Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Genesis, Chapters 41-42 … To study these chapters, go to this link -
Genesis 41: 14-16: … [God’s Providence and Design] ... 14 So Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was quickly brought from the dungeon. When he had shaved and changed his clothes, he came before Pharaoh. 15 Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” 16 “I cannot do it,” Joseph replied to Pharaoh, “but God will give Pharaoh the answer he desires.”
My Journal for Today: Have you ever had a set of circumstances in your life which you can look back on and see clearly that God was in total control in your life and all the happenings were being outlandishly engineered by God for you to live out HIS purposes for YOUR life? Well, I have; and the circumstances of Joseph’s life, as illustrated by the reading today in Chapters 41-42 of Genesis, is illustrative of the principle that GOD IS ALWAYS IN CONTROL of what is going on in our lives. And isn’t it wonderful and mysterious that the LORD uses our free will and human choices to weave His tapestry of eternal design!
Today, I was led to read of Joseph, after being two years in prison unjustly, … then being brought – by a wild set of human interactions – before Pharaoh because of a perplexing dream with the king had, a dream which none of his court magicians could adequately interpret. Gee, I wonder Who planted that dream in the Pharaoh’s mind? And gee, I wonder how the court cup-bearer just happened to remember an event when his was unjustly in prison earlier where this young Hebrew had interpreted a dream of the prison guard which just happened to unfold exactly as this boy (who was Joseph, of course) had interpreted? … … DUH! … Enter Joseph into the life of Pharaoh – just by coincidence of course [… NOT!!!]. And if you’ve read ahead in Genesis we see how these circumstances, which so “mysteriously” transpired, allowed Joseph to become Pharaoh’s governor and second in command; and they also – so wonderfully - allowed Joseph to be in control in Egypt when his long-lost father, Jacob (“Israel”), sent Joseph’s ten brothers to Egypt to obtain grain during a providential famine in the land at that time. And just who – coincidently - did the ten brothers, who just happened to have sold their brother, Joseph, into slavery in Egypt years before, encounter? Well, as Paul Harvey used to say, “You know the rest of the story!”
I think back on the wild, wacky, and wonderful set of circumstances, which, on April 13th, 1983, led me to recognize my spiritual brokenness and allowed me to be able to see that only by surrendering to Christ’s control in my life would I be able to find the spiritual strength which I had so unsuccessfully been trying to find in those days in other religions such as Buddhism, Taoism, or New-Ageism. I’ll not go into all those details of my testimony; but save it to say, on that fateful date in my life, I saw that only an omnipotent God could have engineered the circumstance in which I found myself and only God could be THE One to set me on a course which could reset my course in life in a direction of spiritual strength and not the weakness which I was experiencing. ONLY GOD!!!
But in today’s focus passage, when Joseph was brought by the Pharaoh to the court to interpret the king’s dream, Joseph knew exactly WHO was in control. And in Verse 16 of Genesis 41 above we read of Joseph witnessing to Pharaoh that ONLY GOD could interpret the dreams for the king. And this showed, later when the dreams were correctly interpreted, that Joseph, by surrendering to the one, true God, had power that could only come from a powerful God, … Whom we know of as THE ONE AND ONLY GOD!!! And our God, of course, is THE GOD … Who is control of all things and all circumstances in the lives of believers on His Name; and as it says in Romans 8: 28, all of those circumstances in life – as they did for Joseph – work together for the good of ALL those who believe in the Lord and are THE CALLED according to His purposes.
That was true for Joseph. It is true for Bill Berry; and if you believe in the same God Joseph and I follow, it is true for you too! Oh, how I hope we all believe and recognize that God’s control in our lives … as did the young boy, Joseph.
My Prayer Today: … My LORD, God, … I truly know and believe that You have worked it all out in my life … by Your design … and for Your purposes. And to that all I can in praise is HALLELUJAH!!! Amen
Showing posts with label God's Sovereignty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label God's Sovereignty. Show all posts
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Saturday, January 14, 2012
January 14, 2012 … When God Speaks – Time To Listen!
Passage of the Day: Chapter/Verse Reference: Job, Chapters 38-39 … To study these chapters, go to this link -
Job 38: … [When God Speaks]
1 Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm. He said:
2 “Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge?
3 Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me.
4 “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand.
===
34 “Can you raise your voice to the clouds and cover yourself with a flood of water?
35 Do you send the lightning bolts on their way? Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?
Job 39: … [God Speaks … Time To Listen]
1 “Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch when the doe bears her fawn?
2 Do you count the months till they bear? Do you know the time they give birth?
======
26 “Does the hawk take flight by your wisdom and spread its wings toward the south?
27 Does the eagle soar at your command and build its nest on high?
28 It dwells on a cliff and stays there at night; a rocky crag is its stronghold.
29 From there it looks for food; its eyes detect it from afar.
30 Its young ones feast on blood, and where the slain are, there it is.”
My Journal for Today: Okay, now, as Job continues to contemplate his horrible set of circumstances; and his so-called “friends” have given Job their two-cents worth (and that’s about how much their advice was worth), now it’s God’s turn to speak. And when one gets to these two chapters in Job’s book, I can’t help but think of the old E.F. Hutton commercials on TV.
Do you recall these commercials back in the late 70s? If you’re too young or don’t remember them, here’s a link to one of them on You Tube - where, “… when EF Hutton talks, people listen.” And that’s where Job was when God decided to straighten our hero out. And my friend, WHEN GOD TALKS, IT’S TIME TO LISTEN!!!
And in our reading today, when God did intervene with Job, I couldn’t help but note a couple of important elements of God’s intervention. And the first of these was God’s decision to speak to Job out of a storm (see Job 38: 1). I can just imagine Job, sitting on a hill of garbage, picking away at the sores on his body, thinking of all of his personal loss and contemplating all the jerk-water complaints from his friends; and all of a sudden it begins to rain on him … in torrents.
Have you ever been in a bad set of circumstances; and all of a sudden “a storm” of more bad stuff befalls you? Well that’s where Job was when God decides to give him some insights into how things really work. And that’s why, when we’re in the midst of a storm, we need to be looking for the messages God has for us out of the storm.
Do you remember the New Testament account of how the disciples were in the midst of a terrible storm (see Matt. 14, Mark 6, or John 6); and Jesus came to them, walking on the water; and they had trouble hearing what Jesus was calling to them. In fact they didn’t recognize that it was Jesus because of their fears of the storm. Well, this story, as well as the one about Job, illustrate that God wants to communicate to us through the storms of life and teach us that He’s in control … that He’s always there for us, … and that we can trust Him in the midst of even the worst storms of life. And so it was for Job.
But Job was having trouble understanding all of those things, given the storms God had allowed Satan to visit upon him. So, in Chapters 38-39 of Job, we get God’s in depth lesson in cosmic astronomy and biological creation. God levels question after question, which Job hadn’t a clue as to the answers, illustrating to Job – as to us – that there is so much of life that we cannot or will not be able to explain. It often gets down to the first sentence in our Bible: “In the beginning, God!” And as I’ve referred to already in my journaling this month, we need to remember the lesson God taught to the Prophet Isaiah [see below] …
Isaiah 55: 8 – 9: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”
And that’s the lesson which God so often wants to impart through the storms of life. And I need to remember, to seek out my God when I find my mind/heart overwhelmed by life’s circumstances. I need to be in a listening mode when life’s storms come, doing all I can to hear God speaking.
My Prayer Today: … I hear You, LORD! … Amen
Job 38: … [When God Speaks]
1 Then the LORD spoke to Job out of the storm. He said:
2 “Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge?
3 Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer Me.
4 “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand.
===
34 “Can you raise your voice to the clouds and cover yourself with a flood of water?
35 Do you send the lightning bolts on their way? Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?
Job 39: … [God Speaks … Time To Listen]
1 “Do you know when the mountain goats give birth? Do you watch when the doe bears her fawn?
2 Do you count the months till they bear? Do you know the time they give birth?
======
26 “Does the hawk take flight by your wisdom and spread its wings toward the south?
27 Does the eagle soar at your command and build its nest on high?
28 It dwells on a cliff and stays there at night; a rocky crag is its stronghold.
29 From there it looks for food; its eyes detect it from afar.
30 Its young ones feast on blood, and where the slain are, there it is.”
My Journal for Today: Okay, now, as Job continues to contemplate his horrible set of circumstances; and his so-called “friends” have given Job their two-cents worth (and that’s about how much their advice was worth), now it’s God’s turn to speak. And when one gets to these two chapters in Job’s book, I can’t help but think of the old E.F. Hutton commercials on TV.
Do you recall these commercials back in the late 70s? If you’re too young or don’t remember them, here’s a link to one of them on You Tube - where, “… when EF Hutton talks, people listen.” And that’s where Job was when God decided to straighten our hero out. And my friend, WHEN GOD TALKS, IT’S TIME TO LISTEN!!!
And in our reading today, when God did intervene with Job, I couldn’t help but note a couple of important elements of God’s intervention. And the first of these was God’s decision to speak to Job out of a storm (see Job 38: 1). I can just imagine Job, sitting on a hill of garbage, picking away at the sores on his body, thinking of all of his personal loss and contemplating all the jerk-water complaints from his friends; and all of a sudden it begins to rain on him … in torrents.
Have you ever been in a bad set of circumstances; and all of a sudden “a storm” of more bad stuff befalls you? Well that’s where Job was when God decides to give him some insights into how things really work. And that’s why, when we’re in the midst of a storm, we need to be looking for the messages God has for us out of the storm.
Do you remember the New Testament account of how the disciples were in the midst of a terrible storm (see Matt. 14, Mark 6, or John 6); and Jesus came to them, walking on the water; and they had trouble hearing what Jesus was calling to them. In fact they didn’t recognize that it was Jesus because of their fears of the storm. Well, this story, as well as the one about Job, illustrate that God wants to communicate to us through the storms of life and teach us that He’s in control … that He’s always there for us, … and that we can trust Him in the midst of even the worst storms of life. And so it was for Job.
But Job was having trouble understanding all of those things, given the storms God had allowed Satan to visit upon him. So, in Chapters 38-39 of Job, we get God’s in depth lesson in cosmic astronomy and biological creation. God levels question after question, which Job hadn’t a clue as to the answers, illustrating to Job – as to us – that there is so much of life that we cannot or will not be able to explain. It often gets down to the first sentence in our Bible: “In the beginning, God!” And as I’ve referred to already in my journaling this month, we need to remember the lesson God taught to the Prophet Isaiah [see below] …
Isaiah 55: 8 – 9: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”
And that’s the lesson which God so often wants to impart through the storms of life. And I need to remember, to seek out my God when I find my mind/heart overwhelmed by life’s circumstances. I need to be in a listening mode when life’s storms come, doing all I can to hear God speaking.
My Prayer Today: … I hear You, LORD! … Amen
Monday, January 09, 2012
January 9, 2012 … Frustrated … But Faithful
Passage of the Day: Chapter/Verse Reference: Job, Chapters 21-23 … To study these chapters, go to this link >>>
Study Passage: Job 21-23: [Comment: Today it’s difficult for this blogger to highlight any one passage for my journal comments. I’m afraid the reader will have to take in all three of my study chapters today to get a flavor of my journal entry today.]
My Journal for Today: In my reading through the Book of Job as part of my trek through the Bible chronologically this year, there continues to be this serial dialog between Job and his so-called “friends,” … the three who keep trying to convince Job that his condition and circumstances point to some hidden sin or pattern of disobedience of their God, Jehovah, Whom they all hold in reverence. But poor Job keeps holding to his position – partly held in confusion and frustration – that his friends don’t seem to get the truth that bad things happen to good people and good things (by man’s judgment) happen to bad people. And Job’s position is supported by his faith in and reverence for their God, Whom Job knows is always right and always in control.
And I don’t know about you; but I have a tendency to hold Job’s three “friends,” who’ve become his harshest critics, in some degree of malcontent, … feeling that they are just not seeing Job’s situation with any degree of empathy for their “friend.” They also just seem to be closed to the reality that God sees things – all things – with His infinite and all-controlling omniscience, which is a picture that no man can see clearly. And as I read this interaction between Job and the three, I think of the words of God’s clarity from Isaiah 55: 8-9, where God states to the Prophet, 8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” And I can’t seem to hold back my judgment of Job’s friends as I think, “Why can’t you dudes see this truth!”
