Words of Encouragement

Standing on the Threshold

noreply@blogger.com (John) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:48:00 +0000

Psalm 84:5
How blessed is the man whose strength is in Thee, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.

Lord, I know there is a special blessing for those who actually go to Zion - to see, hear, smell, touch the very places where you walked. I know that this verse is referring to Zion Zion, and yet, you have placed Zion in my heart, for You have chosen to put the Most Holy Place within my heart.

When I seek You there, You turn the valley of weeping into a spring. There, in Your presence, is where You turn my tears into rains of blessing. In Your presence I go from strength to strength.

When I appear before You, You hear my prayer, You shine Your face upon me, You shield me from the afflictions of life. You put music in my heart, a song of thanksgiving to You.

Pr 15:15, for the afflicted, every day is a bad day. But when You give me a cheerful heart, I have a continual feast. I am most grateful.

A day in Your presence is so much better than a thousand days anywhere else. Anywhere.

There are mornings when I stand at the threshold, mornings when I don't have a strong sense of Your presence.

I would rather stand at the threshold of Your presence than dwell with the wicked. Spending time with you, even just at the threshold, is still better than the best day at the beach or the best ride on the trail. Because I trust in You I am greatly blessed. Many Many thanks, Lord.

It's all Yours, anyway.

noreply@blogger.com (John) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 21:50:00 +0000

Luke 17, the disciples said "Lord, increase our faith."

It's a statement like "heal us" or "give us this day ..." They're asking for a miracle, and act of God, a gift. Yet Jesus didn't touch them with a magic wand & grant greater faith. In fact He told them a story. The story was about what they needed to to do increase their own faith.

Oh, I know about Romans 12:4 - "metron pisteos" that God gives each a measure of faith, and Ephesians 2:8, that faith is a gift of God. There must be a way to reconcile that with Jesus' statement.

Maybe these verses refer to a starting point - kind of like whether we start with 1 talent, 5 talents, or 10 talents. Or maybe it refers to the type of faith.

Here, in Luke, Jesus answers the request not with a gift or a miracle, but with a parable.

The parable isn't about positive thinking, or positive confessions, or about controlling your thoughts so that you can transplant Mulberry trees. No, the parable is about a servant faithfully serving his master, just doing what he ought to do.

I think what Jesus was saying with this parable is that our desire should not focus on increasing our faith but rather increasing our faithfulness. Increased faith will be the byproduct.

So, Lord, help me today to be faithful. Help me believe than when I am faithful in small things, like being honest and holy in private, that you will reward that honesty and holiness just because you said you would.

Help my attitude be "I've only done what I ought to have done."

Lord, increase my faithfulness. Help me be faithful in what I do, in what I think, in what I say, in what I watch, in what I read, in my relationships, in prayer, in worship, in honesty, in giving, in sharing, in paying my taxes, in showing hospitality, in loving unlovables, in humility, in public in private. Only doing what I ought to do.

Psalm 15 ... my Bible entitles "Description of a Citizen of Zion." It really should say "Description of a Faithful Life."

It's all yours, anyway, Lord.

Life swallowing up death

noreply@blogger.com (John) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 14:24:00 +0000

I Corinthians 15:53

Last week I was thinking of my friend, Gigi, who is now looking down on us from Glory.

This week I'm thinking of my friend, Norman, who went to Glory about the same time.

As I sat beside Norm and watched him struggle for each breath I remember thinking to myself - his cancer is slowly eating up his life, breath by breath.

Then I read I Cor 15:53 and God opened my eyes to see that, once again, I had it backwards. Cancer was not swallowing up his life. Life was swallowing up his death. Immortality was swallowing up his mortality. Slowly he was being pulled into the presence of God; pulled away from this mortal life, where death seems to have final say, and drawn into immorality where true life reigns forever.

It reminds me of my 90 year old father-in-law. When I told him "I'm praying that you will be strong to the very end" he said, "you mean, the very beginning."

Faith as a child

noreply@blogger.com (John) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 15:47:00 +0000

Hebrews 11

Faith is the title deed to things not seen.

I've been thinking about my friend, Gigi, as I read through my journal. Gigi died of a tumor in her brain. She fought it for years before it took her life away from her. After we had laid hands on her and prayed for her one of the Elders remarked about how brave and strong she has been.

