January 26, 2012 … God’s Real Deal

Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Genesis, Chapters 43-45 … To study these chapters, go to this link -

Genesis 45: 4-7: … [God’s Providence In Our Relationships] ... 3 Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph! Is my father still living?" But his brothers were not able to answer him, because they were terrified at his presence.
4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, "Come close to me." When they had done so, he said, "I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! 5 And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.6 For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping.7 But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

My Journal for Today: Don’t you just love the way the Bible paints God’s providence and His planning … by telling REAL stories about REAL people in REAL life. And that’s what we glean from the story of Joseph, where God’s book takes more space in telling his story than most of the other characters in the Old Testament. Only Moses in the OT gets as much written space as does Joseph. But, of course, and it’s Moses who’s telling this story about the history of God’s people, like Joseph, in God’s Book of the Law – the Torah.

But I digress. My main point here today is to note how the story of Joseph, revealing himself to his brothers, as in today’s segment of his story, is a picture of Christlikeness in the OT. In fact there are many parallels in Scripture which show us that Joseph’s life in the OT is a character type and a pre-incarnate picture of Jesus in the New Testament. And in today’s focus passage, copied above, we read of how Joseph so compassionately told his brothers of God’s plan in allowing them to do what they did to him, their brother, and how all of it was God’s plan for all of His children, including Jacob and his family.

If we look back at our own lives, we may very likely be able to see events and circumstances which have taken place where we certainly would not have planned our lives the way things unfolded; but we now recognize that God’s plan – i.e., His providence – was for our good and for His purposes in the shaping of our lives. I certainly can see that … from the many years I walked in bondage to habitual sinful living and how God used those weaknesses to show me how much I needed a Redeemer and how that Redeemer could only be Himself … as my LORD and Savior.

And I’m not going to belabor this point here today. If you’ve been reading along with me about the life of Joseph, all of what has been written about him in Genesis paints for us a picture of the character and future life of Jesus, The Christ; and we can certainly see this in how Joseph shows compassion to his brothers, who had such evil in mind for him, selling him into slavery in Egypt. But, … God knew Joseph was the one – and only one – who could go ahead of his own family to Egypt to save so many people – including Joseph’s own family – from famine, … as well as to show them God’s character in the life and forgiveness of Joseph for his own brothers. And Moses writing about Joseph in The Torah (i.e., Genesis) tells all of mankind about the character of our loving, forgiving, and redeeming God. And that’s a story … HIStory … we need to read.

Don’t you just see the character of Jesus shining through in Joseph? Don’t you just hear Jesus, through the life of Joseph, saying, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”

And though I would have never put me through my history … the way it unfolded, I now recognize that it was God’s plan, in His timing, and in His way for my good and His glory. So … once again I say, from my heart, Hallelujah; and thank you, Lord, for where I’ve been and what I’ve done.!

My Prayer Today: … Praise You, Lord, for every bit of my life. Amen

August 31, 2008 … Seeking God’s Kingdom

Passage of the Day: Matthew 6: 33 … But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

My Journal for Today: Today’s pronouncement by Jesus in His Sermon on the Mount is a simple but powerful promise wrapped in a simple, but powerful, exhortation; and for those who look for equations and formulae for living, here is a formula for our receiving God’s providence to meet our needs. Paraphrased, Jesus states, “Christian, if you go after the things of My kingdom and My righteousness as your #1 priorities, I’ll make sure that you have everything you need.” However, I’m afraid we Christians all too often forget (or ignore) this powerful formula in our lives; and we go after our own priorities above those of God’s, and then we complain, thinking that we are entitled to God’s best.

The Apostle Paul, when you read about his exploits in Acts 20: 22 – 24, had his priorities straight according to the teachings of Jesus above. Historically, here was Paul, called to Jerusalem and facing many potentially life-threatening dangers; and Paul says in verse 24, “…I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me.” Now that’s putting God first; … and that is seeking the Kingdom of God even in the midst of life-threatening circumstances. This was exactly the attitude to which Jesus exhorted His followers above in today’s focus verse.

When we, as believers, finally internalize this teaching and command from Christ, we will set aside our selfishness, our greed, and our pride for worldly things. And we’ll jettison the lusts of the flesh as well; and like Paul, we’ll be driven to seek after God and His righteousness. My Pastor and friend, Dr. Ernie Frey, has called this attitude a “holy discontent.” And that’s an apt term to describe the continual tension between what we want and what we need. It’s the battle between our sin nature and our Holy Spirit converted heart; and it may be resolved somewhat as we go deeper into a more abiding and intimate relationship with Christ; but I’m afraid my interpretation of Scripture has us involved in such battles until we are with Jesus in heaven.

And so, we are continually confronted by the Holy and perfect truths of Romans 8: 28, 1st Corinthians 10: 13, 2nd Corinthians 12: 9, 2nd Peter 1: 3 - 4, as well as the great commission in Matthew 28: 19 – 20, where we are challenged to move forward for God’s kingdom, knowing and believing that God will give us all we need to do what He calls us to do. This is, and should be, our “holy discontent,” driving us ever onward, in spite of our selfish desires, to focus on God’s MAIN THING – know Him and doing His will.

An again, as Matt. 6: 33 declares, if we can keep the MAIN THING always the MAIN THING, Jesus promises HE will always provide us with what we need. So, on this last day of this month’s devotionals, no more need be said about God’s providence and our stewardship than that. We just need to believe it and live it as Jesus lived it; and He’ll take care of us in the process.

