"Feasting With The Lord" -2

"He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee." (Psalms 81:16) The last segment of the Men's Camp was focused on John 21:21 and was about how much 'comparison' destroys our ministries, families, careers, friendships and marriages. It really spoke to my heart about those times when I am feeling really down, and how much I am focused on the past or what I don't have, instead of being focused on where I am at, and what I have been given. So, if you are wondering if this post has anything to do with the present, then you need not wonder any longer. This is all about the present; every single day we have left upon this earth is about "Feasting With The Lord" right now, right here! Sure, there will be a glorious feast awaiting us in heaven, but right now, in whatever situation we are in, we are to be feasting in the goodness that we have bee given; even if that which we have does not appear all that great, it's right where God has us, and we need to experience the moment. It might not sound like much, but being content with whatever and wherever the Lord has you is the beginning of trusting and obedience. Do you think Paul and Silas sang in prison to get happy? No, they rejoiced in the moment, because no matter what, they knew that they were right where God would have them to be; and look what happened as a result of their obedience and trust, the keeper of the prison and all his house was saved. Now that's what you call a feast! We have been given something very special, something beyond the everyday existence that takes place on this little ball they call earth. As Peter would say, "Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people," because that's what we are! We should not want anything else but more of God and all that He has to give us; but sadly, we start comparing our lives to others, saying, "I want what they got." It's never going to be a feast if we don't enjoy what the Lord has given us...
""Is anyone thirst? Come and drink -even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk -it's all free! Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest foods. Come to me with ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. I will make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David."" (Isaiah 55:1-3) NLT

"Feasting With The Lord"

"He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee." (Psalms 81:16) Whether you are new in the Lord, or you are a well seasoned Saint, we all have one primary goal, to follow Jesus! I have come to realize the more I focus on the Lord, the more I think about heaven, and the less I think about this world; that's how it is meant to be, after all, that is what we have in common with Jesus, as well as with each other. If you really stop and think about it, heaven is just around the corner, so why not celebrate starting now? Somehow there must be a way to get our focus in the right place, and keep it there; because this verse pretty much sounds just like it was written for me. The Lord wants nothing more than the very best for us, yet we always settle for something less. I don't think we always mean to, at least not at first; but it's more of a slow gradual turning back; a little bit of this, and a little bit of that, and pretty soon you are pretty much living just as the unsaved people live, with one exception, you're constantly convicted! There is no real joy in that kind of living; there is no satisfaction for our souls, because we are always wanting to have peace. I like how Matthew Henry wraps this up, saying, "Therefore God would have us to do our duty to him, that we may be qualified to receive favour from him. He delights in our serving him, not because he is the better for it, but because we shall be." At the end of this last verse, I have written "Isaiah 55" in bold letters in my Bible. The greatest thing about our relationship with God, is that there are always second chances, no matter how bad you have messed things up. As a matter of fact, I believe the worst mess-ups can become the most glorious redemptions; that is how God gets the glory... "Seek the LORD while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the LORD that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously." (Isaiah 55:6-7) NLT

"Misery Without The Lord"

"The haters of the LORD should have submitted themselves unto him: but their time should have endured for ever." (Psalms 81:15) Getting back to the title above this Psalm that is, "A Song for a Feast," there needs to be something said for all those things we miss out on by not submitting to the Lord. All the ministry opportunities, is only one little factor, because the greatest mission field that we have is at home, with our families. I tend to spiritualize the Text, so you need to forgive my way of trying to bring life into something, whether it is there or not. Imagine for a moment that you see yourself seated at a table with your family, and you are all partaking in a glorious feast, the biggest feast you could ever imagine. Don't you think that all those seated at the table would look forward to having that kind of a feast? That is the picture I see for our families wanting to submit themselves to the Lord. It could be the same for a neighborhood, a city, or even a nation; people coming together to be fed and filled by the Lord. The message is really quite simple, we can either love the Lord, or we will fear Him; and if we don't fear Him now, we will surely fear Him later. The word "haters" is one that pretty much means what it says, those that hate God. We can pretend that we love Him, while all the while, we could be hating Him; it all depends upon how well we submit to Him. Another meaning for the word is 'foe,' as in, are you a friend or foe? Which reminds me of Jesus' question to Peter, "Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?" The love Jesus spoke of in His third question was 'Phileo,' which pretty much means 'To befriend.' Oddly enough, it also means "To love with the meaning of having common interests with another." The point I am trying to make has to do with how we usually act towards those we have a common interest with, that we usually try and get to know them...
""I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father's commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command."" (John 15:9-14) NLT

