Study from God’s Word… Ezra, Chapters 9 – 10 … Passage for Reflection: Ezra 9: 13 … NIV 13 "What has happened to us is a result of our evil deeds and our great guilt, and yet, our God, you have punished us less than our sins have deserved and have given us a remnant like this.
My Journal for Today: Wow, … when a remnant of Jews was allowed by King Artaxerxes of Persia to return to Jerusalem to join other Jews who were already there with the task of rebuilding the Temple of God and reestablishing God’s Law for the people, Ezra, the Chief Priest of the Hebrews found a sociological and spiritual mess in his hands. Many of the Jewish men, including some of the Priests, had married foreign women, which was in direct defiance of the Law of Moses, …i.e., God’s will. And finding this Ezra grieved deeply; and you can read Ezra’s lament to God in a prayer, found in our Bible in Ezra: 9: 9 – 15, from which we get one sentiment in today’s highlighted text (i.e., verse 13).
I would exhort any who’re reading along with me here to go back and read this prayer (I’ll link you to it here for your personal study/meditation); and as you take in Ezra’s sincere prayer of lamentation, see if you’re not impressed that this could be the prayer of any Christians today who’re deeply grieved over the rampant sinfulness of a nation, America, which was founded and built on Christianity and has fallen away from its Judeo-Christian roots. Like the ancient Jews of Ezra’s day, we remnant Christians in America are now living in an era of degradation which is almost unprecedented in history. And like Ezra prayed, any of us could stand in awe of the mercy and grace afforded by our God as He sees – and must grieve over – our individual sinfulness as Christians and our collective sinfulness as a Church. We could say in fasting and prayer, as did Ezra, “… You (God) have punished us less than our sins have deserved.” And that truth, the outcome of which one can read about in any daily newspaper, is ever so prevalent now; but what is to be our individual and collective response to God’s mercy?
I shudder when I read the passage, written to the Roman Christians in Romans 1: 18-32 [also linked here for your study], which chronicles almost exactly what we see going on in our world today; and in this passage we read that God’s wrath of abandonment will be visited on any nation – as it was with the ancient Hebrews who were God’s chosen ones – who turns its back on God’s truth and His Law. And that’s exactly what Ezra was faced with to bring about revival for God’s chosen people. But not having the civil authority to do what Ezra did in a culture of theocracy, we are going to find it difficult in America, without God’s intervention, to turn things in the church and in our country back to a people who pursue God deeply in His word and live by His Law.
Often when someone asks me, “How’re you doing [?];” I learned years ago from my mentor to respond to that common greeting, “Always better than I deserve?” And you’d be surprised by the people who will say back, “Oh surely not!” And this gives me the opportunity to say in response, “If I read my Bible correctly, I’m much better off than I deserve;” which, of course is exactly what Ezra was praying about in today’s text.
Try that sometime; and see what others say when you witness the truth to them. It may give you an opportunity, as it has for me on many occasions, to plant at least a seed of truth in the minds of others about the relationship between a saved Christian and those in this lost world. At any rate, we should all be praying, as exhorted by God’s word, for those in authority … that they will come to the realization of God’s mercy and for them to accept the grace offered by a God who has been exceedingly merciful to sinners, like me, … sinners who are afforded much more grace than we deserve.
My Prayer for Today: O my Lord, … my merciful God. I stand deeply convicted by my sin and in awe of Your grace, which afforded me a Savior and Redeemer, even though daily I don’t deserve Your mercy. Amen
Thursday, October 07, 2010
Wednesday, October 06, 2010
2010 – October 6 – Not Just Talking the Talk
Study from God’s Word… Ezra, Chapters 7 – 8 … Passage for Reflection: Ezra: 8: 22 - 23… NIV 22 I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, "The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him." 23 So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.
My Journal for Today: Let me start my devotional journal entry today with the question posed by LaGard Smith, the author of my devotional guidebook. He posits this personal question for self-inventory: ”How often do I pray for God’s protection, then put my reliance for protection in any and everything BUT God?”
Wow. Ouch! That one hurt – at least for me. How about you? Sometimes it’s just painful – from conviction – when the mirror of truth is held up for us to look at ourselves in the light of God’s truth.
And Dr. Smith began his devotional entry for today with a reminder of the old adage, Don’t put all your eggs in one basket, which seems so logically accurate, doesn’t it? Certainly your financial advisor has probably invoked that old saying; and having a backup plan would probably be thought to be wise by prudent generals in battle. But when it comes to spiritual warfare or our relationship with God, He states, very simply, in Proverbs 3: 5, 6 [NKJV] that we are to “… trust in the Lord with ALL your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In ALL you ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.”
And that’s exactly what Ezra finally decided was the only correct and God-fearing way to respond to King Artaxerxes’ offer to provide the Jews returning to Jerusalem with what they needed to rebuild their temple and reinstate their Law. It might have been the prudent and natural thing to do to ask the King for a guard of soldiers to protect God’s people on their journey home; but Ezra realized that this would be a poor witness to this pagan king; and it would be an affront to the God who had delivered His people from Egypt and so many other adversaries along their journeys to and in the Promised Land.
So, Ezra put all of his eggs in one basket; and as we read [see verse 23 above] he led the people to fast and pray for God’s protection; and we also read how God answered those prayers.
So, I’m back to the opening question from Dr. Smith, which I’ll repeat here to close out my journal entry today: ”How often do I pray for God’s protection, then put my reliance for protection in any and everything BUT God?” You deal with that one in your life. I’m certainly going to have to do so in mine.
My Prayer for Today: Forgive me, Lord, for wanting to do things my way, not having the faith in You which You desire from me. Amen
My Journal for Today: Let me start my devotional journal entry today with the question posed by LaGard Smith, the author of my devotional guidebook. He posits this personal question for self-inventory: ”How often do I pray for God’s protection, then put my reliance for protection in any and everything BUT God?”
Wow. Ouch! That one hurt – at least for me. How about you? Sometimes it’s just painful – from conviction – when the mirror of truth is held up for us to look at ourselves in the light of God’s truth.
And Dr. Smith began his devotional entry for today with a reminder of the old adage, Don’t put all your eggs in one basket, which seems so logically accurate, doesn’t it? Certainly your financial advisor has probably invoked that old saying; and having a backup plan would probably be thought to be wise by prudent generals in battle. But when it comes to spiritual warfare or our relationship with God, He states, very simply, in Proverbs 3: 5, 6 [NKJV] that we are to “… trust in the Lord with ALL your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In ALL you ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.”
And that’s exactly what Ezra finally decided was the only correct and God-fearing way to respond to King Artaxerxes’ offer to provide the Jews returning to Jerusalem with what they needed to rebuild their temple and reinstate their Law. It might have been the prudent and natural thing to do to ask the King for a guard of soldiers to protect God’s people on their journey home; but Ezra realized that this would be a poor witness to this pagan king; and it would be an affront to the God who had delivered His people from Egypt and so many other adversaries along their journeys to and in the Promised Land.
So, Ezra put all of his eggs in one basket; and as we read [see verse 23 above] he led the people to fast and pray for God’s protection; and we also read how God answered those prayers.
So, I’m back to the opening question from Dr. Smith, which I’ll repeat here to close out my journal entry today: ”How often do I pray for God’s protection, then put my reliance for protection in any and everything BUT God?” You deal with that one in your life. I’m certainly going to have to do so in mine.
My Prayer for Today: Forgive me, Lord, for wanting to do things my way, not having the faith in You which You desire from me. Amen
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
2010 – October 5 – Sniffing at the Lord’s Table
Study from God’s Word… Malachi, Chapters 1 – 4 … Passage for Reflection: Malachi 1: 12 – 13 … NIV 12 "But you profane it by saying of the Lord's table, 'It is defiled,' and of its food, 'It is contemptible.' 13 And you say, 'What a burden!' and you sniff at it contemptuously," says the LORD Almighty.
My Journal for Today: May I intervene here by telling you a brief personal remembrance. When I was in Kindergarten, my teacher, Mrs. Rex, used a technique to help us remember “the rules,” … i.e., those things which we were taught to protect our well being and help us grow in character. When we transgressed “the rules,” Mrs. Rex would march us into the clothes closet; and as we passed her, she would plant one brief, humiliating swat on our butts with a ping-pong paddle. So, at various times when she picked up her paddle, we knew what was about to happen; and someone was about to march to the clothes closet and be “reminded” of what righteousness was all about. Oh, how we hated that ping-pong paddle and that clothes closet. But invariably, though we knew “the rules,” we would forget and someone would be humiliated; … and I’m afraid I had my share of trips to the closet and pops with the paddle on my rear end, helping me to learn the right way to act in class.
I bring this up because I personally view some of the mornings I come to this, my quiet “closet,” for morning devotionals in the light of that little story I’ve just related. Interesting that the name of my Kindergarten Teacher was "REX," the Latin word for “King;” because some mornings here in my quiet time, my Lord, The King of kings, takes me to task, sending me to my own “clothes closet” with a rap on my emotional derriere with some of the devotionals I’m led to study and upon which I’m led to meditate from God’s word. And this morning is one of those.
And here we are, in this study of the Book by Malachi’s name; and I’m reminded of my own laxity and unwillingness to honor God and His Covenant with His children. Like the ancient and recalcitrant Jews, I profane my worship of my Lord with overt disobedience and ill treatment of God’s recognized ways. I act in many ways in contempt of my God by the way I eat. Well, maybe not at the Lord’s Table, but certainly at any table where I eat in ways that are sinful and gluttonous in my desire to satisfy self, rather than honor my Savior. And God, through the conviction of His Holy Spirit, takes me to the “clothes closet” of humiliation and gives me a swat of direction with His paddle of truth.
This morning, I stand convicted and duly “paddled” by the recognition and realization that my attitude – at times – is no different from these ancient Hebrews who were so reticent to follow the known ways of their God, Whom is the same God I love and serve. So, this morning God is giving me, in this remembrance of my Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Rex, a recognition that I need to be in a mode of humiliation and surrender; and prayerfully this will lead me to a time when I remember God’s righteous ways and honor Him with my righteous choices.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, help me to walk in Your ways and live in Your truth. Amen
My Journal for Today: May I intervene here by telling you a brief personal remembrance. When I was in Kindergarten, my teacher, Mrs. Rex, used a technique to help us remember “the rules,” … i.e., those things which we were taught to protect our well being and help us grow in character. When we transgressed “the rules,” Mrs. Rex would march us into the clothes closet; and as we passed her, she would plant one brief, humiliating swat on our butts with a ping-pong paddle. So, at various times when she picked up her paddle, we knew what was about to happen; and someone was about to march to the clothes closet and be “reminded” of what righteousness was all about. Oh, how we hated that ping-pong paddle and that clothes closet. But invariably, though we knew “the rules,” we would forget and someone would be humiliated; … and I’m afraid I had my share of trips to the closet and pops with the paddle on my rear end, helping me to learn the right way to act in class.
