Good morning on this glorious LORD's Day. I pray that we will all experience the Spirit of God moving in our churches this morning.
Turn to Gal. 6:1-5, this morning we are going to look at what appears to be a contradiction, but we all know the Bible does not contradict itself. The first thing we see in verse 1 is that when a Christian brother or sister makes a mistake, of any size we the church are to come together and crucify them. NO! That is not what it says, it says to restore them. In other words forgive them, and help them get back where they are supposed to be. Here is the thing, don't do this thinking you are so much better than them because you've never done anything that bad. Do this realizing that at any moment we could fall into a temptation of our own. A few years back, a member of our church, who was also a teacher at the churches school, was arrested for being a peeping tom. He was on the news, and it was even told where he taught. This was horrible news for the school, and the church. This was on a Tuesday, Wednesday night the church was packed with both members, and school parents wanting to know what now. As the service started the pastor announced this man was there and had something to say. He humbly came from the back of the church, and proceeded to apologize and ask for our forgiveness. Then went on to say that he understood if we wanted him to leave, but admitted that he, and his family really needed the support of their church family. I was really happy when the meanest person in the church stood up to say that there was no need to apologize because he had already been forgiven, and that we were just waiting for him to show up, so we could began healing. The church then unanimously agreed, and crowded around their family to hug them and support them.
This shows the meaning of both verses 1 & 2. vs 1 "Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. (vs2) Bear ye one another burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ". There are different types of burdens, and we are to help each other carry those burdens, whatever they are. Vs 3 tells us that if we are conceited then we are lying to ourselves. It warns us not to think more of ourselves than we should. Vs.4 "But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another". In other words we are to rely on ourselves, instead of expecting handouts from others. That way we can have pride in ourselves. Vs. 5 "For every man shall bear his own burden". Here is the contradiction I spoke of earlier. Verse 2 says bear each others burdens, verse 5 says to bear our own burden. Here is why there is no contradiction, just as with this man there are times when we are not able to carry the burden we are under, it is just too heavy, or to hard. At these times we are to help each other, we are to support each other and help carry part of each others burden. We are to do this until and only until the other person can carry it on their own. Then once we give it back to them, and they are able to survive under it's weight, and even thrive, then at that point he will be able to rejoice knowing that he is able to take care of his own. Instead of getting discouraged because he is crushed by the weight of his life.
Think about this, most people never consider this, after Peter walked on the water, and had to be rescued by Jesus, they were still out on the water and had to make it back to the boat. How did Peter get back to the boat? You see when Peter began to sink, Jesus bore his burden, then I believe (this if found nowhere in Scripture, it is just my own thoughts), I believe that once Jesus plucked him from the waves, they both walked back to the ship. Jesus, holding Peter's hand so he would not sink again. This allowed Peter to help get himself out of the mess. Jesus could have just carried him, or teleported them back to the ship, but I need to believe that instead of Jesus just fixing the situation, He allowed Peter to help bear his own burden. By doing this He allowed Peter the opportunity to overcome his failure, so that he did not feel like a failure. Yes, he failed and he had to live with that, but at least he had a hand in correcting his failure instead of being bailed out.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Our Church
This is a hard devotion for me to write. There are emotions here that I want to accurately convey, this is not an easy task. You see, I went to a meeting this morning for a church that had some problems. The members that were there this morning, arrived at church one Sunday morning to find the doors locked, and the pastor nowhere to be found. Now they were faced with the decision of whether to disband, or put in some hard work to get the church back up where it should be. When the members began to talk about that morning, and they began to talk about their beloved church and all that they were doing, even when they were just talking about the building and the condition it is in now, they began to weep. All of them, began to weep. I saw something then that I think many of us tend to forget and take for granted. Turn to Eph. 5:25 "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it". Christ loved the church, should we do any less? Vs27 "The He might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish" I believe that from what I saw this morning that this church will be a glorious church. I believe that these people love their church, because it is where they worship their LORD.
