Passage of the Day: Daniel 1: 18 - 20 … 18 At the end of the time set by the king to bring them in, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king's service. 20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.
My Journal for Today: My former mentor, early in my Christian discipleship, when I was considering a task that I felt God was calling me to do, used to say, “God’s calling is His enablement.” And probably no true story in the Bible illustrates that principle better than today’s passage. These four young Hebrew lads came out of their three years of apprenticeship training (and Babylonian brainwashing, we might add); and though still very young, they were wiser and more astute than all the other Hebrew “trainees” and all of the wise men and leaders in Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom.
That had to have been quite a “job” interview conducted by the King; and I’m sure he was blown away by how well these four men shined above all the rest. Later, in the book of Daniel, you can read, and we will see, how these four were challenged greatly for their faith. However, here we see that God had given them special grace and favor so that they would be up to the selection by the King as well as the challenges that would lie ahead in being God’s called witnesses to Babylon.
I hope it doesn’t seem presumptuous to interject a bit of personal testimony here. Some years back I was asked to become an Elder in our church, which, when I realized the biblical dictates/criteria (see 1st Tim. 3: 1-7 and Titus 1: 6-9), I felt humbled and challenged to become a leader in our church when I didn’t feel that leadership was one of my spiritual gifts. But my mentor repeated to me, “Bill, if God is calling you into this office, He will enable you to do this.” So, I submitted and was ordained an Elder of our church. A few years later, I seriously wondered why God had seemingly led me to into the daunting position of leadership; and then our former pastor had a serious breach of leadership, falling to an incident of sexual sin; and with my pre-Christian past, having been delivered from and discipled out of past patterns of sexual sin, I realized why God had prepared me for this moment in time. It was much like when Esther realized that God had brought her to a position of influence at just the right time of His calling, when her cousin Mordecai said to her, (from Esther 4: 14b) “And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” I realized that God had led me through my past and prepared me to have very special leadership training for just this one moment in our church’s history. I learned that “God’s calling is HIS enablement (and mine too).”
God wants you and me, i.e., all believers, to be His witnesses to this very darkened, post-modern world, … a culture which desires, as did that of Babylon, to take God’s light from public sight (see 1st Peter 2: 15).
SCRIPTURE: 1st Peter 2: 15 … For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men.
And we must never forget God's call to His people [in Acts 1: 8] to receive His power and to be witnesses in His Name to the world whenever and wherever HE calls us to give witness to His Name. However, recently I heard John MacArthur give a sermon entitled A Nation Abandoned by God. In that message, primarily taken from Romans 1: 18 – 32, MacArthur posits that America and other nations of the world have likely in recent history been “given over” to the darkened minds/hearts of rulers and politicians who have been set adrift from God’s grace, allowing Satan to do his business with these leaders and to some extent with our culture. Hence, we see what is described in that passage of Romans 1, which is taking place in our post-modern America as well as throughout the world. And though I don’t like the term “abandoned” used by MacArthur in his sermon because of the truth of Deut. 31: 6 and Hebrews 13: 5, where God has promised “… never will I leave you; never will I forsake you; …” the “you” referring to a believing and obedient Israel in the Old Covenant as well as born-again believers in the New Covenant.
No, God will never “abandon” true followers of Christ; but He may well set those believers adrift for a season along with their collective nations as those nations decide to follow Satan and his world. But again remember, … God’s calling in His enablement; and God has called His people, through Christ, to be His vessels of light, Jesus declaring, [Matt. 5: 16] “… let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” He has also given His followers, by His grace, all we need to live up to His calling (see 2nd Cor. 12: 9 and 2nd Peter 1: 3). And so, even if God has given this post-modern culture over to the reprobate minds/hearts of its lost political and social “leaders,” God will never abandon the remnant of Christ’s followers in this world. That was God’s promise to Israel in Psalm 81: 8 -16 [linked here for your study]; and it’s His promise to you and me as Christians today.
My Prayer Today: Keep your fire lit in me, Lord, so that I may shine your truth in this world! Amen
Showing posts with label patience. Show all posts
Showing posts with label patience. Show all posts
Friday, June 10, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
January 21, 2011 … Biblical Patience
Passage of the Day: Ephesians 4: 1, 2 [see bold/underlined portion] – As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
My Journal for Today: Yes, if you’ve been following what I’ve journaled into this January, we’re still in Eph. 4: 1 - 2 and learning about the qualities necessary to live lives “worthy” of our calling as Christians; and today the focus (see bold/underlined text above) is on “PATIENCE.” And as I write this, I wince a bit with conviction because this is one of the Spirit-given fruit that all Christians have been given by the Holy Spirit upon conversion (see Gal. 5: 22, 23). I wince, however, because patience is one Spiritual fruit that is not well matured in my life; and I believe it’s, more generally, in short supply in our 21st century world. I’m sure you’d agree that we live in a MacDonald’s mentality world. “Faster is better” is the anti-patience value in our culture!
The Greek term for patience, “macrothumia,” is also translated “long suffering” or “long tempered” in various versions of Scripture. It was, and it is now, a quality that the Apostle Paul was teaching as absolutely necessary if one was to exhibit Christlike meekness [i.e., gentleness]. And John MacArthur in his exposition about this attitude wrote that Christ certainly modeled three aspects of “macrothumia” during his walk/ministry on earth.
First, the patient or long-suffering Christian never gives in. And in scripture we certainly have a model for this in the long-suffering of Abraham as mentioned in both the Old and New Testaments (see Genesis 12, Romans 4: 20, and Hebrews 6: 15). Sure, Abraham had lapses, like the business involving Haggar; but all-in-all, old Abe stuck in there waiting for God’s promises to unfold. I’m afraid, all-too-often, I find myself not willing to wait when I’ve prayed, and God’s response seems to be … “Wait!” But I’m growing; and prayerfully one day I can have a long -suffering spirit that will have the “patience of Job” as I seek for and live out God’s purposes for my life.
Secondly, patient Christians are able to cope with difficult people. This is the “long tempered” translation for “macrothumia;” and in this aspect of this fruit of the Spirit, I would say that I do better. I’ve learned, in my dealings with people over the years, that flaring back with reactive anger NEVER HELPS when I’m confronted by hurting or angry people. We can read; and I think I’ve learned God’s prescription for reactive anger in both Old and New Testaments …
>>> SCRIPTURE: Proverbs 15: 1 … A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
>>> SCRIPTURE: 1st Thessalonians 5: 14 … And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
It’s always been interesting to me that I can do better controlling myself in reaction to out-of-control people than I can when I’m in out-of-control circumstances. I seldom ever lose “my cool” when I’m handling angry people; but put me in a parking lot after a football game, when I’m at the mercy of hundreds of cars trying to get home, and I become the personification of anti-macrothumia. Yes, more growth is needed for this Christian when it comes to situational patience; and maybe I can learn to apply some of that “cool” I have with people in Memphis, TN, traffic – someday!
Finally, attempting to grow in patience (i.e., “macrothumia”) the patient Christian is able to accept God’s plan for EVERYTHING. You probably know the verse, but Romans 8: 28 is worthwhile quoting here …
>>> SCRIPTURE: Rom. 8: 28 … And we know that in ALL THINGS God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been [the] called according to his purpose.
Therefore, the Christian who truly believes and lives out the consequences of this truth will be filled with Christlike “macrothumia.” How many of us believe, in our head, that God is in control; but when we’re confronted by the tests, trials, temptations, and/or tribulations, how many of us really operate as if we believe Romans 8: 28? – or 1st Cor. 10: 13, for that matter …
>>> SCRIPTURE: 1Cor. 10: 13 … No temptation [also translated … “trial, test, or tribulation”] has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
How many of us get in this “here-and-now” mentality when we’re being tested by trying circumstances or extremely trying people? If it were an adolescent who couldn’t wait for what they wanted in the here and now, we’d label them as impatient and immature. Or maybe we even have a “temper tantrum,” as would a toddler not getting what he/she wants. But what about the adult Christian who cries out to God for what he wants in the here-and-now? Yes, you’re right; … we are immature Christians at times, aren’t we? And we let our impatience rob the joy that can even be found when we trust God and pass our cares onto the One who can carry our burdens for us (see 1st Peter 5: 7 and Matt. 11: 28 - 30 and you go and look those passages up if you don’t know them).
Well, I’m doing better with regard to “macrothumia” in my later years; but I’m afraid I’ve still got some training to go to build my worthiness when it comes to patience. But also, I do know that God will deal with me in His time and His way, until I’m a more patient, more Christlike Christian. See Phil. 1: 6 “… being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
My Prayer Today: Lord, help me to accept life as a crucible to burn off the dross of impatience which dwells in my soul … to mature my fruit of patience to be sweet like Yours. Amen
My Journal for Today: Yes, if you’ve been following what I’ve journaled into this January, we’re still in Eph. 4: 1 - 2 and learning about the qualities necessary to live lives “worthy” of our calling as Christians; and today the focus (see bold/underlined text above) is on “PATIENCE.” And as I write this, I wince a bit with conviction because this is one of the Spirit-given fruit that all Christians have been given by the Holy Spirit upon conversion (see Gal. 5: 22, 23). I wince, however, because patience is one Spiritual fruit that is not well matured in my life; and I believe it’s, more generally, in short supply in our 21st century world. I’m sure you’d agree that we live in a MacDonald’s mentality world. “Faster is better” is the anti-patience value in our culture!
The Greek term for patience, “macrothumia,” is also translated “long suffering” or “long tempered” in various versions of Scripture. It was, and it is now, a quality that the Apostle Paul was teaching as absolutely necessary if one was to exhibit Christlike meekness [i.e., gentleness]. And John MacArthur in his exposition about this attitude wrote that Christ certainly modeled three aspects of “macrothumia” during his walk/ministry on earth.
First, the patient or long-suffering Christian never gives in. And in scripture we certainly have a model for this in the long-suffering of Abraham as mentioned in both the Old and New Testaments (see Genesis 12, Romans 4: 20, and Hebrews 6: 15). Sure, Abraham had lapses, like the business involving Haggar; but all-in-all, old Abe stuck in there waiting for God’s promises to unfold. I’m afraid, all-too-often, I find myself not willing to wait when I’ve prayed, and God’s response seems to be … “Wait!” But I’m growing; and prayerfully one day I can have a long -suffering spirit that will have the “patience of Job” as I seek for and live out God’s purposes for my life.
Secondly, patient Christians are able to cope with difficult people. This is the “long tempered” translation for “macrothumia;” and in this aspect of this fruit of the Spirit, I would say that I do better. I’ve learned, in my dealings with people over the years, that flaring back with reactive anger NEVER HELPS when I’m confronted by hurting or angry people. We can read; and I think I’ve learned God’s prescription for reactive anger in both Old and New Testaments …
>>> SCRIPTURE: Proverbs 15: 1 … A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
>>> SCRIPTURE: 1st Thessalonians 5: 14 … And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.
It’s always been interesting to me that I can do better controlling myself in reaction to out-of-control people than I can when I’m in out-of-control circumstances. I seldom ever lose “my cool” when I’m handling angry people; but put me in a parking lot after a football game, when I’m at the mercy of hundreds of cars trying to get home, and I become the personification of anti-macrothumia. Yes, more growth is needed for this Christian when it comes to situational patience; and maybe I can learn to apply some of that “cool” I have with people in Memphis, TN, traffic – someday!
Finally, attempting to grow in patience (i.e., “macrothumia”) the patient Christian is able to accept God’s plan for EVERYTHING. You probably know the verse, but Romans 8: 28 is worthwhile quoting here …
>>> SCRIPTURE: Rom. 8: 28 … And we know that in ALL THINGS God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been [the] called according to his purpose.
Therefore, the Christian who truly believes and lives out the consequences of this truth will be filled with Christlike “macrothumia.” How many of us believe, in our head, that God is in control; but when we’re confronted by the tests, trials, temptations, and/or tribulations, how many of us really operate as if we believe Romans 8: 28? – or 1st Cor. 10: 13, for that matter …
>>> SCRIPTURE: 1Cor. 10: 13 … No temptation [also translated … “trial, test, or tribulation”] has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
How many of us get in this “here-and-now” mentality when we’re being tested by trying circumstances or extremely trying people? If it were an adolescent who couldn’t wait for what they wanted in the here and now, we’d label them as impatient and immature. Or maybe we even have a “temper tantrum,” as would a toddler not getting what he/she wants. But what about the adult Christian who cries out to God for what he wants in the here-and-now? Yes, you’re right; … we are immature Christians at times, aren’t we? And we let our impatience rob the joy that can even be found when we trust God and pass our cares onto the One who can carry our burdens for us (see 1st Peter 5: 7 and Matt. 11: 28 - 30 and you go and look those passages up if you don’t know them).
