May 31
The Bible is a book of history. It is a book of prophecy. It is a book of poetry. It is a book that tells bankrupt man how to attain the magnificent treasure that transcends time and spends into eternity. This tome has no equal. All the authors and pseudo prophets who have ever put words to paper fall far short of the magnitude and scope of this amazing word from God.
The Bible is ‘God breathed.’ It emanates from His Holy Spirit. We rob ourselves of the priceless insights of the mind and heart of God if we do not devour it, if we do not hide it in our heart as it admonishes that we do (Psalm 119:11). We deny ourselves the wisdom to know our own heart if we do not allow the candle of its truth to reveal our ‘self’ to us (see Proverbs 20:27).
The Word has great power to heal and transform men’s lives and spirits for time and eternity. It has the amazing power to refresh the weary as Solomon said in Proverbs 16:24, “Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” In Ecclesiastes 9:17, he says, “The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded than the shouts of a ruler of fools.”
Words have the power to lift up or cast down; to soothe the troubled spirit or to engender strife. Word have the power to preserve or to destroy. As the wise King Solomon stated in Proverbs 25:11, “A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.” Kind words, gentle words, loving words are a great and beautiful treasure.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Be Bold!
May 30
There are people who truly believe that a lie is sometimes preferable to the truth. They are firmly convinced in their heart of hearts that telling the truth under some circumstances is a hurtful thing to do. So they utter a lie in its place. Perhaps the most humorous example of this is the wife who asks her husband, ‘Does this dress make me look fat?’
What is the poor man to do? Should he tell his wife in the kindest terms possible that the dress does not flatter her body type, or should he tell her that she looks lovely? What would you counsel him to do in that situation? What would you do if you were in that situation?
If we follow the admonition of the scripture, we will, “Speak the truth in love…” Ephesians 4:15. And certainly, if we should kindly convey the truth to a loved one in the small matter of how well or how poorly an article of clothing becomes her, surely we must be determined to do so in matters regarding eternity. Should we say that all sincere seekers will arrive at the same eternal destination; i.e., should we neglect to share the gospel of Christ with someone who does not espouse any form of Christianity to avoid being critical of his religious or cultural heritage?
If we follow Paul’s admonition in Ephesians 4:15, we know we cannot. He goes on to say, “…so we will, in all things, grow up into Him who is the Head, that is Christ.” How can anyone grow in Christ if we have not shared our faith in the Lord with him in love? If we have not prayed that he grow in faith in and commitment to Jesus? He cannot. It behooves us to remember Paul's words in Romans 10:14, "How can they hear without one to tell them?" May we have the boldness to tell everyone we know of the love and salvation found in Jesus!
There are people who truly believe that a lie is sometimes preferable to the truth. They are firmly convinced in their heart of hearts that telling the truth under some circumstances is a hurtful thing to do. So they utter a lie in its place. Perhaps the most humorous example of this is the wife who asks her husband, ‘Does this dress make me look fat?’
What is the poor man to do? Should he tell his wife in the kindest terms possible that the dress does not flatter her body type, or should he tell her that she looks lovely? What would you counsel him to do in that situation? What would you do if you were in that situation?
If we follow the admonition of the scripture, we will, “Speak the truth in love…” Ephesians 4:15. And certainly, if we should kindly convey the truth to a loved one in the small matter of how well or how poorly an article of clothing becomes her, surely we must be determined to do so in matters regarding eternity. Should we say that all sincere seekers will arrive at the same eternal destination; i.e., should we neglect to share the gospel of Christ with someone who does not espouse any form of Christianity to avoid being critical of his religious or cultural heritage?
If we follow Paul’s admonition in Ephesians 4:15, we know we cannot. He goes on to say, “…so we will, in all things, grow up into Him who is the Head, that is Christ.” How can anyone grow in Christ if we have not shared our faith in the Lord with him in love? If we have not prayed that he grow in faith in and commitment to Jesus? He cannot. It behooves us to remember Paul's words in Romans 10:14, "How can they hear without one to tell them?" May we have the boldness to tell everyone we know of the love and salvation found in Jesus!
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
The Power of Words
May 29
We’ve all seen the tirades of parents when their children misbehave in the grocery store. Oh, yes, we know that beleaguered parents sometimes reach the end of their patience and vent in ways of which they themselves do not approve. Perhaps what we saw and heard was the tenth admonition to ‘Stay with Mommy,’ and it was the one that sent Mommy beyond her patience.
We assume that in Mommy’s heart of hearts she wants the best for her child and that her ‘normal’ discipline does not include the tongue-lashing that we witnessed. For the child’s sake, we pray Mother is usually in better control of herself and that the maternal instinct that seemed so lacking in what we observed was an aberration.
The Lord has wise counsel for mothers who are beset with the responsibilities of rearing their children and pleasing their husbands and maintaining their homes. First, He invites them to, “Cast all your cares upon Jesus, for He cares for you,” I Peter 5:7, and then He invites them to be mindful of the power their words have over their offspring. The Lord wants every weary mother, every weary man, woman, and child on the planet to be aware that He is their Burden-Carrier; and He also wants us to know that He fully expects that we will be mindful of the significance of what we say.
In Proverbs 15:4, Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived shares with us a bit of the wisdom in the matter that the Lord gave to him. Here he says, “The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life; but a sharp and deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.” The Lord has vested quite a lot of power in the little member we call ‘the tongue.’ In our tongue is the power to speak words of healing, blessing, prosperity, encouragement—life; but in it is also the power to utter words of condemnation and derision—spiritual and emotional death. May we be mindful of the choice before us—every time we open our mouth.
We’ve all seen the tirades of parents when their children misbehave in the grocery store. Oh, yes, we know that beleaguered parents sometimes reach the end of their patience and vent in ways of which they themselves do not approve. Perhaps what we saw and heard was the tenth admonition to ‘Stay with Mommy,’ and it was the one that sent Mommy beyond her patience.
We assume that in Mommy’s heart of hearts she wants the best for her child and that her ‘normal’ discipline does not include the tongue-lashing that we witnessed. For the child’s sake, we pray Mother is usually in better control of herself and that the maternal instinct that seemed so lacking in what we observed was an aberration.
The Lord has wise counsel for mothers who are beset with the responsibilities of rearing their children and pleasing their husbands and maintaining their homes. First, He invites them to, “Cast all your cares upon Jesus, for He cares for you,” I Peter 5:7, and then He invites them to be mindful of the power their words have over their offspring. The Lord wants every weary mother, every weary man, woman, and child on the planet to be aware that He is their Burden-Carrier; and He also wants us to know that He fully expects that we will be mindful of the significance of what we say.
In Proverbs 15:4, Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived shares with us a bit of the wisdom in the matter that the Lord gave to him. Here he says, “The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life; but a sharp and deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.” The Lord has vested quite a lot of power in the little member we call ‘the tongue.’ In our tongue is the power to speak words of healing, blessing, prosperity, encouragement—life; but in it is also the power to utter words of condemnation and derision—spiritual and emotional death. May we be mindful of the choice before us—every time we open our mouth.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Love, Life, and Good Days
May 28
Most of us, despite any protestation to the contrary would have to concede if we were being totally honest, that we are glad we’re alive. That is not to say we wouldn’t like to change some things about life if we had the ability to do so. Those who are getting along in years may wish to turn back a few pages of the calendar.
People who haven’t much money might desire additional income and a more profitable stock portfolio, forgetting the words of J.D. Rockefeller, who was the world’s richest man when he said in response to the question, “How much money is enough?”…”Just a little bit more.” But neither a little more money nor an extended youth can make us happy.
Neither can anything else the world has to offer—not wealth, not power, not romantic prowess—nothing temporal has the capacity to establish us in what we truly desire to possess. What we want is joy—the ability to be happy and content no matter what the world might bring our way. We know we will experience storms in life, for everyone does. We know we’ll be no exception. We want the strength to navigate through them successfully and with our joy intact.
The Bible gives an unlikely word of insight into how we can achieve that end. In I Peter 3:10 the impetuous Apostle says, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceit.” That’s rather straight-forward advice. He’s telling us that if we mind our tongue, if we don’t speak evil and are not duplicitous in our dealings with others we will have the love and life and good days for which we so yearn.
Most of us, despite any protestation to the contrary would have to concede if we were being totally honest, that we are glad we’re alive. That is not to say we wouldn’t like to change some things about life if we had the ability to do so. Those who are getting along in years may wish to turn back a few pages of the calendar.
People who haven’t much money might desire additional income and a more profitable stock portfolio, forgetting the words of J.D. Rockefeller, who was the world’s richest man when he said in response to the question, “How much money is enough?”…”Just a little bit more.” But neither a little more money nor an extended youth can make us happy.
Neither can anything else the world has to offer—not wealth, not power, not romantic prowess—nothing temporal has the capacity to establish us in what we truly desire to possess. What we want is joy—the ability to be happy and content no matter what the world might bring our way. We know we will experience storms in life, for everyone does. We know we’ll be no exception. We want the strength to navigate through them successfully and with our joy intact.
The Bible gives an unlikely word of insight into how we can achieve that end. In I Peter 3:10 the impetuous Apostle says, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceit.” That’s rather straight-forward advice. He’s telling us that if we mind our tongue, if we don’t speak evil and are not duplicitous in our dealings with others we will have the love and life and good days for which we so yearn.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Give Him Our Thoughts
May 27
The power of the tongue is undisputable. With it, an individual can comfort the sorrowing, encourage the hopeless, rejoice with the merry, converse with his peers. He may also use it to challenge the sinner to salvation as he declares the gospel to the lost, to those who are “dead in trespasses and sins.” (See Ephesians 2:1, 2.)
A man can also use his tongue to incite a riot or to plant seeds of discord among his brethren. Politicians use their tongues largely to aggrandize themselves in the eyes of their constituents—they use their tongues to make promises they don’t intend to keep and to veil programs that the voters would not approve.