The church is just a building, but it is a building where we worship God, or should be. The church is not supposed to be a social gathering, nor is it supposed to be a place to have worldly things going on. It is the house of God, it is to be a place of worship. Heb. 10:25 tells us not to "forsake the assembling of ourselves together", I believe this verse is so much more than just about skipping church. Let's look at why someone would forsake the assembling of the church, of course there are times when someone is sick, or has to work, or some other commitment that can not be helped, that is not what I am talking about. I am talking about those people who just decide they don't want to go today. Why would someone decide to forsake church? It is because they don't love their church. If they loved the church they would be there every time the doors were open. I know a man, that is a huge football fan, I don't remember what team he likes. But, anyway he got tickets to see his team play, so he drove from Mississippi to Minnesota in January, with a cold. That cold turned into the flu, and yet he still went to the game, sat in the stadium with a fever of 102, and the outside temperature was below zero, wind chill something like 30 below, in the snow. Yet when he was at home, he would skip church for just a small headache. He loved football, but he did not love his church.
In Mt. 16:18 Jesus tells Peter "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it". These people I saw this morning, were also the rock that the church is built on. 1 Peter 2:5 "Ye also as lively stones are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ". I am here to tell you this morning I saw lively stones, I saw the Spirit of God in these people, I saw Christ love for the church this morning.
I've got one more verse, in Ezra ch. 3, we see where the foundations of the Temple were being relaid, the nation of Israel was just coming out of captivity in Babylon. So in Ch 3 vs 12 the foundation was finished, and the Bible says, "But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy". These are people that loved their place of worship, they remembered how God had blessed them in the old Temple, and when they saw that it would not be long before they had a new Temple, a new place of worship, they were overcome with joy. They could not contain their emotions. This is how it should be for all of us we should weep when we miss church. We should weep when anything bad happens at our church. If a water line breaks, we should run to the church to clean up the mess before any damage is done. When vandals, desecrate the building, we should weep over it.
Do you love your church this much?
I know the building is just a building, a place to meet, but it is also where we meet, it is where we receive the blessing of the Word of God, it is where we spend time with our brothers and sisters in Christ. It is where we are feed spiritually. But, it is more than that, it is the other members, it is the pastor, we should love these things more than the building, the building is just where we are surrounded by church family, our pastor, the Spirit of God dwells there. We should love our church, every part of it. I know I need to pray that God will give me this kind of love for my church, what about you?
The church is just a building, but it is a building where we worship God, or should be. The church is not supposed to be a social gathering, nor is it supposed to be a place to have worldly things going on. It is the house of God, it is to be a place of worship. Heb. 10:25 tells us not to "forsake the assembling of ourselves together", I believe this verse is so much more than just about skipping church. Let's look at why someone would forsake the assembling of the church, of course there are times when someone is sick, or has to work, or some other commitment that can not be helped, that is not what I am talking about. I am talking about those people who just decide they don't want to go today. Why would someone decide to forsake church? It is because they don't love their church. If they loved the church they would be there every time the doors were open. I know a man, that is a huge football fan, I don't remember what team he likes. But, anyway he got tickets to see his team play, so he drove from Mississippi to Minnesota in January, with a cold. That cold turned into the flu, and yet he still went to the game, sat in the stadium with a fever of 102, and the outside temperature was below zero, wind chill something like 30 below, in the snow. Yet when he was at home, he would skip church for just a small headache. He loved football, but he did not love his church.
In Mt. 16:18 Jesus tells Peter "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it". These people I saw this morning, were also the rock that the church is built on. 1 Peter 2:5 "Ye also as lively stones are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ". I am here to tell you this morning I saw lively stones, I saw the Spirit of God in these people, I saw Christ love for the church this morning.
I've got one more verse, in Ezra ch. 3, we see where the foundations of the Temple were being relaid, the nation of Israel was just coming out of captivity in Babylon. So in Ch 3 vs 12 the foundation was finished, and the Bible says, "But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy". These are people that loved their place of worship, they remembered how God had blessed them in the old Temple, and when they saw that it would not be long before they had a new Temple, a new place of worship, they were overcome with joy. They could not contain their emotions. This is how it should be for all of us we should weep when we miss church. We should weep when anything bad happens at our church. If a water line breaks, we should run to the church to clean up the mess before any damage is done. When vandals, desecrate the building, we should weep over it.
Do you love your church this much?
