Joshua 12
There is only one list of defeated enemies that we all need to be aware of. The list is simply one name of an enemy who was defeated...his name - Satan! Jesus defeated him on the Cross and out of the grave. The battle belongs to Jesus. May we sit, walk, and stand with Jesus. He wants to take care of our battles while we just rest in His wings. Satan is defeated. The birth of Jesus was a threat to Satan, check out Revelaton 12. Jesus is victorious...let's trust Him more and more. Amen!
"a faith that is afraid of other people is not faith at all." - Thomas Merton
Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Saturday, December 17, 2016
Joshua 11
Joshua 11
And Israel had rest from war. Oh my gosh, won't that be great. I am tired of this war on earth. I am tired of this war in my flesh. Come Lord Jesus, come. In the meantime, the God that was with Moses is with us...so let's trust Him and keep seeking Him above all else. He is our fortress, strength, and His mighty right arm is able to save. There will be a day when we will rest from war, but let's keep marching for the Glory of Jesus.
"if we are sensible and honest, we shall be little in our own eyes" - Spurgeon
And Israel had rest from war. Oh my gosh, won't that be great. I am tired of this war on earth. I am tired of this war in my flesh. Come Lord Jesus, come. In the meantime, the God that was with Moses is with us...so let's trust Him and keep seeking Him above all else. He is our fortress, strength, and His mighty right arm is able to save. There will be a day when we will rest from war, but let's keep marching for the Glory of Jesus.
"if we are sensible and honest, we shall be little in our own eyes" - Spurgeon
Friday, December 16, 2016
Joshua 10
Joshua 10
After this amazing moment of the sun standing still for about a full day, the Israelites were able to say, "surely the Lord is fighting for us (v.14)" So cool! Do you know what I feel...the Cross is our way of saying, "surely the Lord is fighting for us." I am so wrong. I am a sinner. I think the closer I get to Jesus the more I am feeling the depth of my depravity. Geez, He really is so holy that He can't look on sin and I am sin. And yet, Jesus. When God looks at me, He sees Jesus. When God looks at you, He sees Jesus. Jesus is standing right now, in our place. Jesus is praying over us, right now! The Cross says it all. So Joshua told the Israelites and Jesus now tells us today, "do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous...The Lord is for us! The sun stood in place and it makes me think of how the sun disappeared when Jesus was the on Cross. The darkness had to come, but it didn't stay long. And there will be no night in heaven (Rev. 22:5). Jesus!
"But Jesus all our guilt foresaw, And shed His precious blood, To satisfy the holy law, And make our peace with God" - John Newton
After this amazing moment of the sun standing still for about a full day, the Israelites were able to say, "surely the Lord is fighting for us (v.14)" So cool! Do you know what I feel...the Cross is our way of saying, "surely the Lord is fighting for us." I am so wrong. I am a sinner. I think the closer I get to Jesus the more I am feeling the depth of my depravity. Geez, He really is so holy that He can't look on sin and I am sin. And yet, Jesus. When God looks at me, He sees Jesus. When God looks at you, He sees Jesus. Jesus is standing right now, in our place. Jesus is praying over us, right now! The Cross says it all. So Joshua told the Israelites and Jesus now tells us today, "do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous...The Lord is for us! The sun stood in place and it makes me think of how the sun disappeared when Jesus was the on Cross. The darkness had to come, but it didn't stay long. And there will be no night in heaven (Rev. 22:5). Jesus!
"But Jesus all our guilt foresaw, And shed His precious blood, To satisfy the holy law, And make our peace with God" - John Newton
Wednesday, December 14, 2016
Joshua 9
Joshua 9
The Gibeonites are just simply wanting to save their own lives. They had heard about the power of Israel and their God and they didn't want to get involved in this war...so they had to use a bit of creativity. The main problem is that Joshua and his men did not consult the Lord over the issue...we saw the outcome in Joshua 7. So Joshua set a treaty with the Gibeonites. They found out later they had been tricked...but they didn't consult the Lord. But Joshua made a treaty and thus honored the Lord by sticking to it and simply turned the Gibeonites into slaves and all was well. I think there is valuable lesson here for us. One, may we always consult the Lord on everything. That is a discipline and a habit and I have a ways to go on that. But seek the Lord first. Then, like the Gibeonites, may we recognize that before a Holy God, we don't stand a chance at all. May we seek peace with God today and not let our sin ruin us. May we become servants of Jesus and serve Him faithfully. To God be the Glory.
"To say that I am made in the image of God is to say that Love is the reason for my existence, for God is love." - Thomas Merton
The Gibeonites are just simply wanting to save their own lives. They had heard about the power of Israel and their God and they didn't want to get involved in this war...so they had to use a bit of creativity. The main problem is that Joshua and his men did not consult the Lord over the issue...we saw the outcome in Joshua 7. So Joshua set a treaty with the Gibeonites. They found out later they had been tricked...but they didn't consult the Lord. But Joshua made a treaty and thus honored the Lord by sticking to it and simply turned the Gibeonites into slaves and all was well. I think there is valuable lesson here for us. One, may we always consult the Lord on everything. That is a discipline and a habit and I have a ways to go on that. But seek the Lord first. Then, like the Gibeonites, may we recognize that before a Holy God, we don't stand a chance at all. May we seek peace with God today and not let our sin ruin us. May we become servants of Jesus and serve Him faithfully. To God be the Glory.
"To say that I am made in the image of God is to say that Love is the reason for my existence, for God is love." - Thomas Merton
Tuesday, December 13, 2016
Joshua 8
Joshua 8 -
So in chapter 7, Joshua sent out some spies to check on Ai, to see what they were up against. You can almost cringe when you hear the men say to Joshua, "not all the people will have to go up against Ai. Just send two or three thousand..." First mistake, they didn't seek God...second mistake, it doesn't matter, because from here on everything was a mistake; if God isn't the first one, we are in trouble. They felt confident within their own skins and they LOST. Anytime, and I mean anytime, I have ever felt so confident in my skin about something...i lost. So they have to deal with this situation, plus the Achan trial, which I talked about yesterday. But let's look at chapter 8
This time Joshua, as well as the men, have God on their minds and not themselves...and the outcome, much better. Not only do they win, but they realize that it was God that HANDED the enemies over to them...lesson learned, right? Yes, until the next time. What is it about us...uggh...we learn, repent, and then do it again. And yet God knows that about us and yet EVERYTIME, He opens His Arms to us. His love is really just too amazing. And the men built an altar to worship God. So you ready for this revelation I just had at this moment...oh my gosh.
We close chapter 7 with a pile of rocks and death underneath the rocks...because of mankind's own confidence and not listening to God.
We close chapter 8 with a pile of rocks honoring a living God, who, when we are focused on Him, will remind us that our confidence is in HIM and not in ourselves.
So tonight/tomorrow - we all have a choice to make...what will we do with the pile of rocks in our hands? Cast them or build an altar to our Faithful God.
"Ah! dear friend, wherever we journey, union to Jesus and holiness from His Spirit flowing into us, is our chief and only happiness" - My dear friend Robert Murray McCheyne
So in chapter 7, Joshua sent out some spies to check on Ai, to see what they were up against. You can almost cringe when you hear the men say to Joshua, "not all the people will have to go up against Ai. Just send two or three thousand..." First mistake, they didn't seek God...second mistake, it doesn't matter, because from here on everything was a mistake; if God isn't the first one, we are in trouble. They felt confident within their own skins and they LOST. Anytime, and I mean anytime, I have ever felt so confident in my skin about something...i lost. So they have to deal with this situation, plus the Achan trial, which I talked about yesterday. But let's look at chapter 8
This time Joshua, as well as the men, have God on their minds and not themselves...and the outcome, much better. Not only do they win, but they realize that it was God that HANDED the enemies over to them...lesson learned, right? Yes, until the next time. What is it about us...uggh...we learn, repent, and then do it again. And yet God knows that about us and yet EVERYTIME, He opens His Arms to us. His love is really just too amazing. And the men built an altar to worship God. So you ready for this revelation I just had at this moment...oh my gosh.
We close chapter 7 with a pile of rocks and death underneath the rocks...because of mankind's own confidence and not listening to God.
We close chapter 8 with a pile of rocks honoring a living God, who, when we are focused on Him, will remind us that our confidence is in HIM and not in ourselves.
So tonight/tomorrow - we all have a choice to make...what will we do with the pile of rocks in our hands? Cast them or build an altar to our Faithful God.
"Ah! dear friend, wherever we journey, union to Jesus and holiness from His Spirit flowing into us, is our chief and only happiness" - My dear friend Robert Murray McCheyne
Monday, December 12, 2016
Joshua 7
Joshua 7
Joshua 7 is one of the biggest chapters in the Bible that really baffles me deeply. I can understand why he gets stoned to death, but why his family? I have struggled with that for years. A few weeks ago I discovered something that brought some insight into this, but hasn't fully brought me peace yet.
Go back to chapter 1 of Joshua. After God has spoken to Joshua about how God would be faithful to him and his people, then Joshua spoke words to his people. Start with me at v.16 - Then they (Joshua's people...better yet, God's people) answered Joshua, whatever you have commanded us with, we will do and wherever you send us, we will go. Just as we fully obeyed the Lord with Moses (really?) we will do so with you. WHOEVER REBELS against your word and does not obey your words, whatever you may command them, will be put to death. Ummm, it is quite possible that standing in the crowd that day was Achan, with a hearty "yes and amen." His family is probably with him, but he disobeyed the Lord and Joshua. So death is commanded and death is followed out. So I get why it happened, but I still don't get the family. So I have to leave it there and realize that God has a desire for us to get it right. We continued to struggle from then on and so God had to give us something amazing, beautiful, and holy and so He gave us Jesus. Jesus is our answer. Jesus is Achan's answer. Jesus is mankind's answer. Jesus is the answer! I am no different than Achan...i am a sinner who deserves to be taken out to Trail of Tears, pushed off the cliff and stoned to death (morbid I know) but it is the TRUTH. It is the truth for all of us and yet there is MERCY. Mercy is Jesus withholding what we deserve and taking it Himself. Be thankful today friends...we are loved beyond anything that we could ever imagine.
"O blessed Jesus...show Yourself to us. Let us now see Your blessings. O let us now taste Your grace and see Your mighty arm that saves us." - George Whitefield
Joshua 7 is one of the biggest chapters in the Bible that really baffles me deeply. I can understand why he gets stoned to death, but why his family? I have struggled with that for years. A few weeks ago I discovered something that brought some insight into this, but hasn't fully brought me peace yet.
Go back to chapter 1 of Joshua. After God has spoken to Joshua about how God would be faithful to him and his people, then Joshua spoke words to his people. Start with me at v.16 - Then they (Joshua's people...better yet, God's people) answered Joshua, whatever you have commanded us with, we will do and wherever you send us, we will go. Just as we fully obeyed the Lord with Moses (really?) we will do so with you. WHOEVER REBELS against your word and does not obey your words, whatever you may command them, will be put to death. Ummm, it is quite possible that standing in the crowd that day was Achan, with a hearty "yes and amen." His family is probably with him, but he disobeyed the Lord and Joshua. So death is commanded and death is followed out. So I get why it happened, but I still don't get the family. So I have to leave it there and realize that God has a desire for us to get it right. We continued to struggle from then on and so God had to give us something amazing, beautiful, and holy and so He gave us Jesus. Jesus is our answer. Jesus is Achan's answer. Jesus is mankind's answer. Jesus is the answer! I am no different than Achan...i am a sinner who deserves to be taken out to Trail of Tears, pushed off the cliff and stoned to death (morbid I know) but it is the TRUTH. It is the truth for all of us and yet there is MERCY. Mercy is Jesus withholding what we deserve and taking it Himself. Be thankful today friends...we are loved beyond anything that we could ever imagine.
"O blessed Jesus...show Yourself to us. Let us now see Your blessings. O let us now taste Your grace and see Your mighty arm that saves us." - George Whitefield
Sunday, December 11, 2016
Joshua 6
Joshua 6
I love when the Lord shows up and does something amazing and people experience it full-on. There are so many details in this chapter and yet, the people do exactly what they are told to do...love it. Then as the marched around the city with the Ark of the Covenant and went around it 7 times, then they blew the trumpets and the walls came down...only God. It reminds me of Gideon in Judges 7 with the 300 people, clay pots, fire, and trumpets and they defeated the enemies...only God. The finished up what God wanted them to do and on top of that, they brought Rahab and her family out just like they said they would...I love this chapter. I love that God keeps His promises. I love that the people listened to God and they experienced victory. It is still the same today for us. May we march tomorrow with confidence in our steps that God is for us and not against us. He will be victorious in our day as we seek to honor Him.
"Christ is the only way, and the one access, by which it is granted us to come to God." - John Calvin (Thank you Jesus)
I love when the Lord shows up and does something amazing and people experience it full-on. There are so many details in this chapter and yet, the people do exactly what they are told to do...love it. Then as the marched around the city with the Ark of the Covenant and went around it 7 times, then they blew the trumpets and the walls came down...only God. It reminds me of Gideon in Judges 7 with the 300 people, clay pots, fire, and trumpets and they defeated the enemies...only God. The finished up what God wanted them to do and on top of that, they brought Rahab and her family out just like they said they would...I love this chapter. I love that God keeps His promises. I love that the people listened to God and they experienced victory. It is still the same today for us. May we march tomorrow with confidence in our steps that God is for us and not against us. He will be victorious in our day as we seek to honor Him.
"Christ is the only way, and the one access, by which it is granted us to come to God." - John Calvin (Thank you Jesus)
Thursday, December 8, 2016
Joshua 5
Joshua 5
Two things that stand out to me in this chapter. 1. The Lord caused, not Joshua...not the Israelites, but the Lord caused the Amorite and Canaanite kings to hear about HOW the LORD did something, and it caused their hearts to melt. This is the second time in Joshua this statement has been used. The opposite of a melted heart is a hard heart, which is what Pharoah had. How is our hearts? When we read Scripture, are our hearts moved? If so, even if it is a bit, we are moving toward and not away from the Lord. May we continue to have hearts that our willing to melt and be moved by God. 2. Joshua has a facedown moment with the Lord and He tells him to take off His shoes, for this is a holy place. I love that God had that moment with Joshua. I mean, following Moses cannot be that easy! Joshua watched as God worked mightily through Moses and probably thought there is no way that I could lead or do like that...but what Joshua had to learn just LIKE THE REST OF US...it is all about God. We are just puzzle pieces toward a full picture of God. So take heart that we have a place in the puzzle and it is significant, because God makes it significant through Jesus!!!
