God for help. We have already concluded that what we are needs to be fixed, that we are broken and in desperate need of repair; so the condition of our fallen nature has been dealt with, and now it's no longer the issue. The issue now is something that speaks of trusting in God to make our salvation count for something else, something that gives glory to the One that saved us! I mean, seriously, what are we here for, if not for our salvation to be used by God to further more salvations? Paul gives this process a name, "His workmanship." (Ephesians 2:10) There is something in each of our lives that we are to walk in, that has been preordained by God, and that is perfectly prescribed to be the good works that we have been saved for. It's not just about my salvation, that I have been saved! Even the thief on the cross next to Jesus, who lived maybe only an hour or so after he was saved, it was not just for him that he was saved. His salvation has probably saved more people than anyone else, even though he only was able to live on this earth a very short while after he was saved. You think of all the people that have been on there deathbed and been given this example of salvation. There is nothing more that we need to do, but believe! Our salvation continues to work long after we are gone, so it is really more about just believing; everything else will work itself out from there...

""Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don't listen because you don't belong to God." The people retorted, "You Samaritan devil! Didn't we say all along that you were possessed by a demon?" "No," Jesus said, "I have no demon in me. For I honor my Father -and you dishonor me. And though I have no wish to glorify myself, God is going to glorify me. He is the true judge. I tell you the truth, anyone who obeys my teaching will never die."" (John 8:47-51) NLT

"Sure Footing"

"The proud have digged pits for me, which are not after thy law." (Psalms 119:85)

 There are a couple different ways to look upon this verse, both from a negative aspect and from the positive reality. I believe the most important for those of us that might know the difference, it is best to focus upon the positive reality, and disregard the negative aspects all together. What are the positive realities? Well, first off, the proud being spoken of are all around us; but instead of making that into a negative aspect, we need to make a determination of what is more real, the Word of God or the arrogant people all around us. If you follow Dr. Chuck's line of thinking, all of this could just be an illusion; as strange as that might sound, the temporal life all around us is far more fragile than the infinite life we are looking forward to; so which one has the longest lasting reality? Which one is more real? Or should I say, Which one is more real to you? In other words, if we know the law of God, that represent His precepts and statutes, then it is pretty easy to spot the pits that have been dug to make us stumble. The reality of what is real and not real comes into focus, because the things that are real are true, the things that are not real are false, so it is far better to know the truth, and to stick to it, no matter what! If you are looking for good examples of what this might look like, we see them all throughout the four Gospels, as the Jewish leaders try to trap Jesus with certain trick questions and with ridiculous assumptions. Jesus did not hesitate to answer, because the falseness of what was being presented was very obvious to Him. If you know the truth, then that which is false cannot stand side by side it without notice.  Some times it is best to just stick to what you know to be truth and pay no attention to the rest. That is what the positive reality is of this verse; if it doesn't stand up to the test, then avoid falling into the pit...

""Our father is Abraham!" they declared. "No," Jesus replied, "for is you were really the children of Abraham, you would follow his example. Instead, you are trying to kill me because I told you the truth, which I heard from God. Abraham never did such a thing. No, you are imitating your real father."" (John 8:39-41) NLT

"The Master's Hand"

"How many are the days of thy servant? When wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me?" (Psalms 119:84)

  There are only a few things in this life that we are guaranteed, and they are not all that pleasant. If you really stop and think about it, the hope in the life to come is getting better and better the more we stick around. Here is the thing that God is speaking into my heart today, that if nothing else can give us comfort in this life, it is that which He has promised us, and His promise does not apply to this life! I am being totally serious; peace is something available to those that can withstand the storms; joy is something that comes to those that focus upon Heaven; and hope, hope is something that is not attached to anything that we are currently attached to, it is in a place far beyond our current reach! Does that sadden me, in the least? Absolutely not! If there is one thing that I have learned, it is that Heaven is where my salvation is, and it is way beyond mine, or anyone else's reach. You can do to me whatever you want, but you cannot take away my salvation! Secondly, the servant is never greater than his Master! What that implies, is the fact that Jesus suffered persecution, so we can pretty much expect to suffer some persecution also. If they hated Jesus, and you are a follower of Jesus, then they will hate you too! Own it proudly, because it is an honor that you should have comfort in. As a matter of fact, we are told to pray for those that persecute us, because their fate, if they do not convert, is far greater than ours...

"Seventy years are given to us! Some even live to eighty. But even the best years are filled with pain and trouble; soon they disappear, and we fly away. Who can comprehend the power of your anger? Your wrath is as awesome as the fear you deserve. Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom." (Psalms 90:10-12) NLT

"Ready Made"

"For I am become like a bottle in the smoke; yet do I not forget the statutes." (Psalms 119:83)

 Sometimes we just need to forget about all the nonsense going on around us, and we just need to focus upon the Lord and His soon return. It's not a cop-out, it is taking our hearts off of the things of this world and getting them set on the things of the Kingdom. To get right down to it, this description of a "bottle in the smoke," although it might not have much of a description in the Strong's, it does have a pretty good illustration of us in this world around us. In the day that this was written, bottles were mostly made of skins, which would represent our flesh; inside of those skins would be kept things like milk, water, and wine, which represent the Word, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. The "smoke," is exactly what you might think that it is, it is a fog or vapor all around us that makes it almost impossible to navigate or figure out which direction we should go. It might not seem as easy to see what side people are on, until you get further away from the smoke; then, even those that previously appeared to be on your side, are revealed as those against you, because anyone that is not for Jesus ends up being not on your side. This might be better illustrated by think of the smoke as everyday issues, such as finances or crimes against humanity. These are two things that everyone might be somewhat equally concerned about, and the further away from the problem they might get, the closer they they might get to looking at the spiritual side of life, and what each other might believe. Basically, what I feel God is saying in all of this smoke, is that no matter what might be happening in our lives or around us, we keep Him and His statutes firming in our hearts and at the forefront of our minds. We are still human beings, and we still can get pulled in several different directions, now and again, so there really needs to be somewhere that we are anchored. Make sure that your Anchor is Christ! He is living in you, so whatever direction you get pulled into, He is always there...