My Prayer Today: Lord, I seek You above all! Amen

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Blogger’s Note: Well, that’s my last devotional from John MacArthur for this month. Now it’s on to a different topic from Strength for Today in September. This will cover our relationship with God, the Holy Spirit. Personally, I can always go deeper in that relationship; so, I hope that you may be led to join me in this quest for enlightenment by God’s Spirit, Himself, as I seek to go deeper in my understanding of the One Who is my Advocate before the throne of God.

August 30, 2011 … Living One Day At A Time

Passage of the Day: Matthew 6: 34 (see in bold/underlined) … 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

My Journal for Today: When one reads the focus verse for today, it almost reads as if Jesus is asking us to refrain from planning for our future. However, this is not the case. According to Dr. MacArthur from his devotional book, Strength for Today, Martin Lloyd Jones wrote, “Although it is very right to think about the future, it is very wrong to be controlled by it.” And therein lies the rub.

The key word when Jesus says, “… do not worry about tomorrow,” is, of course, the word WORRY. Oh, how Satan desires us to go into worry mode, which discourages or paralyzes us, and causes us to believe the incredible lie that God is not in control … that Jesus, our Lord, is not our sovereign God. I once heard our Pastor jokingly say that there was a Greek term referring to that lie; and it is “BALONEY!” ;) I’ve never been able to find that term in the Greek dictionary; but I think you get what I’m trying to say.

You’ve actually heard this theme several times this month if you’ve been following these August devotionals of mine; but hopefully redundancy teaches. It does for me. Jesus, in his magnanimous hillside sermon, was/is giving us, His disciples, very practical advice on the avoidance of worrying about the future. He is not saying that we can’t or shouldn’t look into the future; but our primary focus should be on faith for today and reliance on God for the future. If we plan for the future, thinking of God first (i.e., the message of both Prov. 3: 5, 6 and Matt. 6: 33), God will likely be smiling. However, when we look to the future, worrying out of selfishness or fear, that is to disbelieve that God has us covered with His love, mercy, and grace; and Satan smiles. For us to worry about our future is to fall into Satan’s trap of believing that God is not in control of our well-being. And to that, I want you to say that pseudo “Greek” term above. Say it with me, loudly …BALONEY!!! Now, my friend and fellow Christian, smile, knowing that God is in control; and knowing that He loves us and will provide for our every need.

If we worry about tomorrow, it will cause us to lose our joy for today. And choosing to lose our joy, (and joy is always a choice, not a feeling) due to self-driven anxiety, is sinful. God has a victory for any believer today; and any fear that comes from anxieties about tomorrow is a lie from hell trying to let our own deceit-ridden heart steal God’s victory from us. Jesus has never and will never change (see Hebrews 13: 8). Just as He is today, He’ll be there tomorrow to show us the way (again see Prov. 3: 5 – 6, a verse which you should have memorized) But even more importantly, He’s with us today in any circumstance in which we find ourselves (see Deut. 31: 6, 8 and Rom. 8: 28, 31).

Yes, plan for tomorrow; but never worry about it; because tomorrow is God’s.

My Prayer Today: All I need is You today, Lord … and for all my tomorrows. Amen

August 29, 2011 … Our All-Knowing God

Passage of the Day: Matthew 6: 31 – 32 … 31 So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 31 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

My Journal for Today: Jesus had some highly pointed exhortations for His mostly, if not exclusively, Jewish audience for His famous sermon on that hillside in the Holy Land. And His words drive home the point that true believers, i.e., born-again Christians, are believers in the truth that God knows and provides for the needs of His children, Therefore, we should not live and act like unbelievers (i.e., “pagans”), who worry about what they eat, drink, or wear. Jesus is essentially asking us, to paraphrase a quote, “You’re not like those Gentiles (Greek = “ethnos,” which means “pagans), are you, in the way you live?”

Now Jesus wasn’t putting down the Gentiles as a people. We know, from Paul’s ministry/mission to the Gentiles, how much God loved the Gentiles. However, Jesus was using the ethnic behaviors of selfishness and greed, which were practiced by the Gentiles, as a point of demarcation in terms of how we, as believers, should “act” when it comes to handling God’s providence. For His followers [i.e., disciples in the larger sense], Jesus wanted them (us) to live differently from how the Gentiles habitually lived in that day. He wanted all of His disciples to really trust God, their Jehovah Jireh, for their well-being (which we can see from Paul’s teaching in Phil. 4: 19).

It’s really a matter of belief and trust; and Jesus is asking you and me in this passage today to trust God, The Heavenly Father, Who knows our every need and promises to provide for those needs. And He’s also saying that it’s pointless to live like pagans who worry about such things … especially when it causes them to selfishly live toward temporal and/or material concerns.

So, do we believe?! And each of us will answer that question by the way we live.

My Prayer Today: Lord, may my life reflect my trust in You. Amen

August 28, 2011 … Observing the Flowers

Passage of the Day: Matthew 6: 28 – 30 … 28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?”

My Journal for Today: Again we read Jesus using an argument from the lesser to the greater to make His point about our attitude toward God’s providence and material things. In an earlier devotional I pointed out that one could imagine Jesus using word pictures available to all who were there on that hillside that day when our Lord delivered His Sermon on the Mount. In Matt. 6: 26, He had referred to the “birds of the air;” and it is easy to imagine Jesus pointing to sea gulls from the nearby Sea of Galilee flying there on the mountain near the crowd. In today’s passage, He refers to “lilies of the field,” which were likely there growing on the hillside for all to see. I’ve been to that hillside near Capernaum; and have seen the wild lilies growing there; and so it’s very easy for me to imagine this scene.

