Write it down

I’ve decided to post my devotion for today because I believe this is something we should be doing as Christians everyday. I don’t go to see old Oswald or visit any stream in the desert, because I believe only the Bible is the Inspired word of God. I don’t see anything wrong with the daily devotional stuff at all, I just prefer to get fresh bread from the hand of the Holy Spirit. So I use the Bible and journal what speaks to me. So having said that here is my devotion for today the 27th of November 2013.

Rev. 1:19 “Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later.”

What is more important to remember a business meeting, or meeting with God? Obviously it’s the latter. This is why you journal. God speaks to you and you write it down just like John. You write it down so you will have it for today, and what will come tomorrow.

That’s what I wrote in my journal today in order to remember the importance of writing down what I’m hearing from God! Because His voice is the most important voice we can hear! So write it down!

My Cross is too heavy!

If you have been a christian for any length of time you’ve read, or heard read  “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”  What if your cross is to heavy? Every time you look at it you think I can’t do it, I can’t carry it, I’m to weak and wounded.

How do we face such a situation? Believe me these situations will come, pretending they won’t is foolish.  In fact you maybe there now struggling to pick up a cross that seems to get heavier, and heavier by the second. There is an answer you know. We find it in the Life of our Lord who also had a cross to pick up. His was a literal physical weight. (Though our emotional, and physical problems can be just as heavy.)

We find the answer in a couple of different places.

First here in Luke 23:26  As they led him away, they seized Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country. They placed the cross on his back and made him carry it behind Jesus.

The second is here in Mathew 11:28 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Jesus couldn’t carry His cross because He was to weak and weary, so let me ask you this, why are you trying to carry yours? Jesus is our Simon of Cyrene the difference is that Simon was forced to carry the cross, and Jesus longs to carry it for you.

Why not go to Him in prayer crying out to Him when you feel the weight, and let him take it for you. Don’t try to take it back! He has strength to carry what you can’t.

One more quick thing

While writing this I remembered that David Wilkerson has already said this far better than I did so here is the link to His article.

http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/1349

Marriage Reconsidered

I’ve been thinking of marriage lately, or more to the point the purposes of God behind it. So I guess in a way… I am reconsidering marriage. I started this reconsideration not because of the current redefinition of marriage, but rather because I am working on a wedding ceremony with a young couple. (Man and Woman)

As I reconsidered marriage I began to see more clearly a scriptural view point on marriage, and since the Bible is the rule of faith and conduct for all mankind, regardless of whether they accept it as such or not. (We do not decide the validity of the law of gravity but all of us on earth live under it’s rule, and so it is with God’s word). We do not have the right to decide it’s validity and all mankind live under it’s rule.

So with this in mind I began a thoughtful reconsideration of marriage in light of God’s word. I asked for guidance in prayer, and then started my journey. By the way it’s not finished, my journey I mean, I’m still reading, meditating, and praying for the ability to communicate what I’m learning.

So far I’m realizing that as Christians we often hold marriage in a low regard. because of this our views are often contrary to the intent and purposes of God’s for the marriage covenant. We leave the covenant of marriage as if it’s a temporary contract that can be forgotten, and done away with.

Yet, this is not God’s intent at all. As a matter of fact, It more often than not shows the hardness of our hearts toward God and His word.

I realize that divorce can be a complicated and messy issue. However, I also know that it is often easier to get a divorce than stay and work on the marriage. But this series is not about divorce per say. It’s more about God’s Biblical will for marriage.

I’m not sure how long this series will be, nor am I completely sure of what it will look like. I just feel the need to share some thoughts upon Marriage and God’s purpose for it, and then maybe…just maybe provide some insight and direction for those of us who want to reach for God’s best in our marriages.

Dressing for the extreme!

The other day it was 18 degrees for the high, and I had to be outside working until 10 PM. I knew I had to dress for it, but what was I going to wear? So I picked out what I thought would help keep the cold away, and went to work. I’ve learned that the extreme can be hard to deal with if you aren’t prepared. So we have to be prepared to deal with the extremes of our society, in order to be effective in reaching our world for Jesus!

We may not like it, but America is not a Christian nation anymore; and because it’s not we have to learn how to deal with the extremes that this brings. For example, I work with people who believe that same sex marriage is OK. I also work very closely with Gay men, and Women. At the same time I also work side by side with people who live with their opposite sex partners, and foul language is the norm from both co-workers and customers. Today this is a fact of life in a secular job!

So just like the extreme cold, or the extreme heat we have to learn how to dress in order to face the extremes of our society successfully. The Truth is we can effectively reach America with the gospel if we are prepared to face the extremes. In order to face the cold I dress in layers, To face the heat I wear shorts and the lightest T-shirt I can find. We as Christians also need to put on the proper attire (spiritually speaking) in order to reach our country with the gospel.

