"O LORD, truly I an thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thy handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds." (Psalms 116:16)
It takes a little bit of testing in order for us to truly understand what it means to be a servant; you don't just get there without a little taste of what the Master expects of you to do. Not that I have figured it out, but I think being a slave requires that we submit to the will of the Master. A real slave is one that has humility and does what he or she is told to do, usually, without question. In this case, David is not only acknowledging the he is God's servant, but he is committing himself to be that servant. There might be several ways to look at the term, "the son of thy handmaid," but for some reason I get the feeling to speaks about history and those that have gone before him; much like the term from Hebrews 12:1, "so great a cloud of witnesses." There is something that must be said for those that have served before us, as we look to them as not only fellow servants, but those that have graduated to something much higher and esteemed; each having finished the race, giving us a little bit of patience with our own. The "bonds" which David is speaking about are the bonds of death; which again, is what this Psalms is all about, being "Rescued From Death." There is really no other way to explain what the Master expects of us, without first having experienced what it feels like to be loosed from the bonds of death. This is something that is felt through trials and circumstances of being totally and completely unafraid of death; as if there nothing here than can hurt you, because this is not the end and death is only the beginning. Not that I have totally understood or lived it out myself, but I have reached that conclusion through my own circumstance. Death is being free from hurt and pain. It is the beginning of our eternity with Jesus, in the home He has been preparing for us all. Why am I His servant? I get to live in that Mansion in the Sky; that's where I go, when I die...
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne." (Hebrews 12:1-2) NLT
Thursday, September 20, 2018
Wednesday, September 19, 2018
"Bonds of Glory"
"O LORD, truly I am your servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thy handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds." (Psalms 116:16)
Maybe again, it is really all about dying to self! Reckon the old man is dead, is another way of saying, I do not serve that master anymore; I have a new Master, and Him will I serve! As I was praying about this verse, I saw an illustration of a man, most likely myself, being chained to the earth. It was almost as if that person was molded from the waist down as part of the soil and vegetation, almost as if he were part of the earth and his chains kept him fastened to the ground. This is not a very good rendition to my vision, so excuse me if I lack the talent to explain myself well enough. The point I believe it was illustrating was that of an 'Earth Dweller', or someone that is attached to this earth, physically and spiritually attached. Of all the things Pastor Bryan was trying to get out this last Sunday, the point about God being three Persons and man being three, body, soul, and spirit, was more about what should motivate us, then I think many people in the church really understood. This body that we have is only one third of our existence; the other two thirds are our soul and spirit. If that has anything similar to God's existence, then the body part is no greater than either of the other two, and the other two together are greater than the one; or something like that. My point is about what Jesus was going through the night He was arrested; how it was that He gained the strength to deny His will and lay His life down, He was out-numbered! The Father and the Holy Spirit gave precedence over the Son. I know it sounds a little strange, and the whole "All Three in One" thing is really hard to grasp; but Jesus was also a Man, which meant that He was manifested in a temporary body, just like you and I have our temporary bodies. These bodies we move around in are attached to this earth, just like the illustration given above; but our soul and spirit, they are not; they should have precedence over all of the choices we make, just as it was with Jesus and His choices...
"Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right. And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom. But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:19-23) NLT
Maybe again, it is really all about dying to self! Reckon the old man is dead, is another way of saying, I do not serve that master anymore; I have a new Master, and Him will I serve! As I was praying about this verse, I saw an illustration of a man, most likely myself, being chained to the earth. It was almost as if that person was molded from the waist down as part of the soil and vegetation, almost as if he were part of the earth and his chains kept him fastened to the ground. This is not a very good rendition to my vision, so excuse me if I lack the talent to explain myself well enough. The point I believe it was illustrating was that of an 'Earth Dweller', or someone that is attached to this earth, physically and spiritually attached. Of all the things Pastor Bryan was trying to get out this last Sunday, the point about God being three Persons and man being three, body, soul, and spirit, was more about what should motivate us, then I think many people in the church really understood. This body that we have is only one third of our existence; the other two thirds are our soul and spirit. If that has anything similar to God's existence, then the body part is no greater than either of the other two, and the other two together are greater than the one; or something like that. My point is about what Jesus was going through the night He was arrested; how it was that He gained the strength to deny His will and lay His life down, He was out-numbered! The Father and the Holy Spirit gave precedence over the Son. I know it sounds a little strange, and the whole "All Three in One" thing is really hard to grasp; but Jesus was also a Man, which meant that He was manifested in a temporary body, just like you and I have our temporary bodies. These bodies we move around in are attached to this earth, just like the illustration given above; but our soul and spirit, they are not; they should have precedence over all of the choices we make, just as it was with Jesus and His choices...
"Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy. When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right. And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom. But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:19-23) NLT
Tuesday, September 18, 2018
"Glory Bound"
"Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints." (Psalms 116:15)
Nothing can quite compare to this illustration of God's desire for our fellowship. I tried to think of something in this life that might come close, and there was nothing that came to mind. We look at death as something dark and dreary; depressing, to say the least. If you have ever been to a funeral of someone that did not believe in God, it is totally and completely hopeless feeling, as in, there is no hope felt in that room at all. I will never forget what it was like at my son's funeral, how four or five of those that loved him were gathered around his open casket sharing about memories and filled with joy. It was a pretty awesome sight to see. I only hope it will be the same for me, that there will be a celebration for where I am, not a time of pity over my death. There is really only one thing that my heart wants to stay here for, and that is caring for my wife. No one is capable of caring for her like I can; no one I know is trustworthy enough to give her the love and affection she deserves. That is my pray, that she departs first; then I will feel totally free to leave. This is the point I think matters the most, is for us who love the Lord to desire to be in His presence. It is not just a reservation, it is a passion! Paul puts it this way, saying, "I'm torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live." (Philippians 1:23-24 NLT) What can possibly harm me, if my desire is to be with the Lord! Absolutely nothing...
"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 sakes 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."
(Romans 8:35-37) NLT
Nothing can quite compare to this illustration of God's desire for our fellowship. I tried to think of something in this life that might come close, and there was nothing that came to mind. We look at death as something dark and dreary; depressing, to say the least. If you have ever been to a funeral of someone that did not believe in God, it is totally and completely hopeless feeling, as in, there is no hope felt in that room at all. I will never forget what it was like at my son's funeral, how four or five of those that loved him were gathered around his open casket sharing about memories and filled with joy. It was a pretty awesome sight to see. I only hope it will be the same for me, that there will be a celebration for where I am, not a time of pity over my death. There is really only one thing that my heart wants to stay here for, and that is caring for my wife. No one is capable of caring for her like I can; no one I know is trustworthy enough to give her the love and affection she deserves. That is my pray, that she departs first; then I will feel totally free to leave. This is the point I think matters the most, is for us who love the Lord to desire to be in His presence. It is not just a reservation, it is a passion! Paul puts it this way, saying, "I'm torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live." (Philippians 1:23-24 NLT) What can possibly harm me, if my desire is to be with the Lord! Absolutely nothing...
"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 sakes 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."
(Romans 8:35-37) NLT
Monday, September 17, 2018
"Unfettered" -2
"I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people." (Psalms 116:14)
As far as getting busy goes towards getting better, better has nothing to with righteousness, it has everything to do with confidence and effectiveness in the ministry of reconciliation. Whether you believe it or not, you are not anymore saved today than you were the hour you first believed, no matter how hard you work and serve for the Lord. It is not what we do that saves us, but what Jesus has done for us; we don't get to take the credit for anything, but we do get to share in the blame. Isn't that what makes us the more relevant? Anyone who might think they are above anyone else, even if they have several different ministries, they are missing the bigger picture. It is not about them, it is about others and how God can use them to minister to others. If we make it about us, then we are slipping back into bondage of the flesh; self sacrifice is something that puts self below others, not above others. This is the second part of this message, that of sacrifice, and what that might actually look like when it is put into practice. "Now" is a word that speaks to the present, meaning that it is not when I feel like it, but it is when I am called or prompted to move. "All" is a word that means everyone, regardless of who I might want to minister to or how I might feel about someone. "Unfettered" is what we are when we give ourselves for the service of others; there is nothing holding us back or taking priority over what God is calling us to do. The more you free yourself up to serve Him, the more free you become to serve Him more...
""I sank beneath the waves, and the waters closed over me. Seaweed wrapped itself around my head. I sank down to the very roots of the mountains. I was imprisoned in the earth, whose gates lock shut forever. But you, O LORD my God, snatched me from the jaws of death! As my life was slipping away, I remembered the LORD. And my earnest prayer went out to you in your holy Temple. Those who worship false gods turn their backs on all God's mercies. But I offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise, and I will fulfill all my vows. For my salvation comes from the LORD alone.""
(Jonah 2:5-9) NLT
As far as getting busy goes towards getting better, better has nothing to with righteousness, it has everything to do with confidence and effectiveness in the ministry of reconciliation. Whether you believe it or not, you are not anymore saved today than you were the hour you first believed, no matter how hard you work and serve for the Lord. It is not what we do that saves us, but what Jesus has done for us; we don't get to take the credit for anything, but we do get to share in the blame. Isn't that what makes us the more relevant? Anyone who might think they are above anyone else, even if they have several different ministries, they are missing the bigger picture. It is not about them, it is about others and how God can use them to minister to others. If we make it about us, then we are slipping back into bondage of the flesh; self sacrifice is something that puts self below others, not above others. This is the second part of this message, that of sacrifice, and what that might actually look like when it is put into practice. "Now" is a word that speaks to the present, meaning that it is not when I feel like it, but it is when I am called or prompted to move. "All" is a word that means everyone, regardless of who I might want to minister to or how I might feel about someone. "Unfettered" is what we are when we give ourselves for the service of others; there is nothing holding us back or taking priority over what God is calling us to do. The more you free yourself up to serve Him, the more free you become to serve Him more...
""I sank beneath the waves, and the waters closed over me. Seaweed wrapped itself around my head. I sank down to the very roots of the mountains. I was imprisoned in the earth, whose gates lock shut forever. But you, O LORD my God, snatched me from the jaws of death! As my life was slipping away, I remembered the LORD. And my earnest prayer went out to you in your holy Temple. Those who worship false gods turn their backs on all God's mercies. But I offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise, and I will fulfill all my vows. For my salvation comes from the LORD alone.""
(Jonah 2:5-9) NLT
Sunday, September 16, 2018
"Unfettered"
"I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people." (Psalms 116:14)
I probably should update our photo, seeing how I have aged significantly since that photo was taken. Oddly enough, Marianne still looks the same; at least that is how I see her, she has not aged at all, she has only become more beautiful and precious in my sight. I seriously hope that is how I look in God's sight; the closer I get to being with Him, the more precious I am in His sight. The strange thing about that, is that He already sees me like I will become, so there is no changing in the way that He sees me. I hope that there is someone out there that understands what I am trying to say, because the message is right at the tip of my tongue. If you dice up the verse above into three sections, say by putting a comma between 'LORD', 'now', and 'in', I believe it will make better sense to anyone that gets what I am trying to say. You see, we are not now the way that we will become, but we can be the way that we should be, right now, if we would only let God have His way in us. I am being totally serious right now. Our basic problem with being used by God, is that we want to feel complete in order for Him to work in us. We do not feel adequate enough, so we are waiting for Him to finish working things out of our lives in order for us to be good enough or more qualified. If that is what you are waiting for, then it is never going to happen! Right now is the acceptable time of the LORD! This amazing and glorious salvation that we have been given shines the brightest in the darkness; with all of your dirt and grime, you are an earthen vessel filled with a glorious message. The title for today's message might have seemed weird when I first wrote it, but I can see now why God spoke it into my heart. My chains are gone, I have been set free; I am no longer a servant to sin, but I am a servant of God! Right now, is just a way of saying, "Just as I am!" Oddly enough, you seriously don't get any better, without first getting busy...
"I praise God for what he has promised; yes, I praise the LORD for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me? I will fulfill my vows to you, O God, and will offer a sacrifice of thanks for your help. For you have rescued me from death; you have kept my feet from slipping. So now I can walk in your presence, O God, in your life-giving light."
(Psalms 56:10-13) NLT
I probably should update our photo, seeing how I have aged significantly since that photo was taken. Oddly enough, Marianne still looks the same; at least that is how I see her, she has not aged at all, she has only become more beautiful and precious in my sight. I seriously hope that is how I look in God's sight; the closer I get to being with Him, the more precious I am in His sight. The strange thing about that, is that He already sees me like I will become, so there is no changing in the way that He sees me. I hope that there is someone out there that understands what I am trying to say, because the message is right at the tip of my tongue. If you dice up the verse above into three sections, say by putting a comma between 'LORD', 'now', and 'in', I believe it will make better sense to anyone that gets what I am trying to say. You see, we are not now the way that we will become, but we can be the way that we should be, right now, if we would only let God have His way in us. I am being totally serious right now. Our basic problem with being used by God, is that we want to feel complete in order for Him to work in us. We do not feel adequate enough, so we are waiting for Him to finish working things out of our lives in order for us to be good enough or more qualified. If that is what you are waiting for, then it is never going to happen! Right now is the acceptable time of the LORD! This amazing and glorious salvation that we have been given shines the brightest in the darkness; with all of your dirt and grime, you are an earthen vessel filled with a glorious message. The title for today's message might have seemed weird when I first wrote it, but I can see now why God spoke it into my heart. My chains are gone, I have been set free; I am no longer a servant to sin, but I am a servant of God! Right now, is just a way of saying, "Just as I am!" Oddly enough, you seriously don't get any better, without first getting busy...
"I praise God for what he has promised; yes, I praise the LORD for what he has promised. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me? I will fulfill my vows to you, O God, and will offer a sacrifice of thanks for your help. For you have rescued me from death; you have kept my feet from slipping. So now I can walk in your presence, O God, in your life-giving light."
(Psalms 56:10-13) NLT
Saturday, September 15, 2018
"Unmatched" -Too
"I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD." (Psalms 116:13)
You know, it has been said that what killed Jesus on the cross, was a broken heart. The other two men that were hanging with Him died of suffocation; but Jesus was already dead when they went to break His legs; and the fluid that came out of Him when they stabbed His side was water mixed with blood. So those that have analyzed what that represents have said it shows that He died of a ruptured heart. That makes the statement, "Break my heart for what breaks Yours," speak volume into what it is all about, and how being separated from the Father is the worst thing that can happen to anyone, especially the Son! As for the second part of this verse, there is something to think about when it comes to calling upon the name of the LORD, especially when have have a broken heart. My heart breaks more times than I care to mention; but each time it happens, I can feel God's hand touching me upon my shoulder, assuring me and letting me know it will all be okay. There is no way I can actually explain what that does for me, except to say that it turns my sadness into gladness, almost instantly. Regardless of what it is that you are going through, no matter the pain or the degree of suffering, when you call upon the name of the LORD, your circumstance changes. You go from being focused upon where you are at or what is going on in your life, and you put your focus upon God and all of His glory, majesty, honor, and love. When that happens in your heart, there is really only one thing that matters, your salvation...
