God And Practical Common Sense

Today I am writing my devotion from my Mother's home in Southern California. I seem to have forgotten a few pieces of hardware for my laptop, namely my power cord, so I have no "juice" to use it while away from home. Anyway, I am looking at 1 Peter 3:10 and it says, "Let Him who means to love life and see good days refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking guile."

Boy this is a tough one. We all have something to say about almost everything that goes on in life. Whether it affects our individual lives or not. In other words, we are very "opinionated". The advise that Peter gives us here is simple and to the point. In fact, the first 9 verses of this chapter are a reference to "Godly Living" and some "Hindrances to Prayer" that we all have, I am sure, recognized in the past.

Verse 8 & 9 indicate that we should "...let all be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil, or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing."

Ouch! Just driving out here to California there was a man driving very close to the back of my car and I had no place to go, so I was stressed about him "pushing" me to get out of his way. I don't feel that I returned "evil for evil" toward him when he did finally pass me a few miles up the road but I also don't remember being "brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit" as he passed by.

Peter is simply telling us here that "good practical common sense" is probably the best policy in situations just like mine earlier today. Of course, I didn't insult him with any physical gestures as he drove by, but I didn't pull him over and invite him for dinner either.

I understand that "known sin in the heart" will hinder prayer and now that I am writing this I don't recall asking God to keep him safe as he drove down the freeway like a "loon". Pretty much a "catch 22" in this illustration but you get it, I'm sure.

We know that unharmonious relationships, selfishness, unforgiving spirits, and unbelief hinder our prayer life and Peter wants to tell us to use good common sense in relating to others as we are a constant witness for God. We are, indeed, His representation here on earth.

So I have asked God for forgiveness and He has assured me that He will help me be more of what He wants me to be. I understand that when I go to God, I go in "all humility" asking Him to reveal situations that may hinder my prayer life so I can judge it, confess it, calling it by name and forsake that attitude. And He forgives. That's too cool.

Dave

His Promise

Today I started putting together what I hope to be a published book of not only daily devotions, but also my story, along with a few of my personal "childhood memories" and my testimony. It is my hope that someday it will find a home in a Christian bookstore for sale and others throughout the world will be able to pick up my book and be blessed. In the meantime, today I would like to quote for you, one of my all time favorite passages of scripture. I use it for others but mostly I have used it for myself over the last 4 years now and every time I read it, it becomes more of a beacon of light to me than the last time.

"Let not your heart be troubled, believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. An if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way where I am going." Thomas said to Him, "Lord we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way? Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me."

I cannot think of another place in the Bible that is more direct than this passage. Jesus has issued to us a promise that He personally purchased. A promise that none other could have made. A promise that has been backed up by the very Creator Himself. Can you receive that much confidence from the place where you deposit your money today? No you cannot. And you cannot because it will burn. The promises of our Lord, Jesus Christ cannot be burned or destroyed in any fashion. This is the ONLY promise that you can trust.

Dave

Just Spending Time Alone With God

Sentimentally involved in communication with the Lord this morning and I am listening intently to His words to me, He directed me to Job 10:12 which reads "Thou has granted me life and loving-kindness and Thy care has preserved my spirit." Who else in the universe can do this for me. I am at peace with not only the world but also with the spirit within because He "has granted me life and loving-kindness."

And another verse that would go hand in hand with this one is also in Job an it is chapter 33, verse 4 and it says "The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life." Rather than try to inject some spiritual intellect to these passages of scripture, I am just absorbing their words and meaning. And remember that Job's life had been broken beyond repair "and then came the Lord".

Further I read in Job 27: 3 & 4 "For as long as life (breath) is in me, and the breath of God is in my nostrils, My lips certainly will not speak unjustly, nor will my tongue mutter deceit." How can we read these word from the heart of the creator as He has inspired the common man to pen these words of delight and spiritual blessing?

Reading these verses brings me to a very simple and complete understanding of the beginning of the book (Genesis) where God said "Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let him rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth" (Gen. 26). He didn't have to do that! In fact, it was the heart of God that knew that WE would need the love that only He could supply and it is simply illustrated in the above verses. That verifies that sometimes commentary is not necessary to receive the love of the Lord as He speaks to us from His precious Word.

Try just sitting in a quiet place and soaking in some of the "romantic" words with which He speaks to us and see if your heart doesn't skip a beat. "God is Love" and His love sustains us throughout our lives, in good times and bad. Just Jesus and His Word; what else can we possibly need to fill our souls. WOW!

Dave

Prepared By God

Today I have chosen to focus on a verse out of the "faith" chapter (Hebrews 11). The verse is Hebrews 11:3 and it says "By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible."

I realize that none of the people who read this devotion have "seen" God so it is obviously by "faith" that we believe He walks among us. However, there is plenty of evidence right here within God's Word to verify His existence.

Faith is paradoxical:

• It exults in tribulations (Ro. 5:3).


• It accepts all things as a part of God's will (Phil. 1:12).


• It chooses to endure ill-treatment (Heb. 11:25).


• It sings in prison (Acts 16:25).

"So faith comes from hearing and hearing by the word of Christ" (Ro. 10:17). It goes beyond reason. It believes without understanding "why".

How about some more proof. Psalm 33: 6 says "By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, And by the breath of His mouth all their host." And down in verse 9 "For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast."

There's more. "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Then God said, 'Let there be light'; and there was light" (Genesis 1:1-3).

