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Thank you for the frogs

06 Dec

Thank you for the frogs

Matthew 6:7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.

I am not a really a fan of reality TV. So much of it is simply trash for our minds; so much of it is outrightly made for TV with maybe 10% reality at best. I had heard of the one about the country boys gone millionaires. The draw of the Beverly Hillbillies was there, and yesterday I was drawn into a marathon of it; laughing my guts out for hours on end. You can take the boy out of the country, but you cannot take the country out of the boy. This is what grabbed me; they showed the family together in prayer around the dinner table at the end of every episode. The father lead them in honest, simple, thanksgiving prayer that were different each time. They were from a country boys heart. Through research, I have seen their genuine faith in multiple speaking engagements where they were giving testimony, and simply powerful preaching.

God is not impressed; in fact God is displeased when we try to pray to impress those that may hear us. The “thee, thou, art” types of prayers that sound heavenly. The big words and the vain repetitions that have been handed down for generations. The bedtime prayers, the meal prayers; these can become those vain repetitions; not an opportunity to give heartfelt thanks for the meal or the day. When we are praying to be heard by men; we are praying in hypocrisy. We are being fake with God; and God knows our heart and the truth. We will only receive the accolade of the men that hear. Matthew 6:5 “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.

Prayer does not need grand words; prayer needs a humble sincere heart. God knows what you truly want, what you truly need, what you are going to say before you say it; He just wants you to approach Him with it.  Matthew 6:8 Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. Prayer should always have the highest level of respect and honor; in that is found the humble heart that is required. Just talk to God like you really feel. There is no wrong way to pray if it is a humble, heartfelt prayer to the creator of the universe that granted you the breath to breath today. It can even be a prayer of thanksgiving for the frogs that lie upon the table to eat.

 
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Posted by on December 6, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Don’t be a 1hr noun

05 Dec

Don’t be a 1hr noun

Romans 12:1-2   I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

The apostle Paul had been spending the previous chapters in Romans laying out the fundamentals of the Christian doctrine. He had spoken of the doctrine of justification, free grace, and the coming promises of glory to be revealed. Romans 12 begins to speak of our duties to live under these Christian doctrines. “I beseech you therefore,” ties to the preceding scripture. The ‘therefore’ is always a key word to the understanding of what you are about to read. You must back up to see the relation of that key word. Paul had summarized the doctrinal teaching in a powerful verse. Romans 11:36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen. The deeper you return into prior Romans writing, the deeper your understanding of you duty as in Romans 12:1-2.

These scriptures could be unpacked for days, for Romans is the pinnacle of Paul’s writings. His call of Romans 12 is like that of Christ to His disciples in Luke 9:23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. How are we to deny ourselves anyway? Are we to sit at home in a room shut off from the rest of the world and read God’s Word? No, we are called to become disciples in Christ’s last words to us before He ascended into heaven. Matthew 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Christ’s last words to you were a call to action. This call of action is not to just accept Him and to go to church on Sunday. Are you denying yourself as in Romans 12 and Luke 9; or are you denying God giving Him only an hour or two a week?

Being a disciple, denying ourself, living a life as that sacrifice is as simple as seeking God and the things of God every day. The more time you spend with God in His Word and prayer the easier this focus becomes. This self denial will be the product of the heart that truly loves God, and seeks to please him as a result. If you will make the conscious effort to do these things, God will take care of the rest. Christianity is a verb; not a noun sitting on a pew for an hour on Sunday. I have included a link to a powerful short video where I pray God will stir your heart.

 
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Posted by on December 5, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Bible Study 101

04 Dec

Bible Study 101

Psalm 63:1 A Psalm of David when he was in the wilderness of Judah. O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water.

As I was in prayer this morning, I came to realize this ministry is just over 330 days old. For most of those days I have risen early each day, spent time with God, and written what He laid on my heart at that time. It has been an open book of how to show you God in all areas of my life; but it has never been an idea to substitute your time with Him. You are missing out on the true experience if you stop here. As a best friend and Godly man once told me; take the scriptures in the devotionals and get into God’s Word. You will likely be placed in the middle of some context, and you should search out all the history and results of that context. Wa-la – great lengthy time in God’s Word.