""God is so great -higher than the heavens, higher than the furthest stars. But you reply, 'That's why God can't see what I am doing! How can he judge through the thick darkness? For thick clouds swirl about him, and he cannot see us. He is way up there, walking on the vault of heaven.' "Will you continue on the old paths where evil people have walked? They were snatched away in the prime of life, the foundations of their lives washed away. For they said to God, 'Leave us alone! What can the Almighty do to us?' Yet he was the one who filled their homes with good things, so I will have nothing to do with that kind of thinking. "The righteous will be happy to see the wicked destroyed, and the innocent will laugh in content. They will say, 'See how our enemies have been destroyed. The last of them have been consumed in the fire.' "Submit to God, and you will have peace; then things will go well for you. Listen to his instructions, and store them in your heart. If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored -so clean up your life. If you give up your lust for money and throw your precious gold in the river, the Almighty himself will be your treasure. He will be your precious silver!"" (Psalms 22:12-25) NLT

"Made Ready"

"Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me?" (Psalms 119:82)

  It is not enough to cherish or hope in the word of God, we must prepare our hearts by accepting it as the truth, above all else. Believe it or not, but this too is a choice; it is something that we must determine in our hearts to do, and we must fortify our minds to make it so, no matter what else our mind might try to trick us into believing. This is one of those "Polar Bear Alert" kind of moments, when we need to stand our ground and believe with all of heats that it is not what we see with our eyes that matters most, but what we believe in our hearts. In a strange kind of way, there is an answer to this question that is already being performed, the moment the question is asked. I know I have shared this before, but when I am at my weakest and feel I can't stand it anymore, it is in that moment I can feel God's hand upon me and He comforts me. He comforts me, because in the worst moments, I am so desperate for Him to comfort me, it actually happens! Forget about the rest, and put all of your focus upon His word! You don't even need to get up off the ground and grab your Bible, because His word is written upon your heart, and you just need to meditate upon what He has made true to you. There is no greater comfort that we can know, than the comfort that comes from the spoken word. This is the meaning that I get from what David is trying to say, that it counts most when you know that God has spoken to you directly; it's not just something that you read and then applied that to yourself, it is something that you know God has said directly to you. Therefore, because it is for you, you are ready to receive it, even in the midst of your discomfort. Even in these moments, our hearts must choose truth over everything else. No matter what anyone, even ourselves, try to tell us, God's word is lifted up above everything else...

"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled." (2 Corinthians 10:3-6) KJV

"KAPH"

"My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word." (Psalms 119:81)

  Believe me when I say this, but this one has me scratching my head and saying, I don't get it! Exactly right! That is what we are always faced with, questions of life and living in a fallen world. To put it in a simple way of thinking, sometimes we need to stop thinking about it all together. It might be hard to put this into something tangible, because the whole point is that it is not; as soon as you think you have something you can hold onto to, it is no longer in your grasp. Take our salvation, for example: when I first believed, nothing was more clear to me as it was in that moment, but as soon as I began to focus upon that moment, the moment was gone. Does that mean my salvation had somehow slipped away? Absolutely not! The newness of my new life may have become something a little more stable, but now my salvation is being worked out in my life, a life that is filled with never-ending questions. I guess if there was anything that could be pointed to as a law, it could probably be summed up in the second point of this verse, "But I hope in thy word." Even when we don't get the answer we are looking for, we still need to go the the source that gives us the truth, God's Word! Life is so full of never-ending changes; what is up, gets turned upside down; what we think is solid ground, quickly becomes quicksand. But God's Word, it never ever stops proving the answers we are looking for, hope in a life of hopelessness...

""Write this letter to the angel of the church in Laodicea. This is the message from the one who is the Amen -the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's new creation: "I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth! You say, 'I am rich. I have everything I want. I don't need a thing!' And you don't realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked. So I advise you to buy gold from me -gold that has been purified by fire. Then you will be rich. Also but white garments from me so that you will not be ashamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see. I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference."" (Revelation 3:14-19) NLT

"Power to Do"

"Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed." (Psalms 119:80)

  Isn't amazing how this all works out? How it is not about us and our testimonies, but about God and His statutes! If you need to be reminded, "statutes" are God's prescribed portions or tasks; but more than that, they are established and definite! Case in point, Moses: Born at a time when he should have been killed, yet not only did he survive, but he ends up raised in Pharaoh's house. Then, just when he faces death again, he is separated from Egypt for 40 years, when he finally meets God and learns of his real purpose. For such a time as this, is that story of each and every servant of God, throughout the Bible and through the ages. I can't explain how it works; neither can anyone else. God does what He does because He knows best how everything is going to turn out, in each of our lives, and in His Story! Because it is all about Him! That verse that explains it best is found in 2 Corinthians 4:7, and it says, "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us." It is God doing in us what is best for His testimony of His goodness and of His love. We are servants, however that might look, and whatever form that might take, we are servants of His Story; the Master is creating His masterpiece, and we are all part of the work. I cannot help but think of that parable Jesus gave of the Wedding Feast, the one where He called out a man for not wearing the Wedding Garment. That man felt ashamed for not putting on the Garment: That Garment was Jesus Christ...