A guy named Darwin tried to downplay this "faith" by his postulated theory which states that creation was "happenings by chance" and his scientific definition was "Fortuitous concurrences of accidental circumstances" Whoa! Back up a minute! What the heck is that. If I believed in this theory, it would be interesting each time we opened a can of peaches (or anything else for that matter) to see what we would find. You know, speaking of Darwin, I read somewhere that someone said "I would rather believe in God and when I die, find out that I was wrong, than believe in Evolution and die and then find out I WAS WRONG! It's still all about faith.

I saw a bumper sticker once that said "God said it, I believe it, and that settles it!" What does it take to "settle it" in your life? The references above are just a few of the proof texts in God's Word that prove His existence. Get RIGHT or get LEFT behind! Need some guidance? Click on 4 Spiritual Laws and get some answers.

Dave

He Has Purchased My Soul

"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Ro. 5:13). "for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Ro. 14:17). "And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God" (1Cor. 2:4,5).

As sort of a spin off from yesterday's devotion, I wanted to share these verses with you concerning the power of the Holy Spirit and the peace He brings in your life. As you can see the underlined parts, I see a God of hope, I see joy and peace, I recognize the abounding in the power of the Holy Spirit. I see that the kingdom of God is righteousness and peace and joy within His Holy Spirit and I understand that it is not because of persuasive words of wisdom, but by the dynamic demonstration of the Holy Spirit as we walk through this life, that we do not rest because of what we consider the wisdom of men, but our rest is on nothing less than the power of God Himself.

As we allow the Holy Spirit to speak to our hearts and we live our lives based on the Spirit of truth He instills within us, we walk "blamelessly" and "upright" by His power. Can you confess that in your life today? What if the rug was pulled out from under you tomorrow morning? What if you wake up but your spouse doesn't? What if you received a letter this afternoon from the bank saying that they are repossessing your home or car or other item you depend on for everyday life? What if your job dried up tomorrow? Do you have the spiritual strength to stand up and say "you can destroy this body but He has already purchased my soul. You cannot do me any harm."

This very thing happened to me, and when I told the doctor that she was not in control of my life, but rather God made the final decisions, it eventually created a need to leave her service and look for another oncologist. But even that was God sent.

In Job 1:8 we hear God say to Satan "Have you considered my servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil."

I would be honored to wear Job's sandals.

Dave

Blameless or Destroyed

Psalm 37:37 says "Mark the blameless man, and behold the upright; For the man of peace will have a posterity." Another translation says the last part this way "For the man of peace will have an end." Of course, if you just stop reading there it doesn't sound glorious or wonderful for the "upright man" but go on to verse 38 to see what happens to the transgressors. This verse says "But transgressors will be altogether destroyed; The posterity (end) of the wicked will be cut off."

So when you read those two verses together you get a better understanding of the Psalmist's idea of what will happen to the good AND the bad. Of course, as Christians we understand this concept and rejoice in the fact that we dwell among the "blameless". Naturally we do not always feel like we are blameless, but that is the way our God looks at us. The writer goes on in verse 39 to say that "the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in time of trouble." Most all of us can agree with that. "And the Lord helps them, and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked, and saves them, because they take refuge in Him" (verse 40).

I take refuge in the Lord, on a "moment by moment" basis. Trials and tribulations in this world can sweep us off our feet because we are weak. But I thank my God that each and every moment of my life, I can look to Him to be my strength and know with assurance that I (as wicked as I may see myself) fall in line with the "blameless" that the Psalmist writes about. It's all about faith.

How does God look at you? I'm not asking how you think He looks at you. I'm asking how is your relationship with God? Regardless of your worthless feeling (which is defeatism, and we know where that comes from), if Jesus lives in your heart, no matter what the trial, you can cry out to Him and believe that He is listening.

Dave

Ever Been Called A Name?

Remember when we were kids and someone called us a name. I can remember saying "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me". It wasn't necessarily very courageous but it kept me from getting my nose punched. Well the good Doctor Luke talks about names in today's scripture verse. It is Acts 4:12 and he says "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved."

So what difference does it make if someone calls us a name? Childish I suppose, but the first thing we do is put up our guard. I've been called a lot of names over the years and I'm still alive so that must mean that my childhood theory of "sticks and stones" is still intact. I've been called names that I cannot even mention either in the written word or spoken word. I been referred to as a liar, a cheat, a "dip-stick" and a hypocrite (that one hurts a lot because we never want to be seen in the light of hypocrisy, especially with God looking on), I've been called some of these names very recently, but they are just words. They have no spiritual value and they cannot hurt me.

I'll bet you didn't know that I was a cheat, a thief, a liar and a hypocrite but none of these names mean anything because of the name on which I have called for my salvation.

It is a fact that God loves me (Jn 3:16)
It is a fact that I am a sinner (Ro. 3:23)
It is a fact that I was dead in my sin (Ro. 6:23)

and it is a fact that because Jesus died for my sins I have been saved by the "only name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved"! Jesus Christ! I believe in Him so you can call me anything you want to but the only way to see me in eternity is to believe in the name that I believe in. Even my hypocrisy does not discount the "name of Jesus" in my life.

Do you continue to "ignore" the names people call you or are you waiting to get "punched" in the nose? It's gonna hurt. I'd consider the option the good Doctor offers here in Acts 4:12.

Also in Acts 10:43, Luke says of Him (Jesus) "...all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins."

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but Jesus has saved my soul. You can believe it.

Dave

First Importance Is Christ

"Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures" (1 Cor. 15: 1-4).

Today the world is in crisis and everyone of us hear it daily on the news. We learn more about it out in public as we interface with others, and we have deep, concerned discussions with our family and close friends about today's worldwide difficulties (which naturally revolve around money). And I don't wish to diminish the severity of this trial that the world is going through but rather I want to share what is good about it.