So what is the proper attire?  Well, I think it’s two things, Grief, and love. Why those two things? Because, I believe those two things reveal the heart of Jesus for the lost of this world. We know it was love that called Jesus to come and die for the world, however His grief over the sin of mankind is just as evident. ” But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep. 42 “How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace.” Lk 19:41-42

We need to grieve over the lost and dying of America who suffer the consequences of their unbelief, and show our love toward them in both word and deed! This is the nature and character of Jesus in us, and in action through us. Grief and Love! The garments that will face the extremes of the world we live in!

I don’t see this in the life of the church of the 21st century. We need…I need to put this on more and more each day! The other day I grieved as I learned of a young girl who found out she has contracted an std from her ex-boyfriend. I grieved at the words of a gay coworker who said she went to church and wasn’t welcomed. I heard a woman on the radio weep as she spoke of an abortion she had almost forty years ago, I was moved as she spoke of her shame, and fear of being rejected by her Church, because of their strong opposition to abortion. Views she now shared because of her decision forty years ago.

We claim to love the lost…..but do we? Do we really? I lost a dear friend almost two years ago. I still grieve over the loss because I loved him. I want to feel that toward my co-workers, friends, and family who have yet to know Jesus. If we would cry out to feel the grief and love that God feels for the lost and dying of this world, then obedience and self sacrifice would be the norm in the body of Christ instead of the exception. I’m afraid though we don’t dress for the extremes of this world because we refuse to go out and do the work we need to do in it.

Tyndale House Publishers. (2007). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (3rd ed.) (Lk 19:41–42). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers..

Punishment from God?

I was reminded recently of something God showed me years ago when one of my children broke his arm. We were in the ER, and I was quietly praying over him, crying out to God, telling Him how I wished I could take away my child’s pain. When a thought entered my mind, about God and mankind.

See I was helpless, and powerless to take away the pain and brokenness of my child. No matter how badly I wanted to I couldn’t heal him. I knew that the Doctor was coming, but the best he could do is set the arm and medicate the pain.I was grateful for that, but the feeling of helplessness was still there.

I realized right then something that has directed my prayer life for my unsaved friends and family members ever since. In some small way I was feeling what God must feel looking at the brokenness of humanity, and not being allowed to help.

See I was powerless to fix my broken child, and take away his pain. But that is not true with God! He isn’t powerless to fix our brokenness or take away our pain! In fact He has provided the Physician to do just that; Jesus Christ is that Doctor that came to set our brokenness right and heal our pain! Here is the  promise for wounded and broken humanity:

Isaiah 53:4-5
4 Yet it was our weaknesses he carried;
it was our sorrows* that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,
a punishment for his own sins!
5 But he was pierced for our rebellion,
crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
He was whipped so we could be healed.

So how about it? Will you allow the Great Physician to heal you and take your pain today?
Tyndale House Publishers. (2007). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (3rd ed.) (Is 53:4–5). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.

I love to taste my foot!

Yes, you read that right. I must love to taste my foot, because I often seem to stick it in my mouth. Why I once stuck my foot so far in my mouth I had get an enema to get it out.
Let me explain.
I was at a production that our Church was putting on for the community, and to see my son who was performing in it. The setting of the play was in the 1940’s. When a friend of mine whom I will call Maggie came out from behind part of the set.
So I assumed that she must be in the production. I don’t know why I did, and yes I know what assuming does, because I am living proof of it as you will see!

Anyway, I asked her “Hey Maggie! how far back in the eighties did you have to go to get that dress?” ( Geeze I hope you can’t get athletes foot of the tongue!) See! I told you I know what assuming does!
When I found out that she wasn’t in the play I felt and still feel terrible!! I apologized, and still am apologizing for it. The thing is my wife and I really love this couple. They must love us because their response was to forgive my stupidity! As a matter of fact she told me ‘It’s all covered by grace!”
How awesome is that thought! How Christlike of her! Why can’t we all do that? Why don’t we? We are called to by our Lord Jesus Christ. If we truly believe in Him then we must like Maggie behave like Him.

Oh and by the way my respect for this person increased tremendously. She and her husband are people who truly understand Grace! Because they extended to me forgiveness when I didn’t deserve it.

Thanks Maggie!

(The events of the above story are true. Only the name was changed to protect the innocent and give me a chance to eat something else besides my foot!)

Total Depravity (or Total Corruption) The current state of man

What does the term total depravity mean?  Total depravity is the extensive   ruin of man’s nature. What that means is that mankind was made totally sinful after the fall, and therefore all aspects of man’s nature are affected by sin. The Web site “The Puritan Mind” explains it like this.