"And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming." (1 John 2:28) KJV

'Do Good, Think Good"

"Let those that fear thee turn unto me, and those that have known thy testimonies." (Psalms 119:79)

  I have been known to be a little mule-headed, so you might need to cut me a little slack when it comes to trying to stay on course. If you know anything about David's great sin against Uriah, then you should relate to the tone of his heart. David never needed to be reminded of his sin; it haunted him for pretty much the rest of his life. So much so, that he failed to be the kind of father that he could have been, if he was not so conflicted by his own sinful heart. To be perfectly honest, this is something that is near and dear to my heart as well. So many times I have had opportunities to get into the ministry, but have allowed my failures to dictate my ability to allow God to use my life. The more I think about it, it was not just the failures that made it hard, it was the lack of victories. When we look at the life of someone like David, how do we compare some of his victories with the kind of victories we are faced with? I have never really gone up against a giant, as David did with Goliath; so it is really hard for me to even compare myself to him. On the overhand, I have never done anything as bad as he did to Uriah, so I guess I should be happy with my mediocre life. I guess what it is that God is trying to show me, is that on a scale of good and bad, we are all pretty much the same. If you get right down to it, the harder you have fallen, the greater the victory; or the greater the victory, the harder you can fall. This is not a contest, so we really do not want to try and make it one. The point to all of this is that we allow God to do in us what He wants to do, and let Him have the glory. Don't try to make more out of it than it actually is and remain humble; that is what I see happening. This is David asking God to continue to use his life, and to have the people that fear God see that he is being used; to not only take notice, but to keep him in their prayers and speak of the way God is still using him, despite his ability to fall. When it comes to God's testimonies, He can make a donkey speak, so He can surely use someone like me...

"I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him, even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief. Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus. This is a trustworthy saying and everyone should accept it: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" -and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen." (1 Timothy 1:12-17) NLT

"Without Hesitation"

"Let the proud be ashamed; for they dealt perversely with me without cause: but I will meditate in thy precepts." (Psalms 119:78)

 I know that it might not seem right, but there are some things that require a quick reaction, regardless of what others might think. As with any work that is done, whether it is based upon what God has put upon our heart, or it is part of the ministry that we are a part of, the act of doing something must be looked upon as something that is done for the Lord. Here is the thing that is so important about that: We owe the Lord our very lives, and there is nothing we can ever do to repay what He has done for us, absolutely nothing! There are some religions that are all about works and trying to either pay off a dealt or trying to earn some kind of favor with God; none of that kind of work will do anything to benefit their soul. They might feel a little better about themselves; and most of the time they actually feel themselves to be better than others; but as far as the Lord is concerned, if they were doing anything to try and earn part of what is freely given, they are just no better than a thief or a robber. If you think this might not touch upon the subject of what is being said, think again, because those that actually do serve the Lord with the right motivations are constantly being torn down by those who are jealous, and try to make them look bad or wrong in what they do. This was David's determination: that the way he was being dealt with, was without cause, therefore he was not going to let it bother him, in the least! This is why he can so easily state, "Let the proud be ashamed." That was his way of asking God that they would see their crookedness for themselves, and then feel ashamed for their actions. God knows our heart, and if our motivations are right, there is nothing anyone can say or do to us that should knock us down or trip us up. But, just in case we get caught off guard, we must meditate upon what we know is right and true, and simply disregard the rest...

"You who are slaves must accept the authority of your masters with all respect. Do what they tell you -not only if they are kind and reasonable, but even if they are cruel. For God is pleased with you when you do what you know is right and priestly endure unfair treatment. Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you. For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps." (1 Peter 2:18-21) NLT

"Object of Delight"

"Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight." (Psalms 119:77)

  As far as employment goes, it is said that good employees are happy employees; the same is true for those that serve in ministry, and especially for those that focus their service as to the Lord. This goes far beyond actually woking for a church. If you get paid for what you do for the Lord, then nothing you receive is yours; just because you are working for God does not mean it is your share of the ministry, because it is all the Lord's, every last bit of it. Having been in the ministry for a while, I have seen from behind the curtain who gives and who does not. You would be surprised how many that serve in the church don't actually give of their finances; apparently, they feel their time is enough to cover the financial responsibility to the Lord. This is such a shame, because most of those that live like that are suffering financially. To completely understand what is being said, the focus within this verse is not the "tender mercies," but is the result of the reality of knowing them: "that I may live." If we look at the word "come," it is really speaking about 'entering in,' which is more of something that is the result of knowing that God's tender mercies are always there and available to us. This is the thing that brings God's law into perfect order; so much perfect order, that is becomes the object of our delight! Those that might not give, do not feel obligated to give, either because they want to claim that the law no longer applies, or that their time is money. Those that cheerfully give, give because they know what a delight it is to do what God instructs them to do. If there is something God says, "Test me and see," then there is something there that He wants us to experience, that can only be realized by actually doing it; plain and simple. Looking at this word "live," it has so much more than just life, it speaks of growing and being made alive; something that makes life worth living, a purpose and a reason to live, besides just getting by from day to day, as many actually do. Basically, the point of the delight is pleasure; in other words, this is what we do, because it gives us pleasure...

