Passage of the Day: Deut. 6: 4 – 5 … 4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
My Journal for Today: God’s word declares it in today’s passage found in both the Old and New Testaments as well as in God’s Law (see Exodus: 20: 3) … that “…you shall have no other gods before Me (the one true God, Jehovah)!” The Old Testament is replete with God’s warnings to His people to this effect; and yet repeatedly they ignored their God, becoming recalcitrant, disobedient, and even outright defiant. And then came Jesus with the New Covenant, which likely confused most Jews, as this man who performed miracles claimed to be God in the flesh, yet telling the people they must worship the one and only true God in heaven (see Mark 12: 29-30 – NIV) …
SCRIPTURE: Mark 12: 29-30 - "The most important one [command]," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'
And then when Jesus stated [e.g., in John 10:30], “I and the Father are One …;” many Jews, especially the Pharisees, felt that He had stepped over the line into blasphemy. They had been taught, by tradition from God’s Law, that there was only ONE God; and He was “Jehovah,” the un-namable, unspeakable Sprit-God. And when they could not grasp their Messiah in the humanity and person of Jesus, they could not abide His claims of deity.
But now that we, in this age of grace, have seen God’s plan unfold in the Person of Christ and we have God’s word canonized for our edification, we must see, as Paul taught in 1Cor. 8: 4 - 6 (below), that when we worship God, the Father, in the Personhood of His Son, Jesus Christ, we do, by God’s grace, imparted by God, the Holy Spirit, worship the One True God just as God commanded Israel in today’s verse.
SCRIPTURE: 1st Cor. 8: 4-6 - 4 So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one. 5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many "gods" and many "lords"), 6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.
And in our worship, we cannot let any worldly, fleshly, or spiritual idols separate us from becoming a living sacrifice to our God, the One and only God. (see Romans 12: 1-2 - linked here for your study/meditation)
My Prayer Today: Lord God, may my life be a worship to You and You only! Amen
Showing posts with label utter surrender. Show all posts
Showing posts with label utter surrender. Show all posts
Friday, February 04, 2011
Thursday, December 03, 2009
2009 – Day 336.Dec 3 – Genuine Humility
Passage for Study: Acts 18: 1 - 17 … Acts 18 linked for study …
2nd Passage for study: 2nd Corinthians 11: 22 – 28 … [self search and study in 2nd Cor. 11 required]
My Journal for Today: Okay, we’re back to the quality of HUMILITY again. If you’ve been following me during my 2009 devotional journal entries, using Chuck Swindoll’s book Great Days with the Great Lives, you would have seen that each of the “great lives” I’ve studied has, in one of the focus studies, centered on humility. For Joseph, Moses, David, Esther, Job, and now Paul, they all either had this quality in their inborn character or, more likely, God led them through life to a place where humility was honed and shaped into their character.
And this should not be a surprise to anyone who has studied the life of our character model for life, … our Lord and Savior, Jesus. In our study of Paul, we’ve already read how Jesus was the prototype of humility (go back and read Phil. 2: 5-11) with Paul exhorting all Christians in that passage to have a mind like that of Christ (see verse 5). Here, in our passages we’ve been using for the last few days, the Apostle Paul would declare that he would never want anyone to point to his (i.e., Paul’s) strength in the face of imprisonment or danger. No, he would rather point to his humiliation or weakness, which allowed God to pour His empowering grace into the life of this humbled warrior. Paul had come to a place in his life where he understood the principle of Prov. 3: 34, that God rejects the proud but gives grace to the humble.
But we, especially today, live in a world which lauds just the opposite. Swindoll quotes J. Oswald Sanders, from his book, The Leader, who wrote, ”We form part of a generation that worships power – military, intellectual, economical, or scientific. … Men everywhere are striving for power in various realms, often with questionable motivations.” And I don’t think any of us would debate that position.
However, Swindoll, also quotes a counterpoint from the Scottish preacher James Stewart, who wrote, ”It is always upon human weakness and humiliation, not human strength and confidence, that God chooses to build His kingdom; and that He can use us not merely in spite of our ordinariness and helplessness and disqualifying infirmities, but precisely because of them.”
