THE KINSHIP BETWEEN COURAGE & FAITH!

THE KINSHIP BETWEEN COURAGE & FAITH!

Heb 11:23

23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment.

           The Hebrew “guests” under Joseph’s rule became slaves under Pharaoh. Pharaoh feared the growing slave population in Goshen and ordered the death of all male babies so as to thin the herd and slow the growth. However the midwives saved as many of the boy babies as they could and claimed that the Hebrew women were “lively” and delivered before they could reach the mother. (Exodus 1:19)

           Undeterred by the midwives, Pharaoh ordered the death of all young Hebrew boys in one of the greatest post-partum abortion schemes ever invented. Amram and Jochebed, Moses’ parents, simply hid him three months. Faith and courage acted even more boldly when Jochebed built a small boat and set Moses adrift toward the bathing princess. The poetic irony which resulted is wonderful. The princess adopted the baby, named him, and promoted him.

           Not all acts of faith and courage are so dramatic. Sometimes it is a simple act of defiance; soft yet sturdy. Perhaps it simply to cast a vote for what is right. Courage joins faith by understanding the risk involved in taking a stand by faith. Courage knows that there may be difficult consequences but presses ahead anyway. Faith believes everything will turn out right because the cause is right. Courage knows that he may not win but is determined to put up a stiff fight. Most of the adventurous exploits done in this world are accomplished through the teamwork of courage and faith.

Ps 56:11

11 In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.

Dear Lord, give me the courage to do what is right and the faith to believe that it will turn out right. AMEN

HE KNOWS!

HE KNOWS!

Isa 63:9

9 In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.

This group was originally made up of members of Calvary Baptist Church in Bowie, Texas for the purpose of alerting them electronically regarding prayer requests. There is now a separate list for prayer alerts and the devotionals go out to 106 subscribers. Some of those subscribers are missionaries in various places around the world. The scripture portion for today lets us know that our loving God knows and feels all our affliction.

He knows the misery and pain of illness! About three years ago I suffered a long stretch of illness. In fact the doctor said I might have died. Beyond the physical pain and discomfort of the illness itself, there was the fact that I was required to temporarily assign my duties to others or else leave them undone. There were the sleepless nights and the inactivity and loneliness of the long days while my body recovered. I become needy and feared that I was a burden to others. I become concerned that important things would nor fare well without my personal attention. I felt helpless and weak.

He knows what it is like to be poor! The pain of unemployment or “underemployment” has brought some to difficult circumstances. He knows what it is like to have nowhere to lay His head. He knows what it is like to draw coins from the fishes’ mouth, to scrape the bottom of the barrel for meal and to drain the cruse of oil of its last drop. He knows when the rent is due and the faces of our children show the pinch of deprivation. He feels it too!

He knows the pain of unfriendly friends! He knows what it is like to see a multitude of followers dwindle to a handful. He has asked “Will ye also go away?” (John 6:66) He knows what it is like to stand upon principles and lose companions because of it – or simply to have those leave your company who expected a product you were not manufacturing. He knows what it is like to be “unfriended.”

He knows the struggle of temptation! He has felt the pang of hunger and desire and declared that man shall not live by bread alone. He was in all points tempted like we are – yet without sin.

Dear Jesus, I can face the afflictions of this day at least knowing that you know. Thank you for being my companion in trials and the abundant provision of my need. Come quickly to help when we need you. AMEN

THE HEART OF THE KING!

THE HEART OF THE KING!

Prov 21:1

21:1 The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.

Neh 1:11

11 O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king's cupbearer.

Neh 2:4

4 Then the king said unto me, For what dost thou make request? So I prayed to the God of heaven.

Neh 2:5

5 And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it.

Neh 2:8

And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me.

           Nehemiah was the king’s cupbearer, a close yet lowly position granted to him by his captor king. His life was literally in the hands of this king. When he heard about the sorry estate of his homeland it changed his usually happy face to one of sorrow. The king noticed.