In the verses above, the Apostle Paul is reminding us of Christ's resurrection. Paul says "...if you hold fast" the words you have been taught about our Lord and His Second Coming, then you are very much aware of what is happening in the world today. If you listen to the talking heads of the news society you can arrive and a hundred different conclusions. But it is important for us as Christian men and women to remember that we have (some of us for decades) been praying for His return. Some of us have the events of His return permanently implanted on our brains and in our hearts.

Now, this may not look like a time of great joy in the life of America, but He (God) is what we were founded on and it is our job; no it is our obligation to take a deep breath and go out and share the joy of an eternity within God's grace. An eternity that has far more value for us than what we see as temporal right now.

So Paul told ALL of those who would listen that what was of "first importance" was threefold:

Christ died for our sins.
He was buried.
And He rose from the grave.

This is what people who don't know Christ need to know about Him. And there are any number of references in scripture that support this need in the world today.

Things are moving very rapidly these days and you may have family or friends who are not aware of the above principles of salvation. Don't be the one who must stand before Christ and answer as to why you did not share. Fall in love with the Savior to the extent that Acts 4:20 becomes tattooed onto your brain. Here Doctor Luke says "for we cannot stop speaking of what we have seen and heard". You've heard about the Christ, and seen the miracles he has performed in the lives of others. It's your turn now. Let's give Jesus Christ the "Welcome back" He deserves. "The harvest is ripe"

Dave

The Commandments Of The Lord

Do you know much about the Ten Commandments? Like perhaps where they are located in the Bible. Well they are in Exodus 20 in verses 1 through 17. And are you aware that there is a method to the way in which God established these commandments? Well the first four of the commandments pertain to man's relationship to God. They all have to do with us in our everyday dealing with God. And the other six commandments have to do with man's relationship to man. Read them. You'll see the connection there easily.

The reason I ask is because of 1 Chronicles 22:13 which says "Then you shall prosper, if you are careful to observe the statutes and the ordinances which the Lord commanded Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and courageous, do not fear nor be dismayed." Now according to my way of thinking, this verse of scripture lines up beautifully with what I have been writing about for over two months now and that is our witness on this earth. If I understand Hebrew tradition correctly, they believe that the book was written by Ezra and this verse explains that we are doing our job when we are in observation of the guidelines set up by God, sent down by Moses and eventually Jesus Christ (verse below).

What about the "New Commandments" that Jesus established when He walked on the earth? Do you know where they are? Theses two commandments are in Matthew 22: 37-39 and they say "...You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself."

So it make perfect sense in 1 Corinthians 1:23,24 where Paul says "but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block, and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called (that's you an me), both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God." (read Ro. 8:28). All the disciples preached Christ crucified, buried and risen from the grave. That is still the message today. One of my favorite scripture verses is in Philippians 3:14 "I press on (we press on) toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." What does that "pressing on" consist of? Matthew 28: 18-20; We Go!

Found any good reasons for sharing Christ with friends, loved ones, neighbors, co-workers and yes, even complete strangers? I think the verses above could make a good case.

Dave

The Wizard of Oz?

"For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man; so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted an grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fulness of God" (Eph. 3:14-19).

In the last three verses of Matthew 28, Jesus delivers His Great Commission, not only to the eleven disciples, but to the rest of the world, THEN and NOW! When I read these verses, I am drawn to the word "Go" in verse 19. When I think about this word within the context of these verses, it reminds me of a scene in a fantasy you all know called, "The Wizard of Oz". Now, continue to read because I mean no disrespect, for sure.

I see the "gang of four", the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion, and of course, poor little Dorothy standing before the "Most Powerful Oz" and his offer to help them comes with a price. He wants the broomstick of the "Wicked Witch of the West" and he has commanded them to retrieve it for him. In this scene, his last line is "NOW GO"! And it is not a wimpy "go" but rather it is a command that was shouted from behind his curtain. Any of you remember the scene? When he commands them to go, the Cowardly Lion is so, so frightened, that he turns and runs away as quickly as he can.

Perhaps kind of silly to try to relate a word in scripture to a movie as fanatical as "The Wizard of Oz". But when I read this passage of scripture, I can feel that deep level of intensity in our Lord's voice as he commands the world to tell His story. Eventually the gang manages to get the broom and return it to the Wizard in payment for his assistance in their plights. And immediately, the Wizard, upon being discovered as a phony, gives them what they think they want for life, but he cannot help poor little Dorothy get back home because he does not possess the power.

Now, what on earth does this story have to do with the passage of scripture I wrote at the beginning? Well, the Wizard was of some assistance to most of them but he was no match for the needs of the only human in this story's group. Try as he might, he was not able to bring a satisfying ending to Dorothy's story. But when Jesus said "GO" in Matt. 28:19, His command was not from the folly of a phony professor but rather from the God of the universe and it came with THAT level of power and authority. And so we GO! In Ephesians, Paul explains to those who were listening and those who would read and believe that:

(1) We are part of His family.
(2) We are strengthened by the power of His Spirit.
(3) Christ lives in our hearts in order to cause us to be "rooted and grounded in love".
(4) So that we would understand how wide, how long, how high and how deep is the love of Christ for us.
(5) And this love definitely came with a price! Jesus died to give us this love.

So, the next time you read the verses from the "Great Commission" of our God, you can look back on this silly little illustration that demonstrates the difference between the power of a man and the Love of our God. And when you "Go and make disciples" remember that you are not a phony but you represent the only One who can take us home!

