A Devotional - Looking at the Book #557

A Devotional - Looking at the Book #557

by Jesse Abel

A Thought for today by Papa “J”

Psalm 119:13 I know that the LORD is righteous and justice is on His lips. Therefore I am bound by the Spirit of Him to do the same, but sometimes; I grieve the Holy Spirit by keeping quite. (Eph.4:30)

Good Morning

In December 2008 I selected this article from the LOS ANGELES TIMES, October 8 as it reminded me of an experience during my youth: People in northwestern Montana have been advised to be on the lookout for drunken bears. Black bears and grizzlies have been congregating along the tracks of the Burlington Northern railroad; where a train carrying hundreds of tons of corn derailed some time ago. The corn has fermented and the aroma is attracting the bears. "The bears are actually intoxicated up there," said wildlife biologist Loren Hicks. And a grizzly with a hangover can be as cross as a bear. Pun was intended! Cross as a bear was mom’s favorite saying about my father’s character when he was drunk. When I was a young boy my father had a pet goose; most evenings you would find the two them at the local bar. After a few hours both would come staggering out of the bar and come home. Usually when they returned my dad would brag on the goose's ability to drink, but one night he came home raging like a bear. My mom asked him what was wrong; his pet goose staggered into the road and got himself run over. My dad was as cross as a bear for the next few days... No corn here; no bull either, just a bad experience as a child. Children need parents with good character and there seems to be so little of integrity these days. I wonder how those bears are treating their young!

2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians 6:1-8 – Now I thought that we would be moving into chapter seven this morning, but yesterday I had some idle time and was rereading chapter six. Don’t you just love the Word of the Living God? I know I do; I am struck by the Words of Scripture every day. When I am down or even when I feel like walking away from the LORD; you know that feeling don’t you? “Prone to wander LORD I feel it; prone to leave the God I love” you know the song too… Come Thou fount of every blessing – Robert Robinson… early 1800.

Well it is going to take us a few more days in this chapter and I hope it makes you as goose bumpy as it does me as we revisit the chapter. We are fellow workers for the gospel of Christ… there is little pay for this work; yes I know that the pastors and some teachers receive income and they should; but when you take a good look at the work of the gospel you will find professional people, laborers, clerks and service people who know Jesus personally. They too, receive compensation from the hand of the LORD since God owns all the cattle… the bears too.

So in all; we commend ourselves as ministers of God… can you just get hold of that for a moment? Ministers of God brings such joy to my heart I can hardly make my fingers go fast enough to explain what I mean. But this joy does not come without SUFFERING does it? Notice if you will the apostle’s words. Ministers of God; in much patience, tribulations, needs, distresses, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleeplessness and fasting.

We experience these episodes of ministry because it is the life of Christ. Just as the LORD relied on the excellent power of God in His earthen vessel… we too can rely on the power of God through the Holy Spirit. Notice the next few verses. By purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, by the word of truth, by the power of God and by the armor of righteousness. All attributes of the Living God. Well I have run out of time and space; we will pick this up again tomorrow.