July 7
God is “no respecter of persons” (Acts 10:34). He makes no distinction between men of differing nationalities or race or social strata. With Him, the only line of demarcation between men is the fact of their acceptance or rejection of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord (Romans 10:9-12).
The unfortunate reality is that we who profess to believe in Jesus do not always follow His example in that regard. We tend to associate with people who concur with our political point of view or with those who are in our income bracket. We sometimes feel uncomfortable with our brothers and sisters if they are not of our race!
We have too many walls of division between ourselves and others of like precious faith. The Word counsels us, for example, in Deuteronomy 15:7-8, “If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted and tight-fisted toward him! Instead, open your hand and freely lend him whatever he needs.” We are to embrace those who are of like mind to our hearts.
We are to exchange words of encouragement and faith with them. We are to hold them up in prayer. We are to share our abundance with them. We tend to cling to what is ‘ours,’ forgetting that nothing is ours that HE hasn’t given, for “the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof…” (Psalm 24:1). God, who has been generous to us, is pleased when we share of our abundance with others. Let us hold loosely to the things of earth that will soon pass away so we may cling tightly to the eternal treasure He gives us.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Trusting Through Troubling Times
July 6
How can we rely on God when times are so troubling? Economic woes, governmental woes, cultural woes, even spiritual woes engulf us. How can we simply believe God has everything that concerns us under control when everything around us seems so out of control?
Reflect for a moment upon the days of the early church, that amazing season in time when Christianity was thriving because lives were being transformed by the gospel of the God who became Man and not only dwelt among us but took upon Himself our sin and our shame and endured as His own the just penalty for our rebellion so we don’t have to.
At that pivot point in the world’s history, a powerful empire pitted itself against the fledgling body of believers. Men like James the brother of Jesus, Peter, Paul, all the apostles except John the beloved, and scores of unnamed Christians endured torture and death at the hand of Rome. They were crucified, they were beheaded, they were thrown to the lions, they were made the victims of the gladiators in the Coliseum!
And through it all, they relied on God! As Paul said in Philippians 4:19, which was written from a Roman dungeon as he awaited execution, “My God shall supply all your needs, according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Can we, in our tough times express that same confidence! Can we rely upon the God who “will never fail or forsake” (Hebrews 13:5) His people? Can we, too, trust in Jesus, not in circumstances?
How can we rely on God when times are so troubling? Economic woes, governmental woes, cultural woes, even spiritual woes engulf us. How can we simply believe God has everything that concerns us under control when everything around us seems so out of control?
Reflect for a moment upon the days of the early church, that amazing season in time when Christianity was thriving because lives were being transformed by the gospel of the God who became Man and not only dwelt among us but took upon Himself our sin and our shame and endured as His own the just penalty for our rebellion so we don’t have to.
At that pivot point in the world’s history, a powerful empire pitted itself against the fledgling body of believers. Men like James the brother of Jesus, Peter, Paul, all the apostles except John the beloved, and scores of unnamed Christians endured torture and death at the hand of Rome. They were crucified, they were beheaded, they were thrown to the lions, they were made the victims of the gladiators in the Coliseum!
And through it all, they relied on God! As Paul said in Philippians 4:19, which was written from a Roman dungeon as he awaited execution, “My God shall supply all your needs, according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Can we, in our tough times express that same confidence! Can we rely upon the God who “will never fail or forsake” (Hebrews 13:5) His people? Can we, too, trust in Jesus, not in circumstances?
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Open the Windows of Heaven
July 5
The secret to financial blessing may lie in the words of the Old Testament prophet Malachi. In Chapter three, verse ten of his book we read, “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing you cannot contain.”
God expects His people to be generous. He expects them to contribute to the good work of feeding and clothing the poor, to visiting the widows and prisoners, to sending missionaries to those who haven’t heard the good news. He did not make us to be entities unto ourselves but to function as caring, compassionate beings who reflect the tender heart of Christ in their dealings with people.
Some may feel that it is the responsibility of government to assess and meet the needs of the poor, but that is not the way designated by the Word of God. Governments may assume that responsibility by taxation and allocation of funds obtained from one who has plenty to another who doesn’t have as much, but this is not the Biblical answer to the problem.
Poverty will always exist (see Matthew 26:11) so we are told in advance that it will not be eradicated until Jesus returns, but that does not mean we should accept it! We should do all we can to counter it through our own generosity. It is not the responsibility of the government to do what God wants believers to do as they give their tithe to the church and as they reach out to their brother in need wherever they find him. Open windows of blessings are promised when His people are obedient.
The secret to financial blessing may lie in the words of the Old Testament prophet Malachi. In Chapter three, verse ten of his book we read, “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house. Test Me in this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing you cannot contain.”
