HE WILL LIGHT MY CANDLE!

HE WILL LIGHT MY CANDLE!

Mic 7:7-8

I will look unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.

8 Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord  shall be a light unto me.

Ps 119:105

105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Ps 18:28

28 For thou wilt light my candle: the Lord  my God will enlighten my darkness.

          Psalm 18 was written during the difficult days of King Saul’s reign. Like David, we too are enduring the rule of one who is inept at best and corrupt at worst. During times like this we are tempted to think God has abandoned us. We don’t see Him working at all but there are at least three things God was doing.

          God was chastening his people for rejecting his authority and demanding a king “like all the other people.” When we run ahead of God’s plans and timing we invite God’s discipline. “I will be thy king: where is any other that may save thee in all thy cities? and thy judges of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes? I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath (Hosea 13:10-11).

          God was patiently giving Saul plenty of time to repent. Do you pray for those who are in authority over you? What might happen if they did truly repent and turn to God? God is gracious even to those He has determined to judge. We need to give God time to work out the details of His plans.

          Thirdly, God was equipping David for his years as Israel’s shepherd King. It takes time to build a leader after God’s heart. It took thirteen years for Joseph, forty years for Moses, and forty years for Joshua. The lessons David learned about himself and God during those years of exile helped to make him the man that he was. The images in these verses reveal God developing a great warrior, a compassionate leader, and a godly man. Warren W. Wiersbe

          The candle in verse 28 speaks of God’s guidance during dark times. We lift our candle and ask for the fire of God to give us light. In the light of that candle we see dangers to avoid, sins to confess, and purposes that were hidden.

Dear Lord, lighten the candle of all who walk in darkness today. AMEN

STRONG ANCHOR POINTS!

STRONG ANCHOR POINTS!

Mal 3:6-7

6 For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

7 Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord  of hosts.

          God can’t change His character and nature. He is the same yesterday, and today, and forever. Heb 13:8  As we live our daily lives the unchangeable nature of God can serve as a great encouragement to us. Let me highlight three strong anchor points against the gale winds of change.

          God’s Grace never changes! In our daily struggles with sin, it is important that we remember this strong anchor point of the soul. Few of us would say that we always struggle successfully. We need God’s grace so that we do not despair.

Ps 130:3-4

3 If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?

4 But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.

          God’s Sovereignty keeps us from defeat. If He is Lord of all then no circumstance, no matter how challenging, can defeat His purposes. What looks like failure in my life has been filtered through the unconquerable will of God.

1 Tim 6:15-16

[He] is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;

16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

          God’s Holiness does not change! We live in a sensual and unholy world. We, ourselves, are unclean. Our response to God’s holiness is to humble ourselves, tell the truth, make right decisions and be clean before Him. Isaiah was terrified when he observed the holiness of God (Isaiah 6:1-5).

1 Peter 1:14-16

14 [Live] as children of obedience [to God]; do not conform yourselves to the evil desires [that governed you] in your former ignorance [when you did not know the requirements of the Gospel].

15 But as the One Who called you is holy, you yourselves also be holy in all your conduct and manner of living.

16 For it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy. 

AMPLIFIED BIBLE

Ps 107:27-28

27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits' end.

28 Then they cry unto the Lord  in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.

Dear Lord, thank you for the strong anchor points in my life. These never change. I can always rely upon them. Bless your church today with strength and stability. AMEN

RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS!

RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS!

Gal 6:10

10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

          If terrorism is a random act of hatred and violence then what is its opposite? I think it would be random acts of kindness. Kindness for the sake of kindness is rare and kindness as a lifestyle is more so. Well, yesterday something happened that made me very proud of one of the young men in our church.

          While travelling to our destination, Keith noticed that a tire on a horse trailer was wobbling and losing tread. There was an imminent danger of a blowout. Keith pulled alongside the pick-up truck and honked and waved. The two ladies in the truck and trailer pulled over and was surprised to learn of their trouble.

          We all exited at the next opportunity and Keith simply and swiftly changed the tire. The ladies had bought a horse, trained for barrel racing, in Oklahoma and was on their way to Houston. They still had miles and hours to go. One grateful lady offered twenty dollars but we politely rejected that in favor of two cold bottles of water. Then an unusual thing happened.

          We learned that these ladies were Christians. Before leaving Oklahoma for Houston they had prayed for “traveling mercies.” The older lady, probably the mother, asked if I would pray for them. So we all joined hands at the side of the busy highway and prayed that God would continue his protection until they safely reached home.

Stephen Grellet (1773-1855), said: “I expect to pass through life but once. If therefore, there be any kindness that I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again.”

Dear Lord, let me not miss the opportunities to show kindness. AMEN

SELF DEFENCE!

SELF DEFENCE!

Ex 22:2

2 If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him.

Luke 11:21

21 When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace:

          Why in the world would I address this topic? Because our world has become wicked, evil, violent, and the laws now being enforced seem to tilt in favor of the criminal. The news of a jihadist beheading a woman in Oklahoma brings the battle very close to home. Are we, as Christians, forbidden by Scripture to defend ourselves? Some think so but I do not.

          In Exodus, the one protecting his home and family at night was not held guilty for slaying the intruder. The intruder has brought about his own destruction by his wickedness. In Luke the word “armed” is the Greek word kathoplizo and means “fully armed!” The idea is that an armed homeowner is a deterrent to crime.

The highest estimate of private firearms in Texas is a little over 2 times the state population of 17 million. Each of us have at least two guns each yet Texans are peaceful for the most part and friendly. We are, however, lovers of liberty and fiercely independent. The anxiety produced by our wicked world is palpable. Those agencies supposed to protect us are corrupt at worst and stretched thin at best. Nevertheless, the believer is urged to place his trust in the Lord and to make every effort to live in peace with his fellow man.

Rom 12:18

18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

Dear Lord, evil has multiplied itself and we are fearful. Help us to calmly trust in you. Give us wisdom to exercise due caution in this wicked world. AMEN

WATCH YOUR THINKING!

WATCH YOUR THINKING!

Rom 8:5-7

5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

          The unbeliever thinks differently than the believer! His reasoning is natural rather than spiritual. The Bible says that he is “dead” in trespasses and in sins (Ephesians 2:1). The unsaved person is alive physically, but dead spiritually. The inner man is dead toward God and does not respond to the things of the Spirit. He may be moral, and even religious; but he lacks spiritual life.

          In chapter 7, Paul explains that the old nature is in rebellion against God and will not submit to God’s laws. The carnal mind challenges everything God demands and suggests an alternative. The new nature challenges every preconceived notion of the carnal mind. Inside the believer the battle rages for dominance and we are constantly called upon to choose one philosophy or the other. We choose, according to verse 6, either death or life and peace.

          The carnal mind is a very selfish mind. It rebels against every restriction of pleasure and manifests itself in a gross lack of respect for honorable things. It prides itself on being non-traditional but the reality is that it disdains law. This kind of thinking tends toward trouble and ultimately death.

          The spiritual mind always seeks God’s wisdom; always questions its own desire for pleasure and comfort; and is aware of the needs and feelings of others. While the carnal mind is sneeringly pugnacious, the spiritual mind is a peacemaker. The spiritual mind is the “mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16). It is the mind of personal sacrifice for the greater good.

          The Christian mind has succumbed to the secular drift with a degree of weakness and cowardice  unmatched in Christian history. It is difficult to do justice in words to the complete loss of intellectual morale in the twentieth-century church. One cannot characterize it without having recourse to language that will sound hysterical and melodramatic. There is no longer a Christian mind. There is still, of course, a Christian ethic, a Christian practice, and a Christian spirituality.... But as a thinking being, the modern Christian has succumbed to secularization. Harry Blamires, an Anglican theologian, literary critic, and novelist.

When evangelist D.L. Moody described his conversion experience, he said: "I was in a new world. The next morning the sun shone brighter and the birds sang sweeter .. the old elms waved their branches for joy, and all nature was at peace."

Dear Lord, let me obey the words of Philippians 2:5 which says: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” AMEN

TRAVELLING LIGHT!

TRAVELLING LIGHT!

Mark 6:7-10

7 And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;

8 And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse:

9 But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats.

10 And he said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place.

          The message was to be urgently presented! There was no time or energy for baggage because the King’s business required haste. Jesus knew that many of the things thought to be essential would only slow them down. No provision was made for food, clothing or shelter. The Lord would see to those things along the journey.

          The church has added so many programs that the gospel seems to be an inconvenient burden to the machinery of ministry. In reality we are loaded down with baggage.

Heb 12:1-2

12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

The soul heavily freighted with the luxuries and appliances of this life is at a disadvantage for the sudden movements and missions on which the great Captain would send it. (De W. S. Clark as quoted in The Biblical Illustrator)

Dear Lord, help me to know what must be abandoned to accomplish your will in my life. AMEN

GOD’S ANSWER TO GLOBAL WARMING!

GOD’S ANSWER TO GLOBAL WARMING!

Gen 8:20-22

20 And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord ; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.

21 And the Lord  smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord  said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.

22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

          God produced a catastrophic event which we now call The Flood killing everyone and everything except some representative creatures that were drawn to the ark. When the ark came to rest on Mount Ararat, God put a rainbow in the sky which was a visible reminder of His promise. “Seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” Now we are told that Noah may actually have trumped God and His promise!

          Here in North Texas, Autumn usually means a less severe form of summer but this morning was refreshingly cool and this afternoon’s temperatures will be pleasant. Trees and plant life respond to some signal from the Almighty and begin their winter dormancy. Whether it is the angle of the rising and setting sun or the coolness of the morning, trees know that a change is coming and they slowly don their Autumn finery. They are still on board with God’s promise.

          Harvest time is a wonderful time of the year and is celebrated by nearly every culture. There is time to slow down and reflect upon the goodness and faithfulness of God and to offer thanksgiving for Summer’s produce. Each season has its purpose and its beauty. We welcome the stubbornness of Autumn as it ignores the warning that the globe is warming. We celebrate the stubbornness of the polar ice cap which continues to sprawl in defiance of science. Nature prefers to smile at the white coated scientists and respond to God.

“All creation preaches a constant sermon, day after day, season after season, that assures us of God's loving care. We can trust His Word, for "there has not failed one word of all His good promise" (1 Kings 8:56).” Warren W. Wiersbe

Dear Lord, we thank you for the refreshment of seasonal change and for the promises that you faithfully keep. Amen

A NAUGHTY PERSON!

A NAUGHTY PERSON!

Prov 6:12-19

12 A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth.

13 He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers;

14 Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord.

15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.

16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,

19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

          The word naughty is fading from our language. It means, according to Merriam-Webster, a person “guilty of disobedience or misbehavior” or “a person lacking in taste or propriety.” In our text above it means a wicked and ungodly person. In The Proverbs, known for their concise brevity, this may well be one of the lengthiest portions. It describes the characteristics of the naughty person.

1. He walks with a “forward” mouth!

          Froward is the Hebrew word “crooked” or “perverse.” It may indicate a language liberally sprinkled with morally repugnant innuendos and curses or it may simply mean that his speech can’t be trusted. It may mean both.

1 Tim 5:13

13 And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.

2. He winks with his eyes – speaks with his feet – teaches with his fingers!

All his gestures tend toward wickedness. He can’t look you in the eye. He winks at his cohort to indicate that the victim is ready for the taking. He makes secret signs with the members of his gang. Every movement and gesture is falsehood. He is “shifty!”

3. He sows discord!

          Here there is a Hebrew plural “frowardnesses” which means multiple evils. The intent is to create a contest or conflict between friends that he might weaken and plunder both. In other words, he cares not for either contestant! Once the battle is over between the parties he has aroused, he hopes to gain something from both of them. He starts an argument so he can watch a fight.

4. Six hateful things – no, wait, there is seven!

Prov 6:16-19

16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,

19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

          Once again discord is mentioned. This is a person who creates an uproar through whisperings, slanders and flatteries. Please note that all of these traits belong to one naughty person!

          I skipped an important verse so that I might saved it for last because it serves as a severe warning to those who are well on their way to becoming a naughty person.

Prov 6:15

15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.

Oh Lord, let me not become a naughty person. Let me turn my heart to you and heed your warning. AMEN

TRUE REPENTANCE!

TRUE REPENTANCE!

Heb 12:17

17 For ye know how that afterward, when he [Esau] would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

Acts 5:30-31

30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.

31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

          Esau came home from the hunt exhausted and hungry. He was a man’s man and his brother was talented in the kitchen. A wonderful aroma filled his nostrils and short-circuited his brain. He traded is birthright for a bowl of bean soup! He would one day regret it.

          How many of us, in the passion of the moment, have traded something permanent for something temporary; something irreplaceable for something transient? Afterward, when the bridge is burnt, we seek passage back to where we were but it is too late. Esau sought but found no place of repentance because he desired only to change his circumstances and not his heart.

True – biblical – repentance has all these elements:

1.  A true mourning for sin and an earnest desire to be delivered from it.

2. It is a consequence of saving faith.

3. Is not produced by fear of punishment by God but love.

4. Is not short lived but permanent change.

5. Behavior is changed because the heart is transformed.

Isa 55:6-7

6 Seek ye the Lord  while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord , and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Change my heart, O God. Help me find passage across bridges that I have burned. AMEN

START AGAIN!

START AGAIN!

Deut 32:7-9

7 Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee.

8 When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.

9 For the Lord 's portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.

          When we were kids we would ask for what we called a “do over.” We would begin to skip rope and tangle the rope in a mess around our ankles or we would begin a game and “mess up.” This always called for a do over. We begged for a chance to begin again. Childhood is long behind me but I still find myself messing up and begging for a do over. Our Scripture urges us to remember the days of old; to consider how it used to be and to start again.

          What causes us to mess up? Sometimes it is our own ineptitude. We are not skilled in the task before us and we ruin the opportunity. We are defeated and ashamed so we give up. Sometimes it is because somebody “caused us to mess up.” Somebody tripped us up and forced us to fail. We become defensive and bitter and decide to abandon the effort. Perhaps it’s time to start again.

Take a deep breath. Forget the failures whatever the cause and begin again. Keep beginning again until failure decides to abandon you!

Dear Lord, someone reading this today needs a “do over.” They have failed or suffered some upset that has caused them to abandon the effort. Lift them up, brush them off, and fill them with resolve. Help them to begin again and again until failure gives up on them. AMEN

STOP DRAGGING YOUR PAST!

STOP DRAGGING YOUR PAST!

Gen 35:9-10

9 And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padan-aram, and blessed him.

10 And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel.

          The name Jacob meant “he who supplants!”  The word supplant means “one who takes the place of another by force or trickery.” He had purchased his brothers birthright for a bowl of beans and then stolen his blessing by trickery. But his gains forced him to leave home and set out on a journey of toil and pain.

          He worked long years for Rachel but was given Leah instead. He worked even more years for Rachel. Everything he touched was blessed and when he left his father-in-law he had wives, children and riches. Along the way he was to meet his brother who came to meet him with a small army. Jacob feared for his life. His past had finally caught up to him.

          God revealed himself as El-shaddai or God Almighty and gave Jacob a new name which meant “he shall rule as God.” Israel would now be his name but he must now choose to leave his burdensome past behind. Along with a new name, God reaffirmed His promise. “The land which I gave to Abraham will now belong to you.”

          Are you ready to receive your promise? You must stop dragging your past behind you. Let it go! Listen to Almighty God and let Him change your future. Oh, there will yet be difficulties but now you have “power with God.” Your next move will not be the result of trickery and manipulation but the leading of the Lord.

Almighty God! Forgive my past and help me to drop it and let it go. Lead me to where you want me to go. AMEN

THE YOKE FITS WELL!

THE YOKE FITS WELL!

Matt 11:28-30

28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

 

The Greek word for “easy” is chrestos and literally means “useful” but the Amplified New Testament puts it this way.

Matt 11:30

30 For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good — not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant), and My burden is light and easy to be borne.

AMP

What Jesus was saying is that the service He requires is not difficult to perform. This was in stark contrast to the Jewish system which had grown and grown into something God had never intended it to be. The Pharisaical requirements were heavy and harsh.

I do not know what God is requiring you to endure at this moment but this one thing I know, the yoke was designed to be comfortable and to fit YOU well.

The yoke refers to oxen's yoke. The yoke was a wooden collar-like instrument placed on the neck and shoulders of the oxen. It was extremely important that the yoke be fitted for the shoulders of the oxen to prevent rubbing the flesh raw and causing sores. Measurements were taken, the yoke was roughed out and then oxen were brought back to have the yoke tailor-made. According to some traditions, some carpenters' shops may very well have carried signs like "My yoke fits well" (William Barclay, The Preacher's Outline & Sermon Bible)

Whatever God has you facing right now is made to fit you perfectly. You have the Spiritual gifts, talents, and abilities to handle everything He allows you to go through. Therefore, lay your grief into His loving hands and surrender to His will for you.

