TO BUY A BETTER CASKET!

 

Wednesday, July 28, 2021

 

TO BUY A BETTER CASKET!

 

Luke 12:13-15

13 And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.

14 And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?

15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

 

           The older brother was entitled to two portions of the inheritance according to Deuteronomy 21:17. Clarke thinks the older brother had actually kept all the inheritance and not just his double part. The younger brother was no less greedy and thought no more of Jesus than to use Him as leverage in his argument.

 

           Jesus speaks to both brothers about the impact of wealth upon the life of a person. “A man's life does not consist in and is not derived from possessing overflowing abundance.”

 

           The parable that follows explains that wealth cannot extend the length of life nor lessen the pain of anxiety and trouble. Abundance caused the successful farmer anxiety and perplexity. It forced him to build a bigger barn because everything was already full. The plans for a carefree future were cut short.

 

Prov 30:8-9

8 Remove far from me falsehood and lies; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me,

9 Lest I be full and deny You and say, Who is the Lord? Or lest I be poor and steal, and so profane the name of my God.

AMP

 

Dear Lord, let my wealth be in my relationship to Thee! AMEN

SEEKING CLEAR DIRECTION?

 

Tuesday, July 27, 2021

 

SEEKING CLEAR DIRECTION?

 

Acts 16:9-10

9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.

10 And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.

 

2 Cor 2:12-13

12 Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord,

13 I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia.

 

           The life lived by faith is hard to explain to the unbeliever. Who plans their life based on what most people call a “gut feeling?” The well-known Macedonian call might have been caused by what Ebenezer Scrooge called “an undigested piece of cheese!” You either believe that God intervenes in the affairs of men, or you do not. If you do not, then your life is one series of coincidences after the other.

 

           In Second Corinthians, it seems as if Paul’s plans had unraveled. Titus could not be found, and he had received no word from Corinth. Although he had an open door to go to Troas, he had no peace in his heart to walk through those doors. Was that enough information on which to base a decision? The circumstances were not comfortable, and Paul could not explain the roadblocks at the time but he was sure that God was in control.

 

Isa 30:21

21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

 

Dear Lord, there may be someone today struggling with a decision. They do not know which way to go! Please lead them in a way that gives them peace in their spirit. AMEN

LOVE YOU MORE!

Monday, July 26, 2021

 

LOVE YOU MORE!

 

Eph 5:25-26

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 …

Eph 5:28

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

 

Titus 2:4

4 That they [the older women] may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,

 

           Today Irene and I will celebrate our 53^rd wedding anniversary. Certainly, we will have someone ask us how we have managed to remain happily married for so long! Our secret is a bit of competition we have had since the beginning. If one said, “I love you,” then the other would respond “Love you more!”

 

           The husband bears a great responsibility in this competition of love. We are to love as Christ loves the church. It is a daunting task. We establish the ground rules and maintain the atmosphere of love in the home.

 

           The wife responds to the husband and adds energy to love and structure to the home. Children see this loving competition and learn to love their future spouses in the same way. When the argument is who loves most then the outcome is always good.

 

Dear Lord, start an argument in homes today. Let it begin with “Love You More!” AMEN