October 31, 2022
James 1:19-20 “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God”
Mark Twain said, “Temper is what gets most of us into trouble. Pride is what keeps us there”. It seems almost everywhere these days a lot of people have short fuses, ready to blow at any time. When we look at the condition of people before the flood and know God says they will be the same before Jesus comes, we know the Bible says in Genesis 6:11, “The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence”. There’s a lot of anger seething in people of all ages and backgrounds and those that are not outwardly violent have wrath boiling in them right beneath the surface. They don’t care to hurt people with words and actions, they openly display disrespect, and even confront people in public over issues that are trivial but their actions show they are being driven by feelings of rage. It’s not just speculation for a recent poll taken by NPR, concluded that 84% of people surveyed shows Americans are angrier today compared with a generation ago and about half of them are angrier this year than last (npr.org). Countless news stories tell of people assaulting others, increased domestic violence, violence against children, people threatening coworkers, disrupting airplane flights, and threatening law enforcement, medical workers, and anyone else in their way. Murder rates rose in America by 1/3 in 2020, the largest increase in history, and then rose again in 2021. All other crimes like carjackings, robberies, and violent, reckless automobile driving resulting in deaths of pedestrians and people in other vehicles are skyrocketing. One university professor studying this rise in anger concluded that Americans do not really like each other right now (theatlantic.com). The blame for all this seems to be from the amount of stress, uncertainty, and feeling of being overwhelmed people are experiencing and they are drinking more and taking more drugs which fuel the rage. It’s not just Americans, it is worldwide like a highly communicable disease that can spread from person to person and group to group. With this river of anger running through our culture, some of it is likely to influence believers because it’s in our homes, workplaces, families, politics, schools, and neighborhoods. Before we know it, we can become rude, irritable, and disrespectful, lashing out at people we are called to love and protect like our children, parents, or siblings. Today’s verse points out that one thing is certain: our wrath, anger reaching a boiling point, does not lead us to do what’s right before God. Our world and maybe even our personal lives are in a pressure cooker of stress right now but the Lord has not changed and His Spirit and His Word are powerful to help us listen more closely and speak less, leading to the suppression of angry speech and actions.
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October 30, 2022
Jeremiah 8:20: The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved
The growing season begins in the spring and the crops mature during the summer. Then comes the harvest season and a time of celebration and rejoicing because food and grain for the animals are laid in store for the winter. If the farmer misses the planting or planting is delayed too long, there will not be a crop to harvest and, in Bible times, when people were totally dependent on the growing cycles, facing winter without a reserve of food for people and for their animals was a disaster. The spiritual analogy is that the Lord gives seasons of opportunity and we cannot expect a glorious harvest of blessing and prosperity if we fail to sow and water in God’s time. For Israel, they had centuries to come to their senses, turn away from their wickedness, and follow the Lord but they wanted God’s blessings, a splendid harvest of abundance, without obedience even though He had warned them in Isaiah 1:19-20, “If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it”. For us, the principle applies to our lives, homes, careers, and every other area. The Lord tells us to seek the Creator in the days of our youth, to look to Him when we are young, and let Him bless us from our youth to our old age. We have the opportunity to raise our children in the way they should go before they are heavily influenced by the world. Dads and moms have the opportunity to spend time with them and teach them the ways of the Lord at crucial seasons of their childhood before they begin to drift away to follow their own path in their teen years. Concerning the work of the Lord, it’s a good thing to pursue the ministry the Lord placed us in when we’re young when our hearts and minds are fresh and sharp. God can use us when we’re older but the vitality and energy of youth should not be wasted on the things that will pass away when there is a harvest of glory ahead for those who steadfastly for the Lord. These things remind us of Proverbs 6:6-8, “Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest”. In the natural realm, here we are at the end of October and winter is ahead. It’s too late to plow, sow, and expect a harvest: the season is over. Spiritually, may God give us the wisdom to carefully manage what He has given us and to use our opportunities for His glory and our betterment. Let’s invest ourselves in our children and grandchildren and point them to Christ. May we learn to sow and water the seeds of life and hope whenever we can and never withhold our hand from doing good. We have the promise of Galatians 6:9, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” and in Psalms 126:6,” He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him”.
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October 29, 2022
1 Corinthians 10:4 “And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ”
When the Israelites left Egypt, it wasn’t long until they were out of water and God told Moses to take his staff and strike a certain rock in the sight of all the people. When he did, water miraculously gushed out. This happened twice and on the second occasion, the Lord told Moses to speak to the rock but Moses disobeyed and struck the rock as he did the first time and this was the disobedience that kept Moses from entering the promised land. As a type, striking the rock the first time, pictures the suffering of our smitten Savior Jesus. But after He was once smitten, the second occasion of water from the rock teaches that He will never need to be crucified again, once is sufficient. Now all that needs to be done is to speak to Him and from salvation to our every need, ask and receive is God’s plan. This verse in Corinthians looks back to the miracle of water from the rock as it was part of the Jewish tradition that as the Israelites journeyed through the wilderness, the rock that gushed water followed them, providing water as they journeyed. It is not clear whether the physical rock moved as they did or that because the Word of God tells us “That rock was Christ” the Lord continually traveled with them supplying their needs. One thing is certain, in every step of their journey God never left them, and His presence in the provision of water and manna, the shielding cloud in the heat of the day, and the warming pillar of fire by night revealed His love for His people and His ability to sustain them. Sometimes we forget the miracle of Deuteronomy 29:5, “And I have led you forty years in the wilderness: your clothes are not waxen old upon you, and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot”. We are also told in the expanded explanation in Nehemiah 9:21, “Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not”. The reference to their delivery in Psalms 105:37, “He brought them forth also with silver and gold: and there was not one feeble person among their tribes” tells us that even though there were two million people in the exodus of all ages from babies to the aged, God miraculously healed them all until no one was sick or too feeble to walk, carrying their stuff. Their journey was more than a natural one, it was spiritual just as our life is not so much about the natural but it is spiritual. Israel drank the spiritual drink and its source was a spiritual rock, Christ Jesus. Over 1500 years before Jesus was born, the Bible declares He was present as the provider and sustainer of His people and this same Jesus is alive and well today always providing for and sustaining us. He is the rock of ages.
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October 28, 2022
Isaiah 41:10 “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness”
We’ve been watching the devastation of Ukraine and praying for the people as Russia seems determined to reduce the country to ruins and murder everyone there. Add to this the specter of nuclear conflict hanging over our heads and it’s no wonder that worldwide anxiety is at a level previously unknown since WW2. Economies are failing, prices are skyrocketing, food shortages are in many places, and the world bank along with other organizations is predicting the worst is yet to come. How can we not be afraid and distressed when there’s little to no good news anywhere? The only refuge for our minds and hearts is the precious Word of God and there are no greater promises from the Lord than those like today’s verse. It’s time to tune out the bombardment of the world with its incessant ranting of gloom, doom, and pandemonium and kneel before the Lord our God, our Maker, immersing ourselves in His glorious Word. In today’s verse, He gives us this encouragement and promise in a concise, straightforward way to assure our hearts as did our Lord Jesus when He said in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid”. He echoed verse 1 where He said, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me”. The words, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee” tell us we are not alone and we all know the greatest fear comes when we feel there’s no one to hear or help us when we’re in trouble. Then the Lord tells us to “be not dismayed” where the Hebrew word “Sha`ah” means to look around in utter bewilderment and also means to be crushed into ruin and left in desolation. Without the light of God’s Word to make sense of what we hear and see, people are left with no hope in times like these, and crushing despair hangs over them like a cloud. But God’s Word, like a lighthouse of great hope, shines through the storm with the words, “I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness”. We’re reminded of the words of a classic Hymn, “What have I to dread, what have I to fear, leaning on the everlasting arms; I have blessed peace with my Lord so near, Leaning on the everlasting arms”. God rules sovereignly over His creation and there’s nothing out of His control. How He can attend to the details of our lives and keep us secure during times when it seems all around us is crumbling is a mystery of His indescribable greatness. But He can, and praise God He will.
