Month: July 2020

Felicitations to you on this Friday morning, brother!  Let us give praise to our Good God for His faithfulness in helping us through the week.

Read Psalm 36. Selah.

This psalm of David opens with a brutally straightforward assessment of wicked men.  Given the grievous state of the world today, there is value in our understanding the characteristics of wickedness in mankind.  Although our culture would lie and tell us that “men are basically good”, we need to remember that, without the LORD, there is no righteousness in any of us. So, let us review wickedness as detailed in today’s psalm:

Wicked people do not fear god.

Wicked people flatter themselves.

Wicked people are filled with iniquity and hate.

Wicked people are deceitful.

Wicked people are cunning.

Wicked people do not hate evil.

Whew – what a list!  Many people believe that the apostle Paul quoted this passage (and others) as he detailed the evil ways of men in Romans 3:10 – 18.  Regardless, this scripture serves to instruct us and remind us of the desperation of man in a corrupted world – and all we need to do to gain confirmation of this wickedness is to read a few of the top news articles each morning.

But, the Light shines brightest in the dark!

Next, the psalmist turns his attention to the true goodness of the LORD, and what a contrast it is!  In his psalm, David lists just some of our Good God’s benefits. We need to be constantly thankful to Him as we walk through this world that is crying out for restoration, because He has shown each of us His:

Mercy

Faithfulness

Righteousness

Justice

Protection

Lovingkindness

Trust

Abundance

Light

Steadfastness

In another psalm, David says (103:2) “Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:”
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Yes, my brother, as we observe evil in this world, and as we inevitably encounter wicked people, let us remember that He has shown us His favor; and never forget all of the benefits bestowed upon each of us by our Loving LORD!

Bless the LORD, O my soul!  Amen!

My brother, good Thursday morning! Greetings and blessings to you in the Precious Name of Our Lord Jesus!

Read Colossians 2:6 – 15.

Not much is really known about the early church at Colossae, as this smaller city is not mentioned in the Book of Acts. It is generally thought that this predominantly Gentile and culturally diverse church was established by Epaphras, who heard the Gospel when Paul was preaching in Ephesus, located about 100 miles west of Colossae.

The Colossians, much like some of the other early churches, were having to contend with outside (cultural and religious) influences with the potential to taint the simple purity of the Gospel; therefore, Paul wrote this letter to ensure these new Believers were fully anchored in the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

As you read today’s selected verses, take note of how The Holy Spirit, working through Paul, reveals the majesty and power and preexistence and divinity of Christ – and by presenting His true nature, the Colossians are delivered from any corruption. Brothers, given the times in which we live, we would do well to learn this lesson – let us make sure we are regularly and methodically pursuing a more intimate knowledge of Jesus for ourselves!

In our passage, the Spirit exhorts each of us, as Believers, to:

– walk in Jesus
– be rooted in Him
– be built up in Him
– be established in the faith
– abound in the faith
– be complete in Christ

In contrast with the wonderful revelation of Our Lord, today’s reading also contains this very direct warning from the Spirit (vv 8) – “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.”. What wise counsel for each of us living today!
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Finally, let us be encouraged today by receiving this amazing declaration (vv 13-14):

“And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.”
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Thank You, Jesus, for the cross. Thank You for forgiving me and for removing everything that was contrary to me. Thank You for making me alive together with You – forever! Amen!

Thank you, LORD, for this Wednesday that You have blessed us with – and good morning, brother!

Read Daniel 9:3 – 19.

The Bible is filled with numerous examples of powerful prayer being lifted to our Good God, and today’s scripture is certainly a prayer that we should closely examine.

This intercessory prayer of Daniel was prompted by his clear understanding of the times as revealed through prophetic scripture (Jeremiah 25, 29; Isaiah 44, 45); and by Daniel’s heartfelt desire to see God move quickly to restore Jerusalem.  As you read today’s passage, think about the following “what if’s”:

Daniel obviously was interceding in prayer on behalf of Jerusalem and its inhabitants and all Israel – WHAT IF we all interceded in like manner today on behalf of our nation?

Daniel acknowledges that the people of Israel have sinned and rebelled, but the LORD is forever righteous (vv 7) “O Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but to us shame of face, …because of the unfaithfulness which they have committed against You.” – WHAT IF our prayers of intercession were filled with recognition of our nation’s transgressions against the LORD and repentance for the sins we have committed against Him?