"Jesus Christ knows the worst about you. Nonetheless, He is the one who loves you most." AW Tozer
Two things that stand out to me in this chapter. 1. The Lord caused, not Joshua...not the Israelites, but the Lord caused the Amorite and Canaanite kings to hear about HOW the LORD did something, and it caused their hearts to melt. This is the second time in Joshua this statement has been used. The opposite of a melted heart is a hard heart, which is what Pharoah had. How is our hearts? When we read Scripture, are our hearts moved? If so, even if it is a bit, we are moving toward and not away from the Lord. May we continue to have hearts that our willing to melt and be moved by God. 2. Joshua has a facedown moment with the Lord and He tells him to take off His shoes, for this is a holy place. I love that God had that moment with Joshua. I mean, following Moses cannot be that easy! Joshua watched as God worked mightily through Moses and probably thought there is no way that I could lead or do like that...but what Joshua had to learn just LIKE THE REST OF US...it is all about God. We are just puzzle pieces toward a full picture of God. So take heart that we have a place in the puzzle and it is significant, because God makes it significant through Jesus!!!
"Jesus Christ knows the worst about you. Nonetheless, He is the one who loves you most." AW Tozer
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
Golden Nuggets (Dec 7)
Psalm 23 - surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life. In the Message it says He is chasing after me. How about that, God is chasing after me because He wants me. And He chases after me with goodness and love...shew, I am thankful for that. He even prepares a meal for me and He anoints my head and He fills my cup to overflowing. I have never and will never do anything good enough to deserve that kindness, but it isn't about me at all, it is who He is...it is His character to give, to serve, and to love. He is way too much and because of His goodness and love, I shall need nothing as I continue to follow Him as My Shepherd
Psalm 24 - We have a relationship with the King of Glory. We have no right to stand before Him so He gave us Jesus to fix that major separation problem. He is strong and mighty and we are His, so may we just lift up our heads...for we are worshiping the King of Glory.
Psalm 25 - Teach me your paths!!! There is nothing that delights the Lord more than for us to bow before Him asking Him to teach us His ways. I love being a dad and I love when my kids ask me how to do something...i love being in that moment...so how much more is God moved when we come before Him seeking His heart and understanding!
1 Samuel 10 - So when it came time for Saul to be anointed King by Samuel, they couldn't find him...why? He was hiding among the baggage. Ummm, what? It is much like Gideon who was hiding out in the winepress when the angel called him a mighty warrior. Isn't it funny that God uses the most unlikely characters to lead His people. Because it isn't about them ever...it is always about God and this is God's idea and this is God's story...so God will do what He wants to do. I smile as I write this because I almost failed speech class in both high school and college. I spent many many years in speech therapy because I had hearing problems. I never dreamed that I would get up front of people and declare the Gospel of Jesus but as God said to Moses and Jeremiah, didn't I form the mouth...so go speak and I will take care of the rest. This is about God. You and I are nobodies, but isn't it like God to do something unique with nobodies. You are not a mistake and you are not living a purposeless life...you are His and He is on the move...be ready.
1 Samuel 11 - I am actually impressed with Saul at first. He starts off great with being King of Israel...but it doesn't last long, especially when we take our eyes off of God and onto ourselves. But in this moment when some people didn't want him to be king and he was already made king, he could have had them removed for life...but he chose to spare them because He was focused on God. When people get on our nerves, as they will, it is a moment when we can choose one of two things: focus on God quickly and deeply so that the situation doesn't consume us or we allow the moment to force us to remove our eyes off of Him and onto ourselves, causing us to want to do something about it. Trust me, I did not like the fact that God brought that to my mind as I was typing this out. Uggh. But that is the answer isn't it. Saul was focused on God and thus, it didn't phase him. I want to be so consumed with God that nothing phases me, but I still have stupid flaky flesh...oh Spirit, help us to be submissive to your Power and Leading.
Romans 8 - Ummm, yay right, like I am going to comment on this...forget it. Just read it and be blown away. But while you are reading, just remember that Christ is praying for you and the Holy Spirit is praying for you. Shew. That is powerful.
Romans 9 - Do we want people to come to know Christ that we would be willing to be cut-off so that they could be ushered into God's Presence (v.3)? Do we have the heart of Jesus who laid down His life for the sake of His friends? He is so in love with us that He gave us His best to bring us to His feast. Are we willing to give our best to invite others to His feast? Jesus! Jesus! Jesus!
Psalm 24 - We have a relationship with the King of Glory. We have no right to stand before Him so He gave us Jesus to fix that major separation problem. He is strong and mighty and we are His, so may we just lift up our heads...for we are worshiping the King of Glory.
Psalm 25 - Teach me your paths!!! There is nothing that delights the Lord more than for us to bow before Him asking Him to teach us His ways. I love being a dad and I love when my kids ask me how to do something...i love being in that moment...so how much more is God moved when we come before Him seeking His heart and understanding!
1 Samuel 10 - So when it came time for Saul to be anointed King by Samuel, they couldn't find him...why? He was hiding among the baggage. Ummm, what? It is much like Gideon who was hiding out in the winepress when the angel called him a mighty warrior. Isn't it funny that God uses the most unlikely characters to lead His people. Because it isn't about them ever...it is always about God and this is God's idea and this is God's story...so God will do what He wants to do. I smile as I write this because I almost failed speech class in both high school and college. I spent many many years in speech therapy because I had hearing problems. I never dreamed that I would get up front of people and declare the Gospel of Jesus but as God said to Moses and Jeremiah, didn't I form the mouth...so go speak and I will take care of the rest. This is about God. You and I are nobodies, but isn't it like God to do something unique with nobodies. You are not a mistake and you are not living a purposeless life...you are His and He is on the move...be ready.
1 Samuel 11 - I am actually impressed with Saul at first. He starts off great with being King of Israel...but it doesn't last long, especially when we take our eyes off of God and onto ourselves. But in this moment when some people didn't want him to be king and he was already made king, he could have had them removed for life...but he chose to spare them because He was focused on God. When people get on our nerves, as they will, it is a moment when we can choose one of two things: focus on God quickly and deeply so that the situation doesn't consume us or we allow the moment to force us to remove our eyes off of Him and onto ourselves, causing us to want to do something about it. Trust me, I did not like the fact that God brought that to my mind as I was typing this out. Uggh. But that is the answer isn't it. Saul was focused on God and thus, it didn't phase him. I want to be so consumed with God that nothing phases me, but I still have stupid flaky flesh...oh Spirit, help us to be submissive to your Power and Leading.
Romans 8 - Ummm, yay right, like I am going to comment on this...forget it. Just read it and be blown away. But while you are reading, just remember that Christ is praying for you and the Holy Spirit is praying for you. Shew. That is powerful.
Romans 9 - Do we want people to come to know Christ that we would be willing to be cut-off so that they could be ushered into God's Presence (v.3)? Do we have the heart of Jesus who laid down His life for the sake of His friends? He is so in love with us that He gave us His best to bring us to His feast. Are we willing to give our best to invite others to His feast? Jesus! Jesus! Jesus!
Joshua 4
Joshua 4
I look at my four children and I am reminded of God's goodness to me. I can remember all four of them coming into this world and feeling like I was standing on holy ground, as I watched this God idea happening. As I look at my four kiddos, it takes me back to when they came forth :). These are my standing stones. Each time I look to them, I am aware of God...standing stones. What are yours? What can you give thanks to God for right now at this moment? Don't do anything else until you spend time thanking Him. Then, do something significant as a standing stone to worship Him. Be creative. Honor Him. Then look at it daily and be aware of God. He is in our midst. I read a phrase tonight that sort of took my breath away...may we come before a life-giving God, a death-defeating Christ, and a life-abounding Spirit...oh yay!
Then I sort of laughed as I thought about the poor priest having to stand in the river while everyone crossed the river. Were they tired? Hungry? How long did they wait? Well, the did what they were told to do and as soon as everyone touched the shore and the last foot was removed the river bed, the water went right back to flood stage level. How amazing is our God? Why do we doubt? I guess because the good work in me is still happening and I am thankful that He is slow to anger and abounding in love. Give thanks to Jesus!
"It is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying to ourselves that we are born to eternal life." - Augustine
I look at my four children and I am reminded of God's goodness to me. I can remember all four of them coming into this world and feeling like I was standing on holy ground, as I watched this God idea happening. As I look at my four kiddos, it takes me back to when they came forth :). These are my standing stones. Each time I look to them, I am aware of God...standing stones. What are yours? What can you give thanks to God for right now at this moment? Don't do anything else until you spend time thanking Him. Then, do something significant as a standing stone to worship Him. Be creative. Honor Him. Then look at it daily and be aware of God. He is in our midst. I read a phrase tonight that sort of took my breath away...may we come before a life-giving God, a death-defeating Christ, and a life-abounding Spirit...oh yay!
Then I sort of laughed as I thought about the poor priest having to stand in the river while everyone crossed the river. Were they tired? Hungry? How long did they wait? Well, the did what they were told to do and as soon as everyone touched the shore and the last foot was removed the river bed, the water went right back to flood stage level. How amazing is our God? Why do we doubt? I guess because the good work in me is still happening and I am thankful that He is slow to anger and abounding in love. Give thanks to Jesus!
"It is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying to ourselves that we are born to eternal life." - Augustine
Monday, December 5, 2016
Joshua 3
Joshua 3
So imagine if you will, carrying something of God that is important. He has called you to do so and the people are to follow it, because they don't know which way to go. So you are the priest carrying this item and you want to honor the Lord because not doing so is death. Then you realize you've got all these people behind you who are counting on you...as you follow the commands of God. Whew. Now, you come to the mighty Mississippi and you have to carry this Ark and lead the people through the river and Joshua says, so when you come to the shores of it, place your toe in it and the water flowing from St. Louis will stop...haha. Do you think the priest put their toes in the river like the times that we do to check to see if the water is cold or not :). How crazy is this moment, but thankfully they do it and the Jordan stops flowing so they can cross. Now...don't you think that is enough for you and I to go, ok, there is no reason for me not to wholeheartedly trust this God and yet each day we find ourselves putting in our toes right off the bat. Ugggh! I would love to read of a priest just taking off and doing a cannonball in the Jordan because he is absolutely sure of what God says He will do. But I love that God knows that this whole trust thing is a process and He is slow to anger and abounding in love with us. Amen!
"your new self (which is Christ's and also yours) will not come as long as you are looking for it. It will come when you are looking for Him" - CS Lewis
So imagine if you will, carrying something of God that is important. He has called you to do so and the people are to follow it, because they don't know which way to go. So you are the priest carrying this item and you want to honor the Lord because not doing so is death. Then you realize you've got all these people behind you who are counting on you...as you follow the commands of God. Whew. Now, you come to the mighty Mississippi and you have to carry this Ark and lead the people through the river and Joshua says, so when you come to the shores of it, place your toe in it and the water flowing from St. Louis will stop...haha. Do you think the priest put their toes in the river like the times that we do to check to see if the water is cold or not :). How crazy is this moment, but thankfully they do it and the Jordan stops flowing so they can cross. Now...don't you think that is enough for you and I to go, ok, there is no reason for me not to wholeheartedly trust this God and yet each day we find ourselves putting in our toes right off the bat. Ugggh! I would love to read of a priest just taking off and doing a cannonball in the Jordan because he is absolutely sure of what God says He will do. But I love that God knows that this whole trust thing is a process and He is slow to anger and abounding in love with us. Amen!
"your new self (which is Christ's and also yours) will not come as long as you are looking for it. It will come when you are looking for Him" - CS Lewis
Sunday, December 4, 2016
Golden Nuggets (December 4)
Psalm 20 - Well, we can invest in our chariots and horses or we can invest in our God. When the race is over, the chariots will rust and the horses will be lame, but God...He will be God. And He desires that we will be still standing on our feet, standing tall. Make Him your life's desires and nothing else!
Psalm 21 - If God could give you what you wanted, what would it be? Would it be everlasting or just a short pleasure? Would it be part of passing on to the next generations or is it just for you? King David wanted the heart of God and that is exactly what He got. Solomon wanted wisdom and that is what he got. The rich man got what he wanted and he walked away sad. If you are not wanting the heart of God...it will not satisfy.
Romans 6 - I hate being in any kind of water that I can't see the bottom of! When I was a kid swimming in a pond, I stepped on something sharp that hurt and bled like crazy. To this day, I don't know what it was, but I was young enough to think that I stepped on a fish and its fins went in me and that was it. No more swimming in water I can't see. So I begin to swim in the bathtub :). I love clear water...so I can see what I am swimming with. I think it is the same way with the Lord. We have all this water that we can live in...but only one type of water satisfies our soul. It is the living water, Jesus Christ. The beauty, there is nothing that we "have to do" to get it, we just simply need to receive it. It is ever-flowing. It is refreshing. He never runs empty. He never gets tired. We can bathe in Him...we can drink Him in. We can live full-on in this water, but will we? Because all the other types of water we can live in is dirty and stagnant. Which one is worth going after? "But now that you've found you don't have to listen to sin tell you what to do, and have discovered the delight of listening to God tell you, what a surprise!" (Romans 6:22) We are healed by God's Living Water. There is more and more yet to come...so swim hard for this living water. When you get tired, He is there. When you get thirsty, He is there. When you get lost, He is there...and He will keep coming. God's gift to us is this: real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus (Living Water)...let's make Him our Master.
1 Samuel 7 - 8 - While I'm at sharing my life as a kid, I hated lightning and thunder. Much like Luther, every time lightning and thunder happened as a kid, I made sure that I was right with God, just because I was afraid of getting hit by lightning. Every time it stormed, I felt closer to God because I would repent of my sins. Haha. What we do to be right with God in intense moments is kind of foolish, isn't it? Now, I am a lover of storms. My kids and I experienced a storm awhile back and while it was storming I said outloud, "God, just give us one good show of lightning right now" and it happened within 4 seconds...amazing. I have four little witnesses who can testify to that story. In fact, it happened and we screamed with joy. Then Jojo was like, "i think I'm blind." Anna was like, "dad, you asked for it and God did it." It was awesome. I am sitting here thinking of that while reading about how God intervened for His people by letting a huge thunderclap happen which caused the Philistines to panic and ran from the Israel...haha. Israel chased them and overtook them. Only because of God. They knew God was the one behind it and yet...chapter 8 may be one of the saddest chapters of all of Scripture. I want to rip it out and yet, how often I honor the Lord with amazement and praise only to turn around and say thanks, but no thanks...I'll take it from here. That is exactly what happens in 1 Samuel 8. God was victorious for His people in chapter 7 and now they want a king over them like all the other nations, because God isn't good enough??? Samuel is grieved...the Lord is grieved and yet the Lord says to Samuel, tell the people the consequences of having a human king over them and Samuel does and how do the people respond? "no, we will have a king to rule us! Then we'll be just like all the other nations. Our king will rule us and lead us and fight our battles." They rejected God and cried out for a human king and all of those consequences. Man, if we can't learn from that my friends, what will we learn from? May Jesus be our King and only King. Next time we hear a thunderclap, may it remind us that He is fighting for us.
