Dye2Live4Christ

Annihilation of the CanaanNation

2011-11-26T05:41:00.001-05:00

**Note: This was a short essay I wrote for school, seeking to answer the question 'How should Christians view God's command to annihilate the Canaanites?'**

Know therefore that theLORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast lovewith those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations,and repays to their face those who hate him, by destroying them. He will not beslack with one who hates him. He will repay him to his face. – Deuteronomy 7:9-10

God’scommand to Israelites to annihilate the Canaanites is often misrepresented andas a result misunderstood. However, the Bible is clear on the motivation forthe declaration of war. It has nothing to do with racism, nationalism, orprejudice. Rather, the annihilation of the Canaanites was “Yahweh’s judgmentagainst [their] sustained wickedness, and rebellion,” (DeRouchie, pg 108). Iwill draw heavily upon Scripture throughout this essay, as understanding thetext, as a whole, is our best hope for understanding the command to annihilatethe Canaanites.

Judgmentnot prejudice

Israel’swar to annihilate the Canaanites was a war of judgment. Based not upon Israel’srighteousness, but “because of the wickedness of these nations, Yahweh [drove]them out,” (Deut 9:5). God further instructs the Israelites “that the LORD yourGod is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness,for you are a stubborn people,” (Deut 9:6). Clearly God’s commands to Israelwere not elitism, but judgment on God’s enemies, for God repays those who hateHim, by destroying them. Furthermore, in Moses’ farewell sermon he warned theIsraelites that if they ceased from following God, that God would judge themusing other nations.

Removingthe snare of false gods

Aconstant theme with Israel throughout the Old Testament is their turning asideto serve the false gods of the surrounding nations. God in His infinite wisdomwarned the Israelites of this danger years before they would actually take theland. In Exodus 23:31-33 God informs the Israelites “I will give theinhabitants of the land into your hand, and you shall drive them out beforeyou. You shall make no covenant with them and their gods. They shall not dwellin your land, lest they make you sin against me; for if you serve their gods,it will surely be a snare to you.”

NewTestament Insights

Godis still in the business of rooting out wickedness. God’s hate of sin is notculturally bound, but rather transcends all peoples and time, no clearer do wesee this than the New Testament. Consider 1 John 3:8 which reveals that “[the]reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.” Jesus’purpose for coming to earth was to undo all that Satan had done. However, notuntil we first believe that we are sinners and deserving of the wrath of God,will the cross be glorious to us. Furthermore, if we do not see sin—of allkinds, particularly obstinate rebellion—as God views it, than we will wronglyinterpret Israel’s duty to annihilate the Canaanites and Jesus’ death on thecross.

Conclusions

God’s command to the Israelites toannihilate the Canaanites was an act of judgment upon the Canaanites for theirwickedness. This command was also a preventative measure, to keep theIsraelites from forsaking God and serving the false gods of the lands. AsChristians regardless if we completely understand the reasoning—judgment andprevention—for God’s commands to destroy the Canaanites, we need to trust Hissupreme wisdom and sovereign plan.

Wednesday 08/11/11

2011-08-11T13:33:00.001-04:00

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. - Psalm 63:1

By my calculations I've traveled well over 3,500 miles in just under a month. Passed by who knows how many hundreds or perhaps thousands of billboards during those miles. Yet I only remember three of those countless billboards. I had just passed the Texas/Oklahoma border and was just a few miles into Oklahoma when the first billboard caught my eye. It was for McDonald's and was advertising some of their drinks. It had the pictures of the drinks in the background with this bold headline: $1 Buys Happiness! I remember kind of chuckling under my breath at that thought. But my laughter quickly turned to sorrow as I passed by two other billboards, one advertising a casino and the other an adult video store.

You see those other billboards where also offering happiness, joy and contentment. And while they were offering those things they have no more ability to fill them than a McDonald's sweet tea does to keep you from ever being thirsty again. While it's easy to see that a sugary drink won't satisfy for the rest of your life other things are much more deceptive. One such deception that is new to me (as in the past week or so) is the idea of being in a 'relationship'. The deception is that somehow if this relationship would come to fruition (in my timing) than I would be filled with joy and could than be content. It is a lie.

What my soul needs is to find satisfaction in God. That I would be able to say in agreement with King David that "Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips." (Psalm 63:3-5) When I realize God's steadfast love towards me, that even though I was an enemy of God Christ still died for me. I will have great reason to have joy. When I learn that money and relationships are temporary, than I can begin to marvel at the fact that Christ redeemed me and I get to enjoy Him for all eternity.

Of all people on planet earth, I am realizing how much I need to progress in falling out of love with this world and continually falling deeper in love with Christ. I am constantly made aware of my weaknesses and inability to even find my joy in Christ. So I find what a good friend of mine wrote to me recently a great encouragement:

Psalm 86:4 "Gladden the soul of your servant, for to You, O Lord, do I lift up my soul." The thing about this verse that I just love is that this is a humble cry to the Lord from the Psalmist to gladden the soul of His servant. His servant knows that he cannot gladden his own heart by his own doing; he needs the help of the Father. And I know that I need the help of our Heavenly Father right now as well, which turns this verse into my own humble cry.

My heart cries out Amen to that! Father, while I know I ought to find complete joy in you I lack even the ability to do so. So Father gladden my heart in you. Let me find your lovingkindness better than life. Oh, let my mouth offer praises with joyful lips to you alone. For you alone are worthy of my praise and adoration... let me not seek out joy in any other.

Sunday 06-19-11

2011-06-19T03:08:00.002-04:00

A wise son makes a father glad - Proverbs 15:20

He who sires a fool does so to his sorrow, And the father of a fool has no joy. - Proverbs 17:21

I read those verses recently while reading through Proverbs. It got me thinking about what it means to honor our parents. When we think about honoring our parents, most likely the first thing through our mind is: Ephesians 6:1-3 "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother" (this is the first commandment with a promise), that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land." But is obeying our parents all there is to honoring them? I don't believe so. Please, do not misunderstand me, obeying our parents is of utmost importance. If we want to honor our parents than the first step is going to be obedience. However honoring our parents is much greater than simply obeying the commands they give us. Honoring our parents has to do with a life change. It has to do with being wise and fearing God.

By nature we are fools. I probably didn't just gain any friends by that statement, but that doesn't mean it's not true. Take a look at Proverbs 22:15 "Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child." I want to take a look at the characteristics of a fool and a wise man. Than sum up why growing in wisdom is honoring to our parents.

The foolish man (or woman):

- delights in speaking his mind, not in receiving instruction. (Prov 18:2)

- despises wisdom and instruction. (Prov 1:7)

- takes delight in committing wickedness. (Prov 10:23)

- deceives others into following him in wickedness. (Prov 1:10-14)

- ambushes his own life. (Prov 1:18)

- is lazy and does not prepare for the future. (Prov 24:30-34)

- returns to his folly time and again. (Prov 26:11)

- is not easily separated from his foolishness. (Prov 27:22)

- trusts his own heart. (Prov 28:26)

The wise man (or woman):

- see's the evil and hides himself (Prov 22:3)

- will hear instruction and receives knowledge. (Prov 21:11)

- considers his steps and turns away from evil. (Prov :14:15-16)

- hears instruction and increases wise counsel. (Prov 1:7)

- takes joy in wisdom. (Prov 10:23)

- lives securely and free from the dread of evil. (Prov 1:33)

- listens to reproof. (Prov 15:32)

- fears the Lord and turns away from evil. (Prov 3:7)

- trusts the Lord with his whole heart. (Prov 3:1-5)

The Proverbs are chocked full of a father's plea for his son to walk in wisdom (Prv 1:8; Prv 4:1; Prv 6:20; Prv 22:17; Prv 7:1). We read in Proverbs 10:1 that "A wise son makes a father glad, But a foolish son is a grief to his mother." A wise son is a joy, is a honor to his father... for he makes his father glad. But a foolish son? Well he is a sorrow and a burden. What better way to honor our parent's than walk in wisdom? The Apostle John said this in 3rd John verse 4: "I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth." It is one thing to simply obey when your parents are watching, but when their disciplinary hand is no longer there to correct. Our obeying God by pursuing righteousness becomes a testament of His grace and work in our lives. Which in return honor's our parents and their sacrifice.

Often times I am tempted to give up hope, because I see myself fail to walk in wisdom. I am often reminded of James 1:5 which states "But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him." I constantly pray this verse and recite it to myself, because I need the reminder... that it is God who grants wisdom. It is not a overnight transition from foolishness to wisdom. Proverbs 4 says to "acquire wisdom," to acquire something such as wisdom it takes time. Let us not grow weary in doing good but strive to acquire wisdom and understanding!

Monday 06-13-11

2011-06-14T11:10:00.006-04:00

**Warning - This post will be very different from others. It is not an exposition on scripture but rather a collection of thoughts. Thought’s that have been brewing for the past year. And after reading through Song of Solomon I felt compelled to write those thoughts down.**

I just finished reading through Song of Solomon. And while there are some things I don't understand (like how in the world telling a woman that her hair resembles a flock of goats is actually a compliment... and there is plenty more I don't claim to get either), one thing was very clear. Solomon and his 'beloved' truly loved each other and built each other up with their words.

Some may argue that it was simply young love or that they didn't have a grip on reality. That may have an element of truth to it, however I don't believe it completely. You see I was/am blessed with the opportunity to grow up underneath two (sinners saved by grace alone) godly parents who love and have continued to love each other. I can honestly say that I have not once in my lifetime heard my father speak a negative word about my mother, not to her, not to us nor to anyone else. The same could be said for mom in regards to dad.

Unfortunately, this is not always the case. I have worked with men would continually complain about their wives (and weren’t afraid to do it even to their wives). I've heard the names they called them, I heard the insults they would hurl about their appearance, character and more. So what is the difference between those men and Solomon or those men and my father? While there are many differences no doubt, I believe the primary difference is simply this. Love.

You see love is not physical attraction or emotional fuzzies. Love, true love (or "Wuv, twue wuv" if you prefer The Princess Bride) is the sacrifice of one’s wants and desires in order to serve another. Biblical love is radically different, it calls us the denial of self and to the service of another. That is what my father has emulated so well, that is what I desire to live out as well.

Having a hard time coming to terms with the above definition of love? Look no further than the cross. John 3:16 says: For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. Christ loved his bride (the elect or church) so much that he laid down His life for her. I cannot read John 3:16 without coming to the conclusion that real, biblical, God-honoring love is anything short of self-denial and the sacrificial serving of others.

Saturday 05-14-11

2011-05-14T15:39:00.003-04:00

The wicked earns deceptive wages, But he who sows righteousness gets a true reward. - Proverbs 11:18

I've got to thinking about this verse over the past couple days. How true it is, sin is a deceptive wage. It promises great reward and unmatched pleasure. Yet, it cannot deliver what it seems to promise. Sin is deceptive.

The deception can take many forms. It can lie to us, tell us that it is our right to snap at our siblings to make snide comments and tear them down. After all, it's not like our siblings are showing love to us. Or perhaps it comes in the form of sexual lust. Can that 2nd look really be all that bad? I mean after all she's the one who chose to wear that immodest blouse. Maybe the deception comes in the form of pride, believing that we are responsible (and worthy of praise or respect) for accomplishing the things that we have. Disregarding the sovereignty and provision of God and the sacrifice of others.

The lie is that God the Father, creator of heaven and earth is withholding from us that which would ultimately satisfy us and bring us joy. The lie is that relationships, respect, sex, posessions, health, marriage, children, a better job (the list goes on) will somehow bring us joy. And so we defraud our sisters in Christ in order to fit in with the world and have a "relationship". We will cheapen God's gift of marital intimacy with pornography just so we can have the pleasure of sex. We will demand of others the respect we think we deserve and be angry if we do not receive it. If we are not careful we will take any blessing or gift from God, strip it of it's value (of pointing back to God as being more important) and attempt to find satisfaction and joy from it. We will come up short every time.

Why? Because sin is a deceptive wage. God designed us to enjoy health, children, sex, posessions, and many other things. He did not design those things to be ultimate in and of themselves. He designed and gave us so many gifts that we would use them in a manner which makes more of the giver than of the gift. So the deceptive wage is this: that the gift and our determination of how to use it is better than God himself. And so sin appears to be satisfying in the moment, however because we stripped the gift of it's eternal satisfaction (of glorifying God) we are left unsatisfied and guilty.

Praise be to God that there is hope for us. Jesus Christ. Although we've lied, lusted, cheated, been prideful and committed adultery in our hearts'. Jesus came bore all of our sin if we will repent (turn from our sins) and trust (believe that He accomplished for us, what we could not do ourselves) Him. And if we trust Him and pursue righteousness than verse eighteen holds a great promise for us. It says that "He who sows righteousness (or obey's God in repenting and trusting) get's a true reward." If we are living a lifestyle of repentance and trust alone in Jesus for salvation, than we get an ultimately satisfying reward. . . . God! On top of that, we get to now obey Him, use the gifts and blessings rightly and glorify God. In doing so we will find eternal joy, not in health or marriage but in God himself.

Tuesday 04-26-11

2011-04-27T00:02:00.000-04:00

Psalms 73

I found a new favorite Psalm today. While reading this chapter I felt as if the Psalmist was somehow spying on my innermost thoughts and feelings. However Asaph's been dead thousands of years, so I sincerely doubt he's been stalking me. That said, I want to walk through the Psalm just briefly.

But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling, My steps had almost slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant As I saw the prosperity of the wicked. - Psalms 73:2-3

I can relate, so much so. Who does not have those around them that don't love God, yet seem to have their fill of things of this world. I have been fooled by the prosperity of the ungodly. It seems so alluring, so quick to fulfill all my desires. And so, I come close to stumbling and have launched myself recklessly into the pursuit of quenching my every desire; sinful or not.

Behold, these are the wicked; And always at ease, they have increased in wealth. Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure And washed my hands in innocence. - Psalms 73:12-13

Perhaps you've been there as well. The thoughts overwhelm your mind "if only I have this I can be happy" "God I will be content in you if you give me this" "this is what I want.. no this is what I need.. to be satisfied." Perhaps we demand of God a good thing like marriage, when instead we ought to cry out to Him that His will be done and not ours. Or perhaps the very thing we want is completely wrong, such as pornography. In either case our object of worship is no longer the Creator but rather the created. And suddenly we feel justified in our desire because the wicked have such things and they seem happy enough. So quick are we, rather I should say so quick am I to forget God's goodness towards me.. but let's keep going.

When I pondered to understand this, It was troublesome in my sight. Until I came into the sanctuary of God; Then I perceived their end. Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction. How they are destroyed in a moment! They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors! - Psalms 73:16-19

Here Asaph is thinking about how the wicked pursue their every desire and seem happy enough. Until, until he gets his spiritual eyes refocused. Refocused upon God's word, then he realizes that the wicked will perish, that they do not have a future.. only destruction. In that moment where we would abandon uprightness for folly it is very crucial to stop, and think about what our actions/thoughts/attitudes are conveying about Jesus and His satisfying our soul. We ought to cry out to God to bring conviction and godly sorrow leading to repentance and new life.

Then I was senseless and ignorant; I was like a beast before You. Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand. With Your counsel You will guide me, And afterward receive me to glory. - Psalms 73:22-24

I believe here we have a right view of repentance. A realization and brokenness that we where wrong and openly rebelled against God. Such a god-given realization should then lead us to the cross not to self-pity. Here we see that the conviction which Asaph underwent brought Him right back to God. Asaph proclaims that God has not deserted him but rather is guiding him in uprightness. We also see a hope for eternity "afterward [you will] receive me to glory".

My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. For, behold, those who are far from You will perish; You have destroyed all those who are unfaithful to You. But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, That I may tell of all Your works. - Psalms 73:26-28

Asaph realizes that he is feeble and that he may fall prey to deception again. He does not boast himself as having overcome all sin and temptation. Rather he delights himself in God. He recognizes that those who pursue what is sin will perish. He proclaims that having God as his 'nearness' or God being his prized treasure is his good. And the last thing we see is that He has made God his refuge or rock that He might also tell others about the goodness of God.

------

Father, I confess that I have been jealous of the wicked in many ways. I have seen their 'happiness' and desired what they have pursued. But Father by your grace, I realize now that those pursuit's are vain and fruitless. Not only are they vain but they are destructive. Lord, by the power of Jesus Christ I turn from pursuing death to pursuing life in you. Father although my flesh and heart are weak and may fail me. I thank you that I cannot lose the greatest treasure of all... Jesus Christ. Help me Father to trust in you and not believe the many deceptions of this world. Let me proclaim your works to the nations, that they might also rejoice and find joy in you.