Dave

Can You Feel Their Pain?

Today I want to "sidestep" my scheduled scripture in order to share a thought that continually runs through the Christian community, mostly without enough support. This could get a little long and I hope that you will read through these thoughts as I believe that we need each other's support in order to survive the "trials of the day." The scripture text is a little lengthy also, in fact, this particular devotion may end up somewhere else on the site because of its length and nature.

If you wish to read the entire article it is posted on my website. You can "click" on the title above and it should take you directly to the article. The scripture is 2 Corinthians 11:21-30

God bless,

Dave

His Word Will Strengthen His Own

"...as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there without watering the earth, and making it bear and sprout, and furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; So shall My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it" (Isaiah 55: 10,11).

As I read about the strength that God gleans from His own Word, I feel secure in His arms of love. It strengthens my faith in Him. "I can do all things through Him, who strengthens me" (Phil. 4:3). The elements that He created within the planet assure that it will be fed and watered and as it is, it continues to bring forth life. And God assures us that as we take His Word out into the world, it will not return void. Sharing Christ victoriously is not something that we do but rather something God has put into us. The victory is His and His witness never returns to Him empty.

He sees all of us as we go from place to place, sharing our faith and loving God and His word returns to Him as a blessing fresh as the "rain and snow." My brother-in-law asked the question this morning on facebook..."Can we really disappoint our God"...and his answer rings true as our God IS sovereign and He is full of Wisdom for His children.

So the next time you are faced with an opportunity to share your faith, and you feel Satan tugging at you to "leave it alone" remember that God's Word never returns to Him void. Whatever you say is what the Holy Spirit is directing you to say and it will be like fresh "rain and snow" to a thirsty world.

He's right. We are not so big that we can disappoint our God, so go forth and water the nation with His love and watch for the harvest.

Dave

Parental Commandments

"My son, observe the commandment of your father, and do not forsake the teaching of your mother. Bind them continually on your heart; Tie them around your neck. When you walk about, they will guide you; When you sleep, they will watch over you; And when you awake, they will talk to you. for the commandment is a lamp, and the teaching is light; And reproofs for discipline are the way of life" (Proverbs 6:20-23).

I miss my father. If he were here today, I believe I would plant myself at his feet and listen to his wisdom. We would do good to practice some of the standards that were taught to us as young children. And then some of us may want to disregard everything in the past. That is sad.

My father was wise beyond his years and such a gentle spirit. He shares the glory of Heaven these days with his Heavenly Father and I am so proud of him.

Sometimes God sends us to a passage of scripture that needs no explanation but just some absorption. Please absorb some of the Word written above.

Dave

With Humility I Remain, His servant!

"Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee, and the other a tax-gatherer. The Pharisee stood and was praying thus to himself, 'God, I thank Thee that I am not like other people; swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax-gatherer. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.' But the tax-gatherer, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, the sinner!" This passage of scripture comes from Luke 18:10-14.

I wanted to take a few minutes to share this verse with all of you because of my convictions. I have spent a good deal of time making sure that my website is set up so that anyone and everyone can read the devotions that I write, but I do not seek the glory for these writings as they come directly from the heart of God. The fact that my Lord loves me and has secured my salvation for eternity is reward enough for me to do whatever He asks. In fact, I like my ministry "behind the scenes" because it takes the "I" in my writings out of the equation. Sometime others will contact me or Barb and comment on a devotion and that is what the Lord wants from me. He wants me to talk to others about HIM and not me.

I love that there are those that faithfully read my devotions and I would ask you to continue, please as the Lord may use me in some humble way so that He can speak to your heart. Never will it be my intention to seek praise but rather continue to lift up our Lord, our Creator for the edification of the church (and we are the church, those of us who commune together through His Written Word).

In the world today thousands are turning to God for answers to questions the "world" has created and as ministers of the Gospel we should be ready to "Lift Him Up" in praise and see that He gets the Glory for all that He has done. 'God, be merciful to me, the sinner!

Dave

Teach Me Oh Lord

I am enjoying picking verses and taking the time to share my thoughts about them. I hope those of you who read are getting something good out of it. Tonight I was reading in Psalm 143 and verse 10 seemed to come off the page to me. It says ..."Teach me to do Thy will, For Thou art my God; Let Thy good Spirit lead me on level ground."

Don't you just love the way David makes requests of the Lord? "Teach me...Thou art my God...let Thy Spirit lead me..." The voice of sincerity so anxious to learn from the hand of God Himself. I feel that passion most of the time as I lean on God for support. Sometimes we cannot seem to find the words to express our desire for God. Sometimes our crying out to God is little more than "moaning" and hurting but we all wish to be taught by the hand of God. Just a short verse but a giant plea for the love of God to be available in our lives.

I don't know how the rest of you feel, but I "yearn" for God. I look so forward to His return to rescue the church, the Bride of Christ to our eternity. Do you ever think about His return? If so, then you really do want Him to "Teach you to do His will."

Dave

Be Strong And Courageous

"This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1:8 & 9).

As we look into the book of Joshua we learn that he is continuing the history that Israel began in the Pentateuch and he shows God's faithfulness to His covenants with the patriarchs and the theocratic nation by settling the tribes in their promised homeland.

The name Joshua in its Hebrew form means "The Lord is salvation." As Israel enters and possesses Canaan it illustrates the Christian's spiritual experience of not only conflict but also victory an blessing through the power of God. Entering into the promised land also illustrates our spiritual rest in the finished work of Christ and in His intercession to enable us to conquer self and Satan (note from The Open Bible).

