Study from God’s Word… Job, Chapters 4 – 7 … Passage for Reflection: Job 4: 18 – 19 … NIV 18 If God places no trust in his servants, if He charges his angels with error, 19 how much more those who live in houses of clay, whose foundations are in the dust, who are crushed more readily than a moth!
My Journal for Today: Job’s friends had earned the right to try to bring this broken man some verbal comfort. If you go back to Job 2 : 11 – 13 [linked], you read how these men had voluntarily come to comfort their “friend;” and they had, being overwhelmed by his agony, sat with him silently for seven days. That’s being a friend.
But then these three began to open their mouths to give Job their perspective on his situation; and their friendship became questionable. The interim moral here is … sometimes when a friend is in agony, it’s just best to be there with them and for them SILENTLY, rather than to give our advice.
But Job’s “friends” did; and here, in today’s text, we read some of the advice from Eliphaz, the Tamanite, who felt compelled to give his take on Job’s plight. And in trying to help Job understand the horrors Job was experiencing, Eliphaz tried to use human logic and his limited understanding of God’s ways to bring some light to bear on what Job had experienced. The problem is that human perspective and intellect will never be able to grasp, nor explain completely, the mind or decisions of God.
For example, as Dr. Smith points out today in his devotional, Eliphaz, trying to give Job some theological logic, declares, in Job 4: 7, “Consider now: Who, being innocent, has ever perished?” Well, that may feel that's right since God is a just God. But to Eliphaz, I would say >>>
WRONG!!! Eliphaz’s argument just doesn’t hold up in today’s world; because we know that innocent babies perish every day in abortion clinics. And we know that many righteous missionaries, like Jim Elliot, have perished at the hands of pagans to whom they were advancing God’s love. So, though it may seem logical that evil is met, by God, with just punishment, the logic doesn’t hold in reverse that completely righteous men, like Job, would not experience suffering in their lives, which is being allowed by a sovereign God.
Dr. Smith’s self exam question for today is a good one for all of us. He asks, “Do I rely too strongly on my own reasoning to understand a God who doesn’t always follow my logic?” My friends, I don’t know how many times I have to keep over-learning the truth that … GOD IS GOD; and I AM NOT!!
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I get it! I don’t need a lesson like you gave Job. Please know that I fully understand that You are my SOVEREIGN GOD!!! And all You do is for my good! I get it! Amen
Showing posts with label sovereignty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sovereignty. Show all posts
Thursday, September 09, 2010
Saturday, June 12, 2010
2010 – June 12 – Being Honest About God
Study from God’s Word… 2Kgs 11: 1 – 3 [2Chron 22: 10 – 12]; 2Kgs 10: 18 – 31; 2Kgs 11: 4-16 [2Chron 23: 1-15]; 2Kgs 11: 21, 12: 1 [2Chron 24: 1]; 2Kgs 11: 17-20 [2Chron 23: 16-21]; 2Kgs 12: 2 [2Chron 24: 2]; 2Kgs 12: 3 … Passage for Reflection: 2nd Kings 10: 30… NIV 30 The LORD said to Jehu, "Because you have done well in accomplishing what is right in my eyes and have done to the house of Ahab all I had in mind to do, your descendants will sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation."
My Journal for Today: I totally agree with Dr. Smith in his devotional entry for today that there are segments of the Bible, especially in the OT, which cause me great pause. Today’s readings are some of those; and if you were to read through the passages I have today from Smith’s editing of The Daily Bible in Chronological Order, I think you’d have to be set into a quandary about how/why God would allow such carnage. Oh, I can rationalize a lot of it, saying to myself that God was trying to purge the evil and idol worship from His promised people/land; but then I come across the incident in 2nd Kings 10 where Jehu, who is later given honor by God, traps all the Baal worshippers in the Baal temple with a sting – an outright lie – and he has all of these people massacred. Then God, knowing that Jehu was not totally sold out to The LORD, tells Jehu that the throne of Israel would be protected in his family for at least four generations [see today’s verse].
