Passage of the Day: 1st Corinthians 1: 20 … Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
My Journal for Today: Today’s passage reminds one of the question James asked to start off this month, “Who is wise and understanding among you?” [James 3: 13] And the more that yours truly, this born-again believer, contemplates my search for Godly wisdom, the more awesome becomes the realization of what has happened to my mental approach to life since I became a converted believer in Christ.
The Apostle Paul laid out this process for Christians, beginning with today’s passage and on through 1st Cor. 1: 20 – 30 [which I’ll not print here for space considerations – but I expect you to study this passage to which I’ll link you for study]. He also related a similar exhortation to the Colossians (in Col. 2: 3) … that we Christians have “… all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Peter claimed that Christians have all we need from God (see 2nd Peter 1: 2 – 4) to live our lives in harmony with Him. And today’s passage closes with a question that hits the nail of truth right on the head … pointing out that God has made foolish, through His infinite mind, all the wisdom of this world. [See Isaiah 55: 8-9 for this truth.]
Hence, I – Bill Berry – have the very mind of God in Christ, especially through His written word, the Bible, as well as the enlightenment ministry of God’s Spirit, to give me answers to questions/issues which seemingly baffle the world … issues like capital punishment (see Gen. 9: 6 and Romans 13), abortion (see Deut. 30: 19 and Psalm 139: 13), and homosexuality (see Lev. 20: 13 and Romans 1: 26 – 27). As John MacArthur puts it in his devotional for this date from Strength for Today, “Knowing Christ makes the believer wiser than the world.”
But note that phrase in MacArthur’s quote … “knowing Christ.” It is true, as John says in 1st John 4: 4, that “…the One [God’s Spirit] Who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” However, if a believer, by apathy, laziness, or refusal, is ignorant of the mind of Christ in him, that one becomes weakened in his understanding of God’s ways by not “knowing Christ” to the extent he could if he developed a deep and abiding relationship with our Lord. And such inward and limited thinking will produce inward and limited behavior … and certainly much less Godly behavior than the one who diligently seeks, finds, and uses the wisdom of God. [Again, Job wrote about this in Chapter 28 of his book.]
Do you really KNOW Christ, … intimately, deeply, completely? Because the more you know Him, the more you will know His mind; and knowing His mind, as the scriptures above proclaim, allows you to have all the wisdom and understanding you need to live in this life so that you might avoid sinfulness and live in Christlikeness. Is that not worthy of anything we can do to pursue the mind of Christ in this life? [Remember the study from Job 28 on mining the mind of God. See my devotional entries for Nov. 6 -7 for this review.]
This is pretty awesome stuff [!], wouldn’t you say? And so, what I, and all believers, must do is to trust God’s truth, as I wrote yesterday about from 2nd Tim. 3: 16 – 17, and let the very mind of God lead me on God’s path of life (as it says in Prov. 3: 5 – 6.
My Prayer Today: I do trust you, Lord; and I will continue to search for Your truth. Amen
Showing posts with label Knowing God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Knowing God. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 09, 2011
Monday, November 07, 2011
November 7, 2011 … Knowing God
Passage of the Day: Job 28: 28 [in bold/underlined] 23 ... God understands the way to it [i.e., wisdom] and He alone knows where it dwells, 24 for He views the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens. 25 When He established the force of the wind and measured out the waters, 26 when He made a decree for the rain and a path for the thunderstorm, 27 then He looked at wisdom and appraised it; He confirmed it and tested it. 28 And He said to man, 'The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.' "
My Journal for Today: If you’re following along with me this month, yesterday I asked you to read and meditate upon Job, all of Chapter 28, where the much maligned Job lamented about where one might find God’s mind – i.e., His wisdom. And in verse 28, Job quoted God’s decree of where it can be found … in the “fear of the Lord,” … with the understanding of God’s wisdom being exhibited by the believer in the shunning of evil.
This is the same refrain echoed by Solomon when the King wrote to his son (and to you and me by extension), “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge [i.e., wisdom], but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” [Proverbs 1: 7] And in Prov. 9: 10, Solomon similarly penned, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.“
Solomon really wanted his son to understand how important Godly wisdom was for God’s children; and I believe through his life and many failures (chronicled in the book of Ecclesiastes), Solomon had come to the realization of where true wisdom resides – i.e., in the mind of God alone; and that is where it must be pursued. So, if Solomon’s son – and any Christian – desires to understand and reflect Godly wisdom in his/her life, that one must know God’s mind. And for us, as Christians pursuing Godly wisdom, the best place to find God’s mind is in God’s word (see 2nd Tim. 3: 16 – 17).