Job’s “WHY ME” search is certainly natural; and the misshaped criticisms of his critics in this portion of the Book of Job are really understandable as well. So, … I need to have a little more charity for Job’s three friends; because I, like them, have a tendency to judge the motives and ideas of others based upon what I see in their lives; and I often make judgments about people, thinking that I know and can see what God knows and sees. NOT!!! >>> These days we call it “profiling,” don’t we? And it’s just, flat WRONG!!!
Given Job’s circumstances, especially being the righteous man he was, why wouldn’t Job be asking God, “WHY?” And in anybody’s life, as we view others, maybe we all need to back off with our judgments and trust that God knows best and that He’s ALWAYS in control; … and, especially for born-again believers, God is always working things out for the good of His children. Isn’t that the message of truth in Romans 8: 28, … which is a passage with which I always seem to challenged by my weak faith.
Job was challenged too – to the “Nth” degree; but even though God was teaching Job a lesson in humility that our Lord obviously felt Job needed to learn, Job held on to His fear of the Lord and His reverence for God’s sovereignty in the midst of all of the circumstances which were so baffling to him. I would hope that we all can hold on to our faith as we face life’s most challenging trials, … letting God do His thing … ALWAYS for our good.
My Prayer Today: … Help me, Lord … to hold on to my faith in Your sovereign good. Amen
Study Passage: Job 21-23: [Comment: Today it’s difficult for this blogger to highlight any one passage for my journal comments. I’m afraid the reader will have to take in all three of my study chapters today to get a flavor of my journal entry today.]
My Journal for Today: In my reading through the Book of Job as part of my trek through the Bible chronologically this year, there continues to be this serial dialog between Job and his so-called “friends,” … the three who keep trying to convince Job that his condition and circumstances point to some hidden sin or pattern of disobedience of their God, Jehovah, Whom they all hold in reverence. But poor Job keeps holding to his position – partly held in confusion and frustration – that his friends don’t seem to get the truth that bad things happen to good people and good things (by man’s judgment) happen to bad people. And Job’s position is supported by his faith in and reverence for their God, Whom Job knows is always right and always in control.
And I don’t know about you; but I have a tendency to hold Job’s three “friends,” who’ve become his harshest critics, in some degree of malcontent, … feeling that they are just not seeing Job’s situation with any degree of empathy for their “friend.” They also just seem to be closed to the reality that God sees things – all things – with His infinite and all-controlling omniscience, which is a picture that no man can see clearly. And as I read this interaction between Job and the three, I think of the words of God’s clarity from Isaiah 55: 8-9, where God states to the Prophet, 8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the LORD. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” And I can’t seem to hold back my judgment of Job’s friends as I think, “Why can’t you dudes see this truth!”
Job’s “WHY ME” search is certainly natural; and the misshaped criticisms of his critics in this portion of the Book of Job are really understandable as well. So, … I need to have a little more charity for Job’s three friends; because I, like them, have a tendency to judge the motives and ideas of others based upon what I see in their lives; and I often make judgments about people, thinking that I know and can see what God knows and sees. NOT!!! >>> These days we call it “profiling,” don’t we? And it’s just, flat WRONG!!!
Given Job’s circumstances, especially being the righteous man he was, why wouldn’t Job be asking God, “WHY?” And in anybody’s life, as we view others, maybe we all need to back off with our judgments and trust that God knows best and that He’s ALWAYS in control; … and, especially for born-again believers, God is always working things out for the good of His children. Isn’t that the message of truth in Romans 8: 28, … which is a passage with which I always seem to challenged by my weak faith.
Job was challenged too – to the “Nth” degree; but even though God was teaching Job a lesson in humility that our Lord obviously felt Job needed to learn, Job held on to His fear of the Lord and His reverence for God’s sovereignty in the midst of all of the circumstances which were so baffling to him. I would hope that we all can hold on to our faith as we face life’s most challenging trials, … letting God do His thing … ALWAYS for our good.
My Prayer Today: … Help me, Lord … to hold on to my faith in Your sovereign good. Amen
Sunday, October 09, 2011
October 9, 2011 … A Right View of God
Passage of the Day: Psalm 51: 4 - 9 [see emphasis verse in bold and underlined]
1 … Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love; according to Your great compassion blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. 4 Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are proved right when You speak and justified when You judge. 5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. 6 Surely You desire truth in the inner parts; You teach me wisdom in the inmost place. 7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice. 9 Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.
My Journal for Today: Yesterday, with the help of John MacArthur’s devotional, I wrote that true confession of sin requires a right view of the reality of sin in our life. Today, in King David’s song of remorse and confession (i.e., Psalm 51), we see that we must also have a right view of God.
Truly, we must see, as did David [in v. 6 above], that God is holy and omniscient, … a God Who is never satisfied with mere externals, … always requiring a complete surrender of the heart.
Next, as David acknowledged (see v. 7), we must see God’s power with a firm belief that God can and will cleanse and forgive us of our sin.
And thirdly, for our ongoing healing to take place, we must see God’s correction of our sin as that of the Good Shepherd. In v. 8 above, we read the former shepherd, David, creating the word picture of a loving, Good, Shepherd. In those days a shepherd, who had a wayward lamb (i.e., one who habitually and repeatedly strayed from the flock), would care enough for the lamb to go out and find that lamb and even break its leg, carrying that hurting lamb in its brokenness back to the flock until that lamb bonded with the shepherd in the healing process. When the leg was healed, the lamb would stay as close to the shepherd as possible as well as the rest of the sheep in the flock.
Don’t you just love that latter picture, … of our Good Shepherd? Yes, we are wayward sheep, as Isaiah had described in Is. 53: 6; but the Prophet, in this verse also indicates the hope we have in the Good Shepherd, Who has taken all our waywardness upon Himself, if/when we’re willing and able to remain steadfast to Him as He does what is necessary to allow us to grow in His flock.
Finally, MacArthur helps us realize that we must see our God, as did David in v. 9 above, repeating his point from v. 7, as a forgiving Lord, willing and able to forgive our sins (see also Isaiah 43: 25). David also penned Ps. 103: 12, where it says. “… as far as the east is from the west, so far has He (God) removed our transgressions (i.e., sins) from us.”
These are remarkable and wonderful promises from an all powerful God, Who has always been, is now, and always will be our Good Shepherd, … A Shepherd Who loves us enough to do whatever it takes to shape our brokenness into closeness with Himself.
As I close out this morning’s devotional, from the material presented, I was taken back to wonderful song, by Phillips, Craig, and Dean entitled He’ll Do Whatever It Takes. I’m listening to it now as I write this as I often do during my quiet time; and if you get a chance to, I’d encourage any reader of this entry to find and hear that song [see the link below]. The chorus of this poignant and powerful song reads like this …
He’ll do whatever it takes …
His grace reaches lower than your worst mistake.
His grace will run farther than you can run away
He’ll do whatever … whatever it takes …
You can listen to this poignant and powerful song by going to this link …
Now isn’t this the loving and grace empowering God you and I need to follow as our loving Good Shepherd? This, as it finally was for King David a right view of God.
My Prayer Today: Only You, Good Shepherd, can take away my sin from the eyes of the Father. Holy Spirit, cleanse me, mold me, … remake me in my Lord’s image. Do whatever it takes. Amen
1 … Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love; according to Your great compassion blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. 4 Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You are proved right when You speak and justified when You judge. 5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. 6 Surely You desire truth in the inner parts; You teach me wisdom in the inmost place. 7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice. 9 Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.
My Journal for Today: Yesterday, with the help of John MacArthur’s devotional, I wrote that true confession of sin requires a right view of the reality of sin in our life. Today, in King David’s song of remorse and confession (i.e., Psalm 51), we see that we must also have a right view of God.
Truly, we must see, as did David [in v. 6 above], that God is holy and omniscient, … a God Who is never satisfied with mere externals, … always requiring a complete surrender of the heart.
Next, as David acknowledged (see v. 7), we must see God’s power with a firm belief that God can and will cleanse and forgive us of our sin.
And thirdly, for our ongoing healing to take place, we must see God’s correction of our sin as that of the Good Shepherd. In v. 8 above, we read the former shepherd, David, creating the word picture of a loving, Good, Shepherd. In those days a shepherd, who had a wayward lamb (i.e., one who habitually and repeatedly strayed from the flock), would care enough for the lamb to go out and find that lamb and even break its leg, carrying that hurting lamb in its brokenness back to the flock until that lamb bonded with the shepherd in the healing process. When the leg was healed, the lamb would stay as close to the shepherd as possible as well as the rest of the sheep in the flock.
Don’t you just love that latter picture, … of our Good Shepherd? Yes, we are wayward sheep, as Isaiah had described in Is. 53: 6; but the Prophet, in this verse also indicates the hope we have in the Good Shepherd, Who has taken all our waywardness upon Himself, if/when we’re willing and able to remain steadfast to Him as He does what is necessary to allow us to grow in His flock.
Finally, MacArthur helps us realize that we must see our God, as did David in v. 9 above, repeating his point from v. 7, as a forgiving Lord, willing and able to forgive our sins (see also Isaiah 43: 25). David also penned Ps. 103: 12, where it says. “… as far as the east is from the west, so far has He (God) removed our transgressions (i.e., sins) from us.”
These are remarkable and wonderful promises from an all powerful God, Who has always been, is now, and always will be our Good Shepherd, … A Shepherd Who loves us enough to do whatever it takes to shape our brokenness into closeness with Himself.
As I close out this morning’s devotional, from the material presented, I was taken back to wonderful song, by Phillips, Craig, and Dean entitled He’ll Do Whatever It Takes. I’m listening to it now as I write this as I often do during my quiet time; and if you get a chance to, I’d encourage any reader of this entry to find and hear that song [see the link below]. The chorus of this poignant and powerful song reads like this …
He’ll do whatever it takes …
His grace reaches lower than your worst mistake.
His grace will run farther than you can run away
He’ll do whatever … whatever it takes …
You can listen to this poignant and powerful song by going to this link …
Now isn’t this the loving and grace empowering God you and I need to follow as our loving Good Shepherd? This, as it finally was for King David a right view of God.
My Prayer Today: Only You, Good Shepherd, can take away my sin from the eyes of the Father. Holy Spirit, cleanse me, mold me, … remake me in my Lord’s image. Do whatever it takes. Amen
Friday, August 19, 2011
August 19, 2011 … Dare to be a Daniel
Passage of the Day: 1st Chronicles 29: 11 – 12 … 11 Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is Yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. 12 Wealth and honor come from You; You are the ruler of all things. In Your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.
My Journal for Today: Yesterday my fellow readers here and I looked at the truth and reality that God owns everything, a truth we must recognize as Christians if we are to be effective stewards of God’s providence. Today’s passage, one verse of which was quoted in yesterday’s devotional entry, reflects this as well.
However, as I am influenced by John MacArthur’s devotional for this date in Strength for Today, he helps me (us) by taking his readers back to the story of Daniel being cast into the lion’s den, described in Daniel 6 – linked for your study. Here we read of the extent of Daniel’s trust of God’s sovereignty, which was put to the ultimate test, a life-threatening set of circumstances, from which Daniel emerged a winner! MacArthur also quotes the author Jerry Bridges from his book Trusting God, who writes, “God … so directs and controls all events and actions of His creatures that they never act outside of His sovereign will. We must believe and cling to this … if we are to glorify God by trusting Him.”
These last few devotional entries are not long and involved, because the issues are fairly straight forward [I didn’t say “easy” to deal with; … but they are “straight forward”]. As MacArthur and Bridges intimate, honoring God in our stewardship is a matter of belief and trust – a matter of faith. Do I trust God as it says in Prov. 3: 5 – 6 … in ALL things … at ALL times; or do I hold back, relying on my own understanding, searching for reasons which satisfy my own mind when I don’t comprehend what is happening or when I’m out of control? MacArthur (and God’s word) challenges me (and you) to dare to be a Daniel when circumstances are overwhelming or incomprehensible.