Wow! Do we get it, my beloved?! What a freeing and empowering principle this is for all of us who pursue Christ as our leader in life. Because of this great principle, espoused in God’s truth so often (see Isaiah 41: 10 and most certainly from all the passages I have referenced today), we, in humble recognition of our weaknesses, can receive God’s enabling grace and be empowered to make a difference for God’s kingdom and for His glory. And as we’ve gone through these great lives along with Chuck Swindoll, we’ve seen that these men and one woman became strong when they recognized their weaknesses and allow God to give them the empowering grace to do exactly what our Lord instructed in Luke 9: 23 (a verse I certainly hope you have internalized by this point in your Christian life).
HUMILITY, my friend. That’s where were the action of our hearts should be focused. For when we realize that God honors humility, never pride, we’ll be on the road to denying self and following Christ.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I know the risk in praying for humility. But if it takes Your shaping ministry, Holy Spirit, to humble me so that I can receive Your grace. Bring it on! Amen
2nd Passage for study: 2nd Corinthians 11: 22 – 28 … [self search and study in 2nd Cor. 11 required]
My Journal for Today: Okay, we’re back to the quality of HUMILITY again. If you’ve been following me during my 2009 devotional journal entries, using Chuck Swindoll’s book Great Days with the Great Lives, you would have seen that each of the “great lives” I’ve studied has, in one of the focus studies, centered on humility. For Joseph, Moses, David, Esther, Job, and now Paul, they all either had this quality in their inborn character or, more likely, God led them through life to a place where humility was honed and shaped into their character.
And this should not be a surprise to anyone who has studied the life of our character model for life, … our Lord and Savior, Jesus. In our study of Paul, we’ve already read how Jesus was the prototype of humility (go back and read Phil. 2: 5-11) with Paul exhorting all Christians in that passage to have a mind like that of Christ (see verse 5). Here, in our passages we’ve been using for the last few days, the Apostle Paul would declare that he would never want anyone to point to his (i.e., Paul’s) strength in the face of imprisonment or danger. No, he would rather point to his humiliation or weakness, which allowed God to pour His empowering grace into the life of this humbled warrior. Paul had come to a place in his life where he understood the principle of Prov. 3: 34, that God rejects the proud but gives grace to the humble.
But we, especially today, live in a world which lauds just the opposite. Swindoll quotes J. Oswald Sanders, from his book, The Leader, who wrote, ”We form part of a generation that worships power – military, intellectual, economical, or scientific. … Men everywhere are striving for power in various realms, often with questionable motivations.” And I don’t think any of us would debate that position.
However, Swindoll, also quotes a counterpoint from the Scottish preacher James Stewart, who wrote, ”It is always upon human weakness and humiliation, not human strength and confidence, that God chooses to build His kingdom; and that He can use us not merely in spite of our ordinariness and helplessness and disqualifying infirmities, but precisely because of them.”
Wow! Do we get it, my beloved?! What a freeing and empowering principle this is for all of us who pursue Christ as our leader in life. Because of this great principle, espoused in God’s truth so often (see Isaiah 41: 10 and most certainly from all the passages I have referenced today), we, in humble recognition of our weaknesses, can receive God’s enabling grace and be empowered to make a difference for God’s kingdom and for His glory. And as we’ve gone through these great lives along with Chuck Swindoll, we’ve seen that these men and one woman became strong when they recognized their weaknesses and allow God to give them the empowering grace to do exactly what our Lord instructed in Luke 9: 23 (a verse I certainly hope you have internalized by this point in your Christian life).
HUMILITY, my friend. That’s where were the action of our hearts should be focused. For when we realize that God honors humility, never pride, we’ll be on the road to denying self and following Christ.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I know the risk in praying for humility. But if it takes Your shaping ministry, Holy Spirit, to humble me so that I can receive Your grace. Bring it on! Amen
Monday, September 28, 2009
2009 – Day 270.Sept 28 – Humble Yourself NOW
Passage of the Day: Job 42 … Linked for study …
My Journal for Today: Sometimes, when I’m touched by a certain passage of Scripture or I feel personally convicted by said passage, it helps to go back and read that passage from several versions of scripture to get the various colorations from the various English translations that passage. The one verse, which is the focus verse for Chuck Swindoll’s devotional today, is Job 42: 6, which reads as follows in the NASB, which is the version Swindoll uses. It says in the NASB, “Therefore, I retract myself and repent in dust and ashes.” But let’s take a look at this same passage in several other versions of Scripture.
