A Devotional Look at the Book #534

A Devotional Look at the Book #534

by Jesse Abel

A Thought for today by Papa “J”

Remember the nickel on the nightstand? The pathway of sin for every child was laid by the first Adam who failed, as in Adam all die. The pathway for Righteousness is paved by the Blood; those of us who believe this truth know that Jesus saves! 1 Corinthians 15:20-22

A DAY IN THE PAST, THE PRESENT OR THE FUTURE

What do you think about the tribes of people who live in the jungles of the world; or better yet do you think about them at all? I know that for me, I sometimes feel that I have my own jungles to deal with… you do know what I mean don’t you? Those moments when you think that you’ve raised a family of barbarians; or that you find that you enjoy a bit of spear chucking, too! Of course; if you have had the opportunity to watch that television series of the past called, “Monk” you know that it is a “jungle out there” as he would often say. What is the point of all this useless jargon; Jesse? The natives of any and all jungles have souls… Here is an excerpt from NTM@work (08/11) about a man by the name of Bapeke of the tribe of Mibu in Paraguay. “Before I used to go to the clan house and practice our customs. But I have discarded it all, and now have joined myself to the Word of God. This message is the only way and you should believe it. Listen to the message and decide for yourself.” Now I ask you; does this message have a familiar ring to it? Please take the moment and read Philippians 3:1-11. Bapeke said that he has joined himself to the Word of God; this actually makes my heart sing praise to God and say… here is a man who lives thousands of miles from me, yet through his love for the Living Word and the power of God he is able to bless our souls with this solid testimony. Do you have a testimony as solid as that of Bapeke?

2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians 1:5-6 – I suppose that biblical suffering and consolation are two sides of one coin that none of us fully understand. All of us suffer and too all of us are consoled; yet suffering for many is a private matter. What I mean is that while I stand face to face with you and talk over various things; my heart can ache with suffering and you will not know it. Yet others will always let you know that they are suffering over something in order to be consoled.

So on the one hand, we listeners may be in the position to console but the person suffering does not reveal his or her need. Then on the other hand the person relates a need for consolation and we seem unprepared. What do we do in both cases? We often know if a person is suffering over a matter so this means that we should always be prepared. I believe that this is the area of failure for most of us, being prepared; but notice Colossians 4:2-6

The speech of grace is the language of the Living Word of God; we learn this language through the sufferings of Christ and the consolations of Christ as He lives and abounds in us. Our ability to understand suffering and consoling others is through the grace of God as the grace of Christ abounds through us. We are citizens of the kingdom of the grace of God and as citizens we should be fluent in our communication.

A Devotional Look at the Book #533

A Devotional Look at the Book #533

A Thought for today by Papa “J”

What is made little of in the eyes of mankind is large against the backdrop of eternity. One stolen nickel off the night stand by a child is enough to open the toll gate to hell if the one does not meet Jesus Christ on his or her way there. Romans 6:23; but notice… Romans 10:9

A DAY IN THE PAST, THE PRESENT OR THE FUTURE

Most of us have pictures and memorabilia in the areas of our homes were loved ones are recalled or revisited. This area is not an altar nor is it idol worship; it is simply a place where love hangs out. If a person in a picture is deceased our awareness of them is locked in that moment of time. These folks never change with age and it is as if these men, women and children are frozen in time. Not for mourning, because mourning passes; but for the joy of having loved them in their season of time; not ours. For those of us who are still around; pictures of when we were young and pictures of our current age have special blessings of their own. Like, the twinkle in the young bride’s eye; or the stealth of the bridegroom’s eye of mission accomplished; this is not for just that moment. Why; because while age causes the body to season and mature, it is the eyes that reveal the heart and the love. Genesis 2:23-25 provides the godly picture of man and wife (bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh). This oneness relationship throughout the ages of time is held sacred in the truth that one man and one woman in love; will never be ashamed. If there is shame in the marriage it is mankind that has put it there because his or her picture of the heart and eye is out of focus.

2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians 1:3 – We should always give praise to God for His mercy. The Holy Bible states clearly that His mercies are renewed every morning. Lamentations 3:22-26 we are encouraged by the words of Jeremiah; in that God’s mercy keeps us from being consumed and that His compassion and mercy is a covenant over us that will never fail. This attribute of God is new every morning.

We fail do we not? And as a result we lose comfort; comfort is lost when decisions turn bad, when life has an unexpected bend in the road and we become unstable even reluctant to move forward. If it were not God’s faithfulness to the soul who seeks comfort from God, who waits patiently for His compassion and mercy to mature us, we would perish like the world around us with no hope.

God’s faithfulness concerning us reaches beyond our time of tribulation, into the hearts and souls of men and women who have yet experienced the suffering of our present moment. Oh! We do not see that future moment while our heart aches in places of our body and soul that we never knew existed. But, notice please that God is always faithful to send someone your way who simply says. I know your pain; I know that tremble in your body and I also know that tear on your cheek. Someday you will hear those same words flowing from your mouth too! So the apostle is correct… Blessed, or as the NIV states; Praise be to God the Father who comforts us in all of our troubles.

A Devotional Look at the Book #532

A Devotional Look at the Book #532

by Jesse Abel

A Thought for today by Papa “J”

Having no power for a couple of days was sweet peace for the soul, but it sure did sour the milk?

A DAY IN THE PAST, THE PRESENT OR THE FUTURE

So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything. And he looked up and said, “I see men like trees, walking” Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly. Mark 8:23-24. Then later in chapter 10 of Mark we see another man by the name of Bartimaeus the son of Timaeus who calls out to Jesus for mercy. The word translated in the NKJV as Rabboni and LORD in the KJV and Rabbi in the NIV literally means to have a personal connection to the Master and this is what I want us all to see what these blind people saw even before they were able to see Him. The blind as we all are before coming to Jesus must see the personal hands-on connection of faith that Jesus has for us all. If you take someone by the hand and are being lead by them, you are trusting to follow them by faith. If you take a person at their word; you believe them by faith. This is not a faith without a foundation; notice that in both of these events. The blind had faith in the substance of things hoped for; the substance was sight in the unseen Jesus and the evidence was in the truth that they could not see; but did! Yet when they were personally challenged to allowed Jesus to touch or speak; the evidence of not seeing vanished and their hope was fulfilled in that they saw Him clearly. Hebrews 11:1-2.

2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians 1:1 – Paul the apostle and Timothy our brother, there is one thing I notice with most all of the Apostle Paul’s letters; he is hardly ever alone, even in his prison epistles there are people coming and going in and out of his life. The apostle never fails to include his most recent companions in whatever it is he is doing or communicating. In some cases there are reasons; such as, the letter to Philemon.

Now let us see if this multiplication of grace and peace works! One Paul and one Timothy; One God the Father and Jesus Christ His Son. One times two is two and two times two is four. It seems to me that Paul, Timothy and The God Head have Spiritually done their part in multiplying grace and peace to you and me.

Grace and peace always comes down to the congregation through the study of the Word of God; but it seems that we willingly pack grace and peace into a notebook until the following Sunday when we look at it again. Have we forgotten how to multiply? Brothers and Sisters this ought not to be so with any fellowship or church event. If God is willing (and He is) to share His most valuable gifts with us; why should we fail and blatantly keep them for just a few of our favorite friends; this is not multiplication of grace and peace, but suffocation!

A Devotional Look at the Book #531

A Devotional Look at the Book #531

by Jesse Abel

A Thought for today by Papa “J”

Having not a thought about a thought for yesterday is thoughtless; so I hope you are giving this some thought! After all this is serious consideration for both days; don’t you think!

A DAY IN THE PAST, THE PRESENT OR THE FUTURE

Should I have something to say about hurricanes and earthquakes? Have you heard the term… cleanness of teeth? Through the prophet Amos, in Amos 4:6 God uses this term to call Israel’s attention to famine. What about the blight of mildew; yes here in the same chapter, Amos 4:9 God allows Amos to use the words, “I have blasted you with mildew” also God reminds us that even the locust have a God ordained purpose because the people of God refuse to return to Him. Throughout this chapter; illustration after illustration is provided to cause or bring attention to the truth that God will be the Destroyer until all that is left of a wayward nation is that which is found in Amos 3:9… two legs and a piece of an ear. Lest we have forgotten and I believe we have! For behold, He who forms mountains is still forming mountains (have you thought about this?) and He who creates the wind (He still creates the wind). Who declares to man His thoughts (Does He not speak to us daily?) Read Psalm 19:1-14. He who changes weather patterns making it dark when it should be light (has He stopped doing this?) Has He not walked on the waters of the earth and will He not continue to march through the heavens? Of course you know the answer. He will never sleep or slumber over His creation; the LORD of hosts is His Name. Amos 4:13. If you go to a ceremony there is usually a host who has taken care of everything; even prepared for the worst. God the host prepares all these wonderful works in order for us to continually know that He alone is God and there is none else. Now! I am excited, full of joy and fully prepared… How about you?

