The Devotional – 031 – In the presence of God

The Devotional – 031 – In the presence of God

Proverbs 30:29-31 – There are three things which are majestic in pace, Yes, four which are stately in walk: A lion, which is mighty among beasts And does not turn away from any; A greyhound, A male goat also, And a king whose troops are with him. 

 

 Comments and challenges

We have all seen lions and kings, either by the media or in pictures or for the lion at the zoo. Maybe also we have had the opportunity to be in a foreign country where a king reigns, but the most common way for us to experience majesty in action is to own a Greyhound, and go ahead now and think in your mind… “a dog has majesty?” But if you do not own a Greyhound this is the obvious observation. Before we owned a greyhound I was heard to say. “I will never have one of these dogs they look like a large rat.”

Usually when it comes to matters like this I am always “wrong” we now have a greyhound, we have owned her about five years and to say that the dog is majestic would be no lie. She looks and acts like royalty, well I might exaggerate a little here, since she does at night when I am trying to sleep… bite her toe nails! Other than that she prances, dances runs and stands majestically. She even stares at you as though she were looking down her royal nose at you. Now don’t get it wrong, she is a typical “hound dog” who loves food and sleep, what is atypical is that she loves to run, most hounds are lazy.

Now we have a Welsh Corgi too, these dogs are of royalty too, but they seem to be more like the “butler” in the kings palace, the Corgi is a male so you would think he would be aggressive while the hound, a female would be calm and peaceful, but it is just the opposite. One of the ways to know if your dog is willing to worship you is to see if it “fawns” or is willing to lick your hand. The Corgi seeks to lick my hands every time I try to pet him, while the greyhound has never licked my hand.

Now the greyhound does demonstrate affection but it is not genuine, in fact I think she is mostly phony about affection in that she is seeking to gain something from you or just pushing her weight around to show the Corgi who is boss. To understand this totally would be impossible because the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15 expresses this truth about the various creations of God all of which are different in flesh and intellect and that these lines of creation cannot be crossed over for full understanding.

In other words I like what Lewis Sperry Chafer says about this in his book “He that is spiritual” on page 4 and I quote; “He (mankind) cannot extend his sphere. He cannot know experimentally the things of the animal world below him, and certainly he cannot enter a higher sphere and know experimentally the things of God.” This statement of Dr. Chafer is very good to say the least, but there is more and in his following words “even though man, of himself, cannot know the things of God, the Spirit knows them, and a man may be so related to the Spirit that he too may know them.

This then is the one spiritual connection that we have of and with God to worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. In fact; if you do not have the Spirit of God, you may look to others as “majestic in worship” or like the greyhound. While the Corgi who loves to be affectionate by licking the hand is truly responding as one who is willing to worship you. To see this in scripture is to see John 3:16 as John explains in this verse that God’s love seeks those who respond to Him through believing in His Son and in John 4:23-24 we see that to “worship” God we must do so in the Spirit and in the Truth.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (And) John 4:23-24 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

Now if you look at the word worship in Vine’s Concordance you will see that we ought to respond to God according to His provision or like the Corgi who is genuine by fawning (in fact the concordance uses fawning as an example of true worship) while the greyhound is phony with only the majestic appearance to gain something in her own strength or way (selfishness).

 

The Devotional – 030 – Is it by work, or By Faith

The Devotional – 030 – Is it by work, or By Faith

Proverbs 27:22 – Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain, yet his foolishness will not depart from him.

 

 Comments and challenges

There some passages in the Holy Bible that can scare, depress and anger us. Now don’t be shy about this since it is very easy to say it isn’t so. We say things like “well this isn’t talking about me, but my neighbor is like that” to be honest our neighbor is no doubt saying the same thing about us. You don’t believe me do you? Okay let’s look at the passage in Romans 2:1 which says this: Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.

Are you plagued by some sin that seems to hang on to every fiber of your humanity? There are several passages of scripture that list those sins and the ONE or TWO that identify the FOOL in us seems always to stare back at us, like looking in the mirror. James has this to say about these sins.