"Oh, 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 each season. Their leaves never wither, and they will prosper in all they do." (Psalms 1:1-3) NLT

"No Regrets"

"Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word to thy servant." (Psalms 119:76)

  Let's pretend for a moment that we did not know what the word comfort actually means, or that the word that is represented here actually really means benefit, as in, 'be for my benefit.' As with so many other situations and circumstances we might find ourselves in, when we are God's servants, everything that happens to us is something that God uses for good, everything! What part of your life would you have God erase? I find myself thinking about the things I never wish would have happened, and saying, If I could only do it all over again! Well, to be perfectly correct, the word comfort here actually does mean regret! More than that, it actually speaks to the human side of what we are, fallible! In this very important Scripture, we see the result of what it means to be God's servant: We get into messes, and God gets us out; we make mistakes, and He uses our mistakes for opportunities to show off His goodness! Long story short, there is really nothing that God cannot use for the goodness of His Kingdom; even our worst mistake, is His greatest opportunity! If our hearts are right, then there is no end to His mercy. If you don't believe it, then you need to study all the reasons that we need God's mercy; because the way I see it, I need His mercy every day! Basically, what I believe this is speaking about it our ability to actually rest in God's mercy. Just the simple fact that He is kind and merciful towards us, that alone should be enough to give us comfort; but because we are His servant, His word that makes us that servant, creates in us the complex regret in our hearts that actually gives us comfort. We have no need to be shown what we are and what we are capable of doing, because we He has shown us. But above all of that, He shows what we are to Him, and that alone gives us comfort...

"All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with comfort through Christ. Even when we are weighed down in troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort that God gives us." (2 Corinthians 1:3-7) NLT

"Counting Upon The LORD"

"I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me." (Psalms 119:75)

  Whether we are doing what we feel God is leading us to do, or we are doing what we have been told to do by those that are over us, everything is done as unto the LORD. Here is the thing about being the property of Jesus Christ, all you time is His! The word for "afflicted" is a word that speaks of, "To bestow labour upon anything, To exercise oneself in anything." If you will, this is part of the curse that God put upon Adam, "To till the ground, with resistance!" Nothing comes easy and without some sort of sacrifice, not even the work we might do for the LORD; no, especially the work that we do for the LORD! Pick a character, any character from the Bible that was called to serve God, see if they did not have some sort of affliction or resistance in their labor to do what God put upon their hearts. Even the most famous of the Old Testament, Moses; he had so much resistance, even his own people were wishing he had not come to deliver them from Egypt. In this picture, we can become familiar with what it takes to serve God, to have resolve! What that means, for those that might not get it, is that you known what you are meant to do, and you do it, diligently and regardless of the opposition. If it is something that God has led you into doing, then any affliction or resistance is meant to benefit the work, whether that is in you or in the process. You are never the only one that matters in what you do; everything you do is for the LORD, and in that regard, your life must be a living sacrifice. If you cannot see that, then think about what happen to Moses when he mattered more than the people: he stuck the rock instead of just speaking to it, as he was told, saying, "Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?" (Numbers 20:10) It can never be about us, it is always about the LORD! If this were fashioned into a law of doing, then it would about counting upon God's judgments, which means to leave the process up to Him! He is the brains in the adventure, not us...

"The LORD leads with unfailing love and faithfulness all who keep his covenant and obey his demands. For the honor of your name, O LORD, forgive my many, many sins. Who are those that fear the LORD? He will show them the path they should choose." (Psalms 25:10-12) NLT

"Wait On The Lord"

"They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word." (Psalms 119:74)

 Before we get too far into this, I thought it best to slow down a little and smell the roses, as some might say. You might have heard this before, but sheep are led by the Shepherd, they are not driven. Surprising how that works, because the more driven we are to do something, more more we need to pay attention to what might be motivating us to move forward. The word for "hoped" is a word that speaks more about waiting than it does of actually hopping for something. Actually, it speaks of expecting, as if the hope you do have is based upon the expectation that something is going to happen, or that there is going to be more to come. If I could put it in a way that might be easy to understand, it would be that we wait for God to have the first move! Whatever that might imply, to whatever something God has put upon your heart, God will always make the first move, in some form or fashion. We might not even know what kind of sign or action it might be, but if God is calling you to do something, then it will obvious when it happens. Besides, we never want to get ahead of the Lord when it comes to serving Him. No servant will ever take over for his master; servants will always wait to be instructed what to do; that way, if it messes up, it not your fault! We are to be led by the Lord, not driven! Jesus asked all of His followers, "Come follow Me." As His sheep we need to follow the Good Shepherd and learn to hear His voice. There are a lot of different voices out there, but there is only one that matters, especially in matters that pertain to doing anything for the Lord. There is also another message that is being put forth here, which is that of being patient. If there is something that needs to be worked on in my life, it is my ability to be patient and give people my full attention. Whatever it is, it does't matter, I seem to find something else to think about when I should be giving them my full attention. Maybe that's just me, but I tell you what, if God listens to my prayers the way I listen to someone else sharing their heart with me, then I need to worry. When it comes to doing anything for the Lord, His word needs to be first and foremost. Looking at this from the direction of ministry, if we have the ability to bless others with the way we can listen and give an encouraging word, people will be glad to see us and share their hearts with us. Isn't that the way it is meant to be? Four simple words: Stay in the moment...

"Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what he did for me. For I cried out to him for help, praising him as I spoke. If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened. But God did listen! He paid attention to my prayer. Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer or withdraw his unfailing love from me." (Psalms 66:16-20) NLT

"YOD"

"Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments." (Psalms 119:73)