Wednesday 04-20-11

2011-04-21T00:26:00.000-04:00

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. - James 1:2-4 (NASB)

I recently memorized these verses with some friends. When we recite them we normally discuss our thoughts on the verses, how they encouraged and convicted us. Per usual I drag on and on, trying to get across simple things that take me a long time. All that to say, these verses are very straight forward and I would encourage anyone to memorize them.

These verses have become a great encouragement to me over the past couple weeks. Sort of my new "fighter verses". Here's what I've been thinking regarding these verses. God brings trials and temptations so that I would not draw my joy, fulfillment or satisfaction from this world. Because God is sovereign I can trust that any 'testing of my faith' is for my ultimate good.

The testing of my faith according to verse three produces endurance. Endurance in self-control when tempted to sin. Endurance in kindness when others are mocking or belittling me for my faith in Christ. Endurance in pursuing Christ as my joy when I under go depressing times. Endurance in serving when it is most difficult to humble myself and serve others. Endurance in trusting God that He works all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purposes.

Enduring such difficult situations by the grace of God will in return produce a life change. A life change so that in the end we will be perfect and complete, finding complete satisfaction in God Himself, not buying into the deception of the world.

I believe if we are honest we each desire the last part of being "perfect and complete, lacking nothing." If one is in Christ there ought to be a great desire to be like Him, to not be molded by this world. That said, how well am I doing at enduring the testing of my faith? Is it producing endurance which produces a life change? How about you? Can we honestly say that we are taking joy in the current testing of our faith, knowing that God is wanting to use it to produce an eternal work in each of our hearts? Before I close, I want to make it clear it is not by my work that I am able to endure and make these changes. I get to "act the miracle" of God's grace towards me (Cor 15:10 and Phil 2:12-13).

-------
Father, test my faith that I would become more like you. Not because I have such a great faith, but rather because the object of my faith.. Jesus Christ is great. It is by His grace that I can endure to the end. Keep the deceptions of this world far from me Father, give me contentment in you.

Tuesday 03-22-11

2011-03-22T22:21:00.000-04:00

Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, And apply your mind to my knowledge; For it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, That they may be ready on your lips. So that your trust may be in the LORD, I have taught you today, even you. - Proverbs 22:17-19

Just a short thought here that God was impressing upon me today as I reflected upon these verses. I see my lack of trust in the Lord in so many ways. When I don't trust God it leads to me worrying, to me trusting my own understanding, to sin of all kinds. But this is true of everyone is it not? Think with me, the first sin of Adam came because he doubted what God had said. He began to trust his own reasoning and the result: the complete and total ruin of all mankind.

So back to theses verses, I was reading/thinking/meditating/praying over them. And it struck me that verse seventeen, eighteen and verse nineteen where intricately woven. The command is given to "incline your ear [to wisdom] and apply your mind to my knowledge." In doing so it will not be a burden, rather verse 18 makes it clear that it will be pleasant (for those who are in Christ Jesus at least). Furthermore we see the reason for doing so is that we might be ready for an answer.

The result is beautiful and very helpful I think. "So that your trust may be in the LORD, I have taught you today, even you." The result of reading his word, meditating upon it and praying it into my life is a trust in the Lord. This isn't something which happens over night, but rather it is change of life. Because Romans 1 makes it clear that all people are born with sin nature and do not honor or trust God. This is process of reading His word, taking delight in His word and in Him and furthermore to trust Him is what we call sanctification. Simply put, it's becoming more like Jesus.

Father, I believe... help thou my unbelief.

Friday 03-11-11

2011-03-11T19:07:00.000-05:00

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. - Psalms 23:1

-The Lord is trustworthy and good. In Him I find all that I need. If He brings trials or temptations I can stand firm in knowing that He is perfecting in me a dependence upon Him. So that I shall say: In Him is everything I am and need, my soul desires nothing else.

He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. - Psalms 23:2

-God the Father has my best interest at heart. He is faithful and abounding in loving kindness. He provides for me, above and beyond my basic needs, His blessings are truly abounding always towards me!

He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. - Psalms 23:3

-He is my redeemer! My soul was ruined completely by sin, and there was no hope but in His Son. And He did not disappoint, because Jesus came and bought me back! God is sanctifying me (or making me more like Jesus) for His name's sake, so that His glory might be known among the nations.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. - Psalms 23:4-5

-Even though difficult times come and will come, I have no reason to fear. If God is for me, who can be against me? In the midst of trials, I need to look to my Father, that is why He allowed me to face them. That I would more fully trust and depend upon Him, that I would forsake this world and what it has to offer. Let me instead base my joy upon what Christ has done, and who I am in Him. In that I will find eternal pleasures that I shall never be ought to exhaust!

Surely goodness and loving kindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. - Psalms 23:6

-Surely, God the Father has shown me eternal goodness and loving kindness in the gruesome murdering of His son, Jesus Christ. Let my heart not doubt His love and favor towards me!

Father, as I read this Psalm again I am humbled. How many times have I read this without meditating upon it? Lord, my heart has become hardened to some scripture because I have read it so often, that, I do not stop to reflect upon the words I just read. Lord what a crucial mistake, one which I am often guilty of but wish no longer to involve myself in. Lord give me a tender heart, allow your words to sink in and change me. Keep not the Holy Spirit from me, but grant Him full reign in my heart. Holy Spirit come, teach my feeble heart to trust the Father and to look no further for joy and pleasures untold than in my Redeemer... Jesus.

Friday 01-28-11

2011-01-28T21:46:00.028-05:00

"As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, And at the last He will take His stand on the earth." Job 19:25

What a glorious truth expressed in/through this verse! To better understand the verse let me give a little bit of context and refresh your memory if I may. Job is replying to his "friends" who are basically condemning him. He says in reply to one of their attacks that God had "kindled His anger against [him] And considered [him] as His enemy," that his "intimate friends have forgotten [him]" and even that his "breath is offensive to [his] wife."

Let's step back a little further, remember that Job's life was completely turned upside down. He lost all of his children to a tragic accident, thieves stole livestock, others stole his other possessions and servants. By the end of it all his wife had told him to curse God and die. One can only imagine the great weight from his children's deaths, anxiety over the loss of his lively hood and property.. furthermore the betrayal of trust from his wife. I believe his situation was something we would categorize as a 'train wreck.'

That said, the beauty of this statement shines through all the more! Here Job's life is upside down, there is not much he can rely on... definitely not his friends or even wife. But Job remains hopeful of his redeemer. No his life wasn't easy, no doubt he couldn't see his way out (short of death). However his trust was not in family, possessions, status or position.. truly his trust was in God. Because of this he was able to say "As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives."

Father, my feeble heart trusts and rests in other things besides you. I do not look to you alone as I should, I do not treasure you as the treasure you are. Father I often times exchange the truth of God for a lie, and worship and serve the creature rather than the Creator. Lord I need your work in my heart, I don't have the strength or power to change my own heart. Even my desire to change is tainted by selfish and foolish ambitions. Lord you have redeemed me, you have literally bought me Father God and I am yours. Conquer my heart Abba Father, and reign as the supreme and sovereign King.

Monday 11-29-10

2010-11-29T23:15:00.000-05:00

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1

I stand before God the Father as if I had never sinned. As if the sinful nature had not been passed down from me by Adam. As if I had never lied, stolen, lusted, been prideful or deceptive. As if I had never dishonored my parents or blasphemed His name. This does not mean that God simply does not remember my sin anymore, how can a omniscient God simply forget the horrific abominations I have committed against Him? That is impossible! But rather God the Father chooses in His perfect sovereignty to look rather upon Jesus' blood poured out at Calvary rather than my insufficiency to be holy as He is holy. It is there that God the Father can pardon me, it is because of Christ's death that I have eternal life. Let me not think that my sin is "a little thing" for it took the blood of an infinitely holy, pure and righteous God to justify or redeem me.

Now I do not think I've reached some spiritual state of holiness where I cease to sin (oh wouldn't that be nice!). Rather I am attempting to combat sin in my own life with right thinking. If I know who I am in Jesus than I have clearly drawn the battle lines with sin, because sin is in direct opposition to who I am in Christ. I cannot serve to masters, that is impossible. While I do not claim to be sinless or perfect (far from it!) I cling to the promise in 1 John 3:2 that "We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is."

Tuesday 10-19-10

2010-10-20T00:21:00.000-04:00

"Now when Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the house. The priests could not enter into the house of the LORD because the glory of the LORD filled the LORD'S house." 2 Chronicles 7:1-2

What an awesome verse number two is. The glory of God was so heavy, so thick, so... glorious! That, the priests the men who were to minister to the Lord in His house could not even come close to His house. I honestly got excited as I read that. I serve a living God, the only living God. A God so glorious that men cannot stand before His glory. A God so passionate for His own glory that He would become a man and die to redeem mankind back to Himself. My God is so loving and slow to anger that while I was still dead in my trespasses and sins Christ died for me.

And this awesome God who's glory is so great that men could not stand near it. Has redeemed me unto Himself that for all of eternity I will explore and find joy in the glory of God. May my response be to the glory of God as the Israelites was in verse three: "All the sons of Israel, seeing the fire come down and the glory of the LORD upon the house, bowed down on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave praise to the LORD, saying, "Truly He is good, truly His lovingkindness is everlasting." May my heart bow before the Lord, and may my tongue sing forth His grace, love and goodness.

Wednesday 9-29-10

2010-09-29T23:16:00.000-04:00

"He did right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. Only the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. The LORD struck the king, so that he was a leper to the day of his death." 2 Kings 15:3-5

As I read this it struck me that Azariah could be so blind to his sin. In chapter 12 and 14 we see two other Kings of Judah do the same thing. They lived right before God, only they did not remove the high places. And as I pondered how either blinded he must have been, or he didn't truly care. I was convicted, how many times has and does God show me my sin and yet I continue in it. It seems to very well coincide with what I was reading in Proverbs 29 today, it says: "A man who hardens his neck after much reproof Will suddenly be broken beyond remedy." God is so merciful, it honestly boggles my mind that time and time again I sin against Him, and I right now the wrath of God is not bearing down upon me. Even more than that, Christ took the wrath of God for me, I sinned I deserved God's wrath, Jesus died and took that wrath and punishment for me! But let me not "presume" upon grace, for Romans 6:2 says that we who are dead to sin are not to continue therein any longer.

I will be the first to admit, I've been deceived by sin, by my own lusts. In fact the natural man is nothing but deceived, because his mind is set on the flesh and not God. Satan is called the deceiver of the world in Revelation 12. We are not called to complacency or conformity with this world but rather to the renewing of our minds (Rom 12:2), that we might have that mind which was also in Christ Jesus (Phil 2:5). We are also called to encourage, exhort and even reprove other brothers (and sisters as the case may be) in Christ, that we would become hardened by the deceitfulness of sin (Heb 3:13). However if we attempt to not be deceived in our own strength and have the mind of Christ by our own doing, it will fail. We see in Jude 1:24 that it is only Jesus who can keep us from stumbling and present us spotless and without blame before the Father. And ultimately it will be worth it all because one day we "we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is." (1 John 3:2)

Sunday 9-26-10

2010-09-27T00:25:00.000-04:00

"Thus Jehu eradicated Baal out of Israel." 2 King 10:28

"But Jehu was not careful to walk in the law of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart" 2 Kings 10:31

As I read the store of Jehu this evening it was a tragic one. Here he did a mighty work to rid the land of Baal and the prophets of Baal and the priests of Baal, and the worshipers of Baal. He was quite cunning in the way he did so. He deceived the many followers of Baal into believing that he was the devoutest follower of Baal and he assembled many of the followers of Baal into one place. He had before hand stationed a band of solider's outside the assembly, and at the appointed time they proceeded to slay all the prophet's, priests and worshipers of Baal. They took out the alters and asheriam and destroyed them. He did a great and mighty thing in eradicating Baal out of Israel.

But, he was not careful to walk in the law of the Lord, with all his heart. What a tragedy! He was used so mightily of the Lord, yet he did not truly know God. He was used of God, but did not pursue God with his all. See, it is not simply enough to rid our lives of our "Baal" or as the case may be our "Baal" could be friendships, pornography, our self-exaltation.. anything which we would allow to capture our devotion and affections. And it is not enough to simply rid our lives of such, because if we could do so without knowing Jesus than what is the point? We set ourselves up for failure if our focus is simply removing the "Baal" from our lives, and not upon knowing and treasuring Jesus. Don't get me wrong, it is crucial that the "Baal" be removed, but if our hearts affections are removed from one "Baal" and not placed fully upon Jesus than it will only be a matter of time before another "Baal" captures our hearts.

Secondly, there can be no room for "second place.'" When it comes to loving Jesus. A much more godly man than I compared it to he and his wife. He told me "If I was to tell my wife, 'Honey you're number one in my life... but I'm going to go get a girlfriend. Now you're still my first importance, but there is going to be a number two.'" He chuckled and said "Samuel, how do you think that would go over with my wife?" That example has really struck home. Because if I am to love Jesus, than there must be no room for second place. He must be my all, my everything. I must find satisfaction and joy in him alone. I must love Him with all my heart, soul and mind.. He must be my all, my everything.. there must be no room for 'second place.'

Friday 9-17-10

2010-09-17T21:34:00.001-04:00

"Araunah said to David, "Let my lord the king take and offer up what is good in his sight. Look, the oxen for the burnt offering, the threshing sledges and the yokes of the oxen for the wood. "Everything, O king, Araunah gives to the king." And Araunah said to the king, "May the LORD your God accept you." However, the king said to Araunah, "No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price, for I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God which cost me nothing." 2 Samuel 22-24 (emphasis mine)

David had sinned, he had taken a census of the people, when God had commanded him not to. God had promised to being a severe pestilence among the nation of Israel because of it. As the pestilence swept through the land, David realized that it was his sin which was causing this great tragedy to fall among the people. David besought God that they might be delivered, God speaks through a man in Gad. Through this prophet God instructs David to erect an alter on the threshing floor where the angle of the Lord stopped the pestilence. The man who owned the threshing floor offered all he had to King David to offer to the Lord. He was ready and willing to freely give of his land, possessions and livestock for the sacrifice to the Lord.

David refuses the gift's which Araunah offered him. He told him flat out the he was not going to give God something which cost him nothing. So different than how we think, how I think.. much to often. It is a battle within myself many times to read His word, or to truly read His word. It is much to easy to read without comprehending, read without meditating, read without there be an ongoing heart change. It is so easy to do "blanket" prayers, to not be earnest and fervent in prayers. It is easy to let fellowship with other believers be upon 'surface' things, and not spiritual matters. It's easy to live a life in which all we give to God cost us nothing.

I am convicted. I do not spend the time like I should with God in the mornings. Sure I spend 30 minutes praying than 20-30 minutes reading Proverbs before work begins. But that is nothing, how dare I say that Jesus is the most precious thing to me, when my actions portray something different? I need to spend those first waking hours with my Savior. Humbled at His feet, begging for the grace to walk in His ways. Oh God, may my life truly be a living sacrifice. May my actions bring you glory, may the words that I speak be truth and edify, may the very thoughts of my heart be pleasing in your sight. Are you giving God, that which has cost you nothing?

Saturday 9-11-10

2010-09-12T01:22:00.001-04:00

"As the LORD lives, you have been upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the army are pleasing in my sight; for I have not found evil in you from the day of your coming to me to this day." 1 Samuel 29:6

"But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God." 1 Samuel 30:6

Two different verses, in two different chapters. But I believe that they are very much related, let us take a look. David had a reputation, a godly reputation. It was very apparent to those who lived around and with David, that he was upright in his dealings. It was said of David that from the very day that they first met him, until this day (almost two years later) that they found no evil in him! What a tremendous testimony to the work of God!

If our families, co-workers, friends had to give an honest account of our lives. What would that account look like? Would it be said of Samuel Joel Dye that from the very day they met him, up until now no evil was found in him? When others speak of me, would they magnify the name of Jesus for the work He has done and is doing in my life? What would be the account that is give of my life?

Secondly in 1 Sam 30:6 we see David's source of strength. It lies with the Lord his God. Here David and his band of men come back to their home city, to find it ransacked and their women, children and livestock have been taken by the enemy. David's life was being threatened, for their were numerous men who were devising plans to stone him. And here we see David, rather that attempting to defend himself, rather than complaining, rather than giving in. He strengthens himself in the Lord.

The parallel I see in these passages is that David had the godly reputation he did, not because he was someone great. But rather because he strengthened himself in a great God! If I am to live a life pleasing onto the one who choose me to be His child, than I must not find strength or satisfaction in any other but the Lord my God. He alone is my strength and my shield, the very help in the present time of need.