How about it? Are we ready to trust our sovereign God today?!! Are we willing to be the stewards of the God who gave us all for His glory?
My Prayer Today: Help me, Lord, to be a Daniel and to trust You totally. Amen
My Journal for Today: Yesterday my fellow readers here and I looked at the truth and reality that God owns everything, a truth we must recognize as Christians if we are to be effective stewards of God’s providence. Today’s passage, one verse of which was quoted in yesterday’s devotional entry, reflects this as well.
However, as I am influenced by John MacArthur’s devotional for this date in Strength for Today, he helps me (us) by taking his readers back to the story of Daniel being cast into the lion’s den, described in Daniel 6 – linked for your study. Here we read of the extent of Daniel’s trust of God’s sovereignty, which was put to the ultimate test, a life-threatening set of circumstances, from which Daniel emerged a winner! MacArthur also quotes the author Jerry Bridges from his book Trusting God, who writes, “God … so directs and controls all events and actions of His creatures that they never act outside of His sovereign will. We must believe and cling to this … if we are to glorify God by trusting Him.”
These last few devotional entries are not long and involved, because the issues are fairly straight forward [I didn’t say “easy” to deal with; … but they are “straight forward”]. As MacArthur and Bridges intimate, honoring God in our stewardship is a matter of belief and trust – a matter of faith. Do I trust God as it says in Prov. 3: 5 – 6 … in ALL things … at ALL times; or do I hold back, relying on my own understanding, searching for reasons which satisfy my own mind when I don’t comprehend what is happening or when I’m out of control? MacArthur (and God’s word) challenges me (and you) to dare to be a Daniel when circumstances are overwhelming or incomprehensible.
How about it? Are we ready to trust our sovereign God today?!! Are we willing to be the stewards of the God who gave us all for His glory?
My Prayer Today: Help me, Lord, to be a Daniel and to trust You totally. Amen
Thursday, August 18, 2011
August 18, 2011 … Recognizing God’s Ownership
Passage of the Day: Psalm 24: 1 … The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; …
My Journal for Today: This will not be a long devotional entry today. The point is short and clear; and it’s made in today’s verse. The point: Godly and biblical stewardship begins and hinges upon the recognition that we, God’s creation, own NOTHING! It’s all God’s, pure and simple … for HIS use and HIS glory.
John MacArthur reminds his readers on this date in Strength for Today of the wonderful story of John Wesley, whom, upon hearing that his house had burned, replied, “No it hasn’t. I don’t own a house. The one I lived in belongs to the Lord.” Wesley recognized that God had given him that house and God would still provide for his needs.
This raises the questions … do we see God’s ownership and His providence in the way Wesley saw it? Or … do we take personal ownership of the stuff of life, which leads to personalized greed and the coveting of worldly things? … May I digress with the confession that all too often I seek to be the owner of “stuff” in my life; and because I feel that way, I seek to control that “stuff,” trying to protect MY [there I go again!] “stuff.” In my head I know the truth of today’s highlight scripture; but too often I don’t live it out – from the heart - in my life. How about you?
MacArthur very nicely summarizes where our hearts and minds should be focused, writing, “We should worship God as the owner of all things, thank Him for whatever He entrusts to us, and never allow our ‘possessions’ to be a cause to forget Him.” That was Kind David’s prayer when he said to God (in 1st Chron. 29: 11), “…everything in heaven and in earth is Yours.”
And that should be our attitude and continual prayer as well.
My Prayer Today: And that is my prayer this day, Lord; … it is all Yours! Amen
My Journal for Today: This will not be a long devotional entry today. The point is short and clear; and it’s made in today’s verse. The point: Godly and biblical stewardship begins and hinges upon the recognition that we, God’s creation, own NOTHING! It’s all God’s, pure and simple … for HIS use and HIS glory.
John MacArthur reminds his readers on this date in Strength for Today of the wonderful story of John Wesley, whom, upon hearing that his house had burned, replied, “No it hasn’t. I don’t own a house. The one I lived in belongs to the Lord.” Wesley recognized that God had given him that house and God would still provide for his needs.
This raises the questions … do we see God’s ownership and His providence in the way Wesley saw it? Or … do we take personal ownership of the stuff of life, which leads to personalized greed and the coveting of worldly things? … May I digress with the confession that all too often I seek to be the owner of “stuff” in my life; and because I feel that way, I seek to control that “stuff,” trying to protect MY [there I go again!] “stuff.” In my head I know the truth of today’s highlight scripture; but too often I don’t live it out – from the heart - in my life. How about you?
MacArthur very nicely summarizes where our hearts and minds should be focused, writing, “We should worship God as the owner of all things, thank Him for whatever He entrusts to us, and never allow our ‘possessions’ to be a cause to forget Him.” That was Kind David’s prayer when he said to God (in 1st Chron. 29: 11), “…everything in heaven and in earth is Yours.”
And that should be our attitude and continual prayer as well.
My Prayer Today: And that is my prayer this day, Lord; … it is all Yours! Amen
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
2010 – November 17 – Getting What We Need Instead
Study from God’s Word… Selected passages chronologically from the ironic and horribly unjust trial of Jesus back and forth between Pilate, Herod Antipas, and again with Pilate, taken from Matt. 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, as well as John 18 -19 … Passage for Reflection: John 18: 39 - 40 … NIV [Pilate asked] “Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews?” They [the Jewish mob accusing Jesus of sedition in lieu of blasphemy] shouted back, “No not him! Give us Barabbas!”
My Journal for Today: Reading chronologically through the horrendously gruesome trial of Jesus this morning, I learned one detail from Dr. LaGard Smith’s devotional, covering these events, that shows me, not only God’s biting sense of irony at times, but also His penchant for giving us what we need rather than always listening to and giving us what we ask for.
You Christians, who’re reading with me here, have no doubt read through Christ’s passion, maybe several times, and this series of events where the Jewish leaders have provoked a mob to cry for the crucifixion of Jesus, is one of the most incredible series of events in all of Scripture. And, as we read, it comes to Pilate, the Roman Governor, who did have the power to crucify Jesus where the Sanhedrin didn’t, to order Jesus to the cross. But for the most part, Pilate could not find fault in Jesus. So, as a ploy and a tradition of the day to release a prisoner just before the Jewish feast, Pilate mockingly asks the crowd if he should crucify the “king of the Jews.” Incensed by this, the Sanhedrin provoked the mob to cry out for Barabbas, who was an insurrectionist mobster of that day.
And herein lies one of those great God ironies, which is lost on the emotional mob crying out for Jesus to die. The name “Bar-Abbas,” in Hebrew actually means “son of his father.” So, the irony is that the people, by calling out for the release of this man, named “Barabbas,” are, in reality, crying out, “Free the Son of The Father,” which is exactly what they, as sinners, needed; and by getting Barabbas in exchange, Jesus, the Son of Man, who was also the Son of the Living God, would go to the cross in order to give them, the mob (and, of course, all of us) freedom from their [our] sins.
Incredible irony! The mob cries for what they want; and God gives them exactly what they need. And aren’t you glad that God doesn’t always give us everything we want exactly when we want it? No, when we pray for or plead to God for many things, God knows exactly what we need; and praise the Lord, He will only give us what we want … IF … it’s exactly what we need.
And just as I close out another morning of time in God’s word, being taught God’s truth, I’m so grateful that I serve and worship a God Who knows what I need; and in listening to my prayers and pleas, gives me just what I need.
Say it with me [and if I didn’t want to wake up my wife, I’d shout it!] … “Praise the Lord !!!”
My Prayer for Today: Yes, praise Your Holy Name for loving me enough to always give me what I need rather than what I want. Amen
My Journal for Today: Reading chronologically through the horrendously gruesome trial of Jesus this morning, I learned one detail from Dr. LaGard Smith’s devotional, covering these events, that shows me, not only God’s biting sense of irony at times, but also His penchant for giving us what we need rather than always listening to and giving us what we ask for.
You Christians, who’re reading with me here, have no doubt read through Christ’s passion, maybe several times, and this series of events where the Jewish leaders have provoked a mob to cry for the crucifixion of Jesus, is one of the most incredible series of events in all of Scripture. And, as we read, it comes to Pilate, the Roman Governor, who did have the power to crucify Jesus where the Sanhedrin didn’t, to order Jesus to the cross. But for the most part, Pilate could not find fault in Jesus. So, as a ploy and a tradition of the day to release a prisoner just before the Jewish feast, Pilate mockingly asks the crowd if he should crucify the “king of the Jews.” Incensed by this, the Sanhedrin provoked the mob to cry out for Barabbas, who was an insurrectionist mobster of that day.
And herein lies one of those great God ironies, which is lost on the emotional mob crying out for Jesus to die. The name “Bar-Abbas,” in Hebrew actually means “son of his father.” So, the irony is that the people, by calling out for the release of this man, named “Barabbas,” are, in reality, crying out, “Free the Son of The Father,” which is exactly what they, as sinners, needed; and by getting Barabbas in exchange, Jesus, the Son of Man, who was also the Son of the Living God, would go to the cross in order to give them, the mob (and, of course, all of us) freedom from their [our] sins.
Incredible irony! The mob cries for what they want; and God gives them exactly what they need. And aren’t you glad that God doesn’t always give us everything we want exactly when we want it? No, when we pray for or plead to God for many things, God knows exactly what we need; and praise the Lord, He will only give us what we want … IF … it’s exactly what we need.
And just as I close out another morning of time in God’s word, being taught God’s truth, I’m so grateful that I serve and worship a God Who knows what I need; and in listening to my prayers and pleas, gives me just what I need.
Say it with me [and if I didn’t want to wake up my wife, I’d shout it!] … “Praise the Lord !!!”
My Prayer for Today: Yes, praise Your Holy Name for loving me enough to always give me what I need rather than what I want. Amen
Monday, November 08, 2010
2010 – November 8 – A God Who Lets Us Die
Study from God’s Word… John, Chapter 11, the story of Lazarus raised from the dead … Passage for Reflection: John 11: 37 … NIV But some of them (Jews who had come to console Mary and Martha at the death of their brother, Lazarus) said, “could not He who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”
My Journal for Today: I totally agree with Dr. LaGard Smith in his devotional entry for this date, reflecting on the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, … that we, who are believers in Jesus as The Christ, are asking the wrong question if, like Martha and Mary, we wonder why God doesn’t save any loved one of ours who dies or one who suffers greatly for a long period of time. We’re essentially asking, “Lord, why do you let, [??name??], our loved one, die?” When we more likely, according to Dr. Smith, should be asking, “Why, God, have You let any of us live?”
I would guess that most, if not all, of those reading here with me have had someone close to us who has passed away from sickness, maybe a child or a dear one who suffered a ghastly or tragic death; and it’s so tempting and human to ask of God, “Why, Lord?!” But, as Dr. Smith points out, if we’re really honest and reflective, we can probably also think of a time or a scenario where someone we know, or even our very self, lived through a disease, accident, or incident where we should likely have died, but we, or the loved one, were spared to live on.
So, as Dr. Smith asks in his challenge question for the day, ”If perhaps God has let my loved one die, have I seriously considered why He has let me live?”
And that question cuts at the core of whom we are as Christians, … sinners who deserve death in our sin nature, but we have been allowed to live, both temporally and eternally, by a loving God who desires to have fellowship forever with any who receive the saving grace which came through the Lamb of God dying to save us on the Cross. We live temporally at the grace of God in this life, even though we deserve death in our sinfulness [see the combined truth and outcomes of Romans 3: 23 and Romans 6: 23]. So, if we live, it is only through God’s grace; and we live eternally as well only because of that same grace from a loving God, Who desires to have an eternal relationship with those who come to Him in faith.