  You might have a different looking letter, maybe JOD or YODH, depending on the version of the Bible you study from; mine is compiled and edited by Spiros Zodhiates, so YOD it is, according to the expert in the Hebrew alphabet. If I were going to assign a law to this section of Scripture, it would need to be the law of doing. Nothing gets done by just sitting around and waiting for something to happen, so someone somehow needs to get up and do something. There is a much quoted verse, that many believe is a quote  from the Bible, it goes: "God helps those that help themselves." As a matter of fact, I believe that my mother said this phrase quite often. Yet there are several examples of what this might look like, most of which are concerning helping others and doing our part in the body of Christ. If you want a good example of something that falls closely in line with the verse above, then I would point you to Acts 17:11, which states, "These were more noble than those of Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and search the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so." If there were more people willing to study the Scriptures for themselves, there would be a lot less trapped in cults and false doctrines. A certain cult that I am very familiar with does not let their people study the Bible on their own; as a matter of fact, they highly discourage them from doing so and warn them that it leads people into darkness. If ever there was an example of the need to help themselves, then there it is! We are responsible for our own salvation! If you have been told a lie and have accepted it as the truth, you will not be able to plead innocent when you stand before the Throne of God. Sorry to bust your bubble, but hiding out in a church that does not preach the Gospel will not protect you. Something that has always fascinated me, is that God created man with His hands. All of the others aspects of His creation were spoken into existence, but when it came to making man, He formed man from the ground, and then breathed life into him. (Genesis 2:7) Something else that has always fascinated me, is the God told Adam to name all of the animals. What a amazing God we serve, that He knows exactly what we need to come to complete understanding...

"For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind. But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness." (James 3:16-18) NLT

"No Fillings"

"The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver." (Psalms 119:72)

  It is really pretty obvious what has the greatest value; God's word is going to win out unhandily, again and again. There are things written in the Bible that just now science is finally beginning to agree with; things that were previously undetectable, but that the Bible spelled out for us, thousands of years ago. When it comes to us getting our teeth into the word of God, the current status of this world could not convince us anymore; the more unstable this world becomes, the more secure God's word becomes! The word for "law" above is the word 'towarh.' Much like the word for "word" in the first verse, "Thou has dealt well with thy servant, O LORD, according to thy word," they both are nouns, and they both include results, both good and bad, depending upon how our choices are made. This is the law associated with the word of God: God speaks and we either choose to obey or we don't! The Word is a masculine noun, the Law is a feminine noun; one is constant, while the other is reactionary or the result of the other. You cannot buy a better result, even if you tried! Even if you had all the money in the world, the law of God's mouth is better, and the long term result cannot be matched! This is why Jesus used money to express His illustration about serving two masters. Money is always needed to buy or sell anything; and buying and selling is needed for almost everyone to stay alive. But money must be our servant, not our master. The word Jesus uses for money, is the word 'mammon' which is the same as treasure or riches. If God has blessed you with treasure or riches, He has done so that you might use it to better serve your fellowman; your money is to be a blessing to others. I always look at it like a faucet, and I want the faucet opened wide! The more you bless others, the more you get blessed. The same is the result for sharing God's word; the more you share God's word with others, the more God's word will fill you up. This is the law of the Word of God! It might be simple to say, but as with anything that needs to be put into motion, it must have hands and feet...

""The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field. "Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!"" (Matthew 13:44-46) NLT

"Wisdom Teeth"

"It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes." (Psalms 119:71)

  I have this verse highlighted in my Bible. When I highlighted it, I really don't remember; but when it was done, it was done with pink highlighter, which tells me that it represents something that I stop to think about the negative side and turn it towards the positive. I did this also in the Book of James, especially in the first and fourth chapters. For example, James 1:12, which is almost completely green, with the exception of five words that are pink, "for when he is tried." The point of what that represents, is the pink highlights are telling me that there are lessons to be learned in the midst of the ordinary trials of this life. It is more than we can even begin to comprehend, but our trials are not just for our benefit; as a matter of fact, most of our ordinary trials are to benefit others that are around us, in ways that we cannot even fathom. Thinking about this post last night, I could not hep but think about the thousands of people who God has placed in my life over these last thirty-seven plus years; some for just a very short moment; many of which are no longer with us. Yes, the bite that we have into God's Word is vitally important to the way we might stand in the midst of trials, but in the midst of every storm, His bite on us is greatest! I really don't know how else to describe it, but to show how the Word we bite into, it nourishes and provides the comfort we might need, but bigger and better than that, is His reaction towards us, for our desire for His Word. What I am trying to say, is that we need to be ready for instruction, especially in the midst of our ordinary trials. Those are the times when we least expect it, but when we are also less likely to cry out. Do they prepare us for the big trials? Probably not. But what they do, is to cause us to chew upon His Word, expecting to be taught, and to be conformed to His image. The big trials that come upon us are so overwhelming, we seldom have time enough to think. It is during those precious moments, when the Lord is holding more firmly unto us, as to keep us abiding in Him, even when we might want to give up. So, it really does not matter what kind of trial you are facing, as long as you keep your focus upon Him. Please don't misunderstand what I am trying to say; because, God's grip on us is bigger than our grip on Him...

""O my God, lean down and listen to me. Open your eyes and see our despair. See how your city -the city that bears your name -lies in ruin. We make this plea, not because we deserve help, but because of your mercy. "O Lord, hear. O Lord, forgive. O Lord, listen and act! For your own sake, do not delay, O my God, for your people and your city bear your name."" (Daniel 9:18-19) NLT

"From Ear to Ear"

"Their heart is as fat as grease: but I delight in thy law." (Psalms 119:70)

  Just when you think things could not get any more out-of-bounds crazy, now it is a disease to be masculine if you are a male. The Lord needs to come back real soon, because I am beginning to think that nuts are running the nut-house. Basically what is being said, is exactly what is being experienced here on this earth: people are getting more and more stupid by the day! The word "fat" means to be inert, stupid; which means that they are stuck in stupid! This is the only time this word shows up in the Scriptures, and it pretty much goes hand in hand with the word for "grease," which pretty much also speaks of being fat and fatness. In other words, the stupidity that is being expressed is the thing they like the most; they are fat with being stupid, because it best fits the narrative of what they believe and don't believe. It is the word for "delight" that needs to catch our attention; like the smile on the face of someone who knows the truth in the midst of utter stupidity all around them! Like the Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland, the smile says it all; I know what is really happening, so there! Listening to Pastor Mike yesterday, things are quickly rolling downhill, and Jesus needs to come back, like right now! Basically, the point of this is pretty obvious: We need to all take a deep breath and put on our best smile, because it is only going to get worse, and there is really nothing else we can do about it...