Wednesday 8-25-10

2010-08-26T02:09:00.000-04:00

"If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." Joshua 24:15

Joshua had seen God's word come true, he had experienced first hand the crossing of the Red Sea. He had traveled with the Israelites around the backside of the desert for 40 years. He had seen God's provision in making a way through the sea, and God's power in destroying the Egyptian army. Joshua had seen God's mercy poured out as He provided the Israelites with manna, water and clothes that did not wear out. Joshua had seen God's fury when a man and his family was swallowed whole by the earth. Joshua had seen God's patience with the Israelites when the forsook Him, and made a golden calf to worship. Joshua had seen God's faithfulness, as the pillar of smoke by day, and pillar of fire by night led the Israelites for many many years.

There was no room for doubt in Joshua's statement, he did not allow for "excuses" or "special circumstances" in which he would not follow God. Far from it, Joshua challenges the people with the commitment he had made. Just prior to this, he had reminded them of the many things God had done for them, the uncountable ways God had blessed them. Joshua then declares that he and his household were going to follow after the Lord God and none other.

The question I am left with is: have I completely and totally without reserve decided to follow God, and make Him my Lord of all? That said, I know that without His grace, and choosing of me based upon His grace and glory and not upon anything I have done or could offer Him, such a "choosing of Him" would not be possible. Because it was He who first loved me and choose me, not the other way around. By His grace, and only based upon His grace I can stand firm that I have decided to follow my Lord God with all that I am or ever will be. I do not trust in my steadfastness to be able to accomplish this, but I instead rest firm upon His grace and power to seek and desire Him above all else.

Tuesday 8-24-10

2010-08-24T23:53:00.000-04:00

"But you are to cling to the LORD your God, as you have done to this day." Joshua 23:8

"So take diligent heed to yourselves to love the LORD your God. "For if you ever go back and cling to the rest of these nations, these which remain among you, and intermarry with them, so that you associate with them and they with you, know with certainty that the LORD your God will not continue to drive these nations out from before you; but they will be a snare and a trap to you, and a whip on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from off this good land which the LORD your God has given you." Joshua 23:11-13

There were only two options for the Israelites: cling to the Lord their God or cling to the rest of those nations. There was no middle ground, no serving of both. It was one or the other: the Lord God or gods made with hands. Likewise, Jesus said that no man can serve two masters. For he will either love the one and hate the other or cling to one and despise the other. So, knowing this... why do I attempt to reap the benefits of serving God while seeking to enjoy the temporal pleasures of sin?

I need my faith increased, I need more of His word. Here God tells the Israelites that either they cling to Him, and He will drive the nations out before them. Or if they reject Him and cling to the nations, that He would not continue to drive them out. And if they were not driven out, He also said that they would be a snare and trap to them, and a thorn to their eyes. This so closely mirrors sin, either I cling to Jesus and forsake my sin. Or I forsake Jesus and hold fast to my sin. There is no room for middle ground, it is simply one or the other.

I am so thankful for Jesus' work on the cross. Because no longer am I reliant upon my own ability (more like inability) to keep God's commands. My relationship with God is not some list of rules I must keep in order to obtain eternal life. No I have eternal life, through Jesus Christ! But now, I am not free to sin. I have been bought with a price, I am not my own. I am neither enslaved to sin, nor do I have the right to sin, for I am dead to sin. I am alive to God through Christ's work on the cross, I am to live to Him and dead to sin. I need to diligently hold fast to obeying Joshua 23:11 "So take diligent heed to yourselves to love the LORD your God."

Monday 8-23-10

2010-08-24T00:46:00.000-04:00

"And the LORD gave them rest on every side, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers, and no one of all their enemies stood before them; the LORD gave all their enemies into their hand. Not one of the good promises which the LORD had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass." Joshua 21:44-45

These verse really excited me as I read them. "And no one of all their enemies stood before them; the LORD gave all their enemies into their hand." The Lord promised that He would give the Israelites the land, and that he would drive out their enemies before them. Here is the promise coming true! Why is this exciting? Well I've been reading in Romans 6 and there it says that those who are buried with Christ into death, are dead to sin. This is a promise, this is true. This is exciting because no longer am I slave to sin, I am dead to sin, I do not walk as the 'natural' or 'fleshly' man does. I now have the amazing privilege of serving the only risen and living Savior that has ever been, or will ever be.

These verses are exciting, because God proves that His word is true. We serve a living God, a god not made with hands, a god not made of stone, wood or gold. The Lord God of heaven and earth, is a trustworthy. Therefore when I read in Galatians 5:16 "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh." I have peace in that fact, that as I walk with my Savior I will become more and more like Him, and begin to look nothing like this world!

Thusday 8-19-10

2010-08-19T23:48:00.000-04:00

Reading through Joshua this evening, several verses stuck out at me.

"For the Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it, and they will surround us and cut off our name from the earth. And what will You do for Your great name?" Joshua 7:9

Joshua the new leader of Israel, had much to be concerned about, here in the midst of God declaring that He will destroy the Israelites, Joshua's first concern here is undeniably God's glory. As a leader, in ministry, in marriage, in anything. My focus must remain on God's glory, my desire must be to see Him made much of through everything in my life, I must seek to make much of Him in all things! It is so easy to become preoccupied with tasks, people and such, and these are important I should be diligent in my work. But if my motivation for working or serving God, is anything short of His glory, than all that I do will not be done for His glory.

"Joshua said, "Why have you troubled us? The LORD will trouble you this day." And all Israel stoned them with stones; and they burned them with fire after they had stoned them with stones." Joshua 7:25

Here Achan had taken some items from under the ban and hidden them under his tent. God had expressly forbidden anyone to take the items, for they were to be set apart for the Lord's sanctuary. Never-the-less Achan had taken them, and because of that thirty-six Israelites died in battle against the men of Ai. God clearly revealed to Joshua that it was because of Achan's sin that the men died, and when Achan admitted to stealing those items which were to be completely for the Lord. Joshua did not delay in rightly dealing with Achan's sin. In my own life, I need to first obey God; sin never pays in the end, and never once have I found it to be worth it. Also when God brings to my attention and convicts me of any sin I need to not delay in confessing and repenting of the sin. I need to by God's grace and power take drastic steps to remove anything that was leading to sin. Ultimately I need to walk according to the Spirit that I would not obey the lusts of the flesh.

"So the men of Israel took some of their provisions, and did not ask for the counsel of the LORD." Joshua 9:14

What folly! Granted it seemed to be the smart option, but that was without fully investigating the matter, and more importantly seeking God's face concerning the matter. They went on what they "felt" rather than what God called them to. As I walk and grow in Christ, I should not be basing my decisions of what I "feel" or "think" I need to fervently seek the Lord for counsel!

Wednesday 8-18-10

2010-08-19T01:11:00.001-04:00

"The LORD said to Joshua, "See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and the valiant warriors. "You shall march around the city, all the men of war circling the city once. You shall do so for six days." Joshua 6:2-3

Real briefly, God has been teaching me about my position in regards to sin because of the Cross. Yes, I "know" that I am not enslaved to pride, lying, selfishness, lust, disrespect, rebellion, ect. I "know" that Jesus' death on the cross set me free from sin's hold. But "knowing" that, and living a life that represents that, are two totally and completely different things. It is very easy to simply have knowledge about being dead to sin. And it is another thing to live a life that is dead to sin.

Now what does this have to do with Joshua 6:2-3? As I read this evening, it seemed to have everything to do with it. Here God flat out told Joshua that He had given Jericho over to the Israelites, yet the walls were still standing. Joshua could have become discouraged and disheartened, in that Jericho was not yet conquered. Yet instead he obeyed God, and marched around the city. No doubt it was not easy at times, for sure there was opposition from both sides at times. Yet Joshua took God at His word and obeyed believing God's word to to be true.

Likewise I read Romans, and it it filled with wonderful verses which speak of being dead to sin. And how the believer is made dead to sin through Christ's death on the Cross. Sometimes I look at my life, I see that I am not perfect (far from it..) but I believe that God is faithful when in Galatians 5:16 He says that "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh." God is not weak or insufficient to overcome sin, no, far from it. In fact sin and death were completely overcome on the Cross. Therefore I believe and rest firm upon the fact that as I walk according to the Spirit, as I grow in Christ and become more conformed to the image of His son. That sins draw and attraction will grow dim, and that I will not care out the desire (or lusts) or the flesh.

Friday 8-13-10

2010-08-13T16:47:00.000-04:00

"10 'Now behold, I have brought the first of the produce of the ground which You, O LORD have given me.' And you shall set it down before the LORD your God, and worship before the LORD your God; 11 and you and the Levite and the alien who is among you shall rejoice in all the good which the LORD your God has given you and your household." Deuteronomy 26:10-11

As I read this passage of how God wanted the Israelites to bring forth the first fruit's offering, I realized how crazy it was. Not that the amount they were to give was crazy, nor the way they were to offer it was crazy. But rather what was crazy was realizing how little they were offering! God had blessed them, just imagine how much land, and not just any land but some of the most fertile land in the world. There is no doubt that they did not lack food or crops at all. I have no doubt that they had an overabundance of crops, from wheat to grapes to corn to you name it they had it. Yet in verse ten all that they were to bring was "the first of the produce." If I remember correctly the first of the produce was supposed to be some of the best of the crop, and here God commands that part of the first produce be given as an offering. Why? Because He is worthy. That is enough of a reason, but I think it also served (and still does serve) as a reminder, a reminder of His provision, a reminder of His goodness, a reminder of our need for Him.

As I read this I am convicted, I do not spend the time with God in the mornings that I need. Sure I get to read some of His word on the way to work, and I pray all throughout the day. But there is something about giving the first part of my day to Him, that brings out how much I need Him, that brings out His goodness, that brings out His provision. I need to spend the time in the mornings, on my knees in some focused and serious prayer. I need to dig into His word in the mornings, and have my heart set upon the things of God. I need more of Him each day and much less of me!

One last thing verse eleven, "and you and the Levite and the alien who is among you shall rejoice in all the good which the LORD your God has given you and your household." God has been good to the Israelites, He has brought them out from Egypt, He has given them a land unrivaled by any other. He has blessed them beyond belief, and He commands them to "rejoice..in the Lord." They had no reason to complain, worry or be anxious, God had provided and blessed in so many ways. Likewise I am blessed I deserved God's wrath being poured out on me for eternity, I deserved punishment and scorn. But thanks be to my Lord Jesus Christ! And God my Saviour, who spared no expense in sending His son in my place to die that I might live. I should not be complaining, or worrying, I should be trusting God and rejoicing in Him!

Monday 7-26-10

2010-07-27T01:52:00.000-04:00

Numbers 13-15

This text is so rich, and as I read it, it seemed that verse after verse was speaking volumes to me. From the spies various reports, to the peoples rebellion and wanting to go back to Egypt, my heart was convicted and stirred in numerous ways. Never the less I want to look at what I believe are three key character traits and values any leader needs, well any Christian leader that is.

First in Numbers 14 we see that God was going to destroy the Israelites and work through Moses to bring about His promises. But Moses speaks with God and reminds God of what He has already done to bring the Israelites this far. Moses keeps God's glory the center of his reason for serving and leading. It is central for any Christian leader to have a passion for God's glory in order to be able to truly and freely serve God.

Secondly, Moses believed God for what He said. When the various reports of the land, and the verdict came back that yes, it was a good land, but, no, the Israelites could not take the land. Moses faith in that God's promise did not waver, he remained steadfast that they should go in and take the land. It is crucial for a Christian leader to believe God, and stand fast upon God's word even when other contradict or discourage.

Thirdly, even when God made it clear to Moses that he would not be allowed to enter the promised land with Joshua and Caleb. Moses did not give up, or throw in the towel, because Moses wasn't just "in the ministry" (if I may use that term) for himself. It was not about making much of Moses, or seeing what all he could get out of it. Likewise it must be crucial for a leader to be one who has and does serve, to be one who is sold out for the kingdom of God.

May our lives make much of Him, and not ourselves!

Wednesday 7-21-10

2010-07-22T00:13:00.000-04:00

"Moreover, the one who blasphemes the name of the LORD shall surely be put to death; all the congregation shall certainly stone him. The alien as well as the native, when he blasphemes the Name, shall be put to death." Leviticus 24:16

As I read this, it occurred to me just how serious sin is to God. To often I have esteemed sin as "not a big deal" or "covered by grace." Now while the later is true, I so often seem to underappreciate that my sin is covered by grace because I don't have a right view of sin. When I became saved my "position" changed from being an enemy of God to being a child of God. Likewise my "position" with sin definitely changed in one aspect, that is it is no longer my task master. But in another it is not fully changed, it is changing by God's grace and that is that I am coming to be at odds with my sin.

The other thing I see quite clearly is that God takes His name seriously. It is not a little thing to blaspheme or take His name lightly. Yet every time I sin, that is precisely what I do.. oh how I need Him more and more. I need His grace and His power, I do not want my life to take His name and run it through the muck. May my life exalt Him and magnify Him!

Sunday 7-19-10

2010-07-18T22:16:00.000-04:00

"'For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement." Leviticus 17:11

Before I comment on this verse, and share what God showed me through it. I just wanted to share what a blessing reading through the Old Testament has been to me. So many only read from Psalms and Proverbs when it comes to the Old Testament. I for one, have only grow in appreciation for the New Testament by reading the Old. To be able to walk with men like Abraham, Moses, David, Elijah, Isaiah and so many more, to see their struggles, their success and failures. I have learned so much from reading about these men, and reading what these men wrote. My theology has been deeply shaped by the Old Testament, such as God's passion for God's glory.. no where can this be seen greater than through the history of the Israelites. The necessity of walking with a pure heart before God, as we see that David did. To glean the timeless wisdom and biblical principles left for me in Proverbs. How can we forget the Old Testament? How can so many modern Christians throw away the very foundation of our faith? Lord make me one who studies and preaches the whole counsel of your Word.

Now onto Leviticus 17:11, here is a very rich verse, and one which could so easily be overlooked. Through this verse is a very foundational answer to a question which many seem to have no answer for. The question being "Why, did Jesus' blood have to shed for the remission of sins?" Very simply put, the punishment for sin is the eternal wrath of God being poured out forever. The only way out from bearing the wrath of God for eternity is to have a sacrifice which is perfect, because anything less could not bring us into right standing with God. And since the life of the flesh is in the blood, the blood of a perfect being would have to be spilled in order to fulfill the requirement for salvation. Jesus Christ was and is the only such sacrifice that ever could have been. So here in Leviticus 17:11 we see that there had to be death of one to result in the life of another. And we know from Hebrews 10, that the blood of bulls and goats could not save us. So really Leviticus 17:11, is pointing to the Cross!! Because life must be taken and blood must be spilled in order to atone for a soul. Thank you Jesus for coming to die, and atone for my soul and redeem me unto yourself. Thank you for shedding your blood, for none other could have for me.

Saturday 7-17-10

2010-07-18T02:15:00.000-04:00

There was not so much a specific verse or passage, but rather I was reading in Leviticus (12-16). It became quite clear to me, that God did not give the law of the Old Testament to make anyone's life miserable. It was not as if God was attempting to suck all the joy and happiness out of the Israelites lives. Far from it, rather He gave the law that we might see and savor Christ Jesus. It is not as if God gave the law so that the Israelites could keep it, and so that the cross would not be needed. For the law was given to be our school teacher, to bring us to the cross. Yet so many are quick to throw away the law, once they come to the cross.

In fact in so many, the law is looked down upon as if it was something bad. God doesn't give us commands like "flee fornication" or "treat the young women as sisters, in all purity," to make our lives miserable. God knows (for He created us as such), that the only thing which can satisfy us and bring us true joy is Himself. It is loving for Him to tell me to "flee fornication," because He knows that my wicked and deceitful heart is easily deceived. I guess what I am getting at is that it is loving for God to want me to be 100% infatuated and completely sold out for Him. Because sexual immorality, money, cars, computers, entertainment, friends, anything and everything that this world has to offer, cannot and I say again cannot satisfy me. Only God can, and Father may I look only to you for joy and satisfaction. May all that I have and am be yours and be used for your glory.

Sunday 7-04-10

2010-07-04T20:20:00.000-04:00

"Then God spoke all these words, saying, "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. "You shall have no other gods before Me. "You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth. "You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments." - Exodus 20:1-6

As I read these verses this afternoon, I saw them in a much different light. No longer was God trying to make the lives of the Israelites miserable, no longer were these just pointless rules that we are to follow. These laws were given that we might see Jesus as our ultimate treasure, as the most desirable treasure that ever has, does or will exist. But the law cannot make us perfect, and the law in and of it'self could never make us NOT "fall short of the glory of God." But Romans 7 says that the law is not sin, in fact it says that the law is a good thing. Why? Because God is passionate for His glory, and He wants us join with Him in that passion for His glory. The law was given, to point to grace, and through grace we come to see and savor Christ. We come to know what true satisfaction and joy is like, and we only come to know such things through the cross.