As I do often when I write my morning devotional entries here in this quiet place most mornings, I pray – as I will below – that those who are reading here realize, as do I, that we live and have our being at the grace of our God, … the giver (and yes, the taker) of life.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I pray that I can always see that I have my life, as do my friends who read here, because of Your grace and mercy. May we never take that for granted? Amen
My Journal for Today: I totally agree with Dr. LaGard Smith in his devotional entry for this date, reflecting on the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, … that we, who are believers in Jesus as The Christ, are asking the wrong question if, like Martha and Mary, we wonder why God doesn’t save any loved one of ours who dies or one who suffers greatly for a long period of time. We’re essentially asking, “Lord, why do you let, [??name??], our loved one, die?” When we more likely, according to Dr. Smith, should be asking, “Why, God, have You let any of us live?”
I would guess that most, if not all, of those reading here with me have had someone close to us who has passed away from sickness, maybe a child or a dear one who suffered a ghastly or tragic death; and it’s so tempting and human to ask of God, “Why, Lord?!” But, as Dr. Smith points out, if we’re really honest and reflective, we can probably also think of a time or a scenario where someone we know, or even our very self, lived through a disease, accident, or incident where we should likely have died, but we, or the loved one, were spared to live on.
So, as Dr. Smith asks in his challenge question for the day, ”If perhaps God has let my loved one die, have I seriously considered why He has let me live?”
And that question cuts at the core of whom we are as Christians, … sinners who deserve death in our sin nature, but we have been allowed to live, both temporally and eternally, by a loving God who desires to have fellowship forever with any who receive the saving grace which came through the Lamb of God dying to save us on the Cross. We live temporally at the grace of God in this life, even though we deserve death in our sinfulness [see the combined truth and outcomes of Romans 3: 23 and Romans 6: 23]. So, if we live, it is only through God’s grace; and we live eternally as well only because of that same grace from a loving God, Who desires to have an eternal relationship with those who come to Him in faith.
As I do often when I write my morning devotional entries here in this quiet place most mornings, I pray – as I will below – that those who are reading here realize, as do I, that we live and have our being at the grace of our God, … the giver (and yes, the taker) of life.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I pray that I can always see that I have my life, as do my friends who read here, because of Your grace and mercy. May we never take that for granted? Amen
Monday, August 30, 2010
2010 – August 30 – Faithful as the Rising Sun
Study from God’s Word… Lamentations, Chapters 3 – 5 … Passage for Reflection: Lamentation 3: 22 – 23 … NIV 22 Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.
My Journal for Today: Does anyone, besides me, love a beautiful sunrise? Oh, I love a pretty sunset too; but for my own special reasons, wrapped in my desire for constancy, I revel when I see the sun changing colors and showing itself, coming up over the horizon. As I said, I think it tells me that God is going to be with me that day, just as God’s word speaks out in two of my favorite verses in the Old Testament, which are today’s highlight text.
Each day, especially these days, brings forth plenty enough evil or ugliness; and we certainly don’t need to seek it out. It is trumpeted every day by others, by the media, and by our life circumstances. And yes, a lovely sunset is comforting to put a tough day behind us; … but when that sun comes up – and I see it in the morning – it’s like God saying, “Don’t worry; I’m here to be with you all through today.” And when He presents Himself in all the colors of His spectrum, it loudly declares, from God Himself, “I’m in control!”
Yes, my dear one, the truth of Lamentations 3: 22-23, is a testament to God’s constancy, His faithfulness, and His sovereignty. And if you get that truth into your heart, clinging and believing it’s strength, you’ll live with the knowledge that the days of evil are forever wrapped and sandwiched between the bread of life, the sunrises of every morning and the sunsets of every evening. God is faithful; and Dr. Smith in his devotional for today, reminded me of this by referring me to the words of Henry Francis Lyte’s classic hymn … Abide With Me …
Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.
Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim; its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see;
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.
I need Thy presence every passing hour.
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.
Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.
And when you know that Henry Lyte was dying of TB in 1847, when he wrote this classic lyric, it adds to the poignancy and power of its truth, … that when we abide in the Lord and let Him abide in us, we will experience the beauty of God’s constant sunsets and sunrises in our lives.
My Prayer for Today: O Lord, abide in me! Amen
My Journal for Today: Does anyone, besides me, love a beautiful sunrise? Oh, I love a pretty sunset too; but for my own special reasons, wrapped in my desire for constancy, I revel when I see the sun changing colors and showing itself, coming up over the horizon. As I said, I think it tells me that God is going to be with me that day, just as God’s word speaks out in two of my favorite verses in the Old Testament, which are today’s highlight text.
Each day, especially these days, brings forth plenty enough evil or ugliness; and we certainly don’t need to seek it out. It is trumpeted every day by others, by the media, and by our life circumstances. And yes, a lovely sunset is comforting to put a tough day behind us; … but when that sun comes up – and I see it in the morning – it’s like God saying, “Don’t worry; I’m here to be with you all through today.” And when He presents Himself in all the colors of His spectrum, it loudly declares, from God Himself, “I’m in control!”
Yes, my dear one, the truth of Lamentations 3: 22-23, is a testament to God’s constancy, His faithfulness, and His sovereignty. And if you get that truth into your heart, clinging and believing it’s strength, you’ll live with the knowledge that the days of evil are forever wrapped and sandwiched between the bread of life, the sunrises of every morning and the sunsets of every evening. God is faithful; and Dr. Smith in his devotional for today, reminded me of this by referring me to the words of Henry Francis Lyte’s classic hymn … Abide With Me …
Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.
Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim; its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see;
O Thou who changest not, abide with me.
I need Thy presence every passing hour.
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
Who, like Thyself, my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord, abide with me.
Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes;
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven’s morning breaks, and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.
And when you know that Henry Lyte was dying of TB in 1847, when he wrote this classic lyric, it adds to the poignancy and power of its truth, … that when we abide in the Lord and let Him abide in us, we will experience the beauty of God’s constant sunsets and sunrises in our lives.
My Prayer for Today: O Lord, abide in me! Amen
Thursday, July 01, 2010
2010 – July 1 – Global Sovereignty
Blogger's Note: I continue on with my commitment to read through the Bible in a year, using Dr. LaGard Smith's, edited, The Daily Bible in Chronological Order. And I must say that this decision/discipline, as well as using his book, The Daily Bible Devotional, has taken me deeper into God's truth, especially with regard to its application to my life, than I certianly imagined. And I'm humbled/honored that a few have decided to come along with me by reading my journal entries here. May we all be blessed by God's truth. ... <'BB><
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Study from God’s Word… Isaiah 34: 1-4; Isaiah 14: 24 – 27; Is 15: 1-9; Is 16: 6-14; Is 17: 1-14 … Passage for Reflection: Isaiah 14: 26 – 27 … NIV 26 This is the plan determined for the whole world; this is the hand stretched out over all nations. 27 For the LORD Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart Him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?
My Journal for Today: I am caught up short by conviction and reflection on today’s entry by Dr. Smith. First I read the suggested text passages – today in the Book of Isaiah – which reflect on how God was to intervene in the affairs of mankind in the time of Isaiah, the Prophet, who projected God’s word to the people about God’s sovereignty over the entire world, over all the nations [read today’s passage].
You know, LaGard Smith is right, national sovereignty is a big deal; and not a day goes by in which we don’t likely read something in the news about how borders are being challenged, breached, or how they need to be protected against invaders or illegal aliens. The nations of the world have become politically paranoid as to their sovereignty; and we seem to be constantly dealing with “brinksmanship” with regard to what we – America - should do as the nations of the earth exercise their political sovereignty muscles in the world games of politics.
But think about it. In the Old Testament, as in this Book of Isaiah and today’s highlight passage, we read that God was constantly moving and maneuvering in the plans and processes of nations; and He exercised total sovereignty over the world He created and the people who were allowed to occupy His world. Read again today’s highlight passage where Isaiah prophesied God’s control over His (the Lord’s) world; and then think on the God you worship and serve … TODAY.
Is God today in any less in control than He was when Isaiah prophesied the words from God’s Spirit, spoken at the time in history when they were written into our Bible? If you believe as I do, that God [i.e., my Lord, Jesus] is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow (see Hebrews 13: 8) then we must believe – and declare – that God is just as sovereign over nations and the events of history being shaped in the headlines of today as He was in the times of Isaiah; and God certainly loves His people (i.e., you and me) just as much today as He loved His disobedient children about whom we read of in the times of Isaiah.
And that truth has caused me to take note of my own attitude about God and what is going on in today’s world. And it was Dr. Smith’s self examination question which brought me up short today, looking into my life from the mirror of God’s truth, as Dr. Smith asked me to ask myself, ”When I vehemently disagree with how political affairs are being handled, [and I most certainly do!] am I railing against God’s will?
Ouch! … Double OUCH!! … Oh, how I gripe and moan about how the world seems to be falling apart around me (us); and I do so often carry on about what the President and Congress are doing – or not doing – about things for which I vehemently disagree with their decisions/actions. But now I realize that God is just as much in control of the affairs of man as He was during the dreadful times of disobedience I’m reading about in the Book of Isaiah. And my God, especially evidenced in the death and resurrection of Jesus, my Savior, is just as much in control of the events of history today as He was in Isaiah’s day. So, this now causes me to realize that God’s plan and His will are being worked out in my life TODAY; and I need to see my SOVEREIGN GOD doing His thing in the workings of history today.
And, even more so, I need to be thankful for that reality and seeking where/how I can be part of God’s sovereign plan, especially where His plan involves me, my attitudes, my worship (i.e., my life for Him), and my service.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, help me to realize that You are TOTALLY in control and that You desire for me to be a part of YOUR history as it unfolds in my life. Amen
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Study from God’s Word… Isaiah 34: 1-4; Isaiah 14: 24 – 27; Is 15: 1-9; Is 16: 6-14; Is 17: 1-14 … Passage for Reflection: Isaiah 14: 26 – 27 … NIV 26 This is the plan determined for the whole world; this is the hand stretched out over all nations. 27 For the LORD Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart Him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?
My Journal for Today: I am caught up short by conviction and reflection on today’s entry by Dr. Smith. First I read the suggested text passages – today in the Book of Isaiah – which reflect on how God was to intervene in the affairs of mankind in the time of Isaiah, the Prophet, who projected God’s word to the people about God’s sovereignty over the entire world, over all the nations [read today’s passage].
You know, LaGard Smith is right, national sovereignty is a big deal; and not a day goes by in which we don’t likely read something in the news about how borders are being challenged, breached, or how they need to be protected against invaders or illegal aliens. The nations of the world have become politically paranoid as to their sovereignty; and we seem to be constantly dealing with “brinksmanship” with regard to what we – America - should do as the nations of the earth exercise their political sovereignty muscles in the world games of politics.
But think about it. In the Old Testament, as in this Book of Isaiah and today’s highlight passage, we read that God was constantly moving and maneuvering in the plans and processes of nations; and He exercised total sovereignty over the world He created and the people who were allowed to occupy His world. Read again today’s highlight passage where Isaiah prophesied God’s control over His (the Lord’s) world; and then think on the God you worship and serve … TODAY.
Is God today in any less in control than He was when Isaiah prophesied the words from God’s Spirit, spoken at the time in history when they were written into our Bible? If you believe as I do, that God [i.e., my Lord, Jesus] is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow (see Hebrews 13: 8) then we must believe – and declare – that God is just as sovereign over nations and the events of history being shaped in the headlines of today as He was in the times of Isaiah; and God certainly loves His people (i.e., you and me) just as much today as He loved His disobedient children about whom we read of in the times of Isaiah.
And that truth has caused me to take note of my own attitude about God and what is going on in today’s world. And it was Dr. Smith’s self examination question which brought me up short today, looking into my life from the mirror of God’s truth, as Dr. Smith asked me to ask myself, ”When I vehemently disagree with how political affairs are being handled, [and I most certainly do!] am I railing against God’s will?
Ouch! … Double OUCH!! … Oh, how I gripe and moan about how the world seems to be falling apart around me (us); and I do so often carry on about what the President and Congress are doing – or not doing – about things for which I vehemently disagree with their decisions/actions. But now I realize that God is just as much in control of the affairs of man as He was during the dreadful times of disobedience I’m reading about in the Book of Isaiah. And my God, especially evidenced in the death and resurrection of Jesus, my Savior, is just as much in control of the events of history today as He was in Isaiah’s day. So, this now causes me to realize that God’s plan and His will are being worked out in my life TODAY; and I need to see my SOVEREIGN GOD doing His thing in the workings of history today.