I know the building is just a building, a place to meet, but it is also where we meet, it is where we receive the blessing of the Word of God, it is where we spend time with our brothers and sisters in Christ. It is where we are feed spiritually. But, it is more than that, it is the other members, it is the pastor, we should love these things more than the building, the building is just where we are surrounded by church family, our pastor, the Spirit of God dwells there. We should love our church, every part of it. I know I need to pray that God will give me this kind of love for my church, what about you?
Friday, August 20, 2010
Is There a Roof on Your House
Good morning, we are going to start this morning in Genesis 12:8. There is a story of a devout Christian went to work for an unsaved farmer, back in the days when it was customary for the farmer to provide a room for the hired hands. Even though the job was easy, and the pay was generous the Christian believer did not stay long at the farm. When he was applying for another job, he was asked why he did not stay any longer than he did. He answered, "there is no roof on the house". "No roof", the surprised farmer said, "I've been in his house and there is a roof, where did he have you sleeping"? In order to explain, he quoted an old saying, "A dwelling in which regular prayer is not offered to God is like a house without a roof. Those who live there cannot have peace, comfort, or safety".
In Genesis we see where Abraham traveled to a far country. All the dangers, and unknown could have filled his days with fear and anxiety, but instead he worshiped God. In chapter 12:8 we see, "And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Beth-el, and pitched his tent, having Beth-el on the west, and Hai on east: and there he builded an alter unto the LORD and called upon the name of the LORD." He was showing his complete dependence on, and trust in God.
"See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil" Eph 5:15-16. VS20 "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our LORD Jesus Christ". Back when I was taking piano lessons, after a particularly bad lesson, my teacher asked me how often I was practicing. I responded at least one hour after school every day, sometimes more. "Oh, no don't do that". She said, then offered this advice, "Do your practicing in minutes, whenever you can find them. Five or ten minutes before school, 5 minutes before lunch, or in between chores. This way the music becomes part of your life, not just another chore, that requires you to miss out on other things".
John Erskine, wrote his most famous work "The Private Life of Helen of Troy", on streetcars while commuting between his home and the university. Do you carry your Bible, or a devotional book with you when you are out running errands? What about the wait at the doctors office? Do you use those times to pray, what about when standing in line at the grocery store? That is a great time to pray, instead of reading the covers of the smut magazines, talk to God. I have a 15 min. drive down a 4-lane highway every time I go to town, and back home, I use this time to pray. Now when I am in town, I am praying for safety, but it is a little different type of prayer. In town it's more like, "LORD have mercy on me. Keep me safe. Watch that car for me, they are trying to run me over, God make sure I see the cops before they see me". But, out on the highway I take a minute, and a deep breath to let go of all my other thoughts, (other than focusing on driving), and I just have a good conversation with God.
At home, while I am cooking I have a few moments to talk to God, I fall asleep every night talking to God. While others are watching tv, I have no idea what is happening, because I take that time also to pray. This does not include my "prayer time", when I go in the bedroom, close the door and just bask in His glory. But, more on that tomorrow. I never planned on doing these multiple day devotions, but lately that is what God has given me, and I for one am looking forward to what He has planned next.
In Genesis we see where Abraham traveled to a far country. All the dangers, and unknown could have filled his days with fear and anxiety, but instead he worshiped God. In chapter 12:8 we see, "And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Beth-el, and pitched his tent, having Beth-el on the west, and Hai on east: and there he builded an alter unto the LORD and called upon the name of the LORD." He was showing his complete dependence on, and trust in God.
"See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil" Eph 5:15-16. VS20 "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our LORD Jesus Christ". Back when I was taking piano lessons, after a particularly bad lesson, my teacher asked me how often I was practicing. I responded at least one hour after school every day, sometimes more. "Oh, no don't do that". She said, then offered this advice, "Do your practicing in minutes, whenever you can find them. Five or ten minutes before school, 5 minutes before lunch, or in between chores. This way the music becomes part of your life, not just another chore, that requires you to miss out on other things".
