Reflection and Resolution

December 31

It’s New Year’s Eve, the time when people gather together to ring out the old year and ring in the new with reflection and resolution. The chimes at the stroke of midnight give us a moment to congratulate ourselves on our successes and to remind ourselves regarding our failures that they are not permanent.

For some, it is merely a time to ‘get lost’ in the oblivion that alcohol provides. A poem, discolored and pressed within the pages of an old book says it well:

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In our discontented world, despair has taken hold where hate and strife have reigned for centuries untold. A people wring their hands, shed many bitter tears, and cry out to their brother who’s deaf and never hears.

The pompous and the brave strive valiantly to gain freedom’s cup for captive souls but bring them only pain. We raise our voice in protest, decry all human ill, but when the shouting’s over, the sickness lingers still.

So we’ll lose ourselves in comedy and violence on the screen, when face-to-face with tragedy we wish we’d never seen. We’ll smoke away our troubles or wash them down with wine, or cloak them very carefully within the printed line.

But we’ll keep on moving forward and never call, ‘Retreat!’ as we dance on to destruction on our gaily tripping feet.

“The Folly of Our Days” by Sandra Bamonte

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The poem states our dilemma, but it gives us no hope. For that, we must look to the Word of the Living God who assures us in Revelation 21:5-7 “…Behold, I make all things new…I am Alpha and Omega…to him that overcomes will I give all things. I will be his God and he shall be My people…”

We may face problems, but Jesus promises He will resolve them! The New Year gives man yet another opportunity to turn the turmoil of life over to Him—to the only One who can make all things new, to the ONE John refers to as the PANTOCRATOR—the One in charge of all things.

Like the Magi

December 30

No telling of the Christmas tale would be complete without the inclusion of the visit of the magi to the Christ Child. They were men who studied the skies for revelation of deep things and they studied the prophecies to discern when the signs that had been placed by God in the heavens converged with the signs that had been revealed by God through men who heard His voice.

They traversed a large, dry place to arrive at His feet (Matthew 2:1-12) and when they found Him, they worshiped Him. We, today, are like them. We live in a far-off land that seems to have no proximity to righteousness and truth. Our society has coarsened and in so doing, has distanced itself from the Savior who once made us great and free.

We have allowed ourselves to be enticed into bondage to the false gods of wealth and power. We have allowed ourselves to be deceived by “strange doctrines” Hebrews 13:8 and by “the doctrines of devils” I Timothy 4:1, so we, too must cross a desert—but our desert is one of deception—in order to find the Lord of Truth.

But, when we have found HIM, knelt at HIS feet, worshiped HIM and placed our gift of a surrendered life before HIM, we will, like the magi, have a clear vision of the ONE who is worthy of all our praise and all our adoration. We will, like them, return to our place assured that we have found the revealed One, the holy One.

The Manger and the Cross

December 29

The manger and the cross are two unlikely symbols for the religion that offers hope to man in a woebegone, dreary world that is steeped in disappointment and overcome with darkness. The disappointment is in virtually everything that once inspired us to believe life is good. The darkness is of our own making, for we are immersed in the quicksand of sin that has sucked us ever deeper into the lawless quagmire we’ve created for ourselves.

We want to believe our institutions will still come up with the new invention or the new marketing scheme that will enable industry to rise out of its slump and move forward. We want to trust that our governmental leaders will succeed through innovative programs to instill confidence in us once again…but time passes and the only thing that rises is the national debt.

In desperation, we look for a place to anchor our hope for the future and we reflect upon the message of Christmas—that the Babe of Bethlehem came to give us not only hope, but also peace (Luke 2:14). We think of the Child who was born to a woman of royal blood (Luke 3:31) but whose own circumstances were humble. We think of the manger where she placed her new-born Son, and somehow we see that although it was a feeding trowel for animals, hewn of rough boards, when graced with the presence of the Babe, it has the power to lift our spirit to hope.

And the cross, emblem of torture and death, two rough, splintered boards fashioned for the sole purpose of bringing a man to a painful demise, when sprinkled with the blood of Heaven’s perfect Lamb (Revelation 13:8) becomes a beacon of light in a dreary economy, in a dismal moral abyss, in a desperate life of despair. The cross takes on the glorious light of heaven when Heaven’s Glorious Light (John 1:9, 10) is sacrificed there; and through His laying down of Himself upon that awful tree, we who are dead in sin and disappointment and loss are resurrected to new life and hope.

Spiritual Growth

How does God expect mankind to grow spiritually? It isn't as though there were a method for acquiring spiritual stature in place as there is for physical growth. Good food in the proper amount ajd adequate exercise enable one to attain the full potential of the physical stature that has been planted within.

There is no such mechanism in place within the human body for the attainment of spiritual maturity. The individual who is born again, who now has faith in the salvation provided by Jesus Christ feels like he is on top of the world when he gains eternal life and he may not even recognize that he needs anything else.

Though he can attain Heaven just as he is, the fact is that he will have a much more successful journey there if he finds and employs the Lord's resources for spiritual maturity. One need is that he must be established in the Word. Isaiah 34:16 says that believers are to, "Seek ye out of the Book of the Lord and read..." The truth of God is conveyed in the Bible. It must not be a mere dust collector on a shelf. The prophet says further in Isaiah 28:13 that the acquisition of wisdom will be, "...precept upon precept, line upon line; here a little, there a little..." so we know man must build upon his knowledge by drinking in the Word.

Paul tells believers in Hebrews 19:25 that they must not forsake the assembling of themselves together," they, "...exhort one another," especially as they see the signs of His return increasing. He says in I Thessalonians 5:17 that believers must, "pray without ceasing," and to the believers in Romans 8:26 he writes that their prayers must be in the Spirit who will help them when they don't know how to pray. The believer who follows these precepts will be well on his way to increasing in wisdom and spiritual stature, and he will be fully committed to sharing the sustenance of his own spiritual growth with the hungry souls he meets.

Increase

You are a reasonable person. It doesn't require a lightning bolt from heaven to get your attention. Your powers of observation are such that you have discovered the truth of the scripture that says, "There is none righteous, no not one," Romans 3:10. You understand that if there is a holy God in heaven, man needs a savior.

You have further observed enough of man's activity through the millennia of his existence to realize that none but Jesus fit the description of a savior--that He be, "...as a Lamb without spot or blemish, " I Peter 1:19.

The preceding verse states clearly what you know in the depth of your being, "...you were not redeemed with corruptible things like silver and gold...but with the precious blood of Jesus Christ..." I Peter 1:18, 19. Although salvation is a free gift (see II Corinthians 9:15), a high price was paid to purchase it for you.

With the understanding borne of the Holy Spirit having awakened you to the veracity of these truths, you further grasp the reality that once you have believed, your God has a high expectation of you. It has nothing to do with what you own or who you are. It is rooted entirely in the fact that you are to, "...increase in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man," Luke 2:52, just as Jesus did.

The Enormous Price

December 26

Our Lord and Savior came to earth for only one reason--to redeem fallen man from the consequence of sin--to buy him back from his plummet into sin. When man became separated from God in the Garden of Eden, the plan of salvation was already in place Prophetically, it is told in the same passage where it is revealed that the dragon and the beast will be worshiped by those who have not claimed Jesus as Savior.

Revelation 13:4-8 shares this woesome tale but reveals the fact that the awesome plan to reclaim God's prized creation has been in place forever. Specifically, verse 8 tells us that salvation is through, "...the Lamb of God, slain from the foundation of the earth." Jesus, God's sinless lamb, set the plan for your salvation in motion before the earth began.

Anyone who is among those who believe sin is of little consequence--after all, nobody is perfect; after all, this is just a small thing that can't separate me from God; after all, this isn't hurting anyone but myself; after all, a loving God wouldn't send anyone to hell--have another think coming when this verse is considered in the full weight of its implications.

If the Holy One abhors sin but loves mankind so much that He devised the plan of salvation before time began, there must be a totally horrific consequence to the sin that caused the separation of man from his Maker in the first place! If He paid the enormous price of Himself to buy you back, doesn't it behoove you to lay your blood-bought life at His feet?

CHRISTMAS

December 25 MERRY CHRISTMAS! REJOICE IN THE LORD!

“He who is mighty has done great things, and holy is His name” Luke 1:49.

Please bear with me as I depart from the usual format of this blog. We have spent the week establishing some of the prophetic messages of a coming Messiah and acknowledging some of those people who recognized who Jesus was when He arrived on earth as a Babe. There is another aspect of His Godhead that is pertinent to us, and that is the fact that HE IS WITH US TODAY and that HE DESIRES TO MEET US AT OUR POINT OF NEED.

About thirty years ago, as of this writing, our family lived in a ‘closed’ mid-eastern country that is very hostile to the gospel of Jesus Christ. In the entirety of the land, there was not then nor is there now one church building, although there are underground groups of believers who worship secretly. Though they are not sanctioned, they are tolerated as long as they do not become too ‘visible’ and as long as they do not attempt to proselyte.

It was Christmas Day and our small group had gathered at the home of Philip, a British physician, to worship our Lord and celebrate His birth. The haunting strains of his flute were accompanied on a keyboard by our ‘unofficial pastor’s’ wife. The Filipino guitarist added not only his skill but his touch of the Holy Spirit upon the accompaniment he provided. In spite of the tension that arose out of concern of scrutiny by the religious police, we were able to lose ourselves in worship and praise—and the songs of the celebration of His birth never sounded so sweet.