I bring this up because I personally view some of the mornings I come to this, my quiet “closet,” for morning devotionals in the light of that little story I’ve just related. Interesting that the name of my Kindergarten Teacher was "REX," the Latin word for “King;” because some mornings here in my quiet time, my Lord, The King of kings, takes me to task, sending me to my own “clothes closet” with a rap on my emotional derriere with some of the devotionals I’m led to study and upon which I’m led to meditate from God’s word. And this morning is one of those.
And here we are, in this study of the Book by Malachi’s name; and I’m reminded of my own laxity and unwillingness to honor God and His Covenant with His children. Like the ancient and recalcitrant Jews, I profane my worship of my Lord with overt disobedience and ill treatment of God’s recognized ways. I act in many ways in contempt of my God by the way I eat. Well, maybe not at the Lord’s Table, but certainly at any table where I eat in ways that are sinful and gluttonous in my desire to satisfy self, rather than honor my Savior. And God, through the conviction of His Holy Spirit, takes me to the “clothes closet” of humiliation and gives me a swat of direction with His paddle of truth.
This morning, I stand convicted and duly “paddled” by the recognition and realization that my attitude – at times – is no different from these ancient Hebrews who were so reticent to follow the known ways of their God, Whom is the same God I love and serve. So, this morning God is giving me, in this remembrance of my Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Rex, a recognition that I need to be in a mode of humiliation and surrender; and prayerfully this will lead me to a time when I remember God’s righteous ways and honor Him with my righteous choices.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, help me to walk in Your ways and live in Your truth. Amen
Monday, October 04, 2010
2010 – October 4 – Hurting Only Ourselves
Study from God’s Word… Esther, Chapters 5 – 10: 3 … Passage for Reflection: Esther 7: 10 … NIV So they hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king’s fury subsided.
My Journal for Today: The feast of Purim in Jewish tradition, established by Mordecai at the times we read about in the Book of Esther [see Chapter 9], is the celebration of the deliverance God provided for His people through the courage and actions of Queen Esther. But in the events which transpired to overcome the evil Haman almost perpetrated on God’s people, there is an ironic turn-about which is chronicled in this portion of Scripture which gives us a lesson in humanity as we seek Godliness.
We find that rather comical (if it weren’t so tragic) event in today’s highlight passage where Haman was lynched to death on the very gallows he had had constructed for Mordecai to begin the planned holocaust of the Jews. And discovering that Haman was going to hang the very man, Mordecai, who had saved the life of King Xerxes, the king used that very gallows to string up Haman. And as Dr. Smith points out, it can be the case that our attempts to hurt others, possibly with gossip or some other malicious intent, can be turned on us and we end up “hanging ourselves.” As Dr. Smith points out, That’s why the Bible is so sensible … [with] many admonitions to self-control, tolerance, and forgiveness.”
It’s easy to point fingers at the faults of others; but there’s an old saying, which I learned years ago. “When you point a finger at someone else, there are three of your own fingers pointing right back at you.” So, … we need to be careful that our singling out evil in our culture – which we certainly need to do – is not a desire to hide something within ourselves which is sorely lacking or evil itself.
Being in the ministry in which God has led me to lead, where we try to help Christian men who’ve gotten themselves trapped by their own sexual desires, we’ve seen a number of so-called “Christian leaders,” who’ve spoken out loudly in public against sexual sin of various types, themselves be uncovered being deeply into the same sexual and lustful traps. And these men, who’ve stood publically for sexual purity, hang themselves on the same social gallows to which they had built to call attention to others who had fallen into sexual sin. And in the process, the kingdom of God is set back by their breech of Christian self-control.
So, … like the drunk who avoids going into bars for personal entertainment, I’m very careful about pointing fingers toward others who are uncovered into one form of habitual sin or another; because I realize my own proclivities and weaknesses for which I must humbly seek God’s enabling grace to walk in HIS purity and HIS strength. So, beware of pointing your finger of blame at others, lest you reveal yourself, pointing back at yourself.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, You know that my past points me only to You for deliverance and strength. Amen
My Journal for Today: The feast of Purim in Jewish tradition, established by Mordecai at the times we read about in the Book of Esther [see Chapter 9], is the celebration of the deliverance God provided for His people through the courage and actions of Queen Esther. But in the events which transpired to overcome the evil Haman almost perpetrated on God’s people, there is an ironic turn-about which is chronicled in this portion of Scripture which gives us a lesson in humanity as we seek Godliness.
We find that rather comical (if it weren’t so tragic) event in today’s highlight passage where Haman was lynched to death on the very gallows he had had constructed for Mordecai to begin the planned holocaust of the Jews. And discovering that Haman was going to hang the very man, Mordecai, who had saved the life of King Xerxes, the king used that very gallows to string up Haman. And as Dr. Smith points out, it can be the case that our attempts to hurt others, possibly with gossip or some other malicious intent, can be turned on us and we end up “hanging ourselves.” As Dr. Smith points out, That’s why the Bible is so sensible … [with] many admonitions to self-control, tolerance, and forgiveness.”
It’s easy to point fingers at the faults of others; but there’s an old saying, which I learned years ago. “When you point a finger at someone else, there are three of your own fingers pointing right back at you.” So, … we need to be careful that our singling out evil in our culture – which we certainly need to do – is not a desire to hide something within ourselves which is sorely lacking or evil itself.
Being in the ministry in which God has led me to lead, where we try to help Christian men who’ve gotten themselves trapped by their own sexual desires, we’ve seen a number of so-called “Christian leaders,” who’ve spoken out loudly in public against sexual sin of various types, themselves be uncovered being deeply into the same sexual and lustful traps. And these men, who’ve stood publically for sexual purity, hang themselves on the same social gallows to which they had built to call attention to others who had fallen into sexual sin. And in the process, the kingdom of God is set back by their breech of Christian self-control.
So, … like the drunk who avoids going into bars for personal entertainment, I’m very careful about pointing fingers toward others who are uncovered into one form of habitual sin or another; because I realize my own proclivities and weaknesses for which I must humbly seek God’s enabling grace to walk in HIS purity and HIS strength. So, beware of pointing your finger of blame at others, lest you reveal yourself, pointing back at yourself.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, You know that my past points me only to You for deliverance and strength. Amen
Sunday, October 03, 2010
2010 – October 3 – A Twofold Tale of Courage
Study from God’s Word… Esther, Chapters 1 – 4 … Passage for Reflection: Esther 1: 12 … NIV But when the attendants delivered the King’s command, Queen Vashti refused to come. Then the King became furious and burned with anger.
My Journal for Today: I would expect that others reading along with me, like myself, have read the intriguing story of Esther before in your Bible studies. It is a wonderful story of political intrigue and personal spiritual character on the part of the main heroine of the story, the Jewess, Esther. But there is another precursor to Esther’s story, another courageous sub-heroine, whose story should not be lost in the focus on our Hebrew heroine; and that is the story of the King Xerxes’ bride, Vashti.
Here was a Queen who was obviously a beautiful lady and a highly respected queen in the court of King Xerxes. And she receives a summons from the King to appear before the court in the midst of drunken revelry where the king wants to show off the beauty of his queen; and she flat refuses to be degraded in this way. Well, the rest is history; and though the kind displays a bit of a soft side banishing his queen instead of having her beheaded or killed in some public execution, she still loses all access to the finery of being the queen because of her integrity. And we shouldn’t lose sight of the character lesson of this fine woman; and who knows [?], … perhaps her model might have influenced our heroine, Esther, who later would be called on to confront the king for the glory of God.
The application question from Dr. Smith in this morning’s devotional highlight is this: ”Am I sufficiently courageous to do the right thing even when the consequences are potentially disastrous?” And here we all have to do our own 2nd Cor. 13: 5 [linked for study] inventory of faith. And I don’t know what our individual confrontations of character might be. Perhaps you might be called to do the “right thing” at work by refusing to buckle to corporate pressures when your job might be on the line for such an action. Perhaps there are friends at work or in your social circles who mock God openly; and you might be called on to stand in the gap for your faith and confront your “friends” about their disbelief. Maybe there are those who are declaring that abortion is okay or “gay marriage” should be allowed; and you can’t stand back in the shadows any longer and let such opinions go unchallenged … even though the results may be being socially ostracized.
The lessons of Queen Vashti in today’s text, and later Queen Esther, tell us that character matters, especially when the prevailing politically correct forces are spitting in the face of Godly values. When – and how – we might be called on to stand up for our faith, I don’t know. But I do know we certainly have ample biblical examples; and two of them are being brought to our attention by studying the book of Esther. Had it not been for the courage of Queen Vashti, the later courage of Esther to save her people from a holocaust of horror would have not taken place; and so we get a two-for-one lesson in female courage and Godly honor by seeing how these two women stood up to the male dominant powers of the day.
Hooray for Queen Vashti; and hooray for those who stand in the gap for Godly values today!
My Prayer for Today: Lord, give me the courage to be like Queen Vashti or Esther when I’m confronted by ungodliness in my life. Amen
My Journal for Today: I would expect that others reading along with me, like myself, have read the intriguing story of Esther before in your Bible studies. It is a wonderful story of political intrigue and personal spiritual character on the part of the main heroine of the story, the Jewess, Esther. But there is another precursor to Esther’s story, another courageous sub-heroine, whose story should not be lost in the focus on our Hebrew heroine; and that is the story of the King Xerxes’ bride, Vashti.
Here was a Queen who was obviously a beautiful lady and a highly respected queen in the court of King Xerxes. And she receives a summons from the King to appear before the court in the midst of drunken revelry where the king wants to show off the beauty of his queen; and she flat refuses to be degraded in this way. Well, the rest is history; and though the kind displays a bit of a soft side banishing his queen instead of having her beheaded or killed in some public execution, she still loses all access to the finery of being the queen because of her integrity. And we shouldn’t lose sight of the character lesson of this fine woman; and who knows [?], … perhaps her model might have influenced our heroine, Esther, who later would be called on to confront the king for the glory of God.
The application question from Dr. Smith in this morning’s devotional highlight is this: ”Am I sufficiently courageous to do the right thing even when the consequences are potentially disastrous?” And here we all have to do our own 2nd Cor. 13: 5 [linked for study] inventory of faith. And I don’t know what our individual confrontations of character might be. Perhaps you might be called to do the “right thing” at work by refusing to buckle to corporate pressures when your job might be on the line for such an action. Perhaps there are friends at work or in your social circles who mock God openly; and you might be called on to stand in the gap for your faith and confront your “friends” about their disbelief. Maybe there are those who are declaring that abortion is okay or “gay marriage” should be allowed; and you can’t stand back in the shadows any longer and let such opinions go unchallenged … even though the results may be being socially ostracized.