John Erskine, wrote his most famous work "The Private Life of Helen of Troy", on streetcars while commuting between his home and the university. Do you carry your Bible, or a devotional book with you when you are out running errands? What about the wait at the doctors office? Do you use those times to pray, what about when standing in line at the grocery store? That is a great time to pray, instead of reading the covers of the smut magazines, talk to God. I have a 15 min. drive down a 4-lane highway every time I go to town, and back home, I use this time to pray. Now when I am in town, I am praying for safety, but it is a little different type of prayer. In town it's more like, "LORD have mercy on me. Keep me safe. Watch that car for me, they are trying to run me over, God make sure I see the cops before they see me". But, out on the highway I take a minute, and a deep breath to let go of all my other thoughts, (other than focusing on driving), and I just have a good conversation with God.
At home, while I am cooking I have a few moments to talk to God, I fall asleep every night talking to God. While others are watching tv, I have no idea what is happening, because I take that time also to pray. This does not include my "prayer time", when I go in the bedroom, close the door and just bask in His glory. But, more on that tomorrow. I never planned on doing these multiple day devotions, but lately that is what God has given me, and I for one am looking forward to what He has planned next.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Cannibalism
Good morning, I pray all is well with you today. My insomnia was acting up last night, so you may have to overlook some typo's or I may lose my train of thought momentarily, I think I managed to get about two hours and fifteen minutes sleep last night.
Let's start today in Gal. 5:13-15, the key verse is 15, "But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another". Years ago, I took Garrett out on a "Dad and Me" day, after running some errands we stopped to get some hamburgers. After getting our order and sitting down, we had gotten about halfway through our meal, when I began to hear some arguing from the booth behind me. At first I could hear them, but could not understand what they were saying, then I heard the old man snarl, "what did you say". A woman shot back, "I said, I'd never come crawling to you. I couldn't get that low." He returned her compliment by calling her a "fat slob, that no other man would put up with", and continued with a lot of cursing, telling her he didn't know why he put up with her. After she said something else he said that he "didn't know why he brought her to such a nice restaurant, it was above her". "I do", she hollered, "you've got a guilty conscience!"
During all of this I noticed Garrett staring over my shoulder, worried I was about to ask him what he was thinking, and if he wanted to leave. But before I could, he said "Dad, I don't think they know Jesus. If they did they would love each other, instead of talking to each other like that". Out of the mouth of a baby, came the truth in the word of God. Christ came into the world to save us from the lust and foolishness of the flesh. Had this couple known the peace and love of Christ, they would not have resorted to the cannibalism they did, instead they would have chewed up their food, instead of each other. We have been forgiven and have received a spirit of love.
Now turn over to James 3:2-13 "...If any man offend not in word,...and able also to bridle the whole body. Behold we put bits in the horses" mouths...and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great...yet are they turned about with a very small helm...Even so the tongue is a little member...Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire...that it defileth the whole body...and it is set on fire of hell...But the tongue can no man tame; it is unruly evil, full of deadly poison...Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree my brethren bear olive berries?...So can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom".
The great fire of London in 1666 began in a small shop, but as it spread out of control, it left most of that sprawling city in ashes. The fire of 1871 in Chicago is said to have started in a shed when a kerosene lamp was accidentally overturned. Yet it devastated approximately 2,000 acres, left 90,000 people homeless, and destroyed 196 million dollars' worth of property. A tiny spark can easily cause a raging fire. So too, one small sin of the tongue can start a frightening chain of events that often ends in catastrophe. The preacher and founder of the Radio Bible Class, Dr. M. R. De Haan once said, "The most deadly member in the human body is the tongue. We can kick with our feet and strike with our fist, but neither can do as much damage as a loose tongue. The bruise of a kick will heal, the black eye caused by a blow from a fist will clear up, but the wounds inflicted by unkind words, idle gossip, outright lying, and vicious slandering can never be completely healed."
How many times have you seen someone say something ugly about someone else, and the hurt feelings, and fighting's have lasted for years after? How many times have you seen careless words destroy whole families, and split churches? Are you like me, and try to avoid being around those people that only have negative things to say about other people? Do you listen to rumors, or worse help spread them, under the guise of "finding the truth"? I believe I told you how a while back, before I realized what was happening, I was told a rumor about something that supposedly happened at the church. Instead of going to the people supposedly involved, because of the serious possibility of hurt feelings, I went to the pastor, because he was supposed to know about this. I sat down in his office behind closed doors, and I said, "I was told that about two months ago there was something very bad happened here at the church, something bad enough that if the whole church was to find out, it would split the church. I was also told you know about it. Now I don't want to know any details, nor am I going to give any, I am just here to ask you if you know about anything this serious happening?" He said that right off the top of his head, he did not know what I was talking about, then asked who was supposedly involved, because knowing this might help him know what I was talking about. I responded, "If I tell you that, just that little bit, I feel I would be helping to spread the rumor, so I can't do that." Then I said, "this is serious enough that it could split the church, if anything that serious happened, you would know what I am talking about, I don't care if it did or not as far as that goes, but if it happened, and if it comes out there could be legal repercussions, and I just want to be prepared, so that I can help fight whatever legal battles comes up."
