The Devotional - A Look at the Book #880

 

by Jesse Abel

Thoughts from Papa “J”

 

What will destroy your soul? Could it be the eye that seeks evil, or the hand that touches inappropriately, or what about the mind that thinks evil thoughts? All of these contribute to the health of a soul. Sour grapes and teeth set on edge. Proverbs 22:5-6 and Ezekiel 18:2

 

Good Morning

 

2 Corinthians 4:1-6 – We are not adequate to be ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ; even though we are ministers. Yet in this we do not lose heart because we have received MERCY. This is a bold statement of the apostle Paul in that there is a threshold that those who minister the gospel must cross; that being the experience of having received mercy.

 

We seek to renounce evil; we strive to avoid walking in the craftiness of deception and search to handle the Word of God truthfully. This reminds me of Psalm 1:1-6. If we fail in this, the failure is in the sight of God and in the conscious confines of one’s own heart; 1 Corinthians 4:4-5. There is then accountability to God and to man and there be many warnings in scripture regarding this.

 

We briefly looked at the veil of darkness that those in unbelief are focused on in our last time together. It is not as if the unbelieving world around us is blind and cannot physically see; it is that this blindness is spiritual sight that is diverted to see spiritual darkness rather than spiritual light. If we preach from an impure conscious then those who hear see only the impurity.

 

The light of the gospel is the glory of Christ (Messiah) or (Immanuel) the Holy One, God in the flesh; the Savior, the LORD; the Resurrection and the Life. However you see Jesus who is the image of God is that dividing truth for all who are in the Light and all who are in the darkness. Isaiah 7:10-17; 9:6-7 or John 11:25-26

 

So we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the LORD and ourselves as servants to all who see darkness; servants also to those see the light for the preaching of Jesus in TRUTH to both. For it is God who commanded Light to shine out of darkness, revealed in our hearts to give that light to those around us who live in darkness, that through this light which belongs to God we can minister because we have received MERCY.

The devotional - A Look at the Book #879

by Jesse Abel

Thoughts from Papa “J”

If you suffer from a lack of friends as many of us do these days. Check the dipstick of your friendship reservoir; you just may be a quart low. Proverbs 18:24
Good Morning

2 Corinthians 3:7-18 – it is hard for me to imagine that the Law and the sacrifices are referred to by the apostle Paul as; “the ministry of death” and that it was glorious too.

 Yet when you think about that moment in time when Moses went to meet the LORD on Mount Sinai; Exodus 34:1-35 you quickly realizes that the ministry itself has no glory, only ritual and death. The Glory of the Old Covenant is the One who promises redemption through the Law and the Sacrifices. Only God is Glorious.

This is the ALMIGHTY God; El Shaddai, so when the thoughts of one’s mind go to the source of all majesty and power, two events play out in our focus. One: From age to age He is still the same; the thought of this alone sends chills and awe flooding and overwhelming our mind.
The second event is the thought of lifting up a voice of praise, as so the flood from the mind spills out of the lips with words like; “I will praise and lift You High, Almighty God.

El Shaddai! Oh my! Is that a Beautiful Name or what? If there are any words in the Holy Bible that bring my eyes to tears it is the Hebrew words. El Shaddai and Abba! These two words are miles apart, and in our passage in 2 Corinthians 3:7-18 we see the two pulled together. One the power of God revealed in the countenance of Moses and the ministry of the New Covenant revealed by the Son who is the Spirit of God.

Notice if you will that the ministry of the Spirit removes the veil of the ministry of death when one turns to the LORD Jesus by faith. Now that isn’t this liberty? The Son of God the Father is the LORD who is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the LORD is, there is liberty. Do you have liberty today?

We have; by faith the glory of God revealed in us by His Son, our face is unveiled. The result of this is that we are a daily witness to the veiled faces of those under the ministry of death; these veiled faces see us being transformed into the same glorious image of life through the Spirit. Delivered from the glory of death revealed through the Old Covenant, into the glory of the New Covenant by the Spirit of the LORD who guides us into all Truth. John 14:15-31.