Well, I’m doing better with regard to “macrothumia” in my later years; but I’m afraid I’ve still got some training to go to build my worthiness when it comes to patience. But also, I do know that God will deal with me in His time and His way, until I’m a more patient, more Christlike Christian. See Phil. 1: 6 “… being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
My Prayer Today: Lord, help me to accept life as a crucible to burn off the dross of impatience which dwells in my soul … to mature my fruit of patience to be sweet like Yours. Amen
Sunday, October 24, 2010
2010 – October 24 – Fishing with Patience
Study from God’s Word… Matt 4: 12-17 & Luke 4: 14-15 [Mark 1: 14-15]; Luke 4: 16-30; Luke 5: 1-10; Matt 4: 18-20 & Luke 5: 10-11 [Mark 1: 16-20]; Mark 1: 21-22 [Luke 4: 31-32]; Mark 1: 23-28; Mark 1: 29-31 [Matt 8: 16-17]; Mark 1: 35-38 [Luke 4: 42-43]; Matt 4: 21-25 [Mark 1: 39 & Luke 4: 44]; Mark 1: 40-45 [Matt 8: 1-4]; Mark 2: 1-5 [Matt 9: 1-2 & Luke 5: 17-20]; Mark 2: 6-12 [Matt 9: 3-8 & Luke 5: 21-26] … Passage for Reflection: Matthew 4: 21 – 22 … NIV 21Going on from there, He [Jesus] saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
My Journal for Today: Well, from my studies, led by Dr. LaGard Smith, from The Daily Bible in Chronological Order, I got a great example in the importance of biblical study in chronological order. Because when one reads today’s highlight text from Matt. 4: 21-22, a Bible student could conclude that these two fishermen, James and John, heard Jesus call to them and they promptly and impulsively turned away from family and their occupation and followed this itinerant rabbi, Jesus. But if one reads the Bible carefully and chronologically as I was led to do today, you get an entirely different picture of why these two simple fishermen were willing to leave their boats and their father and follow Jesus to become fishers of men.
Getting “the rest of the story,” as Paul Harvey used to give us in his commentaries, is important; because in doing so we realize that the father in the boat was Jesus’ uncle, the father of Jesus’ first cousins, James and John, the so-called “Sons of Thunder,” who were sons of Zebedee, the husband of Salomé, who was likely Jesus’ aunt, the sister of His mother, Mary. So, getting at least part of the rest of the story, it’s not that James and John just left their dad and their occupation to follow a rabbi whom they didn’t really know that well. No, they had grown up knowing Jesus; and had likely experienced his incredible wisdom at a young age and probably had seen him perform miracles, like the great fish catching miracle, documented in Luke 5.
So, when Jesus called these fishermen to “come and be fishers of men,” … these men who were living in and around Capernaum, where Jesus had been living for some time, intimately knew the Man Who was calling them. They were probably close buddies; and they had very likely heard Jesus preach in the synagogue near Capernaum. So, when Jesus finally called these men out to follow Him closely as His disciples, they responded out of a deep faith which had been born out of relationship and experience.
And that brings up the application for today in our lives; because Jesus has called all of us to be fishers of men. We know of this calling as the “Great Commission” (and you’ve probably memorized – if not, you should – Matt. 28: 19-20). And we probably all have people in our lives that we’d like to call out, as Jesus did to these fishermen, to come and follow Jesus. But we’ve come to realize that it takes time - God’s time - to witness to some in our lives who reject the faith we’ve come to have in Jesus.
You know, in the business or hobby of fishing, those who fish will tell you that it takes a lot of patience to keep throwing the bait or the nets out to catch fish. Many times, when we’re fishing, and we’re faithfully, and with hope, casting out our bait over and over and over again … nothing bites. But then, after maybe hours of waiting, we throw out the bait, and bang, we’re blessed to feel a fish on the line; and we reel them in.
Jesus called His disciples to be “fishers of men;” and that’s what we are; and we need patience, just like I’m convinced Jesus had with James and John as well as Andrew and Peter, all of whom had likely been in close relationship with Jesus for YEARS before God, the Holy Spirit, used Jesus to reel them in to be fishers of men for God’s kingdom catch.
So, if you’ve got someone in your family or sphere of influence to whom you’ve been witnessing for years and praying for their salvation, … keep fishing from the relationship you have with that person. Have patience and keep casting out your testimony into the waters of your relationship; and know that when God’s timing is right, you – or maybe some other fisherman – will be able to reel in God’s catch. And HE will get the glory!!
My Prayer for Today: Lord, help me be patient as You use me to fish for Your kingdom and for Your glory. Amen
My Journal for Today: Well, from my studies, led by Dr. LaGard Smith, from The Daily Bible in Chronological Order, I got a great example in the importance of biblical study in chronological order. Because when one reads today’s highlight text from Matt. 4: 21-22, a Bible student could conclude that these two fishermen, James and John, heard Jesus call to them and they promptly and impulsively turned away from family and their occupation and followed this itinerant rabbi, Jesus. But if one reads the Bible carefully and chronologically as I was led to do today, you get an entirely different picture of why these two simple fishermen were willing to leave their boats and their father and follow Jesus to become fishers of men.
Getting “the rest of the story,” as Paul Harvey used to give us in his commentaries, is important; because in doing so we realize that the father in the boat was Jesus’ uncle, the father of Jesus’ first cousins, James and John, the so-called “Sons of Thunder,” who were sons of Zebedee, the husband of Salomé, who was likely Jesus’ aunt, the sister of His mother, Mary. So, getting at least part of the rest of the story, it’s not that James and John just left their dad and their occupation to follow a rabbi whom they didn’t really know that well. No, they had grown up knowing Jesus; and had likely experienced his incredible wisdom at a young age and probably had seen him perform miracles, like the great fish catching miracle, documented in Luke 5.
So, when Jesus called these fishermen to “come and be fishers of men,” … these men who were living in and around Capernaum, where Jesus had been living for some time, intimately knew the Man Who was calling them. They were probably close buddies; and they had very likely heard Jesus preach in the synagogue near Capernaum. So, when Jesus finally called these men out to follow Him closely as His disciples, they responded out of a deep faith which had been born out of relationship and experience.
And that brings up the application for today in our lives; because Jesus has called all of us to be fishers of men. We know of this calling as the “Great Commission” (and you’ve probably memorized – if not, you should – Matt. 28: 19-20). And we probably all have people in our lives that we’d like to call out, as Jesus did to these fishermen, to come and follow Jesus. But we’ve come to realize that it takes time - God’s time - to witness to some in our lives who reject the faith we’ve come to have in Jesus.
You know, in the business or hobby of fishing, those who fish will tell you that it takes a lot of patience to keep throwing the bait or the nets out to catch fish. Many times, when we’re fishing, and we’re faithfully, and with hope, casting out our bait over and over and over again … nothing bites. But then, after maybe hours of waiting, we throw out the bait, and bang, we’re blessed to feel a fish on the line; and we reel them in.
Jesus called His disciples to be “fishers of men;” and that’s what we are; and we need patience, just like I’m convinced Jesus had with James and John as well as Andrew and Peter, all of whom had likely been in close relationship with Jesus for YEARS before God, the Holy Spirit, used Jesus to reel them in to be fishers of men for God’s kingdom catch.
So, if you’ve got someone in your family or sphere of influence to whom you’ve been witnessing for years and praying for their salvation, … keep fishing from the relationship you have with that person. Have patience and keep casting out your testimony into the waters of your relationship; and know that when God’s timing is right, you – or maybe some other fisherman – will be able to reel in God’s catch. And HE will get the glory!!
My Prayer for Today: Lord, help me be patient as You use me to fish for Your kingdom and for Your glory. Amen
Saturday, July 17, 2010
2010 – July 17 – Blessings for the Barren
Study from God’s Word… Isaiah 51 – Isaiah 54: 1-3 … Passage for Reflection: Isaiah 54: 1 … NIV "Sing, O barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband," says the LORD.
My Journal for Today: What a word picture in today’s highlight passage, spoken by God through the Prophet, Isaiah, speaking of the attitude of a barren woman, who is given the promise of being fertile again by God.
There’s probably nothing as disappointing to a woman in a marriage where there appears to be no natural way to have a child when she so desires to be fruitful. Being a man there’s no way I can empathize with such agony. But anyone can feel the pain of anticipation when something we long for is thwarted. And God through Isaiah had prophesied that Israel would become “barren” for a season of exile into Babylonian captivity. But then they would be delivered and there would come a Messiah who would be sacrificed as the Lamb of God; as the chapter of Isaiah 53 so vividly lays out that prophesy.
But then we read at the outset of Isaiah 54 [today’s passage] that Israel, the mother of all God’s people, would be fruitful again, that she would be restored to fertility and greatness again under the fruit-bearing reign of the Messiah, … that the Suffering Servant would become King of kings and Lord of lords. And as I have read through the passages in Isaiah these past few days, I couldn’t help but think of the parallel of where we, in this so-called “Christian nation,” have become like the barren mother, Israel, in the days Isaiah was prophesying for God prior to the Babylonian captivity.
Perhaps we, like Israel/Judah are going to need to experience a season of fruitless captivity where God’s constructive abandonment (but never forsaking his remnant) will take this rebellious and disobedient nation through a time of selective chastisement and correction. And if this were to be the case, I know, believing what God prophesied for His bride, who is now His Church, will parallel that of His promises for Israel in the days of Isaiah.
God may allow His disobedient Bride, the current Church, to go through a season of correction; but God’s promise to us, His remnant of believers and followers, is the same as it was for the barren bride in today’s word picture of prophesy. As the Lord’s Bride, He will return us to fruitfulness if we but stay in a faithful, waiting mode of His return. He will bring us once again to that fruitful place where we can/will worship our Bridegroom with no tears or trepidation in the New Jerusalem.
So, as things seem so barren around us now, we must be as the Bride described in Revelations 19: 7-9 [linked], waiting with anticipation and preparing our linens of righteousness, for the wedding feast of the Lamb of God which to come; … where we will worship at the feet of the Bridegroom forever.
My Prayer for Today: And the only thing I can say, Lord, in this moment is a resounding … HALLELUJAH of hopefulness !! Amen
My Journal for Today: What a word picture in today’s highlight passage, spoken by God through the Prophet, Isaiah, speaking of the attitude of a barren woman, who is given the promise of being fertile again by God.
There’s probably nothing as disappointing to a woman in a marriage where there appears to be no natural way to have a child when she so desires to be fruitful. Being a man there’s no way I can empathize with such agony. But anyone can feel the pain of anticipation when something we long for is thwarted. And God through Isaiah had prophesied that Israel would become “barren” for a season of exile into Babylonian captivity. But then they would be delivered and there would come a Messiah who would be sacrificed as the Lamb of God; as the chapter of Isaiah 53 so vividly lays out that prophesy.
But then we read at the outset of Isaiah 54 [today’s passage] that Israel, the mother of all God’s people, would be fruitful again, that she would be restored to fertility and greatness again under the fruit-bearing reign of the Messiah, … that the Suffering Servant would become King of kings and Lord of lords. And as I have read through the passages in Isaiah these past few days, I couldn’t help but think of the parallel of where we, in this so-called “Christian nation,” have become like the barren mother, Israel, in the days Isaiah was prophesying for God prior to the Babylonian captivity.
Perhaps we, like Israel/Judah are going to need to experience a season of fruitless captivity where God’s constructive abandonment (but never forsaking his remnant) will take this rebellious and disobedient nation through a time of selective chastisement and correction. And if this were to be the case, I know, believing what God prophesied for His bride, who is now His Church, will parallel that of His promises for Israel in the days of Isaiah.
God may allow His disobedient Bride, the current Church, to go through a season of correction; but God’s promise to us, His remnant of believers and followers, is the same as it was for the barren bride in today’s word picture of prophesy. As the Lord’s Bride, He will return us to fruitfulness if we but stay in a faithful, waiting mode of His return. He will bring us once again to that fruitful place where we can/will worship our Bridegroom with no tears or trepidation in the New Jerusalem.
So, as things seem so barren around us now, we must be as the Bride described in Revelations 19: 7-9 [linked], waiting with anticipation and preparing our linens of righteousness, for the wedding feast of the Lamb of God which to come; … where we will worship at the feet of the Bridegroom forever.
My Prayer for Today: And the only thing I can say, Lord, in this moment is a resounding … HALLELUJAH of hopefulness !! Amen
Thursday, May 20, 2010
2010 – May 20 – The Virtue of Patience
Blogger’s Note: For those who expect my devotional journal entry to be posted relatively early in the morning, I am tardy today, having awakened with some sort of malaise and physical malady – undetermined at this time – general achiness, feeling almost febrile with no fever, a lot of sinus drainage and coughing up mucous from lungs. UGH!!! So, please forgive my late entry; and understand that my mind is not quite as focused on being with God today as it might be generally. But nonetheless I feel grateful to be here with my God; and I know He has something for me today as He does everyday. So, I will do my best to seek His mind and convey it here as best I can.
Study from God’s Word…Many Proverbs listed in The Daily Bible in Chronological Order from Proverbs 5, 6, 7, 12, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, and 29, ordered by topics by the Editor, including Self control, Rashness, Temper/Patience, Drunkenness/Gluttony, Adultery, and Prostitution …Passage for Reflection: Proverbs 14: 29 … NIV A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly.
My Journal for Today: Have you ever, as an adult, had a temper tantrum or some explosion of temperament where you said or did something really embarrassing or stupid? If you answered “No” to that, you are a rare individual; and I’d like to tap into your sense of self control.
