Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Judges, Chapters 13-15 … To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Reference Passage : Judges 13: 1-5 … 1 Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, so the LORD delivered them into the hands of the Philistines for forty years. … 2 A certain man of Zorah, named Manoah, from the clan of the Danites, had a wife who was childless, unable to give birth. 3 The angel of the LORD appeared to her and said, “You are barren and childless, but you are going to become pregnant and give birth to a son. 4 Now see to it that you drink no wine or other fermented drink and that you do not eat anything unclean. 5 You will become pregnant and have a son whose head is never to be touched by a razor because the boy is to be a Nazirite, dedicated to God from the womb. He will take the lead in delivering Israel from the hands of the Philistines.”
My Journal for Today: In the three chapters in Judges (Chapters 13-15) in my assigned chronological read today, we begin to see the life of the Judge, Samson, unfold. And as you read above at the outset of Chapter 13, Samson was to be born of a barren couple, Manoah and his wife; and he was to be set aside by God as a Nazirite, which was somewhat of a spiritual role of honor among the Israelites. Nazirites were Israelites who made a covenant to God and before the people never to cut their hair, touch a dead body, or consume alcohol; and for this they were viewed as set-apart and empowered by God in their lives. Samson’s parents had a visitation from the Angel of the Lord (likely Christ); and they made the lifetime vow for their son for him to be a Nazirite; and the Lord granted them favor with the son they named “Samson.”
Samson’s life is a study in spiritual contrast: spiritual strength versus fleshly weakness; and I charge the readers with me to read through these chapters today, as I have, to be taught or reminded of the lessons we learn when spiritual vows are broken and a man of God becomes, from his [or her] choices, weakened by ungodly breaches into disobedience.
When Samson, who was up against the Philistines in those days, … fierce warriors whom God had allowed to subjugate God’s people. The Philistines were warriors coming into the iron-age; and they knew how to forge weapons out of iron, a new technology of the day. But Samson had the power of the living God on his side; and as long as he surrendered, in obedience, to His Lord’s power, he could be – and was – victorious over these iron-age Philistine warriors.
And in reading about Samson, I am reminded from the New Testament (from 1st John 4: 4) that our God, Who now resides in the hearts of God’s chosen ones, is always stronger that the forces of our spiritual enemies; and as long as we’re fortified by obedience and surrender to God, we can be victorious over even the most powerful spiritual enemies. This is also the lesson of Paul in Ephesians 6: 10-20, where we now are given all the spiritual weapons we need to be victorious. And above all we’re given the victory which Christ won on the cross to defeat all those who would come against us. Samson didn’t have the latter advantage; but he did have the same Spirit of God to give him victory IF he was willing to be obedient to God.
But Samson is a living example of what happens when we allow our flesh and pride get in the way of our humble surrender to God’s power, working through our obedience to Him. Samson yielded to the flesh; and when he did, breaking the vows he had on his life as a Nazirite, he became spiritually, and even physically, impotent before the guile and power of the Philistines, especially the temptress, Delilah, whom we’ll be reading about tomorrow in upcoming chapters of Judges.
I pray we all take in this lesson of the “Samsonite baggage, “ as I’m calling this journal entry today. We cannot carry the baggage of disobedience around as Christians and expect God to pour His enabling and empowering grace into our lives to allow us to go up against our spiritual enemies. When we are disobedient to the vows we make to the Lordship of Christ, and we carry the baggage of self and the flesh around in our lives; and we will be too burdened with self to be empowered by our Savior’s grace.
Yes, God’s grace is always more powerful than our selves; but unfortunately, God, as He did with Samson, has given us the gift of free-will as well as offering His gift of sanctifying and empowering grace. So, we can choose to carry the burdening load of Samsonite-like disobedience; or we can throw off that baggage, and walk free and powerfully wearing the full armor of God, … unburdened by our own sin choices.
As I always say to myself … as I will today … my choice!
My Prayer Today: … Lord, help me to be in surrender mode to Your Spirit and unburdened by the baggage of selfishness. Amen
Showing posts with label God's grace. Show all posts
Showing posts with label God's grace. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 03, 2012
Friday, March 30, 2012
March 30, 2012 … And the Beat Goes On … and On … and On
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Judges, Chapters 3-5 … To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Reference Passage : Judges 3: 1-7 … 1 These are the nations the LORD left to test all those Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan 2 (he did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience): 3 the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in the Lebanon mountains from Mount Baal Hermon to Lebo Hamath. 4 They were left to test the Israelites to see whether they would obey the LORD’s commands, which he had given their ancestors through Moses. … 5 The Israelites lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 6 They took their daughters in marriage and gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods. … 7 The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD; they forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs.
My Journal for Today: Back in the 60s, a time when I was off to college and feeling my oats, and separating myself from my relationship with God, a rather comical couple, Sonny and Cher, wrote and sang their signature song back then, And the Beat Goes On. If you’re too young to remember them singing it, here’s a link for a You Tube segment of that great 60s hit.
And what, you say, does that have to do with Chapters 3-5 of the book of Judges? Well, in these chapters we have the beginnings of a beat and refrain which began in Israel when Joshua took the Israelites into the promised-land and continued on with a repetitive chorus of sinful, disobedient living for over 300 years. And here, in these chapters of Judges I was led to read today, we see this pattern beginning.
Israel does “… evil in the sight of the Lord;” … God sends a JUDGE to rescue His people; … the people are shown the error of their ways – usually through some defeat or subjugation on the part of the pagan peoples who had not been eliminated from the promised lands as God had commanded; … God’s people repent, … which is followed by some years of peace and pridefulness, allowing again for the worship of pagan gods like the Baals or the Asherahs (see above in verse 7). And as you read ahead in Judges … “the beat goes on” … and on … and on.
Six periods of Judges – 12 Judges; … and the people, even though they would be given a leader, even a Judge like Deborah, whom we read about in today’s chapters, … a judge who broke all the norms of the culture being a female national leader, … but God gave His sinful, disobedient children a way out of their idolatrous living … over and over again; … and they kept falling into repetitive and redundant patterns of sinful, idolatrous living.
Maybe you have had or now have some stronghold of sin which has been the “beat which goes on” in your life. For some it may be drugs or alcohol; … for others it may be gambling or shopping: … for others – especially in this culture – it may be an obsessive/compulsive habit of viewing p0rnography. I was wrapped up in that one for over 22 years of my life before I came to know Christ as my Lord; and even now the beat goes on in my life in the area of gluttony, … my recurring bondage to my eating desires. I really don’t know what this beat may be in any of your lives; but I do know that the Book of Judges is, as I wrote yesterday, a mirror for our lives today; … and yes, in our sin natures, “the beat goes on.”
BUT (again, a very big “but”), … just as we read in Judges, if we’re willing to seek the LORD, just as in Judges, God never leaves nor forsakes His people; and for us, He sent His own Son as the final Judge, … the ultimate Redeemer, … the One Who shed His blood so that the beat of sinful living never has to go on in the life of a believer.
Yes, I still struggle with my sin nature; and yes, I still sing “the beat goes on” with regard to my pridefulness and my pursuit of the flesh. But when I choose to receive and use the grace which God has provided me in His final JUDGE, Jesus Christ, I have the song stopper; and that beat NEVER needs to go on in my life again.
We’re going to see more of this refrain as we proceed through the book of Judges; … so, get ready as the “beat goes on!”
My Prayer Today: … Lord, help me to sing Your son and not the song of my flesh which desires that the “beat go on.” Amen
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Highlight Reference Passage : Judges 3: 1-7 … 1 These are the nations the LORD left to test all those Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan 2 (he did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience): 3 the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in the Lebanon mountains from Mount Baal Hermon to Lebo Hamath. 4 They were left to test the Israelites to see whether they would obey the LORD’s commands, which he had given their ancestors through Moses. … 5 The Israelites lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 6 They took their daughters in marriage and gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods. … 7 The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD; they forgot the LORD their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs.
My Journal for Today: Back in the 60s, a time when I was off to college and feeling my oats, and separating myself from my relationship with God, a rather comical couple, Sonny and Cher, wrote and sang their signature song back then, And the Beat Goes On. If you’re too young to remember them singing it, here’s a link for a You Tube segment of that great 60s hit.
And what, you say, does that have to do with Chapters 3-5 of the book of Judges? Well, in these chapters we have the beginnings of a beat and refrain which began in Israel when Joshua took the Israelites into the promised-land and continued on with a repetitive chorus of sinful, disobedient living for over 300 years. And here, in these chapters of Judges I was led to read today, we see this pattern beginning.
Israel does “… evil in the sight of the Lord;” … God sends a JUDGE to rescue His people; … the people are shown the error of their ways – usually through some defeat or subjugation on the part of the pagan peoples who had not been eliminated from the promised lands as God had commanded; … God’s people repent, … which is followed by some years of peace and pridefulness, allowing again for the worship of pagan gods like the Baals or the Asherahs (see above in verse 7). And as you read ahead in Judges … “the beat goes on” … and on … and on.
Six periods of Judges – 12 Judges; … and the people, even though they would be given a leader, even a Judge like Deborah, whom we read about in today’s chapters, … a judge who broke all the norms of the culture being a female national leader, … but God gave His sinful, disobedient children a way out of their idolatrous living … over and over again; … and they kept falling into repetitive and redundant patterns of sinful, idolatrous living.
Maybe you have had or now have some stronghold of sin which has been the “beat which goes on” in your life. For some it may be drugs or alcohol; … for others it may be gambling or shopping: … for others – especially in this culture – it may be an obsessive/compulsive habit of viewing p0rnography. I was wrapped up in that one for over 22 years of my life before I came to know Christ as my Lord; and even now the beat goes on in my life in the area of gluttony, … my recurring bondage to my eating desires. I really don’t know what this beat may be in any of your lives; but I do know that the Book of Judges is, as I wrote yesterday, a mirror for our lives today; … and yes, in our sin natures, “the beat goes on.”
BUT (again, a very big “but”), … just as we read in Judges, if we’re willing to seek the LORD, just as in Judges, God never leaves nor forsakes His people; and for us, He sent His own Son as the final Judge, … the ultimate Redeemer, … the One Who shed His blood so that the beat of sinful living never has to go on in the life of a believer.
Yes, I still struggle with my sin nature; and yes, I still sing “the beat goes on” with regard to my pridefulness and my pursuit of the flesh. But when I choose to receive and use the grace which God has provided me in His final JUDGE, Jesus Christ, I have the song stopper; and that beat NEVER needs to go on in my life again.
We’re going to see more of this refrain as we proceed through the book of Judges; … so, get ready as the “beat goes on!”
My Prayer Today: … Lord, help me to sing Your son and not the song of my flesh which desires that the “beat go on.” Amen
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
March 20, 2012 … Life or Death – The Choice is Before Us
Blogger’s note: I know this one is long; but trust me, it’s worth the read!
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Deuteronomy, Chapters 30-31 … To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Reference Passage : Deuteronomy 30: 1-6 … 1 When all these blessings and curses I have set before you come on you and you take them to heart wherever the LORD your God disperses you among the nations, 2 and when you and your children return to the LORD your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today, 3 then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you. 4 Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens, from there the LORD your God will gather you and bring you back. 5 He will bring you to the land that belonged to your ancestors, and you will take possession of it. He will make you more prosperous and numerous than your ancestors. 6 The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live.
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Highlight Reference Passage #2 : Deuteronomy 30: 11-16 … 11 Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. 12 It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” 13 Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” 14 No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it. … 15 See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. 16 For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.
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Highlight Reference Passage #3 : Deuteronomy 30: 19-20 … 19 This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
My Journal for Today: Today I was led to Chapters 30-31 of Deuteronomy; and I think I could write a small book in journaling on these chapters. In fact, as you see above, I had trouble limiting the highlighted passages that I really wanted you to read and study along with me this morning. And really God’s message – through Moses to His people – back in that day, when the people were about to follow Joshua into the promised-land, was quite stark … and really quite simple. Certainly I’m not saying it was easy, because God knew that His beloved and chosen people were going to fail Him; and for Moses and Joshua God even predicted that one day He, the Lord, would have to abandon His loved ones for a season for them to realize the consequences of their collective sin (to see this prediction, read Chapter 31 from the link above).
But God’s mercy and His promises are everlasting; and God will one day bring His recalcitrant Hebrew children into the promised-land; and so, in the meantime as the history of disobedience was to unfold in their future, as they crossed over the Jordan and were to follow Joshua into the promised-land, the people were reminded (again) of their options; and I charge you to read and meditate on those options in the Deut. 30: 19-20 above.
And my dear ones, who might be reading with me today, aren’t these the same choices that have today? In fact the Apostle Paul even reminded New Covenant Christians of this life-death choice when he wrote – for God – to the Romans (and now for all time to all Christians) in Romans 10: 5-8, and in doing so, he referred to the Deut. 30: 11-14 passage copied above for you.
