MY PRECIOUS BURDEN!

 

Wednesday, July 31, 2024

 

MY PRECIOUS BURDEN!

 

Ps 55:22

22 Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

 

          Interestingly, the Hebrew word for “burden” in Psalm 55:22 is strictly translated “what is given.” It is something received. I think it might have been given intentionally! One of Merriam – Webster’s definitions of “burden” is “responsibility!” Perhaps your burden is your job or some illness. Maybe it is worry over a troubled teen who is struggling to find his or her way. Whatever it is, it has been given and you have received it.

 

          Because I write a devotional every day, I subscribe to several online devotionals myself. I often need a starter to pique my creativity. Well, the following is shamelessly stolen from the late Dr. Adrian Rodgers. I think it wonderfully fits.

 

 “I read about a man who had a very fine dog who loved the water. One day the dog was playing in the lake and the man decided to leave. He called the dog, but the dog wouldn’t come. He called him several times; he wouldn’t come. It was a well-trained dog, but he just would not come. The man finally threw a stick out in the water. When the dog saw it, he swam over, got the stick, and came back and laid it at his master’s feet. It just may be that God has given you a burden because He can’t get your attention. He wants you to come and lay it at your Master’s feet.”

 

So, today I will look at my burdens differently. I will see them as the ringing of my spiritual telephone. God is on the line and wants to talk. He is willing to trade my burden for a little of my time.

 

Dear Lord, Thank you for my burden. I am sorry that you have to resort to such means in order to get my attention. I love you, Lord. AMEN

 

HOW FIRM A FOUNDATION!

 

Tuesday, July 30, 2024

 

HOW FIRM A FOUNDATION!

 

Luke 6:47-49

47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:

48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.

49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

 

How Firm a Foundation is a Christian hymn, published in 1787 by John Rippon in A Selection of Hymns from the Best Authors, Intended to be an Appendix to Dr. Watts' Psalms and Hymns, known as "Rippon's Selection". It is attributed only to "K", which probably refers to Robert Keen(e), precentor (choir and music leader) at Rippon's church, though other names suggested include Richard or John Keene, Kirk­ham, or John Keith. It is most often sung to the tune "Protection" (or "Foundation") by Joseph Funk from A Com­pil­a­tion of Gen­u­ine Church Mu­sic (1832), though the original tune may be Keen(e)'s "Geard". This was the favorite hymn of General Robert E. Lee and has been played at the funerals of several US politicians. (Information from Wikipedia.)

 

The hymn is born just eleven years after the Declaration of Independence. The ashes of the Revolutionary War still hung in the air and the foundation of the nation was being laid. But much more than the foundation of a nation is in view.

 

          Your peace is not due to the lack of storms in your life but the firmness of your foundation. Let the winds blow and the storms rage! In the words of the hymn: “That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake, I'll never, no never, no never forsake.” Of the seven verses of this hymn, the following provide me with great encouragement.

 

Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid;
I'll strengthen and help thee, and cause thee to stand
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.

 

When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of woe shall not thee overflow;
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

 

Dear Lord, be very near to your children who are going through fiery trials and deep waters today. AMEN

 

THINK ON THESE THINGS

 

Monday, July 29, 2024

 

THINK ON THESE THINGS

 

Scripture reading: Phillipians 4:5-9

 

Phil 4:8

8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

 

          I wonder if Paul’s world was very different than ours. Ours is so full of suggestions as to how to think that we are often shoved along toward an opinion we would never have held otherwise. We are constantly manipulated. The list of peaceful thoughts that Paul suggests is so very different from our chaotic noise indicates that Paul’s world was also full of confusion and disorder.

 

          Now, with the advent of A.I., which I like to call computer generated ignorance, we hardly have an original thought or a peaceful one? Where and when may we find honesty, justice, purity, and virtue naturally occurring? We will only find such things in intentional thought. Think on these things. Esteem them highly, recommend them heartily, and practice them fervently.

 

Ps 119:165

165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.

 

Dear Jesus, let me search for, find, and focus on honesty, purity, and virtue. AMEN

 

THE FULL REWARD OF FAITH!