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October 27, 2022
Hebrews 2:1 “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip”
Jewish Believers were tempted to fall back into Judaism or at least try to integrate some or all parts of the law into their lives. Here in Hebrews, they were being cautioned to seriously listen to what they had heard about Jesus and take the gospel to heart (give the more earnest heed) because there is a tendency for all of us to lose our footing of faith and slide into some error. The word for slip, pararrhueo, refers to small, gradual movements that cause something to slowly drift from its place. If you’ve ever been swimming or playing in the ocean you may have looked up towards the beach after a while and discovered the movement of the water had pushed you far from the place where you started. It is a term that pictures boats that come loose from their anchors or moorings and before long, they drift far away. The point is that moving away from the steadfastness of faith is not a sudden event but a slow-moving course that carries us so gently but steadily that we may not be aware we are slipping at all. We need an anchor, something that keeps us secure and steady. And while it might seem that marching to our own Christian drumbeat and figuring things out as we go is a way of freedom, our flesh can’t be trusted. Sound doctrine is the anchor of faith and part of the reason for the slipping apostasy we see is explained by the prophetic words of 2 Timothy 4:3, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables”. If Churches are built on “doctrineless” foundations in the attempt to be inclusive, uncontroversial, and socially correct then the result is a wishy-washy mess of carnal self-centered attendees that have no idea of the basic, elemental truths that have anchored Christianity through the ages. Our spiritual life is likened to a building that is built on the rock foundation of Jesus, our hope. And our anchor of steadfastness is described in Hebrews 6:19, “Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil”. The analogy of the anchor here is that we are steadfast in hope because we are tied by faith to the very promises of God as given in His infallible, unshakable Word. The Lord tells us in 2 Peter 3:17, “Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness”. May we declare Psalms 62:6, “He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defense; I shall not be moved”.
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October 26, 2022
1 Timothy 2:1-2 “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority”
It’s hard to pray with good intent for people you don’t really like, especially if they are politicians. We have expectations that they are to act in the best interests of the people and the nation they govern and when they prove they are liars, cheaters, dishonest, and outright morons, scathing criticism, not prayers, is what comes to mind. But when we look at the circumstances of today’s verse in the time it was penned by the apostle Paul, it bears understanding that what we have nowadays is not a lot different from the times back then. Rome, decadent, immoral, and anti-Christian ruled over the entire area and Christians suffered persecution and oppression by both the empire and local magistrates. Jesus taught in Matthew 5:44, “But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” and He spoke this while Israel was under Rome’s control. From our view, about ten minutes of the news and we’re seething with anger at the leaders and the foolish, filthy mess they’re making while they’re hollering, “we’re doing better than previous administrations”. It’s hard to pray for anything but the wrath of God on them. But we remember the words concerning the Lord in Daniel 2:21, “he removeth kings, and setteth up kings” and again in Romans 9:17, “For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth”. If we believe the Lord is sovereign over all His creation then we can not believe we are at the mercy of political nonsense. Wicked and incompetent leaders are the tools of the Lord just as the ones that are trustworthy and wise and all are used to keep pushing creation toward God’s final purpose. The current mess seems to be helping believers direct their attention to the Lord and His soon appearing while those that are against God are moving further away from the truth. The sheep are being separated from the goats. The apostate church is being revealed in the light of God’s Word and moving ever closer to the unbelieving world. When we know the Lord’s hand is at work in what we’re seeing, it’s easier to pray for our leaders that they will serve God’s purpose either to harden their hearts against the truth as Pharaoh or to stand with God’s people and the things of God. An example of such a prayer might be, “Lord thank you that You are in control of all who are in authority and we pray for them that they will have hearts and make choices that will be used by You to further Your kingdom and honor Your name”.
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October 25, 2022
1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”
Our unbelief is such that even when God tells us something point blank, we can’t fully believe it. He tells us here that He is willing to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from everything we’ve done wrong if we will just own up, admitting what we’ve done. But despite the clarity and simplicity of this promise, many people carry guilt, shame, and remorse for what they’ve done and just can’t believe God will forgive them. It is not God’s will for us to live plagued by anything the Lord wants to free us from. To get a better understanding of what the Lord is saying to us, we need to examine the verses before and after this verse because this verse of promise is sandwiched between two verses that sort of say the same thing. Verse 8 says, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us”. Verse 10 says, “If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us”. The truth about our sins can be seen in several ways. First, the confession of our sins is not an optional thing and from cover to cover, the Bible is clear that God wants us to accept the responsibility for what we’ve done wrong. But our unwillingness to admit we’ve sinned is inherent in us. Adam and Eve would not confess their sin but placed the blame elsewhere with Adam blaming Eve, and God indirectly, and Eve blaming the serpent. God wants us to read the words of David in Psalm 51:3-4, “For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight” and use these words as a pattern for our confession. Next, we can see that sin is universal and if we’re inclined to think that we’re alone in our category or depth of sin, we’re fooling ourselves because all of us are in the same boat. God is not categorizing sin, decreeing, or implying that some sins are easy for Him to forgive but others are not. We do not commit super sins that fall outside His mercy and grace. And then, these verses make it clear that God is not surprised when we sin. Because of our human nature, we’re going to sin and the Lord knows it. He knew that we would be sinful creatures before He made us and so He planned our salvation before He made the world. He purposed that on our part, we only need to admit our sin and confess it. And even with that, we can only reach that point by faith by trusting His Word that He is willing to forgive us. Salvation remains without works on our part and is the plan of the Lord to bring glory to Himself. But praise God, the promise of today’s verse is a rock of confidence for us that forgiveness and cleansing are God’s divine, eternal plan.
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October 24, 2022
Matthew 12:14 “Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him”
When Jesus was on earth, a lot of people were against Him. The Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Herodians, the scribes, the lawyers, and the list goes on. In today’s verse, the Pharisees were holding a meeting to plan a way to destroy Him because they hated Him so much. What is remarkable, is that they had no reason to hate Him as the Lord said in John 15:25, “But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause”. This truth references Psalms 69:4, “They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty”. This is ironic because the Lord’s haters, who claimed to love God’s Word and follow it guardedly, were fulfilling the prophecy of the very Word they claimed to love concerning those who hate the living Word. What was the sum of the matter? They were against Him. Perhaps it was because before Jesus came, the haters were the men of renown in their society. They represented what people thought was good, Godly, religious, and true. But when Jesus came, their covering was ripped away by His Words of truth and His example of allegiance to God. His love, compassion, forgiveness, and power revealed God and Godliness for all to see and some people hated Him because He exposed their falsity and facades of holiness. Common sense would seem to teach us that we should not be against people who are honest, loyal, kind, benevolent, non-violent, loving, and trustworthy. But unjustified, senseless opposition and hatred against the Lord and His followers is a picture of fallen human nature that proves our depravity across all nationalities, cultures, and spans of history. The current culture’s hatred of God and the things of the Lord is startling in view of their love for the very things that are destroying the roots of America’s success and threatening our future. Bible believers cannot expect to maneuver or posture themselves in such a way that they win the world’s favor because no matter how we try to reinvent ourselves or camouflage our ideologies, the world is against us. Maybe one of the reasons for so much compromise is that we don’t like when we are opposed or made to appear so vividly counterculture. It’s easier to stay confined in the safety of our church walls when we express our faith and then try to blend in with the world around us when we’re living our daily lives than to openly express our loyalty to Jesus and His Word. But our Lord said in Matthew 12:30, “He that is not with me is against me” removing all possibility we can be neutral in our allegiance to Him. Straddling the fence, playing both ends against the middle, and practicing stealth Christianity will never change the fact that just as the world was against Jesus, it is against His followers.