Therefore, for the Christian, fearing God [i.e., revering and/or submitting to God, the Holy Spirit], is the key to open God’s mind for His wisdom; and this begins at salvation and growing to the extent that the believer (i.e., a truly converted Christian) knows and reveres God and lives according to His truth. All of life, therefore, becomes a head-long – no, probably better said, a “heart-long” – pursuit to know God; because the more a Christian knows God, that believer will reflect God in living worship, which is the 24/7 life of Godly values, attitudes, and behavior [and right now some of you may be thinking, as am I, of Romans 12: 1-2, which reflects this truth].
So, I must ask myself - as should you – “Do I fear God? … Do I know Him?” And my answer is to both questions is, for sure; … BUT … NOT WELL ENOUGH! Therefore, as the word picture in Job 28 indicates [see yesterday’s entry], it will be my life-long pursuit to mine God’s mind from His word.
My Prayer Today: To know You, Lord is to live for You. Amen
My Journal for Today: If you’re following along with me this month, yesterday I asked you to read and meditate upon Job, all of Chapter 28, where the much maligned Job lamented about where one might find God’s mind – i.e., His wisdom. And in verse 28, Job quoted God’s decree of where it can be found … in the “fear of the Lord,” … with the understanding of God’s wisdom being exhibited by the believer in the shunning of evil.
This is the same refrain echoed by Solomon when the King wrote to his son (and to you and me by extension), “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge [i.e., wisdom], but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” [Proverbs 1: 7] And in Prov. 9: 10, Solomon similarly penned, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.“
Solomon really wanted his son to understand how important Godly wisdom was for God’s children; and I believe through his life and many failures (chronicled in the book of Ecclesiastes), Solomon had come to the realization of where true wisdom resides – i.e., in the mind of God alone; and that is where it must be pursued. So, if Solomon’s son – and any Christian – desires to understand and reflect Godly wisdom in his/her life, that one must know God’s mind. And for us, as Christians pursuing Godly wisdom, the best place to find God’s mind is in God’s word (see 2nd Tim. 3: 16 – 17).
Therefore, for the Christian, fearing God [i.e., revering and/or submitting to God, the Holy Spirit], is the key to open God’s mind for His wisdom; and this begins at salvation and growing to the extent that the believer (i.e., a truly converted Christian) knows and reveres God and lives according to His truth. All of life, therefore, becomes a head-long – no, probably better said, a “heart-long” – pursuit to know God; because the more a Christian knows God, that believer will reflect God in living worship, which is the 24/7 life of Godly values, attitudes, and behavior [and right now some of you may be thinking, as am I, of Romans 12: 1-2, which reflects this truth].
So, I must ask myself - as should you – “Do I fear God? … Do I know Him?” And my answer is to both questions is, for sure; … BUT … NOT WELL ENOUGH! Therefore, as the word picture in Job 28 indicates [see yesterday’s entry], it will be my life-long pursuit to mine God’s mind from His word.
My Prayer Today: To know You, Lord is to live for You. 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
Thursday, September 01, 2011
September 1, 2011 … What About the Holy Spirit?
Blogger's Note: It's a new month; and in September, I'm going to dig in and get to know God's Spirit more intimately. If you're reading here, I hope you'll join me. There's nothing like getting to know God better. It always promotes a deeper love relationship with our Lord, which then produces more obedience and more productive service for/with our God. And that, in turn, provides for more blessings from God. So, if you're looking for more intimacy with God, share with me this month and we'll get to know Him together. >>> <'BB><
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Passage of the Day: 1st John 3: 24 … Those who obey His [i.e., Christ’s] commands live in Him, and He in them. And this is how we know that He lives in us: We know it by the Spirit He gave us.
My Journal for Today: I’m going to make a sweeping assumption as I begin another month of devotional journal entries here for September; and that assumption is that any reader here is in a head-long pursuit to know God and grow closer to Him (i.e., that you have a faith relationship with Christ as the Lord and Savior of your life). If you are reading this; and you don’t know Christ as your Savior and Lord or you are in doubt about your redemption, before reading onward, you simply must get that settled.
[For any who doubt their salvation, please get with a Christian who solidly KNOWS that he or she is saved; and ask that person to show you how to resolve this. If you can’t find a live Christian whom you respect to be able to help you, I’d pray that you might trust me to help and you’d be willing to contact me. I’m always available through email @ billb13@bellsouth.net . Contact me and we’ll get this settled – FOREVER.
In the Bible the instructions are clear from Romans 10: 9 – 13 which states: …
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Romans 10: 9 – 13 9 … if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 11 As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in Him will never be put to shame." 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." [the latter is a quote from Joel 2: 32]
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I know that these instructions on salvation from God’s word do not require another human. You can declare “with your mouth” your confession and contrition and your faith that Christ has saved you directly to God. However, having someone there with you, especially a strong, experienced Christian, to declare your trust in Jesus will increase your accountability before God and will be helpful to get you started on your true walk with Christ; … and such a person may be able to help in your discipleship as a newly born-again Christian.