"In that day you will sing: "I will praise you, O LORD! You were angry with me, but not any more. Now you comfort me. See, God has come to save me. I will trust in him and not be afraid. The LORD God is my strength and my song; he has given me victory." With joy you will drink deeply from the fountain of salvation! In that wonderful day you will sing: "Thank you LORD! Praise his name! Tell the nations what he has done. Let them know how mighty he is! Sing to the LORD, for he has done wonderful things. Make known his praise around the world. Let all the people of Jerusalem shout with joy! For great is the Holy One of Israel who lives among you."" (Isaiah 12) NLT
You know, it has been said that what killed Jesus on the cross, was a broken heart. The other two men that were hanging with Him died of suffocation; but Jesus was already dead when they went to break His legs; and the fluid that came out of Him when they stabbed His side was water mixed with blood. So those that have analyzed what that represents have said it shows that He died of a ruptured heart. That makes the statement, "Break my heart for what breaks Yours," speak volume into what it is all about, and how being separated from the Father is the worst thing that can happen to anyone, especially the Son! As for the second part of this verse, there is something to think about when it comes to calling upon the name of the LORD, especially when have have a broken heart. My heart breaks more times than I care to mention; but each time it happens, I can feel God's hand touching me upon my shoulder, assuring me and letting me know it will all be okay. There is no way I can actually explain what that does for me, except to say that it turns my sadness into gladness, almost instantly. Regardless of what it is that you are going through, no matter the pain or the degree of suffering, when you call upon the name of the LORD, your circumstance changes. You go from being focused upon where you are at or what is going on in your life, and you put your focus upon God and all of His glory, majesty, honor, and love. When that happens in your heart, there is really only one thing that matters, your salvation...
"In that day you will sing: "I will praise you, O LORD! You were angry with me, but not any more. Now you comfort me. See, God has come to save me. I will trust in him and not be afraid. The LORD God is my strength and my song; he has given me victory." With joy you will drink deeply from the fountain of salvation! In that wonderful day you will sing: "Thank you LORD! Praise his name! Tell the nations what he has done. Let them know how mighty he is! Sing to the LORD, for he has done wonderful things. Make known his praise around the world. Let all the people of Jerusalem shout with joy! For great is the Holy One of Israel who lives among you."" (Isaiah 12) NLT
Friday, September 14, 2018
"Unmatched"
"I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD." (Psalms 116:13)
Nothing we can do could ever compare to the 'cup' that Jesus was given; we just cannot imagine the amount of suffering Jesus went through, not just His physical suffering, but His spiritual suffering as He was separated from the Father, having taken upon Himself the sins of the entire world. We are blessed beyond measure when we are given a particular cup to bare. I can tell you from my own experience, there is nothing I can think of doing that could bring more emotions and experience in feelings of the heart, than what I get to experience by taking care of my wife. Sure, there is hurt and suffering; not only mine, if it were just my own it would be easier to live with; but her's also, as I go on every day wondering what she is feeling inside and how it must feel to be trapped in that condition. Don't think I don't struggle with the pain of seeing her in the state she is in, because I hurt for her so much, some days I cannot stand to go on. But God is so gracious, reminding me of the love I get to feel in caring for her, the experience of that far outweighs the suffering; there is nothing else that could even come close! Maybe that is one way to express how love is brought to life, is by suffering; if it does not hurt, then it is not real love...
"If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn't love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God's secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but I didn't love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn't love others, I would have gained nothing. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance." (1 Corinthians 13:1-7) NLT
Nothing we can do could ever compare to the 'cup' that Jesus was given; we just cannot imagine the amount of suffering Jesus went through, not just His physical suffering, but His spiritual suffering as He was separated from the Father, having taken upon Himself the sins of the entire world. We are blessed beyond measure when we are given a particular cup to bare. I can tell you from my own experience, there is nothing I can think of doing that could bring more emotions and experience in feelings of the heart, than what I get to experience by taking care of my wife. Sure, there is hurt and suffering; not only mine, if it were just my own it would be easier to live with; but her's also, as I go on every day wondering what she is feeling inside and how it must feel to be trapped in that condition. Don't think I don't struggle with the pain of seeing her in the state she is in, because I hurt for her so much, some days I cannot stand to go on. But God is so gracious, reminding me of the love I get to feel in caring for her, the experience of that far outweighs the suffering; there is nothing else that could even come close! Maybe that is one way to express how love is brought to life, is by suffering; if it does not hurt, then it is not real love...
"If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn't love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God's secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but I didn't love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn't love others, I would have gained nothing. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance." (1 Corinthians 13:1-7) NLT
Thursday, September 13, 2018
"Unprecedented"
"What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me?" (Psalms 116:12)
When it comes to our salvation, there is really nothing else that even comes close to the value and the benefits of what comes with being saved. As for the fact that anyone who says they don't need to be saved, are liars, it is absolutely true; because we are all born into this world separated from God by sin, and each and everyone of us need to be reconciled back to God. I am totally convinced that we all know that to be true; whether or not we want to admit it, that is a totally different matter. As a teenager, I knew where it was that I was headed, that hell was the road I was heading towards. It was almost celebrated and bragged about among friends, as we all were living the party life and feeling free to do whatever we wanted to do. So no one can try to tell me that they do not need to be saved, because we are all born in sin, and we are all born with a sinful nature. That said, when it comes to being saved from going to hell, there is really nothing we can do to purchase that ticket; there is not enough money in the world that will pay that price; and there is nothing we can do to earn our way to heaven. So you tell me: What shall we render unto the LORD for all His benefits? Whatever He wants! That is the equivalent measure of the pearls we have been given; that the benefits of being saved cannot be measured by anything or anyone else, no way, no how! No matter how badly we might be treated or how hard we are persecuted for our testimony, none of that can even begin to scratch the surface of what our salvation is worth...
"Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too. Are we commending ourselves to you again? No, we are giving you a reason to be proud of us, so you can answer those who brag about having a spectacular ministry rather than having a sincere heart. If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit. Either way, Christ's love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them." (2 Corinthians 5:11-15) NLT
When it comes to our salvation, there is really nothing else that even comes close to the value and the benefits of what comes with being saved. As for the fact that anyone who says they don't need to be saved, are liars, it is absolutely true; because we are all born into this world separated from God by sin, and each and everyone of us need to be reconciled back to God. I am totally convinced that we all know that to be true; whether or not we want to admit it, that is a totally different matter. As a teenager, I knew where it was that I was headed, that hell was the road I was heading towards. It was almost celebrated and bragged about among friends, as we all were living the party life and feeling free to do whatever we wanted to do. So no one can try to tell me that they do not need to be saved, because we are all born in sin, and we are all born with a sinful nature. That said, when it comes to being saved from going to hell, there is really nothing we can do to purchase that ticket; there is not enough money in the world that will pay that price; and there is nothing we can do to earn our way to heaven. So you tell me: What shall we render unto the LORD for all His benefits? Whatever He wants! That is the equivalent measure of the pearls we have been given; that the benefits of being saved cannot be measured by anything or anyone else, no way, no how! No matter how badly we might be treated or how hard we are persecuted for our testimony, none of that can even begin to scratch the surface of what our salvation is worth...
"Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too. Are we commending ourselves to you again? No, we are giving you a reason to be proud of us, so you can answer those who brag about having a spectacular ministry rather than having a sincere heart. If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit. Either way, Christ's love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them." (2 Corinthians 5:11-15) NLT
Wednesday, September 12, 2018
"Let God Be True"
"I said in my haste, All men are liars." (Psalms 116:11)
As you probably already know, this verse is actually meant to be part of the previous verse; a result of David being afflicted, his response was this, that all men are liars. Actually I think this is a pretty good observation, especially the it comes to the truth of God's word and how we should respond to opposition in declaring His truth. As I have shared before, when I first was saved, I was in a jail facility and I was eager to share Jesus with anyone that I felt needed to be saved. Not everyone was as eager to receive my message, and I did have a few confrontations with some of the more hardened inmates. We had a group of about four of us that prayed and studied the Scriptures together, and one day one of the group pulled me aside and told me, "Do not cast your pearls among the swine." He said this in response to my rejection, for about the third time, from this one inmate that I had been praying would listen to what I had to say. For about the third day in a row I had tried to witness to him, and for the third time, he had threatened to knock me out. My brother and I finally agreed to disagree, but I was convinced that I was right in thinking that Jesus meant that we should not be offended by bing rejected, not that we should give up witnessing to someone that has rejected our testimony. For me, it was by experience that I knew I was right, because I had someone give up on me when I was younger. Apparently I had offended them after a couple times they asked to share Jesus with me, and they quit asking; but deep down inside, I did not want them to quit. That was about three years prior to my salvation, when I was serving in the Navy. What I believe, is that we cast our pearls among the swine when we leave what we have been given, the truth, at the feet of those who offend us; not that we do not try to witness to those that reject what we have to say. There is nobody who is not worthy of hearing the Gospel; there is nobody that God cannot save, even if they do not want saving. Anyone who says that they do not need saving, is a liar...
"What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? Much every way: chiefly, because unto them were committed the oracles of God. For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged." (Romans 3:1-4) KJV
As you probably already know, this verse is actually meant to be part of the previous verse; a result of David being afflicted, his response was this, that all men are liars. Actually I think this is a pretty good observation, especially the it comes to the truth of God's word and how we should respond to opposition in declaring His truth. As I have shared before, when I first was saved, I was in a jail facility and I was eager to share Jesus with anyone that I felt needed to be saved. Not everyone was as eager to receive my message, and I did have a few confrontations with some of the more hardened inmates. We had a group of about four of us that prayed and studied the Scriptures together, and one day one of the group pulled me aside and told me, "Do not cast your pearls among the swine." He said this in response to my rejection, for about the third time, from this one inmate that I had been praying would listen to what I had to say. For about the third day in a row I had tried to witness to him, and for the third time, he had threatened to knock me out. My brother and I finally agreed to disagree, but I was convinced that I was right in thinking that Jesus meant that we should not be offended by bing rejected, not that we should give up witnessing to someone that has rejected our testimony. For me, it was by experience that I knew I was right, because I had someone give up on me when I was younger. Apparently I had offended them after a couple times they asked to share Jesus with me, and they quit asking; but deep down inside, I did not want them to quit. That was about three years prior to my salvation, when I was serving in the Navy. What I believe, is that we cast our pearls among the swine when we leave what we have been given, the truth, at the feet of those who offend us; not that we do not try to witness to those that reject what we have to say. There is nobody who is not worthy of hearing the Gospel; there is nobody that God cannot save, even if they do not want saving. Anyone who says that they do not need saving, is a liar...
"What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? Much every way: chiefly, because unto them were committed the oracles of God. For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged." (Romans 3:1-4) KJV
Tuesday, September 11, 2018
"Seriously Taken"
"I believed, therefore have I spoken: I was greatly afflicted:" (Psalms 116:10)
To be perfectly honest, this verse kind of puzzled me, until I realized how true it actually is. I don't think that there is a man or woman of God that has ever really not had a moment of doubt, a time in their life when they did not feel as though they were alone in the fight, or a lapse of faith after having experienced the greatness of God's power and strength. I cannot help but think of two very important figures in the Bible, John the Baptist and Elijah; both of which had a powerful ministry, yet in a single instant were seriously in doubt. These were men that were proven to be anointed and called by God; anyone that witnessed their lives, could not deny that God's hand was guiding and directing them. And when it came to expressing their belief, both of them were afflicted and persecuted for expressing what was in their hearts. It really comes down to what Jesus said to Nicodemus about how people react to the light, that men love the darkness and hate the light. Even when you think that you might have finally broken through, and you have given the message that finally brought everyone to the alter seeking forgiveness, it will be somehow taken wrong by the evil in the hearts of those that refuse to change. No matter how right you are, if people do not want to change, your message will not be received, and it will be twisted. We are living in a very interesting time, one where the world is somehow becoming darker, and the Light is becoming more and more offensive. The reality of 2 Timothy 4:3-4 is setting in, and there is more and more of the churches that are becoming more like the world. With that said, this verse is the reality of what we should expect! You know, Abraham did exactly what was required, he fell on his face! That is the only affliction we should really receive...
"We have the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believe, and therefore I have spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many rebound to the glory of God. For which cause we faint not; but though the outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affection, which is but for a moment, worketh in us a far more exceedingly and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:13-18) KJV
To be perfectly honest, this verse kind of puzzled me, until I realized how true it actually is. I don't think that there is a man or woman of God that has ever really not had a moment of doubt, a time in their life when they did not feel as though they were alone in the fight, or a lapse of faith after having experienced the greatness of God's power and strength. I cannot help but think of two very important figures in the Bible, John the Baptist and Elijah; both of which had a powerful ministry, yet in a single instant were seriously in doubt. These were men that were proven to be anointed and called by God; anyone that witnessed their lives, could not deny that God's hand was guiding and directing them. And when it came to expressing their belief, both of them were afflicted and persecuted for expressing what was in their hearts. It really comes down to what Jesus said to Nicodemus about how people react to the light, that men love the darkness and hate the light. Even when you think that you might have finally broken through, and you have given the message that finally brought everyone to the alter seeking forgiveness, it will be somehow taken wrong by the evil in the hearts of those that refuse to change. No matter how right you are, if people do not want to change, your message will not be received, and it will be twisted. We are living in a very interesting time, one where the world is somehow becoming darker, and the Light is becoming more and more offensive. The reality of 2 Timothy 4:3-4 is setting in, and there is more and more of the churches that are becoming more like the world. With that said, this verse is the reality of what we should expect! You know, Abraham did exactly what was required, he fell on his face! That is the only affliction we should really receive...
"We have the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believe, and therefore I have spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many rebound to the glory of God. For which cause we faint not; but though the outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affection, which is but for a moment, worketh in us a far more exceedingly and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:13-18) KJV
Monday, September 10, 2018
"Taken Seriously" -2
"I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living." (Psalms 116:9)
Just so you know, the moment in time that this took place when God spoke to Abram was about 15 years after Ishmael was born; a child born practically, not supernaturally! Sometimes I dod't think we really totally understand the foundation of the covenant, because it is surely not about what we can do or not do. Not too long before Abram went unto Hagar, at Sarai's request, God made that famous covenant agreement with Abram; the one where He had Abram lay out all the pieces of the animals, so that they could walk among them and sign the contract; a contract that said, 'Let this and more happen to me if I fail to fulfill my end of this agreement'. Interesting enough, God caused Abram to fall asleep, and He signed the contract all by Himself. In a nutshell, God fulfilled both sides of the contract and provided the finished deal for Abram to walk in; which is pretty much the same thing that Jesus did on the cross. What was it that made Abram righteous? It surely was not that he did not lie and doubt God, because he most surely did lie, and Ishmael is proof of his doubt in God. What made him righteous was that he believed God's word. As strange as that may appear, we can still believe God's word but doubt His seriousness to certain details. When God says He will do anything, He usually does not require our help to get it done! If God needs something done, then He will tell us what to do and we do it; that is how it is meant to work, we don't make plans for Him, He makes the plans for us to walk in. Anything that we do that is different from that is called the flesh doing it's thing, which is opposite of walking in the Spirit. The contrast between Ishmael and Isaac was just that, the flesh and the Spirit. But wait, it does not end there, because this account in Genesis 17 is also where God changes Abram's name to Abraham; new name is like new life...
