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Peace in an out of control world

10 Jul

Peace in an out of control world

Romans 11:33-36    Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! 34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?” 35 “Or who has first given to Him And it shall be repaid to him?” 36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.

Yesterday I had a great conversation with another contractor who uses his business as a ministry. We stood out in the parking lot and shared our faith. He asked what one word I would use to encourage someone; His one word was obey, my one word was peace. All throughout the Bible we are shown and must come to understand the Sovereignty of God. Sovereignty is simply defined as a supreme power; God is the definition of THE supreme power. When you read the Bible as a whole, you come to understand the complexity of God’s plan; but at the same time the centrality and simplicity of His plan to offer Salvation to all, and to draw all to Him for eternal paradise. In that understanding comes the peace that my one word describes.

Romans 11 is the apostle Paul’s detailed description of how Israel fits into God’s ultimate plan to save all the world. Paul goes into detail of God continues to offer grace to His beloved people time and time again; His plans even come to use their rebellion to offer Salvation to the rest of the world. Everything that Israel has ever done, and will ever do, all falls under the Sovereignty of God’s design. He either designed it, or allowed it, but it all will work for his purpose. Our simple minds cannot grasp a speck of the mind of God. But when we come to grasp that understanding, their is a release of our burdens to Him; for we know that He is in control of it ALL.

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. This passage is one that we as Christians must lean on in difficult situations in life. This is Sovereignty defined; “all things word together”; we cannot understand how the difficult situations in life can possible be for our, or work out for our good. We only see the present tumults or pain in them; we don’t see past them. But with the heart of understanding comes the peace in them. He has a purpose “for good to those who love God” in every situation in our lives. If you pursue Him with all your heart, He will open your eyes to that Peace I am trying to describe.

 
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Posted by on July 10, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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Annual Performance Review

21 Mar

Annual Performance Review

Proverbs 16:11 Honest weights and scales are the Lord’s; All the weights in the bag are His work.

Good advice is something we all treasure. Wouldn’t a book of advice from the wisest man who ever lived be a best seller? King Solomon prayed to God for the wisdom to do a good job for God; he wanted to be the best ruler he could be. 2 Chronicles 1:10 Now give me wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people; for who can judge this great people of Yours?” 11 And God said to Solomon: “Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked riches or wealth or honor or the life of your enemies, nor have you asked long life–but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself, that you may judge My people over whom I have made you king. God granted his request and made Solomon the wisest man that ever lived. Solomon filled the book of Proverbs with very simple direct words of advice from what he learned as a man of God.

As a sidebar of my business, I deal in the scrap metal industry. I am at the mercy of their scales, and the integrity of their hearts. A dealer may present a much higher payout as a lure, but the scales upon which they are weighed are dishonest. Proverbs 11:1 Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord, But a just weight is His delight. The Lord knows the weights upon which the scales are measured, just as he knows the scales of our hearts. Integrity in business is becoming a thing of the past. Integrity is not a quality that you possess outside of the business world, and then let it slide to make the deal at whatever the cost. You either have integrity or you do not. Integrity is not a variable; it is not an option that you choose when it best suits your purpose. If you believe that it is, you are weighing your life and your heart on dishonest scales.

Have you ever stood your ground at work for something you believed in? Have you ever not participated in the deal that was shady to say the least? Have you stood up for what you knew was right before God, even though that decision cost you a payout? That payout will be rewarded in eternity on the Lord’s scales. He does not forget when you paid even a small price for standing up for what you knew was right in His eyes. Proverbs 16:2 All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, But the Lord weighs the spirits. The closer your heart is to God, the easier a life of integrity comes. You will be seeking God on all these decisions in prayer and His Word. He will direct your thoughts as a result of this time invested in seeking His wisdom. Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. The Lord is the CEO that you answer to above any manager here on earth; He is the one who knows all that goes on, and why it goes on. He is the one you must answer to on a daily basis for your actions at work, and in life.