James 1:21-25 – Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

Go ahead now agree with God that you have these areas of weakness, no one else is interested in your foolishness, I have mine to deal with; just as you. Also it is not something that is odd to just who you are and it is not something we’ve not heard before usually removed from the “first person” of conversation to maybe the “third”! You know that person; the one you met on the bus ten years ago that nobody knows. Now we are foolish about this too, we would not bring that person up… think about it. Do we not remember it like it happened, just yesterday? Hmm! A bit too close for comfort, don’t you think?

1 Corinthians 10: 12-13 – Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

Proverbs 27:22 – Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain, yet his foolishness will not depart from him.

 

Foolishness will not go away, the verse of scripture above has angered, depressed and scared me over the years, if I could scratch it out of the Holy Bible I would, but God in His Mercy has etched it into my soul and the work to remove the words and clean up those areas have failed. Foolishness (SIN) is who I am, but praise God… Jesus Christ is the GREAT I AM! There are also many passages that identify HIM as the one who takes away the foolishness (SIN) of man. In a WORK related way I have utilized every verse of scripture I could find to be a solution and rid myself of foolishness. Actually it is why I say “Bah humbug!” my effort does not work and neither does yours if you are seeking to clean up your foolishness, guess what? Jesus has already cleaned you and you know it.

 

However – and I would not be writing this if there were not a “however”. Notice what the apostle Paul has to say about a similar problem (whether it be physical or spiritual health it does not matter, yet he is talking of spiritual matters) it is what we do with what he says that matters.

 

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 – And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me; and He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

 

Verse 9 and 10 are for me the key to what I am seeking to get across to us this morning. The work of you and me is not to clean up our life, this for me has been an effort of failure and I am not guessing when I say this could be true of you as well; if you are seeking to make a better person out of who you really are then you are shoveling it against the tide… and you know it.

Knowing this is half the battle; I mean “your half way there!” in fact, most crazy people are crazy and they do not know it. The ones who do have a chance for recovery are the ones who know they are crazy, so if you know that you are a sinner saved by grace, this is all the work that God requires of you, this rest is up to God and His gift of daily grace.

Jesus explained to the apostle that His grace was sufficient for Paul, it was all he needed and it is all we need to overcome “weakness” (there is much scripture to prove that we cannot control those deep routed areas of sin) I could spend much time in searching these out (I have) but let’s continue. Why is God’s grace sufficient? Because we can rely on the strength of the work of Jesus Christ that has already overcome and has already obtained the VICTORY over our foolishness.

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. This does not mean that I can continue being the foolish person, but it does mean that I can understand who I am in Christ. Also that He has considered my humble estate, if I am proud of my weakness there will be no acknowledgement of grace in my life, but if I acknowledge my weaknesses to Him I have all the grace I need because HIS strength is made perfect in my weakness resulting in the power of Christ resting on me.

The Devotional – 029 – Christmas, of course it IS!

The Devotional – 029 – Christmas, of course it IS!

Proverbs 25:6-7 – Do not exalt yourself in the presence of the king, and do not stand in the place of great men; for it is better that he say to you “Come up here,” than that you should you should be put lower in the presence of the prince, whom your eyes have seen.

 

 Comments and challenges

Psalm 12:1-8 – Help, LORD, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men. Everyone lies to his neighbor; their flattering lips speak with deception. May the LORD cut off all flattering lips and every boastful tongue that says, "We will triumph with our tongues; we own our lips – so – who is our master?" "Because of the oppression of the weak and the groaning of the needy, I will now arise," says the LORD. "I will protect them from those who malign them." And the words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times. O LORD, you will keep us safe and protect us from such people forever. The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men. (NIV)

If you read the Holy Bible… and I pray that you do, than you no doubt understand what it is that I am seeking to say this morning of Christmas!

If Jesus were not the Messiah foretold, we could honestly say that He sought to exalt Himself in the presence of God. If Jesus were not the Son of God, then we could say that He sought to stand in the presence of the great men of God. If Jesus were not the Lamb of God who took away the sin of the world, His Father would not have called Him home and seated Him at His Throne in Heaven.

