Strength For The Weak

Isaiah 40:29-31

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Our ways are never hidden from You, Father. You have created every detail of everything that is, and You are intimately involved with every part of it.

When we put our trust and confidence in You, Lord, who redeemed us, then Your strength will be available to us to soar as on eagles' wings, to run and walk and continue without growing weary or fainting, but to persist.

God Knows!

Isaiah 40:27-28

Why do you say. O Jacob, and complain, O Israel, "My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God"? Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the Earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom.

How can anyone think God could ever not know every detail of everyone, our thoughts, actions, even our emotions. Paul told the Athenians at the Areopagus that "in Him we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28). If we are all inside Him, then the whole Earth is in Him, and even the whole universe. He is always thinking about us, and I think that we are His imagination, and if He ever stopped thinking about us, we would cease to exist!

Serious vs. Trivial Consequences

Matthew 5:22

But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother (without cause) will be subject to judgment.

That's the same consequence of one who commits murder.

Again, anyone who says to his brother "Raca" is answerable to the Sanhedrin.

That was the courtroom, the legal judges. Sounds like the same consequence.

But anyone who says, "You fool!" will be in danger of the fire of hell.

Wow, this is serious. Murder and anger and contempt ("Raca") will bring one to the earthly courtroom to be judged. But to call someone a Fool has spiritual, eternal consequences.

"Many Mansions"

John 14:1-6

Do not let your hearts be troubled.

Don't worry.

Trust in God; trust also in Me.

You can depend on what I say.

In My Father's house are many rooms;

There are already many mansions, many dwellings there.

I am going to prepare a place for you.

It's a real place and I really am going there and will prepare a real place for you to live.

And if I go and prepare a place for you,

Which I am doing,

I will come back and take you to be with me that you also will be where I am.

When I go away, you can be sure that I will come back for you, I won't just send for you, I myself will come to get you and take you to be with Me so that wherever I am, you will be with me.

You know the way to the place I'm going.

You know Me, and I will take you there.

Thomas said, "Lord, we don't even know where you're going, so how can we know the way [to get there]?" Jesus answered, "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

There's only one way into this world (sperm and egg), and only one way into the next. It's God's house, He can set the requirements for who is welcome to enter, just like I can in my own house.

Spiritual And Material Needs

I Timothy 6:6-10

But godliness with contentment is great gain.

To seek God's face and follow His ways, obeying His commands, letting Him satisfy us, that is "great gain," that is tremendous riches.

For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.

We're all born naked, and if some seem to be born with a silver spoon in their mouth, that spoon is of this world and will remain with this world when we leave it.

But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.

Wow, not even a roof over our heads is mentioned here. As long as we have food to nourish us and clothing to cover our nakedness and keep us warm, nothing else is really necessary.

People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.

When we want what we want and leave God out of the picture, focusing on this world and the things of this world.

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.

Loving money instead of loving God will lead us to wanting what money can buy, which cannot satisfy, so it leads to all kinds of perversions and excesses to try to fill the emptiness.

Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

They have "shot themselves in the foot." Some soldiers have done this with the idea that a wound would get them sent home, so they live the rest of their lives in the prison of pain. Focusing only on this world will be self-defeating; real life is spirit, and this world is material. There is no life in the physical, all life is spiritual: When the spirit leaves the body, it is dead.

Read The Directions

Psalm 78:1-7

A Teaching Song of Asaph

O my people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth...we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done. He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the Law in Israel, which he  commanded our forefathers to teach their children, so that the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds, but would keep his commands.

God wants us all to know the truth of what He has done already. God won't repeat the miracles he's already done, He wants us to teach our children and grandchildren so that they can also teach their children and grandchildren. When they really know for fact who God is and what He's done, then they will be able to trust Him and follow His directions, the rules He established so we could live an orderly and pleasant life, the result of obeying His laws. The Bible is the Manufacturer's blueprint for how we are to build our lives. Always read the directions!

The Dishonest Manager

Luke 16:8-12

The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.

Christians sometimes tend to be naive when it comes to financial matters.  We are to be "as harmless as doves" when it comes to evil and wickedness, but, "as wise as serpents" when it comes to both spiritual and practical matters (Matthew 10:16). So we can use them to benefit others.

Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.

There is no grey area here, we are either honest or dishonest, with a few cents or a fortune.

So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you not been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your own?

So our honesty and our financial acumen are both significant to God. 

The manager still had the authority as manager to give discounts to his employer's debtors. So his boss didn't condemn him for "stealing" his profit, but complimented him for his idea to take care of himself. We are not to seek it for ourselves. As Christians, we are to learn the ways of financial responsibility and even investing (see the parable of the Talents, Luke 19:33ff). Jesus' tone in speaking this story (in Luke 16) sounds rather wistful to me, if we, as children of the Light, would only learn to manage our finances as well as the world does, then we would be fully His hands and His feet to accomplish His work, to "occupy" (Luke 19:13) until He returns!