God expects His people to be generous. He expects them to contribute to the good work of feeding and clothing the poor, to visiting the widows and prisoners, to sending missionaries to those who haven’t heard the good news. He did not make us to be entities unto ourselves but to function as caring, compassionate beings who reflect the tender heart of Christ in their dealings with people.
Some may feel that it is the responsibility of government to assess and meet the needs of the poor, but that is not the way designated by the Word of God. Governments may assume that responsibility by taxation and allocation of funds obtained from one who has plenty to another who doesn’t have as much, but this is not the Biblical answer to the problem.
Poverty will always exist (see Matthew 26:11) so we are told in advance that it will not be eradicated until Jesus returns, but that does not mean we should accept it! We should do all we can to counter it through our own generosity. It is not the responsibility of the government to do what God wants believers to do as they give their tithe to the church and as they reach out to their brother in need wherever they find him. Open windows of blessings are promised when His people are obedient.
Monday, July 4, 2011
God Bless America; America, Bless God!
July 4
How much longer will we be celebrating the Fourth of July? Of course, patriotic Americans will hold the day sacred for as long as they live. How long will patriotic Americans live—at least—live life as we know it now?
Foreign governments are buying our land. Our industries are moving their production to foreign shores. Foreign governments are influencing our textbooks and our schools, including institutions of higher learning, by their financial contributions which are given in exchange for the prerogative of influencing what is printed in our textbooks and what is taught in our classrooms.
The Word of God tells us that “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord and the people He has chosen for His own inheritance” Psalm 33:12. It also says in verse 18 of that same Psalm, “Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in His mercy.”
How long will our nation, the richest, most blessed land that has ever existed continue as not only prosperous but free? How much of our selfhood can we sell or barter away in exchange for loans that are a bandaid on our hemorrhaging debt? The answer is that until we fear God again and hope in His mercy, we will be the victims of our abandonment of Him.
How much longer will we be celebrating the Fourth of July? Of course, patriotic Americans will hold the day sacred for as long as they live. How long will patriotic Americans live—at least—live life as we know it now?
Foreign governments are buying our land. Our industries are moving their production to foreign shores. Foreign governments are influencing our textbooks and our schools, including institutions of higher learning, by their financial contributions which are given in exchange for the prerogative of influencing what is printed in our textbooks and what is taught in our classrooms.
The Word of God tells us that “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord and the people He has chosen for His own inheritance” Psalm 33:12. It also says in verse 18 of that same Psalm, “Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in His mercy.”
How long will our nation, the richest, most blessed land that has ever existed continue as not only prosperous but free? How much of our selfhood can we sell or barter away in exchange for loans that are a bandaid on our hemorrhaging debt? The answer is that until we fear God again and hope in His mercy, we will be the victims of our abandonment of Him.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Overflowing Vats
July 3
Investors desire to place their funds into stocks or bonds that show promise. Nobody in his right mind wants to sock away his resources in an unsafe place. The Bible offers counsel to the man who wishes to store his treasure where it will accrue the most interest on his investment.
In Proverbs 3:9-10 it says, “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing and your vats will brim over with new wine.” That was quite a promise to the agrarian society of Solomon’s day.
How does it apply to the stock brokers and physicians and attorneys and engineers and business people of today? One thing we know about the Word of God for a certainty—it is ‘yea and amen.’ It never changes. What was applicable to the farmers and merchants and tentmakers of Old Testament times is still true for all of us.
With that foundational point upon which to build our financial future, we proceed to lay brick-by-brick the structure of our economic well being. Though we live in a time when investments are failing, when once wealthy countries are virtually bankrupt, we must honor the Lord with all we have and trust that our vats, too, will overflow.
Investors desire to place their funds into stocks or bonds that show promise. Nobody in his right mind wants to sock away his resources in an unsafe place. The Bible offers counsel to the man who wishes to store his treasure where it will accrue the most interest on his investment.
In Proverbs 3:9-10 it says, “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing and your vats will brim over with new wine.” That was quite a promise to the agrarian society of Solomon’s day.
How does it apply to the stock brokers and physicians and attorneys and engineers and business people of today? One thing we know about the Word of God for a certainty—it is ‘yea and amen.’ It never changes. What was applicable to the farmers and merchants and tentmakers of Old Testament times is still true for all of us.