Personally, I explode with my temper every now and then; but it’s interesting to reflect on this because I’m not one who lets it be known to the public. No, I have my temper tantrums only in the presence of my wife, the one whom I declare to love the most on this earth. I’ve even put my fist through a wall once. I’ve broken things in her presence; and always my anger is directed towards my own stupidity or some circumstance which is out of my control; and I’ve never hit or directed my anger at anyone else. For example, I’ll bang on the steering wheel of the car when traffic patterns anger me in my wife’s presence. Interestingly, I never do that when I’m alone or with others in the car – only when Elly is in the car. And another interesting pattern about my degree of emotional self control. I never – and I mean NEVER – get angry when circumstances involve other people. I seem to have great patience with other people but can – and often do - fly off the handle very easily – but once again, in my wife’s presence only. And looking back on these situations, the circumstances are always so trivial.
So, what’s that all about? Maybe you have a pattern of emotional explosiveness that is like mine … or maybe one that is very different. My wife finds it very easy to get mad at other people; but almost never gets angry and loses control in the face of tough external circumstances. Maybe you’re more like Elly than like me. Perhaps you have your own pattern of emotional volcanic eruptions. But then again, maybe you’re the rare one who is very self-controlled and extremely patient in all circumstances.
I do know, though, that I’m more self controlled now as a Christian than I was as a non-Christian years ago; and that degree of emotional self control is also likely tempered by the fact that I’m older, and hopefully wise,r than I was years ago. Certainly we know that our kids and grandkids cannot be expected to have the same degree of patience in handling the world as do their parents or grandparents. So, we would hope that we all grow into more patience. But we can know, as Christians, that God has given all believers His Spirit-imparted fruit of patience (see Gal. 5: 22-23). And that fruit will only mature and become sweeter in the life of a Christian who is in surrender mode to God’s Spirit, letting God impart his enabling grace to help us meet the circumstances of life. That is what we read and get from passages like 1st Cor. 10: 13 and 2nd Cor. 12: 9.
And so, taking all of this into account, I can expect for God to give me the empowering grace of patience I need to handle tough circumstances in life, IF – and that depends on my attitude – I humble myself, seek and receive God’s grace to cover my weakness of impatience. I believe the fruit of patience is growing and maturing in my life. I just need to have the patience to let God shape that fruit into me to the point that He is glorified by that fruit becoming more evident in my demeanor. Yes, that’s a paradox. I become patient by choosing to be patient; and I become more impatient to the degree that I’m impatient. It’s like answering the question: How does one become spontaneous voluntarily? And the answer is … one becomes spontaneous by being more and more intentional.
So, how do we become more patient? ANSWER: We become more patient by choosing to be patient. And so, I now pray for patience … knowing that God loves for me to be patient; and also knowing that He may put me through trials of circumstantial fire to purge the impatience from my soul. BUT … wanting to be more patient, that will be my prayer today.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, help me to be more patient; but be merciful and ever patient with Your impatient child in the process of maturing me in this fruitfulness. Amen
Study from God’s Word…Many Proverbs listed in The Daily Bible in Chronological Order from Proverbs 5, 6, 7, 12, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, and 29, ordered by topics by the Editor, including Self control, Rashness, Temper/Patience, Drunkenness/Gluttony, Adultery, and Prostitution …Passage for Reflection: Proverbs 14: 29 … NIV A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly.
My Journal for Today: Have you ever, as an adult, had a temper tantrum or some explosion of temperament where you said or did something really embarrassing or stupid? If you answered “No” to that, you are a rare individual; and I’d like to tap into your sense of self control.
Personally, I explode with my temper every now and then; but it’s interesting to reflect on this because I’m not one who lets it be known to the public. No, I have my temper tantrums only in the presence of my wife, the one whom I declare to love the most on this earth. I’ve even put my fist through a wall once. I’ve broken things in her presence; and always my anger is directed towards my own stupidity or some circumstance which is out of my control; and I’ve never hit or directed my anger at anyone else. For example, I’ll bang on the steering wheel of the car when traffic patterns anger me in my wife’s presence. Interestingly, I never do that when I’m alone or with others in the car – only when Elly is in the car. And another interesting pattern about my degree of emotional self control. I never – and I mean NEVER – get angry when circumstances involve other people. I seem to have great patience with other people but can – and often do - fly off the handle very easily – but once again, in my wife’s presence only. And looking back on these situations, the circumstances are always so trivial.
So, what’s that all about? Maybe you have a pattern of emotional explosiveness that is like mine … or maybe one that is very different. My wife finds it very easy to get mad at other people; but almost never gets angry and loses control in the face of tough external circumstances. Maybe you’re more like Elly than like me. Perhaps you have your own pattern of emotional volcanic eruptions. But then again, maybe you’re the rare one who is very self-controlled and extremely patient in all circumstances.
I do know, though, that I’m more self controlled now as a Christian than I was as a non-Christian years ago; and that degree of emotional self control is also likely tempered by the fact that I’m older, and hopefully wise,r than I was years ago. Certainly we know that our kids and grandkids cannot be expected to have the same degree of patience in handling the world as do their parents or grandparents. So, we would hope that we all grow into more patience. But we can know, as Christians, that God has given all believers His Spirit-imparted fruit of patience (see Gal. 5: 22-23). And that fruit will only mature and become sweeter in the life of a Christian who is in surrender mode to God’s Spirit, letting God impart his enabling grace to help us meet the circumstances of life. That is what we read and get from passages like 1st Cor. 10: 13 and 2nd Cor. 12: 9.
And so, taking all of this into account, I can expect for God to give me the empowering grace of patience I need to handle tough circumstances in life, IF – and that depends on my attitude – I humble myself, seek and receive God’s grace to cover my weakness of impatience. I believe the fruit of patience is growing and maturing in my life. I just need to have the patience to let God shape that fruit into me to the point that He is glorified by that fruit becoming more evident in my demeanor. Yes, that’s a paradox. I become patient by choosing to be patient; and I become more impatient to the degree that I’m impatient. It’s like answering the question: How does one become spontaneous voluntarily? And the answer is … one becomes spontaneous by being more and more intentional.
So, how do we become more patient? ANSWER: We become more patient by choosing to be patient. And so, I now pray for patience … knowing that God loves for me to be patient; and also knowing that He may put me through trials of circumstantial fire to purge the impatience from my soul. BUT … wanting to be more patient, that will be my prayer today.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, help me to be more patient; but be merciful and ever patient with Your impatient child in the process of maturing me in this fruitfulness. Amen
Friday, May 14, 2010
2010 – May 14 – The Best Laid Plans
Study from God’s Word… 1st Kings 8: 1-11 [2nd Chron. 5: 2-14]; 1st Kings 8: 12-21 [2nd Chron. 6: 1-11]; 1st Kings 8: 22-30 [2nd Chron. 6: 12-21]; 1st Kings 8: 31,-53 [2nd Chron. 6: 22-42]; 1st Kings 8: 54-61; 2nd Chronicles 7: 1-3; 1st Kings 8: 62-66 [2nd Chron. 7: 4-10] … Passage for Reflection: 2nd Chronicles 6: 8 – 9 … NIV [Solomon] 7 "My father David had it in his heart to build a temple for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel. 8 But the LORD said to my father David, … ‘Because it was in your heart to build a temple for my Name, you did well to have this in your heart. 9 Nevertheless, you are not the one to build the temple, but your son, who is your own flesh and blood—he is the one who will build the temple for my Name.’ …”
My Journal for Today: As I read through the wondrous accomplishment of Solomon overseeing the completion and dedication of the Temple his father, David, had dreamed to dedicate for the Lord’s glory, one can’t help but think about God not allowing David to be the one to bring this temple to fruition. But that was not to be in God’s planning; and I expect you may have had some great dream or idea, one which may have been, upon completion, a great way of glorifying God; but thus far in your life, and for the foreseeable future, it just doesn’t look like it’s in God’s scheme for your dream to become reality.
Dr. Smith points to two of Solomon’s Proverbs which seem to point to the dreaming and fulfillment of projects which are dedicated to God and His glory. In Proverbs 16: 3 we read, Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. And then, there is Proverbs 19: 21, stating, Many are the plans in man’s heart; but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.
As my devotional shepherd, F. LaGard Smith, points out, somehow when we dream up something which seems like a grand and Godly idea to bring glory to God, and then we put choices and actions into motion to make it happen, we must realize that God is still in control of all things; and it should be God Whom we allow to take charge of the timing and completion of HIS project. If we want to be in charge of the project, how much glory can God really get from its completion?
But Solomon repeatedly, in his dedication ceremony and prayers, gave his father both credit and affirmation for the project of which David conceived but was not given the opportunity to finish in his lifetime. Perhaps you still have some idea or dream which is yet to be completed; but it seems to be something that would glorify God big-time if your idea were to come to completion. I have always had dreams that BattlePlan Ministries, the ministry which God led me to found, would become so powerful that the XXX forces in the world would be defeated and eradicated; but for years my eyes have been way bigger than my stomach. But I refuse to stop dreaming that God can - AND WILL - bring down the strongholds and beachheads of sexual sin which we see proliferating in our culture. The fact that I haven’t been the leader force to bring that about does not diminish the dream; nor does it reduce God in any way. God can – AND WILL – bring about His victory … in HIS time and in HIS way; and HE will be glorified.
What I must do is continue to dream and pray for someone, like a Solomon, to take the dream and allow God to get the glory whenever God decides to bring about the dream … again, for His glory!
My Prayer for Today: Lord, it is the dream You planted in my soul; and I pray that one day, with the leader You have already designated, all the evil forces in this world which now have such a stronghold in our culture will be totally and glorious eradicated. Amen
My Journal for Today: As I read through the wondrous accomplishment of Solomon overseeing the completion and dedication of the Temple his father, David, had dreamed to dedicate for the Lord’s glory, one can’t help but think about God not allowing David to be the one to bring this temple to fruition. But that was not to be in God’s planning; and I expect you may have had some great dream or idea, one which may have been, upon completion, a great way of glorifying God; but thus far in your life, and for the foreseeable future, it just doesn’t look like it’s in God’s scheme for your dream to become reality.
Dr. Smith points to two of Solomon’s Proverbs which seem to point to the dreaming and fulfillment of projects which are dedicated to God and His glory. In Proverbs 16: 3 we read, Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. And then, there is Proverbs 19: 21, stating, Many are the plans in man’s heart; but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.
As my devotional shepherd, F. LaGard Smith, points out, somehow when we dream up something which seems like a grand and Godly idea to bring glory to God, and then we put choices and actions into motion to make it happen, we must realize that God is still in control of all things; and it should be God Whom we allow to take charge of the timing and completion of HIS project. If we want to be in charge of the project, how much glory can God really get from its completion?
But Solomon repeatedly, in his dedication ceremony and prayers, gave his father both credit and affirmation for the project of which David conceived but was not given the opportunity to finish in his lifetime. Perhaps you still have some idea or dream which is yet to be completed; but it seems to be something that would glorify God big-time if your idea were to come to completion. I have always had dreams that BattlePlan Ministries, the ministry which God led me to found, would become so powerful that the XXX forces in the world would be defeated and eradicated; but for years my eyes have been way bigger than my stomach. But I refuse to stop dreaming that God can - AND WILL - bring down the strongholds and beachheads of sexual sin which we see proliferating in our culture. The fact that I haven’t been the leader force to bring that about does not diminish the dream; nor does it reduce God in any way. God can – AND WILL – bring about His victory … in HIS time and in HIS way; and HE will be glorified.
What I must do is continue to dream and pray for someone, like a Solomon, to take the dream and allow God to get the glory whenever God decides to bring about the dream … again, for His glory!
My Prayer for Today: Lord, it is the dream You planted in my soul; and I pray that one day, with the leader You have already designated, all the evil forces in this world which now have such a stronghold in our culture will be totally and glorious eradicated. Amen
Monday, April 26, 2010
2010 – April 26 – Getting a Perspective on Evil
Study from God’s Word… Psalms 1, 14, 15, 36, 37, and 39 … Passage for Reflection: Psalm 37: 1 – 2 … NIV Do not fret because of evil men or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away.
My Journal for Today: All the Psalms of David which I was led to read this day in my devotionals are songs expressing the theme of righteousness versus evil and all the feelings and ramifications dealt with by mankind in this ever present spiritual battle which works its way out in our lives. And I know that we’re all no different than King David expressed in his songs of lament and frustration where evil sometimes seems to prevail over righteousness; and the good seem to be the handmaidens of evildoers who perpetuate their wrongdoings, seemingly mocking God in their schemes and actions.
We’ve all been there, crying out, like David, “WHY, LORD!!!” Haven’t you felt, as have I, how long God could allow evildoers to perpetuate their ploys, which, at times, seem to be on the winning side? But in the midst of such injustice and when the scales seem to be weighted in favor of evil, long ago I learned to go back to some of these Psalms shared by Dr. Smith today, especially PSALM 37; and I learned to meditate on what I know – at least in my mind if not my heart – on the truth God expresses in His word. And today, I implore and exhort you to go back and read at least Psalm 37, meditating on the power of God’s truth in this matter. Let the power of God’s Spirit, through His written word, penned by David so many years ago, lift you today or whenever you feel oppressed by our spiritual enemies.
My friend, we have Jesus, Who is the fulfillment of everything God promised to David when the King of Israel was feeling and writing Psalm 37; and God strongly tells us that HE, not our evil enemies, will prevail and protect His children in the face of evildoers. Everyday in the news – and maybe in your life struggles – we see evil being perpetuated and sometimes it appears to be on the winning side. But then in Psalm 37 (from today’s verses) and verses 3-4 and 7, we read …
3 Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Delight yourself in the LORD
and He will give you the desires of your heart. ...
