"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD." Isaiah 55:8
The Lord doesn't always show up the way we think that He will. We have a preconceived idea about how He will and should show up. Israel missed the day of their visitation because they thought that He would show up as a conquering king to deliver them from the oppression and bondage of Rome. Instead He showed up as a babe in a manger and a crucified Christ.
God shows up the way He wants to show up. We just need to make sure that we don't let our idea of how He should show up cause us to miss Him. When it comes to meeting our needs, we think He has to show up as a check in the mailbox, as a new scientific treatment or through another person. I am reminded that in His word He says that His ways and thoughts are so much higher than our ways and thoughts. He could show up to meet your need, to minister to you, to reveal Himself to you in many ways. But because He is a sovereign and mighty God He will show up in the best way according to His desire and plan.
Have a great day. Don't miss God because you are looking for Him to show up in a particular way.
Thursday, March 7, 2019
Wednesday, March 6, 2019
"It Lieth"
"If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him." Genesis 4:7
"...sin lieth at the door..." When I was growing up, my parents were constantly telling us to "close the door we were letting the bugs in (mosquitoes, flies, etc.)." What a spiritual principal we find in this natural illustration. According to our opening scripture, sin lies at the door just like those bugs. If we didn't want the bugs to come in we had to keep the door closed or close it before they had a chance to come in. Same thing- if we don't want sin to come in we should either keep the door closed or close it quickly.
"...sin lieth at the door..." It "lies" at the door. It isn't standing at the door, it isn't pacing back and forth around the door, it isn't sitting down at the door, it isn't watching the clock wondering when you will open the door. It's "lying" at the door. That means that it has taken a comfortable position and is just waiting. It isn't going anywhere. Its content to just lie there and wait until you open the door. It "lies" at the door- it's also laying in wait. Waiting to "pounce" on you. Waiting as a lion lays in wait for its prey. It's lying at the threshold so that at the first sign of movement, the first sign of the door opening it will make its attack on you.
Since it's obvious that sin is going to wait you out and at the first sign of an open door it will make its move to destroy you, then the only victorious course of action for us to take would be to keep the door closed. It's a whole lot easier to keep sin out than it is to deal with it once it has come in- just like those bugs. (It was an endless battle swatting flies and killing mosquitoes.) How do we do that? How do we keep the door closed? "If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door." Do what's right--- keep the commandments, obey the Lord, apply His word to your life, be a doer of the word. As long as you are living in obedience to God's word you will keep the door closed and sin won't have a chance to enter.
Have a great day. Close the door, you're letting "sin" in.
"...sin lieth at the door..." When I was growing up, my parents were constantly telling us to "close the door we were letting the bugs in (mosquitoes, flies, etc.)." What a spiritual principal we find in this natural illustration. According to our opening scripture, sin lies at the door just like those bugs. If we didn't want the bugs to come in we had to keep the door closed or close it before they had a chance to come in. Same thing- if we don't want sin to come in we should either keep the door closed or close it quickly.
"...sin lieth at the door..." It "lies" at the door. It isn't standing at the door, it isn't pacing back and forth around the door, it isn't sitting down at the door, it isn't watching the clock wondering when you will open the door. It's "lying" at the door. That means that it has taken a comfortable position and is just waiting. It isn't going anywhere. Its content to just lie there and wait until you open the door. It "lies" at the door- it's also laying in wait. Waiting to "pounce" on you. Waiting as a lion lays in wait for its prey. It's lying at the threshold so that at the first sign of movement, the first sign of the door opening it will make its attack on you.
Since it's obvious that sin is going to wait you out and at the first sign of an open door it will make its move to destroy you, then the only victorious course of action for us to take would be to keep the door closed. It's a whole lot easier to keep sin out than it is to deal with it once it has come in- just like those bugs. (It was an endless battle swatting flies and killing mosquitoes.) How do we do that? How do we keep the door closed? "If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door." Do what's right--- keep the commandments, obey the Lord, apply His word to your life, be a doer of the word. As long as you are living in obedience to God's word you will keep the door closed and sin won't have a chance to enter.
Have a great day. Close the door, you're letting "sin" in.
Tuesday, March 5, 2019
"A Collision"
"I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes..." Psalm 101:3a
Have you wondered how two cars can collide when they meet on a straight wide road and there was no apparent reason for the collision? They say that we tend to go in the direction that we are looking. If each person is looking at the on coming vehicle they begin to steer the wheel in the direction they are looking and they wind up colliding. If you are looking at something on the side of the road, you start going in that direction and wind up running off the road.