While we were thus engaged in communion with God, there came a knock at the door downstairs. A few of our men went down while those of us upstairs bound together in prayer. Our worst fears were apparently realized, for the intruders were the dreaded matawas—the religious police!

Our men greeted them graciously and spent some time conversing with them. They insisted they wanted to come upstairs to see for themselves what was going on, so, without an alternative, they were invited to do so. They would have discovered hymn books and Bibles--all forbidden--in addition to musical instruments for worship.

As they began to climb the stairs, their leader abruptly stopped and could not proceed! He spoke some words in Arabic to those who were with him, apologized to our men for having disturbed them and backed down the stairs! We had been spared a confrontation and probable imprisonment—and our joy was boundless!

Our worship and praise ascended to His throne with heightened fervency and our thanksgiving at the covering He had spread over us was mingled with no small amount of amazement at how marvelously the Lord works.

We felt like the Wise Men who had incurred the wrath of Herod in order to pursue their holy mission, and like them, we had been granted a vision of our precious King. We had dared to risk everything in order to adore Him, and like the Wise Men, we beheld His glory!

May you be encouraged to trust Jesus to meet you at your point of need. When you do, you will find as did our little band of believers on that long-ago Christmas Day, that the Book of Acts is still in the process of being written in the lives of those who lean on the Lord.

As He Spoke, So Will He Speak

December 24

“Through the tender mercy of our God, the Dayspring from on High has visited us,” Luke1:74. These amazing words of Zacharias, husband of Elizabeth, father of John the Baptist, were uttered in the presence of his young cousin Mary regarding the child that she would deliver who would be Savior of the world.

Another utterance regarding the Babe came when the angel of the Lord announced His birth to the shepherds. He said, “…I bring you good tidings of great joy for all people; unto you is born this day…a Savior, which is Christ the Lord,” Luke 2:10, 11. And other words that have great import were spoken by an elderly prophet of God regarding the infant.

When Jesus was taken by Mary and Joseph to be dedicated in the temple they were greeted by Simeon to whom the Lord had revealed that he would not die until he had seen the promised Messiah. His words were profound, “Lord, now let Your servant depart in peace according to Your word: for my eyes have seen Your Salvation, which You have prepared before all people—a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of Your people Israel,” Luke 2:25-32.

Not only was the birth of Jesus prophesied in the Old Testament, but godly men who were living at the time of His birth recognized who He was because God spoke to them and told them that He was the long-awaited Messiah! As the Holy Spirit spoke to their hearts to assure them of who Jesus was, so will He speak to ours to affirm that He is indeed the Christ who came to save mankind from bondage to sin.

Magnify His Name

December 23

“My soul doth magnify the Lord and my spirit hath rejoice in God my Savior, for He has regarded the low estate of His handmaiden, for behold, from henceforth, all generations shall call me blessed,” Luke 1:46-48. Everyone loves to hear a ‘rags to riches’ story. We like it when a poor boy makes good, especially if he remains humble in the process.

In this amazing verse, Luke shares with us the wondrous encounter that Mary, a godly young peasant woman had with an angel of the Lord that transformed her forever. No, she didn’t acquire wealth. She didn’t wield great power. But she became the only virgin to ever give birth to a child—and that child was the Second Person of the Trinity!

Mary was somewhat confused at the proposal she received from the angel—the offer to become the mother of God. She openly shared her thoughts, her doubts, her inhibitions with him. And he assured her that it would be alright. She didn’t know how God would work it out, but she trusted Him that He would work it out. Sometimes we find ourselves in perplexing situations.

It looks one way in the eyes of all observers, and the way it appears is unfavorable to us as it was to Mary. But we know the truth and we know the One who is TRUTH so we trust Him. As Mary trusted and all generations have called her blessed, so shall His righteous ones today be blessed despite the initial appearance to the contrary. Our God shall regard our low estate and bring us into a place of blessing as we, like Mary, magnify His name.

God's Unspeakable GIFT

December 22

“It is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous” Romans 2:13. In the fullness of time, the One who wrote the law on tables of stone and gave the precepts by which man is expected to live to Moses, came to earth to fulfill the law Himself.

The Holy One, who is, “of purer eyes than to look upon sin” Habakkuk 1:13, entered the sin-filled realm where the evil one perpetrates his mischief against the gullible and the unsuspecting and He vanquished sin and the devil by living the sinless life that man could not achieve.

Further, He gave humankind the opportunity to allow the Holy Spirit to write God’s immutable law on the tables of his heart. Because the Savior came, because He lived and died in the behalf of man, man now has the privilege of receiving the “unspeakable GIFT” of II Corinthians 9:15.

Because Jesus is that unspeakably wonderful GIFT, because it is the GIFT that puts all other gifts into the realm of mere refuse (see Philippians 3:8), man may go forward in the righteousness that is Christ, in the true GIFT of Christmas that transcends time and gives the man who will receive it all that is the Lord’s for eternity.

His Great Mercy

December 21

“I, by Your great mercy, will come into Your house; in reverence will I bow down toward Your holy temple” Psalm 5:7. The great men of the Old Testament, like David who is quoted here, approached a God they knew was, “…high and lifted up and whose train filled His temple,” Isaiah 6:1, but they were not privileged to know Him face-to-face.

Until Jesus came, man could not fully grasp the love and compassion of God. They knew Him to be mighty in power. They understood that His hand of mercy could be moved by their prayers, but they could not begin to fathom the intimacy He desired to have with them until Jesus came to walk the dusty streets of Galilee with them.

What the humble country folk saw when they met Jesus was different from the concept they had of the lofty One who inhabits eternity. They saw His power—to heal the sick, to deliver the demon possessed, to still the waves, to feed the thousands, to raise the dead—and they knew He was no mere mortal; they knew eternity was at His beck and call.

But they also saw the compassion in His eyes and felt the love in His heart. They knew He was not so far removed from them as to be untouched by the problems and challenges they faced. They saw in Jesus the matchless heart of love that can emanate only from the God who comes as our Savior. They understood that His great mercy was perfectly revealed in the One who was born to die so man might live.

All the Evidence

December 20

“The Lord has heard my cry for mercy; the Lord accepts my prayer” Psalm 6:9. Here we are, mere days away from the holiday we celebrate as the birthday of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Of course, we don’t know the actual date of His birth, but some who study times and seasons speculate that it occurred in the autumn.

If it were important that we know, the day wouldn’t be veiled in obscurity. What is important and what the prophets and priests of old have made clear through the types and shadows of Christ about whom they wrote in the Old Testament and what we have seen fulfilled in the New Testament is that a Savior was promised and a Savior came.

Were we to do a thorough study of all the prophecies concerning the Messiah, we would see that Christ fulfilled them all to the letter. Some may consider this to be a mere coincidence, but when we realize how many hundreds of them there are, we must acknowledge that such a quirk of events—or a manipulation of them by devious schemers who contorted the facts to produce a Messiah—would be impossible!

Indeed, we are left with two conclusions—the prophets through generations of writing the messages that were veiled to them were errant scribes who didn’t get the communication recorded accurately, or Jesus is indeed, “…the Christ, the Son of the Living God,” as Peter proclaimed in Matthew 16:16. All evidence points to the latter and behooves us to believe—and to receive His mercy and His great gift of salvation.

Who Is A God Like You!

December 19

Jesus incurred the wrath of the religious leaders of His day. We who believe in Jesus as our Savior and Lord and who know Him to be the Second Person of the Triune Majesty cannot fathom the reasons for their rejection of Him, yet a bit of scrutiny on our part will reveal the basis of their ire.

They were angry because He told the truth about who He was. That truth flew in the face of all they had expected their Messiah to be. They wanted a conquering hero who would set them free from the tentacles of their Roman masters but Jesus came healing sicknesses of the body, mind and spirit and setting men free from bondage to sin.

We see a straight-forward assertion of their disdain in Mark 2:5-7 where Jesus has just forgiven the sins of the man sick of the palsy when the scribes reasoned against Him by saying among themselves, “Who can forgive sins but God?” Instead of rightly concluding that this One who did miracles before them was indeed God incarnate, they chose to deny Him.

May we, instead, say with the prophet Micah in Chapter 7, verse 18 of his book, “Who is a God like You, who pardons sin and forgives the transgressions of the remnant of His people! You do not stay angry, but delight in mercy.” Indeed, Jesus extended mercy to those who hated Him; even as He hung on the cross, He asked for their forgiveness (Luke 23:34). May we lay our offenses at His feet and receive His forgiveness.

Watch the Eastern Sky

December 18

Anyone who has lived for any length of time is aware that things have changed dramatically in the last several decades. Yes, things have always changed and there is some merit to the observation that the ‘more things change, the more they stay the same.’

But in spite of the normal transitions that we expect from generation to generation and although human nature remains essentially as it’s always been, there is a palpable difference to be discerned at this period in time. People who are anticipating the second coming of Christ are, therefore, watching the eastern sky quite closely.

That doesn’t mean we’re abandoning our jobs and homes to wait on a mountaintop for His return. No, we believe He is coming soon and that His coming will be at a time that is perhaps much like this one. Evil is on the ascendancy. False religious beliefs are encroaching into areas where God’s truth once flourished, while at the same time, people who have long been in bondage to error are being set free by the power of the Holy Spirit. Some are being visited by Jesus Himself and He is personally inviting them to come to Him.

