A Gentle Whisper

Good Morning,

1 Kings 19:11-13 (NIV)
The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by."
Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

I recently received a devotional from Sue McCullough in England. Here's her main point so succinctly put. "Like Elijah, we usually expect to see God in the figurative winds, earthquakes, and fires that hit our lives. Big highs and lows can speak clearly of God's working in and around us. But more often, God speaks in a gentle whisper."

Now, I've got to tell you these words have been a wake up call for me and have made me ask myself if I've been missing God's voice because I've been only looking for the "big stuff" that God is so easily capable of doing to speak to me. Then, It caused me to wonder if there aren't many like me who aren't hearing that "gentle whisper" when God speaks to us.

I know we're all familiar with the verse, "Be still, and know that I am God..." (Psalm 46:10) and another, "Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him..." (Psalm 37:7). We've heard these verses many times, I know, but maybe God is sort of whispering to us again today with these reminders of how He most often speaks and makes Himself known to us.

Here's the question that I've had to ask myself this morning, and the one that I'll pass along to you..."Am I (are we) listening?" Have we quieted ourselves enough before the Lord our God to hear His voice when it comes in that "gentle whisper" that we read of in today's verses? I'm ashamed to say that the answer for me is, more often than not, "No." I have to say that because I'm not taking the council of David in the Psalms and I'm just not quieting myself enough...or at least not often enough...to hear God when He might be speaking. (You know, I wish God weren't such a gentleman. I mean, I sort of wish He was more like some of the folks I've known who would just speak louder until I heard them!)

God isn't going to make an earthquake or storm or fire or some other huge natural disaster type of happening every time He wants to say something to us. Even something hugely important. Of course, that's not to say that He would NEVER use the big stuff to talk to us. But, to make the point again, because we probably need it sort of pounded into our brains, we need to be as the Psalmist so clearly pointed out..."Be still..." Then, in that still, quiet time, be patient and listen for His voice.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Luke 6:27-36

Good Morning,

Luke 6:27-36 (NIV)
"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.
"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."

I sometimes wish that all Scripture was easy to read and understand in my limited intelligence. I truly wish that I could easily live out all of the Scripture that I have read, and that I continue to read and struggle with. Today I am faced with just such a dilemma: Having difficulty being obedient to what I've read, even though I understand the words. You see, what I have difficulty in is understanding the Godly emotion and feeling that Jesus must have had when He said the words.

Now, I don't think that I'm some "Lone Ranger" out here all alone in this. Well, I know I'm not alone, of course, as this subject...that which we read in today's verses...has been discussed and even debated, well, probably pretty much since Jesus said the words.

So, let's look at this sort of point by point where we might have a bit of a challenge in not only obeying what Jesus said, but even agreeing with Him in His sentiments. Love your enemies; do good to those who hate you; bless those who curse you; pray for those who mistreat you; don't hit someone back if they strike you, but turn so they can strike you again; give more to someone who steals from you; don't ask back what someone may have taken; and, in these few verses the really, really difficult one for many people...give to everyone who asks you. All boiled down to, "Do to others as you would have them do to you."

Then, Jesus goes on to say a few more things we have difficulty with. Don't expect anything back if you loan it out; do good to enemies without expecting anything back. Finally, He says that we should be merciful, just as God is merciful.

OK, can we agree that we have a hard time being in total agreement with what Jesus said here? I don't think that any of us would get a great argument about that, do you? I would venture to say that pretty much ALL of us...every single one of us...has a bit of a hard time in doing all of what Jesus says we are to do in these verses.

Love my enemies? Surely not! It's more likely that I'd try to "get them back" for what they have done to me. Same with those who hate me and curse me and mistreat me. Turn my other cheek? I mean, He can't really expect that, can He? Give more to someone who is stealing from me? It's much closer to the truth that I'd do all possible to get back what's been stolen and then have that person prosecuted! Give to everyone...EVERYONE!...who asks? Even the guys with the signs on the side of the off ramps? Even all those "begging" letters that come in the mail? Now that, is almost impossible to do, isn't it?

Do those statements ring true to you? The certainly do to me...at least in part...and more at some times than at others. I'll admit here, in front of God and everyone, that I simply do NOT obey all that Jesus tells us in these verses. I'll also say that I don't believe I've ever met one human being who HAS been obedient to these words of the Savior. But, what I can say, and what I hope many of us can say, is that I sort of try to obey these commands from Jesus...at least some of them and at least some of the time.

I can sort of love my enemies. But, only if they haven't done some egregious and extremely damaging thing to me. Then it kind of becomes almost impossible. I can sometimes do good to those who might hate me, again, with some exceptions. I can pray for those who mistreat me...and I know I really need to be better at that; get that "hate" out of my heart and cry out to God in prayer for them. Turning the other cheek is a really tough one, though. It just seems so 'normal' to strike back at whatever has come against me. I really don't see me giving more to someone who has stolen from me. I say that, but there is one exception that I think I could do. That would be when that someone has taken something out of a true and real need, not just to line their pockets with money for selling that which they've stolen. This last thing I am much better at, as some of you might know. Give to those who ask? Well, I always have some single dollar bills with me in my car so that I can be obedient to what Jesus has said here about this. Do I ask where the money will go? No. That's not my business. That's God's business to take care of. Believe me, I went round and round on this one; arguing with God for a while until I believed that it was something I was supposed to do. However, I still don't give to all those who send me return address labels and such that I don't want and certainly didn't ask for. That is NOT the same, in my mind, as handing over a dollar or two to someone right in front of me.

Finally, and I know that this is long today...Hey! I just hold the pen, you know? "Do to others as you would have them do to you." THAT is something that we can truly strive for and is so much more easily attained, I think. Simply give a moment of thought as to what I'd like that person to do to and for me, and then turn it around and do it to and for him or her. Then, lest we forget, there IS reward that Jesus mentions if we obey His words here.

"Then your reward will be great."

Sounds worth it to me.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Boasting?

Good Morning,

OK, I've got an "excuse"...(I hope it is really a reason!) for being absent yesterday. Stayed late Friday night at our Small Group and then had to get up fairly early yesterday, Saturday, to volunteer at Angel Foods Ministry. Oh, my! It was a long, but rewarding and happy day. Point being, I never got on the computer yesterday at all. I apologize. On to the business at hand....

Galatians 6:14 (NIV)
May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Paul sure had it right here, didn't he? I mean, look about and see what we have become. We are, truly, a boastful and bragging race, we human beings. Everything we look at any more seems to be boastful in some way. Well, accept, as Paul said, boasting in the cross of Jesus. We're sort of quiet about that.

It's actually getting sort of ridiculous, this boasting that we see going on pretty much constantly. You know, it's one thing to boast when there seems to be some reason for that boasting and braggadocio. Like, well, maybe winning something at an athletic event? Or, perhaps, getting a PHD or some other higher learning honor? Maybe being the best at your local Bridge Club? (Do people still play bridge???) Or, well, there's thousands of "reasons" (read excuses here) to boast if one might be the best at something or has accomplished the peak of some activity or action. OK, maybe we can agree with that...to a point. But, look at what's happened in the world today. We see people boasting about, what? Practically nothing! We see some athlete whose team is losing some event by an insurmountable score and yet this athlete boasts when he accomplishes some meaningless action in a losing cause. We observe people boasting when they've made a decent investment when, over the long haul, they've been constantly losing money on what they thought were "can't lose" investitures. It seems that just about everywhere we look we see "boasting" about something, and more often than not, it's really about nothing. At least nothing consequential.

