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Showing posts from 2015

The Mind

The Mind My dad told me this as a small child in regard to sports and letting the circumstances of the competition and the actions of the other team get to me, "Son, don't let them get in your head; if you let them get in your head, they've won." Wise words. Later this statement was transferred into when I had trouble at school and was bullied (it happened a good bit). Naturally I took this wise lesson into many other circumstances in my life and it has served me well. Sometimes parents, we wander if the things we say to our kids get through -- I can attest to the fact that the important things stay with us (Prov.22:6). I thank my Dad for his wisdom, it has helped me through some difficult times and it still does even today; I plan to pass these wise sayings, rooted in God's truth, on to my own children. We must stand a vigilant guard over what we allow in to our minds in this life. To let evil things in is to be consumed and beaten. Consider, "Finally,

Time & Choice

Time and Choice There are two things that each breath, each moment, affords us in this life: time and a choice. Our question is what are we doing with the time we're being given, that blessing of one more breath, that blessing of God's mercy in allowing us one more chance before the Judgment Day to get our lives where they need to be - each moment is proof of God's longsuffering and love (2Pet.3: 9-11 ). What choices are we making with our time here? It sure would be convenient for us if we could blame the devil for our missteps, for our sins, for our failings in life. For most of us as adults when we see someone shifting blame for their faults it often makes us angry, or at the least we're disappointed that someone chooses that way of life. Why is that? When someone never owns up, never takes responsibility,  but always points the finger at everyone but themselves then it shows an immaturity and an unwillingness to grow up. Kids do this, we actually expect that and

Who Am I

Who Am I? "Then King David went in and sat before the Lord; and he said: “Who am I, O Lord God? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far?..." (2 Sam.7:18) When we consider God sent His only Begotten Son to die for our sins, don't we ask the same humble and sobering question "Who am I, Lord?" God has sustained my life and yours to this point in time. Dwell on that rich thought for a while... "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." (2Pet.3:9) Do we recognize the blessing of each moment of each day the Lord gives us? "For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ di

The Lord Will Make A Way

The Lord Will Make A Way "So the Egyptians pursued them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen and his army, and overtook them camping by the sea beside Pi Hahiroth, before Baal Zephon. And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord. Then they said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt? Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness.” And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The Lor

Giving of Thanks

Giving Of Thanks "Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples! Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; Talk of all His wondrous works! Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord! Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face evermore!" (Ps.105:1-4) Need a new holiday tradition? Sing praises of thanks to God today, Christians! Consider how we're blessed! "Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms." (Jms.5:13) What a blessing to be able to praise God with our loved ones surrounding us! I have to brag on my wife -- though our plans changed for this holiday rather quick, she has handled the changes beautifully. We went from going out of town to visit family to staying in town and family coming to us. There has been a great deal of preparation involved and she has made it look easy -- all while wrestling  our little man and our other child (of the cani

Something Within

Something Within There's something deep within me that burns like wildfire, that yearns to do more, know more, grow more, to be more -- each of these desires in their own way pressing me for more, both as a man and spiritually. As I look to God's word for understanding, I realize that voice inside me is absolutely correct. To be wise. To be true. To be real. Are these not the things which make us as men admirable? Are not these the things of life which give us pause, which give us reason to lift our eyes and our hearts unto Heaven and thank the Lord for the beauty of them. When these facets of life are molded into a perfect unison in our own lives, when they are who we are, then we possess the greatest blessing of all -- we live like Christ. Christ was real - what you saw was what you got. What He believed was what He lived, and He lived it out fully and without reservation. Christ was true - there was no hint of deception nor dishonesty about Him. His words, His actions

Perspective - Rough Week

Perspective - Rough Week "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to  be  compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us...Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." (Rom.8:18,37) When times get tough, where do we go? Sometimes it's so easy to only think about your present troubles, those things which are bringing stress and trials your way. I've been thinking all week about this, but as I think here on a Friday my mind goes to my Savior. We often say "I can't wait until the weekend! If I could just get to Friday!" But when I consider my week, it's really nothing in comparison to Jesus. Think you've had a bad week? Think people have treated you ill? Think the stress is too much? Take the time to read Matthew 26-27. Quietly reflect. Take the time to read John 13-20. Quietly reflect. Pray to the Lord and thank Him, ask for guidance, ask for a greater perspective to hand