By reading and meditating on the words of God through Moses and repeated later in history by Paul, we must realize that everyday we have these choices in front of us … obedience versus disobedience … life versus death … selfishness verses “Saviorness.” And so many times, our choice can seem so difficult. Yet, as Moses and Paul point out, it is really quite simple. Do we really believe God and His promises; or do we believe what Satan would want for us to believe? It was the same choice which Adam and Eve had in the garden, knowing God’s commands and being confronted by Satan. And we know the result of their choice, don’t we?
Today, you and I will confront something which says to us, “Okay, which choice will you make, … life or death … sinfulness or Saviorness?” And we’re going to have to make the same choice which was made by God’s people in response to the charge given to them as they were to march forward into the promised-land; and we know, from the Bible, how miserably they failed. But we also know, from the same Bible, that God has provided the perfect redemption and atonement for the sins of His people; and that redemption also comes from a choice. And oh how I pray you have made that choice … to receive God’s everlasting grace of salvation; and I pray that we’re marching – this very day TOGETHER – toward God’s promised-land.
Now, one last word, my friend; … I know, from experience, how easy it is to make sin choices and get so mired in habitual sin, walking far away from God, that you don’t feel you can choose to move back into a state of harmony with God. But my friends, God always has the choice of sinful death or eternally cleansed and blessed life out in front of us. And if we’re willing and able to make the “life choice” today in repentance, He’s ALWAYS ready to take us back in to His loving arms. That, of course, was the message of Christ’s wonderful and powerful “prodigal” parable, wasn’t it? And if you’ve been away from God for a season in your life; and you want to know what God has waiting for you IF you can make the choice to come back to Him today, listen to this wonderful song, performed by Phillips, Craig, and Dean, and relish in the love of God as He says to us this morning, “Come back home!”
Here’s the link to that song on You Tube; and I so hope you’ll take 5 minutes and be lifted up by the reality of God’s grace. And then if you have a few more minutes, listen to this song by the same group, singing of how God and His angels will celebrate when and if we can make the righteous choices He lays out for us today. And then one last link to a song in this little mini-concert about the grace of God when we choose the Savior over self.
My Prayer Today: … Lord, I’m so grateful that You were willing to pursue me with Your grace and to give me the time to choose Your grace; and now I’m so grateful for Your patience in allowing me to become the Saint You are shaping me to become. Today, from the choices You will offer me, … I will choose LIFE! Amen
Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Deuteronomy, Chapters 30-31 … To study these chapters, go to this link -
============
Highlight Reference Passage : Deuteronomy 30: 1-6 … 1 When all these blessings and curses I have set before you come on you and you take them to heart wherever the LORD your God disperses you among the nations, 2 and when you and your children return to the LORD your God and obey him with all your heart and with all your soul according to everything I command you today, 3 then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you and gather you again from all the nations where he scattered you. 4 Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens, from there the LORD your God will gather you and bring you back. 5 He will bring you to the land that belonged to your ancestors, and you will take possession of it. He will make you more prosperous and numerous than your ancestors. 6 The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live.
============
Highlight Reference Passage #2 : Deuteronomy 30: 11-16 … 11 Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. 12 It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” 13 Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” 14 No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it. … 15 See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. 16 For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.
============
Highlight Reference Passage #3 : Deuteronomy 30: 19-20 … 19 This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
My Journal for Today: Today I was led to Chapters 30-31 of Deuteronomy; and I think I could write a small book in journaling on these chapters. In fact, as you see above, I had trouble limiting the highlighted passages that I really wanted you to read and study along with me this morning. And really God’s message – through Moses to His people – back in that day, when the people were about to follow Joshua into the promised-land, was quite stark … and really quite simple. Certainly I’m not saying it was easy, because God knew that His beloved and chosen people were going to fail Him; and for Moses and Joshua God even predicted that one day He, the Lord, would have to abandon His loved ones for a season for them to realize the consequences of their collective sin (to see this prediction, read Chapter 31 from the link above).
But God’s mercy and His promises are everlasting; and God will one day bring His recalcitrant Hebrew children into the promised-land; and so, in the meantime as the history of disobedience was to unfold in their future, as they crossed over the Jordan and were to follow Joshua into the promised-land, the people were reminded (again) of their options; and I charge you to read and meditate on those options in the Deut. 30: 19-20 above.
And my dear ones, who might be reading with me today, aren’t these the same choices that have today? In fact the Apostle Paul even reminded New Covenant Christians of this life-death choice when he wrote – for God – to the Romans (and now for all time to all Christians) in Romans 10: 5-8, and in doing so, he referred to the Deut. 30: 11-14 passage copied above for you.
By reading and meditating on the words of God through Moses and repeated later in history by Paul, we must realize that everyday we have these choices in front of us … obedience versus disobedience … life versus death … selfishness verses “Saviorness.” And so many times, our choice can seem so difficult. Yet, as Moses and Paul point out, it is really quite simple. Do we really believe God and His promises; or do we believe what Satan would want for us to believe? It was the same choice which Adam and Eve had in the garden, knowing God’s commands and being confronted by Satan. And we know the result of their choice, don’t we?
Today, you and I will confront something which says to us, “Okay, which choice will you make, … life or death … sinfulness or Saviorness?” And we’re going to have to make the same choice which was made by God’s people in response to the charge given to them as they were to march forward into the promised-land; and we know, from the Bible, how miserably they failed. But we also know, from the same Bible, that God has provided the perfect redemption and atonement for the sins of His people; and that redemption also comes from a choice. And oh how I pray you have made that choice … to receive God’s everlasting grace of salvation; and I pray that we’re marching – this very day TOGETHER – toward God’s promised-land.
Now, one last word, my friend; … I know, from experience, how easy it is to make sin choices and get so mired in habitual sin, walking far away from God, that you don’t feel you can choose to move back into a state of harmony with God. But my friends, God always has the choice of sinful death or eternally cleansed and blessed life out in front of us. And if we’re willing and able to make the “life choice” today in repentance, He’s ALWAYS ready to take us back in to His loving arms. That, of course, was the message of Christ’s wonderful and powerful “prodigal” parable, wasn’t it? And if you’ve been away from God for a season in your life; and you want to know what God has waiting for you IF you can make the choice to come back to Him today, listen to this wonderful song, performed by Phillips, Craig, and Dean, and relish in the love of God as He says to us this morning, “Come back home!”
Here’s the link to that song on You Tube; and I so hope you’ll take 5 minutes and be lifted up by the reality of God’s grace. And then if you have a few more minutes, listen to this song by the same group, singing of how God and His angels will celebrate when and if we can make the righteous choices He lays out for us today. And then one last link to a song in this little mini-concert about the grace of God when we choose the Savior over self.
My Prayer Today: … Lord, I’m so grateful that You were willing to pursue me with Your grace and to give me the time to choose Your grace; and now I’m so grateful for Your patience in allowing me to become the Saint You are shaping me to become. Today, from the choices You will offer me, … I will choose LIFE! Amen
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
January 31, 2012 … God Showing Off
Exodus 2: 15: … [God Reveals Himself] ... 1 Moses answered, "What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, 'The Lord did not appear to you'?" 2 Then the Lord said to him, "What is that in your hand?"
"A staff," he replied. 3 The Lord said, "Throw it on the ground." Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it.4 Then the Lord said to him, "Reach out your hand and take it by the tail." So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand.5 "This," said the Lord, "is so that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you."
My Journal for Today: Sometimes God just flat shows off! Have you ever had that happen, … God giving us what I call “a glimpse of His glory?” Well, as I read through Exodus in my chronological reading plan this morning, right at the outset of the three chapters I was led to read today (Exodus, Chapters 4-6), I was taken to Moses’ burning bush encounter with God, where the Lord just flat showed off for poor Moses, who was feeling pretty small in God’s presence.
I can recall one of my own “burning bush” experiences with God when I, like Moses, came to the end of myself and the realization that God cared enough for me to reveal His glory and grace … just for little-ole me. It was a wild set of circumstances for me on April 13th, 1983. And, by using the testimony of a young quadriplegic on an audio-cassette, recorded some years earlier, as well as a wild – truly unbelievable re occurrence of the number 13 in the context of that moment, I realized that all that was transpiring that morning could not have occurred by chance. On that morning in my office, it may not have been a burning bush, but God called me out very much like He did Moses. And also like Moses in the presence of God at the bush that day, I felt totally inadequate to the glimpse of God’s glory which was being revealed to me. But also like Moses, that’s what it took to get my attention and for me to come to the realization that God was calling one Bill Berry to something far greater than I could imagine in that moment.
I really hope you can look back on your life at times when God showed you a bit of His greatness and glory so that you can carry around an awestruck feeling of our God with you. And I pray that we never lose our realization of just how great God is. Moses, as we know, got over his burning bush calling; and he marched forward to follow and serve his Lord with humility and meekness; but it took God flat showing off to get his attention and to call him out for service.
I pray – for you – that if God hasn’t done so … that He will be a show-off for you soon and give you an indication of the truth of what Paul wrote about to believers in 2nd Cor. 12: 9, where Christ was quoted by Paul, … “My grace is sufficient for you; … for my strength is made perfect in [your] weakness.” Paul was another one whom God had to do a big show-n-tell to get his attention; and the NT Apostle came to realize that God’s greatness is sometimes revealed in our humility. So, when we’re being humbled by life’s circumstances and God’s bigness, my friend, let us take a look around us. God’s probably just showing off His glory in the grace He’s providing us through our humble circumstances.
My Prayer Today: … My Lord, thank You so, so much for showing off in my presence. May I never lose the awe You’ve given me in those glimpses of glory. Amen
"A staff," he replied. 3 The Lord said, "Throw it on the ground." Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it.4 Then the Lord said to him, "Reach out your hand and take it by the tail." So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand.5 "This," said the Lord, "is so that they may believe that the Lord, the God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you."
My Journal for Today: Sometimes God just flat shows off! Have you ever had that happen, … God giving us what I call “a glimpse of His glory?” Well, as I read through Exodus in my chronological reading plan this morning, right at the outset of the three chapters I was led to read today (Exodus, Chapters 4-6), I was taken to Moses’ burning bush encounter with God, where the Lord just flat showed off for poor Moses, who was feeling pretty small in God’s presence.
I can recall one of my own “burning bush” experiences with God when I, like Moses, came to the end of myself and the realization that God cared enough for me to reveal His glory and grace … just for little-ole me. It was a wild set of circumstances for me on April 13th, 1983. And, by using the testimony of a young quadriplegic on an audio-cassette, recorded some years earlier, as well as a wild – truly unbelievable re occurrence of the number 13 in the context of that moment, I realized that all that was transpiring that morning could not have occurred by chance. On that morning in my office, it may not have been a burning bush, but God called me out very much like He did Moses. And also like Moses in the presence of God at the bush that day, I felt totally inadequate to the glimpse of God’s glory which was being revealed to me. But also like Moses, that’s what it took to get my attention and for me to come to the realization that God was calling one Bill Berry to something far greater than I could imagine in that moment.
I really hope you can look back on your life at times when God showed you a bit of His greatness and glory so that you can carry around an awestruck feeling of our God with you. And I pray that we never lose our realization of just how great God is. Moses, as we know, got over his burning bush calling; and he marched forward to follow and serve his Lord with humility and meekness; but it took God flat showing off to get his attention and to call him out for service.
I pray – for you – that if God hasn’t done so … that He will be a show-off for you soon and give you an indication of the truth of what Paul wrote about to believers in 2nd Cor. 12: 9, where Christ was quoted by Paul, … “My grace is sufficient for you; … for my strength is made perfect in [your] weakness.” Paul was another one whom God had to do a big show-n-tell to get his attention; and the NT Apostle came to realize that God’s greatness is sometimes revealed in our humility. So, when we’re being humbled by life’s circumstances and God’s bigness, my friend, let us take a look around us. God’s probably just showing off His glory in the grace He’s providing us through our humble circumstances.
My Prayer Today: … My Lord, thank You so, so much for showing off in my presence. May I never lose the awe You’ve given me in those glimpses of glory. Amen
Friday, July 08, 2011
July 8, 2011 … Joy In God
Passage of the Day: Romans 5: 11 … Not only is this so [i.e., truth, having been brought from death into eternal life], but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom we have now received reconciliation.
My Journal for Today: I embolden the phrase “we also rejoice” above; because a portion of the grace imparted into the heart of the believer, among the fruit of the Spirit, is JOY (see Gal. 5: 22 – 23). The Greek expression for this is “chara,” which means “to rejoice jubilantly” or “to be thrilled.” Several Psalmists declared such exultation like that expressed by Paul in today’s verse (see Psalm 33: 21; 34: 3; 43: 4). As John MacArthur states in Strength for Today, “As you make God the focus of your life, He will grant you an assurance that only He can give.” And one of the expressions of that assurance will be manifest in a joy that can be found even in moments that might normally produce fear or concern. That was the message of instruction expressed by Paul to his young protégé, Timothy, in 2nd Tim. 1: 7 [a verse you simply MUST MEMORIZE to avoid a spirit of fear].