"Victory In The LORD"

"I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries." (Psalms 81:14) I think it's pretty obvious that God means business when it comes to defeating sin. Now that we have seen just how serious He really is, it's time for us to get serious also. Excuse me if I am not with it this morning, I woke up yesterday thinking I had a back ache and it turns out I have a UTI. My wife gets a UTI just about every year. My goodness, I will never look at her situation the same again; this hurts! A quick way to see the power that God has to subdue our enemies is to simply read the proof that is provided for us in the Bible. The problem we have in doing that, is making those truths our proof, because we tend to relate them to those people of the Bible and not to us. That's a sad state of affairs, because God's word never changes; times might change, people might change, but His word never will. When I first became a Christian, that truth was as clear to me as ever. I had no doubt that God's power was for today, because my life was changed in a moment; I went from having no hope, to knowing what real hope is; I went from being dead, to having eternal life within me; and I went from not knowing God, to knowing the Living God. So, if your not quite sure about what you read, and whether that applies to you, then simply look back to that day you first believed...
"I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him, even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief. Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus. This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" -and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen." (1 Timothy 1:12-17) NLT

"The Path to Victory"

"O that my people had harkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!" (Psalms 81:13) I can't begin to tell you all the times I should have and could have been victorious over sins in my life; yet, it really takes the desire for us to be victorious, in order for the victory to be realized. Between the last verse and this verse in my Bible I have written Luke 15:11, which is the story of the 'Lost Son.' Some may want to refer to that story as the 'Prodigal Son,' which is okay, but in this context I prefer 'Lost' over 'Prodigal' because there is a pathway involved. When you get right down to it, waking in God's ways are more important than anyone might realize, that is unless they are actually walking in His ways, then it's perfectly clear. The reason the 'Lost Son' is important to this passage, is because of the Father's concern for His son; the son may not realize that he is lost, but the Father knows that he is. God always knows when we are lost, and He always knows what is the best path for our lives. Our biggest problem is that we think we know better what's best for us; that is until we find ourselves being lost, then we realize how much we need God's guidance in our lives. Between this verse and the next, I have written in my Bible, "Obey = Victory." It really does not take much convincing to get us to realize our need for God when we are being beaten up by the world, but when we are living large, we tend to think it's okay to make our own choices. So in that regard, we could use the term 'Prodigal' to explain the motivation behind the son making the wrong choices; which simply comes down to loving this world more than the Father...
""O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God's messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn't let me. And now, look, your house is abandoned and desolate. For I tell you this, you will never see me again until you say, 'Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD!'"
(Matthew 23:37-39) NLT

"Our Portion, Refuse"

"So I gave them up into their own hearts' lust: and they walked in their own counsels." (Psalms 81:12) I know it might sound strange, but why do we prefer to be wasted, over being blessed? It's like we have a built-in part of us that wants to fail, because we think failing is the easy way out, or that it's what we are, a failure. God wants so much more for our lives then we could ever imagine, if we would just give Him a chance to make us into something beautiful. Instead, we prefer to make ourselves into something else; not knowing that it's not going to end well, if we don't do things God's way. So, what is the truth? Are we eternally secure? I tend to go with the idea that people who walk in their own counsel can still somehow end up in heaven, but they might not like what they become; whether that has something to do with an outer court, or ground up for mortar, I really don't know. But one thing I do know, is that we are secure in Christ, not in our own performance. I heard a message from Pastor Jon; it's been many years ago, but it has still stuck with me through all these many years. He was sharing about the difference between those that serve others and those that serve themselves. Both types of people have a place in heaven, but there place pretty much matches the life that they chose here on earth. Those that served others here, our the ones that get to serve God; those that served themselves here, serve others in heaven. Whether that's true or not, we will soon find out; but why would we take a chance? God's way is always the best way...
"This is what the LORD of Heaven's Armies, the God of Israel says: "Take your burnt offerings and your sacrifices and eat them yourselves! When I led your ancestors out of Egypt, it was not burnt offerings and sacrifices I wanted from them. This is what I told them: 'Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Do everything I say, and all will be well!' "But my people would not listen to me. They kept doing whatever they wanted, following the stubborn desires of their evil hearts. They went backward instead of forward."" (Jeremiah 7:21-24) NLT 