 
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Posted by on March 21, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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Absolute Truth

19 Mar

Absolute Truth

Romans 1:19-22    because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools,

My heart hurts for the nation I live in. We are consistently turning our backs on God. We are headed down the road of moral decline wrapped up in the ideals of we know what is best for ourselves and others. We are legalizing everything that appeals to one, under the guise that it will offend another. We are living in a day of rapidly descending morals & integrity at an alarming rate. All has been lost in what our nation was founded on; “One nation under God”. The moral decay has infected our rulers, our leaders, our schools, our churches, and therefore has infected our families with incredible divorce rates and damaged our children at early ages. My nation is headed down the road to total destruction as a result of turning our backs on God and the absolute moral truths we have been given.

I researched Absolute Truth. We see the evidences of God all around us in creation every day. Satan has planted the idea of evolution into society, trying to weaken the proof of God before us. Inside us as the pinnacle of Gods creation lies a conscious; an inner proof of Him that we must willingly decide to rebel against these evidences. Romans 2:14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, 15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them. Do you realize that tug of sin that you deny you feel so you can experience the pleasure of that sin is denying God? I lived my life in that denial for most of my life; I know you have to feel it.

Our leaders are being forced by deny Christ by these self appointed unions. Being told they may pray to a God, but not to their God Jesus Christ. They are being told that it offends, therefore if it does it must stopped. There is no such thing as truth that they must answer for and to. I pray these leaders stand their ground for Christ, that they do not deny Christ, that they sacrifice for Christ. Would you? Would you stand your ground at all cost if you were to claim Jesus’ name, or to deny Him and get a free pass? That day is happening in the world right now in religious persecution that involves imprisonment and even death. When some come to know Jesus they are ostracized from their family and live their lives in fear. Would you? You are only here for a short time; the immeasurable time is spent where the evidence of your lives were spent here; hell, or paradise. Would you take a stand for Jesus?

 
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Posted by on March 19, 2013 in Daily Devotions

 

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What matters?

23 Oct

What matters?

Matthew 22:37-38   Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment.

I am not a person who seeks the spotlight. I want no attention drawn to me in the light of this ministry. God knows this, and keeps the ministry silent to me. He performs the work He desires with it; my circle of encouragers small; and pride at bay. I humbly am thankful for His design for it to only draw attention to Him. This ministry is to show you God’s work in my life daily, and to encourage you in the pursuit of Him daily. A heart that is in constant pursuit is a heart that will find God. God speaks through the prophet Jeremiah to Israel reminding us all;  And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13).

This scripture in Matthew aligns with the first commandment that God gave Moses to Israel. Exodus 20:3 You shall have no other gods before Me. Matthew is trying to stress the ideal that every part of our being should be solely focused on God. Every essence of our being, the present of our heart, the eternal of our soul, and the focus of our mind should be on the One whom created and sustains us for the day unto eternity with Him. Everything that you place in your life above your relationship with Christ is a God to you. The realization of it, and the desire to lower its statue, is a heart that seeks God. We have in today’s society an ever growing list of pressing demands on our time that Satan has deceived us into believing their priority. When we stand before God, how will we explain the, “well I know, but I had to ……..”

Our country is facing an election that is dividing us as never before. Our president has become a celebrity and poor leader; and his opponent is a Mormon, and Mormon’s are not Christians. This is an election of truly the lesser of two evils. Our focus should not be on the political arena for either will not be a candidate that runs the office on his knees. Our focus should be on our relationship with God, and how we can be disciples of His, to draw others to Him who will never disappoint. The hope that God places in your heart when you are focused on Him, is the hope that will carry you when all else fails you. Romans 5:5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. If you will truly turn your heart, your soul, and your mind over to God; you will see the events around you in a different light. You will begin to see what matters eternal, and become focused on sharing that love you have with those that God places in your life. That priority shift is an eternal shift that the woes and worldly stresses cannot take away; for it is the hope that does not disappoint.

 
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Posted by on October 23, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Hoopla’

07 Sep

Hoopla’

Titus 3:1-3   Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men. For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.