Paul's Example For Us

II Corinthians 1:12

Now this is our boast:

What we will testify to on the Day of the Lord (see v. 14).

Our conscience testifies

We have a clear conscience.

That we have conducted ourselves

Our behavior.

In the world

Wherever we go, whoever we talk to.

And especially in our relations with you,

We paid particular attention to our treatment of our own family members.

In the holiness

Our being separate from the world.

And sincerity

Integrity and honesty, no masks.

That are from God.

The way God treats us, His children.

We have done so not according to worldly wisdom

Not the way people who don't know the Lord treat each other.

But according to God's grace.

God blesses us abundantly, even though we don't deserve it. And He doesn't give us the punishment we deserve; this is His mercy.

Our Attitude At Work

Colossians 3:22-25

Slaves [employees], obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord.

We are to work at our jobs doing what our bosses have delegated for us to accomplish, not only to show them we are good workers to earn a promotion, but inwardly realizing that our Lord has put us in our position to not only make our boss look good, but also to bring credit to the Lord in our attitudes and methods of doing things.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

No matter what kind of job we have, whether blue collar, white collar or no collar, we are to do it as though our boss is Jesus, giving Him our very best with passion.

Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.

How we do our jobs is important in the light of Christ's reputation. When we throw ourselves passionately into working out and completing the tasks before us as working for God's benefit, as well as our human boss, God will reward us, His paycheck. But if we cut corners, or conduct our business in an unethical or deceptive way, we will experience the negative consequences of our poor choices; because God doesn't "grade on a curve," He allows us to reap what we have sown, to experience the natural consequences of our decisions in how we think and act, whether good or bad, positive or negative.

Condemned Or Redeemed?

Psalm 34:22

The Lord redeems His servants, no one will be condemned who takes refuge in Him.

John 3:18

Whoever believes in Him (Jesus) is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the Name of God's one and only Son.

Every one of us born into this world is born into the sin nature that Adam has passed on to all his progeny. So we all die, or are subject to death, because we are all Adam's descendants. But in Christ Jesus we all who trust in Him are made alive (I Corinthians 15:22). We will not be condemned anymore; we once were under condemnation, but now, in Christ, we have been given life right now, and life eternal, to be revealed at His coming.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Our Choices In Life

James 1:14-15

But each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.

Each and every one of us has within us our fallen human nature, that twists our thoughts off the straight path into the mire of the ditch.

Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

When we allow our thoughts to wander, to want what we want rather than wanting what God wants for us, that leads us into making faulty choices to do what is not right; and those unrighteous actions always end up destroying whatever good God has put into our lives, and we miss out on the good life we could have had, the blessings our Father wants to lavish on us.

In Doing What We Do

Matthew 6:1, 3-4, 6, 17-18

Be careful not to do your "acts of righteousness" before men to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven....   [So] when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.... When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.... [And] when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

So when I give to missionaries or share the material things I have with others, I'm not to brag about it; when I pray, I'm to do it in the privacy of my bedroom; and when I pray aloud in a group, I'm not to consider how eloquent my words can be, but simply share my heart with my Father; and when I fast, I'm to still shower, fix my hair and wear makeup as usual.

God's Plan of the Ages

Psalm 33:10-12

The Lord foils the plans of the nations; He thwarts the purposes of the peoples.

O Father, please do foil the plans and thwart the purposes of all these peoples who are leading their nations astray: Israel's neighbors who surround her and desire her obliteration; the United States, who are leading us toward the tyranny of socialism, communism, nazism, facism, whatever--they're all tyranny. Father, change their hearts to recognize You and acknowledge Your ways; and if they will not, then remove from their positions of power and authority and erase their influence, and raise up others who know You and Your ways to lead us all aright, back to Your righteousness and our Constitution.

But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations.

Yes, Father, You will accomplish Your will in all You have made, to fulfill Your purposes according to Your plans, in Your time and in Your ways.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose for His inheritance.

O my Father, Continue to bless Your people Israel, and Your children who have been redeemed. Wake up Your people Father; grant us another Great Awakening, to see what is going on and to do what You lead each of us to do to set things aright, as Your hands and Your feet and Your voice.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

Talking About Our Hope

Hebrews 10:23

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess (-or-Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering)

This refers to our talking about the hope we have in Christ; when we see or hear someone without hope we're to speak out loud of our hope, not be silent and let the moment pass.

For he who promised is faithful.

We know that God has never failed to keep anything He's ever promised. If we find that something He said hasn't happened yet, we just need to remember that the story is still playing out, and isn't over yet. We know that everything that is written, everything God said He would do, he has either already done, is doing right now, or will do and finish in the future. All time is "now" in His view, as He sees from the beginning all the way to the end, and we're still in the middle somewhere, caught up in the drama of it all.