A good study Bible is the key to helping to understand and guide you along your way. As in Psalm 63 above, it is the story of David when he was seeking God with all his heart; he seems to be in a desert. Why was he in the desert? What happened to him there? You will learn of David as a great warrior; Saul as a jealous king who seeks to kill David. God may very likely open your eyes to something else when you begin to truly study His Word. I have written beside this scripture in my Bible, “Today our world is dry. Far from God.” The Holy Spirit living inside of you will reveal God’s Word to you. John 14:26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

It has not been that long ago that I made the conscious effort to read my Bible every day. It changed my life forever, and it will do the same for you. You cannot grow closer to God without seeking God every day and spending time in His Word. You will get out of it what you put into it.  My heart lies is encouraging you to spend daily time with God; to use any devotional as a stepping stone into His Word. If you will do this one thing, all the other things will fall into place. Live your life as in Matthew 6:33 Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you. Bible study 101 starts right now.

 
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Posted by on December 4, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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As a child

03 Dec

As a child

2 Corinthians 11:3-4    But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted–you may well put up with it!

As I watched our children’s Christmas play last night at church, the closing scene had a young man “get it”. He saw how his pride had blinded his eyes, and how the story of Christ’s birth in Bethlehem was happening before him. He had complicated, even not believed, that God was at work. We can tend to do that today with the message of the Gospel that came that Christmas morn. That was the day that God sent His only Son to save you from your sins eternally. John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

Pride tends to make us believe that we must do something. It is true, we must do something; swallow our pride and humble ourselves with the understanding that we must do nothing but that. The simplicity of the Gospel is where pride builds that wall. Christ told the disciples of how to come to him as a child in Luke 18:17 Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”  Paul is stressing the the Corinth church against the false teachers of the day, and their systems of religion that required duties. There are no works that will gain you favor with God to earn your salvation. Work does not produce faith, but faith produces good works. The good works come as a result of your Salvation, not a means to earn it.

The Gospel, or Good News of Jesus Christ is simple; we complicate it. The Gospel is that God gave His only son, Jesus, to come to this earth for you. He lived as fully God, and fully man, a perfect life. He paid the perfect sacrifice for your sin debt. He died on the Cross to pay for your sin, and your humble, repentant heart can accept this free gift as the only way to heaven. John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. You can’t earn it, but you can humbly accept it. Take away the years of pride that has grown in you, and approach Christ with the innocence of a child.

 
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Posted by on December 3, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Simple heart surgery

01 Dec

Simple heart surgery

Ezekiel 11:19-20   Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, 20 that they may walk in My statutes and keep My judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God.

This text come from a vision that God gave the great prophet Ezekiel, known as the Temple Vision. God is pointing out the sin and His judgement on Israel to come. All throughout the history of Israel they are known as stubborn people; stiff-necked is the term used in the NKJV. Moses even pled to God to show mercy on them; again and again. Exodus 34:Then he said, “If now I have found grace in Your sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray, go among us, even though we are a stiff-necked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us as Your inheritance.” The central theme in this text in Ezekiel is the New Covenant that God made with us through Christ. Through Christ you gain a new heart.

You cannot remain the same if you claim Christianity. There must be a difference evident in your life. That heart change that you experienced upon Salvation is either fed and flourishes, or it is denied and questionable. We are called to become disciples of Christ, and that change of heart will produce a change of lifestyle. That change of lifestyle brings about discipleship for those in your circle of influence who want to know why. We are told how to live this life in Colossians 3:12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (ESV)

God warned Ezekiel in that same vision of those that continued to live for themselves and the world; of His judgement coming upon them. Ezekiel 11:21 But as for those whose heart goes after their detestable things and their abominations, I will bring their deeds upon their own heads, declares the Lord GOD.”(ESV) Have you truly changed your life since you claimed Christianity? Does anyone know that you have experienced this heart transplant with Christ? Was it a sincere plea for forgiveness of your sins and for Christ to become Lord over your life? Big hard questions…..but a very simple surgery.

 
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Posted by on December 1, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Adjustments

30 Nov

Adjustments

Daniel 4:14-15    He cried aloud and said thus: ‘Chop down the tree and cut off its branches, Strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts get out from under it, And the birds from its branches. 15 Nevertheless leave the stump and roots in the earth, Bound with a band of iron and bronze, In the tender grass of the field. Let it be wet with the dew of heaven, And let him graze with the beasts On the grass of the earth.