7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him;
do not fret when men succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.
Dear one, that is truth … GOD’S TRUTH!! The question now becomes, … do we believe, trust, and cling to this truth? Do we make choices based upon this truth? Do we let our faith in these truths guide our steps; and do we walk with our God in obedience; or do we fall prey to the evildoers who want us to worship Satan, the world, and to bring our flesh into their evil schemes?
I pray for us all today.
My Prayer for Today: Oh, my dear LORD, give this weakened soul, and all who might read this, Your strength to cover our weakness. Pour the empowerment of Your grace into us so as to overwhelm our enemies who seek to mock You. You are the LORD; … You are our victory! Amen
My Journal for Today: All the Psalms of David which I was led to read this day in my devotionals are songs expressing the theme of righteousness versus evil and all the feelings and ramifications dealt with by mankind in this ever present spiritual battle which works its way out in our lives. And I know that we’re all no different than King David expressed in his songs of lament and frustration where evil sometimes seems to prevail over righteousness; and the good seem to be the handmaidens of evildoers who perpetuate their wrongdoings, seemingly mocking God in their schemes and actions.
We’ve all been there, crying out, like David, “WHY, LORD!!!” Haven’t you felt, as have I, how long God could allow evildoers to perpetuate their ploys, which, at times, seem to be on the winning side? But in the midst of such injustice and when the scales seem to be weighted in favor of evil, long ago I learned to go back to some of these Psalms shared by Dr. Smith today, especially PSALM 37; and I learned to meditate on what I know – at least in my mind if not my heart – on the truth God expresses in His word. And today, I implore and exhort you to go back and read at least Psalm 37, meditating on the power of God’s truth in this matter. Let the power of God’s Spirit, through His written word, penned by David so many years ago, lift you today or whenever you feel oppressed by our spiritual enemies.
My friend, we have Jesus, Who is the fulfillment of everything God promised to David when the King of Israel was feeling and writing Psalm 37; and God strongly tells us that HE, not our evil enemies, will prevail and protect His children in the face of evildoers. Everyday in the news – and maybe in your life struggles – we see evil being perpetuated and sometimes it appears to be on the winning side. But then in Psalm 37 (from today’s verses) and verses 3-4 and 7, we read …
3 Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
4 Delight yourself in the LORD
and He will give you the desires of your heart. ...
7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him;
do not fret when men succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.
Dear one, that is truth … GOD’S TRUTH!! The question now becomes, … do we believe, trust, and cling to this truth? Do we make choices based upon this truth? Do we let our faith in these truths guide our steps; and do we walk with our God in obedience; or do we fall prey to the evildoers who want us to worship Satan, the world, and to bring our flesh into their evil schemes?
I pray for us all today.
My Prayer for Today: Oh, my dear LORD, give this weakened soul, and all who might read this, Your strength to cover our weakness. Pour the empowerment of Your grace into us so as to overwhelm our enemies who seek to mock You. You are the LORD; … You are our victory! Amen
Monday, April 05, 2010
2010 – April 5 – An Impatient Faith
Study from God’s Word…1st Samuel 28: 1 – 25; 1st Samuel 31: 1 – 10 [also 1st Chronicles 10: 1 – 12]; 1st Samuel 31: 11 – 13; 1st Chron. 10: 13 – 14; 2nd Samuel 4: 4; 2nd Samuel 1: 1 - 27 … Passage for Reflection: 1st Chronicles 10: 13 – 14 … NIV 13 Saul died because he was unfaithful to the LORD; he did not keep the word of the LORD and even consulted a medium for guidance, 14 and did not inquire of the LORD. So the LORD put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.
My Journal for Today: F. LaGard Smith points out in my devotional for today that Saul may have argued with the contention, in today’s focus passage, that he “did not inquire of the LORD.” And actually, when we read through this account we see, historically, that he did seek the LORD’s guidance after he was struck with fear over facing the Philistines. And we also learn that God withheld sharing “the answers” with Saul for a period of time, until Saul, with great impatience, sought out the Witch of Endor, who was charged to conjure up the spirit of Samuel, the Prophet. But, of course, in the end that was God raising up the Spirit through the personage of Samuel to speak to Saul; and rebuke him for his fearfulness, his impatience, and his lack of willingness to walk in obedience to the LORD.
Dr. Smith is right, in this morning’s devotional, when he states a question I need to ask myself. He writes [for me], ”If I grow impatient with God and take spiritual matters in my own hands, can I possibly conjure up anything but trouble?” And the answer to that one, of course, is a resounding “NO!”
PATIENCE, in that list of the fruit of the Spirit in Gal. 5: 22-23, is one of the more immature of my Spirit-given Fruit. Waiting on the LORD, with a patient spirit of obedience and humility has never been something that has come easily in my demeanor and habit patterns. Often, in life, we find ourselves praying and praying and waiting and waiting with no apparent answers from God to our prayers. But when God calls on us to trust in Him and cling to the truth that He, God, always has our best in His mind for us, we are simply – but often excruciatingly – under “the gun” to wait … and to keep praying … and praying … and praying.
I know that it is God’s will that my sister find Christ as Lord and Savior, as have I. But she resists; and I’ve been praying – FOR YEARS – that she come to a saving knowledge of Christ. But it has never happened … YET! So, should I take these matters in my own hands and go seek after the answer by asking a medium to assist me in my prayers to find the mind of God in this matter. No, God simply asks for me to trust Him and to keep praying; … and so, I will.
Oh, this business of building patience into my life can be so frustrating at times; but I know that God knows what is best for me in HIS timing and in HIS manner. And so, will all the patience I can muster, I continue – every day – to pray for my sister [and many other matters which require patience] … and to seek the LORD’s will for my life … yes, in HIS timing and in HIS way.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I know this is a challenging prayer; but help me to have patience in seeking Your way and Your will for my life. Amen
My Journal for Today: F. LaGard Smith points out in my devotional for today that Saul may have argued with the contention, in today’s focus passage, that he “did not inquire of the LORD.” And actually, when we read through this account we see, historically, that he did seek the LORD’s guidance after he was struck with fear over facing the Philistines. And we also learn that God withheld sharing “the answers” with Saul for a period of time, until Saul, with great impatience, sought out the Witch of Endor, who was charged to conjure up the spirit of Samuel, the Prophet. But, of course, in the end that was God raising up the Spirit through the personage of Samuel to speak to Saul; and rebuke him for his fearfulness, his impatience, and his lack of willingness to walk in obedience to the LORD.
Dr. Smith is right, in this morning’s devotional, when he states a question I need to ask myself. He writes [for me], ”If I grow impatient with God and take spiritual matters in my own hands, can I possibly conjure up anything but trouble?” And the answer to that one, of course, is a resounding “NO!”
PATIENCE, in that list of the fruit of the Spirit in Gal. 5: 22-23, is one of the more immature of my Spirit-given Fruit. Waiting on the LORD, with a patient spirit of obedience and humility has never been something that has come easily in my demeanor and habit patterns. Often, in life, we find ourselves praying and praying and waiting and waiting with no apparent answers from God to our prayers. But when God calls on us to trust in Him and cling to the truth that He, God, always has our best in His mind for us, we are simply – but often excruciatingly – under “the gun” to wait … and to keep praying … and praying … and praying.
I know that it is God’s will that my sister find Christ as Lord and Savior, as have I. But she resists; and I’ve been praying – FOR YEARS – that she come to a saving knowledge of Christ. But it has never happened … YET! So, should I take these matters in my own hands and go seek after the answer by asking a medium to assist me in my prayers to find the mind of God in this matter. No, God simply asks for me to trust Him and to keep praying; … and so, I will.
Oh, this business of building patience into my life can be so frustrating at times; but I know that God knows what is best for me in HIS timing and in HIS manner. And so, will all the patience I can muster, I continue – every day – to pray for my sister [and many other matters which require patience] … and to seek the LORD’s will for my life … yes, in HIS timing and in HIS way.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I know this is a challenging prayer; but help me to have patience in seeking Your way and Your will for my life. Amen
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
2010 – Mar. 9 – Hopeful Disappointments
Study from God’s Word… Deut 31: 48-52; Deut 33: 1 – 29: Deut 34; 1 – 12; … Passage for Reflection: Deut 32: 52 … NIV 52 “Therefore, you will see the land only from a distance; you will not enter the land I am giving to the people of Israel."
My Journal for Today: I have been up on the crowning point of Mount Nebo where Moses was led to go to see the promised land [see Deut. 32: 48-52 - linked here], into which he would not set foot in his physical lifetime. We know why Moses didn’t cross the Jordan, as would Joshua later, leading God’s people into that ever so elusive Promised Land, from which God’s People had been restrained for 40 years of wandering so that they would be purged and ready to claim for God’s glory. Moses was restrained from setting foot in the promised land because of the ramifications of past sin.
But as I looked out over the expanse of that Promised Land on that day in Jordan when I was up on Mount Nebo, being where Moses must have stood, I could not get a grasp on the disappointment and emotional discouragement Moses must have felt, knowing that it was nothing but the consequences of his own sin which kept him from entering into that wonderful promised land which God had set before His people. Then as I looked out over that expanse of green and fertile lands, I remembered, … Moses may have physically been restrained from entering that land of promise; but the Promised Land of God will be Moses’ eternally because of his faith.
Yes, there would be another leader of God’s people, the Chosen People, Who would die before He would physically see the realization of God’s plan for His glorious elect. And that One, Whom we would know as our Savior, must’ve felt even more “hope-filled disappointment” when He languished in the garden of Gethsemane that night before His crucifixion.
Sometimes we encounter someone in this life who seems to die “before their time.” Maybe it’s a younger parent or grandparent who never gets the physical/emotional opportunity to see their children or grandkids blossom fully. Perhaps it’s someone who had a great idea which was developed after his death by someone else. I think of Martin Luther King, who had “a dream,” which is now unfolding, … but only after he was so ignominiously and precipitously killed. But, as F. LaGard Smith points out, there is no such thing as a “premature death,” … a concept which is really a spiritual oxymoron; because if someone had a small part in God’s will or His plan for God’s people, that promise will be fulfilled; and that person, who may have died before realizing that dream in this life, will see the fruit of his/her efforts in glory. As Smith writes it, ”No dream or efforts made that are consistent with God’s own good pleasure will be unfulfilled or wasted.”
The question becomes what are we doing NOW which is from or part of God’s will for our lives or for the future God has for His people. And we should (well, really, we MUST) know that anything which is launched or hatched today in God’s Name, of which we are a part, will be realized in God’s future; and being a part of His chosen ones, you or I will see the fruit of our labors growing, if not in this life, … in glory.
So, what we must do is seek to live within God’s will and for His purpose … for as long as we can; … and to move His dreams and plans forward as much as we can. We may not see the endpoint in this life; but as Moses will see the Promised Land and walk in it with his Savior, so we will be able to see our completed future unfold in eternity with God.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, point me in Your direction; and may I do all I can to see my part of that glorious plan unfold in my lifetime. Amen
My Journal for Today: I have been up on the crowning point of Mount Nebo where Moses was led to go to see the promised land [see Deut. 32: 48-52 - linked here], into which he would not set foot in his physical lifetime. We know why Moses didn’t cross the Jordan, as would Joshua later, leading God’s people into that ever so elusive Promised Land, from which God’s People had been restrained for 40 years of wandering so that they would be purged and ready to claim for God’s glory. Moses was restrained from setting foot in the promised land because of the ramifications of past sin.
But as I looked out over the expanse of that Promised Land on that day in Jordan when I was up on Mount Nebo, being where Moses must have stood, I could not get a grasp on the disappointment and emotional discouragement Moses must have felt, knowing that it was nothing but the consequences of his own sin which kept him from entering into that wonderful promised land which God had set before His people. Then as I looked out over that expanse of green and fertile lands, I remembered, … Moses may have physically been restrained from entering that land of promise; but the Promised Land of God will be Moses’ eternally because of his faith.
Yes, there would be another leader of God’s people, the Chosen People, Who would die before He would physically see the realization of God’s plan for His glorious elect. And that One, Whom we would know as our Savior, must’ve felt even more “hope-filled disappointment” when He languished in the garden of Gethsemane that night before His crucifixion.
Sometimes we encounter someone in this life who seems to die “before their time.” Maybe it’s a younger parent or grandparent who never gets the physical/emotional opportunity to see their children or grandkids blossom fully. Perhaps it’s someone who had a great idea which was developed after his death by someone else. I think of Martin Luther King, who had “a dream,” which is now unfolding, … but only after he was so ignominiously and precipitously killed. But, as F. LaGard Smith points out, there is no such thing as a “premature death,” … a concept which is really a spiritual oxymoron; because if someone had a small part in God’s will or His plan for God’s people, that promise will be fulfilled; and that person, who may have died before realizing that dream in this life, will see the fruit of his/her efforts in glory. As Smith writes it, ”No dream or efforts made that are consistent with God’s own good pleasure will be unfulfilled or wasted.”
The question becomes what are we doing NOW which is from or part of God’s will for our lives or for the future God has for His people. And we should (well, really, we MUST) know that anything which is launched or hatched today in God’s Name, of which we are a part, will be realized in God’s future; and being a part of His chosen ones, you or I will see the fruit of our labors growing, if not in this life, … in glory.