"And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, As for me, behold my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name anymore be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee."" (Genesis 17:3-5) KJV
Just so you know, the moment in time that this took place when God spoke to Abram was about 15 years after Ishmael was born; a child born practically, not supernaturally! Sometimes I dod't think we really totally understand the foundation of the covenant, because it is surely not about what we can do or not do. Not too long before Abram went unto Hagar, at Sarai's request, God made that famous covenant agreement with Abram; the one where He had Abram lay out all the pieces of the animals, so that they could walk among them and sign the contract; a contract that said, 'Let this and more happen to me if I fail to fulfill my end of this agreement'. Interesting enough, God caused Abram to fall asleep, and He signed the contract all by Himself. In a nutshell, God fulfilled both sides of the contract and provided the finished deal for Abram to walk in; which is pretty much the same thing that Jesus did on the cross. What was it that made Abram righteous? It surely was not that he did not lie and doubt God, because he most surely did lie, and Ishmael is proof of his doubt in God. What made him righteous was that he believed God's word. As strange as that may appear, we can still believe God's word but doubt His seriousness to certain details. When God says He will do anything, He usually does not require our help to get it done! If God needs something done, then He will tell us what to do and we do it; that is how it is meant to work, we don't make plans for Him, He makes the plans for us to walk in. Anything that we do that is different from that is called the flesh doing it's thing, which is opposite of walking in the Spirit. The contrast between Ishmael and Isaac was just that, the flesh and the Spirit. But wait, it does not end there, because this account in Genesis 17 is also where God changes Abram's name to Abraham; new name is like new life...
"And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, As for me, behold my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name anymore be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee."" (Genesis 17:3-5) KJV
Sunday, September 9, 2018
"Taken Seriously"
"I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living." (Psalms 116:9)
If there was one thing that I think we need to take stock of, it is the importance the God's word be taken seriously, each and every word. There is no wiggle-room for our own interpretation to what God is saying; each and everyone of us are responsible for the message that God speaks into our lives and what we do with what He tells us to do. If anyone is guilty of neglecting to do this, it is me. I have ignored so many things that I know God has spoken into my life; and if I haven't ignored them, I half-heartedly performed them. This blog is probably the only thing that I have totally committed to; and even then, some mornings I wonder if it is actually doing anything, besides causing me to stay committed to a daily devotion and prayer. One thing is for sure, it is a lot harder to get away with sin. Prior to doing this, if I wanted to lay low, I would just take some time off from reading my Bible. Now, it is harder and harder to have a little me time; at least for more than a few hours at a time. I am sorry if anyone might feel offended by anything I just shared, I am just being honest. But seriously, this is what I feel God is speaking into my heart today, that it is all about being open and honest to the Lord and walking before Him as if we are walking right beside Him. He is alive, therefore I am alive with Him! That old man has been crucified with Christ; and the new man is alive with Christ, in the land of the living! Oddly enough, that land includes the land we are currently living in; even if we are just pilgrims and looking for our home to be in Heaven. While we are here, this place is to be made a place of God's work to be done; in our own lives and in the lives around us. He has us here for a reason, and if we are not willing to be used of God, then why are we here? Matthew Henry puts it like this: "If God has delivered our soul from death, we must walk before him. A new life must be a new life indeed." We have two separate lives going on all around us, those that are alive in Christ and those that are dead in their sins. We need to be walking before the LORD in the land of the living; which means that we need to come out from among the dead and separate ourselves unto God...
"When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am El-Shaddai -'God Almighty'. Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants."" (Genesis 17:1-2) NLT
If there was one thing that I think we need to take stock of, it is the importance the God's word be taken seriously, each and every word. There is no wiggle-room for our own interpretation to what God is saying; each and everyone of us are responsible for the message that God speaks into our lives and what we do with what He tells us to do. If anyone is guilty of neglecting to do this, it is me. I have ignored so many things that I know God has spoken into my life; and if I haven't ignored them, I half-heartedly performed them. This blog is probably the only thing that I have totally committed to; and even then, some mornings I wonder if it is actually doing anything, besides causing me to stay committed to a daily devotion and prayer. One thing is for sure, it is a lot harder to get away with sin. Prior to doing this, if I wanted to lay low, I would just take some time off from reading my Bible. Now, it is harder and harder to have a little me time; at least for more than a few hours at a time. I am sorry if anyone might feel offended by anything I just shared, I am just being honest. But seriously, this is what I feel God is speaking into my heart today, that it is all about being open and honest to the Lord and walking before Him as if we are walking right beside Him. He is alive, therefore I am alive with Him! That old man has been crucified with Christ; and the new man is alive with Christ, in the land of the living! Oddly enough, that land includes the land we are currently living in; even if we are just pilgrims and looking for our home to be in Heaven. While we are here, this place is to be made a place of God's work to be done; in our own lives and in the lives around us. He has us here for a reason, and if we are not willing to be used of God, then why are we here? Matthew Henry puts it like this: "If God has delivered our soul from death, we must walk before him. A new life must be a new life indeed." We have two separate lives going on all around us, those that are alive in Christ and those that are dead in their sins. We need to be walking before the LORD in the land of the living; which means that we need to come out from among the dead and separate ourselves unto God...
"When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am El-Shaddai -'God Almighty'. Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants."" (Genesis 17:1-2) NLT
Saturday, September 8, 2018
"Taking Stock"
"For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling." (Psalms 116:8)
Every once in awhile, we seriously need to remember what it is that the Lord has done for us. Not so much the material things, such as a home, and all the things we consider as blessings; but the things that matter most, the things that are part of our eternal inheritance in Christ Jesus. We have each and every one of these three things as our eternal inheritance. The first is the one that matters the most, that God has snatched us up out of the fire; whether we chose to be or not, really is not the issue, but that He chose us, that is the main thing we need to focus upon. We can feel discouraged by the way that we walk, or by the commitment we have to prayer, devotions, or sharing the Good News; but when it is all said and done, it is God that chose us to be part of His family, we did not choose Him. It is that truth that gives us joy beyond understanding; we don't understand why He chose us, but just knowing that He did gives us joy and takes away all of our tears of sadness, replacing them with tears of joy and gladness. The third thing is the one that gets me all choked up. There are so many things I do that I know do not please the Lord; things that I am sorry for doing, because the Holy Spirit has convicted my heart and made me feel ashamed for doing them. It is not that I could stop from doing everything displeasing to God, because I know that in my flesh, it is not going to happen; but that He convicts me and corrects me, those are the ways that He keeps my feet from falling. It is our faith in the finished work of Christ that keeps us from falling. I like to illustrate it by those inflatable punching toys that I had as a kid, like Bozo Bop Bag. You hit it, it falls down, but it gets right back up...
"He will swallow up death forever! The Sovereign LORD will wipe away all tears. He will remove forever the insults and mockery against his land and people. The LORD has spoken! In that day the people will proclaim, "This is our God! We trusted in him, and he saved us! This is the LORD, in whom we trusted. Let us rejoice in the salvation he brings!"" (Isaiah 25:8-9) NLT
Every once in awhile, we seriously need to remember what it is that the Lord has done for us. Not so much the material things, such as a home, and all the things we consider as blessings; but the things that matter most, the things that are part of our eternal inheritance in Christ Jesus. We have each and every one of these three things as our eternal inheritance. The first is the one that matters the most, that God has snatched us up out of the fire; whether we chose to be or not, really is not the issue, but that He chose us, that is the main thing we need to focus upon. We can feel discouraged by the way that we walk, or by the commitment we have to prayer, devotions, or sharing the Good News; but when it is all said and done, it is God that chose us to be part of His family, we did not choose Him. It is that truth that gives us joy beyond understanding; we don't understand why He chose us, but just knowing that He did gives us joy and takes away all of our tears of sadness, replacing them with tears of joy and gladness. The third thing is the one that gets me all choked up. There are so many things I do that I know do not please the Lord; things that I am sorry for doing, because the Holy Spirit has convicted my heart and made me feel ashamed for doing them. It is not that I could stop from doing everything displeasing to God, because I know that in my flesh, it is not going to happen; but that He convicts me and corrects me, those are the ways that He keeps my feet from falling. It is our faith in the finished work of Christ that keeps us from falling. I like to illustrate it by those inflatable punching toys that I had as a kid, like Bozo Bop Bag. You hit it, it falls down, but it gets right back up...
"He will swallow up death forever! The Sovereign LORD will wipe away all tears. He will remove forever the insults and mockery against his land and people. The LORD has spoken! In that day the people will proclaim, "This is our God! We trusted in him, and he saved us! This is the LORD, in whom we trusted. Let us rejoice in the salvation he brings!"" (Isaiah 25:8-9) NLT
Friday, September 7, 2018
"A Perfect Place" 2
"Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee." (Psalms 116:7)
So much for the practical side of rest, because God's rest is not practical, it is supernatural! We don't get there by putting it into practice; we cannot experience it by thinking of it as reality. How many times I have settled into a place where I thought it was His rest, only to find my life upside down and rest being the furthest thing from my mind. We can witness this lesson my studying the children of Israel during their journey through the wilderness. Each and every time they were faced with a problem or circumstance, they immediately challenged God's love and protection; as if God just wanted to snuff them out, and there was not enough graves in Egypt for them all to be buried in. I am under the belief that God's rest is only realized by putting all of our trust in Him. The more fierce the trial or adventure becomes, the more we must trust, no matter what circumstances may arise! Each and every part of the journey is about us putting our trust in God, no matter what! That is so far from practical, it can only happen by surrendering our lives up to the Lord. It is us saying, Here I am Lord, take my life; do with it what you will! The word "bountifully," it does not just mean doing good to, or giving lots of gifts; it means to deal fully, as in weaning a child, or ripening fruit; in other words, God is not going to just bless you and then send you out on your own, He is going to complete the work that He has begun in you, and He will bring you through to the other side, whole...
"Now if Joshua had succeeded in giving them rest, God would not have spoken about another day of rest still to come. So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. For all who have entered into God's rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall. For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edge sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Nothing in all of creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable." (Hebrews 4:8-13) NLT
So much for the practical side of rest, because God's rest is not practical, it is supernatural! We don't get there by putting it into practice; we cannot experience it by thinking of it as reality. How many times I have settled into a place where I thought it was His rest, only to find my life upside down and rest being the furthest thing from my mind. We can witness this lesson my studying the children of Israel during their journey through the wilderness. Each and every time they were faced with a problem or circumstance, they immediately challenged God's love and protection; as if God just wanted to snuff them out, and there was not enough graves in Egypt for them all to be buried in. I am under the belief that God's rest is only realized by putting all of our trust in Him. The more fierce the trial or adventure becomes, the more we must trust, no matter what circumstances may arise! Each and every part of the journey is about us putting our trust in God, no matter what! That is so far from practical, it can only happen by surrendering our lives up to the Lord. It is us saying, Here I am Lord, take my life; do with it what you will! The word "bountifully," it does not just mean doing good to, or giving lots of gifts; it means to deal fully, as in weaning a child, or ripening fruit; in other words, God is not going to just bless you and then send you out on your own, He is going to complete the work that He has begun in you, and He will bring you through to the other side, whole...
"Now if Joshua had succeeded in giving them rest, God would not have spoken about another day of rest still to come. So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. For all who have entered into God's rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall. For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edge sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Nothing in all of creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable." (Hebrews 4:8-13) NLT
Thursday, September 6, 2018
"A Perfect Place"
"Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee." (Psalms 116:7)
Regardless of what of you might think of your condition, you might just be exactly where God would have you to be. In my younger days trying to learn how to raise a family and manage my time well enough to enjoy doing so, I was listening to motivational tapes by Zig Ziglar and reading his book, Confessions of a Happy Christian. One of the greatest things that I took away from that, was to enjoy the moment. It was a simple concept about not thinking about whatever it was that you could be doing, but to focus upon what you are doing, and make it enjoyable. Zig gave an example that I sometimes forget to put into practice. He shared about a flight that he showed up to board, and was informed that there was a problem and that he needed to wait for another flight. Instead of getting upset and making a scene, he simply accepted it as God's will and told the person how happy he was to avoid a problem, and then thanking them for giving him another flight. Not exactly the normal reaction for most; most of us would cause a scene and demand to be on the flight we paid for. But we forget that God's hand is upon our life; at least that is what we should be expecting and believing is the case. With that in mind, we can look at every situation as another adventure; whether we planed it or not, God is in control, and God has something in store for us to experience. Another aspect is that of rest; if we are constantly thinking of something else we should be doing, then we are never able to rest because we are always traveling in our mind to be somewhere else. It is all about living in the moment, wherever and whatever you are doing, you do it as unto the Lord. I sure wish I put that into practice more often; but instead, I seem to be rushing from one place to the next, always trying to keep up and never really taking the time to enjoy the moment. When it comes to our spiritual life and wherever that might be, I would like to think that God has His hand upon that also. If there is something I am dealing with, some kind of spiritual battle, then He has allowed it to happen and I need to take notice of what He is trying to get me to learn; what kind of lesson is God showing me or what is the good in this or that. Instead of worrying about what or where I should be, let God deal with me where I am at...
"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 11:28-30) NLT
Regardless of what of you might think of your condition, you might just be exactly where God would have you to be. In my younger days trying to learn how to raise a family and manage my time well enough to enjoy doing so, I was listening to motivational tapes by Zig Ziglar and reading his book, Confessions of a Happy Christian. One of the greatest things that I took away from that, was to enjoy the moment. It was a simple concept about not thinking about whatever it was that you could be doing, but to focus upon what you are doing, and make it enjoyable. Zig gave an example that I sometimes forget to put into practice. He shared about a flight that he showed up to board, and was informed that there was a problem and that he needed to wait for another flight. Instead of getting upset and making a scene, he simply accepted it as God's will and told the person how happy he was to avoid a problem, and then thanking them for giving him another flight. Not exactly the normal reaction for most; most of us would cause a scene and demand to be on the flight we paid for. But we forget that God's hand is upon our life; at least that is what we should be expecting and believing is the case. With that in mind, we can look at every situation as another adventure; whether we planed it or not, God is in control, and God has something in store for us to experience. Another aspect is that of rest; if we are constantly thinking of something else we should be doing, then we are never able to rest because we are always traveling in our mind to be somewhere else. It is all about living in the moment, wherever and whatever you are doing, you do it as unto the Lord. I sure wish I put that into practice more often; but instead, I seem to be rushing from one place to the next, always trying to keep up and never really taking the time to enjoy the moment. When it comes to our spiritual life and wherever that might be, I would like to think that God has His hand upon that also. If there is something I am dealing with, some kind of spiritual battle, then He has allowed it to happen and I need to take notice of what He is trying to get me to learn; what kind of lesson is God showing me or what is the good in this or that. Instead of worrying about what or where I should be, let God deal with me where I am at...
"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 11:28-30) NLT
Wednesday, September 5, 2018
"Treasured Up"
"The LORD preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me." (Psalms 116:6)
You might wonder where the idea of God showing off His mercy came from; but in case you are, it is throughout the entire Scriptures. It started off with the cherubim and the flaming sword placed at the east of Eden, meant to keep man away from the tree of life. This was God's way of preventing man from living forever in a fallen state. It continued with Cain, as God marked him, so that anyone who might kill him should have vengeance taken on him sevenfold. Then there was Noah and the ark; which, whether you realize it or not, is the story of God's mercy, through and through. Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses, each one of which was selected by God above others for the sole purpose of God showing off His mercy. As the passover demonstrated God's mercy, it too was a sign of showing the way to what Jesus would come and do upon the cross. Even the children wondering around in the wilderness for forty years, it too was God showing off His mercy, as He had them arranged in the form of a cross. Over and over, throughout the Scriptures, God demonstrated and proclaims mercy, for all that will accept it; with the only condition being that of asking! It is ours for the asking, if we only realize our need and ask Him to save us...