Her response is an amazing definition of faith.

She said "Brave and strong? I'm just a scared little girl holding on very tightly to a strong and wonderful God"

New wine demands new skin

noreply@blogger.com (John) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 14:14:00 +0000

Mk 2:22
I can change. I can become something I am not.

But, I cannot become something I am not without changing what makes me what I am. To try and do otherwise is destined for failure - bursting the skins, tearing the cloth. That's it! It tears the fabric of who I am.

I want change, but not enough to change me. Most of us want both. I think that's what James means by a "double-minded man." We want to be thin without changing how we eat. We want to be wealthy without having to change how we work & spend. We want to be victorious without giving up the things that drag us into defeat. We want to be something we are not without stopping the things that make us what we are.

I want to be more joyful. Joyful? Psalm 51:13 - Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit.

I want to be more joyful, Lord. I cannot without a willing spirit - without the willingness to give up the things, thoughts, and actions that take my joy away. Sometimes I'm not sure I know what those are. Once again, Lord, I can't do it without your help. So, Psalm 51:13 is my prayer today.

Shall He do evil that good may come?

noreply@blogger.com (John) — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 22:45:00 +0000

Romans 3:8 gives me relief to know that God does not injure so He can heal. He does not trouble so He can counsel. I was going to say He does not kill so that He may bring life. And yet I think of all the judgment passages where it sure seems to me that He does just that. I should probably separate out my thoughts about how He deals with the wicked and the redeemed.

There is much evil in this world. As a consequence, many bad things happen. Yet at times chosen by God, He steps in and stops some. Others He redeems, others just run their course. But in the midst of that I'm inclined to believe that He only allows into the lives of His children those things that He has chosen - for His own private reasons - reasons which I am not qualified to question.

So, I should be able to, or at least want to, believe that He is sort of a gatekeeper for my and my children's experiences. He does not allow things through that are beyond my, and their, ability to resist or respond. Although, as with me, so with my kids, He probably will not stop us if we crash the gate. But He will repair it and use it for good if we eventually turn to Him ... which we will if we are His.

So, it is good to know that evil may come, but when it does, redemption is not far behind. Jesus said "Everyone shall be salted with fire. Salt is good ..."

Salt is good

noreply@blogger.com (John) — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 14:38:00 +0000

Mk 9:49
Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good.

At first I thought this was about turning lemons into lemonade. It's not. It's about redemption.

I don't like the "everyone will be salted with fire" part. I think about some who have been through the fire and it has destroyed them. Their salt, as Jesus said in Matthew, has become tasteless. No one wants to be around them.

Some fires are large - most are small. They just burn us a little - leave little scars. Those are the ones I need to turn to salt. But I can't do that. I can't turn them to lemonade. To me that's pretty much the same as just saying "that's life - get over it."

Thinking about what the Bible says, I am reminded that God is a God of redemption, and the stories of fires in the Bible are filled with God's redemption. That's what I need - a perspective of redemption. I need to learn / figure out how to turn each trouble, no matter how small, over to God for redemption.

How does that work today with the broken toilet or the broken printer? I do see it happened, Lord, with the broken garage door opener - Johnny is putting in a new one for me as a Christmas gift. That's redemption.

God, help me see how redemption can take place through the printer and the toilet. Open my eyes to see the answer to that. Otherwise, what's the meaning in these fires?

On the one hand I think "this is stupid - things break - just pay to get them fixed." On the other hand I think this is a key to living with joy. I'm not sure how, but God this is my hope.

I sure can't find joy on my own. If You can't do it, no one can, and if You don't, no one will. Open my eyes to see how "salt is good." Thank You, this is my hope for today.

Could I do any less?

noreply@blogger.com (John) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 16:41:00 +0000

John 11:41: Jesus raised His eyes, and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me."

Most of our mothers taught us to be thankful - or at least to say "thank you" when someone did something for us or gave us something. Being thankful is just plain good manners - being polite.

This is a thankfulness that can be given without surrendering self-sufficiency and arrogance.

Then there's thankfulness that comes from humility - a thankfulness that recognizes that you have been given things that you do not deserve, that you have not earned, that in reality, you are not capable of providing for yourself.