So, how do we bring our concept of God into line with all of that? As Smith puts it, “…we can always fall back on God’s unassailable sovereignty or perhaps soothe our qualms by acknowledging the obvious – that God is beyond human understanding.” But Smith goes on by stating what is in my mind right at this moment, when he writes, “… being brutally honest about God continues to leave us uncomfortable.” Right now, God’s Spirit in my consciousness has bubble up the life of Habakkuk … in the Book by his name. Dr. Smith didn’t bring this out; but I believe God’s Spirit is helping me understand my own questions about the nature of my God.
Habakkuk, … this poor Prophet of God – and yes, he was a Prophet – got totally confused by what he saw the sovereign God allowing in his days, with evil running rampant. And we read in Chapter One of Habakkuk’s book of his confusion and his going to God, railing at His Lord, by asking all the “WHY” questions he had in his mind and heart. And the entire book of Habakkuk is about God giving His prophet a lesson in faith and trust; and as you probably remember, by Chapter Three of the Book of Habakkuk, the last chapter of that lesson in trustworthiness, we read, in verses 17-18, Habakkuk says, Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.
My, dear one, if you’re following along with me, I can only pray – and I will this morning – that I (we) come to the realization of God’s sovereignty, no matter what seemingly incongruent truth we read in His Holy Word and what we observe going on in our world. I say it often; but I need to keep saying it. God is God; and I am not! Once we get that settled, we can live with such truths as Romans 8: 28 (I hope you have that one down by now!); and we can do all we can to follow Christ’s command of discipleship in Luke 9: 23. [If you don’t have those two memorized or at least paraphrased in your memory, I really hope you’re looking them up as I write this.]
With that settled, even when we read seemingly inexplicable history in the Old Testament, we can move on, knowing that God is God and we are not!
My Prayer for Today: Lord, please be merciful as we learn to recognize that You are God and ALL things do - in truth - work for Good to those of us who love You! Amen
My Journal for Today: I totally agree with Dr. Smith in his devotional entry for today that there are segments of the Bible, especially in the OT, which cause me great pause. Today’s readings are some of those; and if you were to read through the passages I have today from Smith’s editing of The Daily Bible in Chronological Order, I think you’d have to be set into a quandary about how/why God would allow such carnage. Oh, I can rationalize a lot of it, saying to myself that God was trying to purge the evil and idol worship from His promised people/land; but then I come across the incident in 2nd Kings 10 where Jehu, who is later given honor by God, traps all the Baal worshippers in the Baal temple with a sting – an outright lie – and he has all of these people massacred. Then God, knowing that Jehu was not totally sold out to The LORD, tells Jehu that the throne of Israel would be protected in his family for at least four generations [see today’s verse].
So, how do we bring our concept of God into line with all of that? As Smith puts it, “…we can always fall back on God’s unassailable sovereignty or perhaps soothe our qualms by acknowledging the obvious – that God is beyond human understanding.” But Smith goes on by stating what is in my mind right at this moment, when he writes, “… being brutally honest about God continues to leave us uncomfortable.” Right now, God’s Spirit in my consciousness has bubble up the life of Habakkuk … in the Book by his name. Dr. Smith didn’t bring this out; but I believe God’s Spirit is helping me understand my own questions about the nature of my God.
Habakkuk, … this poor Prophet of God – and yes, he was a Prophet – got totally confused by what he saw the sovereign God allowing in his days, with evil running rampant. And we read in Chapter One of Habakkuk’s book of his confusion and his going to God, railing at His Lord, by asking all the “WHY” questions he had in his mind and heart. And the entire book of Habakkuk is about God giving His prophet a lesson in faith and trust; and as you probably remember, by Chapter Three of the Book of Habakkuk, the last chapter of that lesson in trustworthiness, we read, in verses 17-18, Habakkuk says, Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.
My, dear one, if you’re following along with me, I can only pray – and I will this morning – that I (we) come to the realization of God’s sovereignty, no matter what seemingly incongruent truth we read in His Holy Word and what we observe going on in our world. I say it often; but I need to keep saying it. God is God; and I am not! Once we get that settled, we can live with such truths as Romans 8: 28 (I hope you have that one down by now!); and we can do all we can to follow Christ’s command of discipleship in Luke 9: 23. [If you don’t have those two memorized or at least paraphrased in your memory, I really hope you’re looking them up as I write this.]