We've lost the mind set of Paul in what he said in today's Scripture verse. Paul prayed that he would "never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." That, my friends, is something more than consequential and more than important to be boasting about. We should be shouting it from the rooftops! We should be boasting of our salvation at every move we make. We should boast at the top of our voices to any who might listen. THIS, God's plan of salvation; the cross of Jesus Christ; the forgiveness of sin; the hope of heaven...THIS is what should be boasted about.

Yes, we'll still boast about other things, I'm sure. After all, we are human beings with normal, human feelings and emotions. Of course, we'll boast about the achievements we've accomplished and those of our families. We'll not truly get around or away from that, I know. However, if we first boast about the cross and it's implications in people's lives, then I think we might be forgiven our meaningless boasting about our earthly activities. If we put first that which should be put first, then all else becomes, well, sort of meaningless...don't you think?

Let us remember to FIRST and foremost put the cross of Jesus first in all we think about, all we say, and all we do. That will be pleasing to God, of course, and uplifting to ourselves.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Suffering? Glory?

Good Morning,

Romans 8:18 (NIV)
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.
Romans 8:18 (AMP)
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time (this present life) are not worth being compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us and for us and conferred on us!

Just recently I had the opportunity and pleasure to have a discussion with a very good friend about heaven. You know, what it is, what it will be like, what we will find there, what we will have when we get there. Yes, one of those "light and airy" discussions! Just kidding about the light and airy part. The discussion has caused my mind to give more thought to what we might encounter once this life is over and we enter our true home, heaven. I've thought about all the hard and difficult times that we go through on this planet and during this physical life. I've tried to grasp some concept of the contrast between what we go through now and what we will have when this life is over.

Now, of course, God has gone and given me a Scripture verse that sort of puts my thoughts and feelings into another place. It's pretty simple really. So, here is what God says. There is NO comparison between the sufferings and tough times we experience in this human existence to the absolute glory that will be revealed in us when we enter God's presence in heaven.

I guess that's sort of says it all, doesn't it?

But, even knowing this, we still tend to gripe and complain...even over the small difficulties we suffer...way too much of the time. We give voice to our travails of life and the tribulations we are going through when, let's face it, we would be much better off focusing our minds and thoughts on the glory that will come. I mean, think about it for a moment. What is better to do? Concentrate on trouble? Think about glory that will come? Duh! Doesn't really seem to be that much of a choice, does it? So, why then do we act as we do and continue to give our minds over to our present day hardships and allow them to rule our lives? Seems to me that when we think about it this way, we really ought to be focusing on the glory that will come and that will be revealed in us.

Again, as I so often come to understand, we have a choice. Again, as we have often discussed, life is filled with choices...day by day, hour by hour, even minute by minute. So, here's another for us to consider. Let's choose correctly. It will lead to a better life in the here and now, for sure.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Rest

Good Morning,

Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Each time I see these verses I think of the many times when I've been weary in my heart and mind and burdened by something that's happening in my life. I think also of the many, many brothers and sisters in Christ who even today are equally, or even more so, burdened and weary this very day. My heart and prayers go out for all of us that we can do as Jesus has asked and turn to Him so that He can fulfill His promise to every one of us and give us His rest. He tells us here that HE is the answer when we're downtrodden and worn out by what's going on in and around us. Jesus said, "Come to me..." This, you see is the answer that we all seek.

He goes on to ask us to take yoke upon us and says that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. The burden of love, I think, and the yoke of serving God and the world. It really is easy, don't you think? Jesus' burden of love? It doesn't cost us anything, really, in a financial way to take on this Love of Jesus and show it to the world. Yes, there might be some emotional cost to us, but, well, as Jesus tells us, that yoke...the yoke of love...is easy and whatever cost in emotion is well worth it. And, His burden? The burden of serving one another? Oh, that should be so very, very light...especially if we are all willing to serve each other as He would do and as we know we're supposed to do. You see, there's an old and very wise saying that goes, "Many hands make light work." We can replace the word "work" with burden here, I think, and we would see that if we all serve, then the burden of serving becomes very light.

Jesus also reminds us that He is "gentle and humble in heart" in these verses. It's something that we all need to strive for and even work on in our own lives. Too many of us, too often (and I include myself here, of course) are anything but gentle and way too far removed from true humility. But, well, that's another message I think. Enough said that we know in our hearts and minds that we do, truly, need to be more like Jesus in the "gentle" and "humble" areas of our lives. I think we can all agree on that.

Are we weary today in some way? Are we burdened by something happening in our life? We have the answer. Just turn to Jesus and He will give us rest.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Luke 6

Good Morning,

This morning I thought that the Lord had given me a verse of Scripture to put here and to comment on. Then, as I try to do each day, I looked at that verse in the context of the whole chapter of that particular verse and when I did, it seemed clear to me that it what the CHAPTER of Scripture that God wanted us to see, not a single verse with remarks about it. So, I'm going to be obedient about it, at least I believe I'm being obedient, at I'm just going to send along the chapter that I read and that I believe God wants us ALL to see and read.

Luke 6 (NIV)
1One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels. 2Some of the Pharisees asked, "Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?"
3Jesus answered them, "Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4He entered the house of God, and taking the consecrated bread, he ate what is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions." 5Then Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."
6On another Sabbath he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled. 7The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. 8But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, "Get up and stand in front of everyone." So he got up and stood there.
9Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?"
10He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He did so, and his hand was completely restored. 11But they were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.
12One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. 13When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: 14Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, 15Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, 16Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
17He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coast of Tyre and Sidon, 18who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by evil spirits were cured, 19and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.
20Looking at his disciples, he said:
"Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God.
21Blessed are you who hunger now,
for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who weep now,
for you will laugh.
22Blessed are you when men hate you,
when they exclude you and insult you
and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.
23"Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets.
24"But woe to you who are rich,
for you have already received your comfort.
25Woe to you who are well fed now,
for you will go hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now,
for you will mourn and weep.
26Woe to you when all men speak well of you,
for that is how their fathers treated the false prophets.
27"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. 30Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31Do to others as you would have them do to you.
32"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. 33And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. 34And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. 35But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
37"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. 38Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
39He also told them this parable: "Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.
41"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 42How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
43"No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.
46"Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? 47I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. 48He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete."

There's a lot here, isnt't there? So much teaching and so much to be learned. Easily something in this chapter for each of us who reads these words each day, even something for every one of us as individuals and so much for all of us.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Healing?