And if God has drawn us out of sin, and we no longer serve the flesh. (Romans 6) Then we should find great joy through Christ our Savior. Sin only holds an attraction to us, because we do not have a proper view of Jesus. 1 Corinthians says that we see "through a glass dimly," so if we want to see and savor Jesus. We should be as the man described in Psalm 1, who does not "walk with the wicked, stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of the the scoffers." But rather this man is one whose delight is in the law of the Lord and he "meditates [on it (the law)] day and night."

Monday 5-10-10

2010-05-11T02:12:00.001-04:00

Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."

Before the earth and time even existed. God was. God still is. God will forever be. I love the first four words of the bible, "In the beginning God." How powerful, how truth revealing, how true! Note those four words very carefully, it does not say "In the beginning the big bang," it does not say "In the begging amino acids," it does not say "In the beginning a fish sprouted legs." No it says, "In the beginning God."

Reading those four words ought to evoke in us fear, reverence, love and awe. Why? Because God is our creator (Genesis 1:26-27), our redeemer (Hebrews 10:10-12), and sustainer (John 15:16). We did nothing to create ourselves and according to Genesis 2:19 we are but dust, and will one day return to dust (our bodies that is). Just as we have done nothing to add to our existence, likewise we have done nothing to save ourselves in fact Romans 3:11 says "THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD." And lastly it is simply by the grace and power of God that we are set free from sin and death (1 Corinthians 15:56-57).

"In the beginning God," speaks volumes to me. Because in that one phrase rests the whole entirety of scripture, for if God is either, a liar, and did not create the world, or, He does not exist. Then the whole foundation of redemption, salvation and glorifying God by enjoying Him forever is stripped away, and false. So the very beginning of scripture is just as precious and real as the deepest depths in Romans or Hebrews. We cannot simply look to build upon our knowledge and faith by reading the New Testament, for it is the Old Testament which our whole basis for understanding and believing the New Testament rests.

Thursday 4-22-10

2010-04-23T01:33:00.001-04:00

Jude 24-25 "Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen."

Wow, what awesome and uplifting verses! God our Saviour is He whom is able to keep us from falling into temptation and sin. It is Jesus Christ alone who is able to present us faultless before God the Father's presence. It is Jesus' joy to present me without spot or wrinkle to the Father whole and complete.

What a relief that I need not rely upon my own strength, power or ability to keep myself unspotted from the world. For truly if it was my power or strength that was being relied upon I would fail time and time again. In fact I have attempted to rely upon my ability to keep from sin, and I can give testament to the fact that I couldn't remain pure for my Savior. So these verses lift a great amount of anxiety that would press hard upon me, if it were not for God's provision for keeping me in Himself.

As I read verse 25 the thought of "Why would all glory be unto God our Savior?" crossed my mind. Well honestly why shouldn't all glory be unto God? For God is infinitely worthy of all glory, honor and praise! I believe that God loves, redeems, regenerates, rejuvenates, and keeps us for His glory. Some ask a valid questions "Why?" The answer is quite simple I believe, it is: God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him. Some have a problem with this statement, I believe that is because we do not see Jesus Christ as our ultimate treasure, they think that there is something beyond that. I plead the case that Jesus Christ is all that there can be, otherwise we will time and time again fall short of reflecting and being vessels which bring God glory.

One last thought, some do not believe that God can or does preserve those whom he regenerates. I cannot help but laugh honestly, for if the God of heaven and earth can rescue sinners from hell but not the bondage of sin then what kind of God is He really? Seriously, cannot God keep those whom He redeems for Himself? I believe He can, and fully embrace that my Lord God, Savior, Redeemer and Friend has all power in heaven and earth. And furthermore I believe that God truly does sanctify those whom He justifies, for His glory!

Wednesday 4-21-10

2010-04-22T01:24:00.003-04:00

3 John 9 "I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not."

3 John 12 "Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true."

These verses are very interesting, as I have read through first, second and third John in the past several days. You see as I have read each one, I see an element of God willing and working all things for His glory. Particularly as it speaks of God's love, and how His love changes the way we treat others and love them. It has greatly challenged me to review the way and reason I love.

It has also more given me a more concrete vision for who God is, and why he loves me, and others. As I have read these passages many questions have flooded my mind. Why does God love me? Is my love for others truly from God? Why am I loving this person(s)? Am I fully relying on God's grace and love to love this person(s)? Am I loving this person(s) for God's glory? if not why?

As I asked myself those questions and meditated over God's word, it has been like a light turned on in a dark room. 1 John 2:27 has proved it's self time and time again in my life this week. So no surprise when this evening as I read 3 John, God pricks my heart and teaches me more about His glory.

So unto 3 John verses 9 & 12. Basically the thought is very short and sweet, the man Diotrephes steals God's glory and seeks to assert himself as the authority, while Demetrius bears good report of the truth. Two men who were both in church, the context leads me to believe that both were leaders in their respective churches. Yet there was a fundamental difference between the two. Diotrephes loved men's applause, he loved to have the feeling of "power" and he wickedly used the church for such. While on the other hand we have less information about Demetrius, I think we can interpret several things about him. I believe Demetrius was humble and sought God's glory and not his own, I believe he lived out the gospel in that he was not self-seeking or hypocritical, and I also believe that Demetrius was a tested and trusted example, because John has no qualms about pointing to him as an example of righteousness.

I am afraid that there are too many Diotrephes in the church today. Too many pastors and leaders whose hearts are not right before God. I do not want to be as such but rather as Demetrius who "hath a good report of all men, and of the truth itself."

Tuesday 3-30-10

2010-03-31T01:39:00.002-04:00

Galatians 1:23-24

"23 But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.

24 And they glorified God in me."

God did a mighty work in Paul's life through saving and sanctifying him. When men looked at Paul according to verse twenty-four they glorified God. I believe that this is the reason why God saves us and sanctifies us. There is nothing special or wonderful about me that God should have saved me. It is simply because of his mercy and that he seeks to be glorified through me life. I do not believe it is egotistical for God to seek his own glory, because if I love him and glorify him (which all men fall short of). Then I am fulfilled and happy when God is glorified, that is my joy is made complete in God being brought glory.

May my life be as Paul's in that as men look at me and see what I was before God's work. Then they see the work that God has wrought in my heart and life may the glorify God

Blessings,

Monday 3-29-10

2010-03-29T23:50:00.001-04:00

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

"9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

Just previous to this verse Paul mentions his "thorn in the flesh", and states that he had asked God to remove it at least three times. God tells Paul that His grace is enough for Paul and that His power and grace is made "perfect" through Paul's deficiencies. How Paul responds just is very convicting. Paul says that he "takes pleasure" in being feeble or frail, in rebukes or disapproval's, in daily menial tasks, in being tortured for Christ, in difficult times.

Just having been reading through some of what Paul went through in the previous chapter his attitude is a great example to me. I'm sure he struggled at times no doubt but his selfless attitude of "if my being puny, or being whipped, or made fun of brings Christ glory.. then bring it on." This attitude and really mindset was no doubt not developed overnight. But I really believe it came from Paul being completely and totally satisfied in God, he didn't need comfort, fame, men's praise.. Christ and Christ alone was who/what I believe Paul longed for. Hence in the face of distressing things he is able to say "therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

Please remember in prayer David Velke and his family, they left on a short term missions trip for 6 months with his family this past weekend. They are settling down in their house there and will be getting hands-on-mission-training.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you,

Thursday 3-25-10

2010-03-26T01:29:00.000-04:00

1 Corinthians 3:7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

As I read this I thought of years back one particular summer my family did a garden. Months before summer we fertilized it, limed it, tilled it.. tilled it again, fertilized it, limed it, tilled it again. We cut branches off trees that would block out sunlight, we set up schedules for weeding/watering/ect., we put down news papers around the plants so the weeds would be choked back. We got good quality seeds, planted them at the right time, the right depth. We watered them, weeded the garden, there was a lot of work that went into it. But there was almost no crop what-so-ever that year, so much hard work and very little to show for it. Now there were other years in which we got tons of fresh produce but that year wasn't one of them.

I thought of that summer and how it relates to spiritual battles. We can plan out, sacrifice for, work towards a goal such as a church plant or soul to be won. But that is all we can do is labor, I cannot save anyone, I cannot make anyone repent of a sin, I cannot cause anyone to grow in the Lord, I can do nothing but obey God. I need to make sure all my laboring is done as unto the Lord, if I become self-reliant and think I can achieve this or accomplish that on my own strength and not by God's grace I am greatly mistaken. May whatever God calls me to do, may I obey completely and remain totally dependent on his grace and power to accomplish the task he gives me to do.

May the grace of God be with you,

Wednesday 3-24-10

2010-03-25T02:36:00.001-04:00

Romans 8:28-31

"28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?"

I cannot begin to express how these verses and really Romans chapter eight and nine in general impacted me this morning. I do not even know how to begin, so I will leave it at this if anyone wants to deny God's absolute sovereignty they will have to remove Romans chapters eight and nine from their bible.

From Him, for Him and unto Him,

Monday 3-22-10

2010-03-23T01:14:00.002-04:00

Romans 1:14-15

"14 I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.

15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also."

As I read this I really began to think of what my life would look like if, I was indebted out of joy to the gospel and to lost souls. What would my money be spent on? What would my time be invested in? What would my desires be? What would my goals be? How would my life change?

I do believe our lives would change if we realized the horror of our sin, we realized the love of God, we realized the passion that Christ has for us. I do not want to waste my life, I do not want to waste any part of my life. I have a burning desire to be used of Him and for Him. Nothing held back, nothing to regret. I have been called crazy for removing some things from my life that weren't sin but were sucking my time away from the Lord. I do not believe it is crazy or irradcal to give up the temporal pleasures of this world, and instead invest my time, energies, and resources into Kingdom growth. In fact I believe the opposite to be true. How can one who claims to be bought by the blood of Christ put the temporal trinkets ahead of eternal treasures like souls?

Please pray for David Gates and his family. Mrs. Beth gave birth to a healthy baby girl. However there are some health issues with Mrs. Beth the extent of them unknown to me. But please join me in prayer for them, they are close to my heart, and have of late weighed heavy on my heart.

Because of Him, and for Him..

Sunday 3-21-10

2010-03-22T02:48:00.001-04:00

Acts 17:6 And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;

These men had a reputation for living for Christ and doing great things for Him and by His grace. They were not just preaching it up Sunday then not living it out Monday. Their lives had been changed and where preaching, living and discipling others in such a way that others lives where being darasticly changed! I get excited as I read this and think about it. I am also saddened because I can think upon so many (including myself in the past) who wasted and are wasting their lives.

I do not know how to put into words the burning desire and burden I have to see God's children act like them. Why do we hang onto the things of this world whether it be money, possessions, entertainment; why do we walk in sin loving pornography, men's praise, earthly goods. I want my life to be nothing short of one that is spent up wholly for Christ. I want my time, energy, effort, thoughts, passions, and desires to be set in Christ Jesus. May my life be worth living not because of who I am or what I have done but rather may my life be worth living because of who I am in Christ Jesus and what he has done in me!

Unto Him be all glory, honor and praise,

Saturday 3-20-10

2010-03-20T23:51:00.001-04:00

Acts 4:20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

Acts 9:20 And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.

As I was reading today it really hit me how the gospel changes a life. I mean it seems like such a basic thing to note, but these scriptures and others really brought out the changes that were going on in the early Christian's lives. This changing or transforming from the old to the new should be evident in every person who claims to be a Christian. We should daily be transformed by the Word of God, we cannot grow content to be mediocre Christians, to do so would spell doom on our lives and how they should be lived for Christ.

In Acts chapter four verse twenty Peter and John are speaking to the Jewish leaders. They basically say "We cannot help but preach the gospel." Why? I believe it was because they were truly repentant of sin, truly grateful for salvation, truly seeking to be Christ-like, their lives were transformed because of the gospel. Likewise in Acts chapter nine verse twenty Paul almost immediately after being converted goes and begins to preach in the
synagogues. Why? Because the gospel transforms lives. We were not saved so we could grow comfortable in this world, but rather to die-to-self each morning on our knees abandon all else but Christ and pick up our cross and follow Him. I cannot express in words the burning desire I have in my heart to see Christians be just what that word means: Christ-like. I want my life to count, no being filled up with this world, no conforming to the status quo, I want my life to be nothing less than reckless pursuit after my Creator, Savior, and Sustainer!

Please pray the various pastors/missionaries/teachers who will be proclaiming forth the word of God tomorrow. Ask God for his grace and power to be upon their lives, and that He would receive much glory from his people.

In Christ alone our hope is firm,

Friday 3-19-20

2010-03-20T05:04:00.000-04:00

Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Just a really short thought but powerful one (at least to me). As I read this just the necessity of preaching the gospel and sending others to preach was shown quite vividly. These are some of the last words Jesus speaks unto the Christians gathered there as he ascended into heaven. Jesus' doesn't ask who will go, they don't pick straws to see who is going to have to witness. Jesus says very bluntly "ye shall receive power" and then "ye shall be witnesses unto me". I do not believe he leaves room for debate or second guessing like most American Christians act like. May wherever I go may my life be spent knowing and showing Jesus Christ!

In Christ,

Monday 3-15-10

2010-03-16T01:36:00.002-04:00

Luke 22:63-65

"63 ¶ And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him.

64 And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee?

65 And many other things blasphemously spake they against him."

What kind of gospel do I preach? When persecution comes what kind of gospel will I preach? Jesus was mocked for living and preaching the gospel. Jesus was spit upon for living and preaching the gospel. Jesus was beat for living and preaching the gospel. Jesus was lied about for living and preaching the gospel. Jesus was slapped and humiliated for living and preaching the gospel. Jesus was brutally tortured for living and preaching the gospel. Jesus was horrifically murdered for living and preaching the gospel.

I by no means seek persecution for faith in Jesus Christ. But I do expect it to come, Jesus warns us about it in Matthew 5. He says we are blessed when others revile us, persecute us, and say all manner of evil against us. I honestly do not get why most Christians are content to live nominal lives and never proclaim an offensive gospel. May I never grow content with a "peace-time" mentality and not pick up my cross and follow hard after Jesus Christ. But wherever I go, may I live a life which there is no explanation for except that I be a follower of Jesus Christ. May by God's grace I stand firm the face of persecution, not relenting or recanting, but rather boldly proclaiming Christ's death and love. May I be one who can die for Christ, because I live daily for him!

May grace be with you,

Sunday 3-14-10

2010-03-15T15:11:00.003-04:00

Luke 12:21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

Luke 12:31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.

What a fatal error that we could become so busy with this life that we would not be rich toward God. As I look forward in the next month or so to getting a job to support myself as I serve God this summer here at home and at my churches. As I begin for the first time to draw a regular paycheck I want to the basis of why I am working, what I spend my money on and just how I think about money and worldly possessions in general to be based off of Luke 12:21 and 31.

God is the author of my salvation, the finisher of my faith. God is the source of my joy and fulfiller of all my desires. His glory is the purpose of my existence. May worldly possessions, vainglory, and all the empty promises of sin fade at the beauty of Christ Jesus and his love for me. May my life not be spent laying up treasure for myself here on earth, but rather at crowns which I will cast at my saviors feet!

May we truly be living sacrifices,

Saturday 3-13-10

2010-03-14T00:11:00.000-05:00

Luke 5:11 And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.

Previous to this verse Peter, James and John had just made the catch of their lives. They had so many fish that their boat was fixing to sink.. I cannot imagine how many thousands of fish they had. I do imagine that what they just caught would have paid a very handsome sum. Yet they walked away from it, to follow Jesus! I think of the Israelites when God rescued them from Egypt, they literally walked out of Egypt with the treasures of Egypt. Yet they took what God gave them and made idols of the material possessions.

How I have been like unto the Israelites; I've taken the possessions that God has given me and used them for my selfish desires and wicked practices. I thank God for working in my heart and convicting me, and rescuing me from sin. It is only by his grace and power that such a feat could be done. As I read this evening it really convicted me to check where my desires where, to make sure that they are set in Christ and not worldly possessions. The words to a old hymn come to mind "My richest gain I count but loss". How true the best thing the world offers cannot begin to compare to what I have in Christ Jesus!

May you have a blessed Lord's day,

Friday 3-12-10

2010-03-13T01:22:00.002-05:00

Mark 10:43-45

"43 But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:

44 And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.

45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many."

Over the past several days through The Word, God has shown me my wrong attitude towards serving. Well particularly serving at home, I find great joy in being used of God to help and minister to others outside of my family. Yet when "rubber meets the road" here at home I often grip and complain, and do my best to keep from serving. How hypocritical! As I read this the Holy Spirit convicted me and I had to repent. I know that it was God's work in my heart that made me grimace at the thought of how stinking selfish and prideful I've been.

