Study from God’s Word… Judges 2: 8,9 [Josh 24: 29,30]; Josh 24: 32; Judges 1: 1-10, 16-19; Josh 15: 13,14 [Judges 1: 20b]; Judges 1: 11-15 [Josh 15: 15-19]; Judges 1: 22-26; Josh 13: 13; Josh 16: 10 [Judges 1: 29]; Josh 17: 11-13 [Judges 1: 27, 28]; Josh 15: 63; Judges 1: 21; Judges 1: 30 - 36; Judges 2: 1-5; … Passage for Reflection: Judges 1: 19 … NIV 19 The LORD was with the men of Judah. They took possession of the hill country, but they were unable to drive the people from the plains, because they had iron chariots.
My Journal for Today: Today my devotional shepherd, Dr. F. LaGard Smith, asked me to read the target verse for today several times, asking, in essence, ”What’s wrong with this picture?” And the answer to that question is really quite obvious when we realize – and believe – that God’s covenant with His people, through Joshua, is truth. God had promised that wherever and whenever His people moved to conquer the pagan peoples who occupied the Promised Land, that He, God, would be with the Israelites and they could – and should – eradicate the pagan peoples and cultures from these lands. So, … what’s with today’s highlighted verse?
It says that God’s people, in this case the men of Judah, stopped short and were failures when it came to taking possession of the hill country because the armies who inhabited these lands had iron chariots. Hey!, … isn’t God able to overcome even thousands of iron chariots? Well, of course He is; and what this shows is that the Hebrew armies (and especially their leaders) failed to trust in God; and they balked when they saw all those iron chariots. And isn’t that the way with all of us who claim to trust in God? We can do fine when we perceive that we are in control; but give our spiritual enemies a seemingly overwhelming advantage; and we, so often, bolt and run from letting God have the victory.
I’m called in ministry to work with men who’ve stared down defeat over and over and over again in the area of sexual purity and freedom. They have confronted the enemies, which are Satan and their own flesh, and they’ve come to believe that they cannot be victorious. They see “iron chariots” in the presence of their own weaknesses of the flesh; and they simply relent, giving in to their fleshly desires, failing to take advantage of the power they have within themselves as Christians, the same resurrection power, the Holy Spirit, Who raised Jesus from the dead, … the same God, Who can, and will, enable and empower any Christian to choose purity over impurity and to defeat the enemies Satan is sending into battle in those “iron chariots.”
When are we, as disciples of Christ, going to realize the truth of 1st John 4: 4, which loudly declares to believers, … every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. 4You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them [i.e. the spirits of antichrist], because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
Like the people of God in the times of Joshua, we have, when we fully trust in Christ as our Lord and Savior, have made a covenant with God, believing on the Name of Christ; and trusting/clinging to the truth that He [the Holy Spirit] is greater in us than any spirit in the world and even Satan, who certainly will do all he can to show off his “iron chariots” and try to make us believe that He is stronger that the Spirit of God Who resides in our hearts when we are truly born-again.
Dr. Smith asks his readers today, ”Do I glibly speak of trusting God when all is well, but cower in fear when the situation looks hopeless?” And each of us must answer that question in the light of our faith; because God’s word and His covenant with us are true and strong; and the power we have in ourselves as followers of Christ is most certainly stronger than any “iron chariots” we see coming against us. The question will be answered when we stand and fight or … we cut and run.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I stand with you in the truth of Romans 8: 31. Amen
Showing posts with label trusting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label trusting. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Sunday, December 06, 2009
2009 – Day 339.Dec 6 – Straight Thinking
Passage for Study: Acts 23 … Acts 23 linked for study …
My Journal for Today: Chuck Swindoll nails a lot of us in his devotional entry for today as he points out our fear reaction to calamity in our lives. He begins by asking if any of his readers have ever been in an extremely fearful place in life. And when I read his questions in this regard, I thought of those who’ve returned from war in Iraq, having dodged bullets whizzing by their heads. I thought of someone coming out of a near-death experience from an extremely rough air flight; or someone who’s been through a horrible storm, like a hurricane or tornado and has lived to recall the experience. Anyone who’s been close to death with calamity surrounding them can attest to the state of mind of not being able to think straight and quite possibly being paralyzed with fear.