With that settled, even when we read seemingly inexplicable history in the Old Testament, we can move on, knowing that God is God and we are not!
My Prayer for Today: Lord, please be merciful as we learn to recognize that You are God and ALL things do - in truth - work for Good to those of us who love You! 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
Saturday, August 01, 2009
2009 – Day 212.Aug 01 – Take Heart
August, 2009 Topic: Esther … Continued from July 31, 2009
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2009 – Day 212.Aug 01 – Take Heart
Passage of the Day: Esther: 8: 1 – 8 … Linked for study …
My Journal for Today: Wow! King Xerxes (i.e., Ahasurerus) really did a turnabout, didn’t he? He went from supporting Haman’s evil plot to being putty in the hands of Esther in just a few days. How could that be? Well, the answer to that is obvious. God had answered the cries and prayers of Mordecai and Esther, both of whom believed in a God Whom they knew could do what He did to protect God’s people. And they laid their lives on this faith by taking their pleas to the Persian King as well.
And Swindoll uses this story of God working to soften the heart of Esther’s husband, the King, to illustrate a truth that is difficult to believe at times. We see people in our lives who have hearts which are hardened against God or who have anger or hatred for us personally; and it’s easy for us to think that it’s impossible for that person’s heart/mind to change. Perhaps you’ve got a boss who’s got it in for you. Maybe you’re spouse has held a grudge against something you did to wrong him/her in the past. Maybe you see someone in power carrying out some evil agenda; and in your human heart you just don’t see this person’s attitude changing.
Well, we’ve probably all faced someone with a heart set against us as Esther faced in Haman and her own husband. But when God’s will was carried out in the Persian palace, the King’s heart did a “180” and he saw Esther, and her people, the Jews, in a whole different light. The point here is … if God can change the heart of a King Xerxes, he can change the hearts of any of us.
And I, personally, can give witness to that. About 30 years ago, I was a die-hard, and somewhat cynical atheist. Oh, I called myself an “agnostic,” because I thought it was a softer term to describe my attitude about the concept of a personal God. It’s a rather long story involving a chain of rather incredible events in my life; but after denouncing God at age 20 in college, at age 39 my whole attitude about God did a 180; and in 1983 I surrendered my life to Christ. And the Lord has transformed this formerly hard-hearted God-hater to an ardent God-lover … an agent of Satan to a Minister of God’s Gospel. And anyone who knew me back in the 60s would have never thought it possible for this spiritual heart transplant to take place.
So, my life is a testimony, as is the story we’ve been following about King Xerxes and Esther, to the incredible truth that God can soften or change the heart of anyone. Why God would do that is God’s business. God is God; and he will work His will as He chooses. But if God can change Bill Berry from atheist against God to advocate for God, He can change anyone. If He can soften the heart of a King Xerxes the way He did to protect Esther and the Jews. He can change your boss’ attitude or the hardened heart of your spouse. I’m sure you’ve read it in the Bible, … that NOTHING is impossible for God! How many lives have we read about changing or being transformed in the Bible to believe this truth?
Now, the question is, do we believe it when it applies to someone in our life whose heart is hardened against us or against God. I have a sister who cannot seem to see Jesus as Savior. You may have a wife who’s so angry at you, she would never seem to be able to get over it and forgive you. Perhaps you see a powerful figure, maybe even our President, perpetuating evil agendas in our world; and you have trouble believing that God could or would do business in the background to change the heart of any of these people. Well, God can; and He will – if it is His will.
And what does God want from us as we agonize over the hardened hearts of those in our lives who, as I’ve described above, have come against us or our way of life? He wants us to cry out to Him. He wants us to wait on Him. He wants us to trust in Him. And when we’ve done all we can, praying all we can, and patiently waiting as long as it takes, God will do what is right. He will always do what it right.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I wait on You. Amen
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2009 – Day 212.Aug 01 – Take Heart
Passage of the Day: Esther: 8: 1 – 8 … Linked for study …
My Journal for Today: Wow! King Xerxes (i.e., Ahasurerus) really did a turnabout, didn’t he? He went from supporting Haman’s evil plot to being putty in the hands of Esther in just a few days. How could that be? Well, the answer to that is obvious. God had answered the cries and prayers of Mordecai and Esther, both of whom believed in a God Whom they knew could do what He did to protect God’s people. And they laid their lives on this faith by taking their pleas to the Persian King as well.