This is thankfulness that acknowledges the inadequacy and emptiness that can only be filled by a kind Creator who is in and of Himself, all sufficient, generous and loving.

This is thankfulness that, when offered to God, is true worship - a sacrifice of thanksgiving.

Psalm 50:22,23
Now consider this
(you who forget God, lest I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver)
consider this: He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me.
And to him who orders his way aright I shall show the salvation of God.

In the gospels Jesus often gave thanks to the father - an expression of appreciation, and an acknowledgement that, in His humanity, He was totally dependent upon the Father.

Could I do any less?

Who can live with a consuming fire?

noreply@blogger.com (John) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:59:00 +0000

Isaiah 33:14-16
Incredible verses. He begins with what appears to be rhetorical questions, the answer to which you would think to be "no one."

"No one" seems to be the right answer to: who among us can live with a consuming fire? Who among us can live with continual burning? After all, our God is a consuming fire! Hebrews 12:29.

Yet there is a positive response. There are men who can live with these!

He who:
Walks righteously, speaks with sincerity, rejects unjust gain, takes no bribe, stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed and shuts his eyes from looking at evil.

What will happen to such men?
1. They will dwell on the heights.
2. They will have the impregnable rock as a refuge.
3. They will have their bread given to them
4. They will find their water to be pure.

Lord, help me be such a man. Help me be careful of how I walk, of how I conduct my business, of what I listen to and what I watch.

Who forgot to bring the bread?

noreply@blogger.com (John) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:12:00 +0000

Mt 16:5 "the disciples ... had forgotten to take bread" Mk 8:15 "... and did not have more than one loaf in the boat with them."

Jesus said to them "having eyes do you not see, and ears do you not hear, and do you not remember ... do you not yet understand?" So - Jesus makes 2 points here: one about the religious and political leaven. One about His ability to provide. Not only to provide, but to provide above & beyond.

How does He make His point? By starting the discussion with what they forgot. Does God even control what we forget and what we remember? Did He intentionally cause them to forget the bread so He could make a point? Had they already been discussing the bread issue and saying "It wasn't my responsibility, you were supposed to get the food ..."

So the next time I forget something important, like the bread, I want to remember this much: to ask Jesus what it is He wants to teach or to do differently because I forgot. I think I may learn something. He said "do you not yet understand?" Obviously they didn't or He wouldn't have said that. The next time I forget something important I want to see if there's a lesson God wants me to learn.

Then after that I want to learn what is the political leaven in Mk 8.

Mercy or Judgment?

noreply@blogger.com (John) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:31:00 +0000

James 2:16
Mercy triumphs over judgment

Lord, help me to smile more and frown less.
Help me encourage others to follow their dreams, rather than tell them what won't work.
Help me see the good in others, not the bad.
Help me to have mercy rather than judgment.

I know that's what I need from You.

How about today?

noreply@blogger.com (John) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:33:00 +0000

Matthew 6:34 - "Take no thought for the morrow, sufficient for the day is the evil thereof."

As I read that I wonder how pervasive that attitude is supposed to be in me, in us? So much of my energy is focused on creating something for myself and my family that is better than it is today. So much so that I'm not too happy with today.

As I think of prayer I realize that all prayer looks forward. All prayer is asking for something to happen or be different in the future. Am I not supposed to be looking to the future, especially in prayer?

Then my mind is drawn to the prayer in the beginning of Matthew 6 - "give us this day ..." The focus of the Lord's prayer is upon what I do today. As I meditate my mind travels to Hebrews 3,4 where three times Psalm 95 is quoted "today if you hear His voice do not harden your heart."

I'm beginning to feel that my prayers and focus should be more on today and less on tomorrow. It's so easy to live so far in the future that I don't seek my rest or contentment for today. I keep thinking it will be better tomorrow ... when this is fixed, or that is paid off, or he finds Jesus, or this issue is finally resolved.

The only day I have to seek His kingdom is today. My thoughts and prayers are supposed to be primarily for today, not tomorrow. And if I hear Your voice, Lord, help me not to fear it, despise it, or doubt it.

Actually this reminds me of Romans 8 - the creation anxiously awaiting.