So, you might ask, “Why don’t some, who claim to be Christian, feel this joy?” And the answer to that inquiry is clear, at least to me, from MacArthur’s quote and Paul’s admonition to Timothy. … When we focus on self over Savior, we separate ourselves in our will from the will of God. Our pride creates a self-imposed barrier to the fruit of joy which comes from God’s grace. We’ve read this truth before in such verses as 1st Peter 5: 6 or James 4: 6 [both great verses to have deeply memorized], both of which are quotes from the, Proverbs 3: 34. And right now, as I have my morning time with God, I’ve been led to listen to a wonderful song, written and sung by Laura Story, entitled Blessings, express this truth about as well as can be told. Hence, I link you here to hear this praise song.
God has boundless and endless joy ready to burst forth in the midst of our concern; but when we get prideful or self-centered, expressed in such self-driven and sinful emotions as reactionary anger, long-term bitterness, or greed, we cannot expect God to pour forth with His fruit of joy. So, the experience of joy, which is a wondrous assurance of our salvation, can only be realized when we CHOOSE God’s grace in our surrender of our will to His.
When are we going to get it?!! When are we going to receive God’s grace by our willful surrender rather than our willful pridefulness? When are going to walk into God’s shower of joy to be cleansed of our selfishness and drenched in the exultation of our relationship with our Lord?
Who knows! We choose … self … or Savior?
My Prayer Today: I surrender, Lord; and Your joy is mine! Amen
My Journal for Today: I embolden the phrase “we also rejoice” above; because a portion of the grace imparted into the heart of the believer, among the fruit of the Spirit, is JOY (see Gal. 5: 22 – 23). The Greek expression for this is “chara,” which means “to rejoice jubilantly” or “to be thrilled.” Several Psalmists declared such exultation like that expressed by Paul in today’s verse (see Psalm 33: 21; 34: 3; 43: 4). As John MacArthur states in Strength for Today, “As you make God the focus of your life, He will grant you an assurance that only He can give.” And one of the expressions of that assurance will be manifest in a joy that can be found even in moments that might normally produce fear or concern. That was the message of instruction expressed by Paul to his young protégé, Timothy, in 2nd Tim. 1: 7 [a verse you simply MUST MEMORIZE to avoid a spirit of fear].
So, you might ask, “Why don’t some, who claim to be Christian, feel this joy?” And the answer to that inquiry is clear, at least to me, from MacArthur’s quote and Paul’s admonition to Timothy. … When we focus on self over Savior, we separate ourselves in our will from the will of God. Our pride creates a self-imposed barrier to the fruit of joy which comes from God’s grace. We’ve read this truth before in such verses as 1st Peter 5: 6 or James 4: 6 [both great verses to have deeply memorized], both of which are quotes from the, Proverbs 3: 34. And right now, as I have my morning time with God, I’ve been led to listen to a wonderful song, written and sung by Laura Story, entitled Blessings, express this truth about as well as can be told. Hence, I link you here to hear this praise song.
God has boundless and endless joy ready to burst forth in the midst of our concern; but when we get prideful or self-centered, expressed in such self-driven and sinful emotions as reactionary anger, long-term bitterness, or greed, we cannot expect God to pour forth with His fruit of joy. So, the experience of joy, which is a wondrous assurance of our salvation, can only be realized when we CHOOSE God’s grace in our surrender of our will to His.
When are we going to get it?!! When are we going to receive God’s grace by our willful surrender rather than our willful pridefulness? When are going to walk into God’s shower of joy to be cleansed of our selfishness and drenched in the exultation of our relationship with our Lord?
Who knows! We choose … self … or Savior?
My Prayer Today: I surrender, Lord; and Your joy is mine! Amen
Monday, June 06, 2011
June 6, 2011 … Integrity Enjoys God’s Favor
Passage of the Day: Daniel 1: 8 – 9 … 8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. 9 Now God had caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel, …
My Journal for Today: My wife and I had a Christian friend, named Loretta [who is now with the Lord]. We often heard Loretta say, “First obedience, then God’s blessing.” I call her truth statement, “1st Loretta 1: 1” somewhat jokingly; but in reality her statement, which is dead-on truth, is certainly illustrated in what happened to Daniel in today’s passage. First, there was Daniel’s obedience to God’s will and law, i.e., His spiritual integrity, and then we read in today’s highlight passage of God’s provision of blessing in response to Daniel’s obedience.
Daniel stood on God’s word at the risk of his life; and he meekly (but in no means, weakly) appealed to Ashpenaz, the eunuch Babylonian commander; and God saw to it that the heart of this leader from Nebuchadnezzar’s court was softened enough to listen and comply to Daniel’s proposals and requests (read ahead in Daniel 1, verses 10 – 14).
Often in scripture we read of the favor of God being visited upon obedient believers, such as Noah (see Gen. 6: 8) or Joseph (Gen. 39 – 41) or Moses (Exod. 11: 3). And in the New Testament, Peter strongly wrote of this principle in 1st Peter 2: 19 – 20 …
SCRIPTURE: 1st Peter 2: 19 - 20 ... For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. 20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.
As John MacArthur succinctly writes his version of 1st Loretta 1: 1, “God’s favor is the rich reward of obedience.” And we should also remember that disobedience to God’s word and His commands leads to the opposite of God’s favor. In the story of Samson in the book of Judges or in Paul’s writings in the New Testament, Romans 1, we read that God’s wrath against disobedience can ultimately release the sinner, or even a nation, to his own reprobate mind and choices, allowing him to become captive to the world and Satan’s devices. However, there are many stories in God’s word (for example about Job, of the Prodigal, or the parable of the Good Shepherd seeking out the lost sheep) where God’s patience and mercy are exhibited when the protagonist of God’s story is obedient to his Lord. But just how long can we expect God to be patient when we, individually or as a nation, choose to reject God’s way and turn to our own selfish and sinful desires? I often read the news of the day and wince, praying, “Oh, Lord, have mercy on this land, growing ever darker in disobedience.”
It’s all right there in God’s book … that He compassionately gives His favor (i.e., His grace) to His obedient children. And we have example after example, … true, biblical references of Godly integrity, … of those who benefited from God’s blessing following their obedience to His word and His will and His way. But when are we going to “get it?!” And when are we going to “do it?!” Because seeing what God sees going on in this country, with the rampant disobedience of His truth, even to the point of mockery of His word, how long can we expect God to hold back a spiritual tsunami from occurring; and as they say, “The rain falls on the righteous as well as the unrighteous.”
My Prayer Today: I get it, Lord; but help me to do it today! And I pray for your mercy to extend to those who actually are obedient to Your will and Your ways. Amen
My Journal for Today: My wife and I had a Christian friend, named Loretta [who is now with the Lord]. We often heard Loretta say, “First obedience, then God’s blessing.” I call her truth statement, “1st Loretta 1: 1” somewhat jokingly; but in reality her statement, which is dead-on truth, is certainly illustrated in what happened to Daniel in today’s passage. First, there was Daniel’s obedience to God’s will and law, i.e., His spiritual integrity, and then we read in today’s highlight passage of God’s provision of blessing in response to Daniel’s obedience.
Daniel stood on God’s word at the risk of his life; and he meekly (but in no means, weakly) appealed to Ashpenaz, the eunuch Babylonian commander; and God saw to it that the heart of this leader from Nebuchadnezzar’s court was softened enough to listen and comply to Daniel’s proposals and requests (read ahead in Daniel 1, verses 10 – 14).
Often in scripture we read of the favor of God being visited upon obedient believers, such as Noah (see Gen. 6: 8) or Joseph (Gen. 39 – 41) or Moses (Exod. 11: 3). And in the New Testament, Peter strongly wrote of this principle in 1st Peter 2: 19 – 20 …
SCRIPTURE: 1st Peter 2: 19 - 20 ... For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. 20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.
As John MacArthur succinctly writes his version of 1st Loretta 1: 1, “God’s favor is the rich reward of obedience.” And we should also remember that disobedience to God’s word and His commands leads to the opposite of God’s favor. In the story of Samson in the book of Judges or in Paul’s writings in the New Testament, Romans 1, we read that God’s wrath against disobedience can ultimately release the sinner, or even a nation, to his own reprobate mind and choices, allowing him to become captive to the world and Satan’s devices. However, there are many stories in God’s word (for example about Job, of the Prodigal, or the parable of the Good Shepherd seeking out the lost sheep) where God’s patience and mercy are exhibited when the protagonist of God’s story is obedient to his Lord. But just how long can we expect God to be patient when we, individually or as a nation, choose to reject God’s way and turn to our own selfish and sinful desires? I often read the news of the day and wince, praying, “Oh, Lord, have mercy on this land, growing ever darker in disobedience.”
It’s all right there in God’s book … that He compassionately gives His favor (i.e., His grace) to His obedient children. And we have example after example, … true, biblical references of Godly integrity, … of those who benefited from God’s blessing following their obedience to His word and His will and His way. But when are we going to “get it?!” And when are we going to “do it?!” Because seeing what God sees going on in this country, with the rampant disobedience of His truth, even to the point of mockery of His word, how long can we expect God to hold back a spiritual tsunami from occurring; and as they say, “The rain falls on the righteous as well as the unrighteous.”
My Prayer Today: I get it, Lord; but help me to do it today! And I pray for your mercy to extend to those who actually are obedient to Your will and Your ways. Amen
Friday, May 06, 2011
May 6, 2011 … Trial’s Lessons: Contentment
Passage of the Day: Hebrews 11: 24 - 27 … [Note verse 26 in bold] ... 24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. 25 He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. 26 He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw Him who is invisible.
My Journal for Today: In the 21st century, post-modern culture in which we live, most of us will do anything we can to circumvent trials or to prevent pain, especially when we’re in a position where we can take “the easy way” out or we can manipulate the circumstances in our favor to avoid pain and suffering. How many medication commercials, especially for pain killers do we see on TV?
Moses was also into such a culture of opulence, materialism, and power, being raised as a prince in the court of pharaoh. He had been insulated from the sufferings of his Hebrew birthright as a young man. But God showed Moses that he would have to participate in the trials and tribulations of his birth culture to appreciate his destiny and so that Moses’ trust would only be in the God Who would deliver His children from bondage (see today’s passage).
And that is the message that Jesus pointedly taught His people (see Matt. 6: 24) … that NO ONE can serve both Go and riches (including power or sensationalism). It is in our nature – our sin nature – however, to rely on position, power, money, or pleasure to avoid troubles or to dampen the pain or suffering in our lives. But it is only God who can give us the light and life we seek.
As I meditate on what Moses did in faith, following God’s leading, I’m drawn once again to the words of the old hymn, written by Helen Lemmel in 1918, … Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus; and as I do often during my morning devotionals, I’ve gone to listen to this old hymn on my Ipod with my earphones so that I won’t waken my dear wife, Elly, who sleeps so peacefully near me. What a song to bring contentment, especially in light of my love sleeping so peacefully near me. This is contentment; but nothing compared to that brought about by the same God who delivered Moses and God’s people from oppression. Oh, how I pray these thoughts on all who might read here.
---------------
Turn your eyes upon Jesus, …
Look full in his wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, …
In the light of His glory and grace.
---------------
It’s only when we, like Moses, come to focus all our life on our God that the trials and troubles of this world can be dimmed by the light of His love and grace.
My Prayer Today: You are my only Light, dear Lord. Amen
My Journal for Today: In the 21st century, post-modern culture in which we live, most of us will do anything we can to circumvent trials or to prevent pain, especially when we’re in a position where we can take “the easy way” out or we can manipulate the circumstances in our favor to avoid pain and suffering. How many medication commercials, especially for pain killers do we see on TV?
Moses was also into such a culture of opulence, materialism, and power, being raised as a prince in the court of pharaoh. He had been insulated from the sufferings of his Hebrew birthright as a young man. But God showed Moses that he would have to participate in the trials and tribulations of his birth culture to appreciate his destiny and so that Moses’ trust would only be in the God Who would deliver His children from bondage (see today’s passage).
And that is the message that Jesus pointedly taught His people (see Matt. 6: 24) … that NO ONE can serve both Go and riches (including power or sensationalism). It is in our nature – our sin nature – however, to rely on position, power, money, or pleasure to avoid troubles or to dampen the pain or suffering in our lives. But it is only God who can give us the light and life we seek.
As I meditate on what Moses did in faith, following God’s leading, I’m drawn once again to the words of the old hymn, written by Helen Lemmel in 1918, … Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus; and as I do often during my morning devotionals, I’ve gone to listen to this old hymn on my Ipod with my earphones so that I won’t waken my dear wife, Elly, who sleeps so peacefully near me. What a song to bring contentment, especially in light of my love sleeping so peacefully near me. This is contentment; but nothing compared to that brought about by the same God who delivered Moses and God’s people from oppression. Oh, how I pray these thoughts on all who might read here.
---------------
Turn your eyes upon Jesus, …
Look full in his wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, …
In the light of His glory and grace.
