WHAT EXCITES YOU?

 

Sunday, July 31, 2022

 

WHAT EXCITES YOU?

 

Matt 6:19-22

19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

KJV

 

          The heart, as it is used here, means “the thoughts and feelings of the mind.” It refers to those things that interests us. Jesus had just contrasted two kinds of treasure – and I almost hate using the word treasure because it often causes the reader to think of nothing else but money. Let’s simply say that Jesus was contrasting heavenly valuable things and earthly valuable things.

 

          What excites you? You can’t separate your heart from your treasure or your treasure from your heart. Your love determines what you consider valuable. Is it heavenly or earthly?

 

          Verse 22 need not confuse us. It means clear vision. To the shooter it means an unobstructed line of sight. To the person in a theater seat, it means not sitting behind a tall lady wearing a hat. The idea is that, if you can’t see clearly, then you may stumble or miss your target.

 

          One of my friends, a missionary in Papua New Guinea, reported baptizing thirteen converts! Now THAT excites me!

 

Dear Lord, change my heart that I might have clear vision of what is truly valuable. AMEN

NEVER, NO NEVER

 

Saturday, July 30, 2022

 

NEVER, NO NEVER

 

John 4:13-16

13 Jesus answered her, All who drink of this water will be thirsty again.

14 But whoever takes a drink of the water that I will give him shall never, no never, be thirsty any more. But the water that I will give him shall become a spring of water welling up (flowing, bubbling) [continually] within him unto (into, for) eternal life.

15 The woman said to Him, Sir, give me this water, so that I may never get thirsty nor have to come [continually all the way] here to draw.

16 At this, Jesus said to her, Go, call your husband and come back here.

AMP

 

          There are many ways to approach this story but only one speaks to our spiritual condition. We might delve deeper into a better understanding of the geography. Doing so, we would learn that the distance from Judea to Galilee which Jesus traveled as noted in John chapter 4 is 70 miles. This trip would have taken about 2 1/2 days.

 

          We might focus on the culture and animosity between the Jews and the Samaritans. When Israel divided into two kingdoms, the northern kingdom called Israel ultimately established their capital in the hilltop city of Samaria. When Assyria conquered Israel and the result was that the foreigners brought their pagan gods to be worshipped along side the God of Israel (2 Kings 17:29-41). The Samaritans were a blended race, and their worship was a corrupted Judaism. Jews from Judea in the south avoided them.

 

          As I said earlier, the only thing that speaks to our condition is the encounter of broken humanity with pure holiness. Holiness stooped to make contact, to understand, and to feel the deep soul-thirst of the broken woman. Carefully and gently, almost surgically, Jesus identified her sin and her pain. She felt her need for living water but could not quantify it and could not satisfy it alone.

 

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, vast, unmeasured, boundless, free!

Rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me!

Underneath me, all around me, is the current of Thy love

Leading onward, leading homeward to Thy glorious rest above!

Samuel T. Francis

 

Dear Savior, thank you for the constant source of spiritual refreshment. How it cools, soothes, and cleanses me! AMEN

OUR NEED FOR SAFETY!

 

Friday, July 29, 2022

 

OUR NEED FOR SAFETY!

 

Ps 119:117

117 Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.

 

          Our world has become a very dangerous place! The natural result of rebellion against the will and ways of God is violence. We see that in the earliest days of man when Cain slew his brother Abel over a dispute regarding religious observance (Genesis 4:8). If religion can be so violently divisive, what hope is there of political contention? The most mild-mannered people today are carrying weapons out of fear for their personal safety! In our text above, I see three important things.

 

          Our cry! The psalmist cries out for support when he says, “hold me up.” In fact, the entire phrase is translated from only one Hebrew word which literally means “to support, comfort, and establish.” We may not formally make that cry to God. We may not even be openly aware of our need, but the deep cry of our heart is for a support system beyond ourselves.

 

          Our need! The word “safe” here means “to be open, wide, or free.” I’m a Texan and when I think of this I can’t help thinking about the song “Don’t fence me in.” Safety is more than the need to feel that there is no danger nearby. It is the freedom that accompanies it that we need. If slavery is the price of safety, then we have made a very bad trade.

 

          Our response! When we cry out to God and He saves us, our natural response is to have regard for his appointments and commandments. We are inclined to do what He requires.

 

Dear Lord, we are not safe in this world, but you have made us safe in your loving care. Hold us up, Lord and we will respond in grateful obedience. AMEN

WITH HIS STRIPES

 

Thursday, July 28, 2022

 

WITH HIS STRIPES

 

Isa 53:5

5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole.

AMP

 

          God gives to doctors marvelous skills. They prescribe, cut and suture but all healing is from above. The apothecary mixes and pours and his powders and ointments bringing comfort but all soothing is from above.

 

          God feels our pain and is acquainted with our grief. Heb 4:15 “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”

 

          He, the Good Samaritan, sees us wounded and abandoned and bends to refresh and anoint us with oil and wine. He caries us to a place of safety and comfort. He pays the fees and promises to return. We recover and wait.