           Prayer was the only tool available to Nehemiah. He was a captive of circumstance and if that circumstance were to change God would have to intervene. When the king challenged him regarding his sad appearance Nehemiah told him about his concerns and his desires to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. He boldly asked for time off from his job and building materials from the king’s forests. The king gave him all he asked for.

           Today some of you may be standing before some authority figure that holds your future in his hands. Do what Nehemiah did and pray. Then boldly ask for what you need. You may discover that God is controlling the heart of the one who controls your future.

Dear Lord, I pray for those whose lives are in the grasp of others’ hands. Please take control of those who are in control. AMEN

WASH ME THROUGHLY!

WASH ME THROUGHLY!

Ps 51:2

2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

Ps 51:7

7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

           When the prophet Nathan confronted King David about his sin with Bath-sheba, the result was that David felt dirty and in need of washing. Twice in his song of repentance David asked to be washed. In verse two we read that curious King James word “throughly” which we moderns think is simply a misspelling of the word “thoroughly” but throughly actually means to “wash me again and again” or to “wash me through and through.”

           David’s guilt was not upon him but within him and he needed to be washed through and through. He might have said: “My stain is deep; ordinary cleansing will not be sufficient.” The cleansing agent must reach the core of my being. In verse 7 David refers to the sin offering and Adam Clarke, in his commentary, gives wonderful insight into this rite.

The priest took two clean birds, cedar-wood, scarlet, and hyssop; one of the birds was killed; and the living bird with the scarlet, cedar, and hyssop, dipped in the blood of the bird that had been killed, and then sprinkled over the person who had been infected. But it is worthy of remark that this ceremony was not performed till the plague of the leprosy had been healed in the leper; (Lev 14:3;) and the ceremony above mentioned was for the purpose of declaring to the people that the man was healed, that he might be restored to his place in society, having been healed of a disease that the finger of God alone could remove. This David seems to have full in view; hence, he requests the Lord to make the sin-offering for him, and to show to the people that he had accepted him, and cleansed him from his sin. (from Adam Clarke's Commentary.)

           When Jesus washed the disciples’ feet Peter protested prompting Jesus to explain: “He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.” (John 13:10) We now know that one of the meanings was that all were clean except for Judas. We also apply the idea that saved people need to be cleansed daily from the filth of the world as they walk through it. The church, you and I, are the bride of Christ and he wants a clean bride. The Word of God, daily applied, provides that cleansing.

Eph 5:25-27

25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Dear Lord, I pray along with King David that I might be washed and be whiter than snow. My sin is deep. Wash me throughly. AMEN

NO REGRETS!

NO REGRETS!

2 Tim 1:11-12

I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

12 For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

           The Message, a casual rather than careful, rendering of this verse has Paul saying “I have no regrets!” However what Paul actually said was “I am not ashamed!” Nevertheless I can imagine many at the last day being both ashamed and full of regret. Choices have consequences and a series of choices becomes a life pattern. That life pattern identifies a person’s priorities and those priorities show us their heart. A person who claims to be a believer in and a follower of Christ yet remains absent from worship services for little or no reason can’t be believed. In my mind it is just that simple! I think Jesus thought similarly.

Luke 6:46

46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

           I have seen wives weep at the altar because their husbands would not worship with them. One day their children will have to choose to either worship with mom or refuse to worship with dad. Regrets? There will be plenty of regrets. Will they be ashamed at that last day? I think so.

2 Tim 4:7-8

7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Dear Lord, help me to live so that I will have neither shame nor regrets at that last day. AMEN

BE VERY COURAGEOUS!

BE VERY COURAGEOUS!

Josh 1:6-8

6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.

7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest.

8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

           Only twice do we find the word “courageous” in Scripture. Both times it is God speaking to Joshua! Now, we usually think of Joshua as a mighty warrior but God saw his fear and urged him to be a man of courage.

           The Hebrew word for “courage” is ‘amats and means to “be alert, physically or mentally.” It means “to confirm, establish, fortify, harden and prevail.” It means to do all that you can to win even if the outcome is uncertain. Even greater courage is needed when the outcome is impossible like the circumstance of the three Hebrew children facing the fiery furnace.

Dan 3:16-18

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.