And the Lord God holds us accountable for how we use our tongues. James 3:9, 10 says, “We bless God with our tongue and then use it to curse men who are made in His image. Out of the same mouth proceed blessings and cursing! My brother, this ought not to be!” So, we are not to use our tongue to speak evil of our brothers but what do we do if harsh words of anger are directed against us? Surely we are to defend ourselves against any evil that may be spoken of us.
Sounds rational—but that’s not what the Word says. In Proverbs 15:1 we are told that “A gentle answer turns away wrath.” We are to allow the sweet Spirit of Christ to dominate our actions and our words and even our thoughts! Why? Because as Proverbs 23:7 tells us, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” Our loving Lord knows that if we will give Him our thoughts, not only our tongue but also our words and our actions will reflect Him.
The power of the tongue is undisputable. With it, an individual can comfort the sorrowing, encourage the hopeless, rejoice with the merry, converse with his peers. He may also use it to challenge the sinner to salvation as he declares the gospel to the lost, to those who are “dead in trespasses and sins.” (See Ephesians 2:1, 2.)
A man can also use his tongue to incite a riot or to plant seeds of discord among his brethren. Politicians use their tongues largely to aggrandize themselves in the eyes of their constituents—they use their tongues to make promises they don’t intend to keep and to veil programs that the voters would not approve.
And the Lord God holds us accountable for how we use our tongues. James 3:9, 10 says, “We bless God with our tongue and then use it to curse men who are made in His image. Out of the same mouth proceed blessings and cursing! My brother, this ought not to be!” So, we are not to use our tongue to speak evil of our brothers but what do we do if harsh words of anger are directed against us? Surely we are to defend ourselves against any evil that may be spoken of us.
Sounds rational—but that’s not what the Word says. In Proverbs 15:1 we are told that “A gentle answer turns away wrath.” We are to allow the sweet Spirit of Christ to dominate our actions and our words and even our thoughts! Why? Because as Proverbs 23:7 tells us, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” Our loving Lord knows that if we will give Him our thoughts, not only our tongue but also our words and our actions will reflect Him.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
The Words We Speak
May 26
We tend to measure things. We measure the weight of food products to determine their usefulness in a particular recipe. We calculate the monthly payment on a mortgage before purchasing a house to ascertain our ability to assume a large monetary responsibility. We count the weapons in a nation’s arsenal to determine its bellicose capabilities. We project our life expectancy to allow us time for frivolity before dealing with our need for salvation.
All these matters and so many more, are imperatives in our lives. Sooner or later, most of us will have to give our full consideration to each of them. We can’t go forward successfully in any area of endeavor if we haven’t done the calculations and determined whether the return on any investment will outweigh the cost to ourselves and to our families.
One thing that we are disinclined to weigh is the words of our mouths. We tend to ‘shoot from the lip,’ as the old saying goes, rather than carefully determining the impact our words will have upon those who hear them. God, however, does not view the things we say with any less import than He does the things we do. He makes His point quite emphatically in many areas of scripture, but perhaps no more clearly than it is stated in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians in chapter 4 verse 29 where the importance of our words is stated thusly:
“Do not let any corrupt communication to proceed out of your mouth; allow only what is helpful for building others to flow forth from your lips, that your words may benefit all who listen.” He wants the words we speak to bless others. That can’t happen if we haven’t allowed, according to Psalm 19:14 that, “…the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord my strength and my Redeemer.” If we allow Him to be the focus of our meditation, we can be certain that the words we speak will glorify the Lord.
We tend to measure things. We measure the weight of food products to determine their usefulness in a particular recipe. We calculate the monthly payment on a mortgage before purchasing a house to ascertain our ability to assume a large monetary responsibility. We count the weapons in a nation’s arsenal to determine its bellicose capabilities. We project our life expectancy to allow us time for frivolity before dealing with our need for salvation.
All these matters and so many more, are imperatives in our lives. Sooner or later, most of us will have to give our full consideration to each of them. We can’t go forward successfully in any area of endeavor if we haven’t done the calculations and determined whether the return on any investment will outweigh the cost to ourselves and to our families.
One thing that we are disinclined to weigh is the words of our mouths. We tend to ‘shoot from the lip,’ as the old saying goes, rather than carefully determining the impact our words will have upon those who hear them. God, however, does not view the things we say with any less import than He does the things we do. He makes His point quite emphatically in many areas of scripture, but perhaps no more clearly than it is stated in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians in chapter 4 verse 29 where the importance of our words is stated thusly:
“Do not let any corrupt communication to proceed out of your mouth; allow only what is helpful for building others to flow forth from your lips, that your words may benefit all who listen.” He wants the words we speak to bless others. That can’t happen if we haven’t allowed, according to Psalm 19:14 that, “…the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord my strength and my Redeemer.” If we allow Him to be the focus of our meditation, we can be certain that the words we speak will glorify the Lord.
Friday, May 25, 2012
In Check
May 25
James, the half-brother of Jesus takes the use of the tongue very seriously, perhaps because before he became a believer, he said some disparaging things about a family member whose role was not evident to him. Perhaps he, as have many of us, mocked and vilified the One he did not understand. (See the discourse between Jesus and His brothers in John 7:2-10.)
In this incident alone, James was virtually challenging Jesus to expose Himself to the vitriol of the religious hierarchy who were plotting His death and seeking ways to facilitate killing Him. If for no other reason, James had cause to regret his insistence that Jesus attend the Feast of Tabernacles under the pretense of believing that if He did, many followers could see His miracles.
The brothers challenged Him, “No man does anything in secret but desires to be known openly, so, show Yourself to the world! But the brothers said these things though they did not believe in Him,” (John 7:4, 5). Many of us have challenged believers to take a bold stand before those who deny the truth—not because we wanted to see the truth proclaimed but because we wanted to watch the mockery of the faithful that we knew would ensue.
James knew there were many ways to stumble, to fall from faith, thereby to fall from grace, but he also knew the man who could keep his tongue in check had taken great strides toward godliness. He stated, “We all stumble in many ways, but the one who keeps his tongue is a perfect man, for he can keep his whole body in check. Much as we can control a warhorse by the bit in his mouth, so we control ourselves when we master control of our tongue,” James 3:2, 3.
James, the half-brother of Jesus takes the use of the tongue very seriously, perhaps because before he became a believer, he said some disparaging things about a family member whose role was not evident to him. Perhaps he, as have many of us, mocked and vilified the One he did not understand. (See the discourse between Jesus and His brothers in John 7:2-10.)
In this incident alone, James was virtually challenging Jesus to expose Himself to the vitriol of the religious hierarchy who were plotting His death and seeking ways to facilitate killing Him. If for no other reason, James had cause to regret his insistence that Jesus attend the Feast of Tabernacles under the pretense of believing that if He did, many followers could see His miracles.
The brothers challenged Him, “No man does anything in secret but desires to be known openly, so, show Yourself to the world! But the brothers said these things though they did not believe in Him,” (John 7:4, 5). Many of us have challenged believers to take a bold stand before those who deny the truth—not because we wanted to see the truth proclaimed but because we wanted to watch the mockery of the faithful that we knew would ensue.
James knew there were many ways to stumble, to fall from faith, thereby to fall from grace, but he also knew the man who could keep his tongue in check had taken great strides toward godliness. He stated, “We all stumble in many ways, but the one who keeps his tongue is a perfect man, for he can keep his whole body in check. Much as we can control a warhorse by the bit in his mouth, so we control ourselves when we master control of our tongue,” James 3:2, 3.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
For Good or Ill
May 24
In James 3:5 the half-brother of Jesus makes a remarkable assertion. He says, “The tongue is a little member that boasts great things and has the potential to kindle a great fire.” Other than the appendix, no part of the body has the ability to go from being neutral to exerting great harm as much as does the tongue.
And while the tongue possesses the power to bless, as James goes on to say in 3:10, he does identify its ability to curse, to cause emotional or spiritual death, much as the appendix can cause physical death. Recognizing the great disparity in the uses of the tongue, should we not exercise great care in how we use it?
Should we not resolve to use it to bless and not to curse; to generate life and not death? Should we not recognize the tremendous opportunity the Lord has given us to encourage the discouraged and to strengthen the weak when we use our tongues to lift them up, to gird them with hope?
Beyond what we can do in the behalf of others by using our tongues for the purposes of the Lord, we are told by Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived that, “He who guards his tongue keeps himself from calamity,” Proverbs 21:23. When we choose to employ our tongues for ungodly purposes, we ultimately bring disaster upon ourselves.
In James 3:5 the half-brother of Jesus makes a remarkable assertion. He says, “The tongue is a little member that boasts great things and has the potential to kindle a great fire.” Other than the appendix, no part of the body has the ability to go from being neutral to exerting great harm as much as does the tongue.
And while the tongue possesses the power to bless, as James goes on to say in 3:10, he does identify its ability to curse, to cause emotional or spiritual death, much as the appendix can cause physical death. Recognizing the great disparity in the uses of the tongue, should we not exercise great care in how we use it?
Should we not resolve to use it to bless and not to curse; to generate life and not death? Should we not recognize the tremendous opportunity the Lord has given us to encourage the discouraged and to strengthen the weak when we use our tongues to lift them up, to gird them with hope?
Beyond what we can do in the behalf of others by using our tongues for the purposes of the Lord, we are told by Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived that, “He who guards his tongue keeps himself from calamity,” Proverbs 21:23. When we choose to employ our tongues for ungodly purposes, we ultimately bring disaster upon ourselves.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Nothing Matters But Jesus
May 23
Paul continues his exposition of his thoughts on marriage, not to restrict people of faith in any way but to enable them to understand what he feels is for their good. We cannot begin to grasp Paul’s point of view if we do not apprehend his complete devotion to the things of Christ and his resultant desire to impart that devotion to others.
Regarding his point of view he says in I Corinthians 7:2-5, “To avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife and let every woman have her own husband...they have not power over their own bodies but each has control over the other. Defraud not one another…”
While married men and women must consider the desires of their spouse, the unmarried need concern themselves only with maintaining control of their own desires. Paul says in I Corinthians 7:34, 35, “An unmarried woman cares about the Lord’s affairs. Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit.” The Apostle does not feel this option is open to the married woman.
