What are you, perhaps bragging about today? How good you do this? How awesome you are at that? Do most of your sentences begin with “Me” or “I”? If so, then you need to read this verse.
“The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, honor and life” (Proverbs 22:4). There is nobody I know that likes a pat on the back more than me. I want people to know how impressed they can be with me, for I am so good AT EVERYTHING! Yeah, RIGHT!
Exactly the opposite. In fact, it is my desire to be hidden behind the Cross of Christ and I want people to have heard from the voice of God when I speak or write. I know that my reward is in heaven and I cannot wait to get there to receive it. This world has nothing that it can give me, including praise and honor that can compare with what the Lord Jesus has in store for me.
In John 14 He has promised me a dwelling place in heaven that is certainly more than I deserve and I am looking forward to walking up to heaven to the waiting arms of Jesus as He welcomes me home. In fact, there is a song, one of my favorites and it is called “I Can Only Imagine” and a video that just warms my heart every time I watch it. I’ll put the link at the bottom here so you can take a look at it.
If your heart is anything like mine, you can’t wait either. Jesus is coming back and He has prepared for us a place so wonderful that we cannot come up with the words to describe it. Don’t seek your reward here on earth. This is not your home. You are only passing through on your way to glory with Christ Jesus.
Click on this link to listen to the song and watch the video. I am sure you will just love it. If it does not work, just cut and paste to your browser and it will download. Click the back browser to return to this page. http://www.andiesisle.com/icanonlyimagine.html.
Dave
Crazy Papa
I'll make 'um an offer
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Friday, March 6, 2009
Not Slaves But Free Men
As we all know, the Gospel of John emphasizes love and here in chapter 15:12-17, He helps his disciples understand their own relationship to one another. And we can take these verses to heart in our own lives as we are His disciples as well.
“This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this that one lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends, if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He may give to you. This I command you, that you love one another.”
There is not a lot of commentary that needs to be said here for Jesus has said it all. In a very profound statement, He has released these disciples from the status of “slave” to a “friend of Jesus” which carries with it a very high reward.
Jesus came to earth at God’s bidding to do the will of the Father, which He referred to several times in the Gospels. Now, pay close attention to this next statement; Jesus has called YOU to do His bidding and that is to be his disciple. My sister-in-law is going through a discipleship class right now called Operation Timothy and I just love it. Just a few short years ago she was on a “fast track” to hell, and heard the Gospel of Christ from another disciple and God has turned her life around. Now she looks forward to leading others to our Lord and I am very proud of her.
You are NOT a slave; you are NOT a free man either. By accepting the invitation of Christ, you are a disciple of Christ chosen by God Himself to do His bidding here on earth. Now go and “bear fruit” for the Kingdom of God.
Dave
“This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this that one lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends, if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He may give to you. This I command you, that you love one another.”
There is not a lot of commentary that needs to be said here for Jesus has said it all. In a very profound statement, He has released these disciples from the status of “slave” to a “friend of Jesus” which carries with it a very high reward.
Jesus came to earth at God’s bidding to do the will of the Father, which He referred to several times in the Gospels. Now, pay close attention to this next statement; Jesus has called YOU to do His bidding and that is to be his disciple. My sister-in-law is going through a discipleship class right now called Operation Timothy and I just love it. Just a few short years ago she was on a “fast track” to hell, and heard the Gospel of Christ from another disciple and God has turned her life around. Now she looks forward to leading others to our Lord and I am very proud of her.
You are NOT a slave; you are NOT a free man either. By accepting the invitation of Christ, you are a disciple of Christ chosen by God Himself to do His bidding here on earth. Now go and “bear fruit” for the Kingdom of God.
Dave
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Great Is Thy Faithfulness
The book of Lamentations is a book of elegies (a mournful, melancholy funeral song or a lament for the dead). It is really a beautiful book of poems and songs of lament and well worth the time invested in reading. The title "Lamentations" in the Hebrew means "Ah, how" or "Alas!" and out of the 5 chapters, the word "How" starts 3 of them (Chapters 1,2&4). In the Greek, the literal translation is "cry aloud" which is what is seen between both Lamentations and Jeremiah. Lamentations is also one of the 5 Scrolls read on important anniversary days in the Jewish faith (or at least it was back then). However, when it is read in Jewish celebration, verses 21 & 22 are reversed in chapter 5 so as to not make the book end on a negative note. Take a look at them and you will see what I mean. Just some history because I know lesser time is spent in this book of poems from God's Word.