Don’t we all ‘love’ this time of year that every four years brings? Every man against every man on the basis of political choices. How can they not agree with me? How can they not be argued into my viewpoint? Many times it becomes beyond heated. We have endured the DNC in our town and all the hoopla’ that came with it. Curiosity got the best of me at times during the local news broadcast and I saw all the hate as a result of the hoopla’. Politics bring out the worst in people, but we are all called to live and obey under those who rule.

Paul was writing Titus to the believers in Crete who were struggling with poor leadership. He speaks directly in Titus on the leaders of a church, and the conduct of the leaders and the church. The leaders of the day were leading them astray; Paul encourages them to remain focused on the Good News that Christ had delivered through Himself. Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. To live a life as a disciple of Christ; not pulled into the snares of the world, but to pursue God and the things of God.

We are about to enter into new president’s term with either candidate. Down either road we go, as Christians we are told we must “be subject to rulers and authorities”. We must obey the laws of the land unless they call us to deny Christ. We must seek to live peaceably among those we do not agree with. Matthew 5:44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. Through this pursuit of a Godly lifestyle you are reflecting Christ to a world that goes against Him. Through this pursuit He may use you to draw others to Himself, and to the saving grace he brings even them who oppose you and your political viewpoint. Together you are united eternally.

 
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Posted by on September 7, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Take a stand

18 Jul

Take a stand

Romans 12:2 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.

I had a conversation with an elderly customer last night that is still fresh in my mind about the state of affairs here in America. She told me of how her father could not believe how the world was changing in his lifetime. She said of her own, “The things we used to shun, have now become the norm, and what we used to uphold, is now shunned.” There is abundant truth in that statement. Our world is sliding away into depravity in every area of political and moral decline. Our means of acceptance of every lifestyle is leading our decay. Ruth Graham has been quoted many times about her note to Billy from 1965; “If God doesn’t soon bring judgment upon America, He’ll have to go back and apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah!”

When you truly step out in your faith, you go against the tide of the world. You will become an outsider; you will be ostracized for your beliefs. Satan wants us all to get along because under that ruse is his hidden agenda; to keep you from Christ. 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.  He is at work in big ways in our society under this agenda, and has people in power working for him. But see it for what it is, a trojan horse. John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

John 15:19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Dare to be different in a world that will not. Stand up for your faith and deny what you know is wrong. These stand and persecutions will only be temporal, and the rewards for them eternal.

 
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Posted by on July 18, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Teach them thy ways

11 Jul

Teach them thy ways

Deuteronomy 6:5-7   You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.

Last night I was headed for bed early when my oldest son crawled up into bed wanting me to read the Bible to him. How could I say no? He is reading it on his own now, but he wanted me to read it to him. We read the story of Noah and the Great Flood. I went to bed thinking of the study I had just completed on the life of Joshua and the generations after him in Israel.

Joshua understood the importance of passing down our faith. When he knew his days were becoming short, he gathered all of Israel including the children to remind them of how God had delivered them to the Promised Land. Joshua 23:2 And Joshua called for all Israel, for their elders, for their heads, for their judges, and for their officers, and said to them: But sadly their history was lost in the generation after that when Joshua died, and they rebelled against God. Judges 2:10 When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel. 11 Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served the Baals; 12 and they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt; and they followed other gods from among the gods of the people who were all around them, and they bowed down to them; and they provoked the Lord to anger. Their parents had forsook their responsibility of leading their children to the Lord.

It is truly sad to read of how our inheritance is lost by simply not passing down our history and faith to our children. Of how our responsibility as parents, and our first ministry is our family, or more directly our children. How will they know if we do not tell them? But they will suffer for our mistakes. Joshua gathered more than his children, he gathered the tribe and made sure that He passed on what the Lord had done for them. Israel was falling away from God and He wanted to right them in his last days. He was making sure he passed on Israel’s history for the generations he was leaving behind, for he understood the importance of it.

Sadly the generation after Joshua did not pass their history onto their children. Judges describes the falling away of that generation and the Lords wrath against them. Every where they went the Lord was against them. All likely because they did not know of how the Lord had delivered their people and had blessed the generations before them. Can you truly afford not to teach them?