You see there would have been no testimony of the virgin birth, no testimony of a sinless life, no testimony of God the Father speaking these words: “This is my Beloved Son of Whom I am well please; HEAR HIM” Matthew 3:17 and that of the apostle Peter who records this event in 2 Peter 1:17.

Also, there would be no record of Jesus other than the TOMB where His rotted bones would still be; but now Praise is to God alone who did not allow His Son; the LAMB to see this corrupted state of human flesh.

Matthew 28:1-8 -- Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-10; John 20:1-8

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.  There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you." So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."

Yes if Jesus Christ the Son of the Living God were not who HE IS, then He would have been placed lower than the devil, the prince of this world whom the world has seen. So here is the RUB.

If you read your Holy Bible… and I pray that you do, whether you are reading Proverbs, the Gospels, the Epistles or some Prophet of old. All the Words of the Holy Bible speak of the Living Word.

John 11:23-27 – Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?" "Yes, Lord," she told him, "I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world." (I hope you have answered “Yes” just like Martha.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

The Devotional – 028 – A Future and a Latter End Too!

The Devotional – 028 – A Future and a Latter End Too!

Proverbs 23:18 – For surely there is a hereafter, and your hope will not be cut off.

 

 Comments and challenges

All of us tend to take tomorrow for a fact waiting to happen. Yes there are things to do today but these chores of today seem to be activity prepared for tomorrow while seeking to work through today. In our human and finite mind we only have hope for tomorrow and yet we prepare for it as if it were a fact. Ought we not to be about preparing for eternity? Most of us cringe and say; “no not me, I will put that off until the day after tomorrow.”

Matthew 6:30 – “Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Matthew 6:34 – “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

There are some folks who read devotionals, whether from my hand or another’s who do not believe in the resurrection of the dead. Yet don’t get this wrong… pay attention! All people of all people groups, languages and nations believe in some sort of hereafter and YOU are not unique or somehow displaced from these groups, languages and nations and this means that someday your tomorrows will end, yet there is a “Hereafter”.

Some of us are willing to believe that we will be re-incarnated, maybe another human a century or two from the day of their death, or maybe a cow, or donkey or some other animal that you may like or dislike (who controls that?) Some believe that if they can control the way they die that their god will provide them with seventy-two virgins. I am sure that the god of this belief does not KNOW seventy two virgins. I say almost in tears, the world of religion does not know how to face tomorrow, nor does it know how to face the “hereafter” therefore the utterances of religion is a LIE of Satan. Actually, these are lies that deny the resurrection of the dead so then, let’s take a look at the TRUTH.

James 4:13-17 – Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit"; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that." But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

Our belief about tomorrow is evil and full of sin if we seek to guide our future without the knowledge of God. This God I speak of is not the God of any RELIGION, but He is the God of Creation of whom we are a part of. Proverbs 8:1-36 is a good read for this, or Psalm 19:1-14. None of the gods of religion can make these claims of truth.

1 Corinthians 15:29-34 – Otherwise, what will they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead do not rise at all? Why then are they baptized for the dead? And why do we stand in jeopardy every hour? I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our LORD, I die daily. If, in the manner of men, I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantage is ti to me, if the dead do not rise? ”Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.” Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak to your shame.

Note that the apostle Paul is not agreeing with religions who allow baptisms for those already dead. Like those relatives that will allow themselves to be baptized for a parent, child or friend who dies without being baptized. He is refuting this practice by agreeing that those religions who practice such nonsense understand that there is a “resurrection of the dead” yet and because they are asleep to the truth, they believe and commit sinful and shameful practices.

Yet, God because of His love for the world, has provided the Perfect Resurrection: John 11:25-26 – Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" If we refuse we to believe this resurrection will be found in the final resurrection.

 

Revelation 20:11-15 – Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

“Unconverted men walk over the pit of hell on a rotten covering.”
― Jonathan Edwards, Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God

The Devotional – 026 – Truth!

The Devotional – 026 – Truth!

Proverbs 20:20 – There is desirable treasure, and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man squanders it.