For example from the version I usually use in my devotional study. From the NKJV ... “Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” And in that reading I think you can see that the interpretation of that verse takes on a little different color. Well, at least it does for me.
Let’s try the NIV, which states, “Therefore, I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” … Or from the NLT, which puts forth, “I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.”
I think taking all of these versions into my view helps me see the montage of truth being presented by God’s word and the point being made by Swindoll concerning Job’s attitude as he [Job] finally HUMBLY realizes where God stands and where he is at this point in his life. And the key here is the timing of Job’s attitude – just prior to God’s mercy of restoration being displayed.
Yes, it would be easy for Job to be humble AFTER God restores him; but verse 6 is stated while Job is still childless, homeless, penniless, powerless, and covered in boils. And therefore, in abject personal humility, Job surrenders himself – ALL of himself – to God’s will; and he is totally and utterly repentant. He pulls back and sees that all his questioning and confusion have been for naught. He sees that he can grieve his loss; but must return to his early attitude and personal psalm, which stated, (see Job 1: 21) “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away, … Blessed by the Name of the Lord.”
How often in the course of my devotionals this year, as I have, with Chuck Swindoll’s help, studied the lives of such heroes of the faith as Joseph, Moses, Elijah, Esther, and now Job has the attitude of HUMILITY been raised? Well, the answer is in every one. And the reason for that is simple. In every one of these paragons of the faith, humility is the key attitude which makes them like Christ, … which separates them from the attitudes of “natural man,” where pride is the mark of our nature.
Swindoll, in closing his devotional for today, states a biblical command from God, taken from James 4:10, which I’ll quote from the NASB, “Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and He will exalt you.” And this is just after James has quoted (see James 4: 6) from Prov. 3: 34, which states, “God opposes the proud but gives (His) grace to the humble.”
Oh, how I will now pray that we get this truth, my dear ones. If we cannot choose humility, as Job learned, God will put us or allow Satan to lead us, into such humbling circumstances that we will have to humbly repent and declare our submission to God’s will. Personally I think it wise to choose humility and surrender on the front end of life rather than having to go through the valley of the shadow of death to find God’s way in this world ... or to have to succumb in hell for eternity. As the kids now say, “Been there, … done that, … got the T-shirt.” And I have; and let me tell you, it’s far better to be proactive about this humility business rather than wait for God to humble you. Job will tell you. It’s a lot less painful to humble yourself NOW.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, You had to take job and me through hell to find a glimpse of heaven. But praise Your Holy Name that You did. Amen
My Journal for Today: Sometimes, when I’m touched by a certain passage of Scripture or I feel personally convicted by said passage, it helps to go back and read that passage from several versions of scripture to get the various colorations from the various English translations that passage. The one verse, which is the focus verse for Chuck Swindoll’s devotional today, is Job 42: 6, which reads as follows in the NASB, which is the version Swindoll uses. It says in the NASB, “Therefore, I retract myself and repent in dust and ashes.” But let’s take a look at this same passage in several other versions of Scripture.
For example from the version I usually use in my devotional study. From the NKJV ... “Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” And in that reading I think you can see that the interpretation of that verse takes on a little different color. Well, at least it does for me.
Let’s try the NIV, which states, “Therefore, I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” … Or from the NLT, which puts forth, “I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.”
I think taking all of these versions into my view helps me see the montage of truth being presented by God’s word and the point being made by Swindoll concerning Job’s attitude as he [Job] finally HUMBLY realizes where God stands and where he is at this point in his life. And the key here is the timing of Job’s attitude – just prior to God’s mercy of restoration being displayed.
Yes, it would be easy for Job to be humble AFTER God restores him; but verse 6 is stated while Job is still childless, homeless, penniless, powerless, and covered in boils. And therefore, in abject personal humility, Job surrenders himself – ALL of himself – to God’s will; and he is totally and utterly repentant. He pulls back and sees that all his questioning and confusion have been for naught. He sees that he can grieve his loss; but must return to his early attitude and personal psalm, which stated, (see Job 1: 21) “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away, … Blessed by the Name of the Lord.”