Jesus made reference to flowers, which were quite lovely, but were very common and plentiful; and were even used by some in those days as fuel for fires when the flowers had died and dried up. Jesus, in referring to their beauty and plenty was calling attention to a principle of God’s providence. If man was willing to trod on or burn such beautiful creations of God for comfort or security, would not God not value mankind more than those flowers? God created mankind in His own image, creating him (and her) to tend His garden, … which included the flowers.

Think about how often we’re anxious about what we wear. We stand in front of mirrors imagining how others will see us when we’re about to go out in public. Some even fret deeply over such things. And Jesus pointedly says, that His flowers are lovely; and we don’t even think twice about picking them or even throwing them away after they have served our purposes to share God’s beauty with others. What a shame it is that we waste such worry over our own appearance, when God has created mankind for far greater loveliness and beauty; and that beauty is what we ARE rather than what we wear.

And yet, look at how much we primp and prepare – and even worry – so that we’ll impress other people whom we really don’t know and who likely really don’t care what we’re wearing. Would we not do well to heed Jesus’ teaching … toiling in this life only to honor Him rather than to adorn ourselves for personal glory?

My Prayer Today: May others see Your beauty in and through me, Lord, and not what I wear! Amen

August 27, 2011 … Living Life to the Fullest

Passage of the Day: Matthew 6: 27 [see in bold/underelined] … 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

My Journal for Today: John MacArthur, in his devotional for this date in Strength for Today, has an interesting quip which seals the meaning of Jesus’ teaching in today’s highlighted verse. He writes, “You can worry yourself to death; but not to life.” Does that convict anyone reading here as much as does me? To MacArthur’s statement I have to add a personal smiley face; … :) … but hopefully you see a glint of seriousness in my writing.

Some time ago, I saw a piece on a TV magazine show (I think it was ABC’s 20/20). It was a report of some DNA research which has confirmed a biological link between behavioral stress and hyper-aging. When humans are under prolonged stress, this research revealed that our chromosomes begin to break apart, which accelerates the aging process. And once again we see that science confirms the teachings of the Bible. In this case this is exactly what Jesus was teaching His disciples (and you/me) when He says, “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”

Ponce de Leon searched for the fountain of youth; but in our reverence and relationship with God, we have the truth of Proverbs 14: 27, which touts the “the fountain of life.” And Proverbs 9: 10 – 11 goes on to indicate that a lifestyle of worshipping God will add years to your life.

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SCRIPTURE: Prov. 14: 27 … The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.

SCRIPTURE: Prov. 9: 10 – 11 … 10 "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. 11 For through Me your days will be many, and years will be added to your life.
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Isn’t it heartening to know that after over all these centuries since these words were written in Scripture, human science can finally confirm their validity? Again another smiley face – with a wink of sarcasm - for that. ;)

There’s not much more that can be said to this message from our Lord, … except maybe to add that God’s word, in James 5: 16 and Phil. 4: 6 – 7, has given us His antidote for worry/stress; and that is prayer, of course! And I’m sure that one day, science will absolutely confirm that fervent prayers reduce stress and provide for peaceful living as well as to extended life. In the meantime, not waiting on the confirmation of science, I’m just going to trust God that His word is truth!

My Prayer Today: Lord, You are my well-spring of living to Whom I go when I need refreshment. Amen

August 26, 2011 … A Lesson from Nature

Passage of the Day: Matthew 6: 26 [see in bold/underlined] … “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”

My Journal for Today: Yesterday during my quiet time with God, in His Sermon on the Mount (in Matt. 6: 25), Jesus, as John MacArthur reminded me, argued from the greater to the lesser to teach His truth involving our use of the life He gave to each of us. Today, in this devotional, in Matt. 6: 26, He argues from the lesser to the greater to drive home His truth.

MacArthur imagines that Jesus, as He spoke to His listeners that day on the hillside near Capernaum, might have looked up to see birds flying overhead. Maybe he even pointed to the birds as He delivered this point in His sermon; and He used the word picture of God taking care of those “lesser” creatures, the birds, providing them with all the food they need. And if God would provide for the bird, would not our God provide for His created children (i.e., you and me). In His words, “Are you not much more valuable (to God) than they [i.e., the birds]?” Having been on that very hillside outside Capernaum, I can imagine Jesus, surrounded by the wild lilies He also referred to in His illustration, I can imagine Jesus pointing to the sea gulls flying overhead – as they do there – creating this word picture of God taking care of His created beings. So, His argument was, if God would take care of the lesser creatures of His, why wouldn’t He also take care of His greatest creation, … mankind?

There are those who claim that animals are just as valuable as humans in God’s sight; but this is not supported by God’s word. No bird was created to be joint heir for eternity on God’s throne as was His mankind as His church. It is true that like the birds, we were created to labor for God’s providence; but as Jesus points out in the word picture in today’s highlighted verse, mankind was created with special value in God’s plan; and therefore, would not God provide all that man needs for life?