Psalm 21 - If God could give you what you wanted, what would it be? Would it be everlasting or just a short pleasure? Would it be part of passing on to the next generations or is it just for you? King David wanted the heart of God and that is exactly what He got. Solomon wanted wisdom and that is what he got. The rich man got what he wanted and he walked away sad. If you are not wanting the heart of God...it will not satisfy.
Romans 6 - I hate being in any kind of water that I can't see the bottom of! When I was a kid swimming in a pond, I stepped on something sharp that hurt and bled like crazy. To this day, I don't know what it was, but I was young enough to think that I stepped on a fish and its fins went in me and that was it. No more swimming in water I can't see. So I begin to swim in the bathtub :). I love clear water...so I can see what I am swimming with. I think it is the same way with the Lord. We have all this water that we can live in...but only one type of water satisfies our soul. It is the living water, Jesus Christ. The beauty, there is nothing that we "have to do" to get it, we just simply need to receive it. It is ever-flowing. It is refreshing. He never runs empty. He never gets tired. We can bathe in Him...we can drink Him in. We can live full-on in this water, but will we? Because all the other types of water we can live in is dirty and stagnant. Which one is worth going after? "But now that you've found you don't have to listen to sin tell you what to do, and have discovered the delight of listening to God tell you, what a surprise!" (Romans 6:22) We are healed by God's Living Water. There is more and more yet to come...so swim hard for this living water. When you get tired, He is there. When you get thirsty, He is there. When you get lost, He is there...and He will keep coming. God's gift to us is this: real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus (Living Water)...let's make Him our Master.
1 Samuel 7 - 8 - While I'm at sharing my life as a kid, I hated lightning and thunder. Much like Luther, every time lightning and thunder happened as a kid, I made sure that I was right with God, just because I was afraid of getting hit by lightning. Every time it stormed, I felt closer to God because I would repent of my sins. Haha. What we do to be right with God in intense moments is kind of foolish, isn't it? Now, I am a lover of storms. My kids and I experienced a storm awhile back and while it was storming I said outloud, "God, just give us one good show of lightning right now" and it happened within 4 seconds...amazing. I have four little witnesses who can testify to that story. In fact, it happened and we screamed with joy. Then Jojo was like, "i think I'm blind." Anna was like, "dad, you asked for it and God did it." It was awesome. I am sitting here thinking of that while reading about how God intervened for His people by letting a huge thunderclap happen which caused the Philistines to panic and ran from the Israel...haha. Israel chased them and overtook them. Only because of God. They knew God was the one behind it and yet...chapter 8 may be one of the saddest chapters of all of Scripture. I want to rip it out and yet, how often I honor the Lord with amazement and praise only to turn around and say thanks, but no thanks...I'll take it from here. That is exactly what happens in 1 Samuel 8. God was victorious for His people in chapter 7 and now they want a king over them like all the other nations, because God isn't good enough??? Samuel is grieved...the Lord is grieved and yet the Lord says to Samuel, tell the people the consequences of having a human king over them and Samuel does and how do the people respond? "no, we will have a king to rule us! Then we'll be just like all the other nations. Our king will rule us and lead us and fight our battles." They rejected God and cried out for a human king and all of those consequences. Man, if we can't learn from that my friends, what will we learn from? May Jesus be our King and only King. Next time we hear a thunderclap, may it remind us that He is fighting for us.
Joshua 2
Joshua 2 -
I can't help but mention again the beauty of Rahab's story. The very fact that she HEARD about God...she didn't experience God. She didn't see God. She HEARD about God. And it melted her heart. Andrew Murray's book on humility is a book I am reading right now with a friend. In the book he says, "and so it follows that nothing can save us but the restoration of our lost humility, the original and only true relationship of the creature to its God. And so Jesus came to bring humility back to earth, to make us partakers of it, and by it to save us...Jesus' humility gave His death its value, and so became our redemption." Humility is the "secret answer" so to speak. Satan got us with pride and God is redeeming us through humility. Thus, Rahab knew that she could never save herself from the hand of God unless humility played a part and it did by her hearing about God and trusting in Him. And by trusting in Him, her life was spared. I like to think that I can get through my problems on my own but I am not strong enough and yet I try...PRIDE. It is an attitude of recognizing my brokenness and knowing that there is nothing I can do except lay down myself before Him who can do all things. When I truly do that, He takes over...which He is really good at. Rahab submitted herself to a God she heard about and He took over. I have a relationship with that God and yet I get in the way...unique. Let's lay down who we are and let God tell us who we are! He's got it all taken care of and we just need to trust.
"To need God is nothing to be ashamed of, but is perfection itself." - Soren Kierkegaard
I can't help but mention again the beauty of Rahab's story. The very fact that she HEARD about God...she didn't experience God. She didn't see God. She HEARD about God. And it melted her heart. Andrew Murray's book on humility is a book I am reading right now with a friend. In the book he says, "and so it follows that nothing can save us but the restoration of our lost humility, the original and only true relationship of the creature to its God. And so Jesus came to bring humility back to earth, to make us partakers of it, and by it to save us...Jesus' humility gave His death its value, and so became our redemption." Humility is the "secret answer" so to speak. Satan got us with pride and God is redeeming us through humility. Thus, Rahab knew that she could never save herself from the hand of God unless humility played a part and it did by her hearing about God and trusting in Him. And by trusting in Him, her life was spared. I like to think that I can get through my problems on my own but I am not strong enough and yet I try...PRIDE. It is an attitude of recognizing my brokenness and knowing that there is nothing I can do except lay down myself before Him who can do all things. When I truly do that, He takes over...which He is really good at. Rahab submitted herself to a God she heard about and He took over. I have a relationship with that God and yet I get in the way...unique. Let's lay down who we are and let God tell us who we are! He's got it all taken care of and we just need to trust.
"To need God is nothing to be ashamed of, but is perfection itself." - Soren Kierkegaard
Saturday, December 3, 2016
Joshua 1
Joshua 1
Can you imagine following Moses? A friend of mine pointed out to me that in Deuteronomy 1, that Moses was instructed to build up Joshua and to encourage him in this transition. I had never caught that before, but how cool is that. God telling Moses to prepare Joshua...but still, what a huge task. Now we are in Joshua 1 and God is telling Joshua, just like I was with Moses, I will be with you, thus be strong and courageous and meditate on my Word. Friends, Jesus says to us...just like I was with Moses, I will be with you. Do not be afraid, take courage, for I am with you. Do you know what I love about our God? He has never once abandoned us, even though He has every right too. He is faithful. He doesn't leave us when everyone else does. When storms come and we don't know which way to look, He is there. He is our foundation. He is our rock. He is our refuge. Don't be afraid. Just like He was with Moses, Joshua, David, Caleb, Joseph, Paul, Peter...He is with us. Wow!
"My eyes were up to God for help: I could say, the work was His; and if done, the glory would be His." David Brainerd
Can you imagine following Moses? A friend of mine pointed out to me that in Deuteronomy 1, that Moses was instructed to build up Joshua and to encourage him in this transition. I had never caught that before, but how cool is that. God telling Moses to prepare Joshua...but still, what a huge task. Now we are in Joshua 1 and God is telling Joshua, just like I was with Moses, I will be with you, thus be strong and courageous and meditate on my Word. Friends, Jesus says to us...just like I was with Moses, I will be with you. Do not be afraid, take courage, for I am with you. Do you know what I love about our God? He has never once abandoned us, even though He has every right too. He is faithful. He doesn't leave us when everyone else does. When storms come and we don't know which way to look, He is there. He is our foundation. He is our rock. He is our refuge. Don't be afraid. Just like He was with Moses, Joshua, David, Caleb, Joseph, Paul, Peter...He is with us. Wow!
"My eyes were up to God for help: I could say, the work was His; and if done, the glory would be His." David Brainerd
Friday, December 2, 2016
Obadiah
Obadiah
Obadiah is an old fashion prophecy book against Edom. Edom had invaded and plundered Jerusalem at least 4 different times and so God has something against them and used Obadiah to make that known. Don't mess with God's people, which means anyone!
Oh pride. I know it so well. Pride is that thing that makes you think that you are untouchable and above everyone else. Pride is what deceives you greatly in your walk with the Lord. Pride says like Obadiah told Edom, "you say to yourself, who can bring me down to the ground? Though you soar like the eagle and make your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down." That is pride. And living in pride, it is just a matter of time before you are brought down...and it hurts dearly. And it does wait to bring you down, but there is something that you can do before it happens...humble yourself and bow at the feet of Jesus DAILY! Lower yourself now. Remind yourself that you are nothing and can do nothing apart from Jesus. I think God gives us grace and time for us to come to a place of humility before He does it. Well, today is a great day to start and it starts with Him...not us. We just come to Him now. Obadiah says, 'the day of the Lord is near' and that is so true for you and I as well. Today is a perfect day to humble yourself before the Lord.
The infant King came to set up his kingdom that would never end and his cross of sacrifice would be the door that would welcome us in. Paul Tripp
Obadiah is an old fashion prophecy book against Edom. Edom had invaded and plundered Jerusalem at least 4 different times and so God has something against them and used Obadiah to make that known. Don't mess with God's people, which means anyone!
Oh pride. I know it so well. Pride is that thing that makes you think that you are untouchable and above everyone else. Pride is what deceives you greatly in your walk with the Lord. Pride says like Obadiah told Edom, "you say to yourself, who can bring me down to the ground? Though you soar like the eagle and make your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down." That is pride. And living in pride, it is just a matter of time before you are brought down...and it hurts dearly. And it does wait to bring you down, but there is something that you can do before it happens...humble yourself and bow at the feet of Jesus DAILY! Lower yourself now. Remind yourself that you are nothing and can do nothing apart from Jesus. I think God gives us grace and time for us to come to a place of humility before He does it. Well, today is a great day to start and it starts with Him...not us. We just come to Him now. Obadiah says, 'the day of the Lord is near' and that is so true for you and I as well. Today is a perfect day to humble yourself before the Lord.
The infant King came to set up his kingdom that would never end and his cross of sacrifice would be the door that would welcome us in. Paul Tripp
Thursday, December 1, 2016
3 John
3 John
Showing hospitality is a great ministry. I love that these strangers are being served faithfully by people who love Jesus. That is so cool that people do that. I have heard stories of people serving faithfully people they don't know...how impacting is that? The best part, they get nothing in return and don't even know how it turns out, but FAITHFULLY they do it. So, if brothers back in John's time, in the midst of persecution, are faithfully serving strangers...what is our excuse? This was such a big deal that John took a few lines to write about it and to share it with the church, which means it is very relevant for us today. So tomorrow morning, let's wake up and faithfully serve EVERYONE :). And let's not expect anything in return, sounds like a fun challenge. We will read Obadiah tomorrow...that too will be a fun challenge. Haha.
"The glory of kings is in the wealth and peace of their subjects; and the glory of Christ is in the grace and holiness of his subjects." - John Owen
Showing hospitality is a great ministry. I love that these strangers are being served faithfully by people who love Jesus. That is so cool that people do that. I have heard stories of people serving faithfully people they don't know...how impacting is that? The best part, they get nothing in return and don't even know how it turns out, but FAITHFULLY they do it. So, if brothers back in John's time, in the midst of persecution, are faithfully serving strangers...what is our excuse? This was such a big deal that John took a few lines to write about it and to share it with the church, which means it is very relevant for us today. So tomorrow morning, let's wake up and faithfully serve EVERYONE :). And let's not expect anything in return, sounds like a fun challenge. We will read Obadiah tomorrow...that too will be a fun challenge. Haha.
"The glory of kings is in the wealth and peace of their subjects; and the glory of Christ is in the grace and holiness of his subjects." - John Owen
Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Golden Nuggets (Nov. 30)
Today is my son's birthday, he is 7. My baby is 7. That means I am getting old. Haha. I am blessed with a great son who I pray will live up to his name...Josiah, bringing about Jesus in the midst of brokenness and chaos. Here is a song I sing and pray over my son...if you have a son (no matter his age), this might be a great song for you to sing and pray over him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k32jrWetfDs
1 Samuel 4 - One simple question. What would our reaction be if the Ark of the Covenant was removed from our presence? The answer to that question says a lot about our hearts. To put it into our terms today, what would our reactions be if the Holy Spirit would be removed from our presence?
Psalm 18 - I simply love David. Here, he has been pursued by his enemies and Saul. One scholar said that at one point in David's life, he was on the run for 7-10 years from Saul...i can't even imagine what that was like for David. So crazy was it that one time he acted insane and at another time he was hanging out with the Philistines (Israel's rival enemies). He then ended up in the cave alone. Friends, 7-10 years on the run and yet...yet, he writes about the faithfulness of God's hand in his life. Wow. Take a moment tonight please, before going to bed, and count three times how you saw the hand of God in your life. Just think, because He was fully present in your life today. Then give Him glory for His goodness to us.
Romans 4 - Abraham did nothing. Abraham was sinful. Abraham was selfish. Abraham was just like you and me. He did nothing and yet God chose Abraham. God blessed Abraham. God loved Abraham. Are we any different than Abraham? Is God any different than He was during Abraham's time...I think scripture says that the Lord is the same yesterday, today, and forever more. So the point is that you and I are not good...there is nothing about us that deserves God's love...NOTHING. Instead, I deserve death, but that is not how God works. He chose me. He chose you. He loves you. Now, embrace that great gift and live in it...for HIS GLORY!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k32jrWetfDs
1 Samuel 4 - One simple question. What would our reaction be if the Ark of the Covenant was removed from our presence? The answer to that question says a lot about our hearts. To put it into our terms today, what would our reactions be if the Holy Spirit would be removed from our presence?
Psalm 18 - I simply love David. Here, he has been pursued by his enemies and Saul. One scholar said that at one point in David's life, he was on the run for 7-10 years from Saul...i can't even imagine what that was like for David. So crazy was it that one time he acted insane and at another time he was hanging out with the Philistines (Israel's rival enemies). He then ended up in the cave alone. Friends, 7-10 years on the run and yet...yet, he writes about the faithfulness of God's hand in his life. Wow. Take a moment tonight please, before going to bed, and count three times how you saw the hand of God in your life. Just think, because He was fully present in your life today. Then give Him glory for His goodness to us.