---------------
It’s only when we, like Moses, come to focus all our life on our God that the trials and troubles of this world can be dimmed by the light of His love and grace.
My Prayer Today: You are my only Light, dear Lord. Amen
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
April 26, 2011 … The Resurrection: Motive for Salvation
Passage of the Day: 1st Corinthian 15: 29 … Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them?
My Journal for Today: The fact of Christ’s resurrection – and it is a fact! – and the hope that is connected thereunto, becomes a powerful witness that often opens hearts/minds to be able to really hear the reality of the gospel and receive Christ in faith as Lord and Savior.
It has been said that a funeral is one of the best venues to share the truth of the gospel, highlighting Christ’s resurrection, because unbelievers, who are present, become focused on the realized finality of death. A non-Christian at a funeral can see death right in front of their eyes; and hearing the gospel preached in that context can open hearts which have theretofore been blocked from grasping what Christ had done on the cross for these lost ones. And if one can recognize their own sinfulness and their own mortality … and if they can see the hope presented by Christ’s resurrection, the witness of Christ from the cross, or from believers who will join Jesus in death to live forever, this becomes a powerful hope that can defeat the image seen in the finality of physical death, giving hope through the reality of the resurrection and the truth of God’s grace in salvation.
John MacArthur in his devotional for this date in Strength for Today, having seen many come to salvation at the death of believing loved ones, gives testimony to the power of the resurrection in the context of physical death or the mortality of our human condition. That was my prayer for my “lost” sister at the memorial service for our Dad a few years ago. At that service I read portions of a letter written to me by Dad when he was 72 years old. He had come to a place where he could see the need for receiving God’s saving grace and praying to receive Christ as his Savior. At his funeral I told of our mother receiving Christ just six hours before she died. Both of them, late in their lives, came to realize that their hope for eternity could only rest in Jesus Christ, Who would bring them to their home in heaven. I’d like to be able to say that this witness influenced my sister to receive Christ; however, to this date I see no evidence of that.
Knowing that is a great comfort to me … that I will be with our parents in heaven. But at the same time, it is frustrating to see my sister still resisting this truth. So, as I write this, I still diligently pray that my sister can come to that place that our parents did before their physical deaths and be able to ask for the saving grace that is only offered by the resurrection of Christ. I also pray, as I write this, that any who read this, who have not done so, will recognize this grace and will receive Christ as your Savior and Lord.
If you’ve been resisting this, like I was as a non-believer almost three decades ago, it’s time to pray and confess. Pray and tell God that you are a sinner who needs a Savior; and ask Jesus to save you. Thank Him for dying for your sins; and ask Him to be the Lord of your life. Believing that and proclaiming it openly and honestly to another is all that it takes for you to spend eternity in heaven with the One Who was raised from the dead to bring you there. [see John 3: 16 and Romans 10: 9 – 13]
My Prayer Today: Your resurrection is our eternal hope, Lord! Amen
My Journal for Today: The fact of Christ’s resurrection – and it is a fact! – and the hope that is connected thereunto, becomes a powerful witness that often opens hearts/minds to be able to really hear the reality of the gospel and receive Christ in faith as Lord and Savior.
It has been said that a funeral is one of the best venues to share the truth of the gospel, highlighting Christ’s resurrection, because unbelievers, who are present, become focused on the realized finality of death. A non-Christian at a funeral can see death right in front of their eyes; and hearing the gospel preached in that context can open hearts which have theretofore been blocked from grasping what Christ had done on the cross for these lost ones. And if one can recognize their own sinfulness and their own mortality … and if they can see the hope presented by Christ’s resurrection, the witness of Christ from the cross, or from believers who will join Jesus in death to live forever, this becomes a powerful hope that can defeat the image seen in the finality of physical death, giving hope through the reality of the resurrection and the truth of God’s grace in salvation.
John MacArthur in his devotional for this date in Strength for Today, having seen many come to salvation at the death of believing loved ones, gives testimony to the power of the resurrection in the context of physical death or the mortality of our human condition. That was my prayer for my “lost” sister at the memorial service for our Dad a few years ago. At that service I read portions of a letter written to me by Dad when he was 72 years old. He had come to a place where he could see the need for receiving God’s saving grace and praying to receive Christ as his Savior. At his funeral I told of our mother receiving Christ just six hours before she died. Both of them, late in their lives, came to realize that their hope for eternity could only rest in Jesus Christ, Who would bring them to their home in heaven. I’d like to be able to say that this witness influenced my sister to receive Christ; however, to this date I see no evidence of that.
Knowing that is a great comfort to me … that I will be with our parents in heaven. But at the same time, it is frustrating to see my sister still resisting this truth. So, as I write this, I still diligently pray that my sister can come to that place that our parents did before their physical deaths and be able to ask for the saving grace that is only offered by the resurrection of Christ. I also pray, as I write this, that any who read this, who have not done so, will recognize this grace and will receive Christ as your Savior and Lord.
If you’ve been resisting this, like I was as a non-believer almost three decades ago, it’s time to pray and confess. Pray and tell God that you are a sinner who needs a Savior; and ask Jesus to save you. Thank Him for dying for your sins; and ask Him to be the Lord of your life. Believing that and proclaiming it openly and honestly to another is all that it takes for you to spend eternity in heaven with the One Who was raised from the dead to bring you there. [see John 3: 16 and Romans 10: 9 – 13]
My Prayer Today: Your resurrection is our eternal hope, Lord! Amen
Sunday, March 13, 2011
March 13, 2011 … Understanding Who God Is
Passage of the Day: Ephesians 4: 1 – 2 - 1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
My Journal for Today: If you are reading this, I would hope that you have come to a humble place in your life where you have received Christ as your Savior AND Lord. In other words, as the writer here, I’m hoping that any reader here is truly “saved.” (See Rom. 10: 9 – 13) Notice I said that the entrance to this process was humility; and here we are back with this concept of “humility” again with this month of devotionals. And during this spring time, I’ve posited more than once that it’s absolutely necessary, if a believer desires to have a deep and abiding relationship with Christ, that the attitude of humility is the key that unlocks the door to God’s grace in that relationship. If you are saved, going deep into an even more abiding relationship with Christ is definitely – or should be – an overriding goal for you. However, humility should lead us to another goal which, I believe, precedes all others in the Christian life; and that is TO KNOW GOD.
John MacArthur presents the following in Strength for Today on this date: “The more we (Christians) comprehend the greatness of God, the more humble we become.” In other words, for the believer to be truly humble, he/she must have the driving desire to know the God whom he/she worships and serves. My dear Christian brother in Christ and mentor, Dr. Bob Ginn, exclaimed strongly to me many times that our primary goal in life as Christians should be to know God. So, both MacArthur and my mentor would say that striving to know God is at the heart of humility; and since all Christians desire to receive God’s grace (or I would assume so), it behooves us all to do everything we can to know God so that our posture will continually be humbled to receive His grace.
King David certainly knew his God when he declared the majesty of His Lord and the desire for fellowship with Him, in spite of the lowliness of mankind (see Psalms 8: 1, 4 below). But it is wonderful that God, in all His majesty, desires fellowship with His humble creatures, … mankind, … well, at least those who can humble themselves enough to get to know Him to let them into their lives. (see Ps. 138: 6 and Rev. 3: 20, also below)
SCRIPTURE: Ps. 8: 1, 4 ... 1 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your Name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. … 4 what is man that You are mindful of him, the Son of man that You care for him?
SCRIPTURE: Ps. 138: 6 ... Though the LORD is on high, He looks upon the lowly, but the proud He knows from afar.
SCRIPTURE: Rev. 3: 20 ... Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone (of My disciples) hears My voice and opens the door, I will come into him and dine with him and he with Me.
God’s word is very clear that God will not extend His glory to sinful mankind. (see Is. 48: 11); but get this irony. God will extend His grace to me, a sinner … IF, and only IF, I can/will humbly received the mercy He has extended through His Son, my Savior and Redeemer, Who died so that I can be in a position to receive God’s grace. Complicated? Maybe; but it shows the critical nature of chosen humility when it comes to our desire to relate to God; and we’ve seen how we can get into that posture – i.e., by seeking to know God to the fullest extent we are capable.
So, are you with me in my quest to know my (our) God? Everyday and in every way I can, I will seek to know God as intimately as I can, pleading my humble posture in confession and contrition, as a surrendered sinner, so that He, my Lord, will pour His promised mercy and grace into my life.
And everyday, He does!
My Prayer Today: To know You, Lord … to know You … to really know You. That is my humble desire. Amen
My Journal for Today: If you are reading this, I would hope that you have come to a humble place in your life where you have received Christ as your Savior AND Lord. In other words, as the writer here, I’m hoping that any reader here is truly “saved.” (See Rom. 10: 9 – 13) Notice I said that the entrance to this process was humility; and here we are back with this concept of “humility” again with this month of devotionals. And during this spring time, I’ve posited more than once that it’s absolutely necessary, if a believer desires to have a deep and abiding relationship with Christ, that the attitude of humility is the key that unlocks the door to God’s grace in that relationship. If you are saved, going deep into an even more abiding relationship with Christ is definitely – or should be – an overriding goal for you. However, humility should lead us to another goal which, I believe, precedes all others in the Christian life; and that is TO KNOW GOD.
John MacArthur presents the following in Strength for Today on this date: “The more we (Christians) comprehend the greatness of God, the more humble we become.” In other words, for the believer to be truly humble, he/she must have the driving desire to know the God whom he/she worships and serves. My dear Christian brother in Christ and mentor, Dr. Bob Ginn, exclaimed strongly to me many times that our primary goal in life as Christians should be to know God. So, both MacArthur and my mentor would say that striving to know God is at the heart of humility; and since all Christians desire to receive God’s grace (or I would assume so), it behooves us all to do everything we can to know God so that our posture will continually be humbled to receive His grace.
King David certainly knew his God when he declared the majesty of His Lord and the desire for fellowship with Him, in spite of the lowliness of mankind (see Psalms 8: 1, 4 below). But it is wonderful that God, in all His majesty, desires fellowship with His humble creatures, … mankind, … well, at least those who can humble themselves enough to get to know Him to let them into their lives. (see Ps. 138: 6 and Rev. 3: 20, also below)
SCRIPTURE: Ps. 8: 1, 4 ... 1 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your Name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. … 4 what is man that You are mindful of him, the Son of man that You care for him?
SCRIPTURE: Ps. 138: 6 ... Though the LORD is on high, He looks upon the lowly, but the proud He knows from afar.
SCRIPTURE: Rev. 3: 20 ... Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone (of My disciples) hears My voice and opens the door, I will come into him and dine with him and he with Me.
God’s word is very clear that God will not extend His glory to sinful mankind. (see Is. 48: 11); but get this irony. God will extend His grace to me, a sinner … IF, and only IF, I can/will humbly received the mercy He has extended through His Son, my Savior and Redeemer, Who died so that I can be in a position to receive God’s grace. Complicated? Maybe; but it shows the critical nature of chosen humility when it comes to our desire to relate to God; and we’ve seen how we can get into that posture – i.e., by seeking to know God to the fullest extent we are capable.
So, are you with me in my quest to know my (our) God? Everyday and in every way I can, I will seek to know God as intimately as I can, pleading my humble posture in confession and contrition, as a surrendered sinner, so that He, my Lord, will pour His promised mercy and grace into my life.
And everyday, He does!
My Prayer Today: To know You, Lord … to know You … to really know You. That is my humble desire. Amen
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
March 2, 2011 … Coming Under God’s Authority
Passage of the Day: James 4: 7a [highlight verse underlined/bold] … 6 But He gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." [quoted from Prov. 3: 34] 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
My Journal for Today: Okay, moving on to study/discuss the quality of humility, Jesus’ brother, James, has laid it on his readers (i.e., believers in Christ) that the selfless trait of humility is the key to God’s grace. And he almost becomes like a drill sergeant in the military with the strong exhortation in James 4: 7a, “Submit yourselves, then, to God.” I use the military word picture because that’s the contextual Greek that James uses in today’s highlight verse. The term “submit” in this passage is the Greek term “hupotasso,” which was military imagery as to the way soldiers must submit to their commanders. Besides James, the Apostle Paul also used this military imagery, comparing Christians to soldiers in God’s army (two examples …see Phil. 2: 25 and 2nd Tim. 2: 3); and here God, like Paul, James is saying that our humility must be like a soldier who surrenders his allegiance to Christ, as our Commander in Chief, in the “army of God.”
Christ, Himself, took a commander’s tone when He spoke to His disciples in Luke 9: 23, where He spoke clearly the orders we have from Him if we are to follow His leadership; and I really hope you have this command memorized and internalized.
SCRIPTURE: Luke 9: 23 … Then He [Jesus] said to them all [His followers]: "If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.”
You may remember that this command became impossible for the rich young ruler (see Mark 10: 17 – 23), who was confronted by Christ’s order to submit and humbly surrender all to God. He could not do so; and because of that, he walked away from Christ [and we assume] never to enter into God’s kingdom. He never received God’s saving grace because he was unwilling to submit (i.e., “hupotasso”) to Christ in humility.