Certainly we have no reason to be lazy, especially when it comes to the use of God’s providence (see that in Matt. 25: 14 – 30 – the parable of the talents). And, as we’ve seen in past studies this month, any attitude of greed or covetousness is most certainly against God’s view of our importance. God will - and does - provide all we need (again citing Phil. 4: 19 and 2nd Pet. 1: 3 – 4); but for us to have all we need, God clearly wants us to look to Him first for these provisions by doing His work of stewardship for His kingdom (see Matt. 6: 33).

My Prayer Today: You bless me, Lord, with all I need! Amen

August 25, 2011 … The Giver of Life

Passage of the Day: Matthew 6: 25 … “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?”

My Journal for Today: Yes, same verse from yesterday, repeated today! And again we read Jesus teaching His followers (and by extension to you and me) about the essence of living as a Christian … that our focus should not be on our bodily, temporal, or worldly needs.

John MacArthur helps his readers today in Strength for Today (that’s me!) to understand that Jesus’ statement is an argument from the greater to the lesser. In other words, … if God gives me life, He will sustain my life … ergo, … there is no reason for me to worry about my bodily sustenance which is only part of life. And we have to remember that this lesson was being taught to people in Jesus’ day who were living in the edge, experiencing such things as severe draught, possible bad crops, occasional insect infestations, … all of which could produce famine or loss of income … and maybe even loss of home.

So this teaching by Jesus would have been much tougher for His audience of that day than it would be now for you and me; and you and I both know that it’s a hard saying even now. I read this with essentially no temporal fear of losing everything like some of those who heard Jesus teaching these truths back then on that hillside. And yet, these words are still true for me; and I’m convicted that I, all too often, find myself worrying about the clothes I wear or making sure I’ve got enough money in the bank or in investments to cover tomorrow’s contingencies. My risks may not be for losing my home to bad crops; but my worry is just as sinful for me as it was for those who didn’t trust God for their needs in Jesus’ day.

I’m convicted that I need to rely more-and-more on THE Provider of my life and everything involved in my life. He is Jehovah-Jireh; and HE is my Provider. And I pray that one day I can come to a place where I reflexively trust my Lord for all I need in life, seeking Him first and foremost in all things (again see Matt. 6: 33).

My Prayer Today: I seek You first, Lord; help me to seek You first and trusting in You always! Amen

August 24, 2011 … The Sin of Worry

Passage of the Day: Matthew 6: 25 … “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?”

My Journal for Today: John MacArthur, makes a stark statement when he writes for this date in Strength for Today, “To worry about the future is to sin against God.” That’s pretty clear; isn’t it? And though this will likely could be convicting to many who read this (it was for me!), MacArthur is dead-on, flat-out right!! In fact, I’ll go further to say that worrying about the future, with regard to financial well-being or personal security, may be the one category of sinfulness shared by MOST Christians.

What’s wrong with this, you may ask? Well, being concerned about the future and to seek God’s guidance in planning for it is one thing; but worrying about it is a matter of trust; isn’t it? Worrying about God’s provision may be our way of saying to God, “Lord, I believe that You died for my sins; but I just can’t trust You to provide for my needs.” Isn’t that what we really say to God when we worry about our lives?

Common … let’s admit it! To worry (i.e., holding deep anxiety) about anything is an affront to God. In fact, it strikes out at the very character of God and denies the validity of His word and His promises. Think about it! How can we, as believers, say that Paul was writing truth in Phil. 4: 19 when we hold doubts that God is going to supply for our needs? And worrying about our future is to say that our circumstances are bigger and more powerful than God can handle.

Really, I agree with Macarthur in his devotional entry for this date when he contends that worrying is a sign that a “Christian” doesn’t really know God; … because if one truly knew God deeply and intimately … if He knew and believed God’s word and His promises, … he would never doubt what God has said to us about His provisions and His power to meet our needs. Therefore, there would never be a cause to worry.

So, what is God’s prescription for the believer who worries? It is really quite simple. He would say to the anxious Christian, “Come … get to know Me. … To know Me is to love me. … To love Me is to obey Me. … To obey Me is to serve Me. … And to serve Me is to be blessed by Me.” And so, to know God as intimately as possible should be the goal of every believer who desires to eradicate worry from life.

My Prayer Today: O, Lord, I want to know You more today than yesterday … more tomorrow than today! Amen

August 23, 2011 … Letting the Fog Lift

Passage of the Day: Matthew 6: 25 … “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?”

My Journal for Today: Take in the word picture of Jesus in today’s verse, where The Lord exhorts His followers to avoid worry; and then let me share with you the picture used by John MacArthur in his Strength for Today devotional entry for this date.

MacArthur paints the word picture of worry being like a fog. Fog is a shroud of cloudiness, created by just a little bit of water dispersed into billions of droplets which hangs in the atmosphere to block our vision, often in the wrong place and at the wrong time. And in much the same way, worry, which is usually born out of very little substance, often descends upon our hearts, clouding our minds and crippling or paralyzing our choices. … Can you identify?

Remembering the context of Matthew 6, i.e., the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus was teaching to people, most of whom didn’t know from whence their next meal would come. It would not have been uncommon for these people to have their minds clouded by worry over their next meal. So, the admonitions of Jesus in today’s passage would have been a hard saying for these people … probably much more so than for many affluent Americans, who so often worry about whether we have enough money or things to be secure or to “keep up with the Joneses.” How often do we let our anxiety about financial matters become a mind-paralyzing fog, causing us to grope for directions in life, especially these days when the world economy seems to be in free-fall?

