Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Deuteronomy, Chapters 17-20 … To study these chapters, go to this link -
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Highlight Passage #1 of the Day: Reference of #1 Highlight Passage for Study: Deuteronomy, Chapters 17: 14-20 … To study this passage, go to this link -
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Highlight Passage #2 of the Day: Reference of #2 Highlight Passage for Study: Deuteronomy, Chapters 18: 9-14 … To study this passage, go to this link -
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Highlight Passage #3 of the Day: Reference of #3 Highlight Passage for Study: Deuteronomy, Chapters 18: 15-22 … To study this passage, go to this link -
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Highlight Passage #4 of the Day: Reference of #4 Highlight Passage for Study: Deuteronomy, Chapters 20: 1-4 … To study this passage, go to this link -
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My Journal for Today: Wow! Each morning when I come to this place, my closet of worship, I pray for God, through the chronological Bible reading plan to which I’m committed this year, to give me something special. In other words, I’m asking Him to highlight something which He can use to grow me into His image or something from His word which I can use to disciple someone else who might need that highlighted truth. Each day He comes through for me.
And, … as you can probably tell from the multiple passages I highlighted above, there was a lot from the reading of Deuteronomy, Chapters 17-20 which I could have blogged for my own journal entry today. In fact, I’ve highlighted and linked four such passages above for any disciple here to go back and study. Let me comment briefly on the first three; and then I’ll go more into a little more depth on Passage #4.
Passage #1 from Deut. 17- 14-20: In this passage we have a great discussion of the need for Godly leadership for God’s chosen people. God knew that His people were going to call for a king one day; and so, the Lord prophetically laid out the boundaries for such an anointed office, even though God would have not preferred the people have kings. Think how badly we need to have true, GODLY, leadership in today’s church, in our nation, and in our world.
Passage #2 from Deut. 18: 9-14: The Israelites had a history of conforming to the ungodly habits and traditions of the cultures with whom they intermingled and especially intermarried. God knew they were going to enter a land where pagan practices like child sacrifice were practiced. So, in Passage #2 we see God’s warning to avoid child sacrifice; and He charged HIS PEOPLE to replace such ungodly practices with the worship practices He would institute. Think about the application today with the hideous and ungodly practice of abortion, which is perpetuated to worship the idol of convenience and selfish desires. And make no mistake; … God is going eradicate this ungodly cultural practice … somehow, … in His way and time; and may God have mercy on us when He does.
Passage #3 from Deut. 18: 15-22: God sent Prophets to be His messengers, forward from the days of Moses, to be His voice of truth to the people. These called and God-anointed Prophets held an a recognized office in those times; and the last and greatest of these Prophets was prophesied by Moses (in Deut. 18: 15) to which Stephen, the first martyr of the New Covenant, referred to when he proclaimed Jesus was The Christ [see Acts 7: 37]. Although we don’t have the “office” of PROPHET in the New Testament church, we do have Christians who have the Spirit-endowed gift of prophesy to help us see how we can apply God’s truth (from His word) in our cultural times. Unfortunately, it seems that our culture and country are paying more attention and following the ways of the the world rather than following those who can clearly interpret God’s truth for our world.
I could devote a lot of my application and writing time to any of those three topics in today’s reading. However, let me focus my attention primarily on Passage #4 this morning.
Passage #4 from Deut. 20: 1-4: The other three passage spoke loudly to me about God’s truth this morning; but Passage #4 almost jumped out at me with encouragement; and I want to give it a little more space in my journaling. And this passage shouts out a wonderful message from God, through Moses, to His people [and by extension of context, to us], saying that no matter what they [or we] will encounter and face, as God’s people are led toward, He, the Lord, God, would always be with them [us].
Go back and meditate on that passage, my friend; and be uplifted by its truth. God is saying (as His word says in this passage): Deut. 20: 3 … “Hear, [My people]: Today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not panic or be terrified by them. 4 For the LORD, your God, is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.”
My friend, today you and I are going into a battle. And we have fortified spiritual enemies, … Satan, the world, and our own flesh, against which we will have to fight. Personally, it is greatly encouraging to know that I have the same God - IN ME – which the Israelites could rely upon … the God Who is much stronger than the evil I will face in the world. And He is the God I and follow into battle and to rely upon to carry me through (go back and read 1st John 4: 4, Rom. 8: 31, 1st Cor. 10: 13, and 2nd Cor. 12: 9.
Yes, I am weakened by my own flesh; and today I will encounter an enemy who is much stronger than I am, … and enemy who has developed a worldly beachhead of temptation and trouble which will try to bring me down. But just like God promised the Israelites, if I follow Him into battle, I will ultimately be victorious; … because God’s ULTIMATE WARRIOR, my Lord and Savior, Jesus, has won the war; and no matter what happens in battle in this world, I will LIVE with Him forever in His promised-land.