 

 Comments and challenges

While it may take a little 20/20 to understand exactly what Solomon is saying in the Proverb above (that is you have to see it and read it) it takes the intellect to process “faith” to believe it. Observation then plays an important role to establish truth worthy for the soul. The burden then of believing human things belongs to mankind; but the burden of mankind to believe in God is God Himself. Here are a few statements by God to help us along with this.

Genesis 1:1 – In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (From this opening statement God commands faith; not only to you and I as an individual, but also He establishes this in His Created universe without controversy).

1 Timothy 3:16 – And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, Preached among the gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory. (On Wednesday I wrote that we would look at the Truth concerning Christmas, I could simply stop with the two verses above; these are the TRUTH as in most religions cannot deny this).

Godliness is manifested in the flesh, seen by angels: Luke 2:1-20 - 1 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So all went to be registered everyone to his own city. 4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths lying in a manger." 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 14 "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" 15 So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven that the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us." 16 And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. 17 Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. 18 And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

Godliness is justified by the Spirit of God: John 1:29-34 - 29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is He of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.' 31 I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water." 32 And John bore witness, saying, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. 33 I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' 34 And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God."

Godliness is preached among all nations (gentiles): Acts 1:4-8 – 4 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." 6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" 7 And He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

 

Godliness is received back into Glory: Acts 1 9-11 – 9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven."   

His Name is: Isaiah 9:6 – For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder, and His Name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

His name is: JESUS CHRIST, EMMANUEL the MESSIAH, KING of kings, LORD of lords, SAVIOR; these are just a few of His Names recorded in the Holy Bible and each one of these names identify HIM as God with us. It would be plain foolishness to personally reject Him. Ask any devil! You; if you believe that God is one God (and he is) your belief is no better than the devils. James 2:19 – You believe that there is One God, you do well. Even the demons believe – and tremble! So, stop trembling and believe the mystery of Godliness and personally believe in Jesus.

The Devotional – 024 – Lying!

The Devotional – 024 – Lying!

Proverbs 18:18 – Casting lots causes contentions to cease, and keeps the mighty apart.

 

 Comments and challenges

Is there ever a time when a lie is a good thing? The Holy Bible does record lies that have worked out for the good when Israel was face to face with their enemies; other than that all lies recorded in the Written Word of God have caused the execution of the liar and caused the separation of friendships. Lies in the Holy Bible are not condoned and carry heavy penalties in time and eternity.

Have you ever asked someone this question? “Have you ever told a lie”? And, have you heard a response like; NO! I’ve never told a lie; err maybe a little white one, but no I do not tell lies. What is a white lie? Now don’t attempt to answer that question… you will be lying. A lie is a lie, black or white it makes no difference in the Eyes with whom we must give and account.

Here is the rub! “Oh you better watch out, you better not cry, and you better not pout, I’m telling you why; Santa Claus is coming to town. He’s making a list and checking it twice and going to find out who is naughty and nice…” and it is now your turn to rub back. “Oh but Jesse the whole world believes in Santa Claus and the truth is that, once upon a time there was a man named Chris Cringle who gave gifts and such, we are just carrying on his tradition, so this is not lying, is it”? Bah Humbug!

How do you explain this lie to a child, well of course we will wait until an age when accountability kicks in; somewhere around the age of 7 to 10 and then we tell them the truth. “Well child; for the last seven or ten years we have been lying to you; Santa does not exist”! Well what will you say when the child says, okay then why do we have Christmas? “Well child you see on Christmas, Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary and…” and now you know that your child is going to believe that!

The Christmas story of the world is nothing more than a “FALSE PROVERB” notice what Ezekiel has to say to the Jews of his day concerning the lies that “parents” tell their “children”

Ezekiel 18:1-4 – The word of the LORD came to me again, saying. “What do you mean when you use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying: The fathers have eaten sour grapes (believed lies) and the children’s teeth are set on edge”? (Eager to believe the same lies)

“As I live” says the LORD God “you shall no longer use that proverb in Israel. “Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine; the soul who sins shall die.”