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October 23, 2022
Jeremiah 33:3 “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not”
This is one of the most well-known verses of the Bible and many believers take it as their life’s verse. The Lord spoke these words to Jeremiah as Jerusalem was being overrun by the Babylonians and the prophet was in prison. Jeremiah had prophesied that Israel would be conquered by Babylon and his preaching angered the Jewish king Zedekiah so that the king had the prophet arrested and incarcerated. Jeremiah and all of Jerusalem were in a dire and terrifying situation as the Lord was carrying out His punishment for Israel’s sins, using the Babylonians to do His bidding. In times of trouble, we often feel as if we are all alone and that God is far off and not attentive to our circumstances. Yet God spoke an invitation and promises that He is listening to our prayers and ready to answer us. He didn’t say “I might answer you” or “I’ll consider it” but He said “I will answer thee”. The mercy of God is everlasting and even in times of chastisement and correction He never forsakes us or deals with us in anger but welcomes us to come to the throne of grace for mercy and help. The words for “mighty things” refer to things that only God can reveal because they are not a part of human understanding. The scriptures refer to such wisdom in Psalms 139:6, “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain unto it” and in verses 17-18, “How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand”. The world values education and teaches that through education, we can achieve our goals and dreams. But it scoffs at 1Corinthians 3:19-20, “For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain”. This is not to say that earthly learning is worthless but that without the inclusion of the great and mighty things of the Lord it always points people away from God. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 1:21 that by its wisdom, the world doesn’t know God. When we call to the Lord in a prayer of faith, He promises to answer us and reveal the great and hidden things that only He can show us. What does this verse mean to you? Do you believe the Lord will answer you when you call on Him and open your understanding to help you in your times of uncertainty? Let’s put it to the test and lean on God’s promises in these perilous times for ourselves and our families.
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October 22, 2022
Matthew 15:28 “Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour”
The woman in this story was a gentile and at the time of the Lord’s ministry on earth, gentiles were not a part of His mission. He made this clear to her when she first came to him seeking healing for her sick daughter. He said in verse 24, “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel”. Yet the woman would not stop pleading with him and prayed the simple prayer in verse 25, “Lord, help me”. This three-word prayer is similar to that of Peter in Matthew 14:30 when he was sinking in the Sea of Galilee and cried, “Lord, save me”. Speaking volumes of words to God, explaining to Him every detail and nuance of our needs does not open heaven’s door wider and get faster, better answers. Simple prayers powered by faith are just as effective if not more so than long, wordy, or eloquent prayers. What is remarkable about this gentile woman is that the Lord said that her faith was great. Compare this to the conversation He had with His Jewish disciples a few chapters before in Matthew 8:26 where He said they were men of “little faith”. She did not have all the Jewish traditions, the temple ceremonies, the history of deliverance, or the universal recognition that she was one of the chosen people of God, yet she believed the Lord had the power to help her. She cast aside all her doubts about her place in God’s plan, and her outsider status concerning the Lord’s mission, and refused to take no for an answer even though Jesus told her twice his ministry was not to gentiles. Doubt takes many forms and attacks our faith by pointing out various reasons we are not worthy or welcome to receive our petition from God. But the life of this woman’s child was on the line and she pushed through the barriers of all that tried to hold her back even the disciples who wanted her removed from the Lord’s presence. She tenaciously laid hold on the truth that Jesus was her only hope and refused to yield to any other option and she is the only person Jesus addressed directly with a commendation of great faith. When He remarked about the Centurion’s great faith, He addressed the words to the crowd but He spoke to this woman saying, “O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt”. We already have great grace, freely given from our Lord heaven downwards. But great faith is something to earnestly crave as we reach upwards. The words from the Master, “be it unto thee even as thou wilt” were life-changing to the woman for her daughter was healed that instant. May our faith not be the “little faith” of the disciples but the “great faith” like the woman who needed a miracle and trusted Jesus for it.
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October 21, 2022
Psalms 103:1 “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name”
This Psalm offers us a wonderful phrase to use when giving praise to the Lord. “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name” has been spoken by people and congregations through the ages, often with uplifted hands, as a proclamation of the Lord’s worthiness of all glory and honor. The Hebrew word for bless, Barak, gives the meaning of praise and also of kneeling in adoration. In this verse, the praise expressed is not with an outward display or ceremonial pomp, but that of the innermost being, the soul. When we hunger and thirst after the things of the Lord and are filled with the Holy Spirit, we can not help but praise the Lord for His goodness and grace. The voice of the world and our flesh sometimes praises human achievements and personal abilities and is usually fueled by pride and self-esteem. But heroes nowadays are scarce and those that get exalted are soon toppled when their flaws are revealed. What remains are the voices of despair, predictions of gloom and doom, remorse, sorrow, and pain. The world is suffering, people are being exploited, and confidence is failing. We sense the nearness of the prophecy of Hebrews 12:25, “See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven”. The voices of believers should be praising the Lord with all that is within them because He is our only hope, our only refuge. His promises will not fail and He will remain faithful to us even though we are witnessing the onslaught preceding the completion of the mystery of God’s redemptive plan. The promises given to us that follow today’s verse are that the Lord forgives all our sins, heals all our diseases, protects us, covers us with lovingkindness and mercy, feeds and sustains us, and keeps us strong. It points us to Psalms 107:8, “Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!”. Some may say that such a willingness to praise the Lord is ignoring the reality of the world’s calamities and the suffering of humanity. But the reality is that the Lord told us from the beginning these things would come to pass and told us when we saw them happening, to look up because redemption is near. We can praise the Lord in our personal storms and also in the storms of the world’s tribulations because He has promised to be our refuge and strength in all trouble. Let’s say it together three times: “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name”.
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October 20, 2022
2 Chronicles 16:9 “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect (loyal, committed, faithful) toward him”
This is speaking of God’s complete awareness not only of every event happening on the earth but the condition of every heart. The Lord says in Revelation 2:23, “I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: where “reins” refers to our innermost thoughts. He sees us, He knows us, and He is attuned to people who are completely loyal to Him. The thought here is not about whether or not we make it into heaven but about God’s abundant favor in this life on those that have made Him their Lord and committed their lives and ways to Him. This does not mean the Lord forsakes any of His people who are not steadfast in their faith but that He is mindful of those who devote themselves to Him. He wants to defend us, bless us abundantly, and reveal Himself in us. His willingness to do so is evident in the phrase, “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth” indicating the Lord is actively identifying faithful people all over the earth. This statement, a figure of speech, appears several times in the scriptures such as Zechariah 4:10, “they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth” and are here, linked with the number seven. Some have interpreted the eyes of the Lord as being the seven angels which are in the presence of God mentioned in Revelation 8:2 and that they are His eyes on this earth, keeping records of those who are faithful. But no matter how the all-knowing Lord knows and identifies the people who are completely devoted to Him, His unfailing promise is that He is ready to “shew himself strong” on their behalf. We passionately give ourselves to the things of this world, careers, hobbies, sports, collectibles, possessions, and pleasures, all of them things that will pass away. We do so by throwing ourselves into them without abandon and are willing to identify with them. Why is it that we can’t have the same depth of love and loyalty for the Lord and the things of God? Maybe it is as the Lord said of His people in Hosea 10:2, “Their heart is divided” and in light of today’s verse, a divided heart is not completely committed to Him. But it is a blessed and comforting truth that when we take our stand with God, refuse to compromise with the world, love what He loves, and hate what He hates then we are open to His abundant, divine favor. A side note here is that when we take such a position with the Lord, we become targets for all forces and people who despise God but the showers of blessings and the abundance of grace are worth any trial that might come. Proverbs 15:3, “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good”.