My Prayer Today: … Praise You, Lord; because today all my enemies could do is to smite my flesh; but You are with me and will never forsake me; … and in that promise, I am saved!! Amen
Showing posts with label our weakness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label our weakness. Show all posts
Friday, March 16, 2012
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
May 31, 2011 … Our Ultimate Example
Passage of the Day: 1st Peter 2: 21 - 23 … 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps. 22 "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth." [quoted from Is. 53: 9]
23 When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.
My Journal for Today: Talk about a role model!
This month I’ve been in devotional study, helped along by John MacArthur’s Strength for Today as always during this year, looking at how we Christians walk [i.e., live] worthy of Christ’s Name (see Eph. 4: 1-2) even when we face trials and tribulations. And in today’s passage from the Apostle Peter, we read of THE Role Model of role models in this regard – Christ, Himself. And it was appropriate that Peter reflected on the prophesy from Isaiah 53 of the “suffering Servant,” Who would suffer for all mankind and still look to His Heavenly Father in the midst of the man’s most horrible trail – His death on the cross.
This month we’ve looked at both Stephen and Paul as wonderful human role models of suffering servants who ended their lives, living out the strength in suffering exhibited by Christ on the cross. We see how they exhibited a Christian’s worthiness in their ability to stand in Christlikeness in the face of pain, suffering, and persecution, … both of them dying as martyrs in the name of their Lord. These were certainly two role models of Christlike humility and meekness in the face of persecutions, much as was their role-model, Jesus.
But you may say, “Stephen and Paul, yes; but can I do it? Can a normal human walk so worthily in Christlikeness, even in the face of great tribulation. And for the answer to that we mentioned the story of Cassie Bernall, who died at Columbine High School in 1999, when one of the teen gunman who had invaded that high school on that November morning asked her, threatening her life with a gun to her head, if she was a Christian, to which she replied without hesitation, “Yes!” And she, like Stephen and Paul became a martyr for her faith.
Can I walk like these faith-worthy Christians? Until I’m challenged as were they, I’ll never truly know; but I would hope that my faith and walk in Christ has matured to the point that I could. I certainly know that my head says that I’m committed to such a walk of faith. That’s why I’m here every morning devoting the best part of my day early each morning, getting to know my God more intimately. BUT, … my heart is challenged daily to be ready to walk into the potentially hot fires of life, still following Christ in fruitful victory … the One Who died on a cross that I might have this walk.
As the author of Hebrews (in Heb. 12: 2) puts it, these martyrs mentioned above walked … fixing their eyes on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of their faith. And once more I turn back the words of that incredible hymn …
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face …
And the things of this earth will grow strangely dim …
In the light of His glory and grace.
What more could we ever say about what we always need to do when we face trials and challenges in life?
My Prayer Today: And may that, Lord, as I come to this quiet place each morning to be with You, be my daily habit. Amen
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Blogger’s Note: Well, that concludes my journaling of my daily quiet-times with my God each morning in May, this month focusing on how to walk in a worthy manner in Christlikeness even when things get rough in life. Next month, I’ll be focusing, again with the help of John MacArthur in his devotional book, Strength For Today, on how to maintain INTEGRITY in the face of an enemy and a world who wants to denude Christians of our strength of character. Perhaps you might grow with me as we explore Christlikeness again this next month.
23 When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.
My Journal for Today: Talk about a role model!
This month I’ve been in devotional study, helped along by John MacArthur’s Strength for Today as always during this year, looking at how we Christians walk [i.e., live] worthy of Christ’s Name (see Eph. 4: 1-2) even when we face trials and tribulations. And in today’s passage from the Apostle Peter, we read of THE Role Model of role models in this regard – Christ, Himself. And it was appropriate that Peter reflected on the prophesy from Isaiah 53 of the “suffering Servant,” Who would suffer for all mankind and still look to His Heavenly Father in the midst of the man’s most horrible trail – His death on the cross.
This month we’ve looked at both Stephen and Paul as wonderful human role models of suffering servants who ended their lives, living out the strength in suffering exhibited by Christ on the cross. We see how they exhibited a Christian’s worthiness in their ability to stand in Christlikeness in the face of pain, suffering, and persecution, … both of them dying as martyrs in the name of their Lord. These were certainly two role models of Christlike humility and meekness in the face of persecutions, much as was their role-model, Jesus.
But you may say, “Stephen and Paul, yes; but can I do it? Can a normal human walk so worthily in Christlikeness, even in the face of great tribulation. And for the answer to that we mentioned the story of Cassie Bernall, who died at Columbine High School in 1999, when one of the teen gunman who had invaded that high school on that November morning asked her, threatening her life with a gun to her head, if she was a Christian, to which she replied without hesitation, “Yes!” And she, like Stephen and Paul became a martyr for her faith.