Yet, if the threats of mayhem that loom on the horizon come to pass, if the worst case scenario is played out, we will maintain our trust in the One who cannot fail. We will continue to cling to Him whose promises are yea and amen, for He has said, “The Lord your God is a merciful God. He will not abandon or destroy you or forget His covenant with your forefathers which He confirmed to them by oath” Deuteronomy 4:31. Though evil may abound, the One who is good will remain good to His people.

Because God Is Good

December 17

The most precious treasure a parent has to bequeath to his children is his faith. Yes, it would be lovely to be among the very wealthy people who possess much of earth’s treasure and who supply it to their offspring, but if a man has only one—has but temporal or eternal treasure to share—his progeny are infinitely advantaged if they receive the heavenly inheritance.

The Word indicates that when a man fears God, God Himself will assure that not only he but his children “from generation to generation” will receive the mercy of the Lord (Luke 1:50). As we see the failure of governments and institutions and financial entities all around us, there is great comfort in the promise that through all the trials that may come, our Lord and Savior will extend His mercy to His faithful ones.

And we know we are the beneficiaries of His benevolence because of His grace. We know we are incapable of pleasing Him in our own strength, but the receipt of His promises is not contingent upon our own strength. Jesus came to earth to save us because the Triune Majesty has set His heart upon us. Unworthy though we may be, He loves us.

Titus 3:5 tells us, “God saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.” All of His benefits, including salvation, come because God is good, not because we are worthy. He loves us in spite of our sin and it is His delight to extend His mercy to us through all generations, if we will but place our sin-stained lives at His feet.

Receive the Precious Gift

December 16

At opposite ends of the salvation spectrum are these conflicting thoughts: first, that we have limitless time at our disposal to receive the Lord’s “…unspeakable gift” (II Corinthians 9:15) of salvation and second that once an opportunity is neglected, there will never be another.

Although, if we are to err, it would be preferable to do so on the side of caution, even if that meant fear would drive us to the Throne of Mercy and Grace rather than that we would allow His love to draw us there, we should be aware that His “compassion fails not; it is new every morning,” (Lamentations 3:22, 23).

Each new day will find Him wooing us to Himself. It doesn’t matter if that day finds us hung over from an alcoholic binge the night before in the bed of a stranger, or if it finds us plotting how to spend ill-gotten gain, God’s mercy will be renewed to us that day. What such a day might also find, however, is that because of our having turned away from His will and His way, we won’t be sensitive to His wooing.

That is why we are admonished in Isaiah 55:6, 7, “Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts; let him turn to the Lord and He will have mercy on him; He will freely pardon.” Yes, the Lord’s mercy is ever toward errant man, but man, steeped in sin, isn’t looking for it; so, at the moment his spiritual eyes are open, he must receive the precious gift.

The Backbone Of His Character

December 15
From the Old Testament to the New, the Lord’s compassion is asserted as a ‘given.’ It is the backbone, so to speak, of His character. From His compassion spring His mercy, His generosity, His provision, His love. The entirety of the plethora of blessings that flow from His loving hand to mankind springs from His compassion.

In the Old Testament, He led His people out of bondage in Egypt and brought them safely across the Red Sea to freedom (Exodus, Chapters 14-16), In the New Testament, we see the unfolding of the most amazing story ever told—of God becoming a Man in order to redeem mankind from his sinful state (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John).

Though His compassion is demonstrated a thousand times in a thousand ways, it is always the tale of God’s loving heart doing what is needful, providing the grace, the mercy, the compassion, the love that will set man free from the awful bondage to slavery that he imposed upon himself in the garden (Genesis, Chapter 3). In Psalms 145:8, David states it thusly:

“The Lord is gracious and compassionate; He is slow to anger and rich in love.” In James 5:11, Jesus’ half-brother affirms, “The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.” From the beginning of the story to the end, the One who made us states His compassion for us over and over again. The great truth He wants us to glean from His message is that His love will never fail.

Judged By The Inner Man

December 14

We’ve often heard it said that talk is cheap. We’ve been told that if we really believe in a project we should, ‘put our money where our mouth is.’ Simply giving ‘lip service’ to a matter doesn’t cut it. Even if our pet project doesn’t necessitate an investment of finances, it does require an investment of our time.

If something is important to us, we must support it. The same diligence that we apply to personal and to financial matters must be employed regarding matters of the spirit. Jesus said that we cannot serve two masters (Luke 16:13), for we will be divided in our loyalty. We must give a complete investment of our-self to matters in which we believe.

That extends well beyond our outward deference to the principles of the Kingdom of Christ. He is far more concerned with the inner man than the outer man and who we are in the depth of our being is who we truly are in the Lord’s eyes. When we give an account of ourselves before His throne, we will be judged by who we are in the inner man.

Psalm 19:14 says, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable and pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my Strength and my Redeemer.” We cannot deceive Him by the lip service we pay to His Kingdom or the outward appearance of faith that men may see in us. It is who we really are, the aspect of our self into which we are most invested, that He will ultimately judge.

In His House

December 13

There are those who assert the futility of church attendance. Never mind that the Bible itself says, “Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together,” Hebrews 10:25, and we know Paul had the heart of God in the matter, for all his writing was anointed by the Holy Spirit. So why do we think it’s unnecessary to go regularly? Christmas? Easter? Sure, but every Sunday!?

Perhaps a few other scripture verses might speak to the issue. Think for a moment about, “I will meditate upon Your precepts and consider Your ways,” Psalm 119:15, or “I will ponder all Your works and consider all Your mighty deeds,” Psalm 77:12. Where better to meditate upon the precepts of God and to ponder His mighty deeds than in church?

Then there’s the wonderful call to celebrate Him in Psalm 104:33-34 which says, “I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. May my meditation be pleasing to Him as I rejoice in Him.” If these directives aren’t sufficient to prompt us to be found in His house, among His people, worshiping Him, perhaps the admonition of Psalm 48:9 can persuade us! Here David says, “Within Your temple, O God, I will meditate on Your unfailing love.”

Although the whole earth is His and there is nowhere that we may flee from His Spirit (Psalm 139:7-12), although we should give ourselves to praise and thanks to our mighty God wherever we are (Hebrews 13:15), still, being in church is an excellent place to tap the heart of the Lord and to bask in the love He lavishes upon those who’ve come to praise and worship Him.

Sure Promises and Boundless Resources

December 12

There isn’t anyone on planet earth who hasn’t wrestled with the problems, the disappointments, the demons of life. Whether the situation that is engulfing him is professional, financial, emotional or physical, it causes distress that can hardly be borne. In fact, it cannot be borne alone.

When in the throes of difficulty, most people turn to those they can rely on for help—family, friends, organizations whose sole objective is to assist others who are in need. When the need is met, when the problem has been overcome, they rejoice together with those whose help has been steadfast at the time of challenge.

The One to whom we must never fail to turn is the One whose hand holds all other sources of help. When family or friends or organizations like the Salvation Army are ‘there’ at times of hardship and disaster, it is because they are committed to being tools for good in the extended hand of the Christ who uses willing hearts and outstretched hands to assist when needs arise.

As the Word admonishes, “I arise before dawn and cry for help; I put my hope in Your word. My eyes stay open through watches of the night that I may meditate on Your promises” Psalm 119: 147, 148. Ultimately, our hope and our help comes from the Lord, whose promises are sure and whose resources to affect them are boundless.

Meditate Upon It

December 11

Everyone knows someone who refuses to play by the rules. They may not break any laws in the process, but they go about living their lives in a way that often puts others at a distinct disadvantage. They are the people one must guard against in the workplace, in the marketplace, in the neighborhood, even at home.

This individual will steal your idea in a heartbeat—run to the manager and present it as his own—receiving the credit (and perhaps the promotion) you should have earned. He will charge you top dollar for a product you desire to purchase from him. He will neglect his yard causing the hard work you’ve done in yours to look less attractive. He will undermine you at every turn.

He may not always intend to cause you a problem, but he usually does. His method of comporting himself, based upon his lack of integrity, simply impacts you negatively. Because interaction with such an individual makes life so complicated and unpleasant, we yearn to have the man described in Joshua 1:8 as the one with whom we interact on a regular basis—in both our professional and in our personal world.

Of him it says, “Do not let this Book of the Law depart from you. Meditate upon it day and night so you may do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” The person who bases his life upon the Word of God will deal fairly with others. You will rejoice in his success, for it will not be at the expense of your own.

Freedom in Truth

December 10

Reflecting a moment upon the last statement made yesterday, we might ponder the viability of such an assertion! Why would anyone, we might ask, desire to see laws established upon the principles of God, anchored in the freedom Jesus secured for man at Calvary, ever become the target of destruction?

The answer to that is simple—many people in our world do not honor the living and true God. Their allegiance is to another entity: to a false god, to a ‘god’ of wrath whose goal is to enslave mankind in bondage to his insatiable lust for power and obeisance; or to a ‘god’ of political power whose goal is to enslave mankind in bondage to penury.

We see the encroachment of these entities into ever-widening areas of the world and into ever-more-susceptible segments of society. As their impact deepens, freedom and truth and hope and joy will erode. There is one counter measure to be employed against the false gods of subjugation and poverty and that is to fortify the wall of protection that the truth of our Jesus brings to us!

As David said in Psalm 1:1, 2, “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of the mockers of God; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law does he meditate day and night.” When man is aware of the power of the truth, and embraces truth to his bosom, he is set free! He cannot be deceived by lies, for as Jesus said, “The truth sets you free” John 8:32.

When People Aren't Fair...When Law Isn't Just

12/ 09/ 11 Addendum:

Some of us do NOT live where government is godly, where the law is just; some of us do not deal with honorable people in our daily circumstances. When this is the case...