And it all begins with humility; doesn’t it? For many, many years I was unwilling to surrender my ego and self to Christ as my Lord. It was only when I recognized my weaknesses and surrendered my will, humbly in repentance to the Lord as my commander, that I was able to receive His saving grace. Now, as a surrendered soldier in God’s army, as I noted in yesterday’s journal entry, the formula is the same to receive God’s enabling grace to carry the crosses of daily life as well (also besides today’s verse, see Prov. 3: 34, 1st Peter 5: 6, and 2nd Cor. 12: 9).
When I’m in SURRENDER MODE, humbly following Christ as my Commander, God can pour His grace into my life and give me the power to do those things which I’m incapable of doing in my flesh … things like discerning evil … resisting sin … or overcoming my own deceitful heart [see Jer. 17: 9]. I hope you know, as cited above, 2nd Cor. 12: 9 or have it memorized …
SCRIPTURE: 2nd Cor. 12: 9 … But He [Jesus] said to me [Paul], "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
Like it was for the rich young ruler, it’s our choice. We can CHOOSE to deny self, take up His cross daily, and follow Christ ……or NOT! Choosing to surrender self to the Savior is about the wisest choice we can make on a daily, if not momentary, basis. Really, when we choose to do things on our own, in the flesh, we are choosing to march with Satan’s army – his worldly troops. When we choose to obey Christ (again Luke 9: 23), we march behind Him, with Him, and for Him; and we can do all things through Him, Who gives us His strength (you know it! … Phil. 4: 13).
My Prayer Today: You are my Commander in Chief, Lord! Amen
My Journal for Today: Okay, moving on to study/discuss the quality of humility, Jesus’ brother, James, has laid it on his readers (i.e., believers in Christ) that the selfless trait of humility is the key to God’s grace. And he almost becomes like a drill sergeant in the military with the strong exhortation in James 4: 7a, “Submit yourselves, then, to God.” I use the military word picture because that’s the contextual Greek that James uses in today’s highlight verse. The term “submit” in this passage is the Greek term “hupotasso,” which was military imagery as to the way soldiers must submit to their commanders. Besides James, the Apostle Paul also used this military imagery, comparing Christians to soldiers in God’s army (two examples …see Phil. 2: 25 and 2nd Tim. 2: 3); and here God, like Paul, James is saying that our humility must be like a soldier who surrenders his allegiance to Christ, as our Commander in Chief, in the “army of God.”
Christ, Himself, took a commander’s tone when He spoke to His disciples in Luke 9: 23, where He spoke clearly the orders we have from Him if we are to follow His leadership; and I really hope you have this command memorized and internalized.
SCRIPTURE: Luke 9: 23 … Then He [Jesus] said to them all [His followers]: "If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me.”
You may remember that this command became impossible for the rich young ruler (see Mark 10: 17 – 23), who was confronted by Christ’s order to submit and humbly surrender all to God. He could not do so; and because of that, he walked away from Christ [and we assume] never to enter into God’s kingdom. He never received God’s saving grace because he was unwilling to submit (i.e., “hupotasso”) to Christ in humility.
And it all begins with humility; doesn’t it? For many, many years I was unwilling to surrender my ego and self to Christ as my Lord. It was only when I recognized my weaknesses and surrendered my will, humbly in repentance to the Lord as my commander, that I was able to receive His saving grace. Now, as a surrendered soldier in God’s army, as I noted in yesterday’s journal entry, the formula is the same to receive God’s enabling grace to carry the crosses of daily life as well (also besides today’s verse, see Prov. 3: 34, 1st Peter 5: 6, and 2nd Cor. 12: 9).
When I’m in SURRENDER MODE, humbly following Christ as my Commander, God can pour His grace into my life and give me the power to do those things which I’m incapable of doing in my flesh … things like discerning evil … resisting sin … or overcoming my own deceitful heart [see Jer. 17: 9]. I hope you know, as cited above, 2nd Cor. 12: 9 or have it memorized …
SCRIPTURE: 2nd Cor. 12: 9 … But He [Jesus] said to me [Paul], "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
Like it was for the rich young ruler, it’s our choice. We can CHOOSE to deny self, take up His cross daily, and follow Christ ……or NOT! Choosing to surrender self to the Savior is about the wisest choice we can make on a daily, if not momentary, basis. Really, when we choose to do things on our own, in the flesh, we are choosing to march with Satan’s army – his worldly troops. When we choose to obey Christ (again Luke 9: 23), we march behind Him, with Him, and for Him; and we can do all things through Him, Who gives us His strength (you know it! … Phil. 4: 13).
My Prayer Today: You are my Commander in Chief, Lord! Amen
Tuesday, March 01, 2011
March 1, 2011 … Grace to the Humble
Passage of the Day: James 4: 6 – But He gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." [quoted from Prov. 3: 34]
My Journal for Today: This month I (we) will be looking at one of the most important attitudes a Christian can foster in his life … that of HUMILITY. Why is it so important? Well, come along with me this month as we answer that question, always with the help of John MacArthur in his Strength for Today devotional book.
And today, the first day of March, we begin with the teachings of James, the half-brother of Jesus and a leader of the early church in Jerusalem, … not the Apostle James, who was the brother of the beloved Apostle John. However, even though the author of the Book of James was not the brother of the Apostle John, I’m convinced that James, the New Testament author, and Simon Peter were close. If you read today’s verse and then you read 1st Peter 5: 6, you’ll see that Jesus’ brother and the Apostle John were in total accord with the Old Testament when it came to their opinion on how to unlock God’s treasure chest of sanctifying grace. They both quoted the same verse from the Old Testament in Prov. 3: 34 about this matter, teaching that God’s grace can only come to the humble and that it is withheld from the proud. And so, for the Christian who desires to capture as much of God’s grace as he/she can, growing in Christlikeness, this becomes a key truth – i.e., that humility is the key to God’s grace.
It certainly was the key that unlocked God’s saving grace for me, when, on April 13, 1983, I was finally able/willing to humble myself and receive Christ as my Savior and Lord. For years I had let my pride get in the way of pursuing Christ. But when I finally became humble enough to recognize and repent of my sinfulness, God poured His saving grace into my life. And now, in my discipleship and growth as a Christian, I’ve discovered that this truth ALWAYS applies for God’s enabling grace as well. Pride shuts the door to God’s shower of grace; and humility opens it!
My sinfulness prior to 4/13/83 was immense. I certainly didn’t deserve God’s saving grace; but He offered it anyway (see John 3: 16 and Romans 10: 9 – 13). And when I was able to recognize my sinfulness, repent, and reach out in humility to receive God’s gift of saving grace (Eph. 2: 8 - 9), God’s gift of grace was there for me; and my life has never been the same. Oh, most certainly, I’m still battling my sin nature. All Christians do. However, I now know that as long as I can remain humble before God’s throne of grace, He will pour His enabling grace into my life to help me overcome my sinfulness and to walk in a manner worth of His grace (Eph. 4: 1, 2).
So, if you’re reading this, you must first ask yourself if you’ve humbly come to God and asked for His saving grace. If you have done that and you know that you’re saved, perhaps you desire more of Gods’ enabling grace in your life – the grace that gives you power to overcome your weaknesses (see 2nd Cor. 12: 9). And, if that’s the case, it would behoove you to look at your attitude about living. Are you letting your pride block the treasure of God’s grace which awaits the humble servant who is willing to serve others before self? If you’re willing to live by Luke 9: 23, the words of Jesus to His disciples about being His follower, then you will have all the grace you need to follow our Lord [also see 2nd Peter 1: 3 – 4].
My Prayer Today: It’s a scary prayer, Lord; but help me to be humble! Amen
My Journal for Today: This month I (we) will be looking at one of the most important attitudes a Christian can foster in his life … that of HUMILITY. Why is it so important? Well, come along with me this month as we answer that question, always with the help of John MacArthur in his Strength for Today devotional book.
And today, the first day of March, we begin with the teachings of James, the half-brother of Jesus and a leader of the early church in Jerusalem, … not the Apostle James, who was the brother of the beloved Apostle John. However, even though the author of the Book of James was not the brother of the Apostle John, I’m convinced that James, the New Testament author, and Simon Peter were close. If you read today’s verse and then you read 1st Peter 5: 6, you’ll see that Jesus’ brother and the Apostle John were in total accord with the Old Testament when it came to their opinion on how to unlock God’s treasure chest of sanctifying grace. They both quoted the same verse from the Old Testament in Prov. 3: 34 about this matter, teaching that God’s grace can only come to the humble and that it is withheld from the proud. And so, for the Christian who desires to capture as much of God’s grace as he/she can, growing in Christlikeness, this becomes a key truth – i.e., that humility is the key to God’s grace.
It certainly was the key that unlocked God’s saving grace for me, when, on April 13, 1983, I was finally able/willing to humble myself and receive Christ as my Savior and Lord. For years I had let my pride get in the way of pursuing Christ. But when I finally became humble enough to recognize and repent of my sinfulness, God poured His saving grace into my life. And now, in my discipleship and growth as a Christian, I’ve discovered that this truth ALWAYS applies for God’s enabling grace as well. Pride shuts the door to God’s shower of grace; and humility opens it!
My sinfulness prior to 4/13/83 was immense. I certainly didn’t deserve God’s saving grace; but He offered it anyway (see John 3: 16 and Romans 10: 9 – 13). And when I was able to recognize my sinfulness, repent, and reach out in humility to receive God’s gift of saving grace (Eph. 2: 8 - 9), God’s gift of grace was there for me; and my life has never been the same. Oh, most certainly, I’m still battling my sin nature. All Christians do. However, I now know that as long as I can remain humble before God’s throne of grace, He will pour His enabling grace into my life to help me overcome my sinfulness and to walk in a manner worth of His grace (Eph. 4: 1, 2).
So, if you’re reading this, you must first ask yourself if you’ve humbly come to God and asked for His saving grace. If you have done that and you know that you’re saved, perhaps you desire more of Gods’ enabling grace in your life – the grace that gives you power to overcome your weaknesses (see 2nd Cor. 12: 9). And, if that’s the case, it would behoove you to look at your attitude about living. Are you letting your pride block the treasure of God’s grace which awaits the humble servant who is willing to serve others before self? If you’re willing to live by Luke 9: 23, the words of Jesus to His disciples about being His follower, then you will have all the grace you need to follow our Lord [also see 2nd Peter 1: 3 – 4].
My Prayer Today: It’s a scary prayer, Lord; but help me to be humble! Amen
Monday, February 21, 2011
February 21, 2011 … God’s Merciful Grace
Passage of the Day: 1st Peter 1: 3 [note bold/underlined portion] … Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, …
My Journal for Today: For the last two days I’ve focused on God’s amazing grace. Now, from today’s passage, the Apostle Peter helps us see God’s wondrous mercy which is imparted through His grace; and both God’s mercy and grace are qualities which spring from God’s infinite love for His children, … yes, even for His created children who, like myself for many years, become pitiful creatures bonded to sin. God has seen our pathetic condition as sinners; and He has lovingly and faithfully crafted a plan, not only to save us but to take us from the death of sin to the eternal life of sainthood. And that is not only in Heaven … but in this life as well. Now that’s mercy!
But as I just said, God’s mercy does not end with salvation. It means that God’s Spirit will sanctify us from gory into glory … God reshaping his broken children [yes, that’s you and me!] into the image of our Savior. That’s what Paul wrote about to the church (and to us) in Ephesians 2: 1- 5 and Titus 3: 4 - 5 …
SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 2: 1-5 … As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions— it is by grace you have been saved.
SCRIPTURE: Titus 3: 4-5 … But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, …
And according the Old Testament truth of Lamentations 3: 22 – 23, these grace-offered mercies are “new every morning” from the faithfulness of God. It is His mercy which provides continual cleansing from our sin, repented in humility (1st John 1: 9). And as the writer of Hebrews attests, we can forever draw near to God’s throne of grace with confidence to receive God’s mercy and to find His grace in our time of need (see Hebrews 4: 16).
SCRIPTURE: Hebrews 4: 16 … Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Think of it! Every day – nay, every moment … any of us, who know Christ as Savior and Lord, can draw nigh and have all of God’s mercy we can receive. Wow [!], … how special is that?!
My Prayer Today: I come, Lord … humbled to receive your grace and mercy today. Amen
My Journal for Today: For the last two days I’ve focused on God’s amazing grace. Now, from today’s passage, the Apostle Peter helps us see God’s wondrous mercy which is imparted through His grace; and both God’s mercy and grace are qualities which spring from God’s infinite love for His children, … yes, even for His created children who, like myself for many years, become pitiful creatures bonded to sin. God has seen our pathetic condition as sinners; and He has lovingly and faithfully crafted a plan, not only to save us but to take us from the death of sin to the eternal life of sainthood. And that is not only in Heaven … but in this life as well. Now that’s mercy!