"His Portion Refused"

"But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me." (Psalms 81:11) You might think there are things that don't apply to your life, which is pretty common; but it's all here for a reason. Every single word, in one way or another, applies to each and every one of us; for we are all in the same boat, we all, like sheep, have gone astray! Actually, I think the worst place we can be, in a relationship with God, is to think we are somehow different, and to think we are somehow good; as if some of these verses don't really apply to us, but are meant for those that are sinners. Excuse me, but what is sin? You can be just as bad for not doing what's right as you can for doing what is wrong. If sin is missing the mark, then I think we all fall short of God's holiness. If you think you don't, well, let's just say that you are not alone; there was someone else that once said, "I will be like the Most High." (Isaiah 14:13-15) That said, there is another part of this picture that can't be missed, a part that is over looked and avoided, more than any other. "And Israel would none of me," is such a heartbreak for God, because it is God wanting to make us more than just His special people, it is His people not wanting Him to be their special God! In the New Living Translation, this reads, "Israel did not want me around." Sadly, this is the free will portion of what we are. God gave us free will so that we would choose to love Him; so that we would make it our choice to love Him, because He is what we need to be complete. That might not sound like it's a very good reason to make us choose to love God, but it is the reason! If you think it's not, then you have missed the whole point of the Gospel message! We are lost without His love in us; we are hopeless without having a loving relationship with Him; and we are not complete without His Spirit living within us...
"Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. There is only the terrible expectation of God's judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies. For anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Just think how much worst the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God's mercy to us. For we know the one who said, "I will take revenge. I will pay them back." He also said, "The LORD will judge his own people." It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (Hebrews 10:26-31) NLT

"A Double Portion"

"I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it." (Psalms 81:10) God doesn't just want to save us, He wants to have a strong relationship with us; the kind of relationship that satisfies and overwhelms our souls. He brought them out of Egypt, but He also wants to deliver them from Egypt! That's what I meant by "Go big or stay at home." He doesn't want just part of our lives, He wants all of it, every little piece of it. More than that, He wants us to want Him to have it! You know that saying, "You can't out-give God," well, you can't! For every portion of our life that we give to God, He doubles the return back to us, literally! I was reminded again this morning of my very first post, and what it was that God first put on my heart when I started this; it was about His love. The question was about what best motivates us to obey God, is it fear or love? Maybe the better question should be, What makes us want to obey God, is it fear or love? Fear might get our attention, but love will draw us into a deeper relationship; and the deeper the relationship, the more we obey Him. Our obedience is not developed by fear, but love; the more we love Him, the more we obey Him. There is a Scripture that I am thinking about, but I just can't remember where it is. It's where a king was told by a prophet to strike the ground, and then he just struck it a couple of times, when he should have stuck to again and again, with intensity. How much do you want to defeat your enemy? How much do you want God to bless your life? That's the point of this message; because if you are failing, it's not God's fault...
"When Elisha was in his last illness, King Jehoash of Israel visited him and wept over him. "My father! My father! I see the chariots and charioteers of Israel!" he cried. Elisha told him, "Get a bow and some arrows." And the king did as he was told. Elisha told him, "Put your hand on the bow," and Elisha laid his own hands on the king's hands. Then he commanded, "Open that eastern window," and he opened it. Then he said, "Shoot!" So he shot an arrow. Elisha proclaimed, "This is the LORD'S arrow, an arrow of victory over Aram, for you will completely conquer the Arameans at Aphek." Then he said, "Now pick up the other arrows and strike them against the ground." So the king picked them up and stuck the ground three times. But the man of God was angry with him. "You should have stuck the ground five or six times!" he exclaimed. Then you would have beaten Aram until it was entirely destroyed. Now you will be victorious only three times."" (2 Kings 13:14-19) NLT