Daniel tells the LORD that (vv 13) “all this disaster has come upon us; yet we have not made our prayer before the LORD our God” – but WHAT IF we all as mighty men of God take the initiative and pray for our nation right now, so “that we might turn from our iniquities and understand Your truth.”?

And WHAT IF we confess that our great country is in trouble; that our United States, established by Believers, has lost its way; that we need God now more than perhaps anytime in our history?  WHAT IF we all pray in agreement with Daniel’s mighty petitions before the LORD, and lift up our nation and our people just like he did in closing his compelling intercession (vv 17 – 19)?:

“Now therefore, our God, hear the prayer of Your servant, and his supplications, and for the Lord’s sake cause Your face to shine on Your sanctuary, which is desolate. O my God, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see our desolations, and the city which is called by Your name; for we do not present our supplications before You because of our righteous deeds, but because of Your great mercies. O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and act! Do not delay for Your own sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name.””

WHAT IF?

‭‭II Chronicles‬ ‭7:14 – “if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

Heal our land, LORD!  Amen!

A wonderful Tuesday morning to you, my friend!  The LORD bless you and keep you today!

Read Philippians 2:5 – 11 (again)

Today, we continue on with our consideration of this passage that so beautifully communicates the humility of Our Lord; His obedience; and His sacrifice for each of us.

This reading is the consummate fulfillment of the prophecy contained in Isaiah 9 (vv 6):

“For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;”

At Christmastime, we celebrate the birth of the Child – but we rarely consider all of the implications of the the statement “Unto us a Son is GIVEN”.  But here is what Paul says about a Son being given from our reading today (vv 7 and 8):

“but (Jesus) made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”.

When I was in the Coast Guard, and during other lifesaving training I received, we utilized a four step approach to rescuing a drowning person:  Reach – Throw – Row – Go. The first and best and safest way to rescue someone who is drowning is to reach for them, either directly or with a pole or some other object. And then the next is to throw a lifesaving device to them. Next, you could get in a boat and row to them to save them. The last choice, and the most dangerous choice, is to get in the water and go to the drowning person – this is the last choice because it puts the person making the rescue in the same dangerous environment as the person who is drowning.

Yet, this is exactly what Our Lord and Savior Jesus did for each of us!  When we were dying, He left His throne in heaven and came humbly into the world, living with us and being tempted just as we are, but overcoming both sin and death so that each of us could be saved.  The writer of Hebrews puts it this way (4:15) “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”
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This approach to dealing with the issue of sin and evil in a fallen world – that is, creator God who enters into His creation to both relate to and rescue man – is truly unique. No other religion can boast of a Savior like we have in Christ Jesus!

“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”  Amen!  And thank You, Jesus!

Blessings to you on this Monday morning, and may our Good God’s grace and favor be upon you throughout this new week!

Read Philippians 2:5 – 11.

There are some portions of scripture that should cause every Believer to pause and truly reflect, and this is certainly the case with today’s reading. This letter to the early church in Philippi was penned by the apostle Paul from a prison cell (perhaps in Rome). There were several reasons for Paul to write to the Philippians – including addressing some division and discord that had developed among the Believers. And these few verses of today’s reading are squarely directed at dealing with discord by getting the brothers and sisters to focus on the magnificence of Our Lord Jesus.

As you read through these few verses, take note of the following key points:

Paul is calling Believers to let the mind of Christ Jesus be in each of us! But instead of expanding on all of the wonderful and amazing things that could imply, the writer hones in on the true humility of Christ. Paul tells us that Jesus “did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.” What a gracious and wonderful Savior we have, brothers! He did not cling to the rights and privileges and deity that He righteously and eternally possessed, but He gave it all up so that He could save each one of us.

I am humbled by the very thought of what Jesus did for me.

And further consider – this concept of God Himself stepping out of heaven and taking on the likeness of man to deal with the world’s sin nature is unique among the world’s religions. Only true Christianity, including a humble Savior who pays the price for sin, once for all, can effectively address the issues and the questions faced by this fallen world. There is no other worldview that can bring the hope that we have as Christians, knowing that Our Lord has made atonement for each of us; and further, that He has defeated death on our behalf!

We continue on with our consideration of these verses from Philippians 2 tomorrow.

Thank You, Jesus, for Your willingness to lay down everything You had in heaven for me. I am humbled by even the thought of it, my Lord! Help me today to walk in a way that will bring glory to You, Jesus! Amen!

Greetings to you, my friend, on this fine Friday morning that the LORD has given us!  And praise Him as we come to the end of this week!