Paul believes she must focus on the needs of her husband, so says, “But a married woman is concerned as to …how she can please her husband…” In Paul’s ‘perfect world,’ no person of faith would want anything more than to serve Jesus and to persuade others to love Him. Have we the capacity to devote ourselves so completely to Jesus that nothing, that no one else matters?
Paul continues his exposition of his thoughts on marriage, not to restrict people of faith in any way but to enable them to understand what he feels is for their good. We cannot begin to grasp Paul’s point of view if we do not apprehend his complete devotion to the things of Christ and his resultant desire to impart that devotion to others.
Regarding his point of view he says in I Corinthians 7:2-5, “To avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife and let every woman have her own husband...they have not power over their own bodies but each has control over the other. Defraud not one another…”
While married men and women must consider the desires of their spouse, the unmarried need concern themselves only with maintaining control of their own desires. Paul says in I Corinthians 7:34, 35, “An unmarried woman cares about the Lord’s affairs. Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit.” The Apostle does not feel this option is open to the married woman.
Paul believes she must focus on the needs of her husband, so says, “But a married woman is concerned as to …how she can please her husband…” In Paul’s ‘perfect world,’ no person of faith would want anything more than to serve Jesus and to persuade others to love Him. Have we the capacity to devote ourselves so completely to Jesus that nothing, that no one else matters?
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
A Great Debate
May 22
I’m not sure but I suspect that Paul tended to over-value the single life. He was himself single and it seems from many of the things he said that he truly believed his was the optimum lifestyle. No, not because it gave him the freedom to pursue the ladies!! Oh, no! Paul was not a womanizer. He was celibate in the strictest sense. (See I Corinthians, Chapter 7 for Paul’s discourse on marriage.)
His words, as found in I Corinthians 7:32 state, “I would like you to be free from worldly concern. An unmarried man is concerned only about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord.” And his opinion of the ability of the single woman to focus on the things of God paralleled that regarding men.
I would certainly not wish to engage someone of Paul’s intellect in a debate on the subject, but since he’s not here to defend his position I take the liberty of disagreeing with it. In my opinion, Paul was unique in his ability to focus, in his ability to reason, in his ability to articulate the Word. In my estimation, he would not have compromised his ‘edge’ if he were married. He would still have given the things of the Lord top priority.
In the case of some who are not as goal oriented as Paul, who had a strong Type A personality, being single can be a great distraction. It would be easy to lose sight of the spiritual goal at hand when one’s focus tended to be drawn away by worldly concerns. For such a one, having those temporal needs met has a freeing effect—allowing spiritual goals to be more fully pursued.
I’m not sure but I suspect that Paul tended to over-value the single life. He was himself single and it seems from many of the things he said that he truly believed his was the optimum lifestyle. No, not because it gave him the freedom to pursue the ladies!! Oh, no! Paul was not a womanizer. He was celibate in the strictest sense. (See I Corinthians, Chapter 7 for Paul’s discourse on marriage.)
His words, as found in I Corinthians 7:32 state, “I would like you to be free from worldly concern. An unmarried man is concerned only about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord.” And his opinion of the ability of the single woman to focus on the things of God paralleled that regarding men.
I would certainly not wish to engage someone of Paul’s intellect in a debate on the subject, but since he’s not here to defend his position I take the liberty of disagreeing with it. In my opinion, Paul was unique in his ability to focus, in his ability to reason, in his ability to articulate the Word. In my estimation, he would not have compromised his ‘edge’ if he were married. He would still have given the things of the Lord top priority.
In the case of some who are not as goal oriented as Paul, who had a strong Type A personality, being single can be a great distraction. It would be easy to lose sight of the spiritual goal at hand when one’s focus tended to be drawn away by worldly concerns. For such a one, having those temporal needs met has a freeing effect—allowing spiritual goals to be more fully pursued.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Temporary Time Zone Change
Dear Readers...
I will be in a different time zone for a week so the times of publication of ASKING HIM may vary more than usual. Please bear with me.
God bless you and guide you by His Spirit and guard you by His angels.
I will be in a different time zone for a week so the times of publication of ASKING HIM may vary more than usual. Please bear with me.
God bless you and guide you by His Spirit and guard you by His angels.
You Would Not
May 21
We who live in the United States have been blessed with a Constitution that assures our freedom. We may worship freely, speak freely, live freely, within the bounds that assure we will not impinge on the freedom of others. Our founding fathers, the vast majority of whom were believers in Christ, believed freedom was purchased for man by Jesus and that it is the responsibility of government to protect that freedom.
Although many of us still cherish that freedom, a significant number of us take it totally for granted because they can’t fathom life without it! Perhaps even more troubling than those who take freedom for granted are they who have perverted it—they have exchanged freedom for license. They are clearly described in Romans 1:21-32, where it describes our day clearly. Here Paul is speaking to believers in Rome, but he sees through the tunnel of time to our day as well. He says:
"For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator who is forever praised. Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.
“Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, He gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them."
What is the solution to the dilemma we’ve created for ourselves through our wantonness and sin? The answer is found in Isaiah 30:15 where the Lord God says, “in returning and in rest shall you be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength…” If we as individuals and as nations turn to Jesus, He will restore us to fellowship with Him, to peace and prosperity. May we not fulfill the conclusion of that verse in Isaiah that states God’s disappointment, “…but you would not.”
We who live in the United States have been blessed with a Constitution that assures our freedom. We may worship freely, speak freely, live freely, within the bounds that assure we will not impinge on the freedom of others. Our founding fathers, the vast majority of whom were believers in Christ, believed freedom was purchased for man by Jesus and that it is the responsibility of government to protect that freedom.
Although many of us still cherish that freedom, a significant number of us take it totally for granted because they can’t fathom life without it! Perhaps even more troubling than those who take freedom for granted are they who have perverted it—they have exchanged freedom for license. They are clearly described in Romans 1:21-32, where it describes our day clearly. Here Paul is speaking to believers in Rome, but he sees through the tunnel of time to our day as well. He says:
"For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator who is forever praised. Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.
“Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, He gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them."
What is the solution to the dilemma we’ve created for ourselves through our wantonness and sin? The answer is found in Isaiah 30:15 where the Lord God says, “in returning and in rest shall you be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength…” If we as individuals and as nations turn to Jesus, He will restore us to fellowship with Him, to peace and prosperity. May we not fulfill the conclusion of that verse in Isaiah that states God’s disappointment, “…but you would not.”
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Confident Strength
May 20
We live in a world that seems to be coming apart at the seams in a lot of ways. On an international level, nations that could once be considered staunch allies are no longer sure of their resolve to come to one another's mutual assistance in times of trouble. Nations whose ideologies are poles apart find themselves as ‘strange bedfellows.’
On a personal level, families that were once a cohesive unit in communities are now undone by the requirement of some members to seek employment in a troubled job marked by traveling far from the ‘homestead.’ Divorce, too, decimates families, and because of the fact of rising illegitimacy, many children are living lives devoid of traditional family ties.
The Apostle Paul addresses these situations which were problematic even in his day, albeit, to a far lesser degree than they are today. In I Corinthians 7:8 he says, “To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain so, to remain unmarried, even as I am.” What Paul is addressing here is the fact that people think their happiness depends upon the relationships they have. The unmarried want to be married. The married wish they were free. Children, although advantaged by having two loving parents, cannot rely on their circumstances to give them happiness or security.
The truth of the matter is that the only thing we as nations or as individuals can count on for the good we long to have is Christ Himself. Apart from Him, there is no real or lasting truth or joy or peace. Beyond that, we can know with absolute assurance that if we have a relationship with Jesus, we will have truth and joy and peace no matter what our external circumstances may be! Though war rages around us, though our friends and families forsake us, though we face devastating poverty of finance or emotion, we can abide in confident strength if we abide in the Lord.
We live in a world that seems to be coming apart at the seams in a lot of ways. On an international level, nations that could once be considered staunch allies are no longer sure of their resolve to come to one another's mutual assistance in times of trouble. Nations whose ideologies are poles apart find themselves as ‘strange bedfellows.’
On a personal level, families that were once a cohesive unit in communities are now undone by the requirement of some members to seek employment in a troubled job marked by traveling far from the ‘homestead.’ Divorce, too, decimates families, and because of the fact of rising illegitimacy, many children are living lives devoid of traditional family ties.
The Apostle Paul addresses these situations which were problematic even in his day, albeit, to a far lesser degree than they are today. In I Corinthians 7:8 he says, “To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain so, to remain unmarried, even as I am.” What Paul is addressing here is the fact that people think their happiness depends upon the relationships they have. The unmarried want to be married. The married wish they were free. Children, although advantaged by having two loving parents, cannot rely on their circumstances to give them happiness or security.
The truth of the matter is that the only thing we as nations or as individuals can count on for the good we long to have is Christ Himself. Apart from Him, there is no real or lasting truth or joy or peace. Beyond that, we can know with absolute assurance that if we have a relationship with Jesus, we will have truth and joy and peace no matter what our external circumstances may be! Though war rages around us, though our friends and families forsake us, though we face devastating poverty of finance or emotion, we can abide in confident strength if we abide in the Lord.
Saturday, May 19, 2012
All He Asks
May 19
Isaiah, 54:1-5 is a precious exposition of the promise of God to His people—first to Israel and then to the Church. The Lord begins by telling His own that they shall forget the shame of their youth—when they were in bondage—and will also be brought back from their infidelity to the ‘husband’ who made them His own.
It is easy to see the historical pattern stated here of the nation of Israel which was rescued early in its existence from slavery in Egypt then bought back again and again from the consequences of its idolatry. We who are believers in Christ see ourselves, too, in the redemption He provided from our bondage to sin as well as the continual cleansing He supplies when we allow ourselves to be negatively affected by the world.