Can I walk like these faith-worthy Christians? Until I’m challenged as were they, I’ll never truly know; but I would hope that my faith and walk in Christ has matured to the point that I could. I certainly know that my head says that I’m committed to such a walk of faith. That’s why I’m here every morning devoting the best part of my day early each morning, getting to know my God more intimately. BUT, … my heart is challenged daily to be ready to walk into the potentially hot fires of life, still following Christ in fruitful victory … the One Who died on a cross that I might have this walk.
As the author of Hebrews (in Heb. 12: 2) puts it, these martyrs mentioned above walked … fixing their eyes on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of their faith. And once more I turn back the words of that incredible hymn …
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face …
And the things of this earth will grow strangely dim …
In the light of His glory and grace.
What more could we ever say about what we always need to do when we face trials and challenges in life?
My Prayer Today: And may that, Lord, as I come to this quiet place each morning to be with You, be my daily habit. Amen
====================
Blogger’s Note: Well, that concludes my journaling of my daily quiet-times with my God each morning in May, this month focusing on how to walk in a worthy manner in Christlikeness even when things get rough in life. Next month, I’ll be focusing, again with the help of John MacArthur in his devotional book, Strength For Today, on how to maintain INTEGRITY in the face of an enemy and a world who wants to denude Christians of our strength of character. Perhaps you might grow with me as we explore Christlikeness again this next month.
Thursday, May 05, 2011
May 5, 2011 … Trials’ Lessons: Humility
Passage of the Day: 2nd Corinthians 12: 7 - 9 … 7 To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But He [Jesus] said to me, "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.
My Journal for Today: “Why all the problems, Lord?” … Ever voice such a prayer? Maybe you haven’t voiced it … but maybe you have felt like that and questioned God’s motives in engineering or allowing the difficulties/circumstances in your life. Right now in my life, I really identify with Paul’s painful “thorn” in today’s passage, because I’m going through rehab following a full hip replacement; and it’s a humbling experience – to say the least. Perhaps you’ve had some physical and/or emotional pain which has humbled you in your life.
The answer to our quandary or attitude block about the physical/emotional/spiritual pain which God allows in our lives just might be found in the passage that is our focus today. The Apostle Paul obviously had a special relationship with the Lord, especially having been blessed by personal confrontation and/or visitation from Jesus as well as some vision unto heaven. You can read of some type of a personal tour of heaven in 2nd Cor. 12: 1 – 4 …
SCRIPTURE: 2nd Cor. 12: 1 – 4 ... I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. 3 And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— 4 was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell.
Note that it is highly likely, according to scholars, that “the man” to whom Paul refers in this passage in the third person is himself. And I think it’s easy to see that the Apostle is trying to show his readers (and that would include you and me) that mountain-top spiritual experiences tend to make one prideful. And Paul, in today’s passage, shows that God had to “take him (Paul) down a notch” in the realm of personal humility so that He (God) could bless Paul with His grace. And Paul finally got it … even after praying diligently that God lift the “thorn” from his own flesh (whatever that condition was).
We all have “thorns” in our life. Some are physical maladies like I’m going through presently; others might be emotional, habitual, or circumstantial; but as believers, we must know that God is in those circumstances or that “thorn,” whatever it must be. God has said as much in His word – that He would never forsake us (see both the OT – Deut. 31: 6 – and the NT – Heb. 13: 5). And like Paul, it’s okay to pray fervently to God for the deliverance of the pain or anguish of any malady, trial, or situation. Jesus did that in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before He was to have the thorn of all thorns visited upon Him on the cross. But it may be the case, as it was for Paul and Jesus, that God will not see fit to lift the thorn which causes us so much pain. And if it is to help us be humble enough to receive His grace, it is well worth the agony of that “thorn” to be able to receive God’s grace and His strength in our weakness.
As I’ve stated in the past, this highlighted passage of scripture today is one of my “favorites,” both personally and for use in ministry. I think all Christians would agree that we desire to have all of God’s grace that He’s willing to pour into our lives – even if we don’t deserve it. And from this passage, as well as others like James 4: 6 and 1st Peter 5: 6 [from Prov. 3: 34] , we know that “… God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Therefore, even if it takes God allowing Satan to perpetrate pain upon us to keep us humble, as was Paul’s challenge, it is worth it so that we might have access to God’s amazing seeking, saving, and sanctifying grace! Actually, wasn’t the entire book of Job, the oldest book in the Bible, about this subject?