Godly Discipline

I Corinthians 9:27

I beat my body -- I will do my best to keep my physical health at the optimum.

and make it my slave -- not allowing myself to be lazy.

so that after I have preached to others, -- so that after I have taught others about God's goodness and provisions.

I myself -- me, the person I am.

will not be disqualified -- It is possible to be disqualified from any race by not following the rules.

for the prize. -- the reward, the trophy, the ribbon, given to the winner.

Paul was careful to be disciplined in his daily life. Whoever he was ministering to, he would be alert and aware of their sensibilities, so that he would curb his own liberties in order to gain a hearing.

I find that in my own daily life, I tend to pamper my body, aware of what would give me comfort; I like to be comfortable. This is easy to do because I live alone now, and no one else is around. I want to be more disciplined with myself though, I want to be "in training" for whatever God has planned for me to do, so that when He allows me to vagabond this Earth, spreading the seed of His Gospel, I will be fit and able to withstand whatever rigors I may encounter.

Even though God has qualified us for this "race" through Jesus Christ, we could end up forfeiting the prize, if we're not careful. I am looking toward the reward that I will have won through walking the path set before me, following in the footsteps of Jesus, who blazed the trail before me, being His hands and His feet, speaking His words in His Spirit of love and peace. Only in the power of His Spirit in me will I be able to do this, so I ask for His constant leading, and thank Him for His very presence in me and with me all the time.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Are Your Prayers Answered?

I Peter 4:7

Be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray.

I need to control my own thought processes and attitudes, as well as my actions so that I will be able to think clearly, to know God's righteous will for me; and then I will be able to be of one mind with God and ask Him to do for me what He wants to do for me, to give me what He wants to give me. Then I will be able to pray. And His answer to my prayer will bring the credit, the glory to Him.

My Attitude Toward My Enemies

Matthew 5:38-39, 43-48

You have heard that it was said, "Eye for eye and tooth for tooth" (Exodus 21,24; Leviticus 24:20; Deuteronomy 19:21). But I tell you, do not resist an evil person....

We do not fight against flesh and blood, but against the authorities and rulers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms (see Ephesians 6:12). So we are not to consider our fight as with the people who are opposing us, but against the evil spiritual forces that are the power behind them, and enslaving them.

You have heard that it was said, "Love your neighbor" (Leviticus 19:8) and hate your enemy. But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

Instead of fighting against the people who are fighting against you, pray for them (not against them) that they may be released from the bondage of evil that has enslaved them.

That you may be sons [and daughters] of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain [to nourish] the righteous and the unrighteous.

"Like father, like son" has been a truism throughout the ages. God blesses everyone every day in causing His sun to give life to this Earth and everyone living on it, and He sends the rain to nourish all the crops and animals to give us all the subsistence to be nourished and live well, regardless of if we even acknowledge His existence or put our full trust in Him. So if He really is our Father, then we will want to have His attitude toward people: He is not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9), seeing how wrong they have been and turn around. I will pray against their evil schemes, but I will pray for the people who have no understanding of the Truth.

For if you love them which love you,what reward would you have? And if you greet only your friends, what are you doing more than others? Don't even the Publicans do that? You are to be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Perfect here refers to maturity rather than sinless perfection. We are to go the extra mile to help even when we're not expected to.

I will strive to think and act more and more like Jesus would. 

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Doing Good

Galatians 6:2-10

Carry each others' burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

When a brother or sister feels overwhelmed with all they are facing, they need someone to come alongside them to help them shoulder the burden, to help them take care of fulfilling the responsibilities they face and give them encouragement.

If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

If I start to get a "big head" over something God has enabled me to accomplish, then I'm lying to myself, and taking the credit, the glory that belongs to God.

Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else.

It is never right or beneficial to compare  myself with anyone else, because God has gifted us all according to His plan for each of us. So If I am better at something than you are, that only means that you are better than I am with something else.

For each one should carry his own load.

I need to take responsibility to get off my chair and do the everyday things that are my responsibility, and not look for or expect someone else to do for me what I am fully capable of doing for myself.

Anyone who receives instruction in the Word must share all good things with his instructor.

If I am learning and growing through the teachings of my pastoral team, then I must give my tithe to my church (or if not, then find another church!). If I am benefitting from the counsel of another, or through a radio or TV station, or been helped by others in whatever venue, then I must consider helping them also with whatever God has given me to share.

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.

When God created this world, He made everything that reproduces to make another like itself; so that an apple seed will grow another apple tree, and a butterfly will produce another butterfly, and a dog will have puppies. You cannot expect to plant an apple seed and get puppies!