As I read verse 45 my heart just grew heavy at the thought of all that Jesus did to minister unto me. How he bore insults and false accusations, how he was spit upon and slapped. How the thorns were shoved down upon his skull, and scourging (ie. Roman half-death) he took - some say no doubt that his organs would hang down because his back was ripped open so badly - for me! We have not gone into detail of the agony of the cross or much less the spiritual burden that was placed upon him because of my pride, lusts, lies, hate, and rebellion... Yet whenever there is a small task which needs to be done at home, well it's to much of an inconvenience, or I don't feel like it. Oh may God work mightily in my heart and grant me a true, humble servants heart!

Be in prayer for the various pastors/teachers/missionaries who will be proclaiming the word of God on Sunday.

Blessings in the name of Christ Jesus,

Thursday 3-11-10

2010-03-12T01:45:00.003-05:00

James 1:22-24

"22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was."

As I was working on memorizing James 1 this morning these verses really convicted me. Here's some observations I had: 1. If anyone just hears (or reads) God's word but doesn't apply it to their lives they are deceiving their own selves. 2. The person who is a "hearer" is like the guy who takes a quick glance at the mirror then goes on his way. 3. The person who just take a quick glance at God's word but doesn't apply it, doesn't dwell on it, ect. is only going to forget what the word said.

Likewise if I am not in God's word throughout the day I have a tendency to forget what manner of man am I. So about two months ago I switched to reading a three chapters, three times a day (morning, afternoon, and evening). While this has helped greatly in having more time in God's word (and coming to love God's word more and more), it also means that I tend to become distracted with what I need to do after I finish my bible reading. Which can lead to once again just "taking a glance" at God's word without any deep convictions or changes taking place in my heart. May I "pull out the mirror" throughout the day, studying it and seeing how my heart, desires and affections need to be shaped and changed accordingly. And may God grant me the grace to live out Matthew 16:24 in denying myself, taking up my cross and following unreservedly Jesus Christ.

In Christ alone,

Wednesday 3-10-10

2010-03-12T01:45:00.001-05:00

Matthew 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

Goes hand in hand with the verse(s) I was memorizing today James 1: 22 "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." Definitely convicting.. how easy it is to fall into rendering only "lip service" to God, or to just hear (read) his word and not apply it to my life. It is a dangerous trap to fall into only serving God outwardly. I thank God for rescuing me from going through the motions of serving him, while my heart was set in sin. May he keep my heart set on him, may I draw near to him with my heart and my life bring him much honor.

Please pray for Japan in 2009 the number of suicides exceeded 30,000 for the twelfth year straight. Please pray that God will raise up laborers to go!

Blessings in the name of Jesus,

Tuesday 3-9-10

2010-03-10T11:54:00.001-05:00

Quickly some observations surrounding Jesus being tempted.

Matthew 4:2-3 "2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread."

My heart (which Jeremiah 17 says is deceitful and desperately wicked) knows exactly when I am weakest and will attack full fledged there. Just like Satan knew that Jesus would be no doubt weak and famished after fasting for 40 days. I need to be on the alert for where and how I will be tempted.

Matthew 4:5-7 "5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,

6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God."

Another tactic of Satan/flesh is to tell me that I can indulge in sin because I will have forgiveness, or that this one time isn't going to hurt. I love Jesus' response, because if I know something is wrong and I do it anyway, am I not in a manner of speaking "tempting God". Who is to say that I will not die in the sin. I think what really hit me about this was that Jesus in essence was saying don't mess with sin. I think of Ananias and Saphira, who deceived the apostles and were struck dead instantly for lying to Peter.

Matthew 4:8-9 "8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me."

How Satan promised glorious things to Jesus yet they could not compare to the the glory He would receive through dying on the cross. Likewise Satan offers pleasures in sin, yet they cannot even begin to compare to the pleasures found in Christ. These are not just words, I have searched for water in broken cisterns and have found that only living and satisfying water is found Christ Jesus.

Unto him who is able to do above what we ask or think,

Monday 3-8-10

2010-03-10T11:53:00.000-05:00

Malachi 1:7-8

"7 Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible.

8 And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts."

Real quickly just a couple observations. The children of Israel were offering these sacrifices that were obviously not the best. Let's take a look: "Ye offer polluted bread", "ye offer the blind", "ye offer the lame and sick". These "sacrifices" weren't sacrifices at all, they were what was left over, not even second place they were horrible animals. In fact God knows just how bad they are and he calls them evil.. he tells them to offer them to their governor. Why? I believe it was to make them think, because they knew that what they were "offering" to the Lord was so bad that even the government wouldn't want it.

What struck me wasn't what I head a bunch of my life about "giving your best to Jesus". It wasn't about whether or not you wear a suit on Sunday. In the years past all I attributed to "giving your best to Jesus" was how someone dressed and if they knew bible lingo. It's not about that, God couldn't care less if I went to church with bluejeans or a three-piece suit. What God does care about is the heart, He wants all my desires and affection to be upon Him, He wants me to flee sin and be pure for him. How does this fit in to the passage? Well my dress right, talk right, act right isn't not what God desires, that is like offering him a lame and sick sacrifice, which verse 8 says is evil. According to John 15 if I abide in Christ and He in me then my joy will be made full, and I believe that that is what God wants.. for me to be completely satisfied in him, so that he would receive glory through my life.

Please pray for bro Tony Howeth and Mrs. Stacey Howeth. They are currently traveling to Ireland for 10 days if I remember their schedule right. Please pray that God's grace and power would be upon brother Tony as he preaches. Also that he would keep them safe in their various travels.

In Christ,

Sunday 3-7-10

2010-03-08T00:22:00.001-05:00

Proverbs 1:7-9

"7 ¶ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:

9 For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck."

While I did my normal bible reading today (through Zephaniah), this proverb (which I read this morning) really struck me more than the passage in Zephaniah. Just going to be completely honest with this my flesh screamed out in horror as I read this. It hated the very idea of what these verses had to say, and so much more my desire to see them implemented in my life. To be brief (as I am attempting to be more disciplined in my getting up each morning), the instruction, counsel, wisdom that dad gives, shares with me should be something I delight in. The old man hates to submit, hates to be humbled, he loves to rebel, to always be right, to boast himself. I thank God that the old man no longer is who I am, for in Christs' death I gained a new identity, sin longer has a hold on me for it was crucified with Christ on the cross. So now I am free to fear God, to honor my parents, to walk in wisdom and instruction and not foolishness and sin. May God grant to grace to my that is needed to listen to the commands, and instruction of my parents. May I honor my mom and dad, and may God receive glory through that relationship.

Please pray for a young missionary couple (in training): Chris Waye and his family. They just arrived in Peru for 6 months of hands on training and practice. Please ask God to use this time to grow them, and use them for his glory.

Unto the author and finisher of our faith,

Saturday 3-6-10

2010-03-08T00:21:00.002-05:00

Micah 6:6-8

"6 Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old?

7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?"

As I read this the reality of "What do I have to offer God", struck home again and again. So often I like to think or act like I bring something to the table in my relationship with God. According to the word of God all I have to offer is equal to rags that have been used to clean a filthy toilet. I think well if I do this, or do that God will bless me more, or love me more. No these things could not be further from the truth. God's perfect love is made evident in that nothing I do can make him love me any more or any less.

Three things God says he desires, each of these things I am dependent on him to enable me to do. To do justly or turn from my sin, to longer walk wickedly. To love mercy, just as God pours out new mercies on me, so should I love mercy. To walk humbly with God, or as Jesus said to "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except itabide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me." (John 15:4)

May you have a blessed Lord's day,

Thursday 3-4-10

2010-03-05T00:19:00.002-05:00

Obadiah 1:3-4

"3 The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground?

4 Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD."

One of those passages that that I read hating it and loving it at the same time. I know that this is a warning that I need, but in my pride I don't want to admit it. I to often get boastful and prideful and like to "lift myself up" above others and even God. I love men's praise and revel in the moment that I receive it, but it is passages like these which make utter horror and fear grip my heart as I begin to move my confidence and trust from God's trust to my own self-reliance. I will not pretend to act as if I have pride near conquered, or even know how to conquer it aside from complete dependence on God. For if I look anywhere else other than the cross as my means of overcoming pride then I lift myself above the cross. For in the cross alone is found victory over pride and all sin. May God drive me to my knees before him in utter dependence on his grace and humility because of his grace which he so freely bestows upon me.

I have a praise and a prayer request; today is brother Tony Howeth's birthday. Words and time would fail me to say how much my God has used him in my life, I thank God for him daily, he is such a blessing! I also encourage you to pray for him and his family, as there is continuing to mount bills from the various medical expenses.

In Christ,

Wednesday 3-3-10

2010-03-05T00:18:00.002-05:00

Joel 2:12-13

"12 ¶ Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:

13 And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil."

Some great verses reminding me of what God wants. I thought it was so well put in the beginning of verse 13 "rend your heart, and not your garments". God is looking for a true change of heart, not just our emotions or feelings. He desires to see repentance, true repentance not just a temporary I am sorry.. never going to do that again.. rend my garment.. type deal. I've been guilty of not turning to God will all my heart, many times have I "repented" but not really, because then I would have to give up my sin. God is good, gracious and merciful he has forgiven me of all people! The least deserving hypocrite of all to be saved from sin and hell.. God's mercies, love and grace are truly overwhelming!

Please pray for the Tolson family. They are a young missionary couple finishing up deputation before heading to China. Mrs. Natasha is pregnant, however the baby has what is called "body stalk anomaly", basically the baby has very little chance of going full term. And if it is born alive it will only live a few minutes. Please pray for God's grace and comfort during this time.

Love through Christ alone,

Tuesday 3-2-10

2010-03-02T23:51:00.003-05:00

Hosea 7:2 "And they consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness:"

Wow! What a statement!

As I read this, all I could think is how grateful I am of the cross! What Jesus did upon that cruel cross was totally and completely for me, there is no longer remembered any wickedness that I have committed. By Christ Jesus' death I am made righteous, not by any merit of my own, but rather Christ's blood makes me holy. As I read this the weight of what is being said just struck me, that this is what it is like to live without the blood of Christ applied to one's life. That is the kind of condemnation that I deserve!

How little I take my salvation to be sometimes. Father I repent of not being thankful for my eternal salvation from sin and eternal torment and destruction. May God use this to increase my love for him, and my burden for seeing souls saved from eternal damnation.

Blessings,

Sunday 2-28-10

2010-03-02T23:50:00.003-05:00

Daniel:8 "¶ But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank:"

As I read this verse I thought of why Daniel purposed in his heart. It was not some out of the blue, "Hey let's do a really noble thing and not drink wine and eat the king's meat". That is not where this decision to boldly obey God came from, rather I believe it came from a real personal daily relationship that Daniel had with God Almighty. As I read this I once again thought of James 1:12 "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him." The simple beauty of this verse just becomes more and more clear as I read it. That the only way to endure temptation is to love the Lord. May my life be a testimony to God's grace and power, may he sanctify me, that all of me would be set apart for the masters use.

Saturday 2-27-10

2010-03-02T23:50:00.000-05:00

Ezekiel 33:31-32

"31 And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.

32 And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not."

These verses so well describe how I was for many years. I saw what I would be apart from the grace of God, a deceiver, a liar, a lover of my sin rather then a lover the only true and living God. While these verses are what I would be without God's grace, these verses could have described me beautifully for many years. I would come to church, bring my bible, sing the songs, know the answers, everything a good young Christian was supposed to be and do. Only one problem, it was fake. Now honestly I did enjoy church well to an extent, I didn't care for the preaching because I would hear God's word but not do it, but other than that I enjoyed it. It made me feel good, I was self-righteous. May the Holy Spirit continue to instill in me a greater love for God, may I never "play church" again, ever in my life.

Please pray that this earthquake in Chile will open more doors and reveal the need for laborers to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world. Also a praise that Jason Holt's family (wife and three kids) are completely fine and were not hurt at all.

May you have a blessed Lords day,

Friday 2-26-10

2010-03-02T23:49:00.000-05:00

Ezekiel 20:43 "And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that ye have committed."

As I read this I thought "lothe myself"? It's such a strange idea in world that tells us to love ourselves, embellish ourselves in this or that, to treat ourselves to this thing or to do this because we deserve it. Our concept is to love ourselves, not lothe ourselves. While this idea that I am to lothe myself because of the evil I've committed seems foreign, as I thought about it I do it all the time. Well not to myself but to others, I look upon homosexuals, rapists, fornicators, murderers, thieves, liars and condemn them and what they do. Yet I look upon my own heart from which lies, adultery, pride, murder, thefts, rebellion come from, and I commend myself rather then condemn myself?

How conceited my heart it to look upon other men and lothe them for what they have done. Yet I look upon my own heart and life and love it. May the reality and heaviness of my sin never leave my mind. May when I compare myself beside a loving, holy, pure and righteous God, may I lothe myself for the evils I have committed.

Please pray for those pastors, missionaries and teachers who will be proclaiming the word of God on Sunday. Ask God to send his grace upon them as they finish studying, and that he would speak through each one to bring himself glory and honor!

Unto Christ be all glory honor and praise,

Thursday 2-25-10

2010-02-26T01:51:00.002-05:00

Ezekiel 14:4-5

"4 Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols;

5 That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols."

As I read this the one thing that really jumped out at me was this that he men of Israel set up idols in their heart. It's not a concept that is foreign but to be able to read it and compare it to my life, and see how that was true is amazing. By time they ever erected a physical stone, or wood idol they had long forsaken God. While I've never bowed down to an idol physically, time and time again in the past have I done it in my heart. God is not interested in just outside obedience, he is interested in the heart. In verse five he says that is going to take Israel in their own heart, because the heart is the real issue. By God's grace I've been memorizing James, today's verse seem to tie in really well I thought with what I read in Ezekiel.

James 1:12 "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him."

At first reading this verse the reason or motivation for enduring temptation seems to be receiving a crown of life. However as I read it again it became clear that the motivation or reason behind enduring temptation is loving God. Either ones heart will love God and endure temptation, or they will forsake God and erect idols in their heart. May the Holy Spirit instill in me a real passionate love for God, a love that makes me loath my sin, a love that drives me to obey, a love that makes me cry out to him each day, a love that drives me to read and seek his word.

Unto him who is worthy of more than I could offer,

Wednesday 2-24-10

2010-02-26T01:47:00.002-05:00

Ezekiel 6:10 "And they shall know that I am the LORD, and that I have not said in vain that I would do this evil unto them."

Here in chapter 6 we see time and time again God saying that "they/ye shall know that I am the Lord." As I read this I kept thinking that God definitely wanted to be known, and as I read and dwelt upon that passage it became rather clear that God wanted to be known for he is the ultimate source of salvation, joy, and satisfaction. It is not egocentric for God to want people to know him, for in him is life and joy.

This brings me back to a verse in Jeremiah which said that Israel had committed two evils against God. They had forsaken him the source of living water, and had made for themselves broken cisterns that could hold no water. God's mercy is shown in that he wants to be known, for he is the source of eternal life. My prayer is that if I fall into sin that God would chastise me back to himself, and that his chastising would not be in vain, that I would know that he is Lord.

Please pray for Haiti, I know it has been a while since the earthquake and most people have seemed to forgotten the people there. I believe it could be a excellent time for the gospel to be shared, heard, and received. Please pray that God would use the missionaries and Christians there in Haiti to boldly proclaim the gospel.

Because he lives,

Tuesday 2-23-10

2010-02-24T01:30:00.001-05:00

Jeremiah 50:33-34

"33 All that took them captives held them fast; they refused to let them go.

34 Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is his name:"

These verses are beautiful in the light of God breaking my heart over my sin. As I saw and looked at sin from God's perspective, how it grieves and angers him, how it is completely opposite his nature. These verses become very precious and real. While these verses deal with Israel and the nations that captured them, it does parallel quite beautifully I believe into sin and it's grasp it can have over ones life. Then we see that our Redeemer is strong, he is stronger than sin for he overcame sin and death upon the cross.

While I might live in a constant state of brokenness over sin, I do not live in a state of captivity to sin. This is why these verses are so beautiful in the light of God breaking my heart over my sin. You see Jesus Christ's death on the cross has overcome sin, so sin no longer has a hold upon my life. Jesus lived the life I couldn't not live, and died the death I should have died, and he did that... for me! So while sin is a grievous and horrific thing, I praise God for he is my Redeemer that is strong and has set me free from having to live in captivity to sin!

May you find the great pleasure in him who died for you,

Sunday 2-21-10

2010-02-22T01:15:00.002-05:00

Jeremiah 32:29-30, and 32

"29 And the Chaldeans, that fight against this city, shall come and set fire on this city, and burn it with the houses, upon whose roofs they have offered incense unto Baal, and poured out drink offerings unto other gods, to provoke me to anger.