How often in the course of my devotionals this year, as I have, with Chuck Swindoll’s help, studied the lives of such heroes of the faith as Joseph, Moses, Elijah, Esther, and now Job has the attitude of HUMILITY been raised? Well, the answer is in every one. And the reason for that is simple. In every one of these paragons of the faith, humility is the key attitude which makes them like Christ, … which separates them from the attitudes of “natural man,” where pride is the mark of our nature.
Swindoll, in closing his devotional for today, states a biblical command from God, taken from James 4:10, which I’ll quote from the NASB, “Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and He will exalt you.” And this is just after James has quoted (see James 4: 6) from Prov. 3: 34, which states, “God opposes the proud but gives (His) grace to the humble.”
Oh, how I will now pray that we get this truth, my dear ones. If we cannot choose humility, as Job learned, God will put us or allow Satan to lead us, into such humbling circumstances that we will have to humbly repent and declare our submission to God’s will. Personally I think it wise to choose humility and surrender on the front end of life rather than having to go through the valley of the shadow of death to find God’s way in this world ... or to have to succumb in hell for eternity. As the kids now say, “Been there, … done that, … got the T-shirt.” And I have; and let me tell you, it’s far better to be proactive about this humility business rather than wait for God to humble you. Job will tell you. It’s a lot less painful to humble yourself NOW.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, You had to take job and me through hell to find a glimpse of heaven. But praise Your Holy Name that You did. Amen
Thursday, September 24, 2009
2009 – Day 266.Sept 24 – Turn Around
Passage of the Day: Job 42: 1 - 6 … 1 Then Job answered the LORD and said:
2 “I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.
3 You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
4 Listen, please, and let me speak; You said, ‘I will question you, and you shall answer Me.’
5 “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You.
6 Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes.”
My Journal for Today: Okay, my friends who follow me here, we’re going to be in the climax chapter of Job for the remainder of our days with this hero of the faith. And what a chapter it is.
In it we begin by seeing this man, with whom we all should identify, finally get it; and by that I mean that all haughtiness is replace by humility; and our confused hero becomes our contrite hero.
You know, it has been said that if a Christian, after coming in faith to a saving knowledge of Christ, cannot choose to humble himself before God’s throne of sanctifying grace, God will “help” him do it; and that is the lesson we see Job finally learning in Chapter 42; and he flat-out says it in verses 1-6.
And I just can imagine a wry smile on God’s face as He hears His man, Job, candidly repenting in these words, spoken with conviction and understanding to the Living God. As Swindoll puts it, “Job [finally] got it!” And Pastor Chuck goes on to say what Job finally realized. And he writes about what Job came to acknowledge, which we should as well …
God’s purpose is unfolding; and I [we] cannot hinder it.
God’s plan is incredible; and I [we] will not comprehend it.
God’s reproof is reliable; and I [we] dare not ignore it.
God’s way is best; and I [we] must not resist it.
So, my dear one, I ask, “Have we gotten the message yet?” And I could go on to ask if we, who use the Name “Christian,” have learned that humility is a much more powerful choice than pride. Have we come to the realization that all I feel I own is from God? It’s not mine! Do I get it that none of what I enjoy in life is deserved?! It’s all from God … and for God!
Well, as Swindoll posits, it is tragic that many who have received the fire insurance of salvation have not come to the realization Job did in these first six verses of Job 42. Many of us walk around with the mistaken feeling that we deserve what we have and that we’re in control of our lives. In fact we actually seek to be in control of our lives. And my friend, that’s a lie; and we need to see it and acknowledge it before God.
Job is about to realize just how satisfying an attitude of humility and a choice of surrender can be. He’s about to find out how God rewards someone who lives a truly submissive life … a life dedicated to outright obedience. And Swindoll says that the blend of a strong-hearted, assertive Christian being in surrender mode to God can be a powerful force in the world. And when it happens, I strongly feel that a dimmed Christian lamp can become a bright light shining the world to fulfill Christ’s command in Matthew 5: 16 [link provided] were we, who carry the label “Christian,” can shine a light of good works for all in the darkness of this world to see Christ to the glory of our Father in heaven.