Remember Who Your Enemy Is!

If you are facing a duplicitous co-worker who endeavors to undermine you at every turn in order that he might receive the recognition that you deserve, remember, he is not your enemy.

If you have a spouse who does not understand you, who belittles you rather than lifts you up, remember, he is not your enemy.

If you stand falsely accused, you character is being maligned, your goodness is evil spoken of, remember the false accuser is not your enemy.

If you live in an oppressive regime where you are persecuted for your faith in Jesus Christ, remember, the authorities are not your enemy.

The secret to overcoming ‘the enemy’ is to understand who the enemy is. The duplicitous co-worker, the critical spouse, the false accuser, the oppressive government officials are not your enemy; rather they are all ‘victims’ of the same ‘enemy’ who is oppressing you!

It is the ancient enemy of God who “comes to steal, kill and destroy” John 10:10, and until you recognize him, you cannot defeat him! You cannot overcome his mischief!

Remember the One who goes on to say in that same verse, “…I am come to give life and that more abundantly.”

Employ the power you have as a believer in the ONE who gives you abundant life to crush the enemy under your heel, grind him to fine powder and scatter him impotent to the wind!

In Jesus’ mighty name, we stand together to undo the work of darkness that the enemy of your soul is endeavoring to use to undermine you! In Jesus’ mighty name, we employ the same power that HE used in Luke 11:20 when He said, “I, with the finger of God, cast out evil.” That power resides in you because YOU BELIEVE IN HIM!

We employ the same matchless power that raised Jesus from the dead to move in your circumstances, in your behalf—and to glorify our awesome, almighty God in your circumstances, in you!

Ever Vigilant

December 9

Most people recognize the value of having a battery of law within which the citizenry of a society must abide. To venture from the constraints of the law of the land is to invite anarchy. Of course, this is written from the vantage point of one who has been blessed to live in a land where the law is established on the law of the true and living God.

When the Constitution of the United States of America was written, the men who wrote it and the men who modified it and the men who approved it were greatly influenced by the Word of God. The Bible was their guide in formulating the laws by which the new nation would be governed. Many countries do not have such a foundation.

Where the ideas of man or the harsh impositions of an untrue ‘god’ are the basis of law, law becomes harsh, unreasonable, cruel. Where the governance of a people is based upon anything but the guidance that springs from the heart of God, there is inevitably an element of tyranny to one degree or another in the imposition of those laws.

When the law of God is the basis of the law of a nation, the people may say as did David in Psalm 119:97, “Oh, how I love Your law! I meditate on it all day long.” We who enjoy the freedom established upon the truth of our holy God must be ever-vigilant to guard it, for there are forces that seek nothing so much as they desire its destruction.

Working Faith

December 8

Some people feel that life has left them standing by the way-side while others charge ahead to the realization of goals and dreams they can only continue to wish to attain. Many are enabled on their path to self-realization by the freedom some countries afford their citizens to pursue and achieve their heart-felt goals; others are not so fortunate as to have that freedom.

But in the realm of the spirit; in the abode where the Living and Eternal Christ dwells, there is an assertion that substantiates a believer in the pursuit of goals and endeavors that reflect the will of the Savior who dwells within his heart. There is a plan, set in motion the moment He receives Christ that cannot be thwarted.

Paul delineates that plan very concisely in Ephesians 4:11-13 where he states, “It was Jesus who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, some to be pastors and some to be teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service so that the body of Christ may be built up until we reach unity in the faith…” He has a job for each of us to do that He knows will be performed well because He has given us the skill set to do it to His specifications.

Paul goes on to tell us in this passage that this provision is to assure that those who enter the household of faith be “…built up in the knowledge of the Son of God, mature, attaining the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” It is not the desire of the God who loves us, who assumed the fashion of a Man and bore our sins on the cross, that we remain infantile in our knowledge and worship of Him. He desires that we be mature--so through our mature, united faith, others will be edified in His Kingdom.

Rest on His Assurances

December 7

There is speculation that leaders in the United States should have been aware that a Japanese attack was imminent. The U.S. had been doing things that were considered provocative, so to have been taken by surprise on this date in 1941 is most incredulous to ‘conspiracy theorists’ who believe some people in high places relished the prospect of a sneak attack so our entry into World War II would be undisputed.

Be that as it may, we will continue to speculate as long as history books are being written and men’s motives for their actions are weighed and evaluated long after their impact has been felt. Yet there can be no dispute—the world of the mid Twentieth Century was far different because the Allies won the conflagration than it would have been had Germany and Japan been victorious.

We can only stand in awe of the God who has had His hand on the affairs of men from time immemorial and be grateful to Him that He has allowed the events of time to proceed toward the end that He has had in His heart since He fashioned man. As Paul states so eloquently in his letter to the believers at Philippi, “God, who began a good work, will carry it until completion at the day of Jesus Christ,” Philippians 1:6.

Whether that ‘good work’ is global in nature or whether it is in the life of an individual believer, we who have placed our time and our eternity into the hands of the Lord Jesus Christ may rest on His assurances that it is His good pleasure to do us good. He will maneuver and conform circumstances toward the end that those who trust Him will spend eternity ruling and reigning with Him (II Timothy 2:12).

Blue Ribbon Believers

December 6

Do you ever feel that you’re being taken back to ‘square one’? You have the distinct awareness that you’ve covered the same ground before. One thing believers must keep in mind is that our God desires that we be perfected in our walk with Christ. We may content ourselves with a second place ribbon, but He wants the blue for each of us.

Consequently, He requires His people to traverse territory they’ve already covered if they have diverged from the right path, taken a wrong turn, or tarried at an inappropriate stopping point. He has told the faithful that His Word is a ‘light to their path and a lamp to their feet,’ (Psalm 119:105), and He wants them to move forward in that light.

In I Corinthians 9:24-27, Paul equates the Christian walk to a race. He points out that though many run, only one receives the prize. He is stating clearly that we are in competition with the world system, with ungodly people, and if we are to achieve mastery, we must adhere to the ground rules our Lord has given to us.

We cannot embrace the worldly ways if we are to achieve the heavenly prize. Though the course may be challenging, the brother of Jesus tells us, “Perseverance must finish its work so you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:4). Jesus wants us to reach our heavenly goal in victory—not in second place.

Instruct a Wise Man

December 5

‘Nobody tells me what to do!’ ‘I think for myself.’ ‘I make my own decisions.’ ‘I bear the consequences of my choices.’ ‘What I do affects no one but myself.’ Ever heard any of those assertions? Most of us have heard them at a time when we were endeavoring to offer unsolicited advice.

Most of us have learned that unsolicited advice should remain unextended, for it rarely achieves its intended result and often causes strife where we’d hoped for good will to be its outcome. We wrestle with ourselves before concluding to keep our counsel to ourselves because we sincerely want to advantage the hearer by our insight.

Sometimes we forget that it takes a level of maturity to be able to receive any lesson that hasn’t been learned through ones own involvement. Sometimes we forget that many of our own lessons were learned at the ‘School of Hard Knocks’; we forget that others are enrolled there and learn their ‘A,B,Cs’ of life through its tough curriculum.

The Bible gives us valuable insight into just who might be willing to receive our hard-won counsel. Proverbs 9:9 says, “Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning.” The individual who is wise and righteous desires to grow in these attributes, and he will value a word to the wise.

Growing Demands Strong Meat

December 4

Other than the fact that Jesus is referred to as “the Bread of Life,” and as “Living Water,” perhaps the most referenced source of sustenance in the Word of God is milk. Understandably so. Observe any young creature at the breast of its mother and we cannot help but recognize the vital role played by this sustaining nutriment.

In his first letter, the Apostle says, “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk so that by it you may grow up in your salvation” I Peter 2:2. The ability to suckle is innate. Newborns don’t have to be taught how to receive life-giving sustenance. Believers must be like them, knowing instinctively that our life depends upon the word of truth.

But as the young child who receives nutrition exclusively from the breast for his first months of life must go on to rice cereal and pureed fruits and vegetables, so the believer must go on. In Hebrews 5:13, 14, Paul says, “Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature…trained to distinguish good from evil.”

He continues in Hebrews 6:1, “Let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity.” The ‘milk of the word’ has served its purpose in us as does mothers’ milk for infants. Going on to maturity requires heartier fare. Growing in faith, as growing in body, demands strong meat (Hebrews 5:14) and mature faith will allow the believer to truly discern good from evil.

The Promised Wisdom

December 3

In Psalm 90:12, David speaks in the Lord’s behalf when he says, “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” The years, months, weeks and even the hours of our existence flee away with great rapidity. Our celebrations—birthdays, holidays, special events, so anticipated, are gone in a twinkling.

Those anticipated moments such as a wedding, the birth of a first child, promotion to a hard-sought position…things that make life worth the daily struggle…are hardly realized before they are relegated to the realm of memory, until they become a mere, fleeting recollection in our moments of reminiscing.

But, if we stop as David admonishes us to do, if we actually ponder the days that have slipped so quickly away, we take from our contemplation a sense of profound realization that all our moments of glory, anticipation, celebration, joy have left us without lasting advantage. In that realization comes the promised wisdom.

With the revelation of the inability of the temporal to satisfy, comes our yearning for something that will—and with that yearning comes the search for eternity’s treasure. When we are awakened to our utter inability to find what our hearts long to possess in the things time offers, we are ready to receive Jesus, eternity’s incomparable gift.