Romans 4 - Abraham did nothing. Abraham was sinful. Abraham was selfish. Abraham was just like you and me. He did nothing and yet God chose Abraham. God blessed Abraham. God loved Abraham. Are we any different than Abraham? Is God any different than He was during Abraham's time...I think scripture says that the Lord is the same yesterday, today, and forever more. So the point is that you and I are not good...there is nothing about us that deserves God's love...NOTHING. Instead, I deserve death, but that is not how God works. He chose me. He chose you. He loves you. Now, embrace that great gift and live in it...for HIS GLORY!!!
2 John
Tomorrow we will read 3 John and Friday we will read Obadiah, then we will start Joshua.
2 John - "It brings me great joy to know that my children are walking in the truth." One of the greatest joys of teaching God's Word is watching people "get it." I love it. When I hear about people enjoying the Word on their own and are sharing what they have learned with others, it gives me great joy. When people are walking closer to Jesus and are wanting to sit at His feet and just soak in His Presence, is there any greater joy? So let's be people who dine with Jesus so that our cup is full so that we can splash Jesus on others and maybe they will feel comfortable to come dine with Him as well. Amen?
""The gospel is not good advice but good news. It is not primarily teaching us how to live, but an offer of Life." - E. Stanley Jones
2 John - "It brings me great joy to know that my children are walking in the truth." One of the greatest joys of teaching God's Word is watching people "get it." I love it. When I hear about people enjoying the Word on their own and are sharing what they have learned with others, it gives me great joy. When people are walking closer to Jesus and are wanting to sit at His feet and just soak in His Presence, is there any greater joy? So let's be people who dine with Jesus so that our cup is full so that we can splash Jesus on others and maybe they will feel comfortable to come dine with Him as well. Amen?
""The gospel is not good advice but good news. It is not primarily teaching us how to live, but an offer of Life." - E. Stanley Jones
Tuesday, November 29, 2016
Golden Nuggets (Nov. 29)
1 Samuel 2 - What would our worship song look like. We have Moses (Exodus 15) who wrote a worship song. We have Miriam (Exodus 15) who wrote a worship song. Mary (Luke 1) wrote one. Here in 1 Samuel 2 we have Hannah's song. It is so beautiful and rich with the goodness and faithfulness of God. She just simply wanted a son to embrace but ultimately to give back to the Lord and it happened and Hannah kept her word and gave Samuel back to the Lord. But I love this song which prompted me to ask myself the question this morning...what would my song look like? So let me ask you, what would your song look like? I really hope that you might actually jot down some lines and keep writing on it. I really would like to be able to have one for my funeral that can be read giving praise to Jesus for His goodness to me through my life. Think about it.
1 Samuel 3 - This is a very classic VBS story about how Samuel hears the voice of God. But we never finish the story which I personally think is greater than the first part. The Lord actually tells Samuel that Eli (the priest) is going to be punished for the lack of his son's reverence toward the Lord. So here's the deal, it would be like the Lord giving me a word to tell my mentor that is not pleasant at all. Then my mentor is strong in making me tell him exactly what the Lord is saying to him...who really would want to do that? Seriously? Like, there is no pleasant moment for Samuel in all of this, but Eli makes him tell him and it is not good news...but here is the deal, Samuel is bold and courageous and tells Eli everything word for word. I think it was a test for Samuel to pass before being a significant prophet for the Lord and Samuel passed the test. It eventually leads Samuel to experience some crazy moments in life, one being anointed David to be the next King of Israel. Wow. I am thankful for Samuel's obedience in this season of his life that leads to greater things. The same is true of us...obedience now to the Lord leads to greater things for us down the road!
Psalm 16 - My only choice has to be God. No matter what I'll stick with God. God is my all in all and I am nothing without Him...and oh, by the way, the Lord has chosen me and He wants to stick by me as well. Wow. That is great news!
Psalm 17 - Keep your eye on me Lord. Hide me in the shadow of your wings. Friends, could there be anything better than that? The Lord faithfully keeping His eye on me? How sweet is that! Then He also hides me in the shadow of His wings...what a great place to hide and could there be any better protection than that? That is how much the Lord loves us and longs for us...that He would watch over us and let us hide in Him. That's good!
Romans 2 - 3 - Here is the thought that I had today: We are all in a boat, and that boat is sin and it is headed down...quickly! And rightly so because it is our fault. So we deserve what we get, but something remarkable happens. There is a hand on the boat that is actually lifting it up. It is the hand of Jesus. He is saving us. He is holding the boat and giving everyone on board a chance to be saved. Those of us who recognize His hands in our lives will be saved. Those who choose not to see His hand or thank Him are missing out on His blessings and may also miss out completely on the rescue party...which I hear is going to be utterly amazing. Again, we deserve to go down on the boat but out of His great love for us, He decided to come down and save us...will we choose to honor Him? There were 10 healed by Jesus and only 1 came back to give Him thanks. Will we be the 1? Or will we be the other 9? We choose, not Him...He has already done His part. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God AND YET!!! we are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ. What will we choose?
1 Samuel 3 - This is a very classic VBS story about how Samuel hears the voice of God. But we never finish the story which I personally think is greater than the first part. The Lord actually tells Samuel that Eli (the priest) is going to be punished for the lack of his son's reverence toward the Lord. So here's the deal, it would be like the Lord giving me a word to tell my mentor that is not pleasant at all. Then my mentor is strong in making me tell him exactly what the Lord is saying to him...who really would want to do that? Seriously? Like, there is no pleasant moment for Samuel in all of this, but Eli makes him tell him and it is not good news...but here is the deal, Samuel is bold and courageous and tells Eli everything word for word. I think it was a test for Samuel to pass before being a significant prophet for the Lord and Samuel passed the test. It eventually leads Samuel to experience some crazy moments in life, one being anointed David to be the next King of Israel. Wow. I am thankful for Samuel's obedience in this season of his life that leads to greater things. The same is true of us...obedience now to the Lord leads to greater things for us down the road!
Psalm 16 - My only choice has to be God. No matter what I'll stick with God. God is my all in all and I am nothing without Him...and oh, by the way, the Lord has chosen me and He wants to stick by me as well. Wow. That is great news!
Psalm 17 - Keep your eye on me Lord. Hide me in the shadow of your wings. Friends, could there be anything better than that? The Lord faithfully keeping His eye on me? How sweet is that! Then He also hides me in the shadow of His wings...what a great place to hide and could there be any better protection than that? That is how much the Lord loves us and longs for us...that He would watch over us and let us hide in Him. That's good!
Romans 2 - 3 - Here is the thought that I had today: We are all in a boat, and that boat is sin and it is headed down...quickly! And rightly so because it is our fault. So we deserve what we get, but something remarkable happens. There is a hand on the boat that is actually lifting it up. It is the hand of Jesus. He is saving us. He is holding the boat and giving everyone on board a chance to be saved. Those of us who recognize His hands in our lives will be saved. Those who choose not to see His hand or thank Him are missing out on His blessings and may also miss out completely on the rescue party...which I hear is going to be utterly amazing. Again, we deserve to go down on the boat but out of His great love for us, He decided to come down and save us...will we choose to honor Him? There were 10 healed by Jesus and only 1 came back to give Him thanks. Will we be the 1? Or will we be the other 9? We choose, not Him...He has already done His part. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God AND YET!!! we are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ. What will we choose?
Lamentations 5
Lamentations 5
Like, go find some of the saddest music you can find on you tube and read this chapter...geez! Especially this part, "joy is gone from our hearts; our dancing has turned to mourning. The crown has fallend from our head...our hearts are faint...our eyes grow dim." We are miserable and it is because of our sins. Then Jeremiah continues with tears flowing from his face, "You, O Lord, reign forever; your throne endures from generation to generation. Why do you always forget us? Why do you forsake us so long?" WOW WOW WOW. Then he prays, "restore us to yourself, O Lord, that we may return; renew our days..." And He did! Look at the Cross. Through Jesus He restored us to Himself. The curtain was torn from top to bottom giving us access to the Holy God. Our days have been renewed...His mercies our new each morning. We have joy again. We are dancing again. The crown is saved for us. Our hearts are alive. Our eyes are full of hope...only because of Jesus. Look at the Cross! He is coming to be with us soon!
There is more glory given unto God by coming unto Christ in believing, than in keeping the whole law ~ John Owen
You get another quote tonight only because this one made me chuckle and yet is so true:
"I am a riddle to myself." John Newton
Like, go find some of the saddest music you can find on you tube and read this chapter...geez! Especially this part, "joy is gone from our hearts; our dancing has turned to mourning. The crown has fallend from our head...our hearts are faint...our eyes grow dim." We are miserable and it is because of our sins. Then Jeremiah continues with tears flowing from his face, "You, O Lord, reign forever; your throne endures from generation to generation. Why do you always forget us? Why do you forsake us so long?" WOW WOW WOW. Then he prays, "restore us to yourself, O Lord, that we may return; renew our days..." And He did! Look at the Cross. Through Jesus He restored us to Himself. The curtain was torn from top to bottom giving us access to the Holy God. Our days have been renewed...His mercies our new each morning. We have joy again. We are dancing again. The crown is saved for us. Our hearts are alive. Our eyes are full of hope...only because of Jesus. Look at the Cross! He is coming to be with us soon!
There is more glory given unto God by coming unto Christ in believing, than in keeping the whole law ~ John Owen
You get another quote tonight only because this one made me chuckle and yet is so true:
"I am a riddle to myself." John Newton
Sunday, November 27, 2016
Golden Nuggest (Nov.27)
Ruth 3 and 4 - I am just going to focus on chapter 4 :). I really do love the heart and character of Boaz. If you have a daughter, you should start praying for a Boaz like character for her. If you have a son, start praying for him to have a Boaz like character. This guy is unreal. I love what happens here in 4. He has clearly fallen for Ruth but instead of letting his wants and desires to drive him to her, there is a law, a tradition, that he needs to honor. We are people who say the heck with that, just go get what you want...not Boaz. He wants to honor the kinsman-redeemer who actually has rights to Ruth over him, so Boaz does the right thing. And to make sure that he handles this correctly, he takes witnesses with him (Boaz doesn't only have a strong character, but he is very wise man) so that all goes well. The actual kinsmen-redeemer denies Ruth, thus opening the door for Boaz to make her his wife...and he does. I love that about Boaz...in fact, I am pretty convicted by Boaz and his strong character. He is an amazing individual who has a heart like Jesus. Well done Boaz, thanks for showing me what a godly example looks like around many areas of life.
1 Samuel 1 - I am so thankful for this story of Hannah and Samuel. She simply wanted a son who would honor the Lord with his life. Her request was not selfish, but Kingdom worthy. She wanted a son to hold, love, and then give back to the Lord full-on...and it happens. Samuel was a great prophet who got to experience quite a bit in his life, one being that of anointing David as King. It all started with a mom with a kingdom size request. Mom's, pray for your children to be used mightily for the Kingdom of God. We need this younger generation to make a huge difference NOW. I heard a statement in the sermon today, "if the Gospel (the heart of God) is not our desire, than it won't be our kids' desire either. Let's get our kids to the feet of Jesus! Praying for parents right now...it is a tough gig, but what a great opportunity to make a difference.
Acts 28 - Like I said earlier in a blog, my kids have me listening to christian rap music. Yesterday we spent some time with Trip Lee. Now, I like Trip Lee because he is a gospel centered rapper. He made a reference that caught my attention...how Paul and Silas, even though they were in jail, made that cell their sanctuary. Then, reading Acts 28 it hit me, no matter where Paul was, the place became his sanctuary. We are so stuck in thinking that the sanctuary is the big room inside of a big building that happens to be called a church...but that is so untrue. If you love Jesus and you love people, than you are a sanctuary. And anyplace that you are hanging out is your sanctuary...work, restaurant, tire place, grocery story, neighbor's house, your home, etc. Paul would be wherever and he would tell people about Jesus. He was a walking sanctuary. He made the most of every opportunity he had...so may we do the same.
Psalm 11 - Am I really seeking the Lord's face? Do I really want to seek His face and DIE? YES! Think about it, anyone who experienced the Presence of the Lord full-on fell as if dead. That sounds scary but dang it, that is what I want. And if I am struck dead because of seeing His Presence, than so be it. Because if we die seeking for Him, isn't that far better than dying seeking our own desires and wants? We are going to die...so why not die seeking the Lord's face! Oh, but am I really ready to do that? You see, it is the upright people who will see His face. Am I serious about my relationship with Him or am I just keeping Him around when I NEED Him? God won't play second chair and so I need to destroy that second chair or sit in it myself. I want God to have the top priority in my life, so will you join me in seeking to honor that request each day?
Psalm 12 - His Words are gold. His Words are pure. His Words protect. His Words are life...so what am I filling myself up with? Is it His Words or other people's words? Arise and eat the Words that the Lord gives us each day and be satisfied!
Psalm 13 - How long...how long...how long...how long? Answer me Lord! Nothing...okay, well, I trust in Your unfailing love...my heart rejoices in your salvation...I will sing to the Lord for He is truly good to me. May we stop asking and just soak in His truth and find all the answers that we would have need in JESUS! Jesus is the answer to all of life's questions.
1 Samuel 1 - I am so thankful for this story of Hannah and Samuel. She simply wanted a son who would honor the Lord with his life. Her request was not selfish, but Kingdom worthy. She wanted a son to hold, love, and then give back to the Lord full-on...and it happens. Samuel was a great prophet who got to experience quite a bit in his life, one being that of anointing David as King. It all started with a mom with a kingdom size request. Mom's, pray for your children to be used mightily for the Kingdom of God. We need this younger generation to make a huge difference NOW. I heard a statement in the sermon today, "if the Gospel (the heart of God) is not our desire, than it won't be our kids' desire either. Let's get our kids to the feet of Jesus! Praying for parents right now...it is a tough gig, but what a great opportunity to make a difference.
Acts 28 - Like I said earlier in a blog, my kids have me listening to christian rap music. Yesterday we spent some time with Trip Lee. Now, I like Trip Lee because he is a gospel centered rapper. He made a reference that caught my attention...how Paul and Silas, even though they were in jail, made that cell their sanctuary. Then, reading Acts 28 it hit me, no matter where Paul was, the place became his sanctuary. We are so stuck in thinking that the sanctuary is the big room inside of a big building that happens to be called a church...but that is so untrue. If you love Jesus and you love people, than you are a sanctuary. And anyplace that you are hanging out is your sanctuary...work, restaurant, tire place, grocery story, neighbor's house, your home, etc. Paul would be wherever and he would tell people about Jesus. He was a walking sanctuary. He made the most of every opportunity he had...so may we do the same.