Job sees this; and he repents, … turning 180 degrees and walking in God’s direction, … away from self, away from the world, and most certainly away from Satan. The question becomes … “Have we really repented of our pride, our control, and our self-directed walk in this world?” Oh, how I pray that we get it as did Job!
My Prayer for Today: Lord, … if I have not seen what true repentance is like; … show me! Amen
2 “I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.
3 You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.
4 Listen, please, and let me speak; You said, ‘I will question you, and you shall answer Me.’
5 “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You.
6 Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes.”
My Journal for Today: Okay, my friends who follow me here, we’re going to be in the climax chapter of Job for the remainder of our days with this hero of the faith. And what a chapter it is.
In it we begin by seeing this man, with whom we all should identify, finally get it; and by that I mean that all haughtiness is replace by humility; and our confused hero becomes our contrite hero.
You know, it has been said that if a Christian, after coming in faith to a saving knowledge of Christ, cannot choose to humble himself before God’s throne of sanctifying grace, God will “help” him do it; and that is the lesson we see Job finally learning in Chapter 42; and he flat-out says it in verses 1-6.
And I just can imagine a wry smile on God’s face as He hears His man, Job, candidly repenting in these words, spoken with conviction and understanding to the Living God. As Swindoll puts it, “Job [finally] got it!” And Pastor Chuck goes on to say what Job finally realized. And he writes about what Job came to acknowledge, which we should as well …
God’s purpose is unfolding; and I [we] cannot hinder it.
God’s plan is incredible; and I [we] will not comprehend it.
God’s reproof is reliable; and I [we] dare not ignore it.
God’s way is best; and I [we] must not resist it.
So, my dear one, I ask, “Have we gotten the message yet?” And I could go on to ask if we, who use the Name “Christian,” have learned that humility is a much more powerful choice than pride. Have we come to the realization that all I feel I own is from God? It’s not mine! Do I get it that none of what I enjoy in life is deserved?! It’s all from God … and for God!
Well, as Swindoll posits, it is tragic that many who have received the fire insurance of salvation have not come to the realization Job did in these first six verses of Job 42. Many of us walk around with the mistaken feeling that we deserve what we have and that we’re in control of our lives. In fact we actually seek to be in control of our lives. And my friend, that’s a lie; and we need to see it and acknowledge it before God.
Job is about to realize just how satisfying an attitude of humility and a choice of surrender can be. He’s about to find out how God rewards someone who lives a truly submissive life … a life dedicated to outright obedience. And Swindoll says that the blend of a strong-hearted, assertive Christian being in surrender mode to God can be a powerful force in the world. And when it happens, I strongly feel that a dimmed Christian lamp can become a bright light shining the world to fulfill Christ’s command in Matthew 5: 16 [link provided] were we, who carry the label “Christian,” can shine a light of good works for all in the darkness of this world to see Christ to the glory of our Father in heaven.
Job sees this; and he repents, … turning 180 degrees and walking in God’s direction, … away from self, away from the world, and most certainly away from Satan. The question becomes … “Have we really repented of our pride, our control, and our self-directed walk in this world?” Oh, how I pray that we get it as did Job!
My Prayer for Today: Lord, … if I have not seen what true repentance is like; … show me! Amen
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
2009 – Day 265.Sept 23 – Follow In Obedience
Passage of the Day: Job 40: 1-5 … From The Message Version of God’s word … 1-2 God then confronted Job directly: "Now what do you have to say for yourself? Are you going to haul Me, the Mighty One, into court and press charges?"
3-5 Job answered: "I'm speechless, in awe—words fail me. I should never have opened my mouth!I've talked too much, way too much. I'm ready to shut up and listen."
My Journal for Today: What a luxury, getting up with the sunrise, … light shining in my bedroom window rather than the darkness of my normal early rising. But even though I’ve let the bed reject me rather than bounding out to an alarm, my chosen purpose is the same this morning; and that is to start my day by spending time with my God so that I can know Him more, love Him more deeply, obey Him more readily, and serve Him more effectively.
And as I have come to my quiet place here this morning, a little later than usual, I still am here to worship my God just like any morning; and as I sit here, listening to the song Here I Am To Worship by Hillsong on my Ipod, I still revel in being with God as the sun comes up. I anticipate what God will give me from His word today to help me become more like Him or to reach out and share His truth with others. And again I join with Job in Job 40: 1-5, as he declares himself to be in awe of the Living God. I hope you’ll join me as we worship God by being in His word this day.