We have been commanded to meditate on the book of the law "day and night" so that we are careful to do as it says ..."according to all that is written in it..." And in verse 9 God reminds us that He wants us to be "Strong and Courageous" He doesn't want us to "tremble or be dismayed." We have no reason to fear because "the Lord our God is with you wherever you go." How could we possibly go wrong in simply abiding by His commands here?

I believe I have had a very significant reason to be fearful and tremble with fear and confusion, but I also believe that there are multiplied millions on this earth that have greater needs than mine, greater fears than mine, greater challenges than mine. I refuse to allow Satan any type of victory when God, so far back in time, with so precious a gift as Christ, secured the victory for me.

I may die before morning and then I may live another 15 years. I will try my best to live every moment in the renewing glory of God as my salvation. Can you think of a better goal than that?

Dave

An Awesome God!

"The Lord is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knows those who take refuge in Him." Nahum the prophet wrote these words about 650 to 612 B.C., years before Christ came onto the scene. Does anyone know that this prophecy was of the second fall and destruction of Nineveh? The conversion of the Ninevites in response to the preaching of Jonah was evidently short lived because they soon became ruthless, returning to their former wicked ways. Enter Nahum with his prediction of "doom and gloom" for Nineveh, once again.

I think that is significant because before he reaches the 8th verse of his first chapter he is declaring that "The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble." He's declaring to a people that his God was preparing to destroy their land once again, and with the compassion of a true believer, he takes a moment to let them know that the Lord is good. And he also declared that "He knows those who take refuge in Him." In the 37th Psalm he says that "...He is their strength in time of trouble." and Jesus says in John 10:14,15 "I am the good shepherd; and I know My own, and My own know Me, even as the Father knows me and I know the Father, and I lay down My life for the sheep." God knows who it is that needs to take refuge in Him.

Here's the point and it is very simple. You may be living life today to the extent that your head is going under water and you are holding up two fingers. Already went down once, now your on your way down for the second time, all the time, hoping that someone on the shore sees that you need help. Nahum reminded the Ninevites as they were getting ready to go down for the second time, that "The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble."

Times are becoming very difficult for everyone. People are losing the livelihoods, their savings, their homes, everything they have worked a lifetime for and an obscure minor prophet, tucked away at the back end of the old testament wants you to know that even though things could not possibly look more bleak; he says, here's a life preserver, here's a lifeboat, here is an anchor to hold you steady.

Finally, in Psalm 37:40 the psalmist writes ..."The Lord helps them, and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked, and saves them, Because they take refuge in Him." Perhaps you are at a place where it is time to take refuge. Wouldn't it be great to allow the One who created you, to reach down and deliver you?

Along with the 4 Spiritual Laws that I promote on my website (www.nowwhut.org) Romans 10: 9&10 says ..."If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness and with the mouth he confesses resulting in salvation." Praise the Lord that He is indeed, "Good" and "Strong" for our sakes.

Dave

Submission To Authority

Well, from time to time, even we as Christians, run across scripture that "cuts cross-grain" with our way of thinking but they are God's Words none the less and they must be proclaimed. Tonight, I chose 1 Peter 2:13-15 as my text and in light of the most recent election, I am not necessarily a "happy camper" about it. Chances are if you follow my devotions you too, had a similar problem with the election, but we are ultimately "Devoted Followers of Jesus Christ" and I will be led by His spirit.

It says..."Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men."

I have look at several commentaries on this passage of scripture, including our beloved Chuck Smith of Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa. Pastor Greg Laurie might remember him. After reading everybody's thoughts on this passage, I have concluded that I will give my own understanding as I hear God speak it to me.

I'll be the first one to admit that I am not a President Obama fan and I have seen all the pro's and con's related to his election and administration. In fact, in confession, I have stated that he looks and acts like he could be a forerunner to the anti-Christ (which, based on our desire to reach heaven, that may not be all bad). I have made more negative than positive comments about this man and I am sure there are literally millions who feel the same.

However, if we believe that God has given us this country; if we believe that God has secured our salvation by the sacred blood of Christ; if we already have our "ticket" to heaven, then we have an obligation to attend to business based on God's Word and not the image we see before us.

Matthew Henry did say, and I quote "The general rule of a Christian conversation is this, it must be HONEST, which it cannot be if there be not a conscientious discharge of all relative duties." So what are my relative duties? The way I see it coming from these verses, I have an obligation to honor the position that Mr. Obama holds, and I always have. Of course he has a "relative duty" as well and that is to be honest with the people. If he chooses to sidestep this responsibility, he answers to God, not me.

It is God who has created the institution of authority and I will forever join myself with Him and be obedient and respectful until such time as it is shown that our President has crossed the will of God (some will say he already has). Mr. Henry also said "For the Lord’s sake, who had ordained magistracy for the good of mankind, who has required obedience and submission (Rom. 13), and whose honor is concerned in the dutiful behavior of subjects to their sovereigns."

So, where does that leave us as Christians in a world going to hell? Before you answer, remember "this world is not our home." And in verse 15 we get our peace; "For such is the will of God that by doing RIGHT you may silence the ignorance of foolish men." Remember that when Jesus Christ was questioned by Pilate in John 19:9,10 Jesus gave no defense.

Never lose sight of the fact that honoring the will of God has far greater value than "snubbing" the man we didn't choose. I truly believe that this is going to be a "hard pill to swallow" but our God is still on the throne, do not fear.

Dave

(probably gonna catch a lot of flack from this one)

Thankful For My Salvation

Isaiah was an esteemed citizen of Jerusalem. He was also a trusted adviser to King Hezekiah. From what I have read, his public ministry extended approximately 43 years and when Manasseh ascended to the throne he apparently confined his messages to the written form which have been preserved from chapter 40 through the end of the book.