 

Ps 98:1

98 O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.

 

Dear Lord, bring healing to your wounded lambs. Your stripes and bruises have purchased all we need. Soothe and comfort those who have been wounded and abandoned. We wait for your return and our complete healing, O Lord of hosts. AMEN

NO CONDEMNATION!

 

Wednesday, July 27, 2022

 

NO CONDEMNATION!

 

John 8:10-11

10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?

11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

 

          The Temple! What a place to have your sins discovered! Yet it was in this hallowed place that the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the very act of adultery. How horrifying would it be if we too were to have our most secret acts discovered?

 

          The Law prescribed death by stoning which was a slow and torturous way to die. It was corporate punishment in which everyone took up at least one stone to hurl at the guilty. In such a manner was sin put away from the people. This was a strong deterrent to those who would sin. Although the Law had been mostly ignored, at least in the punishment of it, the Pharisees wanted to know if Jesus would uphold the Law. If He did, they could accuse him of being harsh! If He did not, they could accuse him of disrespecting the Law.

 

          The Woman! As far as we can tell, this woman was not a prostitute but rather a cheating wife. Clearly, she was entangled in a trap that had more to do with trapping Jesus than trapping her.

 

          The Lord chose neither to prosecute the law nor to ignore it but to apply forgiveness. We would really like to know what He wrote on the ground! Those standing around with stones were likewise guilty in this drama. They had planned this and brought her to Jesus – but where was the man? The Law prescribed stoning for both guilty parties!

 

          The verdict was guilty, but Jesus said that there would be no condemnation! No stones would come crashing down upon her skull, at least none from Jesus. This does not mean that Jesus condoned her sin. He chose not to condemn her. It was an act of grace but required repentance! He did not say “go and keep on sinning” but rather “go and sin no more!”

 

Rom 8:1

8 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

 

Dear Lord, we are guilty, trapped, and caught in the act! Nothing escapes your gaze. We are forgiven – if we would only receive that forgiveness! We have both an opportunity and an obligation to go and sin no more. Thank you for your marvelous mercy. AMEN

A GOOD THING!

 

Tuesday, July 26, 2022

 

A GOOD THING!

 

Prov 18:22

22 Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord.

 

Gen 2:18

18 And the Lord  God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.

 

          Solomon, who wrote these proverbs, had 700 wives and 300 concubines! In spite of his evident difficulty, he certainly was right when he said “whoso findeth a [true] wife findeth a good thing.” It is hard to imagine the home life of this man!

 

          Several things come to mind as I think of what is meant by finding this “good thing.” I think we must begin with a good woman with chaste morals, incorruptible virtues, and a tender heart. A good woman, however, would not necessarily be a good wife to all men. In Genesis the word “meet” means “a part opposite; a counterpart!” This speaks of a perfect fit, one who has compatible temperaments, tastes, habits, culture, and goals. This lady is hard to find and so Solomon gets it right when he says that the man who finally finds her has obtained favor from the Lord.

 

          I have found her! She said yes! Fifty-four years ago today a beautiful and talented young lady became my wife. My first sight of her literally caused me to tremble. I had found a treasure. I knew immediately that my search was over, but I was sure that God would have to cloud her vision against my ugliness and darken her mind to my faults. Oh, dear God, could it be? She said yes!

 

          This morning we will drink our coffee quietly. We won’t say much but just enjoy being close in the cool early hours of a Texas Tuesday. Later we will have lunch at favorite restaurant, and I will gaze again into her sparkling eyes. Later we will see a moving picture at a real indoor theater, something we are not accustomed to do. We will hold hands in the dark.

 

Prov 19:14

14 House and riches are the inheritance of fathers, and a prudent wife is from the Lord.

 

Dear Lord, thank you for the rich treasure you have given me in my wife. AMEN

EACH FOR THE OTHER

 

Monday, July 25, 2022

 

EACH FOR THE OTHER

 

Eph 5:21-28

21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.

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.

28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

 

          Tomorrow is my 54^th  wedding anniversary! I can hardly remember not being married but I can remember the first time I saw my bride. She was playing the organ at a church I was visiting for the first time. I was standing at the rear entrance and probably staring at the sight I saw. Instantly smitten, I asked her name. Oh, I thought, she will never pay any attention to me! How will I ever win this choice beauty? Now, after so long a time, I am still amazed that she agreed to be my wife.

 

          Marriage is fireworks that settles into a soft crackling fireplace and a good book. Both of us understand the treasure that is ours. Both of us understand the responsibilities that come with a relationship. It may be as simple as taking out the trash on a timely basis or it may be as serious as being “the saviour of the body!” I would give my life for hers and I think she would do the same for me.

 

          Marriage is an exercise in unselfishness! It is a challenge to narcissism and provides a daily laboratory for selfless service. Practiced regularly, it becomes second nature. Neglected often enough and it can become a real problem.