And this morning, listening to some wonderful praise songs playing in my headphones, I agree with my devotional shepherd, Chuck Swindoll, this morning as he tells of going to a Pastors’ conference some time ago where there was a sign over the marquee of the hotel which stated boldly …
RELAX EVERYBODY! … FOR ONCE YOU’RE NOT IN CHARGE!
And that’s essentially what God had declared to Job. Here in our highlight passage today we see Job getting God’s message to surrender to the fact that God was in control and that Job needed to surrender in obedience to the Lord’s power and his plan for Job’s life. Oh how we, over 3000 years later, should get this message. And I especially write this to any of us who, like myself, often seek to control the situation, who are called into leadership and feel that we should be THE LEADER. I say this strongly to those who pompously think that we are more intelligent than those who are in charge of our church, our company, or our government. So, … I say this to everyone. Relax and let God be God; … because we are not!
I often tell those with whom I have the opportunity to minister that we will never be in control anyway, so it’s time to surrender to Christ’s command which He declared to His disciples, (in Luke 9: 23), “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”
So, as you read this, ask yourself, “Am I in surrender mode? Am I walking in obedience and denying self and giving preeminence to my Savior?” And if we answer those questions with anything but a resounding “YES,” we need to take serious steps to give our lives over to the LORD of our past, present, and future and become “living sacrifices” to God as Paul wrote in Romans 12: 1.
Join me today, my friend; … and let us surrender in obedience to the Living Lord of all.
My Prayer for Today: Oh, Lord, I surrender! Amen
3-5 Job answered: "I'm speechless, in awe—words fail me. I should never have opened my mouth!I've talked too much, way too much. I'm ready to shut up and listen."
My Journal for Today: What a luxury, getting up with the sunrise, … light shining in my bedroom window rather than the darkness of my normal early rising. But even though I’ve let the bed reject me rather than bounding out to an alarm, my chosen purpose is the same this morning; and that is to start my day by spending time with my God so that I can know Him more, love Him more deeply, obey Him more readily, and serve Him more effectively.
And as I have come to my quiet place here this morning, a little later than usual, I still am here to worship my God just like any morning; and as I sit here, listening to the song Here I Am To Worship by Hillsong on my Ipod, I still revel in being with God as the sun comes up. I anticipate what God will give me from His word today to help me become more like Him or to reach out and share His truth with others. And again I join with Job in Job 40: 1-5, as he declares himself to be in awe of the Living God. I hope you’ll join me as we worship God by being in His word this day.
And this morning, listening to some wonderful praise songs playing in my headphones, I agree with my devotional shepherd, Chuck Swindoll, this morning as he tells of going to a Pastors’ conference some time ago where there was a sign over the marquee of the hotel which stated boldly …
RELAX EVERYBODY! … FOR ONCE YOU’RE NOT IN CHARGE!
And that’s essentially what God had declared to Job. Here in our highlight passage today we see Job getting God’s message to surrender to the fact that God was in control and that Job needed to surrender in obedience to the Lord’s power and his plan for Job’s life. Oh how we, over 3000 years later, should get this message. And I especially write this to any of us who, like myself, often seek to control the situation, who are called into leadership and feel that we should be THE LEADER. I say this strongly to those who pompously think that we are more intelligent than those who are in charge of our church, our company, or our government. So, … I say this to everyone. Relax and let God be God; … because we are not!
I often tell those with whom I have the opportunity to minister that we will never be in control anyway, so it’s time to surrender to Christ’s command which He declared to His disciples, (in Luke 9: 23), “If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”
So, as you read this, ask yourself, “Am I in surrender mode? Am I walking in obedience and denying self and giving preeminence to my Savior?” And if we answer those questions with anything but a resounding “YES,” we need to take serious steps to give our lives over to the LORD of our past, present, and future and become “living sacrifices” to God as Paul wrote in Romans 12: 1.
Join me today, my friend; … and let us surrender in obedience to the Living Lord of all.