And Swindoll uses this story of God working to soften the heart of Esther’s husband, the King, to illustrate a truth that is difficult to believe at times. We see people in our lives who have hearts which are hardened against God or who have anger or hatred for us personally; and it’s easy for us to think that it’s impossible for that person’s heart/mind to change. Perhaps you’ve got a boss who’s got it in for you. Maybe you’re spouse has held a grudge against something you did to wrong him/her in the past. Maybe you see someone in power carrying out some evil agenda; and in your human heart you just don’t see this person’s attitude changing.
Well, we’ve probably all faced someone with a heart set against us as Esther faced in Haman and her own husband. But when God’s will was carried out in the Persian palace, the King’s heart did a “180” and he saw Esther, and her people, the Jews, in a whole different light. The point here is … if God can change the heart of a King Xerxes, he can change the hearts of any of us.
And I, personally, can give witness to that. About 30 years ago, I was a die-hard, and somewhat cynical atheist. Oh, I called myself an “agnostic,” because I thought it was a softer term to describe my attitude about the concept of a personal God. It’s a rather long story involving a chain of rather incredible events in my life; but after denouncing God at age 20 in college, at age 39 my whole attitude about God did a 180; and in 1983 I surrendered my life to Christ. And the Lord has transformed this formerly hard-hearted God-hater to an ardent God-lover … an agent of Satan to a Minister of God’s Gospel. And anyone who knew me back in the 60s would have never thought it possible for this spiritual heart transplant to take place.
So, my life is a testimony, as is the story we’ve been following about King Xerxes and Esther, to the incredible truth that God can soften or change the heart of anyone. Why God would do that is God’s business. God is God; and he will work His will as He chooses. But if God can change Bill Berry from atheist against God to advocate for God, He can change anyone. If He can soften the heart of a King Xerxes the way He did to protect Esther and the Jews. He can change your boss’ attitude or the hardened heart of your spouse. I’m sure you’ve read it in the Bible, … that NOTHING is impossible for God! How many lives have we read about changing or being transformed in the Bible to believe this truth?
Now, the question is, do we believe it when it applies to someone in our life whose heart is hardened against us or against God. I have a sister who cannot seem to see Jesus as Savior. You may have a wife who’s so angry at you, she would never seem to be able to get over it and forgive you. Perhaps you see a powerful figure, maybe even our President, perpetuating evil agendas in our world; and you have trouble believing that God could or would do business in the background to change the heart of any of these people. Well, God can; and He will – if it is His will.
And what does God want from us as we agonize over the hardened hearts of those in our lives who, as I’ve described above, have come against us or our way of life? He wants us to cry out to Him. He wants us to wait on Him. He wants us to trust in Him. And when we’ve done all we can, praying all we can, and patiently waiting as long as it takes, God will do what is right. He will always do what it right.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I wait on You. Amen
Thursday, July 30, 2009
2009 – Day 210.July 30 – Surprising Sovereignty
Passage of the Day: Esther 7 … Linked for study …
My Journal for Today: Today Swindoll reminded me of an important life lesson we need to keep in perspective from our study of Esther’s life. If you’ve been following what I’ve written the past few days under Swindoll’s devotional guidance, I’ve written of God’s sovereign intervention in the lives of the key players in the Book of Esther, as well as in our lives. And in summary, we’ve seen that God is God and we are not; … that God is in control of the events which alter and illuminate our times (to quote Walter Cronkite again); … and that we need to seek God’s will and act on His purpose through out free will and personal choices.
But Swindoll makes a good additional point. A distorted view in the awe of God’s sovereignty could cause the Christian to become complacent and/or apathetic. In other words, if we take an immature view of God’s sovereignty to lead us to sit back and do nothing because of God being in control, we miss God’s point of giving us the free will to act as His agents of change in this world. If we were to think, “Well, God’s in control; why should I worry? He will do what He wants to anyway.” And in one sense that has truth imbedded in that position. However, if I miss God’s purpose … that He wants me to be His legs, arms, hands, and mouth in this world, … the Spirit-led discernment and God-led enabling grace He gives me to do my part in shaping (or reshaping) this world could be for naught.