That’s why MacArthur’s word picture of worry being a fog is so pertinent to our lives. We try to see through the fog of our own greed or obsessive security worries; and we can’t see where we need to go, … rather than following the advice of our Lord to walk step-by-step, following God’s will, which, if we let it, will lead us, like a fog horn of purpose/direction, out of the fog and into His light.

Our fog of greediness or insecurity is really a matter of whether we really believe the classic passage [which I hope you have memorized], Proverbs 3: 5 – 6: … 5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

Do we really believe this truth from God’s word, as well as that in another memorable verse from the Apostle Paul, Phil. 4: 19? Because if we do, there will be no fog of worry. We will know – that we will know that we will know – that God will provide … that we will always have what we need to live … that we can always follow God where He leads without fear. The question for us today is … do we believe these truths? And … do we live them?

My Prayer Today: I trust You, God; and I see clearly. Amen

August 22, 2011 … Materialistic Christians

Passage of the Day: Matthew 6: 19 … “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.”

My Journal for Today: Today we return to where we started this month, in Matthew 6: 19, with Jesus’ command to avoid materialism. And I firmly believe, as confirmed by MacArthur in his devotional entry for this date, materialism has become one of the biggest cultural stumbling blocks to the spiritual well-being and growth of Christians in our culture today. And apparently from the directness of Jesus’ teaching, it was that way in His day (on earth) as well. What is it that some say, “The more we change, … the more we stay the same?”

It is certainly truth, as we’ve seen/discussed, … that having things or being blessed with wealth is NOT a sin. God gives from His providence so that we, His children, can enjoy His blessings (1st Tim. 6: 17) [from the Apostle Paul’s point of view, inspired by God’s Spirit].

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SCRIPTURE: 1st Tim. 6: 17 … Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
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But in Paul’s admonition above, he warns God’s wealthy people not to put their hope in the uncertainty of temporal things. And James (in James 4: 4 – below) tells believers that friendship with worldliness is enmity toward God.

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SCRIPTURE: James 4: 4 … don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
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And finally, the Apostle John joins in this chorus of challenge, warns Christians not to fall in love with the world, which will lead to lusting, pride, and covetousness (see 1st John 2: 15 – 16, which I hope you have memorized). And anytime you read the same thing being said often, especially by several different Spirit-led authors of Scripture, it’s time to pay attention.

I strongly believe that material “blessings” are one of God’s greatest testing mechanisms for our faith. When we are materially blessed by our Lord, it becomes God’s test of how we will be able to manage God’s providence in the next life (see Luke 16: 10 – 12). So, we must praise God if He has blessed some of us from His bounty; and then we must immediately ask ourselves how we can best be God’s steward and use His blessings for HIS glory (in this, read and meditate on Matt. 25: 14 – 30).

My Prayer Today: O, Lord, may I use Your blessings for Your glory! Amen

August 21, 2011 … A Little Piece of Bread

Passage of the Day: Hebrews 13: 5 … Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." [from Deut. 31: 6]

My Journal for Today: John MacArthur, in his devotional for this date in Strength for Today, relates a very poignant story of World War II orphans being discovered by our troops after the war. These unfortunate children, upon recovery, were put in an orphanage; but the staff there noted that the children would do all they could to stay awake at night, refusing to sleep. Then one perceptive doctor gave them a piece of bread; and they went to sleep clutching their bread as if it were a security blanket. You see, those kids slept with the bread because it represented hope that there would be food tomorrow.

Today’s verse, as well as Phil. 4: 19, should be our bread of life and our hope in Christ. The truths taught in these verses give us hope, from Gods’ word, that there will always be “bread” for us from God’s infinite store house, … now and forever …; as well as the fact that God will never leave us, nor forsake us. Therefore, we need not have a hoarder mentality or relent to the love of money or to covet the stuff others have.

Our Lord wants us to trust Him and steer clear of our “natural” desire to accumulate an abundance of things (see Luke 12: 15) as a hedge against an unsure tomorrow. We, as followers of Jehovah Jireh (our Provider God) must trust that God will provide our needs in all circumstances (from today’s passage as well as Matt. 6: 33). And, as these passages teach, we must learn, as Paul testified in Phil. 4: 11-12, to live in all situations, knowing that God will give us the strength to go forward (see Phil. 4: 13 and 2nd Cor. 12: 9).

Every night, before we go to bed, we need to recognize that God has given us much more than a scrap of bread for our security. We can sleep, knowing that He has given us His absolutely reliable promise from the truth of His word that tomorrow we will have all we need to live and thrive in this world – as well as in the next (see Deut. 31: 6 and 2nd Peter 1: 3-4).

That’s all I need to sleep tonight; … how about you?

My Prayer Today: Thank you, Lord, for Your promises … and Your provision. … Amen

August 20, 2011 … The Lord Who Provides

Passage of the Day: Genesis 22: 13 – 14 … 13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, "On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided."

My Journal for Today: As I read through and meditate on John MacArthur’s devotional from Strength for Today on this date, he makes an excellent and convicting point that we, who call ourselves “believers,” would never doubt that God is love … or that He is great and mighty … or that God is Holy and just. However, when it comes to God’s character as our provider, as in the name “Jehovah-Jireh” used in today’s passage when referring to “Lord,” our actions all too often reveal our distrust of God in this regard.