 

Sunday, July 28, 2024

 

THE FULL REWARD OF FAITH!

 

Ruth 2:10-12

10 Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger?

11 And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore.

12 The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord  God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.

 

          Ruth’s past was tragic! She, being a Moabitess, married a Jewish man who died leaving her in widowhood. The same circumstance gripped her sister-in-law and her mother-in-law. Both decided to return home, which forced Ruth to make a life changing decision. Should she return to her former life in Moab or follow her mother-in-law to Israel? Her choice made all the difference.

 

          Many of us have tragedy and pain in our past. Often the events of life present us with life-changing choices. It is at these times we must avoid the temptation to sink into self-pity. Like Ruth, we must choose the path of trust and place ourselves under the wings of God. The choice seems easy when we read the story because we already know the outcome, but it is not so easy when the outcome is uncertain.

 

          The long journey to Bethlehem with Naomi was filled with danger and uncertainty but Bethlehem was filled with wonderful “coincidences” that made Ruth the great-grandmother of Jesus!

 

As the hymn writer put it:

 

Well of water ever springing,

Bread of life so rich and free,

Untold wealth that never faileth,

My Redeemer is to me.

 

Hallelujah! I have found Him

Whom my soul so long has craved!

Jesus satisfies my longings,

Through His blood I now am saved.

(Clara T. Williams)

 

Dear Lord, who catches our tears in your bottle, recompense us who have fled for refuge under your wings. AMEN

 

HE WEEPS OVER US!

 

Saturday, July 27, 2024

 

HE WEEPS OVER US!

 

Isa 53:3

3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief:

 

The Bible records at least three occasions when Jesus grieved: at the tomb of Lazarus, over the city of Jerusalem, and in the Garden of Gethsemane before His death. Reaching the tomb of Lazarus, Jesus groaned in the spirit and was troubled. Jesus wept.

 

Jesus knew Lazarus would die. In fact, he waited several days before journeying to see His sick friend and thereby withheld healing. Why would he do that? He wanted to raise him from the dead. None of this kept Jesus from associating with the emotional pain felt by His friends. He wept.

 

Whatever you are going through today, please understand that our Great High Priest weeps over us. He has a divine concern and care for us. We can safely resort to Him in prayer knowing that He eagerly hears us.

 

Heb 4:15-16

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.

16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

 

Dear Lord, nothing touches me that doesn’t also touch you. Thank you for sharing my grief. AMEN

 

MY OTHER BOOKEND!

 

Friday, July 26, 2024

 

MY OTHER BOOKEND!

 

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.

 

          Dr. Charles Stanley comments: “God saw that even though Adam was surrounded by every sort of animal-in pairs, no less-he needed someone to correspond to him. God gently put Adam (Ish, in the Hebrew) to sleep and fashioned Eve (Isha, in the Hebrew) from his rib.

 

          When Adam awoke, he was ecstatic with God's handiwork and exclaimed in our vernacular, "Wow, this is it!"

 

          Today is my 56^th wedding anniversary! Irene is my other bookend. Without her all the tomes topple! We are remarkably alike yet mysteriously different. We fit! Only God could do such a thing!

 

          Take a moment to look at your spouse as God’s marvelous gift. Husbands, love your wives (Ephesians 5:25). Wives, respond with love for your husbands (Titus 2:4).

 

Dear Lord, “thank you” doesn’t begin to express my gratitude for my other bookend. AMEN

HARMONY!

 

Thursday, July 25, 2024

 

HARMONY!

 

1 Peter 3:8-9

8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:

9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

 

The phrase “one mind” here is the Greek homophron and means “harmonious” and yet the word “harmony” does not appear in the Authorized Version of the Bible! My very own definition of harmony is: “when all things are as they should be!”

 

Jesus, in Matthew 11:29 invites us to pull His load by taking His yoke on our shoulders. At the same time, we are to learn about and from Him. The result, He said, would be rest for our souls. The Greek word for “rest” here is anapausis and means “an intermission; recreation.” This is a pause which accompanies both labor and learning. I call it harmony – when things are as they should be.