The lessons of Queen Vashti in today’s text, and later Queen Esther, tell us that character matters, especially when the prevailing politically correct forces are spitting in the face of Godly values. When – and how – we might be called on to stand up for our faith, I don’t know. But I do know we certainly have ample biblical examples; and two of them are being brought to our attention by studying the book of Esther. Had it not been for the courage of Queen Vashti, the later courage of Esther to save her people from a holocaust of horror would have not taken place; and so we get a two-for-one lesson in female courage and Godly honor by seeing how these two women stood up to the male dominant powers of the day.
Hooray for Queen Vashti; and hooray for those who stand in the gap for Godly values today!
My Prayer for Today: Lord, give me the courage to be like Queen Vashti or Esther when I’m confronted by ungodliness in my life. Amen
Saturday, October 02, 2010
2010 – October 2 – Inviting Bells
Study from God’s Word… Zechariah, Chapters 9 - 14 … Passage for Reflection: Zechariah 14: 20 … NIV 20 On that day HOLY TO THE LORD will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, and the cooking pots in the LORD's house will be like the sacred bowls in front of the altar.
My Journal for Today: In these OT chapters, Zechariah is given two oracle prophesies involving the re-gathering of God’s people into the promised land and the coming death of The Messiah, which will bring salvation to the world. And in these prophetic pictures we see that the spiritual significance of “bells” in God’s word. The original context of bells in Scripture, as Dr. LaGard Smith points out in today’s devotional, were the bells worn by Aaron as he entered the Holy of Holies to announce his entrance into God’s presence. In today’s context, the bells show that God is announcing HIS presence to His people, especially since there is no need for mankind to go to a special place to find God or have a priest intervene on behalf of God’s children.
I hope we always recognize, and never lose our sense of gratitude, for what our Lord has done to give us direct access to Him through His Spirit. And here I am today – this very morning – here in my own holy of holies, sharing time and presence with the God of the Universe, … my Lord and Savior. I don’t have to go to the Temple because my heart is His Temple. I don’t have to let a worldly priest intervene for me to sacrifice a spotless lamb for me; because My Lord was/is the Lamb of God Who shed His blood for the remission of my sins. And so, here I am, in the very presence of God, listening for His Spirit touch my soul with His word and to impart His very mind into my life.
How great is that?! And I don’t think I need to go on here to dwell with words on this wonderful relationship I’ve been given just by my faith in the wondrous sacrifice of my Lord and Savior.
My Prayer for Today: All I can meekly muster is a sincere HALLELUJAH, dear Lord. Amen
My Journal for Today: In these OT chapters, Zechariah is given two oracle prophesies involving the re-gathering of God’s people into the promised land and the coming death of The Messiah, which will bring salvation to the world. And in these prophetic pictures we see that the spiritual significance of “bells” in God’s word. The original context of bells in Scripture, as Dr. LaGard Smith points out in today’s devotional, were the bells worn by Aaron as he entered the Holy of Holies to announce his entrance into God’s presence. In today’s context, the bells show that God is announcing HIS presence to His people, especially since there is no need for mankind to go to a special place to find God or have a priest intervene on behalf of God’s children.
I hope we always recognize, and never lose our sense of gratitude, for what our Lord has done to give us direct access to Him through His Spirit. And here I am today – this very morning – here in my own holy of holies, sharing time and presence with the God of the Universe, … my Lord and Savior. I don’t have to go to the Temple because my heart is His Temple. I don’t have to let a worldly priest intervene for me to sacrifice a spotless lamb for me; because My Lord was/is the Lamb of God Who shed His blood for the remission of my sins. And so, here I am, in the very presence of God, listening for His Spirit touch my soul with His word and to impart His very mind into my life.
How great is that?! And I don’t think I need to go on here to dwell with words on this wonderful relationship I’ve been given just by my faith in the wondrous sacrifice of my Lord and Savior.
My Prayer for Today: All I can meekly muster is a sincere HALLELUJAH, dear Lord. Amen
Friday, October 01, 2010
2010 – October 1 – Sowing Tears of Joy
October, 2010
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Blogger Bill's Note: This morning's message and devotional seemed very pointed to me in timing and personal pertinence. I hope it means something to you as well.
Study from God’s Word… Psalms 126, 128, 132, 147, and 149 … Passage for Reflection: Psalm 126: 5 – 6 … NIV Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.
My Journal for Today: You’ve heard it before, … “No pain, … no gain!” And to some extent it’s true. Those who’ve experienced a lot of pain in life and have recovered to become a better person know the truth in this old saying. It is a truism; but, as Dr. Smith points out in his devotional for today, some people never come out of the pain and realize the gain. And then there is the matter of what it seems like when one is in the midst of the pain. Don’t you agree that it’s hard to see the truth of Romans 8: 28 when one is going through the pain of chemotherapy and lives under the cloud of a terminal diagnosis.
It’s easy to see the gain which comes from pain in retrospect; but in the midst of the pain, it sometimes becomes hard to see the rainbow and find the sun in the midst of the storm. But for those Jews, who had gone through the seventy years of exile and the captivity of Babylon and other nations, faithfully hoping in the prophesies of men like Zechariah, and then moving back to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple, the sunrise of God’s promises must’ve been the gain on the other side of pain. It must’ve been soothing for these faithful children of the Old Covenant to hear the songs I read this morning, called “psalms of ascent.” Many of these loyal, faithful Jews had certainly experienced the pain; … now, the remnant was about to experience some of the gain. And ultimately those who believed in the promise of the Messiah would realize an eternal gain on the other side of their pain.
This morning is the last full day of our family vacation; and we’ve been experiencing rain, rain, rain. Oh, we’ve had cloudy respites where we could play in the surf of Myrtle Beach, SC; but mostly it has been a cloudy, rainy time here. But this morning when I woke up to come here and be with God for my “quiet time,” I looked out off the balcony of our 10th floor condo and noted that the sun was rising to what would be a blue sky [see foto below]. And then, as God’s timing would have it, I was brought to the words and truth of today’s highlight text; and I realized that God was saying to me, … “Bill, there will always be a sunrise, even when you have trouble seeing it; and if you stay faithful with Me long enough, My sunrises will one day bring you a Light which makes up for all the storms of life.”
And all I could say, looking at the sun rising so beautifully over the surf, was “… Lord, thank You for Your gain which always follows the pain.”
My Prayer for Today: Hallelujah; and praise You, Lord. Amen
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Blogger Bill's Note: This morning's message and devotional seemed very pointed to me in timing and personal pertinence. I hope it means something to you as well.
Study from God’s Word… Psalms 126, 128, 132, 147, and 149 … Passage for Reflection: Psalm 126: 5 – 6 … NIV Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.
My Journal for Today: You’ve heard it before, … “No pain, … no gain!” And to some extent it’s true. Those who’ve experienced a lot of pain in life and have recovered to become a better person know the truth in this old saying. It is a truism; but, as Dr. Smith points out in his devotional for today, some people never come out of the pain and realize the gain. And then there is the matter of what it seems like when one is in the midst of the pain. Don’t you agree that it’s hard to see the truth of Romans 8: 28 when one is going through the pain of chemotherapy and lives under the cloud of a terminal diagnosis.
It’s easy to see the gain which comes from pain in retrospect; but in the midst of the pain, it sometimes becomes hard to see the rainbow and find the sun in the midst of the storm. But for those Jews, who had gone through the seventy years of exile and the captivity of Babylon and other nations, faithfully hoping in the prophesies of men like Zechariah, and then moving back to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple, the sunrise of God’s promises must’ve been the gain on the other side of pain. It must’ve been soothing for these faithful children of the Old Covenant to hear the songs I read this morning, called “psalms of ascent.” Many of these loyal, faithful Jews had certainly experienced the pain; … now, the remnant was about to experience some of the gain. And ultimately those who believed in the promise of the Messiah would realize an eternal gain on the other side of their pain.
This morning is the last full day of our family vacation; and we’ve been experiencing rain, rain, rain. Oh, we’ve had cloudy respites where we could play in the surf of Myrtle Beach, SC; but mostly it has been a cloudy, rainy time here. But this morning when I woke up to come here and be with God for my “quiet time,” I looked out off the balcony of our 10th floor condo and noted that the sun was rising to what would be a blue sky [see foto below]. And then, as God’s timing would have it, I was brought to the words and truth of today’s highlight text; and I realized that God was saying to me, … “Bill, there will always be a sunrise, even when you have trouble seeing it; and if you stay faithful with Me long enough, My sunrises will one day bring you a Light which makes up for all the storms of life.”
And all I could say, looking at the sun rising so beautifully over the surf, was “… Lord, thank You for Your gain which always follows the pain.”
My Prayer for Today: Hallelujah; and praise You, Lord. Amen
Thursday, September 30, 2010
2010 – September 30 – The Day of Salvation
Study from God’s Word… Psalms 107, 116, 118, 125 … Passage for Reflection: Psalm 118: 22 – 24 … NIV The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
My Journal for Today: I’m on vacation with my family in a beautiful condo on the beach in Myrtle Beach, SC. As God’s providence would have it, tropical depression, “Nicole,” has been delivered by God to meander up the east coast, dumping water and giving us blustery winds during our vacation. Somehow the familiar words of today’s salvation song, “This is the day the LORD has made,” don’t come to my mind so easily; but it’s true, of course.
This morning as I rose in anticipation of what God would give me for my devotional from His word, I was directed to this old, familiar, refrain from Psalm 118; and, of course, we have to recognize that every day is a day that the LORD has made; and we should rejoice and be glad in it … rain or shine.
Why? Well, if you look at the historical context of these words, they are in a song, along with a number of other post exilic psalms, which celebrated the Jews being delivered from captivity and the restoration of God’s Temple. As other words in Psalm 118 ring out, “Let Israel say, ‘His love endures forever.’ ” And in that vein, every day that a believer acknowledges that God has set down His capstone for the foundation of salvation for His people; and we who believe on that Capstone, Jesus Christ, and what He did on that most powerful of days on that cross, can – and should – declare with joy, “That was THE day that the LORD made for my (and your) salvation; … let us rejoice and be glad in it!”
And Dr. Smith is right on with his truth that there are actually three capstone days to which we, who believe on Jesus as Lord and Savior, can claim as days the LORD has made. There is that day to which I just referred in which Jesus, the Christ, died to set the captives free. Secondly, there is that wonderful day when, in my brokenness, I believed in day number one and acknowledged Christ as my Lord and Savior. And there is day number three yet to come, when our LORD will come again for His Bride and take us to be with Him forever. And to any of these days we can, or most certainly should, declare, “This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
So, Dr. Smith is also right when he writes that any day, no matter how dreary or circumstantially overwhelming it may seem, is a day when, if we realize the context of today’s passage, we can declare … and say it again with me … “This is the day that the LORD has made … I WILL REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT!!!”
