Passage of the Day: Galatians 5: 16 … So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
My Journal for Today: All Christians know or learn that we will have to deal with the wiles of Satan and his system, the world, in our day-by-day walk with the Lord. However, probably our most dangerous spiritual enemy is found in today’s verse – “the desires of the sinful nature.” [In other translations, that phrase is translated, “… the desires of the flesh.”]
To counteract our personal anti-Christ desires, or even to deal with Satan and the world, Paul exhorts believers to “…live [or ‘walk’] by the Spirit.” That is strong rhetoric; but what does that command entail?
Well, John MacArthur in his Strength for Today devotional on this date posits that such a walk (or life) must first/foremost involve the daily intake, meditation, and yes, even the memorization of God’s word. Psalm 1: 2 says that the Godly man or woman delights in God’s word, “…meditating in it day and night.” And that was the same formula for spiritual prosperity and success given by God to Joshua as he was about to undertake the monumental task of taking God’s people across the Jordan and into the promised land (see Joshua 1: 8, which I really hope you have memorized). So, to follow MacArthur’s first premise, assuming all Christians desire to have spiritual success [i.e., to follow Christ’s mandate of Luke 9: 23], we must ask ourselves, “ Are we into God’s word with the consistency and with the intensity directed by God’s word itself?”
And the second point made by MacArthur in this regard concerns the seriousness or intensity of our commitment to live for God in God’s way; and MacArthur contends that we’ll never experience the full effect of the life-transforming ministry of God’s Spirit if we don’t CHOOSE to focus on God by becoming the “LIVING SACRIFICE” written about by Paul in Romans 12: 1 – 2 [and that is a memory verse which I really implore you have in your heart]. Our lives as Christians – which is our worship of our Lord - must become a 24/7 lifestyle of discipleship and worship in the Spirit (see also John 14: 23 – 24).
What God, the Holy Spirit, wants to do is to take our surrender and turn it into Christlikeness [see Phil. 1: 6]. So, what we have to decide is how much we want Him to do that!
My Prayer Today: I walk with You, precious Spirit. Transform me! Amen
Showing posts with label applying Scripture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label applying Scripture. Show all posts
Monday, September 12, 2011
Saturday, August 27, 2011
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
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.
-------------
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.
-----------
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
Saturday, October 16, 2010
2010 – October 16 – The Importance of Scripture
Study from God’s Word… [More readings on the history of the transition between Old and New Testament times] … Passage for Reflection: 2nd Timothy 3: 16 - 17 … NIV 16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
My Journal for Today: Though Dr. LaGard Smith, the Author of the devotional book, The Daily Bible Devotional, in his readings from The Daily Bible in Chronological Order does not have his readers today reading from the New Testament quite yet. No, … for today’s devotional, Dr. Smith has drawn out one of the most important verses in all of the New Testament when it comes to our reliance and interpretation of the New Testament as “SCRIPTURE,” with our New Covenant belief that the New Testament, along with the Jewish Old Covenant, as canonized in the three centuries after Christ’s death, has become GOD’S VERY WORD, i.e., His inerrant truth from which we can place our eternal trust and rely upon The Bible for guidance in our lives as Christians. And if you’re reading here; and you cannot believe that The Bible, as it has been constituted and canonized, is absolute truth, then you need not be reading along with me further. In fact it would be a waste of time for you.
Because, … I believe that the Bible, as it has come to be established by God Himself, over time and history, is SCRIPTURE; and it is, in my belief, absolutely inerrant and reliable for all truth that I need to live my life and for all others to live under its authority. Therefore, as Dr. Smith has described what happened historically in the transition during the 400+ years of transition between the Old and New Testaments as well as how, in the times after Christ’s death, the Apocrypha was rejected by those in the reformation times, we now have all of God’s work in establishing His word as HE would wanted it constituted. So, if you do not believe, in reading here, that the Old/New Testaments of our currently established Bible is what Paul said to his protégé, Timothy (and to all Christians as well) in the highlighted passage for today, then you need not, and probably should not, be reading further as I journal what I believe to be absolute truth from God’s Word, … The Bible.