I wanted to direct special attention to Lamentations 3:25&26 which says "The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him. It is good that he waits silently for the salvation of the Lord." Here I can see that Jeremiah is warning use of the need for patience in life. Some things in life just take a long time to come to fruition and in his lament, he is responsible to let the people know that time is on God's side.
Jeremiah is seriously grieved with the affliction of Israel's loss and even in his deep sorrow he says in verse 22-24 "The Lord's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion says my soul, Therefore I have hope in Him." I recognize this verse as a song I have sung in church before.
All of us have gone through some kind of serious loss in life, whether it be financial, physical, emotional or otherwise, it is our hearts that hurt through the ordeal and here we have a very biblical basis for "waiting on the Lord" and placing our brokeness in His hands. In fact, in Psalm 37:7 it says to "Rest in the Lord an wait patiently for Him..." Also two verses up in verse 5 it says "Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, an He will do it."
I cannot tell you how many caskets I have stood before, watching the family and seeing the enormous level of "loss" in their eyes. There are times when I don't know what to say. It is in those times that I just let God talk through me. Life is hard. And based on current events, it may get much harder. And we need the strength that only God can provide now more than ever before.
Let me challenge you to read through the book of Lamentations. Five little chapters that will allow you to grieve loss and rejoice in the promise of the coming of the Lord. Maranatha (Come quickly, Lord Jesus).
Dave
I wanted to direct special attention to Lamentations 3:25&26 which says "The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him. It is good that he waits silently for the salvation of the Lord." Here I can see that Jeremiah is warning use of the need for patience in life. Some things in life just take a long time to come to fruition and in his lament, he is responsible to let the people know that time is on God's side.
Jeremiah is seriously grieved with the affliction of Israel's loss and even in his deep sorrow he says in verse 22-24 "The Lord's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion says my soul, Therefore I have hope in Him." I recognize this verse as a song I have sung in church before.
All of us have gone through some kind of serious loss in life, whether it be financial, physical, emotional or otherwise, it is our hearts that hurt through the ordeal and here we have a very biblical basis for "waiting on the Lord" and placing our brokeness in His hands. In fact, in Psalm 37:7 it says to "Rest in the Lord an wait patiently for Him..." Also two verses up in verse 5 it says "Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, an He will do it."
I cannot tell you how many caskets I have stood before, watching the family and seeing the enormous level of "loss" in their eyes. There are times when I don't know what to say. It is in those times that I just let God talk through me. Life is hard. And based on current events, it may get much harder. And we need the strength that only God can provide now more than ever before.
Let me challenge you to read through the book of Lamentations. Five little chapters that will allow you to grieve loss and rejoice in the promise of the coming of the Lord. Maranatha (Come quickly, Lord Jesus).
Dave
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Who's Holding Your Hand?
"The steps of a man are established by the Lord; And He delights in his way. When he falls, he shall not be hurled headlong; Because the Lord is the One who holds his hand. I have been young, and now I am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Or his descendants begging bread" (Psalm37:23-25).
Psalm 37 is basically a chapter that talks about the security of those who trust the Lord and the insecurity of the wicked. Here in these verses we read a verse that a lot of us have heard quoted several times during our Christian walk (vs.23). Different Bible versions say it in different ways but it remains the same message and that is that the Lord is watching after us, step by step, moment by moment, each day of our lives. There is not an incident or time in our lives that He is not aware of and prepared for. And isn't it good to know that our steps are "ordered by the Lord" helping us to understand how close He is to us all the time. Listen to this verse in Psalm 40:2 "He brought me out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay; And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm." And He is delighted.
Most parents can relate to the next verse. Your walking down the street holding onto your little child's hand and suddenly his or her feet just seem to give way underneath them and you find yourself holding them, literally off the ground, by the one hand, body dangling until you steady the child upright and plant him or her once again on both feet. That's how I invision God in verse 24, holding onto us. Since we are His children, He is holding onto us by our hand and every now and then, something happens that knocks our feet out from under us and we are caught "dangling" between good & bad, right & wrong, helpless and waiting to be set afoot by the Lord. Did you know that Proberbs 24 says that a "righteous man falls seven times, and rises again?" Seven times, the number of perfection. Who else would you rather be holding your hand?