 “Both the body and soul are corrupted because of the fall.  This does not mean that people are as a bad as they can be, but rather, that the effects of the fall have completely ruined the total being of man.  It is not just that man’s mind is ruined, or that just his body is ruined, or that just his soul ruined.  It means the whole man is corrupted with sin.”

 

• Mankind after the fall.

After their disastrous choice to eat the tree they were forbidden to eat, sin and its effects started immediately.  Adam and Eve became afraid, ashamed, and estranged. Where there was friendship with God, there is now enmity.  Their only thought was to hide from God and escape His judgment -so they tried to defer responsibility.

 Gen 3:6-13

6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”

10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”

11 And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”

12 The man said, “The woman you put here with me — she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”

13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”

The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

NIV

Whether Adam was deferring the responsibility to Eve, or Eve to the serpent,

we see very early  the effects of Sin upon mankind’s parents. Indeed, the sinful trait of assigning blame and deferring responsibility is seen very active in mankind today.

A little blessing from Isaiah 40

Let’s gaze upon God and wonder together at His majesty!

Isa 40:12-26

12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his handor marked off the heavens with the span of his hand? Who has gathered the dust of the earth in a measureor weighed the mountains in a balanceand the hills in scales?13 Who has directed the Spirit of the Lord,or who gave Him His counsel? 14 Who did He consult with?Who gave Him understanding and taught Him the paths of justice?Who taught Him knowledgeand showed Him the way of understanding?15 Look, the nations are like a drop in a bucket;they are considered as a speck of dust on the scales;He lifts up the islands like fine dust.16 Lebanon is not enough for fuel,or its animals enough for a burnt offering. 17 All the nations are as nothing before Him;they are considered by Himas nothingness and emptiness.

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18 Who will you compare God with?What likeness will you compare Him to? 19 To an idol?—something that a smelter casts,and a metalworker plates with goldand makes silver welds for it? 20 To one who shapes a pedestal,choosing wood that does not rot? He looks for a skilled craftsmanto set up an idol that will not fall over.
21 Do you not know? Have you not heard?Has it not been declared to youfrom the beginning?Have you not consideredthe foundations of the earth? 22 God is enthroned above the circle of the earth;its inhabitants are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like thin cloth and spreads them out like a tent to live in. 23 He reduces princes to nothing and makes the judges of the earth to be irrational.24 They are barely planted, barely sown,their stem hardly takes root in the groundwhen He blows on them and they wither,and a whirlwind carries them away like stubble.
25 “Who will you compare Me to, or who is My equal?” asks the Holy One.26 Look up and see:who created these?He brings out the starry host by number;He calls all of them by name. Because of His great power and strength,not one of them is missing.
(from Holman Christian Standard Bible® Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005 by Holman Bible Publishers.)

Laying it open

It has been a while since I last posted. No reason really except.
Lately I have felt like God had been examining me. The only way to describe it is that it’s almost like the time I was being examined for appendicitis.
I could do nothing but let the Doctor work in order to find the root cause of my symptoms. I have been doing the same with the Lord over the last few weeks.
I encourage you all to do the same. Be still before him and let the Great Physician work in you to root out the infection that is causing you problems. It may be as serious as appendicitis, or heart disease, it may be a cold. Either way, we need Him to take the scalpel of His word and do His perfect work within us. I call His word a scalpel because it is sharper than a two edged sword, and can divide bone and marrow in a precise way.
Heb 4:12-13
For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as to divide soul, spirit, joints, and marrow; it is a judge of the ideas and thoughts of the heart. 13 No creature is hidden from Him, but all things are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account.
(from Holman Christian Standard Bible® Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005 by Holman Bible Publishers.)

God’s heart and mission

While reading the Bible I realized something. Did you know that the first call to a sinner was in Genesis? Yea, Gen 3:9 “So the Lord God called out to the man and said to him, “Where are you?””
Ok, so I knew this all of the time. However, if we take another look at it, we will see that it reveals that God has a heart for the lost sinner. His desire is to see his relationship with them restored.
Perhaps, Jesus expresses it best in John 4:34 “”My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work.” What is the Fathers work He was to finish? Well, Jesus answers this for us in Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.”
The call to lost Adam in Genesis 3:9 reminded me of the parable of the lost sheep and the lost coin. Found in Luke 15. In both parables the people who have lost something search until they find it. In these parables Jesus is saying “This is what God’s heart looks like! He is looking even now for those who are separated from Him and His love”.
The Church must return to the heart, and mission of God! And that is to seek and save the lost with the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ!