The Devotional - 1528 - Ears to hear and Eyes to see.

The Devotional – 1528 – Ears to hear and Eyes to see

Last week I overheard two ladies in their mid-fifties discussing the subject of shopping for clothing. As the conversation progressed one finally said to the other; “I do not know why there is such a fuss among the young women of today! I can still fit into the same earrings I wore in my second year of high school!” “That’s true” said the other… “But at your age; you do look a bit odd with those big gold loops and Minnie Mouse swinging in the middle of them”. A little laughter is good for the heart from time to time but there is another side to this and it goes like this. “A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance (face). But by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. Proverbs 15:13.

Comments and Challenges  

I have not always enjoyed looking into the face of people; the main reason is that the “face” is normally looking back. Faces and eyes tell many stories; well not in detail, (who wants details? Oh yes, I forgot there are those “busy bodies” who like to soak up the details – 1 Timothy 5:13) yet in general the eyes and countenance of a person reveal integrity of heart. Now I know you have been in these shoes, we all have at one time or another; you meet someone and look into their eyes and you see a certain clear and clean countenance. It is a chilling moment and may possibly feel insecure.

As relationships develop, it will matter little if Minnie Mouse is swinging her heart out between your friend’s eyes and nose. What will matter most is how the two of you develop a bond of friendship toward each other in the years to come. The apostle John in his epistle of 1 John gathers his thoughts around this subject in his opening statement. 1 John 1:1 – That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the WORD of LIFE.

Then again, this same apostle on the Island of Patmos says this: “I, John both your brother and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the Word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the Spirit on the LORD’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet” Revelation 1:9-10 and now verse 14. “His head and His hair were white as wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire”.

Question: Should we be seeking to know the LORD Jesus as the apostle John and the others did? Yes, we should be seeking to know HIM this way too. How then should we do this? Psalm 119:9-10 is one “first step”. The great reward of the Word of Life is to allow the countenance and cleansing power of Jesus Christ to cleanse us of errors in understanding, cleansing us also from those secret faults that Jesus sees with His eyes like a flame of fire. Also we can add that the “fear of the LORD” is clean, enduring forever. Psalm 19:7-14. The statutes (promises) of the LORD are RIGHT for us, these rejoice our heart and clear our conscience of dead works.

When we fail the burden of our mind and soul to search out Jesus Christ in His “Word of Life” we are missing a countenance that can look people in the eye and say “I love you” even with those silly earrings. There is not a day that passes by that Jesus willingly looks first to His Father, then to you and says in prayer: “and the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: “I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me – John 17:22-23

The Devotional - 1527 - Protection one's Actions

The Devotional – 1527 – Protecting one’s actions

Proverbs 9:1-12 – Wisdom has built her house, She has hewn out her seven pillars; She has slaughtered her meat, She has mixed her wine, She has also furnished her table. She has sent out her maidens, She cries out from the highest places of the city, "Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!" As for him who lacks understanding, she says to him, "Come, eat of my bread And drink of the wine I have mixed. Forsake foolishness and live, And go in the way of understanding. "He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself, And he who rebukes a wicked man only harms himself. Do not correct a scoffer, lest he hate you; Rebuke a wise man, and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For by me your days will be multiplied, And years of life will be added to you. If you are wise, you are wise for yourself, And if you scoff, you will bear it alone." 

Comments and Challenges  

A “Blot” a “Blemish” or “Harm” is not the “to be, or not to be” question of the day; yet these three words will turn out to be very interesting to evaluate.

1.      KJV – He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he who rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a BLOT.

2.      NKJV (old edition) – He that reproves a scoffer gets shame for himself, and he who rebukes a wicked man gets himself a BLEMISH.

3.      NKJV (new edition) – He who corrects a scoffer gets shame for himself, and he who rebukes a wicked man only HARMS himself.

The Hebrew word for blot, blemish or harm is used only twice in the Old Testament = NUWN pronounced “MOOM” the only other time used is in the book of JOB 31:7. After Bildad’s comments about Job’s integrity and relationship with God, Job replies; beginning in Job 26 and near the end of his rebuttal Job says this to Bildad. “If my step has turned from the way, or my heart walked after my eyes, or if any “spot” (Hebrew MUWN) adheres to my hands, than let me sow and another eat; yes, let my harvest be rooted out”.