All of this substantiates the truth of Paul’s wondrous claim in Romans 8: 28 … that all things do work together for good for those who are “the called” according to Christ’s purpose; and I pray that I will always be able to see God’s grace awaiting me in the challenges which beset me – and those for you as well. I certainly needed to re-learn this lesson today; … how about you?
My Prayer Today: Lord, I beg You to pour Your grace into my life, especially into my weaknesses so that Your strength will be seen by all. Amen
My Journal for Today: “Why all the problems, Lord?” … Ever voice such a prayer? Maybe you haven’t voiced it … but maybe you have felt like that and questioned God’s motives in engineering or allowing the difficulties/circumstances in your life. Right now in my life, I really identify with Paul’s painful “thorn” in today’s passage, because I’m going through rehab following a full hip replacement; and it’s a humbling experience – to say the least. Perhaps you’ve had some physical and/or emotional pain which has humbled you in your life.
The answer to our quandary or attitude block about the physical/emotional/spiritual pain which God allows in our lives just might be found in the passage that is our focus today. The Apostle Paul obviously had a special relationship with the Lord, especially having been blessed by personal confrontation and/or visitation from Jesus as well as some vision unto heaven. You can read of some type of a personal tour of heaven in 2nd Cor. 12: 1 – 4 …
SCRIPTURE: 2nd Cor. 12: 1 – 4 ... I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. 3 And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— 4 was caught up to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell.
Note that it is highly likely, according to scholars, that “the man” to whom Paul refers in this passage in the third person is himself. And I think it’s easy to see that the Apostle is trying to show his readers (and that would include you and me) that mountain-top spiritual experiences tend to make one prideful. And Paul, in today’s passage, shows that God had to “take him (Paul) down a notch” in the realm of personal humility so that He (God) could bless Paul with His grace. And Paul finally got it … even after praying diligently that God lift the “thorn” from his own flesh (whatever that condition was).
We all have “thorns” in our life. Some are physical maladies like I’m going through presently; others might be emotional, habitual, or circumstantial; but as believers, we must know that God is in those circumstances or that “thorn,” whatever it must be. God has said as much in His word – that He would never forsake us (see both the OT – Deut. 31: 6 – and the NT – Heb. 13: 5). And like Paul, it’s okay to pray fervently to God for the deliverance of the pain or anguish of any malady, trial, or situation. Jesus did that in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before He was to have the thorn of all thorns visited upon Him on the cross. But it may be the case, as it was for Paul and Jesus, that God will not see fit to lift the thorn which causes us so much pain. And if it is to help us be humble enough to receive His grace, it is well worth the agony of that “thorn” to be able to receive God’s grace and His strength in our weakness.
As I’ve stated in the past, this highlighted passage of scripture today is one of my “favorites,” both personally and for use in ministry. I think all Christians would agree that we desire to have all of God’s grace that He’s willing to pour into our lives – even if we don’t deserve it. And from this passage, as well as others like James 4: 6 and 1st Peter 5: 6 [from Prov. 3: 34] , we know that “… God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Therefore, even if it takes God allowing Satan to perpetrate pain upon us to keep us humble, as was Paul’s challenge, it is worth it so that we might have access to God’s amazing seeking, saving, and sanctifying grace! Actually, wasn’t the entire book of Job, the oldest book in the Bible, about this subject?
All of this substantiates the truth of Paul’s wondrous claim in Romans 8: 28 … that all things do work together for good for those who are “the called” according to Christ’s purpose; and I pray that I will always be able to see God’s grace awaiting me in the challenges which beset me – and those for you as well. I certainly needed to re-learn this lesson today; … how about you?
My Prayer Today: Lord, I beg You to pour Your grace into my life, especially into my weaknesses so that Your strength will be seen by all. Amen
Saturday, August 14, 2010
2010 – August 14 – Halfhearted Repentance
Study from God’s Word… Jeremiah, Chapters 51 and then Jer. 49: 34-39, followed by Jer. 34: 8-22 … Passage for Reflection: Jeremiah 34: 15 – 16 … NIV [God, through Jeremiah, to King, Zedekiah, and the people of Judah] 15 Recently you repented and did what is right in My sight: Each of you proclaimed freedom to his countrymen. You even made a covenant before Me in the house that bears My Name. 16 But now you have turned around and profaned My Name; each of you has taken back the male and female slaves you had set free to go where they wished. You have forced them to become your slaves again.
My Journal for Today: How many times do we read in the Old Testament how God’s people, His Hebrew children, rebel against their Covenant relationship with their Father, God. In today’s highlight passage we have another of these stories, where Judah was reminded that they, under Mosaic Law, must set their slaves free in the seventh year of their captivity; and as we read, they did repent and do that; but then they went back on their promise, once again disobeying God by taking their slaves back.