I feel like I can relate to verse 25 "I have been young, and now I am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken." I cannot tell you how many hospital beds I have stood beside as I have watched a Christian man or woman leave this world but I can tell you that I have never had one of them grab me by the arm and try to delay their union with the Lord. We are not forsaken for we are God's righteous even unto death. Check out verse 28. "For the Lord loves justice, And does not forsake His godly ones; They are preserved forever; But the descendants of the wicked will be cut off." Don't care to be there.
Are you sometimes frightened? Does the direction of the world give you pause? Are you wondering what in the world is going on? It's in God's Word. And, praise the Lord, maybe we can experience His return first hand. But never lose sight of the fact that it is He who has hold of your hand, and His promise is to "not forsake His godly ones."
The Bible says in Romans 10:9,10 "...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." Need to know more? Click here and read the 4 Spiritual Laws.
Dave
Psalm 37 is basically a chapter that talks about the security of those who trust the Lord and the insecurity of the wicked. Here in these verses we read a verse that a lot of us have heard quoted several times during our Christian walk (vs.23). Different Bible versions say it in different ways but it remains the same message and that is that the Lord is watching after us, step by step, moment by moment, each day of our lives. There is not an incident or time in our lives that He is not aware of and prepared for. And isn't it good to know that our steps are "ordered by the Lord" helping us to understand how close He is to us all the time. Listen to this verse in Psalm 40:2 "He brought me out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay; And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm." And He is delighted.
Most parents can relate to the next verse. Your walking down the street holding onto your little child's hand and suddenly his or her feet just seem to give way underneath them and you find yourself holding them, literally off the ground, by the one hand, body dangling until you steady the child upright and plant him or her once again on both feet. That's how I invision God in verse 24, holding onto us. Since we are His children, He is holding onto us by our hand and every now and then, something happens that knocks our feet out from under us and we are caught "dangling" between good & bad, right & wrong, helpless and waiting to be set afoot by the Lord. Did you know that Proberbs 24 says that a "righteous man falls seven times, and rises again?" Seven times, the number of perfection. Who else would you rather be holding your hand?
I feel like I can relate to verse 25 "I have been young, and now I am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken." I cannot tell you how many hospital beds I have stood beside as I have watched a Christian man or woman leave this world but I can tell you that I have never had one of them grab me by the arm and try to delay their union with the Lord. We are not forsaken for we are God's righteous even unto death. Check out verse 28. "For the Lord loves justice, And does not forsake His godly ones; They are preserved forever; But the descendants of the wicked will be cut off." Don't care to be there.
Are you sometimes frightened? Does the direction of the world give you pause? Are you wondering what in the world is going on? It's in God's Word. And, praise the Lord, maybe we can experience His return first hand. But never lose sight of the fact that it is He who has hold of your hand, and His promise is to "not forsake His godly ones."
The Bible says in Romans 10:9,10 "...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." Need to know more? Click here and read the 4 Spiritual Laws.
Dave
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Step Into The Light
The book of Philippians is one of my all time favorite books of the New Testament and tonight I am reading from Philippians 2:13-16. "...for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or disputing; that you may prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life..."
One of the first things I notice about the beginning of this passage is that "God" is at work in our lives and not Satan. Sometimes we give Satan more credit than he deserves. In Luke 22:31,32 Jesus says "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers." It doesn't matter how difficult the trial or situation in our lives, God is ultimately the One in control of our lives for the sake of "His good pleasure." Remember that Satan has absolutely no power over you that isn't given to him by God and again "for His (God's) good pleasure." The successful journeys through life's trials makes God smile as He sees you strengthened by them.
The second thing is our "grumblings"! Someone said that if God takes you to it, then He will take you through it. Peter says in 1 Peter 4:9 "Be hospitable to one another without complaint." It is funny that I ALWAYS recognize the grumblings in my life. I am trying to show more appreciation to God in these "everyday" battles in life.
Only the heart of a Father can want us to live a blameless and innocent life in the middle of a crooked and perverse generation and in the process be a beacon of light.
Finally as Christian men and women, young and old, we hold fast to the "word of life" most of the time, out of sheer panic but ultimately for the sake of Christ. Remember back to the devotion called "Bridge Over Troubled Water"? That's one of the reasons we hold tightly to God and His Word for our life.