Jer 31:18

18 I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the LORD my God.

KJV

Dear Lord, help me to settle into the burden that you have tailor made for me today. AMEN

HEARTY COUNSEL!

HEARTY COUNSEL!

Prov 27:9

9 Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart: so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel.

• ^“ He who answers before listening-- that is his folly and his shame” (Prov. 18:13).
• “ …Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires” (James. 1:19b, 20).
• “Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue” (Prov. 17:28).

We have a tendency to try and fix things for people but we often make things worse because we fail to listen carefully. We need to know not only what is going on but why. We need to understand and be understood in order to give and receive wise counsel.

People are slow to divulge their inner issues. We must be worthy of their trust. They must know that we are listening and not simply sitting silently while they talk. There must sense that we really care. If we see their problems through our own framework we will give them answers to our problems instead of their own.

When dealing with people remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but with creatures of emotion, creatures bristling with prejudice, and motivated by pride and vanity.

   -- Dale Carnegie

Dear Lord, in my dealings with people today, let me be a good listener and a caring counselor. AMEN

RISKY BUSINESS!

RISKY BUSINESS!

Luke 10:30-34

30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

          These days, as in those days, it was risky business to stop and render aid. This one who seems to be in distress might be setting a trap for you! Perhaps he is a robber or a professional beggar. Wisdom says to be skeptical.

          Yesterday a curious thing happened. A young man attracted the compassionate attention of my wife. He was not bothering anybody. He was not panhandling. He was simply sitting forlornly in the middle of town with his face in his hands. Clearly, he was in distress. Rather than approach him alone, she doubled back to pick me up at the office and I accompanied her back to the young man. After introductions and a few questions, we gave him some money and some gospel literature. As we drove away he removed his glasses and seemed to be in tears. So were we!

          We didn’t think of ourselves as “good” Samaritans. In fact the term “good Samaritan” is nowhere to be found in Scripture. The goodness of the Samaritan is inferred by his actions. He responds with kindness when he might have joined others who simply passed by.

          Anyone can suddenly find himself in need of a good Samaritan. Lost, lonely, beaten and forlorn the victim waits for God to speak to someone’s heart and fill them with enough courage to take a risk.

Dear Lord, let me be sensitive to the needs of others today. Let me not pass by on the other side. AMEN

LOOSE HIM!

LOOSE HIM!

John 11:43-44

43 And when he thus had spoken, he [Jesus} cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

44 And he that was dead [Lazarus] came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

          Waddling forth from the grave was a man who had been fully dead but was now made fully alive by Jesus Christ. He was not, however, fully free. Bound hand and foot, Lazarus was still inhibited by the grave. He is like many believers today in the following ways.

          Lazarus was fully alive! We who were once “dead in trespasses and in sins” (Ephesians 2:1) have now been made alive by Jesus Christ. Although fully alive, death clings to us and inhibits our movement and our ability to respond to the One who has made us alive.

          Lazarus was bound! Many true believers are inhibited in their ability to respond to Christ by their association with the past. Actual grave clothes bound Lazarus but symbolic grave clothes bind us. Some sin still lingers to keep you bound hand and foot. Perhaps it is a former hurt that you just can’t get past. Some bitterness lingers like the stink of the grave.

          Jesus did not personally remove the grave clothes! Instead, he commanded that his friends “loose him and let him go.” The task of unwrapping our fellow believers belongs to us. We are members one of another and slowly we unwrap each other. I suspect that, after four days, the process was unpleasant. Be patient with those you are trying to unwrap and be prepared for the unpleasantness.

Dear Lord, although fully alive, I am still bound in many ways. Send those who are able to unwrap me and let me be active in unwrapping others. AMEN

HUMILIATION OF PAUL!

HUMILIATION OF PAUL!

2 Cor 11:32-33

32 In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me:

33 And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.

How humiliating! All Paul was trying to do was to present Jesus as the answer to life’s problems and the way to heaven. Yet he was rejected, persecuted and would have been apprehended were it not for a few friends who let him down over the city wall in a basket.