The Devotional - A Look at the Book #878

by Jesse Abel

Thoughts from Papa “J”

 

Have you ever used a punching bag for exercise? It is fun if you can get the rhythm down. Occasionally there are relatives in one’s family that one might like to practice that rhythm on. Then the Word of the LORD comes to mind and God’s solution is far better. Proverbs 17:10

 

Good Morning

 

2 Corinthians 3:7-18 – As many know I started writing in 2008 and through these brief years the stories and events of life have unfolded in many ways. Stories of military life, home life, firefighting, medical emergencies, the birds (fatso and skinny) and a host of odds and ends that I hope have been encouraging.

 

We all have stories and what is exciting is to be able to take these everyday experiences and mold them into something interesting for others to say within themselves. Wow! This has happened in a similar way to me or someone I know, but I never seen it in that light God is involved; interesting!

 

There is no greater story or event in history than the events of God in history, but we really do need to know that; YES while God has revealed His love, mercy and grace throughout history. He is also revealing His love, mercy and grace to YOU, every day and every moment. When we go through a day we need to be conscious that God is in the action and moment of each day with us.

 

It will take a day or two to go through this section of scripture. (That’s okay; God is in it!) There is more here than I fully understand (praise the LORD for that)! But of what I do understand; this is one passage that explains the revealed GLORY of God throughout history. An overview of the glory of the Old Covenant and the continuing glory of the New Covenant, yet there is at least one prerequisite to look at first.

 

One would think that the apostle or someone could believe in “progressive revelation” in the context of these passages and that would be totally wrong. Deuteronomy 29:29, Hebrews 1:1-4 and Revelation 22:18-19 prove to all of us that every jot and tittle from the law or the grace of God is complete and will not change. Matthew 5:18. Progressive revelation does not exist in the Holy Bible.

 

So the stories we read from the Holy Bible, the comments we hear from preachers and teachers of the Holy Bible. The comments we hear or read from the multitude of commentators of the Holy Bible all have one purpose and that is to reveal to the world that Jesus Christ is the same; Yesterday, Today and Forever. Hebrews 13:1-9.

 

Now someone out there may think differently, but if you do then you are not arguing against my words, you are arguing against the words of Jesus Christ and His Words to the apostle John on the Island of Patmos around the year AD96; Revelation 1 through Revelation 3. Now we should be ready for 1 Corinthians 3:7-18.

The Devotional - A Look at the Book #877

by Jesse Abel

 

Thoughts from Papa “J”

 

I am not alone in this, especially if you are over fifty years of age and saved; you will see the many plans you’ve made. You will also see that those plans; when rolled upon the LORD, the direction and outcome were always completed in His Righteousness. Proverbs 16:3-9

 

Good Morning

 

2 Corinthians 3:1-6 – Before getting transferred to my next duty station (at sea or ashore) I would seek to find out as much as I could about my new assignment. Sort of a heads for the future you might say! Knowing some of the people that will be there and knowing a bit of the history of the ship or shore station always helped in the preparation of the new tasks ahead.

 

Here in Paul’s writing to the Corinthians we see similar thoughts or concerns racing through his mind. It is not as if he has never written to the Corinthians or been to the church at Corinth; he has, so in truth he does not need to provide them with letters of commendation from others, nor does he need any from them, he knows them and they know him. Yet people do change as do religions; but Christ is not a religion.

 

In fact; if our relationship in the gospel of God were a religion, then letters of commendation would be necessary, but the apostle knows that those in the Corinthian church are of the Household of God and not some household or public religion of the day. Pen and ink religions are always updating their doctrines and recertifying their credentials just as the world continues to do, even today.

 

So believers in Jesus Christ (not just the church at Corinth) are epistles of Christ. We are living letters of commendation to the world and to the world’s religions that what we believe in is not found on tablets of stone that can be destroyed or changed when found flawed. Our faith is found in our heart, that God through the Person of Christ has purged us from sin (the flaw) and that our testimony or epistle is not in the letter of the Law which kills, but in the Spirit who gives life.

 

This sufficiency then is not of our self to be thinking that we have acquired or achieved some plateau of godliness. This sort of human thinking is the very thing that discredits the testimony of a religion or a fleshly minded believer. Those who believe that his or her selfish behavior has contributed to the ministries of the New Covenant have failed to understand what the apostle says in 2 Corinthians 2:12-17.