I am awaiting Your voice, Lord, but I'm also anxious about it. Afraid that it will be in the midst of another tragedy or another sacrifice. Something too hard or too weird for me. Father, forgive me for fearing you for evil, and for trusting that bad will happen. You are all good, all the time. Help me hear your voice today, for good - mine, or someone else's.

God is a God of redemption - even when we have to pay

noreply@blogger.com (John) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:43:00 +0000

While Nehemiah is certainly about rebuilding walls and overcoming obstacles, the centerfold of the book is the revelation, conviction, repentance, confession, blessing & rejoicing that took place around the feast of Booths.

In Chapter 8, Ezra read the law to the people. The prayer of repentance and the re-establishing of the relationship with God is an incredible example of this. The praise that comes to God (9:5) is above all blessing and praise! They recognize that the they were sent into exile because of sins of their fathers, but also that they now are receiving renewal because (v17) God is a God of forgiveness - gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness!

What an incredible meditation when in need of restoration! Even when we're paying the price for our sins, God is going to use the obstacles in journey back to bring greater glory to Him.

They knew they were punished for their sins, and yet they knew also that they could pray "do not let all the hardships seem insignificant before You." (10:32)

Nehemiah ends the book with a prayer to God "remember me for good."

This is such an amazing picture of the journey, even on a personal level, from spiritual exile back to restoration. The key? 9:17 - Because of Who God is. He did not forsake them. Same message for me today: "I will never leave you nor forsake you." and "even if we remain faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself!"

Be careful what you talk your wife into!

noreply@blogger.com (John) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 23:39:00 +0000

Genesis 16.

I think Abram had the hots for Hagar. And I think he had been dropping hints to Sarai. He probably even brought up the prophecy regarding the descendants as stars.

I say this because, given that culture, he could have just taken Hagar. But I think he was a smart man, and wanted Sarai to think it was a good idea, so we see in Ge 16 that Sarai suggested it. I also say it because of her reaction when Hagar despised her because she couldn't conceive. Sarai wasn't angry with God, or with herself for dreaming up the solution. No, she was angry with Abram.

The idea had spawned with him and somehow over time (10 years since the prophecy) he convinced Sarai that this was what God wanted for them. In the aftermath of the conception Sarai realized that many months prior, she had convinced herself that Hagar was God's solution, God's way of fulfilling the prophecy. Then later, she realized it was Abram's solution. That's why she was angry with him. If it was her idea, she'd be lecturing herself about being so stupid.

No wonder, years later, she laughed at the angel's prophecy for her - the prophecy of her pregnancy. She laughed because she had spend over 10 years being angry and perhaps bitter towards her husband, her handmaiden, her God, and her husband's son.

She's probably thinking "and now you offer me this easy solution? Now? Where were You 20 years ago?"

Where was He 20 years before? If the angel had come 20 years earlier with the prophecy for Sarai what would have been different?

Let's see,
1. Abram would not have considered the deadness of Sarai's womb, believed God and had it credited to him as righteousness. We wouldn't have the great example of faith ("he did not waver in unbelief ...").
2. Ishmael's descendants - a good percentage of the Arab nations, would not be on the earth today.
3. The covenant of circumcision might not have occurred.
4. There would not be the tremendous historical animosity between the house of Isaac and Ishmael that may very well culminate in the return of Christ.

So, what's the point? I see two points:
The first is that God is an amazing Redeemer. He will allow us to make our bad choices, but then He will turn them around and bring good out of them.

The second is that there is still a price to pay for our bad choices, so I can see I need to be careful when I begin dropping hints to my wife and waiting for her to suggest I go ahead and do what I wanted to do!

The fear of the LORD ??

noreply@blogger.com (John) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:51:00 +0000

Proverbs 1:7
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom ..."

It always bugs me when preachers quote Proverbs 1:7 and then say that this means to reverence God. What does that mean, anyway, "to reverence?" I think that whole concept is out of reach for most of us.

Now the opposite: we're told not to fear evil or the evil one. Does that mean we're not to give him reverence? No. It means we're not to be afraid of him.

What's wrong with being afraid of God anyway?