So, what we must do is seek to live within God’s will and for His purpose … for as long as we can; … and to move His dreams and plans forward as much as we can. We may not see the endpoint in this life; but as Moses will see the Promised Land and walk in it with his Savior, so we will be able to see our completed future unfold in eternity with God.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, point me in Your direction; and may I do all I can to see my part of that glorious plan unfold in my lifetime. Amen
Friday, October 30, 2009
2009 – Day 302.Oct 30 – Nothing New
Passage for Study: 2nd Corinthians 12: 1 – 10 … Linked for study …
My Journal for Today: As a teacher – and that’s one of my Spirit imparted gifts – I often repeat a mantra taught to me by my mentor years ago; and that is, “Redundancy teaches!” In other words, when you hear a message over and over again from a reliable source, we should listen and learn; because that lesson is probably important. How about God? As a source of learning, is HE reliable and important enough to listen and learn? So, I’ve learned – quite often in fact – if we read something from God’s truth, (i.e., the Bible), especially something that comes at us repeatedly, we should listen and learn (and yes, even memorize and internalize).
So, today, Chuck Swindoll hits on one of those repetitive truths; and it is one which our repeated passage today teaches just like the same message that goes back to the oldest recorded book in the Bible, which we just finished studying not too long ago, the Book of Job. The lesson: SUFFERING IS NOT NEW!
When we studied Job, we saw how he hated, by accepted God’s deal with Satan (unknown to Job) which visited horrible suffering upon Job and his family. We read of Job’s poor wife telling her man to curse God and die; and Job retorting that his family had accepted so many blessings from God; so why shouldn’t they accept adversity. But in today’s culture, even from so-called “christian” sources, we hear the teaching of the prosperity teachers, saying that when we find God, we’ll experience good health and great wealth. And the message of Job’s suffering and now Paul’s thorn just doesn’t sit well with a people who try to sell pain reduction at all costs and the pursuit of happiness as our inalienable right.
But my friend, we had better learn the lesson of inevitable suffering sooner, rather than later; because when suffering hits, if we are bowled over by it, we become easy prey for an enemy who would use our suffering to get us questioning the very presence of God, let alone that His love is found in the midst of the suffering.
Dear one, I hope – and will pray today – that we all learn and know the lesson of the OT and NT, … that God will never leave us, nor forsake us (see Deut. 31: 6 and Heb. 13: 5). I pray that we can be witness to the truth that God loves us just as much – if not more – in the hard times as He does in the easy times. I pray that we learn that God’s “blessings” might just include suffering as well as good fortune. Because if we can’t learn that lesson proactively, we’re very likely to have to learn it, as did Job and Paul, retroactively. It’s one of the most highly repeated lessons in all of Scripture; so, my friend, let us learn it and use if for God’s glory!
My Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father, help us to learn the lessons You have to teach us in suffering; so that our responses will be as Job or Paul, by giving witness to Your love in the midst of the suffering. Amen
My Journal for Today: As a teacher – and that’s one of my Spirit imparted gifts – I often repeat a mantra taught to me by my mentor years ago; and that is, “Redundancy teaches!” In other words, when you hear a message over and over again from a reliable source, we should listen and learn; because that lesson is probably important. How about God? As a source of learning, is HE reliable and important enough to listen and learn? So, I’ve learned – quite often in fact – if we read something from God’s truth, (i.e., the Bible), especially something that comes at us repeatedly, we should listen and learn (and yes, even memorize and internalize).
So, today, Chuck Swindoll hits on one of those repetitive truths; and it is one which our repeated passage today teaches just like the same message that goes back to the oldest recorded book in the Bible, which we just finished studying not too long ago, the Book of Job. The lesson: SUFFERING IS NOT NEW!
When we studied Job, we saw how he hated, by accepted God’s deal with Satan (unknown to Job) which visited horrible suffering upon Job and his family. We read of Job’s poor wife telling her man to curse God and die; and Job retorting that his family had accepted so many blessings from God; so why shouldn’t they accept adversity. But in today’s culture, even from so-called “christian” sources, we hear the teaching of the prosperity teachers, saying that when we find God, we’ll experience good health and great wealth. And the message of Job’s suffering and now Paul’s thorn just doesn’t sit well with a people who try to sell pain reduction at all costs and the pursuit of happiness as our inalienable right.
But my friend, we had better learn the lesson of inevitable suffering sooner, rather than later; because when suffering hits, if we are bowled over by it, we become easy prey for an enemy who would use our suffering to get us questioning the very presence of God, let alone that His love is found in the midst of the suffering.
Dear one, I hope – and will pray today – that we all learn and know the lesson of the OT and NT, … that God will never leave us, nor forsake us (see Deut. 31: 6 and Heb. 13: 5). I pray that we can be witness to the truth that God loves us just as much – if not more – in the hard times as He does in the easy times. I pray that we learn that God’s “blessings” might just include suffering as well as good fortune. Because if we can’t learn that lesson proactively, we’re very likely to have to learn it, as did Job and Paul, retroactively. It’s one of the most highly repeated lessons in all of Scripture; so, my friend, let us learn it and use if for God’s glory!
My Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father, help us to learn the lessons You have to teach us in suffering; so that our responses will be as Job or Paul, by giving witness to Your love in the midst of the suffering. Amen
Sunday, August 02, 2009
2009 – Day 213.Aug 02 – He’s In Charge
Passage of the Day: Esther 8: 9 – 14 … Linked here for study …
My Journal for Today: Are you in the midst of a set of circumstances which seems indomitable or irrevocable? Maybe there’s a lawsuit pending against you or your business. Perhaps there is a law which stands against you. Whatever it is, it seems intimidating and the circumstances may seem totally out of your control. Well, that’s where Mordecai and the Jews found themselves; … until God intervened and His justice prevailed for the Jews.
The law of the King for the Medes/Persians could not be revoked. So, the previous edict that the Jews were to be eradicated had to stay on the books. BUT – notice how God turned the books around to nullify the previous law of the land. The decree, under the signet ring of the King, allowed the Jews to avenge anyone who came against them. In other words they could defend themselves; and if they prevailed, they could take the spoils of battle for themselves. And they also had the advantage that Mordecai was now placed in charge as the defacto prime minister of the land. The effect of this was the God’s remnant were protected and allowed to flourish in Persia.
So, what do we gain from this story? Well, if one set of circumstance is pressing against us, there is nothing that cannot be undone or turned around by our God. I’ve said it before; and I’ll repeat it here. God is God; and mankind stands at the behest of His grace and control. And as I write this, God’s word, from the pen of Paul in Romans 8: 31, bubbles into my mind where God says to us, "If God be for us, who can be (or stand) against us.”
So, my friend, even when things seem irrevocable; and the events of your life seem to be crumbling; we must wait on God and do all we can to seek His way and His will. And if it is God’s will to turn things around, He will. If not, He won’t; and in both instances God’s justice will prevail and He will be glorified.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, You are my God; and I yield to You in all things. Amen
My Journal for Today: Are you in the midst of a set of circumstances which seems indomitable or irrevocable? Maybe there’s a lawsuit pending against you or your business. Perhaps there is a law which stands against you. Whatever it is, it seems intimidating and the circumstances may seem totally out of your control. Well, that’s where Mordecai and the Jews found themselves; … until God intervened and His justice prevailed for the Jews.
The law of the King for the Medes/Persians could not be revoked. So, the previous edict that the Jews were to be eradicated had to stay on the books. BUT – notice how God turned the books around to nullify the previous law of the land. The decree, under the signet ring of the King, allowed the Jews to avenge anyone who came against them. In other words they could defend themselves; and if they prevailed, they could take the spoils of battle for themselves. And they also had the advantage that Mordecai was now placed in charge as the defacto prime minister of the land. The effect of this was the God’s remnant were protected and allowed to flourish in Persia.
So, what do we gain from this story? Well, if one set of circumstance is pressing against us, there is nothing that cannot be undone or turned around by our God. I’ve said it before; and I’ll repeat it here. God is God; and mankind stands at the behest of His grace and control. And as I write this, God’s word, from the pen of Paul in Romans 8: 31, bubbles into my mind where God says to us, "If God be for us, who can be (or stand) against us.”
So, my friend, even when things seem irrevocable; and the events of your life seem to be crumbling; we must wait on God and do all we can to seek His way and His will. And if it is God’s will to turn things around, He will. If not, He won’t; and in both instances God’s justice will prevail and He will be glorified.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, You are my God; and I yield to You in all things. Amen
Monday, July 27, 2009
2009 – Day 207.July 27 – The Fog Is Lifting
Passage of the Day: Esther 7: 1 – 2 … 1 So the king and Haman went to dine with Queen Esther. 2 And on the second day, at the banquet of wine, the king again said to Esther, “What is your petition, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. And what is your request, up to half the kingdom? It shall be done!”
My Journal for Today: Chuck Swindoll closes out this devotional entry by quoting Solomon from Eccl. 3: 1, 7, which states, “There is a time for every event under heaven … a time to be silent and a time to speak.” And Esther had the discernment to know when to do both. On two previous occasions our heroine had the opportunity to blow away Haman’s scheme to get rid of the Jews; but she kept silent. And now all of a sudden, when her husband, the King, asks her a third time for her regal request, she recognizes that the fog has lifted and the time, God’s time, is right for revelation of Haman’s evil plan. It’s the time God raised the child of the Covenant to be the savior of her people – the time for Esther to shine God’s light for His glory.
In this world in which we live, so often it’s like we’re boating around in a small craft which has been enveloped in a dense fog. It’s so hard to hear where to go because there’s so much noise coming at us through the soupy saturation of information in our culture. It’s hard to see which direction to go because there are so many battle fields which call to us for attention. We’re blinded by all the evil strongholds the enemy has setting up, walling us off from the truth. But then it’s like the fog lifts for a time – in God’s timing – and we discern what must be done and that we have been called to take action for our Lord. And God hands the torch to us; and we must shine His light.
Yes, my friend, at times it’s hard to know when to wait and when to act; but first we must know there will be a time and a place to make a choice for Godly truth; and there will be a time to shine God’s light and dispel the darkness which surrounds us. We know from Christ’s own command (in Matt. 5: 16) that God desires for us to shine His light in the darkness for all to see Him working through us so that He will be glorified. So, it is our responsibility to wait for His time to lift the fog so that we can see where to go and what to do. And when the fog lifts, it will be our time to carry His light into an ever darkening world.
Get ready, our (your) time will come!
My Prayer for Today: Oh, Lord, we wait for You to lift the fog and show us our calling and to give us Your enabling grace. Amen
My Journal for Today: Chuck Swindoll closes out this devotional entry by quoting Solomon from Eccl. 3: 1, 7, which states, “There is a time for every event under heaven … a time to be silent and a time to speak.” And Esther had the discernment to know when to do both. On two previous occasions our heroine had the opportunity to blow away Haman’s scheme to get rid of the Jews; but she kept silent. And now all of a sudden, when her husband, the King, asks her a third time for her regal request, she recognizes that the fog has lifted and the time, God’s time, is right for revelation of Haman’s evil plan. It’s the time God raised the child of the Covenant to be the savior of her people – the time for Esther to shine God’s light for His glory.
In this world in which we live, so often it’s like we’re boating around in a small craft which has been enveloped in a dense fog. It’s so hard to hear where to go because there’s so much noise coming at us through the soupy saturation of information in our culture. It’s hard to see which direction to go because there are so many battle fields which call to us for attention. We’re blinded by all the evil strongholds the enemy has setting up, walling us off from the truth. But then it’s like the fog lifts for a time – in God’s timing – and we discern what must be done and that we have been called to take action for our Lord. And God hands the torch to us; and we must shine His light.
Yes, my friend, at times it’s hard to know when to wait and when to act; but first we must know there will be a time and a place to make a choice for Godly truth; and there will be a time to shine God’s light and dispel the darkness which surrounds us. We know from Christ’s own command (in Matt. 5: 16) that God desires for us to shine His light in the darkness for all to see Him working through us so that He will be glorified. So, it is our responsibility to wait for His time to lift the fog so that we can see where to go and what to do. And when the fog lifts, it will be our time to carry His light into an ever darkening world.
Get ready, our (your) time will come!
My Prayer for Today: Oh, Lord, we wait for You to lift the fog and show us our calling and to give us Your enabling grace. Amen
Sunday, July 19, 2009
2009 – Day 189.July 19 – Results of Waiting
2009 – Day 189.July 19 – Results of Waiting
Passage of the Day: Esther 4: 12 - 17 … 12 So they told Mordecai Esther’s words. 13 And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. 14 For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” 15 Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!”
17 So Mordecai went his way and did according to all that Esther commanded him.
My Journal for Today: Yesterday we were reminded of the delay of three days which took place between the text of Esther, chapters 4 and 5; and we don’t know what transpired in those days. It’s a reminder that there are often times when God seems absent or silent when crucial events are occurring in our lives. Yet we know, for example from a passage like Deut. 31: 8 that God not only never forsakes His disciples, He is going on ahead to prepare a way. That’s also the NT message of 1st Cor. 10: 13 where God never puts a follower into any trial or test, in which He, our faithful God, will not also provide the way of victory for us.
As Swindoll points out it’s the playing out of the Prophet’s message in Isaiah 40: 31, that familiar passage, which reads …
But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.