Yes, God is the sovereign God; but He created me to do my part in His sovereign plan; and He has given me, when I was born again into His family, His Spirit delivered enabling grace to be an integral part of His will for His world, His church, and His kingdom. And is that not the most awesome character-building truth? I do whatever I can to honor and glorify my God; and my God gives me His power to do just that.
What more can be said than … HALLELUJAH!!?
My Prayer for Today: Yes, Lord, … quite simply … HALLELUJAH! Amen
My Journal for Today: Today Swindoll reminded me of an important life lesson we need to keep in perspective from our study of Esther’s life. If you’ve been following what I’ve written the past few days under Swindoll’s devotional guidance, I’ve written of God’s sovereign intervention in the lives of the key players in the Book of Esther, as well as in our lives. And in summary, we’ve seen that God is God and we are not; … that God is in control of the events which alter and illuminate our times (to quote Walter Cronkite again); … and that we need to seek God’s will and act on His purpose through out free will and personal choices.
But Swindoll makes a good additional point. A distorted view in the awe of God’s sovereignty could cause the Christian to become complacent and/or apathetic. In other words, if we take an immature view of God’s sovereignty to lead us to sit back and do nothing because of God being in control, we miss God’s point of giving us the free will to act as His agents of change in this world. If we were to think, “Well, God’s in control; why should I worry? He will do what He wants to anyway.” And in one sense that has truth imbedded in that position. However, if I miss God’s purpose … that He wants me to be His legs, arms, hands, and mouth in this world, … the Spirit-led discernment and God-led enabling grace He gives me to do my part in shaping (or reshaping) this world could be for naught.
Yes, God is the sovereign God; but He created me to do my part in His sovereign plan; and He has given me, when I was born again into His family, His Spirit delivered enabling grace to be an integral part of His will for His world, His church, and His kingdom. And is that not the most awesome character-building truth? I do whatever I can to honor and glorify my God; and my God gives me His power to do just that.
What more can be said than … HALLELUJAH!!?
My Prayer for Today: Yes, Lord, … quite simply … HALLELUJAH! Amen
Sunday, July 26, 2009
2009 – Day 206.July 26 – When God Seems Absent
Passage of the Day: Esther 6: 12 – 14 … 12 Afterward Mordecai went back to the king’s gate. But Haman hurried to his house, mourning and with his head covered. 13 When Haman told his wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that had happened to him, his wise men and his wife Zeresh said to him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish descent, you will not prevail against him but will surely fall before him.” 14 While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs came, and hastened to bring Haman to the banquet which Esther had prepared.
My Journal for Today: This will not be a long devotional; because we’ve covered this on several occasions this year … in the life of Moses, … in the life of Elijah, … and now in the life of our dear heroine, Esther and her father figure, Mordecai. But obviously Swindoll feels strongly that the point needs to be made once again for his readers; and I don’t disagree. His point is said rather succinctly; and in his words, "When God seems absent, He’s present.”
And I know that any Christian reading this has experienced the feeling that his/her prayers were bouncing off the ceilings or that God simply had abandoned us with what John MacArthur calls the “wrath of abandonment,” especially since we’ve become a culture which seems to be living in fulfillment of Romans 1: 18 -32 or 2nd Tim. 3: 1 – 9 - linked for your study . And if you’re reading this, these days you certainly see that God seems to be letting our world loose to be influenced by Satan and his world, … like He is abandoning us to our own flesh.
But as Swindoll points out here again, God may have a plan of setting a culture aside or letting mankind experience the just rewards of their own actions for a season of life. However, we know from His own promises that our Lord will never forsake His remnant of faithful ones. If He did, our God would be a liar; and as you can read the truth of Numbers 23: 19, God is not like a man. God NEVER LIES! And so when we read Deut. 31: 6 or Hebrews 13: 5, which I hope you have memorized or internalized. We know that God is never absent, even when He might seem to be so.