That being the case we need to pay attention to where we are looking because we will tend to go in that direction- we are drawn toward whatever we are looking at. This was the case with David. He looked at Bathsheba bathing on the rooftop and headed in that direction- the direction of lust and committed adultery with her. Lot looked at the plains of Sodom and headed in that direction and wound up eventually vexing his soul. Eve looked at the fruit and went in that direction and ate it.
On the flip side, Jesus looked at the Father and that was the direction that He headed. Jesus kept His eyes on the Father- watching what He did, seeing what He was doing, seeing His will. This is why He was always doing the will of the Father- He was drawn in the direction in which He was looking.
What are you looking at this morning? Are you looking at the lusts that are in this world? If so, you will be drawn toward it and wind up having a collision with sin. Are you looking at the state of the world- the economic problems, the confusion, the corruption? Then you will be drawn toward fear and a feeling of hopelessness. Are you looking at the promises of God? If so, you will be drawn toward them and your faith will be built up, you'll be encouraged, you'll walk in victory because you will have a collision with the truth. Are you looking at Jesus? If you are you'll be drawn to Him and your love for Him will deepen, and you'll be transformed more and more into His likeness. Where are you looking?
Have a great day. You will have a collision with whatever you are looking at because you will be drawn in that direction. What do you want to collide with? Sin or God? Then pay attention to what and where you are looking.
Have you wondered how two cars can collide when they meet on a straight wide road and there was no apparent reason for the collision? They say that we tend to go in the direction that we are looking. If each person is looking at the on coming vehicle they begin to steer the wheel in the direction they are looking and they wind up colliding. If you are looking at something on the side of the road, you start going in that direction and wind up running off the road.
That being the case we need to pay attention to where we are looking because we will tend to go in that direction- we are drawn toward whatever we are looking at. This was the case with David. He looked at Bathsheba bathing on the rooftop and headed in that direction- the direction of lust and committed adultery with her. Lot looked at the plains of Sodom and headed in that direction and wound up eventually vexing his soul. Eve looked at the fruit and went in that direction and ate it.
On the flip side, Jesus looked at the Father and that was the direction that He headed. Jesus kept His eyes on the Father- watching what He did, seeing what He was doing, seeing His will. This is why He was always doing the will of the Father- He was drawn in the direction in which He was looking.
What are you looking at this morning? Are you looking at the lusts that are in this world? If so, you will be drawn toward it and wind up having a collision with sin. Are you looking at the state of the world- the economic problems, the confusion, the corruption? Then you will be drawn toward fear and a feeling of hopelessness. Are you looking at the promises of God? If so, you will be drawn toward them and your faith will be built up, you'll be encouraged, you'll walk in victory because you will have a collision with the truth. Are you looking at Jesus? If you are you'll be drawn to Him and your love for Him will deepen, and you'll be transformed more and more into His likeness. Where are you looking?
Have a great day. You will have a collision with whatever you are looking at because you will be drawn in that direction. What do you want to collide with? Sin or God? Then pay attention to what and where you are looking.
Monday, March 4, 2019
"Take A Break"
"Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live." John 11:25
I take a break on the weekends from writing the devotional. Many of you get a break from your jobs over the weekend. Schools have a summer, winter and spring break- a time off from classes. But just because I take a break from writing the devotional doesn't mean I take a break from my service and devotion to the Lord. Christianity is not just something that we "do" it's who we are- disciples of Christ, followers of Jesus, children of the Lord.
I don't take a break from Him. He is not just an attachment to my life... He IS my life. "For in him we live, and move, and have our being." (Acts 17:28a) "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)
You can't call yourself a Christian and have Him as an attachment- something added on. Again, He is your life. He is the air you breath. He is the marrow in your bones. He is the strength in your body. He is the wisdom in your decisions. He is the beating of your heart and the blood flowing through your veins. Without Him we are nothing and can do nothing. Before Him we were "dead men walking". We had no life. We are now alive because of Him, but the life we now have is His life in us.
Enjoy your weekend, but don't leave Him out. Enjoy your time off, but don't think that it is time off from Him. Don't just give Him certain days, like Sunday morning, but give Him all day everyday.
Have a great day. He is your life... you can't take a break away from "life".
I take a break on the weekends from writing the devotional. Many of you get a break from your jobs over the weekend. Schools have a summer, winter and spring break- a time off from classes. But just because I take a break from writing the devotional doesn't mean I take a break from my service and devotion to the Lord. Christianity is not just something that we "do" it's who we are- disciples of Christ, followers of Jesus, children of the Lord.