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October 19, 2022
Jeremiah 17:7 “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is”
To see the glory of this verse in its context, we have to first consider the first verse of this chapter: “The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the table of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars”. Then for the next few verses, the deplorable, wicked condition of Israel is given. It would seem that all hope would be taken away and a prophecy of destruction given. Instead, the Lord tells us that even in such times of great sinfulness throughout the land there is blessing and hope for those who trust in the Lord. We then have the great prayer of verse 14, “Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise”. With God, there is always hope as the metaphor of Job 14:7 tells us, “For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease”. In the case of Israel, they were cut out of their land and displaced in nations throughout the world. Yet God promised they would sprout again in the land from which they had been driven, the land promised to them by His unconditional covenant of land-grant with Abraham: Genesis 13:15, “For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed forever”. Nowadays, we see all the sin and unbelief everywhere and it may seem that there is no hope. The very institutions that should be beacons of hope to our nation and its people, the churches and their leaders, are in desperate need of revival and restoration. A few people are coming to Christ but we are not seeing the great masses saved like those that turned to the Lord in the worldwide meetings of Billy Graham and other evangelists in the past. Still, there is hope because the Lord is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. And there is hope for believers that God will bless us, provide a table in the presence of our enemies, and cause our cup to run over. The circumstances of an unbelieving world or dead churches do not take away our hope. We are given Romans 15:13, “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost”. Notice that we can “abound in hope” and this is akin to the words of the scriptures that call our hope a better hope, a blessed hope, and a lively (living, powerful) hope. The world looks like it is falling apart around us. Wars and rumors of wars dominate the news. Truth and Godly traditions are being cast aside and replaced by lies and perversions. Famine, drought, global hordes of refugees, failing governments, disease, and massive uncertainty dominate. But Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever and we who trust in Him have unfailing, eternal hope.
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October 18, 2022
Numbers 14:3 “And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt?”
The unbelief of the Israelites, the very essence of what was in their hearts, is seen in this verse. Despite all that the Lord had done, their great deliverance from Egypt, and God’s sustaining power and provisions on their journey, they simply didn’t trust Him to do what He had promised. This account took place when they were standing on the border of their promised land and God was preparing them to enter the country flowing with milk and honey. All they had envisioned and wanted for over 400 years was finally in their grasp and they had God’s Word that He would give it to them. But the Bible reminds us in Matthew 12:34, “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh”. Their words show that in their hearts they didn’t believe God was powerful enough to keep His promises to them. Instead, they believed the lies of defeat, hopelessness, and failure and were ready to return to a life of slavery. What we speak matters and in Israel’s case, their words were a poison that spread throughout all the people, contaminating their minds and hearts with not only unbelief but rebellion against the Lord and His promises until He declared their generation would die in the wilderness. Words of unbelief can be spoken in our homes, places of employment, church committees, and even to ourselves when we are alone and they will have the same effect they had on the nation of Israel: they will solidify a rejection of the truth. What appeared to be true to Israel was that the inhabitants of Canaan were greater than them and undefeatable. What was actually true was that God’s promises cannot fail. We can hear the words of faith spoken by Joshua and Caleb in Numbers 14:9, “Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defense is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not”. But the people, in their unbelief, wanted to stone Joshua and Caleb. It’s strange that we would rather believe a lie and speak its forecast of gloom, doom, and pandemonium rather than anchor our trust in the Lord and speak His unfailing promises but it is a testimony to our depravity. If the Israelites had just paused, reflected on the power and promises of God, and like Joshua and Caleb, begun to speak what the Lord had promised, they would not have suffered 40 years of misery and death in the wilderness. Their story instead, would have said something like, “and they believed what the Lord said and entered into their beautiful possession with joy and victory”. How could our story change if we will just speak what God promised into our lives and the lives of those around us?
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October 17, 2022
Genesis 39:20 “And Joseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison”
Have you ever been through a trial or hardship you thought would never end or perhaps you are in one right now? Maybe it wasn’t because of something you did deliberately or from unbelief but it just happened. It might even be that it was fallout from someone else’s circumstances. Joseph went through such trials and in the one referenced in today’s verse he was in prison for two years for something he didn’t do. He was doing all the right things, honoring the Lord, and living by integrity. Yet trials hit him that didn’t seem fair and he suffered abuse, abandonment, and betrayal. And all the while the Lord didn’t provide him with an answer at the times he was enduring afflictions. To others, your trials may look like a punishment from God and they may speak out against you as if you are suffering as an evildoer. This is what Job’s friends thought and they were quick to tell him that he must have committed some gross sin to be battered the way he was. But we know the Lord is always working things for our good so what is our way forward when we’re in the mire of great trials? Job gives us an answer in Job 27:3-5, “All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils; My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit. God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me”. We will keep doing what is right and will not yield to the advice or pressure of others to change our course. Although we do not have the answers to why the circumstance or how long it will last, the Lord is guiding our steps. When the trial is over, God will give us the understanding and peace that it has been for our good. We may lose a loved one and it may seem out of season for it. We might lose a job, or a promotion, our children may go awry, or there might be times of failed opportunity or loss of resources. But God does not hide Himself from our difficult times but always remains faithful in His promises. It’s hard to put our shoulders to the plow and keep moving forward when we feel all is against us and that we have no strength to continue. But like Joseph and Job, each step we take is a step God has purposed and permitted and each step forward will carry us through our trial to the exit sign on the other side. The words of Psalms 50:15, “call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.”, tell us the Lord is with us and ready to sustain us until we are delivered.
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October 16, 2022
2 Corinthians 2:11 “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices”
The words used here as a warning that the enemy wants to take advantage of us, are those describing a swindler who is setting us up to cheat us out of what we have or what belongs to us. From the beginning, he has used the same bag of tricks on every person born to separate them from the Lord and enslave them to anything that will keep them trapped in his lies. His war against the Almighty God in heaven continues on this earth in his attacks on the people the Lord loves who are made in the image of God. But the Word of God exposes him and his wickedness and the Holy Spirit opens our awareness and understanding of his ways. He wants to steal things that belong to us, things that the Lord has set apart for our good pleasure. The priceless treasures of peace, joy, fellowship, and blessings are his target and when we fall prey to his devices, he fills our lives instead with bitterness, sorrow, and grief. The enemy devises to rob us of our good health, stable families, victorious lives of abundance, and anything else the Lord has promised by trapping us in addictions and lifestyles that are against the Lord’s will for us. He is a thief, the father of lies, and the source of all misery, and we know our Lord said his purpose is to kill, steal, and destroy. But the Bible says in 2 Timothy 3:15, that the holy scriptures are able to make us wise and because the wisdom of the Lord and the mind of Christ are present in us, we can see through the enemy’s devices. His attacks on us will be thwarted by the shield of faith and his fiery darts can not harm us. Our thoughts and imaginations are protected by the helmet of salvation and his charges against us are defeated by the armor of Christ’s righteousness. The consolation for believers is Revelation 20:10, “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever”. While we see him deceiving people, spreading chaos, and destroying lives, homes, and nations, we also see that day coming soon when his power will be broken, his purpose fulfilled, and his destruction made eternal in that lake of fire. His demise is given in the wonderful, prophetic, allegorical words of Isaiah 14:15-17, “Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?” (19)” But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a carcase trodden under feet”. Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus!