Good Morning,

Luke 9:1-2 (NIV)
When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

I'm going to take the stand here, and I believe that it's backed by the Bible, that WE...yes, you and I and all other's who are Christians...have the same Jesus given powers that He gave to the Apostles. That would be, that we are no different, just normal human beings, exactly like Peter, and John, and James, and all of the rest of them. We breathe the same air and we bleed the same red when we are injured. They had no "supernatural" powers...they couldn't fly or lift up a mountain...just as we don't. They had doubts and fears just as we have doubts and fears. They had families and friends just as we have families and friends. Overall, these men were no different than we are...just everyday, normal human beings.

But, they had the power to heal and perform other miraculous feats, didn't they? This was bestowed upon them by Jesus. Now, if these men were pretty much the same as us, then why, if we all have the same Holy Spirit working in us as they did, then why don't we truly believe that WE can do as they did? After all Jesus said, "Again Jesus said, 'Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.' And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit.'" (John 20:21-22)

Now, why is it that many of us believe that healings and miracles can take place in others but not in ourselves? What is it in our minds that keep us from believing that it's OK for you to have a miraculous healing, but, well, it isn't so OK for me? Why in the world do I truly believe that God, through the hands and heart of one of His children, will heal someone...but not me?

This is one of the mysteries of life and I wish that I could give you an easy answerto it; an answer that would change the way we think and believe. I can't do that. Believe me, if I could, I certainly would. I mean, I can't seem to do it very well even for myself! So how in the world can I tell you how to change how and what you believe in this area of your faith?

I'm going to suggest a couple of small things that all of us can do when we are challenged with a lack of faith and belief about miracles and healings. I'll suggest them for you...AND for me!

First, we need to be in closer communication with God. I guess that sort of goes without saying, doesn't it? How can we have true faith and belief if we don't commune with the Father on a regular, daily, and very personal basis?

Next, in the same vein, we need to read His Basic Instruction Book every day. At least a little bit of it, don't you think? He's give us the Bible so we can get answers to many, if not all, of life's challenges and mysteries. All we have to do is open it up and read it. He'll take care of helping us understand what He's put in it.

Then, we need to have close, loving relationships with other Christian brothers and sisters. We need to have people close enough to us that we can express...openly and without fear of any kind of reprisals...that we might have a problem with our faith or that we are having difficulty in believing this or that. We need someone, even several someone's, with whom we can talk about our greatest secrets and fears; someone who will listen and love us anyway.

The last thing that comes into my mind this morning is that we've got to get the "world" out of our lives as much as we can. What I mean by that is we have to STOP looking at the "tabloids" in the super markets. We have to turn off the garbage that comes on television. We need to NOT listen to "Jerk and Idiot" on the morning radio programs on our commutes. We need to close our minds to those who would attack our beliefs and our faith in those small ways that we think are "harmless" in our lives.

I don't know if this message will be helpful to you. I pray that it's helpful to me. I can't tell you with 100% certainty that these ideas and thoughts will get you through your struggles with belief and faith. I pray that they will get me through my struggles with belief and faith. I have no idea how much, if any, comfort you might get this morning from these words. I pray that I will get great comfort from them.

So, I would ask that each of us reach out to one another and do all we can, with what we have, in the here and now to be for each other what we need to be. Let's show our love for one another, OK? It's the best way I can think of to start.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

The Den of Robbers

Good Morning,

Matthew 21:12-17 (NIV)
Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. "It is written," he said to them, " 'My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it a 'den of robbers.'"
The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple area, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they were indignant.
"Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked him.
"Yes," replied Jesus, "have you never read,
"'From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise'?"
And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.

I love this section of Scripture because, at least to me, it shows the different "sides" of the human being, Jesus Christ. Yes, of course, we know that He is, indeed, truly 100% God, but, lest we forget, these verses also show us that while He walked this earth, He was truly 100% a man, as well.

So, this Guy enters the temple area where there are these folks engaging in commerce...IN THE HOUSE OF GOD!!! This Guy, in case they didn't notice Him coming in, gets like truly indignant about what they are doing right there, out in the open, in front of God and everybody. So, this Guy, and I mean He is REALLLLY angry at what He's seeing, allows His anger to come forth and He begins to throw them out and overturn the tables where they are selling their wares...you know the "sacrificial lambs" and such. Now, I don't know about you, but I certainly wouldn't want to have been there to encounter the wrath of God! Because, my friends, that's EXACTLY what these folks were experiencing at that moment. Think for a moment here...Do you believe for even one second that Jesus..this Guy who came in unexpectedly to the temple...do you believe that He was calm and all nice about what He did on that occasion? I don't think so. I think He raised His voice. I think He allowed His righteous anger to flow out of Him and to be seen by men on that day. I think He yelled and screamed. Luke puts it this way, "Then he entered the temple area and began driving out those who were selling." (Luke 19:45) When I picture a person "driving out" someone from a place, well, I kind of see that person using some force, don't you think? OK, point here is that we see Jesus as an angry and truly indignant man...as well as being a very angry and indignant God...at that point in time.

I've got to admit here that there are times when I get angry and begin to berate myself for that anger, well, I kind of pull up some Scripture that shows us that Jesus got angry sometimes, as well, and it sort of soothes my mind just a bit. You know, knowing that even a kind and loving and caring Jesus could get very angry when the situation called for it.

Now, this section of Scripture doesn't end there, does it? We also read that, after He had driven out the "robbers" there in the temple, Jesus taught the common people and did healings. It is also implicit that Jesus allowed the children to come close to Him and that they were praising and worshipping Him. "Hosanna to the Son of David," is praise and worship, don't you think? The children, those who were so special to Jesus, knew the truth and weren't afraid to speak it out.

So, in just a few short verses we see different aspects of our Lord. We see Him angry. We see Him caring (healing). We see Him loving (allowing the children to come to Him.) Something to think about today, I believe. Something to put into our minds and into our hearts.

Yes, I DO love this section of Scripture!

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Detestable in God's Sight

Good Morning,

Luke 16:13-15 (NIV)
"No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."
The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. He said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight."

"You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight." I think, no I don't think...I KNOW...that too many people have overlooked these words in these verses of Scripture. The Amplified Bible puts it this way, "But He said to them, You are the ones who declare yourselves just and upright before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted and highly thought of among men is detestable and abhorrent (an abomination) in the sight of God." I sort of like that a bit more because it's even stronger in it's language and implication as to what God thinks about much of mankind.

Look around you today. We can all now see what unmitigated greed does. Greed which we were told by men was a good thing, but, as we read in today's Scripture, was looked on by God as "detestable and abhorrent." Not only is this greed detestable in God's sight, but eventually, as we now see, can bring ruin to individuals and even to whole societies and nations. Yes, for years people have put up that "good front" which was shown to the world and that the world bought into and even thought was good. But now we see how much of an "abomination" this kind of thing really is.

People in and of the world, who have no true knowledge or love for God, simply haven't cared about what their greed and ambitions about money can do, and now have done, to people. It is what has been taught for many years. Even presidents and other elected officials have said what a marvelous thing this greed thing is. We've been told that this unregulated wealth that was being touted as a great thing would be OK, because it would help everyone, not just those few whose bank accounts rose to ridiculous numbers. We saw, exactly as Jesus said, people who justified themselves, declared themselves as just and upright, and who truly cared only about themselves and what they could gain.