Now, before we get all haughty, thinking, “What wimps these Jews were as faithless followers of the one, true God!” And yes, certainly they were; but as I read this story in my devotional by LaGard Smith this morning, I was reminded of a repentant New Testament warrior who had trouble living up to his New Covenant faith. And that, of course, was the Apostle Paul. Let me link you here to a passage of Romans 7: 14-24 - linked, where our converted Christian warrior, Paul, is lamenting his inability to do what he knows is right according to his relationship with his Lord and Savior, Jesus.
How often do we, called to holiness and to be a living sacrifice to righteousness (see Rom. 12: 1-2), and called to separate ourselves from the world and our fleshly weaknesses, find ourselves falling short and failing to glorify God with some isolated sin or pattern of repeated weakness [see Rom. 3: 23]? It’s amazing to me how much God puts up with, as He did with Paul in Romans 7, then reminding His children, as He did with that same Paul, inspiring this broken warrior to write all of Romans 8. Or when the beloved Apostle John was inspired to write 1st John 1: 9, which I hope you can quote right here, as I refer to the truth that we can be cleansed of any or all sin by confessing that sin to our loving God. What a God we serve!!!
Yes, we’re no different than these weak-kneed Hebrews, who rode the repentance roller-coaster, being convicted and repenting of their sinfulness and then allowing themselves to be sucked back into their own fleshly weakness or lured into selfish sin by the world or Satan. Aren’t you just glad that there’s a Romans 8, into which we can choose to live instead of being mired in Romans 7 living? Aren’t you just glad that God provided a way for us to be free of our own deceitful hearts? Aren’t you just glad that you’ve repented – at least once – sincerely and have received God’s eternal gift of eternal life [all it takes is found in Romans 10: 9-13 linked]? And wouldn’t it be great if we, who have been saved by God’s grace, would live up to our part of that New Covenant, repenting of our sin and choosing to walk in righteousness, allowing God’s empowering/enabling grace to let us live in His Romans 8 promises?
Those are the questions God has led me to deal with this morning. What about you?
My Prayer for Today: Lord, lead me away from my own Romans 7 weaknesses to live in Your Romans 8 power. Amen
My Journal for Today: How many times do we read in the Old Testament how God’s people, His Hebrew children, rebel against their Covenant relationship with their Father, God. In today’s highlight passage we have another of these stories, where Judah was reminded that they, under Mosaic Law, must set their slaves free in the seventh year of their captivity; and as we read, they did repent and do that; but then they went back on their promise, once again disobeying God by taking their slaves back.
Now, before we get all haughty, thinking, “What wimps these Jews were as faithless followers of the one, true God!” And yes, certainly they were; but as I read this story in my devotional by LaGard Smith this morning, I was reminded of a repentant New Testament warrior who had trouble living up to his New Covenant faith. And that, of course, was the Apostle Paul. Let me link you here to a passage of Romans 7: 14-24 - linked, where our converted Christian warrior, Paul, is lamenting his inability to do what he knows is right according to his relationship with his Lord and Savior, Jesus.
How often do we, called to holiness and to be a living sacrifice to righteousness (see Rom. 12: 1-2), and called to separate ourselves from the world and our fleshly weaknesses, find ourselves falling short and failing to glorify God with some isolated sin or pattern of repeated weakness [see Rom. 3: 23]? It’s amazing to me how much God puts up with, as He did with Paul in Romans 7, then reminding His children, as He did with that same Paul, inspiring this broken warrior to write all of Romans 8. Or when the beloved Apostle John was inspired to write 1st John 1: 9, which I hope you can quote right here, as I refer to the truth that we can be cleansed of any or all sin by confessing that sin to our loving God. What a God we serve!!!
Yes, we’re no different than these weak-kneed Hebrews, who rode the repentance roller-coaster, being convicted and repenting of their sinfulness and then allowing themselves to be sucked back into their own fleshly weakness or lured into selfish sin by the world or Satan. Aren’t you just glad that there’s a Romans 8, into which we can choose to live instead of being mired in Romans 7 living? Aren’t you just glad that God provided a way for us to be free of our own deceitful hearts? Aren’t you just glad that you’ve repented – at least once – sincerely and have received God’s eternal gift of eternal life [all it takes is found in Romans 10: 9-13 linked]? And wouldn’t it be great if we, who have been saved by God’s grace, would live up to our part of that New Covenant, repenting of our sin and choosing to walk in righteousness, allowing God’s empowering/enabling grace to let us live in His Romans 8 promises?
Those are the questions God has led me to deal with this morning. What about you?