 

Gen 2:24

24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

 

Dear Lord, strengthen the marriages of my friends and remind us of all of this great treasure. AMEN

RANDOM ADVICE FOR DIFFICULT DAYS

 

Sunday, July 24, 2022

 

RANDOM ADVICE FOR DIFFICULT DAYS

 

Prov 20:18

18 Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.

 

          Some mornings spring up with great energy and excitement while others drag themselves unwillingly out of bed. We live in difficult days, and it seems clear they will increase in difficulty. Today may present more than its share of life stuff. If I am to encourage you regarding your day I must first overcome. With that in mind let me offer you some random advice for difficult days.

 

Cast the burden of the present, along with the sin of the past and the fear of the future, upon the Lord. He will not forsake his saints!

 

2 Cor 1:10

10 Who [He] delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;

 

Ps 55:22

22 Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain [maintain and nourish] thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved [to slip].

 

He has delivered us in times past – is delivering us now – and will deliver us in the future.

 

God can use your small faith. Do not discount it or toss it away!

 

Luke 17:6

6 And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.

 

Expect friends to fail you. We live in a failing world. Trust God alone!

 

Ps 146:3-5

3 Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.

4 His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.

5 Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:

 

Serve the Lord with fresh vigor especially when there are no visible results. Anyone can go from one victory to another. It takes real character to press ahead in the face of defeat!

 

Gal 6:9

9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not [if we don’t quit].

 

Find a safe place to hide when the going gets really tough!

 

Ps 3:3

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

 

Ah, Lord God! Sometimes we do not feel like the “more than conquerors” that Paul said we are. Let us run and hide behind your shield today. Lift up our heads, oh Lord. AMEN

BE MY COMFORT

 

Saturday, July 23, 2022

 

BE MY COMFORT

 

Ps 119:74-77

74 They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word.

75 I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.

76 Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.

77 Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight.

KJV

 

          That which God does and allows in our life springs from both wisdom and mercy. Simply, He knows what he is doing, and His intentions are always good and kind even when He permits affliction.

 

          Run to His Word. Do not allow your troubles to abandon the Scriptures for they reinforce the truth about God’s wisdom and mercy. When circumstances challenge the Word, let the Word strengthen you in your circumstances.

 

          We have been given the right as adopted children to petition God for redress. We can challenge His wisdom with our own. We can question His actions with our logic. We can complain, groan, and cry aloud at the injustice of his justice. God will listen and always do what is right. Strength wrapped in mercy and gentleness is the character of all His dealings. At length we learn to trust Him.

 

Lord, many are the troubles endured by your children. Many are your merciful gifts. Give comfort today. AMEN

THE MODEL CHRISTIAN!

 

Friday, July 22, 2022

 

THE MODEL CHRISTIAN!

 

I know that many new believers are anxious to find a short cut to spiritual maturity and quickly search for a “model Christian” after whom they may pattern their lives. I can think of no better model than the Apostle Paul. In fact, he recommends himself as such. He said: “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.”  1 Cor 11:1 But, if I am going to follow this model, I want to investigate him a bit. Let’s see just what things I need to copy and make part of my life.

 

THIS MODEL CHRISTIAN HAD A SINFUL PAST!

 

1 Tim 1:12-13

12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;

13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

 

Paul had a history of being shamelessly, outrageously, and aggressively insulting to Christ and Christianity. That is what blasphemy is and many people come TO Christ having come FROM such a past. For Paul this was not just an attitude but a campaign of injury to believers and the church. He had arrested them and had some killed! Do not think that your past prohibits you from becoming a MODEL CHRISTIAN.

 

THIS MODEL CHRISTIAN STRUGGLED WITH SIN!

 

Rom 7:18-19

18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

 

Paul discovered that sin is powerful and hard to defeat. The things which he now hates are the very things that he continues to do! The new principles of Christianity were hard to add to his daily habits. He saw himself as a very weak Christian.

 

1 Cor 15:9-10

9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

10 But by the grace of God I am what I am:

 

THIS MODEL CHRISTIAN LEARNED THE SECRET OF COMMITMENT!

 

Rom 6:11-13

11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

 

The words “reckon”, “let” and “yield” are words that indicate personal decision and determination. He actually suggested that the new believer act as if he were dead whenever tempted.

 

THIS MODEL CHRISTIAN ALSO STRUGGLED WITH GOD’S DIRECTION!

 

Acts 16:6-7

6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia,

7 After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.

 

On at least this one occasion Paul’s noble plans were vetoed by the Holy Spirit. He wanted to travel to Asia but God made it clear that was not where he should go. We never see God explain Himself further! So, if you want to follow a model Christian you need to know that you will probably struggle with God’s will for your life.

 

THIS MODEL CHRISTIAN BECAME A CLOSE FRIEND OF GOD!

 

Paul’s desire was declared in Phil 3:10 when he said: “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.”

 

The Amplified New Testament puts it this way: “that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly.”

 

Great God, help me to know my sinful past is covered and forgiven as I struggle with lingering sin in my life. Help me to make the sacrifices needed to become faithful. Most of all, Lord, be my close Friend today. AMEN