When I read of His appearance in Revelation and think of Him coming in judgment and I picture the possibility of me burning in Hell and the smoke of my torment rising up forever and ever, I am terrified. My heart is humbled in appreciation that He loves me and has released me from my sins by His blood.

When I think of the possibility of Him deciding to be against me - against my life, against my success, against my relationships, against my future, it scares me to death. I never want Him to be set against me. What more terrible opponent could a man have?

I Samuel 12:15
"If you will not listen to the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the command of the LORD, then the hand of the LORD will be against you, as it was against your fathers." How can any man survive if God's hand is against him? No matter where you swim, you'll be washed downstream.

When I think that He has the power, the authority, the right to do whatever He wants with my life: to bless me or to crush me, I am simultaneously afraid and filled with trust.

When I understand that were I to be unfaithful to my wife, that He would destroy my relationship with my wife and family, destroy my business, ruin my life - and that He can do that with just a thought, I am humbled into sobriety.

When I read about sowing and reaping, and then read that He is no respecter of persons, I understand that He has determined that I do not have a favored child status. I cannot begin to think that If I do evil, He will look the other way. If I do evil, evil will come upon me. I am afraid of the possibility of that happening to me.

Yes, I am afraid of God. At the same time I know I am His child: forgiven, cleansed, freed from law by grace, blessed, kept from sin. Blessed because He chose to bless me (I Peter 3:9). Kept because I have asked Him to keep me (Jude 24). I have asked Him to keep me because the alternative is way too frightening for me.

Without fear I would not reverence Him.

" ... and what do you do?

noreply@blogger.com (John) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 13:40:00 +0000

Ex 3:16 "I am"

We all want to be something.

When someone meets you they eventually ask "and what do you do?" In other words, "what are you?" or "what's your identity?" or "how do I categorize you?"

I am a small business owner. I am a father, a husband, a homeowner. Or I am a nurse, contractor, pastor ... etc.

Paul Tripp has a good segment in the Grief Share video about identity. "I am a depressed person." or "I am a grieving person." Grief or depression are not to be an identity. How different it sounds rather than saying "I am a depressed person," to say "I am a child of the King, born again unto new life ... and, by the way, I struggle greatly with depression."

Although he applies it to a negative identity, I need to apply it to a positive identity as well. Sure, I have my own company and I do surveys for non-profits. Yet my identity needs to be found in the Great I Am. "Who should I say sent me?" "I AM" was the answer. What is He? What does He do?

There's a multitude of answers: redeemer, savior, way, truth, life, provider, protector ... but the bottom line = His identity is I AM. God wants me to find my identity in Him, not in what I do. ("and you are complete in Him ...") What I do is secondary at best. What do I do? I seek to know God, and I also have my own company.

Blackaby says "He is far more concerned that you know Him than that you know your abilities. The world tells us to affirm self, God tells us to deny self. Your identity and self-worth are found not in your abilities, but in your relationship to Christ."

That's so hard for me to actually digest. It would seem so pious and hypocritical to answer someone's "and what do you do?" with: "I seek to know Christ, and I also have my own company ..." So, LORD, help me affirm that identity with You, knowing that the world would never take that answer the right way.

Well, I take that back - I think that, delivered the right way, in the right context, it could sound genuine and not phony. Maybe something like "You want the canned answer or the real answer?" "Real? - I seek with all my life to know Christ. For a living I do surveys for non-profits." I'll have to try that some time.

Now, This is the Life!

noreply@blogger.com (John) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:16:00 +0000

I John 1:2
"We proclaim to you the eternal life."

John is not proclaiming a cure for death, or a program you can subscribe to, or even a result of having "saving faith." John is not writing about a path we can walk, upon which there is no death forever. Ne's not writing about heaven and the hereafter.

John is writing about the person of Jesus Christ - who is life indeed. He is life itself. Jesus does not give life, He does not dispense life, He is life.

Therefore John can proclaim in I Jn 5:12 that if I have the Son, I have the life. (This is not anarthrous "life" but "the life") John's writings are full of this statement. I Jn 1:2, 5:12, also in John 6:48, 5:26, 11:25, 14:6 and others.

To have Jesus = to have life. To see Jesus in the world this day = to see life. To know Jesus = to know life. To walk with Jesus = to walk in life. To love Jesus = to love life. The opposite is true, too: to hate Jesus = to hate life and embrace death.