 
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Posted by on July 11, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Early morning sunshine

22 Mar

Early morning sunshine

Romans 5:5     Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Why do you even bother to get out of bed? Is it the drudgery of the tasks that lie in the day ahead, or is it the hope that lies within you to arise and see where Christ will have you today? The attitude when your feet hit the floor can follow you all day. Hope is an underlayment on our awakening and our actions throughout our lives. “You are what you believe” a close friend once told me. The hope that lies within us upon Salvation is the Holy Spirit whom brings light to truth, wisdom to our hearts, and joy in our souls. I love how Hebrews 6:19 puts it; “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast,.” That anchor that rests in you provides the peace and security to face the dawn of a new day.

Hope is the expectation of eternal that God has placed in us by His design. We all undeniably have that longing for life after this; it is the way we are all wired. That desire is hope, and the hope grows deeper upon hearing of the Good News. Colossians 1:5 because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel. Unfortunately the world preaches hope as monetary possessions and pleasures of temporary satisfactions. We all have seen the last few years how temporal they can be. Hope is eternal, is steadfast, and is the reason you have been given the power to face a new day. With the hope of a life in paradise with Christ, what can fall before you today that could be so temporal to waive the power of eternal? Awake tomorrow with a smile and a hope to face the day; “always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.”

 
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Posted by on March 22, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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The deaf rebel

18 Mar

The deaf rebel

Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

This morning I was thinking about writing about the time spent early every day seeking God. Of how I believe God honors that time by speaking to us when we honor Him by doing so. Jeremiah 29:13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. When we set a time every day to place honor to Him, what do we place before Him that takes away from that appointment? There is not a right or wrong time, just a set time I believe. That lets God know you are serious about your relationship with Him. As a result of this study, it took a somewhat different turn in Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Proverbs is written by Solomon, the wisest man to ever live. A man who sought God and counsel to gain understanding of the things of God. I encourage you to read this chapter, for it speaks plainly of the draws of the world that tug us away from God, and the results of it. It is written as a father who speaks to their rebellious child, and the enticements of sin that draw that child away. Of how God is the voice of reason, rebuking that sin, desiring to protect us from our calamity that lies before us. I lived this life for many years, “the rebel without a cause”, and I know the destruction that came as a result of it. My plea to you is to heed the warnings, listen to His voice, and rest in His security. Proverbs 1:33 But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, And will be secure, without fear of evil.”

 
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Posted by on March 18, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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Christ – Death & Taxes

09 Mar

I was listening to Dr. Adrian Rogers speak Wednesday of Hebrews 11, and I found myself there today. What a great chapter in the bible of the patriarchs of great faith. Those men and women who had stepped way outside the box of understanding and seen the power of God and the blessing of God as a result. Somewhere during this I felt led to the promise of Him never leaving us…….I love how God works when we spend time in His word. Thank you Jesus for that eternal security that only you can provide.

 

 

Christ – Death & Taxes

Deuteronomy 31:6  Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

We have all heard the only two things we can count on are death and taxes. While truth lies in that statement, there is another, and they are numbers two and three. We can count on Christ never leaving us above all. Death will come unknowingly, and taxes are the largest variable for us all. But Christ and the Holy Spirit we are given are promised even from the first book in the bible to never leave us.  Genesis 28:15 “Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.” Christ’s promises ring throughout the Old and New Testaments.

We live in a society that is volatile, unsure, and constantly evolving right now. Not even the stability of jobs in large corporations is available any longer for they have only become corrupt on a larger scale. All of this volatility breeds selfishness and wanting more, doing whatever brings happiness for the time, the security of the moment, yet insecurity in the future. We live in a state of fear of tomorrow and beyond. But look at the promise and security for eternity that you can rest on in Hebrews 13:5-6 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” In a world that is crumbling before you, you can possess an eternal security they can never kill or tax. You can live today in a peace they do not understand, but desire. It is all found through Christ and His Spirit that He places in you upon Salvation, that you are eternally secure and promised a paradise with Him once this world passes away. Where else can you find a promise such as this?

 
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Posted by on March 9, 2012 in Daily Devotions

 

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