And, even more so, I need to be thankful for that reality and seeking where/how I can be part of God’s sovereign plan, especially where His plan involves me, my attitudes, my worship (i.e., my life for Him), and my service.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, help me to realize that You are TOTALLY in control and that You desire for me to be a part of YOUR history as it unfolds in my life. Amen
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
2010 – June 30 – When Ends Justify the Means
Study from God’s Word… Isaiah, Chapters 10 – 12: 6; 2Kgs 16: 5-6 [2Chron 28: 5-8]; 2Chron 28: 9-21 … Passage for Reflection: Isaiah 10: 5 … NIV Woe to the Assyrian, the rod of My anger, in whose hand is the club of My wrath.
My Journal for Today: Not too long ago a man, claiming to be acting as God’s agent, went into a church and shot a physician, Dr. George Tiller, who was an avowed abortionist. The murderer’s claim was that he was acting as a protector of the unborn and acting on charge of God to take the abortionist’s life; and the fact that all of this happened in a “Christian” church made the scenario all that more bizarre. And this was actually the second time someone had tried to take Tiller’s life, the first time being an unsuccessful attempt at murder.
What do we think about when such things occur; and this is not the first time that a man, claiming to be “christian” acts with violence to take the life of one who is reported to be in the abortion industry. As “Christians,” do we have the right to take the life of another person, thinking somehow that “the ends justify the means?” You’ll notice above that I used the term “murderer” to describe the man who shot George Tiller. Thankfully, I think few would say that we, as citizens of this world, have the “right” to take the life of another person, even one we feel is a murderer himself. And most of us, including yours truly, would call it “murder” if anyone tries to take the life of another, thinking that he/she is acting on behalf of the unborn. Some of us, who are old enough to remember the horror of events surrounding the assassination of JFK, may have been relieved when we heard that Jack Ruby shot Lee Harvey Oswald, the alleged assassin of the President; but we still thought of Jack Ruby as a “murderer,” who had no right to take Oswald’s life.
But then, how do we deal with what God has done in the past, such as in today’s devotional study, to use the hands of overt non-believers to strike out – in the Lord’s anger – at the children of God. In Isaiah 10 – 12 we read of God allowing Assyria to be His agent of anger; but then the Lord turns around and takes it out on the Assyrians because they acted pridefully and willfully to take those in Israel and Judah captive. So, how do we (you) deal with that? How do we personalize that? How do we make a spiritual imperative or generalization out of such actions where God is obviously allowing evil people to prevail over His own chosen and to overtly punish the evil for which His children have been involved?
And I think the answer is … WE DON’T! When we see that God is being God and He chooses to take action against evil, I believe we cannot generalize that to our own choices. In other words, again there is a larger principle at work here; and it’s wrapped up in the statement of truth that … ”GOD IS GOD; and we are not!!”
My friends, there are just some things … some decisions … and some actions man cannot presuppose to have clarity on when it comes to making decisions which seem to go against the grain of Godliness. And this can be tough at times; because many people have become conscientious objectors because they could not abide taking a life in war – even a war that was generally felt to be a “just war.” However, there are others who somehow felt that going to war for just causes was ordained by their ability to choose such an action, making what they felt to be Godly choices. For these Christians, taking a life in such warfare was not going against God’s commandment against “murder.” But it’s still an ethical dilemma, isn’t it?
Such ethical decision making can stretch us to the limits of our faith at times; but these are the tests which help define our character and allow us to stand for righteousness when such choices are required without breaching God’s prerogatives in life. Sometimes, trying to follow what Christ would do might help us; because Jesus came, not only to save us from our sinfulness, but to model sinless decision-making. So, trying to be a “WWJD” Christian can be a good strategy for ethical decision making when the choices become difficult.
But above all, we need to leave some actions in God’s hands, letting God be God because we are not.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, help me to be Your agent of change and to avoid trying to be You to the world. Amen
My Journal for Today: Not too long ago a man, claiming to be acting as God’s agent, went into a church and shot a physician, Dr. George Tiller, who was an avowed abortionist. The murderer’s claim was that he was acting as a protector of the unborn and acting on charge of God to take the abortionist’s life; and the fact that all of this happened in a “Christian” church made the scenario all that more bizarre. And this was actually the second time someone had tried to take Tiller’s life, the first time being an unsuccessful attempt at murder.
What do we think about when such things occur; and this is not the first time that a man, claiming to be “christian” acts with violence to take the life of one who is reported to be in the abortion industry. As “Christians,” do we have the right to take the life of another person, thinking somehow that “the ends justify the means?” You’ll notice above that I used the term “murderer” to describe the man who shot George Tiller. Thankfully, I think few would say that we, as citizens of this world, have the “right” to take the life of another person, even one we feel is a murderer himself. And most of us, including yours truly, would call it “murder” if anyone tries to take the life of another, thinking that he/she is acting on behalf of the unborn. Some of us, who are old enough to remember the horror of events surrounding the assassination of JFK, may have been relieved when we heard that Jack Ruby shot Lee Harvey Oswald, the alleged assassin of the President; but we still thought of Jack Ruby as a “murderer,” who had no right to take Oswald’s life.
But then, how do we deal with what God has done in the past, such as in today’s devotional study, to use the hands of overt non-believers to strike out – in the Lord’s anger – at the children of God. In Isaiah 10 – 12 we read of God allowing Assyria to be His agent of anger; but then the Lord turns around and takes it out on the Assyrians because they acted pridefully and willfully to take those in Israel and Judah captive. So, how do we (you) deal with that? How do we personalize that? How do we make a spiritual imperative or generalization out of such actions where God is obviously allowing evil people to prevail over His own chosen and to overtly punish the evil for which His children have been involved?
And I think the answer is … WE DON’T! When we see that God is being God and He chooses to take action against evil, I believe we cannot generalize that to our own choices. In other words, again there is a larger principle at work here; and it’s wrapped up in the statement of truth that … ”GOD IS GOD; and we are not!!”
My friends, there are just some things … some decisions … and some actions man cannot presuppose to have clarity on when it comes to making decisions which seem to go against the grain of Godliness. And this can be tough at times; because many people have become conscientious objectors because they could not abide taking a life in war – even a war that was generally felt to be a “just war.” However, there are others who somehow felt that going to war for just causes was ordained by their ability to choose such an action, making what they felt to be Godly choices. For these Christians, taking a life in such warfare was not going against God’s commandment against “murder.” But it’s still an ethical dilemma, isn’t it?
Such ethical decision making can stretch us to the limits of our faith at times; but these are the tests which help define our character and allow us to stand for righteousness when such choices are required without breaching God’s prerogatives in life. Sometimes, trying to follow what Christ would do might help us; because Jesus came, not only to save us from our sinfulness, but to model sinless decision-making. So, trying to be a “WWJD” Christian can be a good strategy for ethical decision making when the choices become difficult.
But above all, we need to leave some actions in God’s hands, letting God be God because we are not.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, help me to be Your agent of change and to avoid trying to be You to the world. Amen
Thursday, January 21, 2010
2010 – Day 21. Jan. 21 – God’s Mysterious Providence
Study from Genesis 48 – 50; Passage for Reflection: Genesis 50: 20 … NIV You [Joseph’s brothers] intended it to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
My Journal for Today: As Dr. Smith, the Author of my daily devotional book, points out, today’s passage, which took place late in Joseph’s life, illustrates one of the great theological conundrums, that being … God, in His sovereignty can exercise His will and His plan for mankind in the face of man’s very fallible and sometimes evil doings. It’s the age old question, “How is it that God can work His divine will through the actions of fallible human beings whose last thought would be that they are God’s agents for good?” And hence we read Joseph’s pronouncement to his brothers above, the brothers fearing, after the death of Jacob (i.e., Israel) that Joseph, who had all the power in Egypt, might turn on them for their past hateful and evil deeds. But we read that Joseph had truly forgiven them; and we know from the “rest of the story” in God’s word that God did in fact use these brothers to father the nations who would be known as God’s people, Israel.
And Dr. Smith personalizes this theological conundrum about God’s sovereignty and man’s free will by asking this question: “Is it possible that God might intend, even after I am gone, to save lives through something an unworthy soul like me has done during my lifetime?” And I hope you take the time, as I have this morning, to ponder and meditate upon the answer to that question.
For 22 years of my life, I lived a God-hating, double lifestyle, involving malignant patterns of habitual sexual sin; and twelve of those years involved a life of infidelity to my wife where I was certainly not the father to two growing girls which I should have been. But God, in His mercy and grace, saw fit to break me to the core, allowing me to humbly confess my evil deeds, receiving His salvation, and then being raised from the pits of despair to walk with my Lord in freedom and victory, even to become a Minister of His Gospel. Nobody could be a walking poster-boy for today’s passage any more than yours truly, as well as the truth of 2nd Cor. 5: 17, where Paul wrote, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come.”
For those reading with me here, I don’t know where you’ve been in your life or what you’ve done which you might regret; perhaps nothing. But if you’re like me; and you have some pretty serious sins from your past which haunt your memories, be assured that the truths from today’s highlight passage as well as the Apostle Paul’s declaration above in 2nd Cor. 5: 17, are either true or they are not. If you can’t have faith in their truth, perhaps you haven’t given your life to the Lordship of Christ. And if that’s the case, now is the time for you to repent of your sin past and accept Christ’s atoning act on the cross, which has given you pardon from your sin, … if, and only if, … you but have faith that He died for your sin and has designs on transforming your future for His will and purpose.
If you are in Christ, then let go of Satan’s lies that you are still condemned by your past and that your future cannot be useful for God. … LIES, LIES, LIES!!! … “There is NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8: 1); and “… if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness [1st John 1: 9].” … TRUE, TRUE, TRUE!!! …
However, if you cannot believe those truths and set aside the lies, Satan is going to have you in the grip of his deception and you will be rendered null and void for God’s purposes. On the other hand, if you do believe the truth of God’s word which I’ve quoted here today and you rebuke Satan’s lies, no matter how bad your past has been, God can use you for His glorious future; and you can take that one to the eternal bank of truth.
Now, let’s go live in the truth!!!
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I live to be an instrument of your truth, combating the lies of Your enemies for the rest of my life. Amen
My Journal for Today: As Dr. Smith, the Author of my daily devotional book, points out, today’s passage, which took place late in Joseph’s life, illustrates one of the great theological conundrums, that being … God, in His sovereignty can exercise His will and His plan for mankind in the face of man’s very fallible and sometimes evil doings. It’s the age old question, “How is it that God can work His divine will through the actions of fallible human beings whose last thought would be that they are God’s agents for good?” And hence we read Joseph’s pronouncement to his brothers above, the brothers fearing, after the death of Jacob (i.e., Israel) that Joseph, who had all the power in Egypt, might turn on them for their past hateful and evil deeds. But we read that Joseph had truly forgiven them; and we know from the “rest of the story” in God’s word that God did in fact use these brothers to father the nations who would be known as God’s people, Israel.
And Dr. Smith personalizes this theological conundrum about God’s sovereignty and man’s free will by asking this question: “Is it possible that God might intend, even after I am gone, to save lives through something an unworthy soul like me has done during my lifetime?” And I hope you take the time, as I have this morning, to ponder and meditate upon the answer to that question.
For 22 years of my life, I lived a God-hating, double lifestyle, involving malignant patterns of habitual sexual sin; and twelve of those years involved a life of infidelity to my wife where I was certainly not the father to two growing girls which I should have been. But God, in His mercy and grace, saw fit to break me to the core, allowing me to humbly confess my evil deeds, receiving His salvation, and then being raised from the pits of despair to walk with my Lord in freedom and victory, even to become a Minister of His Gospel. Nobody could be a walking poster-boy for today’s passage any more than yours truly, as well as the truth of 2nd Cor. 5: 17, where Paul wrote, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come.”