You see, I felt that from a legal standpoint I needed to know the truth, however even though I was talking to the pastor and knew for a fact he would not repeat anything, I still felt it was wrong to tell anything I heard. Because, if he knew which church member was spreading rumors of this magnitude, it could cause hurt feelings between them. If he knew who was supposedly involved (even if this was not true), it could cause hurt feelings there also. But, more importantly we are told in the Bible that we are not too spread rumors, so I could not tell anything, not even "to find the truth".
Whether or not this happened was actually none of my business, I did not need to know. However, once it came to the point that it could cause a church split, and cause legal problems for the church, I needed to know if at some point, whether or not I might be involved in a legal battle was my concern and that I needed to know. When He was unable to think of anything happening that was that serious that told me all I needed to know. Because of how I handled the situation, the only hurt feelings are between me, and the person that told me. However, this is not the first time this person has done something to lose my respect, so really it did not make things any worse, just added to the list of reasons for me to avoid them. The way I handled the situation, I was able to put out the fire, instead of adding fuel to it. I was able to prevent the cannibalism that this person was trying to cause.
The only way I was able to handle the situation correctly, is that as soon as I heard this rumor, I got on my knees (figuratively speaking), and I asked God for wisdom, I asked for guidance, and I asked for Him to be with me, I asked for Him to go with me so that I could go in a spirit of love, and for Him to prepare the pastors heart, and to be with him so that he could accept my questions in the spirit of love I intended them to be asked in.
Let's start today in Gal. 5:13-15, the key verse is 15, "But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another". Years ago, I took Garrett out on a "Dad and Me" day, after running some errands we stopped to get some hamburgers. After getting our order and sitting down, we had gotten about halfway through our meal, when I began to hear some arguing from the booth behind me. At first I could hear them, but could not understand what they were saying, then I heard the old man snarl, "what did you say". A woman shot back, "I said, I'd never come crawling to you. I couldn't get that low." He returned her compliment by calling her a "fat slob, that no other man would put up with", and continued with a lot of cursing, telling her he didn't know why he put up with her. After she said something else he said that he "didn't know why he brought her to such a nice restaurant, it was above her". "I do", she hollered, "you've got a guilty conscience!"
During all of this I noticed Garrett staring over my shoulder, worried I was about to ask him what he was thinking, and if he wanted to leave. But before I could, he said "Dad, I don't think they know Jesus. If they did they would love each other, instead of talking to each other like that". Out of the mouth of a baby, came the truth in the word of God. Christ came into the world to save us from the lust and foolishness of the flesh. Had this couple known the peace and love of Christ, they would not have resorted to the cannibalism they did, instead they would have chewed up their food, instead of each other. We have been forgiven and have received a spirit of love.
Now turn over to James 3:2-13 "...If any man offend not in word,...and able also to bridle the whole body. Behold we put bits in the horses" mouths...and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great...yet are they turned about with a very small helm...Even so the tongue is a little member...Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire...that it defileth the whole body...and it is set on fire of hell...But the tongue can no man tame; it is unruly evil, full of deadly poison...Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree my brethren bear olive berries?...So can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom".
The great fire of London in 1666 began in a small shop, but as it spread out of control, it left most of that sprawling city in ashes. The fire of 1871 in Chicago is said to have started in a shed when a kerosene lamp was accidentally overturned. Yet it devastated approximately 2,000 acres, left 90,000 people homeless, and destroyed 196 million dollars' worth of property. A tiny spark can easily cause a raging fire. So too, one small sin of the tongue can start a frightening chain of events that often ends in catastrophe. The preacher and founder of the Radio Bible Class, Dr. M. R. De Haan once said, "The most deadly member in the human body is the tongue. We can kick with our feet and strike with our fist, but neither can do as much damage as a loose tongue. The bruise of a kick will heal, the black eye caused by a blow from a fist will clear up, but the wounds inflicted by unkind words, idle gossip, outright lying, and vicious slandering can never be completely healed."