My Prayer for Today: Lord, lead me away from my own Romans 7 weaknesses to live in Your Romans 8 power. Amen
Thursday, June 24, 2010
2010 – June 24 – Unworthy, But Chosen
Study from God’s Word… Isaiah 5: 24 – 30; Is 1: 27-31; Is 2: 19-21; Is 2: 22 – 3: 7; Is 4: 2 – 6; Is 2: 1 – 5; 2Kgs 15: 19-28; 2Kgs 15: 6-7 [2Chron 26: 22-23]; 2Kgs 15: 7, 32-33; 2Chron 26: 23, 27: 1, 8]; 2Kgs 15: 34 [2Chron 27: 2]; Isaiah 6: 1 – 13; 2Kgs 15: 35 [2Chron 27: 3-6]… Passage for Reflection: Isaiah 6: 5 – 8 … NIV 5 "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty." 6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for." 8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"
My Journal for Today: This is one passage from God’s word which calls up great empathy and identification from me. No, I’m not called to be a “Prophet.” I don’t even have the spiritual gift of prophesy. But I have been called out of unworthiness to carry out a task for God and His kingdom, … a ministry dealing on the front lines of spiritual warfare. And like Isaiah at his calling, which is documented in today’s highlight passage, when I was called, I felt totally unworthy to be called.
HOWEVER, the more I have gotten to know the characters of the Bible, especially in the Old Testament, I have found many who didn’t feel worthy at their time of calling by God; and I’d almost bet you’re thinking of Moses at the burning bush, who felt like a stutterer who was called to be God’s spokesman; or there was Gideon, the coward who was called by God to become a mighty warrior. There was Amos, also called to be God’s prophet, who declared he was neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet. And here is Isaiah, who declares that he’s a man of “unclean lips,” being called out to be God’s mouth-piece to His people. All of these men of God became Godly men, used by God, because they responded to God’s calling out of unworthiness. And for about 15 years now, my response to Gods’ calling has actually been used for His glory. Go figure.
But as was Isaiah, when I was called into ministry, I was tuned in to my own weaknesses and unworthiness. Isaiah knew that God was asking him to go forth into a role which would make him a hated man as well as vulnerable to those whom he’d be carrying God’s message. Isaiah knew that he was an unrighteous man being asked to carry a message of righteousness to a people racked by unrighteousness. And as Dr. Smith points out today in his devotional concerning Isaiah, “If righteousness was a prerequisite for the job (of God’s calling), he (Isaiah) of all people wasn’t qualified.” Yet, as we read, in that wonderful verse 8, when God finally gave Isaiah His calling, Isaiah responded, with the powerful Hebrew reply, “Heneni,” which means “Here I am, send me!”
There’s a wonderful song, written and sung by Marty Goetz, a former orthodox Jew converted to Christ, … a song which I’ve called up on my laptop as I meditate here this morning and write this. The song is entitled, Heneni; and the song celebrates the spirit of the one called by God and knowing that the calling is for an inadequate servant; but it is with the understanding that God’s calling is His enablement. Isaiah could say – and mean – “Heneni” to God because He knew God was God and would not have called a lowly, unworthy man to be His prophet unless God was there to lift him up. That is also the message of another message to Isaiah from God. Go find it in Isaiah 41: 10; and meditate on the truth that we need never fear God’s calling because God’s calling is His promise of power to overcome any weakness we might have. The Apostle Paul certainly discovered that truth.
The New Testament Apostle, recognizing that he was the “chief of sinners” (in 1st Tim. 1: 15), yet he could say to believers, “You can imitate me, because I imitate Christ.” (1st Cor. 11: 1) Had learned his own message of 2nd Cor. 12: 9 … that God’s grace is sufficient to cover any weakness we might have. None of us is worthy of God’s calling; but we can know that God is God [!]; and when God calls, we can respond, as did Isaiah, or many others did to God, … HENENI! … Here, am I, Lord, send me!
My Prayer for Today: Heneni, Lord! Amen
My Journal for Today: This is one passage from God’s word which calls up great empathy and identification from me. No, I’m not called to be a “Prophet.” I don’t even have the spiritual gift of prophesy. But I have been called out of unworthiness to carry out a task for God and His kingdom, … a ministry dealing on the front lines of spiritual warfare. And like Isaiah at his calling, which is documented in today’s highlight passage, when I was called, I felt totally unworthy to be called.
HOWEVER, the more I have gotten to know the characters of the Bible, especially in the Old Testament, I have found many who didn’t feel worthy at their time of calling by God; and I’d almost bet you’re thinking of Moses at the burning bush, who felt like a stutterer who was called to be God’s spokesman; or there was Gideon, the coward who was called by God to become a mighty warrior. There was Amos, also called to be God’s prophet, who declared he was neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet. And here is Isaiah, who declares that he’s a man of “unclean lips,” being called out to be God’s mouth-piece to His people. All of these men of God became Godly men, used by God, because they responded to God’s calling out of unworthiness. And for about 15 years now, my response to Gods’ calling has actually been used for His glory. Go figure.