But such was not the case for the Apostle Paul as you read through Acts, Chapters 21 – 23, especially this last chapter. And when you go to 2nd Cor. 11: 16 – 29, you can read of all the horrible and near-death calamities experienced by the Apostle as he carried out his calling to take the Gospel to the Gentiles of his time. And yet, as we read from Dr. Luke in Acts and Paul himself, in his letters, Paul was able to retain straight thinking in the midst of all of his storms of life, … all of the persecutions, … all the torture. And when we read that, we have to ask how Paul could remain cool and trust God so implicitly in the face of life threatening circumstances.
And really the answer to that does not require a genius IQ or a Ph.D. level education. No, the answer is quite simple. Paul quite simply knew God’s word and trusted in its truth. Paul knew and internalized the reality and authenticity of such Scriptures as Deuteronomy 31: 8 or Proverbs 3: 5 – 6; and you read those references, I hope you know what those scriptures tell you. I hope you not only know what they say; but you believe them; and as you believe them, when you are thrown into some storm in your life, you can react as did Jesus in the back of the boat in Matt. 8: 22-24, rather than like His disciples who were wracked in fear.
Personally, and in reality my dear friend, I don’t really know, right now, how I would react if I were in a small boat out on the Sea of Galilee almost being turned over by the waves. I’d probably be afraid for my life; but hopefully having rehearsed my trust in God’s promises and the hope I have in Christ, I’d be able to have enough straight and trustful thinking to see that even the worst, my death, would only bring me into the presence of my Lord, Jesus. And that, my dear one, is a good thing, not a calamity.
So, now is the time, when the seas are calm and we are safe, to rehearse and steady our minds with the truth of God’s word. That’s one reason – and certainly not the only one – that I went through the discipline of putting the truth of God’s word deeply into my heart/mind as I memorized many of the truths of God’s word, which, when I’m tested or tried in life with calamity, I can recall God’s stabilizing truths to allow me to declare – to myself at least and maybe others – the trust I have in God’s wonderful promises.
When the Apostle Paul was tested by that thorn in his life (see 2nd Cor. 12: 7 – 11), that thorn which caused him great pain and drove him to prayer to avoid it, he remember the words of His Savior, Who had said to Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” I hope you know, believe, and can rely on that word from God in the midst of any pain you may have experienced in life – or may currently be experiencing. And now that you’re safe and can think straight, I hope you’re consuming God’s word and truth into your mind and heart by memorizing key passages of God’s word, which one day you can call up to keep your heart calm and allow you to have God-inspired straight thinking in the midst of some life altering calamity.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, let Your truth resonate in my mind to keep me thinking straight when life gets turned upside down. Amen
My Journal for Today: Chuck Swindoll nails a lot of us in his devotional entry for today as he points out our fear reaction to calamity in our lives. He begins by asking if any of his readers have ever been in an extremely fearful place in life. And when I read his questions in this regard, I thought of those who’ve returned from war in Iraq, having dodged bullets whizzing by their heads. I thought of someone coming out of a near-death experience from an extremely rough air flight; or someone who’s been through a horrible storm, like a hurricane or tornado and has lived to recall the experience. Anyone who’s been close to death with calamity surrounding them can attest to the state of mind of not being able to think straight and quite possibly being paralyzed with fear.
But such was not the case for the Apostle Paul as you read through Acts, Chapters 21 – 23, especially this last chapter. And when you go to 2nd Cor. 11: 16 – 29, you can read of all the horrible and near-death calamities experienced by the Apostle as he carried out his calling to take the Gospel to the Gentiles of his time. And yet, as we read from Dr. Luke in Acts and Paul himself, in his letters, Paul was able to retain straight thinking in the midst of all of his storms of life, … all of the persecutions, … all the torture. And when we read that, we have to ask how Paul could remain cool and trust God so implicitly in the face of life threatening circumstances.
And really the answer to that does not require a genius IQ or a Ph.D. level education. No, the answer is quite simple. Paul quite simply knew God’s word and trusted in its truth. Paul knew and internalized the reality and authenticity of such Scriptures as Deuteronomy 31: 8 or Proverbs 3: 5 – 6; and you read those references, I hope you know what those scriptures tell you. I hope you not only know what they say; but you believe them; and as you believe them, when you are thrown into some storm in your life, you can react as did Jesus in the back of the boat in Matt. 8: 22-24, rather than like His disciples who were wracked in fear.
Personally, and in reality my dear friend, I don’t really know, right now, how I would react if I were in a small boat out on the Sea of Galilee almost being turned over by the waves. I’d probably be afraid for my life; but hopefully having rehearsed my trust in God’s promises and the hope I have in Christ, I’d be able to have enough straight and trustful thinking to see that even the worst, my death, would only bring me into the presence of my Lord, Jesus. And that, my dear one, is a good thing, not a calamity.
