II Samuel 12:23
But why should I fast when he is dead? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him one day, but he cannot return to me.
This is King David speaking. He had taken another man's wife in adultery, murdered her husband to take her for his own wife, and now their child that resulted from the adultery has died. While the baby was still sick, David had fasted and prayed that his life would be spared. Then when he died, David got up off his knees, showered and ate dinner. This perplexed his servants, who thought he would mourn excessively for this child, and questioned him about it. This was David's answer: While the child lived, there was hope for life for him; but now that he is dead, the only hope left is that David would one day die also, and be with him in the place where all the dead go, but this boy will never return to the earth to live with David again.
This is a definitive passage for the question of the possibility for anyone who has died to return to the earth to live again or have anything to do with what is done "under the sun" (as Ecclesiastes 9:5-6 states).
The Epistle to the Hebrews 12:1 tells us that "we are surrounded by a huge cloud of witnesses," referring to all the saints in God's Hall of Heroes in the preceding chapter. So those who have died before us are watching us, but do not have anything to do with what is done here on Earth.
This is an interesting phenomenon, that our loved ones who have gone before us would be watching how we are doing, but cannot affect how things go for us.
I often wonder what my late husband thinks of how I've managed or mismanaged things since he died. But I know that I must be more concerned for how my Lord Jesus considers how I've done, because He is my Husband now.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Saturday, December 10, 2016
Friday, December 9, 2016
Ask For Anything
John 15:7-8
But if you remain in Me and My words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are My true disciples. This brings great glory to My Father.
This is a wonderful promise! But it has a premise--we must "remain in" Him and His "words" must "remain in" us. So what does that mean?
If we have repented, turned around our thinking processes to stop defending ourselves and realize that we deserve the death He died and He took our place on the Cross, that's when the Father will cause us to be born into His own Family by placing His Holy Spirit in us; that's when we begin to be "in Christ."
Then when we continue to consider Jesus to be Lord (Boss) over our lives, submitting to His will and ways, and live our daily lives conforming to the way He would have us to think, speak and act according to His Word, the Bible; that is remaining in Him and His words remaining in us.
That's why I seek to enter into His Words every day, why I post a new blog entry every morning, and keep myself aware of God with me every moment of every day, "practicing the presence of God," as Brother Andrew so aptly expressed.
Then when I ask for something I want, I can be assured that it is something God wants for me and wants to give me, so it brings glory to Him to answer my prayer.
So let us all continually search the Scriptures to see what God's Truth is concerning every matter we confront each day, to make sure we are remaining in Christ and His Word is remaining in us.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
But if you remain in Me and My words remain in you, you may ask for anything you want, and it will be granted! When you produce much fruit, you are My true disciples. This brings great glory to My Father.
This is a wonderful promise! But it has a premise--we must "remain in" Him and His "words" must "remain in" us. So what does that mean?
If we have repented, turned around our thinking processes to stop defending ourselves and realize that we deserve the death He died and He took our place on the Cross, that's when the Father will cause us to be born into His own Family by placing His Holy Spirit in us; that's when we begin to be "in Christ."
Then when we continue to consider Jesus to be Lord (Boss) over our lives, submitting to His will and ways, and live our daily lives conforming to the way He would have us to think, speak and act according to His Word, the Bible; that is remaining in Him and His words remaining in us.
That's why I seek to enter into His Words every day, why I post a new blog entry every morning, and keep myself aware of God with me every moment of every day, "practicing the presence of God," as Brother Andrew so aptly expressed.
Then when I ask for something I want, I can be assured that it is something God wants for me and wants to give me, so it brings glory to Him to answer my prayer.
So let us all continually search the Scriptures to see what God's Truth is concerning every matter we confront each day, to make sure we are remaining in Christ and His Word is remaining in us.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, December 8, 2016
Criticism And Discipline
Psalm 119:29a
Keep me from lying to myself.
Proverbs 15:31-32
If you listen to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise. If you reject discipline, you will only harm yourself; but if you listen to correction, you will grow in understanding.
Who among us has never lied to him or herself!
O my Father, please keep me from lying to myself; don't let me listen to the lies my past tells me, help me to discern the Truth to recognize the lies and reject them; to replace the lies with Your Truth in my life about my life. Open my eyes to see Your Truth, open my ears to hear Your correction, open my mind to welcome Your view, Your understanding of my past and my life now; that I may see with Your eyes, hear with Your ears, think Your thoughts in my mind, understand with Your perception of life and circumstances; that my hands would be Your hands doing Your work, my mouth would speak Your words, and my feet would go where You lead, whether to the next room or to the ends of the world.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Keep me from lying to myself.
Proverbs 15:31-32
If you listen to constructive criticism, you will be at home among the wise. If you reject discipline, you will only harm yourself; but if you listen to correction, you will grow in understanding.
Who among us has never lied to him or herself!
O my Father, please keep me from lying to myself; don't let me listen to the lies my past tells me, help me to discern the Truth to recognize the lies and reject them; to replace the lies with Your Truth in my life about my life. Open my eyes to see Your Truth, open my ears to hear Your correction, open my mind to welcome Your view, Your understanding of my past and my life now; that I may see with Your eyes, hear with Your ears, think Your thoughts in my mind, understand with Your perception of life and circumstances; that my hands would be Your hands doing Your work, my mouth would speak Your words, and my feet would go where You lead, whether to the next room or to the ends of the world.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
Who's In Charge?
II Samuel 3:39
And even though I am the anointed king, these two sons of Zeruiah--Joab and Abishai--are too strong for me to control. So may the Lord repay these evil men for their evil deeds.