But as was Isaiah, when I was called into ministry, I was tuned in to my own weaknesses and unworthiness. Isaiah knew that God was asking him to go forth into a role which would make him a hated man as well as vulnerable to those whom he’d be carrying God’s message. Isaiah knew that he was an unrighteous man being asked to carry a message of righteousness to a people racked by unrighteousness. And as Dr. Smith points out today in his devotional concerning Isaiah, “If righteousness was a prerequisite for the job (of God’s calling), he (Isaiah) of all people wasn’t qualified.” Yet, as we read, in that wonderful verse 8, when God finally gave Isaiah His calling, Isaiah responded, with the powerful Hebrew reply, “Heneni,” which means “Here I am, send me!”
There’s a wonderful song, written and sung by Marty Goetz, a former orthodox Jew converted to Christ, … a song which I’ve called up on my laptop as I meditate here this morning and write this. The song is entitled, Heneni; and the song celebrates the spirit of the one called by God and knowing that the calling is for an inadequate servant; but it is with the understanding that God’s calling is His enablement. Isaiah could say – and mean – “Heneni” to God because He knew God was God and would not have called a lowly, unworthy man to be His prophet unless God was there to lift him up. That is also the message of another message to Isaiah from God. Go find it in Isaiah 41: 10; and meditate on the truth that we need never fear God’s calling because God’s calling is His promise of power to overcome any weakness we might have. The Apostle Paul certainly discovered that truth.
The New Testament Apostle, recognizing that he was the “chief of sinners” (in 1st Tim. 1: 15), yet he could say to believers, “You can imitate me, because I imitate Christ.” (1st Cor. 11: 1) Had learned his own message of 2nd Cor. 12: 9 … that God’s grace is sufficient to cover any weakness we might have. None of us is worthy of God’s calling; but we can know that God is God [!]; and when God calls, we can respond, as did Isaiah, or many others did to God, … HENENI! … Here, am I, Lord, send me!
My Prayer for Today: Heneni, Lord! Amen
Wednesday, December 02, 2009
2009 – Day 335.Dec 2 – The Power of Weakness
Passage for Study: Acts 18: 1 - 17 … Acts 18 linked for study …
2nd Passage for study: 2nd Corinthians 11: 22 – 28 … [self search and study in 2nd Cor. 11 required]
3rd Passage for study: 2nd Corinthians 12: 9 – 11 … [self search and study in 2nd Cor. 12 required]
My Journal for Today: Today’s devotional by Chuck Swindoll, taken from the life of the Apostle Paul as an exemplar, means a lot to me personally. And perhaps this top title, The Power of Weakness, defines my approach to life as much as any of Swindoll’s devotionals might. Maybe it will mean a lot to other readers of my daily blog as well. Maybe you?!
We have a tendency to see the Apostle Paul as a giant of the faith, … a strong man of God, who wrote about how to do battle against spiritual enemies (see Eph. 6: 10 – 18), and the one who wrote encouraging letters while imprisoned with the threat of losing his life, but still writing to churches he had planted throughout Asia Minor and Greece. He was the determined evangelist who experienced all we read about in 2nd Cor. 11: 22-28; and yet he stayed true to his calling? His strength of purpose and resolve almost seems super-human. But in all of that spiritual fruitfulness, we learn from one of my favorite passages in all of Scripture (see 2nd Cor. 12: 7-11) that Paul had learned from Jesus Himself, the secret to strength; and that was the recognition and humble acknowledgement of his own weakness.
And what a lesson this is for all of us; because, like Paul, none of us is super-human. Oh, some may have a physical/emotional pain tolerance, which is greater than others. But in reality, we all, like Paul, have our “thorns,” and we all need God’s strength to cover our weakness. So, in the 2nd Cor. 12 passage, referenced today, we read that Paul actually got to the point that he could brag about his weaknesses; because he knew that when he recognized how weak he was, he could come to God’s throne of grace and humbly receive the enabling and empowering grace to cover him, to lift him up, and to carry him through any “thorn” in life, such as those he documented in 2nd Cor. 11.
My friend, I know, like myself, you have had your “thorns.” I’d be willing to bet the ranch that you’ve had your “shipwrecks.” And perhaps you’ve been “flogged” or “imprisoned” in some figurative, if not literal, sense in your life. Well, if so, join me and the Apostle Paul in the realization of what Pastor Chuck Swindoll is trying to get across to us today; … and that is the message of 2nd Cor. 12: 9 from no less than Jesus, Himself. Dear one, this is the only red-letter verse in all of the Pauline epistles, ... that “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in [your] weakness.”