But as I just said, God’s mercy does not end with salvation. It means that God’s Spirit will sanctify us from gory into glory … God reshaping his broken children [yes, that’s you and me!] into the image of our Savior. That’s what Paul wrote about to the church (and to us) in Ephesians 2: 1- 5 and Titus 3: 4 - 5 …
SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 2: 1-5 … As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions— it is by grace you have been saved.
SCRIPTURE: Titus 3: 4-5 … But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, …
And according the Old Testament truth of Lamentations 3: 22 – 23, these grace-offered mercies are “new every morning” from the faithfulness of God. It is His mercy which provides continual cleansing from our sin, repented in humility (1st John 1: 9). And as the writer of Hebrews attests, we can forever draw near to God’s throne of grace with confidence to receive God’s mercy and to find His grace in our time of need (see Hebrews 4: 16).
SCRIPTURE: Hebrews 4: 16 … Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Think of it! Every day – nay, every moment … any of us, who know Christ as Savior and Lord, can draw nigh and have all of God’s mercy we can receive. Wow [!], … how special is that?!
My Prayer Today: I come, Lord … humbled to receive your grace and mercy today. Amen
Sunday, February 20, 2011
February 20, 2011 … The Measure of Grace
Passage of the Day: Romans 5: 20 – 21 … [note bold/underlined portion] … 20 The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, 21 so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
My Journal for Today: Yesterday, we looked at the “Meaning of Grace,” defining and discussing three forms of God’s grace; and it’s important for all of us to realize that God’s grace, being a gift from God, can only be captured and used if it’s received by a believer who is humble enough to reach out and make it his own. We’re all sinners (believing the truth of Rom. 3: 23). And today’s verse is one of the most hopeful in the Bible for a sinner like me [or you … if I’m presumptuous enough to think that someone else might read this].
In my journaling for today, Dr. MacArthur helps me recognize that the Apostle Paul lays out a wondrous truth in Rom. 5: 20b (underlined above) … that God’s grace is greater than any sin committed by any sinner. If you’ve read Paul’s story in Acts 9: 1 – 19 [linked here for your study], it has to give you great encouragement. If God will extend His grace to a scoundrel like Saul of Tarsus, then our Lord can and will do so for one like me (or you).
Think about how difficult it must have been for God’s prevenient grace to pursue a proud Sanhedrin Pharisee like Saul of Tarsus, one who had been such an anti-Christ for so many years [see 1st Tim. 1: 12-17 - also linked]. But pursue Saul, God did! And on that road to Damascus, Saul, who became “Paul” in conversion, received Christ’s amazing saving grace [see 1stTim. 1: 16] Following this, the Pauline Epistles become the documentation of the enabling grace of our Lord to sanctify and reshape this former Christ-hater into the preeminent preacher/teacher/evangelist of the New Testament; and that is the measure of God’s grace in action, … for sure !!
As John MacArthur in Strength for Today writes, “God is not stingy with His grace,” as we can read below in Eph. 1: 6 – 8 … and Paul goes on in 2nd Cor. 9: 8 …
SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 1: 6-8 … to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves. 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8 that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.
SCRIPTURE: 2nd Cor. 9: 8 … And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
And as Romans 5: 20 attests [above] today, great sins or big-time sinners require great grace; and God is always there for the truly repentant sinner, providing all he/she would ever need to be salvaged, saved, or sustained to live as a Christian - eternally. And to that truth, I am both ample testimony and witness.
My Prayer Today: Lord, I seek Your abundant grace; and may my life be a testimony to it! Amen
My Journal for Today: Yesterday, we looked at the “Meaning of Grace,” defining and discussing three forms of God’s grace; and it’s important for all of us to realize that God’s grace, being a gift from God, can only be captured and used if it’s received by a believer who is humble enough to reach out and make it his own. We’re all sinners (believing the truth of Rom. 3: 23). And today’s verse is one of the most hopeful in the Bible for a sinner like me [or you … if I’m presumptuous enough to think that someone else might read this].
In my journaling for today, Dr. MacArthur helps me recognize that the Apostle Paul lays out a wondrous truth in Rom. 5: 20b (underlined above) … that God’s grace is greater than any sin committed by any sinner. If you’ve read Paul’s story in Acts 9: 1 – 19 [linked here for your study], it has to give you great encouragement. If God will extend His grace to a scoundrel like Saul of Tarsus, then our Lord can and will do so for one like me (or you).
Think about how difficult it must have been for God’s prevenient grace to pursue a proud Sanhedrin Pharisee like Saul of Tarsus, one who had been such an anti-Christ for so many years [see 1st Tim. 1: 12-17 - also linked]. But pursue Saul, God did! And on that road to Damascus, Saul, who became “Paul” in conversion, received Christ’s amazing saving grace [see 1stTim. 1: 16] Following this, the Pauline Epistles become the documentation of the enabling grace of our Lord to sanctify and reshape this former Christ-hater into the preeminent preacher/teacher/evangelist of the New Testament; and that is the measure of God’s grace in action, … for sure !!
As John MacArthur in Strength for Today writes, “God is not stingy with His grace,” as we can read below in Eph. 1: 6 – 8 … and Paul goes on in 2nd Cor. 9: 8 …
SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 1: 6-8 … to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves. 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace 8 that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.
SCRIPTURE: 2nd Cor. 9: 8 … And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
And as Romans 5: 20 attests [above] today, great sins or big-time sinners require great grace; and God is always there for the truly repentant sinner, providing all he/she would ever need to be salvaged, saved, or sustained to live as a Christian - eternally. And to that truth, I am both ample testimony and witness.
My Prayer Today: Lord, I seek Your abundant grace; and may my life be a testimony to it! Amen
Saturday, February 19, 2011
February 19, 2011 … The Meaning of Grace
Blogger’s Note: Get your bible out, pilgrim. I make reference to a lot of scriptures below, some of which you may not know by heart. I hope that I don’t seem to be pounding home a Christianity 101 lesson about God’s grace here, especially for you well initiated Bible students/scholars. But I certainly benefitted today from John MacArthur’s lesson on the basics of God’s amazing grace. If you’re with me here today, I hope you are edified as well.
Passage of the Day: Exodus 34: 6 [note bold, underlined portion] … 6 And He [The Lord, Jehovah] passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet He does not leave the guilty unpunished; He punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation."
My Journal for Today: Out of God’s infinite and unconditional love springs His grace … to quote those famous lyrics by John Newton … “amazing grace, … which saved a wretch like me.” Exodus 34: 6, today’s highlight passage, is repeated several times by a number of Old Testament authors (e.g., Nehemiah 9: 17, 31; as well as in Psalms 86: 15; 103: 8: 145: 8). In the New Testament, both Paul and John declare the same thing (see 1st Tim. 1: 14 and John 1: 16). And think of how God’s grace, i.e., His unmerited favor, worked in the lives of all of these authors … for Moses, setting God’s people free from Pharaoh … for Nehemiah, rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem … for David, the adulterer/murderer, who was “the man after God’s own heart … for Saul of Tarsus, the Sanhedrin hit-man, who became the Apostle Paul; … and for John, the simple fisherman, who was given mental entrance to see Heaven. Could God’s love and grace be more evident than for these men?
As we look at God’s grace, freely offered to any believer who receives it, we find that it comes to us in three forms; and the first of these is God’s PREVENIENT GRACE, … the grace that “comes before” (the meaning of “prevenient”). This is the grace offered to any sinner whom God foreknows is destined to be His child forever as well as the grace which draws a born-again child of God back when that one has strayed from God. And I can speak from testimony as to how God’s prevenient grace Shepherded me through the circumstances of my life, seeking me out, hunting me down, and drawing me into God’s eternal flock. This grace that goes before (see Deut. 31: 8) brought me to a place where I could finally receive the second form of God’s grace, … His saving grace.
And to discuss this second form of grace, which is God’s SAVING GRACE, the Apostle Paul’s Spirit-led writings abound with the truth that God saves any believer who freely, without any works to earn it, comes to God in humility to receive His salvation (see Eph. 2: 8, 2nd Tim. 1: 9, and Titus 3: 5). And God, through Paul, further wrote that where sin abounds, so much more does God’s saving grace abound (Romans 5: 10). Christ died and now lives so that anyone who comes to Him might be saved by His amazing saving grace.
Finally, there is God’s ENABLING GRACE [sometimes referred to as “sanctifying grace”] the grace that sustains me and gives me the power to overcome my weaknesses from my sin nature, just as Paul testified personally in 2nd Cor. 12: 7, 9 and Phil. 4: 13. And oh, how I identify with these passages. We’re all weak; but God’s enabling grace allows us to deal with any of life’s challenges (see 1st Cor. 10: 13 and 2nd Cor. 12: 9).
Truly God’s grace is sufficient to draw the sinner to Himself (prevenient grace), to save any wretched sinner (saving grace), and to lift up that sinner (enabling grace), shaping him or her into God’s own image. Are you not humbled, as am I, that God would choose us (see Exodus 33: 19) to be His own children, and not only that, but heirs to His Throne? And so it is God’s grace that lifts me and drives me to apply it in my life, … becoming the workmanship which Paul wrote about in Eph. 2: 8 – 10.
SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 2: 8-10 … For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
So …
My Prayer Today: To God be the glory, … by His grace. Amen
Passage of the Day: Exodus 34: 6 [note bold, underlined portion] … 6 And He [The Lord, Jehovah] passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet He does not leave the guilty unpunished; He punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation."
My Journal for Today: Out of God’s infinite and unconditional love springs His grace … to quote those famous lyrics by John Newton … “amazing grace, … which saved a wretch like me.” Exodus 34: 6, today’s highlight passage, is repeated several times by a number of Old Testament authors (e.g., Nehemiah 9: 17, 31; as well as in Psalms 86: 15; 103: 8: 145: 8). In the New Testament, both Paul and John declare the same thing (see 1st Tim. 1: 14 and John 1: 16). And think of how God’s grace, i.e., His unmerited favor, worked in the lives of all of these authors … for Moses, setting God’s people free from Pharaoh … for Nehemiah, rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem … for David, the adulterer/murderer, who was “the man after God’s own heart … for Saul of Tarsus, the Sanhedrin hit-man, who became the Apostle Paul; … and for John, the simple fisherman, who was given mental entrance to see Heaven. Could God’s love and grace be more evident than for these men?
As we look at God’s grace, freely offered to any believer who receives it, we find that it comes to us in three forms; and the first of these is God’s PREVENIENT GRACE, … the grace that “comes before” (the meaning of “prevenient”). This is the grace offered to any sinner whom God foreknows is destined to be His child forever as well as the grace which draws a born-again child of God back when that one has strayed from God. And I can speak from testimony as to how God’s prevenient grace Shepherded me through the circumstances of my life, seeking me out, hunting me down, and drawing me into God’s eternal flock. This grace that goes before (see Deut. 31: 8) brought me to a place where I could finally receive the second form of God’s grace, … His saving grace.
And to discuss this second form of grace, which is God’s SAVING GRACE, the Apostle Paul’s Spirit-led writings abound with the truth that God saves any believer who freely, without any works to earn it, comes to God in humility to receive His salvation (see Eph. 2: 8, 2nd Tim. 1: 9, and Titus 3: 5). And God, through Paul, further wrote that where sin abounds, so much more does God’s saving grace abound (Romans 5: 10). Christ died and now lives so that anyone who comes to Him might be saved by His amazing saving grace.
Finally, there is God’s ENABLING GRACE [sometimes referred to as “sanctifying grace”] the grace that sustains me and gives me the power to overcome my weaknesses from my sin nature, just as Paul testified personally in 2nd Cor. 12: 7, 9 and Phil. 4: 13. And oh, how I identify with these passages. We’re all weak; but God’s enabling grace allows us to deal with any of life’s challenges (see 1st Cor. 10: 13 and 2nd Cor. 12: 9).
Truly God’s grace is sufficient to draw the sinner to Himself (prevenient grace), to save any wretched sinner (saving grace), and to lift up that sinner (enabling grace), shaping him or her into God’s own image. Are you not humbled, as am I, that God would choose us (see Exodus 33: 19) to be His own children, and not only that, but heirs to His Throne? And so it is God’s grace that lifts me and drives me to apply it in my life, … becoming the workmanship which Paul wrote about in Eph. 2: 8 – 10.
SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 2: 8-10 … For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
So …
My Prayer Today: To God be the glory, … by His grace. Amen
Thursday, October 07, 2010
2010 – October 7 – Less Than We Deserve
Study from God’s Word… Ezra, Chapters 9 – 10 … Passage for Reflection: Ezra 9: 13 … NIV 13 "What has happened to us is a result of our evil deeds and our great guilt, and yet, our God, you have punished us less than our sins have deserved and have given us a remnant like this.