The Devotional - A Look at the Book #876

The Devotional - A Look at the Book #876

by Jesse Abel

Thoughts from Papa “J”

 

Anger and contention is the way of life for many people, but it only takes one soul who is slow to anger to make peaceful results in the midst of a mob of ill hearts. Proverbs 15:18

 

Good Morning

 

2 Corinthians 2:12-17 – After all the exhortation of comfort, suffering, forgiveness and faithfulness the apostle Paul turns our attention to the reward. While God is molding you and me into the likeness of His Son, He is preparing us for future ministry. Well we say future in the sense that it will be at a later date, but future with the LORD is always present since for Him; He is ever present and the apostle Paul calls us to be ready at all times for ministry. 2 Timothy 4:1-5.

 

Even when the LORD opens a door of opportunity we can find that we are a bit fretful. Like the apostle we may be looking for a support group or some one person whom we have confidence in. Then when the moment can wait no longer, you take charge and move on; on your own, but not alone as the apostle soon expresses thanks to God for the victory that is always in Christ; who is the way, the Truth and the Life. John 14:1-6.

 

These passages in 2 Corinthians are pleasant to my soul. I hope these are for you as well. Here is what I mean; in all things pertaining to the Truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ, we are to seek at every moment to put on the LORD Jesus and make no opportunity for the flesh to reveal itself in our walk. Romans 13:14 and Ephesians 6:10-18. This is being dressed in the power of God, now how is that for a wardrobe?

 

Continuing; this is like being dressed in the finest clothing available and perfumed in the finest oils too. Those who are being saved simply enjoy your company. Those who are perishing see you in the same clothing, but it is offensive. These people observe the girdle of Truth, the breastplate of Righteousness, those shoes of Peace, your shield of Faith and the Sword of the Spirit along with the your helmet of Salvation and your Prayer. To these people your aroma is not sweet; but of the bitter taste of judgment and of the wrath of God, the aroma of war and the dead. John 3:16-21.

 

So in this, I see that in my life there is a lot of pain and suffering, much of which… no one sees and seldom hears falling from my lips. Most all of this suffering is through choices; foolish choices which I am personally responsible for.

 

Yet, God is faithful who will not allow you or me to suffer beyond our ability to handle it, but will always provide an avenue of escape. 1 Corinthians 10:1-13. So if we are and I do; preach Christ, let us not do it as to peddle a temporal piece of merchandise; but seek always to speak the Word of God out of sincerity, from a sound mind, a pure heart and a faith unfeigned (genuine) as there is no other gospel then the genuine gospel of the grace of God. Ephesians 2:1-10.

The Devotional - A Look at the Book #875

by Jesse Abel

Thoughts from Papa “J”

 

Is your automobile thirsty this morning? Does the cost of fuel stagger those futile attempts of your mind to understand? Return to the LORD! Isaiah 55:1-13 and John 10:7-18 (Abundant Life, Is available!)

 

Good Morning, a side thought!

 

It was nearing 2 A.M. our depth was four hundred feet and our speed was 15 knots. It was time pump the sanitary tanks. The Officer of the Deck ordered the Diving Officer to reduce the ships speed to six knots and proceed to 125 feet. As the ship slowed to 6 knots and leveled off at 125 feet I noticed that the ship was very sluggish and kept sinking. I found it impossible to maintain the depth.

 

At least two human errors were reported that morning as minor adjustments to buoyancy must be made while at any depth. Water temperature and other factors like flushing water to the sanitary tanks cause weight changes. Anytime there is a depth change the buoyancy weight of a submarine will change and require an order from the Diving Officer to pump the variable ballast tanks to sea or to flood the tanks with more sea water to maintain neutral buoyancy.

 

The order to move water on the ship is given to the Chief of the Watch by the Diving Officer; on this morning the Chief of the Watch was busy teaching one of the unqualified crew members on some qualification point and was paying no attention to the orders of the Diving Officer or his duty station. Also, his elbow was leaning against the flood valve and he totally filled the forward ballast tank. While we might find fault with the Chief of the Watch, I too was at fault since I made no attempt to gain a response from the Chief of the Watch acknowledging my orders.