And Swindoll goes on, in his devotional message this date, to point out four important points we need to remember from this passage in Isaiah about waiting for the Lord.
First, even in the midst of draining emotional and/or physical circumstances (i.e., trials), waiting on the Lord will provide new strength. It’s the working out of the truth of 2nd Cor. 12: 9, where we know and can rely on God’s promise that His enabling grace is always sufficient to give us His strength to cover our weakness.
Secondly, as we mount up on wings like eagles, our waiting on God provides a new and higher perspective. The high ground in battle is always preferred to the low; and I’ve discovered this higher perspective is attained and maintained through persistent prayer, especially in the hard times. In battle terminology, it’s the working out of Eph. 6: 18, waiting in the Spirit gives us the high ground.
Thirdly, when we wait on the Lord we can actually store up extra energy for the future. We “shall run and not grow weary” even into our future. Again, I cite Deut. 31: 8 as God is always way ahead of us; and whatever we’re called to do, He has already gone ahead to provide the way and to provide the strength.
And finally, as we read, “They shall walk and not faint,” waiting on the Lord helps to give us determination to persevere. It’s what James wrote about (in James 1: 2 - 4) for us to even count it all joy in the midst of trials that God is working out our completion in Christ.
So, my dear one, are you in the midst of some trial, test, or tribulation? Well, if you are not now, know that down the road you will be; and now is the time to be waiting on the Lord to give you what it takes to deal with the test at hand or to store up God’s strength for the future. Let us fly like eagles and not grow weary. Let us walk and not grow faint. For in our trials, God gives us the strength to endure and the opportunity to shine His light for others to see His glory.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, give me the strength to fly above the fray. Amen
Passage of the Day: Esther 4: 12 - 17 … 12 So they told Mordecai Esther’s words. 13 And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: “Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. 14 For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” 15 Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!”
17 So Mordecai went his way and did according to all that Esther commanded him.
My Journal for Today: Yesterday we were reminded of the delay of three days which took place between the text of Esther, chapters 4 and 5; and we don’t know what transpired in those days. It’s a reminder that there are often times when God seems absent or silent when crucial events are occurring in our lives. Yet we know, for example from a passage like Deut. 31: 8 that God not only never forsakes His disciples, He is going on ahead to prepare a way. That’s also the NT message of 1st Cor. 10: 13 where God never puts a follower into any trial or test, in which He, our faithful God, will not also provide the way of victory for us.
As Swindoll points out it’s the playing out of the Prophet’s message in Isaiah 40: 31, that familiar passage, which reads …
But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.
And Swindoll goes on, in his devotional message this date, to point out four important points we need to remember from this passage in Isaiah about waiting for the Lord.
First, even in the midst of draining emotional and/or physical circumstances (i.e., trials), waiting on the Lord will provide new strength. It’s the working out of the truth of 2nd Cor. 12: 9, where we know and can rely on God’s promise that His enabling grace is always sufficient to give us His strength to cover our weakness.
Secondly, as we mount up on wings like eagles, our waiting on God provides a new and higher perspective. The high ground in battle is always preferred to the low; and I’ve discovered this higher perspective is attained and maintained through persistent prayer, especially in the hard times. In battle terminology, it’s the working out of Eph. 6: 18, waiting in the Spirit gives us the high ground.
Thirdly, when we wait on the Lord we can actually store up extra energy for the future. We “shall run and not grow weary” even into our future. Again, I cite Deut. 31: 8 as God is always way ahead of us; and whatever we’re called to do, He has already gone ahead to provide the way and to provide the strength.
And finally, as we read, “They shall walk and not faint,” waiting on the Lord helps to give us determination to persevere. It’s what James wrote about (in James 1: 2 - 4) for us to even count it all joy in the midst of trials that God is working out our completion in Christ.
So, my dear one, are you in the midst of some trial, test, or tribulation? Well, if you are not now, know that down the road you will be; and now is the time to be waiting on the Lord to give you what it takes to deal with the test at hand or to store up God’s strength for the future. Let us fly like eagles and not grow weary. Let us walk and not grow faint. For in our trials, God gives us the strength to endure and the opportunity to shine His light for others to see His glory.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, give me the strength to fly above the fray. Amen
Saturday, June 27, 2009
2009 – Day 177.June 27 – Two Solemn Reminders
2009 – Day 177.June 27 – Two Solemn Reminders
Passage of the Day: 1st Kings 21 … Linked for study …
My Journal for Today: From the highlighted passage today, Swindoll, in his devotional for this day, reminds his readers (me) of two awesome reminders.
#1 … THERE IS AN END TO GOD’S PATIENCE! And the truth of Isaiah 55: 8-9 applies here [check it out here!]. Sometimes we see injustice going on in the world; and we can’t figure out why God would allow mankind, especially leaders like Ahab and Jezebel, to do what they do, which is so obviously in opposition to God’s righteousness. Maybe you even feel like that right now when you see the world’s evil growing as it is. I do!
But God’s word is clear; and it says [Gal. 6: 7] “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” And as we see in today’s passage, that is exactly what happened to Ahab and Jezebel; but as is usually God’s way, it took a long time for the rope on God’s presence to come to an end because of God’s character of long-suffering. But it did come, even though the calamity of God’s judgment did not occur in his days but in the days of the next generation.
And right now, as I ponder God’s word in my devotional time, I’m thinking of how the Prophet Habakkuk could not understand why God was so slow in his estimation to bring judgment down upon God’s people for their ungodliness (see Habakkuk 1 - linked here). But God in His time and in His way brought down His wrath upon God’s people who had mocked the Lord for so long with their evil ways; and Habakkuk was given a front row seat to learn a lesson in patience and faith. And we should learn the same lesson by reading and internalizing Habakkuk 3: 17-18 - also linked. But remember – God’s patience and His mercy have limits – His limits – and He will not be mocked!
#2 … GOD KEEPS HIS WORD! And no political leader, no idolized entertainer or athlete, or no religious leader, who is put up on a pedestal, can escape this reality. Again I repeat the truth of Galatians 6: 7. What goes around, comes around! It is God’s law of just proportionality. We reap what we sow; and no one can rise above that truth. Ahab and Jezebel may have thought they could; but as we read, the hammer finally fell; and as you read, it even hurt the next generation even more than it did theirs. And God’s wrath can be a very ugly scene as God’s word documents for others when His wrath came upon those who were locked out of the ark when the floods came, or those who lived and did evil in Sodom and Gomorrah, or on anyone who mocks God by not receiving his long-suffering grace after the resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ, who was raised from the dead after dying for the sins of mankind.
Please, my dear one, don’t think you mock God by rejecting His saving grace or even, as a born-again Christian, you feel you can sin chronically and repetitively with no consequences. God’s wrath may be long in coming as we see evil being perpetuated in our day; but God will not be mocked; and WE WILL REAP WHAT WE SOW; and so, may God have mercy on His remnant, those of us who cry out to God for His grace, … the remnant who sees the evil but cannot do other than to walk in righteousness or to pray in the truth of 2nd Chron. 7: 14 - [read it here], and to wait on God’s judgment. We may not know when or how; but our culture and our world will reap what they sow; and again … may God have mercy on all as the rain will fall on the just as well as the unjust.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, have mercy on us! Amen
Passage of the Day: 1st Kings 21 … Linked for study …
My Journal for Today: From the highlighted passage today, Swindoll, in his devotional for this day, reminds his readers (me) of two awesome reminders.
#1 … THERE IS AN END TO GOD’S PATIENCE! And the truth of Isaiah 55: 8-9 applies here [check it out here!]. Sometimes we see injustice going on in the world; and we can’t figure out why God would allow mankind, especially leaders like Ahab and Jezebel, to do what they do, which is so obviously in opposition to God’s righteousness. Maybe you even feel like that right now when you see the world’s evil growing as it is. I do!
But God’s word is clear; and it says [Gal. 6: 7] “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” And as we see in today’s passage, that is exactly what happened to Ahab and Jezebel; but as is usually God’s way, it took a long time for the rope on God’s presence to come to an end because of God’s character of long-suffering. But it did come, even though the calamity of God’s judgment did not occur in his days but in the days of the next generation.
And right now, as I ponder God’s word in my devotional time, I’m thinking of how the Prophet Habakkuk could not understand why God was so slow in his estimation to bring judgment down upon God’s people for their ungodliness (see Habakkuk 1 - linked here). But God in His time and in His way brought down His wrath upon God’s people who had mocked the Lord for so long with their evil ways; and Habakkuk was given a front row seat to learn a lesson in patience and faith. And we should learn the same lesson by reading and internalizing Habakkuk 3: 17-18 - also linked. But remember – God’s patience and His mercy have limits – His limits – and He will not be mocked!
#2 … GOD KEEPS HIS WORD! And no political leader, no idolized entertainer or athlete, or no religious leader, who is put up on a pedestal, can escape this reality. Again I repeat the truth of Galatians 6: 7. What goes around, comes around! It is God’s law of just proportionality. We reap what we sow; and no one can rise above that truth. Ahab and Jezebel may have thought they could; but as we read, the hammer finally fell; and as you read, it even hurt the next generation even more than it did theirs. And God’s wrath can be a very ugly scene as God’s word documents for others when His wrath came upon those who were locked out of the ark when the floods came, or those who lived and did evil in Sodom and Gomorrah, or on anyone who mocks God by not receiving his long-suffering grace after the resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ, who was raised from the dead after dying for the sins of mankind.
Please, my dear one, don’t think you mock God by rejecting His saving grace or even, as a born-again Christian, you feel you can sin chronically and repetitively with no consequences. God’s wrath may be long in coming as we see evil being perpetuated in our day; but God will not be mocked; and WE WILL REAP WHAT WE SOW; and so, may God have mercy on His remnant, those of us who cry out to God for His grace, … the remnant who sees the evil but cannot do other than to walk in righteousness or to pray in the truth of 2nd Chron. 7: 14 - [read it here], and to wait on God’s judgment. We may not know when or how; but our culture and our world will reap what they sow; and again … may God have mercy on all as the rain will fall on the just as well as the unjust.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, have mercy on us! Amen
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
2009 – Day 160.June 10 – Confidence in God
2009 – Day 160.June 10 – Confidence in God
Passage of the Day: 1st Kings 17: 17 – 19 … 17 Now it happened after these things that the son of the woman who owned the house became sick. And his sickness was so serious that there was no breath left in him. 18 So she said to Elijah, “What have I to do with you, O man of God? Have you come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to kill my son?” 19 And he said to her, “Give me your son.” So he took him out of her arms and carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his own bed.
My Journal for Today: Wow! If you’ve been with me in my devotionals for these past days, we’ve seen Elijah following God in obedience through one pressure cooker after another. Swindoll uses another word picture to describe it today. It’s as if Elijah has been put into a vice and God is making it tighter and tighter.
The Prophet confronted Ahab just as God had asked; and the vice tightened. So, God told him to go to Chrerith and things got tighter with the brook drying up. Then he was led to Zarapeth, where he encountered this widow who was without food; and Elijah showed great faith again helping the woman to see that his God would provide for them. Now, God seems to tighten the vice even tighter as the woman brings here lifeless son to Elijah, blaming him (and by extension, God) for this horror.
BUT (and there’s that wonderful contrast word that my Pastor loves to point out in Scripture); … BUT … Elijah doesn’t wilt under this added pressure. He doesn’t rebuke the woman for her inaccurate point of view. He doesn’t try to reason with the widow, somehow knowing that words are going to be inadequate at this point. No, Elijah simply, and confidently, asks the woman to place her burden, the son, in his arms; and having confidence in God, he goes into action.
If you read on in 1st Kings, you’ll note that Elijah is going to take this horrible burden to His God; but we’ll be looking at that faith-based response in a day or so; but for now, just take heed of how God is leading Elijah and preparing him for God’s plan for Elijah’s life. Have you ever been in a bad situation; and you pray to God for relief and things get even worse? And then you pray for God to lift your burden; and the vice of circumstances gets even tighter. Well, that is where we find Elijah; and it’s where we could find ourselves; or maybe it’s already happened to you in your life. Or maybe you’re right there now.
The question for us, as I’ve raised in the past in the “university of life” which my devotionals have been for me, is “Do we or do we not believe the truth of Romans 8: 28?” Now, I fully expect that you know the truth which that verse expounds, that “… all things work together for good for those who love God and are the called according to His purpose.” Elijah believed that truth. Do we? Because when we do, we will not panic when the vice of life tightens down on us. When we’re face with life or death issues, we will know that God is there with us, just as Elijah handles the horror of this scenario.
That is my prayer for me today; and it’s my prayer for you as well.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, whatever you put me through today, I know that You are right here with me. Amen
Passage of the Day: 1st Kings 17: 17 – 19 … 17 Now it happened after these things that the son of the woman who owned the house became sick. And his sickness was so serious that there was no breath left in him. 18 So she said to Elijah, “What have I to do with you, O man of God? Have you come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to kill my son?” 19 And he said to her, “Give me your son.” So he took him out of her arms and carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his own bed.
My Journal for Today: Wow! If you’ve been with me in my devotionals for these past days, we’ve seen Elijah following God in obedience through one pressure cooker after another. Swindoll uses another word picture to describe it today. It’s as if Elijah has been put into a vice and God is making it tighter and tighter.