By His Grace

December 2

God dwells in perfection. He is perfection. He is enveloped in light. He is light. He exudes mercy. He is mercy. He possesses all goodness. He is goodness. The reality of who He is exceeds anything we have the ability to imagine, for we are steeped in corruption; we are weighted down by sin.

It is rather like there is a quicksand of negativity that grasps us and sucks us and swallows us deeper and ever more completely into itself. We are helpless to escape from its grasp because its tentacles are so much a part of who we are that we hardly recognize they are there. We are so addicted to sin that we enjoy it.

We don’t fight against it because we look forward to it, we plan for it, we run to it. Given our proclivity to indulge sin, it seems there is virtually no way we can escape it. Indeed, nothing within ourselves can free us, but the Lord has sent a search and rescue team to find us and to deliver us! Jesus found us and the Holy Spirit beckons us into the Arc of Safety the Lord has supplied!

Praise God! “Because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy made us alive with Christ, even when we were dead in trespasses and sin! It is by His grace you have been saved” Ephesians 2:4-5. Can there be any lovelier words than those? He who is perfect light, who abides in goodness, extends His mercy to rescue we who are laden with sin—just because HE loves us! Thank You, JESUS!

Boundless and Endless

December 1

The Living and Eternal God is wooing you to Himself. He loves you so much that He allowed the Second Person of the Godhead, Jesus Christ, to endure not only the agony of an excruciating death but also, the mundanity of the life of an ordinary peasant for thirty years in order that you might become aware of how completely He loves you.

Even before Jesus appeared in the flesh, the prophets told of the love of God for His creation. In Isaiah 62:5, it is stated, “As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so does your God rejoice over you.” In Jeremiah 31:5 you are told, “I have loved you with an everlasting love. I have drawn you with loving kindness.”

How long will the Holy One of the ages persist in His love? Unrequited love usually has a termination point. If you continue to refuse His heart, how long until it is withdrawn and you are left without the option of receiving that precious, priceless, eternal love? The answer to that is found in Hosea 2:19, 20, which says, “I betroth you to Me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion and in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the Lord.”

He loves you, He will persist in loving you, “From everlasting to everlasting…” Psalm 103:17 goes on to assure, “His love is with those who fear Him and His righteousness is with their children’s children.” How precious to know that His love is boundless and endless, even if we reject Him. But, oh what precious assurance that if we will but love Him in return, our children will, for all generations, be secure in the hollow of His hand.

Fastened on the One

There are times in life when we find ourselves in the kind of situation that Joseph faced when he, while maintaining steadfast integrity before God, was falsely accused of a crime and sent to prison. As with him, circumstances sometimes converge upon us that render us helpless before our accusers, for the 'accuser of the brethren' is forever attempting to undermine the people of God.

When those times come, may we, as Joseph did, keep our eyes fastened on the One who has the power to help and to exonerate. May we continue to walk honorably before Jesus and trust Him to deliver us from our oppressor and the difficult circumstances he contrives. May we trust that in Jesus' perfect time our good will be realized and HIS GLORY will be revealed through us.

Loved and Found

November 30

We who have found Jesus as our Savior tend to congratulate ourselves in that discovery. Certainly, we’re more realistic than to think we managed it on our own, but we do think we have given more credence to His Holy Word, have attended more fully to the wooing of His Holy Spirit and responded more quickly to His call upon our lives than have others who have not found their way to Him.

While there is an element of truth in the above, the reality is that none of it would have been possible were it not for the great love the Lord has for His fallen creation. He has tried to make abundantly clear to us the magnitude of His love, but we are sometimes dull and unable to perceive such amazing love.

Our spiritual eyes are too clouded by the loves of earth to fully apprehend the incomparable love of heaven’s perfect Lamb. We are too focused on the things and the people we desire to embrace in the realm of time to clearly see or understand the amazing heart of love that caused Jesus to forsake His throne in glory (see Philippians 2:6-8) so we might one day abide around His throne in eternity.

But if we will allow ourselves to see, we will realize just why David said in Psalm 145:8, “The Lord is gracious and compassionate… rich in love.” We will understand the truth of I John 4:10 which says, “This is love, not that we loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” We will rejoice that we have been loved and found by Him, and pray the lost will allow Him to love and find them, too.

An Extremely Weighty Burden

November 29

Holding a grudge can become an extremely weighty burden. The longer it is carried, the heavier it becomes. Yet, many of us persist in holding on to things that we perceive as being slights toward us, insults against us or outright harm unleashed at us. It may seem like the only reasonable thing to do, given the situation, but it is not.

When we embrace to ourselves, when we take in, the negative things that come our way, we are encumbering ourselves with the kind of excess baggage that cannot possibly advantage us in any way. It can only drag us down. We must divest ourselves of it—much as a ship in a storm must cast extraneous cargo into the sea.

If we will allow ourselves to do so, we will cover the offenses against us with love, with forgiveness, and in so doing, we will be delivered from their impact. Our doing so has nothing to do with the attitude of the perpetrator of the offense. Whether or not he seeks forgiveness and restoration, we must extend it to him. If he accepts our grace, he, too, is blessed. If not, he elects to remain under the wrong's smothering weight.

Solomon writes in Proverbs 17:9, “He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever keeps the matter separates himself from close friends.” The reality is that all of us are guilty at one time or another of saying or doing something that can cause offense to another. We must seek forgiveness at those times just as we must extend forgiveness when we are offended. Friends, true friends, love in spite of offense.

Uncompromised Excellence

November 28

The American educational system is accused of producing students who know little but who think quite highly of themselves. The observation is that our teachers are busily building their students’ self-esteem but are not doing much in the way of actually conveying academic or spiritual knowledge to them. This, if true, is a sorry assessment of a broken system—which, by the way, was once the premier educational machine in the world.

Bill Gates, one of the world’s wealthiest men, is credited with stating, “Before a child gains self-esteem, he should have accomplished something.” Mr. Gates, in the opinion of many, is entirely correct in that observation. But, parents and teachers and administrators often differ. They feel that for a child to achieve, he must be first validated as an achiever.

Is this getting the proverbial cart before the horse? If the Lord were interjecting His opinion here, what would it be? According to the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Philippians 2:3, 4, we are to, “In humility consider others above ourselves. Each of us should look not only to our own interests but also to the interests of others.” The initial portion of this scripture seems to assent to the notion of affirming our young people. But, read in its entirety, we understand that in doing so we should be looking to their interests.

It becomes ever more apparent that building self-esteem does not further the interests of youth, in the short term or in the long term. If we want their futures to be secure, we must assure that they have the tools with which to build their futures and the knowledge of how to use those tools. The proven method for conveying knowledge is that which has succeeded in the past—the insistence upon excellence. Yes, we may use every tool of modern technology to accomplish that excellence, but we must not compromise on what excellence is, not academically and certainly, not spiritually!

He Is Still Optimistic

November 27

God is perfect. He is absolutely complete in Himself. He needs nothing. He needs no one. He lacks nothing. He cannot be added to. He cannot be subtracted from. He is holy. In the presence of His majesty, all mankind from the beginning of time until its end will fall on their faces before Him, proclaiming with the angels, “Holy. Holy. Holy…”

So, why are we here? Why did a Being, so perfect, so complete, so without need, elect to create a being so unlike Himself? Perhaps the aspect of that query that must be addressed is the assertion that man, at his creation, was unlike God. In reality, at his inception, man was perfect. The fatal flaw that corrupted him sprang out of his free will.

God, wanting the love of His creation to be without any strings attached, gave mankind a free will. The first man, Adam, representing all his progeny to follow, was deceived into believing he could become more like God through an act of disobedience. Since then, we have all taken that path, followed that choice, one way or another. The questions then become, ‘Why then does God suffer us to exist?’ and…

…‘Why hasn’t He eradicated our fallen kind from the planet?‘ The answers lie in the reality that He is still optimistic about us. He has high hope that in loving us enough to die in our place, we will love in return. We will love Him and we will love one another, for, as the Apostle states in I John 4:12, “…if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is perfected in us.” His desire is that we live in the perfect love that is Himself.

Love Covers Sin

November 26

It’s not always easy to love. Many people have been hurt in love, have been disappointed by those they loved so they are wary of loving. Love carries with it a component of trust that, once betrayed leaves the wronged party with his guard up and his ability to plunge whole-heartedly into a trust relationship greatly diminished.

This trust factor is important not only in personal or romantic relationships, but also in interaction with neighbors and co-workers. Even nations require a component of trust when entering into trade agreements or peace treaties or when resolving border disputes.

We might think it is impossible to ever fully trust or, therefore, to ever fully love because virtually none of us is without prior disappointment. But that’s not what the Lord requires of us. That’s not what He expects to be the basis of our decisions regarding trust or love. I Peter 4:8 gives His viewpoint which is, “Love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins.”

This verse recognizes that there may be sins we’ve borne at the hands of another, but we are not to be governed in our attitude or our behavior by our experience. We are to allow the example of Christ when He said of those who crucified Him, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,” (Luke 23:34), to prevail in our hearts and spirits. He died because love covers sin. He wants us to live in His love that still covers sin.

The Bearing Of Heaven

November 25

I’m sure you don’t shop at the same places where England’s new Princess Kate acquires her splendid attire. She can, if she so chooses, send for the most famous designers of clothing in the world and they will come to her. She doesn’t have to actually shop unless she wants to do so.