Jesus also said, "What is highly valued among men is detestable in God's sight." These are the words that we need to take to heart. This is the thought and idea that Jesus talked of that we truly have to have implanted in our hearts and minds. Do we think of this as simply a "blip" that has happened in the world and that eventually all will be well? Or, do we take measures to cause change in the way the world thinks about these things? Change to think as God would think, not men. Jesus said that we can't serve both the world (read money) and God. Can't be done.

We see what the results of serving money eventually bring. We also see what serving God eventually bring. I think the choice is obvious, don't you?

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Noah Found Favor

Good Morning,

Genesis 6:8-9 (NIV)
But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.
This is the account of Noah.
Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.
Genesis 6:8-9 (MSG)
But Noah was different. God liked what he saw in Noah.
This is the story of Noah: Noah was a good man, a man of integrity in his community. Noah walked with God.

Oh, but if these words...or at least words of this kind...could be said of me after I'm gone. I can think of no better epitaph than the words we read today. I can think of nothing better to be said of ANY person as they go about their everyday activities and live out lives that would be pleasing in the sight of God.

I wish that I could claim these words for my live, don't you? But, I must admit that I am much like many of my fellow believers in Christ in that I fall far short of what Noah did...consistently walking with God. Would only that God might find favor in me as He did Noah, but, of course, my actions and words don't qualify for that distinction.

There are only three attributes given to Noah in these short verses. Noah was righteous. Noah was blameless in his own community. (I would take that to mean that he did no wrong or harm toward anyone.) Noah walked with God.

I mean, come on, what more could anyone possibly strive for? How much more of a life could one have than being and having and doing what Noah is described as here?

Let us ask ourselves some questions. How many of us could claim to be "a righteous man" or, as The Message says, "a good man"...? (Person, of course, should be used here, I suppose to be more politically correct.) I would think that the number of us who could lay claim to this attribute would close to zero...at least not very many.

How many of us could claim to be "blameless" in our community, or, again as The Message translates, "a man of integrity"...? Now, there may be some who do, truly, live their lives with 100% integrity, but, again, that number would be pretty low, don't you think? I wouldn't hesitate to venture a guess that there aren't many of us who haven't done some harm or wrong toward someone in our communities at some point in time. I belive we can agree on that.

How many of us could be said to truly "walk with God" on a regular, daily basis? Now, this number might be a bit higher than the others as when we accepted Jesus, there are some of us who do attempt to walk with God as we should. But, well, I would also think that there are many, many of us who fail...at least somewhat...in our walk with Jesus.

Will all...even many...of us gain the right, through the way we live our lives now, to have these things said about us when we're gone? Maybe not up to this point, I would say. But that doesn't mean that we can't make some changes and begin to do more that would mean a legacy more in keeping with what the Bible says about Noah.

Each of us can be better, a bit more righteous, in our daily lives. We can strive to be better (even good? or righteous?) people. Each of us can, from today, live our lives with true integrity and simply refuse to cause harm or do wrong to our fellow human beings. Each of us can choose to do what we need to do in order to walk closer with God.

Easy? No, not at all. Possible? Perhaps...perhaps not. But, can we make the effort? Of course we can. And, it is in those efforts to be more righteous, to be more blameless, and to walk closer to God, that we will be remembered and that God will recognize and honor.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

A Letter From God

Good Morning,

2 Corinthians 3:3 (NIV)
You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

I read these words this morning and they caused me to choke up a bit and shed some tears. I say that because deep inside myself I know that what I have read this morning is very true. I also know that the "letter" that I've shown to the world has too often been one that Jesus wouldn't have been proud of. I would hesitate a guess that I'm not the only person reading these words who feels much the same way.

This short verse of Scripture points out and underlines that WE every one of us who claims Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior IS TRULY a letter from Him that is to be shown and read by the rest of the world. Everything we do and everything we say is being seen by someone, somewhere, at some time. Our challenge is that we sort of forget this fact and too many times fall back into the ways of the world in our dealings with other people...and how we handle situations, especially adverse situations. We are His witnesses and His ambassadors on this planet as long as we draw breath. "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."(Acts 1:8), "We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. (2 Cor. 5:20)

Now here's the thing about this...We witness and are His ambassadors NOT so much by what we say, but by how we are read by people (that which is in our hearts) as we go about our normal, everyday lives. It is our lives that show the world who and what we are in Christ Jesus. It is our every action...and every REaction...that determines whether or not people see Jesus' letter written on our hearts and, therefore, lived out in our lives.

Now, I can't answer for you, but for me, well, that's a pretty awesome responsibility. For me, it means I've got to be much more careful about how I go about my daily activities. For me, it tells me that I've got to get a better handle on my tongue. For me, I know I've got to love a little more, care a little more...and not be afraid to show it.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Take Good Advice

Good Morning,

Acts 27:21 (NIV)
After the men had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up before them and said: "Men, you should have taken my advice not to sail from Crete; then you would have spared yourselves this damage and loss."

At first blush this verse seems to be Paul giving an "I told you so" kind of response to what was going on at that moment. You know, you've heard them, "You know, if only you had done as I said, well, everything would be fine. But look! Now you've done it! I told you that this would turn out this way, didn't I? But, you wouldn't listen, would you?" You've heard them, I know. We all have.

But, I don't think that this verse is what it appears to be at first reading. I think that it tells us something and teaches us much...just as is stands...even take out of the context of the storm and the fact that God was watching over all of those men. What this verse tells us, I think is that many of us are like the men who wouldn't listen to Paul and his advice. However, it's God that we're not listening to and it's His advice that we're not taking. Don't you think that God could easily say to most...all?...of us, "You should have taken my advice, all that I have put down in my Word for you to have, then your lives would have been spared so much damage and loss."

If we would listen to all of the advice that is given to us throughout the Bible, what God is telling us is right and proper, we would be able to spare ourselves of much damage and loss in our lives. God makes it so easy for us to make right decisions. He gives us the right and wrong of almost everything under the sun. He puts down clear direction as to what we should and should not do. It's certainly all there for us. He's made it easy. All we have to do is to simply take his advice.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Wisdom

Good Morning,

Proverbs 9:1-12 (NIV)
Wisdom has built her house;
she has hewn out its seven pillars.
She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine;
she has also set her table.
She has sent out her maids, and she calls
from the highest point of the city.
"Let all who are simple come in here!"
she says to those who lack judgment.
"Come, eat my food
and drink the wine I have mixed.
"Leave your simple ways and you will live;
walk in the way of understanding.
"Whoever corrects a mocker invites insult;
whoever rebukes a wicked man incurs abuse.
"Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you;
rebuke a wise man and he will love you.
"Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still;
teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning.
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
"For through me your days will be many,
and years will be added to your life.
"If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you;
if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer."

I looked at these verses this morning and my first reaction was, "Wow!" I know I've seen these words before, but, well, I'm not sure that I've really paid a lot of attention to what is contained in them. Or, maybe, like many, I just wasn't prepared to see what's right here in front of my nose. My next thought was, "Well, I wonder if these words are just for me today. Or, should I send them along and let the Lord decide who needs to see them?" Obviously the answer that came was to send them along and let God do His part. After all, I just hold the pen here...He's the one in charge of what goes out and gets said.