Well, now that I’ve had that evangelical pause, and prayerfully you now have a relationship with Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Trinity, I will continue to address my comments to you and any who are saved and firmly know they are in Christ. Where I’m going this month is to promote a closer relationship with the Third Person of the Trinity – our Precious Holy Spirit. Getting to know God will always take one deeper into a relationship with each Person of the Trinity; and that certainly includes the Holy Spirit.
Yes, I know that those who would call themselves “Charismatic” as Christians most certainly emphasize an experiential understanding of God’s Spirit – and there’s certainly nothing wrong with that – IF it does not dampen a believer’s personal understanding of God’s truth, primarily found in His word. It has been my observation that some – and I emphasize “SOME” - Charismatic Christians de-emphasize doctrine and biblical study in lieu of trying to FEEL God’s Spirit moving and working in them. On the other hand some strongly doctrinally-based Christians de-emphasize their experiential understanding of God’s Spirit in their lives. Neither of these extremes can or will bring a deep and abiding relationship with Christ. However, our emphasis this month will be on knowing and understanding the Person of the Holy Spirit.
And to begin this study, I go to a salient question asked by the Apostle Paul of the church. In Galatians 3: 3, he asked, “Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?” And that is one great question for all Christians to ponder. Unfortunately, too many of us are seeking to experience the reality of God’s Spirit by feeling His presence and/or power in our flesh, when the truth of the Spirit’s presence, power, and His plan can be readily found in His inspired word (see 2nd Tim. 3: 16 – 17).
This month, again with John MacArthur’s help in his devotional Strength for Today, I will, through my prayer to God’s Spirit for wisdom [see James 1: 5-6] and my reliance on His word, delve more deeply into the ONE Who works in me through Christ to encourage, guide, enlighten, enable, and empower me. He is The Holy Spirit.
My Prayer Today: O, precious Spirit, help me to know You more intimately. Amen
==============
Passage of the Day: 1st John 3: 24 … Those who obey His [i.e., Christ’s] commands live in Him, and He in them. And this is how we know that He lives in us: We know it by the Spirit He gave us.
My Journal for Today: I’m going to make a sweeping assumption as I begin another month of devotional journal entries here for September; and that assumption is that any reader here is in a head-long pursuit to know God and grow closer to Him (i.e., that you have a faith relationship with Christ as the Lord and Savior of your life). If you are reading this; and you don’t know Christ as your Savior and Lord or you are in doubt about your redemption, before reading onward, you simply must get that settled.
[For any who doubt their salvation, please get with a Christian who solidly KNOWS that he or she is saved; and ask that person to show you how to resolve this. If you can’t find a live Christian whom you respect to be able to help you, I’d pray that you might trust me to help and you’d be willing to contact me. I’m always available through email @ billb13@bellsouth.net . Contact me and we’ll get this settled – FOREVER.
In the Bible the instructions are clear from Romans 10: 9 – 13 which states: …
---------------------
Romans 10: 9 – 13 9 … if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 11 As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in Him will never be put to shame." 12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." [the latter is a quote from Joel 2: 32]
--------------------
I know that these instructions on salvation from God’s word do not require another human. You can declare “with your mouth” your confession and contrition and your faith that Christ has saved you directly to God. However, having someone there with you, especially a strong, experienced Christian, to declare your trust in Jesus will increase your accountability before God and will be helpful to get you started on your true walk with Christ; … and such a person may be able to help in your discipleship as a newly born-again Christian.
Well, now that I’ve had that evangelical pause, and prayerfully you now have a relationship with Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Trinity, I will continue to address my comments to you and any who are saved and firmly know they are in Christ. Where I’m going this month is to promote a closer relationship with the Third Person of the Trinity – our Precious Holy Spirit. Getting to know God will always take one deeper into a relationship with each Person of the Trinity; and that certainly includes the Holy Spirit.
Yes, I know that those who would call themselves “Charismatic” as Christians most certainly emphasize an experiential understanding of God’s Spirit – and there’s certainly nothing wrong with that – IF it does not dampen a believer’s personal understanding of God’s truth, primarily found in His word. It has been my observation that some – and I emphasize “SOME” - Charismatic Christians de-emphasize doctrine and biblical study in lieu of trying to FEEL God’s Spirit moving and working in them. On the other hand some strongly doctrinally-based Christians de-emphasize their experiential understanding of God’s Spirit in their lives. Neither of these extremes can or will bring a deep and abiding relationship with Christ. However, our emphasis this month will be on knowing and understanding the Person of the Holy Spirit.