My Prayer for Today: And I say it yet again, my LORD, this is a day which You have made for me; and I DO REJOICE and I AM GLAD in it !! Amen
My Journal for Today: I’m on vacation with my family in a beautiful condo on the beach in Myrtle Beach, SC. As God’s providence would have it, tropical depression, “Nicole,” has been delivered by God to meander up the east coast, dumping water and giving us blustery winds during our vacation. Somehow the familiar words of today’s salvation song, “This is the day the LORD has made,” don’t come to my mind so easily; but it’s true, of course.
This morning as I rose in anticipation of what God would give me for my devotional from His word, I was directed to this old, familiar, refrain from Psalm 118; and, of course, we have to recognize that every day is a day that the LORD has made; and we should rejoice and be glad in it … rain or shine.
Why? Well, if you look at the historical context of these words, they are in a song, along with a number of other post exilic psalms, which celebrated the Jews being delivered from captivity and the restoration of God’s Temple. As other words in Psalm 118 ring out, “Let Israel say, ‘His love endures forever.’ ” And in that vein, every day that a believer acknowledges that God has set down His capstone for the foundation of salvation for His people; and we who believe on that Capstone, Jesus Christ, and what He did on that most powerful of days on that cross, can – and should – declare with joy, “That was THE day that the LORD made for my (and your) salvation; … let us rejoice and be glad in it!”
And Dr. Smith is right on with his truth that there are actually three capstone days to which we, who believe on Jesus as Lord and Savior, can claim as days the LORD has made. There is that day to which I just referred in which Jesus, the Christ, died to set the captives free. Secondly, there is that wonderful day when, in my brokenness, I believed in day number one and acknowledged Christ as my Lord and Savior. And there is day number three yet to come, when our LORD will come again for His Bride and take us to be with Him forever. And to any of these days we can, or most certainly should, declare, “This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
So, Dr. Smith is also right when he writes that any day, no matter how dreary or circumstantially overwhelming it may seem, is a day when, if we realize the context of today’s passage, we can declare … and say it again with me … “This is the day that the LORD has made … I WILL REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT!!!”
My Prayer for Today: And I say it yet again, my LORD, this is a day which You have made for me; and I DO REJOICE and I AM GLAD in it !! Amen
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
2010 – September 29 – Seeing the Signs
Study from God’s Word… Psalm 78 … Passage for Reflection: Psalm 78: 8 … NIV 8 They would not be like their forefathers — a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to him.
My Journal for Today: Today I was led to read Psalm 78 from the collection of God’s songs in His word, which is a Psalm written for God’s people, summarizing the many times the Jews ignored the signposts God had for them along their historical road and the many times God was merciful and gracious to/for His chosen people.
AND, as Dr. Smith, writing his devotional entry for today points out, we should not miss God’s repeated signs along our road of life as well. How many times do we need to read in God’s word how His chosen people rejected His Law and turned away from righteousness to sinfulness, for us to see that we worship a loving, merciful, and forgiving God? How many times from God’s story about Himself do we need to read that God grieves over the sins of His people; and how often do we read – over/over again – that sin has consequences?
God will turn mankind over to his own wickedness, as we read in both the Old and New Testaments (see this Psalm 78 in the OT and Romans 1: 18 – 32 in the NT); but one cannot read the Bible and not see the great signpost of redemption which God’s word presents so loudly. And that ultimately led to the His biggest signpost, … the life, death, and resurrection of His only Son, Jesus, The Christ.
And those who see this Signpost of redemption (see Phil. 2: 6-11) and believe in its message (see Rom. 10: 9 – 13) will be saved. I’m praying that all who read here have seen the Signpost, have believed in His message, and will be with me in Heaven.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, Your signs scream truth at me; and I see them. Help me to stay on Your path, always seeking and finding Your way through the wilderness of my sin nature. Amen
My Journal for Today: Today I was led to read Psalm 78 from the collection of God’s songs in His word, which is a Psalm written for God’s people, summarizing the many times the Jews ignored the signposts God had for them along their historical road and the many times God was merciful and gracious to/for His chosen people.
AND, as Dr. Smith, writing his devotional entry for today points out, we should not miss God’s repeated signs along our road of life as well. How many times do we need to read in God’s word how His chosen people rejected His Law and turned away from righteousness to sinfulness, for us to see that we worship a loving, merciful, and forgiving God? How many times from God’s story about Himself do we need to read that God grieves over the sins of His people; and how often do we read – over/over again – that sin has consequences?
God will turn mankind over to his own wickedness, as we read in both the Old and New Testaments (see this Psalm 78 in the OT and Romans 1: 18 – 32 in the NT); but one cannot read the Bible and not see the great signpost of redemption which God’s word presents so loudly. And that ultimately led to the His biggest signpost, … the life, death, and resurrection of His only Son, Jesus, The Christ.
And those who see this Signpost of redemption (see Phil. 2: 6-11) and believe in its message (see Rom. 10: 9 – 13) will be saved. I’m praying that all who read here have seen the Signpost, have believed in His message, and will be with me in Heaven.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, Your signs scream truth at me; and I see them. Help me to stay on Your path, always seeking and finding Your way through the wilderness of my sin nature. Amen
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
2010 – September 28 – Why Do We Worship?
Study from God’s Word… Zechariah, Chapters 7 & 8; Ezra 6: 14 – 22 … Passage for Reflection: Zechariah 7: 5 – 6 … NIV Ask all the people of the land and the priests, “When you fasted can mourned in the fifth and seventh months for the past seventy years, was it really for Me that you fasted? And when you were eating and drinking, were you not just feasting for yourselves?”
My Journal for Today: Today’s highlight text, where God – through Zechariah – poses a pertinent/powerful question to God’s people, also poses an equally poignant question for all of us.
Why do worship our God?
Dr. Smith, in his devotional today, gets right to the essence of this challenge by asking me (and you who read here); and I paraphrase Dr. Smith, ”Over the span of our lives, many of us have been going to church one, two, or three times a week; … why do we do it?” And he asks us to think back to this past Sunday – if we attended one or more services, to ask ”Did we go out of habit, or to be seen, or …did we go because we had great anticipation that we were going to church to be with our fellow Christians, worshipping God Almighty, … worshipping with an anticipated opportunity to show God how much we praise Him and desire to be with Him in His honored House of worship?”
Okay, search deep with me, as God challenged the Jews of Zechariah’s day to see what was in their heart as they went through almost 70 year of worship rituals, RELIGIOUSLY, since they had been in the House of God (i.e., Solomon’s Temple). And have you thought about it, “What is our religious worship all about, anyway? … Is our “worship” only what we do to honor God on Sunday and Wednesday nights; or is WORSHIP more about how we do life, trying to praise and honor God by the way we live, … not just by how, religiously, we show up in the pews for Sunday’s corporate worship services?”
You’re going to have to answer that one for yourself; but as I pondered this one, … in this one instance, I think I’ve come to realize that “worship” is more about the way I live than about me showing up every Sunday and doing the “worship gig” on Sunday (e.g., see Romans 12: 1-2). But when I do come for religious recognition on Sundays, I’m coming to the place in life where I dress up for God. I come to be with my brothers and sisters in Christ so that we can raise our voices and hands, together, anticipating that our God will be smiling as He knows that there are those present who are truly trying to praise our Lord and to show Him how much we love Him. And in answer to some of Dr. Smith’s challenging questions today about worship, I do think that I come away from our church services on Sundays having just had a time with God in the place that was built to honor and glorify His Name. And I hope that I never lose that very real sense of worship.
BUT … even more, … I hope I never lose sight of the fact that how I live my life – 24/7 – is my real living definition of worship; and as I’ve sited God’s charge of worship in Romans 12: 1 – 2 above, I pray that I’m becoming a “living sacrifice” of worship for my Lord by the way I live my life … FOR HIM.
How about you?
My Prayer for Today: Lord, may my 24/7 life be my worship of/for You. Amen
My Journal for Today: Today’s highlight text, where God – through Zechariah – poses a pertinent/powerful question to God’s people, also poses an equally poignant question for all of us.
Why do worship our God?
Dr. Smith, in his devotional today, gets right to the essence of this challenge by asking me (and you who read here); and I paraphrase Dr. Smith, ”Over the span of our lives, many of us have been going to church one, two, or three times a week; … why do we do it?” And he asks us to think back to this past Sunday – if we attended one or more services, to ask ”Did we go out of habit, or to be seen, or …did we go because we had great anticipation that we were going to church to be with our fellow Christians, worshipping God Almighty, … worshipping with an anticipated opportunity to show God how much we praise Him and desire to be with Him in His honored House of worship?”
Okay, search deep with me, as God challenged the Jews of Zechariah’s day to see what was in their heart as they went through almost 70 year of worship rituals, RELIGIOUSLY, since they had been in the House of God (i.e., Solomon’s Temple). And have you thought about it, “What is our religious worship all about, anyway? … Is our “worship” only what we do to honor God on Sunday and Wednesday nights; or is WORSHIP more about how we do life, trying to praise and honor God by the way we live, … not just by how, religiously, we show up in the pews for Sunday’s corporate worship services?”
You’re going to have to answer that one for yourself; but as I pondered this one, … in this one instance, I think I’ve come to realize that “worship” is more about the way I live than about me showing up every Sunday and doing the “worship gig” on Sunday (e.g., see Romans 12: 1-2). But when I do come for religious recognition on Sundays, I’m coming to the place in life where I dress up for God. I come to be with my brothers and sisters in Christ so that we can raise our voices and hands, together, anticipating that our God will be smiling as He knows that there are those present who are truly trying to praise our Lord and to show Him how much we love Him. And in answer to some of Dr. Smith’s challenging questions today about worship, I do think that I come away from our church services on Sundays having just had a time with God in the place that was built to honor and glorify His Name. And I hope that I never lose that very real sense of worship.
BUT … even more, … I hope I never lose sight of the fact that how I live my life – 24/7 – is my real living definition of worship; and as I’ve sited God’s charge of worship in Romans 12: 1 – 2 above, I pray that I’m becoming a “living sacrifice” of worship for my Lord by the way I live my life … FOR HIM.
How about you?
My Prayer for Today: Lord, may my 24/7 life be my worship of/for You. Amen
Monday, September 27, 2010
2010 – September 27 – Where the Real Power Resides
Study from God’s Word… Zechariah, Chapters 1 - 6 … Passage for Reflection: Zechariah 4: 6 … NIV So He said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might or power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.”