30 For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have only done evil before me from their youth: for the children of Israel have only provoked me to anger with the work of their hands, saith the LORD."

"32 Because of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah, which they have done toprovoke me to anger,"

As I read this chapter these "provoke(d) me to anger" repeats really jumped out at me. As you read in chapter 32 of Jeremiah you see that it is the children of Israel that were provoking God to anger, and it was their disobedience, prideful spirit, unrepentant hearts that provoked God to anger. As I read this it really began to show me my sin, that my sin is completely foreign to who God is. In James chapter 4 it says that those who love their sin are enemies of God! God hates sin! It's not as if I didn't know this before, but as over the past several weeks I've been asking God to break me over my sin, that I would be grieved over my sin, that I would hate my sin. It is completely and utterly different to know God hates sin in general, then to realize that God hates my sin, and that it was my lusting, my lying, my pride, my rebellion, my thefts, my tearing down of others that nailed Jesus to the cross. God gets angry over sin, for he must.. he is a just and righteous God!

My heart was heavy as I thought of the past few years I lived in and loved my sin. And as I continued to read I come across these two verses:

Jeremiah 32:37&42

"37 Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely:"

"42 For thus saith the LORD; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them."

As I read these verse God's love became more real than it has ever been. Here was Israel who had forsaken God and had been serving Ba'al, God was angry (rightfully so.. for he is just and righteous) and was going to bring the consequences of their sin upon them. Yet in the middle of it all, God says yes I am angry at their sin, and they are going to be punished for it, however I love them so much and I am going to bring them back to the land and bless them and they will dwell in safety here! So yes this chapter is heartbreaking at the fact that my sin goes against and angers my God died for me. Yet at the same time burden lifting for God loves me and draws me to himself.

Fight the good fight of faith,

Saturday 2-20-10

2010-02-21T02:26:00.001-05:00

Jeremiah 13:9-10 "9 Thus saith the LORD, After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.

10 This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good for nothing."

God had commanded Jeremiah to take a girdle and wear it, Jeremiah did so. Then God commanded him to take this girdle and bury it, and after many days God again commanded Jeremiah and he dug up the girdle, the girdle was ruined. So God is now comparing Israel to this girdle. As I read this my heart is heavy that my pride, love of sin, rebellion could one day make me worthless. Even so it is humbling right now to come before God realizing he has seen all my sin, none of it has been hidden from him. And what is humbling is that even though I am vile and gross sinner, God can still use me! Not only does it humble me but it makes me love God all the more for dying for me, for saving me out of sin, for convicting me and drawing me out from sin. Lord God may each day you show me just how utterly worthless I am without.. may my heart be in a continual broken state over my sin.

Please pray for Mauritania. It is a country in Africa, located on the west cost, just beside Western Sahara, and below Morocco. The country is 99% Islamic.. that 1% is 85% Catholic.. The Lord has been burdening my heart for the souls of Mauritania, please pray for God to raise up a labors to go to Mauritania!

Unto the lamb that was slain from the foundation of the world,

Friday 2-19-10

2010-02-20T02:56:00.001-05:00

Jeremiah 7:22-24

"22 For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices:

23 But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.

24 But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward."

As I read this I saw how it still very much applies to my life. God is not interested in my "sacrifices" or my going through the motions of serving him. He does want me to obey him. He wants me to love him and for him to be my only God. He wants me to walk in his commands. Those who simply "go through the motions" do not listen to God's direction or calling, they will not obey him but rather seek after evil. May I be among those who go forward and not backward!

Jeremiah 9:23-24

"23 ¶ Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:

24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD."

These verse just once again brought out how God wants me to glory in him, to delight in him. Here he says not to glory in wisdom, or might, or riches, all these things will one day pass, and all these things will never ultimately satisfy. He wants me to glory in what will last forever: understanding and knowing the Lord God! It is not egotistical for God to want his children to glory in him, for he knows that the greatest pleasure, or delight a Christian could have is to be satisfied in God and to glorify him. So really God has my best interests at heart when he says to glory (or boast) in the fact I know him. My hearts cry is that I would be completely satisfied in God, for if God will not satisfy... what can?

Please pray for Gordon. He is a young man who was saved last year, and God is at work in his heart. All his other "friends" who had gotten 'saved' at the same time are back in the world. It must be difficult for him, seeing them fall back into sin. Please pray that God would continue to work in Gordon, and that Gordon would stand strong in Christ Jesus, that he would continue to grow in Christ each day.

May grace and peace be with you,

Thursday 2-18-10

2010-02-19T02:46:00.002-05:00

Jeremiah 2:13 "For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water."

Just a short thought from what God was showing me today. In the early chapters of Jeremiah it shows how God's chosen people Israel forsook him and lusted and followed after their own desires and gods. I thought verse thought verse thirteen did a wonderful job of painting the picture of what was really going on.

As I read this I thought of how it applied to my life. When I sin I commit two evils, I forsake the living water that Jesus offers and what my Lord Jesus Christ has done on the cross to pardon and redeem me. And I attempt to find pleasure in "broken cisterns, that can hold no water." Oh that my heart would be broken at this verse. For how can I one who is redeemed, blood-bought, spotless child of God forsake him who drew me out of the bondage of sin? Oh Father may I see my sin as you a righteous and holy God sees it. May my heart be broken and my spirit contrite before you. May I not seek the temporary never-fulfilling pleasures of sin, but rather may I delight myself in you at all times.

May he find you spotless and clean when he comes for you,

Wednesday 2-17-10

2010-02-18T13:53:00.003-05:00

As I was reading today several scriptures really showed me just how 'nothing' I really am. I mean God has really been using these past few days to show me his superiority and greatness. I knew before that God was a great and awesome God, however as I look at my puny, sin-filled life, God's greatness in simply saving me is brought forth so beautifully. I wanted to share some scriptures that God has used to start to humble me. My desire is that I would be so overwhelmed at God's greatness and magnificence that my pride would be choked out, and I would be humbled at the feet of my creator.

Isaiah 43:25 "I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins."

God is the one blotting out transgressions.. my transgressions that is. In times past I would read verses like this and think of how I could use it to teach or witness. There is nothing wrong with thinking of how one can use a verse, however I would miss the beauty of what Christ has done for me. I read this now and think how great and loving is my God that he would blot out my transgressions and not remember my sins. My pride, lust (adultery), selfishness, rebellion, lying, hate (murder), thefts, deception.. my heart grows heavy at the weight of my sin, yet praise to God that there is now no condemnation since I am in Christ Jesus!

Isaiah 53:5-6

"5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all."

He was wounded for my transgressions? He was bruised for my iniquities? He took my chastisement so that I might have peace? He received stripes that I might be healed? I have gone astray to my own way, and yet Jesus took on himself my iniquity? Who am I that my creator.. and my Lord die for me? These are to great me for me to comprehend!

Isaiah 55:11 "So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."

God sends his word out and promises it shall not return void, he says it shall accomplish what he wants it to, and it will prosper where he sends it. This verse was a great reminder of God's complete and absolute sovereignty! I know when I witness I want to see results right away, and if I don't I feel like a failure. However that is not the way God works, his (as we see in verses 8-9 in chap 55) ways and thoughts are high than mine. God is the one who works in hearts to convict and draw to himself, that is not and will never by my responsibility. I have the duty and yes, privilege of proclaiming to a lost and dying world the good news of Jesus Christ!

Love through Christ Jesus,

Tuesday 2-16-10

2010-02-18T13:53:00.000-05:00

Isaiah 40:29-31

"29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:

31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."

Earlier in chapter forty the parallel is made between man and grass. It showed just how insignificant, and short lived man really is. Then in later verses it showed just how great, mighty, powerful, and wonderful God is. Then we come to the end of the chapter and here we see the relationship between insignificant man and almighty and powerful God. Man is week and God is the sustainer, Man faints and God is the renewer of strength.

I can see so beautifully my condition without relying on God's strength and power, and also I can see my condition when I do rely on God for strength and power. I remember when I would try to do ministry, to serve, to do those things I knew I should, yet I did them in my own power. Sometimes I could do them, and even on occasion do them half-way-decently. Yet I could not persevere, I would become weary in doing good, I would become faint in obeying God. The reasons for why I would fail were two-fold I believe: first I was doing them for my glory, I was doing them so that I would be noticed; secondly because I was attempting to do those things by/in my own strength. My pride kept me from being used for God.

However, praise be to God! For he convicted me of my prideful behavior, and my self-reliance. I now seek to bring him glory in obeying him, and I truly have found strength when I wait on him.

Please pray for Mark and Natasha Tolson. Here is an excerpt from their blog: "Our baby has what is known as “Body Stalk Anomaly.” Basically, all the organs from the mid-chest down have developed outside the body and have attached themselves to the wall of the placenta. This condition makes the baby incapable of living outside the womb." This must be extremely difficult for them, and most definitely need much prayer and support at this time.

God Bless,

Monday 2-15-10

2010-02-16T01:01:00.002-05:00

Isaiah 26:13-14

"13 O LORD our God, other lords beside thee have had dominion over us: but by thee only will we make mention of thy name.

14 They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish."

As I read verse thirteen I thought of Romans 6:12 which says "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof." In the past years I had disobeyed God by letting sin reign or have dominion in my body. So while reading verse thirteen I can definitely agree with them that I have let "other lords beside thee have" dominion over me. However as we continue reading on we see that that these people were only going to make mention of God's name, that is they were only going to praise and lift up the true and only God of heaven. Likewise while sin has had dominion over me I am only going to praise and worship God.

Verse fourteen is where it really gets exciting. It says six different times that these "lords" who have had dominion over them before "are dead", "shall not live", "are deceased", "shall not rise", "thou has destroyed them", and "made their memory to perish". This verse makes so perfectly clear that those "lords who had dominion" are nothing but a memory that is quickly fading. So applying this to my life then, sin is dead, sin shall not live, sin is deceased, sin shall not rise, God has destroyed sin, and God has made sins memory to perish! In other words if God is my Lord then sin is conquered by Christ's death on the cross (Romans 6:8-11)!

Please pray for David Gates and his family. God laid them on my heart this morning, and throughout the day. They are currently finishing deputation and getting ready to leave for Egypt sometime this year. I know Mrs. Beth is pregnant and had been getting sick while they were traveling. Also whenever brother Gates sends me prayer requests he always asks me to pray for Joshua that he would get saved at a young age and that his life would be spent loving and serving God. Thank you for praying with me!

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think,

Sunday 2-14-10

2010-02-15T01:38:00.001-05:00

Isaiah 17:10 "Thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength"

As I read this verse this afternoon it flat out scared me! I mean it just floored me to think that I could forget the God of my salvation, that I would not be mindful of the rock of my strength. It is not my nature to think nothing of myself, for I am a pride-entrenched human being. But in all honesty I am nothing, I'm not just saying that, it's reality.. I have no merit, no power, no strength, no salvation, no hope, nothing on my own. I am truly nothing, and it scares me to think that I could forget the God of my salvation. The loving a merciful God who poured out his love on me, who saved me, who keeps me, who forgives me, who redeemed me, whom I will spend eternity with. It gripped me that I could become like a Demos who loved the present world and it's temporary trinkets rather then stand steadfast and endure and rely on God through hardship.

I do not want to be as a Demos who even though was discipled under one of the greatest Apostles, he did not finish well. He started out well, he was in the right place to receive training, he no doubt had all the marks of being a great man of God. Yet he forsook the rock of his strength he forgot the God of his salvation, he pursued this fleeting world. I want to be one who takes refuge in the rock of my strength, I want to be joyous about the God of my salvation, I want to finish well!

May grace and peace be upon you,

Saturday 2-13-10

2010-02-15T01:03:00.003-05:00

Isaiah 10:15 "Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? as if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood."

Just moments before reading this verse I began to think about how when I teach from the bible or I proclaim God's word in any way. I am not just proclaiming something from a ordinary book, I'm not giving my opinion on something, I am proclaiming THE WORD of God. I stopped and thought about that for a second.. "The Word of God" What a claim to make, that the bible is "The word of God". Yet it is true, and how blessed I am to have it in my own language, in so many versions (most of which I wouldn't care to read.. but still), and in so many formats (printed, electronic, audio, ect.).

As I read this verse humility really jumped out at me. My eyes were opened to look at humility in a new light. Humility is something that should flow from my life, for what power does an ax have if it lays on the ground and no one uses it to chop? or what good is a staff unless one picks it up? Likewise what use is my life unless God works in me and uses me? I have no power to overcome sin on my own, I have no power to read God's word, I have no power to pray, I have no power to serve, I have and am nothing without Christ Jesus.

So you see humility should not have to be "squeezed" from my life, it should flow freely. For like an ax which is of no use, unless one wieldeth it, so am I of no use with God working in me and using me. It brings to mind what John the Baptist said "He (Jesus Christ) must increase, I must decrease."

Please pray for David Velke and his family, they've been on my heart this week allot. They will be going to spend six months in Peru and as part of their training missionary training. I am not sure when they are hoping to leave, however there is no doubt some financial need as their family will have to be supported for six months. Please pray that God would provide, guide and protect them.

I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,

Saturday 1-16-10

2010-01-17T16:25:00.002-05:00

Job 36:11
11 If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.

Here Elihu is rebuking Job telling him about how God blesses those who do good, and he goes on to say that the evil will be met with the sword and death. I believe Elihu was preaching nothing short of the prosperity gospel. True those who obey and serve God will spend their days in prosperity but that prosperity will not be money, house(s), car(s), or fame. The prosperity that the righteous will have will be in knowing Christ, not in worldly riches. The righteous will also spend their years in pleasures, the years they spend in pleasure will not be spent in a house on the lake, in a rocking chair, on the back porch as the sun fades away in the distant horizon. Those who obey and serve God will spend eternity in pleasure, for we will get to spend eternity knowing, and delving into the riches of who God is. I say with all honesty I cannot imagine anything greater then being with God forever.

Even as right now I am overwhelmed at the thought of heaven and all that will happen in eternity, there is a great heaviness that comes with all the joyful and splendorous thoughts. For at the same exact moment that I will be in God's presence enjoying him in all his glory. There will be billions upon billions of people who will be burning in a place of such agony and torment we call the place hell, forever separated from the most wonderful and precious treasure one could ever have.
Father may my every moment that I have upon this planet be spent as one who's treasure is not of this world. For there is no greater tragedy then to invest all I have in a place that is doomed for destruction. Lord God may you be all I long for from this moment forward until I graduate into eternity.

Please join me in obeying Christ's command in Luke 10:2 "Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest."

May grace and peace be upon you,

Friday 1-15-10

2010-01-16T01:16:00.002-05:00

Job 31:1

1 ¶ I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?

As I was reading this verse really caught me, I had read it and heard it before. However I began to think about what it really meant and what it should mean to me.

Here Job states that he made a covenant with his his eyes, so that he would not fall the prey of lust. Quite a noble and good thing to do, however this wasn't just some little promise to himself that he was going to break. A covenant back in those days was a very serious thing in fact back in Judges 11 a man sacrificed his daughter because of a vow he made with his mouth. I mention that to help me realize that covenants are important things and to help me understand the fullness of what Job is saying here. Job took a stand against sin before the temptation ever came, he reminds me of Romans 13:14 "make no provisions of the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof."

This verse and really just chapter 31 in general challenged me in some ways. First it challenged me to take stock and make sure that I'm not living in any sin (not to say that I don't sin each day.. haha don't misinterpret what I'm saying). Secondly it challenged me to not become dormant in fighting sin, for there is much to be said about a man with integrity. Lastly it challenged me to put up hedges and barriers in my life that would help to keep me from falling into sins deadly grasp.

Please be in prayer for Haiti, I am sure you know what has gone on there in the past few days. God has laid it on my heart to prayer for revival in that country through this tragedy. From the numbers I've heard the estimated deaths so far are, above 100,000. 80% of the people are Roman Catholic, and according to some facts I've dug up over half of the population practices voodoo.

God Bless,

Thursday 1-14-10

2010-01-15T00:37:00.001-05:00

Job 23:10-12

10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

11 My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined.

12 Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

This is some beautiful and rich scripture. I just want to share a few observations:

1. Job attests to the fact that God is completely sovereign. Job said "he knoweth the way I take" it's not like God is just waiting to see what Job is going to do, Job states for a fact that God knows what Job is going to do.

2. God allows suffering and persecution. Here right after Job states that God is sovereign he says that "he hath tried me". Job knows that it is God who allowed all this to happen, it's not as if God took the day off from being God and then everything just went wrong. In fact Job accepts the suffering stating that he "shall come forth as gold."

3. Next Job states clearly that God is the one who has kept him from evil. So here we see that God is able to keep and preserve those whom are his.