The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature (the flesh) will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

The same principle also applies in the spiritual realm, that exists invisibly among us all the time. So if we ignore the Spirit of God and the spiritual realm among us and do everything we do only to care for our physical well being and comfort, then we will be destroyed when God destroys this physical Earth. But if we consider that God gave each of us a spirit that He wants to make alive by His Spirit, and live our lives to build a spiritual wealth of treasure, then that spiritual "savings account" will last forever to sustain us in our eternal "retirement."

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

I don't want to give up on doing the everyday, ordinary things that are mine to accomplish, or the work I've been given to do, or the people in my life to encourage. Even if I don't see any return for my efforts, that only means that the season for harvest hasn't come yet, but it will. So I need to hang on and persevere, trusting God to bring on that season in His time.

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

So, considering this whole passage, I need to always do what is right and beneficial to everyone whose life touches mine, in any way I can, anytime I can, to whoever I can, especially to my spiritual and physical family members--as my witness to the world.

Everything I Need

Philippians 4:11-13

I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is like to be in need, and I know what it is like to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.

Paul went through so much in his life, as a student and scholar of the strictest sect of Scripture study, so he was well-acquainted with his (Jewish) people's checkered history. Then he opposed this new upstart sect, and encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus, turning him completely around, 180 degrees. That's when trouble came into his life! Eventually, he was sent out to found churches, and travelled the known world of the time. So God taught Paul, and through him, taught me, too, to be content and trust Him to provide everything I need. And if I'm in want of something I need, I know He will send it, and it will probably have human fingerprints on it.

The Parable of the Forgiving Master

Matthew 18:21-35

Peter asked, "How many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy times seven times (unlimited). Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants."

In the Kingdom of Heaven, King Jesus will settle all accounts.

"As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him ... "

In today's money, one talent was worth $1.8 million. So ten thousand times $1.8 million would be $18 billion--it would take forever to pay that much.

"The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with  me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.'"

As though he would be able to!

"The servant's master took pity on him, cancelled the debt, and let him go."

God forgives us of our totally unpayable debt of sin.

"But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii (a few dollars, or a handful of change) He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded. His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.' But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt...."

He refused to give his brother even a little of the forgiveness he had received from his master.

"Then [word got back to the king, and] the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I cancelled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?' In anger the master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.'"

Wow, tortured! He could never pay back that much money in his whole lifetime--he'd never get out of prison!

"This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."

God will judge each of us with the standard we hold against others. So if we say that God forgave us, then we must be sure to treat others, who don't deserve it any more than we do, as God has treated us; to give others the same forgiveness, allowance, and acceptance we want from God. If we find we can't do that, then maybe we need to search our own hearts to see if we have really admitted to God that we owe that immeasurable, eternal debt that Jesus paid on the cross. If He paid more than we think we owe, then it wasn't our debt He paid; it was someone else's who did owe that much. There is no dividing up the suffering Jesus endured--it's either all my debt or not. Personally, I know I owed that immeasurable debt, and Jesus took my place on the cross & paid my debt for me. He loves me that much.

We Are Being Watched

Hebrews 11 & 12:1-2

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do  not see.... By faith we understand ... that what is seen was not make out of what is visible.... By faith Abel ... by faith Enoch ... by faith Noah ... by faith Abraham.... All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own.... They were longing for a better country--a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. By faith Abraham ... by faith Isaac ... by faith Jacob ... by faith Joseph ... by faith Moses' parents ... by faith Moses ... by faith the people passed through the Red Sea as on dry land ... by faith the walls of Jericho fell ... by faith the prostitute Rahab ... Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephtha, David, Samuel and the prophets ... the world was not worthy of them. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses ...

The writer sums up the whole Old Testament, naming all the people he can, then tells us that they are all watching us! All who have died in faith throughout all the ages past are watching to see how we are doing in our faith. That is a great incentive to:

Throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus ....

Why I Can Pray with Power

Hebrews 4:12-16

(Paraphrased, Personalized Prayer)

O my dear Father, your Word is alive and active. It is sharper than any double-edged sword made by man. Your Word penetrates even to dividing my soul from my spirit, my bones from the marrow inside them. By it You judge the thoughts and attitudes of my heart. Nothing in all of Your creation is hidden from Your scrutiny, O God; everything is laid bare before Your eyes, that we must give account. Therefore, since You have given us a High Priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus, Your very own Son, O God, help me to actually have the faith I claim to have. For my High Priest is able to sympathize with my every weakness, having been tempted in every way I am tempted--yet triumphed over every temptation, never entering into sin. Because of this, Father, I approach Your great throne of grace with firm confidence that I will receive mercy and find grace to help me in my every time of need. Thank you, Father!

God"s Faithfulness

Those who know  your Name will trust in you, For you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you. (Psalm 9:10)

O my Father God, I thank you and praise you for your faithfulness; that I can trust you to always be true to your Word. That you will always keep every one of your promises, no matter how unlikely the circumstances seem against it.