How many times have you seen someone say something ugly about someone else, and the hurt feelings, and fighting's have lasted for years after? How many times have you seen careless words destroy whole families, and split churches? Are you like me, and try to avoid being around those people that only have negative things to say about other people? Do you listen to rumors, or worse help spread them, under the guise of "finding the truth"? I believe I told you how a while back, before I realized what was happening, I was told a rumor about something that supposedly happened at the church. Instead of going to the people supposedly involved, because of the serious possibility of hurt feelings, I went to the pastor, because he was supposed to know about this. I sat down in his office behind closed doors, and I said, "I was told that about two months ago there was something very bad happened here at the church, something bad enough that if the whole church was to find out, it would split the church. I was also told you know about it. Now I don't want to know any details, nor am I going to give any, I am just here to ask you if you know about anything this serious happening?" He said that right off the top of his head, he did not know what I was talking about, then asked who was supposedly involved, because knowing this might help him know what I was talking about. I responded, "If I tell you that, just that little bit, I feel I would be helping to spread the rumor, so I can't do that." Then I said, "this is serious enough that it could split the church, if anything that serious happened, you would know what I am talking about, I don't care if it did or not as far as that goes, but if it happened, and if it comes out there could be legal repercussions, and I just want to be prepared, so that I can help fight whatever legal battles comes up."
You see, I felt that from a legal standpoint I needed to know the truth, however even though I was talking to the pastor and knew for a fact he would not repeat anything, I still felt it was wrong to tell anything I heard. Because, if he knew which church member was spreading rumors of this magnitude, it could cause hurt feelings between them. If he knew who was supposedly involved (even if this was not true), it could cause hurt feelings there also. But, more importantly we are told in the Bible that we are not too spread rumors, so I could not tell anything, not even "to find the truth".
Whether or not this happened was actually none of my business, I did not need to know. However, once it came to the point that it could cause a church split, and cause legal problems for the church, I needed to know if at some point, whether or not I might be involved in a legal battle was my concern and that I needed to know. When He was unable to think of anything happening that was that serious that told me all I needed to know. Because of how I handled the situation, the only hurt feelings are between me, and the person that told me. However, this is not the first time this person has done something to lose my respect, so really it did not make things any worse, just added to the list of reasons for me to avoid them. The way I handled the situation, I was able to put out the fire, instead of adding fuel to it. I was able to prevent the cannibalism that this person was trying to cause.
The only way I was able to handle the situation correctly, is that as soon as I heard this rumor, I got on my knees (figuratively speaking), and I asked God for wisdom, I asked for guidance, and I asked for Him to be with me, I asked for Him to go with me so that I could go in a spirit of love, and for Him to prepare the pastors heart, and to be with him so that he could accept my questions in the spirit of love I intended them to be asked in.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Tail Wagging the Dog
Good morning, I pray all is well with you. I want to give you a little poem first this morning, then I'll get into the devotion.
There was a dachshund once, so long/ He hadn't any notion/ How long it took to notify/ His tail of his emotion;/ And so it happened, while his eyes/ Were filled with woe and sadness,/ His little tail went wagging on/ Because of previous gladness.
Now I know you are asking what in the world that poem has to do with a Bible devotion. Let's look at today's passage, Deut. 7:12-19, vs 18 "Thou shalt not be afraid of them; but shalt well remember what the LORD thy God did unto Pharaoh, and unto all Egypt:". Moses was talking to the Israelites about when they actually entered the promised land, and he was describing how they would face enemies that were larger, and more powerful than they were. He said, that when you look at them you will get scared that we will not be able to defeat them, however, remember what God has already done for you. Remember all the ways God has already blessed you, remember all the ways God has already protected you. If you will do this, then there will be no reason for you to be afraid.