 

Are things as they should be between you and Jesus? Would you call that relationship music or noise? Are you in harmony with others? Is there harmony in your own soul or are you at war with yourself?

 

Job 22:21

21 Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.

 

Lord, let harmony reign in my life today. AMEN

 

AWAKE OUT OF SLEEP!

 

Wednesday, July 24, 2024

 

AWAKE OUT OF SLEEP!

 

Rom 13:11-14

11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

 

The word “chambering” in verse 13 is very graphic and is from the Greek word koite (koy'-tay); a couch; by extension cohabitation; by implication, “illicit intercourse.”

 

The Lord is coming – on His way, perhaps! Our salvation, full and complete, is nearer than it was when we first believed.

 

Dr. Alexander MacLaren said: Time is closing in upon us! "The time is short," or, as we might perhaps render it so as to give the full force of the metaphor, the time is pressed together. It is being squeezed into narrower compass, like a sponge in a strong hand. There is an old story of a prisoner in a cell with contractile walls. Day by day his space lessens -- he saw the whole of that window yesterday, he sees only half of it to-day. Nearer and nearer the walls are drawn together, till they meet and crush him between them. So the walls of our home (which we have made our prison) are closing in upon us.

 

Our national ills are a reflection of our personal ones. We have a “representative” form of government and in many ways our government represents us morally and ethically. We don’t like what we see but we can hardly deny it.

 

Dr. Adrian Rodgers said: When a nation loses its ability to discern morality, it embarks on a slippery slope toward self-destruction. America is in a crisis, and unless we have a moral rebirth, we will join the graveyard of the nations.

 

It is time to Wake Up! Samson lay in the lap of Delilah and laughed at her tricks time after time because he trusted in his amazing God-given strength. Looking back Samson knew he had slept too long.

 

It is time to Look Up! Jesus is coming. Now our full and complete salvation – even our entrance into heaven – is nearer than when we first believed. Jesus said when you see these things coming to pass; look up for your redemption draweth nigh.

 

It’s time to Pray Up! Satan is working as never before because he knows his time is short. We need to resist the devil so that he will flee from us. It is time for God’s people to clearly choose who we will serve.

 

Dear Lord, shake me awake! Show me what I can do to not only keep myself pure and prepared but to help my fellow believers to be ready for your arrival. AMEN

 

OUR NEED FOR SAFETY!

 

Tuesday, July 23, 2024

 

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

 

CHARACTER!

 

Monday, July 22, 2024

A Classic

 

CHARACTER!

 

Rom 5:1-5

5 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

 

          The word “experience” in verse four is the Greek word dokime (dok-ee-may’) and literally means trustiness or CHARACTER! Vincent’s Word Studies says that it means “tried or proven integrity.”

 

          Because we have been justified by our faith in Christ, we are now at peace with Him and have been given peace from Him. Not only are we no longer at war with Him but we have been given the calmness that transcends anything this world may offer.

 

          Little by little, God begins to build character in His children by allowing tribulation to come into our lives. This He gives us in measured amounts so that we are not overwhelmed. The trials first build patience or endurance. Like an athlete who trains and builds muscle, strength, and stamina, so the believer is able to endure patiently more and more challenges. Almost imperceptibly, because we learn to do the right thing over and over, we develop character.

 

          Character builds hope! Hope is the Greek word elpis which means “to anticipate with pleasure or confidence.” Every time we meet a challenge with integrity and patience, hope is built in us. Because God has delivered us in the past, we know He will not fail us now or in the future. We develop a confidence in Him that cannot be shaken by mere trials.

 

          Finally, we arrive at boldness because this hope “maketh not ashamed!” Perhaps the reason we fear to boldly proclaim our faith is that we haven’t fully developed it. We haven’t borne the trials that build this kind of confidence and character.

 

1 Peter 5:10

10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

 

Dear Lord, I know that you deliver my trials in measured amounts. Thank you for building character in me. Help me to be a good student. AMEN

 

NO CONDEMNATION!

 

Sunday, July 21, 2024

 

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 sin was 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