Paul says in verses 17 & 18 "But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. And you too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me."
Just like lifting weights strengthens muscles, trials strengthen faith. Step into the joy with me.
Dave
One of the first things I notice about the beginning of this passage is that "God" is at work in our lives and not Satan. Sometimes we give Satan more credit than he deserves. In Luke 22:31,32 Jesus says "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers." It doesn't matter how difficult the trial or situation in our lives, God is ultimately the One in control of our lives for the sake of "His good pleasure." Remember that Satan has absolutely no power over you that isn't given to him by God and again "for His (God's) good pleasure." The successful journeys through life's trials makes God smile as He sees you strengthened by them.
The second thing is our "grumblings"! Someone said that if God takes you to it, then He will take you through it. Peter says in 1 Peter 4:9 "Be hospitable to one another without complaint." It is funny that I ALWAYS recognize the grumblings in my life. I am trying to show more appreciation to God in these "everyday" battles in life.
Only the heart of a Father can want us to live a blameless and innocent life in the middle of a crooked and perverse generation and in the process be a beacon of light.
Finally as Christian men and women, young and old, we hold fast to the "word of life" most of the time, out of sheer panic but ultimately for the sake of Christ. Remember back to the devotion called "Bridge Over Troubled Water"? That's one of the reasons we hold tightly to God and His Word for our life.
Paul says in verses 17 & 18 "But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. And you too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me."
Just like lifting weights strengthens muscles, trials strengthen faith. Step into the joy with me.
Dave
Monday, March 2, 2009
Is Your Fellowship "WELL"?
Today's scripture verse is from Psalm 31 and it is the last verse in the chapter, verse 24 which says "Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in the Lord." I was thinking that this is basically what I have been encouraging over the past two months of devotions. We derive our strength and courage from the Lord and yesterday morning we had the outstanding opportunity to visit Harvest Church in Riverside, California with Pastor Greg Laurie. What a very beautiful and useful facility they have built there. It will be very instrumental in bringing people to Christ.
I just want to share his points today because he very eloquently described this strength and courage by using the acrostic "WELL" in his message concerning the church. He wanted to tell the fellowship that they needed to be a "Well" church and his text was in Acts 2:42-47 with the following:
W - They need to be a Worshipping church
E - They need to be an Evangelistic church
L - They need to be a Learning church
L - And they need to be a Loving church
The Lord knows that in order for us to do the will of the Father, it will require a high level of strength (to get to the other side of trials) and courage (to open our mouths and hearts to share the gospel of God) and so we see here in Psalm 31:24 all of us who have our hope firmly planted in the Lord, need to be strong and let courage come from our hearts where Jesus Christ resides. We just need to "let go, and let God" do His will in our lives and we can have the kind of church that Pastor Greg spoke about Sunday. A "WELL" church, doing the will of the Father.
We are so thankful to Pastor Greg and his staff for all that they do for the kingdom of God and we appreciate being made to feel at home when we visited.
Dave
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Your Burning Bush
"And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed" (Ex. 3:2)
No doubt you have all heard of this story in the Bible concerning the burning bush. I immediately noticed that in this scene, there was an angel present. God was planning big things for Moses and so as the story unfolds, there is a representative of God present with Moses. Do you remember your "burning bush" experience? You had one, if you serve God! If Jesus Christ is your personal Savior, sometime in your life you stood before a burning bush, and confessed to God and became His child. Here we see the "burning bush" experience of Moses. This is where Moses and God discuss and eliminate all of the obstacles that get in the way of serving God.
Verse 3 continues ..."So Moses said, I must turn aside now, and see this marvelous sight, why the bush is not burned up." Now let me give you my best modern day interpretation of this verse. "WHAT THE ......?" I can't believe that bush is on fire and it is not being consumed! I gotta go check this out" (Stallinian paraphrase). What can you see in this verse? I see a miracle, in fact two miracles. First of all the unconsumed burning bush that God is controlling and second, the surrender of Moses to the unfathomable power of an awesome God. Do you recognize your "burning bush" experience (your salvation) as a miracle of God? You should. He reached across the galaxies of heaven to save your soul.