If we are facing famine, remember how God has already fed us. If we are facing defeat, remember all the battles He has placed in our hands. If we are facing ridicule remember how many times the tables have turned already. If your bank account is empty remember how many times, and all the ways He has provided for you in the past. No matter what difficulty you are facing, no matter how bad things seem, If you will stop and remember the goodness, greatness, and love of God you will have reason to rejoice over your trouble.
Romans 8:31 "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" Another way to look at that verse, "If God be for us, what can be against us?" There is power in prayer. Some people say that the most powerful thing on earth is the Atom Bomb, they say that splitting the atom that way produces more power than any other thing possible to exist. And, it is a horrible power, just look at Hiroshima. However, I am here to tell you there is something more powerful, the power of prayer to the one and only, Holy Righteous LORD God.
Look at it this way, "God gave us memories so that we might have roses in January". Roses are very beautiful flowers, probably the most beautiful. Unfortunately they only grow during the summer, but stop and think for a minute, try to remember a rose you saw on your bush, or a friends bush last summer. It is the same way with the blessings of God, just try to remember one time God blessed you. Now I imagine by now, you could probably list somewhere close to 10 times He blessed you. When it comes to remembering God's blessings, you can't stop at just one, if you ever get started you will be there a while. How can you be scared, worried, upset, anything other than joyous when you are remembering all the ways you have been blessed?
There was a dachshund once, so long/ He hadn't any notion/ How long it took to notify/ His tail of his emotion;/ And so it happened, while his eyes/ Were filled with woe and sadness,/ His little tail went wagging on/ Because of previous gladness.
Now I know you are asking what in the world that poem has to do with a Bible devotion. Let's look at today's passage, Deut. 7:12-19, vs 18 "Thou shalt not be afraid of them; but shalt well remember what the LORD thy God did unto Pharaoh, and unto all Egypt:". Moses was talking to the Israelites about when they actually entered the promised land, and he was describing how they would face enemies that were larger, and more powerful than they were. He said, that when you look at them you will get scared that we will not be able to defeat them, however, remember what God has already done for you. Remember all the ways God has already blessed you, remember all the ways God has already protected you. If you will do this, then there will be no reason for you to be afraid.
If we are facing famine, remember how God has already fed us. If we are facing defeat, remember all the battles He has placed in our hands. If we are facing ridicule remember how many times the tables have turned already. If your bank account is empty remember how many times, and all the ways He has provided for you in the past. No matter what difficulty you are facing, no matter how bad things seem, If you will stop and remember the goodness, greatness, and love of God you will have reason to rejoice over your trouble.
Romans 8:31 "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" Another way to look at that verse, "If God be for us, what can be against us?" There is power in prayer. Some people say that the most powerful thing on earth is the Atom Bomb, they say that splitting the atom that way produces more power than any other thing possible to exist. And, it is a horrible power, just look at Hiroshima. However, I am here to tell you there is something more powerful, the power of prayer to the one and only, Holy Righteous LORD God.
Look at it this way, "God gave us memories so that we might have roses in January". Roses are very beautiful flowers, probably the most beautiful. Unfortunately they only grow during the summer, but stop and think for a minute, try to remember a rose you saw on your bush, or a friends bush last summer. It is the same way with the blessings of God, just try to remember one time God blessed you. Now I imagine by now, you could probably list somewhere close to 10 times He blessed you. When it comes to remembering God's blessings, you can't stop at just one, if you ever get started you will be there a while. How can you be scared, worried, upset, anything other than joyous when you are remembering all the ways you have been blessed?
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Still Small Voice pt. 2
Good Tuesday morning to all of you. First thing we see in our passage this morning, in 1 Kg chapter 19, is that an angel ministered to Elijah and prepared him for the journey he was about to take. Then once Elijah arrived at Horeb, the mount of God, the word of the LORD came to him. In verse 11, we see where Elijah was told to "Go stand upon the mount before the LORD". Then the Bible says that the LORD himself passed by, and that a great and strong wind "rent" the mountain. I don't know about you, but if I was to experience a wind strong enough to tear rock, I would probably pass out from fear, either that or forget I was not in the bathroom. But the terror was not over yet, next there was an earthquake, then a fire, each time the Bible says that the LORD was not in the wind, or the earthquake, or the fire. Then there was a still small voice. And, God was in the voice, because it was the voice of God. The voice asked "What doest thou here Elijah?"
