MY DEPOSITS ARE INSURED

 

Monday, February 28, 2022

 

MY DEPOSITS ARE INSURED

 

2 Tim 1:10-12

10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

11 Whereunto 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.

 

          In 1933, during the depths of the Great Depression, then President Franklin D. Roosevelt formed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. The stock market crash of 1929 wiped out the fortunes of many and this new deal was intended to restore confidence in the banking system. Each depositor was guaranteed against loss to about $250,000 dollars.

 

          Paul explained to Timothy that the same Saviour who abolished death was able to insure against loss everything that was deposited to His care. “Against that day” refers to the coming day of judgment. If the soul is safe, we can confidently deposit our earthly cares.

 

Oh soul are you weary and troubled?

No light in the darkness to see

There's a light for a look at the Savior

And life more abundant and free

 

Turn your eyes upon Jesus

Look full in His wonderful face

And the things of Earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of His glory and grace

 

Dear Lord, like Paul, I am fully persuaded that you are able to assure the safety of the things I value. Thank you, Lord. AMEN

WATCH YOUR WORDS

 

Sunday, February 27, 2022

 

WATCH YOUR WORDS

 

James 3:8-10

8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.

10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

 

          If you are, like me, the father of a girl then you were her first love. You are her model of what a husband and father should be. When she looks for a life partner, she will look for one like you. Her self esteem and her appearance reflect the words you have spoken to her.

 

          If you are the father of a boy then he will mimic you. He will clop around the house in your boots or shoes. He will handle and scatter your tools. His eyes observe your every move, and his ears absorb every word. He believes what you say to him whether good or ill. Day by day you will mold him to be a copy of yourself.

 

          Words have power! With them you can destroy another’s very self. With them you can place courage in the breast of the coward or cower the strong of heart. You can create beauty in the common or make ugly that which is comely with words alone.

 

Col 4:6

6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

 

Dear Lord, let me be honest, kind, and encouraging with my words because someone will take them to heart. AMEN

WITH MANY OR WITH FEW

 

Saturday, February 26, 2022

 

WITH MANY OR WITH FEW

 

2 Chron 14:9-12

9 And there came out against them Zerah the Ethiopian with an host of a thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots; and came unto Mareshah.

10 Then Asa went out against him, and they set the battle in array in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah.

11 And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee.

12 So the LORD smote the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled.

 

          Europe once again is aflame with war and our hearts are with those who are surrounded by a superior foe. We are reminded that Gideon began a conflict with a rather large army which the Lord reduced to just three hundred.

 

Judges 7:2 & 6-7

2 And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.

6 And the number of them that lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, were three hundred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon their knees to drink water.

7 And the LORD said unto Gideon, By the three hundred men that lapped will I save you, and deliver the Midianites into thine hand: and let all the other people go every man unto his place.

          I remember an old church chorus we used to sing. It may be appropriate for you today.

 

Got any rivers you think are uncrossable?

Got any mountains, you can’t tunnel through?

God specializes in things thought impossible

And He can do what no other power can do.

 

Dear God of Battles, empower the weak today and get glory to yourself. AMEN

THE ONLY WISE GOD!

 

Thursday, February 24, 2022

 

THE ONLY WISE GOD!

 

1 Tim 1:17

17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

 

Rom 16:27

27 To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.

 

Jude 24-25

24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

 

          Only three times we find the phrase “only wise God.” Paul uses it twice, once inverted. In Timothy it is a call to worship and the introduction to a solemn charge from an old preacher to a younger one. In Romans it is a benediction.

 

          Jude closes his single-chapter book with this glowing benediction which concludes that Jehovah God is the only One who thinks. He is the only One who is worthy to give counsel. He is the only One worthy of our attention. All others sit on the shelf waiting for animation from an outside source.

 

 Ps 115:4-8

4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.

5 They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: 6 They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: 7 They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat.

8 They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.

 

Dear Lord, thank you for your singular wisdom in guiding me. AMEN

MY NEEDS YOUR NEEDS

 

Wednesday, February 23, 2022

 

MY NEEDS YOUR NEEDS

 

Ps 27:10

10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.

 

2 Sam 16:11

11 And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life:

 

Isa 49:15

15 Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.

 

This general thought has been rattling around in my mind for the past couple of days. I’m not sure why except that someone reading this may need these thoughts. I hope to list in some reasonable order what is on my mind and to simply say that Jesus can’t be compared to any other relationship. The psalmist expressed the need of the orphan. David described the pain of having a son pursue him in battle. Isaiah could not imagine a nursing mother forgetting her duties. Yet our closest relationships sometimes fail.