Take heart, my dear one, our God is on the move; and He’s going to do what is right by any decision we make; and Haman, in today’s scenario, was about to find that out as he was summoned before the King where, if you read on in Esther’s story, he would be uncovered for the scoundrel he had been. And Esther and Mordecai were about to be rewarded for their faithfulness as well. Remember the truth of the faith chapter in Hebrews 11, verse 6, which states God’s truth that … without faith it is impossible to please [God], for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
So, my friend, as fellow Christians, we must have faith and realize that when things seem down and out or when God seems absent, hold on to the reality, that He has not forsaken us. He may be trying to show the world that we can’t do without Him; but He’s always there and He’s always acting to bring His justice to light. Hold, my friend; … God is moving in our lives.
My Prayer for Today: Oh, Lord, I don’t understand your plans at times; but I know you’re there for me, … for all of us who believe in You. Amen
My Journal for Today: This will not be a long devotional; because we’ve covered this on several occasions this year … in the life of Moses, … in the life of Elijah, … and now in the life of our dear heroine, Esther and her father figure, Mordecai. But obviously Swindoll feels strongly that the point needs to be made once again for his readers; and I don’t disagree. His point is said rather succinctly; and in his words, "When God seems absent, He’s present.”
And I know that any Christian reading this has experienced the feeling that his/her prayers were bouncing off the ceilings or that God simply had abandoned us with what John MacArthur calls the “wrath of abandonment,” especially since we’ve become a culture which seems to be living in fulfillment of Romans 1: 18 -32 or 2nd Tim. 3: 1 – 9 - linked for your study . And if you’re reading this, these days you certainly see that God seems to be letting our world loose to be influenced by Satan and his world, … like He is abandoning us to our own flesh.
But as Swindoll points out here again, God may have a plan of setting a culture aside or letting mankind experience the just rewards of their own actions for a season of life. However, we know from His own promises that our Lord will never forsake His remnant of faithful ones. If He did, our God would be a liar; and as you can read the truth of Numbers 23: 19, God is not like a man. God NEVER LIES! And so when we read Deut. 31: 6 or Hebrews 13: 5, which I hope you have memorized or internalized. We know that God is never absent, even when He might seem to be so.
Take heart, my dear one, our God is on the move; and He’s going to do what is right by any decision we make; and Haman, in today’s scenario, was about to find that out as he was summoned before the King where, if you read on in Esther’s story, he would be uncovered for the scoundrel he had been. And Esther and Mordecai were about to be rewarded for their faithfulness as well. Remember the truth of the faith chapter in Hebrews 11, verse 6, which states God’s truth that … without faith it is impossible to please [God], for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
So, my friend, as fellow Christians, we must have faith and realize that when things seem down and out or when God seems absent, hold on to the reality, that He has not forsaken us. He may be trying to show the world that we can’t do without Him; but He’s always there and He’s always acting to bring His justice to light. Hold, my friend; … God is moving in our lives.
My Prayer for Today: Oh, Lord, I don’t understand your plans at times; but I know you’re there for me, … for all of us who believe in You. Amen
Friday, July 24, 2009
2009 – Day 204.July 24 – God Notices
Passage of the Day: Esther 6: 1 – 14 … Linked for study …
My Journal for Today: Well, when all seemed lost in the milieu of hatred Haman was spreading around, Mordecai becomes a model of Godly patience. And we don’t find Mordecai reacting as most of us would react to this threat to his life. As Swindoll points out in today’s devotional, Esther’s dear daddy figure restrains himself from any bitterness or even situational anger. Swindoll writes, “Through all that happens to him, Mordecai never becomes a man of vengeance. He never tries to get back at Haman, even when he has the opportunity, … even when he had Haman in a very vulnerable spot.”
And I have to ask myself, … would I be faithful enough, believing our God is in control, to respond as did Mordecai? Or would I spill the beans to exact recompense at the first opportunity if someone had done me wrong? Mordecai knew that God was watching all that had transpired; and He had faith that God was going to be the Covenant God Whom he knew and loved. And so he waited on God to do business; and as we read, God did exactly that.
At this point in his devotional entry, Swindoll quotes a pertinent NT passage from Hebrews 6: 10, which states, For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. We must remember, when circumstances seem to be crashing down around us, GOD NOTICES. And as I’ve quoted often in this study of Esther and Mordecai from Deut. 31: 8, the Lord has already gone ahead in our life to show His unfailing love for those who diligently seek Him (as also expressed in Heb. 11: 6).
