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