My Journal for Today: Wow, … when a remnant of Jews was allowed by King Artaxerxes of Persia to return to Jerusalem to join other Jews who were already there with the task of rebuilding the Temple of God and reestablishing God’s Law for the people, Ezra, the Chief Priest of the Hebrews found a sociological and spiritual mess in his hands. Many of the Jewish men, including some of the Priests, had married foreign women, which was in direct defiance of the Law of Moses, …i.e., God’s will. And finding this Ezra grieved deeply; and you can read Ezra’s lament to God in a prayer, found in our Bible in Ezra: 9: 9 – 15, from which we get one sentiment in today’s highlighted text (i.e., verse 13).
I would exhort any who’re reading along with me here to go back and read this prayer (I’ll link you to it here for your personal study/meditation); and as you take in Ezra’s sincere prayer of lamentation, see if you’re not impressed that this could be the prayer of any Christians today who’re deeply grieved over the rampant sinfulness of a nation, America, which was founded and built on Christianity and has fallen away from its Judeo-Christian roots. Like the ancient Jews of Ezra’s day, we remnant Christians in America are now living in an era of degradation which is almost unprecedented in history. And like Ezra prayed, any of us could stand in awe of the mercy and grace afforded by our God as He sees – and must grieve over – our individual sinfulness as Christians and our collective sinfulness as a Church. We could say in fasting and prayer, as did Ezra, “… You (God) have punished us less than our sins have deserved.” And that truth, the outcome of which one can read about in any daily newspaper, is ever so prevalent now; but what is to be our individual and collective response to God’s mercy?
I shudder when I read the passage, written to the Roman Christians in Romans 1: 18-32 [also linked here for your study], which chronicles almost exactly what we see going on in our world today; and in this passage we read that God’s wrath of abandonment will be visited on any nation – as it was with the ancient Hebrews who were God’s chosen ones – who turns its back on God’s truth and His Law. And that’s exactly what Ezra was faced with to bring about revival for God’s chosen people. But not having the civil authority to do what Ezra did in a culture of theocracy, we are going to find it difficult in America, without God’s intervention, to turn things in the church and in our country back to a people who pursue God deeply in His word and live by His Law.
Often when someone asks me, “How’re you doing [?];” I learned years ago from my mentor to respond to that common greeting, “Always better than I deserve?” And you’d be surprised by the people who will say back, “Oh surely not!” And this gives me the opportunity to say in response, “If I read my Bible correctly, I’m much better off than I deserve;” which, of course is exactly what Ezra was praying about in today’s text.
Try that sometime; and see what others say when you witness the truth to them. It may give you an opportunity, as it has for me on many occasions, to plant at least a seed of truth in the minds of others about the relationship between a saved Christian and those in this lost world. At any rate, we should all be praying, as exhorted by God’s word, for those in authority … that they will come to the realization of God’s mercy and for them to accept the grace offered by a God who has been exceedingly merciful to sinners, like me, … sinners who are afforded much more grace than we deserve.
My Prayer for Today: O my Lord, … my merciful God. I stand deeply convicted by my sin and in awe of Your grace, which afforded me a Savior and Redeemer, even though daily I don’t deserve Your mercy. Amen
My Journal for Today: Wow, … when a remnant of Jews was allowed by King Artaxerxes of Persia to return to Jerusalem to join other Jews who were already there with the task of rebuilding the Temple of God and reestablishing God’s Law for the people, Ezra, the Chief Priest of the Hebrews found a sociological and spiritual mess in his hands. Many of the Jewish men, including some of the Priests, had married foreign women, which was in direct defiance of the Law of Moses, …i.e., God’s will. And finding this Ezra grieved deeply; and you can read Ezra’s lament to God in a prayer, found in our Bible in Ezra: 9: 9 – 15, from which we get one sentiment in today’s highlighted text (i.e., verse 13).
I would exhort any who’re reading along with me here to go back and read this prayer (I’ll link you to it here for your personal study/meditation); and as you take in Ezra’s sincere prayer of lamentation, see if you’re not impressed that this could be the prayer of any Christians today who’re deeply grieved over the rampant sinfulness of a nation, America, which was founded and built on Christianity and has fallen away from its Judeo-Christian roots. Like the ancient Jews of Ezra’s day, we remnant Christians in America are now living in an era of degradation which is almost unprecedented in history. And like Ezra prayed, any of us could stand in awe of the mercy and grace afforded by our God as He sees – and must grieve over – our individual sinfulness as Christians and our collective sinfulness as a Church. We could say in fasting and prayer, as did Ezra, “… You (God) have punished us less than our sins have deserved.” And that truth, the outcome of which one can read about in any daily newspaper, is ever so prevalent now; but what is to be our individual and collective response to God’s mercy?
I shudder when I read the passage, written to the Roman Christians in Romans 1: 18-32 [also linked here for your study], which chronicles almost exactly what we see going on in our world today; and in this passage we read that God’s wrath of abandonment will be visited on any nation – as it was with the ancient Hebrews who were God’s chosen ones – who turns its back on God’s truth and His Law. And that’s exactly what Ezra was faced with to bring about revival for God’s chosen people. But not having the civil authority to do what Ezra did in a culture of theocracy, we are going to find it difficult in America, without God’s intervention, to turn things in the church and in our country back to a people who pursue God deeply in His word and live by His Law.
Often when someone asks me, “How’re you doing [?];” I learned years ago from my mentor to respond to that common greeting, “Always better than I deserve?” And you’d be surprised by the people who will say back, “Oh surely not!” And this gives me the opportunity to say in response, “If I read my Bible correctly, I’m much better off than I deserve;” which, of course is exactly what Ezra was praying about in today’s text.
Try that sometime; and see what others say when you witness the truth to them. It may give you an opportunity, as it has for me on many occasions, to plant at least a seed of truth in the minds of others about the relationship between a saved Christian and those in this lost world. At any rate, we should all be praying, as exhorted by God’s word, for those in authority … that they will come to the realization of God’s mercy and for them to accept the grace offered by a God who has been exceedingly merciful to sinners, like me, … sinners who are afforded much more grace than we deserve.
My Prayer for Today: O my Lord, … my merciful God. I stand deeply convicted by my sin and in awe of Your grace, which afforded me a Savior and Redeemer, even though daily I don’t deserve Your mercy. Amen
Saturday, October 31, 2009
2009 – Day 303.Oct 31 – Sufficient Grace
Passage for Study: 2nd Corinthians 12: 1 – 10 … Linked for study …
My Journal for Today: Today, as I (we) close out on the teachings from this passage, I really identify with what Chuck Swindoll has written, which is a very vulnerable discourse on his own failings with regard to dealing with tribulation. In his devotional for today, he openly admits that he’s not the best model for handling trials; and that is me, too. My default in the midst of trials is the pity party; and Swindoll admits to a few of those himself.
He writes that it’s one thing to use Saul, who became Paul, as our model for finding strength in the midst of human weakness; but when it comes to living up to what we read in today’s passage, he says that he – and I say that I – all too often have trouble internalizing and living the truth that God’s grace is sufficient for us to receive and use God’s strength in the midst of our own weaknesses.
Yes, Paul got it; and he taught this in a number of passages in Scripture added to this one in 2nd Cor. 12. There was that oft quoted verse from Phil. 4: 13; and you may be thinking about the closing section of Romans 8. Yes, Paul got it; and he lived it, going through horrible trials and writing some his most inspiring and hope-filled words from dungeons or while imprisoned.
But it’s one thing to read Paul’s inspiring – and very truthful – exhortations that “God’s grace is sufficient.” However, when one has lost a child, or another is quadriplegic from an accident, or we’ve just learned that the prognosis is terminal cancer, our humanly makes it very difficult to live by pursuing, receiving, and using God’s grace in the midst of such trials. But that, my friend, is exactly what we need to do.
So, … how do we do it? Well, I propose that it’s now, when there is little pain in one’s life and when things are in a relative comfort-zone, that we need to prepare ourselves for future maladies when our weaknesses will be exposed. We have to decide NOW that we believe and cling to the truth of our passage today. We have to declare and make a covenant with God’s word that we’re going to live out Phil. 4: 13 even if we’re feeling weakened for any reason. And I suggest that you make that covenant NOW with some close Christian friend, … maybe your spouse. Declare with that loved one that you’re going to expect that accountability partner to come to you, when you’re in the midst of a pity party, and remind you of this time when you both made a mutual covenant to use God’s truth, such as that in today’s passage, to lift the other one up with the encouragement that comes from God’s truth. And you need to agree TOGETHER to be there for the other one, listening to his or her pain, hugging them when they are down hearted, and staying with them through those tough times, helping them to see that God’s grace is truly sufficient for any of life’s trials.
I pray that you have someone like that in your life, my friend. Well, go to them ASAP and make a mutual covenant for walking through future suffering together. The investment in such mutual vulnerability and accountability will pay big dividends one day; because, as God’s word teaches, you will experience some suffering of note in your life; and you’re human; … you will be weak. However, above all, know that the truth is … God’s grace is sufficient to give you His strength to cover your weakness.
My Prayer for Today: My Father, … help me to find Your strength when I am feeling weak. Amen
My Journal for Today: Today, as I (we) close out on the teachings from this passage, I really identify with what Chuck Swindoll has written, which is a very vulnerable discourse on his own failings with regard to dealing with tribulation. In his devotional for today, he openly admits that he’s not the best model for handling trials; and that is me, too. My default in the midst of trials is the pity party; and Swindoll admits to a few of those himself.
He writes that it’s one thing to use Saul, who became Paul, as our model for finding strength in the midst of human weakness; but when it comes to living up to what we read in today’s passage, he says that he – and I say that I – all too often have trouble internalizing and living the truth that God’s grace is sufficient for us to receive and use God’s strength in the midst of our own weaknesses.
Yes, Paul got it; and he taught this in a number of passages in Scripture added to this one in 2nd Cor. 12. There was that oft quoted verse from Phil. 4: 13; and you may be thinking about the closing section of Romans 8. Yes, Paul got it; and he lived it, going through horrible trials and writing some his most inspiring and hope-filled words from dungeons or while imprisoned.
But it’s one thing to read Paul’s inspiring – and very truthful – exhortations that “God’s grace is sufficient.” However, when one has lost a child, or another is quadriplegic from an accident, or we’ve just learned that the prognosis is terminal cancer, our humanly makes it very difficult to live by pursuing, receiving, and using God’s grace in the midst of such trials. But that, my friend, is exactly what we need to do.
So, … how do we do it? Well, I propose that it’s now, when there is little pain in one’s life and when things are in a relative comfort-zone, that we need to prepare ourselves for future maladies when our weaknesses will be exposed. We have to decide NOW that we believe and cling to the truth of our passage today. We have to declare and make a covenant with God’s word that we’re going to live out Phil. 4: 13 even if we’re feeling weakened for any reason. And I suggest that you make that covenant NOW with some close Christian friend, … maybe your spouse. Declare with that loved one that you’re going to expect that accountability partner to come to you, when you’re in the midst of a pity party, and remind you of this time when you both made a mutual covenant to use God’s truth, such as that in today’s passage, to lift the other one up with the encouragement that comes from God’s truth. And you need to agree TOGETHER to be there for the other one, listening to his or her pain, hugging them when they are down hearted, and staying with them through those tough times, helping them to see that God’s grace is truly sufficient for any of life’s trials.
I pray that you have someone like that in your life, my friend. Well, go to them ASAP and make a mutual covenant for walking through future suffering together. The investment in such mutual vulnerability and accountability will pay big dividends one day; because, as God’s word teaches, you will experience some suffering of note in your life; and you’re human; … you will be weak. However, above all, know that the truth is … God’s grace is sufficient to give you His strength to cover your weakness.
My Prayer for Today: My Father, … help me to find Your strength when I am feeling weak. Amen
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
2009 – Day 264.Sept 22 – “I Am in Awe”
Passage of the Day: Job 40: 1-5 … From The Message Version …
1-2God then confronted Job directly: "Now what do you have to say for yourself? Are you going to haul Me, the Mighty One, into court and press charges?"
3-5 Job answered: "I'm speechless, in awe—words fail me. I should never have opened my mouth!I've talked too much, way too much. I'm ready to shut up and listen."
My Journal for Today: I’ve gone to Peterson’s colloquial version of Scripture in Job 40, which, in the first five verses, shows where Job had come to realize how he had become too self assured and too determined in his defense before his four worldly friends. God had, in Chapters 38-39 deftly and powerfully put Job in his place; and now Job was forced to acknowledge his insignificance to the Almighty God.
The question immediately as to personal application becomes, “Am I seeing myself in proper proportion to my God?” Well, in these first five verses of Chapter 40 we read a model of humility, vulnerability, and reality.
Job first humbly acknowledges his awe, being in the presence of God; and that’s a position we need to continually hold in that we choose to come into the presence of the Throne of Grace, bearing our burdens before our Lord. Well, Job came to realize that before his calamities arose, he had gotten too self assured; and now he needed to bring himself down before the Creator of the world and acknowledge his dependence upon his God.