And to begin this study, I go to a salient question asked by the Apostle Paul of the church. In Galatians 3: 3, he asked, “Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?” And that is one great question for all Christians to ponder. Unfortunately, too many of us are seeking to experience the reality of God’s Spirit by feeling His presence and/or power in our flesh, when the truth of the Spirit’s presence, power, and His plan can be readily found in His inspired word (see 2nd Tim. 3: 16 – 17).
This month, again with John MacArthur’s help in his devotional Strength for Today, I will, through my prayer to God’s Spirit for wisdom [see James 1: 5-6] and my reliance on His word, delve more deeply into the ONE Who works in me through Christ to encourage, guide, enlighten, enable, and empower me. He is The Holy Spirit.
My Prayer Today: O, precious Spirit, help me to know You more intimately. Amen
Wednesday, May 04, 2011
May 4, 2011 … Trials’ Lesson: Faith
Passage of the Day: Hebrews 11: 17 – 19 … 17 By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, 18 even though God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." [see Gen. 21: 12] 19 Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.
My Journal for Today: My devotional time from this passage, and from what was written by John MacArthur in Strength for Today for this date, is most convicting. Today we see that God reckoned Abraham’s faith as real because of what would transpire as accounted in Genesis 22, where we read the chronicle of Abraham’s trial with his only son, Isaac, being the sacrificial “lamb.”
This story, of course, is used in God’s word to show how God uses the trials of life to “test” our beliefs and our lives, as He did with Abraham … to see if our faith, like his, would be genuine. And the question I find myself asking (myself) is this: “If I were put to a radical test – as was Abraham – would I be willing to give my all for my God?” Ultimately, that is what God demands of my heart and my life … for me to be willing to turn the dearest part of me over to Him.
Certainly that’s why Abraham is referred to in the New Testament as the “father of the faithful.” [see Rom 4: 11 – 12 and Gal. 3: 6 – 7] and why, as a believer, I’m considered a son of Abraham. … Well, I’d like to think that I could pass such an extreme test of my faith. And I think again of Cassie Bernall and how her faith in Christ was tested with a gun to her head at Columbine High School that fateful day. Cassie died by saying, “Yes” when she was asked if she was a Christian. Could I be so faithful? Would I be that faithful, as was Abraham, if I was asked to give up my wife or one of our daughters or any of our grand daughters? Would I have the faith that has no hesitation, knowing that my God is faithful no matter what the circumstances? I would hope that I would.
Most certainly I know that my faith grows in my God the more deeply I know Him. Abraham KNEW God so well that he just KNEW that God would fulfill His promise in their Covenant. He KNEW that God could raise Isaac or in some way fulfill all the promises He (God) had made concerning Isaac. So there was no hesitation on Abraham’s part when God tested Abraham in the way He did. I would hope/pray, in dire circumstances, that I would have the faith of Abraham or a Cassie Bernall.
And I think all who read this should be taking stock of your faith to see where you might stand should we be tested in the future. … I pray we stand with God and His promises.
My Prayer Today: Lord, ALL that I have is Yours. Amen
My Journal for Today: My devotional time from this passage, and from what was written by John MacArthur in Strength for Today for this date, is most convicting. Today we see that God reckoned Abraham’s faith as real because of what would transpire as accounted in Genesis 22, where we read the chronicle of Abraham’s trial with his only son, Isaac, being the sacrificial “lamb.”
This story, of course, is used in God’s word to show how God uses the trials of life to “test” our beliefs and our lives, as He did with Abraham … to see if our faith, like his, would be genuine. And the question I find myself asking (myself) is this: “If I were put to a radical test – as was Abraham – would I be willing to give my all for my God?” Ultimately, that is what God demands of my heart and my life … for me to be willing to turn the dearest part of me over to Him.
Certainly that’s why Abraham is referred to in the New Testament as the “father of the faithful.” [see Rom 4: 11 – 12 and Gal. 3: 6 – 7] and why, as a believer, I’m considered a son of Abraham. … Well, I’d like to think that I could pass such an extreme test of my faith. And I think again of Cassie Bernall and how her faith in Christ was tested with a gun to her head at Columbine High School that fateful day. Cassie died by saying, “Yes” when she was asked if she was a Christian. Could I be so faithful? Would I be that faithful, as was Abraham, if I was asked to give up my wife or one of our daughters or any of our grand daughters? Would I have the faith that has no hesitation, knowing that my God is faithful no matter what the circumstances? I would hope that I would.