There is a high expectation as to how Kate will present herself. We don’t wish to see her wearing frumpy clothes from a second-hand shop and we don’t anticipate we’ll see her attired in the same outfit another celebrity may have worn. We expect her to be uniquely herself. She has not disappointed us. She is lovely from head to toe.

Because she is polished and refined, because she is tasteful, because she is statuesque, she represents the royal family well. We’ve seen the smiles of the Queen when Kate is in her presence. We’ve seen the delight in the admiring glances of her handsome young husband, Prince William. Most of us don’t see ourselves as having such lofty personages to please—but we do. We want to gain the approval of heaven and Colossians 3:12-14 tells us how to do so…

“As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And, over all these virtues, put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” Our God is looking upon us with the hope that we shall comport ourselves as sons and daughters of the King of kings and Lord of lords should do. Not only must we carry ourselves with the bearing of heaven, but be clothed in its finest attire.

Thanksgiving Day

We stop today to lift up our hands and our hearts and our minds and our spirits to our precious Jesus for the wondrous bounty He has bestowed upon us. We have so much for which to offer our gratitude. The abounding provision of food that is so plentiful upon our tables, and will be even more so today as we enjoy the traditional feast of this holiday, is cause for overflowing appreciation.

We thank Him for family and friends who travel near and far to spend time together, to celebrate the special joys that bind our hearts together. We thank Him for their faithfulness that causes them to stand by us, not only in our times of joy but at those low points in our lives when we need their arms to lean on and their encouragement to lift our spirits.

We thank Him for the beloved country in which we are privileged to live, for the freedom to pursue our goals and to speak our opinions. We thank Him for the privilege of exercising our right to vote so we may elect to office those individuals who share our values and support our right to express them according to our conscience. Whether our thoughts are political or religious, we may state them without fear.

But above all, we thank our glorious Savior for His “unspeakable GIFT” (II Corinthians 9:15), that incomparable sacrifice of Himself on a cruel cross in order that we might have our sins forgiven and our eternity secured. Oh, Lord Jesus, how we praise and thank You for leaving Heaven where You reign in glory (Philippians 2:5-7) to live as a sinless man who became the sacrifice for all our sin.

On this wonderful day of contemplation of the things for which we are thankful, our hearts must bow before You in praise and abounding thanksgiving for all You’ve done to assure that all the promises of Heaven are ours.

Because He First Loved Us

November 24

People can be thoughtless. People can be tactless. People can be ruthless. People can be absolutely cruel! There are situations from which we recoil because we don’t want to see the actions some members of humankind are capable of inflicting on others. We don’t want to know the depravity of the human heart. But we’re told to love people.

We’re told to love the worst of them, but wickedness doesn’t merely offend us, it frightens us. If we don’t confront it, if we endeavor to remain oblivious to it, if we ignore its pervasiveness, we can go merrily on our way. We can pretend sin’s scope is less than it is; we can pretend that all is right with the world. But we’re told to love people.

We can turn our eyes from seeing the devastation of war. We can stop our ears from hearing the cries of the homeless, the starving, the oppressed. We can focus on the pleasant things, the good things. We can live our lives within our secure little bubble and not allow anything that causes distress to intrude into our little corner of the world.

But, we’re told to love people. We can’t love without allowing our hearts to be invested in the objects of our love. How can we commit ourselves to caring for man when we are so put off by him? I John 4:7 shows us the only way it can be done—“We love because HE FIRST LOVED US.” We love as Christ loves, we follow His example, even unto death.

Who Is Your Neighbor?

November 23

Who is your neighbor? Is it the guy next door who waves to you as he mows his lawn? Is it the folks at church with whom you share faith and fellowship? Or is it the people at work with whom you rub elbows every day? It’s important to know just who he is because you are to love him.

In James 2:8 the Lord’s brother quotes the scriptural admonition, “’Love your neighbor as yourself’ and (thereby) you are doing right.” It is considered ‘right’ to love your neighbor. In God’s estimation, it is crucial to love your neighbor, so, who is he?

A scrupulous study of the subject would reveal the fact that in the eyes of God, everyone is your neighbor! Yes, everyone—including your enemies! In Matthew 5:44, 45, Jesus Himself said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.” When you do, you will be following the example of the Lord.

Jesus, God’s only Son, left His throne in glory, came to earth as a man, bore your sin, and was humiliated by those who made themselves His enemy. Yet He loved them. He died for the sins of the haters of the gospel who revile and curse Him as much as for those who simply err in their ways. In doing so, He shows us how we, too, must love even our enemies—and be true neighbors.

Love--Received, Returned, Extended

November 22

Love is an elusive commodity; ask any teenager who has fallen head-over-heels for the first time. There are two important things that must be recognized whether the individual ‘carrying the torch’ is a youngster who is new at being in love or a seasoned veteran in the ‘wonderful game of love’ as the old song by ‘the Platters’ identifies it.

Those two things are the facts that in order to be love, truly love, God must be at its root and also in order to be truly love, the emotion must be reciprocal. Of course, where God is concerned, we know He loves. That fact is stated again and again in scripture—and nowhere more clearly than in John 3:16, “God so loved the world, He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

In Psalm 31:23 God challenges His people to love Him back! Here He says, “Love the Lord, all His saints! He preserves the faithful but the proud He pays back in full.” In John 14:23 Jesus Himself says, “If anyone loves Me, he will obey My teaching and My Father will love him and we will come to him and abide with him.” The 'pay-back' to the proud is the great cost of living a life absent of the joy of loving and being loved, but the assurance of the presence of the Lord with the one who loves and obeys Him is indeed great reward.

The great stipulation to experiencing the flow of love between the One who is high and lifted up and ourselves is found in I John 4:20, 21 where the beloved Apostle says, “Anyone who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And He has given us this command: ‘Whoever loves God must also love his brother.’” How grateful we are that Jesus came to reveal God's heart to us by loving us with His perfect love and by giving us the joy of extending that precious commodity back to Him and to others.

The Amazing, Eternal Impact

November 21

Loving God makes an amazing impact on a life. Apart from that love, God’s love, which defines love, none of us really have any love at all. That may sound like an extreme statement, but the Word, which cannot fail and cannot lie, says, “God is love” I John 4:8. Consequently, those who don’t have the Lord cannot truly love.

Yes, they may feel an emotion they identify as love, but it is not love, cannot be love, if it does not have God who is love as its source. Just as one might possess millions of counterfeit dollars and not have any money, so one who has an emotion void of God’s love does not have any love.

How can an observer identify the genuine article? Conversely, how can he determine if the love he thinks he sees is counterfeit? In John 14:21, Jesus said, “Whoever has My commands and obeys them is the one who loves Me. He who loves Me will be loved by My Father; I, too will love him and show Myself to him.” Identifying love in another means seeing Christ in him.

Christ is seen when one obeys the commands of God, for true love desires to walk in obedience to the One who is loved. When we love the Living and True Christ, we reflect His glory to the lost and dying world around us. When they see Him in us, they are transformed by His glorious love. The impact of that transformation is eternal.

HE Is Your Life

November 20

Many of us relegate to people the love and adoration that we should reserve only for God. Deuteronomy 30:20 says, “Love the Lord your God. Listen to His voice and hold fast to Him, for the Lord is your life.” When we transfer to a mere mortal the devotion only the Lord deserves, we are setting ourselves up for disappointment and distress.

If any human voice conflicts with the commands of the Holy One, we must reject its siren song. If anyone or any thing demands to be embraced to our bosom, we must remind ourselves that only those people and things that first embrace Christ should have any place near our heart, the throne room of our lives where He dwells.

Our God makes an assertion in this verse that only He is entitled to make—“…HE is your life.” We may wrap our lives around another, we may think we can’t live apart from a person or a goal or a dream, but we delude ourselves if we believe that any entity but the Sovereign Lord Himself is crucial to our existence.

It is imperative that we make Jesus Christ not only the focus but the entirety of our lives. When we do, we will not only comply with the law of God, which the Word tells us is the essence of loving Him (I John 5:3) but we will secure to ourselves the blessings of time and the treasures of eternity that He promises will come with obedience.

The Most Important Commandment

November 19

Life requires us to keep track of so many things. Check books must be balanced, mortgage payments must be made on time, utility bills must be paid. Even laundry must be done with regularity and in a reasonable, timely fashion. To neglect these things is to add to our lives the burdens that come when we are irresponsible.

To avoid bounced checks, terse notices and penalties from unhappy lenders, the inconvenience of curtailed electric service, or even the simple matter of running out of clean underwear, we must assume the responsibility for these demands of life—as the old saying goes, “If you dance to the music, you must pay the piper.”

Though the ramification of our neglect of these matters may be that we are inconvenienced, there are greater areas of responsibility that require our utmost diligence to assume. Jesus Himself pointed these out in Mark 12:29-31. Because the Lord stated their importance, it behooves us to comply with His recommendation, to fully assent to His words.

Jesus said, “The most important commandment is this…the Lord our God is One! Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and all your mind and all your strength. The second is like it, that you love your neighbor as yourself.” If we give due diligence to these spiritual essentials, we will not have any interruption of the flow of His Holy Spirit’s power in our lives.

The Formula

November 18

Some of us can still rattle off formulae that we learned in science class decades ago. We haven’t used them because our lives have not required the kinds of information they contain, but they are indelibly stamped upon our minds. Undoubtedly, even when we have trouble remembering our names, we’ll be able to recite ‘the formula’!