17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.

18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

           Charles Haddon Spurgeon said that our cowardice has often subjected the gospel to contempt. His opinion makes perfect sense when you remember that we testify that our God is the Great God and able to do anything. He is a loving God and cares for his children. He has promised to be with us even through the valley of the shadow of death. His resources are without limit and His strength knows no measure. When he bears His arm for combat all his foes fall down. How could we not find courage when standing behind this Champion?

           Satan is a bully and most bullies will relent when challenged. Today you will meet your own bully. He will tell you that you are stupid and weak. He will intimidate you every time you turn toward righteousness. But, like the Hebrew children, stand up to his bullying and declare your faith in an invincible God. Let the Devil know that he may win the skirmish but he will ultimately lose the war. Let him know that you may be a casualty but he will ultimately be vanquished. Only be thou strong and very courageous!

Dear Lord, today the bully will threaten us with the fiery furnace. Let us face it unafraid. AMEN

A HUNGER FOR GOD!

A HUNGER FOR GOD!

Matt 5:6

6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

John 6:35

35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

           “I want something!” It is an often repeated late night comment that I will say to my wife or she will say to me. We understand it to mean some craving for a late night snack. Perhaps a small, or large, dish of ice cream or maybe some popcorn or SOMETHING is offered to satisfy the munchies. Sometimes we will finish the snack and say to each other: “That wasn’t it.”

           The hunger and thirst after righteousness is felt by many and recognized by few. We sample our way through life trying to satisfy a spiritual hunger with worldly fare. The result is that we are not only unsatisfied but frustrated. The hunger grows and a bitter aftertaste is left from those things we have sampled.

“The biggest enemy of the Church is the development and proliferation of programs to meet people's needs. Everyone has a hunger for God, but our tastes (needs) are screwed up. We've been raised on junk food, so what we ask for is often wrong or twisted.” -- Eugene Peterson in The Door (Nov. /Dec. 1991). Christianity Today, Vol. 37, no. 8.

Dear Lord, help me to properly understand what I am hungry for … then fill me with you. AMEN

BE A PERSON OF INTEGRITY!

BE A PERSON OF INTEGRITY!

Job 27:3-6

3 All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;

4 My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.

5 God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me.

6 My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.

Prov 20:7

7 The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.

           Our English word “integrity” is found 16 times in the Bible. The basic meaning of the word is “honesty, sincerity, and singleness of purpose. It means “being complete” or “finished” with nothing else expected or intended. The root word was used in First Kings 6:22 when it was said that the Temple was finished or completed. The structure then had “integrity.” Nothing else was expected of it.

           A person of integrity is a non-liar and a truth-teller. He is consistent in all his dealings. He is not changeable but dependable. When he makes a promise he keeps that promise unless hindered in some way from keeping it. Even the angel felt the need to explain his tardiness to Daniel in answering his prayer. A person of integrity either keeps his promises or communicates the reason why that promise can’t be kept.

Dan 10:12-1

12 Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.

13 But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.

Dear Lord, help me to be a person of integrity. Help me to be morally and ethically sound. AMEN

RECONCILING OUR BEHAVIOR TO OUR BELIEF!

RECONCILING OUR BEHAVIOR TO OUR BELIEF!

It’s epidemic among professing believers! Many will declare their love and devotion to God but in countless practical ways they contradict themselves.

Matt 15:8-9 KJV

8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Ezek 33:31-32 KJV

31 And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.

32 And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not.

In many ways we have allowed our everyday practices to push God aside.

1. We equate material success with God’s blessings!

Rev 3:17 KJV

17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

This mindset leads to strife.

Luke 22:24 KJV

24 And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.

2. We compromise integrity to achieve success!

Matt 23:14 KJV

14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

Bankers, without sympathy, foreclose on widows’ houses for gain and yet stand in their churches leading prayers. Their belief does not extend to their behavior.

3. We fill with things the place reserved for God!

Eccl 2:17 AMP

17 So I hated life, because what is done under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and a striving after the wind and a feeding on it.

Ps 65:4 KJV

4 Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.