"And after they had argued back and forth among themselves, they left with this final word from Paul: "The Holy Spirit was right when he said to your ancestors through Isaiah the prophet, 'Go and say to this people: When you hear what I say, you will not understand. When you see what I do, you will not comprehend. For the hearts of the people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes -so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.' So I want you to know that this salvation from God has also been offered to the Gentiles, and they will accept it."" (Acts 28:25-29) NLT

"The is That"

"The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart." (Psalms 119:69)

  Just so you know, yesterday was a pretty emotional day; the more I think about it, the more amazed I am with the Holy Spirit and the things He puts upon my heart. Whether or not you understood the message, everything we do, whether good or bad, it is all a choice. There is nobody out there that makes any one of us do anything. No one will be able to use the excuse, "The devil made me do it," when they stand before the Lord, because the devil cannot make us do anything; it is all our choice, to do what is right or wrong, nobody else will make that choice for us. That being said, there is not enough credit given to the devil for causing discourse and discouragement in the church, in our hearts, and in our families. If there was good reason for us to be strong in our prayer life, that would be one at the top of the list. Not that I have moved off the subject of teeth, because I haven't. If there is one description given to the devil and his ways of tearing down people in the church, it is that he is a "roaring lion, walking about, seeking whom he may devour." There is no other way to put this, then to put it in the category of being on guard, at all times! Guard our hearts; guard our families; guard our pastors and those that are serving in the church. There is only one real way to fight back against the enemy, to get on our knees and pray! If we want proof of something that we are standing for, for the hope that is within us, God's precepts do not change, ever! No matter what we are told or think we have heard, whether it be from someone else or maybe from God, if it does not line up with His Word, then it is not true and should not be listened to or considered, period! As to my experience, God's Word is the foundation on which I stand; the motivation behind this continued existence, is that God will honor my commitment, this I know and understand with all my heart. Do I ever get discouraged? More than I would care to admit. But, the devil might try to discourage me, but that's all he has got; it is up to me to rebuke that line of thinking and to stick to what I know: Love conquers everything...

"Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:8-10) NLT

"Retainer"

"Thou art good, and doest good: teach me thy statutes." (Psalms 119:68)

 Since we are still on the subject of teeth, why not talk about the way we keep them strong and straight. I cannot speak to every circumstance that you might be going through, but what I can do is share with you what I know, and you can find a way to work it into your own situation. Before my wife had her operation, our lives were pretty typical. We golfed together almost three times a week, prayed together daily, and had an okay relationship together in bed. If there was one thing that I had wished we did better, it would be to serve more together in the church. As it was, I was serving in the church more than I was sharing time with her. Except for the times when we would leave town together, work and church took up most of my waking time of almost every day. Saturday was the day I usually devoted to family; however, we just started a Coffee House, and Saturday became a day of working on that for a good eight hours or so. Then, when she suffered her so called stoke, all the I had taken for granted was lost. The simple little things like talking together and sharing our hearts with one another, were totally taken away; it was as if, as far as that kind of relationship was, it was gone for good. But God has blessed me beyond anything I could have ever expected, because in my love for her through all of this, I have learned to love her without any conditions or expectations. That might not seem real important to some, at least not until it is something you need to actually live out on your own. Will God heal my wife? I am absolutely positively certain that He will! It might not be in this life, but it will happen, of that I am sure. He has given me His word, and as far as I am concerned, His word is more than enough to satisfy my belief in the fact that it is going to happen. How and when, that's on Him to deal with; as for me, I must just continue to do what I promised to do; to love and cherish her until death do us part. When it comes to God's statutes, as mentioned before, those are His prescribed laws or ordinances; there are certain laws which might be more specific than others, depending on the situation or circumstance. My advice to you, in whatever you might be going through, is to ask Him what He wants you to do, and then do that with all your heart. As for me, my task was simple, to love my wife, just as Christ loves me. As broken as I might be, He still loves me more and more every day. The closer I get towards heaven, the more I feel that He loves me; as broken as I am, He loves me more...

"O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help. Listen closely to my prayer, O LORD; hear my urgent cry. I will call to you whenever I'm in trouble, and you will answer me." (Psalms 86:5-7) NLT

"Big Bite"

"Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word." (Psalms 119:67)

  I think it is pretty obvious where this is going; hopefully it won't hurt to much, and hopefully there will be some lasting effect. Sometimes we need a little intervention, motivation, or a huge amount of reexamination, whatever it takes to get us to snap out of our comfort zone and put us back into the fight. Simply put, if we don't have something to shake us up, we tend to get a little comfortable wearing the things that weigh us down. Maybe you don't quite understand where I am going with this, and maybe you have not had anything disturb your perfect little life, yet. Be that as it may, if you don't have a big enough bite into the Word of God; if the Word of God is not the most important thing that you have in your life, then it is going to hurt a lot more than you think it will! Our light affliction is really only for a very short while; but as Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 4:17-18, it works for us a far more valuable and eternal weight of glory; much more than we could ever know or see. If we could only see beyond are personal surrounding, we would realize how small and temporal these light afflictions actually are. Imagine if you were one of those that followed Jesus to the cross and witnessed His death. Was it something that made you feel as though God couldn't be real? And if He was real, why would He allow this to happen to someone that did nothing but good for so many people? What you would have witnessed, if you truly were His follower, is something that would literally rip your heart out and take away every single once of hope you might have had in a fair and just God. But! Hold on to your God with all of your might, because what things may appear, are not what they actually are! I can't but help think of what Jesus said to the two disciples that were walking, talking about all the terrible things that had happened in Jerusalem, He said, "What things?" What was it about what happened that makes you so sad and hopeless? That is pretty much what Jesus was asking them, because from His perspective, everything went perfectly fine...