Solomon, the writer of Proverbs, tells us how wonderful wisdom is. He is, after all, the one who asked for, above all other things, wisdom. God granted that wish. So, we know that wisdom is a marvelous thing and that we should all strive to have this wisdom that he speaks of throughout the Book of Proverbs. The thing that many of us ponder over, however, is just exactly HOW do we get this wisdom? Well, in His way, as is normal, God gives us His answer right here contained in these verses. I know I've seen it, but maybe I just wasn't bright enough to really understand it? I'm not sure. I think that might be true because it's so simple and really very clear.

Clearly stated Solomon writes for us and for all generations to come, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." Duh! Of course! And, I've read these words so many times. I thought I knew what they said and what they meant. Maybe, deep down inside, I really have always known. Perhaps these words today aren't truly just for me, but for someone else who is struggling a bit with the whole "wisdom" and "knowledge" thing.

Sometimes when I read Scripture the words that I read are replaced in my mind by others which seem to make more sense to me and are much, much more personal to me. What my mind sees this morning is, "The fear and total love for God, begins my journey toward true wisdom. Knowing Jesus Christ, knowledge of who He is, what He's done, and His love for me brings understanding to my life and what my life means."

You see? There is so much here that could be discussed and so much that can be explained. I'll leave that to the scholars among us and those who have had some real education in Biblical study to go over. What I am supposed to do, I believe, is simply put these words, and the thoughts that have been put into my mind, in front of those who would read them.

My job is to be obedient to God and do as He asks me to do. That's what I try to do.

That's what I'm doing today.

Please read these verses...then read them again...then again. Spend some time, I don't think it will take a long time, in pondering what they mean to you in your life, at this point in time. Meditate on what God has placed here in front of you to learn and understand. It will be worth it.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Have Courage

Good Morning,

Joshua 1:1-9 (NIV)
After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' aide: "Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Great Sea on the west. No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
"Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

The verses we read today are meant to encourage us and help us along our daily walk with Jesus. Now, of course, not every word in these verses will apply to every person in every way. But, the encouragement that God is giving to Joshua here, is exactly the encouragement that each of us should take with us all the days of our lives.

You see, God WILL give us new territory in which we can help to spread His plan of salvation...the Good News of Jesus Christ. These "lands" He gives unto our influence may not be "from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates - all the Hittite country - to the Great Sea on the west," but it might very well be "from your doorway of your home down the street to the corner and around the block." This may be your new territory where "no one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life." We all have responsibilities, just as Joshua did those thousands of years ago, that come from God and that we are to carry out. And, just as we read about Joshua in these verses, God says to us, every one of us, "I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you."

God told Joshua that he was to be "strong and courageous" in his duties of leadership among God's people. I contend that God tells all of us, as individuals and as congregations, exactly the same thing. We are to be strong and courageous even in the face of the enemy who comes to attack us almost at every step we take in our efforts to spread the Gospel message. Then, just as we read what God said to Joshua, we are to "Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the that you might be successful wherever you go." No, we are not UNDER the law any longer because of the grace granted by God through Jesus. We are now under His grace and forgiveness, of course, we know that. However, the "law" is still there to guide our steps and all of our actions. I mean, as someone once said, "He didn't call them the 10 Suggestions!" (Zig Ziglar, maybe?) We are to read God's law, His holy Word, just as God told Joshua, and to "meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it." Now, if we do that, there is a benefit from the next line in these verses..."Then you will be prosperous and successful."

God gives another bit of encouragement to Joshua that we all need to put strongly and permanently into our hearts and minds and even into our very souls, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

We have been given responsibilities by Jesus Christ Himself before He went up to heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father. "Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.'" (Mat. 28:18-20) This command from Jesus is every bit as important and meaningful as was what God told to Joshua.

We need to do what Jesus has commanded us to do. We need to do it without fear or any kind of discouragement, no matter what the world thinks of us or our actions. We need to do it with the full knowledge and confidence that God is with us every step of the way; that He will NEVER leave us nor forsake us as we go about His business and do as He has commanded us to do.

Hallelujah!

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Meet With Sinners?

Good Morning,

Luke 19:1-10 (NIV)
Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a 'sinner.' "
But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount."
Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

In this story we see that the adage, "The more things change, the more they stay the same," is pretty much true. Just as people tend to mutter and grumble about some things today, they did the same thing over 2,000 years ago. People were complaining that Jesus would go to be with a "sinner" when they sort of forgot to take a look in the mirror, so to speak.

Jesus put it succinctly at the end of this short section of Scripture when He said, "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

Jesus showed us what we are to do with sinners that we meet in our lives as we are "passing through" wherever we go. Jesus called out to a sinner. Jesus showed him a better way. Jesus provided for him a way to forgiveness from his sinful ways. Jesus shared with him God's plan of salvation. You see, that's exactly what WE are supposed to do, be the imitation of Jesus, as we live our normal, everyday lives. We are to call out to the sinners around us and ask them to be with us; maybe go out for a cup of coffee; spend some time together just talking. We are to present, in a gentle and loving way, the facts of Jesus Christ life, death, and resurrection for the forgiveness of sin and for the prospect, the true hope, of salvation and an eternity in heaven with God.

Yes, there will be scoffers who will say much the same about us as those who derided Jesus. You know, "Huh! Look at him, he's hanging out with those sinful folks again." Well, as Jesus said on another occasion, "When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” (Mat 9:12-13) So, that would tell us that our time and efforts might be better served if we were to be speaking to "sinners" who need Jesus' love and God's salvation. For, it's true today, it's those who are sick that need the Physician. For those of us who might not be sick, the Physician is there to help us STAY well.

I would say that we're being taught today not to shy away from the sinners we come into contact with, but to be gentle and loving with them. We are to model Jesus' behavior. We are to sow the seeds that we've been given by Him into the lives of those who need the Physician.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Judge?

Good Morning,

Matthew 7:1-5 (NIV)
"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." (Emphasis mine, DRB)

At first glance one might think that these are harsh words that were spoken by our Lord. If we are to think that, well, we're right. They ARE harsh words and, I believe, they were meant to be harsh. You see, when I picture Jesus talking and He says something like, "You hypocrite..." I certainly don't picture Him saying it in a gentle manner. No, I see Him saying it very, very firmly and even raising His voice to make His point. OK, enough of going on about that. On to today's subject: Judging.

I heard the following story some years ago and it has stuck with me ever since. I hope you get as much out of it as I did.

A business man on his way to his office was on a subway in New York City along with many other passengers. Among the many passengers in that particular subway car was a dad and his two small children...about 6 or 7 years old. The kids were being very rowdy, making a lot of noise, and generally being a total nuisance to everyone around them. The father of the children just sat there and didn't reprimand or correct them in any way. He just had a "faraway" look in his eyes as his children wreaked havoc, pretty much, at his feet.

The well dressed business man rose from his seat and went over to where this small family was sitting. He said to the young man, shabbily dressed in old blue jeans and a fairly ragged t-shirt, "Why don't you do something about your rowdy children? Don't you see that they are upsetting the rest of us in the car? We would like some peace and quiet on our commute this morning."

The young man looked up at that business man and said, "Oh, I'm so very sorry. I guess I'm just not paying attention very much, am I? You see, my kids just lost their mom this morning. She passed away at the hospital and we're on our way home. I guess they just don't know how to act at this time in their lives. They are very confused and frightened. Please, accept my apology and I'll try to get them to settle down."

Needless to say, that business may said nothing. He turned away, a tear in his eye, and returned to his seat. You see, he had judged...very wrongly, it turned out...that this young man simply didn't care that his children were misbehaving so badly.

The moral of this is that we often have no idea of the reasons for people's behavior; for what they might say; for how they are acting at any particular point in time...but we judge them anyway. We judge them because they aren't doing or saying or acting as we think they ought to. We judge them from an eye that has a plank in it. Oh, how dangerous that can be. At least if we are to believe what Jesus said about it. It's dangerous, of course, because God will be judging us just as we've been judging people. Pretty scary, isn't it?

Now, I don't know about you, but I certainly don't want to be judged as I have judged others in my life. I am so very thankful that Jesus is my advocate in facing the Father on that day and I'm even more thankful that Jesus has provided the payment for my sins in this life. But, even with that said, I believe that we are to take Jesus' words to heart and stop the judging that we tend to do without really knowing who or what we're judging.

So, the next time we are tempted to get up on our high horse and be all judgemental, without even knowing the situation we're judging, let's remember the story of the young man and his two young children. You see, there are times when certain behaviors or words are not what they seem to be.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Carry Each Other's Burdens

Good Morning,

Again this is a bit late today. I've been having some "challenges" with Comcast lately and I guess I'll have to take this cable modem down to get it changed out. Obviously, I've been putting off that dreaded trip...and the ensuing argument...until it's absolutely necessary. Evidently, it's necessary! Onward, as they say...

Galatians 6:1-3 (NIV)
Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. (Emphasis mine..DRB)

I'm going to copy in a parable (author is unknown) that is a perfect analogy as to just one of the reasons that we should help one another and "carry each other's burdens.".....

A king from long ago had twin sons. Back then the first born was the heir to the throne but there was some confusion about which one was actually born first. As they grew up, the king tried to figure out a fair way to designate one of them as crown prince. Everyone thought the boys were equal in intelligence, strength, and character. But the king thought he recognized a particular quality in just one of them.

One day the king called them to the throne room. He said, "My sons, the day will come when one of you must succeed me as king. The burdens of sovereignty are very heavy. To find out which of you is better able to bear them cheerfully, I am sending you together to a far corner of the kingdom. One of my advisers there will place equal burdens on your shoulders. My crown will one day go to the one who first returns bearing his burden like a king should."

In a spirit of friendly competition, the brothers set out together. Soon they came across an elderly woman struggling under a burden that seemed far too heavy for her frail body. One of the boys suggested that they stop to help her. The other protested: "We have a burden of our own to worry about. Let us be on our way."

The one boy hurried on while the other stayed behind to give aid to the old lady. As he continued on his journey, he continually found others who needed help. There was a blind man that took him miles out of his way and a lame man that slowed him way down.

Eventually, he did reach his father's advisor, where he received his own burden and started home with it safely on his shoulders. When he arrived at the palace, his brother met him at the gate, and greeted him with dismay. He said, "I don't understand. I told our father the burden was too heavy to carry. However did you do it?"

The future king replied thoughtfully, "I suppose when I helped others carry their burdens, I found the strength to carry my own."

Now, this may not be an exactly perfect analogy, but it certainly is a pretty good one, don't you think? It tells us that in helping each other with one another's burdens, we will be strengthened so that we will more easily be able to carry our own burdens when they are put upon us. Sometimes, God simply sends along something that we need to see and understand. This is certainly one of those "somethings." I do wish I knew who to attribute this parable. However, I'm very grateful that it came my way and that I was able to send it along.

Now, the question that is asked of ME is: HOW CAN I HELP YOU CARRY YOUR BURDEN?

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Sow the Seed

Good Morning,

Luke 8:4-8 (NIV)
While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: "A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.
"When he said this, he called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

I'm sure that most of us...if not ALL of us...understand what Jesus is saying here about His "seed" and what can happen after it has been sown. The challenge is that many of us are too concerned about exactly where sown seed comes to rest and not concerned enough in simply being obedient by sowing that seed.

Jesus TOLD us that not all of His seed...the Good News of Jesus Christ and God's plan of salvation...would land on good soil and then grown and prosper. Jesus was very clear that some of the seed that we are to sow would simply land on pretty much deaf ears and the "birds of the air" would eat it up, having never germinated in any way. He told us that some of the seed would sort of germinate, but never grow because it had no basis in which to set down roots. And He told us that some more of the seed would begin to grow, but fail to mature because of the "thorns, which grew up with it" talking of those in the world who would rather see death than to see life. And, thankfully, He went on to say that some of that sown seed would germinate, grow, and mature and, therefore, yield marvelous crops for God.

We've been told these things over and over, yet we allow the "failure" of some of the seed we sow to influence us when it comes to sowing God's seed. We see the Gospel message being totally ignored or not landing where it can do some real good, and we think, "Well, why should I bother with all this effort when nobody cares about Jesus?" Yes, it is, truly, sometimes an effort to go out and spread the Gospel. And, yes, sometimes it seems so futile to do it. The world is sometimes overwhelming in it's discard of the Good News. But, we must always remember that there can be...and IS...that chance that one of those seeds we sow might land on the next great saint in the world. We have no way to know.

What we must also remember is that it isn't US who are responsible to see where God's seen lands. It isn't US who have the burden of watering the seed we sow. And, it isn't US who are likely to see the crops that might grow up and thus, "yield a crop, a hundred times more than was sown." We aren't the ones, necessarily, who have that function. What we are responsible for is the sowing of the seed. That's what we've got to remember. That's what we've got to be faithful to. That's what we will be held accountable for.

Just the sowing.

Let's not fail in what we've been commanded to do by God. Simply tell the world of the Gospel message. Then, let God take care of the rest.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Truth vs Untruth

Good Morning,

Proverbs 10:19 (NIV)
When words are many, sin is not absent,
but he who holds his tongue is wise.
Proverbs 10:19 (TM)
The more talk, the less truth;
the wise measure their words.

I don't use The Message translation of the Bible very much, but today's verse seems to be quite to the point in it.

Have you ever noticed that it takes fewer words to tell the truth than it does to make up some lie on the same subject? Look around sometime...stop and listen...see the truth in that. It seems that some people will go on and on about something, often something trivial that makes no difference in lives, to embellish what has happened or to totally make up something that never DID happen. There are those who feel it absolutely necessary to tell long, drawn out stories about this or that, with absolutely no basis in any kind of truth or fact. It's just the way some people are, I guess. And, I must say, the Bible is extremely accurate in this verse of Proverbs. The longer the "story" the greater is the chance of fabrication.

The other thing about making something up or embellishing facts is that it will almost always be brought into the open. Not many fabrications last very long. That's simply because, eventually, the truth will come out. The unfortunate thing is that there are many who have believed the lie and never see the facts when truth is told. Such is our society, I guess.

The last thing about making up this or that is the fact that one has to remember what has been said. Now, for some, I suppose, that's not too difficult. But, for the rest of us, well, it's more than just a bit troublesome to remember something that was not the truth. That's when the many words thing kind of comes into play, as well. People will go on and on, and still not remember exactly what the lie was in the first place.

Bottom line here is the fact that it's just easier, not to mention better, to tell the truth in the first place. Lies take too much effort! Uh, oh! I guess I'm showing my "lazy" side, huh? Just kidding. Really, truth is so much more comfortable than lies. I cannot imagine having to remember something that I made up out of the ether after more than a day or so. I can barely remember what I had for breakfast! Well, sometimes I CAN'T remember!

The book of Proverbs is filled with so much wisdom. Today's verse just proves that. We all ought to be reading probably a chapter of Proverbs every day, just because it IS so filled with God's wisdom. So much to be learned.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Good Day,

I'm sorry that this is so late coming today. I had some problems with Comcast and then I had an appointment which took me to our church for some much needed work there. Had a great time! It's always wonderful to be with some of God's people and to do His work.

Psalm 63:1-8 (NIV)
A psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah.
O God, you are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you,
my body longs for you,
in a dry and weary land
where there is no water.
I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld your power and your glory.
Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.
I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods;
with singing lips my mouth will praise you.
On my bed I remember you;
I think of you through the watches of the night.
Because you are my help,
I sing in the shadow of your wings.
My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me.

Please join me today in praying the words of David. Let us just allow ourselves to pray and sing these words to our God.

Often, it's enough.

I think that today, it is.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Good Deeds

Good Morning,

Titus 3:14 (NIV)
Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives.
Titus 3:14 (NASB)
Our people must also learn to engage in good deeds to meet pressing needs, so that they will not be unfruitful.
Titus 3:14 (AMP)
And let our own [people really] learn to apply themselves to good deeds (to honest labor and honorable employment), so that they may be able to meet necessary demands whenever the occasion may require and not be living idle and uncultivated and unfruitful lives.

I've included three translations of this verse because, although they really say the same thing...more or less..., I think that the way that the ideas are presented are equally important. Well, and I must admit that I look at the Amplified Bible a lot because it sometimes "fills in" thoughts and concepts in a way that I more fully understand. Anyway.................

Paul is writing to Titus and in this letter he is stressing that the people who Titus is teaching understand that they must "devote themselves to doing what is good," "learn to engage in good deeds," "apply themselves to good deeds." The reasons for this may be pretty much self evident, but Paul gives for his reasons...so that they will "not live unproductive lives," "will not be unfruitful," "not be living idle and uncultivated and unfruitful lives."

Now we can see this as a marvelous idea even if applied to our secular, everyday lives. I mean, it's obvious that people need to do good work so that their necessities will be provided through their work. That pretty much goes without saying, I suppose. But, It seems to me that what Paul is ALSO saying (because, of course, he was an extremely practical man when speaking of living productive lives) was that those people must also be doing "good deeds" in their religious, spiritual lives as well. And, as God does in the Bible, these sentiments have come down to us in this 21st century and apply just as much now as they did then.

God is telling all ages throughout time that we are to do good, both in the secular realm of the world and in our spiritual lives. We are to do good deeds to help out those in physical need. We are also to engage in doing good when it comes to people's spiritual needs. I guess, when it comes down to it, the two sort of go hand in hand, don't they? I mean, if we're doing "good deeds" in the community with a loving heart that has been touched by the Holy Spirit guiding us to "good deeds" well, that also lets us do spiritual "good deeds" at the same time. Often, those spiritual "good deeds" don't even need to be verbalized. They show themselves simply as an outpouring of the love we have in our hearts...the love of Jesus Christ.

Such a marvelous verse of Scripture. Yes, we are to help to "provide for daily necessities" which most would think of as simply food, clothing, and shelter. But, we are also to "provide for daily necessities" in the spiritual lives of those around us. Let's never forget that when we do the one, we are also doing the other...if we're there with the right heart and sentiment.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Our Advocate

Good Morning,

1 John 2:1-2 (NIV)
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
1 John 2:1-2 (NKJV)
My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

Imagine for a moment that you have been charged with some crime or other. Secondly, think about the fact that you know very well that you've broken the law you've been accused of. And, last envision in your mind that the tribunal who is charged with putting you on trial and then proclaiming the sentence for your crime knows, beyond any shadow of doubt, that you have, indeed, broken the law you've been charged with.

Pretty scary, isn't it? Especially if the punishment that fits the crime is one that will last for all time...for eternity.

Now, what if you had someone who would stand up before this Judge and be your total and complete Advocate? What if, and this goes beyond all understanding here, this person is not JUST your Advocate, but also will stand in to pay the ultimate atoning payment for your crime?

That's EXACTLY what we have, my friends. We, every person who has accepted Jesus Christ as Lord of their life, has Him, Jesus, as our Advocate to speak in our defense for the crime (read sin here) that we've committed in our lives. Jesus will stand before the Father, the ultimate Judge of all mankind, to defend us...even though we're indefensible because we are, truly, guilty as charged. But, as we read in today's Scripture verses, He is more than our Advocate. He is also the payment, the one who has already served out our sentence...paid the price...been the propitiation...is the atoning sacrifice...for our sinful lives.

And not only that. You see, Jesus can be, will be, and is the same defender, advocate, propitiation, and sacrifice for the sins of the entire world for all mankind...IF people will only accept Him for Who He is and for what He offers freely to them.

I guess that makes US, each of us, Jesus' "assistant" defence attorneys, doesn't it? Well, maybe not attorneys, but, in a worldly way, we DO assist Him by simply making Him known to those who need Him in their lives. How will we do our jobs? Will we be able to say, at that final day, "Well, Lord, I sure gave it my all to get them to take You on as their Advocate." Or, will we have to say, "I'm sorry, Lord, but I sort of fell down on the job and really didn't do as I know I should have done."

Which will we be? Dependable helpers to the Lord? Or, those who have been somewhat less than dependable?

Yes, another choice that we have to make.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Jeremiah 2:1-3 (NIV)

Good Morning,

Jeremiah 2:1-3 (NIV)
The word of the LORD came to me: "Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem:
" 'I remember the devotion of your youth,
how as a bride you loved me
and followed me through the desert,
through a land not sown.
Israel was holy to the LORD,
the firstfruits of his harvest;
all who devoured her were held guilty,
and disaster overtook them,' "
declares the LORD.

Some would argue that these words, given to the prophet Jeremiah some thousands of years ago, simply don't apply to us, nor to our world, today. I would contend that these words are just as viable today as they were to those in Jerusalem when God said them in that long ago time.

These words apply to each one of individually who proclaimed a love of God, and then walked away and abandoned Him and His teachings. These words also apply to all of us as nations, religions, and peoples who once said that they loved the Lord and followed Him through the good and bad that came their way. God told Jeremiah that those to whom He was speaking were, "...holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of his harvest..." These same words could be spoken to those same nations, religions, and peoples who turned their backs on God.