Of course it is your turn now… Jesse this is the Old Testament, Ezekiel is hard to understand and he is talking to Israel so how does this fit in the overall scheme of things. “I am so glad you asked” there is a parallel verse of scripture in the New Testament and it goes like this. Children, obey your parents in the LORD, for it is right. Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with promise: “that it may be well with you and you may live long of the earth.” (So far so good fathers; the burden of obedience is on the child). Ephesians 6:1-3; but don’t stop here read the next verse, verse 4).

Ephesians 6:4 – “And you fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the LORD”. Just what could change the countenance of our children and promote “wrath” in their young hearts. There are number of parental sins against children, the root cause of these begin and end with LIES. Well how do I know this is true? Take a look around at the fruits of parental behavior. What you see your children doing is mostly a result of the “training manual” we used or did not use when they were children.

Deuteronomy 29:29 – “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of the law.” Notice if you will that Moses under the guidance of God says – “that we may do all the WORDS of the law and not all the WORKS of the law”. This is important, since the works of man cannot be justified by God if man refuses to look at the Words of God first. The events of Christmas must be told to children BEFORE the world has a chance to corrupt their intellect, we will look at the Truth of Christmas on Friday.

The Devotional – 023 – Suffering

The Devotional – 023 – Suffering

Proverbs 16:33 – The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is form the LORD.

 

 Comments and challenges

A host of events these days brings to mind an event in February 1983 when a little girl of five went to be with the LORD, her name is Stephanie… she is my daughter. Now I am not alone in this, all the people I know and love; cherish the wonder of birth and the suffering assigned to death. Truth is; none of us alive are exempt from these moments in time. Also in short time life takes no rest, there is often a new moment just around the corner; another birth maybe, or perhaps another death, events that rapidly need an understanding and caring hand.

About one week after my daughter passed from this life; to life eternal with the LORD Jesus, I was the Command Duty Officer on the submarine I was on. A call came from the local police department that one of our sailors was found in his car, in a parking lot deceased. The car was running and a hose was extending from the tail pipe to the back window; our sailor had committed suicide. Someone had to come down to the emergency room at the local hospital to identify the man.

Since I was the CDO, it was my duty to go and identify the man; another chief said, Jesse with the loss of your daughter last week, you should let someone else do this. “I can handle this” I said and he said; “well then I am going with you”. “Okay, we will go together” I assigned my duty to my second in command and off we went to the hospital. It is a good thing my friend and companion went with me. You see, sometime before; that would be over a year before, the one lying motionless on that bed was one who along with several men prayed for my safe journey from an area near the Arctic Circle back home when we found out that Stephanie had Leukemia.

Life is fragile from birth to death; many life changing events are like that of an express train, barely slowing down and believe it or not, it is God who carries us through all of them. 1 Corinthians 1:3 says this; “Blessed be the God and Father of our LORD Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble (suffering tribulation) with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. Suffering and comfort fit in our lives like a comfortable pair of warm gloves on a cold day.

Usually with tribulational suffering there is no time to pass the test and in these special events there is much to do with comforting the hurting, even though we are in need of comfort too. Our present sufferings cannot be compared to the eternal results in Glory. In the day when the results are revealed and God is glorified for His timing of all events we will understand why life plays out as it does, Romans 8:18.

It is explained to me that only the saints of God can move effectively through these moments, yes with tears of sorrow, but yes again with tears of joy because of Jesus Christ who as the writer of Hebrews says: “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside very weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the Throne of God.

If you need someone to go with you (at any time) give me a shout and I will be there; there was a time when I was not available and that was a time when I did not understand sin and the grace of God. A time when all sin was purged by the Lamb who has taken away the sin of the world by His sacrifice (the Blood of Christ). In selfish ignorance, I choose to ignore this truth and a path of deception and destruction was left in my wake, but when Jesus personally came to be Light and Truth in my heart, His grace became sufficient and His strength was made perfect for me and anyone who call upon the LORD to help them endure the thorns of living and dying.

 

The Devotional – 022 – Discipline?

The Devotional – 022 – Discipline?

Proverbs 13:24 – He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly.