My Journal for Today: Zechariah, the younger of the two post-exilic prophets (along with Haggai) must’ve had a challenging calling, … to give the truth about the rebuilding of the Temple to a very self-indulgent culture, … and to challenge them about a future which could not be seen in those times, … a message dealing with One, called “The Branch,” Who would come to redeem God’s peoples into a great and glorious kingdom on earth.
Are you the type, like yours truly, who will slam a door shut on a drawer where something cannot be found; or possibly you’d join me as one who’d kick a tire which has gone flat? Common! Surely I’m not the only fool who’s done foolish things like that when things seemed out of control or hapless – if not hopeless.
When there’s a task at hand which seems way beyond our reach, we tend to get frustrated, which can lead to anger, … which, in turn, can lead to striking out in some way. It’s like the very human response when one looks in a mirror and sees something we don’t want to see. Oh how frustrating it can be to see all those excess pounds, knowing that trying to do something about it seems almost impossible.
So, our hopeless frustration can lead to angry reactions which point us either inward to selfish action or outward to faith responses, … which, in the latter case, will prove much more productive if we can pin our hopes on the ONE, TRUE GOD, Who will always have THE answer and THE way, IF the task at hand is in HIS will.
As Dr. Smith so rightly points out in today’s devotional entry, involving today’s text reference, ”Whereas God might leave us to our OWN devices to accomplish goals of our own making, of one thing we can be sure: If the task ahead is God’s own plan, there is no way we can fail!” And this is something I should have remembered when I slammed a drawer shut a while ago, breaking the drawer, when what I was looking for and could not find had nothing to do with anything of Godly significance.
Oh, the working out and faith in the truth of a Romans 8: 28 can be so frustrating, especially when we place the emphasis on SELF rather than SAVIOR. But when we believe in such truths, from God Himself through His word, we can be certain, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that what is going on is for our good, no matter how bad it may seem. And that is as true today as it was in the times of Zechariah.
Do we truly believe that God (and His truth) is the same yesterday, TODAY, and tomorrow? Answer that one – in faith – and we’ll save ourselves much frustration, anger, and reaction to the challenges of this life.
My Prayer for Today: O Lord, help me in my unbelief! Amen
My Journal for Today: Zechariah, the younger of the two post-exilic prophets (along with Haggai) must’ve had a challenging calling, … to give the truth about the rebuilding of the Temple to a very self-indulgent culture, … and to challenge them about a future which could not be seen in those times, … a message dealing with One, called “The Branch,” Who would come to redeem God’s peoples into a great and glorious kingdom on earth.
Are you the type, like yours truly, who will slam a door shut on a drawer where something cannot be found; or possibly you’d join me as one who’d kick a tire which has gone flat? Common! Surely I’m not the only fool who’s done foolish things like that when things seemed out of control or hapless – if not hopeless.
When there’s a task at hand which seems way beyond our reach, we tend to get frustrated, which can lead to anger, … which, in turn, can lead to striking out in some way. It’s like the very human response when one looks in a mirror and sees something we don’t want to see. Oh how frustrating it can be to see all those excess pounds, knowing that trying to do something about it seems almost impossible.
So, our hopeless frustration can lead to angry reactions which point us either inward to selfish action or outward to faith responses, … which, in the latter case, will prove much more productive if we can pin our hopes on the ONE, TRUE GOD, Who will always have THE answer and THE way, IF the task at hand is in HIS will.
As Dr. Smith so rightly points out in today’s devotional entry, involving today’s text reference, ”Whereas God might leave us to our OWN devices to accomplish goals of our own making, of one thing we can be sure: If the task ahead is God’s own plan, there is no way we can fail!” And this is something I should have remembered when I slammed a drawer shut a while ago, breaking the drawer, when what I was looking for and could not find had nothing to do with anything of Godly significance.
Oh, the working out and faith in the truth of a Romans 8: 28 can be so frustrating, especially when we place the emphasis on SELF rather than SAVIOR. But when we believe in such truths, from God Himself through His word, we can be certain, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that what is going on is for our good, no matter how bad it may seem. And that is as true today as it was in the times of Zechariah.
Do we truly believe that God (and His truth) is the same yesterday, TODAY, and tomorrow? Answer that one – in faith – and we’ll save ourselves much frustration, anger, and reaction to the challenges of this life.
My Prayer for Today: O Lord, help me in my unbelief! Amen
Sunday, September 26, 2010
2010 – September 26 – Toward a Greater Glory
Study from God’s Word… Haggai, Chapter 1, 2: 1-9; Zech 1: 1 – 6; Hag 2: 10 – 19 Passage for Reflection: Haggai 2: 3, 9 … NIV 3 'Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing? … 9 'The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,' says the LORD Almighty. 'And in this place I will grant peace,' declares the LORD Almighty."
My Journal for Today: Reading from Haggai and the younger Prophet, Zechariah, in this morning’s guided Bible study, I’m taken by the message these two prophets deliver, from God, to the Jewish leaders and people about God’s Temple being rebuilt at the time.
The message from today’s text is quite profound and becomes personalized, … that one day, though the current temple will not be as grand as the one built by Solomon, in those glorious days, there will come a day, God proclaims through Haggai, when Temple being built by the people will be more glorious for God then any ever built at that time or in the past. And Dr. Smith speculates, by interpretation, that this was a reference to the fact that one day The Messiah would enter the Temple, being built by this remnant from Babylon; and He would even cleanse the Temple for His Father.
The other message, delivered by both Zechariah and Haggai, is that the people working on the temple building cannot give glory to God by simply working there. No, they must have right hearts in doing the work to honor God with their work for His glory. And I see both of these messages as having a reference – a very personal teaching – for me, as I rebuild the Temple in which God has taken residence in my heart. From 1st Cor. 6: 19-20 [linked], I know that God wants me to rebuild the bodily temple where He resides, in me, so that it will glorify Him. And I can only do that when my Temple is cleansed and free from corrupting influences. And it should be my righteous anger, just as it was with My Lord’s when He turned over the tables in the Temple, to do all I can to clean out God’s Temple and keep it clean for The Father’s glory.
What about it, my friend[s]? Are we doing all we can to cleanse God’s Temple, … the very place our God, The Holy Spirit, has chosen to take residence in our lives? I can’t speak for you; but for me, I need to do more to keep my Lord’s Temple clean and well maintained for His glory.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, forgive me for my laxity in Temple maintenance. Help me to be a better steward of my body, … Your Temple. Amen
My Journal for Today: Reading from Haggai and the younger Prophet, Zechariah, in this morning’s guided Bible study, I’m taken by the message these two prophets deliver, from God, to the Jewish leaders and people about God’s Temple being rebuilt at the time.
The message from today’s text is quite profound and becomes personalized, … that one day, though the current temple will not be as grand as the one built by Solomon, in those glorious days, there will come a day, God proclaims through Haggai, when Temple being built by the people will be more glorious for God then any ever built at that time or in the past. And Dr. Smith speculates, by interpretation, that this was a reference to the fact that one day The Messiah would enter the Temple, being built by this remnant from Babylon; and He would even cleanse the Temple for His Father.
The other message, delivered by both Zechariah and Haggai, is that the people working on the temple building cannot give glory to God by simply working there. No, they must have right hearts in doing the work to honor God with their work for His glory. And I see both of these messages as having a reference – a very personal teaching – for me, as I rebuild the Temple in which God has taken residence in my heart. From 1st Cor. 6: 19-20 [linked], I know that God wants me to rebuild the bodily temple where He resides, in me, so that it will glorify Him. And I can only do that when my Temple is cleansed and free from corrupting influences. And it should be my righteous anger, just as it was with My Lord’s when He turned over the tables in the Temple, to do all I can to clean out God’s Temple and keep it clean for The Father’s glory.
What about it, my friend[s]? Are we doing all we can to cleanse God’s Temple, … the very place our God, The Holy Spirit, has chosen to take residence in our lives? I can’t speak for you; but for me, I need to do more to keep my Lord’s Temple clean and well maintained for His glory.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, forgive me for my laxity in Temple maintenance. Help me to be a better steward of my body, … Your Temple. Amen
Saturday, September 25, 2010
2010 – September 25 – Under God’s Protective Eye
Study from God’s Word… Ezra, Chapters 4 – 6 … Passage for Reflection: Ezra 5: 5 … NIV But the eye of their God was watching over the elders of the Jews, and they were not stopped until a report could go to Darius and his written reply be received.
My Journal for Today: Today LaGard Smith, the author of my daily devotional book, The Daily Bible Devotional, directed me to a U.S. dollar note [go get one to see his illustration]; and Dr. Smith noted on the green side of this greenback there is a depiction of a pyramid with an “all seeing eye” with the words “annuit coeptis,” which in Latin means “He is favorable to our undertaking.” The eye on the bill is referred to as God’s “eye of providence;” and the ACLU must hate this depiction which honors God and recognizes that it is God Who watches over our land with His providence becomes the direction of our nation.
In today’s devotional text we read the author of the book of Ezra making a comment, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that it was God’s eye Who was watching over the elders of the Jews in those days; and in today’s precarious and troubled times, that is a position we certainly would like to take in faith. Hence the depiction on the one-dollar bill becomes something we should probably put in our Bibles as a bookmark, reminding us to have faith in the ever watchful and ever faithful “eye of God,” Who is always there to watch over His remnant; and Who will, as He did in those times of Temple rebuilding, watch over His children and do whatever He must and will to bring about His good purposes.
Hence, as the motto of our nation appears – to the right of the “eye of providence” – saying, “IN GOD WE TRUST,” … we need to have absolute faith that God not only sees what is going on during these troubling times, but He is working, just as He did in the times of Ezra, to bring about His good and perfect will. Hence we should believe in and live by the instructions of such passages in God’s word as Deut. 31: 6, Prov. 3: 5 – 6, and Romans 8: 28. And I hope you know and recognize what is being said in these passages by God for the rebuilding of our walls of faith.
And another reason to have a dollar bill in our Bibles as a bookmark was also brought out by Dr. Smith today in his devotional entry. We so often want to put our faith in the dollar bill (or stacks of them) rather than in our mighty God Whose eye of providence watches over us. So Dr. Smith puts his daily dig of a question out there for our consideration, as he writes, ”If I am facing some difficult challenge in my life, how can I not be wonderfully encouraged by knowing that my God is watching over me?”
Take out a dollar bill and meditate on that in conjunction with the Scripture passages I referred you to above; and I know you will – as I am – lifted up by their collective truths.