Psalm 11 - Am I really seeking the Lord's face? Do I really want to seek His face and DIE? YES! Think about it, anyone who experienced the Presence of the Lord full-on fell as if dead. That sounds scary but dang it, that is what I want. And if I am struck dead because of seeing His Presence, than so be it. Because if we die seeking for Him, isn't that far better than dying seeking our own desires and wants? We are going to die...so why not die seeking the Lord's face! Oh, but am I really ready to do that? You see, it is the upright people who will see His face. Am I serious about my relationship with Him or am I just keeping Him around when I NEED Him? God won't play second chair and so I need to destroy that second chair or sit in it myself. I want God to have the top priority in my life, so will you join me in seeking to honor that request each day?
Psalm 12 - His Words are gold. His Words are pure. His Words protect. His Words are life...so what am I filling myself up with? Is it His Words or other people's words? Arise and eat the Words that the Lord gives us each day and be satisfied!
Psalm 13 - How long...how long...how long...how long? Answer me Lord! Nothing...okay, well, I trust in Your unfailing love...my heart rejoices in your salvation...I will sing to the Lord for He is truly good to me. May we stop asking and just soak in His truth and find all the answers that we would have need in JESUS! Jesus is the answer to all of life's questions.
Lamentations 4
Lamentations 4
O daughter of Zion, your punishment will end; he will not prolong your exile OR O daughter of Edom, he will punish your sin and expose your wickedness. We get to choose! Zion is foolish and stubborn, but they love God and for that they will go through seasons of discipline, but He will not prolong it forever. Edom is just plain against God...won't even budge one bit and thus they will go through punishment forever and ever. Which one are we? Because as I read this chapter my stomach just turns for what Jeremiah had to see with his own eyes and makes me want to strive harder and better. It makes me want to die to my selfish desires. It makes me want to worship Him faithfully for His abundant love and grace. Wow, wow, wow! This chapter is too much. Let's surrender to Jesus daily!
"If God be a Father, then I infer that whatever he does to his children, is in love." Thomas Watson
O daughter of Zion, your punishment will end; he will not prolong your exile OR O daughter of Edom, he will punish your sin and expose your wickedness. We get to choose! Zion is foolish and stubborn, but they love God and for that they will go through seasons of discipline, but He will not prolong it forever. Edom is just plain against God...won't even budge one bit and thus they will go through punishment forever and ever. Which one are we? Because as I read this chapter my stomach just turns for what Jeremiah had to see with his own eyes and makes me want to strive harder and better. It makes me want to die to my selfish desires. It makes me want to worship Him faithfully for His abundant love and grace. Wow, wow, wow! This chapter is too much. Let's surrender to Jesus daily!
"If God be a Father, then I infer that whatever he does to his children, is in love." Thomas Watson
Saturday, November 26, 2016
Lamentations 3
Lamentations 3
Goodness gracious...what a chapter! Can you imagine having God tell you that punishment is coming and then having to live in it? Can't you feel Jeremiah's pain? We really don't know what he is going through, but wow, through words we can feel it. When dark seasons come in our lives, which they will, we can find ourselves wondering what God is up to. We can ask questions. We can feel the pressure, but Jeremiah is deep with the Lord and is able to state some great words starting in v.21. He love will protect us. His compassion never fails. His mercies are new each morning. The Lord is my portion. I will wait for Him. The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to those who seek Him. It is good to wait on Him quietly (that's very tough). It is good to bear the yoke...because God is making something good! Seriously, embrace those words from Jeremiah. In the midst of his tears and agony, he still thinks on these good things. Paul tells us in Philippians 4:8 to think on such things. Meditate on these. Drink these in. Chew them up. Make them a part of your vocab. Those things are tough, God is greater still. Wow! I needed this chapter for my own personal life. I love how His Word is alive and active. Amen!
"Have Christ..always in view when you are reading the word of God, and this, like the star in the east, will guide you to the Messiah" - George Whitefield
Goodness gracious...what a chapter! Can you imagine having God tell you that punishment is coming and then having to live in it? Can't you feel Jeremiah's pain? We really don't know what he is going through, but wow, through words we can feel it. When dark seasons come in our lives, which they will, we can find ourselves wondering what God is up to. We can ask questions. We can feel the pressure, but Jeremiah is deep with the Lord and is able to state some great words starting in v.21. He love will protect us. His compassion never fails. His mercies are new each morning. The Lord is my portion. I will wait for Him. The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to those who seek Him. It is good to wait on Him quietly (that's very tough). It is good to bear the yoke...because God is making something good! Seriously, embrace those words from Jeremiah. In the midst of his tears and agony, he still thinks on these good things. Paul tells us in Philippians 4:8 to think on such things. Meditate on these. Drink these in. Chew them up. Make them a part of your vocab. Those things are tough, God is greater still. Wow! I needed this chapter for my own personal life. I love how His Word is alive and active. Amen!
"Have Christ..always in view when you are reading the word of God, and this, like the star in the east, will guide you to the Messiah" - George Whitefield
Friday, November 25, 2016
Golden Nuggets (Nov. 25)
Psalm 10 - I love David's deep relationship with God. He says what he needs to say to God and I love that respect and honor that He has for the Lord. Look at v.12 - "time to get up, God - get moving." In essence, David deeply knows the Lord and is saying, I know who You are and what You can do. I have been pleading with You to do it, so Lord, do it...get it going. Do you feel like ever saying that to God? If we are honest, the answer is YES! Keep falling in love and trusting Him regardless of your circumstances...a deep relationship can be honest and open like this. I think the Lord smiles to hear David say this because it is not a complaint...it is a prayer.
Acts 27 - Who is Paul? I love his courage and boldness. He had the gall to tell the people what to do and even spoke of everyone's safety. I got to thinking, what if one person would have gotten hurt on this shipwreck...would they accuse Paul? Would they have yelled at God? Nevertheless, Paul was sure of everyone's safety and many of them bought it...especially the one who was of importance on this ship. And not only did he provide for their safety, but he fed 276 people and they were full...I seriously love it when God shows up. God is ready to show up if we would just stand in the gap!!!
Ruth 2 - Ruth serves Naomi all day because of kindness. Boaz let's Ruth glean from his field because of kindness. I should write a book about kindness...haha. But let me share one insight that makes me want to fall out of my chair and give thanks to God for His faithfulness. Look up Joshua 2:10 - it says Rahab was saying, "we have HEARD how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt"...v.11 - "when we HEARD of it, our hearts melted! - Rahab heard! Now back to Ruth 2...look at v.11, Boaz says, "i've been told (I HEARD) all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of her husband and how you left your home to live with a people you did not know before." Rahab heard! Boaz heard! You ready for this? Guess who Boaz's mother is? Yep, it is Rahab the harlot. I think she might have taught her son the importance of listening to how God works! Do I listen? Do you listen? May we HEAR about God's faithfulness today and may it cause our hearts to grow deeper to Jesus! Or better yet, may someone else HEAR about how we love our God and how we worship Him...and may their hearts be drawn to Him because of our words and deeds.
Acts 27 - Who is Paul? I love his courage and boldness. He had the gall to tell the people what to do and even spoke of everyone's safety. I got to thinking, what if one person would have gotten hurt on this shipwreck...would they accuse Paul? Would they have yelled at God? Nevertheless, Paul was sure of everyone's safety and many of them bought it...especially the one who was of importance on this ship. And not only did he provide for their safety, but he fed 276 people and they were full...I seriously love it when God shows up. God is ready to show up if we would just stand in the gap!!!
Ruth 2 - Ruth serves Naomi all day because of kindness. Boaz let's Ruth glean from his field because of kindness. I should write a book about kindness...haha. But let me share one insight that makes me want to fall out of my chair and give thanks to God for His faithfulness. Look up Joshua 2:10 - it says Rahab was saying, "we have HEARD how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt"...v.11 - "when we HEARD of it, our hearts melted! - Rahab heard! Now back to Ruth 2...look at v.11, Boaz says, "i've been told (I HEARD) all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of her husband and how you left your home to live with a people you did not know before." Rahab heard! Boaz heard! You ready for this? Guess who Boaz's mother is? Yep, it is Rahab the harlot. I think she might have taught her son the importance of listening to how God works! Do I listen? Do you listen? May we HEAR about God's faithfulness today and may it cause our hearts to grow deeper to Jesus! Or better yet, may someone else HEAR about how we love our God and how we worship Him...and may their hearts be drawn to Him because of our words and deeds.
Lamentations 2
Lamentations 2
My eyes fail from weeping, I am in torment within, my heart is poured out on the ground because my people are destroyed, because children and infants faint in the streets of the city because of no food or drink." Can you even imagine? To have food in the cabinets everyday, even if it isn't your favorite, is a tremendous blessing. To sleep at night under a blanket, even if your mattress isn't the best, is a tremendous blessing. To live in a house, no matter the size, is a tremendous blessing. I don't know what this would be like for Jeremiah...but it makes me sad to hear him say that his heart is poured out on the ground...and if that is true about a sinful human being who happens to be a prophet...what do you think that says about God's sadness for His people. I can't even fathom the brokenness in His heart right now, but I can believe that LOVE is driving it...He has the last say over every individual life...He has the last say over anything at all. He just longs for their hearts to be His. He longs for our hearts to be His. Oh may we sit in Lamentations and understand the depth of brokenness because of Israel's desire to go chasing after other gods.
"The habit of celebrating the greatness & graciousness of God yields an endless flow of thankfulness, joy, & zeal." JI Packer
My eyes fail from weeping, I am in torment within, my heart is poured out on the ground because my people are destroyed, because children and infants faint in the streets of the city because of no food or drink." Can you even imagine? To have food in the cabinets everyday, even if it isn't your favorite, is a tremendous blessing. To sleep at night under a blanket, even if your mattress isn't the best, is a tremendous blessing. To live in a house, no matter the size, is a tremendous blessing. I don't know what this would be like for Jeremiah...but it makes me sad to hear him say that his heart is poured out on the ground...and if that is true about a sinful human being who happens to be a prophet...what do you think that says about God's sadness for His people. I can't even fathom the brokenness in His heart right now, but I can believe that LOVE is driving it...He has the last say over every individual life...He has the last say over anything at all. He just longs for their hearts to be His. He longs for our hearts to be His. Oh may we sit in Lamentations and understand the depth of brokenness because of Israel's desire to go chasing after other gods.
"The habit of celebrating the greatness & graciousness of God yields an endless flow of thankfulness, joy, & zeal." JI Packer
Thursday, November 24, 2016
Golden Nuggets (Nov. 24)
Psalm 7 - "You get us ready for life. You probe for our soft spots, you knock off our rough edges. And I am feeling so fit, so safe: made right, kept right. God in solemn honor does things right." (The Message) Ummm, wow. God cares about our hearts plain and simple. Our character is what He is shaping within each one of us. He is continually shaping and molding us to what He desired for us from the very beginning of time. It hurts and sometimes seems like a dark place, but we must trust that He is doing something good in us and through us. He is not wasting our time at all...now, we might be, but He is not. You see, He loves us so much that He keeps at it. If He didn't care this would be so much easier...but He does care and thus, there are seasons of trials in our lives. He is so good at making beauty from ashes and so be His. Embrace the seasons that He sends us through...He is knocking off the rough edges so that we are made right and kept right. Psalm 8 we could respond much like David when he says, "what am I that you are mindful of me," but the answer is that we are His. He made me. He made you. You and I are His so therefore He is very mindful of us always. Even at my worst season of life, He is very mindful of me. Amazing. You might want to stop at this moment and go watch John Piper's video called more loved than you imagined. Here is the link -
https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?fr=yset_chr_syc_oo&p=john+piper+sermon+jams#id=9&vid=b0790b61c20b554d491467e6edddb3de&action=view
Psalm 9 - God is a safe-house for the battered. Listen, He doesn't have a safe-house for us to go to when we are battered, HE IS OUR SAFE-HOUSE. He is our sanctuary during bad times. Where do we turn when we are being battered? A friend? An addiction? To some form of chemical? We must turn to Jesus. And when we come to Jesus, we can relax and He is never sorry that we came! Because of this truth, it says that David writes this chapter of his life with a full heart. May we know that no matter what, we can always come to Jesus...and He welcomes us always. May we too have full hearts because of His faithfulness in our lives.
Jeremiah 35 - I am so sorry about referencing Jeremiah, but like I said earlier...as soon as I made a comment about not liking Jeremiah, Jesus made me swallow Jeremiah for my own personal journey. It is great stuff...it is just that we need the context to appreciate and embrace Jeremiah. Listen to this thought by Eugene Peterson about Jeremiah 35 - "how can people who are conditioned to a life of distractions and indulgences be moved to live at their best, to be artists of the everyday, to plunge into life and not loiter on the fringes?" And yet somehow we think that "religion" will save us. No! No! No! A critical relationship with Jesus is the only hope that we have...EVER! Why? Because He knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows we are broken and left to ourselves we will destroy anything that is good...so He came down. He took on flesh. He moved into our neighborhood. So He says to you and I, come close and I will handle you and your stuff. We have a Father who has a huge desire for us to live in total relationship with Him. You know that He has set us apart for a life of love. Why don't we do it? Lazy! I am lazy! You are lazy! We want it to come easy...but that is exactly how Satan wants us to live. No! May we be diligent and hard workers in cultivating a healthy relationship with Jesus....may we stop with the "religious" side of Christianity and go after the heart of Jesus.
Jeremiah 36 - I loved that Jeremiah, during the time of King Josiah, heard the book of Deuteronomy read outloud...and it stirred his heart, possibly he was 10 years old when he heard Deuteronomy. And when Jeremiah listened to Deuteronomy it created in His heart three key things: God's Faithfulness to His people; God's heart for His people; God's dreams and desires from His own. So Jeremiah lived it out and then eventually wrote about it...thus the book of Jeremiah. The book of Jeremiah is birthed from the book of Deuteronomy. King Josiah honored Deuteronomy and it led to a revival in Jerusalem, but then 17 years later, King Jehoiakim (Josiah's son) burns the scroll containing God's Words. So will we lift up the Word of God like Josiah that leads to revival or will we set aside the Word of God (burn it) like Johoiakim that leads to captivity and destruction? Oh, may the Word of the Lord be our life...may we know the living God because of what He has given us.