With that foundational point upon which to build our financial future, we proceed to lay brick-by-brick the structure of our economic well being. Though we live in a time when investments are failing, when once wealthy countries are virtually bankrupt, we must honor the Lord with all we have and trust that our vats, too, will overflow.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Godly Leadership Establishes Blessings
July 2
How does a parent gage the amount of responsibility a child is entrusted to have? A responsible parent, who expects mature behavior that is appropriate to the child’s age, from his offspring, will mete out more and more opportunities for his sons and daughters to weigh in on decisions that affect them as the youngsters evidence the ability to handle them.
Our Heavenly Father has established this pattern in His Word and wise earthly parents follow it as they rear their children. In Luke 16:10, Jesus said, “Whosoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much; and whosoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.”
If a believer shows himself to be faithful to God’s word and if he is obedient to follow Jesus Christ with a sincere heart, he will find the Lord opening opportunities of service to him, much as a parent turns over more and more responsibility to a child who demonstrates a heart of obedience and maturity. He will be greatly blessed as he serves the Lord in the beauty of holiness (I Chronicles 16: 8-29).
One must conclude that the same pattern holds true with nations. The nation that subscribes to the law of the Most High will be honored as the Word says in II Samuel 6:18 where, “David blessed the people in the name of the Lord of Hosts.” Godly leadership (as with America’s founding fathers) establishes the blessings the Holy One desires to bestow upon people who follow Him.
How does a parent gage the amount of responsibility a child is entrusted to have? A responsible parent, who expects mature behavior that is appropriate to the child’s age, from his offspring, will mete out more and more opportunities for his sons and daughters to weigh in on decisions that affect them as the youngsters evidence the ability to handle them.
Our Heavenly Father has established this pattern in His Word and wise earthly parents follow it as they rear their children. In Luke 16:10, Jesus said, “Whosoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much; and whosoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.”
If a believer shows himself to be faithful to God’s word and if he is obedient to follow Jesus Christ with a sincere heart, he will find the Lord opening opportunities of service to him, much as a parent turns over more and more responsibility to a child who demonstrates a heart of obedience and maturity. He will be greatly blessed as he serves the Lord in the beauty of holiness (I Chronicles 16: 8-29).
One must conclude that the same pattern holds true with nations. The nation that subscribes to the law of the Most High will be honored as the Word says in II Samuel 6:18 where, “David blessed the people in the name of the Lord of Hosts.” Godly leadership (as with America’s founding fathers) establishes the blessings the Holy One desires to bestow upon people who follow Him.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Resurgence
July 1
Life in America has been good. We have been privileged to live in the most prosperous, free society that has ever existed on the planet. A Frenchman, Alec De Tocqueville, assessed the wonders of the bright, new country when he visited here and he said, “America is a nation of churches. America is great because America is good. If she ever ceases to be good, she will no longer be great.”
What De Tocqueville was saying is essentially that the wonder of our land is not in its factories or its farms or its business enterprise or its cutting edge technological acumen. Rather, the heart of the people, which was at that time (1831-1832) turned in faith toward the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, was the glory and strength of America.
Because of the faith of our founding fathers and of the people who built upon the society they established, America flourished as no other nation before or since has done. Many true patriots long to see a return to the Christianity that made our country great. As our economy falters, as our leaders squander the public trust because of their salacious behavior and their proclivity to wax cold regarding the faith of our fathers, we think of the words of Paul in his letter to the Hebrews.
He says, “Keep your lives here from the love of money and be content with what you have because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). If we will put our confidence in the God of our fathers again; if we will trust in Him; if we will turn away from false gods and from materialism, we will see a revival sweep our land that will transport us from a nation on the brink of economic crisis and loss to a nation that experiences a resurgence of true, eternal wealth.
Life in America has been good. We have been privileged to live in the most prosperous, free society that has ever existed on the planet. A Frenchman, Alec De Tocqueville, assessed the wonders of the bright, new country when he visited here and he said, “America is a nation of churches. America is great because America is good. If she ever ceases to be good, she will no longer be great.”
What De Tocqueville was saying is essentially that the wonder of our land is not in its factories or its farms or its business enterprise or its cutting edge technological acumen. Rather, the heart of the people, which was at that time (1831-1832) turned in faith toward the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, was the glory and strength of America.
Because of the faith of our founding fathers and of the people who built upon the society they established, America flourished as no other nation before or since has done. Many true patriots long to see a return to the Christianity that made our country great. As our economy falters, as our leaders squander the public trust because of their salacious behavior and their proclivity to wax cold regarding the faith of our fathers, we think of the words of Paul in his letter to the Hebrews.
He says, “Keep your lives here from the love of money and be content with what you have because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). If we will put our confidence in the God of our fathers again; if we will trust in Him; if we will turn away from false gods and from materialism, we will see a revival sweep our land that will transport us from a nation on the brink of economic crisis and loss to a nation that experiences a resurgence of true, eternal wealth.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)