Want to "live life?" Live Jesus. Embrace life? Embrace Jesus. That is why, for me to have life I had to be co-crucified with Him, co-buried with Him, co-raised with Him (Romans 6). When we see Him we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He really is.

Help me, Jesus, today, to walk with You, to see what You are doing, where You are going and where You are working in and around me, that I may participate in Your life today. Give me eyes to see, ears to hear, and a heart to respond. Today.

He could bear their misery no longer

noreply@blogger.com (John) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 14:22:00 +0000

The feelings of misery teach me so much more than the feelings of victory. The feelings of misery go so much deeper than the feelings victory and penetrate to the very core of who I am, so that the lessons of misery and the transformations of misery are long lasting and far reaching.

Judges says of the LORD "He could bear their misery no longer."

I am so thankful that God is in the midst of misery with us. That he bears it with us as long as He can stand it, and particularly as long as we can benefit from it.

But when He (and we) can bear it no longer, His heart of compassion can wait no longer and He flies to our side to bring deliverance.

I am reminded of my friend, Paul, who at the age of 85 said "I am thankful for suffering. The heart that hasn't suffered can't truly sing."

Thank You, God, for misery and for the deliverance from it. Who else do we have but Thee who can care for us and who is so mighty to deliver? None.

Lord, bless the house of Thy servant

noreply@blogger.com (John) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 14:38:00 +0000

2 Samuel 7:28,29

Several years ago it seemed that God was telling me, through some verses in Genesis, that He would grant a request today for my family.

After Abraham "sacrificed" Isaac, God told him "because you have not withheld you son I will make you a great nation..." I felt that He was telling me that because I had not withheld my son, Josiah, from Him; I had never been angry at Him or held Him responsible, nor blamed Him for allowing Josiah to die, that he would grant my request for my family. So my prayer was that there would always be 3, yea 4 of my descendants who walk with Him throughout every generation until He returns to Earth.

That is still my prayer. Still my hope. Still my expectation. That answered prayer would, without question, be the greatest blessing, the greatest answer to prayer You could give me, LORD.

So yesterday I read a prayer that seems quite suited to me:
"And now, O LORD God, Thou art God, and Thy words are truth, and Thou hast promised this good thing to Thy servant. Now therefore, may it please Thee to bless the house of Thy servant, that it may continue forever before Thee. For Thou, O LORD God, hast spoken, and with Thy blessing may the house of Thy servant be blessed forever."

I don't ask for wealth, or riches, or fame, or any kind of greatness. I could leave Earth today a happy man knowing that this prayer is answered in my family.

An unremarkable life

noreply@blogger.com (John) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 14:15:00 +0000

Judges 3:11

"bla bla bla ... and Othniel the son of Kenaz died."

Othniel's life was not very remarkable, but he did get honorable mention.

I think that most of what we do is pretty unremarkable. It may be remarkable to a few of our contemporaries for a brief time. But essentially we live, we serve God or ourselves, we have a little influence over our families, then we die. We are remembered for a brief time by those who loved us, but before long they're gone too, and history says "so and so died ..."

I know it sounds depressing, but really it isn't. It is reality - we have this moment. Make the most of it, for ourselves and for those around us. Make it meaningful for eternity because that is all that will last. The rest will pass by and in a hundred years be a footnote in history, at best.

What can I do that's great? Help those around me know the Lord - not just salvation, but in all ways possible. Judges 3:11 comes very shortly after "and after Joshua died there arose a generation that did not know the Lord."

Lord, help me, then see ways to point others to you. Today.

Where is God when you need Him?

noreply@blogger.com (John) — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:06:00 +0000

Deuteronomy 31

I wonder why, when Moses was about to die, why God told him of the apostasy the people would commit. It may have been mostly for Joshua, who was with him.

Anyway, God said that they would go after other gods / God would be angry with them / and that He would forsake them and "hide My face from them."

The people's response would be "Is it not because our God is not among us that these evils have come upon us?"

Isn't human nature something? And, aren't we all the same? We reap what we sow and then say it's because God is not here for us .. where is God when you need Him? Actually, He's wanting to help us. Why then do we then blame Him, instead of ourselves, or the enemy, Satan?