Now I added the pronoun referent (to “your” weakness) above to personalize God’s general message that He is willing, through the grace empowerment of His Spirit, to give us whatever we need in whatever challenge we might face, … all the strength, direction, and focus we might need to make it through any “thorn” we might face in life. My dear one, go back and meditate on Prov. 3: 5-6, Isaiah 41: 10, 1st Cor. 10: 13, 2nd Peter 1: 7, and 2nd Peter 1: 1-4 and you’ll see that message of God’s empowerment in the face of our weakness being repeated over and over again.
The question becomes, do we believe God when He trumpets His strength to empower us when we recognize and acknowledge our own weakness … OR NOT?! Because if we cannot believe this truth, we become slaves, shackled to our own circumstances; and Satan has us exactly where he wants us, … broken by our own lack of faith. But when we recognize the truths I have simply repeated from God’s word for you today, and we believe them, we can be lifted up and enabled to meet any thorn, shipwreck, or prison we might face in life. >>> That is my prayer for all of us.
My Prayer for Today: My God, like Paul, I sit here, wracked by the pain of my age, having many human weaknesses, but realizing that in You and from You I can receive Your enabling grace to live onward and to be empowered for Your purpose. Amen
2nd Passage for study: 2nd Corinthians 11: 22 – 28 … [self search and study in 2nd Cor. 11 required]
3rd Passage for study: 2nd Corinthians 12: 9 – 11 … [self search and study in 2nd Cor. 12 required]
My Journal for Today: Today’s devotional by Chuck Swindoll, taken from the life of the Apostle Paul as an exemplar, means a lot to me personally. And perhaps this top title, The Power of Weakness, defines my approach to life as much as any of Swindoll’s devotionals might. Maybe it will mean a lot to other readers of my daily blog as well. Maybe you?!
We have a tendency to see the Apostle Paul as a giant of the faith, … a strong man of God, who wrote about how to do battle against spiritual enemies (see Eph. 6: 10 – 18), and the one who wrote encouraging letters while imprisoned with the threat of losing his life, but still writing to churches he had planted throughout Asia Minor and Greece. He was the determined evangelist who experienced all we read about in 2nd Cor. 11: 22-28; and yet he stayed true to his calling? His strength of purpose and resolve almost seems super-human. But in all of that spiritual fruitfulness, we learn from one of my favorite passages in all of Scripture (see 2nd Cor. 12: 7-11) that Paul had learned from Jesus Himself, the secret to strength; and that was the recognition and humble acknowledgement of his own weakness.
And what a lesson this is for all of us; because, like Paul, none of us is super-human. Oh, some may have a physical/emotional pain tolerance, which is greater than others. But in reality, we all, like Paul, have our “thorns,” and we all need God’s strength to cover our weakness. So, in the 2nd Cor. 12 passage, referenced today, we read that Paul actually got to the point that he could brag about his weaknesses; because he knew that when he recognized how weak he was, he could come to God’s throne of grace and humbly receive the enabling and empowering grace to cover him, to lift him up, and to carry him through any “thorn” in life, such as those he documented in 2nd Cor. 11.
My friend, I know, like myself, you have had your “thorns.” I’d be willing to bet the ranch that you’ve had your “shipwrecks.” And perhaps you’ve been “flogged” or “imprisoned” in some figurative, if not literal, sense in your life. Well, if so, join me and the Apostle Paul in the realization of what Pastor Chuck Swindoll is trying to get across to us today; … and that is the message of 2nd Cor. 12: 9 from no less than Jesus, Himself. Dear one, this is the only red-letter verse in all of the Pauline epistles, ... that “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in [your] weakness.”
Now I added the pronoun referent (to “your” weakness) above to personalize God’s general message that He is willing, through the grace empowerment of His Spirit, to give us whatever we need in whatever challenge we might face, … all the strength, direction, and focus we might need to make it through any “thorn” we might face in life. My dear one, go back and meditate on Prov. 3: 5-6, Isaiah 41: 10, 1st Cor. 10: 13, 2nd Peter 1: 7, and 2nd Peter 1: 1-4 and you’ll see that message of God’s empowerment in the face of our weakness being repeated over and over again.
The question becomes, do we believe God when He trumpets His strength to empower us when we recognize and acknowledge our own weakness … OR NOT?! Because if we cannot believe this truth, we become slaves, shackled to our own circumstances; and Satan has us exactly where he wants us, … broken by our own lack of faith. But when we recognize the truths I have simply repeated from God’s word for you today, and we believe them, we can be lifted up and enabled to meet any thorn, shipwreck, or prison we might face in life. >>> That is my prayer for all of us.
My Prayer for Today: My God, like Paul, I sit here, wracked by the pain of my age, having many human weaknesses, but realizing that in You and from You I can receive Your enabling grace to live onward and to be empowered for Your purpose. 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
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