So, today am I going to be a Mordecai and wait on God to do business with this world, which seems so dark and malevolent? Can I be a shining light for my God as was Mordecai in his day? God notices.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, may I shine Your Light, as You command me to do, no matter how dark things seem. Amen
My Journal for Today: Well, when all seemed lost in the milieu of hatred Haman was spreading around, Mordecai becomes a model of Godly patience. And we don’t find Mordecai reacting as most of us would react to this threat to his life. As Swindoll points out in today’s devotional, Esther’s dear daddy figure restrains himself from any bitterness or even situational anger. Swindoll writes, “Through all that happens to him, Mordecai never becomes a man of vengeance. He never tries to get back at Haman, even when he has the opportunity, … even when he had Haman in a very vulnerable spot.”
And I have to ask myself, … would I be faithful enough, believing our God is in control, to respond as did Mordecai? Or would I spill the beans to exact recompense at the first opportunity if someone had done me wrong? Mordecai knew that God was watching all that had transpired; and He had faith that God was going to be the Covenant God Whom he knew and loved. And so he waited on God to do business; and as we read, God did exactly that.
At this point in his devotional entry, Swindoll quotes a pertinent NT passage from Hebrews 6: 10, which states, For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. We must remember, when circumstances seem to be crashing down around us, GOD NOTICES. And as I’ve quoted often in this study of Esther and Mordecai from Deut. 31: 8, the Lord has already gone ahead in our life to show His unfailing love for those who diligently seek Him (as also expressed in Heb. 11: 6).
So, today am I going to be a Mordecai and wait on God to do business with this world, which seems so dark and malevolent? Can I be a shining light for my God as was Mordecai in his day? God notices.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, may I shine Your Light, as You command me to do, no matter how dark things seem. Amen
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
2009 – Day 166.June 16 – The God of Impossibilities
2009 – Day 166.June 16 – The God of Impossibilities
Passage of the Day: 1st Kings 17: 24 … 23 And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper room into the house, and gave him to his mother. And Elijah said, “See, your son lives!” 24 Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now by this I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is the truth.”
My Journal for Today: Almost every day when I come here to journal my devotional thoughts, God, the Holy Spirit, helps me to use Chuck Swindoll’s devotional to come up with my own, more personalized journal entries. However, today his words are so pertinent, … so personal, that I simply must quote them as my journal entry for today. Therefore, here is what Swindoll writes on page 173 of his book, Great Days with the Great Lives …
“All over the world, around us every day, are people who are looking for the truth to be lived out in the lives of those who claim it. Just as the widow watched Elijah, there are people watching you. They hear what you say you believe; but they are watching to see what you do.
Remember, you are here by God’s appointment, you are in His keeping, you are under His training, for His time. Give Him the corpse of your life, and ask Him to revive those lifeless areas that need to be revived. If the situation calls for it, trust Him for a miracle, in His time, if it be His will for your life.
On the bed of your life place the remains of your broken and scarred past; the emptiness of your poor character traits; the habits, even the addictions that have so long controlled you; the limited vision that continues to characterize you; the slight irritation that nags or the large one that looms; the anger or violence or lust or greed or discontentment or selfishness or the ugliness of pride. Lay any of these before the Father, and stretch yourself out under His shadow as you ask Him to bring about remarkable, even miraculous changes in your life?”
And I also agree with Swindoll’s inquiry of his readers at this point, the question being, “Do we really believe that we serve, in Swindoll’s words, a … God of impossibilities, the One Who has limitless power, Who has never – and will never – meet an intimidating obstacle He cannot overcome, an aggressive enemy He cannot overwhelm, a final decision He cannot override, or a powerful person He cannot overshadow?”
What we see in Elijah, my dear one, is what we should see in us. This very week I had the opportunity to pray for a young 17 old boy who had sustained a brain hemorrhage and “flat-lined.” In reality, the doctors had pronounced him dead, save the resuscitation equipment keeping his lungs pumping and his heart beating. He had no measureable brain function. So, I prayed, along with my fellow church Elders that the boy be brought back to life. However, within seconds after the machines were shut down, the boy took two last breaths and all life ceased, not to be brought back as was the boy from Elijah’s prayer. So, the question becomes, “Was our faith not as strong as Elijah’s or was it God’s will to take this boy home to be with Christ?”