4. Here is what really gets me and convicts me, Job said that God's word was more important to him then the food he needed to keep alive. Here I think Job gives the principle that is very important to every Christian, that is this. That reading God's word is more important than reading anything else, talking with God through prayer is more important than talking with family or friends, taking joy and pleasure in God is more important than attempting to find happiness elsewhere.

Please be in prayer for Judson Masters, he had surgery earlier today to fix a cleft lip. From the last I heard he is doing well, however his arms are in constraints to keep him from messing with the wound/stitches/ect. Please pray that there would be no complications and everything would go smoothly as they take him home soon. Also pray that God would provide the rest of the money necessary for the Master family to be able to leave soon for North Africa.

Look unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith,

Wednesday 1-13-10

2010-01-14T00:38:00.000-05:00

Job 19:25

25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:

Job had practically everything taken from him, oxen, donkeys, camels, more importantly children, his status position, his wife (she didn't die but still), his friends. Job even said it would have been better if he had not been born, yet in the middle of all this I think he realizes that he hasn't lost his greatest treasure. his most prized possession was not lost in all this, in fact his greatest possession allowed all this to happen to him. In verse twenty-five he says that his redeemer liveth, even though all else failed him, even though God was allowing him to be persecuted (vs. 22) he still trusted that God was who he says he is.

Job went through a lot, and yet even in the middle of the fire comes forth beautiful words. "I know that my redeemer liveth". My prayer is that when the storms of tribulation and trial come I will be like Job and even more so that I would glory in the fact that God is God! One questions plagues my mind.. is my most prized possession above all else Jesus Christ?

On my heart very much so at this moment is the Howeth family. Ethan Howeth came out of surgery several hours ago and from the last word I heard was doing well. However please continue in prayer for him, God has definitely performed a miracle in healing him this far however he needs prayer now more than ever. Also please continue to pray that all the financial needs will be met, God is more than able to provide!

Fight the good fight of faith,

Tuesday - Friday 12-15-09 - 12-18-09

2009-12-19T01:54:00.001-05:00

Quick recap of devotions for Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday

~ Tuesday ~

1 Kings 3:28 "And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment."

As I read this the thought came: "Do I have godly wisdom". Honestly no I don't. However God has blessed me with the opportunity and privilage to be around men of God who truly have godly wisdom. I need spend more time with them, asking them questions gleaning from the wisdom that God has given them. I can look back and see the times where I have wasted amazing opportunities to glean and learn from godly men.

I need to be on the look out for opportunities to learn from men of God who have godly wisdom. Instead of barging head-first thinking I have all the answers I need to seek counsel from those who have wisdom.

~ Wednesday ~

1 Kings 8:22 & 54 "And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven:" vs. 54 "And it was so, that when Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the LORD, he arose from before the altar of the LORD, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven."

I want us to note in vs. 22 that Solomon began his prayer standing, yet when he finishes praying in vs. 54 he was on his knees. As you read in chapter 8 you will find that Solomons prayer is asking God to restore Israel if (rather when) they sin against him. There is much we could go into here but for the sake of time let me put it briefly.

When was the last time the reality of my sin drove me to my knees?

When was the last time the grossness of my sin drove me to my knees before a holy God?

When was the last time my inability to save myself driven me to my knees?

I think that as Solomon prayed and began playing scenarios through his mind, the harshness of sin began to hit him. He realized just how unholy we are and how holy, righteous, and loving God is.

~ Thursday ~

1 Kings 11:14 & 16 "For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father." vs. 16 "And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father."

How dangerous it is to not have heart that is perfect with the Lord. How dangerous it is to not go fully after the Lord. Here we see Solomon perhaps the wisest man to ever live and yet according to verse 16 Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord. All of the "good" things Solomon did ultimately didn't matter, because his heart was not perfect with the Lord.

It is not enough to appear to seek after God, or seek after him half-heartedly. I can look back and see how I "went not fully after the Lord", my heart was turned away from God it was caught up in my lusts and desires for the things of this world. These verses really helped me to take stock and make sure that I am going fully after the Lord.

Real quickly I want to look at the danger of not having a perfect heart with the Lord, the danger of not going fully after the Lord. Here is the danger that we find in verse 14: "His heart (turned away) after other gods." How deadly this sin of not having a perfect heart that is set on God is. Oh may my heart never turn from fully seeking after God, may I have a perfect heart before the Lord my God.

~ Friday ~

1 Kings 13:24 "And when he was gone, a lion met him by the way, and slew him: and his carcase was cast in the way, and the ass stood by it, the lion also stood by the carcase."

To bring you up to speed on this story: Here God had commanded a man of God to prophecy to the king and return home without eating or drinking. The man refused the kings offer to be rewarded and to dine with him. On his way home though he was deceived by an old prophet who claimed to have seen an angle who told him to invite this man of God to eat and drink with him. The man of God went to the old prophets house and ate and drank with him. He left there and went to go back home, God had a lion kill him for disobeying.

When God gives me a command he really does intend for us to keep it, it is not just a suggestion. So often though it seems as if that is what I do, I do not take seriously what God has called me to do.

May I keep from not taking to heart what God calls me to. May I seek to obey with all that I have. May my heart be perfect before the Lord.

May the Lord make his face to shine upon you,

Monday 12-14-09

2009-12-15T01:44:00.000-05:00

2 Samuel 19:1-2

1 ¶ And it was told Joab, Behold, the king weepeth and mourneth for Absalom.

2 And the victory that day was turned into mourning unto all the people: for the people heard say that day how the king was grieved for his son.

As I read these verse the love that David had for Absalom becomes very evident. There is not doubt that David loved Absalom very much.

It struck me though, I mean I knew that Absalom was David's son yet Absalom was the son who had murdered another one of David's son, Absalom was the son who had attempted to usurp the kingdom, Absalom was the son who would have killed David in order to become king.

Yet through all of that David loved Absalom. Verse two says that "victory was turned into mourning" what seemed glorious for the people in that a enemy to the kingdom was defeated was a great tragedy for King David.

As I thought about how much King David loved his son, even though Absalom caused him much grief. It brought to mind how much more God loves me, oh how I have cause him grief and pain, yet God became a man (what a wondrous thought in and of it's self) and hung on a cross and died for me.

How David's love for Absalom pales in comparison to the love that God has and is.

Love through the infallible Christ Jesus,

Monday 111-20-09

2009-12-03T14:06:00.000-05:00

1 Samuel 7:3 ¶ And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.

Wow, what a great verse! I just want to pull out a couple things that really stood out to me.

"If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts"

Here the children of Israel have forsaken the Lord, they have gone after "strange gods". They must now forsake these "strange gods" and with their whole hearts return unto the Lord.

They must needs to prepare their hearts, or put the Lord overall so that there is no room for 'second place' in their hearts and lives.

They needed to "serve him only", so crucial to not only return to the Lord with all their hearts but to continue to seek him by serving him.

Finally it is the Lord who is going to deliver them out of the hands of the Philistines. I will never rely or trust on Christ if I think that I have some capability to deliver myself. I am nothing, I have no ability to flee from temptation, I have no ability to live a Christ honoring life, I have no ability to preach the gospel, however I can do all these things not by own power but God who actually does them through me.

Seek first the kingdom of God,

Why I believe that our Christocentrism portrays an asymmetrical Trinitarianism.

2009-11-16T22:44:00.002-05:00

I believe in being Christ-centered, which at least in the way I view it is being gospel-centered. Let me explain what I mean by "Christ-centered". I believe that there is one God, made up of three parts, the first person (or the head of the trinity) is God the father, the second person is Jesus, the third being the Holy Spirit. To be Christ-centered (or being Christ centric) means to make Christ the central theme.

If you read the scriptures they seem to point to Christ. Take for example the first death in the bible, it was a picture of Christ's blood which was to be spilt for us, and his death that would purchase us life. The theme of the bible is the gospel which (at least for me) seems to give much credit to the belief of being Christ centric.

However let us look at another aspect of this. In John 16:14 we see that the Holy Spirit's job is to glorify the Son. In John 14:13 we see that the Father is glorified through the Son. Without the Son glory is neither given nor received. You see being Christ centric does not undermine the trinity it makes it glorious.

I do not in the least bit deny the importance of the Holy Spirit, or the Father. I believe that they are vital to the trinity, and the daily Christian walk. Let me explain each time I teach, preach or witness I ask the Holy Spirit to come and speak through me, I do not deny my need of the Holy Spirit to be able to do these things. Again when I pray I pray to the Father, just as Jesus taught us to and showed us to by example.

In closing I believe that a Christ centric outlook on the trinity leads to good hermeneutics, it leads to a proper outlook on the bible, and it leads to a right view of the trinity. I do not pretend to be some great theologian, or know all sorts of doctrine. However I do want to be "a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Tim 2:15)

Tuesday 11-10-09

2009-11-11T00:00:00.001-05:00

Deuteronomy 20:3-4

3 And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them;

4 For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.

I love these verse and am going to commit them to memory (by God's grace). To set the scene a little bit God is telling Moses what the priest is the say when the people are going to battle against someone.

God says that he is the one who is going with me to fight for me against my enemies to save me.

So whether I am fighting lust or pride, or I'm going out to witness, or I'm teaching or preaching, I must remember that:

I need to let not my heart faint. Why? Because, the Lord my God is he that goeth with me, to fight for me against my enemies, to save me.

I need to fear not. Why? Because, the Lord my God is he that goeth with me, to fight for me against my enemies, to save me.

I need to not tremble. Why? Because, the Lord my God is he that goeth with me, to fight for me against my enemies, to save me.

I need to never be terrified of obeying what God commands me to do. Why? Because, the Lord my God is he that goeth with me, to fight for me against my enemies, to save me.

What amazing and encouraging verses!

Please pray for bro. Tony and Mrs. Stacey Howeth. God has used them mightily in my life to grow me and challenge me and I thank God for them. It is my privilege to ask you to join in praying for them and Ethan as they face this trial. Ask God to give them wisdom and clear guidance, also please pray that God would miraculously provide for their every need!

Remember no matter what the trial it is the Lord your God who goes out before you to fight for you, to bring himself glory,

Monday 11-9-09

2009-11-09T23:21:00.000-05:00

Deuteronomy 12

Deuteronomy 12:23

for the blood is the life; and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh.

My flesh wants both the pleasures of this world and the blessings of God. That isn't why Christ came to die, I mean he didn't come and die so I could get my insurance policy and go on living a sinful and wicked life. We cannot have the flesh and the blood. I honestly don't know how to communicate what is in my heart any better then I have. I pray that

Please pray for Ethan Howeth, he underwent surgery today for the gunshot wound in his lower leg. I did not get any specifics although I heard it went well, Praise God for that! Please though continue to pray for him that God would touch him and work a miracle to heal him. Also ask God to comfort and grow the Howeth family during this very difficult time. Most importantly ask God that he would receive maximum glory through all of this.

Monday 11-2-09

2009-11-03T01:07:00.001-05:00

I was reading this afternoon in Numbers 22 where I ran into the story of Balaam and him talking to a donkey. While this did almost make me laugh it also made me do some heart digging. But let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Numbers 22:32-34

32. And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me:

33. And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive.

34. And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.

Alright to help set the scene: Balaam has been called upon by an enemy of Israel to curse them. Balaam is in route to this evil man, riding on his donkey, his donkey sees a angel of the Lord blocking the path and ends up scraping Balaam's foot against the wall. Balaam had not seen the angel of the Lord, and started beating his donkey. God opens the donkey's mouth and speaks through him to show Balaam the error of his ways. Then Balaam finally sees the angel of the Lord and starts this conversation.

Now we might be going wow how stupid does a guy have to be to sit there and talk to an animal? Shouldn't he have realized something was up with the first word the donkey spoke? Here's what it got down to for me, Balaam was so blind and set in what the angel called a perverse way that couldn't see a clear sign like a donkey talking or and angel of the Lord blocking his path.

Yes it struck me oddly that a man was talking to a donkey and the donkey was talking to him but what struck me so far beyond that was this. Am I so set in any perverse way that I could not see God's direction in my life? Also this thought plagued my mind: What will it take for God to get my attention? am I sensitive to his leading or am so blind to his calling that I couldn't see it if an angel were standing in my path?

There is so much more that this text contains that time keeps me from covering at this moment but hopefully we'll get into it a a later time.

Please pray for a young man named Andy he got saved recently and had been coming to church every service. In the past couple weeks he stopped coming to every service and wasn't there Sunday morning. My heart has been heavy for him the past week or so, please pray that God would show him the necessity of being in the fellowship of other believers, and being under Godly preaching. Ask the Lord to do a work in his heart, and that he would keep him from the evil one.

God Bless,

Tuesday 10-27-09

2009-10-28T00:07:00.001-04:00

Leviticus 20:23-24

23 And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them.

24 But I have said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey: I am the LORD your God, which have separated you from other people.

God is telling the Israelites that they are to be set apart for him. That they are not to defile themselves with the things that the nations of this world do.

God commands them to not walk in the manners of the nation which had cast out of the land. He says that they had committed evil, and that he abhorred them for it, and cast them out of the land because of it.

However he also makes it clear that he expects them to be different from the other nations. He is giving them this land flowing with milk and honey and he is their Lord God.

As I read this I was convicted, I've been bought with Christ's blood, I am no longer enslaved to sin, I am not to entangle myself with the cares of this world, yet I find myself play the harlot with this world.

This question burned in my heart and so I ask it to you:

If you are saved then Christ is your bridegroom, when he comes will he find you completely set apart for him? or will he find you playing the harlot with this world and sin?

--------------

Father forgive me for the uncountable ways I have fallen short today of your glory. Please father draw me to yourself... Lord please grant me repentance that I would not follow after my sin but after you...

Seek first the kingdom of God!

Thursday 10-22-09

2009-10-23T19:34:00.001-04:00

Sorry I forgot that I hadn't sent this out until now.

Exodus 32

In chapter 32 we see the children of Israel using the blessings that God gave them for evil. They took the some of the gold that they had plundered from Egypt and melted it down a made a golden calf to worship. We can do the same things with the blessings that God has given us, we can use them to either glorify him or we can use them to do evil.

Am I using what God has given me for him? or am I using them for evil?

God Bless,

Wednesday 10-21-09

2009-10-22T15:31:00.001-04:00

Exodus 25:1-4

1 ¶ Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

2 "Tell the sons of Israel to raise a contribution for Me; from every man whose heart moves him you shall raise My contribution.

3 "This is the contribution which you are to raise from them: gold, silver and bronze,

4 blue, purple and scarlet material, fine linen, goat hair,

Remember back a few chapters when God told Moses to tell the children of Israel to borrow as much jewels, gold, silver and raiment as they could carry? Well God had a plan for them doing that, I don't believe that he had them plunder Egypt like that just to make the themselves rich and well dressed. I do believe that God did want to bless them and show to them how he could provide, but he didn't give them all that stuff just so they could horde it to themselves, he gave it so that they might give it back to him.

God has given me so much a car, a computer, the word of God in my mother tongue, the ability to speak, think and talk, he has given me resources such as commentaries, dictionaries, and concordances so that I can study his word, the list is endless. However the point is the same, God didn't so richly bless me so that I could horde all that I have to myself, he has given these things to me so that I can use them for his glory.

God Bless,

Tuesday 10-20-09

2009-10-21T17:17:00.002-04:00

Exodus 14:4 And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the LORD. And they did so.

Exodus 14:16-18

16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.

17 And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

18 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.

When I've read this story before I always just sort of imagined that God got the Israelites out of a jam. However God had beautifully orchestrated this crisis and solution so that he would be brought glory. God hadn't messed up or miss calculated, he knew exactly what was going to happen.

I'm not sure how to phrase what these verse taught me, the least I can say is that they definitely attest to the complete sovereignty of God!

Please pray for the Holt family, they are missionaries to Chile. Just recently the church found out they they had to vacate their current facility, they are asking us to pray along with them that God would provide the money to build a building of their own. Pray and ask God to provide for the needs there, so that God's work in Chile would be able to continue, that souls would be saved and that God would be glorified.

May God be glorified through you,

Sunday 10-18-09

2009-10-21T17:17:00.001-04:00

Exodus 3

Exodus 3:11 ¶ And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?

I don't believe that this was Moses realizing that he was incapable of accoplishing the tasks that God set before him on his own, this wasn't Moses realizing that it must be God to speak through him and do the work. This is Moses looking for a way out, this is Moses afraid of getting embarrased.

As I was reading in Exodus it made me start to realize how much I really do need God in all that he has called me to. You see if Moses had just trusted that God would work through him I don't think he would have been worried about what to say or if the people would have believed him.

Am I relying on God to work through me to bring himself glory? or am I to caught up my fleshly worries?