We read, in Matt. 6: 25 – 34, Jesus telling us not to worry about what we will eat or what we will wear; … and yet, we do worry about such things; … don’t we? As Christians, somehow we know in our head that God perfectly knows our needs, and He has promised to provide those needs; yet, we don’t have that truth deeply embedded in our hearts; … do we? We so often live our lives in contradiction to God’s exhortation to seek Him first for ALL things so that He can provide exactly what we need (see Matt. 6: 33, which you may even – and should – have memorized).

Abraham got it, up on that mountain with his son Isaac laying on that slab about to die at God’s command. However, I’m afraid I don’t really get it; … at least not completely enough. All too often, I don’t … in my small faith … really trust that God will provide anything and everything I need. One day perhaps I can move this head-faith, in my surrender to my Jehovah Jireh, to my heart, and I can have the faith of an Abraham and just let my God be my everything.

But until then, I’ll keep asking myself … when will I really “get with God’s program?” … really believing God’s promises and receiving His abundant grace gladly … and faithfully? When will my lifestyle become one of complete worship and obedience to my God’s promises, completely trusting in Jehovah-Jireh?

I pray it begins today!

My Prayer Today: At least today, … I declare, You are my Provider, Lord! Amen

August 19, 2011 … Dare to be a Daniel

Passage of the Day: 1st Chronicles 29: 11 – 12 … 11 Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is Yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. 12 Wealth and honor come from You; You are the ruler of all things. In Your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.

My Journal for Today: Yesterday my fellow readers here and I looked at the truth and reality that God owns everything, a truth we must recognize as Christians if we are to be effective stewards of God’s providence. Today’s passage, one verse of which was quoted in yesterday’s devotional entry, reflects this as well.

However, as I am influenced by John MacArthur’s devotional for this date in Strength for Today, he helps me (us) by taking his readers back to the story of Daniel being cast into the lion’s den, described in Daniel 6 – linked for your study. Here we read of the extent of Daniel’s trust of God’s sovereignty, which was put to the ultimate test, a life-threatening set of circumstances, from which Daniel emerged a winner! MacArthur also quotes the author Jerry Bridges from his book Trusting God, who writes, “God … so directs and controls all events and actions of His creatures that they never act outside of His sovereign will. We must believe and cling to this … if we are to glorify God by trusting Him.”

These last few devotional entries are not long and involved, because the issues are fairly straight forward [I didn’t say “easy” to deal with; … but they are “straight forward”]. As MacArthur and Bridges intimate, honoring God in our stewardship is a matter of belief and trust – a matter of faith. Do I trust God as it says in Prov. 3: 5 – 6 … in ALL things … at ALL times; or do I hold back, relying on my own understanding, searching for reasons which satisfy my own mind when I don’t comprehend what is happening or when I’m out of control? MacArthur (and God’s word) challenges me (and you) to dare to be a Daniel when circumstances are overwhelming or incomprehensible.

How about it? Are we ready to trust our sovereign God today?!! Are we willing to be the stewards of the God who gave us all for His glory?

My Prayer Today: Help me, Lord, to be a Daniel and to trust You totally. Amen

August 18, 2011 … Recognizing God’s Ownership

Passage of the Day: Psalm 24: 1 … The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; …

My Journal for Today: This will not be a long devotional entry today. The point is short and clear; and it’s made in today’s verse. The point: Godly and biblical stewardship begins and hinges upon the recognition that we, God’s creation, own NOTHING! It’s all God’s, pure and simple … for HIS use and HIS glory.

John MacArthur reminds his readers on this date in Strength for Today of the wonderful story of John Wesley, whom, upon hearing that his house had burned, replied, “No it hasn’t. I don’t own a house. The one I lived in belongs to the Lord.” Wesley recognized that God had given him that house and God would still provide for his needs.

This raises the questions … do we see God’s ownership and His providence in the way Wesley saw it? Or … do we take personal ownership of the stuff of life, which leads to personalized greed and the coveting of worldly things? … May I digress with the confession that all too often I seek to be the owner of “stuff” in my life; and because I feel that way, I seek to control that “stuff,” trying to protect MY [there I go again!] “stuff.” In my head I know the truth of today’s highlight scripture; but too often I don’t live it out – from the heart - in my life. How about you?

MacArthur very nicely summarizes where our hearts and minds should be focused, writing, “We should worship God as the owner of all things, thank Him for whatever He entrusts to us, and never allow our ‘possessions’ to be a cause to forget Him.” That was Kind David’s prayer when he said to God (in 1st Chron. 29: 11), “…everything in heaven and in earth is Yours.”

And that should be our attitude and continual prayer as well.

My Prayer Today: And that is my prayer this day, Lord; … it is all Yours! Amen

August 17, 2011 … Finding True Contentment

Passage of the Day: Philippians 1:21 … For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

My Journal for Today: Short verse ... powerful implications. The Apostle Paul says it – flat out – in today’s verse (copied above). To Paul, as it should be for all Christians, Christ was his all-in-all. And John MacArthur, in today’s devotional from Strength for Today, clearly states, “… true contentment is found only in Christ.”

However, it is unfortunately the case that many people, and even many Christians, have bought into the worldly view of life summarized by the bumper sticker … “The man who dies with the most toys wins!” And it’s time for all of us to stop and honestly see if that sticker applies, even remotely, to our lives; because, if it does, for us to live is fleshly gain and to die is cheapened by our greed.

The Apostle Paul went on (in Phil. 4: 11 – 12) to express God’s truth about contentment; and he did so from his own personal witness [writing while he was imprisoned!]. He declared that having things or not having things was (or is) not where contentment is found. Real contentment, to Paul, only comes from a deep and abiding relationship with Jesus, … THE Christ.

So, I come to this place in life with my own testimony of this truth, after many years in my past seeking contentment as the world would have it … looking for the accumulation of “stuff,” especially monetary accumulation to produce security and contentment. Now I can clearly, and very personally, support what Paul is saying in today’s verse … that my contentment has been found in a pursuit to know God through my relationship with Christ. I now know, as Paul witnessed, that only pursuing Christ can and will bring me contentment. And to this end, my pursuit will continue until I’m with my Lord in glory.

My Prayer Today: Thank You for teaching me that You are everything, Lord! Amen

August 16, 2011 … Serving Your Master

Passage of the Day: Matthew 6: 24 … "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”

My Journal for Today: Jesus’ teaching and exhortation in today’s passage is straight forward and logical. He says NOBODY can be a slave to two masters. The Greek word for “nobody” means ……… NOBODY!

Now, in today’s world, many people are into “multi-tasking;” and many people get quite good at this method of getting things done (even though this can be a recipe for “burnout,” which is another lesson entirely!). But handling two tasks simultaneously is not what Jesus is teaching about. When he uses to the concept “serve” in today’s teaching, He is referring to the Greek word “douleuo,” which clearly refers to being a “slave” to a master. And Jesus is saying that we cannot be a slave or servant (i.e., disciple) to Himself and to any other worldly or fleshly master, such as money (in this instance). For in bowing down and serving money or some worldly pleasure as our master, we are deferring our allegiance to Satan, the world, or self, which means that we cannot serve God at the same time.

The world and Satan, the world’s [temporary] master, demands that their followers be proud, to walk by sight, to seek the things of the world, and to be anxious over everything, having no power except that provided by Satan. But our Lord, God, demands Christians to be humble, to walk by faith, to seek the things of heaven, and to be anxious for nothing, having all power provided by our God. And as you can read, these two masters are separated by 180 degrees of difference in their demands. So, which will we choose?

Romans 6: 17 – 18 reminds us that Christians, who are now in Christ, were once slaves to sin; but now, anyone who has chosen to believe and make Christ as Lord, becomes a slave of righteousness. Hence, the Christian – the true Christian – will never comfortably be able to choose to be a slave to the pursuit of the world or selfish gain because God’s Spirit will never provide peace in such pursuits. When God’s Spirit is deeply rooted in the heart of any believer, that one becomes a sold-out bond slave to Christ; and any decisions that are made in the flesh or in the pursuit of Satan’s world will produce Holy Spirit generated reactions (i.e., conviction), ultimately leading one to surrender to The Master, Who always wants the best for His servants. But if a Christian chooses to be temporarily mastered by his own deceit-ridden heart, by the world, or by Satan, he can expect to live in the misery of conviction and chastisement from a God who loves that one enough not to let him stay directed toward a sin-directed master.

I know that the concept of being a SLAVE is not one that sits well with the western consciousness, especially in our culture of American individualism and post-modern relativism. But the irony is … we can never find true freedom or God’s peace without being a slave to God’s Truth (see John 8: 32); and Jesus is The Truth (see John 14: 6). So, we, as believers, must decide … do we serve (i.e., become slaves) of Christ; or do we serve Satan, the world, or the flesh?

It is our choice!

My Prayer Today: I serve You, Lord! Amen

August 15, 2008 … Seeing Clearly

Passage of the Day: Matthew 6: 22 – 23 … [NIV] 22 "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

Matt. 6: 22-23 in NASB: 22 “The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is [a]clear, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

My Journal for Today: There’s an interesting paradox as we continue with Jesus’ teachings on stewardship from the Sermon on the Mount. In today’s passage, provided in both NIV and NASB, our Lord is trying to show believers the one key to have clear spiritual discernment. And yet in the teaching process, He uses word pictures that make it challenging for His disciples to get a clear picture of what He’s trying to teach. It’s almost as if Christ was giving a pop-quiz on spiritual discernment while he was teaching on the subject. It might be like an optometrist saying to a patient, “Look in this lens and tell me what you see. [And then he puts a lens in front of your eyes that makes the image look like the patient is seeing through a murky lens covered with gel.]” Jesus was THE Master Teacher; but at times one has to really stretch the mind to find what He’s teaching about so that the heart will benefit. And that, I believe, is what Jesus continually does … stretch our minds and hearts, as Christians, … all the way to eternity.

Also, I believe, Jesus – to extent my pop-quiz metaphor – is teaching to see if His disciples truly believe Him. In other words, a non-believer CANNOT get what He’s saying because a non-believer gets no discernment assist from God’s Spirit. But this lesson, from today’s text, is being taught prior to Pentecost; and it would take the prevenient grace of God’s Spirit, giving Spiritual “lenses” to any in Jesus’ audience that day as He preached this sermon so that His disciples could really be able to “see” what He was teaching with clarity. In other words, if anyone in that audience had the ability to understand this lesson, Jesus knew that seeker truly believed and really wanted to follow Him. What about you? Do you believe what Jesus is teaching with His words above in Matt. 6: 22-23; because if you really do, then you can read/meditate on God’s word, and God’s Spirit will teach you God’s meaning from His word.

Again, back to our passage from Matt. 6, our Lord speaks of the “eye” being the lamp (or “window” in other translations) for the body (or the “soul,” if you will). If you study from the NASB version, you’ll read that Jesus says, “If your eye is CLEAR, …” which provides the optimum view on discernment. The term, “clear,” (or “good” above in the NIV) is from a Greek construct meaning “generous.” So, what Jesus is rather obtusely challenging his followers to understand is that the generosity of one’s heart contributes to the clarity of the Christian to discern what comes into the heart as light coming through a window. If the window is very dirty [from a greedy heart], very little light gets in. If the window is very clean [from a generous spirit], more of the light gets through and we can see life so much more clearly.

So, restating this again for clarity [redundancy teaches!], the generous heart is a clear window, letting the light of God’s truth into the soul. But the opposite is the case with a begrudging or selfish heart, which, if it were the condition of the believer’s heart, would block God’s light from getting in, darkening the soul, and resulting in spiritual density. Have you ever felt, in reading God’s word or listening to a sermon, that you just didn’t get it? Well, maybe it would be wise for us to look at our own heart at that time. Could it be that we are pursuing selfish gains or holding a grudge or retaining our money from God’s kingdom? Maybe opening up to a genuinely generous spirit – the HOLY SPIRIT – you can take the blinders off and you can see God’s way more clearly.

John MacArthur in his daily devotional from Strength for Today, very nicely today paraphrases the message of Jesus today by writing, “How you handle your money (time or talents) is the key to your spiritual perception.” If your heart is on heaven and in tune with Christ, you will have a generous spirit and a giving nature. If your treasure is withheld here on earth in selfishness, you will be near-sighted or even blinded spiritually and your greed will be apparent.

I leave it you to do the self-analysis as I’m doing mine here this morning. How well do we see things through the lens of God’s Spirit; and just how does the eye of generosity in our soul let the light of Christ in?

My Prayer Today: Help me to see more and give more of myself, Lord! Amen

August 14, 2011 … Being Devoted to God

Passage of the Day: Matthew 6: 21 [see Scripture in bold/underlined] … 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

My Journal for Today: Personally, in this one highlighted verse for the day (see in bold and underlined above), I think Jesus gives Christians the best indicator of the health of our stewardship as believers. And also VERY personally, this is one of the real hard sayings from Jesus’ teachings for Christians to absorb and apply in our lives [especially yours truly!].

We certainly know, as Christians and from our knowledge of Romans 3: 23 and Jeremiah 17: 9 (great verses to have memorized), that we’re all sinful and have deceitful hearts. But praise God, when God’s Spirit comes to reside in the still naturally sinful heart of man upon conversion, supernatural change will take place in that heart over time [see 2nd Cor. 5: 17 and Phil. 1: 6]. This is the process of sanctification; and it becomes manifest in more and more Christlike behavior being seen in the life of the true Christian as that one develops a deeper and deeper relationship with the Savior. And as that believer begins to pursue God and surrender to His Spirit, one of the best measures of that sanctification would be the stewardship of that Christian. I think I’ve said it before, quoting a friend of mine, “Show me the check stubs and the calendar of a so-called “Christian,” and we’ll be able to see if he’s the real deal.”

So, as I do a self-check here, I’ll ask you, “What about your check stubs [or electronic financial data]; … what about your calendar?” If we had a close look at your spending habits, your giving, and your use of God’s resources (time and talents, as well as treasures), would your heart be on display as Jesus viewed what you treasure? I have to ask myself all the time, “Am I gladly (and the attitude is important as seen in 2nd Cor. 9: 6 - 7) using God’s money and the time He has given me for Godly ends; … or am I using His providence for myself?” Honest answers to these questions will tell us whether we are sowing what God would have us sow from our use of His providence … whether our heart is right as we use His treasures.

My Prayer Today: O help me, Lord, to give with single-minded devotion to You. Amen

August 13, 2011 … Giving Generously to the Lord

Passage of the Day: Matthew 6: 20 [see Scripture in bold/underlined ] … 19 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

My Journal for Today: According to John MacArthur in Strength for Today, the early Church, as recorded in Acts 2, became a model for how believers were to “…store up treasures … in heaven …,” as Jesus was teaching in today’s passage.

As these early believers saw the needs of other fellow Christians, they were gladly willing to pool their resources and sacrifice generously to meet those needs. And according to the later discipleship teachings of both Peter (1st Pet. 1: 3-4) and Paul (1st Tim. 6: 18 – 19), that’s what kingdom giving was all about [and as it should for us now]. It is an investment of giving, gladly and generously, to honor God in the here-and-now. And for that investment of sacrifice, where a believer humbly gives with a generous attitude, it is God’s promise that treasures, abounding beyond our imagination, will be stored up in heaven to reward the generous Christian who was/is willing to sacrifice with gladness of heart in this life. Someone once told me, “God’s pay for His work in this life may not seem like much; but the fringe benefits are out of this world!”

And in the next life, upon reaping what we, as faithful followers of Christ, have sowed in this life, our bounty will be more gladly used to glorify the One – and the only One – Who is worthy to receive all honor and praise … our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

So, my dear ones who read this, in this life – our here and now life – we, who are benefactors of God’s infinite sacrifice on the Cross, must ask ourselves if we are handling God’s providence in such a way as to lay up treasures for His glory in the next life.

My Prayer Today: I can do more, Lord … so much more! Amen