Most certainly I know that my faith grows in my God the more deeply I know Him. Abraham KNEW God so well that he just KNEW that God would fulfill His promise in their Covenant. He KNEW that God could raise Isaac or in some way fulfill all the promises He (God) had made concerning Isaac. So there was no hesitation on Abraham’s part when God tested Abraham in the way He did. I would hope/pray, in dire circumstances, that I would have the faith of Abraham or a Cassie Bernall.
And I think all who read this should be taking stock of your faith to see where you might stand should we be tested in the future. … I pray we stand with God and His promises.
My Prayer Today: Lord, ALL that I have is Yours. Amen
Sunday, March 13, 2011
March 13, 2011 … Understanding Who God Is
Passage of the Day: Ephesians 4: 1 – 2 - 1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
My Journal for Today: If you are reading this, I would hope that you have come to a humble place in your life where you have received Christ as your Savior AND Lord. In other words, as the writer here, I’m hoping that any reader here is truly “saved.” (See Rom. 10: 9 – 13) Notice I said that the entrance to this process was humility; and here we are back with this concept of “humility” again with this month of devotionals. And during this spring time, I’ve posited more than once that it’s absolutely necessary, if a believer desires to have a deep and abiding relationship with Christ, that the attitude of humility is the key that unlocks the door to God’s grace in that relationship. If you are saved, going deep into an even more abiding relationship with Christ is definitely – or should be – an overriding goal for you. However, humility should lead us to another goal which, I believe, precedes all others in the Christian life; and that is TO KNOW GOD.
John MacArthur presents the following in Strength for Today on this date: “The more we (Christians) comprehend the greatness of God, the more humble we become.” In other words, for the believer to be truly humble, he/she must have the driving desire to know the God whom he/she worships and serves. My dear Christian brother in Christ and mentor, Dr. Bob Ginn, exclaimed strongly to me many times that our primary goal in life as Christians should be to know God. So, both MacArthur and my mentor would say that striving to know God is at the heart of humility; and since all Christians desire to receive God’s grace (or I would assume so), it behooves us all to do everything we can to know God so that our posture will continually be humbled to receive His grace.
King David certainly knew his God when he declared the majesty of His Lord and the desire for fellowship with Him, in spite of the lowliness of mankind (see Psalms 8: 1, 4 below). But it is wonderful that God, in all His majesty, desires fellowship with His humble creatures, … mankind, … well, at least those who can humble themselves enough to get to know Him to let them into their lives. (see Ps. 138: 6 and Rev. 3: 20, also below)
SCRIPTURE: Ps. 8: 1, 4 ... 1 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your Name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. … 4 what is man that You are mindful of him, the Son of man that You care for him?
SCRIPTURE: Ps. 138: 6 ... Though the LORD is on high, He looks upon the lowly, but the proud He knows from afar.
SCRIPTURE: Rev. 3: 20 ... Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone (of My disciples) hears My voice and opens the door, I will come into him and dine with him and he with Me.
God’s word is very clear that God will not extend His glory to sinful mankind. (see Is. 48: 11); but get this irony. God will extend His grace to me, a sinner … IF, and only IF, I can/will humbly received the mercy He has extended through His Son, my Savior and Redeemer, Who died so that I can be in a position to receive God’s grace. Complicated? Maybe; but it shows the critical nature of chosen humility when it comes to our desire to relate to God; and we’ve seen how we can get into that posture – i.e., by seeking to know God to the fullest extent we are capable.
So, are you with me in my quest to know my (our) God? Everyday and in every way I can, I will seek to know God as intimately as I can, pleading my humble posture in confession and contrition, as a surrendered sinner, so that He, my Lord, will pour His promised mercy and grace into my life.
And everyday, He does!
My Prayer Today: To know You, Lord … to know You … to really know You. That is my humble desire. Amen
My Journal for Today: If you are reading this, I would hope that you have come to a humble place in your life where you have received Christ as your Savior AND Lord. In other words, as the writer here, I’m hoping that any reader here is truly “saved.” (See Rom. 10: 9 – 13) Notice I said that the entrance to this process was humility; and here we are back with this concept of “humility” again with this month of devotionals. And during this spring time, I’ve posited more than once that it’s absolutely necessary, if a believer desires to have a deep and abiding relationship with Christ, that the attitude of humility is the key that unlocks the door to God’s grace in that relationship. If you are saved, going deep into an even more abiding relationship with Christ is definitely – or should be – an overriding goal for you. However, humility should lead us to another goal which, I believe, precedes all others in the Christian life; and that is TO KNOW GOD.