My brother or sister believers, it is not faith which I believe in. I believe in the God Who gives me the faith. He is God; and if He chooses to take life from someone, even a 17 year old boy or a babe with cancer, who am I to question God’s motives? In Elijah’s case, God was glorified by the boy being resurrected to life. In the case of the 17 year old Christian boy this week who died, He was glorified by the boy being taken home to be with Jesus. God is God; and I am not. He has His ways in His timing; and all I am called to do is to believe in Him and to pray to Him without questioning His ways. I may wonder why or when God does something. But my faith is in God, not in faith.
Therefore, once again I declare for this journal record, God is God, ... the God of impossibilities and the God of possibilities, ... and I am not.
My Prayer for Today: My Lord, you are my Lord! I question not your sovereignty. I simply know that I can trust You … no matter what! Amen
Passage of the Day: 1st Kings 17: 24 … 23 And Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper room into the house, and gave him to his mother. And Elijah said, “See, your son lives!” 24 Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now by this I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is the truth.”
My Journal for Today: Almost every day when I come here to journal my devotional thoughts, God, the Holy Spirit, helps me to use Chuck Swindoll’s devotional to come up with my own, more personalized journal entries. However, today his words are so pertinent, … so personal, that I simply must quote them as my journal entry for today. Therefore, here is what Swindoll writes on page 173 of his book, Great Days with the Great Lives …
“All over the world, around us every day, are people who are looking for the truth to be lived out in the lives of those who claim it. Just as the widow watched Elijah, there are people watching you. They hear what you say you believe; but they are watching to see what you do.
Remember, you are here by God’s appointment, you are in His keeping, you are under His training, for His time. Give Him the corpse of your life, and ask Him to revive those lifeless areas that need to be revived. If the situation calls for it, trust Him for a miracle, in His time, if it be His will for your life.
On the bed of your life place the remains of your broken and scarred past; the emptiness of your poor character traits; the habits, even the addictions that have so long controlled you; the limited vision that continues to characterize you; the slight irritation that nags or the large one that looms; the anger or violence or lust or greed or discontentment or selfishness or the ugliness of pride. Lay any of these before the Father, and stretch yourself out under His shadow as you ask Him to bring about remarkable, even miraculous changes in your life?”
And I also agree with Swindoll’s inquiry of his readers at this point, the question being, “Do we really believe that we serve, in Swindoll’s words, a … God of impossibilities, the One Who has limitless power, Who has never – and will never – meet an intimidating obstacle He cannot overcome, an aggressive enemy He cannot overwhelm, a final decision He cannot override, or a powerful person He cannot overshadow?”
What we see in Elijah, my dear one, is what we should see in us. This very week I had the opportunity to pray for a young 17 old boy who had sustained a brain hemorrhage and “flat-lined.” In reality, the doctors had pronounced him dead, save the resuscitation equipment keeping his lungs pumping and his heart beating. He had no measureable brain function. So, I prayed, along with my fellow church Elders that the boy be brought back to life. However, within seconds after the machines were shut down, the boy took two last breaths and all life ceased, not to be brought back as was the boy from Elijah’s prayer. So, the question becomes, “Was our faith not as strong as Elijah’s or was it God’s will to take this boy home to be with Christ?”
My brother or sister believers, it is not faith which I believe in. I believe in the God Who gives me the faith. He is God; and if He chooses to take life from someone, even a 17 year old boy or a babe with cancer, who am I to question God’s motives? In Elijah’s case, God was glorified by the boy being resurrected to life. In the case of the 17 year old Christian boy this week who died, He was glorified by the boy being taken home to be with Jesus. God is God; and I am not. He has His ways in His timing; and all I am called to do is to believe in Him and to pray to Him without questioning His ways. I may wonder why or when God does something. But my faith is in God, not in faith.
Therefore, once again I declare for this journal record, God is God, ... the God of impossibilities and the God of possibilities, ... and I am not.
My Prayer for Today: My Lord, you are my Lord! I question not your sovereignty. I simply know that I can trust You … no matter what! Amen
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