I think of the quote from Mark Twain, who was a funny man; but he had a tragic viewpoint about the veracity of the Bible. He is quoted in his book, Letters From The Earth, espousing the following view of The Bible: It is full of interest. It has noble poetry in it; and some clever fables; and some blood-drenched history; and some good morals; and a wealth of obscenity; and upwards of a thousand lies. That viewpoint of God’s very word, my reading friend, tragically, at Mark Twain’s death has this humorist confronting a horrible reality when he comes before the very God Who has brought His truth, through history, and into the life of all mankind as we know it in the Bible. And Samuel Clements now will live forever in the hell he rejected as truth. … For sure, … not funny for this “funny” man.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I pray that all who read with me here believe implicitly and explicitly that the Bible is Your word, completely and utterly established by You through mankind for us to know You and live by Your truth. Amen
My Journal for Today: Though Dr. LaGard Smith, the Author of the devotional book, The Daily Bible Devotional, in his readings from The Daily Bible in Chronological Order does not have his readers today reading from the New Testament quite yet. No, … for today’s devotional, Dr. Smith has drawn out one of the most important verses in all of the New Testament when it comes to our reliance and interpretation of the New Testament as “SCRIPTURE,” with our New Covenant belief that the New Testament, along with the Jewish Old Covenant, as canonized in the three centuries after Christ’s death, has become GOD’S VERY WORD, i.e., His inerrant truth from which we can place our eternal trust and rely upon The Bible for guidance in our lives as Christians. And if you’re reading here; and you cannot believe that The Bible, as it has been constituted and canonized, is absolute truth, then you need not be reading along with me further. In fact it would be a waste of time for you.
Because, … I believe that the Bible, as it has come to be established by God Himself, over time and history, is SCRIPTURE; and it is, in my belief, absolutely inerrant and reliable for all truth that I need to live my life and for all others to live under its authority. Therefore, as Dr. Smith has described what happened historically in the transition during the 400+ years of transition between the Old and New Testaments as well as how, in the times after Christ’s death, the Apocrypha was rejected by those in the reformation times, we now have all of God’s work in establishing His word as HE would wanted it constituted. So, if you do not believe, in reading here, that the Old/New Testaments of our currently established Bible is what Paul said to his protégé, Timothy (and to all Christians as well) in the highlighted passage for today, then you need not, and probably should not, be reading further as I journal what I believe to be absolute truth from God’s Word, … The Bible.
I think of the quote from Mark Twain, who was a funny man; but he had a tragic viewpoint about the veracity of the Bible. He is quoted in his book, Letters From The Earth, espousing the following view of The Bible: It is full of interest. It has noble poetry in it; and some clever fables; and some blood-drenched history; and some good morals; and a wealth of obscenity; and upwards of a thousand lies. That viewpoint of God’s very word, my reading friend, tragically, at Mark Twain’s death has this humorist confronting a horrible reality when he comes before the very God Who has brought His truth, through history, and into the life of all mankind as we know it in the Bible. And Samuel Clements now will live forever in the hell he rejected as truth. … For sure, … not funny for this “funny” man.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I pray that all who read with me here believe implicitly and explicitly that the Bible is Your word, completely and utterly established by You through mankind for us to know You and live by Your truth. Amen
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
2010 – Day 20. Jan. 20 – Second-guessing Motives
Study from Genesis 45 – 47; Passage for Reflection: Genesis 47: 20 - 21 … NIV The land became Pharaoh’s, and Joseph reduced the people to servitude, from one end of Egypt to another.
Genesis 47: 20 - 21 … NKJV So the land became Pharaoh’s. 21 And as for the people, he moved them into the cities, from one end of the borders of Egypt to the other end.
Genesis 47: 20 - 21 … Amplified Bible The land became Pharaoh's, 21And as for the people, he removed them to cities and practically made slaves of them [at their own request], from one end of the borders of Egypt to the other.
My Journal for Today: Today my personal take on F. LaGard Smith’s devotional is a reminder to me that studying scripture sometimes is like Job wrote of seeking wisdom in Chapter 28 [linked] of the book which bears his name. It’s like mining for gems or precious metals. You have to dig deeper than the surface; and many times you have to search deep to find the answers.
When one reads the NIV account of Genesis 47: 20-21 [see above], it would appear that, all of a sudden, Joseph, who had been this mild-mannered and benevolent overseer of Egypt, Pharaoh’s Prime Minister, had turned hard and cruel. And that’s why, when one is reading God’s word and he/she gets an impression which doesn’t seem to fit in the historical context of the Bible, the disciple should mine deeper to seek answers.
On the surface, reading these two verses in the NIV, it would seem that Joseph had become a hard task master, enslaving the people and putting them under the thumb of Pharaoh; but when you dig a little deeper into the mosaic of Bible translations, Joseph’s motive becomes clearer. Note the added emphasis and explanation which comes from only reading two more versions of scripture beyond the NIV (the NKJV and The Amplified Bible). One begins to get the feel that Joseph brought the people into indentured servitude, probably at their own request, to protect them and to ensure that they would have the food and seed they would need to sustain their families, flocks, and their fields. And if you study some reputable commentaries on this section of scripture, you’ll see that this, more benevolent picture of Joseph’s motives for what he did, becomes clearer.