Read I Peter 1:3 – 9.

According to the Gospel accounts, the disciple Peter, among all of Jesus’ disciples, seemed to be the one that was most emotionally expressive. And Peter was the disciple that received a personal restoration of relationship with Jesus (John 21) after having denied the Lord. Peter was therefore well equipped to empathize with and encourage the Believers to which his letter was directed – the displaced and suffering early Church in Asia Minor.

As you read this powerful opening to his first letter to these Believers, notice the amazing words of encouragement and assurance that Peter offers them:

Peter opens by praising God for His abundant mercy as demonstrated by both Jesus AND the living hope that the resurrection of Jesus Christ establishes for every Believer.

Peter then points out that every Believer has an inheritance reserved for him or her in heaven. And this inheritance must be amazing, because Peter doesn’t tell us what, exactly, the inheritance is!  Instead, he conveys what our inheritance is not – it is incorruptible; it is undefiled; and it never fades away.

Next, Peter reminds the Believers (including each one of us) that we are “kept by the power of God through faith for salvation”.  What a marvelous declaration!  The mighty and eternal power of God is establishing us in faith even to the point of our salvation.  According to today’s reading, we all should “greatly rejoice” in this assurance.

Peter then acknowledges the trails that all Believers must face.  Despite those trials, he reminds us that even though our faith is being tested by fire, our genuine faith is much more precious than gold; AND, our faith will be found to praise, honor, and give glory to Our Lord Jesus when He is revealed.

And finally, Peter closes out this portion of his letter with a simple but powerful reminder for each of us: that the END of our faith is the SALVATION of our souls!

My brother, every one of us is headed somewhere – and as Believers, you and I are simply passing through this life on our way to be eternally with Jesus.  And, according to today’s scripture, God’s power establishes our faith as we walk through the trials we must inevitably face while we are here in this world; but, we have an amazing inheritance waiting for us when we get to heaven.

Thank You, God, for encouraging me through Your Word today!  And thank You, God, for giving me the saving faith that I need to walk through every trial that I face, until I am safely in the presence of my Lord and Savior, Jesus!  Amen!

Good Thursday morning, and blessings in the mighty name of Our Lord Jesus to you and your loved ones!

Read Psalm 63.

This famous psalm was written by David as he was in the wilderness of Judah, either before he became king or while he was a fugitive during Absalom’s rebellion.  David’s wilderness experience is beautifully reflected in several of the important passages in Psalm 63.

“O God, You are my God” The psalmist opens with a powerful yet simple repetitive declaration that affirms that God is the only God; the one true living God; and that there is no God other than God.

“My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water.”  What an amazing picture of seeking the LORD while in that wilderness place!  My brothers, each of us find ourselves in “the wilderness” from time to time.  It is that place where we feel disconnected; alone; desperate; doubting; insecure; powerless; without choices and without options; and even separated from our Good God, seemingly unable to hear His voice or discern His will. During those times, we would do well to fully embrace the words that David has recorded for us in his psalm:

– “thirst” and “long” for God.

– Quite literally, look for God.

– Praise Him, with your mouth and lips.

– Remember God when you lie down.

– Meditate always on the LORD.

– Return to your testimonies – recall the times that God has helped you.

– Rejoice in His protection.

– Remember that His hand is holding you.

And finally, as we close our consideration of today’s reading, let us return to one of the opening proclamations in this psalm of David  “Early will I seek You”.  My brother, if you are in the wilderness (and even if you are not), I encourage you to start each morning by taking some time to think about our Good God; all of His benefits; His Kingdom; and all that He desires to do in you and through you.

Colossians 3:2. – “Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.”  Amen!

Each day is a blessing from our Good God!  Good Wednesday morning to you, my friend!

Read Romans 14:7 – 19.

In chapter 14 of his letter to the young church in Rome, Paul specifically addresses food and holy days – these were issues that caused division between the Believers comprising that church.

But as you read the selected verses of what is a fairly complex chapter, read them in the context of other (current) matters that might bring division among today’s Believers.  And as you read, keep in mind that Paul is exhorting all of us, as followers of Christ and as members of His body, to walk with understanding towards each other.  He tells us in vv 7 that we are all in relationship with each other through Christ “For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.”; and, because of Christ, we are all His.