Ask God to awaken the Christians in America to the great need for Evangelism and Missions.

May God grant you peace,

Saturday 10-17-09

2009-10-21T17:16:00.002-04:00

Genesis 39

Genesis 39:2-3

2 And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.

3 And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand.

Notice here how the Lord is with Joseph, and it is the Lord who makes him prosper. Also it was so evident that is was God who made Joseph prosper that Potiphar the master of the house noticed it.

Now not long after God blessed Joseph's work and everything was going well, Potiphars' wife lies and accuses Joseph of attempted rape, well Potiphar throws Joseph in prison.

Genesis 39:21 But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.

As I just reread this verse this really struck me. That is that Joseph was shown mercy, he was a sinner he didn't deserve God to prosper everything he did, he didn't deserve to work for a high ranking official, he didn't deserve anything but hell. Yet God showed mercy on him, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. I act like I deserve so much, I do not deserve anything but eternity in the lake of fire, I don't deserve salvation, I don't deserve the word of God in my language, I don't deserve to have God work in my heart, the list goes on and on and on... I have been the undeserving recipient of God's grace and mercy (not to mention love!), and yet I am so unthankful...

I love this story it is such a beautiful example of God's sovereignty. Joseph almost was murdered but God used Ruben to keep Joseph alive, then Joseph gets sold into slavery, and God works it so that he gets sold to this high ranking official, then Joseph gets thrown into jail for a crime he didn't commit, while in jail Joseph basically does the 'wardens' job for him. I am looking forward to finishing the story hopefully tomorrow and seeing how else God is going to work mightily in Joseph's life.

Grace through Jehovah Jireh (The Lord who provides)

Friday 10-16-09

2009-10-21T17:16:00.001-04:00

Genesis 25

You probably remember the story of Esau selling his birthright, I'll help refresh your memory though. Esau goes out into the field because he was a "cunning hunter" he spends all day out there looking for something to kill he walks all over looking for some fresh tracks or something to give him an indication that there is some game out there. Well evening comes and he is so tired from walking all day in the heat and he walks in the door just beat, I mean he's whooped, well anyway he walks in the front door and smells something really good, as he walks into the kitchen he sees his brother Jacob stirring some red stew. Well to help make a long story short Jacob being the wheeler-dealer he was ends up selling that stew he was fixing for Esau's birthright, no big deal right? wrong if I remember right the birthright contained 70% - 90% of what the father had, and the remaining 30-10% was divided up among the rest of the sons.

If Esau had spent time investing in what he was going to inherit I doubt that he would have made the hasty decision he did to sell it. Think about it if he had laboured and put time into caring for the sheep, cattle, and the family affairs do you think he would have sold it all for a big bowl of stew?

Right about now you start wondering: wheres the personal application? Well it's this am I a Esau or a Jacob and I don't mean am I hairy, or am I a swindler I mean am I pouring myself into God's business, am I seeking to further his kingdom, am I doing everything I can to 'grow my inheritence' since I am a co-heir with Christ? Or am I an Esau who is content with the things of this world, and would throw away my inheritance for temporary pleasures?

It says in Genesis 25:24 that "Esau despised his birthright." By no means can we lose our salvation, however I do think that we can waste it. Am I comfortably saved in Sodom? or am I seeking salvation for Sodom?

Please pray for the Sunday school class God has allowed me to teach at Macedonia. I believe that God wants to use us to be witnesses of him here in our Jerusalem. Ask that God would truly burden our hearts with the souls of the lost, and that we would seek opportunities to share Jesus with others.

Fight the good fight of faith!

Thursday 10-15-09

2009-10-21T17:15:00.000-04:00

Even as I am writing this the power is out (Thank the Lord for laptops!), and my battery is dying, so it is going to be a little brief.

Genesis 14:19-23

19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:

20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

21 ¶ And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself.

22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth,

23 That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich:

A couple quick observations.

1. It was obvious that it was God who had delivered Abrams enemies into his hand.

2. Bera the king of Sodom was only intrested in himself and his reputation.

3. Abram knew that it was only God who could grant him the victory, and promised to give God the glory that was rightfully his.

4. Abram had already made up his mind to give God glory, before the temptation to take the glory for himself was ever presented.

There is more that I was hoping to get into with this story, but we'll just have to save it for another time.

The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you,

Tuesday 9-1-09

2009-09-11T12:19:00.001-04:00

1 Cor 3:7-8 "So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour."

A couple of observations that I made:

1. Every Christian is a planter and a waterier. The planter is one who spreads the gospel fervently. The waterier is one who teaches and disciples others who have died to self and live for Christ.

2. Ultimately our fleshly efforts at witnessing and teaching are not going to save anyone or make anyone grow in Christ.

3. God is the one who causes the growth, he will use us to bring us to him for salvation, and with others he will use us to teach and disciple them, however God is the one who will be doing the work in their hearts.

4. We will be rewarded or not rewarded according to our obedience in regards to our witnessing and disciplining.

Monday 8-31-09

2009-09-11T12:18:00.000-04:00

1 Cor 2:4-5 "And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God."

How convicting these verses are, I mean to often I attempt to make my speech, teaching, and conversations enticing words of men's wisdom. Although I myself would want God to be glorified in all that I do, my pride which dwells within me doesn't seek God's glory but rather my own. Honestly though it scares me to think that I might teach or preach in a manner that I would be seeking others to look at me because of my knowledge, power, wisdom, or abilities rather then letting God's grace and power, through the Holy Spirit flow through me, so that God might be brought glory and praise.

------

Father God thank you for this very breath in my lungs… thank you that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus… Father I thank you for the ability, privlage, and even the responsibility of searching the scriptures that I might study to show myself approved unto you… Lord I ask that you would crush my pride that I would never attempt to entice anyone with my wisdom but rater I ask Lord that my teaching and preaching would be a demonstration of the Holy Spirit and of your power that you would draw men to yourself for your exultation and honor… Please Lord continue to grow me in you each day...

Sunday 8-30-09

2009-09-05T23:55:00.001-04:00

Romans 10

Romans 10: “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Father thank you for making a way of escape from eternal torment and death… Thank you Lord Jesus for doing all the work necessary for salvation…. Lord God thank you that you included me in “whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Romans 10:14a&b “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard?”

I thank you Father for including me in getting your gospel to the uttermost parts of the world… Father I ask that you would stir up your people in America, that we might recognize the great need of proclaiming your good news to every nation… Father I ask that we would obey your command of taking the gospel to ever nation that you might be glorified by the obedience of your children, and by the ones whom you would make new creatures through Christ Jesus….

Romans 10:14c "And how shall they hear without a preacher?”

Lord God you commanded us in Matthew 9 to ask you to send laborers unto the harvest… So Father I ask that you would send preachers to be a light in this dark and dying world… that you might be brought glory and honor….

Romans 10:15a “And how shall they preach, except they be sent?”

Father please send me….

Saturday 8-29-09

2009-09-05T23:53:00.002-04:00

I couldn't not find the paper that I had written down Saturdays devotions on. However I did remember that it was Romans 8:39-39, and that it was continuing to look at the greatness of God's love for us.

Romans 8:38-39 "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Friday 8/28/09

2009-09-03T23:49:00.000-04:00

Romans 5

Romans 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

What an amazing and mind-boggling Savior we have!

The amount of love that God has for us we will never fathom on this earth, in fact it will take eternity for us to fully understand God’s love.

Just thinking about the implications of this verse, that God loved us while we were sinners, and what that really says about his infinite and never-ending love. Here are a couple things that gave me a glimpse of a glimpse of a glimpse of God’s great love:

1. Romans 5:10 States that because we were sinners we were enemies to God. Enemies aren’t people that you love, enemies are people that you want defeated, crushed, alienated, and destroyed. Yet God loved us while we were enemies to him!

2. Romans 5:6 Says that we were “without strength” or basically helpless when we were sinners. God’s love and mercy were manifested to us in that while we were helpless and couldn’t do anything about our sin, “Christ died for the ungodly.”

3. Romans 6 makes it undeniably clear that the natural man is enslaved to sin, and John 8:34 says that if you commit sin that you are the slave of sin. So Christ died while we were enslaved to the thing, which God hates.

So not only were we enemies to God, we were enslaved to the thing which God loathes: sin; plus the fact that we were “without strength” to do anything about being an enemy of God or being enslaved to sin; and perhaps you also will get a glimpse of glimpse of a glimpse of God’s great love that he has for us, and just how true the statement in John 4:16 which is “God is love.”

Thursday 8/27/09

2009-09-03T23:31:00.000-04:00

Romans 3

Romans 3:3&4 “For what if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar;”

I am so thankful that “the faith of God” and his power, mercy, justness, and faithfulness doesn’t rely on mans ‘believing’ to make it true. I’m thankful that Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, and every other religion out there is false, think about it; does it make you glad that true Christianity (IE Romans 10:9-10 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”) is the ONLY way to get to heaven?

As I sit here I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that confessing with the mouth and believing in the heart that God raised Jesus from the dead is the only way to heaven.

Maybe it’s just me but it is so comforting and reassuring that I know that the God that I serve does care for me and love me. My God isn’t just ‘out there somewhere’ he has actually sent part of himself to dwell in me. Some might wonder how I derived these statements from these verses, and I know that I rest heavily on other passages to for some of these statements but honestly it was surprising just how clearly the Holy Spirit ‘spoke’ to me through these verses as I meditated on them.

Saturday 8-8-09

2009-08-20T19:42:00.001-04:00

Acts 1

Acts 1:8 " But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

What a beautiful verse! We find that we will receive power so whatever it is that God has in store for us to do isn’t and can’t be done in our own power. Next we see that the Holy Spirit is going to “come upon you” hold up for a second these are the only two prerequisites for the command that’s about to be given. Every true born again believer meets these two prerequisites, so that means that the upcoming command is for EVERYONE who is a Christian.

Now onto the command which I think is also a privilege, “ye shall be witnesses unto me” were to witnesses of Christ, and of what he came to earth and did (dying so that all may live). Next we get to find out where we are to be witnesses to " both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” When I read that I think of Romans 10:13-15a “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent?” we see that it is necessary to preach and send those to preach. I really think that sums up the command Jesus gave us in Acts 1:8: be witnesses wherever you are at, and send those to preach wherever you are not.

Friday 8-7-09

2009-08-20T17:59:00.001-04:00

John 19

John 19:30 “Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.”

“It is finished” what an exciting statement!

The way of salvation was complete; no longer necessary was the laying of hands on an animal’s neck while the throat was cut so that symbolically the sins would be transferred. No longer necessary the thousands upon thousands of lambs, doves, cattle to be slain. No longer only the Levites who could come before the God of heaven. No longer was salvation only for the Jews.

I don’t think I grasp the full meaning of those words, however I am so grateful that they’re true!

Jesus thank you for dying for my sins… thank you for dying for my salvation… Father I thank you for loving us even though I was enslaved to sin… thank you for setting me free from sin that it is no longer my taskmaster… thank you for making me a new creature… Please Lord burden my heart with the souls of the lost… give me the desire to see souls saved… Please Father do a work in me so that you can do a work through me….

Thursday 8-6-09

2009-08-12T16:44:00.001-04:00

John 14

John 14:16-17 & 26 “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” Vs. 26 “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

How Exciting! Jesus said that the Father would send a comforter or helper, this helper would be the Spirit of truth, his ‘job’ is to teach us all things, and bring unto remembrance what Jesus had said. This comforter or helper is called the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit (Vs. 26) and he will be with those who are believers forever (Vs. 16).

I don’t know about you but I think it’s exciting to know that God has sent part of himself to live in believers (Vs 16), to help them, and to teach them (Vs. 26).

------------

Lord God thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to come and live in those who believe…. Thank you for sending him to teach us all things…. Thank you God for living in me…. Help me to become more like you each day….

Wednesday 8-5-09

2009-08-12T16:42:00.001-04:00

John 9

John 9:3 “Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.”

The reason for this man being blind, was that God would be brought glory by healing him. Think about it, the biggest annoyance, hinderance, or thing that we think is going to keep us from serving God to our maximum potential, might just be there for no other reason then to bring God glory.

I’m thankful that I don’t have any physical limitations, like that blind man had. I mean I can walk, hear, speak, and much more, see I have a lot to be thankful for. However I complain a lot about those little insignificant annoyances, or hinderances that God is using to try to teach me to rely on him completely for dealing with them.

-----------------

Lord God thank you for giving me the ability to walk, see, hear, talk… thank you for giving me the bible in my language… Father please help me to rely completely in your strength so through my weaknesses you would be brought glory, honor, and praise….

Tuesday 8-4-09

2009-08-11T19:57:00.000-04:00

John 3

John 3:30 “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

If I understand the story behind this statement, a few of Johns diciples come to him telling him that Jesus was preaching and baptizing and that all men were coming to Jesus, and because of that most likely John was losing most of his diciples as well. I don’t think John the Baptist resonded the way his diciples expected, upon hearing that everyone was turning to Jesus, John basically said: perfect. John recognized that it wasn’t about him having the biggest ministry, it wasn’t about his name getting known, it wasn’t anything about himself getting magnified, in-fact he says the exact opposite he said “He (Christ) must increase, but I must decrease.”

--Father would you show me my need to decrease… and would you make it my hearts desire for you to increase… Help me to cheerfully obey everything that you have commanded me to do… Thank you for Jesus for dying for my sins…

Monday 8-3-09

2009-08-11T19:50:00.001-04:00

Luke 22

Luke 22:8-13 “And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat. And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare? And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in. And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready. And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.”

God isn’t going to command us to do something without already having done the work. When Peter and John were commanded by Jesus to go prepare the Passover they found that everything was just as Jesus had said it would be, the room and everything that they needed were provided for. However they did have to obey exactly what Jesus had told them to do. I wonder how often we “rob” God of opportunities to use us because we won’t obey, I wonder how many blessings we’ve “robbed” God from giving us because we didn’t obey him.

Lord help me to obey whatever it is that you put before me to do… Help me to rely on your perfect timing… Lord help me to obey in your streangth and for your glory… Father help me to do everything for our honor and glory…

Sunday 8-2-09

2009-08-06T01:19:00.003-04:00

Luke 21

Luke 21:1-4 “And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.”

She gave ALL she had! This was no normal sacrificial offering, this was all out no-bars-held unreserved giving of everything that she possesed to live on.

I honestly can’t imagine what this world would look like if every true born-again believer gave like she gave. I don’t know about you but it blows my mind to try and imagine how God could work, what God would do, how many souls would be saved, how many bible believing, bible preaching churches would fill countries that were once thought impossible to get the gospel into.

I wonder if we rob God of glory that could be brought to him if we gave like this women. Think about it if we gave couldn’t God receive glory by: us giving, our churches being able to boldly proclaim the good news to this dark community, our churches being able to send out missionaries to proclaim the gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth. This last thought tickled me to death: couldn’t God receive glory by providing for our needs because we gave all we had to live on to him? I honestly believe God cold receive glory through all these things and so much more! However in order for any of those to happen; we MUST give, I MUST give.

Saturday 8-1-09

2009-08-06T01:05:00.001-04:00

Luke 12

Luke 12:6-7 “Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.”

What an amazing and awesome God we serve! In Isaiah 40 we find that he measured out the waters in the hollow of his hand, that the nations of this earth are like a drop in the bucket or like a speck of dust on the scales to him.

Yet according to Luke 12:6-7 he knows every sparrow on this earth, and he knows how many hairs are on every one of the 6.5 billion people who currently live on this earth.

What an amazing and majestic God we serve, he measured out the waters which means all the lakes, rivers, oceans, all water on this earth in the hollow of his hand, yet he loves a cares for us so much that he would send his only son Jesus Christ to die so that we could have forgiveness from our sins and spend eternity with him.

----------------------

Father I thank you for sending Jesus to die for my sin… I thank you that you love us and care for us even though we sin against you… I thank you that you loved me even while I was in sin, and I thank you for continuing to forgive me when I ask… I ask Lord that you would help me to love you with all my heart, soul, and mind….

Friday 7-31-09

2009-08-03T22:37:00.001-04:00

Luke 10

Luke 10:17 & 20 “And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through they name.” Vs. 20 (Jesus replied) “Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.”

Jesus tells them that they are rejoicing over the wrong things; he commands them to rejoice in the fact that they are saved, and not that they could cast out demons through the name of Jesus.

They were excited about what God had done through them; Jesus tells them that it’s not the things here on earth that we need to rejoice over but rather that our names are written in heaven.

------------

Father I thank you for sending Jesus to die on the cross that through his blood that he shed on Calvary I could be forgiven of my sins and spend eternity and beyond with you… Help me to not become bogged down with the temporal things of this world, but to keep myself wholly for you and the things that you have and will call me to do…