Jeremiah 37-38 - interesting event takes place in this chapter... All of sudden I had a new vision...this chapter is played out years later with Jesus and Pilate. We have Jeremiah who is serving the Lord faithfully and yet, being treated as a criminal. We have Jesus who is serving the Lord faithfully and yet, being treated as a criminal. So Jeremiah is taken before Zedikiah who hands him over to be punished. So Jesus is taken before Pilate who hands Him over to be punished. But there is a third person in this story of Jeremiah, his name is Ebed-Melech (a foreign eunich..what???) Ebed-Melech rescues Jeremiah. But there is a third person in the story of Jesus, His name is the Holy Spirit and He rescues Jesus from death. Here is where our story is better than Jeremiah's...Ebed-Melech eventually dies. The Holy Spirit, never dies. He lives in us...today and tomorrow and forever. Be alive friends because we are alive in Jesus.
Acts 24 - Paul says, I serve and worship the same God our ancestors served...I embrace the Scriptures. I live hopeful that God will raise me from death and give me eternal life. Ummm, couldn't we agree with each word of Paul? I serve and worship the same God that Abraham, Moses, Joseph, David served...I seek the Scriptures that Moses, David, John, Peter wrote. I live hopeful to hear the words, well done good and faithful servant, welcome home. Keep at it friends.
Acts 25-26. I love the courage of Paul to speak so boldly about his Jesus. The only way that Paul could be so brave and courageous is that he knew Jesus intimately and he was prayed up. I think, those two things should be very important to each one of us. Because Jesus intimately would say to us much like He did to Paul, "why do you go against the grain...I've handpicked you to be a servant (like Jesus) and witness (for Jesus) today" (Acts 26 - The Message). Because I have handpicked you...I will show you how...YOU FOLLOW ME!
Judges 20-21 - I really don't know what to do with Judges. But here are two things I observed from these final two chapters! Am I my own authority? Or is God my authority? I sadly have to answer truthfully, most times I am my own authority and because that is true, that means that I don't need God at that moment. This pretty well sums up the book of Judges. What I thought was interesting is that in Judges 20, they consult the Ark of the Covenant, but guess what? The Ark of the Covenant has not been mentioned any other time in Judges in this context which ultimately means, they consulted the Lord very little if at all. Why? Because they were their own authority...and when we are our own authority, we don't seek the Lord as we should. Boy, that was painful to encounter this morning in my reading and just as painful to type it out now. Uggh. Lord have mercy on me as sinner!
Ruth 1 - Less than a year ago, I taught on Ruth and it might have been one of the best teaching times of my life. That book has impacted my life greatly. One lesson I gained from Ruth is that kindness can literally change a nation. As you open up to chapter 1, you read in Judges 21 that people did whatever they wanted to in their own eyes. As you close up Ruth 4, you read how Naomi is holding in her arms, David's grandpa...David was the greatest king to serve Israel. From David came revival, peace, and Jesus. A nation was changed because of Ruth's kindness to Naomi in the season of death. A Moabite woman (Moabites came from when two daughters slept with their drunken father Genesis 19) who knew very little of God, if any...she might have picked up on God's faithfulness from Naomi and her husband. But the most unlikely character comes into play and shows us what kindness and true love looks like. Oh, I am so glad that God opened my eyes to Ruth...powerful book. Nothing is impossible for God. NOTHING!
https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?fr=yset_chr_syc_oo&p=john+piper+sermon+jams#id=9&vid=b0790b61c20b554d491467e6edddb3de&action=view
Psalm 9 - God is a safe-house for the battered. Listen, He doesn't have a safe-house for us to go to when we are battered, HE IS OUR SAFE-HOUSE. He is our sanctuary during bad times. Where do we turn when we are being battered? A friend? An addiction? To some form of chemical? We must turn to Jesus. And when we come to Jesus, we can relax and He is never sorry that we came! Because of this truth, it says that David writes this chapter of his life with a full heart. May we know that no matter what, we can always come to Jesus...and He welcomes us always. May we too have full hearts because of His faithfulness in our lives.
Jeremiah 35 - I am so sorry about referencing Jeremiah, but like I said earlier...as soon as I made a comment about not liking Jeremiah, Jesus made me swallow Jeremiah for my own personal journey. It is great stuff...it is just that we need the context to appreciate and embrace Jeremiah. Listen to this thought by Eugene Peterson about Jeremiah 35 - "how can people who are conditioned to a life of distractions and indulgences be moved to live at their best, to be artists of the everyday, to plunge into life and not loiter on the fringes?" And yet somehow we think that "religion" will save us. No! No! No! A critical relationship with Jesus is the only hope that we have...EVER! Why? Because He knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows we are broken and left to ourselves we will destroy anything that is good...so He came down. He took on flesh. He moved into our neighborhood. So He says to you and I, come close and I will handle you and your stuff. We have a Father who has a huge desire for us to live in total relationship with Him. You know that He has set us apart for a life of love. Why don't we do it? Lazy! I am lazy! You are lazy! We want it to come easy...but that is exactly how Satan wants us to live. No! May we be diligent and hard workers in cultivating a healthy relationship with Jesus....may we stop with the "religious" side of Christianity and go after the heart of Jesus.
Jeremiah 36 - I loved that Jeremiah, during the time of King Josiah, heard the book of Deuteronomy read outloud...and it stirred his heart, possibly he was 10 years old when he heard Deuteronomy. And when Jeremiah listened to Deuteronomy it created in His heart three key things: God's Faithfulness to His people; God's heart for His people; God's dreams and desires from His own. So Jeremiah lived it out and then eventually wrote about it...thus the book of Jeremiah. The book of Jeremiah is birthed from the book of Deuteronomy. King Josiah honored Deuteronomy and it led to a revival in Jerusalem, but then 17 years later, King Jehoiakim (Josiah's son) burns the scroll containing God's Words. So will we lift up the Word of God like Josiah that leads to revival or will we set aside the Word of God (burn it) like Johoiakim that leads to captivity and destruction? Oh, may the Word of the Lord be our life...may we know the living God because of what He has given us.
Jeremiah 37-38 - interesting event takes place in this chapter... All of sudden I had a new vision...this chapter is played out years later with Jesus and Pilate. We have Jeremiah who is serving the Lord faithfully and yet, being treated as a criminal. We have Jesus who is serving the Lord faithfully and yet, being treated as a criminal. So Jeremiah is taken before Zedikiah who hands him over to be punished. So Jesus is taken before Pilate who hands Him over to be punished. But there is a third person in this story of Jeremiah, his name is Ebed-Melech (a foreign eunich..what???) Ebed-Melech rescues Jeremiah. But there is a third person in the story of Jesus, His name is the Holy Spirit and He rescues Jesus from death. Here is where our story is better than Jeremiah's...Ebed-Melech eventually dies. The Holy Spirit, never dies. He lives in us...today and tomorrow and forever. Be alive friends because we are alive in Jesus.
Acts 24 - Paul says, I serve and worship the same God our ancestors served...I embrace the Scriptures. I live hopeful that God will raise me from death and give me eternal life. Ummm, couldn't we agree with each word of Paul? I serve and worship the same God that Abraham, Moses, Joseph, David served...I seek the Scriptures that Moses, David, John, Peter wrote. I live hopeful to hear the words, well done good and faithful servant, welcome home. Keep at it friends.
Acts 25-26. I love the courage of Paul to speak so boldly about his Jesus. The only way that Paul could be so brave and courageous is that he knew Jesus intimately and he was prayed up. I think, those two things should be very important to each one of us. Because Jesus intimately would say to us much like He did to Paul, "why do you go against the grain...I've handpicked you to be a servant (like Jesus) and witness (for Jesus) today" (Acts 26 - The Message). Because I have handpicked you...I will show you how...YOU FOLLOW ME!
Judges 20-21 - I really don't know what to do with Judges. But here are two things I observed from these final two chapters! Am I my own authority? Or is God my authority? I sadly have to answer truthfully, most times I am my own authority and because that is true, that means that I don't need God at that moment. This pretty well sums up the book of Judges. What I thought was interesting is that in Judges 20, they consult the Ark of the Covenant, but guess what? The Ark of the Covenant has not been mentioned any other time in Judges in this context which ultimately means, they consulted the Lord very little if at all. Why? Because they were their own authority...and when we are our own authority, we don't seek the Lord as we should. Boy, that was painful to encounter this morning in my reading and just as painful to type it out now. Uggh. Lord have mercy on me as sinner!
Ruth 1 - Less than a year ago, I taught on Ruth and it might have been one of the best teaching times of my life. That book has impacted my life greatly. One lesson I gained from Ruth is that kindness can literally change a nation. As you open up to chapter 1, you read in Judges 21 that people did whatever they wanted to in their own eyes. As you close up Ruth 4, you read how Naomi is holding in her arms, David's grandpa...David was the greatest king to serve Israel. From David came revival, peace, and Jesus. A nation was changed because of Ruth's kindness to Naomi in the season of death. A Moabite woman (Moabites came from when two daughters slept with their drunken father Genesis 19) who knew very little of God, if any...she might have picked up on God's faithfulness from Naomi and her husband. But the most unlikely character comes into play and shows us what kindness and true love looks like. Oh, I am so glad that God opened my eyes to Ruth...powerful book. Nothing is impossible for God. NOTHING!
Lamentations 1
Lamentations 1
One of the hardest seasons of my life was around the ages 17-19. It was at this time that I walked in the ways of people who I thought were my friends. This is the crowd I wanted to fit in with and thus, I begin to do the things they were a part of. I knew I shouldn't do it, but I did because I wanted to fit in and be accepted. I hate those years to be honest with you. Uggh! How many of those people are my friends today? 0! Then there was one kid, a preacher's son who I loved and enjoyed being around, who pushed me to be a better person. In a sense, he was pushing me to Jesus, but I didn't know it at the time. I owe the Lord a big thanks for Rob. I thought about all that while reading Lamentations 1 today. Jeremiah wrote, "bitterly she weeps at night tears are upon her cheeks. Among all her lovers there is none to comfort her. All her friends have betrayed her; they have become her enemies." God's people went after "lovers," those who represented anything other than the Lord. And when time came for punishment, none of the other "lovers" were around to "help" Israel. When I was at my lowest point at that age, none of my friends were ever there to carry the burden with me except for Rob. True friendship is when one person is pushing the other person to a closer walk with Jesus. The Israelites were deceived to go after "lovers" and ended up empty handed and in a foreign land. What is amazing about all this is that the Lord revealed all this to Jeremiah who in return warned the people of all this, but they didn't listen and even though Jeremiah knew it was coming...it was way too much for him to bear. Thus, he wept a lot for his people and for their rebellious ways. And yet...yet...yet, God's faithfulness is still on displayed in this book and in the 70 years that God's people suffered captivity. God's hand was upon me even in my bad stage and today, I am grateful to know His grace and mercy deeply. Amen!
"There is a Grand Canyon of difference between reputation & character; popularity isn't always a guarantee of spirituality." -Warren Wiersbe
One of the hardest seasons of my life was around the ages 17-19. It was at this time that I walked in the ways of people who I thought were my friends. This is the crowd I wanted to fit in with and thus, I begin to do the things they were a part of. I knew I shouldn't do it, but I did because I wanted to fit in and be accepted. I hate those years to be honest with you. Uggh! How many of those people are my friends today? 0! Then there was one kid, a preacher's son who I loved and enjoyed being around, who pushed me to be a better person. In a sense, he was pushing me to Jesus, but I didn't know it at the time. I owe the Lord a big thanks for Rob. I thought about all that while reading Lamentations 1 today. Jeremiah wrote, "bitterly she weeps at night tears are upon her cheeks. Among all her lovers there is none to comfort her. All her friends have betrayed her; they have become her enemies." God's people went after "lovers," those who represented anything other than the Lord. And when time came for punishment, none of the other "lovers" were around to "help" Israel. When I was at my lowest point at that age, none of my friends were ever there to carry the burden with me except for Rob. True friendship is when one person is pushing the other person to a closer walk with Jesus. The Israelites were deceived to go after "lovers" and ended up empty handed and in a foreign land. What is amazing about all this is that the Lord revealed all this to Jeremiah who in return warned the people of all this, but they didn't listen and even though Jeremiah knew it was coming...it was way too much for him to bear. Thus, he wept a lot for his people and for their rebellious ways. And yet...yet...yet, God's faithfulness is still on displayed in this book and in the 70 years that God's people suffered captivity. God's hand was upon me even in my bad stage and today, I am grateful to know His grace and mercy deeply. Amen!
"There is a Grand Canyon of difference between reputation & character; popularity isn't always a guarantee of spirituality." -Warren Wiersbe
Tuesday, November 22, 2016
Jeremiah 52
Jeremiah 52
So all the warnings of Jerusalem and the Temple being destroyed came true...not a favorite prophecy fulfilled, but it was something that God said would happen...and it did. Jeremiah was criticized for speaking such words to the people, but they thought there is no way that this would happen, thus they continued to walk in their arrogant ways and now they are walking as captives to a foreign land 800 miles from Jerusalem. I am sure that was the hardest and saddest walks of their lives. Some of them would never see sacred Jerusalem ever again. The Word of the Lord was fulfilled. Isn't it crazy to figure out how God works? Habakkuk confessed that there was no way that God would do something like this, that He was too holy...but God is not controlled by men..EVER! It is His story and so this is what He decided to do and He did it.
Here is what strikes me though. God's love for His stubborn people has not changed at all. Even though they are being led to captivity, He is with them. He still gives them instructions (Jeremiah 29) on how they can still worship Him and who knows what people in Babylon were impacted by some of the Israelite's attitudes. Think about our lives today and how our behavior can impact someone around us. We may feel like we are in some "captivity" ourselves, but take heart friends, nothing can separate us from the love of God. It is constant and unchanging. He loves us today just as much as He did yesterday. He will love us tomorrow just as much as He did today, even if I blow it big-time. Thus, I hope that my attitude is strong enough at my weakest moments that people see my worship of Him and are drawn to Him. Why? Because He is faithful, loving, and good. Now, we will jump into Lamentations starting tomorrow.
So all the warnings of Jerusalem and the Temple being destroyed came true...not a favorite prophecy fulfilled, but it was something that God said would happen...and it did. Jeremiah was criticized for speaking such words to the people, but they thought there is no way that this would happen, thus they continued to walk in their arrogant ways and now they are walking as captives to a foreign land 800 miles from Jerusalem. I am sure that was the hardest and saddest walks of their lives. Some of them would never see sacred Jerusalem ever again. The Word of the Lord was fulfilled. Isn't it crazy to figure out how God works? Habakkuk confessed that there was no way that God would do something like this, that He was too holy...but God is not controlled by men..EVER! It is His story and so this is what He decided to do and He did it.