For those reading with me here, I don’t know where you’ve been in your life or what you’ve done which you might regret; perhaps nothing. But if you’re like me; and you have some pretty serious sins from your past which haunt your memories, be assured that the truths from today’s highlight passage as well as the Apostle Paul’s declaration above in 2nd Cor. 5: 17, are either true or they are not. If you can’t have faith in their truth, perhaps you haven’t given your life to the Lordship of Christ. And if that’s the case, now is the time for you to repent of your sin past and accept Christ’s atoning act on the cross, which has given you pardon from your sin, … if, and only if, … you but have faith that He died for your sin and has designs on transforming your future for His will and purpose.
If you are in Christ, then let go of Satan’s lies that you are still condemned by your past and that your future cannot be useful for God. … LIES, LIES, LIES!!! … “There is NO condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8: 1); and “… if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness [1st John 1: 9].” … TRUE, TRUE, TRUE!!! …
However, if you cannot believe those truths and set aside the lies, Satan is going to have you in the grip of his deception and you will be rendered null and void for God’s purposes. On the other hand, if you do believe the truth of God’s word which I’ve quoted here today and you rebuke Satan’s lies, no matter how bad your past has been, God can use you for His glorious future; and you can take that one to the eternal bank of truth.
Now, let’s go live in the truth!!!
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I live to be an instrument of your truth, combating the lies of Your enemies for the rest of my life. Amen
Thursday, January 07, 2010
2010 – Day 7. Jan. 7 – The Power of God
Study from Genesis 18 – 19; Passage for Reflection: Genesis 18: 13-14 … NIV Then the LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Will I really have a child, now that I am old?' 14 Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son."
My Journal for Today: Again I go to Pastor Smith’s devotional question at the end of today’s entry, which asks, ”Is there anything [you’ve] desperately tried to make happen without thinking that if God wants to make it happen, He has the power to make it happen?” Sarah’s laugh in today’s passage is evidence of our human failing. We tend to judge God’s power based on our human ability to perform. Sarah simply couldn’t fathom how God could give her the ability to conceive a child at her age. So, her reaction was to giggle in disbelief. Not a good thing to do in the presence of God; would you say?
But my friend, when God promises something, He is truthful, serious, and ALWAYS capable of fulfilling His promises. And as I read today’s highlight passage and my study from Genesis, one of my memory verses bubbled up into my consciousness. It is Numbers 23: 19, which reads, God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change his mind. Does He speak and then not act? Does He promise and not fulfill? So, my friend, laughing off God’s promises or His power to act is the height of human arrogance, pride, and absolute foolishness.
In Genesis 19 Abraham was given a first-hand look at the results of the promises and power of God as he looked out from the plains of Hebron and saw Sodom and Gomorrah burning. God had promised the destruction of those perpetuating evil in these cities; and Abraham witnessed the result. And we need to be alerted to this reality when we look around and see what evil is being perpetrated in our world, evil which mocks God’s protection and mercy thus far in our culture. I read Romans 1: 18-32 [linked]; and I shudder at what I know to be the truth that God’s mercy will only last so long (and we know not how long) to protect the righteous remnant of believers from God’s wrath of abandonment. God will not and cannot continue to look the other way as Sodom/Gomorrah type evil is being perpetrated in our time.
Those who have read my journals here in the past year will know that on more than one occasion I have brought forth the adage that the rain, when it falls, will fall on both the unjust and the just. So, God’s church needs to be in prayer – diligent prayer – the type of prayer exhorted in 2nd Chron. 7: 14 [linked] - for God to heal our land of the evil which appears to be growing in our midst. But as Habakkuk, the Prophet of old learned, we need to be prepared for things to get worse before they get better. God will do what He feels must be done to bring His plans to fruition. And we must be willing to trust Him to do His thing, in His time, and in His way!
My Prayer for Today: Lord, we stand before You, trusting and knowing that You know best what You must do to heal our land; but I do humbly pray that you have mercy on those who believe in Your sovereignty and Lordship. You are in control; and we trust You in all things; and we plea for Your deliverance and merciful judgment. Amen
My Journal for Today: Again I go to Pastor Smith’s devotional question at the end of today’s entry, which asks, ”Is there anything [you’ve] desperately tried to make happen without thinking that if God wants to make it happen, He has the power to make it happen?” Sarah’s laugh in today’s passage is evidence of our human failing. We tend to judge God’s power based on our human ability to perform. Sarah simply couldn’t fathom how God could give her the ability to conceive a child at her age. So, her reaction was to giggle in disbelief. Not a good thing to do in the presence of God; would you say?
But my friend, when God promises something, He is truthful, serious, and ALWAYS capable of fulfilling His promises. And as I read today’s highlight passage and my study from Genesis, one of my memory verses bubbled up into my consciousness. It is Numbers 23: 19, which reads, God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change his mind. Does He speak and then not act? Does He promise and not fulfill? So, my friend, laughing off God’s promises or His power to act is the height of human arrogance, pride, and absolute foolishness.
In Genesis 19 Abraham was given a first-hand look at the results of the promises and power of God as he looked out from the plains of Hebron and saw Sodom and Gomorrah burning. God had promised the destruction of those perpetuating evil in these cities; and Abraham witnessed the result. And we need to be alerted to this reality when we look around and see what evil is being perpetrated in our world, evil which mocks God’s protection and mercy thus far in our culture. I read Romans 1: 18-32 [linked]; and I shudder at what I know to be the truth that God’s mercy will only last so long (and we know not how long) to protect the righteous remnant of believers from God’s wrath of abandonment. God will not and cannot continue to look the other way as Sodom/Gomorrah type evil is being perpetrated in our time.
Those who have read my journals here in the past year will know that on more than one occasion I have brought forth the adage that the rain, when it falls, will fall on both the unjust and the just. So, God’s church needs to be in prayer – diligent prayer – the type of prayer exhorted in 2nd Chron. 7: 14 [linked] - for God to heal our land of the evil which appears to be growing in our midst. But as Habakkuk, the Prophet of old learned, we need to be prepared for things to get worse before they get better. God will do what He feels must be done to bring His plans to fruition. And we must be willing to trust Him to do His thing, in His time, and in His way!
My Prayer for Today: Lord, we stand before You, trusting and knowing that You know best what You must do to heal our land; but I do humbly pray that you have mercy on those who believe in Your sovereignty and Lordship. You are in control; and we trust You in all things; and we plea for Your deliverance and merciful judgment. Amen
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
2009 – Day 280.Oct 8 – No Surprises
Passage of the Day: Acts 9: 1 – 4 … 1 Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”
My Journal for Today: Okay, let’s take a second look at this shocking event (at least to Saul/Paul), which, on the road to Damascus, changed his life forever. And as Swindoll points out, for a little over three decades, this man, Saul of Tarsus, had been in personal control – or at least he thought – of his own destiny. And his ego management had taken him to the top of his Jewish culture. He had become renown as a strong leader of his people and culture.
But on that fateful day, as he traveled to Damascus, with purpose in mind, Saul of Tarsus learned exactly Whom was really in control of life. He also found out that day that his personal purposes in life were at cross purposes with God’s will and designs; and as Swindoll points out, that also happens to many of us.
We’re riding along, thinking that we have things in hand and under control; and WHAMMY! We get a phone call and find out that a loved one has been in a head-on collision. Or we have a check up and learn that we have “the Big C” … cancer. Or we’re mugged at gunpoint while on vacation. And in each instance, our lives will never seem the same. From that point onward we have a different perspective on life. Who, post 9/11, doesn’t see the world as different than before that fateful day?
Yes, dear one, we may think we exercise personal control over life; and most certainly, God has given us the free will to make choices; but we mustn’t be deceived to think that the God of the Universe does not have ultimate control over our lives. But unfortunately, according to Jeremiah 17: 9 - linked for study - that is the nature of the human heart … to be deceived into thinking that our free will gives us God-like control. However, like Saul of Tarsus, God intervened at one point in my life to show me that I had to surrender my life to His way … in His timing … for my life to have real meaning.
And that’s a lesson we all must learn – sooner or later. For Saul of Tarsus, he needed to be blinded and stricken from his ride to Damascus to get the picture of God’s control over his destiny; and it took him in a direction which he would have never forecasted before that God-ordained set of events. Have you had a “Damascus road” experience – or maybe more than one – in your life? I certainly have; and I went from being a Devil’s advocate to a Minister of the Gospel because of my “Memphis Road” experience. God broke me down from being an atheist; and He has built me back up to recreate in my heart the desire – and ability - to share Christ with anyone who’ll listen.
So, maybe you can see why I identify so strongly with Saul/Paul. You don’t have to teach me that God is in control! I’ve learned that lesson; but I still have to keep learning that I must submit my plans, my purposes, and my power to my Lord’s so that my surrender and choices can honor and glorify Him in what I think, say, and do. I hope you’ve learned that lesson, my friend. Because if you haven’t, God will most certainly teach it to you somewhere in life; and He may just have to kick you off our high horse to do it.
Take it from me … from experience. It will be far easier to CHOOSE to humble yourself before God than to have Him do the humbling process for you. So, repeat after me … “God is God … and I am not!”
My Prayer for Today: Lord, oh, may I remain humble before Your throne of grace. Amen
My Journal for Today: Okay, let’s take a second look at this shocking event (at least to Saul/Paul), which, on the road to Damascus, changed his life forever. And as Swindoll points out, for a little over three decades, this man, Saul of Tarsus, had been in personal control – or at least he thought – of his own destiny. And his ego management had taken him to the top of his Jewish culture. He had become renown as a strong leader of his people and culture.
But on that fateful day, as he traveled to Damascus, with purpose in mind, Saul of Tarsus learned exactly Whom was really in control of life. He also found out that day that his personal purposes in life were at cross purposes with God’s will and designs; and as Swindoll points out, that also happens to many of us.
We’re riding along, thinking that we have things in hand and under control; and WHAMMY! We get a phone call and find out that a loved one has been in a head-on collision. Or we have a check up and learn that we have “the Big C” … cancer. Or we’re mugged at gunpoint while on vacation. And in each instance, our lives will never seem the same. From that point onward we have a different perspective on life. Who, post 9/11, doesn’t see the world as different than before that fateful day?
Yes, dear one, we may think we exercise personal control over life; and most certainly, God has given us the free will to make choices; but we mustn’t be deceived to think that the God of the Universe does not have ultimate control over our lives. But unfortunately, according to Jeremiah 17: 9 - linked for study - that is the nature of the human heart … to be deceived into thinking that our free will gives us God-like control. However, like Saul of Tarsus, God intervened at one point in my life to show me that I had to surrender my life to His way … in His timing … for my life to have real meaning.
And that’s a lesson we all must learn – sooner or later. For Saul of Tarsus, he needed to be blinded and stricken from his ride to Damascus to get the picture of God’s control over his destiny; and it took him in a direction which he would have never forecasted before that God-ordained set of events. Have you had a “Damascus road” experience – or maybe more than one – in your life? I certainly have; and I went from being a Devil’s advocate to a Minister of the Gospel because of my “Memphis Road” experience. God broke me down from being an atheist; and He has built me back up to recreate in my heart the desire – and ability - to share Christ with anyone who’ll listen.
So, maybe you can see why I identify so strongly with Saul/Paul. You don’t have to teach me that God is in control! I’ve learned that lesson; but I still have to keep learning that I must submit my plans, my purposes, and my power to my Lord’s so that my surrender and choices can honor and glorify Him in what I think, say, and do. I hope you’ve learned that lesson, my friend. Because if you haven’t, God will most certainly teach it to you somewhere in life; and He may just have to kick you off our high horse to do it.
Take it from me … from experience. It will be far easier to CHOOSE to humble yourself before God than to have Him do the humbling process for you. So, repeat after me … “God is God … and I am not!”
My Prayer for Today: Lord, oh, may I remain humble before Your throne of grace. Amen
2009 – Day 279.Oct 7 – Roadside Conversion
Passage of the Day: Acts 9: 1 – 4 … 1 Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”
My Journal for Today: This is the scene in Paul’s life for which I have the most identification. Some of you know my story, where on the morning of April 13, 1983, I was brought to a halt emotionally, driving to work that morning, while listening to a taped testimony from a young football player who had become quadriplegic from a football accident; but yet this young man found strength from Christ and saw his future through the eyes of God rather than through the eyes of his loss. This incident brought me to “my knees” spiritually; and on that morning I found Christ at the age of 39.
There’s more to the details of my story; but for me, like Paul, it was a Damascus Road turnaround for my life. That day I left for work with my agnostic attitude; and I came home with a new view of the world; and that’s what happened to Saul of Tarsus, who left for Damascus with hate in his heart for Christians but was suddenly bolted on his journey to finally see Christ for Whom He really was. And the life of Saul, who was to become Paul, was never the same again.
But isn’t that just the way of God sometimes? Maybe you’ve experienced it. That’s the way He works in life at times. You can be cruising along through life thinking that you’re in total control; and WHAM, a doctor tells you that you have cancer. Or maybe you had a relative die in the twin towers of the World Trade Center on 9/11. Or maybe a tornado sweeps in and destroys your home. Sometimes, we just cannot predict how or where God will intervene in our lives to show us that He’s in control. And when these life-changing incidents occur, we may try to deny God’s in the moment; but we will find that trying to ignore or deny them is simply trying to deny God Himself.
My friend, I hope we all are seeking and pursuing all God wants to tell us or all He wants for our lives. Saul of Tarsus certainly got his eyes opened (well, after they were blinded first) to the reality that God had much more for his life than the hatred he held for Christians. Saul was about to find out Whom he really served; and this Jewish leader would never see life the same way again after that day.
I know that after April 13th, 1983 my world view changed forever; and I hope that you are now doing all you can as well to see the world through the eyes of God rather than through selfish, human eyes. Because if you prefer looking at God’s world through selfish eyes, you may be in for a Damascus Road experience one day which will throw you into a posture where you cannot help but see God for Whom He is. I just pray for you that this happens by your choice rather than through some natural disaster one day.
My Prayer for Today: Oh, Lord, I pray your mercy to help me see the world in Your way rather than in my own. Amen
My Journal for Today: This is the scene in Paul’s life for which I have the most identification. Some of you know my story, where on the morning of April 13, 1983, I was brought to a halt emotionally, driving to work that morning, while listening to a taped testimony from a young football player who had become quadriplegic from a football accident; but yet this young man found strength from Christ and saw his future through the eyes of God rather than through the eyes of his loss. This incident brought me to “my knees” spiritually; and on that morning I found Christ at the age of 39.
There’s more to the details of my story; but for me, like Paul, it was a Damascus Road turnaround for my life. That day I left for work with my agnostic attitude; and I came home with a new view of the world; and that’s what happened to Saul of Tarsus, who left for Damascus with hate in his heart for Christians but was suddenly bolted on his journey to finally see Christ for Whom He really was. And the life of Saul, who was to become Paul, was never the same again.
But isn’t that just the way of God sometimes? Maybe you’ve experienced it. That’s the way He works in life at times. You can be cruising along through life thinking that you’re in total control; and WHAM, a doctor tells you that you have cancer. Or maybe you had a relative die in the twin towers of the World Trade Center on 9/11. Or maybe a tornado sweeps in and destroys your home. Sometimes, we just cannot predict how or where God will intervene in our lives to show us that He’s in control. And when these life-changing incidents occur, we may try to deny God’s in the moment; but we will find that trying to ignore or deny them is simply trying to deny God Himself.
My friend, I hope we all are seeking and pursuing all God wants to tell us or all He wants for our lives. Saul of Tarsus certainly got his eyes opened (well, after they were blinded first) to the reality that God had much more for his life than the hatred he held for Christians. Saul was about to find out Whom he really served; and this Jewish leader would never see life the same way again after that day.
I know that after April 13th, 1983 my world view changed forever; and I hope that you are now doing all you can as well to see the world through the eyes of God rather than through selfish, human eyes. Because if you prefer looking at God’s world through selfish eyes, you may be in for a Damascus Road experience one day which will throw you into a posture where you cannot help but see God for Whom He is. I just pray for you that this happens by your choice rather than through some natural disaster one day.
My Prayer for Today: Oh, Lord, I pray your mercy to help me see the world in Your way rather than in my own. Amen
Tuesday, October 06, 2009
2009 – Day 278.Oct 6 – An Unexpected Ally
Blogger’s Note: … Had to wait until the evening, here in France where we're vacationing to post my journal entry for today. I’ll be on French time for about 10 days and this posting may not match readers who’re used to me posting my journal entries each morning on CST in the USA. Thanks for your patience if you're following here.
Passage of the Day: Acts 5: 33 – 39 ... 33 When they [the Sanhedrin, the Jewish High Council] heard this [that the Apostles would follow the teachings of Jesus rather that the commands of the Council], they were furious and plotted to kill them. 34 Then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people, and commanded them to put the apostles outside for a little while. 35 And he said to them: “Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men. 36 For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody. A number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was slain, and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing. 37 After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census, and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed. 38 And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; 39 but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God.”
My Journal for Today: This passage, before the conversion of the Apostle Paul, is a fascinating illustration of God’s controlling influences in life. Here we have the Apostles, before Paul became one of them, brought before the Sanhedrin for trial; and Paul, then Saul of Tarsus, was no doubt in attendance. And remember, at this time the young Pharisee, Saul, would have been the hothead zealot who hated everything that Peter and Christ’s disciples represented. And in this historical scenario, an unexpected ally steps up, … Gamaliel, a teacher of note and considered a Master Rabbi of his day, … and a man who had been the Mentor of Saul of Tarsus. So, what does this man advise with regard to these Christians? Well, he tells the Sanhedrin to back off, saying that if their true God was truly in charge of this Christian movement, nothing the Sanhedrin could do would or could stop it.
This must’ve been a shocker for young Saul, the Christian hater. But it’s illustrative of how God’s truth, and especially His will, can and will prevail even when mankind has other motives or plans. We must remember always, as I’ve said it here so many times: “God is God, and we are not!” And when God has His mind and heart in a course of action, the biases and stereotypes of mankind will not thwart our Lord.
So, when things seem really … REALLY … bad, my friend; if you know that you know that you know you must follow God’s way, rather than man’s, you stay in there, my friend. If your way is God’s way, then there will be Gamaliels there or other forces at work to allow God’s will to prevail. We certainly saw that modeled best during Christ’s Passion, didn’t we? And we have seen it at work in this scenario as well.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, show me YOUR way so that I will not become deceived by mine, nor discouraged by the world. Amen
Passage of the Day: Acts 5: 33 – 39 ... 33 When they [the Sanhedrin, the Jewish High Council] heard this [that the Apostles would follow the teachings of Jesus rather that the commands of the Council], they were furious and plotted to kill them. 34 Then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people, and commanded them to put the apostles outside for a little while. 35 And he said to them: “Men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men. 36 For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody. A number of men, about four hundred, joined him. He was slain, and all who obeyed him were scattered and came to nothing. 37 After this man, Judas of Galilee rose up in the days of the census, and drew away many people after him. He also perished, and all who obeyed him were dispersed. 38 And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; 39 but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God.”
My Journal for Today: This passage, before the conversion of the Apostle Paul, is a fascinating illustration of God’s controlling influences in life. Here we have the Apostles, before Paul became one of them, brought before the Sanhedrin for trial; and Paul, then Saul of Tarsus, was no doubt in attendance. And remember, at this time the young Pharisee, Saul, would have been the hothead zealot who hated everything that Peter and Christ’s disciples represented. And in this historical scenario, an unexpected ally steps up, … Gamaliel, a teacher of note and considered a Master Rabbi of his day, … and a man who had been the Mentor of Saul of Tarsus. So, what does this man advise with regard to these Christians? Well, he tells the Sanhedrin to back off, saying that if their true God was truly in charge of this Christian movement, nothing the Sanhedrin could do would or could stop it.
This must’ve been a shocker for young Saul, the Christian hater. But it’s illustrative of how God’s truth, and especially His will, can and will prevail even when mankind has other motives or plans. We must remember always, as I’ve said it here so many times: “God is God, and we are not!” And when God has His mind and heart in a course of action, the biases and stereotypes of mankind will not thwart our Lord.
So, when things seem really … REALLY … bad, my friend; if you know that you know that you know you must follow God’s way, rather than man’s, you stay in there, my friend. If your way is God’s way, then there will be Gamaliels there or other forces at work to allow God’s will to prevail. We certainly saw that modeled best during Christ’s Passion, didn’t we? And we have seen it at work in this scenario as well.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, show me YOUR way so that I will not become deceived by mine, nor discouraged by the world. Amen
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
2009 – Day 229.Aug 18 – Raising Faith to New Heights
Passage of the Day: Job 2: 11 – 13 … 11 Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, each one came from his own place—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. For they had made an appointment together to come and mourn with him, and to comfort him. 12 And when they raised their eyes from afar, and did not recognize him, they lifted their voices and wept; and each one tore his robe and sprinkled dust on his head toward heaven. 13 So they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great.
My Journal for Today: There is one point which needs to be emphasized before we launch into an exposé of the three friends who came to Job with great intentions and a lot of bad advice. Over the years I’ve come to call these three, “Job’s three stooges.” And it is true that when things go bad in life, concerned friends will often show up with “advice,” much of which may be well intentioned, but may be far from what the damaged party, which may be you, needs to hear.
But before we explore that dimension of Job’s three stooges, let’s look at a principle which could explain why we, as humans, get it wrong at times when it comes to our explanations of how God operates. And Swindoll quotes an unnamed source to explain this. He writes about our need to explain away how God can allow such bad things to happen to a good person, like Job, writing, “It is easier to lower your view of God than to raise your faith to such a height.” And that pretty well nails the advice that Job is about to get from his three stooges.
We just seem to have this natural drive in us to try to explain away how a sovereign God will allow really bad stuff to happen to really good people. We try to rationalize the actions or control God can – and often does – exert in our lives by bringing God down rather than raising our faith up to be able to deal with God’s sovereignty. You know what they say about rationalization (not knowing whom “they” might be). It is said, “When we rationalize, we tell ‘rational lies’ to ourselves.”
So, on the front end – before we hear of the attempts by Job’s three stooges to help him with explanations, we need to cut them a bit of human slack with the understanding that it’s very human for us to feel really bad for someone who’s down and out; and we’ll have the tendency to explain away the circumstances by bringing God down to human ways of explanation rather than helping our friends to raise their faith to God’s way of allowing life to reshape our character and our way of looking at life.
I hope we all can glean from this point in Job’s trials that he may listen to friends like Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar; but it’s only by raising his own faith to new heights that he is going to be able to accept God’s intervention and to be reshaped by it. We’re simply going to have to do what Job will ultimately be seen to do; and that is to go deeper into his relationship with God than ever before and to learn to raise his faith to Godly levels rather than lower his God down to his level. That’s always tough, and really “super” human; but it’s what we must do in life to handle many of the circumstances which come our way.
My Prayer for Today: Raise my faith up, Lord, to see You rather than me lowering my view of You to my level of thinking. Amen
My Journal for Today: There is one point which needs to be emphasized before we launch into an exposé of the three friends who came to Job with great intentions and a lot of bad advice. Over the years I’ve come to call these three, “Job’s three stooges.” And it is true that when things go bad in life, concerned friends will often show up with “advice,” much of which may be well intentioned, but may be far from what the damaged party, which may be you, needs to hear.
But before we explore that dimension of Job’s three stooges, let’s look at a principle which could explain why we, as humans, get it wrong at times when it comes to our explanations of how God operates. And Swindoll quotes an unnamed source to explain this. He writes about our need to explain away how God can allow such bad things to happen to a good person, like Job, writing, “It is easier to lower your view of God than to raise your faith to such a height.” And that pretty well nails the advice that Job is about to get from his three stooges.
We just seem to have this natural drive in us to try to explain away how a sovereign God will allow really bad stuff to happen to really good people. We try to rationalize the actions or control God can – and often does – exert in our lives by bringing God down rather than raising our faith up to be able to deal with God’s sovereignty. You know what they say about rationalization (not knowing whom “they” might be). It is said, “When we rationalize, we tell ‘rational lies’ to ourselves.”
So, on the front end – before we hear of the attempts by Job’s three stooges to help him with explanations, we need to cut them a bit of human slack with the understanding that it’s very human for us to feel really bad for someone who’s down and out; and we’ll have the tendency to explain away the circumstances by bringing God down to human ways of explanation rather than helping our friends to raise their faith to God’s way of allowing life to reshape our character and our way of looking at life.
I hope we all can glean from this point in Job’s trials that he may listen to friends like Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar; but it’s only by raising his own faith to new heights that he is going to be able to accept God’s intervention and to be reshaped by it. We’re simply going to have to do what Job will ultimately be seen to do; and that is to go deeper into his relationship with God than ever before and to learn to raise his faith to Godly levels rather than lower his God down to his level. That’s always tough, and really “super” human; but it’s what we must do in life to handle many of the circumstances which come our way.
My Prayer for Today: Raise my faith up, Lord, to see You rather than me lowering my view of You to my level of thinking. Amen
Thursday, August 13, 2009
2009 – Day 224.Aug 13 – Round One
Passage of the Day: Job 2: 1 – 9 … Linked for study …
My Journal for Today: Okay … in this cataclysmic battle between the lightweight, Job, and the heavyweight, Satan, the fallen angel had won round one. And the damaged and defeated Job went to his corner, reeling from the beating by Satan and not having a clue as to why he had been beaten up so severely. And while Job was likely lying with his wife that night processing all that had happened, round two in the heavenlies was taking shape.
Satan encountered God a second time, once again unbeknownst to Job; and the license to attack this faithful and Godly man was extended. Satan, the accuser, tries to convince God that Job may have lasted round one; but if Satan were allowed to attack the man himself, without killing him, Satan was sure Job would curse God. And so the bell rings on round two; and Satan does a pounding on Job again, felling him more personally leaving him in pain and agony, but this time the damage was directly to Job’s body.
And then to add insult to injury, the only person left in Job’s corner, his wife, wants Job to throw in the towel, to curse God, and die. Round two and it looks like Job has had about as much as he can take. But like me, you’ve no doubt read ahead; and you know the story, which is far from over. And we keep asking ourselves, “WHY, God?” And Swindoll uses a more recent time in our own American history to explore our feelings about such seemingly unfair attacks. He takes his readers, like yours truly, to the consideration of all the innocent men, women, and children who were injured or damaged from the 911 tragedies. They all went to work that morning or maybe took their kids to daycare, not having a clue that their lives were about to change forever. And then those planes crashed into the twin towers, and then the Pentagon, and the final one in a field in Pennsylvania. And the survivors who lost their loved ones, many of them spouses or children, were reeling from asking, “Why, God?”
And I don’t think we’ll ever by able to answer those questions; because the answers have to come from God; and as with the case of Job, he was left with the choice of cursing God and maybe committing suicide or trusting God that His Lord must have something from all this pain which he, this damaged warrior must fight on to explain. And as we’ll see, that is what Job did. He chose to live and to fight onward.
And that is what we must do. Last night my psyche got beaten up pretty badly. I’ll not go into the circumstances; but I came away from a meeting of church leaders with an attitude of “why, Lord, must we deal with all these feelings?” And then I’m here this morning I’m reminded that I may not be able to explain it all; but I must fight on because I do believe in the truth of Romans 8: 28; and I do believe in the reality that God has called me to fight on, trusting Him, and following Him into battle. So, here I sit; and maybe I’m not damaged as much as was Job; but I will fight on nonetheless; because like Job, I believe that my God is in control and He wants me to fight to know Him and to serve His mighty Name.
My Prayer for Today: Thank You, Lord for being My Savior and the One I must pursue to know more and serve more. Amen
My Journal for Today: Okay … in this cataclysmic battle between the lightweight, Job, and the heavyweight, Satan, the fallen angel had won round one. And the damaged and defeated Job went to his corner, reeling from the beating by Satan and not having a clue as to why he had been beaten up so severely. And while Job was likely lying with his wife that night processing all that had happened, round two in the heavenlies was taking shape.
Satan encountered God a second time, once again unbeknownst to Job; and the license to attack this faithful and Godly man was extended. Satan, the accuser, tries to convince God that Job may have lasted round one; but if Satan were allowed to attack the man himself, without killing him, Satan was sure Job would curse God. And so the bell rings on round two; and Satan does a pounding on Job again, felling him more personally leaving him in pain and agony, but this time the damage was directly to Job’s body.
And then to add insult to injury, the only person left in Job’s corner, his wife, wants Job to throw in the towel, to curse God, and die. Round two and it looks like Job has had about as much as he can take. But like me, you’ve no doubt read ahead; and you know the story, which is far from over. And we keep asking ourselves, “WHY, God?” And Swindoll uses a more recent time in our own American history to explore our feelings about such seemingly unfair attacks. He takes his readers, like yours truly, to the consideration of all the innocent men, women, and children who were injured or damaged from the 911 tragedies. They all went to work that morning or maybe took their kids to daycare, not having a clue that their lives were about to change forever. And then those planes crashed into the twin towers, and then the Pentagon, and the final one in a field in Pennsylvania. And the survivors who lost their loved ones, many of them spouses or children, were reeling from asking, “Why, God?”
And I don’t think we’ll ever by able to answer those questions; because the answers have to come from God; and as with the case of Job, he was left with the choice of cursing God and maybe committing suicide or trusting God that His Lord must have something from all this pain which he, this damaged warrior must fight on to explain. And as we’ll see, that is what Job did. He chose to live and to fight onward.
And that is what we must do. Last night my psyche got beaten up pretty badly. I’ll not go into the circumstances; but I came away from a meeting of church leaders with an attitude of “why, Lord, must we deal with all these feelings?” And then I’m here this morning I’m reminded that I may not be able to explain it all; but I must fight on because I do believe in the truth of Romans 8: 28; and I do believe in the reality that God has called me to fight on, trusting Him, and following Him into battle. So, here I sit; and maybe I’m not damaged as much as was Job; but I will fight on nonetheless; because like Job, I believe that my God is in control and He wants me to fight to know Him and to serve His mighty Name.
My Prayer for Today: Thank You, Lord for being My Savior and the One I must pursue to know more and serve more. 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
Friday, August 07, 2009
2009 – Day 218.Aug 07 – The Unseen Enemy
Passage of the Day: Job 1: 1 – 12 … Linked for study ...
My Journal for Today: Yes, we revisit the same passage in Job for the third day; and our devotional shepherd, Chuck Swindoll, is trying to drive home a point that we simply must not miss; but it is one which is hard to accept. And that point concerns our acceptance of the fact that there are times when we simply cannot explain the WHY behind the license God gives Satan to do what he does to us or with us.
Yesterday I quoted from Isaiah 55: 8-9 [link provided], where we read a powerful, but perplexing, truth. So, Swindoll is saying that we are going to have to decide to refrain from reacting to trials and tribulations by going through the “WHY, ME, LORD” routine. Swindoll’s point is that if we allow ourselves to fall prey to what Satan is trying to do with us by being allowed to lead us through the “valley of the shadow of death,” we can easily become angry at God, which will ultimately lead to bitterness and even depression. And at that point we’re in a place where our witness is damaged and useless; and that’s exactly where The Accuser wants us.
Yes, I know it’s hard to avoid the “WHY, ME, LORD” syndrome. It’s just so natural to take the knee-jerk route of anger when things don’t go our way. It’s hard to realize that we have unseen forces working out of sight and way above our realm of daily action, who are plotting to bring us down and damage our testimony to the point where we become ineffective in the public arena. And yes, it’s very hard to take it that God would allow this. And it’s even easier to go to God, lamenting “WHY, ME, LORD!” It all just seems so unfair, especially when we’re serving God as He’s called us to do; and Satan is given the opportunity to drag us through what David wrote about in Psalm 23 as “… the valley of the shadow of death.”
But David also captured the truth of today’s message when, following the exclamation about the valley, God had David write, “But [God] You are with me.” And you probably can quote the rest of it from memory as to how God, our Good Shepherd, will guide us through this dark path and lead us to the peaceful waters on the other side. And while this is going down, this walk through the darkness, we must believe and recognize the truth of the NT message of 1st John 4: 4 (and I hope you can quote it from memory, too), which states, “Greater is HE that is in you (and that is Christ) than he (Satan) who is in the world.”
No, we may not understand or be able to reason why God has given Satan the license to lead us into the valley of the shadow of death; but we can bank on the truth that God has a very good reason; and according to Deut. 31: 8, God is not only going to be with us as we walk through that dark valley, He has gone ahead of us (see also 1st Cor. 10: 13) to insure that we’ll walk out the other side of the valley into the light and the peace of God’s love. And this process , as we read of Job going through all he’s going to go through (if you read on ahead), is for God’s good and perfect reasoning; and as we know from another NT passage (Romans 8: 28), it’s all for our good, just as we’re going to see it was for Job.
So, my friend, if you’re being buffeted by our unseen enemy, know that our God hasn’t lost control. He is still our sovereign, all-knowing, all-powerful, ever present, but unseen God. And He’ll never leave us, nor forsake us, as we are being allowed to enter and walk through the dark, scary valley where we may be right now. Keep walking, dear one; and walk in the promise and hope of Christ.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, though I may not see You, I know that I walk with you. Amen
My Journal for Today: Yes, we revisit the same passage in Job for the third day; and our devotional shepherd, Chuck Swindoll, is trying to drive home a point that we simply must not miss; but it is one which is hard to accept. And that point concerns our acceptance of the fact that there are times when we simply cannot explain the WHY behind the license God gives Satan to do what he does to us or with us.
Yesterday I quoted from Isaiah 55: 8-9 [link provided], where we read a powerful, but perplexing, truth. So, Swindoll is saying that we are going to have to decide to refrain from reacting to trials and tribulations by going through the “WHY, ME, LORD” routine. Swindoll’s point is that if we allow ourselves to fall prey to what Satan is trying to do with us by being allowed to lead us through the “valley of the shadow of death,” we can easily become angry at God, which will ultimately lead to bitterness and even depression. And at that point we’re in a place where our witness is damaged and useless; and that’s exactly where The Accuser wants us.
Yes, I know it’s hard to avoid the “WHY, ME, LORD” syndrome. It’s just so natural to take the knee-jerk route of anger when things don’t go our way. It’s hard to realize that we have unseen forces working out of sight and way above our realm of daily action, who are plotting to bring us down and damage our testimony to the point where we become ineffective in the public arena. And yes, it’s very hard to take it that God would allow this. And it’s even easier to go to God, lamenting “WHY, ME, LORD!” It all just seems so unfair, especially when we’re serving God as He’s called us to do; and Satan is given the opportunity to drag us through what David wrote about in Psalm 23 as “… the valley of the shadow of death.”
But David also captured the truth of today’s message when, following the exclamation about the valley, God had David write, “But [God] You are with me.” And you probably can quote the rest of it from memory as to how God, our Good Shepherd, will guide us through this dark path and lead us to the peaceful waters on the other side. And while this is going down, this walk through the darkness, we must believe and recognize the truth of the NT message of 1st John 4: 4 (and I hope you can quote it from memory, too), which states, “Greater is HE that is in you (and that is Christ) than he (Satan) who is in the world.”
No, we may not understand or be able to reason why God has given Satan the license to lead us into the valley of the shadow of death; but we can bank on the truth that God has a very good reason; and according to Deut. 31: 8, God is not only going to be with us as we walk through that dark valley, He has gone ahead of us (see also 1st Cor. 10: 13) to insure that we’ll walk out the other side of the valley into the light and the peace of God’s love. And this process , as we read of Job going through all he’s going to go through (if you read on ahead), is for God’s good and perfect reasoning; and as we know from another NT passage (Romans 8: 28), it’s all for our good, just as we’re going to see it was for Job.
So, my friend, if you’re being buffeted by our unseen enemy, know that our God hasn’t lost control. He is still our sovereign, all-knowing, all-powerful, ever present, but unseen God. And He’ll never leave us, nor forsake us, as we are being allowed to enter and walk through the dark, scary valley where we may be right now. Keep walking, dear one; and walk in the promise and hope of Christ.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, though I may not see You, I know that I walk with you. Amen
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