Why does the Holy One seek us when we’re lost in slavery to sin? Why does He allow us to return to the waywardness from which He has redeemed us only to cleanse us afresh and restore us to fellowship with Him when we have shown ourselves to be unworthy of His great love and sacrifice? Why does He ignore our utter unworthiness?
Perhaps the answer lies in Isaiah 54:5 where He says, “Your Maker is your Husband—the Lord Almighty is His name—the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; He is called the God of the whole earth.” He has given us His heart! The almighty loves us as a bridegroom loves his bride! We are beautiful in His sight! Therefore, He has brought us out of bondage to sin and death—and all He asks in return is that we love Him back.
Isaiah, 54:1-5 is a precious exposition of the promise of God to His people—first to Israel and then to the Church. The Lord begins by telling His own that they shall forget the shame of their youth—when they were in bondage—and will also be brought back from their infidelity to the ‘husband’ who made them His own.
It is easy to see the historical pattern stated here of the nation of Israel which was rescued early in its existence from slavery in Egypt then bought back again and again from the consequences of its idolatry. We who are believers in Christ see ourselves, too, in the redemption He provided from our bondage to sin as well as the continual cleansing He supplies when we allow ourselves to be negatively affected by the world.
Why does the Holy One seek us when we’re lost in slavery to sin? Why does He allow us to return to the waywardness from which He has redeemed us only to cleanse us afresh and restore us to fellowship with Him when we have shown ourselves to be unworthy of His great love and sacrifice? Why does He ignore our utter unworthiness?
Perhaps the answer lies in Isaiah 54:5 where He says, “Your Maker is your Husband—the Lord Almighty is His name—the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; He is called the God of the whole earth.” He has given us His heart! The almighty loves us as a bridegroom loves his bride! We are beautiful in His sight! Therefore, He has brought us out of bondage to sin and death—and all He asks in return is that we love Him back.
Friday, May 18, 2012
An Unusual Directive
May 18
Hosea, a minor prophet, was given an unusual directive by the Lord. This good man was told to marry a prostitute and he was told to love her no matter how she responded to his kindness and affection. He married Gomer, and she bore him children, but her previous life beckoned her and she returned to being a ‘lady of the evening.’
The allure of sin pulled her back although she was spoken to by her husband only in tender terms of endearment. In Hosea 2:19, 20, for example, he said to her, “I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and in compassion. I will betroth you in faithfulness and you will acknowledge the Lord.”
It is apparent that Hosea’s desire is to lavish his wife in the good things of God and that it is his intention to hold her fast to himself forever. He is not looking for a way of escape from this unusual union between a righteous man of God and a woman of the night; in fact, it is his stated desire that she know the Lord he loves and serves.
This is a very poignant picture of the love of God for His people. He desires above all else, that man turn to Him and receive the precious gift of salvation He holds out. He desires that the clearly demonstrated love of Christ compel every fallen member of humankind to receive His love and lay his sins at the cross. Will he? Will you?
Hosea, a minor prophet, was given an unusual directive by the Lord. This good man was told to marry a prostitute and he was told to love her no matter how she responded to his kindness and affection. He married Gomer, and she bore him children, but her previous life beckoned her and she returned to being a ‘lady of the evening.’
The allure of sin pulled her back although she was spoken to by her husband only in tender terms of endearment. In Hosea 2:19, 20, for example, he said to her, “I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and in compassion. I will betroth you in faithfulness and you will acknowledge the Lord.”
It is apparent that Hosea’s desire is to lavish his wife in the good things of God and that it is his intention to hold her fast to himself forever. He is not looking for a way of escape from this unusual union between a righteous man of God and a woman of the night; in fact, it is his stated desire that she know the Lord he loves and serves.
This is a very poignant picture of the love of God for His people. He desires above all else, that man turn to Him and receive the precious gift of salvation He holds out. He desires that the clearly demonstrated love of Christ compel every fallen member of humankind to receive His love and lay his sins at the cross. Will he? Will you?
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Know, Appropriate, And Live His Word
May 17
How can we be certain that God is always with us? He certainly has much to keep Him occupied in view of the fact that there is so much trauma—natural and man-made—generated on Earth each and every day. Scan the newspaper headlines to verify the nature of the news—you won’t find too many up-lifting things being reported!
Yet, Jesus says, “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age,” Matthew 28:20. This assertion was stated also in Psalm 73:23 where the psalmist goes on to say that He, “…holds me by my right hand.” If there’s one thing we know about our God, it is that He isn’t given to rash promises. He does not leave His Word unfulfilled.
Isaiah 55:11 tells us, “My Word, that goes forth out of My mouth, shall not return to Me void but shall accomplish that which I please and prosper in the thing to which I send it.” The Holy One does not make idle promises nor does He make hollow threats. The absolute truth of everything He utters makes it imperative that we know His Word, appropriate His Word and live His Word, for His Word will surely be fulfilled en toto.
Therefore, it profits us eternally if we will cling to the assurance that the Lord is with us, that His presence with us is like that of a tender, loving Father who holds our hand. Beyond the closeness He intends us to feel through His tender words, He also wants us to know the unfortunate result of ignoring His Word. Because His love is eternal, He wants us to be with Him forever—but we cannot if we decline His offered salvation.
How can we be certain that God is always with us? He certainly has much to keep Him occupied in view of the fact that there is so much trauma—natural and man-made—generated on Earth each and every day. Scan the newspaper headlines to verify the nature of the news—you won’t find too many up-lifting things being reported!
Yet, Jesus says, “Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the age,” Matthew 28:20. This assertion was stated also in Psalm 73:23 where the psalmist goes on to say that He, “…holds me by my right hand.” If there’s one thing we know about our God, it is that He isn’t given to rash promises. He does not leave His Word unfulfilled.
Isaiah 55:11 tells us, “My Word, that goes forth out of My mouth, shall not return to Me void but shall accomplish that which I please and prosper in the thing to which I send it.” The Holy One does not make idle promises nor does He make hollow threats. The absolute truth of everything He utters makes it imperative that we know His Word, appropriate His Word and live His Word, for His Word will surely be fulfilled en toto.
Therefore, it profits us eternally if we will cling to the assurance that the Lord is with us, that His presence with us is like that of a tender, loving Father who holds our hand. Beyond the closeness He intends us to feel through His tender words, He also wants us to know the unfortunate result of ignoring His Word. Because His love is eternal, He wants us to be with Him forever—but we cannot if we decline His offered salvation.
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Observe All He's Commanded
May 16
Our God is awesome. There is no way on His green earth we can ever begin to grasp the depth and breadth and height of who He is or the magnitude of the great power He possesses. We are so totally bound by the natural realm around us that the spiritual dimensions that so exceed it are not within our power to begin to comprehend.
This is an imposing limitation, especially in light of the truth Jesus stated in John 4:24, which is, “God is a Spirit and they who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.” If we cannot appropriate who HE IS with our senses; if we cannot understand the fullness of His Personhood through our reason, how can we hope to know Him?
Again, we must turn to the words of Jesus for clarification in the matter. In Matthew28: 18-20 He says, “All power is Mine in heaven and in earth; go, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Tell them to observe everything I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
If we are to know and worship our great God in spirit and truth as He states we must, we must lean on the strong arm of our Lord and Savior to enable us to accomplish that requirement. By His Holy Spirit, shining the candle of His light into our hearts, we are able to see the truth that has been shrouded in darkness. We will then observe all He’s commanded—empowered by His presence within us.
Our God is awesome. There is no way on His green earth we can ever begin to grasp the depth and breadth and height of who He is or the magnitude of the great power He possesses. We are so totally bound by the natural realm around us that the spiritual dimensions that so exceed it are not within our power to begin to comprehend.
This is an imposing limitation, especially in light of the truth Jesus stated in John 4:24, which is, “God is a Spirit and they who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.” If we cannot appropriate who HE IS with our senses; if we cannot understand the fullness of His Personhood through our reason, how can we hope to know Him?
Again, we must turn to the words of Jesus for clarification in the matter. In Matthew28: 18-20 He says, “All power is Mine in heaven and in earth; go, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Tell them to observe everything I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
If we are to know and worship our great God in spirit and truth as He states we must, we must lean on the strong arm of our Lord and Savior to enable us to accomplish that requirement. By His Holy Spirit, shining the candle of His light into our hearts, we are able to see the truth that has been shrouded in darkness. We will then observe all He’s commanded—empowered by His presence within us.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
The Pain Of Separation
May 15
In a long-ago and far-away time, extended families lived together under one roof or in the same neighborhood. It was not uncommon during my childhood to have three or four houses in one block that were occupied by members of the same family. Often included among the residents of one household were children, parents, grandparents and even great-grandparents!
Today, that is rarely the case. Young people set off to make their fortune by following the job market wherever it takes them. The likelihood of obtaining gainful employment in the area where they grew up is remote. Gone are the small factories, neighborhood stores and ‘Mom and Pop’ groceries that once dotted the landscape all around us and supplied jobs to local residents.
Because they are often required to travel far afield of their hometowns, young people as well as the older folks they leave behind are confronted with a reality that few members of previous generations ever had to face. That is the emptiness that surges within when people are cut off from those who are familiar, from childhood friends and family members. God addresses the problem of loneliness in His Word.
David, who knew alienation from members of his family, said in Psalm 68:6, “God sets the lonely in families; He leads forth the prisoners with singing, but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.” This seems to tell us that although we may be bound by empty feelings that accompany the time and distance between ourselves and loved ones, those who love the Lord will know joy—and have rains of refreshing upon them wherever they are.
In a long-ago and far-away time, extended families lived together under one roof or in the same neighborhood. It was not uncommon during my childhood to have three or four houses in one block that were occupied by members of the same family. Often included among the residents of one household were children, parents, grandparents and even great-grandparents!
Today, that is rarely the case. Young people set off to make their fortune by following the job market wherever it takes them. The likelihood of obtaining gainful employment in the area where they grew up is remote. Gone are the small factories, neighborhood stores and ‘Mom and Pop’ groceries that once dotted the landscape all around us and supplied jobs to local residents.