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October 15, 2022
Luke 10:29 “But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?”
A lawyer asked the Lord this question when Jesus affirmed the two great commandments of the law: to love God and love your neighbor. Maybe the man thought he was doing fine in the loving God area but wanted to show he was righteous in the second point by pinning the Lord with “who is my neighbor?”. People are good at “word wrangling”. They spin definitions, meanings, and twist statements to make themselves look better or to prove they are correct against all odds. Politicians and advertisers make a living doing this and we used to call it, “pulling the wool over people’s eyes”. It seemed this lawyer was trying to drag the conversation into a gray area where he could defend his self-righteousness. But the Lord answered the question by giving the account of the good Samaritan and then threw the question right back to the lawyer as to which of the three men in the story was a neighbor to the wounded man. The Jews of Jesus’ day wanted to give a prejudiced view of who they should love and they word wrangled the teaching of the law which said to love your neighbor by adding the words, “and hate your enemies” and taught this as God’s truth. We learn this trick early in life that by leaving out some words, adding a word or two, or blurring the circumstances, we can make ourselves look good or better in any circumstances and we convince ourselves we’re not really lying. We want to justify ourselves just like this lawyer. A great example of this is the story of the Pharisee and the publican in Luke 18. The two men went into the temple to pray and the Pharisee tried to justify himself by thanking God he was not a bad sinner like other people. He said,” I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican” and then went on to tell God some of the righteous things he was doing. But the publican did not try to justify himself but the Bible says in verse 13, “And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner”. And here is the Lord’s conclusion of the story in verse 14, “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted”. We all have our points of view and our interpretations of things, and no one wants to be seen in the wrong or as the bad guy. But the Lord is the righteous Judge and the Bible says He is just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus (Romans 3:26). God is our vindicator and He is the one who will set our record straight.
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October 14, 2022
Song of Solomon 2:4 “He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love”
The poetic language and descriptions in the Song of Solomon use a relationship between a couple to describe our relationship with the Lord. The book opens, by picturing the bride, representing us, working in the vineyard with the hot sun beating down on her. She is poor, an outcast of her family, and ashamed of the way she appears, burned by the sun and disheveled. But the bridegroom-to-be, representing our Savior, sees her not as how she appears but as what she will be when she is His bride and he provides her with beautiful clothes and jewelry and takes her to live in His mansion. In today’s verse, the bride is telling how He brought her into the banqueting house and raised a banner over her which described in one word what it’s all about: love. God purposed to reveal His love to us despite our sinfulness and display to all creation and all heaven His abundant mercy and grace. We have Ephesians 2:4, “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us” and Romans 5:8, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”. The Jews missed the point of what the Lord wanted for them and walked under the banner of rigid rules, harsh interpretations of the law, and self-righteousness. Even now, in this day of amazing grace, some still miss the point and march under similar banners of human performance, forms of godliness, church organizations, legalism, and like the Jews, self-righteousness. But when we look at the bottom line, we see it in the words of Jesus in John 15:9, “As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love” and John 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another”. It seems to be so common for Christians to go off on a tangent and make doctrines and interpretations their main focus and love is no longer their banner. All that the Lord has done for us in making us righteous, taking away our sin, and adopting us into His family are to bring us to a place where we can love Him and each other without obstructions. The Lord’s attributes of kindness, mercy, goodness, grace, forgiveness, faithfulness, and patience are the foundations of His great love for us. When we follow Him and imitate Him, we become creations of love.
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October 13, 2022
John 6:12 “When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost”
The Lord performed an astounding miracle that day when He took five loaves of bread and two small fish and fed five thousand. Bread loves in that day are said to have been about the size of a small, flat pita and the equivalent of a slice or two of our bread. But no matter the size of the loaves and small fish, 5,000 people ate until they were filled. Today’s verse gives us an insight into the heart and mind of Jesus when He told the disciples to gather up the uneaten bread and fish so that nothing be lost, a word that means wasted. It reminds us of Proverbs 18:9, “He also that is slothful (lazy) in his work is brother to him that is a great waster”. Most people are so blessed and have such an abundance of food we can’t imagine what it would be like to live and raise families where food is scarce and its availability uncertain. We must stop and remember that in Bible times there were no grocery stores, no warehouses filled with food, and no supply lines that could bring emergency food in a matter of hours. The affluent areas of the world are so used to throwing away unwanted food that we can’t realize that what we throw away could feed the world. Refiefweb.int reports, “There is a deeply unjust disconnect between food availability and quality in different parts of the world. One-third of all food produced gets lost or goes to waste — that’s enough to feed all of the world’s hungry four times over!”. Jesus revealed He is against wasting what God has provided and our throwaway culture places little value on what we have been provided. Abundance has produced a growing sense of entitlement which has in turn created a proud, unthankful, and wasteful culture. When the Lord directed the disciples to gather up the fragments, He wasn’t talking about crumbs that fall when people eat that later will be eaten by birds and insects, but the word “fragments” is from a word that means a piece broken off as it is said of the Lord in Mark 6:41, that He “brake the loaves”. Adam’s God-given responsibility is stated in Genesis 2:15, “And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it”. The Hebrew word for “to keep it” means to protect, preserve, guard, save, treasure up, or hedge about for protection. Having a little or an abundance comes with the responsibility to care for what God has given us and to allow the Holy Spirit to help us see how we can use what is leftover without wasting it. We don’t know what happened to the leftover bread and fish, some people believe that the 12 baskets left over were for the disciples to eat after they’d served the masses. But the Greek word used here for baskets, Kophinos, is the word from which we get our word for “coffin” and is said to refer to a backpack-like woven sack that had a cord for a handle. It was usually carried on the back, loaded with provisions and such. But one thing we know, the Lord said “that nothing be lost”.
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October 12, 2022
1 Kings 19:18 “Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him”
Israel was in a very dark time with the nation utterly turned to idolatry. King Ahab and his wife, Jezebel, led the people to worship the demonic god baal and the things of Jehovah God were abandoned. From Elijah’s view, it seemed he was the only one left that stood for the Lord and followed Him. He spoke to the Lord in 1 Kings 19:10, “And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away” and repeated the same thing to God again in verse 14. But as wicked as Israel had become, the Lord assured Elijah with the words of today’s verse that he was not alone in his allegiance to God. The Lord’s statement is a very mysterious and profound thing because it reveals the principle of God’s election. The Apostle Paul references this account of Elijah in Romans 11 and shines this light on it in verses 4-5 “But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace”. At that time of the infant church, it seemed God was moving salvation away from the Jews to the gentiles and abandoning His people because of their unbelief. Yet just as it was in the days of Elijah, the Lord separated a remnant apart to Himself, people that would follow Christ despite the unbelief of others. At the close of this present church age, we see the flood of unbelief that has been building for many decades since the last awakening and it appears born again Christianity is being swept away by wickedness, unbelief, and apostasy. But the Lord will not surrender this world to sin and the devil. He has a remnant of grace and while no one understands the depth of His election we can be assured if you believe that the blood of Jesus is the only remedy for sin and that salvation is only by faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, then you are part of the remnant-like minority that has escaped the condemnation of sin and death. In Noah’s day, the remnant was eight people. No wonder our Lord said in Matthew 7:14, “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it”. If you are a believer that feels out of place in this world and if it seems you are alone in your hatred for sin, the flesh, and the devil, take heart that God has others just like you that have renounced this world and belong to Him.