The Prophet confronted Ahab just as God had asked; and the vice tightened. So, God told him to go to Chrerith and things got tighter with the brook drying up. Then he was led to Zarapeth, where he encountered this widow who was without food; and Elijah showed great faith again helping the woman to see that his God would provide for them. Now, God seems to tighten the vice even tighter as the woman brings here lifeless son to Elijah, blaming him (and by extension, God) for this horror.
BUT (and there’s that wonderful contrast word that my Pastor loves to point out in Scripture); … BUT … Elijah doesn’t wilt under this added pressure. He doesn’t rebuke the woman for her inaccurate point of view. He doesn’t try to reason with the widow, somehow knowing that words are going to be inadequate at this point. No, Elijah simply, and confidently, asks the woman to place her burden, the son, in his arms; and having confidence in God, he goes into action.
If you read on in 1st Kings, you’ll note that Elijah is going to take this horrible burden to His God; but we’ll be looking at that faith-based response in a day or so; but for now, just take heed of how God is leading Elijah and preparing him for God’s plan for Elijah’s life. Have you ever been in a bad situation; and you pray to God for relief and things get even worse? And then you pray for God to lift your burden; and the vice of circumstances gets even tighter. Well, that is where we find Elijah; and it’s where we could find ourselves; or maybe it’s already happened to you in your life. Or maybe you’re right there now.
The question for us, as I’ve raised in the past in the “university of life” which my devotionals have been for me, is “Do we or do we not believe the truth of Romans 8: 28?” Now, I fully expect that you know the truth which that verse expounds, that “… all things work together for good for those who love God and are the called according to His purpose.” Elijah believed that truth. Do we? Because when we do, we will not panic when the vice of life tightens down on us. When we’re face with life or death issues, we will know that God is there with us, just as Elijah handles the horror of this scenario.
That is my prayer for me today; and it’s my prayer for you as well.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, whatever you put me through today, I know that You are right here with me. Amen
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
2009 – Day 125.May 06 – Patiently Waiting
2009 – Day 125.May 06 – Patiently Waiting
Passage of the Day: 1st Samuel 25: 29 - 34 … Link to 1st Sam. 25 for study ...
My Journal for Today: If you’ve been following this interaction between David and Abigail in these past few days, we are learning some lessons from this wise woman. The character lessons are obvious, such as her loyalty to her husband and family and her courage in confronting an angry king-to-be with a force of 400 men who were bent on taking out her household. But beyond this, Swindoll points out three lessons in wisdom which we can glean from today’s passage.
And the first of these is stated this way, “When conflicts arise, … be wise.” And I’d go a step further, I’d say, “Be Godly wise!” And my dear fellow believer, take it from my personal record of failures, when we’re in a conflict, the NATURAL reaction will be to act according to our flesh or our feelings; and this is almost always NOT the wise way to go. I learned a long time ago that I need to resist letting feelings dictate my choices or decisions. Rather, instead of reacting, I need to respond. And that means I need to make choices which are consistent with God’s way, not my own way.
In any conflict, there are always at least two sides; and Swindoll is right when he writes, “Weigh the differences” before responding. Hence, I’ve learned, whenever I can, to run any decision or action through the truth of Phil. 4: 6-7 to seek God’s peace from prayer before I go off half-cocked and react in the flesh. In other words, when in doubt, seek God’s route and deny self. And again, I refer – as I do so often – to Christ’s formula for discipleship in Luke 9: 23. God’s way is always THE WAY.
Next Swindoll writes about this scenario, “Take each conflict as it comes; … and treat it separately.” Each conflict and situation may require a different approach or decision. And that’s the reason the flesh can so often lead us astray. When we react in the flesh rather than to respond with Godly wisdom, we have a tendency to do handle varying situations with the way our flesh dictates; and that will often be with similar, selfish motives. The battle you won yesterday may not need the same approach as a conflict which arises today. So, we must take on each situation as it arises … one at a time!
And finally, there is great wisdom in letting time help us dictate our decision making. And so, Swindoll points out, “Whenever you realize there’s nothing more you can do, … WAIT.” And actually, this wisdom melds with the other advice we’ve been covering these past few days. If David had acted brashly, in the flesh, he would have killed Abigail’s husband and all the males in that household. He would have reacted in the flesh rather than to respond with Godly wisdom. But by waiting and listening to Abigail’s wise counsel and teaching, God’s way was found and the Lord’s wisdom prevailed. Often – well, whenever possible – it’s best to take some time to make a decision, seeking God’s will and His way, rather than letting our feelings or our flesh overcome our faith. And, oh, how the enemy desires for us to listen to our deceitful flesh (again, always remember the ever prevalent truth of Jer. 17: 9) rather than to take the time to respond to God’s leading.
As I meditate here about Abigail and her advice and counsel for David, I think about how I’ve learned to take time, when I need to make a decision, seeking and listening to the advice of my God-given wife, Elly. I may not always take her counsel [though if I’m honest, I usually do]; but I’d be a fool not to let God use her Spirit-given gifts to temper my feelings or leanings on any given matter. And often, when I’m listening to my wife, I’ve heard her return to her favorite Bible verse; and she will say “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding.” And I know the rest from Prov. 3: 5 – 6, which is always the best advice, “In all your ways, acknowledge [God’s way], and He will keep your paths straight.” [My emphasis added.]
The advice we read above, which comes from this biblical encounter, is a good teaching; and it’s one we’d all be wise to learn and implement, especially when we’re confronted with decisions which weigh our feelings and our faith. Let’s let Abigail be our teacher and let David’s surrender to God’s wisdom be our guide.
My Prayer for Today: Father, thank You for Your word which teaches me Your way rather than following my way. Amen
Passage of the Day: 1st Samuel 25: 29 - 34 … Link to 1st Sam. 25 for study ...
My Journal for Today: If you’ve been following this interaction between David and Abigail in these past few days, we are learning some lessons from this wise woman. The character lessons are obvious, such as her loyalty to her husband and family and her courage in confronting an angry king-to-be with a force of 400 men who were bent on taking out her household. But beyond this, Swindoll points out three lessons in wisdom which we can glean from today’s passage.
And the first of these is stated this way, “When conflicts arise, … be wise.” And I’d go a step further, I’d say, “Be Godly wise!” And my dear fellow believer, take it from my personal record of failures, when we’re in a conflict, the NATURAL reaction will be to act according to our flesh or our feelings; and this is almost always NOT the wise way to go. I learned a long time ago that I need to resist letting feelings dictate my choices or decisions. Rather, instead of reacting, I need to respond. And that means I need to make choices which are consistent with God’s way, not my own way.
In any conflict, there are always at least two sides; and Swindoll is right when he writes, “Weigh the differences” before responding. Hence, I’ve learned, whenever I can, to run any decision or action through the truth of Phil. 4: 6-7 to seek God’s peace from prayer before I go off half-cocked and react in the flesh. In other words, when in doubt, seek God’s route and deny self. And again, I refer – as I do so often – to Christ’s formula for discipleship in Luke 9: 23. God’s way is always THE WAY.
Next Swindoll writes about this scenario, “Take each conflict as it comes; … and treat it separately.” Each conflict and situation may require a different approach or decision. And that’s the reason the flesh can so often lead us astray. When we react in the flesh rather than to respond with Godly wisdom, we have a tendency to do handle varying situations with the way our flesh dictates; and that will often be with similar, selfish motives. The battle you won yesterday may not need the same approach as a conflict which arises today. So, we must take on each situation as it arises … one at a time!
And finally, there is great wisdom in letting time help us dictate our decision making. And so, Swindoll points out, “Whenever you realize there’s nothing more you can do, … WAIT.” And actually, this wisdom melds with the other advice we’ve been covering these past few days. If David had acted brashly, in the flesh, he would have killed Abigail’s husband and all the males in that household. He would have reacted in the flesh rather than to respond with Godly wisdom. But by waiting and listening to Abigail’s wise counsel and teaching, God’s way was found and the Lord’s wisdom prevailed. Often – well, whenever possible – it’s best to take some time to make a decision, seeking God’s will and His way, rather than letting our feelings or our flesh overcome our faith. And, oh, how the enemy desires for us to listen to our deceitful flesh (again, always remember the ever prevalent truth of Jer. 17: 9) rather than to take the time to respond to God’s leading.
As I meditate here about Abigail and her advice and counsel for David, I think about how I’ve learned to take time, when I need to make a decision, seeking and listening to the advice of my God-given wife, Elly. I may not always take her counsel [though if I’m honest, I usually do]; but I’d be a fool not to let God use her Spirit-given gifts to temper my feelings or leanings on any given matter. And often, when I’m listening to my wife, I’ve heard her return to her favorite Bible verse; and she will say “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding.” And I know the rest from Prov. 3: 5 – 6, which is always the best advice, “In all your ways, acknowledge [God’s way], and He will keep your paths straight.” [My emphasis added.]
The advice we read above, which comes from this biblical encounter, is a good teaching; and it’s one we’d all be wise to learn and implement, especially when we’re confronted with decisions which weigh our feelings and our faith. Let’s let Abigail be our teacher and let David’s surrender to God’s wisdom be our guide.
My Prayer for Today: Father, thank You for Your word which teaches me Your way rather than following my way. Amen
Monday, May 04, 2009
2009 – Day 123.May 04 – Wise Protection
2009 – Day 123.May 04 – Wise Protection
Passage of the Day: 1st Samuel 25: 1 – 19 … Link to 1st Sam. 25 for study …
My Journal for Today: I have to admit; when I read through Swindoll’s selected passage today before I read his devotional entry, I wondered what Pastor Chuck, the author and teacher was going to glean from this passage which could be applied for our growth as believers. But Swindoll exposed a good lesson we can learn from Abigail, the wife of the shepherd, Nabal.
I did see that David’s attitude left a lot to be desired when it comes to sending 400 armed men when Nabal refused to give anything to David’s cause. Yes, Nabal was a scoundrel of a man; and Swindoll rightly points out that Abigail could have laid back and gotten rid of a lousy husband by letting David’s men crush her abusive husband. But that was not what she did. No, … instead Abigail becomes an example of a protective wife, doing all she could to deter the anger of David’s soldiers.
So, what do we gain from this vignette? Well, first we see that David reacted with carnal anger to Nabal’s insult, sending 400 swordsman to eliminate one Bedouin shepherd. I agree with Swindoll’s assessment; … it’s like taking a shotgun to kill a roach. But in Abigail we see a woman that her husband, who obviously was a scoundrel, really didn’t deserve. And in this scenario, Abigail becomes a model of doing the right thing, the Godly thing, as opposed to the expedient thing.
How often would most people, when they have an opportunity to keep their mouth shut and get rid of a bad thing in their life would step up and do what God would have them do instead of doing the carnally expedient thing? It’s an example of the kind of tests which come our way occasionally to stand for Godly right or to do take the easy, very human, way out. I’ll bet you’re thinking of such a test in your life right now. I’ve certainly had them in my life; and I admit to taking the easy way out all too often.
And I’m also convicted by the fact that I missed the lesson when I read through this passage before reading Swindoll’s devotional to help me grow in my understanding and wisdom as I read God’s word. Oh, there is so much to learn and apply from the Bible; and I hope you, who might be reading along, grow with me as we continue to observe God’s account of the life of David.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, as I live for You, I see today’s lesson. Help me become responsive to Your will rather than reactive in my own flesh. Amen
Passage of the Day: 1st Samuel 25: 1 – 19 … Link to 1st Sam. 25 for study …
My Journal for Today: I have to admit; when I read through Swindoll’s selected passage today before I read his devotional entry, I wondered what Pastor Chuck, the author and teacher was going to glean from this passage which could be applied for our growth as believers. But Swindoll exposed a good lesson we can learn from Abigail, the wife of the shepherd, Nabal.
I did see that David’s attitude left a lot to be desired when it comes to sending 400 armed men when Nabal refused to give anything to David’s cause. Yes, Nabal was a scoundrel of a man; and Swindoll rightly points out that Abigail could have laid back and gotten rid of a lousy husband by letting David’s men crush her abusive husband. But that was not what she did. No, … instead Abigail becomes an example of a protective wife, doing all she could to deter the anger of David’s soldiers.
So, what do we gain from this vignette? Well, first we see that David reacted with carnal anger to Nabal’s insult, sending 400 swordsman to eliminate one Bedouin shepherd. I agree with Swindoll’s assessment; … it’s like taking a shotgun to kill a roach. But in Abigail we see a woman that her husband, who obviously was a scoundrel, really didn’t deserve. And in this scenario, Abigail becomes a model of doing the right thing, the Godly thing, as opposed to the expedient thing.
How often would most people, when they have an opportunity to keep their mouth shut and get rid of a bad thing in their life would step up and do what God would have them do instead of doing the carnally expedient thing? It’s an example of the kind of tests which come our way occasionally to stand for Godly right or to do take the easy, very human, way out. I’ll bet you’re thinking of such a test in your life right now. I’ve certainly had them in my life; and I admit to taking the easy way out all too often.