I stumbled upon chapter 12 and was deeply touched by verses 2 & 3 which read ..."Behold, God is my salvation. I will trust and not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation. Therefore you will joyously draw water from the springs of salvation"

My first thought was drawn to John 4:10 when I read this verse. It is part of the conversation with Jesus and the woman at the well where He tells her about "living water." "...If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, Give Me a drink, you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water." It made me feel really good inside because I feel that living water living in me. Isaiah makes us aware that God is our salvation and Jesus Himself comes to the well to tell a lost woman that she can drink from "living waters" and be satisfied for a life.

When I think about the Prophet Isaiah completing his ministry using the written word, teaching and preaching, it makes me feel good about what I do each night as I sit in front of my laptop with my Bible at my side. There was a season in my life when my ministry was from a pulpit and it was a blessed ministry and now God has moved me on to try and reach those who "might" only read about Him. It is to those of you that I write tonight as I implore you to search the Word of God and recognize and accept that He IS also your salvation.

If you've never been to my site before, CLICK HERE and read about the wonderful plan God has for your life. It will only take a few minutes to make an eternal decision in your life. And to those of you who faithfully read from these pages of mine, I pray that you receive not only encouragement but also peace as you recognize God as your salvation.

Dave

We Surround Them

Glenn Beck - Current Events & Politics - WE Surround Them 4:42pm
Source: www.glennbeck.com
the Glenn Beck program
If you still believe in a Strong America, go to this site and send your picture to Glenn Beck of Fox News and show your support. We are being taken "for a ride" and it is up to us to "get off the bus"! If you no longer believe that America needs to remain strong...MOVE!

Dave

Character Always Matters

Tonight I was reading a passage of scripture in Hebrews and in chapter 13: 5 it says "Let your character be free from the love of money, being content with what you have for He Himself has said, I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you." Now I never have had a problem with money standing in the way of my character and I don't believe that will ever be a problem. In fact, I feel "doused" in character having lived the last 4 years on Social Security Disability Income (just my sense of humor being exposed)!

One of the main themes of the book of Hebrews is "consider". In Heb. 3:1 He is to be considered as the "Apostle and high Priest of our confession," and also in 12:3 He is to be considered as the "One who endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart" showing the ultimate life of faith.

I can see here where the author of Hebrews could have said "Consider this" prior to 13:5 as he warns that the love of money can be damaging to a persons character, so be content with what you have. Then the writer finishes this verse by referring back to the commissioning of Joshua, after the death of Moses as He says in Joshua 1:5 "...Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you."

That's our God, gang. We may not understand all the "ins an outs" of life here but our God does and He is the One who promised to be by our side, NO MATTER WHAT! Oh sure, money is great and it can do wonderful things in our lives as we share with others, but we cannot allow it to get in the way of our faith in Christ. We cannot allow money to dictate the way we act or feel each day. We cannot spend all of our life looking for that "pot of gold" at the end of the rainbow. We need confidence in the fact that God IS our rainbow.

In a financial "crunch" today? Looks like someone knew about it long before you arrived! One of the greatest things about my life is that I "have" no money so it is "very" easy to manage. I owe my very life to the one who died so I might live.

Dave

Speak with righteousness in your heart

Here is a very comforting scripture verse. Very simple and at the same time very profound. "The Lord is far from the wicked, But He hears the prayer of the righteous" (Proverbs 15:29).

Now it could be very easy to just read and walk right past this verse looking for "meat" to study but take a closer look at the verse. The wisdom of Solomon is seen as very steadfast as he says that the Lord is a far distance away from the wicked. Who are the wicked? They are those who's heart is "far" from God. Those who would rather have their names etched in stone than into the Lamb's Book of Life! We are far from the wicked, if we are walking a path along side of God.

Then he says that God hears the prayer of the righteous. Who's that? That's you and me. That is those who believe that eternity begins with God and is unending. Take a look at the previous verse as it says that "The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, But the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things." Solomon understood that a true believer in God will ponder and think through (to include God), his decisions and responses in life. But he sees that the wicked simply open their mouths and let things "fly".

I see almost everyday how the wicked speak "unwisely" as they try to make sense of situations. Not trying to be political, but just look at our congressional system dealing with the financial crisis today. I see that for the most part, they speak and then think about what they said. Something's wrong with that and Solomon said the wicked pour "evil things" out of their mouths.

Where are we going in America today? What is the logic behind some of these decisions? We all have to agree that there is no "pondering" some of these decisions but rather "rapid fire" type of responses. That is far from the heart of God.

James said for us to be "quick to hear and slow to speak" (James 1:19). Suppose there is a reason for that? I know that every time I say something I have not thought through, it almost always comes out wrong or with added difficulties. With the wisdom of Solomon, "ponder your thoughts" and speak using the heart of God as your guide. Not a difficult thing to do!

Dave

Looking Into The Sky!

As I was walking through my Bible tonight, I crossed this verse of scripture in Acts 1:11 and it seems to me to be very applicable to what is taking place in the world today. Let me share it with you and see what thoughts develop.

"Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven". Seems to me that in over 30 years of following Christ and studying His word, we always come back to this understanding. Back in the day of this scripture, these men were watching in amazement as their Savior was lifted up into the clouds to ascend to the Father (of course, He had been telling them about this event for some time). And two angels standing there helped them understand what was happening; or as least you get the impression that they understood. We find out later that they ran and hid themselves in the "upper room" and the boldest act they took was to reach over and lock the door.