All too often we react before we THINK, emotions play a major role in the destruction of a friendship, relationship or even a casual meeting in a moment of time. We should be as sensitive as Job in the matter of offending people. No doubt evil is present in every one of us and no doubt again that to rebuke someone who is belching out scoffing words of evil will only ignite the flame of vengeance resulting in more hate. 

Dare I continue and say this? Hold your rebuke for the WISE man and if a rebuke is needed, he will love you for your watch care, note Galatians 2:11-15 and compare 2 Peter 3:14-18. Men and women; children too, who are saved by the grace of God are seated in the heavenlies; in Christ. This is our positional possession, yet experientially we live in a blemished, blotted, spotted and harmed world. The Hebrew Word MUWM means from the root word. STAINED; The stain in more common terms is SIN.

For the unsaved the stain remover is the Sacrificial LAMB of God, John 1:28 who is the Son of God, JESUS, compare John 3:36. For the saved the stain remover is also Jesus Christ whom we have heard from the beginning concerning the Word of Life; see 1 John 1:1-10.

PLEASE NOTE: Monday – September 15, 2014 I will be on a two or three week leave of absence. It is my hope to resume the devotionals on October 1^st and no later than October 6^th, 2014.

The Devotional - 1525 - God Protects His Children

The Devotional – 1525 – God Protects His Children

Psalm 26:1-12 A Psalm of David. Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity. I have also trusted in the Lord; I shall not slip. Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; try my mind and my heart. For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes, and I have walked in Your truth. I have not sat with idolatrous mortals, nor will I go in with hypocrites. I have hated the assembly of evildoers, and will not sit with the wicked. I will wash my hands in innocence; so I will go about Your altar, O Lord, that I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all Your wondrous works. Lord, I have loved the habitation of Your house, and the place where Your glory dwells. Do not gather my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloodthirsty men, in whose hands is a sinister scheme, and whose right hand is full of bribes. But as for me, I will walk in my integrity; redeem me and be merciful to me. My foot stands in an even place; in the congregations I will bless the Lord.

Comments and Challenges – A Psalm of David (DIVINE SCRUTINY and PROTECTION)

You and I have heard it before; “When we come seeking Jesus by faith through grace” we did not come based on some credit or work of our own. Thus trusting the gospel message of salvation is a gift, not a system of self-work or self-worth. This then is “good news salvation is not a credit plan”. We do not earn credits as one might in a college, a university or by any other human effort. This trust then in the death and resurrection of the LORD Jesus Christ is a total expression of faith in the grace of God; Ephesians 2:1-10

Once we accept God’s gift of Grace, it will take much communication with God in the days and years to ahead to develop a mature understanding with His, so great salvation. Getting to know God is to develop a trusting personal friendship and being able to trust the power of the Holy Spirit who now dwells in our soul. This thought is often mysterious and I believe in many people very confusing. How do we describe a new companion who never leaves us? Well, this is how I have come to understand the indwelling of God the Holy Spirit.

We have a mind that controls our daily actions; we think and we react to the guidance of our mind. Sometimes the mind will direct our thoughts to do well and sometimes it will direct us to do evil. Living in this natural human mind we can be confident, comfortable and controlled by our mind and do good, also we can be uncomfortable, uncontrolled and have no confidence and do what is evil. When we become children of God, He provides us with Himself as a guide; His Spirit in us will guide us into the Truth of God’s Word (confidence in His Laws, Precepts, Promises, Statutes and Judgments); comfort us in all trials (circumstances of life); discipline us in all sinful failures (also, circumstances of life).

Now I said all of the above because I see “all of this in Psalm 26:1”! Notice: This Psalm of David who at the time is King of Israel. At this moment in time he is seeking the LORD’s watchful eye over his action in life. Now while it is sometimes necessary to know the historical setting and nail down the reasoning in David’s request. But godliness is great gain and this is the important message of the Psalm. He is in communication with God the Holy Spirit and he is seeking to understand the guidance of the Holy Spirit to direct his actions.

Note that King David says “LORD search me; I have walked in my integrity”. Have you ever walked in your integrity and wondered if what you were doing was of the sinful flesh or of the guidance of the Holy Spirit of God? Of course; for me this is a daily task and surely you are no different. We then find ourselves in a mindful prayer such as the one here. “LORD, I have walked in my own mind, yet too; I have also TRUSTED in You”, therefore I shall not slip or lose hope, in any case, examine me O LORD and “Test my actions”, take close look at my mind and soul. 