My Prayer for Today: O Lord, may I always know you watch over me. Amen
My Journal for Today: Today LaGard Smith, the author of my daily devotional book, The Daily Bible Devotional, directed me to a U.S. dollar note [go get one to see his illustration]; and Dr. Smith noted on the green side of this greenback there is a depiction of a pyramid with an “all seeing eye” with the words “annuit coeptis,” which in Latin means “He is favorable to our undertaking.” The eye on the bill is referred to as God’s “eye of providence;” and the ACLU must hate this depiction which honors God and recognizes that it is God Who watches over our land with His providence becomes the direction of our nation.
In today’s devotional text we read the author of the book of Ezra making a comment, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that it was God’s eye Who was watching over the elders of the Jews in those days; and in today’s precarious and troubled times, that is a position we certainly would like to take in faith. Hence the depiction on the one-dollar bill becomes something we should probably put in our Bibles as a bookmark, reminding us to have faith in the ever watchful and ever faithful “eye of God,” Who is always there to watch over His remnant; and Who will, as He did in those times of Temple rebuilding, watch over His children and do whatever He must and will to bring about His good purposes.
Hence, as the motto of our nation appears – to the right of the “eye of providence” – saying, “IN GOD WE TRUST,” … we need to have absolute faith that God not only sees what is going on during these troubling times, but He is working, just as He did in the times of Ezra, to bring about His good and perfect will. Hence we should believe in and live by the instructions of such passages in God’s word as Deut. 31: 6, Prov. 3: 5 – 6, and Romans 8: 28. And I hope you know and recognize what is being said in these passages by God for the rebuilding of our walls of faith.
And another reason to have a dollar bill in our Bibles as a bookmark was also brought out by Dr. Smith today in his devotional entry. We so often want to put our faith in the dollar bill (or stacks of them) rather than in our mighty God Whose eye of providence watches over us. So Dr. Smith puts his daily dig of a question out there for our consideration, as he writes, ”If I am facing some difficult challenge in my life, how can I not be wonderfully encouraged by knowing that my God is watching over me?”
Take out a dollar bill and meditate on that in conjunction with the Scripture passages I referred you to above; and I know you will – as I am – lifted up by their collective truths.
My Prayer for Today: O Lord, may I always know you watch over me. Amen
Friday, September 24, 2010
2010 – September 24 – Rest and Rise!
Blogger Note: I was late today getting this posted. Actually I did his journal entry quite early this morning; but I couldn't get it posted due to a personal interruption. But here is the word God gave me today >>>
Study from God’s Word… Daniel, Chapters 10 – 12 … Passage for Reflection: Daniel 12: 13 … NIV [God to Daniel] As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance.
My Journal for Today: I’m always in awe of God’s timing in my daily studies of His word and my time with Him each morning. And today, the very day before I go, along with my family, on a 10 day vacation for some family “R&R,” I’m led by Dr. LaGard Smith’s devotional, published two years ago, to a promise made to Daniel (and really to all believers in the God of Abraham) about another type of “R&R,” which will be experienced by all Christians after physical life runs out.
In this last verse in the book of Daniel, God gives His prophetic servant a promise that one day Daniel will be given a time of REST, followed by time where Daniel (or we Christians) will RISE again. And this, my dear one, is God’s promise of the ultimate R&R, … the time of spiritual rest we will have in the Intermediate Heaven and then the time of eternal resurrection/renewal we will experience when Christ comes again for His Bride, the Church. And this is the glorious promise any believer can rest in, even here on earth, … that one day I will, like Daniel, be lain to rest; and then one day will be risen and renewed, with a new body, to spend eternity with our Messiah, Lord, and Savior.
My friend, many times I go on with a lot of word in my devotional times; but I’m just going to stop here – as I hope you do as well – and meditate on the glory of the ultimate “R&R” which awaits me as a born-again Christian.
My Prayer for Today: O, my Lord, how I look forward to both my time of rest and my resurrection to be with You in Glory forever. Amen
PS: If you want a great look at what the ultimate R&R will be like, I would recommend the following book of mediation about Heaven by Randy Alcorn. Go to this link for access to Alcorn’s inspired book.
Study from God’s Word… Daniel, Chapters 10 – 12 … Passage for Reflection: Daniel 12: 13 … NIV [God to Daniel] As for you, go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at the end of days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance.
My Journal for Today: I’m always in awe of God’s timing in my daily studies of His word and my time with Him each morning. And today, the very day before I go, along with my family, on a 10 day vacation for some family “R&R,” I’m led by Dr. LaGard Smith’s devotional, published two years ago, to a promise made to Daniel (and really to all believers in the God of Abraham) about another type of “R&R,” which will be experienced by all Christians after physical life runs out.
In this last verse in the book of Daniel, God gives His prophetic servant a promise that one day Daniel will be given a time of REST, followed by time where Daniel (or we Christians) will RISE again. And this, my dear one, is God’s promise of the ultimate R&R, … the time of spiritual rest we will have in the Intermediate Heaven and then the time of eternal resurrection/renewal we will experience when Christ comes again for His Bride, the Church. And this is the glorious promise any believer can rest in, even here on earth, … that one day I will, like Daniel, be lain to rest; and then one day will be risen and renewed, with a new body, to spend eternity with our Messiah, Lord, and Savior.
My friend, many times I go on with a lot of word in my devotional times; but I’m just going to stop here – as I hope you do as well – and meditate on the glory of the ultimate “R&R” which awaits me as a born-again Christian.
My Prayer for Today: O, my Lord, how I look forward to both my time of rest and my resurrection to be with You in Glory forever. Amen
PS: If you want a great look at what the ultimate R&R will be like, I would recommend the following book of mediation about Heaven by Randy Alcorn. Go to this link for access to Alcorn’s inspired book.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
2010 – September 23 – The Pedigree of Faith
Study from God’s Word… Ezra 1: 1-6 [2Chron 26: 22-23], Ezra, Chapters 1 – 3, Ezra 4: 1-6 … Passage for Reflection: Ezra 2: 59 … NIV The following came up from the towns of Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon, and Immer, but they could not show that their families were descended from Israel.
My Journal for Today: You know there are many today who call themselves “Christian” because their parents identified themselves as “Christian.” Family traditions can be very important to self identification, but nowhere near today are family religious ties as important as it was for the displaced Hebrew people at the time of the book of Ezra, from which today’s text arises.
The Jews who had been in captivity from Babylon, the Medes, and the Persians for over 70 years were now allowed in 538 BC to return to the City of David, … Jerusalem. This repatriation occurred by the edict of King Cyrus of Persia, an event which exactly fulfilled the prophesy of Jeremiah; and it released the captive Jews to return to their homeland to rebuild their Temple. Oh how important for the descendants of Abraham to be identified as a “Jew” in those days. However, there were many, as chronicled in today’s text, who could not prove their Jewish lineage, which would prove very problematic for these people. Hence we see the many genealogical lists in the Old Testament (i.e., Old Covenant) Scripture. For Jewish traditions, it was even important in the New Testament for God’s word to establish the genealogical record of Jesus, the Christ, Who was, being a descendant of Abraham’s, the very fulfillment of the Old Covenant.
Today, in the New Covenant, established by Jesus Christ, we don’t have to be able to trace our spiritual lineage back to be in the family of Abraham by genetic/physical genealogical records. Our way of proving that we are part of the Family of God, being Children of God, is by faith, not genealogy. All I have to do, which I have done, to be grafted into the Family of God is to repent of my sin, believing that Jesus is The Christ, Who died for my sin on Calvary and was raised again to allow me to be grafted into the Family of God through my faith in Him.
So, no one today should be claiming to be in God’s family, who is identifying himself/herself as a “Christian,” because their family were/are Christians. No, our family ties to God are established by our faith in the Son of God, who loved us enough to become the Lamb of God, dying on the cross so that all who believe on Him might be saved and become Children of God (see 1st John 5: 10-12 and Romans 10: 9 – 13); and if – in faith – any of us comply to God’s established way of giving us access to His eternal family tree, we are in the family of God; and the Angels have celebrated in Heaven over our being grafted into God’s family.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I say “Hallelujah” that I am part of the family of God. Amen
My Journal for Today: You know there are many today who call themselves “Christian” because their parents identified themselves as “Christian.” Family traditions can be very important to self identification, but nowhere near today are family religious ties as important as it was for the displaced Hebrew people at the time of the book of Ezra, from which today’s text arises.
The Jews who had been in captivity from Babylon, the Medes, and the Persians for over 70 years were now allowed in 538 BC to return to the City of David, … Jerusalem. This repatriation occurred by the edict of King Cyrus of Persia, an event which exactly fulfilled the prophesy of Jeremiah; and it released the captive Jews to return to their homeland to rebuild their Temple. Oh how important for the descendants of Abraham to be identified as a “Jew” in those days. However, there were many, as chronicled in today’s text, who could not prove their Jewish lineage, which would prove very problematic for these people. Hence we see the many genealogical lists in the Old Testament (i.e., Old Covenant) Scripture. For Jewish traditions, it was even important in the New Testament for God’s word to establish the genealogical record of Jesus, the Christ, Who was, being a descendant of Abraham’s, the very fulfillment of the Old Covenant.
Today, in the New Covenant, established by Jesus Christ, we don’t have to be able to trace our spiritual lineage back to be in the family of Abraham by genetic/physical genealogical records. Our way of proving that we are part of the Family of God, being Children of God, is by faith, not genealogy. All I have to do, which I have done, to be grafted into the Family of God is to repent of my sin, believing that Jesus is The Christ, Who died for my sin on Calvary and was raised again to allow me to be grafted into the Family of God through my faith in Him.
So, no one today should be claiming to be in God’s family, who is identifying himself/herself as a “Christian,” because their family were/are Christians. No, our family ties to God are established by our faith in the Son of God, who loved us enough to become the Lamb of God, dying on the cross so that all who believe on Him might be saved and become Children of God (see 1st John 5: 10-12 and Romans 10: 9 – 13); and if – in faith – any of us comply to God’s established way of giving us access to His eternal family tree, we are in the family of God; and the Angels have celebrated in Heaven over our being grafted into God’s family.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I say “Hallelujah” that I am part of the family of God. Amen
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
2010 – September 22 – Dirt or Derision?
Study from God’s Word… Daniel, Chapter 6 … Passage for Reflection: Daniel 6: 5 … NIV Finally these men [the court leaders during the reign of Darius, the Mede] said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.”
My Journal for Today: You may have heard the leading question asked about your faith, “If someone indicted you for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” Well, there certainly was enough to convict Daniel of his faith as the trap was laid for him which led to his stint in the lion’s den. And the point is made by the questions of my devotional shepherd, Dr. Smith, today, “What would I find more troublesome about my life, … the dirt someone could turn up (from my past) or having a faith commitment so weak that no enemy would think to exploit it?”