In studying God's Word, we can see that the world is "ripe" for Christ's dissention back to earth to "Rapture" His church from the mess that exists here. Many well-educated theologians are considering that the time is coming close. This theologian agrees. Jesus must just be standing on a cloud right now waiting for the Father to command Him to return for His church.

This should bring you great joy in knowing (if you live with Christ in your heart) that your "eternity" with Jesus is very, very close to beginning (if you don't know Jesus Christ as your Savior, you can. Click here to read the 4 Spiritual Laws - Then call me or email me if you have any questions). These angels told the disciples that as Jesus left this world, He will return in the same manner.

So my feeling is that we should not be discouraged with the ills of this world but rather, be excited to know that we will soon be united with our Lord face to face. What a joy that will be. All I can say is if that news doesn't get you excited then your "exciter" must be broken.

Look up, look up, look up, for your redemption draws close. God bless you all,

Dave

Though I Walk Through The Valley...

Is this a phrase that you recognize? I do. It's in Psalm 24:4 and it says "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for Thou art with me." A very familiar verse in a very familiar chapter of God's Word. So David admits to God that even though a time in his life is like "death" he has no fear. And why? Because he knows that his God is with him.

This is what I thought about when I read Psalm 138:7 which says... "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, Thou wilt revive me (or keep me alive). Thou wilt stretch forth Thy hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Thy right hand will save me".

Both verses display a good level of confidence in God's ability to take care of him.
So many of us are walking through some of these valleys that surely look like "death" to us and we need to be confident in the one who is our provider and protector. I see so many people whose confidence is "shaken" as the result of a serious trial in their lives, yet they profess to "walk with God". Not sure I understand that. "If God is for us, who can be against us" (Ro. 8:31)? Why are we as Christians so shaken and distressed when the God of the universe has promised to "stretch out His right hand...against our enemies"?

I know you are all aware that Barb and I have experienced some very difficult emotional times lately but I have to say it is these very things that cause me to run even faster toward God because He has assured me of His love and protection in my life.

One of my favorite passages of scripture is also in Psalm 84: 5-7. Let me quote it for you and perhaps if you find yourself living in this fear, you should take the time to memorize these verses: "How blessed is the man whose strength is in Thee; In whose heart are the highways to Zion! Passing through the valley of Baca, they make it a spring, The early rain also covers it with blessings. They go from strength to strength. Every one of them appears before God in Zion." Look at the phrase "they make it a spring". When we pass through some of these trials God expects us to "dig a well" because there will be others passing this way in the future and they will need a cool refreshing drink as they go through the trial.

Where do you get your strength these days. "If God is for us, who can be against us"? Get up and go tell someone how much they are loved by God.

Dave

New Blog Devotion Location

Starting tomorrow, February 6 2009, all of my devotions will go on my website at www.nowwhut.org.. I am doing this because there are more benefits and options available for me on my site and I have owned this domain for years now.

I hope you will all continue to read my devotions and if you have comments you can simply send me an email at papadave2@cox.net until I can figure out how to make them more automatic.

I labored over this decision but it is the best decision for my ministry. It is my plan to compile these devotions at some point and create a devotional book to share with even a larger audience.

God bless you all and thank you so much for your support. Please invite your friends to come and read the writings at www.nowwhut.org.

Dave

Crown of Exultation

"For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation? Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming? "

In my Bible, the explanation of the "crown of exultation" is the crown of the "soul winner." You know that we have been commanded in Matthew 28 to "go and make disciples of all nations..." and without exception, this will be the greatest privileged work we will ever have the opportunity here on earth to do for God.

Bringing others to the saving knowledge of Jesus and helping them invite Him into their hearts. In fact, Paul tells the Thessalonians that they are his joy and crown of exultation for now and also when Jesus comes again.
Consider these verses of scripture:

1) Proverbs 11:30 says "he who is wise wins souls"

2) James 5:20 says "let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death, and will cover a multitude of sins."

3) Luke 15:10 says "...there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

4) Daniel 12:3 says "and those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever."

We witness to others with our lives, with our mouths, with our offerings to the work of Christ within the church. And God has promised that our witness will not go in vain.

Finally, we do not rejoice alone in the salvation of others because all of heaven rejoices as well when one of these little ones is introduced to Christ.

There are no negatives to sharing your faith in Christ to a lost person. So the next time the Holy Spirit starts "pushing you" from behind toward a situation, take a deep breathe and "go for it" remembering that God has already been preparing the situation for your arrival.

Dave

Prayer For Deliverance

(As you can probably tell, I got a very late start of the devotion for February 4th so that is why it is dated February 5th (but its the 4th - Next one will help me get caught up).

The scripture verse for today is in the book of Psalm, chapter 43, verse 5 which says... "Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him, The help of my countenance, and my God."

I've had some very intense discussions with my Mother this week about being "in despair or disturbed" about a family situation. Not a coincidence, I don't believe, that this scripture came before me today. The Psalmist starts this chapter by challenging the God of the universe by saying... "VINDICATE me, O God, and plead my case against any ungodly nation; O deliver me from he deceitful and unjust man! For Thou are the God of my strength; why hast Thou rejected me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? O send out Thy light and Thy truth, let them lead me; Let them bring me to Thy holy hill, And to Thy dwelling places. Then I will go to the altar of God, To God my exceeding joy; and upon the lyre I shall praise Thee, O God, my God."

In these first 4 verses he is speaking to God and asking Him to "plead his case against ungodliness..." Wow! Seems like we as finite humans are always calling upon God to "plead our case", no matter what the case may be.