"For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God's discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening -it's painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong." (Hebrews 12:10-13) NLT

"Once Bitten"

"Teach me good judgments and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments." (Psalms 119:66)

  Okay, so someone stupid was in the news this morning and helped with this title; but it speaks to the change which must take place in the hearts of all who are saved and filled with the Holy Spirit. I heard someone say the other day, the first thing that happens in the new life of a believer is worship. If you have been saved and you skipped out on the worship part of your new life, you might need to go back to the cross and try again! The message for Men at the Cross yesterday morning was based upon that simple concept of worshipping God. What is real worship? What does God ask of us? What is it that we have to offer to God, each and every one the same? Worship! Looking up the definition of what worship means, many dictionaries have missed the mark on the motivation of what makes us worship God. Of all the definitions from the different sources, one comes closer than most, the source is found at 'The Free Dictionary,' and the definition is love! Love is the thing that makes our worship of God real and sincere. It is His love for us that has bitten us, and our love for Him is expressed in our worship of Him and all that He stands for. Actually, the Scripture used for the message yesterday was pretty much spot on with what is being said above, that God does not desire sacrifices and burnt offerings, but He desires a changed heart. Again, I will go back to my very first post on this wild ride, New Years Day 2010. The question I woke up thinking about, is what motivates us more to obey God, is it fear or love? I guess the question I might asked today, is, what does God want most of us, to fear Him, or to love Him? Well according to James 2:19, fear does not cause one to worship God; as a matter of fact, the way James puts it, "the devils also believe, and tremble." So, fear is not a motivating factor as far the fallen angles are concerned. But love, on the other hand, as Jesus said of what love actually means for us: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (Matthew 22:37-40) Basically, when it comes right down to it, love is our expression of worship, period...

"What can we bring to the LORD? What kind of offerings should we give him? Should we bow before God with offerings of yearling calves? Should we offer him thousands of rams and ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Should we sacrifice our firstborn children to pay for our sins? No, O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:6-8) NLT

"TETH"

"Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O LORD, according to thy word." (Psalms 119:65)

  It is very fitting that we come to this portion of Scripture at this particular time; this being the first weekend of the New Year, vacation time is over, and now it's time to get serious about what matters most! If there was a law to associate with the content of this section of Scripture, it would have a very similar relationship with the word above, "TETH," and that has to do with TEETH! That's right, as if teeth could somehow be associated with some kind of law? Well, if we are talking about the Law of the LORD, then yes, teeth not only is a part, it is both what the law can do, both good and bad for us, and what we should do to God's word, in that we should eat it up! God's word needs to be the nourishment for our souls; without His word being consumed on a daily basis, we should feel as malnourished as we actually really are, because our soul should feel weak and weary. The reality of this verse is so overwhelming, it's not even funny, it is something that should make us wake up and take notice! Regardless of who you are and what position you hold in this life, your life is blessed beyond what you deserve! We take many things for granted, especially the fact that Jesus Christ gave up so much to take our place on that cross. If we want to compare our lives to anyone, then lets talk about how Jesus came down from glory to take on flesh and then live as an outcast and die as a criminal. Even before He was even born, His life was marked as an outcast. Joseph knew the truth, but you can bet many other people did not buy into the whole virgin birth part of His origin. As was said before, we need to be so very grateful, there is only One Judge, and He is so madly in love with us, His judgment over us is love...

""O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name! But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us! We are here for only a moment, visitors and strangers in the land as our ancestors were before us. Our days on earth are like a passing shadow, gone so soon without a trace."" (1 Chronicles 29:13-15) NLT

"Above It All"

"The earth, O LORD, is full of thy mercy: teach me thy statutes." (Psalms 119:64)

  To make some better sense of all of this, a godly man must be willing to learn and to be instructed. My mom would always tell me I was hard-headed and that it would not go well with me if I did not listen. Listening may not be my biggest problem; I love to listen to everything I can hear, it is what I do with what I listen to that really matters. We might not be earth dwellers, but we are living here on this place many refer to as, "God's Green Earth." If there is one thing that we need to come away with in all of this, it is the fact that this earth is the Lord's and everything, including the things that are ugly and wicked, they all belong to the Lord, Christ Jesus! There is nothing that is not His, absolutely nothing. Listening to a pastor speaking yesterday, I heard him say that he has no way to tell which people are those that will be saved and those that will not, so he must be willing to share with every single person that he meets. Regardless of who you are or what you might do for a living, if you have been born again, you first duty in the world around you is to reconcile people to God. The Holy Spirit that lives within you is there to reconcile people to God! The whole point of the cross was to make it so Jesus could reconcile people to God; so if we have been put under the cross of Christ, then that is the power that is to be manifested into our lives, reconciliation! If there was any way that I could put this to make better sense, it would be for us to realize that the Father sees us as holy. If we are washed in the blood of His Son, then He does not see our sins, but He sees us as if we have never sinned. It is that same way of observation that we must utilize when we think of who it is that needs to be reconciled to God: Everyone! Bottom line (for my learning), others first in every situation! If you want to display the character of a godly man or woman, then make that your passion: Others First...