I don't take a break from Him. He is not just an attachment to my life... He IS my life. "For in him we live, and move, and have our being." (Acts 17:28a) "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)
You can't call yourself a Christian and have Him as an attachment- something added on. Again, He is your life. He is the air you breath. He is the marrow in your bones. He is the strength in your body. He is the wisdom in your decisions. He is the beating of your heart and the blood flowing through your veins. Without Him we are nothing and can do nothing. Before Him we were "dead men walking". We had no life. We are now alive because of Him, but the life we now have is His life in us.
Enjoy your weekend, but don't leave Him out. Enjoy your time off, but don't think that it is time off from Him. Don't just give Him certain days, like Sunday morning, but give Him all day everyday.
Have a great day. He is your life... you can't take a break away from "life".
Friday, March 1, 2019
"Lord Or Just Words"
"He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me." Mark 7:6
I am compelled to address a subject this morning that needs to be addressed in the church but rarely is. We need to lovingly correct people, we need to care about their souls, we need to help shine the light so that they can see the darkness and deception that they are living in and we should not allow people to believe a lie about their spiritual well being or the state of their soul. Before I start let me say that we are not the "Holy Ghost police"- only He can change and convict a heart-- but we can speak up and tell them the truth and not hold back because it's the truth makes us free. That's my intention in addressing this area.
There is a spiritual deception when you have people who are faithful to church yet are living a sinful life. It really bothers me when someone will stand up in church and begin their greeting by saying, "Giving honor and glory to Jesus who is the Head/Lord of my life". The bothersome part is that this same woman who makes this greeting has rushed to get to church after being at the casino all night, plus she is living with a man she is not married to. And it is bothersome to hear the men say the same yet all the while they are living with a woman who they are not married to, or they were out getting drunk the night before, or they beat their girl friend up on a regular basis. You tell me, why should I be bothered by that? Do you see anything wrong with that picture? Yet, our churches are full of men and women who are living in sin but yet confess that "Jesus is the Lord of their lives". ( "I don't think so!")
That conclusion is not my judgment, it's what the word of God says. Listen to the words of Jesus. "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46) "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 7:21) "If ye love me, keep my commandments." (John 14:15) You can't call Jesus Lord if you aren't obeying Him. You can't say He is the Lord of your life if you aren't following His commandments. You can't say He is the Head of your life if you are living in a manner that pleases you instead of Him. You can't say He is your Lord if you are living a sinful lifestyle. Oh, you can "say" it but it's just words. "They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate." (Titus 1:16) "We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not." (1 John 5:18) There is a difference in Him being Lord of your life, and you being Lord of your own life.
Have a great day. His Lordship of your life has to go beyond mere words or He has no Lordship in your life.
I am compelled to address a subject this morning that needs to be addressed in the church but rarely is. We need to lovingly correct people, we need to care about their souls, we need to help shine the light so that they can see the darkness and deception that they are living in and we should not allow people to believe a lie about their spiritual well being or the state of their soul. Before I start let me say that we are not the "Holy Ghost police"- only He can change and convict a heart-- but we can speak up and tell them the truth and not hold back because it's the truth makes us free. That's my intention in addressing this area.
There is a spiritual deception when you have people who are faithful to church yet are living a sinful life. It really bothers me when someone will stand up in church and begin their greeting by saying, "Giving honor and glory to Jesus who is the Head/Lord of my life". The bothersome part is that this same woman who makes this greeting has rushed to get to church after being at the casino all night, plus she is living with a man she is not married to. And it is bothersome to hear the men say the same yet all the while they are living with a woman who they are not married to, or they were out getting drunk the night before, or they beat their girl friend up on a regular basis. You tell me, why should I be bothered by that? Do you see anything wrong with that picture? Yet, our churches are full of men and women who are living in sin but yet confess that "Jesus is the Lord of their lives". ( "I don't think so!")
That conclusion is not my judgment, it's what the word of God says. Listen to the words of Jesus. "And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46) "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 7:21) "If ye love me, keep my commandments." (John 14:15) You can't call Jesus Lord if you aren't obeying Him. You can't say He is the Lord of your life if you aren't following His commandments. You can't say He is the Head of your life if you are living in a manner that pleases you instead of Him. You can't say He is your Lord if you are living a sinful lifestyle. Oh, you can "say" it but it's just words. "They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate." (Titus 1:16) "We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not." (1 John 5:18) There is a difference in Him being Lord of your life, and you being Lord of your own life.
Have a great day. His Lordship of your life has to go beyond mere words or He has no Lordship in your life.
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