2 Corinthians

About 60AD and from Philippi the apostle is burdened to write to the Corinthians another letter. Some have said that the apostle Paul wrote three letters to the Corinthians and that one is missing and if this is true then it should mean little to us saints. If the LORD wanted us to have that third epistle… we would! This Second Epistle will help us see the apostle in physical weakness, in pain and weariness. Have you in ministry felt this way? Yes of course; if you know the LORD, then you know this kind of suffering.

You know it is somewhat foolish for us to feel that any ministry of Jesus Christ should be contemporary to the times we live in today. Why should God change and abide by our way of living? Hebrew 13:8 states clearly to me that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever; so if there is any “religious direction” it should favor following Christ who does not change. So as we begin this simple walk through of Second Corinthians let us continually remind our self of the importance of living by the grace of God as the apostle will teach us, and to avoid the pitfalls of legalism and doctrines of demons.

What awaits us as we prepare for this epistle? The answer is: Comfort while we suffer and deliverance through the suffering. Secondly; only God forgives sin and when He does we must be willing as a church family to forgive the sinner. Thirdly; triumph in Christ as we conform to Him. Much more then; in the glory of the New Covenant wherein we stand in defense of the gospel as we become faithful ambassadors and reconcilers of God through Christ our LORD… we are living epistles of Christ.

A Devotional Look at the Book #530

A Devotional Look at the Book #530

by Jesse Abel

A Devotional Look at the Book #530

A Thought for today by Papa “J”

A DAY IN THE PAST, THE PRESENT OR THE FUTURE

Someone has said that the length of any golf course is only six inches and located between the ears of every golfer. Yet golfers have a very large playing field containing roughs, fairways, traps, hazards and out of bounds. Golfers also have a set of rules that govern play, etiquette and dress. Yes this is a physical game that demands skill in playing. Most golfers cannot score a seventy two which is par for most courses and it is said that of all who play the game only ten percent can score between ninety and one hundred and of that ten percent, only ten percent of these can score below ninety. And of those ten percent only ten percent can score below eighty and so on. I do not know if you have given it much thought, or even if you think it worthy of thought. However; the Christian way of Life in Christ is much like the make up of a golfer’s outing. The fairway is the proper place for both the golfer and the Spirit filled believer. The rough, traps, hazards can incur penalty, both on the golfer and the saint. Then if that discipline fails to keep the participants in the fairway; there is the out of bounds that place where both the golfer and the believer lost rewards of precious things. Also; just as the golfer keeps coming back to the course for another round; so too does the believing saint, refresh him or her self for another Spirit filled encounter with life in Christ. The golfer, cleans the clubs, buys more golf balls, and refreshes their skills by practice. The saint, cleans up his or her soul, studies his or her Bible and refreshes his or her walk with the LORD. Yet one of these events is JUST A GAME; while the other is a VITAL RELATIONSHIP with his or her LORD. The apostle Paul says it this way. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

Various Scripture

In August of 2008 China hosted the Olympic Games and like all of the other countries in years past these games included the 26 mile foot race that is traditionally the final event of every summer Olympics. With no exception; if you had the opportunity to see the finish line as people crossed it; like all who did, you saw many arms raised in happy exultation. Also, you saw some full of pain and with anxious hearts, but even so these folks had completed the race thus each who did understood this as victory in a personal moment in time.

Most of us never have the opportunity to run one mile; let alone twenty six of them, but we all are on a race. It is the race of time and each of us are allotted a section of time to complete the race. One of the problems (if there is ONE) is that many of us have lost sight of the start line and the finish line which is like the parable found in Matthew 20:1-16. The reward is the same for all which is a good thing since it is ETERNAL and will not perish.

Most people today are living for the moment and the moment has NOTHING to show for it. This emptiness causes mental and physical failure. Verse 16 of this Matthew 20 passage sums this thought up; the first and the last have an eternal reward that is far greater than any perishable labor of religious works.