Secondly, we read how Job admits that he had likely over-spoken his case before God, questioning the “WHY” of his circumstances in all the confusion of his loss and pain. Actually God doesn’t mind any of His children bringing their feelings to Him as we read in Lam. 3: 22-23 or 1st Peter 5: 7; but we, as Job did here, need to do so with vulnerability, recognizing that God is still – and always - totally in control.
And finally, Job recognized and acknowledged what I’ve just said … the reality that we need to be in a listening posture when we come to God because we’re never in an adversarial role with our God. God is not on “the other side” of our circumstances. As I’ve said often – and need to remember - life often causes us to challenge our belief in the truth of Romans 8: 28 and to seek HOW we can grow from life’s circumstances rather than to know WHY things are not going the way we’d like to see them.
After Job acknowledged God so humbly in today’s highlighted passage, I can just imagine a wry smile coming over the face of our Lord as He knew that Job was now in a posture of readiness to receive God’s grace. And don’t you know, my dear one, that we so desperately need God’s grace. So, when – hopefully not IF – you go to God today, come to our Lord with a posture of humility, laying all pride aside; and when we do that, we’ll find what is promised in God’s word (see Prov. 3: 34, James 4: 6) that God will pour His grace into humility; but He will resist pride whenever He sees it raise its ugly head.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I pray that I don’t need to ask for You to help me find true humility this day. But if so, please do so; because I so need Your grace! Amen
1-2God then confronted Job directly: "Now what do you have to say for yourself? Are you going to haul Me, the Mighty One, into court and press charges?"
3-5 Job answered: "I'm speechless, in awe—words fail me. I should never have opened my mouth!I've talked too much, way too much. I'm ready to shut up and listen."
My Journal for Today: I’ve gone to Peterson’s colloquial version of Scripture in Job 40, which, in the first five verses, shows where Job had come to realize how he had become too self assured and too determined in his defense before his four worldly friends. God had, in Chapters 38-39 deftly and powerfully put Job in his place; and now Job was forced to acknowledge his insignificance to the Almighty God.
The question immediately as to personal application becomes, “Am I seeing myself in proper proportion to my God?” Well, in these first five verses of Chapter 40 we read a model of humility, vulnerability, and reality.
Job first humbly acknowledges his awe, being in the presence of God; and that’s a position we need to continually hold in that we choose to come into the presence of the Throne of Grace, bearing our burdens before our Lord. Well, Job came to realize that before his calamities arose, he had gotten too self assured; and now he needed to bring himself down before the Creator of the world and acknowledge his dependence upon his God.
Secondly, we read how Job admits that he had likely over-spoken his case before God, questioning the “WHY” of his circumstances in all the confusion of his loss and pain. Actually God doesn’t mind any of His children bringing their feelings to Him as we read in Lam. 3: 22-23 or 1st Peter 5: 7; but we, as Job did here, need to do so with vulnerability, recognizing that God is still – and always - totally in control.
And finally, Job recognized and acknowledged what I’ve just said … the reality that we need to be in a listening posture when we come to God because we’re never in an adversarial role with our God. God is not on “the other side” of our circumstances. As I’ve said often – and need to remember - life often causes us to challenge our belief in the truth of Romans 8: 28 and to seek HOW we can grow from life’s circumstances rather than to know WHY things are not going the way we’d like to see them.
After Job acknowledged God so humbly in today’s highlighted passage, I can just imagine a wry smile coming over the face of our Lord as He knew that Job was now in a posture of readiness to receive God’s grace. And don’t you know, my dear one, that we so desperately need God’s grace. So, when – hopefully not IF – you go to God today, come to our Lord with a posture of humility, laying all pride aside; and when we do that, we’ll find what is promised in God’s word (see Prov. 3: 34, James 4: 6) that God will pour His grace into humility; but He will resist pride whenever He sees it raise its ugly head.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I pray that I don’t need to ask for You to help me find true humility this day. But if so, please do so; because I so need Your grace! Amen
Monday, August 31, 2009
2009 – Day 242.Aug 31 – Needed Grace
Passage of the Day: Job 15 … Linked for study …
My Journal for Today: Chuck Swindoll closes his devotional entry today with the words from John Newton’s wonderful hymn, “Amazing grace – how sweet the sound.” But that’s certainly not what we read from the words of Eliphaz to Job in today’s highlight passage. No, Eliphaz now gets downright hostile in his tone toward the same man whom he had grieved with and sat with patiently just a few days earlier.
It’s remarkable to me how human feelings and understanding can be so fickle. At one time the three “friends” of Job had been so patient and loving and seemingly supportive; but then in their advice and counsel with Job, they seem to turn into graceless ogres. It is so, so true that we all need God’s grace; and this would especially be true when we are hit with a series of calamities like those which Job was enduring. But here are Job’s close friends somehow blinded to what he needs, trying to give him a pompous set of dogmatic reasons why Job is going through these trials. Job needs grace; and all he gets from his “friends” is folly.
We need to remember that the person we sit next to in the pew at church may be going through trials about which we have no clue; and what they need is grace, not groundless information on social doctrine or speculations about why God does what He does. That dear one needs grace. And if I read the truth of Romans 3: 23 correctly, we “are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God.” Therefore, we ALL need God’s grace. How and when and to whom God gives it out is God’s business. So, … when we need grace; and we humble ourselves before our loving and merciful God, as Job was doing, God’s agents of grace, His church, needs to be there to help our suffering friends, doling out as much of His grace as we can.
So, when you need God’s grace, be willing to set aside pride and ask God and your friends for grace. When you see someone needing grace, give grace. How much intelligence would it take you, seeing Job’s loss and his horrible pain, physical and emotional, to see that he needed grace, not explanations, and certainly not harsh accusations as we read from Eliphaz in today’s passage.
Now I remember why I like to call these three pseudo friends of Job “the three stooges.” I don’t claim to know God’s full intent when He, the Holy Spirit, guides His writers to tell the stories of the Bible. And I may be a bit pompous to say that it seems clear to me that God is giving us examples of the exact opposite of grace in Job’s three companions. This, to me, is a lesson which screams, “Don’t do it this way, fool!”
So, from this I learn to ask God to give me the sensitivity to see when a friend needs grace; and then to dole it out as much as I’m capable of giving it. And then, … to give even more grace; because there’s just no giving too much when it comes to being the agent of grace for God.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, bless me by being able to give Your grace to someone today who needs it. Amen
My Journal for Today: Chuck Swindoll closes his devotional entry today with the words from John Newton’s wonderful hymn, “Amazing grace – how sweet the sound.” But that’s certainly not what we read from the words of Eliphaz to Job in today’s highlight passage. No, Eliphaz now gets downright hostile in his tone toward the same man whom he had grieved with and sat with patiently just a few days earlier.
It’s remarkable to me how human feelings and understanding can be so fickle. At one time the three “friends” of Job had been so patient and loving and seemingly supportive; but then in their advice and counsel with Job, they seem to turn into graceless ogres. It is so, so true that we all need God’s grace; and this would especially be true when we are hit with a series of calamities like those which Job was enduring. But here are Job’s close friends somehow blinded to what he needs, trying to give him a pompous set of dogmatic reasons why Job is going through these trials. Job needs grace; and all he gets from his “friends” is folly.
We need to remember that the person we sit next to in the pew at church may be going through trials about which we have no clue; and what they need is grace, not groundless information on social doctrine or speculations about why God does what He does. That dear one needs grace. And if I read the truth of Romans 3: 23 correctly, we “are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God.” Therefore, we ALL need God’s grace. How and when and to whom God gives it out is God’s business. So, … when we need grace; and we humble ourselves before our loving and merciful God, as Job was doing, God’s agents of grace, His church, needs to be there to help our suffering friends, doling out as much of His grace as we can.
So, when you need God’s grace, be willing to set aside pride and ask God and your friends for grace. When you see someone needing grace, give grace. How much intelligence would it take you, seeing Job’s loss and his horrible pain, physical and emotional, to see that he needed grace, not explanations, and certainly not harsh accusations as we read from Eliphaz in today’s passage.
Now I remember why I like to call these three pseudo friends of Job “the three stooges.” I don’t claim to know God’s full intent when He, the Holy Spirit, guides His writers to tell the stories of the Bible. And I may be a bit pompous to say that it seems clear to me that God is giving us examples of the exact opposite of grace in Job’s three companions. This, to me, is a lesson which screams, “Don’t do it this way, fool!”
So, from this I learn to ask God to give me the sensitivity to see when a friend needs grace; and then to dole it out as much as I’m capable of giving it. And then, … to give even more grace; because there’s just no giving too much when it comes to being the agent of grace for God.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, bless me by being able to give Your grace to someone today who needs it. Amen
Sunday, June 14, 2009
2009 – Day 164.June 14 – A Humble Servant
2009 – Day 164.June 14 – A Humble Servant
Passage of the Day: 1st Kings 17: 21 - 23 … 21 And he stretched himself out on the child three times, and cried out to the LORD and said, “O LORD my God, I pray, let this child’s soul come back to him.” 22 Then the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came back to him, and he revived. … 23 And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper room into the house, and gave him to his mother. And Elijah said, “See, your son lives!”
My Journal for Today: What a scenario! God answers Elijah’s humble prayer in private so that his faith can be built to even greater heights; and then God answers the woman’s humble surrender of her son to Elijah, who had quietly asked for his lifeless body to be place in his arms and had taken him to a quiet place to be alone with God.
And as Swindoll points out, no words of Scripture, which are used to describe this scene, can do justice to the emotions which Elijah must’ve felt and then the mother when she saw her boy come back to life. To say “Wow!” falls so short for what transpired, doesn’t it? And if you read ahead in Elijah’s prophetic life, you can see why he had such great faith in going back to confront the court of Ahab.
And the element of character which Swindoll emphasizes in today’s bit of this story is Elijah’s humility. When he brought the boy down to the mother, stirring with life, he took no credit. He simply and humbly handed him back to the mother, saying, “See, your son lives!” He did NOT think or say, “Look what I was able to do.” No, by just stating the obvious to the mother, God gets all the credit, … just as He should.
Tomorrow (I’ve read ahead a bit in Swindoll’s book), we’re going to see the results of Elijah’s humble faith; so come back and read about that. But right now we need to focus on how our faith should work; and Elijah becomes our model here. All he did was humble himself before His Lord, giving over a totally out of control situation to a totally in control God; and then God did what He needed to do to show Himself to His children.
And therein lies the faith lesson here. God can pour His grace and power into a child with humble faith; but His grace will never be seen in one who acts in prideful arrogance. You can read this truth in Proverbs 3: 34, which is repeated in the NT in James 4: 6 or 1st Peter 5: 6, … that “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
Elijah was a humble servant; and God poured His grace into this humble servant’s attitude of surrender and used a moment in history to show all who believe, like you and me, the result of humble faith. Most certainly that mother got the message. Prayerfully we do too.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, the lesson is not lost on this one. So, help me to remain humble before your throne of grace. Amen
Passage of the Day: 1st Kings 17: 21 - 23 … 21 And he stretched himself out on the child three times, and cried out to the LORD and said, “O LORD my God, I pray, let this child’s soul come back to him.” 22 Then the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came back to him, and he revived. … 23 And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper room into the house, and gave him to his mother. And Elijah said, “See, your son lives!”
My Journal for Today: What a scenario! God answers Elijah’s humble prayer in private so that his faith can be built to even greater heights; and then God answers the woman’s humble surrender of her son to Elijah, who had quietly asked for his lifeless body to be place in his arms and had taken him to a quiet place to be alone with God.
And as Swindoll points out, no words of Scripture, which are used to describe this scene, can do justice to the emotions which Elijah must’ve felt and then the mother when she saw her boy come back to life. To say “Wow!” falls so short for what transpired, doesn’t it? And if you read ahead in Elijah’s prophetic life, you can see why he had such great faith in going back to confront the court of Ahab.
And the element of character which Swindoll emphasizes in today’s bit of this story is Elijah’s humility. When he brought the boy down to the mother, stirring with life, he took no credit. He simply and humbly handed him back to the mother, saying, “See, your son lives!” He did NOT think or say, “Look what I was able to do.” No, by just stating the obvious to the mother, God gets all the credit, … just as He should.
Tomorrow (I’ve read ahead a bit in Swindoll’s book), we’re going to see the results of Elijah’s humble faith; so come back and read about that. But right now we need to focus on how our faith should work; and Elijah becomes our model here. All he did was humble himself before His Lord, giving over a totally out of control situation to a totally in control God; and then God did what He needed to do to show Himself to His children.
And therein lies the faith lesson here. God can pour His grace and power into a child with humble faith; but His grace will never be seen in one who acts in prideful arrogance. You can read this truth in Proverbs 3: 34, which is repeated in the NT in James 4: 6 or 1st Peter 5: 6, … that “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
Elijah was a humble servant; and God poured His grace into this humble servant’s attitude of surrender and used a moment in history to show all who believe, like you and me, the result of humble faith. Most certainly that mother got the message. Prayerfully we do too.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, the lesson is not lost on this one. So, help me to remain humble before your throne of grace. Amen
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