But in the last verse, which is the focus, the writer's question dwells from within himself as he wonders, "Why...in despair...why disturbed within myself?" He is "God savvy" enough to understand that God is his strength yet he feels such despair and is so disturbed. And here in the last verse of the chapter as he closes out the thoughts of the first four verses he counts on his "Hope in God" he wishes to "praise God". He seeks the help of his "countenance and God" to bring him out of this despair (one of the definitions of "countenance" is approval or favor; encouragement; moral support). So he is looking to his calm facial expression or his composure that he seeks from God to come to him in his time of despair.

Wow! Is that all we have to do when we are down or disturbed about something? Pretty much, I think! In these down times we need to remind our souls that our God is their peace and understanding for ALL THINGS, good or bad. So I asked my Mom to ask her soul why it was in despair and then ask God to grant her peace.

Dave

Confess Me Before Men

"Everyone therefore who shall confess Me before men, I will also confess him before My father who is in heaven." Matt. 10:32

Have you every been driving down the road, listening to Christian music and see someone you know; pull over to pick them up, but change the radio station first? I have! I'm not at all proud to confess that but as a much younger Christian man, my witness did not seem to have the value it does today. In fact when I think back on times like that I feel that I may have been embarrassed, not wanting my "lost" friends to think I was some sort of "Jesus" Freak!

That has all changed to the point that sometimes I even embarrass my wife and daughters when we are out in public. I LOVE to talk to ANYONE and EVERYONE and the Lord most always comes up somewhere in the conversation. My life and death commitment is to Jesus Christ my Lord an Savior and I don't care WHO thinks WHAT about it.

I'm really glad I came out of my shell because the very next verse says, "But whoever shall deny Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven." Believe me, that is the last thing any of us want to happen when we face the Lord.

There are some who have more knowledge than me in spiritual matters and there are some who have less than me, but it doesn't really matter. For my part, my responsibility is to open my mouth and share my faith. In fact, you may remember that when Jesus healed the "blind" man, he went off and said in John 9:25, "Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know; that, whereas I was blind, now I see." What a tremendous witness he was even to himself.

We don't always find ourselves in the perfect witnessing situation and most of the time it seems is the worst time, but Jesus has assured us that the Holy Spirit dwelling in us will "prompt" us as what to say.

So, when the time comes, just open your mouth and allow the Lord to speak. He will, I promise. I know because He has done it for me.

Dave

"As You Wish"

"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you" (John 15:7).

I have 4 grandchildren, two of which are older (13/10). They come and spend the night with Grammy Barb and I frequently and when they do, we usually plan either a dinner "out" that night or a breakfast the next morning. They know they can come to Grammy and Papa's house and get ANYTHING they want because we love them (and enjoy spoiling them a little).

My grandson's favorite breakfast place is IHOP's (International House of Pancakes) because he can always get a huge pancake with a funny face on it and lots of chocolate chips. He love this meal.

Now these kids know that when they come to our house that "the world is their oyster" however, they are always polite to us and (never wanting it to look like they have us wrapped around their little fingers) always ask if they can have a certain thing from the menu. They are just too precious. Now I have two other grandchildren that are a good bit younger (but we will spoil them just the same as time goes on).

I believe this is a good illustration for the above scripture because Jesus is saying that because we have Him living within us and we treasure His relationship, what do we want? Let me get it for you!. Now, if my grandson asked for snake venom for breakfast, naturally I would not let it be served to him. That kind of love applies in this scripture as well. I have never asked God to give me a Cadillac, but more than "plenty" of times I have asked Him for peace when I don't understand what is happening. A lot more, lately with sickness.

Our Lord wants to cover us with blessings every minute of every day and all He asks of us is that we just "ask." There are a lot of people going through very difficult times right now and our "Redeemer" just wants us to call on Him. Just like Grammy Barb and I know what is and is not good for our grandchildren, Jesus knows what is best for us. He simply says "ask"! Made any requests lately?

Dave

Continue to Grow in Christ

Today's scripture verse is from 2 Peter 3:18. "but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity, Amen." In scripture there are four areas of growth as a Christian. Each one of us fit somewhere within these categories:

1) A Baby Christian - A baby lives to be served and only drinks milk. It cannot eat meat. They are spiritual babies. They are offended easily and often jealous (see 1 Cor. 3:1-4).

2) A Little Child - Little children love praise and only seek things that appeal to themselves. Untruthful, envious, and cruel are some characteristics of the "little child stage". In 1 John 2:12, the Apostle John refers to the little children of the church.

3) Young Christian Man - Strong and virile, he is able to overcome his enemy and has a vision for the future and the courage and faith to tackle it. Paul said of these young Christian men to "put away childish things" in 1 Cor. 13:11).

4) The Father (Mature Christian) - In the church, the spiritual fathers are at peace with God. They have learned how to be content under all circumstances (Phil. 4:11). The spiritual father has come to know that the only source of true strength in this life is through Christ (Phil. 4:13). He puts away the past and looks forward to the future with God. And he knows that in God, "all things work together for good" (Ro. 8:28). Finally, in his spiritual maturity, he looks forward to "the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus" (Eph.2:7).

Can you pick yourself out of one of these characteristic stages? You're there, somewhere. Look hard. You'll find you! As for me, it has been an enjoyable "growing" experience to write from scripture everyday for the last 32 days straight. I am enjoying myself so much that I am going to try committing myself to continue throughout the year. I hope that one of these daily devotions will be just the medicine for your "hurt" in life. Then you can share it with a friend. You'll pray for me, won't you?

Dave