"Give It All To God" -x2

"There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god." (Psalms 81:9) It might take some explaining, but these two words "strange" are two totally different words. It might seem strange, but stranger yet, is what we become; that's pretty much how I see these two words spelled out plainly. It's really quite simple, and pretty much goes back to that old 'gigo' theory, you are what you eat. In other words, 'Garbage In, Garbage Out!' Or in the case of worshipping the True and Living God, 'No Power In, No Power out!' How else can we truly experience power in our lives, unless we truly believe that God has the power to change us? It is a little bit like that man who laid next to the pool of Bethesda wanting to be healed, but not enough to truly put forth the effort. Jesus asked him plainly, "Wilt thou be made whole?" The NLT has it a little more plainly spoken, saying, "Would you like to get well?" Thirty-eight years is a long time to suffer with something you don't think you can get rid of; but it kind of matters who you are looking to that is going to heal you! Okay, so maybe I can't do it; maybe I can't do what it takes to get well, but Jesus can! The question really then becomes, Would I like to get well? So, the 'strange god' in us, is that which makes us not want to be completely holy, which is what God is, HOLY! Sure, we show up to the pool, continually; but do we really want to be completely made whole? Take my life Jesus, but don't take those things that I like, those things that give me pleasure and satisfy my fleshly desires. Maybe it's not that we don't think that God has the power to change us, but it's more about the desire to be changed. Or maybe, just maybe, it's desire that we truly lack: Go big or stay at home...
""But you are my witnesses, O Israel!" says the LORD. "You are my servant. You have been chosen to know me, believe in me, and understand that I alone am God. There is no other God -there never has been, and there never will be. I, yes I, and the LORD, and there is no other Savior. First I predicted your rescue, then I saved you and proclaimed it to the world. No foreign god has ever done this. You are my witnesses that I am the only God," says the LORD. "From eternity to eternity I am God. No one can snatch anyone out of my hand. No one can undo what I have done."" (Isaiah 43:10-13) NLT  

"Give It All To God"

"There shall no strange god be in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god." (Psalms 81:9) If you think you know it all, you had better check yourself very carefully, because your fooling yourself and you don't even know it. I can't begin to tell you all the crazy messed up things I have heard from people who say that they are believers. Not that I am not guilty of saying crazy things, because I'm sure that I am, I just don't know it; and if I did, I probably would not admit it, not even to myself. To be perfectly honest, most of my crazy talk comes from reading between the lines; the problem with doing that, is that you make too many assumptions and don't stick to the facts. I try to listen to "To Every Man An Answer" as much as I can, mostly because I believe Pastor Mike tries very hard to stick to the Text and not assume God is saying something that He isn't saying. Every once in a while he might stray, but if he does, it's only because it's an issue that he is passionate about. He is only a man like we are, so what do you expect. However, we need to be careful about the things that we are passionate about, because if our passion is in anything else but Christ, we could be taken off course. Much like Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:2, "For I am determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified." It's called 'Getting back to the basics,' which pretty much is the same as saying, "Get back to Square One!" There is something interesting about what Jesus said to Nicodemus about those that love darkness rather than light, and it has to do with revealing sin. I tend to think that we can make a habit of not revealing sins; which is actually a pretty stupid thing to do, because there is nothing that is hidden from God. Neither is there really anything hidden from ourselves. We know when we sin; and if we pretend that we don't, we are basically just fooling our own conscience, which really can't be fooled. And besides that, what about the Holy Spirit? Oh, you must not ever forget about Him...
"Don't you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Holy Spirit lives in you? God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple. Stop deceiving yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world's standards, you need to become a fool to be truly wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say, "He traps the wise in the snare of their own cleverness." And again, "The LORD knows the thoughts of the wise; he knows they are worthless."" (1 Corinthians 3:16-20) NLT  