Because they are often required to travel far afield of their hometowns, young people as well as the older folks they leave behind are confronted with a reality that few members of previous generations ever had to face. That is the emptiness that surges within when people are cut off from those who are familiar, from childhood friends and family members. God addresses the problem of loneliness in His Word.
David, who knew alienation from members of his family, said in Psalm 68:6, “God sets the lonely in families; He leads forth the prisoners with singing, but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.” This seems to tell us that although we may be bound by empty feelings that accompany the time and distance between ourselves and loved ones, those who love the Lord will know joy—and have rains of refreshing upon them wherever they are.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Predestination
May 14
There is an on-going debate that is unlikely to be resolved as long as the sun rises each morning and sets each night. It centers upon a very core aspect of the nature of God and the question that arises because of the controversy surrounding that element of who He actually is.
In one word, our quandary can be stated as ‘predestination.’ What do we do with the idea that the God who knows everything beforehand has allowed man a free will to decide his own fate? How can any of us determine any aspect of our life and future if the Lord Himself already knows what it is?
In Ephesians 1:5, 6, Paul says, “God predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will—to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves.” There is a lot of assurance and a lot of doubt packed into those few brief words! It is His pleasure that we be His adopted children through Jesus, the One He loves. This opportunity is freely given. How can it be predestined and freely given? A human analogy can be seen in this scenario…
Parents set up a trust fund for a child at a very early age. The child has no knowledge of finances. The child cannot exercise any control at all over the great resource his parents have set aside for his use. The parents know however that one day the monies that have been invested will be used. Although the analogy is not perfect, it does convey the reality that just as parents can establish wealth for a child without knowing how he will spend it, God can predestine our salvation through Christ while allowing us the freedom to reject it.
There is an on-going debate that is unlikely to be resolved as long as the sun rises each morning and sets each night. It centers upon a very core aspect of the nature of God and the question that arises because of the controversy surrounding that element of who He actually is.
In one word, our quandary can be stated as ‘predestination.’ What do we do with the idea that the God who knows everything beforehand has allowed man a free will to decide his own fate? How can any of us determine any aspect of our life and future if the Lord Himself already knows what it is?
In Ephesians 1:5, 6, Paul says, “God predestined us to be adopted as His sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will—to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the One He loves.” There is a lot of assurance and a lot of doubt packed into those few brief words! It is His pleasure that we be His adopted children through Jesus, the One He loves. This opportunity is freely given. How can it be predestined and freely given? A human analogy can be seen in this scenario…
Parents set up a trust fund for a child at a very early age. The child has no knowledge of finances. The child cannot exercise any control at all over the great resource his parents have set aside for his use. The parents know however that one day the monies that have been invested will be used. Although the analogy is not perfect, it does convey the reality that just as parents can establish wealth for a child without knowing how he will spend it, God can predestine our salvation through Christ while allowing us the freedom to reject it.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Mothers' Day
Today is Mothers' Day. We set aside this day each year to honor our mothers. Of course, the Bible tells us that we are to always honor our mothers and fathers and that doing so is, "the first commandment with promise," Ephesians 6:2. Paul goes on to say in verse three, "that it may be well with you and you may live long upon the earth." So we may conclude that it is not only right to honor our parents, but that it is to our advantage to do so.
Putting that duty of children aside, let us face the reality that some mothers have much to regret. The staggering statistic of aborted babies leaves in its wake countless women whose decision to terminate a pregnancy has forever haunted them. This is not to condone abortion, nor is it to accept abortion as a viable method of birth control; rather, it is to state to the heart engulfed in the anguish of this 'freedom to choose' that there is a place of forgiveness at the feet of Jesus.
Allow HIM to be your peace when you can find no place of peace. Be washed clean of the blood of your aborted child in the shed blood of the Holy Child Jesus.
Putting that duty of children aside, let us face the reality that some mothers have much to regret. The staggering statistic of aborted babies leaves in its wake countless women whose decision to terminate a pregnancy has forever haunted them. This is not to condone abortion, nor is it to accept abortion as a viable method of birth control; rather, it is to state to the heart engulfed in the anguish of this 'freedom to choose' that there is a place of forgiveness at the feet of Jesus.
Allow HIM to be your peace when you can find no place of peace. Be washed clean of the blood of your aborted child in the shed blood of the Holy Child Jesus.
O, What Love!
May 13
It is almost as though the Bible were addressing today’s staggering abortion rate when the prophet made this observation, “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child of her womb? Though they may forget, yet will I not forget you! I have engraved your name on the palms of My hands; you are ever before Me,” Isaiah 49:15, 16.
Over 3000 babies are aborted daily in the United States. The world-wide figure is much higher. In some countries where male children are preferred, the preponderance of aborted fetuses is female. For the most part in this country, the procedure serves as a method of birth control. It is a means of avoiding the inconvenient responsibility of caring for an un-planned or un-wanted child.
The analogy is intended to bring to mind the devotion that a mother feels for her offspring and the unnatural aspect of her ‘forgetting’ the infant in her arms, but it also acknowledge the reality that there can be those whose maternal instinct is dulled to the point of being able to rid herself of the burden of an unwanted mouth to feed, body to clothe, child to educate and equip for future productivity.
The prophet declares at this point in the behalf of our Father God who sent His only begotten Son to die for us, that we can never be thusly forgotten! He has us as indelibly in His heart as if our names were carved in the palms of His hand where they can be seen of Him continually. Oh, what a precious love the Holy One has for us! Oh, what an “unspeakable gift” is ours (see II Corinthians 9:15).
It is almost as though the Bible were addressing today’s staggering abortion rate when the prophet made this observation, “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child of her womb? Though they may forget, yet will I not forget you! I have engraved your name on the palms of My hands; you are ever before Me,” Isaiah 49:15, 16.
Over 3000 babies are aborted daily in the United States. The world-wide figure is much higher. In some countries where male children are preferred, the preponderance of aborted fetuses is female. For the most part in this country, the procedure serves as a method of birth control. It is a means of avoiding the inconvenient responsibility of caring for an un-planned or un-wanted child.
The analogy is intended to bring to mind the devotion that a mother feels for her offspring and the unnatural aspect of her ‘forgetting’ the infant in her arms, but it also acknowledge the reality that there can be those whose maternal instinct is dulled to the point of being able to rid herself of the burden of an unwanted mouth to feed, body to clothe, child to educate and equip for future productivity.
The prophet declares at this point in the behalf of our Father God who sent His only begotten Son to die for us, that we can never be thusly forgotten! He has us as indelibly in His heart as if our names were carved in the palms of His hand where they can be seen of Him continually. Oh, what a precious love the Holy One has for us! Oh, what an “unspeakable gift” is ours (see II Corinthians 9:15).
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Intelligent Design
May 12
This isn’t original but it’s too good an analogy to omit from any discussion of the veracity of the intelligent design theory. Nobody would suggest that a Boeing 747 was assembled when a strong wind gathered the necessary parts to make the aircraft and somehow placed them together in functioning form. Anyone who’s seen the effects of a tornado is aware that the reverse outcome is far more likely to occur in a strong wind!
Yet those same people have no problem negating the idea of there being an intelligent design for the universe. Though they can clearly see the necessity of having an intelligent mind behind the design and assemblage of an aircraft or a woven carpet or a finely-crafted piece of furniture, they insist the worlds that exist came into being by the chance meeting of molecules that managed to fuse together in the precise order that the various forms of life and matter we see surrounding us require.
What that exercise in convoluted logic seems to state most emphatically isn’t the conclusiveness of the evidence that a man uses to confirm his denial of a Supreme Being; rather that a man has decided against believing in God and will use any contrivance of argumentation to justify his position! There is an old saying that one can take logic wherever he wants it to go, but the ‘logic’ that negates an intelligent mind behind things as complex as man and his world certainly is illogical!
How significant are the words of David in Psalm 139:13, 14 which affirm, “You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. All Your works are wonderful, that I know full well.” What inner peace we achieve, what tranquility of mind and spirit becomes ours when we simply allow ourselves to rest in the care of One who designed and formed us. Rather than rationalize Him away, let us place our lives in His hands.
This isn’t original but it’s too good an analogy to omit from any discussion of the veracity of the intelligent design theory. Nobody would suggest that a Boeing 747 was assembled when a strong wind gathered the necessary parts to make the aircraft and somehow placed them together in functioning form. Anyone who’s seen the effects of a tornado is aware that the reverse outcome is far more likely to occur in a strong wind!
Yet those same people have no problem negating the idea of there being an intelligent design for the universe. Though they can clearly see the necessity of having an intelligent mind behind the design and assemblage of an aircraft or a woven carpet or a finely-crafted piece of furniture, they insist the worlds that exist came into being by the chance meeting of molecules that managed to fuse together in the precise order that the various forms of life and matter we see surrounding us require.
What that exercise in convoluted logic seems to state most emphatically isn’t the conclusiveness of the evidence that a man uses to confirm his denial of a Supreme Being; rather that a man has decided against believing in God and will use any contrivance of argumentation to justify his position! There is an old saying that one can take logic wherever he wants it to go, but the ‘logic’ that negates an intelligent mind behind things as complex as man and his world certainly is illogical!
How significant are the words of David in Psalm 139:13, 14 which affirm, “You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. All Your works are wonderful, that I know full well.” What inner peace we achieve, what tranquility of mind and spirit becomes ours when we simply allow ourselves to rest in the care of One who designed and formed us. Rather than rationalize Him away, let us place our lives in His hands.
Friday, May 11, 2012
Christ's Own Lack Nothing
May 11
It is told that a child from the wrong side of the tracks, dressed in tatters, without the niceties of life was verbally accosted by other children who enjoyed better circumstances. When attacked with the barbs of their negative opinion of him, the child boldly retorted that contrary to appearance, he was extremely valuable because, in his words, “God don’t make no junk.”