Oh Lord, when my love is aligned with my life I can then enjoy your presence and your people. AMEN

CHANGING THE LABELS!

CHANGING THE LABELS!

Isa 5:20-23

20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!

22 Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:

23 Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!

           The story is told, in one variation or another, of someone who crept into a department store and switched all the prices on the goods. In the morning, when the store opened, customers were shocked to see small items with huge prices and large ticket items priced at a tremendous bargain! The same thing is happening to our culture.

           Our small town is soon to decide whether to allow the sale of alcohol within a certain precinct. The claim is that it will improve our city by increasing tax revenue. Crumbling facades will magically heal themselves and gleam with new brilliance as soon as the alcohol flows. Empty stores will bustle with new business and customers will clamor for goods and services as soon as the alcohol flows. Test scores will rise to new and amazing heights in our schools as soon as the liquor flows freely. Police officers will all drive new cars and the fire department will buy new trucks and equipment as soon as the liquor flows freely. Homes will be happier and churches will overflow with joyful worship as soon as alcohol is available.

           Woe to those who make moral decisions “for reward!” Alcohol is a factor in 40% of violent crimes. A sizable number of empirical studies have found support for the relationship between alcohol and marital problems. Alcohol related traffic accidents kill someone every 22 minutes in the United States and at any minute one out of every 50 drivers is drunk. This figure elevates to 1 driver in 10 on the weekends. Of all murders, alcohol was involved in at least 34% of cases. More than half of all rapists had been drinking. Mothers convicted of child abuse are three times more likely to be alcoholics – fathers ten times more likely.

Isa 1:16-18

16 Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;

17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Dear Lord, shine your light upon us that we may see the labels as they really are. Give us wisdom to choose good and not evil. AMEN

BELIEF BEHAVES!

BELIEF BEHAVES!

2 Cor 5:17

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Ezek 18:31

31 Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit:

Matt 12:33

33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.

           True Christianity does not repair old sinners; it makes new saints. Belief is not a Band-Aid but a mysterious creation. When a person is “in Christ,” and when Christ is “in him,” a new creature begins to take shape. It is like the flowering of a fruit tree in spring. First the leaf appears and adds beauty to the dead sticks and branches. Next the flower appears adding a lovely fragrance. Finally there is the identifying fruit.

           Too many people come to me asking me to remove the pain of their sinful behavior. I tell them that it can’t be done. Pain, discomfort, inconvenience and trouble are necessary parts of sinful behavior. If you don’t like the pain then change the behavior! If you can’t, or won’t, change the behavior then your fruit indicates a deadly disconnect between you and God. If you profess to be a believer and do not change your behavior then you are either deceived or a liar. A new heart produces a new will and a new will cooperates with the Holy Spirit in producing a new man.

Dear Lord, thank you for forgiving my past, participating in my present, and securing my future. AMEN

HOW PRECIOUS!

HOW PRECIOUS!

Ps 139:17-24

17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:

24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

           That God should think of us at all is an amazing thing. The Psalmist says that those thoughts toward us are “precious” or “rare, excellent, weighty and noble. The word “precious” does not appear at all prior to the book of First Samuel but afterward they are scattered throughout the Bible but just what does this word mean?

           First yagar means precious in the sense of being rare and valuable. These are wonderful things that are hard to find and worth keeping. “And he took their king's crown from off his head, the weight whereof was a talent of gold with the precious stones: and it was set on David's head” (2 Sam 12:30). Again, the word means rare like something that does not happen often and, when it does, needs some special attention. “And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision” (1 Sam 3:1).

           Next, the word “precious” focuses on the value of a thing. “How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings” (Ps 36:7). The word “excellent” here is that same Hebrew word yagar that is elsewhere translated precious. The lovingkindness of God toward us is of great value.

           A third meaning of “precious” is that which is “weighty or noble!” “The precious [noble] sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter” (Lam 4:2)? Even the death of a lowly saint of God is a noble thing.

Ps 116:15

15 Precious (important and no light matter) in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints (His loving ones). AMPLIFIED

Dear Lord, your thoughts and actions toward me are indeed precious. AMEN

IT’S DARK OUT THERE!