"And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush, and said, 'Moses, MOSES! And he said, Here I am" (verse 4). Now I personally think that this is a very funny verse among the seriousness of the event. God is appearing to Moses, in the form of an in consumable burning bush, and He calls to Moses twice. Now I added the emphasis to the second "MOSES' and I'll tell you why. Because I believe if this were me instead of Moses I might have done the same thing. You see, I think that as soon as Moses heard God's voice come out of that bush, he turned around and started to run for his life. A reasonable response to a talking bush, don't you think? Anyway, I believe that God needed to yell out to Moses as he was running away from an extremely "unfamiliar" scene. Kind of funny, don't you think? And as we read, Moses recognizes the call of God and submits himself to God's will; "Here I am!" I know my salvation experience was "unfamiliar" territory but I thank God He kept my attention.
And in verse 5 God says to Moses, "...Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground." In the moment of your acceptance of Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you are, for the first time standing on "holy ground" and you are face to face with the Creator and His love for you. It truly is a reverent experience.
Can you remember back to that day? The day you stood before "your" burning bush? It may have been at a church event, it may have been at work or in your home. It may have even been in the middle of a sinful situation in your life and you suddenly found yourself standing on holy ground.
As the story continues, God shares His plan for Moses and He did or is doing the same thing in your life. One of the greatest events in our mortal lives is our "burning bush" experience. That moment when God calls us by name and plants His Holy Spirit in our hearts. Never forget that you were there, and if you haven't gotten there yet, you still can. You may hear that quiet voice in your heart speaking now. Turn to the "burning bush...remove your sandals" and say "Here I am, Lord." He will take care of the rest. Then go tell somebody!
Dave
No doubt you have all heard of this story in the Bible concerning the burning bush. I immediately noticed that in this scene, there was an angel present. God was planning big things for Moses and so as the story unfolds, there is a representative of God present with Moses. Do you remember your "burning bush" experience? You had one, if you serve God! If Jesus Christ is your personal Savior, sometime in your life you stood before a burning bush, and confessed to God and became His child. Here we see the "burning bush" experience of Moses. This is where Moses and God discuss and eliminate all of the obstacles that get in the way of serving God.
Verse 3 continues ..."So Moses said, I must turn aside now, and see this marvelous sight, why the bush is not burned up." Now let me give you my best modern day interpretation of this verse. "WHAT THE ......?" I can't believe that bush is on fire and it is not being consumed! I gotta go check this out" (Stallinian paraphrase). What can you see in this verse? I see a miracle, in fact two miracles. First of all the unconsumed burning bush that God is controlling and second, the surrender of Moses to the unfathomable power of an awesome God. Do you recognize your "burning bush" experience (your salvation) as a miracle of God? You should. He reached across the galaxies of heaven to save your soul.
"And when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush, and said, 'Moses, MOSES! And he said, Here I am" (verse 4). Now I personally think that this is a very funny verse among the seriousness of the event. God is appearing to Moses, in the form of an in consumable burning bush, and He calls to Moses twice. Now I added the emphasis to the second "MOSES' and I'll tell you why. Because I believe if this were me instead of Moses I might have done the same thing. You see, I think that as soon as Moses heard God's voice come out of that bush, he turned around and started to run for his life. A reasonable response to a talking bush, don't you think? Anyway, I believe that God needed to yell out to Moses as he was running away from an extremely "unfamiliar" scene. Kind of funny, don't you think? And as we read, Moses recognizes the call of God and submits himself to God's will; "Here I am!" I know my salvation experience was "unfamiliar" territory but I thank God He kept my attention.
And in verse 5 God says to Moses, "...Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground." In the moment of your acceptance of Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you are, for the first time standing on "holy ground" and you are face to face with the Creator and His love for you. It truly is a reverent experience.
Can you remember back to that day? The day you stood before "your" burning bush? It may have been at a church event, it may have been at work or in your home. It may have even been in the middle of a sinful situation in your life and you suddenly found yourself standing on holy ground.
As the story continues, God shares His plan for Moses and He did or is doing the same thing in your life. One of the greatest events in our mortal lives is our "burning bush" experience. That moment when God calls us by name and plants His Holy Spirit in our hearts. Never forget that you were there, and if you haven't gotten there yet, you still can. You may hear that quiet voice in your heart speaking now. Turn to the "burning bush...remove your sandals" and say "Here I am, Lord." He will take care of the rest. Then go tell somebody!
Dave
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