A Devotional Look at the Book #529

A Devotional Look at the Book #529

 

A Thought for today by Papa “J”

Time is an allotment of the grace of God. Not for mankind to eventually get it right; but that he might understand the greatness of the sacrifice of Christ. Hebrews 9:23-28

A DAY IN THE PAST, THE PRESENT OR THE FUTURE

Things that get our attention are usually of a threatening nature; you know like a tropical depression that develops into hurricane, or an economic depression that can develop into a financial armageddon. These types of conditions may be nothing more than a forecast of some future expectation which may occur. Yet when these events occur it is no longer a forecast but a very real and prevailing condition to experience. Now this is not rocket science is it? In fact; if it were I would not have enough knowledge in the rest of this paragraph to fill in the remaining blanks. So here is the point. There are enough Biblical accounts for you and me to discern the signs of the times. Matthew 16:1-3. There are enough examples in the Biblical accounts of men and women in prayer who ask God to intervene for their nation; such as Daniel 9:3-19 and the apostle Paul in Romans 10:1-13 and Hebrews 11:17-40. There are many extra biblical accounts of men like George Muller of Bristol who relied on prayer and faith in God to move mountains. So what is it that we need in our days ahead as we face a forecast of depression regarding our national downfall? We need prevailing prayer… Jeremiah 33:3. There is nothing new under the sun that prayer cannot override and will if we would only pray.

Comment to Continue in Ezra and Nehemiah

I suppose there is a need for me to reconsider the observations into the Book of Ezra and the following Book of Nehemiah. The books hold much about the history of Israel as these people are released from captivity and returned to their homeland. But there is a lot of downtime for me to research the data that is just not easy to lay hold of. Besides I find a greater joy and blessing in leading us to a more personal relationship with the LORD.

So I hope you will be praying with me for God to direct us to another area of scripture that will encourage us to grow in the grace and knowledge of the LORD, and to sanctify Christ as LORD in our hearts; 1 Peter 3:15 and 2 Peter 3:18. Yesterday I was excited that the tabernacle and the temple are Old Testament examples of the witness of God’s Will for us.

That is; that God is in the world reconciling the world through the message of the gospel of His Son Jesus Christ. That God is not willing that any should perish and that all should be saved; 2 Peter 3:9. God does this by restoring fellowship with Him and placing His Holy Spirit in our soul where prevailing prayer is developed and ongoing victory is the experience for each of us daily.

A Devotional Look at the Book #528

A Devotional Look at the Book #527

A Thought for today by Papa “J”

 

Letting your yes be yes; and your no be no is not being intolerant. Nor does such action from your lips require an oath; since your conduct in Christ has been taught to express the grace of God in truth. Matthew 5:33-37 and Colossians 4:2-6

A DAY IN THE PAST, THE PRESENT OR THE FUTURE

Yet, again I am reminded of our national epidemic in that we are mostly a drugged society, so I will re-remind you. There are pills, creams, elixirs and potions for us to take (We the people) for every condition under the sun. If this is not enough for the countries Tis of Thee (and seemingly it is not) there is and it has been for years the brain-soothing media of liberal minded soothsayers who foretell that all is well. What is alarming to me is of how deeply entrenched this enemy of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is our homes of the brave. Our homes are broken because of what comes out of the bottomless pit and how quickly the void left in the pit is filled with our failing country. Many of the people who read what I have to say are saints (personal born again believers) in Jesus Christ, yet there is this one segment of people who read these same comments in the following blog: http://filehorde.com/jesse. There are an average of two hundred seventy five people who read this blog daily who have no relationship with God. I used to allow comments from them on this blog, but I do not do this any longer since their comments are heart breaking. Why? Most everything in the life of these individuals is broken; marriages, families, children, even the very foundation of their individual liberty to live life. But; here is the point. These people say that it is okay to be that way because the doctors, lawyers and chiefs have a likeable pill, a legal claim or a liberal word to soothe the pain for another day. Yet in the simplest way the Love of God says that only Jesus can give truth and rest to our hurting souls. Matthew 11:25-30. Maybe we just do not like SIMPLE!

Ezra; the Book

Ezra 5:1-17 – From 586BC to 516BC is seventy years the Israelites were disbursed from their homeland. Also during this time these people had no physical place of worship, but let us back up a little. Around 1000BC worship in the tabernacle (tent) was replaced by worship in the temple; the first temple built by Solomon; Second Chronicles 5 and various other passages in the records of Kings and Chronicles. The question we might ask is; is the building of a permanent temple, God’s idea or man’s religious effort?

In 1 Chronicles 17 God tells Nathan the prophets that He does not want David to built Him a house of stone, that God has dwelt with the Israelites from tent to tent and that He could be with His people where ever they went by continuing to live with them that way. I think many of us today desired for God to be in a box (a church or temple) that way we can go visit Him when we want, you know sort to the way we treat our elderly today.

No, I think as we study this some more we may find that the tabernacle is really a picture of our personal soul. The real place or palace if you will for Christ to abide in us as LORD. Now again this is what the scripture says. Do you not know that the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy; which you are, 1 Corinthians 316-17. This study I have found reaches into every aspect of our Christian way of life; even into eternity itself. Note: Hebrews 9:1-28.