"But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God's grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2:4-7) NLT
You might wonder where the idea of God showing off His mercy came from; but in case you are, it is throughout the entire Scriptures. It started off with the cherubim and the flaming sword placed at the east of Eden, meant to keep man away from the tree of life. This was God's way of preventing man from living forever in a fallen state. It continued with Cain, as God marked him, so that anyone who might kill him should have vengeance taken on him sevenfold. Then there was Noah and the ark; which, whether you realize it or not, is the story of God's mercy, through and through. Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses, each one of which was selected by God above others for the sole purpose of God showing off His mercy. As the passover demonstrated God's mercy, it too was a sign of showing the way to what Jesus would come and do upon the cross. Even the children wondering around in the wilderness for forty years, it too was God showing off His mercy, as He had them arranged in the form of a cross. Over and over, throughout the Scriptures, God demonstrated and proclaims mercy, for all that will accept it; with the only condition being that of asking! It is ours for the asking, if we only realize our need and ask Him to save us...
"But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God's grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 2:4-7) NLT
Tuesday, September 4, 2018
"Meet the Meat"
"Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful." (Psalms 116:5)
Obviously Arby's has nothing on this! This is the reason I can continue from day to day, and the reason I don't give up, even when I might feel like my life is over, because God is on my side! That's right, God is for us! He does not not give up on us, and He is always working His will out in our lives; even when we think He is doing nothing. Last night was long and hard; I think I might have slept two hours straight, if that. It happens sometimes when I get a title in my head that makes me think; this title was the one that came to me at about 11:48; and from then on, I was totally restless. I moved Marianne over to me and tried to cuddle, but when I finally fell asleep, I was awaken by the strangest dream I have ever had. I can't even begin to explain what it was, except that it was not human. The point to the title has to do with milk verses meat; a concept in the Bible that refers to our ability to digest certain things easily, and those things which we are not quite ready for, mostly because they are to hard to digest. It is a lot like when Jesus was speaking to His followers about eating His body and drinking His blood; many people quit following Him, because they just could not swallow what He was saying. Another point to this would be a concept that we are too unlikely to understand or realize the power we have been given; say like when we are thrown into a trial and it is way too soon in our Christian life to experience such an experience. There are just some things that are not meant for young believers to go through, but they can still happen, and they do. The main point is that trust in God requires that we totally believe these three things are meant for us; and above all, that He is merciful, because He loves us and wants to show off His mercy...
"But -"When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life." This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone." (Titus 3:4-8) NLT
Obviously Arby's has nothing on this! This is the reason I can continue from day to day, and the reason I don't give up, even when I might feel like my life is over, because God is on my side! That's right, God is for us! He does not not give up on us, and He is always working His will out in our lives; even when we think He is doing nothing. Last night was long and hard; I think I might have slept two hours straight, if that. It happens sometimes when I get a title in my head that makes me think; this title was the one that came to me at about 11:48; and from then on, I was totally restless. I moved Marianne over to me and tried to cuddle, but when I finally fell asleep, I was awaken by the strangest dream I have ever had. I can't even begin to explain what it was, except that it was not human. The point to the title has to do with milk verses meat; a concept in the Bible that refers to our ability to digest certain things easily, and those things which we are not quite ready for, mostly because they are to hard to digest. It is a lot like when Jesus was speaking to His followers about eating His body and drinking His blood; many people quit following Him, because they just could not swallow what He was saying. Another point to this would be a concept that we are too unlikely to understand or realize the power we have been given; say like when we are thrown into a trial and it is way too soon in our Christian life to experience such an experience. There are just some things that are not meant for young believers to go through, but they can still happen, and they do. The main point is that trust in God requires that we totally believe these three things are meant for us; and above all, that He is merciful, because He loves us and wants to show off His mercy...
"But -"When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life." This is a trustworthy saying, and I want you to insist on these teachings so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good. These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone." (Titus 3:4-8) NLT
Monday, September 3, 2018
"Right Side Up"
"Then call I upon the name of the LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, deliver my soul." (Psalms 116:4)
If there was a way to describe it, I think surrender sums it up pretty well. We have our will, and then there is God's will; surrender is saying no to our will and yes to God's. Pretty much, that is all there is to it. If it worked for Jesus, then it can work for you and me! Think about that for a moment, because when we get in a jamb and there is no way out, we are seriously stuck and have no power to do anything about our situation; but Jesus had the power to do anything He wanted to do; He could have called a thousand angels to His defense. But He gave up those powers, humbled Himself to the will of the Father, and He gave up His life for our sake and to serve the will of the Father. Notice the supplication in the verse above, that it deals with the most important part of our lives, our soul. There are many situations and trials we can find ourselves in, whether it is physical or financial, or maybe even a relationship, like our marriage, which there can be worldly solutions and help for correction; but when it comes to saving our soul, there is nowhere else to turn but to God, period! It really does not get more personal than that, because no one else can save our soul but God, and there is no help available for that kind of help on this earth; it is just us and God, one on one, and the discussion is about our soul...
"One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, "So you're the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself -as us, too, while you're at it!" But the other criminal protested, "Don't you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn't done anything wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom." And Jesus replied, "I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise."" (Luke 23:39-43) NLT
If there was a way to describe it, I think surrender sums it up pretty well. We have our will, and then there is God's will; surrender is saying no to our will and yes to God's. Pretty much, that is all there is to it. If it worked for Jesus, then it can work for you and me! Think about that for a moment, because when we get in a jamb and there is no way out, we are seriously stuck and have no power to do anything about our situation; but Jesus had the power to do anything He wanted to do; He could have called a thousand angels to His defense. But He gave up those powers, humbled Himself to the will of the Father, and He gave up His life for our sake and to serve the will of the Father. Notice the supplication in the verse above, that it deals with the most important part of our lives, our soul. There are many situations and trials we can find ourselves in, whether it is physical or financial, or maybe even a relationship, like our marriage, which there can be worldly solutions and help for correction; but when it comes to saving our soul, there is nowhere else to turn but to God, period! It really does not get more personal than that, because no one else can save our soul but God, and there is no help available for that kind of help on this earth; it is just us and God, one on one, and the discussion is about our soul...
"One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, "So you're the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself -as us, too, while you're at it!" But the other criminal protested, "Don't you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn't done anything wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom." And Jesus replied, "I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise."" (Luke 23:39-43) NLT
Sunday, September 2, 2018
"Life Happens" -2
"The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow." (Psalms 116:3)
As I was praying about the connection between what Jesus was going through and what we might have to go through ourselves, I was reminded how Jesus was a man, as much as He was God. He felt pain and sorrow, just as you and I do; He even became hungry, thirsty, and tired, just as you and I do. So it is no surprise that He would dread the terrible ordeal that awaited, seeing how He would feel every bit of the experience, just as any one of us would. In the connection, we have something that is revealed in what Christ went through, which carries over to us in our suffering. What He suffered and died for was the will of the Father, and because it was the Father's will that was being done, then it was made glorious and perfect. As crazy as it might sound, without His suffering and death, life would not happen! Each and every one of us, from Adam to you and I, would still be dead in our sins and condemned to eternal suffering in hell. "If there be another way," was not the answer, and Jesus knew that, for He was here on this earth for that specific reason. Anytime that we become overcome with something that might cause us to feel sorrow and pain, we have an opportunity to be glorious and perfect works of the Father. People that know who we are and how much we love the Lord, they will see our suffering, but they will sense our love and commitment to the Lord. That is when it happens! The life that we have been given is evident in the life that we hold onto...
"While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. Even though Jesus was God's Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source to eternal salvation for all those who obey him. And God designated him to be a High Priest in the order of Melchizedek." (Hebrews 5:7-10) NLT
As I was praying about the connection between what Jesus was going through and what we might have to go through ourselves, I was reminded how Jesus was a man, as much as He was God. He felt pain and sorrow, just as you and I do; He even became hungry, thirsty, and tired, just as you and I do. So it is no surprise that He would dread the terrible ordeal that awaited, seeing how He would feel every bit of the experience, just as any one of us would. In the connection, we have something that is revealed in what Christ went through, which carries over to us in our suffering. What He suffered and died for was the will of the Father, and because it was the Father's will that was being done, then it was made glorious and perfect. As crazy as it might sound, without His suffering and death, life would not happen! Each and every one of us, from Adam to you and I, would still be dead in our sins and condemned to eternal suffering in hell. "If there be another way," was not the answer, and Jesus knew that, for He was here on this earth for that specific reason. Anytime that we become overcome with something that might cause us to feel sorrow and pain, we have an opportunity to be glorious and perfect works of the Father. People that know who we are and how much we love the Lord, they will see our suffering, but they will sense our love and commitment to the Lord. That is when it happens! The life that we have been given is evident in the life that we hold onto...
"While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. Even though Jesus was God's Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source to eternal salvation for all those who obey him. And God designated him to be a High Priest in the order of Melchizedek." (Hebrews 5:7-10) NLT
Saturday, September 1, 2018
"Life Happens"
"The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow." (Psalms 116:3)
This is pretty typical for almost every believer to experience, at least once during their walk upon this fallen world, they find trouble and sorrow. I use to think of it as trouble and sorrow finding me; as if it were some kind of curse or a force of nature that randomly moved around the planet casting dark clouds over people. Maybe it was something I picked up from a cartoon or a movie. But in reality, it is something that is triggered in us, for whatever reason, whether spiritual or physical, we get thrown off guard or take our eyes off Jesus or forget who and what we are in Christ, and we get depressed. It might even really be about nothing, we just all of the sudden feel totally and completely a mess. A little hint of reason for anyone that might be facing in that direction: it is a direction! Turn and face the other way! Seriously, this is proven over and over again in the Bible. We do not need to feel any part of the sorrows of death or the pains of hell, because those things do not pertain to us! We have been delivered from death and hell; and no matter what we might be feeling, whether it is brought on by something really big, or nothing at all, it is just that, a feeling; and feelings can change in an instant, just like that! So, I guess what it is that I am trying to say, that if you do find that kind of trouble and sorrow, then you need to let it go, because it does not belong to you...
"They went to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and Jesus said, "Sit here while I go and pray." He took Peter, James, and John with him, and he became deeply troubled and distressed. He told them, "My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me." He went on a little further and fell on the ground. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting him might pass him by. "Abba, Father," he cried out, "everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine."" (Mark 14:32-36) NLT
This is pretty typical for almost every believer to experience, at least once during their walk upon this fallen world, they find trouble and sorrow. I use to think of it as trouble and sorrow finding me; as if it were some kind of curse or a force of nature that randomly moved around the planet casting dark clouds over people. Maybe it was something I picked up from a cartoon or a movie. But in reality, it is something that is triggered in us, for whatever reason, whether spiritual or physical, we get thrown off guard or take our eyes off Jesus or forget who and what we are in Christ, and we get depressed. It might even really be about nothing, we just all of the sudden feel totally and completely a mess. A little hint of reason for anyone that might be facing in that direction: it is a direction! Turn and face the other way! Seriously, this is proven over and over again in the Bible. We do not need to feel any part of the sorrows of death or the pains of hell, because those things do not pertain to us! We have been delivered from death and hell; and no matter what we might be feeling, whether it is brought on by something really big, or nothing at all, it is just that, a feeling; and feelings can change in an instant, just like that! So, I guess what it is that I am trying to say, that if you do find that kind of trouble and sorrow, then you need to let it go, because it does not belong to you...
"They went to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and Jesus said, "Sit here while I go and pray." He took Peter, James, and John with him, and he became deeply troubled and distressed. He told them, "My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me." He went on a little further and fell on the ground. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting him might pass him by. "Abba, Father," he cried out, "everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine."" (Mark 14:32-36) NLT
Friday, August 31, 2018
"I Will Call on God"
"Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live." (Psalms 116:2)
Isn't this the proof in the pudding? We have such a good Father, who not only knowns our name, but actually takes the time to listen to our heart. The word "inclined" is speaking about how God will actually stretch out to listen, like putting His hand up to His ear, just so He can give me His direct attention. This is the kind of personal God we have, because He is big enough and powerful enough to give each and everyone of His children the same personal attention. That makes me feel safe and secure! Where else can I go, but to my Father's arms? As with the previous verse, we don't just love God because He hears us, we love God because He loves us; so too, we can call upon Him because He listens, and listening is a part of loving us. You can't really say you love someone if you do not listen to them. No, this is seriously something that is a thing. Maybe the biggest problem in family relationships today is taking the time to listen to one another. Not just hearing, but actually inclining our ear to listen to their heart; to actually catch the sight of what the heck they are trying to say. If you don't take the time to listen, then they won't take the time to talk! I don't think I have a problem in that area with God, because I know He listens, so I actually feel the need to talk...
"But I will call on God, and the LORD will rescue me. Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the LORD hears my voice." (Psalms 55:16-17) NLT
Isn't this the proof in the pudding? We have such a good Father, who not only knowns our name, but actually takes the time to listen to our heart. The word "inclined" is speaking about how God will actually stretch out to listen, like putting His hand up to His ear, just so He can give me His direct attention. This is the kind of personal God we have, because He is big enough and powerful enough to give each and everyone of His children the same personal attention. That makes me feel safe and secure! Where else can I go, but to my Father's arms? As with the previous verse, we don't just love God because He hears us, we love God because He loves us; so too, we can call upon Him because He listens, and listening is a part of loving us. You can't really say you love someone if you do not listen to them. No, this is seriously something that is a thing. Maybe the biggest problem in family relationships today is taking the time to listen to one another. Not just hearing, but actually inclining our ear to listen to their heart; to actually catch the sight of what the heck they are trying to say. If you don't take the time to listen, then they won't take the time to talk! I don't think I have a problem in that area with God, because I know He listens, so I actually feel the need to talk...
"But I will call on God, and the LORD will rescue me. Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the LORD hears my voice." (Psalms 55:16-17) NLT
Thursday, August 30, 2018
"Because He Listens" -Too
"I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications." (Psalms 116:1)
As to whether or not God might say yes, even though His answer might have been no, that is a topic that is always open for great debate. I was reminded about Hezekiah and his supplication to God, that he might be granted more time, even after God already told him that his time here was up. We know how that all turned out; and there is speculation that Manasseh, his son born during his extended life, was responsible for the death of Isaiah, the prophet who was used to warn Hezekiah of his death, and the used again to tell him that God was going to answer his prayer to live. But that is only a very small part of the story! The things that happen from that single life being extended; it just boggles the mind to even begin to try and figure them all out. For example, Isaiah was the prophet that foretold of Cyrus, the pagan king that would help Israel rebuild Jerusalem; and it was Hezekiah's fault that Jerusalem was destroyed. There were so many things that were done from this one life that was extended, even if it was for only 15 years. Wow, fifteen years sure can go by fast; it has been over fifteen years since Marianne has been in the condition she is in; August the 12th, 2003, that is when it happen. Where does the time go? Anywho, I was reminded again about Jesus raising up Lazarus after he had been dead for 4 days. His extended life, and a lot like that of Hezekiah, it came with a price; the price of his was the death of Jesus. So, as you can see, regardless of what we ask and how He answers, it is all going to work into His plan...
""I Tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn into wonderful joy. It will be like a woman suffering the pains of labor. When her child is born, her anguish gives way to joy because she has brought a new baby into the world. So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy. At that time you won't need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. You haven't done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy."" (John 16:20-24) NLT
As to whether or not God might say yes, even though His answer might have been no, that is a topic that is always open for great debate. I was reminded about Hezekiah and his supplication to God, that he might be granted more time, even after God already told him that his time here was up. We know how that all turned out; and there is speculation that Manasseh, his son born during his extended life, was responsible for the death of Isaiah, the prophet who was used to warn Hezekiah of his death, and the used again to tell him that God was going to answer his prayer to live. But that is only a very small part of the story! The things that happen from that single life being extended; it just boggles the mind to even begin to try and figure them all out. For example, Isaiah was the prophet that foretold of Cyrus, the pagan king that would help Israel rebuild Jerusalem; and it was Hezekiah's fault that Jerusalem was destroyed. There were so many things that were done from this one life that was extended, even if it was for only 15 years. Wow, fifteen years sure can go by fast; it has been over fifteen years since Marianne has been in the condition she is in; August the 12th, 2003, that is when it happen. Where does the time go? Anywho, I was reminded again about Jesus raising up Lazarus after he had been dead for 4 days. His extended life, and a lot like that of Hezekiah, it came with a price; the price of his was the death of Jesus. So, as you can see, regardless of what we ask and how He answers, it is all going to work into His plan...
""I Tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn into wonderful joy. It will be like a woman suffering the pains of labor. When her child is born, her anguish gives way to joy because she has brought a new baby into the world. So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy. At that time you won't need to ask me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and he will grant your request because you use my name. You haven't done this before. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy."" (John 16:20-24) NLT
Wednesday, August 29, 2018
"Because He Listens"
"I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications." (Psalms 116:1)
There is something about having a God that not only hears our voices, but He listens and cares enough to answer. Sometimes it might not be the answer we are hoping for, but He does answer! If you are not hearing His answer, then it only because you are not listening for it; and if you are, the answer you are hearing is not the one you want, so you pretend He is not speaking. That's the thing about having the Holy Spirit living in you, you really cannot avoid hearing God's voice! It use to be that a man or woman of God would pray for something important, and then someone like a prophet would come along and speak for God. That might still happen now, but now, it is only to verify what God has already said in our hearts. The Lord works in mysterious ways, is not just a saying, it is the truth. It is the truth because we do not know His way or His thoughts; His ways are so much higher than our ways; His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9) There are so many things that we do not know and cannot figure out; even what we do know, it only really matters for such a short time period, and it is only useful for a moment; compared to eternity, it is really nothing. Imagine what is might be like to know everything and to be everywhere at once; and yet, His heart still goes out to me, even in all of that, and that blows my mind. The word "supplication," is a word that speaks of earnest prayer, and oddly enough, it is a noun. It is a noun because it is a thing, a real thing! It is real, because He is real, and He is listening...
"I will praise the LORD at all times. I will constantly speak his praises. I will boast only in the LORD; let all who are helpless take heart. Come, let us tell of the LORD'S greatness; let us exalt his name together. I prayed to the LORD, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears." (Psalm 34:1-4) NLT
There is something about having a God that not only hears our voices, but He listens and cares enough to answer. Sometimes it might not be the answer we are hoping for, but He does answer! If you are not hearing His answer, then it only because you are not listening for it; and if you are, the answer you are hearing is not the one you want, so you pretend He is not speaking. That's the thing about having the Holy Spirit living in you, you really cannot avoid hearing God's voice! It use to be that a man or woman of God would pray for something important, and then someone like a prophet would come along and speak for God. That might still happen now, but now, it is only to verify what God has already said in our hearts. The Lord works in mysterious ways, is not just a saying, it is the truth. It is the truth because we do not know His way or His thoughts; His ways are so much higher than our ways; His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9) There are so many things that we do not know and cannot figure out; even what we do know, it only really matters for such a short time period, and it is only useful for a moment; compared to eternity, it is really nothing. Imagine what is might be like to know everything and to be everywhere at once; and yet, His heart still goes out to me, even in all of that, and that blows my mind. The word "supplication," is a word that speaks of earnest prayer, and oddly enough, it is a noun. It is a noun because it is a thing, a real thing! It is real, because He is real, and He is listening...
"I will praise the LORD at all times. I will constantly speak his praises. I will boast only in the LORD; let all who are helpless take heart. Come, let us tell of the LORD'S greatness; let us exalt his name together. I prayed to the LORD, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears." (Psalm 34:1-4) NLT
Tuesday, August 28, 2018
"Rescued From Death"
PSALMS 116
As if there is anything more important than being rescued from death; not just death as we know it, but the death that comes after this body breaths it's last breath. Don't ask me how it happens, but I believe that we are instantly with the Lord at the time of our death. This body cannot experience what eternal life is, not in the corruptible condition that it is in; but our soul, which is eternal, it can and will. There are so many things we don't know about spiritual things and life after death. The Bible tells us some, but there is so much more, the some we are told is hardly anything at all. And as weird as this might sound, I am perfectly fine with that! I don't need to know all the details, I just need to believe what I have been told and rest in that! As John says in his Epistle: "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." (1 John 3:2) It really does not matter how it happens or when it happens, only that it will and that Jesus is the way that it will. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one is getting into heaven without Him! That is surely not what the world would have us believe, but it is what the Bible teaches; and I choose to believe what the Bible says above anything else, period! By the way, that "66 and Me" thing I mentioned, the 66 represents all the Books of the Bible. If you really want to know more about who you really are, then that is where you will find the answers...
"We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the control of the evil one. And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life. Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God's place in your hearts." (1 John 5:19-21) NLT
As if there is anything more important than being rescued from death; not just death as we know it, but the death that comes after this body breaths it's last breath. Don't ask me how it happens, but I believe that we are instantly with the Lord at the time of our death. This body cannot experience what eternal life is, not in the corruptible condition that it is in; but our soul, which is eternal, it can and will. There are so many things we don't know about spiritual things and life after death. The Bible tells us some, but there is so much more, the some we are told is hardly anything at all. And as weird as this might sound, I am perfectly fine with that! I don't need to know all the details, I just need to believe what I have been told and rest in that! As John says in his Epistle: "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." (1 John 3:2) It really does not matter how it happens or when it happens, only that it will and that Jesus is the way that it will. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one is getting into heaven without Him! That is surely not what the world would have us believe, but it is what the Bible teaches; and I choose to believe what the Bible says above anything else, period! By the way, that "66 and Me" thing I mentioned, the 66 represents all the Books of the Bible. If you really want to know more about who you really are, then that is where you will find the answers...
"We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the control of the evil one. And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life. Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God's place in your hearts." (1 John 5:19-21) NLT
Monday, August 27, 2018
"More Than We Need"
"But we will bless the LORD from this time forth and for evermore. Praise the LORD." (Psalms 115:18)
There are really not enough ways to explain what He has done for us. John put it in a little better light, at the end of his Gospel, saying, "And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they could be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written." That would be quite a lot of books! But the point I think John was getting at is the point he started with, that Jesus is the Word, "and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." If everything has been made by Him, then there is a whole lot of stuff to be written about, more than could ever be written. The other side of those that "go down into silence," are those that have a voice, as in, we who have the Spirit living within us. We are alive because Jesus lives, and because He lives, His Spirit lives within us! Pastor Bryan was making a point about "Another Helper," which Jesus spoke of in John 14:16; which in the KJV says, "another Comforter." The point he was making was more about Jesus being manifested in the Holy Spirit, which is something that the Holy Spirit continually does, He declares and testifies of Jesus Christ. (John 15:26) There is another spirit that is alive in this world, one that has also been here for quite a long time, one that is no equal to the Holy Spirit, but that tries to destroy the testimony and the work of Jesus Christ; that spirit is referred to as the antichrist. It is not that hard to see him at work, as John points out in his Epistle, saying, "every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and that is that spirit of antichrist." (1 John 4:3) The connection between what the Holy Spirit does in us and what the antichrist does in the unbeliever cannot be compared and is not on the same level; just as the life we have been given cannot compare to the life that we were born into when we entered this world. The life that we now have in Christ is eternal, right now, it has already begun! The best way we can put it, is to say, If we are born once, we die twice; but if we are born twice, then we only die once! And the best part of all, is that that first and only death has already taken place...
"What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever." (1 Corinthians 15:50) NLT
There are really not enough ways to explain what He has done for us. John put it in a little better light, at the end of his Gospel, saying, "And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they could be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written." That would be quite a lot of books! But the point I think John was getting at is the point he started with, that Jesus is the Word, "and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." If everything has been made by Him, then there is a whole lot of stuff to be written about, more than could ever be written. The other side of those that "go down into silence," are those that have a voice, as in, we who have the Spirit living within us. We are alive because Jesus lives, and because He lives, His Spirit lives within us! Pastor Bryan was making a point about "Another Helper," which Jesus spoke of in John 14:16; which in the KJV says, "another Comforter." The point he was making was more about Jesus being manifested in the Holy Spirit, which is something that the Holy Spirit continually does, He declares and testifies of Jesus Christ. (John 15:26) There is another spirit that is alive in this world, one that has also been here for quite a long time, one that is no equal to the Holy Spirit, but that tries to destroy the testimony and the work of Jesus Christ; that spirit is referred to as the antichrist. It is not that hard to see him at work, as John points out in his Epistle, saying, "every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and that is that spirit of antichrist." (1 John 4:3) The connection between what the Holy Spirit does in us and what the antichrist does in the unbeliever cannot be compared and is not on the same level; just as the life we have been given cannot compare to the life that we were born into when we entered this world. The life that we now have in Christ is eternal, right now, it has already begun! The best way we can put it, is to say, If we are born once, we die twice; but if we are born twice, then we only die once! And the best part of all, is that that first and only death has already taken place...
"What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever." (1 Corinthians 15:50) NLT
Sunday, August 26, 2018
"Be Alive!"
"The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence." (Psalms 115:17)
What a novel idea, to be alive! Seriously, there are way too many Christians that walk around and act like they are missing out on life, when it is abundant life that they should be experiencing from day to day. I know it might not sound like much, but joy is like a spell; it is characteristic of those that have nothing to loose and everything to gain; to be alive instead of dead; to have life, real life that makes you look forward to mornings and another chance to celebrate what God has done. Oh, I have things that can make me be blue, but I choose to not look at life that way; I choose to have joy be the thing that moves me, not the things that bring me down. Where does our joy come from? It comes from the Lord; from our love for the One who loved us first, who gave us eternal life, and who is going to assure that we make it into heaven, most definitely! Why would we not celebrate what He has done? If anything is holding us back, it must be something that the world has hold of in our lives; something that keeps us from feeling the freedom that comes from being free in Christ. We have been given the greatest gift that there is, live as though you know it is true...
""Lord, your discipline is good, for it leads to life and health. You restore my health and allow me to live! Yes, this anguish is good for me, for you have rescued me from death and forgiven all my sins. For the dead cannot praise you; they cannot raise their voices in praise. Those that go down to the grave can no longer hope in your faithfulness. Only the living can praise you as I do today. Each generation tells of your faithfulness to the next. Think of it -the LORD is ready to heal me! I will sing his praises with instruments every day of my life in the Temple of the LORD."" (Isaiah 38:16-20) NLT
What a novel idea, to be alive! Seriously, there are way too many Christians that walk around and act like they are missing out on life, when it is abundant life that they should be experiencing from day to day. I know it might not sound like much, but joy is like a spell; it is characteristic of those that have nothing to loose and everything to gain; to be alive instead of dead; to have life, real life that makes you look forward to mornings and another chance to celebrate what God has done. Oh, I have things that can make me be blue, but I choose to not look at life that way; I choose to have joy be the thing that moves me, not the things that bring me down. Where does our joy come from? It comes from the Lord; from our love for the One who loved us first, who gave us eternal life, and who is going to assure that we make it into heaven, most definitely! Why would we not celebrate what He has done? If anything is holding us back, it must be something that the world has hold of in our lives; something that keeps us from feeling the freedom that comes from being free in Christ. We have been given the greatest gift that there is, live as though you know it is true...
""Lord, your discipline is good, for it leads to life and health. You restore my health and allow me to live! Yes, this anguish is good for me, for you have rescued me from death and forgiven all my sins. For the dead cannot praise you; they cannot raise their voices in praise. Those that go down to the grave can no longer hope in your faithfulness. Only the living can praise you as I do today. Each generation tells of your faithfulness to the next. Think of it -the LORD is ready to heal me! I will sing his praises with instruments every day of my life in the Temple of the LORD."" (Isaiah 38:16-20) NLT
Saturday, August 25, 2018
"Own It" -Too
"The heaven, even heavens, are the LORD'S: but the earth hath he given to the children of men." (Psalms 115:16)
Taking another look, we can determine our worth to the Father by the magnitude of the heavens. I know that man is seeking and searching for other life out there; but the deeper they go into space, the more distant they get from earth, and that is about it. We really were not meant for doing that, and space was not meant to be explored, it was meant to be distinguished above the earth, and a place where we look up to, just for the sheer delight of seeing the awesomeness of God's great might. I don't think we can understand how special we are, without knowing that the heavens are placed there for our enjoyment and to gaze upon as His creation; nothing more than God's way of saying how vast and powerful He is, that there is no end in sight of His vastness and His power. Yes, the heavens are His, but in a way, we get to own them also. They are meant to be there for us to gaze upon and to know how Great our God really is! I remember as a child how I would sit under the stars at night and would imagine how powerful and mighty God must be to have created such a wonder; it would really make me feel special just to be part of His wonderful creation. That is what I am talking about, that is the kind of owning it that I mean. We are a part, each and every one of us, a part of something that is so vast and so complex, there is no way to discover or determine how big it really is. I really don't worry about what I will do with eternity, there is more than enough to learn and to know about God. If you really want to get a glimpse of what that might be like, try to understand all that you can from the Bible. Just that one Book alone is enough to explore in ten lifetimes, or even more! What else do you think He has given it for? The vastness of the heavens does not compare to the treasure of His Word. Oh, and by the way, there is a better way to explore your ancestry, it is called, '66 and Me'...
"This is what the LORD says: "Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool. Could you build me a temple as good as that? Could you build me such a resting place? My hands have made both heaven and earth; they and everything in them are mine. I, the LORD, have spoken! "I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word."" (Isaiah 66:1-2) NLT
Taking another look, we can determine our worth to the Father by the magnitude of the heavens. I know that man is seeking and searching for other life out there; but the deeper they go into space, the more distant they get from earth, and that is about it. We really were not meant for doing that, and space was not meant to be explored, it was meant to be distinguished above the earth, and a place where we look up to, just for the sheer delight of seeing the awesomeness of God's great might. I don't think we can understand how special we are, without knowing that the heavens are placed there for our enjoyment and to gaze upon as His creation; nothing more than God's way of saying how vast and powerful He is, that there is no end in sight of His vastness and His power. Yes, the heavens are His, but in a way, we get to own them also. They are meant to be there for us to gaze upon and to know how Great our God really is! I remember as a child how I would sit under the stars at night and would imagine how powerful and mighty God must be to have created such a wonder; it would really make me feel special just to be part of His wonderful creation. That is what I am talking about, that is the kind of owning it that I mean. We are a part, each and every one of us, a part of something that is so vast and so complex, there is no way to discover or determine how big it really is. I really don't worry about what I will do with eternity, there is more than enough to learn and to know about God. If you really want to get a glimpse of what that might be like, try to understand all that you can from the Bible. Just that one Book alone is enough to explore in ten lifetimes, or even more! What else do you think He has given it for? The vastness of the heavens does not compare to the treasure of His Word. Oh, and by the way, there is a better way to explore your ancestry, it is called, '66 and Me'...
"This is what the LORD says: "Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool. Could you build me a temple as good as that? Could you build me such a resting place? My hands have made both heaven and earth; they and everything in them are mine. I, the LORD, have spoken! "I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my word."" (Isaiah 66:1-2) NLT
Friday, August 24, 2018
"Own It"
"The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD'S: but the earth hath he given to the children of men." (Psalms 115:16)
Not exactly what you might expect from someone that always speaks about not being an earth dweller; but this is more about spiritual warfare than it is about possession and property. As I have said over and over, we are here for a reason; we are those that have something to share and that have power within us that is greater than he who is in this world. As such, we are not pacifist when it comes to spiritual warfare, we are warriors and conquerers in Christ Jesus. One of the the parts to the prayer that Jesus taught His disciples, was to pray, "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth." (Luke 11:2) Believe it or not, this is the work of the church, to be prayer warriors and to yield the Word of God as if it were a mighty sword, as it is! That might be the biggest problem within the church, that for the most part, it has stepped back from being active in the things that go on in this world, taking instead the role of passengers instead of pilgrims. There is a difference between the two and how they perceive their involvement in their surroundings. Pilgrims will actually try to better each and every place along their journey; making an effort to leave a mark and to become a better person along the way. Passengers are just along for the ride; getting their tickets punched from one stop to the next; just trying to survive the journey. The command God gave to man and woman, ""Be fruitful, and multiply," is the same as the command that Jesus gave to His disciples, "Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." (Matthew 28:19 NLT) The "therefore," is there for because Jesus was given all authority in heaven and on earth; He owns it, therefore we, being His ambassadors, have been given authority to represent Him and His commands. If something is not right, we should speak up; if something can be fixed, then we become His hands and feet, and we get it done; and above all else, if something needs to be done, whether by speaking or by working, we need to pray. Paul tells us this is not a physical battle, but it is a spiritual battle; and the spiritual battle belongs to the LORD...
"A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against the strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rules and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in the dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God's righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. 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 6:10-18) NLT
Not exactly what you might expect from someone that always speaks about not being an earth dweller; but this is more about spiritual warfare than it is about possession and property. As I have said over and over, we are here for a reason; we are those that have something to share and that have power within us that is greater than he who is in this world. As such, we are not pacifist when it comes to spiritual warfare, we are warriors and conquerers in Christ Jesus. One of the the parts to the prayer that Jesus taught His disciples, was to pray, "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth." (Luke 11:2) Believe it or not, this is the work of the church, to be prayer warriors and to yield the Word of God as if it were a mighty sword, as it is! That might be the biggest problem within the church, that for the most part, it has stepped back from being active in the things that go on in this world, taking instead the role of passengers instead of pilgrims. There is a difference between the two and how they perceive their involvement in their surroundings. Pilgrims will actually try to better each and every place along their journey; making an effort to leave a mark and to become a better person along the way. Passengers are just along for the ride; getting their tickets punched from one stop to the next; just trying to survive the journey. The command God gave to man and woman, ""Be fruitful, and multiply," is the same as the command that Jesus gave to His disciples, "Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." (Matthew 28:19 NLT) The "therefore," is there for because Jesus was given all authority in heaven and on earth; He owns it, therefore we, being His ambassadors, have been given authority to represent Him and His commands. If something is not right, we should speak up; if something can be fixed, then we become His hands and feet, and we get it done; and above all else, if something needs to be done, whether by speaking or by working, we need to pray. Paul tells us this is not a physical battle, but it is a spiritual battle; and the spiritual battle belongs to the LORD...
"A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against the strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rules and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in the dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God's righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. 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 6:10-18) NLT
Thursday, August 23, 2018
"We Are Blessed"
"Ye are blessed of the LORD which made heaven and earth." (Psalms 115:15)
No matter how you slice it, God is good all the time, and all the time, God is good! Sometimes we really need to be reminded of that because this world can have such an impact on us, we tend to forget; that is until something really presses hard into us, and then we start looking for blessings. The funny thing is, the blessings are all ready there, we just need to start counting them and naming them, one by one! Just this verse alone is probably the most important blessing of all; that the Creator of heaven and earth loves me and knows my name; that alone is enough to just make my day. Nothing else really much matters, compared to that. Just knowing that God, the God of the universe and of all that ever was, is, or will be, that He loves me; even though He knows every single thing about me, He still loves me and calls me His child; even though I do not possess the ability in this body to love Him as He deserves to be loved, He still loves me, just as I am! If only those that don't know Him could see what we see, what a difference it would make in their lives. If there is ever a question of whether or not any of this is true, there is proof. The proof is in the lives of those that follow Him! It is in you and me, it was in His disciples; it is in the history and accounts of all the martyrs that gladly gave their lives for believing in the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Besides the Holy Spirit that lives in us; He confirms and testifies the truth to us; but He also gives us the power to love, power that we know is not our own. It is really easy to realize that is true, just by the way that we feel after we have had Him love someone else through us; we wonder where that came from and we fear it might not come again. We don't need to look for the blessings, we are living the blessing...
"All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. That is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding." (Ephesians 1:3-8) NLT
No matter how you slice it, God is good all the time, and all the time, God is good! Sometimes we really need to be reminded of that because this world can have such an impact on us, we tend to forget; that is until something really presses hard into us, and then we start looking for blessings. The funny thing is, the blessings are all ready there, we just need to start counting them and naming them, one by one! Just this verse alone is probably the most important blessing of all; that the Creator of heaven and earth loves me and knows my name; that alone is enough to just make my day. Nothing else really much matters, compared to that. Just knowing that God, the God of the universe and of all that ever was, is, or will be, that He loves me; even though He knows every single thing about me, He still loves me and calls me His child; even though I do not possess the ability in this body to love Him as He deserves to be loved, He still loves me, just as I am! If only those that don't know Him could see what we see, what a difference it would make in their lives. If there is ever a question of whether or not any of this is true, there is proof. The proof is in the lives of those that follow Him! It is in you and me, it was in His disciples; it is in the history and accounts of all the martyrs that gladly gave their lives for believing in the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Besides the Holy Spirit that lives in us; He confirms and testifies the truth to us; but He also gives us the power to love, power that we know is not our own. It is really easy to realize that is true, just by the way that we feel after we have had Him love someone else through us; we wonder where that came from and we fear it might not come again. We don't need to look for the blessings, we are living the blessing...
"All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. That is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding." (Ephesians 1:3-8) NLT
Wednesday, August 22, 2018
"The Increase"
"The LORD shall increase you more and more, you and your children." (Psalms 115:14)
This might otherwise be a touchy subject for me, if I were focused upon life here on this earth. But, as it were, this life is so temporary and going by quicker by the moment. The closer we get to the ground, the quicker the ground gets. There is an increase that is taking place, most of which we don't even see or know about. The opportunities that God gives us for ministry, they do not stop when our ministry is done. Whenever I would teach or preach, no matter what size the crowd might have been, I was always focused upon one or two people that God was going to speak to; not even knowing who those people might be, but just knowing that they were there, somewhere in the crowd; ears wide open and hearts prepared by the Holy Spirit to receive the message. We really do not know how far the message will travel; it is delivered, but God takes it from there and brings the increase. He tells us in His word, "For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may 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) This is what we get to be part of, every time we get to share God's word! His word does not return to Him void! That is His decree, not mine; He has made it so, by saying, "It shall not!" When God says something is so, we can pretty much count on it being so. There is no way that we can track the increase; there is no way for us to know how many people were affected by the message that we have shared. It would be like trying to track the offspring of a seed that grows into a tree; it brings forth more seeds, which get dispersed in every direction. Birds carry the seeds far away; the water from the rain carries the seeds into streams and rivers; even other people will give the seeds away to others, and on and on it goes; the increase goes on into many generations...
""And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered."" (Genesis 13:16) KJV
This might otherwise be a touchy subject for me, if I were focused upon life here on this earth. But, as it were, this life is so temporary and going by quicker by the moment. The closer we get to the ground, the quicker the ground gets. There is an increase that is taking place, most of which we don't even see or know about. The opportunities that God gives us for ministry, they do not stop when our ministry is done. Whenever I would teach or preach, no matter what size the crowd might have been, I was always focused upon one or two people that God was going to speak to; not even knowing who those people might be, but just knowing that they were there, somewhere in the crowd; ears wide open and hearts prepared by the Holy Spirit to receive the message. We really do not know how far the message will travel; it is delivered, but God takes it from there and brings the increase. He tells us in His word, "For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may 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) This is what we get to be part of, every time we get to share God's word! His word does not return to Him void! That is His decree, not mine; He has made it so, by saying, "It shall not!" When God says something is so, we can pretty much count on it being so. There is no way that we can track the increase; there is no way for us to know how many people were affected by the message that we have shared. It would be like trying to track the offspring of a seed that grows into a tree; it brings forth more seeds, which get dispersed in every direction. Birds carry the seeds far away; the water from the rain carries the seeds into streams and rivers; even other people will give the seeds away to others, and on and on it goes; the increase goes on into many generations...
""And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered."" (Genesis 13:16) KJV
Tuesday, August 21, 2018
"He is Going To Bless"
"He will bless them that fear the LORD, both small and great." (Psalms 115:13)
When it comes to blessings, there are some that appear pretty obvious, and there are some that go unnoticed and undetected. Some are taken for granted, as is the case with most of the things we get placed in our lives from day to day; things like opportunities to share the love of God. It is really something that many do not see as a blessing, but more of something used to gain a blessing. I love to studying Paul's life and outlook on sharing the Good News; it was not about receiving a blessing, it was about see a blessing being manifested, over and over again; each and every conversion meant someone else was saved; opening the door for many more lives to be touched by a new brother or sister in the Lord. For Paul, it was not about being blessed in the here and now, even though he obviously was being blessed. It was about serving Jesus and pleasing the Lord; in that, that is where real blessings are found, and they are kept! The word "bless" that is used above is not like giving gifts and happiness; it is a word that is a verb, not a noun; it speaks of action, which involves praise and thanksgiving, when we can actually feel the part of something that is bigger than ourselves. We are here for a reason, each and every one of us are His hands and feet; to minister to those that God places in our lives, some small encounters, and some are great; but all the same quality to those that get to partake in blessing others, not themselves. When the attitude is right, there really is no difference between small and great, it is all about doing our part, no matter if that involves washing toilets or preaching to large groups of people, we are all connected to One God, with One Love, and declaring One Mission: To Declare the Gospel of Christ...
"Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. In this new life, it doesn't matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us. Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves wth love, which binds us together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful." (Colossians 3:10-15) NLT
When it comes to blessings, there are some that appear pretty obvious, and there are some that go unnoticed and undetected. Some are taken for granted, as is the case with most of the things we get placed in our lives from day to day; things like opportunities to share the love of God. It is really something that many do not see as a blessing, but more of something used to gain a blessing. I love to studying Paul's life and outlook on sharing the Good News; it was not about receiving a blessing, it was about see a blessing being manifested, over and over again; each and every conversion meant someone else was saved; opening the door for many more lives to be touched by a new brother or sister in the Lord. For Paul, it was not about being blessed in the here and now, even though he obviously was being blessed. It was about serving Jesus and pleasing the Lord; in that, that is where real blessings are found, and they are kept! The word "bless" that is used above is not like giving gifts and happiness; it is a word that is a verb, not a noun; it speaks of action, which involves praise and thanksgiving, when we can actually feel the part of something that is bigger than ourselves. We are here for a reason, each and every one of us are His hands and feet; to minister to those that God places in our lives, some small encounters, and some are great; but all the same quality to those that get to partake in blessing others, not themselves. When the attitude is right, there really is no difference between small and great, it is all about doing our part, no matter if that involves washing toilets or preaching to large groups of people, we are all connected to One God, with One Love, and declaring One Mission: To Declare the Gospel of Christ...
"Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. In this new life, it doesn't matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us. Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves wth love, which binds us together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful." (Colossians 3:10-15) NLT
Monday, August 20, 2018
"He Knows!"
"The LORD hath been mindful of us: he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron." (Psalms 115:12)
The title for today is written above this verse in my Bible. There is so much comfort in knowing that God loves us unconditionally, especially when we know that He knows every single thing about us. Jesus said, "the very hairs of your head are all numbered." God knows everything there is to know about us, even more than we know about ourselves! Can you number the hairs on you head? I don't think anyone could; but when a hair falls out, He knows that also! We try to explain things to God like He doesn't know what is going on; when in reality, we need God to explain what is going on to us. If there is something going on inside of us, He already knows; if it is something bad, it is only bad because we don't know the good it is going to do. Whenever the Bible says "all," all is what the Bible is speaking about; not some, or part, or even a portion, but every little bit. It sometimes does not make sense, but it really does not need to, not for us to trust Him and rest in His promises. If you study the Bible well enough, you will discover something about every terrible thing or mistake made by God's servants, God had found a way to use it for good, in some form or fashion. Everything that they did, or everything that was done to them, God took something that was made for evil and turned it to good; God took a mistake and made it into a way to fulfill a promise. That is probably the thing we seem to overlook the most, that there are no mistakes with God. He knows everything that is going to happen before it even happens! I cannot do anything that can surprise God! If He loved me yesterday, He still loves me today, no matter what; I am still the same to Him that I was before the day that I was even born...
""Sing for joy, O heavens! Rejoice, O earth! Burst into song, O mountains! For the LORD has comforted his people and will have compassion on them in their suffering. Yet Jerusalem says, "The LORD has deserted us; the Lord has forgotten us." "Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you! See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands. Always in my mind is a picture of Jerusalem's wall in ruin. Soon your descendants will come back, and all who are trying to destroy you will go away. Look around you and see, for all your children will come back to you. As surely as I live," says the LORD, "they will be like jewels or bridal ornaments for you to display."" (Isaiah 49:13-18) NLT
The title for today is written above this verse in my Bible. There is so much comfort in knowing that God loves us unconditionally, especially when we know that He knows every single thing about us. Jesus said, "the very hairs of your head are all numbered." God knows everything there is to know about us, even more than we know about ourselves! Can you number the hairs on you head? I don't think anyone could; but when a hair falls out, He knows that also! We try to explain things to God like He doesn't know what is going on; when in reality, we need God to explain what is going on to us. If there is something going on inside of us, He already knows; if it is something bad, it is only bad because we don't know the good it is going to do. Whenever the Bible says "all," all is what the Bible is speaking about; not some, or part, or even a portion, but every little bit. It sometimes does not make sense, but it really does not need to, not for us to trust Him and rest in His promises. If you study the Bible well enough, you will discover something about every terrible thing or mistake made by God's servants, God had found a way to use it for good, in some form or fashion. Everything that they did, or everything that was done to them, God took something that was made for evil and turned it to good; God took a mistake and made it into a way to fulfill a promise. That is probably the thing we seem to overlook the most, that there are no mistakes with God. He knows everything that is going to happen before it even happens! I cannot do anything that can surprise God! If He loved me yesterday, He still loves me today, no matter what; I am still the same to Him that I was before the day that I was even born...
""Sing for joy, O heavens! Rejoice, O earth! Burst into song, O mountains! For the LORD has comforted his people and will have compassion on them in their suffering. Yet Jerusalem says, "The LORD has deserted us; the Lord has forgotten us." "Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you! See, I have written your name on the palms of my hands. Always in my mind is a picture of Jerusalem's wall in ruin. Soon your descendants will come back, and all who are trying to destroy you will go away. Look around you and see, for all your children will come back to you. As surely as I live," says the LORD, "they will be like jewels or bridal ornaments for you to display."" (Isaiah 49:13-18) NLT
Sunday, August 19, 2018
"Heavenly Bound"
"Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their strength." (Psalms 115:11)
I know it might not seem to make much sense, but there is only one thing we need to fear. Jesus spoke of this in Matthew 10:26-28 and in Luke 12:4-5, that we should not fear him who can destroy our bodies, but rather we should fear Him which is able to destroy both our soul and our body in hell. Some of our greatest fears are things that actually are not even there, they are the things that we imagine in our own minds; but there is nothing more real than judgment and the eternal flames of hell. After Jesus spoke of this, He said that we need to fear not, if we are His, saying, "Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven." So in this sense, it is a two way street, fear and trust go hand in hand. There really is nothing that we can do to earn our way into heaven, if we could, then Jesus wouldn't have had to come down and give His life in our place. We are given eternal life by believing in the sacrifice given by the Father, His Son. It was the Father's sacrifice, spoken of Abraham in Genesis 22:8, "My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering." This he said to answer his son about where the sacrifice was they were going to offer, but as it turns out, some say that was the place where Jesus was crucified, 1900 years later! The most popular verse in the Bible tells it just like it is: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." That word perish is the word that means damnation, the word that Jesus was speaking about when He was saying whom we should fear; not because God wants to throw us into the fires of hell, because He wants everyone to be saved from where they are headed if they do not accept His free offer of salvation. What is so hard to decide about that? Just believe and be saved. I look forward to seeing you all in heaven; where I will see my mother, grandfather, brother-in-laws, and my son...
"After this, I heard what sounded like a vast crowd in heaven shouting, "Praise the LORD! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God. His judgments are true and just. He has punished the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality. He has avenged the murder of his servants." And again their voices rang out: "Praise the LORD! The smoke from that city ascends forever and ever." Then the twenty-four elders and the four living beings fell down and worshipped God, who was sitting on the throne. They cried out, "Amen! Praise the LORD!" And from the throne came a voice that said, "Praise our God, all his servants, all who fear him, from the least to the greatest."" (Revelation 19:1-5) NLT
I know it might not seem to make much sense, but there is only one thing we need to fear. Jesus spoke of this in Matthew 10:26-28 and in Luke 12:4-5, that we should not fear him who can destroy our bodies, but rather we should fear Him which is able to destroy both our soul and our body in hell. Some of our greatest fears are things that actually are not even there, they are the things that we imagine in our own minds; but there is nothing more real than judgment and the eternal flames of hell. After Jesus spoke of this, He said that we need to fear not, if we are His, saying, "Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven." So in this sense, it is a two way street, fear and trust go hand in hand. There really is nothing that we can do to earn our way into heaven, if we could, then Jesus wouldn't have had to come down and give His life in our place. We are given eternal life by believing in the sacrifice given by the Father, His Son. It was the Father's sacrifice, spoken of Abraham in Genesis 22:8, "My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering." This he said to answer his son about where the sacrifice was they were going to offer, but as it turns out, some say that was the place where Jesus was crucified, 1900 years later! The most popular verse in the Bible tells it just like it is: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." That word perish is the word that means damnation, the word that Jesus was speaking about when He was saying whom we should fear; not because God wants to throw us into the fires of hell, because He wants everyone to be saved from where they are headed if they do not accept His free offer of salvation. What is so hard to decide about that? Just believe and be saved. I look forward to seeing you all in heaven; where I will see my mother, grandfather, brother-in-laws, and my son...
"After this, I heard what sounded like a vast crowd in heaven shouting, "Praise the LORD! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God. His judgments are true and just. He has punished the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality. He has avenged the murder of his servants." And again their voices rang out: "Praise the LORD! The smoke from that city ascends forever and ever." Then the twenty-four elders and the four living beings fell down and worshipped God, who was sitting on the throne. They cried out, "Amen! Praise the LORD!" And from the throne came a voice that said, "Praise our God, all his servants, all who fear him, from the least to the greatest."" (Revelation 19:1-5) NLT
Saturday, August 18, 2018
"Spiritually Connected"
"O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield." (Psalms 115:10)
Having the Holy Spirit within us, does not just make us a Temple, we are connected with Jesus and with our Heavenly Father; as they all three are One, for there is One True God. There are some things that might be hard to wrap our heads around, but that concept of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit being One, that is something confirmed in our hearts. No one needed to persuade me that was true, the Holy Spirit living within me confirmed it, and there was really no more discussion needed. That might not sound like such a big deal to most, but if you were raised to believe that it was not the case, then having it confirmed in your heart as the truth, that simply does not need explaining, it just is, and that settles that. After the morning I was given eternal life, I spent several weeks finding all of the places I could in the Bible that showed Jesus as God. I even made a crossword puzzle to illustrate how it was all connected and how easy it was to see the truth. It is really important that we get this right; you can talk to a lot of people about God, but you start lifting up the name of Jesus, and there is going to be people that are highly offended. Aaron is a name that means, "Light Bringer," and that is what takes place when we start talking about Jesus Christ, we bring out the Light! When the Light gets brought out, people's sins are revealed and they get offended. Those that want to remain in their sin, do not want anything to do with the Light, because as far as they are concerned the Light is judgment; but in reality, the Light is Salvation! We that love the Light know this to be true, because God is Light! I know, it sounds like I am quoting John 3:18-21; but this is something that was revealed to me in my heart a long time ago. And it should also be in the heart of every believer, because it is the witness of the Holy Spirit that lives within each and every one of us. Sometimes we might need a little help seeing the sin in our lives, but the Holy Spirit is there it convict us of those things we need to deal with. The more we deal with those things that are revealed, the greater the Light shines within us...
"So you must remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning. If you do, you will remain in fellowship with the Son and with the Father. And in this fellowship we enjoy the eternal life he promised us. I am writing these things to warn you about those who want to lead you astray. But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don't need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true -it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ." (1 John 2:24-27) NLT
Having the Holy Spirit within us, does not just make us a Temple, we are connected with Jesus and with our Heavenly Father; as they all three are One, for there is One True God. There are some things that might be hard to wrap our heads around, but that concept of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit being One, that is something confirmed in our hearts. No one needed to persuade me that was true, the Holy Spirit living within me confirmed it, and there was really no more discussion needed. That might not sound like such a big deal to most, but if you were raised to believe that it was not the case, then having it confirmed in your heart as the truth, that simply does not need explaining, it just is, and that settles that. After the morning I was given eternal life, I spent several weeks finding all of the places I could in the Bible that showed Jesus as God. I even made a crossword puzzle to illustrate how it was all connected and how easy it was to see the truth. It is really important that we get this right; you can talk to a lot of people about God, but you start lifting up the name of Jesus, and there is going to be people that are highly offended. Aaron is a name that means, "Light Bringer," and that is what takes place when we start talking about Jesus Christ, we bring out the Light! When the Light gets brought out, people's sins are revealed and they get offended. Those that want to remain in their sin, do not want anything to do with the Light, because as far as they are concerned the Light is judgment; but in reality, the Light is Salvation! We that love the Light know this to be true, because God is Light! I know, it sounds like I am quoting John 3:18-21; but this is something that was revealed to me in my heart a long time ago. And it should also be in the heart of every believer, because it is the witness of the Holy Spirit that lives within each and every one of us. Sometimes we might need a little help seeing the sin in our lives, but the Holy Spirit is there it convict us of those things we need to deal with. The more we deal with those things that are revealed, the greater the Light shines within us...
"So you must remain faithful to what you have been taught from the beginning. If you do, you will remain in fellowship with the Son and with the Father. And in this fellowship we enjoy the eternal life he promised us. I am writing these things to warn you about those who want to lead you astray. But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don't need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true -it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ." (1 John 2:24-27) NLT
Friday, August 17, 2018
"Physical Endurance"
"O Israel, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield." (Psalms 115:9)
I know, it sounds a little weird; but in life, sometimes we need a little motivation for these tired and worn out bodies. As I looked up again the meaning of "Israel," I was reminded of the situation Jacob was in when he wrestled all night with the Lord. He was pretty much broken and was about to give up. He had separated himself from his wives and children, as to spare them from what might happen to him, and he had pretty much just given in to whatever might come next. Believe me when I tell you, I know the feeling; it is both fearful and soothing all in one. On the one hand you are given over to all that is bad, imagining every possible outcome; and on the other, you are satisfied by knowing that it all really does not matter. It is a pretty weird place to be, and it is a place where you really do not want to remain; you either need to find a hiding place, or need to get physically motivated to do something, anything, whatever it takes. If we were to look at these three different illustrations, they are all the same, yet they speak to different areas of our lives; the physical, spiritual, and eternal. They all three are important because they all three are designed and created by God. We were not designed to give up! As a matter of fact, the more we physically give up on anything, the more defeated we become. My heart breaks for this new generation of kids, because they are allowed and even encouraged to give up. If it hurts, stop doing it; that is the new normal for the way children are being raised. Sometimes life hurts! Sometimes we need to stop backing away and we need to push forward! Don't get me started, but when did children start telling their parents what they were going to eat? When I was a kid, if I did not eat what my mother made to dinner, I chewed on my pillow that night! I may not have liked everything, like liver and onions, but if I did not eat it, I did not eat. That might not sound like a big deal, but I think that is where it actually starts. It is an attitude of "I don't really have to do what I don't want to do." If I don't like the taste, I don't have to eat it; if I don't like how it feels, I don't need to do it; if I am not comfortable being there, I don't need to be there. It goes on and on, and it really takes away the challenges and opportunities for endurance to be experienced in the lives of our children. It matters quite a bit for us old folks too...
"How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn't have the chance to help me. Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:10-13) NLT
I know, it sounds a little weird; but in life, sometimes we need a little motivation for these tired and worn out bodies. As I looked up again the meaning of "Israel," I was reminded of the situation Jacob was in when he wrestled all night with the Lord. He was pretty much broken and was about to give up. He had separated himself from his wives and children, as to spare them from what might happen to him, and he had pretty much just given in to whatever might come next. Believe me when I tell you, I know the feeling; it is both fearful and soothing all in one. On the one hand you are given over to all that is bad, imagining every possible outcome; and on the other, you are satisfied by knowing that it all really does not matter. It is a pretty weird place to be, and it is a place where you really do not want to remain; you either need to find a hiding place, or need to get physically motivated to do something, anything, whatever it takes. If we were to look at these three different illustrations, they are all the same, yet they speak to different areas of our lives; the physical, spiritual, and eternal. They all three are important because they all three are designed and created by God. We were not designed to give up! As a matter of fact, the more we physically give up on anything, the more defeated we become. My heart breaks for this new generation of kids, because they are allowed and even encouraged to give up. If it hurts, stop doing it; that is the new normal for the way children are being raised. Sometimes life hurts! Sometimes we need to stop backing away and we need to push forward! Don't get me started, but when did children start telling their parents what they were going to eat? When I was a kid, if I did not eat what my mother made to dinner, I chewed on my pillow that night! I may not have liked everything, like liver and onions, but if I did not eat it, I did not eat. That might not sound like a big deal, but I think that is where it actually starts. It is an attitude of "I don't really have to do what I don't want to do." If I don't like the taste, I don't have to eat it; if I don't like how it feels, I don't need to do it; if I am not comfortable being there, I don't need to be there. It goes on and on, and it really takes away the challenges and opportunities for endurance to be experienced in the lives of our children. It matters quite a bit for us old folks too...
"How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn't have the chance to help me. Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:10-13) NLT
Thursday, August 16, 2018
"False Security"
"They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them." (Psalms 115:8)
Besides the face that nothing except God can grant us eternal life, there is no real security in anything that we can make; as Peter says in 2 Peter 3:11-12, "Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness. Looking for and hasting unto the coming day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?" Basically, it all depends where are faith is and what it is that we are holding out for. Are we looking for the Lord to come back, at any moment? or are we living as though we have all the time in the world? I don't know about you, but this world cannot get much more like the end times, in my book! I have written in the space between this verse and the next in my Bible, "You become like the God you worship." This does not necessarily mean that you will turn into a statue if you worship a statue; it means that you will be as lost and alive as whatever it is that worship and put your faith in. What kind of life does an idol have, none! There is nothing that idols can do to protect us or provide for us, especially when it comes to eternity and salvation for our souls. A better illustration, which is something along the lines of what Peter is saying, is that all idols will be burnt up in the fire, they are combustable! So too are all that make them and put their trust in them, they are headed for destruction in the eternal fires of hell. When push comes to shove, where does your faith remain? When the pressure is on, what do you press into? There is really nothing here on this earth that can touch or tamper with my salvation in Christ; no matter what might overtake me, nothing can take away the eternal life that I have in Christ. When it comes to what matters most, we need to keep our eyes on that which cannot be destroyed or burnt up in the fire...
""I sank beneath the waves, and the waters closed over me. Seaweed wrapped itself around my head. I sank down in the very roots of the mountains. I was imprisoned in the earth, whose gates lock shut forever. But you, O LORD my God, snatched me from the jaws of death! As my life was slipping away, I remembered the LORD. And my earnest prayer went out to you in your holy Temple. Those who worship false gods turn their back on all God's mercies. But I will offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise, and I will fulfill all my vows. For my salvation comes from the LORD alone."" (Jonah 2:5-9) NLT
Besides the face that nothing except God can grant us eternal life, there is no real security in anything that we can make; as Peter says in 2 Peter 3:11-12, "Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness. Looking for and hasting unto the coming day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?" Basically, it all depends where are faith is and what it is that we are holding out for. Are we looking for the Lord to come back, at any moment? or are we living as though we have all the time in the world? I don't know about you, but this world cannot get much more like the end times, in my book! I have written in the space between this verse and the next in my Bible, "You become like the God you worship." This does not necessarily mean that you will turn into a statue if you worship a statue; it means that you will be as lost and alive as whatever it is that worship and put your faith in. What kind of life does an idol have, none! There is nothing that idols can do to protect us or provide for us, especially when it comes to eternity and salvation for our souls. A better illustration, which is something along the lines of what Peter is saying, is that all idols will be burnt up in the fire, they are combustable! So too are all that make them and put their trust in them, they are headed for destruction in the eternal fires of hell. When push comes to shove, where does your faith remain? When the pressure is on, what do you press into? There is really nothing here on this earth that can touch or tamper with my salvation in Christ; no matter what might overtake me, nothing can take away the eternal life that I have in Christ. When it comes to what matters most, we need to keep our eyes on that which cannot be destroyed or burnt up in the fire...
""I sank beneath the waves, and the waters closed over me. Seaweed wrapped itself around my head. I sank down in the very roots of the mountains. I was imprisoned in the earth, whose gates lock shut forever. But you, O LORD my God, snatched me from the jaws of death! As my life was slipping away, I remembered the LORD. And my earnest prayer went out to you in your holy Temple. Those who worship false gods turn their back on all God's mercies. But I will offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise, and I will fulfill all my vows. For my salvation comes from the LORD alone."" (Jonah 2:5-9) NLT
Wednesday, August 15, 2018
"Nothingness"
"They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: they have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: they have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat." (Psalms 115:5-7)
What is a person to do? It is all the same bunch of nothingness, so it belongs all grouped together as one big pile of dung. This is a really good example of what we get counting on anything else but God when it comes to our faith, even when we feel safe doing so. I am talking about anything else, such as our finances, our properties, our plans of retirement; even the things that we think we have all figured out and that are fail-safe. Just like idols made by man, there is no power in anything, that is power enough to save! I tried to think of anything that on its own can do anything, but it all comes up short. It is God that is our only source of help and security; He it is that will bless us with those things, and He it is that can take them all away. I hope we understand that by what we read in the Bible, because every single generation has had to learn the same lessons, over and over again, in some form or fashion. It started with Adam and Eve, who failed to follow one simple command, just one; and it was out of the garden for them, forced to experience the hardships of baring children and providing food for the table. This goes way beyond just objects that are made to worship, such as idols of stone or wood; this is about anything that we give power to and depend upon it to provide for and satisfy our lives. We spent all of our years prior to coming to Jesus trying to fill that void, so why would we even attempt to think that it is any different? Nothing can take the place of God when it comes to fulfilling our peace, our joy, and our faith for eternal security, absolutely nothing! I heard a message yesterday that spoke about all the times God instructed the children of Israel to make a monument to certain victories and miracles that He brought into their lives; that it was to remember that it was only be Him that they were delivered. Only the blood of Jesus can save us; only by His strips are we healed; that is why Jesus said, "Do this in remembrance of me," because there is no other way that we can be saved; everything else is nothingness...