John MacArthur presents the following in Strength for Today on this date: “The more we (Christians) comprehend the greatness of God, the more humble we become.” In other words, for the believer to be truly humble, he/she must have the driving desire to know the God whom he/she worships and serves. My dear Christian brother in Christ and mentor, Dr. Bob Ginn, exclaimed strongly to me many times that our primary goal in life as Christians should be to know God. So, both MacArthur and my mentor would say that striving to know God is at the heart of humility; and since all Christians desire to receive God’s grace (or I would assume so), it behooves us all to do everything we can to know God so that our posture will continually be humbled to receive His grace.
King David certainly knew his God when he declared the majesty of His Lord and the desire for fellowship with Him, in spite of the lowliness of mankind (see Psalms 8: 1, 4 below). But it is wonderful that God, in all His majesty, desires fellowship with His humble creatures, … mankind, … well, at least those who can humble themselves enough to get to know Him to let them into their lives. (see Ps. 138: 6 and Rev. 3: 20, also below)
SCRIPTURE: Ps. 8: 1, 4 ... 1 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your Name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. … 4 what is man that You are mindful of him, the Son of man that You care for him?
SCRIPTURE: Ps. 138: 6 ... Though the LORD is on high, He looks upon the lowly, but the proud He knows from afar.
SCRIPTURE: Rev. 3: 20 ... Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone (of My disciples) hears My voice and opens the door, I will come into him and dine with him and he with Me.
God’s word is very clear that God will not extend His glory to sinful mankind. (see Is. 48: 11); but get this irony. God will extend His grace to me, a sinner … IF, and only IF, I can/will humbly received the mercy He has extended through His Son, my Savior and Redeemer, Who died so that I can be in a position to receive God’s grace. Complicated? Maybe; but it shows the critical nature of chosen humility when it comes to our desire to relate to God; and we’ve seen how we can get into that posture – i.e., by seeking to know God to the fullest extent we are capable.
So, are you with me in my quest to know my (our) God? Everyday and in every way I can, I will seek to know God as intimately as I can, pleading my humble posture in confession and contrition, as a surrendered sinner, so that He, my Lord, will pour His promised mercy and grace into my life.
And everyday, He does!
My Prayer Today: To know You, Lord … to know You … to really know You. That is my humble desire. Amen
Tuesday, February 01, 2011
February 1, 2011 … Pursuing The Knowledge of God
Blogger's Note: Continuing on in John MacArthur's devotional book, Strength for Today, I'm grateful for my time in January remembering what it takes to be worthy of the label and Name I use to describe myself, ... "Christian." Now I move on in my attempt to get to know my God this month ... more today than yesterday ... more tomorrow than today.
===================
Passage of the Day: Philippians 3: 8 – [see underlined portion] – What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.
My Journal for Today: Once, early in my discipleship as a new Christian, as I was being mentored by a Godly retired physician, I asked him what was the most important thing to him (i.e., what was his #1 Christian goal). Without hesitation he replied, “To know God more today than yesterday and more tomorrow than today.”
John MacArthur, in Strength for Today, writes, “…to know God is … the highest ambition of life.” Solomon taught his son by writing, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” [Prov. 9: 10] And Jesus prayed that His disciples (including you and me) would come to know The Father as well as Himself (see John 17: 3). So, in launching our February devotionals, we come to Paul’s personal declaration in today’s verses that everything else is “rubbish” save the greatness of knowing Jesus Christ as our Lord God.
So, one of the most important questions a man, like me, can ask myself would be: ”Do I really know God?!” And as you meditate or ponder that, you may be overwhelmed with a sense of the impossible. But it is a wonderful truth that knowing God is not only an attainable goal for a Christian; but it is absolutely assured by God Himself in His word. David told his son, Solomon, (in 1st Chron. 28: 9), “If you seek Him (God), He will let you find Him.” The Prophet Jeremiah shared God’s promise with His people [in Jer. 29: 13], “You will see Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” The underlined emphasis is mine; but I do so to emphasize the underlined “catch phrase” in Jeremiah’s channeling of Gods’ promise. I firmly believe that God reveals Himself to His children and allows us to grow into an intimate understanding of Himself when we humbly surrender the self and unabashedly pursue the Savior.
Another truth I learned from my mentor helps explain the importance of knowing God for the Christian. He taught me this …
>>> To know God is to love God … to love God is to obey God … to obey God is to serve God … and to serve God is to be blessed by God.
What Christian doesn’t want to be blessed by his/her God? Of course we all do, don’t we? Well, to pursue God’s blessing all begins by getting to know God. So, [duh! – no brainer!]… knowing God is nothing less than THE “numero uno” pursuit in our lives. And anything that gets in the way of knowing God becomes an idol for us; and we know God’s commandments with regard to idols.