So, Paul goes on to caution each of us not to judge our brother, or to show contempt for them in any matter that is simply a part of that person’s own walk of sanctification (that is, the Lord dealing with that other person’s “stuff” individually). But instead, we are to (vv 13) “resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.” and to walk in love towards that brother in Christ.
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The Holy Spirit, speaking through Paul, then tells us what is truly important in the Kingdom (vv 17 and 18):  “for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.”.

My brothers, there are many, many things that would move to undo the unity of the Body of Christ – our own fleshly desires are divisive; and certainly, we have an enemy that is truly THE divider.  But, if we take to heart the instruction given to us by our Good God, we will overcome these insignificant conflicts, and walk in the power of agreement and love with our fellow Believers.

Because the world is in such turmoil, it needs the unity of the Body of Christ, now more than ever before!  Let us, then, be obedient to this word, and “Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.” (vv 19‬). Amen!

Felicitations to you on this fine Tuesday morning, my brother!

Read Psalm 121. Selah.

This psalm is called “A Song of Ascents”, because it was sung by the people as they made their way up to Jerusalem to worship at the temple or to attend one of the appointed feasts.

For us, this psalm has equal application as “sojourner and pilgrims” (1 Pet 2).  As you read this beautiful passage, let the words speak to you from your perspective as a Believer who is passing through this world on your way to a place that Jesus has prepared for you in the Father’s house (John 14).

And take particular note of the following:

We lift up our eyes to the LORD – He, and He alone, is the source of our help.

When we are on His path, the LORD will not allow our foot to be moved. As we move towards Him, we are being guided; we are under His care – He is always ready to keep us from stumbling.  It is His desire that our journey is both protected and complete.

The LORD never sleeps. His watch over our journey to our place with Him is 24/7.  He is never distracted; He never slumbers; He never fails.

The LORD keeps us and preserves us. In this short psalm, the Hebrew word “shamar” (translated both keep and preserve) is used 6 times to describe the level of detailed attention and protection our Good God is paying to our travels into His presence.  Think about it – we have assurance from the Maker of Heaven and earth that He will keep us and preserve us!

Finally, this “journeying psalm” ends with a wonderful promise for us as pilgrims moving through this fallen world (vv 7 and 8):  “The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore.”
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Today, let us receive all of the promises and assurances contained in Psalm 121. And remember that we are just “passing through” on our way to the eternal place that Jesus has prepared for us. Amen!

God’s greatest blessings to you, my friend, as we start another week that He has given us!

Read Luke 21:7 – 19.

To set the context of today’s reading, Jesus and His disciples are watching the offerings being brought into the temple treasury.  Some of the disciples are commenting on the magnificence of the temple buildings, and Jesus responds with a “nested prophecy”, by telling them about both the coming destruction of Jerusalem and the end of days.  Naturally, the disciples want to know when these prophetic events will occur. But instead of giving them a timeline, Our Lord outlines for His disciples (and for us) what to watch for as those days approach; and He gives us guidance on preparing ourselves for the end times.

As you read Jesus’ words this morning, take note of these key points:

There will be deceivers that actually claim to be Jesus. vv 8 – “Take heed that you not be deceived. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He, ’ and, ‘The time has drawn near.’ Therefore do not go after them.”

There will be wars and commotions and famines and pestilences and fearful sights – through it all, Jesus tells us “do not be terrified”.

As followers of Our Lord, we can expect to be persecuted and literally hunted down by the authorities. And Jesus tells us that this will be our opportunity to testify about Him!  Further, He says not to worry about what we will say, how we respond when we are dragged before the rulers because we believe; Jesus Himself will give us “a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist. (vv 15)”
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Our Lord then tells us in this passage that we will be hated by all and even betrayed by family because of His name – so great will this hatred be that some will even be put to death!  But, even through death, Our Savior promises that (vv 18) “not a hair of your head shall be lost.”  Obviously, Jesus is differentiating here between our earthly bodies and our eternal home with Him.  As Paul says it, “For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” –
‭‭II Corinthians‬ ‭5:1‬.

Finally, Jesus makes this simple yet remarkable statement to each of us (vv 19) “By your patience possess your souls.”.  Through His exhortation, He is reminding each of us to live our lives in the face of trials and turmoil and persecution with endurance and quiet grace; to dwell in His peace when there is no peace; and to fully embrace that eternal perspective that He died on the cross to give us.

Lord Jesus, thank You for all that You have given me, even eternal life. Thank You, Lord, for Your peace through trials and persecutions and betrayals. Thank You, Lord, that You will always be with me, and You will never forsake me. Amen!
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