Homeless

Homeless "For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him." (Is.53:2-3) With tear-filled eyes, we consider our Lord and the prophecy of His life here and what He would go through to save us. How do we view those with less of this world's goods, without fine apparel, without the physical characteristics we deem appealing, without hygiene that suits our standards, without family, without money, without [fill in the blank]. How many times have we seen someone homeless and we turn our heads? I have to ask myself, would I have missed my Lord while He was on this earth, considering how I shamefully catch myself tempted to act toward those less fortunate at times? Would I despise t

Boldness

Boldness "The wicked flee when no one pursues, But the righteous are bold as a lion." (Prov.28:1) "Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us." (1Jn.4:17-19) “And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!" (Lk.12:4-5) Righteousness, in and of itself, is bold in the eyes of this world. The very act of being what a Christian is supposed to be, is called to be, is boldness to the workers of iniquity. Why? Because light exposes darkness for what it is. Light, by its nature, illuminates

Battle

Battle "Blessed be the Lord my Rock, Who trains my hands for war, And my fingers for battle— " (Psa.144:1) "Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, The Lord mighty in battle." (Psa.24:7-8) Are you ready for a fight today? In the wee hours of the morning I rise before the sun, preparing myself for the day ahead my hands shake and my fingers feel stiff as I pick up my sword. I pray to my God that I will have the strength and presence of mind this day to wield the sword with courage, strength, and precision. My attention goes to strengthening my mind with His word so I may handle this sword with heavenly wisdom, a soldier's unwavering resolve, and with unflinching valiance. We, my God and I, prepare as I listen to my Commander instruct me in the ways I should go. He gives me the path to walk, He lights and leads the way, He prepares my h

Speak The Same Thing

Speak The Same Thing "Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." (1Cor.1:10) How can we do this? Man would tell us this is impossible. Ask a group of people to agree to doing something one way and you'll have many variations and ideas. However, when we agree to adhere to the same standard, the word of God, then we can do exactly what this verse says. God even tells us how to do this, observe: "If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let  him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen." (1Pet.4:11) "I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were calle

Haunting Thoughts

Haunting Thoughts Have you ever committed sins - which you have long ago repented of - which creep back into your thoughts on occasion with little to no warning? Does the memory of those sins bring you low, cause you to over and over again feel remorse (and/or anger at yourself) and pull you off course? The fact is, we have memories and we often can't control when our minds may be triggered by some external occurrence and those memories come flooding back as if the matter just happened. Our choice is what we do with those things when they do re-enter our minds. Fight? Find a solution? Be overcome? Consider with me a character who had these struggles himself - Saul of Tarsus, who later became Paul the Apostle. * Read Philippians 3-4 and focus on his words and experience * Consider who Paul formerly was - read Acts 7:57-8:3; 9:1-3 * Consider Paul's practice - read 1 Corinthians 9:19-27 * Consider Paul's actions, and concern, for the gospel and his brethren - read 2 Cor

Battle Is The Lord's

Battle Is The Lord's "...And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, he disdained him; for he was only a youth, ruddy and good-looking. So the Philistine said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. And the Philistine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!” Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle

Thirties

Thirties Any time the scripture mentions the age of someone I like to take note of it. God wasted no words when revealing His mind to us in the Bible, so when He mentions someone's age then it's there for a reason, if only to give us record and a time frame to consider. We, as finite beings, operate within the constraints of limited time on this earth but our God does not. That being the case, time and age matter to us and God reveals multiple things to help guide us through our limited time and how to live righteously before Him. I've often thought of the various undividuals mentioned in the Bible and considered my own life in comparison to theirs, if for no other reason than finding a spiritual or physical benchmark for my own life and how I'm living. Being that I turned 33 yesterday I have been thinking very soberly about my Savior and others in the Bible and what they did at my age. 33 is an age that carries with it some very vivid details from the Bible and it'

My Shepherd

My Shepherd "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want." (Ps.23:1) My voice is that of a bleating sheep calling out for its Shepherd to lead it through the pasture of life toward its eternal home. My steps are ordered only so far as the Shepherd leads and beyond the light of His presence is an all-consuming darkness. Wolves are lurking about seeking to lead me astray and devour me. Wolves dress themselves among the sheep and seek to take away my brethren, to spill their blood all over the countryside. At times I find myself drawn away, lured to the depths of sin and death, but thanks be to God that I may return and to His fold I can be restored alongside my Savior, my Shepherd.  I am filled with an overwhelming love for my Shepherd and His sheep and I am filled to the brim with anger and hatred for the way of the wicked, the trickery and lust which seeks to lead so many to the pit. So many sheep lie just outside the light of the Shepherd, their blood spilt as they lay dyin