And it’s also important – if not essential – for us to realize that sin not only blocks, or at the least impedes, our pursuit of knowing God; but at the same time, the pursuit of idols or the sin in our lives breaks down our relationship with Christ. So, as in so many things with regard to our relationship with Christ, it becomes our choices and our priorities which either facilitate or block our pursuit of knowing our God. Therefore, at this point, I find myself asking myself, “Bill, just how much do you really want to know God?” And I know the answer to that question today or tomorrow will depend on what I do to set aside my self and pursue my Savior.
Certainly God knows us. That’s a given … another no-brainer! And we know that Christ prays for us to know Him (again see John 17). Fortunately at any point in our lives, when we have sinfully been pursuing self, rather than doing all we can to know the Savior, we can be cleansed (see 1st John 1: 9) to begin anew to get to know our Lord with more intimacy and closeness than ever before. So, following my mentor’s lead and the prayer of my Savior, I have made knowing God … my #1 desire/drive in life. And it is my prayer that my kids, grandkids, and those who might follow my lead will join me in this most Godly of pursuits. >>>
Are you with me?
My Prayer Today: That’s it, Lord. You know my heart; and I seek to know You above all else! Amen
===================
Passage of the Day: Philippians 3: 8 – [see underlined portion] – What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.
My Journal for Today: Once, early in my discipleship as a new Christian, as I was being mentored by a Godly retired physician, I asked him what was the most important thing to him (i.e., what was his #1 Christian goal). Without hesitation he replied, “To know God more today than yesterday and more tomorrow than today.”
John MacArthur, in Strength for Today, writes, “…to know God is … the highest ambition of life.” Solomon taught his son by writing, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” [Prov. 9: 10] And Jesus prayed that His disciples (including you and me) would come to know The Father as well as Himself (see John 17: 3). So, in launching our February devotionals, we come to Paul’s personal declaration in today’s verses that everything else is “rubbish” save the greatness of knowing Jesus Christ as our Lord God.
So, one of the most important questions a man, like me, can ask myself would be: ”Do I really know God?!” And as you meditate or ponder that, you may be overwhelmed with a sense of the impossible. But it is a wonderful truth that knowing God is not only an attainable goal for a Christian; but it is absolutely assured by God Himself in His word. David told his son, Solomon, (in 1st Chron. 28: 9), “If you seek Him (God), He will let you find Him.” The Prophet Jeremiah shared God’s promise with His people [in Jer. 29: 13], “You will see Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” The underlined emphasis is mine; but I do so to emphasize the underlined “catch phrase” in Jeremiah’s channeling of Gods’ promise. I firmly believe that God reveals Himself to His children and allows us to grow into an intimate understanding of Himself when we humbly surrender the self and unabashedly pursue the Savior.
Another truth I learned from my mentor helps explain the importance of knowing God for the Christian. He taught me this …
>>> To know God is to love God … to love God is to obey God … to obey God is to serve God … and to serve God is to be blessed by God.
What Christian doesn’t want to be blessed by his/her God? Of course we all do, don’t we? Well, to pursue God’s blessing all begins by getting to know God. So, [duh! – no brainer!]… knowing God is nothing less than THE “numero uno” pursuit in our lives. And anything that gets in the way of knowing God becomes an idol for us; and we know God’s commandments with regard to idols.
And it’s also important – if not essential – for us to realize that sin not only blocks, or at the least impedes, our pursuit of knowing God; but at the same time, the pursuit of idols or the sin in our lives breaks down our relationship with Christ. So, as in so many things with regard to our relationship with Christ, it becomes our choices and our priorities which either facilitate or block our pursuit of knowing our God. Therefore, at this point, I find myself asking myself, “Bill, just how much do you really want to know God?” And I know the answer to that question today or tomorrow will depend on what I do to set aside my self and pursue my Savior.
Certainly God knows us. That’s a given … another no-brainer! And we know that Christ prays for us to know Him (again see John 17). Fortunately at any point in our lives, when we have sinfully been pursuing self, rather than doing all we can to know the Savior, we can be cleansed (see 1st John 1: 9) to begin anew to get to know our Lord with more intimacy and closeness than ever before. So, following my mentor’s lead and the prayer of my Savior, I have made knowing God … my #1 desire/drive in life. And it is my prayer that my kids, grandkids, and those who might follow my lead will join me in this most Godly of pursuits. >>>
Are you with me?
My Prayer Today: That’s it, Lord. You know my heart; and I seek to know You above all else! Amen
Thursday, October 21, 2010
2010 – October 21 – That Wondrous Moment of Knowing
Study from God’s Word… Matthew, Chapter 2 and Luke 2: 39 – 52 … Passage for Reflection: Luke 2: 49 … NIV 49 "Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?" 50 But they did not understand what He was saying to them. 51 Then He went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.