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October 11, 2022
Isaiah 12:2 “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation”
It is said that fear is the most prevalent emotion. Fear of being hurt, fear of the unknown, fear of failure, fear of being punished, fear of rejection, fear of death, and thousands of other fears are so much a part of our humanness that there is a condition called phobophobia, the intense fear of being afraid. The Bible says in 1 John 4:18, that fear torments and is an infliction of punishment. There is no doubt these are fearful times with every nation of the world in turmoil, nuclear war hanging over our heads, multiplied millions of refugees fleeing horrible situations in their homelands, and the wake-up call we received from Covid that we are vulnerable. But the Word of God repeatedly tells us to not be afraid and encourages us to place our trust in the Lord. How do we do that? It’s not just a mantra or mindset, it means completely surrendering ourselves to the will and faithfulness of the Lord. It involves knowing what God says in His Word and making those promises the fountain of truth in our lives. The Word of God becomes the well of water within us that springs up, flooding us with peace and joy even when we’re assailed by fear as He tells us in verse 3, “Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation”. In a fearful situation, we can choose to listen to the voice of fear that says, “you’re doomed, there’s no way out, there’s no one to help you” and our bodies will begin to react. Trembling, sweating, stomach sickness, and elevated blood pressure show that fear is controlling us. Or, we can begin to speak God’s Word into the situation that the Lord is with us, He is faithful to deliver us, He has already made a way for our escape, that the enemy is a defeated foe, and that no weapon formed against us will prosper. The Word of God is our refuge, our rock of safety, our defense against the onslaught and lies of the enemy, and we hear it reverberating when Jesus said in Matthew 14:27, “Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid”. It’s good to acknowledge the fear because it is a part of this earthly life but it’s not God’s will for us to listen to the voice of fear and allow it to rob us of peace, joy, and comfort. The Lord doesn’t want us to live under loads of anxiety, worry, doubt, and uncertainty. His promises are true and eternal and they are for our benefit to make us more than conquerors, confident of God’s faithfulness to us in our present situations and assured that our future is bright and glorious. The opposite of fear is peace and the Lord purposed for us to live in peace and to have rest for our souls.
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October 10, 2022
Romans 8:31 “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?”
At one time or another, most people believe God is on their side. Some followers of religion commit terrorist acts, murder innocent people, and spew the rhetoric of hatred towards anyone who doesn’t belong to their organization yet they vehemently declare God is their leader. But the defining word in today’s verse is “if”, If God be for us. We can’t spin this to try to make believe God is never against anyone because the Bible says in Ezekiel 13:8, “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye have spoken vanity, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, saith the Lord GOD” and many other times in the scriptures, the Lord declares the same as in 1 Peter 3:12, “the face of the Lord is against them that do evil”. In the verses preceding today’s verse, believers in Jesus Christ are pointed to the things that show God is with us. We are told God has foreknown us, predestinated us, called us, justified us, and glorified us. Our salvation and sonship were not some aimless, random actions that happened on a spur of a moment, but they were carefully planned and meticulously executed by the Lord to guarantee our eternal success. Every detail of every day was purposely calculated and every circumstance Divinely appointed so that we can have the full assurance that nothing on earth or in heaven, nothing past, present, or in the future, and nothing known or unknown can stop or alter what we are, who we are, or where we are going. The fact that God is for us is infinitely greater than the whole world, or the universe for that matter, being against us. But what does it mean that God is for us? We can be “for” our favorite team by sitting on the sidelines, rooting them on, and hoping they can pull off a win. God is not cheering us from heaven’s balcony, hoping we can figure out life’s obstacle course we’re trying to run. He is not giving us His Word to encourage us to fight harder and outlast our enemies. Praise the Lord, He is actively at work on our behalf, ensuring that all things are working together for our good and He has ordered our steps according to His good pleasure. To those who were watching the events of Christ’s life unfold when He was arrested, falsely judged, and sentenced to die by crucifixion, it looked like He was defeated and His enemies had triumphed. But every tiny detail was carried out exactly as the Father had ordained and on that third and glorious day when He came out of the tomb, alive forevermore, his haters and even His worse enemy the devil, were taken aback and knew He had won. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in us and the same Father God that orchestrated the Lord’s death, burial, and resurrection will unfailingly lead us home. Ours is not a past tense salvation but one that is here and now and then eternal in the heavens. Nothing can derail us because God is for us!
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October 9, 2022
Joshua 6:1 “Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in”
The Israelites had finished their 40 years of wilderness wanderings and were poised to enter their promised land. But the first barrier they faced was the fortified city of Jericho and when the inhabitants of Jericho saw the masses of Israelites advancing, they locked the city gates and by ancient standards, their city was completely safe and impenetrable. The city was fortified by three walls. The staggered outer 2 walls were a combination of about 40 feet high. Behind them, the city set elevated on a “tell” or plateau with another massive wall as much as 26 feet high. Looking at the city from a distance, the combined view with the lower walls and the elevated wall, the city would appear to be surrounded by a wall almost 70 feet high. Intruders who were able to breach the first walls would be caught in the area between them and the city walls and easy prey for archers and spearmen on top of the final wall. The conquest of Jericho besides being a lesson in the Lord’s unspeakable ability to perform miracles, is also a spiritual type, speaking to us of our Christian life. Canaan land represents heaven in one respect but also represents our earthly journey as we move from salvation into a life of blessings and victory with our Lord. Jericho represents the barriers that are set to block us from a life of fullness. While they cannot be defeated by any means we have, the Lord has a plan for us that will conquer these obstacles and deliver us. Some people have addictions that master them. Others are saddled with lifestyles and attitudes that are far from God’s will. Then there are the barriers of environments and companionships that offer so much temptation and distraction that it’s nearly impossible to live for the Lord while being spiritually attacked. God has to intervene and smash the walls that are separating us from Him and we can take courage and hope that just as Jericho fell, all that is keeping us from living a life of victory will be obliterated. By faith, Step by step, and day after day the Israelites marched around the city until the final day when they shouted with a great shout, blew their trumpets, and the walls fell down flat just as the Lord promised. Maybe there are things dogging and hindering you, holding you back from the fullness of God’s best for you. Maybe some situations and people seem like barriers to getting you to where you know deep down inside you are supposed to be. Keep marching by faith and believing that the Lord is more than able and that He is at work on your circumstances and barriers and will soon bring the walls crashing down. Jericho was impossible to defeat by any method the Israelites possessed but God specializes in doing the impossible. As He declares in Zechariah 4:6, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts”.
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October 8, 2022
Matthew 18:1-2 “At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them”
The disciples were always looking among themselves, wondering which of them was going to have the top honors in the kingdom. On one occasion, the mother of James and John asked the Lord for a favor, that her sons would rule with Him on his right add left hands in His kingdom (Mat 4). The world’s view of greatness is not the Lord’s view because we ascribe greatness based on wealth, looks, achievements, star power, and notoriety. But Jesus answered their question by calling a child to stand before them as a symbol of the greatest in His kingdom. He didn’t point out the child’s level of faith, history of great deeds, spiritual prowess, or ability to intimidate. Believers should read this passage carefully and meditate on what the Lord is teaching because it is God’s wisdom revealed to us in what seems a simple way but it carries complex and deep truth. We have to understand children and what they’re about to know what it means to be great in God’s eyes. What Jesus did must have been a jaw-dropping moment for the disciples because their attitude towards children was shown in Mark 10:13 when they wanted people to remove children from the Lord’s presence as if children had no place there. They rebuked those who were bringing their children to Jesus but the Bible says their actions “much displeased” the Lord and He spoke the wonderful words of verse 14, “Suffer (allow) the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God”. Children are our teachers and Christ held them up as the ideal for their qualities such as their readiness to trust, forgive, and their blatant honesty. They don’t threaten us and we have no fear of being ambushed, kidnapped, robbed, and beaten by a four-year-old or swindled out of our life’s savings by a crooked toddler. Someone pointed out that children are not good at deception and lying and even when they try, they can’t pull it off. But perhaps one of the most wonderful qualities of children is that they are utterly dependent on their parents and show us how God wants us to completely look to and depend on Him. When the scriptures tell us that without faith it is impossible to please God, then children are our pattern of what it means to fully rely on someone else, in this case, the Creator of heaven and earth. The child Jesus used as an example that day was not a picture of perfection, great abilities, strength, or sinlessness. It knew how to depend completely on someone else and enjoy life as a child. The Lord finished His answer to their question in verses 3-4, “Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven”.