IT’S DARK OUT THERE!

2 Cor 10:4

4(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

I’m convinced that much of the conflict between what is called the “progressive” Christian movement and the otherwise traditional or “conservative” factions is not a conflict of methodology at all but a failure to understand the nature of our warfare. It is not carnal, that is to say it is not built upon nor dependant upon materials and methods or the lack of them.

There is going on now a great unseen struggle for your soul, your testimony, your joy and your effectiveness. Satan, the ruler of darkness, along with all of his spirit minions want to destroy all of these. If you are truly saved he can not have your soul but he may indeed destroy your testimony, your joy and your effectiveness as a believer. It’s dark out there.

If you ever encounter a demon of the darkness it will terrify you! No weapon will suffice to combat such an enemy. Our only defense against the darkness is the light. Stay close to Jesus! Pray like you have never prayed before! Ask God to bind the darkness and cover you with His precious blood. Resist the Devil and he will flee from you.

1 John 1:5-9

5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Dear Lord, I walk in a sin-darkened world but I am a creature of the Light! Help me to shine today for the darkness is very dark. AMEN

IGNORANCE OF GOD!

IGNORANCE OF GOD!

Rom 10:1-3

10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.

2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.

3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

We are currently suffering an obscene ignorance of God. Our cultural god is a consensus creature put together by folklore and human intelligence so called. There is evidence everywhere of gross misunderstanding and misapplication of the Holy Bible. Even those who attend worship services seem blissfully unaware of some of the foundational truths of their religion. The result is a gypsy stew in a troublesome cauldron.

What are the evidences of this ignorance?

Ø A world without love or natural affection.

Rom 1:28-31 KJV

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

Ø A religious system without obedience.

1 John 2:4 KJV

4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

Ø A monstrous self-manufactured religion.

Rom 10:3 KJV

3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

Titus 1:16 KJV

16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

Dear God! Keep me in your Word that I may be kept by your truth. AMEN

YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

1 Kings 19:14

14 And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

1 Kings 19:18

18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.

           Poor Elijah! He was a champion for God standing alone against the prophets of Baal. All this spiritual and physical combat was done while fasting. Yes, one meal carried him through forty days of intense struggle. He was tired; he felt alone in his righteous cause and he was growing increasingly frustrated with a God who seemed to have abandoned him to fight this battle alone. We see this in his complaint when he said: “I, even I only.”

           Elijah wasn’t quite finished with his ministry. God didn’t pay any attention to his whining but told him to anoint two kings and one new prophet to fill his “room” which would shortly be vacated. We jokingly tell our volunteers that they can’t quit until they find their own replacement. This seemed to be literally true with Elijah. Did his complaining bring his ministry to an end? We can only guess.

           It is hard to serve God while worshipping yourself! I know that sounds like a severe indictment of one of God’s champions but I think it is true. Elijah had succeeded in many things but he had failed at self-maintenance. He focused first on the enemy and then on himself. He had lost his God-focus. That is always dangerous.

           What do we want when we complain? I think we do not want help, or even relief, so much as we want sympathy. We want someone, preferably God, to say “Bless your heart!” We want a Band-aid on our sore spots. We want mommy to kiss it and make it better. This hurts even to admit it but I think it is so.

           What do we need when we complain? In a comment that is almost an addendum to the conversation, God declares that he has 7,000 faithful ones. Elijah was wrong to think that he was alone in his devotion to Jehovah. There was no stern scolding – just information. Elijah would scold himself because that was his nature and because he was already focused on himself. The information alone would be enough.

           We are not alone! Somewhere someone is remaining true and faithful to God. Somewhere someone is engaged in spiritual warfare and doing exploits. We do not have to think we are the only one standing for God. Moreover, we must not think that God Himself would be vanquished if it were not for our service and protection. God is a big God and can take care of himself. He is our protector and not we His. So cheer up weary pilgrim! The battle is not lost nor in doubt. God is victor and we share in the victory. Rest if you must but don’t quit.