God remembers when we loved Him and followed Him, as we should always have done. God has called us as His firstfruits of His harvest. God has stood against our enemies, even in recent history, just as He did those of Jerusalem so long ago.

Why, then, do these words of lament ring so loudly today? Simply put, the world...well, much of it (even most of it?)...has abandoned God. Those who once knew Him and loved Him no longer follow Him nor love Him. How sad He must be, sitting on His throne and looking down on this earth He created. He has given us so much...even to the life and death of Jesus...and so many have gone astray.

We have definitely been given words to think about today in these verses. We've been given ideas to ponder. We have God's very Word to meditate upon.

It's up to us, each of us and all of us, to change the world so that it can return to loving God and following Him. It is up to us to begin today and then to continue every day that we live. We all know what we need to do in our lives to bring about the changes that are needed. It's not necessary to go into all the minutiae once again, I don't think. We know. And if there's any doubt in any mind, all we have to do is to listen to what God tells us.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Need an Evangalism Program?

Good Morning,

Acts 16:25 (NIV)
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.

I received the following short devotional and I thought that the author truly explained his concept more than clearly. Here it is:

It didn't take long for non-believers to realize I was different in the secular workplaces where I've worked. I didn't participate in the jokes, the dirty language, or criticism of management. I didn't judge them for their behavior because they were merely acting the way they should act as one who does not have Christ in their life. I viewed them as prisoners awaiting their salvation and that I might be the instrument to lead them to my Savior.

I would often be known as the "religious guy." It wasn't because I was particularly vocal or I tried to separate myself; it happened naturally. The Christ in me naturally made me stand out. Jesus called us to be the "salt and light" of any life situation. The secular workplace economy is contrary to the Kingdom of God economy so we should naturally stand out in any situation.

When Paul and Silas were in prison their lifestyle of worship and prayer in the midst of the horrible conditions of a dirty prison stood out in stark contrast to their circumstances. They didn't pray and sing to impress their cell mates, they simply did what was natural to them. Still, "the other prisoners were watching and listening."

No matter where you are, others are watching you to determine if your faith is real or if you're an imposter. The world is looking to discredit your faith. You are a witness always whether you choose to be or not.

"The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. He then brought them out and asked, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?'" (Acts 16:29-30). When you begin to reflect the love and power of Christ in your life you won't have to have an evangelism program to win others into the Kingdom. It will be a fruit of your life. The "fish" will actually jump into the boat!

Beware how you conduct your life today. Because the prisoners are watching and listening.

By Os Hillman

Sometimes the Lord just sends along something that is meant to go out "as is." Today is such a day.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Sheep? Goat? Our Choice

Good Morning,

Matthew 25:31-46 (NRSV)
‘When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left.
'Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.”
'Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?”
'And the king will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.”
'Then he will say to those at his left hand, “You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.”
'Then they also will answer, “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?”
'Then he will answer them, “Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.” And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.’

You know, I've been told at various times that I shouldn't include long sections of Scripture in the messages that I send along. Some have said that people just don't have the time to read "all those verses" when they receive an e-mail. I guess that they may be right sometimes, but I suggest to them...and to everyone...that there are times when we really DO need to read ALL of the verses in a particular section of Scripture in order to understand the meaning of those verses and to fully absorb what God is telling us through them. So, today I've included a fairly long section of Scripture because I think that the Holy Spirit wanted me to do it.

We all know these verses, I'm sure. And, for those who may not be totally familiar with them, it's really good that they be read and understood. Jesus is telling us here that we will be judged, rewarded, or punished according to our actions on this earth as we treated even "...to one of the least of these who are members of my family..." He's clear to those who were blessed to have been there with Him and, thus, clear to us who have the opportunity to be able to read what He said. There doesn't appear to be any ambivalence to what Jesus said...at least not to me, anyway.

He's telling us that we will be separated into the "sheep" and the "goats" as we are gathered in front of Him. Then, He tells us WHO are the sheep and WHO are the goats. He explains what we are to do in order to be on His right hand. He also says clearly what NOT to do in order to be among those on His left.

It's my thinking that we have a choice in this, don't you agree? I mean, even if we've not acted in such a way...up to this point in our lives...to be among the blessed on His right, and have even so far might be considered one of the "goats" on His left, well, we can change that, if we so choose to do so. Again, it's my thinking here that it might be, as the young folks say today, waaaaay better to be a sheep and on His right, than to be a goat and on His left! We can read exactly what Jesus said that we can choose between in these verses. He tells us so very clearly what the sheep will do, and He's also clear about what the goats will not do. We don't need to go into those details as Jesus has succinctly said it and I certainly can't say it any better. (That's one of the reasons we have ALL of the verses of this section of Scripture!)

Yes, as we've discussed in the past, life is filled with choices. Almost every moment of every day we can choose between one thing or another; we can be one way or another; we can do or not do some particular activity; and on...and on...and on. So, do I choose to be a sheep? Or, do I choose to be a goat? I know what I must do in order to be on the right hand. All I've got to do is to, well, to say it as Nike does...JUST DO IT!

It's my choice. And...it's yours, as well.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David

Peace

Good Morning,

2 Thessalonians 3:16 (NASB)
Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance The Lord be with you all!

What a beautiful verse of Scripture and what a marvelous prayer that Paul said for the Thessalonians to whom he was writing at the time. The sentiment..."peace in every circumstance"...is one that many of us have a most difficult time getting our minds around, never mind actually living in that peace.

Paul reminds us that God IS "the Lord of peace" in this verse, however, and we need to remember that. We need this knowledge especially during these difficult times that we're living through. We need to know and remember that God is many, many things in our lives and being "the Lord of peace" is definitely one of those marvelous things.

I think that without God's kind of peace in our lives, then going through what we are now would be almost impossible. I mean, look at the newspapers. Watch the TV news. Listen to the talk radio...(well, don't go THAT far!!!). Really, everything we read and hear and see is anything BUT peace in our lives. We read of war. We read of financial hardships and even ruin. We see hunger. Well, it's just a very tough time for the entire world right now. But, those of us who have the Lord in our lives have something that those of the world do not: We have His peace. And, He will give it "in every circumstance."

There are many of us who need that peace, God's special kind of peace, right at this moment...this very second. We are concerned for ourselves and our loved ones. We are on the edge of ruinous worry. Let us call on God with the same vigor that Paul prayed for the Thessalonians. Let us stop what we're doing and go to our knees and ask God to grant us His peace in our lives.

Lord, we're living in very difficult times right now. We have concern that borders on worry for ourselves and for those we love. We see so much turmoil all around us and even touching ourselves and our homes. Father, we need Your peace in our lives right now, even this very second. Please, Lord, touch us with Your love and grant us Your peace. Please give us that peace which can only come from You. That peace which goes beyond our human understanding. Your peace to guard our hearts and minds as we've read in Your holy Scriptures. We need Your peace, Lord. Father...Abba, Father, please, help us and touch us with Your peace. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David