Thank you God, that you are faithful to Yourself and to Your word, and even faithful to us. If I sin & repent, you are there to rescue. You are amazing!

Because the LORD hates us

noreply@blogger.com (John) — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 19:56:00 +0000

Deuteronomy 1

It seems that some of the saints who are grieving may say the same thing that the congregation of Israel said when they were presented with the challenge - and the blessed promises - of moving out of the wilderness. For the saints, moving out of the wilderness of grief.

The Isrealites said: (v.27) "Because the LORD hates us He has brought us out ... to deliver us into the hand of the enemy to destroy us. Where can we go? ... This is too big for me ..."

It seems that the biggest key to successful grief recovery is to believe God. Believe in His goodness, and that His plans for me are good. Believe that He does not devise evil by decree. Believe that He is a God of redemption and renewal and of victory and blessing.

He wishes to bring me into a larger place - a place of blessing. A place of stability. A place of victory over my enemies.

He means to use this death or grevious situation for may salvation, to bring about LIFE. I need to let Him.

God loves to redeem. To turn bad into good / dark into light / evil into righteousness. Every time my chain has been jerked, God has brought me into a new place, a better place, than I was before. He's really good at it! Thank you, LORD.

Can a little deception accomplish great good?

noreply@blogger.com (John) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 14:30:00 +0000

John 13:27

The tricky thing about deception – it doesn’t happen when I’m thinking about it.

I wonder, when Jesus said to Judas, “what you do, do quickly” if Satan had so convinced Judas that this was the right thing to do that Judas actually felt good about his betrayal? I wonder if, when Jesus acknowledged his plot, if Judas believed he was part of some grand plan to usher in the reign of Messiah, and that somehow he was called to a special task that was part of God’s plan to save the world? Well, he was, but certainly not in the way he thought.

Lord, how easily we are deceived. It scares me to see how quickly I could become convinced that wrong is right; that a little bit of deception could accomplish a great deal of good. This helps me see how, more than ever, and more than I could ever realize, I need Your strong presence in my mind and actions this very day – to keep me from deception. Help me, Jesus, to know Your voice so well that the voice of a stranger I will not follow.

Sure I could say “I’m a Christian, of course I’ll recognize the right voice.” Yet, when I see what Christians have done in Your name and how mighty Christian leaders have fallen, I know I’m not immune from self-deception. Please, dear God, keep me from that. Protect me from my own self-deception. Deliver me from evil, for Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Lord, keep me from partial obedience

noreply@blogger.com (John) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 20:33:00 +0000

Numbers 33:55,56

Numbers is such a heavy book. It seems to be the book of discipline - almost like when a child is young, say in his 2's, and needs to learn that the parent is serious about discipline and obedience- maybe even kind of like Corinthians in the NT.

Numbers 17 is almost the epitome, where the sons of Korah descended alive into Sheol! It says that they "sinned at the cost of their lives."

Lord, please keep me, my family, my entire lineage from such sins. Keep me, keep us, from the blasphemy of defiance (Nu 15:30), from the blindness of unbelief (Nu 14:10), from leaving an heritage of unfaithfulness (Nu 14: 33), and from the curses of incomplete or partial obedience to You (Nu 33:55,56).
Deut 5:29 "Oh that they had such a heart in them, that they would fear Me and keep all My commandments always, that it may be well with them and with their sons forever."

Evil blinds us to the truth

noreply@blogger.com (John) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 20:31:00 +0000

I Samuel 22,23

Men who intentionally turn from God cannot see the truth, and they can't stand the truth that they already know. Both David and Saul knew the truth - that David would be the next king, by God's decree. Saul hated that fact. I'm sure there were times when David wasn't too fond of it either. Like it or not, there was no changing what God had already decreed.

David worked in the strength of that truth and eventually was victorious. Saul worked against the truth and it destroyed him and his family. How much better it would have been for Saul if he had worked with the truth instead of against it.

Lord, I know you desire truth in my innermost being. Help me to stop hiding from the truth. I want to face the truth about me and my world, and work with the truth, not against it. Help me have David's kind of perception and surrender and wisdom!