Yesterday clearly had a word for the day; it was pride. It seemed to come up in multiple conversations; it came up in me sharing of my shoulder and that part of my testimony, it came up in sermons; it even came up in school study last night in Daniel. King Nebuchadnezzar had rested on the pride of Babylon he built, but God had given him a dream. He had seen a great tree that had grown all the way to heaven, and he felt it had all been of his work, and not of God. God took him down and humbled him for seven years. He lost his kingdom, his mind, and he lived like an animal for seven years. But God restored his mind and his kingdom when Nebuchadnezzar humbled himself before God.

Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall. I do believe pride is at the root of all sin. Even back to the Garden of Eden, the enticement by Satan came with the lure of pride; “you can be like God”.  Immediately after that came the fall of man into sin for eternity. Pride puffs us up, makes us think we are more than we are; right back to Satan in the Garden. That attitude must be at some time adjusted by God. The means of that adjustment is most likely in relation to the level of your pride. I know; He took a big piece of my pride in the removal of a shoulder muscle. It humbled me and put my eyes on Him. It brought me closer to Him as a result and I am thankful for that adjustment.

In the country in which I live, pride is at the root of it as a nation. You can do anything that you set your mind to; you only limitations are yourself; you can attain anything. This is the American Dream. This dream has invaded our churches today also. David Platt wrote an incredible book called Radical that will forever change your views on your life as a Christian. “We have taken the infinitely glorious Son of God; who endured the infinitely terrible wrath of God and who now reigns as the infinitely worthy Lord of all, and we have reduced him to a poor, puny Savior who is just begging for us to accept him.” Pride has creeped into our nations churches; and we must pray for God’s mercy on them. Isaiah 13:19 And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, The beauty of the Chaldeans’ pride, Will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.

 
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Posted by on November 30, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Tell them the truth

29 Nov

Tell them the truth

2 Timothy 4:3-4   For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

“Yea, I know but the truth hurts; I don’t want to embarrass them; I don’t want to hurt their feelings.” You need to tell them. Are you a true friend? True friends tell you the hard truths about yourselves; the painful things that are ignored otherwise. I sure wish at many times looking back on my life I had true friends to rescue me from painful circumstances. We so many times think we may be protecting someone by ignoring something, when in reality we are furthering the damage. These people in your life become the only ones in your life that matter, when truth is revealed.

Paul was trying to encourage Timothy to remain true to God’s Word and His Gospel. To preach the Truth at all times. Paul was so concerned that Timothy stay grounded, he emphasized this by using the word truth 11 times in his two short letters to Timothy. There were so many false teachers of that day that could lead others astray by filling their ears with what they wanted to hear. A feel good gospel; no pain all gain. Their is power in the conviction of the Holy Spirit; a power of  conviction and repentance of sin and change. The Apostle John speaks of this power; John 16:8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. 12 I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

Our society, even our churches have become soft; lacking the spine to take a stand and tell the truth. . Their is pain and consequences in this world; there is a need of the power of the Holy Spirit to tell us these truths that hurt as when a true friend does. Everything is not as it seems; everything must be revealed; everything may hurt. When we come to know the truth through sound doctrine and the power of the Spirit; there is spiritual growth within us. Paul commanded Timothy to remain grounded; to preach the whole truth, not just selected pieces that make the listeners feel good about themselves and life. 2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. “You cannot grow in Christ without pain”, Dr. Michael Youssef said yesterday in his radio broadcast. Do you only tell others what you think they want to hear? If so are you their friend?

 
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Posted by on November 29, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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You want me to what?

27 Nov

You want me to what?

Jeremiah 32:42-43 “For thus says the Lord: ‘Just as I have brought all this great calamity on this people, so I will bring on them all the good that I have promised them. 43 And fields will be bought in this land of which you say, “It is desolate, without man or beast; it has been given into the hand of the Chaldeans.”

The prophet Jeremiah was in prison for the words he spoke from the Lord. He had delivered the prophecy that Judah was about to pay for its sin. He had told king Zedekiah of Judah that he would meet king Nebuchadnezzar face to face and be taken captive. Judah had been surrounded, the prophecy was taking place. In the middle of all this turmoil, Jeremiah purchased a tract of land from his uncle. Why would you buy a property that was about to be captured? Because God had promised him that he would again give the land back to Israel; that He would turn their hearts back to Himself; that He would be their God again. Jeremiah 32:37 Behold, I will gather them out of all countries where I have driven them in My anger, in My fury, and in great wrath; I will bring them back to this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely. 38 They shall be My people, and I will be their God; 39 then I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me forever, for the good of them and their children after them.