When we get down on ourselves, when we feel we haven’t ‘made it’ to the level we should have attained in our career or we haven’t accumulated the wealth we thought our investments would have accrued for us, or we aren't as believers, as spiritual as we should be, we need to remember the words of that little boy. Our worth is established in whose we are in Christ, not in what we can achieve for ourselves.
Indeed, the world measures us by how much of its wealth we have accumulated or how much of its power we wield. The standard of earth, however, is a fleeting one. No matter how far we’ve gone toward the success the world system esteems, the reality is that in one fleeting moment, it can all be taken away from us. I think of a wealthy senator who was heir to a great family fortune who died in a plane crash. His wife inherited his wealth and married someone of an opposing political party! Neither his spouse nor his fortune nor his own life and were his!
Our security, our value, if measured in temporal terms is tenuous at best. Whether impoverished as the little boy or in possession of great wealth and power as was the senator, our circumstances are fleeting. To be established, to possess the sense of well-being that comes with being truly safe, we must know the One who has purchased our eternal security. In Psalm 100:3 we are told, “Know that the Lord is God; it is He who has made us and we are His. We are His people and He is our Shepherd who guards us as His sheep.” We who have Jesus lack nothing.
It is told that a child from the wrong side of the tracks, dressed in tatters, without the niceties of life was verbally accosted by other children who enjoyed better circumstances. When attacked with the barbs of their negative opinion of him, the child boldly retorted that contrary to appearance, he was extremely valuable because, in his words, “God don’t make no junk.”
When we get down on ourselves, when we feel we haven’t ‘made it’ to the level we should have attained in our career or we haven’t accumulated the wealth we thought our investments would have accrued for us, or we aren't as believers, as spiritual as we should be, we need to remember the words of that little boy. Our worth is established in whose we are in Christ, not in what we can achieve for ourselves.
Indeed, the world measures us by how much of its wealth we have accumulated or how much of its power we wield. The standard of earth, however, is a fleeting one. No matter how far we’ve gone toward the success the world system esteems, the reality is that in one fleeting moment, it can all be taken away from us. I think of a wealthy senator who was heir to a great family fortune who died in a plane crash. His wife inherited his wealth and married someone of an opposing political party! Neither his spouse nor his fortune nor his own life and were his!
Our security, our value, if measured in temporal terms is tenuous at best. Whether impoverished as the little boy or in possession of great wealth and power as was the senator, our circumstances are fleeting. To be established, to possess the sense of well-being that comes with being truly safe, we must know the One who has purchased our eternal security. In Psalm 100:3 we are told, “Know that the Lord is God; it is He who has made us and we are His. We are His people and He is our Shepherd who guards us as His sheep.” We who have Jesus lack nothing.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
A Dead End Perception
May 10
It is said that man can accomplish anything he sets his mind to do. Whether we’re considering man’s collective national accomplishments such as nation building and space exploration or whether we’re focused on the successes of the individual such as achieving career goals or enjoying marital bliss, anything worthwhile requires diligent pursuit.
People and nations that do not reach their mark are often those who are hindered by a negative mindset. In the case of nations, over-taxation can weaken an economy by stifling innovation in industry. In the case of individuals, an ‘inferiority complex’ can squelch the confidence to try new things; the fear of failure can crush incentive.
But if we can collectively and individually affirm the Biblical assertion that we are of great worth to God, our confidence in that belief can turn us around from a ‘dead end’ perception of ourselves as a nation that will be under the heel of oppressors, as well as from a personal self-view as an individual who is relegated to being the tail rather than the head. It will empower us to see ourselves as “…more than conquerors through Christ who loves us” Romans 8:37. We can embrace the reality that being precious to Him makes us precious indeed!
Not only does Jesus love mankind enough to have sacrificed Himself on a cross to achieve his redemption from sin, our God loves those who love Him enough to intercede in their behalf in the challenges of life. Isaiah 43:4 says, “Since you are precious and honored in My sight, and I love you, I will overcome people who oppose you; I will throw them down to protect your life.” If our Lord is willing to pull down our enemies as well as to lay down His own life in our behalf, should we not then count our lives of great worth!
It is said that man can accomplish anything he sets his mind to do. Whether we’re considering man’s collective national accomplishments such as nation building and space exploration or whether we’re focused on the successes of the individual such as achieving career goals or enjoying marital bliss, anything worthwhile requires diligent pursuit.
People and nations that do not reach their mark are often those who are hindered by a negative mindset. In the case of nations, over-taxation can weaken an economy by stifling innovation in industry. In the case of individuals, an ‘inferiority complex’ can squelch the confidence to try new things; the fear of failure can crush incentive.
But if we can collectively and individually affirm the Biblical assertion that we are of great worth to God, our confidence in that belief can turn us around from a ‘dead end’ perception of ourselves as a nation that will be under the heel of oppressors, as well as from a personal self-view as an individual who is relegated to being the tail rather than the head. It will empower us to see ourselves as “…more than conquerors through Christ who loves us” Romans 8:37. We can embrace the reality that being precious to Him makes us precious indeed!
Not only does Jesus love mankind enough to have sacrificed Himself on a cross to achieve his redemption from sin, our God loves those who love Him enough to intercede in their behalf in the challenges of life. Isaiah 43:4 says, “Since you are precious and honored in My sight, and I love you, I will overcome people who oppose you; I will throw them down to protect your life.” If our Lord is willing to pull down our enemies as well as to lay down His own life in our behalf, should we not then count our lives of great worth!
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
He Abides With You
May 9
God keeps track of you. He is a loving Heavenly Father whose intent is to walk life’s path with you and to empower you to fulfill His perfect plan and achieve His lofty purposes for your life. There are times when you are striving to achieve a worthy goal, to satisfy a deep longing, when you yearn for His mighty arm to move in your behalf.
Deep within yourself, each individual has a profound sense of the Lord’s desire to ‘be there’ for His people; you know the promise, “Turn to Me, says the Lord of Hosts, and I will turn to you, says the Lord of Hosts,” Zachariah 1:3, and you believe innately that the Holy One is always reaching out to you.
If you have some knowledge of the Bible, you realize that perception is reinforced by words such as those spoken by Jesus in Matthew 10:29-31, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the knowledge of your Father. Even the hairs of your head are numbered so you needn’t be afraid of anything. You are worth much more than sparrows.”
The Almighty who keeps the planets in their orbits and the sun in its place watches over you because He loves you. In His eyes, you are of immense value so He guards you as one does precious things. The manifestation of His love and power in your behalf is evident in the good times—but perhaps most fully at life’s rough places. It is then He demonstrates best His promise to abide with you to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).
God keeps track of you. He is a loving Heavenly Father whose intent is to walk life’s path with you and to empower you to fulfill His perfect plan and achieve His lofty purposes for your life. There are times when you are striving to achieve a worthy goal, to satisfy a deep longing, when you yearn for His mighty arm to move in your behalf.
Deep within yourself, each individual has a profound sense of the Lord’s desire to ‘be there’ for His people; you know the promise, “Turn to Me, says the Lord of Hosts, and I will turn to you, says the Lord of Hosts,” Zachariah 1:3, and you believe innately that the Holy One is always reaching out to you.
If you have some knowledge of the Bible, you realize that perception is reinforced by words such as those spoken by Jesus in Matthew 10:29-31, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the knowledge of your Father. Even the hairs of your head are numbered so you needn’t be afraid of anything. You are worth much more than sparrows.”
The Almighty who keeps the planets in their orbits and the sun in its place watches over you because He loves you. In His eyes, you are of immense value so He guards you as one does precious things. The manifestation of His love and power in your behalf is evident in the good times—but perhaps most fully at life’s rough places. It is then He demonstrates best His promise to abide with you to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
I Knew And Ordained You
May 8
Young people often have difficulty sorting out exactly what they want to do with their lives. They want to select the right career that will afford them not only professional recognition and financial stability but also enjoyment as they spend forty years plying the employment they select.
It is their fervent hope that the individual who captures their heart will be one who will not only bring delight to their lives and with whom they will be compatible for a lifetime of commitment to one another but one who will be steadfastly in their corner even when the winds and waves of trouble break over their lives.
Our youth hear the words of counsel offered by their parents and others who care about them, but sometimes these well-intentioned people have points of view regarding important matters that differ greatly with those of the younger generation they are attempting to guide. Although the young don’t doubt the sincerity of the counsel they are being offered, they do not concur with its viability and therefore elect to dismiss rather than follow it.
Though parents may be wrong, there is One to whom young people may turn for guidance in every matter that touches their present choices and their future blessing. Jeremiah 1:5 states it clearly, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you and ordained you and set you apart.” God has a perfect plan for each life. If young people will seek His counsel and follow Him, He will set their lives on the course He can bless and prosper.
Young people often have difficulty sorting out exactly what they want to do with their lives. They want to select the right career that will afford them not only professional recognition and financial stability but also enjoyment as they spend forty years plying the employment they select.
It is their fervent hope that the individual who captures their heart will be one who will not only bring delight to their lives and with whom they will be compatible for a lifetime of commitment to one another but one who will be steadfastly in their corner even when the winds and waves of trouble break over their lives.
Our youth hear the words of counsel offered by their parents and others who care about them, but sometimes these well-intentioned people have points of view regarding important matters that differ greatly with those of the younger generation they are attempting to guide. Although the young don’t doubt the sincerity of the counsel they are being offered, they do not concur with its viability and therefore elect to dismiss rather than follow it.
Though parents may be wrong, there is One to whom young people may turn for guidance in every matter that touches their present choices and their future blessing. Jeremiah 1:5 states it clearly, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you and ordained you and set you apart.” God has a perfect plan for each life. If young people will seek His counsel and follow Him, He will set their lives on the course He can bless and prosper.
Monday, May 7, 2012
A Pure, Holy Sacrifice
May 7
We tend to think of Jesus in one of the two sides of His nature. He is either totally human in our mind—just a good man who said a lot of wise things and demonstrated kindness and tolerance and love wherever He went—or He is God, the Creator of all things who, though He walked a while in human flesh, can’t possibly have a credible idea of what mere mortals go through.