Realistically speaking, there is very little of the information that we have studied so hard to master that will actually be required of us during our lifetime. Certainly, we shall apply pertinent facts to the jobs we perform, but most of the things our high school and college teachers required us to know are simply irrelevant to our adult lives.

One area of study, however, becomes more important as we get older. There is a verse in II Timothy 2:15 that says, “Study to show yourself approved by the Lord; a workman who needs not be ashamed because he rightly handles the word of truth.” Isaiah 28:10 tells us that, “Precept must be upon precept; line upon line; here a little, there a little…” as we gather the understanding of the knowledge of the Lord.

Unlike the lessons of our days as students in school, our lessons that we have learned at the feet of Jesus must be taken into our hearts and nurtured there. As Solomon stated so eloquently of the Lord’s truth in Proverbs 3:1, 2, “Do not forget My teaching, but keep My commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity.” Such lessons are well to be learned!

The Road Map

November 17

Having a road map is not usually a requirement to traverse the distance between ourselves and the people who are precious to us, but sometimes it is. Visiting a best childhood friend who moved away but remained close by letters and phone calls through the growing-up years may necessitate a map when the first visit is paid to the far-off address.

There is something almost magical about seeing someone from whom one has long been separated. Naturally, you’ve both changed—neither of you are children any longer but the adult friend seems just the little kid in a grown-up body because he still extends a beautiful relationship that hasn’t been diminished by time or distance.

With the beauty of that kind of reunion in mind, we can better grasp the poignancy of Peter’s words in Acts 2:28, “You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence.” We couldn’t find our way to heaven on our own. The way is hidden by the darkness of our sin, but Jesus revealed the way to us.

HE, in fact, IS THE WAY! (See John 14:6.) And the way leads to His eternal presence. He assures us that there will be joy in His presence. When we are united with the Lord for eternity, we will have far greater delight than any earthly reunion could afford to us. We yearn for that glorious day when we shall be enfolded forever to His heart of love.

Made, Breathed, Given...Redeems, Guards, Guides

November 16

The origin of life is a widely debated topic. There are many opposing theories that range from the emergence of living organisms possessing the innate power to become the various sophisticated life forms that we know today to the concept of a ‘big bang’ that set life as we know it into motion.

Then there is the theory of an intelligent Creator by whose unfathomable power all life was spoken into existence. Those of us who wrestle with putting even children’s toys together are likely to subscribe to the notion of an intelligent Being who spoke and the worlds appeared—simply because we understand how important an intelligent mind is to the fabrication of even simple things.

And, if we are honest with ourselves, we must admit that it ‘feels good’ to be able to release ourselves into the care of One who is so much greater than we are and has so much compassion toward us. Even in times of trial, we take comfort in being able to say, as did Job in 33:4, “The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”

We want to know that we are not just the product of a collision of particles in a primordial slime. We want to know we weren’t simply the outcome of an inexplicable explosion in space. Trusting that the Almighty has indeed made us and breathed upon us and given us life—life that HE redeems and guards and guides—gives us security in an insecure world. Knowing we are precious in the beloved makes us comfortable in our skin and comfortable in our eternal destiny.

Life in Its Fullness

November 15

Spending eternity in heaven is the great blessing of all people who receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. It is the ‘unspeakable gift’ of II Corinthians 9:15. It is the one thing that distinguishes Christianity from all other religions, for no other belief system worships a god who became a man to rescue man from sin.

We who love Jesus find Him altogether lovely. He is without the taint of the human attributes that beset us. He is pure and holy and His sacrifice of Himself enables us to be pure and holy in the eyes of a Holy God, of whom the Word says, “He is of purer eyes than to look upon evil” (Habakkuk 1:13).

The beauty of the salvation that our Lord supplies to us is the fact that we don’t have to wait for heaven to reap its benefits. The Word gives us many assurances that our blessings begin in the ‘here-and-now.’ Although there is nothing of earth to compare to the wonders of our eternal abode, it is our blessing to be able to appropriate, by faith, the help we need as we trod from our earthly habitat to our eternal home.

Paul says in Romans 8:11, “If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who lives in you.” Your mortal body receives life in its fullness because He who is life dwells in the temple that you become when HE lives in you.

Why?

November 14

Why should anyone in his right mind want to turn his back upon the good things of life? Why should anyone in his right mind prefer the life of spiritual prosperity to temporal plenty? That is a perplexing question. When the ‘rich ruler’ was confronted with this choice (Luke 18:18-23), he could not bring himself to deny his wealth to embrace Christ.

Many of us hold fast to things that we know separate us from the Lord. Oh, we may not be ‘exceeding wealthy’ as was the man Luke describes, but we do have our ‘things’ that we cherish. Perhaps it is prestige. Perhaps it’s an individual who has captured our imagination. Perhaps it’s the very carnal desire for self-realization in all its forms.

We know we need a Savior. We know Jesus came to deliver us from sin. But we don’t want to be delivered just yet. We want to ‘find our self.’ We want to realize our potential. We want to possess our dream. We want to have temporal life to the fullest—yet we want Jesus, too. How can we overcome this internal conflict? How can we reconcile the fervent desires of our humanity with our yearning for the eternal?

First, we must grasp the reality that, “Through Jesus Christ, the law of the Spirit of life has set me free from the law of sin and death,” Romans 8:2. Because I’m dead to sin, I am free of its compulsions. And second, we must realize, “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing; My words are spirit and life,” John 6:63. Once we choose to embrace Jesus who is life, the Holy Spirit gives us the power to relinquish all else.

The First Step

November 13

How does one go about placing the allurements of earth into their proper perspective? How does one negate the natural compulsion to achieve status, to acquire things, to influence circumstances? How does one suppress the natural inclination that stirs within him from the earliest age?

We have all seen the willful demands of an infant. He strives to have his way and will not be denied! We have seen the ‘pecking order’ on the playground where wills clash and lines of authority are established. These traits are certainly carried into adulthood where men clash over opinions and positions.

The only way to overcome the allure of worldly wealth and power and influence is to desire in its place eternal wealth and power and influence. When one turns his focus from the temporal to the heavenly, he realizes that what he really wants is to have power before God, power to further the Kingdom of Christ.

How does one set about achieving this transcendent, eternal force that compels men’s hearts toward the Lord’s Heavenly Realm of Glory? The first step toward the life that focuses on His will and His way is stated by Paul in Romans 6:11, “Count yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ.” The first step to real life is dying to self.

Heaven's Treasure Is Ours When...

November 12

Jesus said that life doesn’t consist of the things we possess (Luke 12:15). Having an abundance of ‘things’ does not enhance our worth. Being without the ‘things’ the world values does not diminish us. Who we are, what we are, our ‘value’ lies not in any tangible commodity. Believers in Christ have a different value system.

Whether we are wealthy beyond measure and are able to indulge our desire for all the things that money can buy, or whether we are scrounging for our next meal, our worth is not evident to the eye of the beholder who thinks he can assess our worth by what we have.

If, then, the trappings of life mean nothing to our true ‘portfolio,’ what does matter? How can we assess who we are in a real, in an actual sense? The word of God gives us a very concise answer to that most besetting of questions. If we want to know our value, it must be assessed by an eternal auditing system. It is beyond the world’s ability to understand or to calculate.

In Colossians 3:1-4, Paul says, “Set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things, for you died to those things and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life appears, you will be with Him in glory.” Heaven’s treasure is ours when we simply open our hearts to He who is heaven’s treasure.

Veterans' Day

Today, it is our honor and privilege to honor those who have served and are serving in the Armed Forces of the United States of America. We who remain at home, safe and free, may never fully grasp the magnitude of what they have sacrificed of their time, their health, their dreams, their lives, in order that we may securely pursue our dreams and realize the full potential of our lives.

To you who have carried the Colors into far-off lands to spare us at home from tyranny and terrorism, may we say, Thank you.

Lord Jesus, I ask YOU to open YOUR hand of blessing to these good people who have loved liberty better than life. I ask YOU to lavish all YOUR FINEST GIFTS UPON THEM. I ask that YOU WITHHOLD NO BLESSING OF TIME OR ETERNITY FROM THESE WHO HAVE SPENT SO MUCH OF THEMSELVES ON THE FREEDOM WE VALUE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

I ask, Jesus, that YOU cause our people to turn back to YOU again with full devotion to YOU and to YOUR KINGDOM's PURPOSES so WE WILL BE WORTHY OF THE SACRIFICES THEY HAVE MADE FOR THIS NATION and so WE WILL BE WORTHY OF THE MATCHLESS SACRIFICE YOU HAVE MADE FOR MANKIND. In Your holy name I pray, JESUS. Amen.

Turn Back

November 11

Food. Shelter. Clothing. Life’s basic necessities. They’re pretty simple. Yet, many people subsist with the most meager supply of these things we can’t do without. More and more of us are coming to realize that the entities we trusted to sustain the ‘good life’ we’ve come to enjoy, to expect, are letting us down.

Businesses are failing. Giant, world-wide conglomerates are closing their doors. Employers who had supplied jobs to thousands of well-paid workers have outsourced much of their production to foreign countries. Small businesses are taxed into oblivion. Governments are bankrupt.

We are ‘tightening our belts.’ We don’t like what we see happening all around us and to us, but we are helpless to redeem the old way, the way of prosperity and blessing. While some see only an economic or political cause to today’s woe, many see a spiritual reason. We have turned our backs on the God who abundantly blessed us—and it appears because of our departure from Him—He has turned His back on us.