God never breaks a promise; never forgets you, never leaves you alone in any situation as a child of His. He may be allowing all these calamities in your life to draw you near to Him. How else can He get your attention if all is well and you don’t have time, or even give thanks to Him for the blessings He bestowed? He may allow you to feel trapped; a siege wall being built around your life like Judah. You may have only one way to look then – up. In all of this He is at work. He made a promise to Israel, and as a child of His you inherit that promise also. He will never forsake you. He will punish you for your sin, and turn your heart back to Him as a result. 40 And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me.

We want the easy life; we want Christianity to be a bed of roses. The lives that are beds of roses are living for their rewards now, and suffering the consequences eternally for that decision. Matthew 6:1-5 speaks to those who do things to be seen; to elevate themselves. They have their reward now but forsake it in eternity. Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth. When you ask the why of the trials that you are facing, go before God to ask if their is sin in your life that needs repentance first. If God does not show you a sin, it may be part of His greater purpose in keeping His promises. Isaiah 55:9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.

 
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Posted by on November 27, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Breath deep and read

24 Nov

Breath deep and read

Proverbs 12:25 Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad.

There is no real way to explain anxiety and depression to those that do not suffer. It is a hidden demon that lurks beneath the surface. It can lie dormant but awaken quickly when triggered. It waits for the opportunities, then has the ability to change outcomes. The battle is all in the mind, but yet the battle has physical and outward appearances. I have been open with my struggles and my battles seem to be escalating. The Bible has about 14 verses on anxiety and worry; but fear is listed 354 times in many contexts. Fear is the root of anxieties, and fear is not from God. 2 Timothy 1:For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

One of my favorite books of the Bible is Matthew 6. It speaks much of the relationship between us and God. Of what is done in secret before Him; not done in public for accolades. It speaks of prayer and fasting; it contains the Lords prayer where Jesus taught us to how to pray. It speaks of our focus in life, of where do we put our effort. Matthew 6:21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Where is your focus? Your career, your family, your pursuit of material gain, your hobbies that have turned into idols? The list could go on. Anything that comes before Christ is an idol in your life. If we make our pursuit God and the things of God, our short time here will be rewarded eternally. Matthew 6:19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

Spending time in God’s Word is the key to the battle of anxiety, worry, and life. The more time we spend in God’s Word the more our heart grows for Him. The stronger our relationship with Him, the more strength we have to fight these battles. I do believe the warfare may escalate, but I know we cannot fight without a heart for God. If we stand on our love for God as the spine of our existence, we can know that we will be ok. Deuteronomy 6:5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. This holiday season that is upon us will tend to bring more stress and worry. This is also a time to make the time to spend in God’s Word to give you the strength you need. It can start today.

 
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Posted by on November 24, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Thankful for mercy and grace

22 Nov

Thankful for mercy and grace

Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.

Today is the day when families gather together to extend traditions and give thanks for what they have been blessed with. There was a thread going around asking what if you only had today what you gave thanks for yesterday. A great thought to ponder, for we most likely have lost the realization of how much we take for granted. As I prayed this morning I tried to take that thought to God; to form a list. I wonder what tomorrow would reveal I had forgotten? The greatest gift I could ever receive is all wrapped into the story of the Gospel; the gift of God’s grace and mercy. Grace is unmerited favor, receiving what we do not deserve. Mercy is the grace covered forgiveness of not receiving what we do deserve. All wrapped up in John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

Luke 6:27-38 speaks much about our ability to extend mercy; to do good in the path of evil. Luke 6:27 “But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. Today’s society has brought a high level of selfishness; of putting oneself at the top of the list, and the plunder of one’s wake of destruction is not one’s problem. These ideals make extending mercy difficult to those hurt by those wakes. But it is our calling as Christians to be selfless; to not seek retaliation or gain, but to bless those who hurt us. 36 Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. Christ continues to tell them of how the same measure that we forgive, is how we are forgiven. 38 Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

Not only God’s mercy, but God’s grace is woven throughout the whole Bible. He continued to provide for the rebellious people of the Old Testament, pointing them back to Him in signs and wonders of their generations. He gave them great prophets to attest to these signs. He gave them every reason to know that He was God; to know that He was in control. He then culminated His plan of grace with the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ to atone for our sins. He delivered Christ to die the sacrificial death required to bring us to paradise with Him for eternity. There is no greater act of grace than Christ alone. Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace. That realization should bring your Thanksgiving to a new level of appreciation for the grace you have been given by God.

 
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Posted by on November 22, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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