If He is just a man, He can hardly be our Savior. We may respect Him, we may acclaim Him to be the most worthy of individuals to ever walk the earth, but we certainly can’t expect Him to make a difference in where we’ll spend eternity. If He is God, His sacrifice on the cross is hardly worth the nails required to hang Him because God has all power and He hung there only because He chose to do so.
Our dilemma is compounded when we read Hebrews 2:18 which says, “Because Christ Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to succor those who are being tempted.” If He can indeed come to our aid when we face temptation, He must be more than just a man, but if He is God, why does He allow our temptation? For our answer, we must return to the garden.
In Genesis 3:15 we discover the enmity between man and God’s mortal enemy that can be resolved only by a pure, holy sacrifice (see Hebrews 9:12). Because Jesus entered the Holy Place with the sacrifice of His own blood, we are able to be free from sin eternally. The serpent may claim man because he is corrupted by sin, but that claim is negated because man is redeemed by the blood of the Man who is fully God.
We tend to think of Jesus in one of the two sides of His nature. He is either totally human in our mind—just a good man who said a lot of wise things and demonstrated kindness and tolerance and love wherever He went—or He is God, the Creator of all things who, though He walked a while in human flesh, can’t possibly have a credible idea of what mere mortals go through.
If He is just a man, He can hardly be our Savior. We may respect Him, we may acclaim Him to be the most worthy of individuals to ever walk the earth, but we certainly can’t expect Him to make a difference in where we’ll spend eternity. If He is God, His sacrifice on the cross is hardly worth the nails required to hang Him because God has all power and He hung there only because He chose to do so.
Our dilemma is compounded when we read Hebrews 2:18 which says, “Because Christ Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to succor those who are being tempted.” If He can indeed come to our aid when we face temptation, He must be more than just a man, but if He is God, why does He allow our temptation? For our answer, we must return to the garden.
In Genesis 3:15 we discover the enmity between man and God’s mortal enemy that can be resolved only by a pure, holy sacrifice (see Hebrews 9:12). Because Jesus entered the Holy Place with the sacrifice of His own blood, we are able to be free from sin eternally. The serpent may claim man because he is corrupted by sin, but that claim is negated because man is redeemed by the blood of the Man who is fully God.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Sin Doesn't Hold Man...
May 6
Some people have utmost disregard for the things of God. They lie with impunity. They are utterly contemptuous of anyone who strives to live righteously. They mock God and eschew His law. Their lives are totally wanton. Their licentiousness is boundless. They are totally governed by the lust of the moment rather than by God’s eternal law.
Although there is a place of forgiveness for them, they don’t want it. Their complete disdain for the notion of a Holy God leaves them without eyes to see Him or ears to hear Him. They are completely satisfied when pursuing “the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life” I John 2:16.
But should such a one repent of his sinful lifestyle, should he begin to indulge within himself the gnawing conviction that there is something more, something better than living a life that is totally self-absorbed, the Word offers hope. There is no pit so deep that God’s hand cannot reach down and lift a man out. There is no mind so perverted that God cannot cleanse it. There is no sin so grievous that Christ’s blood cannot cover it.
In I Corinthians 10:13 Paul, the Apostle who had persecuted believers unto death tells us, “No temptation has seized you except that is common to man; and God is faithful. He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can endure. When you are tempted, He will provide a way of escape so you will not fall under it.” Sin doesn’t hold man. Man holds sin—and whenever man decides to let it go, God will help him overcome it.
Some people have utmost disregard for the things of God. They lie with impunity. They are utterly contemptuous of anyone who strives to live righteously. They mock God and eschew His law. Their lives are totally wanton. Their licentiousness is boundless. They are totally governed by the lust of the moment rather than by God’s eternal law.
Although there is a place of forgiveness for them, they don’t want it. Their complete disdain for the notion of a Holy God leaves them without eyes to see Him or ears to hear Him. They are completely satisfied when pursuing “the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life” I John 2:16.
But should such a one repent of his sinful lifestyle, should he begin to indulge within himself the gnawing conviction that there is something more, something better than living a life that is totally self-absorbed, the Word offers hope. There is no pit so deep that God’s hand cannot reach down and lift a man out. There is no mind so perverted that God cannot cleanse it. There is no sin so grievous that Christ’s blood cannot cover it.
In I Corinthians 10:13 Paul, the Apostle who had persecuted believers unto death tells us, “No temptation has seized you except that is common to man; and God is faithful. He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can endure. When you are tempted, He will provide a way of escape so you will not fall under it.” Sin doesn’t hold man. Man holds sin—and whenever man decides to let it go, God will help him overcome it.
Saturday, May 5, 2012
The Lord's Measure of Blessings
May 5
I have a friend who says, “God does not always pay His debts on Tuesday.” What she is conveying in her homespun fashion is the truth that God might not be on our schedule. We have an expectancy when we pray that God will, like a genie in a bottle, emerge from His Throne Room in Heaven, and supply the thing for which we pray.
Indeed, the Word assures us that we may, “Ask anything in My (Jesus’) name and it will be done” John 16:23, so we are not off base when we beseech the Father in the name of the Son, in the behalf of those we love or in order that our own needs be met, therefore it can be frustrating to find the answers to our prayers unrealized.
We tend to forget that God’s schedule may be different from ours. We may be asking for a prayer He desires to grant—it just might not be the right time. Our frustration compounds when we look about us and see others who do not seem to wrestle with our difficulties—even though they do not appear to have the same heart of surrender to the Lord that we think we possess. When we evaluate others, we are succumbing to the comparison that the Word admonishes us against (see II Corinthians 10:12).
But above all, we must be aware that the Lord measures His blessings and the granting of them in the realm of the spirit rather than in the natural realm. While we may anticipate that He will grant us temporal possessions and earthly power, He longs to empower us to walk after the things of the Holy Spirit, for His ultimate goal for us is that we, “…live according to the Spirit, putting to death the futile things of the flesh, so we may live and not die because of the works of the sinful nature” Romans 8:13.
I have a friend who says, “God does not always pay His debts on Tuesday.” What she is conveying in her homespun fashion is the truth that God might not be on our schedule. We have an expectancy when we pray that God will, like a genie in a bottle, emerge from His Throne Room in Heaven, and supply the thing for which we pray.
Indeed, the Word assures us that we may, “Ask anything in My (Jesus’) name and it will be done” John 16:23, so we are not off base when we beseech the Father in the name of the Son, in the behalf of those we love or in order that our own needs be met, therefore it can be frustrating to find the answers to our prayers unrealized.
We tend to forget that God’s schedule may be different from ours. We may be asking for a prayer He desires to grant—it just might not be the right time. Our frustration compounds when we look about us and see others who do not seem to wrestle with our difficulties—even though they do not appear to have the same heart of surrender to the Lord that we think we possess. When we evaluate others, we are succumbing to the comparison that the Word admonishes us against (see II Corinthians 10:12).
But above all, we must be aware that the Lord measures His blessings and the granting of them in the realm of the spirit rather than in the natural realm. While we may anticipate that He will grant us temporal possessions and earthly power, He longs to empower us to walk after the things of the Holy Spirit, for His ultimate goal for us is that we, “…live according to the Spirit, putting to death the futile things of the flesh, so we may live and not die because of the works of the sinful nature” Romans 8:13.
Friday, May 4, 2012
Preoccupation
May 4
Are you among the horrified drivers who have been negotiating through traffic and suddenly noticed someone piloting the car beside you while talking on a cell phone? Or, worse yet, while ‘texting’! This certainly doesn’t instill confidence in the notion that drivers are focused on the task of obeying traffic signs or navigating through traffic!
How can anyone be in control of a 2000 pound vehicle when his eyes are on a small, hand-held device and his mind and fingers are endeavoring to compose an intelligible message to someone? If your doctor were focused on the current stock report while examining you, you’d feel you were getting the shaft from a paid professional.
When a driver is focused on anything other than the responsibility of maneuvering his vehicle safely, he is giving short shrift to other drivers, to their passengers, and to their families who will be devastated when their unfocused attention does its awful work. When a driver is too busy to execute his driving responsibilities safely, he is risking not only his own life but the lives of everyone sharing the highway with him. Just as driving responsibly is a life and death issue, so is navigating through the pit-falls the enemy of your soul endeavors to use to trip you up spiritually.
Jesus Himself said in Matthew 26:41, “Watch and pray so you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” We must ever be on guard against the snares of the evil one, for he, “…goes about seeking whom he may devour” I Peter 5:8. How better to destroy a man—physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually—than to use his preoccupation with sin, with the cares of life, even with social media to take his life and the lives of others around him who are in the proverbial ‘wrong place at the wrong time’!
Are you among the horrified drivers who have been negotiating through traffic and suddenly noticed someone piloting the car beside you while talking on a cell phone? Or, worse yet, while ‘texting’! This certainly doesn’t instill confidence in the notion that drivers are focused on the task of obeying traffic signs or navigating through traffic!
How can anyone be in control of a 2000 pound vehicle when his eyes are on a small, hand-held device and his mind and fingers are endeavoring to compose an intelligible message to someone? If your doctor were focused on the current stock report while examining you, you’d feel you were getting the shaft from a paid professional.
When a driver is focused on anything other than the responsibility of maneuvering his vehicle safely, he is giving short shrift to other drivers, to their passengers, and to their families who will be devastated when their unfocused attention does its awful work. When a driver is too busy to execute his driving responsibilities safely, he is risking not only his own life but the lives of everyone sharing the highway with him. Just as driving responsibly is a life and death issue, so is navigating through the pit-falls the enemy of your soul endeavors to use to trip you up spiritually.
Jesus Himself said in Matthew 26:41, “Watch and pray so you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” We must ever be on guard against the snares of the evil one, for he, “…goes about seeking whom he may devour” I Peter 5:8. How better to destroy a man—physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually—than to use his preoccupation with sin, with the cares of life, even with social media to take his life and the lives of others around him who are in the proverbial ‘wrong place at the wrong time’!