Perhaps with all the schemes we submit to—governmental interventions to bolster a faltering economy that seem instead to plunge us into debt that will impact generations to come—we should try the one thing we know works. Perhaps we should turn back to Jesus. Perhaps we should appropriate His promise in John 6:35, “I am the Bread of Life; he who comes to me will never hunger and he who believes in Me will never thirst.”

I didn't know...

I have just discovered a 'stats' page that has been part of this blog all along. As I have explored it, I have found many comments that you have posted through the years.

I am so sorry that I haven't responded to them; I simply did NOT KNOW they were there! I thought all comments would appear on the same page with the blog entry. My technological limitations have kept me from being aware of some of your kind and wonderful comments.

All I can say at this late date is, "Thank YOU!" I appreciate you and your following of this blog much more than I could ever convey.

I pray the Lord continues to use it to touch hearts and deepen faith and convey love.

May His Holy Spirit ever be present with you to guide and to guard your lives and to enrich your spirits.

Love Compels His Answer

November 10

It is the desire of the heart of God to grant the hearts’ desires of His people. Sometimes that’s a difficult concept to accept. Sometimes we feel like the people who acknowledge that there is a true and living Creator who is ultimately in charge of the universe but, like them, we doubt He has any personal interest in us or our besetting trials.

We rationalize that He is too busy running the universe to waste His time with our complaints. Whether our struggles are with finances in a troubled economy or interpersonal relationships or health issues or the unraveling of stability in the world in which we must rear our children, we believe these matters are beneath His concern.

Were we to allow ourselves to appropriate in the depth of our being the reality that the Second Person of the Triune Majesty on High actually did walk the earth, actually did suffer and die, actually was resurrected, actually sits on the throne of Heaven—all because He loves us, perhaps the magnitude of His desire to bless us would be more easily within our grasp.

We would see the sincerity of the promise of the Lord Jesus Christ when He addressed the issue of unanswered prayer in John 16:24. He said, “Until now you have not asked for anything in My name. Ask, and you will receive so your joy will be full.” Asking in His name requires that we not only recognize who He is and what He can do, but that we ask with the assurance that His love compels Him to answer in the believers’ behalf.

The Joy of Your Countenance

November 9

The impetuous Apostle, Peter, makes an amazing assertion in the first of his letters where he says, “Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of faith, your salvation,“ I Peter 2:8, 9.

One cannot help but wonder if in Peter’s mind he goes on to say, ‘Unlike me. I knew Him, walked with Him, saw His miracles, yet had the audacity to debate Him (Matthew 16:22) on matters I did not understand, and He has loved and forgiven me. How blessed you are to have believed without the disappointment I’ve caused to our Lord.’

Yet, each of us could respond to Peter with our own tale of having let the Holy One down. Each of us could reiterate our failures to respond to the wooing of His Holy Spirit, to our moments of unresponsiveness to His Word as it tugged upon our heart, to our years, perhaps decades, of avoidance of assembling in His house simply because we knew we might be convicted of our need for a Savior if we were found there.

We, like the man who ran ahead of God during so much of his life, may say as he did in the Second Chapter of Acts, “…whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved…therefore…I will rest in hope…You have made known to me the way of life and have filled me with the joy of Your countenance…” Here Peter says as did David so many centuries before him, “…I sing for joy at the work of Your hands,” Psalm 92:4.

Persevere

November 8

James, the half-brother of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, had good reason to be acquainted with sorrow. Of course, the obvious example is the fact that he had watched his good and honorable sibling die the cruel death of a criminal. But the more subtle and wrenching sorrow he bore was that of his own rejection and disdain for his brother.

James, as well as Jesus’ three other half-brothers (and perhaps his half-sisters) were very slow to perceive the unique nature of this God-Man with whom they had grown up. They considered Him to be an aberrant individual—an embarrassment to the family at best or a demoniac at worst.

Yet after Jesus’ resurrection, at which time He appeared to James (I Corinthians 15:7), James the Scoffer became James the Believer! James went on to play a very prominent role in the establishment of the early Church. He was held in high regard by Peter and Paul, who were considered to be the greatest of the Apostles.

This man, first scandalized by Jesus came to full devotion to Him—not as brother but as Savior. He went on to martyrdom for his commitment to Jesus and he said of the suffering imposed upon believers, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you face trials … because you know the testing of your faith develops perseverance,” James 1:2, 3.

Many of you...

Although there are no scripture references noted in this poem, it is based upon the story of Job in the Old Testament.

Many of you are going through trials of the magnitude of those Job endured. May his story--of hope, of God's absolute affirmation of him as a man of faith, and of the total restoration of all he had--help you to hold on to the unfailing WORD as he did, to trust in the Almighty King of kings and Lord of lords as he did.

Come Forth As Gold

November 7

Thou man of Uz, thou just and good, thou blameless in God’s sight How blessed have been thy years of God—in thee He doth delight. In thee the Lord hath made His boast before His angel dark-- The evil one doth then refute the Lord’s high praise remark.

“Not without cause Thy servant Job doth fast adhere to Thee! Thy hedge, the shelter of Thy wing, Thy blessings full and free
Cause him to bow before Thy face and bend unto Thy will. Draw back Thy hand—let me assail—see if he love Thee still!”

So God withdrew His hedge from round both Job and all his kin
Allowed the waster to destroy where boundless wealth had been! His children’s deaths, his wife’s despair, the cup of blessing dry, In anguish cries she out to Job, “Why not curse God and die!” Why not the final blow upon this anguished living death? Why not take all this poor man has, including life’s last breath?

Ah, Job, my heart goes out to thee—I read thy tale and weep. The wretched sores that scourge thy flesh, though only surface deep,
Probe far into thy heart and mind! They rot not just thy flesh, But gnaw away thy trust in God and put thy faith to test!
Thy friends with counsel void of love come at thee with their rod-- Correction laid upon thy sores, purportedly from God! They neither see nor understand that God is by thy side, That through thy very darkest hour, He yet with thee abide. Their minds have failed to apprehend how God man’s faith doth try--
Like gold placed in refiner’s fire that it may purify!

Like thee, O Job, so we today, afflicted, tempest-tossed At times feel stricken by God’s hand, cast off from Him and lost!
But we, too, need to stand the test, to trust and never bend; To know our Lord is by our side, our constant Help and Friend. To know that like Job long before, in his trials’ fiery blast We, too, shall come forth as pure gold when this brief test is past. And when from flesh our life depart, our earthly sojourn o’er, Like Job, in victory we’ll stand, more blessed than e’er before!

More to the Story

November 6

Job, the good and honorable man who walked uprightly before God, was put to a great test when the evil one challenged the Lord to do so. Much of that horrific experience was further clouded by Job’s friends whose words of counsel fell like blows upon this broken man.

Even words that seem to be of a positive nature, such as those found in Job 8:21, “God will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy,” are really his friends’ way of saying that his trial will end, his plight will be removed, his hope shall be restored, if he will but confess his sin and become right before God.

These men, who are themselves steeped in, at the very least, the sin of judging a righteous man with perverted justice, have taken upon themselves a role that only God can assume—that of seeing and judging a man’s heart. God, who allowed Job’s misery, knew it did not spring out of any wrong-doing on Job’s part.

Job’s foolish counselors presumed that it did. We must not allow ourselves to fall into the temptation of judging another. Things are not always as they appear. Those who seem to be blessed, as those who seem to be sorely tested, may not be receiving the apparent blessing or trial from God. As with Job, there may be more to the story.

To express your thoughts, please contact:

askinghim@hotmail.com

The Oil of Joy

November 5

How does God evidence His approval of those who please Him? Shall we look for them in the upper echelons of power? Will they be living in fine mansions? Are their stock portfolios accruing them incalculable wealth? Perhaps. Some of God’s choicest servants are among the political and business elite.

A prime example of that might be John D. Rockefeller, a devoted Christian man, who was at one time the wealthiest man in the world. He founded Standard Oil and became so successful that he was able to spend much of his long life in philanthropical pursuits.

But possessing the wealth of a Rockefeller is not the primary evidence of God’s favor upon a man’s life. To discover what is indicative of God’s satisfaction with ones life we may read Hebrews 1:9 which says, “You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore, God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.”

God does not esteem great wealth to be evidence of His abiding presence, of His lavish blessing upon a life. The Almighty does not consider political power to be a worthy gift to bestow upon His people. He knows that true wealth is eternal and that no earthly power begins to approximate the unfathomable might HE wields in His little finger. No, His great reward to the man who walks righteously is that he walks in joy.

Live and Share

November 4

God’s expectation is that we shall live our faith and share our faith. We are to be ‘doers’ of the law, not mere ‘hearers’ of the law, Romans 2:13. What we have of the Lord must take up its abode in our heart, not just in our head. When the truth touches our spirit, when we are transformed, that change must be evident in how we live.

James 1:23-25 goes on to say, “If any man be a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man beholding his face in a glass who sees himself then goes his way, forgetting how he looks. Likewise, anyone who looks into the perfect law of liberty must continue in it…”

If one says, “You have faith; I have deeds. Show me your faith without deeds and I will show you my faith by what I do,” (James 2:18), he is substantiating the truth he has already pointed out in verse17, that being, “Faith without works is dead.” If we are alive in our spiritual rebirth, it will be evident in our earthly walk.

We will love the law of God. We will extol His truth. We will realize the great price the Lord Jesus Christ paid in order that our eyes of understanding might be opened and we will count His immutable Word to be the dearest thing we possess. We will be like the philanthropist whose great joy is in sharing his immense treasure with others.