1.First I want to look at the first three things that happened, the strongest tornado in the history of the world, an earthquake, and a fire. All of these happened after Elijah was told to leave the safety of his cave and stand on the mount. God wanted him in the danger zone, God wanted him where things were happening, where the power of God was going to be made known. He also wants us to leave the safety of the cave and to get out where those things are going on.
2. No matter what happens God will keep us safe, as long as that is His plan. And as long as He still has something for you to do, His plan will be to keep you safe.
3. Despite everything that happened, despite all the danger around him, Elijah did not move. He could have ran for cover, but he stayed put. He stayed right where God wanted him to be.
4. Because Elijah did what he was told to do, because he was where he was supposed to be, he received a great blessing. If you have ever heard that still small voice, then you will understand what I mean about this being a blessing.
There have been several times in my life, I obeyed God and went where He wanted me, and then managed to stay there despite what happened while I was there, until He told me it was time to go somewhere else and I received a blessing because of it. Other times my obedience fell apart at some point along the line. At times, I never obeyed to start with, other times I was doing what I was supposed to be doing, but I got scared, or frustrated, or embarrassed, or whatever emotion, and I stopped obeying. Because of that I either missed out on a blessing, or I had to undergo chastisement due to my disobedience.
What has God asked you to do? Are you doing it? Are you willing to stand in the wind, to stand through an earthquake, or stand the heat of a fire in order to be in the spot God wants you? Elijah was in no danger from any of these occurrences, God was both testing Elijah, and teaching him a lesson. If you remember Jezebel was trying to kill him, and Elijah was scared so bad that he wanted to die. God was telling him, as long as you are where I want you, doing what I want you to do, you have nothing to fear. I have not completely learned this, have you?
Don't get me wrong, bad things happen to God's children, especially those that are doing His will, just remember Job if you don't believe it. However even with Job, Satan could only do what God allowed. As long as you are doing God's will, nothing can happen to you that God does not allow, and He will not allow it, unless He wants it to happen. So what am I afraid of? Why do I find it so hard sometimes to obey what He tells me?
1.First I want to look at the first three things that happened, the strongest tornado in the history of the world, an earthquake, and a fire. All of these happened after Elijah was told to leave the safety of his cave and stand on the mount. God wanted him in the danger zone, God wanted him where things were happening, where the power of God was going to be made known. He also wants us to leave the safety of the cave and to get out where those things are going on.
2. No matter what happens God will keep us safe, as long as that is His plan. And as long as He still has something for you to do, His plan will be to keep you safe.
3. Despite everything that happened, despite all the danger around him, Elijah did not move. He could have ran for cover, but he stayed put. He stayed right where God wanted him to be.
4. Because Elijah did what he was told to do, because he was where he was supposed to be, he received a great blessing. If you have ever heard that still small voice, then you will understand what I mean about this being a blessing.
There have been several times in my life, I obeyed God and went where He wanted me, and then managed to stay there despite what happened while I was there, until He told me it was time to go somewhere else and I received a blessing because of it. Other times my obedience fell apart at some point along the line. At times, I never obeyed to start with, other times I was doing what I was supposed to be doing, but I got scared, or frustrated, or embarrassed, or whatever emotion, and I stopped obeying. Because of that I either missed out on a blessing, or I had to undergo chastisement due to my disobedience.
What has God asked you to do? Are you doing it? Are you willing to stand in the wind, to stand through an earthquake, or stand the heat of a fire in order to be in the spot God wants you? Elijah was in no danger from any of these occurrences, God was both testing Elijah, and teaching him a lesson. If you remember Jezebel was trying to kill him, and Elijah was scared so bad that he wanted to die. God was telling him, as long as you are where I want you, doing what I want you to do, you have nothing to fear. I have not completely learned this, have you?
Don't get me wrong, bad things happen to God's children, especially those that are doing His will, just remember Job if you don't believe it. However even with Job, Satan could only do what God allowed. As long as you are doing God's will, nothing can happen to you that God does not allow, and He will not allow it, unless He wants it to happen. So what am I afraid of? Why do I find it so hard sometimes to obey what He tells me?
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