Have you ever had your best efforts misunderstood and rejected? Have you decided that you would not ever place yourself in that position again? If those you were trying to help were so ignorant as to misunderstand your message and your purpose then, well, they could just remain in their ignorance. You were done with them! You were tired of being hurt and humiliated!

Rejection and humiliation places you in company with Jesus. He is, of course, the Lord of Glory and yet He was esteemed to be “smitten of God and afflicted” (Isaiah 53:4-6). Although Jesus suffered much abuse at the hands of those He loved, He never pouted. He never suspended his ministry. He never stopped serving and loving.

The first verse of a popular poem goes like this:

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.

Anonymous

Dear Lord, when your servants are abused and rejected, fill them with resolve and courage. AMEN

WHAT IS YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARD SIN?

WHAT IS YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARD SIN?

Prov 30:20

20 Such is the way of an adulterous woman; she eateth, and wipeth her mouth, and saith, I have done no wickedness.

Rom 7:22-25

22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

          Paul gives a tormented explanation of the inner struggle of the two natures of the saved man. On the one hand, he is still a fallen creature and the old sinful nature wars for dominance. On the other hand, he now has a new nature given to him by the infusion of the Holy Spirit at the time of his conversion. These two natures, or attitudes, remain in conflict throughout life.

          Paul uses the Greek word talaiporos, which literally means “miserable,” to describe the wretchedness of his struggle. He delights to do what is right. He enjoys agreeing with God in principle and in daily practice but he is constantly being challenged by the law of sin. One law seeks to liberate him and the other seeks his captivity.

          Many people use the device used by the adulterous woman in Proverbs 30:20. They sin and then simply claim that nothing wicked has been done. That is called denial and eventually it makes one’s conscience insensitive. “Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron” (1 Tim 4:2). In this case the sin remains but the sorrow because of it has departed.

          Sin is self-centeredness! Bill Temple puts it this way in his little book, Christianity in the Social Order, He says, "I am the center of the world I see. And where the horizon is depends on where I stand. Education may make my self-centeredness less disastrous by broadening my horizon of vision. It's like a man climbing a tower who sees further in terms of physical vision while remaining himself the center and the standard of reference. I am the center of the world I see." But God's order is that we love him with all our being, and then that we love our neighbor and put ourselves last. Sin is the reversal of that order.

          You are a sinner and so am I. How we “feel” about our sin reveals our relationship to God. Be very careful that you do not lose the “wretchedness” that sin produces.

Dear Lord, every day I struggle with sin. I can never lessen my vigilance against it. It is troublesome. It grieves me. May I always agree with You regarding sin. Cleanse me. Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow. AMEN

HOW TO BE SAVED!

HOW TO BE SAVED!

Rom 10:8-9

we preach;

9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

          Salvation is available to all and is offered without qualification or distinction. Anybody may be saved! "for whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (v. 13). No man can say that he must remain lost because he is not chosen. No man can accuse God of playing favorites because “there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek.” The sacrifice of Christ is sufficient for all.

          It all begins with confession which is agreeing with God that we are sinful. If we look around and compare ourselves with others we are sure to find others worse than we. However, salvation begins by acknowledging our sin before a holy God. We must agree with God regarding the awfulness of our sin and then say so! A sample might be: “Lord, I know that I am a sinner and that I can’t save myself nor make myself better.”

          Salvation is a response to a request. Once we acknowledge our sin the next step is to request forgiveness. Just ask! “Dear Lord, please forgive me of my sins and save me!” Remember, “whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved.” God responds to this sincere request by faithfully keeping His promise. The petitioner is saved and given a new spiritual birth. John 3:3 says: “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

          A relationship is established and daily maintenance begins as we continually confess our sins. Our faith and confession is an accomplished fact, which makes us continuing believers. 1 John 1:9 promises us that: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Literally, He keeps on cleansing us!

          Lack of surrender keeps a man lost! C. S. Lewis said: I would pay any price to be able to say truthfully, "All will be saved." But my reason retorts, "Without their will, or with it?" If I say, "Without their will," I at once perceive a contradiction; how can the supreme voluntary act of self-surrender be involuntary? If I say, "With their will," my reason replies, "How if they will not give in?"

Dear Lord, make the gospel clear to searching hearts today. AMEN