"At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: "O Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way! "My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him." Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light."" (Matthew 11:25-30) NLT

"Okay Then"

"I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts." (Psalms 119:63)

  Not that it matters, but I had the feeling there were many out there that might have misunderstood yesterday's post. The Scripture that speaks to the "Strong Tower" reference is found in Proverbs 18:10, and the basic thing that Solomon is speaking of is the Name of the LORD, as this: "The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe." To put this into some kind of an illustration, I would reference when Jesus told Peter, "Upon this Rock I will build my church." There is nothing about what Jesus said that meant Peter would be the Rock, the Rock is what Peter said and how it was that he was able to understand and say it. This is the biggest difference between all other religions and the Christian faith, knowing who Jesus is and having the Spirit within us to confirm it! Obviously, there are many different types of churches that confess to be part of the Christian faith; many of which, are Christian in name only, because when it comes to believing the Bible and the fact that Jesus is God, they are completely off the reservation. As to yesterday's post, and the fact that prayer takes us anywhere whatsoever, I know for a fact that it does! I know that I can enter in; I know that He is living in me; and I know that there is power we can experience when we pray, that is not of this world. It is that which I am speaking of, the way we pray, when the reality sets into our hearts and minds that we are not "Dwellers of this earth!" That is my illustration of the "Strong Tower," and what it actually looks like; because there is nothing that is part of this earth that can touch us, if indeed we are not attached to this earth! This is something I believe can only be made aware to us through prayer. We can learn about it in the Bible through Scriptures, we can be explained about it from teachers and preachers; but we can never actually realize the true impact that it has on our relationship with this world, unless we see it from the proper perspective. Much the same way Peter saw Jesus, if only for the moment, it was something that was not of this world that he experienced; a revelation, if you will, that, as Jesus said, "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven." (Mathew 16:17) Again, the "precepts" of God are His law, plural! Every single letter and exclamation mark that is written in the Holy Bible, it is all one big picture that cannot be denied or taken away from or added to. If we are looking for companionship with believers, we must not deny the Written Word...

"We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of Life. This one who is life itself was revealed to us, and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father, and then he was revealed to us. We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy." (1 John 1:1-4) NLT

"The Strong Tower"

"At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments." (Psalms 119:62)

  As to the actions of a godly man, words hardly get anything done. For those of us that are people that don't sleep all that much, you can relate to the example that is going to be given about staying active and alert. The title has something to do with what that requires; primarily, that we know how to pray for those we love and care about. One of the perks of being a Christian, is that we can enter into the Holy of Holies, if you will, and we can interceded on behalf of others. Is it a requirement? In a way, I believe that it is; that each and every believer take part in praying for the ones that God places upon their hearts. Some might not think it so, but I believe it is a vital part of the "Armor of God" that we pray for one another. There is nothing like taking part in the spiritual battle, like participating on the battlefield. That is where the battle takes place; it is not in discourse and fighting amongst each other, but in the spiritual arena; a war that is raging all around us. This is where the Strong Tower comes into play, because without a tower to look out and observe the battle, we hardly know what kind of battle we are fighting. God is not only our Mighty Fortress, but He is also our Strong Tower! What exactly do you think a Strong Tower represents? Besides being a place of refuge and strength, it is a place where we are lifted up above our horizon. What that represents is the distance we can elevate our hearts and minds above this everyday life. I know that might sound a little like something close to T. M., but it has nothing to do with the physical body, nor the subconscious mind; it is all about our spiritual prayer life, where we can actually come into the presence of our Heavenly Father, by the power of the Holy Spirit, and by the blood of Jesus Christ. That is where things actually get done...

"In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere." (Ephesians 6:16-18) NLT

"The Mighty Fortress"

"The bands of the wicked have robbed me: but I have not forgotten thy law." (Psalms 119:61)

  Just in case you might not realize this, there is nowhere we can go that is too far from God! Even if you might have been taken there against your will, He is always just a turn away, always! If everything else is stripped away, would you still hold fast to your faith in God? This is quite a simple little test, but it only works when it happens. We can see several different times in David's life that this test was administered, and each time, David passed the test. If your view of God is that of a Mighty Fortress, then in Him you will find refuge through any storm and every circumstance. Oddly enough, I am always quick to trust God in the big issues; if there is nothing I can do, then it is all I can do, to put my trust in Him. It is the little things that will always cause me to get upset. Technology is the worst, whatever it is that messes up, whether it is the computer or my phone, if it is not working right, I have no control over my patience. My mother-in-law always tells me to pray about it, but I just want to smash it and buy a new one. If you want to pray for me, then there is an area that could use some improvement, dealing with stuff! The way I see it, if man can't do it, then it is a God thing; but if it can be done by man, then God won't touch it. At least that is what I have come to understand of how God works; but He uses people to provide for His people, so in that regard, man gets to participate in God's work. Isn't that awesome how that works! You might have heard the joke about that? It involves a flood, and a man that is holding out for God to save him from the flood. The first responder is a guy in a 4 x 4, who dives up to the house and says, "Get in the truck buddy, I will drive you to safety!" And the guy answers back, "I am waiting for God to rescue me!" The second responder is a guy in a boat, as he floats by the house and the guy in the house is hanging out the second story window, he says, "Get in the boat, and I will take you to safety!" And the guy hanging out the window says, "I am waiting for God to rescue me!" The third responder is a guy in a helicopter, who lets down a rope to the guy that is now on his roof, and he says, "Grab the rope, and I will bring you up to safety!" And the guy of the roof replies, "I am waiting for God to save me!" So, the guy waiting for God to save him dies, goes to heaven, and stands in the presence of God, asking, "God, I put all of my trust in you to save me, why did you let me drown?" And God replies, "I sent you a truck, a boat, and a helicopter, what more did you expect me to do?" Maybe it all will work out in the end after all...

"Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, "I will take revenge; I will pay them back," says the LORD. Instead, "If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads." Don't let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by dong good." (Romans 12:17-21) NLT