At fifteen knots (twenty four miles per hour) the extra weight was masked by the speed and as soon as the submarine slowed to six knots (less than 10 miles per hour) the ability to control the depth of the ship was nearly impossible. We may want to reprimand the Chief of the Watch, but there are at least two others in authority in the control room. The Diving Officer and the officer who has the Deck and the Con (overall command) also there are at least three others in the control room who need to aware or vigilant. It is required by all on station.

 

Here is the Rub! As responsible humans we are nationally weighted down with sin and not paying attention to our duty stations of life! God consciousness is given over to self-consciousness.

Husbands and wives have lost their united way as ONE for the selfishness of TWO. Children have no parental authority and at a very young age develop emotional revolts in their heart towards authority that drain our national resources through government programs.

 

These revolts become a variable weight that increases in their soul because their father (the chief of the watch) is not paying attention. The mother who normally seeks to balance the family is too busy with other areas of interest to notice. Our leadership no longer sees the basics of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness as a meaningful goal and our national heritage of a strong Constitution begins to crumble. Shall I go on? I am beginning to run out of writing room.

 

There is little blessing while God is cursing! Leviticus 26:1-46, but there is a promise that as a nation we should seek to claim TODAY. It is a promise to Israel, found in 2 Chronicles 7:14 and there is nothing in the context of this verse for another nation to claim. However; God is still teaching national humility in the Church. Notice James 4:1-10, these words proclaim that God promises are the only cure for national worldliness through national humbleness and a return to God.

The Devotional - A Look at the Book #874

by Jesse Abel

Thoughts from Papa “J”

 

It is so simple that most of us will overlook it; self-righteousness in a matter is not trusting in the LORD. Thus the outworking of self-righteousness is sin. Psalm 37:1-8 and Proverbs 3:1-8

 

Good Morning

 

2 Corinthians 2:3-11 – No doubt that we have all been affected by the sin of others and no doubt we have affected others for the sin of our self. As broad as sin can be we have trouble talking about it openly and I think that this lack of willingness to face sin head on is our way of expressing a “no fault” attitude. Let me explain my thoughts.

 

The Living Word of God explains that sin is an act of war against God and God only; Psalm 51:1-4, but it also teaches us that when we sin it touches and harms the people around us; such as the events of the life of Korah and his entire family. Of course some of will say; isn’t this a bit extreme? And the answer is… all sin is extreme!

 

In fact; while we can easily admit to being a sinner, we are very quick to say things like, “yes; I am a sinner saved by grace” and the truth is, the statement is true and as a result there is usually no further comment necessary. For some of us this becomes a license to sin.

 

The unsaved is like a person who has a weapon before he or she has a license to carry it. Once saved you get to carry it openly, but the results are no different even if the verdict in one’s mind is. So there is a problem with sin and Dennis Swanberg once doing an imitation of Don Knotts said in the voice of Barney Fife. “What shall we do with sin?” Funny… this is a good question, but it seldom gets an answer.

 

Suffering, comfort, consolation and salvation in chapter one of 2 Corinthians and we now find in chapter two that the apostle is adding the words “forgiveness and love” to the original recipe (the apple pie) is necessary, if left out one might see the work of a very good looking pie and one that may taste good too. But it will lack the wholesome work of tenderheartedness. Ephesians 4:3

 

Forgiving is one of our most difficult obstacles. Once a person asked Corey Ten Boone if she had forgiven the Germans for her imprisonment and the deaths of her father and sister, her answer was yes. The person then said; “well do you have any documentation concerning your arrest or release, or any news articles of the hardships you and your family suffered”?

 

Her answer; “well yes I do, I keep this information safe in my desk over there”! and the person said; “well Corey you have not completely forgiven those who caused this suffering; since at any time you choose you can go to the desk and reflect on all the sorrow and pain of those days and it will all come flooding back on you”.

 

So I think that most of us can talk a good story about being forgiven, and if we are we are truly forgiven. Ephesians 2:8-9 are our “go to verses” but mostly our story falls short of the mark and that would be Ephesians 2:10. Yes it is necessary to discipline the sinner, but it is just as necessary to forgive them as well. It is naïve to believe otherwise since Satan is aware and is the master of sin.