My Prayer for Today: Oh, Lord, I surrender! Amen
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
2009 – Day 223.Aug 12 – Hold Everything Loosely
Passage of the Day: Focus on Job 1: 21 … 20 Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. 21 And he said: “ Naked I came from my mother’s womb, … And naked shall I return there. …The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; … Blessed be the name of the LORD.” 22 In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong.
My Journal for Today: Chuck Swindoll indicated that the title he used for today’s devotional, Hold Everything Loosely, could be a summary title for the entire first chapter of the book of Job. As I have studied this chapter with Swindoll these past days, I have been asking and challenging myself with the question, “How would I react if I lost everything, … including our daughters and their families?” Would my kneejerk response be to worship my God, … the One Who has given me all the blessings of this life I lead?
I know what it says in 1st Thes. 5: 18 and Eph. 5: 20 … that we are exhorted by God’s own word to thank our Lord in all things. But honestly, … I don’t know if I’m mature enough as a Christian to thank my Savior if He chose to take our children suddenly and without any apparently earthly or humanly understandable reason … as He did with Job. I’m afraid my flesh would react by crying out to God, saying something like, “Why, God?! It’s so unfair!!!”
But here I am safely able to read of Job and his worshipful reaction to all this horror brought upon him by Satan and allowed by God; and I can safely see that Job’s response was and is the model of our faith and trust in God. As Swindoll alludes, one can just imagine Satan seeing Job’s response to all the calamity he had wrought upon Job and having to admit to God, “Well, You were right, this man Job was more dedicated to You than I thought he would be.” So, without realizing it, Job’s response to all the horrible things which transpired was an “in your face” statement to Satan about the sovereignty of our God.
Job honestly and reactively was saying to anyone who observed his witness, “God is in control. He brought us into the world; and only He has the right to take us from it.” As Swindoll very aptly points out, and in his words, "We enter this world with our tiny fists clenched, screaming; but we always leave the world with hands open on our silent chests.” … Wow! What a word picture reminding us of the need to learn in life the ability to hold the valued things loosely, allowing God’s ownership and control to be acknowledged and exercised.
I hope we can all see from this first chapter in Job’s story, that God owns it all; and He can use it for His glory in any way He so chooses. … Hold it loosely, my friends.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, You are God. You gave it to me; and You can take it away. Help me to remember and live by that truth. Amen
My Journal for Today: Chuck Swindoll indicated that the title he used for today’s devotional, Hold Everything Loosely, could be a summary title for the entire first chapter of the book of Job. As I have studied this chapter with Swindoll these past days, I have been asking and challenging myself with the question, “How would I react if I lost everything, … including our daughters and their families?” Would my kneejerk response be to worship my God, … the One Who has given me all the blessings of this life I lead?
I know what it says in 1st Thes. 5: 18 and Eph. 5: 20 … that we are exhorted by God’s own word to thank our Lord in all things. But honestly, … I don’t know if I’m mature enough as a Christian to thank my Savior if He chose to take our children suddenly and without any apparently earthly or humanly understandable reason … as He did with Job. I’m afraid my flesh would react by crying out to God, saying something like, “Why, God?! It’s so unfair!!!”
But here I am safely able to read of Job and his worshipful reaction to all this horror brought upon him by Satan and allowed by God; and I can safely see that Job’s response was and is the model of our faith and trust in God. As Swindoll alludes, one can just imagine Satan seeing Job’s response to all the calamity he had wrought upon Job and having to admit to God, “Well, You were right, this man Job was more dedicated to You than I thought he would be.” So, without realizing it, Job’s response to all the horrible things which transpired was an “in your face” statement to Satan about the sovereignty of our God.
Job honestly and reactively was saying to anyone who observed his witness, “God is in control. He brought us into the world; and only He has the right to take us from it.” As Swindoll very aptly points out, and in his words, "We enter this world with our tiny fists clenched, screaming; but we always leave the world with hands open on our silent chests.” … Wow! What a word picture reminding us of the need to learn in life the ability to hold the valued things loosely, allowing God’s ownership and control to be acknowledged and exercised.
I hope we can all see from this first chapter in Job’s story, that God owns it all; and He can use it for His glory in any way He so chooses. … Hold it loosely, my friends.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, You are God. You gave it to me; and You can take it away. Help me to remember and live by that truth. Amen
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