And I’m also convicted by the fact that I missed the lesson when I read through this passage before reading Swindoll’s devotional to help me grow in my understanding and wisdom as I read God’s word. Oh, there is so much to learn and apply from the Bible; and I hope you, who might be reading along, grow with me as we continue to observe God’s account of the life of David.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, as I live for You, I see today’s lesson. Help me become responsive to Your will rather than reactive in my own flesh. Amen
Monday, March 16, 2009
2009 – Day 74.Mar. 16 – Shortcuts To Futility
2009 – Day 74.Mar. 16 – Shortcuts To Futility
Passage of the Day: Exod. 6: 2 – 29 … Link to Exod. 6 for study …
My Journal for Today: Here we are, right in the midst of the story of the Exodus; and Moses apparently needed a pep talk from God. Things were not going well. Pharaoh wasn’t listening; and God’s people were balking. So, here in Exodus 6 we see God sitting Moses down and giving him a personal and historical lesson about the One Moses was serving and where the Lord had brought Moses.
And God didn’t rebuke Moses. No, the Lord took the time to retell the whole story to Moses, reminding him of His family and where God had led him. And in this pep talk, as Swindoll points out in his devotional today, we read of God saying clearly to Moses six separate times, “I am the Lord …” [see Exod. 6: 2, 6, 7, 8, 29]. Have you learned, as I have, that when God’s says something multiple times in a short segment of space [in His word], it’s time to pay attention and listen to God? Well, I think that is what God was trying to get across to Moses.
Moses needed to be reminded of the exactly Who was doing the leading here. And sometimes we can, as did Moses, have the tendency to look to the carnal when the Spirit-led course is not apparent in the circumstances of life. Oh, how I have the tendency to look within myself when things are not going the way I think they should. I want to get things done MY WAY; and I just won’t take the time to WAIT ON GOD.
So, here, sort of at the half-time of the Super Bowl of deliverance, God takes Moses into the locker room of life and reminds the quarterback of God’s team just where they are in this game and exactly Who is in charge in this game plan. And we know from “the rest of the story” that Moses listened to God; and he went back out on the field of this contest and did exactly what God coached him to do.
If things are not going well for you in the game of life, let God sit you down, through His written word or with council from a Godly counselor, and remind you that it is the Lord Who is in charge; and all you need to do is follow God’s game plan, which we can read and heed in Deut. 31: 8, Prov. 3: 5 – 6, Luke 9: 23, and all of Romans 8, as well as all of Ephesians 1.
So, if you’re going into the second half of your super bowl of life and things are going poorly, you go back and meditate deeply on those passages and realize that God is with you; … that He will guide you; … and that you serve the God Who cannot and will not be defeated.
Dear one … we have the advantage to see the score at the end of the game; and as I said a few days earlier, “WE WIN!”
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I am lifted up by Your truth and Your victory. Amen
Passage of the Day: Exod. 6: 2 – 29 … Link to Exod. 6 for study …
My Journal for Today: Here we are, right in the midst of the story of the Exodus; and Moses apparently needed a pep talk from God. Things were not going well. Pharaoh wasn’t listening; and God’s people were balking. So, here in Exodus 6 we see God sitting Moses down and giving him a personal and historical lesson about the One Moses was serving and where the Lord had brought Moses.
And God didn’t rebuke Moses. No, the Lord took the time to retell the whole story to Moses, reminding him of His family and where God had led him. And in this pep talk, as Swindoll points out in his devotional today, we read of God saying clearly to Moses six separate times, “I am the Lord …” [see Exod. 6: 2, 6, 7, 8, 29]. Have you learned, as I have, that when God’s says something multiple times in a short segment of space [in His word], it’s time to pay attention and listen to God? Well, I think that is what God was trying to get across to Moses.
Moses needed to be reminded of the exactly Who was doing the leading here. And sometimes we can, as did Moses, have the tendency to look to the carnal when the Spirit-led course is not apparent in the circumstances of life. Oh, how I have the tendency to look within myself when things are not going the way I think they should. I want to get things done MY WAY; and I just won’t take the time to WAIT ON GOD.
So, here, sort of at the half-time of the Super Bowl of deliverance, God takes Moses into the locker room of life and reminds the quarterback of God’s team just where they are in this game and exactly Who is in charge in this game plan. And we know from “the rest of the story” that Moses listened to God; and he went back out on the field of this contest and did exactly what God coached him to do.
If things are not going well for you in the game of life, let God sit you down, through His written word or with council from a Godly counselor, and remind you that it is the Lord Who is in charge; and all you need to do is follow God’s game plan, which we can read and heed in Deut. 31: 8, Prov. 3: 5 – 6, Luke 9: 23, and all of Romans 8, as well as all of Ephesians 1.
So, if you’re going into the second half of your super bowl of life and things are going poorly, you go back and meditate deeply on those passages and realize that God is with you; … that He will guide you; … and that you serve the God Who cannot and will not be defeated.
Dear one … we have the advantage to see the score at the end of the game; and as I said a few days earlier, “WE WIN!”
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I am lifted up by Your truth and Your victory. Amen
Monday, March 09, 2009
2009 – Day 67.Mar. 9 – Leave Of Absence
2009 – Day 67.Mar. 9 – Leave Of Absence
Passage of the Day: Exodus 4: 18 … 18 So Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said to him, “Please let me go and return to my brethren who are in Egypt, and see whether they are still alive.” And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.”
My Journal for Today: I’m glad that Swindoll highlights this transitional passage in Moses’ life, which shows a lot about how Moses’ character had developed out there in the desert.
Here we are. Moses had just been hanging out with God Himself in the form of a burning bush; and God has recruited the shepherd to be His agent of redemption for God’s people, the Jews in Egypt. And Moses now knows that he will carry a staff which can become a snake; and he will be crying out, in God’s Name, to Pharaoh, “Let my people go!” … But does Moses take all that to Jethro, the man who had become his adopted daddy?
No, in meekness and humility and respect, he simply goes to the man who had entrusted his flocks to Moses for 40 years and quietly asks if he may be released to go down and see about the status of his brethren, the Jews, in Egypt. And Swindoll points out that this shows a lot about both the man Moses had become and the God, Who was calling Moses out to be the savior of God’s people.
Here we see what Moses had become in 40 years, … a GENTLEman, … a humble man, … both qualities we know are primary facets of the character of our Savior. By the way, they are the only two descriptive qualities Jesus ever used to describe Himself (you can check that out in Matt. 11: 29). So, he goes to Jethro in gentleness and humility; and he doesn’t bowl him over with a wild story, something like, “Dad, you’re not going to believe what I just saw. I was in the presence of The God of our father, Abraham, in a burning bush up there on the mountain. And God says I’m going down to Egypt and lead my people out of there! So, I’m out of here tomorrow. Sorry!”
No, God doesn’t demand his believers, especially those whom He calls into leadership, to be flashy and flaunt the power of God within. God only asks us to be available, to be humble, and to follow where He would lead. In fact, God will honor the kind of humility and meekness exhibited by Moses in today’s highlight passage from God’s word by pouring mercy and grace into these Christlike qualities. Scripture says it in many places in the Bible that God pours His grace into humility; but He cannot do so to those who are filled with puffed-up pride. (Check it out in Prov. 3: 34, James 4: 6, and 1st Peter 5: 5-6)
And so, we see God’s man, exhibiting God’s love and patience and a servant’s heart as he goes to the Midianite Prince and asks for a leave of absence to go to Egypt. And God, in His love and mercy and grace had prepared the heart of Moses’ adopted dad to give Moses the release he sought to go down and do business for God in Egypt. This is certainly an attitude lesson for us all. Patience and gentleness and humility should always be our M.O., rather than puffed-up pride and power-driven ego.
God simply says [from that verse I refer to so often in Luke 9: 23), “Deny yourself and follow Me.” And that’s exactly what Moses did.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I have Your power in me; but all You ask me to be is Your feet, when You say, “Go!” Amen
Passage of the Day: Exodus 4: 18 … 18 So Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said to him, “Please let me go and return to my brethren who are in Egypt, and see whether they are still alive.” And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.”
My Journal for Today: I’m glad that Swindoll highlights this transitional passage in Moses’ life, which shows a lot about how Moses’ character had developed out there in the desert.
Here we are. Moses had just been hanging out with God Himself in the form of a burning bush; and God has recruited the shepherd to be His agent of redemption for God’s people, the Jews in Egypt. And Moses now knows that he will carry a staff which can become a snake; and he will be crying out, in God’s Name, to Pharaoh, “Let my people go!” … But does Moses take all that to Jethro, the man who had become his adopted daddy?
No, in meekness and humility and respect, he simply goes to the man who had entrusted his flocks to Moses for 40 years and quietly asks if he may be released to go down and see about the status of his brethren, the Jews, in Egypt. And Swindoll points out that this shows a lot about both the man Moses had become and the God, Who was calling Moses out to be the savior of God’s people.
Here we see what Moses had become in 40 years, … a GENTLEman, … a humble man, … both qualities we know are primary facets of the character of our Savior. By the way, they are the only two descriptive qualities Jesus ever used to describe Himself (you can check that out in Matt. 11: 29). So, he goes to Jethro in gentleness and humility; and he doesn’t bowl him over with a wild story, something like, “Dad, you’re not going to believe what I just saw. I was in the presence of The God of our father, Abraham, in a burning bush up there on the mountain. And God says I’m going down to Egypt and lead my people out of there! So, I’m out of here tomorrow. Sorry!”
No, God doesn’t demand his believers, especially those whom He calls into leadership, to be flashy and flaunt the power of God within. God only asks us to be available, to be humble, and to follow where He would lead. In fact, God will honor the kind of humility and meekness exhibited by Moses in today’s highlight passage from God’s word by pouring mercy and grace into these Christlike qualities. Scripture says it in many places in the Bible that God pours His grace into humility; but He cannot do so to those who are filled with puffed-up pride. (Check it out in Prov. 3: 34, James 4: 6, and 1st Peter 5: 5-6)
And so, we see God’s man, exhibiting God’s love and patience and a servant’s heart as he goes to the Midianite Prince and asks for a leave of absence to go to Egypt. And God, in His love and mercy and grace had prepared the heart of Moses’ adopted dad to give Moses the release he sought to go down and do business for God in Egypt. This is certainly an attitude lesson for us all. Patience and gentleness and humility should always be our M.O., rather than puffed-up pride and power-driven ego.
God simply says [from that verse I refer to so often in Luke 9: 23), “Deny yourself and follow Me.” And that’s exactly what Moses did.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I have Your power in me; but all You ask me to be is Your feet, when You say, “Go!” Amen
Saturday, February 28, 2009
2009 – Day 58.Feb.28 – Through It All
2009 – Day 58.Feb.28 – Through It All
Passage of the Day: Exodus 2: 15 – 25 … Linked to passage for study …
My Journal for Today: Okay, same passage again; but this time the emphasis is on Moses learning patience to wait on God’s plan and purpose. As Swindoll posits, you can bet that years before Moses saw the bush burning on the Mountain, he had heard about the Jews languishing in slavery in Egypt. And I’m sure he grieved, knowing that these were “his people,” … God’s people.
But he didn’t take the cause onto his own shoulders, organize a stealth party or army to attack Egypt. No, … our hero in the wilderness waited; and he learned the lessons of patience, humility, and meekness, character traits which would be modeled in the Messiah to come. And when God’s timing was right and Moses had been prepared, God showed Moses what the plan was for action.
So, often when I see a problem I want to jump to solve it, many times taking the whole load on my own shoulders and tracking ahead of God’s design. Ever been there? I’ll bet you have. So many times our egos want to be problem solvers in and of our selves; and the latter is the key to our likely failure. We’re trying to get ahead of God, not trusting that He will show us the timing, the resources, and the plan. And that is called “enabling grace.” But we simply don’t trust that God is with us and even willing to go ahead of us, … IF …, we would but wait on Him (see Deut. 31: 8).
I could drag this out with testimony and much witness; but the truth is here; and Moses’ life in these looks at this passage for the past few days really is convicting enough – at least for this shepherd … and probably for you as well.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, help me to learn the lessons of patience, waiting on You to show me The Way, … Your way. Amen
Passage of the Day: Exodus 2: 15 – 25 … Linked to passage for study …
My Journal for Today: Okay, same passage again; but this time the emphasis is on Moses learning patience to wait on God’s plan and purpose. As Swindoll posits, you can bet that years before Moses saw the bush burning on the Mountain, he had heard about the Jews languishing in slavery in Egypt. And I’m sure he grieved, knowing that these were “his people,” … God’s people.
But he didn’t take the cause onto his own shoulders, organize a stealth party or army to attack Egypt. No, … our hero in the wilderness waited; and he learned the lessons of patience, humility, and meekness, character traits which would be modeled in the Messiah to come. And when God’s timing was right and Moses had been prepared, God showed Moses what the plan was for action.
So, often when I see a problem I want to jump to solve it, many times taking the whole load on my own shoulders and tracking ahead of God’s design. Ever been there? I’ll bet you have. So many times our egos want to be problem solvers in and of our selves; and the latter is the key to our likely failure. We’re trying to get ahead of God, not trusting that He will show us the timing, the resources, and the plan. And that is called “enabling grace.” But we simply don’t trust that God is with us and even willing to go ahead of us, … IF …, we would but wait on Him (see Deut. 31: 8).
I could drag this out with testimony and much witness; but the truth is here; and Moses’ life in these looks at this passage for the past few days really is convicting enough – at least for this shepherd … and probably for you as well.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, help me to learn the lessons of patience, waiting on You to show me The Way, … Your way. Amen
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