"Give Ear To God" -2

"Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me;" (Psalms 81:8) I couldn't help but say something else, because that version of Isaiah 1:18 had me thinking. I can't help but wonder, but when God says, "Come now, and let us reason together," is that His way of saying, "Snap out of it, already!" I mean, come on! The second part of this verse packs a powerful punch, but this thing about, "Come now, let's settle this," has my head spinning! It reminds me of Joshua's statement, "choose you this day whom ye will serve." (Joshua 24:15) I mean, it's pretty obvious that God truly does want to bless His people, but do they want to be blessed? Maybe that question requires something else to consider, as in, do they want to obey God and be blessed? Surely everyone wants to be blessed; it is just that they want to be blessed on their own terms. But God will not allow that to happen; He can't allow that to happen, because He is just! But then you look at those people of the world who have riches and live in luxury, and you wonder, why are they blessed? Who's to say that they are blessed? Do you think God considers them blessed? From God's vantage point, they are under the curse, they are the walking dead, damned to eternal hell and separation from Him. Sure, they might have a moment of fun in the sun, but that will all soon be over, and then they will need to answer for their rejection of Him. Really, that is the reality of what God is saying! What are your choices? Do you want life or do you want death? Blessing or damnation? There is only one choice to be made, really! We were damned from the get-go...
""For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God's one and only Son. And the judgment is based on this fact: God's light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants."" (John 3:16-21) NLT

"Give Ear To God"

"Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee: O Israel, if thou will hearken unto me;" (Psalms 81:8) This might sound a little strange, but listening to what God says is more than just listening. I have spent many years pretending to listen, but it does not count for nothing if I do not hearken to what God says! Actually, it starts before God even speaks, this rebellious heart, that although it might say, 'Speak and I will listen,' it actually means, 'Speak, and I will consider what you say.' Maybe I should spend more time considering what will happen if I don't listen, then I do thinking about what happens when I do? I mean really, what's to consider? I can choose life, or I can choose death; hum, let me think, which one will give me the most pleasure? That pleasure thing is an interesting term, because pleasure is not always pleasing, and it surely does not satisfy. What does always satisfy is being pleasing to God! How do we please God? By listening to every single word that He says! It's actually more than just that; it's more about being prepared to listen by giving ear to God. In other words, we must desire to hear Him speak, to direct our lives, and we must be prepared to obey. That's the biggest problem, at least it is with me, that whole, 'I will take that under advisement' kind of attitude, that says, 'Okay, I hear what you're saying, but let me weigh my options; better yet, let me see how I can work that into the things I desire for myself.' Oh, you don't do that? Okay, it must just be me. And here I thought we all had something in common? Don't be ridiculous! We all do it in some form or fashion; some more than others; some, do it all the way! It's the very first thing that pops into our heads, 'What's in this for me, and how can I make this work into my life?' God would say, 'I did not say to take it under advisement; I said to listen and obey!' We don't know what God has planned for our lives until we walk by faith; and faith requires that we listen and obey...
"Wash yourselves and be clean! Get your sins out of my sight. Give up your evil ways. Learn to do good. Seek justice. Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of the orphans. Fight for the rights of widows. "Come now, let's settle this," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them white as wool. If you will only obey me, you will have plenty to eat. But if you turn away and refuse to listen, you will be devoured by the sword of your enemies. I, the LORD, have spoken!"" (Isaiah 1:16-20) NLT

"A Mercy Feast"

"Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder: I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. Selah." (Psalms 81:7) Take this number, which is just the other side of the number six, and consider the contrast between the two. God loves to show mercy to His people; all that they need to do is ask, to receive His mercy is just that far away, simply by asking! When you compare the goodness of God against the badness of man, the contrast between the two is overwhelming. Yet, He wants us to feast upon His mercy! We need to realize how much we need to be forgiven, and then bask in His mercy that He loves to offer. There are plenty of places where these different things could have taken place; the edge of the Red Sea as the armies of Egypt were cornering the people of Israel, the base of the mountain where God gave Moses the law, on any number of battlefields; but the "waters of Meribah" is one place in particular. It is interesting that God uses the words "I proved thee," because He proved Himself holy and merciful in this situation, yet He also proved how faithless and rebellious His people could be. We find this played out in Numbers 20:1-13, which is the place where Moses smote the rock, when God asked him to only speak to the rock. The children of Israel had complained to Moses and Aaron, and when Moses and Aaron went before the LORD for answers, God did not cast judgment, but provided mercy on His people. Moses misrepresented God before the people by hitting the rock; not only did he hit the rock with his rod, but he hit it twice. God clearly told Moses to lift up the rod and speak to the rock; yet his action and his words represented judgment and anger, when God was only interested in providing mercy...
"Many of the people of Israel are now enemies of the Good News, and this benefits you Gentiles. Yet they are still the people he loves because he chose their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For God's gifts and his call can never be withdrawn. Once, you Gentiles were rebels against God, but when the people of Israel rebelled against him, God was merciful to you instead. Now they are the rebels, and God's mercy has come to you so that they, too, will share in God's mercy. For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone." (Romans 11:28-32) NLT

