Tuesday 10-27-09

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?

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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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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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

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

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

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

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

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.