So, now is the time, when the seas are calm and we are safe, to rehearse and steady our minds with the truth of God’s word. That’s one reason – and certainly not the only one – that I went through the discipline of putting the truth of God’s word deeply into my heart/mind as I memorized many of the truths of God’s word, which, when I’m tested or tried in life with calamity, I can recall God’s stabilizing truths to allow me to declare – to myself at least and maybe others – the trust I have in God’s wonderful promises.
When the Apostle Paul was tested by that thorn in his life (see 2nd Cor. 12: 7 – 11), that thorn which caused him great pain and drove him to prayer to avoid it, he remember the words of His Savior, Who had said to Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” I hope you know, believe, and can rely on that word from God in the midst of any pain you may have experienced in life – or may currently be experiencing. And now that you’re safe and can think straight, I hope you’re consuming God’s word and truth into your mind and heart by memorizing key passages of God’s word, which one day you can call up to keep your heart calm and allow you to have God-inspired straight thinking in the midst of some life altering calamity.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, let Your truth resonate in my mind to keep me thinking straight when life gets turned upside down. Amen
Thursday, August 27, 2009
2009 – Day 238.Aug 27 – Futile Search
Passage of the Day: Job 10 … Linked for study …
My Journal for Today: Well, here we are back again with Job who is still confused and reeling with the desire to understand and find clarity for his loss and pain. Chapter 10 is like a replay of Chapter 3, isn’t it? But in the intervening time, Job has received feedback from Eliphaz and Bildad … to no avail. These men, whom we’ve seen are really friends of Job; and they are men who earned the right, by their grieving with Job and spending time being at his side, to share their ideas with this beaten friend.
BUT (again, it’s a big “BUT”), what they shared didn’t help. And we need to learn a lesson from that. And the lesson is that no amount of human or worldly wisdom, … scientifically based, historically sound, or culturally accepted, is going to be of help when a Christian friend feels abandoned by God. Job needed understanding for his dilemma; and when no man, even a caring friend, could explain his dilemma, all he felt was further separation from God.
What Job needed was truth; and my friend, that can only come from God, … not from man; and most certainly not from our own self. Sure, it’s okay to listen to friends, … especially Godly friends you trust – as did Job. But don’t expect them to be able to tap into God’s mind, … UNLESS they are quoting or exposing the one, true source of God’s mind; and that is something we have in God’s word, but something which Job had no access. Oh, what an advantage we have over poor Job. We not only have God’s truth to lean on when life goes awry; but we have the Mediator Whom Job sought but had not been a part of Job’s belief system.
Job’s God never left him or forsook him; but Job didn’t have that truth from Deut. 31: 6. Nor did he have the tradition of Joshua 1: 5 to lean on. And most certainly the concept of a coming Redeemer, “a Messiah,” was not part of his conscious belief as yet. So, all Job had was three friends with very human, and very imperfect, ideas about WHY all this was happening. Therefore, Job returns to God and he re-voices his confusion and angst here in Chapter 10. And therein lies a second lesson, we can learn from Job’s dilemma; and that is to keep going back to God when there is confusion or pain which we simply cannot understand from our human hearts/minds.
If you’ve been following along with this study in Job, we’ve seen Job persistently going to the one – and only – place he knows to go, in faith, for answers; and that is to God. And here in this Chapter we see our downtrodden hero doing just that - AGAIN. So, we learn that if – or I really should said WHEN – we are in a place of utter confusion and even doubting God’s presence or power, we must GO TO HIM. And we must keep going to Him to get answers. And yes, prayer is one way; but I’ve found that the best way is to go deeper and deeper into the word of God, and finding God’s promises and His perfect insights to lift us up when we feel separated from God due to our feelings.
Feelings are so very fickle, my friend. Don’t trust them for a moment! Don’t rely on them at all!! The only answers we’ll ever get to explain things or lift us up are found in The Bible. The only place we can go with our feelings is to God. And when we do, we’ll find what is promised in the Bible and what our relationship with God will produce … and that is to trust Him – in faith – with the truth of passages like Deut. 31: 8 … Joshua 1: 8 … Proverbs 3: 5, 6 … Romans 8: 28 … 1st Cor. 10: 13 … or Phil. 4: 13. And all of those are truths which just bubbled up into my mind from my heart/mind as I was sitting here writing this. I hope you know them – and others as well; and I hope that you lean on those truths when God has led you into “the valley of the shadow of death.”