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October 7, 2022
James 4:8 “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you”
Why wouldn’t we want the closest, strongest, and most consistent relationship possible with God? If we believe He is everything He has declared Himself to be and that He is always ready to be our all in all, the value of being near Him is immeasurable. Even though we know He has promised to always be with us and never turn away, that’s not the meaning of being close to Him. It’s possible to be in the same room with someone, sit close to them, and ride in the same car together yet be miles apart as far as being personally connected to them. My wife and I have ministered to a lot of couples and families experiencing this. But the Lord has described His relationship to us as that of a father and child and the scriptures show us His plan has always been to bring us into His presence in loving mercy. Many Christians live daily only thinking of God on occasion and they go countless hours without praying to Him, talking to Him, and depending on His word. They do not long for His presence and seldom seek His face. Our Lord Jesus, being divine, one with God, and connected to His Father by God’s purpose and will, still lived His life looking constantly to His Father and speaking with Him. The promise given to us in today’s verse is that if we will come close to God, He will come close to us. The Greek word used here for “draw nigh”, is “eggizo” and while in its primary rendering it means to come near or approach, even that doesn’t convey its deepest meaning for it speaks of an intense, extreme ongoing personal bond of active, mutual sharing. It is the oneness of being where we transcend physical nearness and enter into a higher level of unity and we know that with our Lord, it is based on His unconditional love for us and our complete and utter dependence on Him. When we live close to the Lord, we talk with Him like we’re talking to our dearest friend. We empty our deepest thoughts and concerns knowing He is listening and wants to hear us. His Word becomes precious to us and we know by the Holy Spirit, He is speaking to us by it. More and more we learn to trust Him and depend on His promises for every detail of our lives. We stop trusting our own methods and rely on His wisdom because we know His ways are perfect. Storms and trials become bearable when we are close to Him for we sense His presence and His nearness gives us courage and hope. The nearness we experience causes us to abandon our pride and put ourselves completely in His hands. Those around us may not understand why we are always speaking to Him, praising Him, referencing Him and His abilities in our situations, and ascribing all goodness and glory to Him. But it doesn’t matter what people think about our relationship with the Lord or even if they think we’re “off our rocker”. Once we experience the blessing and comfort of living close to Him we know the meaning of Psalms 16:11, “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore”.
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October 6, 2022
Psalms 56:8 “Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?”
The Jews, along with the Greeks and Romans, had a custom that involved collecting the tears of those that mourned the death of someone and giving those tears, in a small bottle, to the family of the deceased as a memorial of the departed. It’s not certain that David was referring to this when he wrote this verse but the idea is clearly here, that God knows our sorrows and keeps a record of our suffering. The book mentioned here is the book where the details of our lives are recorded and it’s greatly comforting to know the Lord is so attuned to us personally. When He called Moses as His representative, God said that He was aware of what His people were going through in Egypt. The Bible says in Exodus 3:7, “And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows”. God is not keeping books on believers as evidence to confront us at judgment so He can determine our eternal destination, because all our sins have been covered by the blood and righteousness of Christ Jesus. But He’s keeping the records to reward us at the judgment seat of Christ. Meanwhile, the Bible says in 1 Peter 3:12, “For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers”. When people hurt us and do us wrong, the Lord will vindicate us. When they do it because we are standing for the Lord, He will reward us. Jesus shed tears at the tomb of Lazareth and shows us that God, in Christ, knows our suffering and feels our pain. Whenever we come to Him with a broken heart and pour out our soul, He takes us into His comforting arms and reminds us of Psalms 103:13-14, “Like as a father pitieth (has compassion on) his children, so the LORD pitieth (has compassion on) them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust”. David wrote this Psalm before He was a king. He had been captured by the Philistines and was looking to God for help like a child looks to its father. He said the Lord knows all his wanderings, a phrase that means a path that is not clearly defined, it has no particular planned destination. We all have seasons when it seems we’re all over life’s radar, when we don’t know the outcome, or how the Lord is going to direct our path. We feel hopeless, helpless, and alone. But the Lord is with us and He is recording our suffering and turmoil. When He brings us out, He will always restore what the enemy tried to take away and will fulfill His promise that whatever we do will prosper (Psalms 1:3).
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October 5, 2022
Acts 12:23 “And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost”
King Herod tormented the early Christians, killing James and putting church leaders, including Peter, in prison. This was pleasing to the Jews and Herod used every opportunity to increase his popularity with the people. On the occasion referred to in today’s verse, the ancient historian Josephus wrote that Herod was wearing a robe made of silver and as he stood to give a great speech, the robe glittered in the sunlight and made him appear supernatural. In verse 22, the Bible tells us that the people shouted, “It is the voice of a god, and not of a man”. According to Josephus, as he was speaking, he began to experience horrible pain in his stomach which lasted five days, and then he died. The scriptures tell us the reason and cause for his death were that he took all the glory for himself, gave none to God, and God caused worms to eat him. Our pride wants honor, praise, and glory and the more we get, the more we crave. But all glory belongs to God. Period. The Bible tells us in 1 Peter 5:5, to “be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble”. The Lord says in Isaiah 42:8, “I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another”. When we try to take credit for what the Lord has done, it’s dishonoring to God and a disgrace to us. People around us may get uncomfortable when we ascribe all goodness to the Lord but they need to hear the truth our Lord spoke in John 15:5, “for without me ye can do nothing”. When what looks like good breaks come our way, let’s give God the glory. When we are delivered from a situation that seemed dire, may we give glory to God. If we get a promotion or recognition for an achievement, let’s make sure the Lord gets the praise for it. Maybe we’re simply blessed with health, strength, and all our needs are met. God deserves the glory. Like the moon reflects the light of the sun, any glory we have is the Lord’s glory that’s reflected in us. It’s time for us to use our words and attitudes to show a world that doesn’t know God that all we have that’s good and praiseworthy is of the Lord. Those things that just seem to work in our favor are proof that God is for us and working on our behalf. It’s tempting to infer that it’s our intelligence, talents, or personal qualities that secure our success but that view is a lie and robs God of the glory due Him. The Lord uses us but it’s His power, purpose, and provisions, not our own because He has decreed in 1 Corinthians 1:29, “That no flesh should glory in his presence”.