When King Saul died, his commander-in-chief Abner set up Saul's son Ishbosheth as king over Israel (II Samuel 2:8-9), but then argued with Ishbosheth and changed his allegiance to David (3:7-12), and would have peacefully united Israel and Judah under King David. But when Joab, David's commander-in-chief found out that David had sent Abner on his way in safety, he, against his king's wishes, called Abner back and murdered him in revenge for his own brother's death. David was very wise, recognizing that his commander was more politically powerful than he was even as king, and put him into God's hands.
There are several lessons here. A very relevant one is that the one in power is not necessarily the one with the most power--the power behind the throne is the one to be reckoned with politically. God is ultimately the One Who controls all things, so when things seem to be getting out-of-hand, beyond reasonable control, then God can be trusted to set all things right, both personally and politically. Good to know in these present troubling times.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
And even though I am the anointed king, these two sons of Zeruiah--Joab and Abishai--are too strong for me to control. So may the Lord repay these evil men for their evil deeds.
When King Saul died, his commander-in-chief Abner set up Saul's son Ishbosheth as king over Israel (II Samuel 2:8-9), but then argued with Ishbosheth and changed his allegiance to David (3:7-12), and would have peacefully united Israel and Judah under King David. But when Joab, David's commander-in-chief found out that David had sent Abner on his way in safety, he, against his king's wishes, called Abner back and murdered him in revenge for his own brother's death. David was very wise, recognizing that his commander was more politically powerful than he was even as king, and put him into God's hands.
There are several lessons here. A very relevant one is that the one in power is not necessarily the one with the most power--the power behind the throne is the one to be reckoned with politically. God is ultimately the One Who controls all things, so when things seem to be getting out-of-hand, beyond reasonable control, then God can be trusted to set all things right, both personally and politically. Good to know in these present troubling times.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, December 6, 2016
Our Disposable Life
John 12:25-26
Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. Anyone who wants to be My disciple must follow Me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves Me.
Jesus was facing His death, and proclaimed that, as a kernel of wheat is planted into the ground and dies, then produces a whole crop of wheat; so likewise He would die and be resurrected, and produce the whole crop of Christians from that time until now. And that we, likewise, must consider our lives as disposable in the world, and then we will have our life forever with Him in His kingdom and forever.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. Anyone who wants to be My disciple must follow Me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves Me.
Jesus was facing His death, and proclaimed that, as a kernel of wheat is planted into the ground and dies, then produces a whole crop of wheat; so likewise He would die and be resurrected, and produce the whole crop of Christians from that time until now. And that we, likewise, must consider our lives as disposable in the world, and then we will have our life forever with Him in His kingdom and forever.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Monday, December 5, 2016
The Death Of Saul
I Samuel 31:6
So Saul, his three sons, his armor bearer, and his troops all died together that same day.
Saul had such a good beginning, having been chosen by God and anointed by Samuel to be Israel's first king.
But in his weakness he failed to complete God's vengeance on the Amalekites, and he never did return to the Lord. His life and his reign only deteriorated as Saul continued on the path of rebellion against the Lord, even to consulting a medium.
So Saul died, seriously injured by the Philistines, but by his own hand. And his armor bearer then followed his example and took his own life, also.
Saul had much to answer for, but will I see him in Eternity? After all, he was chosen by God, God's anointed. Samuel's apparition told Saul that, "tomorrow ... you and your sons will be here with me," in the place of the dead. Samuel was on the side of the chasm with Abraham.
I will find out when I get there, if Saul actually put his faith in God, even though he broke fellowship with God.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
So Saul, his three sons, his armor bearer, and his troops all died together that same day.
Saul had such a good beginning, having been chosen by God and anointed by Samuel to be Israel's first king.
But in his weakness he failed to complete God's vengeance on the Amalekites, and he never did return to the Lord. His life and his reign only deteriorated as Saul continued on the path of rebellion against the Lord, even to consulting a medium.
So Saul died, seriously injured by the Philistines, but by his own hand. And his armor bearer then followed his example and took his own life, also.
Saul had much to answer for, but will I see him in Eternity? After all, he was chosen by God, God's anointed. Samuel's apparition told Saul that, "tomorrow ... you and your sons will be here with me," in the place of the dead. Samuel was on the side of the chasm with Abraham.
I will find out when I get there, if Saul actually put his faith in God, even though he broke fellowship with God.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, December 4, 2016
Why I Love The Lord
Psalm 116: 1-2
I love the Lord because He hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because He bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!
O my Father, I do love You with all my heart. You loved me first, from before You even created this world, You chose me to be Your own. You sent Your own Son to satisfy all Your requirements for the atoning for my sins, and You have rescued me from a life of sin.
You have done so much in and for me: forgiving me, cleansing me, giving me Your own new Life, powered by Your own Holy Spirit; and You have answered my prayers all these years since You redeemed me. You have allowed me to draw closer to You to get to know You better, and in knowing You better I love You all the more. And You have drawn closer to me, given me Your peace and Your wisdom. Thank You so much, Father, for being such a good Father and Daddy to me.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
I love the Lord because He hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because He bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!
O my Father, I do love You with all my heart. You loved me first, from before You even created this world, You chose me to be Your own. You sent Your own Son to satisfy all Your requirements for the atoning for my sins, and You have rescued me from a life of sin.
You have done so much in and for me: forgiving me, cleansing me, giving me Your own new Life, powered by Your own Holy Spirit; and You have answered my prayers all these years since You redeemed me. You have allowed me to draw closer to You to get to know You better, and in knowing You better I love You all the more. And You have drawn closer to me, given me Your peace and Your wisdom. Thank You so much, Father, for being such a good Father and Daddy to me.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
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