"Unbound by Mercy" -To

"I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered from the pots." (Psalms 81:6) If you like the numbers game, then this being verse six might delight you a little; especially seeing that the writer is taking the liberty to speak for God. It is so unfortunate for so many believers that they don't give up sooner; our God only wants the very best for our lives, but we seem to have this notion that He only wants take our pleasures away. Isn't that the lie that Eve was fed in the garden? I saw a post in the Drudge Report yesterday that people are just accepting the fact that retirement is at 70. I am beginning to think that there will be no retirement for a whole lot of people; besides, where in the Bible does it speak of retirement? As I draw closer to the end of this life, I can't help but think of all the opportunities I have wasted to serve God. Not that I haven't served Him in one way or another, because I have; but I am talking about real ministry living, where serving God is what I do, period! Instead, I am a Bug Guy! That's what I do, I kill bugs for a living. Now don't get me wrong, I love what I do; I am good at what I do, so why wouldn't I love it. And as far as I know, this might be right where God would have me. But I can't really see myself crawling under houses at the age of 70, so I am most likely going to change what I do within the next ten years, that's for sure. One thing is for sure, there is no retirement in my future, not unless you count heaven; which just so happens to be the place I want to retire to! I have no savings; no retirement package waiting for me; nothing except the Social Security that the Government has already squandered. This country has more dealt than any other country before; to get out of this dealt is going to take huge sacrifices from everyone, for years to come. Sound kind of familiar? It should. It's pretty much the same way many of us live in service to the Lord. We dismiss the sacrifice that should be made now, putting it off for somewhere down the road. Each year turns into another five, and then another ten; until you finally realize that it's all been squandered, spent doing all that you want to do, and not on the Lord. And you know what the worst thing is, it's that it cost so much to do all that you want to do, you can't keep up with the cost...
"During the fourth year that Jehoiakim son of Josiah was king in Judah, the LORD gave this message to Jeremiah: "Get a scroll, and write down all my messages against Israel, Judah, and the other nations. Begin with the first message back in the days of Josiah, and write down every message, right up to the present time. Perhaps the people of Judah will repent when they hear again all the terrible things I have planned for them. Then I will be able to forgive their sins and wrongdoings."" (Jeremiah 36:1-3) NLT

"Unbound by Mercy"

"I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered from the pots." (Psalms 81:6) If you woke up today, by whatever it is that you call it, be grateful and happy for another chance to prove your love for God. I once called my alarm clock an opportunity clock; something I picked up years ago from Zig Ziglar. Recently I caught myself calling it an alarm clock, and I had to pause and wonder when I reverted back to that. It is set for 4:00 every morning, with three simple words that display on the screen, "Time to Pray." Don't ask me why, but most mornings I actually wake up at 3:45; only to look at the clock and make myself go back to sleep. I have my wife's bed against mine, so I can hold her hand in the morning and start off praying for her. But then it's off into the living room, to the place where the Lord waits for me every morning. I know, He is not literally sitting there waiting; that's just something I picked up from a little book, "My heart, Christ's home." If you have not had a chance to read that little book, it's well worth the time it takes to read it. I use to have a stack of them that I passed out to fellow believers; I'm not quite sure nonbelievers would get much from it, except to have another excuse to avoid meeting Jesus. It's not that it causes us to realize the different ways that Christ needs to be Lord over our lives, it's more about all the different ways that we prevent Him from being Lord of all of it. It's kind of crazy, the way we sometimes avoid having mercy granted into certain parts of our lives; if we don't give those areas over to the Lord, then we are not going to experience the mercy He has to offer us for those particular things in our life. What a huge waste of an opportunity! It's sure is a good thing that you woke up today...
"At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: "O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you from hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way! "My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him." Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light."" (Matthew 11:25-30) NLT