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October 4, 2022
Luke 17:32 “Remember Lot’s wife”
When the Lord determined He would destroy Sodom and the cities of that area, He sent angels to rescue Lot and his family before the fire of judgment fell. When the angels led them away from the city, they told Lot and his family, “Escape for thy life; look not behind thee”. However, the Bible says, “But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt”. For whatever reason, Lot’s wife couldn’t or wouldn’t obey the angel’s commands from the Lord. Jesus reminded us of Lot’s wife when He was describing the scenario of His return and we know He was speaking first to Israel but He was also generalizing the end times for all of us. When He said “remember Lot’s wife”, He was telling us to be aware that this world will perish and that we should examine our hearts to see where our allegiance lies and if our faith is on the foundation of Christ. We can guess what caused Lot’s wife to look back. Perhaps she hated having to leave the city and her possessions and maybe she thought Sodom wasn’t such a bad place. The language and grammar used in the Biblical account indicate she hesitated behind Lot and her daughters as they were escaping, showing she wasn’t running for her life and didn’t believe or accept that God meant business about destroying the place. That hesitation of unbelief is part of the problem to this day as people can’t see and believe the severity of God’s coming wrath. One thought is that Lot’s wife was almost saved but she couldn’t turn her back on Sodom and walk away, a type of repentance. She represents multitudes that hear the message of truth and, like King Agrippa in Acts 26 who said to Paul, “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian”, they will not turn away from sin and this world to fully trust Christ for salvation. We can talk about Lot’s error in moving his family into Sodom and his unbelief and foolishness in keeping them there. However, all that is mute when God reached a point where He’d had it with Sodom’s wickedness. But in His mercy and grace, He determined to deliver Lot, his daughters, and would have delivered his wife if only she had believed the Word of the Lord that was spoken to her. In the same way, we can talk about the lukewarmness of the church but just as God called Lot out and away, He is calling us out and away as He prepares to bring His judgment. We are warned that we are in this world but not of it, that we are set apart for God’s glory, and that we are not destined to suffer under the wrath of God. Unlike Lot’s wife, Spirit-filled believers have a longing to be with the Lord and are ready to leave this mess behind. We’re looking forward with great anticipation to that day when we enter into God’s presence where all is pure, holy, and just. By God’s grace, we’ve put our hand to the plow and will never look back.
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October 3, 2022
Proverbs 10:12 “Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins”
We learn early in life how to cover our sins and errors and how to expose those of others. It’s a natural pattern for our flesh and the blame game is so much a part of our world it is the root of everything from politics and our bureaucracy to sports and family life. The Bible refers to it in Isaiah 58:9 as “the putting forth of the finger”. Pointing out the flaws, shortcomings, and sins of others comes so easily to us, we can get into the habit of insulting or speaking in innuendos until we’re unaware of how bitter and disagreeable we’ve become. But Christians are called to a life of love that rises above these devices of the flesh and the Holy Spirit points us to Jesus as our example. When we love people, we recognize they’re imperfect, that they have weaknesses and flaws, and that they do and say things that don’t make sense to us. Everyone has bad days, times when they’re frustrated and grumpy, and times when they make bad decisions. When we, who are also imperfect and just like them, stand pointing the finger, picking them apart, gossiping behind their backs, and cutting them down, we are going against what the Lord has called us to be. We’re looking at a verse today that says,” but love covereth all sins”. The Holy Spirit references this again in 1 Peter 4:8 where we’re told to have sincere love for each other because love erases innumerable sins. We all belong to the Lord and were created in His image. The life we have is a gift from God and He alone is qualified to judge us. The Bible says in Romans 2:1, “Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things”. The scriptures follow up in the next verse with,” But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things”. The Lord is not saying we are to ignore all sins because then we would not hold people accountable for crime and evil acts. But He is talking about love that looks over the blunders and mistakes, the eccentric behaviors and styles, and people’s right to make choices and follow them. Our purpose is to be a blessing, to encourage, and to reflect the love of God and not to be the accuser, judge, and hangman. We want God’s mercy and grace for ourselves and our families. We want His forgiveness, kindness, and unconditional love and we testify that we have received these from Him freely and eternally. When we look into the mirror and are honest about what we see, we confess we are flawed and we acknowledge our sins and failures. Our past has many bad choices that God put under the blood of Jesus and He will never remember them. We have been given many, many chances to put the past behind us and to start over. Why wouldn’t we want the same for other people who also are God’s creations?
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October 2, 2022
Luke 21:28 “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh”
It has been said often that today’s news sounds a lot like the Biblical prophecies being spelled out in detail. Wars, refugees, nuclear threats, failing economies, global warming, disease, crime, human trafficking, corrupt governments, natural disasters, and the list goes on. Maybe it’s time to turn off the TV’s, computers, and smart phones for a while, ditch the constant prattle of the news, and just look up. Jesus gave us the words in today’s verse when the disciples asked Him about the prophecies of the end times in verse 7, “Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?”. The Lord then summarized Israel’s future while giving us some hints as to what will happen at the closing of the church age. And unless God sends a sweeping revival to turn all things towards the truth, we hear the echo of Mark 13:29, “So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors”. The phrase “it is nigh, even at the doors” where the “it” is the third person singular present indicative of the Greek “eimi”, literally renders as “He is so close, he is standing at the entrance gates”. If that doesn’t make you want to shout “Hallelujah!!” something is wrong with your view. It comes down to this: The world news on its own makes us sad and discouraged but when viewed in the light of God’s Word, the same news makes us rejoice because it testifies that we’re about to be redeemed. People who do not have hope in the appearing of our Lord have only the hope offered by this world and all that worldly hope has been taken away. The story of the Titanic is a good metaphor for our age because it represented the world’s hope in success, technology, and human ability to achieve a better life. But when it sunk, people were left without a lifeboat or any other means of salvation and today’s world has seen the vision of a brighter vision vanish and they are left dismayed, disillusioned, and depressed. Current surveys show most people believe America’s better days are in the past and that the future is uncertain and filled with gloom. But every tick of the clock, every collapse of something around us, and every shout of the false news that when we shake off the faith in God and morality, we will finally find success, we see more clearly that the Lord’s coming is so close He is standing at the door. The Holy Spirit within us is urging us to look up. The message of God’s anointed messengers compels us to look up. The hunger and thirst for that which satisfies pushes us to look up. What we see around us, what we hear in the news, what we sense in our spirits, and what we know to be eternally true all tell us that our redemption is near!!
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October 1, 2022
Isaiah 41:10, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness”
We all go through times when we’re overwhelmed. Like when we’re sailing along with clear skies and no problems and out of the blue a storm of troubles hit us like a tornado. Our peace dissolves, our joy is turned into despair, and it looks so dark we can’t see God’s light of hope. Job describes it in Job 5:14, “They meet with darkness in the daytime, and grope in the noonday as in the night”. This sense of being overcome by circumstances that seem to be insurmountable affects us emotionally, spiritually, and even physically because it can literally make us sick. Sorrow, grief, pain, uncertainty, sadness, and fear come from this world and its fallen condition and it’s not always possible to just “shake it off” by our own strength. We hear the words of David when he was being flooded by trouble in Psalms 61:2, “From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I”. Praise God there is a rock of refuge, a place of safety, somewhere we can stand firm that is above the depths of the flood of trouble and he calls it “the rock that is higher than I”. The “I” here refers to our abilities, our strength, our power of reasoning, our limited resources, and our trust in ourselves. When we combine this with the promise in today’s verse, that the Lord is calling us out of our dismay, that He is our God and is standing ready to help us and hold us up by the power of His might, we can see a way out of our troubles. The Bible says in Proverbs 18:10, “The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe”. The lyrics of “Till the Storm Passes By” say,” Till the storm passes over, till the thunder sounds no more, till the clouds roll forever from the sky. Hold me fast, let me stand in the hollow of Thy hand. Keep me safe till the storm passes by”. No trouble can stop God’s promises and no circumstances that come our way will ever change his will to work all things for our good.
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