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Challenged Intent
May 3
Betrayal is a difficult thing with which to deal. An outright attack against us is perhaps easier to accept than one that comes through subterfuge. The thief lying in wait in the night is more readily recognized as a criminal of ill intent than is the embezzler, but the work of the latter can accrue costs the former cannot.
The overt thief takes only what is immediately at hand and the amount of the loss is easily calculable. The embezzler sustains his theft over time and much of what he steals must be tabulated in entities that go beyond the monetary—what he takes is our trust, our honor, our confidence to relinquish our significant resources to the care of another.
Jesus fully understood this deeper betrayal. Although it is told to us in the scriptures that Judas was “…the keeper of the bag…” (John 12:6) and had been stealing from the resources of the Lord and His disciples, the theft the betrayer perpetrated extended far beyond that of tangible resources. Judas was preying upon the trust Jesus had invested in him, in his integrity, which Jesus was allowing him to evidence through honest management--or to betray through theft.
So, when Jesus said in Matthew 26:41, “Watch and pray that you will not fall into temptation, for, indeed, the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak,” He was expressing His perfect understanding of the frailty of human nature and its bent toward succumbing to its own foibles. Our Lord was saying that even when it is ones desire to do right, the lure of sin—whether betrayal or its myriad manifestations—will challenge the intent of fallen man.
Betrayal is a difficult thing with which to deal. An outright attack against us is perhaps easier to accept than one that comes through subterfuge. The thief lying in wait in the night is more readily recognized as a criminal of ill intent than is the embezzler, but the work of the latter can accrue costs the former cannot.
The overt thief takes only what is immediately at hand and the amount of the loss is easily calculable. The embezzler sustains his theft over time and much of what he steals must be tabulated in entities that go beyond the monetary—what he takes is our trust, our honor, our confidence to relinquish our significant resources to the care of another.
Jesus fully understood this deeper betrayal. Although it is told to us in the scriptures that Judas was “…the keeper of the bag…” (John 12:6) and had been stealing from the resources of the Lord and His disciples, the theft the betrayer perpetrated extended far beyond that of tangible resources. Judas was preying upon the trust Jesus had invested in him, in his integrity, which Jesus was allowing him to evidence through honest management--or to betray through theft.
So, when Jesus said in Matthew 26:41, “Watch and pray that you will not fall into temptation, for, indeed, the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak,” He was expressing His perfect understanding of the frailty of human nature and its bent toward succumbing to its own foibles. Our Lord was saying that even when it is ones desire to do right, the lure of sin—whether betrayal or its myriad manifestations—will challenge the intent of fallen man.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Our Armor
May 2
Good intentions can go awry. In fact, the unfortunate reversal of our best efforts to ‘do the right thing’ is so universal that we have an old saying that sums it up – ‘the road to hell is paved with good intentions.’ Our track record for accomplishing the better things of our nature is abysmal—because our fallen nature gets in the way.
The reality is that there is a war being waged within us. Paul describes it succinctly in Romans 7:19-21, “The good that I desire to do, I do not do, but the evil I would not do, I actually do…when I would do good, evil is present with me.” Paul concludes this thought in verse 24: “O, wretched man that I am! Who can deliver me from this death?”
There is no recourse within the natural man who is steeped in the depravity of his fallen nature. He cannot overcome himself any more than the proverbial individual who has fallen can 'pull himself up by his boot straps.' There is a remedy for our dilemma and Paul shares it with us in verse 25: “I thank God (for deliverance) through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
I Thessalonians 5:8 elaborates on the solution Jesus has provided to the sin problem that clouds our effort to live rightly. Here Paul says, “Let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate and the hope of salvation as a helmet.” We wear the accouterments of our salvation as our armor against our proclivity to sin!
Good intentions can go awry. In fact, the unfortunate reversal of our best efforts to ‘do the right thing’ is so universal that we have an old saying that sums it up – ‘the road to hell is paved with good intentions.’ Our track record for accomplishing the better things of our nature is abysmal—because our fallen nature gets in the way.
The reality is that there is a war being waged within us. Paul describes it succinctly in Romans 7:19-21, “The good that I desire to do, I do not do, but the evil I would not do, I actually do…when I would do good, evil is present with me.” Paul concludes this thought in verse 24: “O, wretched man that I am! Who can deliver me from this death?”
There is no recourse within the natural man who is steeped in the depravity of his fallen nature. He cannot overcome himself any more than the proverbial individual who has fallen can 'pull himself up by his boot straps.' There is a remedy for our dilemma and Paul shares it with us in verse 25: “I thank God (for deliverance) through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
I Thessalonians 5:8 elaborates on the solution Jesus has provided to the sin problem that clouds our effort to live rightly. Here Paul says, “Let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate and the hope of salvation as a helmet.” We wear the accouterments of our salvation as our armor against our proclivity to sin!
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Equipped
May 1
Without prayer, man is left helpless in a hostile environment. Anyone who ventures into the sphere of nature known as the wilderness—to scale high peaks or to enjoy the verdant beauty of the forest—has been counseled to carry a weapon to assure safety from attack by the predators that inhabit those places.
It would be ill-advised on the part of anyone to presume that a hike into the habitat of wild creatures might not pose the threat of danger. Although it’s true that bears and mountain lions prefer to avoid contact with humans, there are those times when, for some inexplicable reason, they choose to engage.
The fallen world in which mankind finds himself is a wilderness. It is a locale that is inhabited by a predator whose intent is to undo the one who is tempted to sin, the one who is a seeker of truth, even the one who is a blood-bought child of God. This evil entity places allurements before the one whose will is weak so he becomes ensnared by temptation; he places deception before the searcher to confuse his quest for truth; he sets a snare to trip the feet of the one who’d resolved to walk the path of truth.
But in I Peter 4:7 the Word supplies a weapon against the ploys of the stalker who inhabits the darkness. Here he says, “The end of all things is near, therefore, be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can watch unto prayer.” Watch. Pray. Because we know we are in a wilderness fraught with the dangers of temptation, and deception, that the evil one has set as a snare to trip our feet; we must employ the defensive weapon we have at hand—prayer in the mighty name of Jesus.
Without prayer, man is left helpless in a hostile environment. Anyone who ventures into the sphere of nature known as the wilderness—to scale high peaks or to enjoy the verdant beauty of the forest—has been counseled to carry a weapon to assure safety from attack by the predators that inhabit those places.
It would be ill-advised on the part of anyone to presume that a hike into the habitat of wild creatures might not pose the threat of danger. Although it’s true that bears and mountain lions prefer to avoid contact with humans, there are those times when, for some inexplicable reason, they choose to engage.
The fallen world in which mankind finds himself is a wilderness. It is a locale that is inhabited by a predator whose intent is to undo the one who is tempted to sin, the one who is a seeker of truth, even the one who is a blood-bought child of God. This evil entity places allurements before the one whose will is weak so he becomes ensnared by temptation; he places deception before the searcher to confuse his quest for truth; he sets a snare to trip the feet of the one who’d resolved to walk the path of truth.
But in I Peter 4:7 the Word supplies a weapon against the ploys of the stalker who inhabits the darkness. Here he says, “The end of all things is near, therefore, be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can watch unto prayer.” Watch. Pray. Because we know we are in a wilderness fraught with the dangers of temptation, and deception, that the evil one has set as a snare to trip our feet; we must employ the defensive weapon we have at hand—prayer in the mighty name of Jesus.
Equipped
May 1
Without prayer, man is left helpless in a hostile environment. Anyone who ventures into the sphere of nature known as the wilderness—to scale high peaks or to enjoy the verdant beauty of the forest—has been counseled to carry a weapon to assure safety from attack by the predators that inhabit those places.
It would be ill-advised on the part of anyone to presume that a hike into the habitat of wild creatures might not pose the threat of danger. Although it’s true that bears and mountain lions prefer to avoid contact with humans, there are those times when, for some inexplicable reason, they choose to engage.
The fallen world in which mankind finds himself is a wilderness. It is a locale that is inhabited by a predator whose intent is to undo the one who is tempted to sin, the one who is a seeker of truth, even the one who is a blood-bought child of God. This evil entity places allurements before the one whose will is weak so he becomes ensnared by temptation; he places deception before the searcher to confuse his quest for truth; he sets a snare to trip the feet of the one who’d resolved to walk the path of truth.
But in I Peter 4:7 the Word supplies a weapon against the ploys of the stalker who inhabits the darkness. Here he says, “The end of all things is near, therefore, be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can watch unto prayer.” Watch. Pray. Because we know we are in a wilderness fraught with the dangers of temptation, and deception; that the evil one has set as a snare to trip our feet, we must employ the defensive weapon we have at hand—prayer in the mighty name of Jesus.
Without prayer, man is left helpless in a hostile environment. Anyone who ventures into the sphere of nature known as the wilderness—to scale high peaks or to enjoy the verdant beauty of the forest—has been counseled to carry a weapon to assure safety from attack by the predators that inhabit those places.
It would be ill-advised on the part of anyone to presume that a hike into the habitat of wild creatures might not pose the threat of danger. Although it’s true that bears and mountain lions prefer to avoid contact with humans, there are those times when, for some inexplicable reason, they choose to engage.
The fallen world in which mankind finds himself is a wilderness. It is a locale that is inhabited by a predator whose intent is to undo the one who is tempted to sin, the one who is a seeker of truth, even the one who is a blood-bought child of God. This evil entity places allurements before the one whose will is weak so he becomes ensnared by temptation; he places deception before the searcher to confuse his quest for truth; he sets a snare to trip the feet of the one who’d resolved to walk the path of truth.
But in I Peter 4:7 the Word supplies a weapon against the ploys of the stalker who inhabits the darkness. Here he says, “The end of all things is near, therefore, be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can watch unto prayer.” Watch. Pray. Because we know we are in a wilderness fraught with the dangers of temptation, and deception; that the evil one has set as a snare to trip our feet, we must employ the defensive weapon we have at hand—prayer in the mighty name of Jesus.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)