Dear Lord, forgive me of my self-focused whining. Give me strength to continue my service. AMEN

FACE TO FACE!

FACE TO FACE!

1 Cor 13:12

12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

           The Greek word used to translate the word “darkly” is ainigma and already we know that it forms the basis of our English word enigma which means “something obscure or hard to understand.” We see imperfectly, myopically. The word glass here means mirror but it is easy to imagine looking through the proverbial bottle bottom and seeing only a distorted image.

           A personal God will give me a personal message. When I stand before the Lord He will not speak as to a large audience but to me personally and to you. What He says to me will assure me that He has followed the events of my life with such care as to remember every event even as I do. Rev 22:4 says: “And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.”

Face To Face

Words: Carrie E. Breck

Music: Grant C. Tullar

Only faintly now I see Him,

With the darkened veil between,

But a blessed day is coming,

When His glory shall be seen.

Refrain

Face to face I shall behold Him,

Far beyond the starry sky;

Face to face in all His glory,

I shall see Him by and by!

Dear Lord, lead me as I stumble along with imperfect vision and keep me until we meet face to face. AMEN

THE INCORRIGIBLE TRANSGRESSOR!

THE INCORRIGIBLE TRANSGRESSOR!

1 Cor 5:4-7

4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,

5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

           The offense was extreme! A man in the church at Corinth was having a sexual affair with his father’s wife. Whether this was his mother or step-mother is not clear. Both cases are bad but one would, in my mind, be much worse. The church, possibly because they didn’t know just what to do, did nothing! Moreover, they went along as if everything was fine. This prompted Paul to say: “Your glorying is not good.” Your claim of God’s glory in this church is false. Something must be done.

           The sinner was unrepentant! Perhaps because he was not challenged by the church or perhaps because he was stubborn, he did not make any move to cease the sinful behavior. A new kind of “normal” settled over him and the church. Does this not sound like the modern church today? So much of what used to be sin is no longer considered as such.

           The judgment was apostolic. In other words, this extreme form of excommunication faded with the apostles. At least that is the opinion of most commentaries. However, while excommunication of any sort seems to be absent from most churches, I am not so sure that God does not continue to practice this extreme punishment in extreme cases.

           When one is engaged in gross sin without any intention of repentance one of two things must be true. Perhaps he is not a believer at all but only a pretender or his sin has so blinded him that repentance is nearly impossible. In this case God delivers this one to the Devil resulting in torments and diseases. Ultimately the body may perish so that the eternal soul may be “saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” In this way God purges his church.

           There was a happy ending! This horrible situation in the first letter to Corinth ends happily in the second letter. The sinner repents, disengages from his father’s wife, and is restored to the church.

2 Cor 7:10-11

10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

Dear Lord, let me never be so blind to my sin that I can’t hear your voice. AMEN

SECRETS FOR AN UN-ANXIOUS LIFE!

SECRETS FOR AN UN-ANXIOUS LIFE!

Phil 4:6-7

6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

           The word “anxious” is not found in Scripture but the word “careful” appears seven times. It means “giving great thought to; being anxious.” Paul told the Philippians that there was no reason to be anxious and many reasons to be “careful for nothing.” Here are a few points that should make today a bit more anxiety free.

           First Paul recommends prayer, supplication and thanksgiving. We have someone standing beside us who is more useful than Superman or Green Lantern. His strength can’t be measured and He is willing to give us His undivided attention. His eye is on us and his strong right arm is cocked, loaded and aimed at our enemies.

          Peter, in another place, recommends that we “cast our cares upon Him.” (1 Peter 5:7) This means to toss it as far and as hard as you can. Let God carry it and take it far away. The reason is that “He cares for you.” You need to say this out loud to yourself throughout the day. “He cares for me!”

           You need to change your focus. Those who are anxious are focused on themselves. Their broken this or their messed-up that blinds them to the help standing along side of them. Try to visualize your Helper helping you; fixing what is broken and untangling the mess of your life. Isn’t that exciting? Of those words that have an “X” in them, I like exciting much better than anxious.

Dear Lord, please take my anxiety and replace it with excitement. AMEN