My Journal for Today: It’s interesting and compelling to speculate about those veiled first 30 years in the life of The Messiah, … our Lord, Jesus. And one may ask how much Jesus’ parents, especially Mary, recognized that their son, Jesus, was a prodigy like none other.
I’ve always been entranced by that wonderful Christmas song, Mary, Did You Know? [A YouTube version linked here], which poignantly probes the mother of The Christ, in song asking her just how much she knew about her Son when she looked into His eyes in that manger where the Christ was born. And in today’s verse, from the scene of Jesus being taken to the Temple, built by Herod, we even read of Jesus strongly challenging, almost rebuking, His mom, asking His mother why, upon realizing that Jesus had stayed behind as they traversed back to Nazareth, she, above all others, didn’t know where He was, … that she should have known He’d be in the house of His Father, … in the Temple.
And one can speculate as to whether this moment, the only age documented time in Jesus’ first 30 years, that Jesus, the son of Mary and Joseph, but more so the Son of God, was awakened to the reality that He was being led to be about the business of His Heavenly Father, even though He still had earthly parents, whom He should honor as well. And even though we don’t know the details from Scriptural or Gospel accounts, we know that Jesus stayed with His parents, where He likely became the leader in the home with His siblings and where His earthly father, Joseph, may have died, leaving him the eldest son to minister to the needs of the family.
But here in this Temple confrontation, we see the boy, Jesus, recognizing his coming of age; and those around Him marveled at how astute He was in the ways of God’s Law. We read of Jesus recognizing that He was here on earth to do the work of His Heavenly Father first, which would for about the next 18 years involve him honoring his earthly father, and his mother. He KNEW to Whom and for Whom He was living. And the question for us today, is DO WE KNOW Who we are and Whose we are?
Have each of us had that Spirit-led epiphany as Jesus may have had in that Temple at age 12? Do you know, my dear one, to Whom you give account for your being in Christ? And even more importantly, if you call yourself a “Christian,” have you fully, and knowingly, accepted your spiritual identity? Does God, The Spirit, reside in your Temple (i.e., your heart or your spiritual being)? And do others see that Temple residing in you?
Who we are, and for whom we are, says everything about our identity in Christ; and can you feel Jesus asking you, as I feel Him asking me today, … “Are you letting me live in you; and are you living for Me?”
My Prayer for Today: Lord, help me to KNOW You more so that others will KNOW You more. Amen
My Journal for Today: It’s interesting and compelling to speculate about those veiled first 30 years in the life of The Messiah, … our Lord, Jesus. And one may ask how much Jesus’ parents, especially Mary, recognized that their son, Jesus, was a prodigy like none other.
I’ve always been entranced by that wonderful Christmas song, Mary, Did You Know? [A YouTube version linked here], which poignantly probes the mother of The Christ, in song asking her just how much she knew about her Son when she looked into His eyes in that manger where the Christ was born. And in today’s verse, from the scene of Jesus being taken to the Temple, built by Herod, we even read of Jesus strongly challenging, almost rebuking, His mom, asking His mother why, upon realizing that Jesus had stayed behind as they traversed back to Nazareth, she, above all others, didn’t know where He was, … that she should have known He’d be in the house of His Father, … in the Temple.
And one can speculate as to whether this moment, the only age documented time in Jesus’ first 30 years, that Jesus, the son of Mary and Joseph, but more so the Son of God, was awakened to the reality that He was being led to be about the business of His Heavenly Father, even though He still had earthly parents, whom He should honor as well. And even though we don’t know the details from Scriptural or Gospel accounts, we know that Jesus stayed with His parents, where He likely became the leader in the home with His siblings and where His earthly father, Joseph, may have died, leaving him the eldest son to minister to the needs of the family.
But here in this Temple confrontation, we see the boy, Jesus, recognizing his coming of age; and those around Him marveled at how astute He was in the ways of God’s Law. We read of Jesus recognizing that He was here on earth to do the work of His Heavenly Father first, which would for about the next 18 years involve him honoring his earthly father, and his mother. He KNEW to Whom and for Whom He was living. And the question for us today, is DO WE KNOW Who we are and Whose we are?
Have each of us had that Spirit-led epiphany as Jesus may have had in that Temple at age 12? Do you know, my dear one, to Whom you give account for your being in Christ? And even more importantly, if you call yourself a “Christian,” have you fully, and knowingly, accepted your spiritual identity? Does God, The Spirit, reside in your Temple (i.e., your heart or your spiritual being)? And do others see that Temple residing in you?
Who we are, and for whom we are, says everything about our identity in Christ; and can you feel Jesus asking you, as I feel Him asking me today, … “Are you letting me live in you; and are you living for Me?”
My Prayer for Today: Lord, help me to KNOW You more so that others will KNOW You more. Amen
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