Why

"Why?" Here's a question that we find ourselves often asking others. We often see this especially among children where some direction or explanation is given and the answer doesn't quite satisfy their minds so they will ask, "Yeah, but why?" We can also, as God's children, do the same thing with the Lord's commands. He gives a command in His word and sometimes our response is "Ok, but why?" Sometimes the Lord gives the answer to the "why" in other passages, but sometimes it's just simply do exactly what He said and trust that He wouldn't command anything that would not be for our best interests eternally. But there's one person who perhaps gets left out most often in our questioning of "Why?" and that is ourselves. We read passages like 1Pet.3:15 and nod our heads that we should live this way, but do we ever stop to question ourselves about the hope within us: "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts,

To Whom Do You Bow Your Knee?

To Whom Do You Bow Your Knee? "For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen." (Eph.3:14-21) Have we truly bowed our knee to our Lord? Are we in humble submission and all reverence before Him? Is our inner man strengthened so that Christ dwells in our hearts throu

Comfort Of Being Near Our God

Comfort Of Being Near Our God "...But as for you, stand here by Me, and I will speak to you all the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments which you shall teach them, that they may observe them in the land which I am giving them to possess.’ “Therefore you shall be careful to do as the Lord your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. You shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess." (Deut.5:31-33) In human terms we, as small children, look up to our parents. As a young boy, being able to stand alongside my father and learn or observe while he was doing or teaching something important was such a treat. As we age perhaps we lose touch, for any number of reasons, with that wonder and sense of privilege to be with our parents. The fact still remains, however, that as a child looking

Connecting Passages - Anger & Our Conduct

Connecting Passages - Anger & Our Conduct Psalm 119:165 Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble. Proverbs 16:7 When a man's ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. Proverbs 15:1 A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 22:24-25 Make no friendship with an angry man, and with a furious man do not go, lest you learn his ways and set a snare for your soul. Proverbs 26:4-5 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like him. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes. Matthew 5:43-48 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on

Connecting Passages - Contentment

Connecting Passages - Contentment Luke 12:15 "...And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” Hebrews 13: 5 -6 "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” Philippians 4:11-13 "Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Proverbs 23:23-28 "Buy the truth, and do not sell it, Also wisdom and instruction and understanding. The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice, And he who begets a wise child will del

Connecting Passages - Contrasted Lives

Connecting Passages - Contrasted Lives Psalm 1 "Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. The ungodly are not so, But are  like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish." Revelation 22:14-15 "Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and pract

Connecting Passages - Trials

Connecting Passages - Trials "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matt.11:28-30) "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." (2Cor.1:3-4) "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." (Jms.1:2-4) "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both th

Lesson Of The Bible In Life

Lessons of the Bible in Life When we read the Old Testament we see a history of God dealing with people, God separating out a people set apart to serve Him and through which would come the Messiah. We see man's foolishness but also the best of what man can do when he puts his faith and hope in the Lord. God is shown to us through those accounts. It wasn't until this morning that the lesson dawned on me while reading Psalm 71: "For You are my hope, O Lord God ; You  are my trust from my youth. By You I have been upheld from birth; You are He who took me out of my mother’s womb. My praise shall be continually of You. I have become as a wonder to many, But You are my strong refuge. Let my mouth be filled with Your praise And with Your glory all the day. Do not cast me off in the time of old age; Do not forsake me when my strength fails. For my enemies speak against me; And those who lie in wait for my life take counsel together, Saying, “God has forsaken him; Pursue and tak

Unrighteousness - What Are We To Do?

Unrighteous Leaders & Nation - What Are We To Do? "Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." (1Tim.2:1-4) Have you and I done this recently? Or, perhaps, even at all? Before we go tearing down those in power, why wouldn't we - as the saved of this earth - pray for them first? Might I suggest that if we were to stop and pray for them, then perhaps our tongues would be better controlled and not say some of the things I've heard Christians say - things which, I'm ashamed to say, even I have said myself? Consider the wisdom of God through Solomon: "Do not curse the king, even in your thought; do not curse the rich, even in your b