Dr. Smith’s point this morning is that we should take care to avoid surface interpretations of someone’s decisions, especially when the observed behavior doesn’t seem to jibe with their history or character as revealed by past actions or decisions. And my point is the same is true with Scripture. When something you read and interpret from God’s word just doesn’t seem to be right in your mind, we need to dig deeper to understand what God intended, especially studying the historical context of the passage in question. And that means mining for the mind of God by using other interpretations of Scripture than just the one we happen to be reading; or it might mean going to reputable commentaries; and certainly it would mean praying for God, the Holy Spirit, to give you, a disciple of God’s truth, a clearer picture of what God needs for you to understand from His Word.
As you can see above, merely getting a wider interpretation of these two highlighted verses from other versions of the Bible revealed that there was much more to seeing Joseph’s motives than just taking it on face value that he desired to enslave the people of Goshen at the time of the famine in Egypt. I hope we all glean the lesson here today, especially when it comes to searching for truth from God’s word; and that lesson is to be willing to go deeper than the surface to mine the jewels of truth which are found in God’s word.
My Prayer for Today: Precious Holy Spirit, help me as I go deeper and deeper to know my Savior and Father through Your word. Amen
Genesis 47: 20 - 21 … NKJV So the land became Pharaoh’s. 21 And as for the people, he moved them into the cities, from one end of the borders of Egypt to the other end.
Genesis 47: 20 - 21 … Amplified Bible The land became Pharaoh's, 21And as for the people, he removed them to cities and practically made slaves of them [at their own request], from one end of the borders of Egypt to the other.
My Journal for Today: Today my personal take on F. LaGard Smith’s devotional is a reminder to me that studying scripture sometimes is like Job wrote of seeking wisdom in Chapter 28 [linked] of the book which bears his name. It’s like mining for gems or precious metals. You have to dig deeper than the surface; and many times you have to search deep to find the answers.
When one reads the NIV account of Genesis 47: 20-21 [see above], it would appear that, all of a sudden, Joseph, who had been this mild-mannered and benevolent overseer of Egypt, Pharaoh’s Prime Minister, had turned hard and cruel. And that’s why, when one is reading God’s word and he/she gets an impression which doesn’t seem to fit in the historical context of the Bible, the disciple should mine deeper to seek answers.
On the surface, reading these two verses in the NIV, it would seem that Joseph had become a hard task master, enslaving the people and putting them under the thumb of Pharaoh; but when you dig a little deeper into the mosaic of Bible translations, Joseph’s motive becomes clearer. Note the added emphasis and explanation which comes from only reading two more versions of scripture beyond the NIV (the NKJV and The Amplified Bible). One begins to get the feel that Joseph brought the people into indentured servitude, probably at their own request, to protect them and to ensure that they would have the food and seed they would need to sustain their families, flocks, and their fields. And if you study some reputable commentaries on this section of scripture, you’ll see that this, more benevolent picture of Joseph’s motives for what he did, becomes clearer.
Dr. Smith’s point this morning is that we should take care to avoid surface interpretations of someone’s decisions, especially when the observed behavior doesn’t seem to jibe with their history or character as revealed by past actions or decisions. And my point is the same is true with Scripture. When something you read and interpret from God’s word just doesn’t seem to be right in your mind, we need to dig deeper to understand what God intended, especially studying the historical context of the passage in question. And that means mining for the mind of God by using other interpretations of Scripture than just the one we happen to be reading; or it might mean going to reputable commentaries; and certainly it would mean praying for God, the Holy Spirit, to give you, a disciple of God’s truth, a clearer picture of what God needs for you to understand from His Word.
As you can see above, merely getting a wider interpretation of these two highlighted verses from other versions of the Bible revealed that there was much more to seeing Joseph’s motives than just taking it on face value that he desired to enslave the people of Goshen at the time of the famine in Egypt. I hope we all glean the lesson here today, especially when it comes to searching for truth from God’s word; and that lesson is to be willing to go deeper than the surface to mine the jewels of truth which are found in God’s word.
My Prayer for Today: Precious Holy Spirit, help me as I go deeper and deeper to know my Savior and Father through Your word. Amen
Friday, March 27, 2009
2009 – Day 85.Mar. 27 – The Wilderness Cycle
2009 – Day 85.Mar. 27 – The Wilderness Cycle
Passage of the Day: Exodus 17: 1 – 16 … Exodus 17, linked for your study …
My Journal for Today: As I read the first portion of today’s highlight passage (Versus 1 – 7 of Exod. 17) I couldn’t help but reflect on the modern definition of “insanity;” and that is, “Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” And Moses must of felt “insane” with frustration at times at times (see today's passage, v. 2) with the Hebrews wandering in the wilderness desert , … headed toward the land of Canaan, promised to Abraham; but with these people grumbling about God’s provision at every turn.
Swindoll points out that the lesson here is that our conversion and commitment to the Lord is either a dramatic thing, like the crossing of the Red Sea for the Hebrew people; … or it may be so far in our past that we have a tendency to forget its impact. Either way, in the here and now, especially when those circumstances are testing or trials and tribulations, we humans, even those who declare our allegiance to God, will have a tendency to question God or to remember only our immediate desires in the face of privation. Swindoll is right; … for some, the wilderness may be our children; … for others it may be our marriage or job relationships; … for yet others, it may be financial difficulties; … or in the case of many whom God has led me toward in ministry, it may be sexual brokenness.
But whatever our wilderness experience as God leads us through our deserts of life, we need to learn the lesson of Chuck Swindoll’s high school history teacher, Mrs. Allen, who used to say to her students, “There are two things you can do with history; you can ignore it, or you can learn from it.” That’s wise counsel, Mrs. Allen.
God’s children in the desert were not very good learners; and I’m afraid neither are most of us. We don’t remember the lessons from our past; and we live in the here and now, rather than trusting God for what He’s led us to or through from our past. Swindoll advises, “You have never lived the seven days in front of you, and you will never live them again.” We need to live the next seven days remembering the God ordained lessons from the past; but we need to live those days, trusting God that He has already gone ahead of us to set out our future [see Deut. 31: 8]. In my devotionals over the past years, I’ve repeatedly been asked, or I’ve asked in my journals, “Do we really believe the truth that God has given us in Romans 8: 28, or do we choose to ignore it as truth?”
If you’ve been a Christian for any period of time, you should know by now the truths of Romans 8: 28 or Hebrews 13: 5 or from the OT in Isaiah 41: 10 (I hope you have those verses memorized!). We either know them or we don’t. We believe them or we don’t; and we will live them, … or we won’t!
What about it fellow warrior; are we learning from our past; and are we leaving our future entrusted COMPLETELY to God? Do we stand on the truth of 1st Cor. 10: 13? I’m going to leave you to dig that passage out if you don’t know it in your heart. Meditate on it as absolute truth from God; and then join me in a covenant to learn from our past and to move forward as we’re exhorted in Phil. 3: 13 – 14 [link provided ], looking ahead for the prize God has in front of us.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, help me to remember the past but to live my future following Your path which leads to Your prize. Amen
Passage of the Day: Exodus 17: 1 – 16 … Exodus 17, linked for your study …
My Journal for Today: As I read the first portion of today’s highlight passage (Versus 1 – 7 of Exod. 17) I couldn’t help but reflect on the modern definition of “insanity;” and that is, “Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” And Moses must of felt “insane” with frustration at times at times (see today's passage, v. 2) with the Hebrews wandering in the wilderness desert , … headed toward the land of Canaan, promised to Abraham; but with these people grumbling about God’s provision at every turn.
Swindoll points out that the lesson here is that our conversion and commitment to the Lord is either a dramatic thing, like the crossing of the Red Sea for the Hebrew people; … or it may be so far in our past that we have a tendency to forget its impact. Either way, in the here and now, especially when those circumstances are testing or trials and tribulations, we humans, even those who declare our allegiance to God, will have a tendency to question God or to remember only our immediate desires in the face of privation. Swindoll is right; … for some, the wilderness may be our children; … for others it may be our marriage or job relationships; … for yet others, it may be financial difficulties; … or in the case of many whom God has led me toward in ministry, it may be sexual brokenness.
But whatever our wilderness experience as God leads us through our deserts of life, we need to learn the lesson of Chuck Swindoll’s high school history teacher, Mrs. Allen, who used to say to her students, “There are two things you can do with history; you can ignore it, or you can learn from it.” That’s wise counsel, Mrs. Allen.
God’s children in the desert were not very good learners; and I’m afraid neither are most of us. We don’t remember the lessons from our past; and we live in the here and now, rather than trusting God for what He’s led us to or through from our past. Swindoll advises, “You have never lived the seven days in front of you, and you will never live them again.” We need to live the next seven days remembering the God ordained lessons from the past; but we need to live those days, trusting God that He has already gone ahead of us to set out our future [see Deut. 31: 8]. In my devotionals over the past years, I’ve repeatedly been asked, or I’ve asked in my journals, “Do we really believe the truth that God has given us in Romans 8: 28, or do we choose to ignore it as truth?”
If you’ve been a Christian for any period of time, you should know by now the truths of Romans 8: 28 or Hebrews 13: 5 or from the OT in Isaiah 41: 10 (I hope you have those verses memorized!). We either know them or we don’t. We believe them or we don’t; and we will live them, … or we won’t!
What about it fellow warrior; are we learning from our past; and are we leaving our future entrusted COMPLETELY to God? Do we stand on the truth of 1st Cor. 10: 13? I’m going to leave you to dig that passage out if you don’t know it in your heart. Meditate on it as absolute truth from God; and then join me in a covenant to learn from our past and to move forward as we’re exhorted in Phil. 3: 13 – 14 [link provided ], looking ahead for the prize God has in front of us.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, help me to remember the past but to live my future following Your path which leads to Your prize. Amen
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