 

1. What will I do when the one I rely on FAILS me?

 

This circumstance calls to our strength and independence. We dry our tears, and we lie to ourselves and say that we did not need them anyway! We may pout, complain, or seek retribution. Some solid rock in our life has crumbled and we have lost our moorings.

 

The simple reality is that the most reliable of friends sometimes fail. They are, after all, only human and the frailty of being human makes them susceptible to failure. The next question is more difficult.

 

2. What will I do when the one I rely on NEEDS me?

 

This is a greater strain on relationships and often proves whether love is the glue that holds it together. What will I do when the one who always lifts me up needs to be lifted? How will I respond when I must be the one to minister? Will I be strong enough or dependable? The Widow of Zarephath found herself responding to an impossible request. How did she respond? She simply gave what she had – she did what she could.

 

1 Kings 17:12

12 And she said, As the LORD thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die.

 

3. What will I do when I feel I can’t do ANYTHING?

 

He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater!

He sendeth more strength when the labors increase.

To added affliction, He addeth His mercy;

To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.

 

His love has no limit; His grace has no measure.

His power has no boundary known unto men.

For out of His infinite riches in Jesus…

He giveth – and giveth – and giveth again!

 

Dear Lord, someone today feels drained and down! Please fill them and lift them up. AMEN

LIKE SHEEP WITHOUT A SHEPHERD

 

Tuesday, February 22, 2022

 

LIKE SHEEP WITHOUT A SHEPHERD

Matt 9:36

36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.

 

          This observation was made by Jesus as the “woman at the well” returned with a large following from Samaria. Their traditional white garments made them look like a flock of sheep but there was no guard and no guide.

          Sheep are anxious animals driven by many fears. So are we! The various news outlets have capitalized on this and have become rich by maintaining a high level of stress for which their advertisers have various snake oil remedies.  

 

         

          Sheep will eat the pasture down to the dirt. They need a shepherd to find green pastures. They will drink polluted water from a muddy puddle rather than find crystal springs. Rushing waters scare them and so the shepherd must find still waters.

 

          Sheep are prey to many predators. Sheep have a field of vision of around 300 degrees. It can see behind its head but has poor depth perception. It compensates for its poor vision by using its very good hearing. The shepherd’s voice is easily and quickly recognized by the sheep and the tones and nuances of his calls guide them. The relationship of sheep and shepherd is built upon trust.

 

John 10:4-5

4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

 

Heb 13:20-21

20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

DO YOU NEED A SIGN?

 

Monday, February 21, 2022

 

DO YOU NEED A SIGN?

 

Judges 6:37-40

37 Behold, I will put a fleece of wool in the floor; and if the dew be on the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the earth beside, then shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said.

38 And it was so: for he rose up early on the morrow, and thrust the fleece together, and wringed the dew out of the fleece, a bowl full of water.

39 And Gideon said unto God, Let not thine anger be hot against me, and I will speak but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground let there be dew.

40 And God did so that night: for it was dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the ground.

 

          God had revealed His opinion of timid Gideon, calling him a mighty man of valor. Gideon disagreed with God and preferred to retain his self-loathing, calling himself the least of all his father’s children. Certainly, Gideon doubted his own ability to save Israel.

 

          Often, we doubt God because we so deeply doubt ourselves. When this is the case, we urgently and unreasonably desire a sign to quell our questions. Ah! The sheepskin will prove God true or not. Toss it on the ground and allow the dew to form upon it but not a drop on the ground. The result was what should be a very convincing bowl full of water. But what if some stranger had come in the night and poured water upon the fleece? So, tomorrow night Gideon asked God to keep the fleece dry. God patiently yielded to this man’s fear and need.

 

          Confusion is not of God (See 1 Cor. 14:33). When we are confused, we can be certain that we can’t be certain. We wait – as perhaps we should – or we act without sufficient information often with disastrous results. The other option is a “sign” from God and God is not generous with His signs.

          The reality is that Gideon had a visit from an angel who delivered God’s promise. He had the Word of God! That should have been enough but as most of us can witness, it is often insufficient. Our doubt is so strong that we need some tiny miracle. Why God doesn’t turn to a more trusting person is proof of His patience with us and His desire to overcome the enemy’s strength with our weakness.

 

1 Cor 1:26-29

26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:

27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:

29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.

 

Dear Lord, we have your Word but many of us are moving into an area of uncertainty and we long for a sign. Replace our timid heart with a heart of faith but, please Lord, maybe a tiny sign would also be helpful. AMEN

BETTER IS PEACE!

 

Sunday, February 20, 2022

 

BETTER IS PEACE!