"Bound by Duty"

"This he ordained in Joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land of Egypt: where I heard a language that I understood not." (Psalms 81:5) Be that as it may, Peter's point needs to be thought of in the present tense, it's not just what we will be, but it is what we have become; we are currently "Living Stones" for Christ, and as such, we must shine the light of Jesus. As I was catching the end of Pastor Matt's message yesterday, I heard him speaking about Joseph being able to forgive his brothers for selling him into slavery. It was an interesting point that he was making, about what it takes to be able to do what Joseph did, and how it is something that we must all seriously consider. What must I do in order to forgive someone that has wronged me? Oddly enough, I think the second part of this verse might lend us some direction in that regard, because it requires us being able to do something that we otherwise would not do. Not only would we not do it, but we really don't know how not to hold a grudge against someone that has harmed us; at least not in our flesh we don't. You see, Joseph, being a type of Christ that he was, was able to step outside of himself and consider the bigger picture; much the same as Christ had to do in order to go willingly to that cross. As a matter of fact, Jesus was more than just willing to go to the cross, He was able to count it joy; and He was able to do so because He knew what the outcome was going to be. Joseph was able to forgive his brothers because it brought him joy knowing the outcome of what his brothers had done; although it might have been painful for a season, it was for the best, for not only himself, being second in command of Egypt, but also for the entire tribe of Israel, to keep them from being destroyed by the famine. It is really not hard to understand the concept of forgiveness, especially when it comes to being on the receiving end of it; but to actually forgive, that's an entirely different language altogether...
"And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice -the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way that you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don't think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as your bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ's body. We are many parts of one body, and we belong to each other." (Romans 12:1-5) NLT

"Duty-Bound"

"For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob." (Psalms 81:4) There are some things that we just don't have a choice in, and praising God is one of them. It's not that we actually can put it to a vote, or that we can make it an option; we are called and created to worship, it is part of what we have become and who we are as part of the body of Christ Jesus. In other words, it is a sin for us not to worship; as strong of a word that sin is, it's missing the mark, and when we fail to worship and praise our Creator, we not only miss the mark, we fall flat on our faces. To put it another way, we could use breath again as an illustration of worship; say, breathing in the air of this world is not going to keep us alive, not on it's own; we need to breath in the air of God, and the air of God is given in worship. In other words, if we don't worship, we don't actually breath in healthy air; and if we don't breath in healthy air from time to time, we end up breaking down and becoming weak and sick, spiritually sick. I actually think failing to worship can cause us to become physically ill also. When I am praising God, not just in church, but in my normal day, I feel healthier and more alive. It's almost as if I had taken my vitamins that morning, and I have more energy, more stride in my step. You can call it what you want to, but I will just call it the power of praise. Talk about a 'feast,' it's more like having your favorite sushi and never getting full; yum! On that note, failing to worship is like eating something totally wrong; something that leaves a really bad taste in your mouth, that you can't get out. You might think I am kidding, but it could actually explain why so many Christians walk around looking like they just ate a bug or just smelt a fart. They failed to worship...
"Ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be condemned. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious; but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Which in time past were not a people, but now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy." (1 Peter 2:5-10) KJV

"Pitch Perfect"

"Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day." (Psalms 81:3) As you might have gathered by Paul remarks, our praise might just require us to set our feelings aside, because it's not about what I feel like, it's about being thankful and praising God. As the last verse was about preparation, meaning that we have the right equipment, here we just praise; not based upon our time or reason, but "in the time appointed." What does that even mean? What time is appointed for me to worship? I know that something inside of me tells me it's time, because I can feel the push, even when I might not feel like worshipping, there is something inside of me that says to do it anyway. I believe that is the Holy Spirit encouraging me, sometimes, He even enables me; but I believe that it's Him who causes me to worship when I am not feeling up to it on my own. To deny Him the chance to assist me in doing what is right, is pretty much the quenching of the Holy Spirit; which pretty much means that we do not allow the Holy Spirit to speak through us, or direct our lives, or follow His leading; whether that be in prophetic utterances or in what time it is to worship God. Our worship of God is not really determined by a place. Jesus made that quit plan as He spoke to the woman at the well, saying, "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him." (John 4:23) It is more about spontaneity than it is about anything else. We worship God because He deserves to be worshipped, not because of the way that we feel. Believe it or not, but that is exactly how love works also. We do not get to choose when we will love and not love based upon how we might feel; love is not based upon our feelings, but is based upon our commitment to honor God, because He loves us. I know it might not sound like much, but believe me, it is comforting beyond anything you could ever imagine! Just deny yourself, and worship your Father! So what if you don't feel like doing it, then ask the Holy Spirit to assist you, and don't deny Him leading you in worship...
"Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory." (Colossians 3:1-4) NLT  

"Elevator Music"

"Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery." (Psalms 81:2) So it comes down to this, being prepared to praise God. I know that might sound like it's really not hard to do, because we praise Him in church all the time; but it's not about timing, it's about a mood and a choice. Given all that I have been through this last year, I feel I pulled through pretty well. But did I miss out on something along the way? I think I might have. I don't seem to remember praising God; and if I did, it was something of a question, like saying, I am praising you, but I'm not quite sure what I am praising you for. When I am talking about being prepared to praise God, it is more about having things figured out in advance; not that we have a clue what is going on around us, but we must be settled in our hearts in trusting God. No matter what the battle that we might be currently in, there is always an outcome and things that still remain unanswered. But there is also always one thing that always remains the same, God's love! Whether good, bad, or indifferent, this life has nothing that compares to the love of God and the way that He loves us. So, yes, I might have had some questions about life; I might have even questioned my own purpose for being here; but I don't think I ever questioned God's love, even in the midst of the storm, even though it seemed we had lost. That might be part of what abundant life looks like. It is life that becomes unshaken by the storm, unmoved by disappointment, and unchallenged by failure...
"Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. In this 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 us all. 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 with love, which binds us all 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. Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father." (Colossians 3:10-17) NLT

"The God of Jacob" -2

"Sing aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob." (Psalms 81:1)
If you did not catch it, that's alright, because it's pretty much the same mistake we make in our everyday living: not realizing how much we have been forgiven, and assuming that God is always mad at us. I can't help using this new thing I learned within the last few months, but I can't believe after all these years it was something I either did not listen to, or could not see. Jacob was always Jacob, even after he became Israel, God would still call him Jacob, if he acted or trusted as if he was not God's chosen man. How hard is it to understand? If you are chosen by God, and if God is who He says that He is, and if He knows all that He knows, then you are not a mistake. Now, as to that question; you know, the one from yesterday; it's hardly even something that we could even consider, yet it is one we often try to pin on ourselves. Is the Lord really abiding in my heart? Have I offended the Lord so much that He has chosen to leave me? You can't!!! When I was a kid, every time I did something really dumb, my mom would refer to me as Knucklehead Smith. Usually it would be as a reference, saying, "Quit acting like you're a Knucklehead Smith." But once in a while, it was just point blank, "Knucklehead Smith, knock it off!" I guess we really can't tell anything by our own true nature, because if we try and base our relationship with God upon the way that we act, or by the things that we do, then we are always going to remain condemned. Isn't that the Good News that we have been given? It's not about us, it's all about Jesus! If we abide in Christ, then He abides in us; that's all there is to it! If you have been born again, then you have been born again! You can't undo your new birth, just as you could not crawl back up into your mother's womb and pretend your life never happened. Be that as it may, it is still our move... "Let the godly sing for joy to the LORD; it is fitting for the pure to praise him. Praise the LORD with melodies on the lyre; make music for him on the ten-stringed harp. Sing a new song of praise to him; play skillfully on the harp, and sing for joy. For the word of the LORD holds true, and we can trust everything he does." (Psalms 33:1-4) NLT