My Prayer for Today: Lord, You are with me always; and Your truths, they do comfort me. Amen
My Journal for Today: Well, here we are back again with Job who is still confused and reeling with the desire to understand and find clarity for his loss and pain. Chapter 10 is like a replay of Chapter 3, isn’t it? But in the intervening time, Job has received feedback from Eliphaz and Bildad … to no avail. These men, whom we’ve seen are really friends of Job; and they are men who earned the right, by their grieving with Job and spending time being at his side, to share their ideas with this beaten friend.
BUT (again, it’s a big “BUT”), what they shared didn’t help. And we need to learn a lesson from that. And the lesson is that no amount of human or worldly wisdom, … scientifically based, historically sound, or culturally accepted, is going to be of help when a Christian friend feels abandoned by God. Job needed understanding for his dilemma; and when no man, even a caring friend, could explain his dilemma, all he felt was further separation from God.
What Job needed was truth; and my friend, that can only come from God, … not from man; and most certainly not from our own self. Sure, it’s okay to listen to friends, … especially Godly friends you trust – as did Job. But don’t expect them to be able to tap into God’s mind, … UNLESS they are quoting or exposing the one, true source of God’s mind; and that is something we have in God’s word, but something which Job had no access. Oh, what an advantage we have over poor Job. We not only have God’s truth to lean on when life goes awry; but we have the Mediator Whom Job sought but had not been a part of Job’s belief system.
Job’s God never left him or forsook him; but Job didn’t have that truth from Deut. 31: 6. Nor did he have the tradition of Joshua 1: 5 to lean on. And most certainly the concept of a coming Redeemer, “a Messiah,” was not part of his conscious belief as yet. So, all Job had was three friends with very human, and very imperfect, ideas about WHY all this was happening. Therefore, Job returns to God and he re-voices his confusion and angst here in Chapter 10. And therein lies a second lesson, we can learn from Job’s dilemma; and that is to keep going back to God when there is confusion or pain which we simply cannot understand from our human hearts/minds.
If you’ve been following along with this study in Job, we’ve seen Job persistently going to the one – and only – place he knows to go, in faith, for answers; and that is to God. And here in this Chapter we see our downtrodden hero doing just that - AGAIN. So, we learn that if – or I really should said WHEN – we are in a place of utter confusion and even doubting God’s presence or power, we must GO TO HIM. And we must keep going to Him to get answers. And yes, prayer is one way; but I’ve found that the best way is to go deeper and deeper into the word of God, and finding God’s promises and His perfect insights to lift us up when we feel separated from God due to our feelings.
Feelings are so very fickle, my friend. Don’t trust them for a moment! Don’t rely on them at all!! The only answers we’ll ever get to explain things or lift us up are found in The Bible. The only place we can go with our feelings is to God. And when we do, we’ll find what is promised in the Bible and what our relationship with God will produce … and that is to trust Him – in faith – with the truth of passages like Deut. 31: 8 … Joshua 1: 8 … Proverbs 3: 5, 6 … Romans 8: 28 … 1st Cor. 10: 13 … or Phil. 4: 13. And all of those are truths which just bubbled up into my mind from my heart/mind as I was sitting here writing this. I hope you know them – and others as well; and I hope that you lean on those truths when God has led you into “the valley of the shadow of death.”
My Prayer for Today: Lord, You are with me always; and Your truths, they do comfort me. Amen
Saturday, August 08, 2009
2009 – Day 219.Aug 08 – Walk By Faith, Not By Sight
Passage of the Day: Job 1: 1 – 12 … Linked for study …
My Journal for Today: Okay; here we are. It’s day number four in my study of Job and Chuck Swindoll has us locked into a study of this same passage from the first twelve verses of, Job’s book. And he seems to be drilling home one overriding point that he wants his readers, whom he assumes are Christians, to hold onto; and that truth, in his own words, reads thusly: "We never know ahead of time what plans God has for us."
You know we accuse teenagers of being too “here-and-now” oriented. They think of themselves as indestructible, never imagining that anything bad could happen to them. And we see them making here-and-now decisions, not thinking ahead what bad things might happen. BUT, are we, so-called mature adults that much different? Job went to bed one night thinking that all was right with the world and with his faith in God; and within a few short days, because of this deal in the unseen heavens between God and Satan, he’s totally busted, losing everything. He didn’t have a clue that his life was to take a horrible turn and that his life, … the life of a man who totally trusted in his God, would be totally turned upside down without him being able to see it coming.