 

          I find myself on many occasions taking inventory of my circumstances and too often I fail to count properly. This morning I decided to check with Solomon who seems to be an expert in the matter. He comments on many things in this life and introduces each one with the words BETTER IS…

 

Eccl 4:6

6 Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.

 

          We live in a grasping world and competition is fierce. Only two people prevail. One is the obvious winner of the race, and the other has simply found peace. Of all the trophies a man may collect peace is the most prized. Solomon, of all men, would be able to speak to this issue.

 

Eccl 6:9

9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity and vexation of spirit.

 

          Solomon had accumulated power and wealth enough to cause envy to cease and boredom to move in and unpack her bags. He had hundreds of wives and that should have provided enough to make most of us blush. But it was peace that seemed to elude him and it was peace that he highly prized.

 

          Peace comes when we know that our pursuits are pure, and our methods are honorable. None can accuse Jesus of anything but success whether he was feeding 5000 on a hillside or speaking with only one tortured woman at a well. Jesus was relational in His ministry. He touched lepers, hugged children, and formed a spit ball to restore the blind. He was a hands-on guy. It is hard to look a crowd in the eye!

 

          Peace comes when one’s pace is slow enough to observe beauty. No music is sweeter than the timpani of thunder and rain on a roof. No beauty is more lovely than the flowers when they grow. Solomon must have longed for his childhood when the pressures of the kingdom did not assault his ears and sully his view.

 

Eccl 4:13

13 Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished.

 

Dear Lord, regardless of my age, let me be like a little child. Let me carefully avoid becoming an old and foolish man who thinks he knows it all. Let me pursue peace and find it.  AMEN

HE IS MY SHEILD!

 

Saturday, February 19, 2022

 

HE IS MY SHEILD!

 

Ps 3:2-4

2 Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.

3 But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.

4 I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah.

 

          It doesn’t matter who, or how many, doubt God’s help -- as long as you keep the faith! David looked around and realized that things were bad and getting worse. “For I have heard the slander of many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life. But I trusted in thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my God.” Ps 31:13-14

 

          He is my Shield! The storms of life and the fiery darts of the Wicked One assault us in many forms—demonic oppression, illness, financial worries, weaknesses of many kinds. But our great Shield protects us from them all. Just as at the cross, Christ stands in for us and is able to take the fierce onslaught of all evil, sin, and death.

 

          He is my Glory! He is the source and cause of all my honor. I am nothing and have done nothing to deserve the attention and accolades that I receive. Even my most brilliant success is only evidence of His power working in me.

 

          He is the Lifter up of my head! The circumstances of life and the opposition those who should be friends may discourage me, but he gently reaches down and lifts my chin with His tender hand. He looks deep into my eyes and then gives me an approving smile. I hear Him say: “I’ve got this! It will be OK!”

 

          Think about it! Warren Wiersbe comments on the strange little word “Selah.” “This is the first use of "Selah" in Scripture (vv. 2, 4, 8); it is used seventy-one times in the Psalms and three times in Habakkuk 3. Hebraists aren't agreed whether it comes from words meaning "to lift up" or "to be silent." If the first, then it might be a signal for louder voices or the lifting and blowing the trumpets, perhaps even the lifting of hands to the Lord. If the second, it could signal a pause, a moment of silence and meditation.

(From The Bible Exposition Commentary: Old Testament © 2001-2004 by Warren W. Wiersbe. All rights reserved.)

 

Dear Lord, be my shield today. You are my glory. You encourage me when I am cast down. Let me think about this all the day long. AMEN

JEHOVAH – SHAMMAH!

 

Friday, February 18, 2022

 

JEHOVAH – SHAMMAH!

 

Ezek 48:35

35 It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The Lord is there.

 

          The children of Israel were nearing the end of their captivity in Babylon. They had been there so long that enthusiasm for Jerusalem had begun to wane. Ezekiel had earlier predicted the destruction of the Temple but now he is carried away in Spirit to Jerusalem and he returns with a message of encouragement. Jehovah – Shammah! The Lord is there!

 

          In captivity, their song had departed from them, and they were taunted by their captors. God had punished but not abandoned His people. He was still there in that place he preferred.

 

Ps 137:1-6

137 By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.

2 We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.

3 For there they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.

4 How shall we sing the Lord 's song in a strange land?

5 If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning.

6 If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.

 

          Dear child of God, perhaps you too are nearing the end of your own personal captivity! Can you feel it? There is an electric energy that, beyond evidence, tells you that it is almost over. Now news comes to reassure you that God is there!

 

John 14:16-18

16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

 

Oh God who keeps promises, thank you for being there. Thank you for being here. Let me sense your presence in my life today. AMEN