Here is what strikes me though. God's love for His stubborn people has not changed at all. Even though they are being led to captivity, He is with them. He still gives them instructions (Jeremiah 29) on how they can still worship Him and who knows what people in Babylon were impacted by some of the Israelite's attitudes. Think about our lives today and how our behavior can impact someone around us. We may feel like we are in some "captivity" ourselves, but take heart friends, nothing can separate us from the love of God. It is constant and unchanging. He loves us today just as much as He did yesterday. He will love us tomorrow just as much as He did today, even if I blow it big-time. Thus, I hope that my attitude is strong enough at my weakest moments that people see my worship of Him and are drawn to Him. Why? Because He is faithful, loving, and good. Now, we will jump into Lamentations starting tomorrow.
"Believer, when you are on your knees, remember you are going to a king. Let your petitions be large". - Charles Spurgeon
Monday, November 21, 2016
Jeremiah 51
Jeremiah 51
Here is the God that you and I get to worship...listen to this - "He made the earth by His power; He founded the world by His Wisdom and stretched out the heavens by His understanding. When He thunders, the waters in the heavens roar; He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth. He sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from His storehouses." Yes, that is the God who wants to be with you...today! He longs for nothing else but for you and I to be with HIM...come on! That is amazing. And not only that but He wants us to use His power for His Glory. He wants us to have His Wisdom for His Glory. He wants us to understand His heart for His Glory. He is inviting us to sit at the table and soak in His Presence...please do so today, it really is the only true thing we have today. Speaking of the last part of this passage, go watch this video from my all-time fav...Andrew Peterson. The God who brings in the storm is also the same God who pushes the storm away
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfE9A3kqNww
listen especially at 1:10...great song.
"All my work will be worship today, hence sacred." - E. Stanley Jones
Be constantly aware of His Presence today...amen.
Here is the God that you and I get to worship...listen to this - "He made the earth by His power; He founded the world by His Wisdom and stretched out the heavens by His understanding. When He thunders, the waters in the heavens roar; He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth. He sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from His storehouses." Yes, that is the God who wants to be with you...today! He longs for nothing else but for you and I to be with HIM...come on! That is amazing. And not only that but He wants us to use His power for His Glory. He wants us to have His Wisdom for His Glory. He wants us to understand His heart for His Glory. He is inviting us to sit at the table and soak in His Presence...please do so today, it really is the only true thing we have today. Speaking of the last part of this passage, go watch this video from my all-time fav...Andrew Peterson. The God who brings in the storm is also the same God who pushes the storm away
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfE9A3kqNww
listen especially at 1:10...great song.
"All my work will be worship today, hence sacred." - E. Stanley Jones
Be constantly aware of His Presence today...amen.
Sunday, November 20, 2016
Golden Nuggets (Nov. 20)
Psalm 1 - What are you chewing on today? Worry? Stress? Anxiety? Love? Compassion? Grace? Do we thrill to God's Word? Are we chewing on Scripture? One who chews on God's Word is like a tree REPLANTED in Eden (The Message). Eden! Walking in the garden with Jesus in the cool of the day...oh my goodness yes, that is what I want to chew on. What about you? The Psalmist says that we should chew on the Word day and night. All Scriptures points us to Jesus, so let's make sure that we are serious about being with the Lord in His Word...eating His delicious fruit.
Psalm 2 - Kiss Messiah (The Message) Of all the things that God offers us in His promises, nothing is greater than Jesus. May our truest desire be to kiss Messiah each and every day.
Jeremiah 33 - God's love is what drives His desire for us...whether that is discipline or grace...wrath or mercy...He truly loves us and wants what is best for us...even when it doesn't make sense.
Acts 22 - Paul's story is just utterly amazing. A man who was rising up the ladder in the religious world persecuting followers of Jesus to all of a sudden preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ and being a tent-maker. He truly is a man who went from riches to rags in our culture's sense of purpose, but in the Kingdom of God, Paul went from rags to riches and only for the Glory of Jesus Christ. Jesus says to Paul, "don't argue, I'm sending you...so go" and Paul did. Jesus looks at you and I today and says, "don't argue, I'm sending you...so go." So...go...and "I will be with you till the very end of the ages."
Judges 17-18 - Oh the danger for settling with religion over a relationship! In these two chapters we see religious people who think they have God by the tail at their own disposal, but a healthy relationship with the Lord reminds us that He doesn't even have a tail :). We can't control God no matter how "religious" we are. He won't be mocked. He is good but He is not safe and human "religion" will upset Him greatly and tragedy will arise from it. (17) Here is what I mean: we have a priest who is performing religious duties in a house...not in the Temple. Thus, this caused the nation to worship God not out of reverent obedience but for selfish gain, So cheap religion actually damaged a nation. Is our nation guilty of the same thing? (18) The answer to church or religion or anything for that matter is to desire to KISS MESSIAH. It is to sit at the feet of Jesus soaking in His fruit. It is not a checklist of things we have done, but rather a relationship in which we find ourselves falling more and more in love with Jesus. That is where we find purpose, hope, and true love!
May we long for more of Jesus and less of us!!!
Psalm 2 - Kiss Messiah (The Message) Of all the things that God offers us in His promises, nothing is greater than Jesus. May our truest desire be to kiss Messiah each and every day.
Jeremiah 33 - God's love is what drives His desire for us...whether that is discipline or grace...wrath or mercy...He truly loves us and wants what is best for us...even when it doesn't make sense.
Acts 22 - Paul's story is just utterly amazing. A man who was rising up the ladder in the religious world persecuting followers of Jesus to all of a sudden preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ and being a tent-maker. He truly is a man who went from riches to rags in our culture's sense of purpose, but in the Kingdom of God, Paul went from rags to riches and only for the Glory of Jesus Christ. Jesus says to Paul, "don't argue, I'm sending you...so go" and Paul did. Jesus looks at you and I today and says, "don't argue, I'm sending you...so go." So...go...and "I will be with you till the very end of the ages."
Judges 17-18 - Oh the danger for settling with religion over a relationship! In these two chapters we see religious people who think they have God by the tail at their own disposal, but a healthy relationship with the Lord reminds us that He doesn't even have a tail :). We can't control God no matter how "religious" we are. He won't be mocked. He is good but He is not safe and human "religion" will upset Him greatly and tragedy will arise from it. (17) Here is what I mean: we have a priest who is performing religious duties in a house...not in the Temple. Thus, this caused the nation to worship God not out of reverent obedience but for selfish gain, So cheap religion actually damaged a nation. Is our nation guilty of the same thing? (18) The answer to church or religion or anything for that matter is to desire to KISS MESSIAH. It is to sit at the feet of Jesus soaking in His fruit. It is not a checklist of things we have done, but rather a relationship in which we find ourselves falling more and more in love with Jesus. That is where we find purpose, hope, and true love!
May we long for more of Jesus and less of us!!!
Jeremiah 50
Jeremiah 50
Finally some good news!!! The people of Israel will seek the Lord their God...they will ask the way to Zion and turn their faces toward it. Then they will come and bind themselves to the Lord. Amen. And Babylon will be destroyed...reminding all that God can and will use whatever means He has too in order for us to worship Him. He used Babylon to discipline the Israelites, which Habakkuk says that there was no way that a Holy God like Him could do that, but God is God and we are not. And He did use them, only to remind us that He is also over them. Thus, God is over all things. ALL. So let's just make a decision right now to turn our faces to Jesus. Let's come to Jesus and bind ourselves to Him...no matter what. My kids have me listening to christian rap...haha, but there is a song about persecution by a guy named Flame...Flame. But at the end of the song are two great lines:
"no matter how we are suffering, no matter how we are persecuted...our identity is not based on what is happening to us right now. Our identity is seated at the right hand of God and He is feeling just fine. He has promised us in the short term - The Cross on our backs; He has promised us in the long term - The Crown of life" Let's bind ourselves to Jesus!
"By inward trials I trust my divine master will prepare me for his future mercies." George Whitefield
Finally some good news!!! The people of Israel will seek the Lord their God...they will ask the way to Zion and turn their faces toward it. Then they will come and bind themselves to the Lord. Amen. And Babylon will be destroyed...reminding all that God can and will use whatever means He has too in order for us to worship Him. He used Babylon to discipline the Israelites, which Habakkuk says that there was no way that a Holy God like Him could do that, but God is God and we are not. And He did use them, only to remind us that He is also over them. Thus, God is over all things. ALL. So let's just make a decision right now to turn our faces to Jesus. Let's come to Jesus and bind ourselves to Him...no matter what. My kids have me listening to christian rap...haha, but there is a song about persecution by a guy named Flame...Flame. But at the end of the song are two great lines:
"no matter how we are suffering, no matter how we are persecuted...our identity is not based on what is happening to us right now. Our identity is seated at the right hand of God and He is feeling just fine. He has promised us in the short term - The Cross on our backs; He has promised us in the long term - The Crown of life" Let's bind ourselves to Jesus!
"By inward trials I trust my divine master will prepare me for his future mercies." George Whitefield
Saturday, November 19, 2016
Golden Nuggets
From time to time, I will share added bonus features of what I will call Golden Nuggets. These are insights that I have been wrestling with in my Scripture reading. I have been following a reading plan by one of my heroes, Robert Murray McCheyne. He has really been a huge friend for me with his writing and he would read from 4 books of the Bible daily...It is quite a chunk to read, but my goodness it has been good. So instead of back tracking, I am just going to pick up where I am in my journal. Enjoy or ignore!
Mark 15 - Three main characters stand out to me in this chapter. 1. Barabbas - He is a guilty criminal who gets off free because the people wanted an innocent man crucified in his place...that man being Jesus. And why is Jesus crucified? MY SINS! So guess who I am? I am totally Barabbas. I deserved the cross and I get freedom instead because of Jesus. GRACE. 2. Simon of Cyrene. A man who just happens to be with his son watching Jesus walk to the place of death, but quickly is grabbed by the soldiers to carry Jesus' Cross...guess who I am? A man who has been invited to carry the Cross of Jesus daily. Easy? Ummm, No. Painful? Ummm, Yes. Worth it? Ummm, For eternity! May I worship Jesus fully each day by denying myself and following Him. 3. Joseph of Arimathea - He simply gave up his family "gravestone" to let Jesus be buried there instead. It actually was a very costly gift, but what is costly for Jesus? Joseph was pleased to honor the dead body of Jesus...may I be like Joseph today by being pleased to honor the Living Presence of Jesus in my life. You know, Jesus isn't dead...He is alive and may He be fully alive in me!
I will spare you my Jeremiah thoughts, since you can go back through previous blogs and see what I have written, but boy oh boy has Jeremiah 29-31 blessed me like crazy. Shew! Great stuff.
Acts 20 - it states in the text that instead of sailing with his companions to the next city, Paul wanted to walk there...interesting. Never caught that before in reading Acts. Why did he want to walk? How far was it? Did he walk with anyone else? I think he had some amazing times just taking a walk and in life, we just need to take a walk don't we? I love it...wonder what was going on in Paul's life at this moment that it would be pointed out that he decided to walk? But let me tell you what was before him in Jerusalem...his cup of suffering! And yet he says "that matters little to me, what matters most is that I finish the job that God sent me to do" and that is simply to tell others about Jesus...about Jesus' extravengent generosity!!! Was the walk an awesome time of relaxing and getting some more Jesus talk in before suffering in Jerusalem? Was the walk an awesome time of worship as he sets his face to Jesus asking for strength for whatever awaited him? I don't know but how amazing for Paul to obey the voice of Jesus (Acts 21) instead of the voice of "good wisdom" from friends. Obedience is better than sacrifice even if it means you are the one who is going to be "sacrificed" at the hands of religious leaders. Paul had his eyes on Jesus and so shall we!
Samson in Judges is a unique being. I will say this, there are moments when God will say that is enough! He does so with Samson and thus, Samson is almost destroyed because of his selfish pride and human strength...but he calls out to this amazing grace-filled God and God uses him one more time to wipe out the enemy. Samson reminds me that my life is messy, but that God is not done writing my story either. But I have a choice...I could be focused on me and my "stuff" or I can die and focus on Jesus! You have that choice as well my friends...let's honor the Lord.
now go over to you tube and type in Judah Smith Barabbas for one of my fav videos ever...it will put a lump in your throat.
Mark 15 - Three main characters stand out to me in this chapter. 1. Barabbas - He is a guilty criminal who gets off free because the people wanted an innocent man crucified in his place...that man being Jesus. And why is Jesus crucified? MY SINS! So guess who I am? I am totally Barabbas. I deserved the cross and I get freedom instead because of Jesus. GRACE. 2. Simon of Cyrene. A man who just happens to be with his son watching Jesus walk to the place of death, but quickly is grabbed by the soldiers to carry Jesus' Cross...guess who I am? A man who has been invited to carry the Cross of Jesus daily. Easy? Ummm, No. Painful? Ummm, Yes. Worth it? Ummm, For eternity! May I worship Jesus fully each day by denying myself and following Him. 3. Joseph of Arimathea - He simply gave up his family "gravestone" to let Jesus be buried there instead. It actually was a very costly gift, but what is costly for Jesus? Joseph was pleased to honor the dead body of Jesus...may I be like Joseph today by being pleased to honor the Living Presence of Jesus in my life. You know, Jesus isn't dead...He is alive and may He be fully alive in me!
I will spare you my Jeremiah thoughts, since you can go back through previous blogs and see what I have written, but boy oh boy has Jeremiah 29-31 blessed me like crazy. Shew! Great stuff.
Acts 20 - it states in the text that instead of sailing with his companions to the next city, Paul wanted to walk there...interesting. Never caught that before in reading Acts. Why did he want to walk? How far was it? Did he walk with anyone else? I think he had some amazing times just taking a walk and in life, we just need to take a walk don't we? I love it...wonder what was going on in Paul's life at this moment that it would be pointed out that he decided to walk? But let me tell you what was before him in Jerusalem...his cup of suffering! And yet he says "that matters little to me, what matters most is that I finish the job that God sent me to do" and that is simply to tell others about Jesus...about Jesus' extravengent generosity!!! Was the walk an awesome time of relaxing and getting some more Jesus talk in before suffering in Jerusalem? Was the walk an awesome time of worship as he sets his face to Jesus asking for strength for whatever awaited him? I don't know but how amazing for Paul to obey the voice of Jesus (Acts 21) instead of the voice of "good wisdom" from friends. Obedience is better than sacrifice even if it means you are the one who is going to be "sacrificed" at the hands of religious leaders. Paul had his eyes on Jesus and so shall we!