Well, I’ve got a lot of dirt in my past, all of which I would hope has been brought out into the light of truth by my own honest revelation; but perhaps someone could dredge up some incident from my shady past which could/would embarrass me. But overshadowing all of my past dirty laundry, I would hope that my obsessive, and even compulsive, pursuit of Christlikeness would prevail as people see the Bill Berry of today, becoming the Bill Berry of tomorrow.
You know it’s quite possible, even in my lifetime, that we may see a day when some of the stands that I now strongly take against civil unions, inappropriately called "marriage" by homosexuals, would be codified into anti-hate-speech law, making my beliefs and public stands illegal. It has already happened in Sweden and Canada where Ministers of the Gospel have been jailed because of preaching the truth of the Bible about homosexual behavior. And more and more we’re seeing forces in our American culture who want to make it illegal “hate-speech” to declare that homosexual behavior is sinful.
And one day, if such a law is codified, I hope that I would have the courage of a Daniel, even under the penalty of a lion’s den, to stand for what is true and God-ordained for our world. What about you? Will you be in the lion’s den with me on such a day?
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I pray I am convicted of my being Yours forever! Amen
My Journal for Today: You may have heard the leading question asked about your faith, “If someone indicted you for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” Well, there certainly was enough to convict Daniel of his faith as the trap was laid for him which led to his stint in the lion’s den. And the point is made by the questions of my devotional shepherd, Dr. Smith, today, “What would I find more troublesome about my life, … the dirt someone could turn up (from my past) or having a faith commitment so weak that no enemy would think to exploit it?”
Well, I’ve got a lot of dirt in my past, all of which I would hope has been brought out into the light of truth by my own honest revelation; but perhaps someone could dredge up some incident from my shady past which could/would embarrass me. But overshadowing all of my past dirty laundry, I would hope that my obsessive, and even compulsive, pursuit of Christlikeness would prevail as people see the Bill Berry of today, becoming the Bill Berry of tomorrow.
You know it’s quite possible, even in my lifetime, that we may see a day when some of the stands that I now strongly take against civil unions, inappropriately called "marriage" by homosexuals, would be codified into anti-hate-speech law, making my beliefs and public stands illegal. It has already happened in Sweden and Canada where Ministers of the Gospel have been jailed because of preaching the truth of the Bible about homosexual behavior. And more and more we’re seeing forces in our American culture who want to make it illegal “hate-speech” to declare that homosexual behavior is sinful.
And one day, if such a law is codified, I hope that I would have the courage of a Daniel, even under the penalty of a lion’s den, to stand for what is true and God-ordained for our world. What about you? Will you be in the lion’s den with me on such a day?
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I pray I am convicted of my being Yours forever! Amen
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
2010 – September 21 – The Frustrating Matter of Prayer
Study from God’s Word… Daniel, Chapters 7 – 9 … Passage for Reflection: Daniel 9: 23 … NIV As soon as you began to pray an answer was given, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed.
My Journal for Today: Nailed to the wall of conviction!! That is me today.
When I read Daniel’s contrite and moving prayer in Daniel 9, it is no wonder God sent the Angel Gabriel to respond to old Dan. What a beautiful, specific, and honest prayer it was which must’ve moved God because of Daniel’s humility, honesty, and openness.
And now my conviction is deepened from F. LaGard Smith’s self examination question at the end of his devotional for today, which reads, ”When was the last time any prayer of mine might possibly have moved God to tears (or I might add, ‘to joy’)?” Maybe, if the Angel Gabriel showed up now and then, as he apparently did for Daniel, I might be more motivated to prayer more diligently or with more passion.
But then again, didn’t God show up … Himself … in human form … to all mankind; and didn’t He humble Himself, even unto a cross … just for me (well, and you too!). And didn’t He, through His Spirit, give me, not only eternal life from my faith in Him, but also He gave me (and all believers) His word so that I would know that He hears me and that He answers my prayers. And I have promises from the OT, as in Psalm 116: 1-2 [linked], which, sitting right here today, He brings into my consciousness – from my memory – which promises that my God stoops down to hear what I have to say in prayer. And then from the NT, He promises that if I bring my cares to Him, caring for me, that He’ll give me His peace (read 1st Peter 5: 7 and Phil. 4: 6-7). These are thoughts, from God Himself, for any believer who desires to let God hear someone like me (or you); and for us to share with God as did Daniel in his day.
So, I’m riddled with conviction as I read what Dr. Smith also writes today. He writes, “Think back on your prayers. Were any worthy of a divine conversation? Were they serious prayers? Specific prayers? Passionate prayers? Humble prayers? … In particular, how many of your prayers have been deeply confessional, like Daniel’s?” And with that scrutiny, I must say that my prayer life comes up sorely wanting. And so, … now, … knowing this, … what am I going to do about it? More same-ole, same ole? Or am I going to get to my knees and let God know where I stand - … but even more importantly, where He stands in my life.
My Prayer for Today: Oh, this prayer hurts, Lord! Help me pray today. Amen
My Journal for Today: Nailed to the wall of conviction!! That is me today.
When I read Daniel’s contrite and moving prayer in Daniel 9, it is no wonder God sent the Angel Gabriel to respond to old Dan. What a beautiful, specific, and honest prayer it was which must’ve moved God because of Daniel’s humility, honesty, and openness.
And now my conviction is deepened from F. LaGard Smith’s self examination question at the end of his devotional for today, which reads, ”When was the last time any prayer of mine might possibly have moved God to tears (or I might add, ‘to joy’)?” Maybe, if the Angel Gabriel showed up now and then, as he apparently did for Daniel, I might be more motivated to prayer more diligently or with more passion.
But then again, didn’t God show up … Himself … in human form … to all mankind; and didn’t He humble Himself, even unto a cross … just for me (well, and you too!). And didn’t He, through His Spirit, give me, not only eternal life from my faith in Him, but also He gave me (and all believers) His word so that I would know that He hears me and that He answers my prayers. And I have promises from the OT, as in Psalm 116: 1-2 [linked], which, sitting right here today, He brings into my consciousness – from my memory – which promises that my God stoops down to hear what I have to say in prayer. And then from the NT, He promises that if I bring my cares to Him, caring for me, that He’ll give me His peace (read 1st Peter 5: 7 and Phil. 4: 6-7). These are thoughts, from God Himself, for any believer who desires to let God hear someone like me (or you); and for us to share with God as did Daniel in his day.
So, I’m riddled with conviction as I read what Dr. Smith also writes today. He writes, “Think back on your prayers. Were any worthy of a divine conversation? Were they serious prayers? Specific prayers? Passionate prayers? Humble prayers? … In particular, how many of your prayers have been deeply confessional, like Daniel’s?” And with that scrutiny, I must say that my prayer life comes up sorely wanting. And so, … now, … knowing this, … what am I going to do about it? More same-ole, same ole? Or am I going to get to my knees and let God know where I stand - … but even more importantly, where He stands in my life.
My Prayer for Today: Oh, this prayer hurts, Lord! Help me pray today. Amen
Monday, September 20, 2010
2010 – September 20 – A Different Kind of Kingdom
Study from God’s Word… Daniel, Chapters 7 and 8 … Passage for Reflection: Daniel 7: 14 … NIV 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
My Journal for Today: Does it bother you, as a Christian, when you see the arrogant posture our nation now has in the world and how our government seems to ignore the degeneration of our culture? And to that question, I’d have to register a resounding, “Amen, … for sure!”
Yes, I’m concerned, maybe even bothered; but I refuse to let my countenance go the level of WORRY. Yes, our land seems to be mocking the values of the Bible; and all you have to do is watch the daily news to see how our culture is falling apart at the seams. But God’s word instructs me (in this case in Phil. 4: 6, from Paul, and from Jesus, Himself, in Matt. 6: 25, 27) to avoid worrying about anything in this world; and if we believe the visions given to men like Ezekiel and Daniel in the OT [see today’s highlight text], we know that God is one day, when it’s in His timing, will establish a kingdom, ruled by Jesus, which will never be destroyed and where love and peace will reign forever.
So, thought we can be – and should be – concerned over the injustices and cultural degeneration we see; and we even should let our righteous anger motivate us to stand for the values of Christ and do whatever we can – being IN the world but not OF the world – to stand in the gap for Godly justice and biblical values. But worry about what is taking place or will take place, … NO! … absolutely not!!
We have a prescribed method from God’s truth, as believers in Christ, to take that worry; and again, from Paul (in Phil. 4: 6-7) and from Jesus (this time in Matt. 11: 28-30) or from the Apostle Peter (in 1st Pet. 5: 7), we know that we can – and MUST – cast all our cares, in prayer, on our God, Who truly cares for us.
I pray that we are avoiding undue worry and taking our confusion, cares, and concerns to God in prayer. It is only there and then that we will find what God, through the Apostle Paul, promised … that peace that surpasses all understanding.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, You, and You alone, are my resting place where I find peace in the midst of the storms. Amen
My Journal for Today: Does it bother you, as a Christian, when you see the arrogant posture our nation now has in the world and how our government seems to ignore the degeneration of our culture? And to that question, I’d have to register a resounding, “Amen, … for sure!”
Yes, I’m concerned, maybe even bothered; but I refuse to let my countenance go the level of WORRY. Yes, our land seems to be mocking the values of the Bible; and all you have to do is watch the daily news to see how our culture is falling apart at the seams. But God’s word instructs me (in this case in Phil. 4: 6, from Paul, and from Jesus, Himself, in Matt. 6: 25, 27) to avoid worrying about anything in this world; and if we believe the visions given to men like Ezekiel and Daniel in the OT [see today’s highlight text], we know that God is one day, when it’s in His timing, will establish a kingdom, ruled by Jesus, which will never be destroyed and where love and peace will reign forever.
So, thought we can be – and should be – concerned over the injustices and cultural degeneration we see; and we even should let our righteous anger motivate us to stand for the values of Christ and do whatever we can – being IN the world but not OF the world – to stand in the gap for Godly justice and biblical values. But worry about what is taking place or will take place, … NO! … absolutely not!!
We have a prescribed method from God’s truth, as believers in Christ, to take that worry; and again, from Paul (in Phil. 4: 6-7) and from Jesus (this time in Matt. 11: 28-30) or from the Apostle Peter (in 1st Pet. 5: 7), we know that we can – and MUST – cast all our cares, in prayer, on our God, Who truly cares for us.
I pray that we are avoiding undue worry and taking our confusion, cares, and concerns to God in prayer. It is only there and then that we will find what God, through the Apostle Paul, promised … that peace that surpasses all understanding.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, You, and You alone, are my resting place where I find peace in the midst of the storms. Amen
Sunday, September 19, 2010
2010 – September 19 – Singing the Blues
Study from God’s Word… Zion sings in exile – Psalms 102, 106, 123, & 137 … Passage for Reflection: Psalm 137: 1 – 4 … NIV 1 By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion. 2 There on the poplars we hung our harps, 3 for there our captors asked us for songs, our tormentors demanded songs of joy; they said, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!" 4 How can we sing the songs of the LORD while in a foreign land?