I woke up today, and I profess to totally believe in my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And, my dear ones, I don’t anticipate anything really bad will happen to me today. I just came here to my quiet place to pray to my God and to read Chuck Swindoll’s devotional entry for today, which is titled “Live By Faith, Not by Sight,” which, of course, is a reference from the Apostle Paul in 2nd Cor. 5: 7 where he was reminding believers that if the worse happens and we suddenly lose our earthly lives, we may be absent in the body but we will be present with the Lord.
Folks, … Chuck Swindoll is absolutely right. I have no idea what will befall me today. Oh, I have plans. I have my “to do list.” But I really don’t have a clue what God has in store for my life in HIS BIG PICTURE. And I’m glad! How would I live by faith if I knew, without any doubt, exactly what was to befall me for the rest of this day or week or year? The concept of FAITH would be meaningless, wouldn’t it? And that’s one of the biggest lessons we glean from studying the life of Job; and we’ve only dipped into the first twelve verses.
We simply must live by faith and not by sight; because we have no clue what is going on in God’s plan and purpose for our lives. Oh, we know, from God’s word, the truths which we can bank on everyday to guide our lives; but as I’ve said by referring to God’s truth in Isaiah 55: 8-9 the last few days, God’s dealings with regard to our specific lives are unknown to us. And, really, … that’s as it should be so that I can simple TRUST GOD by faith – not by sight.
Chuck Swindoll, closes out his devotional today with these word. … "We never know what a day will bring, whether good or ill. Our heavenly Father’s plan unfolds apart from our awareness. Ours is a walk of faith, not sight. Trust, not touch. Leaning long and hard, not running away. No one knows ahead of time what the Father’s plan includes. It’s best that way. … [But] … We can be certain of this: our God knows what is best.”
My Prayer for Today: Yes, Lord, I’m walking today, not by sight, but following You, in faith, knowing that You’re leading me no matter what I might encounter. Amen
My Journal for Today: Okay; here we are. It’s day number four in my study of Job and Chuck Swindoll has us locked into a study of this same passage from the first twelve verses of, Job’s book. And he seems to be drilling home one overriding point that he wants his readers, whom he assumes are Christians, to hold onto; and that truth, in his own words, reads thusly: "We never know ahead of time what plans God has for us."
You know we accuse teenagers of being too “here-and-now” oriented. They think of themselves as indestructible, never imagining that anything bad could happen to them. And we see them making here-and-now decisions, not thinking ahead what bad things might happen. BUT, are we, so-called mature adults that much different? Job went to bed one night thinking that all was right with the world and with his faith in God; and within a few short days, because of this deal in the unseen heavens between God and Satan, he’s totally busted, losing everything. He didn’t have a clue that his life was to take a horrible turn and that his life, … the life of a man who totally trusted in his God, would be totally turned upside down without him being able to see it coming.
I woke up today, and I profess to totally believe in my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And, my dear ones, I don’t anticipate anything really bad will happen to me today. I just came here to my quiet place to pray to my God and to read Chuck Swindoll’s devotional entry for today, which is titled “Live By Faith, Not by Sight,” which, of course, is a reference from the Apostle Paul in 2nd Cor. 5: 7 where he was reminding believers that if the worse happens and we suddenly lose our earthly lives, we may be absent in the body but we will be present with the Lord.
Folks, … Chuck Swindoll is absolutely right. I have no idea what will befall me today. Oh, I have plans. I have my “to do list.” But I really don’t have a clue what God has in store for my life in HIS BIG PICTURE. And I’m glad! How would I live by faith if I knew, without any doubt, exactly what was to befall me for the rest of this day or week or year? The concept of FAITH would be meaningless, wouldn’t it? And that’s one of the biggest lessons we glean from studying the life of Job; and we’ve only dipped into the first twelve verses.
We simply must live by faith and not by sight; because we have no clue what is going on in God’s plan and purpose for our lives. Oh, we know, from God’s word, the truths which we can bank on everyday to guide our lives; but as I’ve said by referring to God’s truth in Isaiah 55: 8-9 the last few days, God’s dealings with regard to our specific lives are unknown to us. And, really, … that’s as it should be so that I can simple TRUST GOD by faith – not by sight.
Chuck Swindoll, closes out his devotional today with these word. … "We never know what a day will bring, whether good or ill. Our heavenly Father’s plan unfolds apart from our awareness. Ours is a walk of faith, not sight. Trust, not touch. Leaning long and hard, not running away. No one knows ahead of time what the Father’s plan includes. It’s best that way. … [But] … We can be certain of this: our God knows what is best.”