In doing so LORD I seek for Your lovingkindness (grace) and know that Your direction leads me in paths of innocence and thanksgiving; righteousness and hope. Your works provide me with testimonies of thanksgiving therefore I love to walk in Your Truth. 

Also, such hope and confidence in God is an overwhelming need in the lives of the people around me and without Your guidance I am helpless to do this. These days there are many churches that are filled with “idolatrous mortal” and “masked hypocrites”. These unsaved people do not only fill the seats, they also fill the pulpit. These are bloodthirsty men and women who schemes are sinister whose minds are filled with coveting bribes.

If your church is lukewarm, if Jesus is standing outside the door wanting to come in; if the church has lost its First love or is compromising with the world, if it is corrupt with false teaching or is doing any other thing contrary to SOUND DOCTRINE then it is not a place where glory and honor dwells within. But, be like David in that; “but as for me; I will walk in my integrity and in the power of Your Holy Spirit redeeming the time with Your WORD, relying on Your Mercy. My foot stands in an even place and in the congregation I will bless You LORD.

Now there is a lot of New Testament scripture to back up the words of the this devotional; therefore be a good student of the Living Word of God and search out the matter since I have little time this morning to do that.

The Devotional - 1525 - Rising above the lie

The Devotional – 1525 – Rising above the lie

Psalm 120:1-7 – In my distress I cried to the Lord, and He heard me. Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips and from a deceitful tongue. What shall be given to you, or what shall be done to you, you false tongue? Sharp arrows of the warrior, with coals of the broom tree! Woe is me, that I dwell in Meshech that I dwell among the tents of Kedar! My soul has dwelt too long with one who hates peace. I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war.

 

Comments and Challenges – A Song of Ascents

1.      In my distress I cried out to the LORD and He heard me.

2.      Deliver my soul, O LORD from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue

3.      What shall be given to you? Or what shall be done to you, you deceitful tongue?

4.      Sharp arrows of the mighty, attached with coals of the Juniper tree.

5.      Woe is me that I sojourn in MESECH and that I dwell in the tents of KEDAR!

6.      My soul has long dwelt with him who hates PEACE.

7.      I am for PEACE: but when I speak, they are for war.

Yes we have departed from Psalm 119. It is like going on a trip and leaving behind an important piece of the luggage. The heart says go back and get it, but the miles between home and where you are, are just too far. With this thought in mind it becomes increasingly aware that if we do not have the WONDERFUL WORD of GOD abiding in our SOUL, we will suffer greatly with the circumstances of life around us. There is however another side to this thought. What if we have tucked the WORD into our SOUL and what if we are aware of the dangers of a lying tongue?

Yet there is still the stress of any moment we face in dealing with people and a great deal of that stress, is knowing that the people we meet may be full of lies. I thought about this and I thought about how this song writer deals with it. I say “song writer” because while we again do not know the writer and in the wee bit of study material available to me the psalm is referred to as a song, a song of ascent. Looking at the word ascent since it is part of the Psalms original writing, the word means to rise like a stairway upward.

This should be very important to us, how many times a day are we faced with the disappointment of a lie, or some comment from another that can be very deceptive and depressing? If you said, “daily” that would be the correct answer. Now consider your response to the liar! Can we respond with a lie and be as they are? Yes we most certainly could and sometime do! Deliverance from this moment is not with the lips of our mouth, but with the lips of our soul, the response of our SOUL as it sings upward to the LORD.

Lies! This psalmist says are like fiery arrows from the “broom tree” a broom on fire is not “one” in number; all of the strains on the broom are burning and not easy to extinguish, even the hidden bits of truth within the tree of lies burns as well because the truth has no place of safety in the blasé of the lying tongue - James 3:1-12. Our attention to lies will bring us DOWN, but our focus on the STATUTES, PROMISES and ORDIANANCES of God LIFT us up. So do like the psalmist… sing a new song; one that makes much joy in your SOUL and brings about the peace of God that surpasses all understanding. 

Do not be anxious; lying lips are “nothing” so in everything with prayer making a humble request of the LORD with thanksgiving and The LORD God (JESUS) will provide you with PEACE and will guard your heart and mind. Philippians 4:6-7. Rejoice in the LORD always. Again I will say, rejoice! Philippians 4:4. And do not forget to sing as some of those we confront are those we long to fellowship with in peace, even though they always seem to be at war with us. A song of rejoicing is a prayerful expression of faith in God – see Colossians 4:2-6.