My Journal for Today: Hey, Christian! … Have you ever felt way low going to church, with some heavy burden on your heart? Maybe you didn’t even want to go to church because you were so despondent over your circumstances; but you went out of obligation. And when you got to church the worship music began; and perhaps, like I have done on occasion, you were lifted up, out of your pits of despair, by the words and melodies of hope coming from the hymns or the praise songs.
And here, in reading today’s devotional from Dr. Smith, were the people of God in Babylonian captivity, at their lowest point ever; and their captives were even taunting them to sing some of their joyous Hebrew songs. It was “rub it in” time for the people of Babylon. And the disobedient, recalcitrant children of Israel certainly didn’t want to sing; but as we read in Psalm 137 and the other songs I was led to read today and yesterday, God’s children were even inspired to write and sing laments to God, … songs which probably were like African-Americans coming up with their own laments in the 19th century, which we later knew of as “the Blues.”
The Blues, as a musical genre, was popularized in the early 20th century from right here in Memphis, TN, by the famous W. C. Handy; and it has become an indigenous brand of American music, especially for African-Americans; and even today for musicians and singers like B. B. King, who also call Memphis home base. Even Elvis, also a local MidSouth legend, sang a lot of the blues; and his life certainly ended in captivity to drugs and despair.
Singing the blues was – and is – a way for those who were down and out to express their lament; and the Hebrew nation certainly needed to do that, recognizing their sin and singing of their longing to be freed from the captivity of the Babylonians. And I, very personally, have learned that when I’m feeling down-and-out, one of the best ways for me to have God lift me upward and outward is for me to devote some devotional time to listening to some of my favorite Christian praise songs, which I now have stored strategically on my Ipod for ready access. Maybe you have some inspiring Christian music which you use to let God lift you up when you’re down. If you haven’t tried that as a method of dealing with down-hearted moments, I would highly recommend this form of personal worship and devotional time.
I have found this way of “singing the blues,” so to speak, to be a powerful way to surrender my attitude, in humility, to God; and, as the Apostle Peter wrote (in 1st Pet. 5: 7), “… casting all your cares on God because He cares for you.”
My Prayer for Today: Lord, when I hear music honoring You, I am lifted out of the pits and upwards with the hope of Glory. Amen
My Journal for Today: Hey, Christian! … Have you ever felt way low going to church, with some heavy burden on your heart? Maybe you didn’t even want to go to church because you were so despondent over your circumstances; but you went out of obligation. And when you got to church the worship music began; and perhaps, like I have done on occasion, you were lifted up, out of your pits of despair, by the words and melodies of hope coming from the hymns or the praise songs.
And here, in reading today’s devotional from Dr. Smith, were the people of God in Babylonian captivity, at their lowest point ever; and their captives were even taunting them to sing some of their joyous Hebrew songs. It was “rub it in” time for the people of Babylon. And the disobedient, recalcitrant children of Israel certainly didn’t want to sing; but as we read in Psalm 137 and the other songs I was led to read today and yesterday, God’s children were even inspired to write and sing laments to God, … songs which probably were like African-Americans coming up with their own laments in the 19th century, which we later knew of as “the Blues.”
The Blues, as a musical genre, was popularized in the early 20th century from right here in Memphis, TN, by the famous W. C. Handy; and it has become an indigenous brand of American music, especially for African-Americans; and even today for musicians and singers like B. B. King, who also call Memphis home base. Even Elvis, also a local MidSouth legend, sang a lot of the blues; and his life certainly ended in captivity to drugs and despair.
Singing the blues was – and is – a way for those who were down and out to express their lament; and the Hebrew nation certainly needed to do that, recognizing their sin and singing of their longing to be freed from the captivity of the Babylonians. And I, very personally, have learned that when I’m feeling down-and-out, one of the best ways for me to have God lift me upward and outward is for me to devote some devotional time to listening to some of my favorite Christian praise songs, which I now have stored strategically on my Ipod for ready access. Maybe you have some inspiring Christian music which you use to let God lift you up when you’re down. If you haven’t tried that as a method of dealing with down-hearted moments, I would highly recommend this form of personal worship and devotional time.
I have found this way of “singing the blues,” so to speak, to be a powerful way to surrender my attitude, in humility, to God; and, as the Apostle Peter wrote (in 1st Pet. 5: 7), “… casting all your cares on God because He cares for you.”
My Prayer for Today: Lord, when I hear music honoring You, I am lifted out of the pits and upwards with the hope of Glory. Amen
Saturday, September 18, 2010
2010 – September 18 – The Cry of the Faithful
Study from God’s Word… Psalms from the Remnant of Israel: Psalms 44, 74, 79, 80, 85, 89 … Passage for Reflection: Psalm 44: 20 – 22 … NIV 20 If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god, 21 would not God have discovered it, since He knows the secrets of the heart? 22 Yet for your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.
My Journal for Today: As Dr. LaGard Smith contends in his devotional for today from The Daily Bible Devotional, the question of why God allows bad things to happen to GOOD people is an age-old dilemma. And the Psalms I was led to read today from The Daily Bible in Chronological Order reflect the frustration and confusion of those in Israel, taken captive by Babylon, who perceived themselves as loyal believers of the one, true God, and were praying, in worship, to their God, in Whom they never lost faith.
Here were people who had remained true to the Old Covenant; and yet alongside their Hebrew brothers and sisters who had been disobedient and worshipped idols, they too had been swept up by the Babylonians and punished right along with the idolatrous and disobedient Hebrews whom God was allowing the Babylonians to act as His agent of punishment for their disobedience. So, what gives with that? If today, I live faithfully to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ; and my neighbor is a whore-mongering fool, why would I be allowed to have terminal cancer at a young age and he would live a healthy long life?
And that dilemma is one which believers in God and Christ will always have trouble answering for atheists who use such an argument against a belief in God. And Dr. Smith comes at the answer from one angle we should not forget; and his reasoning centers on our definition or perspective on the concept of “GOOD,” which I capitalized for emphasis in the focus question above.
When we think that we, the GOOD ones, are being punished unjustly, along side the BAD ones, are we really sure that we deserve the title “GOOD?” What about the contention of Isaiah in his pronouncement in Isaiah 53, “All we like sheep have gone astray.” Or the Apostle Paul, who wrote, in Romans 3: 23, “… for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” So, really; are we as “GOOD” as we think ourselves to be when we claim that somehow we’re better than our mocking, disobedient, and godless neighbors, whom we perceive getting away with their sins.
My friends, we need to remember that the ultimate rectification and redemption for our all encompassing sin has been taken care of on Calvary; and for the remnant in Israel at the time of the Babylonian captivity, it was faith in the promise of their Messiah which would be their salvation as they, as faithful believers, being punished along side their disobedient fellow Jews. And for those of us sinners in these “PC” days (and I don’t mean “politically correct,” I mean “Post Christ”), it is our faith in the finished work of Jesus on the Cross which allows us to be redeemed and saved along side the faithful believers in the days of the Babylonian captivity.
So, when we read Isaiah pronouncing his truth about all of God’s sheep going astray in Isaiah 53: 6, we need to read on to the end of that passage, which reads, “… and the Lord has laid on Him (i.e., the Messiah) the iniquity of us all.” And we New Covenant believers, who see injustice in this world, should take heart – in our faith – in the truth of the classic passage of John 3: 16-17 [which I hope you know by heart, not needing for me to link you here].
Being “good” does not take away my “bad,” it only allows me to hide – in my faith – behind the One Who died so that my “bad” can become His “GOOD.”
My Prayer for Today: Lord, YOU are the answer for my “bad!” My faith in You allows me to pursue Your GOOD to the glory of The Father. Amen
My Journal for Today: As Dr. LaGard Smith contends in his devotional for today from The Daily Bible Devotional, the question of why God allows bad things to happen to GOOD people is an age-old dilemma. And the Psalms I was led to read today from The Daily Bible in Chronological Order reflect the frustration and confusion of those in Israel, taken captive by Babylon, who perceived themselves as loyal believers of the one, true God, and were praying, in worship, to their God, in Whom they never lost faith.
Here were people who had remained true to the Old Covenant; and yet alongside their Hebrew brothers and sisters who had been disobedient and worshipped idols, they too had been swept up by the Babylonians and punished right along with the idolatrous and disobedient Hebrews whom God was allowing the Babylonians to act as His agent of punishment for their disobedience. So, what gives with that? If today, I live faithfully to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ; and my neighbor is a whore-mongering fool, why would I be allowed to have terminal cancer at a young age and he would live a healthy long life?
And that dilemma is one which believers in God and Christ will always have trouble answering for atheists who use such an argument against a belief in God. And Dr. Smith comes at the answer from one angle we should not forget; and his reasoning centers on our definition or perspective on the concept of “GOOD,” which I capitalized for emphasis in the focus question above.
When we think that we, the GOOD ones, are being punished unjustly, along side the BAD ones, are we really sure that we deserve the title “GOOD?” What about the contention of Isaiah in his pronouncement in Isaiah 53, “All we like sheep have gone astray.” Or the Apostle Paul, who wrote, in Romans 3: 23, “… for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” So, really; are we as “GOOD” as we think ourselves to be when we claim that somehow we’re better than our mocking, disobedient, and godless neighbors, whom we perceive getting away with their sins.
My friends, we need to remember that the ultimate rectification and redemption for our all encompassing sin has been taken care of on Calvary; and for the remnant in Israel at the time of the Babylonian captivity, it was faith in the promise of their Messiah which would be their salvation as they, as faithful believers, being punished along side their disobedient fellow Jews. And for those of us sinners in these “PC” days (and I don’t mean “politically correct,” I mean “Post Christ”), it is our faith in the finished work of Jesus on the Cross which allows us to be redeemed and saved along side the faithful believers in the days of the Babylonian captivity.
So, when we read Isaiah pronouncing his truth about all of God’s sheep going astray in Isaiah 53: 6, we need to read on to the end of that passage, which reads, “… and the Lord has laid on Him (i.e., the Messiah) the iniquity of us all.” And we New Covenant believers, who see injustice in this world, should take heart – in our faith – in the truth of the classic passage of John 3: 16-17 [which I hope you know by heart, not needing for me to link you here].
Being “good” does not take away my “bad,” it only allows me to hide – in my faith – behind the One Who died so that my “bad” can become His “GOOD.”
My Prayer for Today: Lord, YOU are the answer for my “bad!” My faith in You allows me to pursue Your GOOD to the glory of The Father. Amen
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