Samson in Judges is a unique being. I will say this, there are moments when God will say that is enough! He does so with Samson and thus, Samson is almost destroyed because of his selfish pride and human strength...but he calls out to this amazing grace-filled God and God uses him one more time to wipe out the enemy. Samson reminds me that my life is messy, but that God is not done writing my story either. But I have a choice...I could be focused on me and my "stuff" or I can die and focus on Jesus! You have that choice as well my friends...let's honor the Lord.
now go over to you tube and type in Judah Smith Barabbas for one of my fav videos ever...it will put a lump in your throat.
Jeremiah 49
Guess who is back? My mom has prompted me to get to writing again. It has been a unique transition with getting adjusted to a new life at Chick-fil-a, but I have been studying God's Word more than I ever have been and I am happy to share with you all what I think God is laying on my heart. I am sorry about the quietness, but I am sure that you all understand!
And what makes all this funny is that I have been having a hard time getting through Jeremiah and yet guess what I have been studying on my own? The life of Jeremiah...haha. It is funny what God will lead you too. So let's finish up Jeremiah shall we with some extra thoughts.
Let's recap Jeremiah, now that I have hung out with him. His ministry last 40 years with no fruit. He experienced a breath of fresh air at the age of 10, when King Josiah changed the focus of the people from idol worship to full-on worship with Yahweh God, but it didn't last long and thus, Jeremiah ministers in a season of evil. Like I said, his ministry bears not fruit and instead gets ignored, made fun of, and thrown into prison...but he stays faithful to what God called him to do...pretty cool. So in Jeremiah 49 he has to lay out toward all the nations their evil and their consequences. God desires that we desire Him and when we don't desire Him, we are chasing some other god...and with that comes problems. The Israelites show us the full measure of chasing after other gods and the problems they dealt with. We must learn from them or repeat what they experienced...I don't want to do that, do you? God gave us His new mercy this morning and I hope that we have lived it to the fullest and that we would do the same tomorrow. As I read this chapter, I am guilty, guilty, guilty and yet somehow I hear grace, grace, grace. Amen.
"The art of worship has been lost and in its place has come the strange and foreign thing called 'program' - AW Tozer
The next blog will have some bonus features.
Friday, October 21, 2016
Jeremiah 48
I can't believe the golden nugget buried in v.36...it breaks my heart to read it. God says, "my heart wails for Moab like flutes; my heart also wails like flutes for the men of Kir-heres." What? He is utterly disappointed and ticked off at them, and yet His heart wails for them. Wow. It reminds me of a story I heard years ago and I have been giving the credit to Abraham Joshua Heschel, although I am not sure if it is him or not, but the story goes that as Moses and the people crossed the Red Sea and successfully made it across and the Egyptians were crushed as God let the water go, Moses looked to God with a smile on his face just to see tears running down God's face...why Moses wondered, and God said, "those people, were my people too." God is love. He loves people, but He also protects people. And so even though Moab was a pagan nation with horrible practices, God loved them and wailed for them. He wanted even them to know His heart of love. He is like that with everyone and aren't we glad because at one time, we were enemies of His, but He loved even us so much that He came after us. I am so thankful that my heart and eyes were opened to His chasing me. Let's love people so that they may know of this same love that chases after them.
Do you aspire to great things? Begin with little ones. - Augustine
Do you aspire to great things? Begin with little ones. - Augustine
Thursday, October 20, 2016
Jeremiah 47
How much does the Lord love His people, the Israelites? He would use the enemy to discipline them, and yet He would make sport of the enemy once their job had been completed. It is sort of a crazy story, but the heartbeat of the Lord was for His people...always. And it hasn't changed today because He is the same yesterday, today, and forevermore...which simply means, He loves us so much that He will discipline us the way that He thinks best, but that He would pull us closer to His chest because of how much He loves us. Isn't that comforting really? In this chapter, He is going to let the Philistines have it because they have not played well with His people. He loves and protects us and He desires that we run to Him and not run toward the evil schemes. We just run to Him and He will take care of our business...that is beautiful to think about. Run to Jesus!
He that loves you with an infinite, unchanging love, is leading you by his Spirit and providence...Jesus knows your way. - Robert Murray McCheyne
He that loves you with an infinite, unchanging love, is leading you by his Spirit and providence...Jesus knows your way. - Robert Murray McCheyne
Wednesday, October 19, 2016
Jeremiah 46
O Jacob, My servant, do not fear, for see, I am going to save you from afar...for I am with you. For I will make a full end of all the nations where I have driven you, yet i will not make a full end of you; but I will correct you properly...and by no means leave you unpunished.
Someone who loves their kids know that punishment for the proper situation is critical. Love...true love disciplines. We discipline our kids because we love them and we want the best for them. Hebrews talks about a dad who loves his children will discipline them and that season is very short but it leads to our wholeness. Wow. How much more does God love us than our human fathers? God's love for us drives Him to discipline us to holiness. That's true love. So don't lose heart friends. If you aren't discipline, you are illegitimate sons and daughters. God says to the Israelites...I am going to discipline you...but it will be proper. I will save you for I am with you. In the end, it will be complete and perfect and right...just trust in me through this season. Amen.
There is no higher ministry, no more important office, than that of intercessor." -Harry Ironside.
Tuesday, October 18, 2016
Jeremiah 45
I am consumed with myself all day long, did you know that? I am! Uggh, but I am praying to be more consumed with the Lord than myself. I can tell if I have been in the Word or not, because early afternoon when I start getting a bit upset or self-focused, it is because I haven't spent time with the Lord. When I do start my mornings off in His Word, I notice a huge difference. I am able to chew and meditate on Him throughout the day instead of thinking about myself. I we want to be consumed with ourselves, we have that luxury, but we will be eventually torn down and uprooted...and those two words do not sound fun, do they? So let's allow ourselves to be moved by God...to be consumed with God. Let's start our morning tomorrow focused on His Word and start the day off that way. Don't seek anything else until you have first sought the Lord, that is what my goal is every day.
No one can love God until he surrenders to him" - E. Stanley Jones
No one can love God until he surrenders to him" - E. Stanley Jones
Jeremiah 45
I am consumed with myself all day long, did you know that? I am! Uggh, but I am praying to be more consumed with the Lord than myself. I can tell if I have been in the Word or not, because early afternoon when I start getting a bit upset or self-focused, it is because I haven't spent time with the Lord. When I do start my mornings off in His Word, I notice a huge difference. I am able to chew and meditate on Him throughout the day instead of thinking about myself. I we want to be consumed with ourselves, we have that luxury, but we will be eventually torn down and uprooted...and those two words do not sound fun, do they? So let's allow ourselves to be moved by God...to be consumed with God. Let's start our morning tomorrow focused on His Word and start the day off that way. Don't seek anything else until you have first sought the Lord, that is what my goal is every day.
No one can love God until he surrenders to him" - E. Stanley Jones
No one can love God until he surrenders to him" - E. Stanley Jones
Monday, October 17, 2016
Jeremiah 44
Uggh, this is tough to write something about :). I will be excited to move on from Jeremiah, someday...shew.
But the Lord desires our all. He doesn't want to be second, in fact, He won't stand to be second. He desires that we desire Him. Let's learn some valuable lessons from the Israelites who had a tendency to walk the other way from the Lord, which is something that I am very good at doing easily if I am not careful. God is a just God, which at times is hard to swallow, but His jealousy for us is not to be messed with. He loves us, He died for us, He chases after us...He is good and what He gives is good...why do we want anything else? Why, when we could have His living water, do we want to drink from another well? Oh the ugliness of sin and the brokenness in our hearts and yet, He...God, does not leave us. In fact, to deal with our sin and brokenness, He gave us Jesus. Redeemer! Healer! Savior! Our rescue has come! Look to Jesus friends...look to Jesus!!!
But the Lord desires our all. He doesn't want to be second, in fact, He won't stand to be second. He desires that we desire Him. Let's learn some valuable lessons from the Israelites who had a tendency to walk the other way from the Lord, which is something that I am very good at doing easily if I am not careful. God is a just God, which at times is hard to swallow, but His jealousy for us is not to be messed with. He loves us, He died for us, He chases after us...He is good and what He gives is good...why do we want anything else? Why, when we could have His living water, do we want to drink from another well? Oh the ugliness of sin and the brokenness in our hearts and yet, He...God, does not leave us. In fact, to deal with our sin and brokenness, He gave us Jesus. Redeemer! Healer! Savior! Our rescue has come! Look to Jesus friends...look to Jesus!!!
O that God would make me more lively and vigorous in grace, for his own glory! - David Brainerd
Sunday, October 16, 2016
Jeremiah 43
Man, talk about the anger of God ignited because of disobedience, you have it right here. Jeremiah is giving the Word of the Lord and they choose to ignore the Words and call Him a liar. Essentially, they were calling the Lord a liar and I am guessing that is not a good thing to do. And the anger of God is sparked and punishment comes upon the people. We deserve the same punishment and yet, yet...Jesus takes it for us. I am Johanan in this story and so are you and we deserve the sword, or captivity, or death and yet what we get is love, grace, mercy, and God's kindness. Wow. Thank you Jesus.
"the real labor is to remember, to attend. In fact, to come awake. Still more, to remain awake." CS Lewis
"the real labor is to remember, to attend. In fact, to come awake. Still more, to remain awake." CS Lewis
Wednesday, October 12, 2016
Jeremiah 42
The Lord's desire friends, is for Him to "build us up and not to tear us down...i will plant you and not uproot you." But i find this part very interesting: I will show you compassion so that he (the king) will have compassion on you and restore you to your land." You would think that God showing compassion on the king would result in the king having compassion on the people, but of course, doesn't always work that way, does it? No, compassion on the people is critical regardless of where the king lands in all this, but the Lord knowing all things knew exactly how this was going to play out...He always does :). But I love that the Lord has compassion on us regardless of where or what we are in! I like to think that if I were in the shoes of the Israelites, that knowing God's compassion was all over me would give me confidence...i would like to think, but the truth is His compassion is all over us. We are in the political world right now and there are so many conversations about president but all that matters is that His compassion is on us and thus, He can do whatever He would like with whichever President we get. We are talking about the king of Babylon here, probably worse than Hillary and Donald combine, but it didn't stop the Lord from working His power on His people. Are we any different? He's got this friends, so let's trust Him
Our LORD Jesus has destroyed the enemy's reigning power over us. He may worry us, but he cannot claim us as his own - Spurgeon
Our LORD Jesus has destroyed the enemy's reigning power over us. He may worry us, but he cannot claim us as his own - Spurgeon
Tuesday, October 11, 2016
Jeremiah 41
I can remember as a boy doing the ole fake cry so that my mom would stop spanking me. Then as she would leave the room, i would start to snicker to which that would unleash the beast and by the time she was done, I was wailing. My mom could whip. Ouch. The ole fake cry! How often do we pretend to be crying or aching when in reality, we are just putting someone on? Here we have a classic example in v. 6 in which they use the ole fake cry to pull people in and then Ishmael and his men wiped them out. Sad! It makes me wonder though, are we sincere in our brokenness before God or do we "fake cry"? Are we actually broken for our wrongs, or do we play the part for a bit? The people are so far from God in Jeremiah's time that this is the game they would play. And God finally said that is enough and they paid for it. Our foolishness is against us and yet God says, that is enough and He sent Jesus as the payment...what? That seems backwards. Or could it be that is what the Gospel is? My brokenness and foolishness is against me and God knows I can't do anything about it, so He gives me Jesus. Unreal. That causes me to be overwhelmed and yet sad, truly sad, because I don't deserve it at all. But His love for me could not be any more real than that. He loves us with such perfect love. No greater love than this, that a friend would lay down His life for us. Wow!
"If we will do God's work in God's way at God's time with God's power, we shall have God's blessing." -Leonard Ravenhill.
"If we will do God's work in God's way at God's time with God's power, we shall have God's blessing." -Leonard Ravenhill.
Friday, October 7, 2016
Jeremiah 40
What really is my desire? The Lord or my comfort? The Lord or my easy life? It really is a good question, and very fair question. Would we rather stay home in a land that is sweet, but headed for disaster, or go with the Lord to a place of barrenness, and yet to experience Him and His blessings? That's tough. If you are like me, you want to know how it is going to play out, but the Lord just looks at me and smiles and says, "you have to choose." Comfort or Him? Easy or Him? "but now, behold, i am freeing you today from the chains which are one your hands. If you would prefer to come with me to Babylon, come along, and I will look after you;" Babylon is going to be miserable, but it is where God's blessings are going to be. So...we choose God over everything, even when it doesn't make sense...because He wants us!
The storm has a bit in its mouth." - C.H. Spurgeon
The storm has a bit in its mouth." - C.H. Spurgeon
Tuesday, October 4, 2016
Jeremiah 39
I love that yesterday we read about the foreigner who took care of Jeremiah in his situation. Well, today, I am happy to state that the Lord was pleased with his actions, that the Lord decides to spare Ebed-melech from disaster. The Lord says to him, "for I will certainly rescue you, and you will not fall by the sword; but you will have your own life as booty, because you have trusted in Me." The Lord honors those who protects and has compassion on others. Again, compassion isn't just a feeling but it is a feeling that leads to action. We are reminded of great compassion by Ebed-melech and how the Lord honored him. How are we doing in the area of compassion and protecting the ones that the Lord has brought to our lives? May He be honored by us!!!
"where there is true grace, there is an insatiable desire for me." Andrew Bromhall
"where there is true grace, there is an insatiable desire for me." Andrew Bromhall
Monday, October 3, 2016
Jeremiah 38
I seriously love how God works! He never works the way that we think He will. Jeremiah is in a dungeon because of his prediction of what is going to happen to Jerusalem and how they will be captured. The news of Jeremiah's thoughts were not received well, so he was thrown in the dungeon maybe to die. But God is always on the move and uses a man by the name of Ebed-melech, an Ethiopian, to save him. He goes to the king and defends Jeremiah and states how the men poorly treated Jeremiah. The king then orders 30 men to go get Jeremiah out of the dungeon and into a prison court. How cool is that? A foreigner being used to save a man of God. Only God!!! I am one who deserves the dungeon to death. I am guilty for my wrongs and yet, only God can save me and He does by sending me a Savior who not only pulls me out of the pit, but allows Himself to be punished for my wrongs so that I could be set free. Only God!!! You are free friends...don't live in the dungeon anymore.
"But man cannot know, love, trust, or serve his Maker, unless he be renewed in the spirit of his mind." John Newton
"But man cannot know, love, trust, or serve his Maker, unless he be renewed in the spirit of his mind." John Newton
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