My Prayer for Today: Yes, Lord, I’m walking today, not by sight, but following You, in faith, knowing that You’re leading me no matter what I might encounter. 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
Monday, July 20, 2009
2009 – Day 190.July 20 – Wait – And Listen
2009 – Day 190.July 20 – Wait – And Listen
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: Okay, … here we are back again, focusing, along with Chuck Swindoll, on the three day waiting period as Esther fasts and prays, waiting on God to move in the hearts of Haman, her antagonist, and most certainly in the heart of her new husband, King Xerxes. Swindoll calls it a “white space,” … a period where any believer who is seeking God’s way has trouble seeing what God is doing or how He is moving. And it’s in moments like these that it’s easy to let our deceitful hearts (see Jer. 17: 9) run wild with fearful anticipation.
And now that the ball of decision was in Esther’s court, where she had to contemplate what she must do, we see her relying on the One in her life Whom Mordecai had taught her to rely upon; and that is God Almighty. And Swindoll points out that it’s likely that she went to the same word of God which Mordecai had taught here and the same word Mordecai was likely using to soothe his mind/heart during this “white out” of knowing what God was doing. And Swindoll refers us to a passage in Isaiah 41, verses 10 and 13, which Esther may have used to be quieted with confidence. And the former of these verses is in my memory arsenal when I’m dealing with fear or uncertainty. I hope you have it memorized as well.
10 Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. …
13 For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand,
Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’
It’s in moments like the one we’ve focused on in the life of Esther that our enemy Satan would love for us to relent to our natural human fearfulness. And remember, Satan is the roaring lion of 1st Peter 5: 8, who wants us to scatter from God’s flock and to run away from the Good Shepherd. So, it’s in these “white out” moments in time when, more than any other moments, we need to be looking for God and, in prayer, trying to discern His still small voice or seeking for His will, which may not be very easy to see or hear.
But God will be there in those “white out” moments; and all He may be wanting from you is to trust in the truth of His word, like the passage above. Or maybe the Lord just wants us to cling to the truth of His promises in Deut. 31: 8, … that He is there and He’s going on ahead to make the way for us.
Oh, how I pray this morning that we all can be lifted up by these truths from God’s word and the Lord’s promises of His strength when we are in weakened moments of waiting (see 2nd Cor. 12: 9).
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I know You’re there; and I know you’re paving the way for me. I wait on Your will and will follow Your way. 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: Okay, … here we are back again, focusing, along with Chuck Swindoll, on the three day waiting period as Esther fasts and prays, waiting on God to move in the hearts of Haman, her antagonist, and most certainly in the heart of her new husband, King Xerxes. Swindoll calls it a “white space,” … a period where any believer who is seeking God’s way has trouble seeing what God is doing or how He is moving. And it’s in moments like these that it’s easy to let our deceitful hearts (see Jer. 17: 9) run wild with fearful anticipation.
And now that the ball of decision was in Esther’s court, where she had to contemplate what she must do, we see her relying on the One in her life Whom Mordecai had taught her to rely upon; and that is God Almighty. And Swindoll points out that it’s likely that she went to the same word of God which Mordecai had taught here and the same word Mordecai was likely using to soothe his mind/heart during this “white out” of knowing what God was doing. And Swindoll refers us to a passage in Isaiah 41, verses 10 and 13, which Esther may have used to be quieted with confidence. And the former of these verses is in my memory arsenal when I’m dealing with fear or uncertainty. I hope you have it memorized as well.
10 Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. …
13 For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand,
Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’
It’s in moments like the one we’ve focused on in the life of Esther that our enemy Satan would love for us to relent to our natural human fearfulness. And remember, Satan is the roaring lion of 1st Peter 5: 8, who wants us to scatter from God’s flock and to run away from the Good Shepherd. So, it’s in these “white out” moments in time when, more than any other moments, we need to be looking for God and, in prayer, trying to discern His still small voice or seeking for His will, which may not be very easy to see or hear.
But God will be there in those “white out” moments; and all He may be wanting from you is to trust in the truth of His word, like the passage above. Or maybe the Lord just wants us to cling to the truth of His promises in Deut. 31: 8, … that He is there and He’s going on ahead to make the way for us.
Oh, how I pray this morning that we all can be lifted up by these truths from God’s word and the Lord’s promises of His strength when we are in weakened moments of waiting (see 2nd Cor. 12: 9).
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I know You’re there; and I know you’re paving the way for me. I wait on Your will and will follow Your way. Amen
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