 

 Comments and challenges

There are some routine things in life that teach us to be disciplined and my thoughts this morning are focused one discipline that we routinely overlook and that would be the discipline of; “once is enough so don’t be a fool and repeat once!” What was that? Once is once, if you repeat it, that makes it twice; simple huh? Yet all too often we find that the things repeated in life are the things that should not have happened at all and when these do happen, should never be repeated again and again.

Once on a submarine I was in my office working (odd I know) anyway, my office was in a compartment called “Machinery One” you sub sailors know the place well. I heard the drill press outside the startup and this is not unusual, but the following sound was; “Ouch” and a few other words of non-repeatable verbiage. Then again and again and then again the same sounds, I could take it no longer so getting up from my work I went to the door and peeked out and there he was.

One of the ship’s Senior Chiefs was holding up his bloodied hand, now wrapped in cloth, between his thumb and forefingers he held a quarter. He lowered his hand to the drill press again and was aiming to drill a hole in the center of the quarter. I said his name loudly, startled he dropped the coin! I said, “you are not going to do that again are you, your hand is a mess.” “Yes I am” he replied, “I am getting married when we get back home and I am making wedding bands for us”. I said, “it looks to me like you won’t be wearing yours since your left hand will no doubt be very swollen and painful.”

Of course this little story centers on the physical foolishness of one’s heart even when he or she thinks it is in the right place. There were several wrongs going on in this man’s heart at the time and I am sure you are aware of these, but the one that stands out for me is; “why do we purposely do things repeatedly when we know the outcome will be failure”. The answer is: we tend not to listen to the first call to discipline.

Proverbs 16:-1 – The preparations of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD. (If we refuse to hear God as he directs our steps… guess what; the first hole in the hand appears).

Proverbs 16:2 – All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the spirits, (I’ll get it right the next time and yes the second hole appears).

Proverbs 16:3 – Commit your works to the LORD, and your thoughts will be established. (The thoughts of a man’s heart in wickedness is not a sure foundation, the third hole in the hand appears).

Proverbs 16:4-5 – Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD, though they join forces, none will go unpunished. (Even the thought of joining forces in marriage, evil did not have the victory… fourth hole in the hand)!

Proverbs 16:6-8 – Purging, pleasing and righteousness are for those who respond to the discipline and call to repentance.

Proverbs 16:9 – Some will heed the discipline of our LORD, others will not but we can count on this. The plans of our choices in life lead to the direction ordered by the LORD. After five holes in his hand I am told that when the ship arrived in port; he went over to the exchange (PX) and bought wedding bands.

The Devotional - 021 - Upright or Wicked

The Devotional – 021 – Upright or Wicked

Proverbs 11:11 – By the blessing of the ‘upright’ the city is exalted, but it is overthrown by the mouth of the ‘wicked’.

 

 Comments and challenges

The following is taken from Dr. David Jeremiah’s daily devotionals dated December 3, 2013.

My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.
Proverbs 1:10

Referring to Proverbs 1:10, Barry Black, Chaplain of the United States Senate, wrote: "This simple Bible verse saved my life during my early teenage years when I refused to follow two friends who eventually murdered someone. The same morning I memorized this verse, I refused to go with them. The refusal kept me from going to jail for life -- the penalty they received for the crime. God's warnings are designed to protect us, not to destroy our joy. He challenges us to refuse to follow sinners."¹

1 Barry C. Black, The Blessing of Adversity

 

When we accept the Word of God, it ultimately affects our decisions, our walk, and our entire life. It provides rules when we don't know where the guardrails are. And it's a fountainhead of strength when we're overcome by fear or weakness.

We as a nation mourn over the condition of many problems within and we suffer because it seems as if the sinners of the land are advancing. One of our major problems is that while we do not consent to the sinners activity we fail to ‘upright’ our nation that is bent on committing evil. How do we do this you might be saying?

Are we blessing the nation in prayer daily or do we curse the nation for their ‘wickedness’? Is our counsel over national wickedness bathed in prayer; or do we stand in judgment like the wicked because we complain and grumble? Healing our nation, if it will be healed can only come from God, but if we sound like the wicked while we condemn the guilty, what has God to do with that?

Bless and curse not and God who sees from heaven will reward your prayer. Luke 6:27-36.