"I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our our fears for today nor our 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 8:38-39)
What is a person to do? It is all the same bunch of nothingness, so it belongs all grouped together as one big pile of dung. This is a really good example of what we get counting on anything else but God when it comes to our faith, even when we feel safe doing so. I am talking about anything else, such as our finances, our properties, our plans of retirement; even the things that we think we have all figured out and that are fail-safe. Just like idols made by man, there is no power in anything, that is power enough to save! I tried to think of anything that on its own can do anything, but it all comes up short. It is God that is our only source of help and security; He it is that will bless us with those things, and He it is that can take them all away. I hope we understand that by what we read in the Bible, because every single generation has had to learn the same lessons, over and over again, in some form or fashion. It started with Adam and Eve, who failed to follow one simple command, just one; and it was out of the garden for them, forced to experience the hardships of baring children and providing food for the table. This goes way beyond just objects that are made to worship, such as idols of stone or wood; this is about anything that we give power to and depend upon it to provide for and satisfy our lives. We spent all of our years prior to coming to Jesus trying to fill that void, so why would we even attempt to think that it is any different? Nothing can take the place of God when it comes to fulfilling our peace, our joy, and our faith for eternal security, absolutely nothing! I heard a message yesterday that spoke about all the times God instructed the children of Israel to make a monument to certain victories and miracles that He brought into their lives; that it was to remember that it was only be Him that they were delivered. Only the blood of Jesus can save us; only by His strips are we healed; that is why Jesus said, "Do this in remembrance of me," because there is no other way that we can be saved; everything else is nothingness...
"I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our our fears for today nor our 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 8:38-39)
Tuesday, August 14, 2018
"Images"
"Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands." (Psalms 115:4)
As if we could get any more specific, our God is in the heavens, is actually a statement of where He is, meaning that He does not dwell here, and neither do we! We are not earth dwellers, we are all citizens of Heaven, just as our Father is in Heaven, just as our Lord Christ Jesus is there preparing a place for us, for all eternity. Earth dwellers need to be able to see their gods; their faith is based upon that which they see and can touch. It is physical, just as they are worldly, they must witness with their eyes what they worship. This is something that goes all the way back to the fall, when Eve was deceived by the serpent, it was by sight that see was tempted and desired to eat. It is said that the devil uses our sight to cause us to stumble, which is pretty much saying that he speaks to us through our eyes; placing images before us, and then our minds take those images and make all sorts of plans and fantasies out of them. God does not speak to us that way, He speaks to us through hearing; it is by His word that He reveals Himself to us, and it is by His word that He guides our lives. Even though we know this to be a fact, we are still tempted to see proof, to see some kind of a sign. Yesterday I was talking with a friend and he mentioned something to me about some people he knows that have lost everything they had in the fire. He said that they wanted to see a miracle when they went back to check on their home, and what they saw was a pile of ashes; but they still witnessed a miracle in their own lives, because their faith came to life, and they felt the peace and joy of the Lord, even though everything they owned was burnt up and a pile of ashes. That is more real than anything that can be seen! Our faith is not based upon any image; our faith is the Creator of everything seen and unseen, not in anything that is seen...
""What good is an idol carved by man, or a cast image that deceives you? How foolish to trust in your own creation -a god that can't even talk! What sorrow awaits you who say to wooden idols, 'Wake up and save us!' To speechless images you say, 'Rise up and teach us!' Can an idol tell you what to do? They may be overlaid with gold and silver, but they are lifeless inside. But the LORD is in his holy Temple. Let all the earth be silent before him."" (Habakkuk 2:18-20) NLT
As if we could get any more specific, our God is in the heavens, is actually a statement of where He is, meaning that He does not dwell here, and neither do we! We are not earth dwellers, we are all citizens of Heaven, just as our Father is in Heaven, just as our Lord Christ Jesus is there preparing a place for us, for all eternity. Earth dwellers need to be able to see their gods; their faith is based upon that which they see and can touch. It is physical, just as they are worldly, they must witness with their eyes what they worship. This is something that goes all the way back to the fall, when Eve was deceived by the serpent, it was by sight that see was tempted and desired to eat. It is said that the devil uses our sight to cause us to stumble, which is pretty much saying that he speaks to us through our eyes; placing images before us, and then our minds take those images and make all sorts of plans and fantasies out of them. God does not speak to us that way, He speaks to us through hearing; it is by His word that He reveals Himself to us, and it is by His word that He guides our lives. Even though we know this to be a fact, we are still tempted to see proof, to see some kind of a sign. Yesterday I was talking with a friend and he mentioned something to me about some people he knows that have lost everything they had in the fire. He said that they wanted to see a miracle when they went back to check on their home, and what they saw was a pile of ashes; but they still witnessed a miracle in their own lives, because their faith came to life, and they felt the peace and joy of the Lord, even though everything they owned was burnt up and a pile of ashes. That is more real than anything that can be seen! Our faith is not based upon any image; our faith is the Creator of everything seen and unseen, not in anything that is seen...
""What good is an idol carved by man, or a cast image that deceives you? How foolish to trust in your own creation -a god that can't even talk! What sorrow awaits you who say to wooden idols, 'Wake up and save us!' To speechless images you say, 'Rise up and teach us!' Can an idol tell you what to do? They may be overlaid with gold and silver, but they are lifeless inside. But the LORD is in his holy Temple. Let all the earth be silent before him."" (Habakkuk 2:18-20) NLT
Monday, August 13, 2018
"God Rules"
"But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased." (Psalms 115:3)
The first rule in worshiping God, is to believe that He rules! Make no mistake in thinking otherwise, because there is nothing that takes place here or anywhere else that He does not allow to happen. Some people make take issue with that, because there is a lot of terrible stuff that goes on here, and they might ask, 'How could God allow that to happen?' There are things that happen which God does not like, every second of every day. We ourselves are guilty of doing things that God does not like, but what would you like Him to do about those things we do? He could stop all the madness at any time He might feel fed up with it; and soon enough, He will start that process by taking His church out of this place. But for now, He is patiently waiting for that last Gentile to believe in His Son. That is all that He is waiting for, so do not think He does not care about all the terrible things we do, because His heart is grieved every moment of every day by what we do to one another. Besides, it is because of His great mercy that we are not judged instantly for the things that we do. Imagine if that were the case, and if we were judged for our sins, the sins that we do not confess or do not feel that we have committed. Oh, you don't think that you have any unconfessed sins? Interesting subject, because I think we all have sins that go unconfessed, because we just do not think we were wrong by treating someone a certain way that has wronged us, or holding onto unforgiveness just because we just do not feel vindicated or satisfied with a the outcome of a disagreement or dispute. I know it might seem petty, but unforgiveness is a pretty big deal to God. Besides, unforgiveness is like a cancer growing inside our heart; it will tear us apart if we do not confess it and let God cleanse us from the inside out. I have seen way too many brothers and sisters destroy their testimonies of God's mercy and love by not forgiving one another. It is really sad to see how stubborn the heart can really be. But one way to help fix that is to let God rule our hearts, just as He rules the heavens...
""When you pray, don't babble on and on as the people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don't be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don't let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one. "If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins."" (Matthew 6:7-15) NLT
The first rule in worshiping God, is to believe that He rules! Make no mistake in thinking otherwise, because there is nothing that takes place here or anywhere else that He does not allow to happen. Some people make take issue with that, because there is a lot of terrible stuff that goes on here, and they might ask, 'How could God allow that to happen?' There are things that happen which God does not like, every second of every day. We ourselves are guilty of doing things that God does not like, but what would you like Him to do about those things we do? He could stop all the madness at any time He might feel fed up with it; and soon enough, He will start that process by taking His church out of this place. But for now, He is patiently waiting for that last Gentile to believe in His Son. That is all that He is waiting for, so do not think He does not care about all the terrible things we do, because His heart is grieved every moment of every day by what we do to one another. Besides, it is because of His great mercy that we are not judged instantly for the things that we do. Imagine if that were the case, and if we were judged for our sins, the sins that we do not confess or do not feel that we have committed. Oh, you don't think that you have any unconfessed sins? Interesting subject, because I think we all have sins that go unconfessed, because we just do not think we were wrong by treating someone a certain way that has wronged us, or holding onto unforgiveness just because we just do not feel vindicated or satisfied with a the outcome of a disagreement or dispute. I know it might seem petty, but unforgiveness is a pretty big deal to God. Besides, unforgiveness is like a cancer growing inside our heart; it will tear us apart if we do not confess it and let God cleanse us from the inside out. I have seen way too many brothers and sisters destroy their testimonies of God's mercy and love by not forgiving one another. It is really sad to see how stubborn the heart can really be. But one way to help fix that is to let God rule our hearts, just as He rules the heavens...
""When you pray, don't babble on and on as the people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don't be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us today the food we need, and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us. And don't let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one. "If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins."" (Matthew 6:7-15) NLT
Sunday, August 12, 2018
"God's Property"
"Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God?" (Psalms 115:2)
We really cannot have it both ways, thinking that we have any power to control our lives and that God has all the power to heal or to bless us. The Lord gives and takes away, based upon what He knows is right; at best, we can only think that we know anything at all what to do; but based upon the ability of our flesh to influence our choices, what we think we know is right, will most likely turn out to be wrong. Going back to the 2nd verse of the last Psalm, Matthew Henry explains it to mean that Judah and Israel are God's property; that His sanctuary and His dominion are His areas of worship and judgment, and that worship and judgment are one of the same, truth! To that, is the answer to the question, "Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God?" "For thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake," He must receive all the glory, every last bit of it! Even in the times of testing and trials, He must be given glory! Those are the times in which the heathen will say, "Where is now their God?" But those are also the times where His light will shine the brightest in His people, when they praise Him and give Him glory during the testing and the trials. When it looks like all is lost, we are never lost; when it looks like we have been forsaken, we are always safe and secure. In the light of God's judgment, their must always be worship; we cannot truly worship God the way that we should without considering His judgment, because His judgment is always full of mercy. That is truth, and that is why we walk humbly with our God, because we love mercy; and because we love mercy we must act justly; just because...
"Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other. But -"When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life."" (Titus 3:3-7) NLT
We really cannot have it both ways, thinking that we have any power to control our lives and that God has all the power to heal or to bless us. The Lord gives and takes away, based upon what He knows is right; at best, we can only think that we know anything at all what to do; but based upon the ability of our flesh to influence our choices, what we think we know is right, will most likely turn out to be wrong. Going back to the 2nd verse of the last Psalm, Matthew Henry explains it to mean that Judah and Israel are God's property; that His sanctuary and His dominion are His areas of worship and judgment, and that worship and judgment are one of the same, truth! To that, is the answer to the question, "Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God?" "For thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake," He must receive all the glory, every last bit of it! Even in the times of testing and trials, He must be given glory! Those are the times in which the heathen will say, "Where is now their God?" But those are also the times where His light will shine the brightest in His people, when they praise Him and give Him glory during the testing and the trials. When it looks like all is lost, we are never lost; when it looks like we have been forsaken, we are always safe and secure. In the light of God's judgment, their must always be worship; we cannot truly worship God the way that we should without considering His judgment, because His judgment is always full of mercy. That is truth, and that is why we walk humbly with our God, because we love mercy; and because we love mercy we must act justly; just because...
"Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other. But -"When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life."" (Titus 3:3-7) NLT
Saturday, August 11, 2018
"Not Unto Us"
"Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake." (Psalms 115:1)
One of the first places it is that we check, is that of our humility and gratitude; if we are somehow thinking that God owes us something for what we do, or that something we have is by our own doing, then it is time to stop, repent, and ask the Lord to change our hearts. This is something that is easy to overlook, and it is also something that is easily put forth for others to see. I really love our current President, but this might be one of his biggest issues. There are always those around us that are willing to encourage our way of thinking that we the one that made it all happen; especially those that might benefit from what we might have. But it is never ours to begin with, and it will not go with us when we depart this earth; everything belongs to the Lord! What we might have, we have because the Lord allows us to manage it or use it; it can all be gone in a moments notice, and there is nothing we can do to hold on to anything, except for our salvation. Yesterday I had a firsthand look at the devastation from the current fire. I was inspecting a house for a widow that had lost her home right across the street from the new house she was buying. As I drove up to the property, I thought it was a mistake, and that maybe the wrong address had been given to me. But it was her wish to remain in the same neighborhood and to keep in touch with the same neighbors, whoever might want to remain. As a matter of fact, I have done several inspections over the last week for people that lost their homes, and the majority of them that I have meet are surprisingly happy and in good spirits. But let me tell you what it was like to witness the devastation. I have never seen such a sight in person, ever. There was rows and rows of homes that were nothing but piles of burnt up rubble; most of which, you could not make out what was there. There were many of these places that I have previously been in and inspected; and several of them were homes that were worth a lot of money. If you think that you have something that cannot be taken away, you need to think again, because your salvation is the only thing you have that is secure and cannot be touched...
"All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance -an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay." (1 Peter 1:3-4) NLT
One of the first places it is that we check, is that of our humility and gratitude; if we are somehow thinking that God owes us something for what we do, or that something we have is by our own doing, then it is time to stop, repent, and ask the Lord to change our hearts. This is something that is easy to overlook, and it is also something that is easily put forth for others to see. I really love our current President, but this might be one of his biggest issues. There are always those around us that are willing to encourage our way of thinking that we the one that made it all happen; especially those that might benefit from what we might have. But it is never ours to begin with, and it will not go with us when we depart this earth; everything belongs to the Lord! What we might have, we have because the Lord allows us to manage it or use it; it can all be gone in a moments notice, and there is nothing we can do to hold on to anything, except for our salvation. Yesterday I had a firsthand look at the devastation from the current fire. I was inspecting a house for a widow that had lost her home right across the street from the new house she was buying. As I drove up to the property, I thought it was a mistake, and that maybe the wrong address had been given to me. But it was her wish to remain in the same neighborhood and to keep in touch with the same neighbors, whoever might want to remain. As a matter of fact, I have done several inspections over the last week for people that lost their homes, and the majority of them that I have meet are surprisingly happy and in good spirits. But let me tell you what it was like to witness the devastation. I have never seen such a sight in person, ever. There was rows and rows of homes that were nothing but piles of burnt up rubble; most of which, you could not make out what was there. There were many of these places that I have previously been in and inspected; and several of them were homes that were worth a lot of money. If you think that you have something that cannot be taken away, you need to think again, because your salvation is the only thing you have that is secure and cannot be touched...
"All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance -an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay." (1 Peter 1:3-4) NLT
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