II Kings 19: 14
After Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it, he went up to the Lord's Temple and spread it out before the Lord.
God will always defend His own Name, His reputation. Hezekiah spread out before the Lord the whole letter, that equated the Lord God of Israel with all the idols that Sennacherib and his predecessors had conquered and destroyed. They did not realize that the Lord is the God Who created and sustains us all, and all those other gods, the idols, were not gods at all.
So God sent His prophet Isaiah to tell Hezekiah that He heard his prayer, and was answering in such a way that Sennacherib would go down and be destroyed in a humiliating way, revealing God's power and authority. Because God will always defend His own reputation.
I must always remember that God's reputation is the only one I need to be concerned for, not necessarily my own. My own reputation is only important in relation to God's, as my life is to reflect God's goodness and glory.
May my life be an accurate testimony of God's character, in what He has done in my life, and wants to do in other lives, also.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Friday, January 13, 2017
Thursday, January 12, 2017
God's Thought List For Us
Philippians 4:8
Finally, brethren, Here it is, dear family members; listen up now.
whatsoever is true, What conforms to the actual reality as God made it.
whatsoever is honorable, Principled, honest, ethical, noble.
whatever is right, Appropriate, proper, suitable, legitimate.
whatever is pure, Authentic, unadulterated, unmixed, genuine, clean.
whatever is lovely, Beautiful, charming, agreeable, graceful, pleasant.
whatever is of good repute, Good reputation, good character, moral, chaste modest.
if there is any excellence Greatness, perfection, good quality, virtue.
and if anything worthy of praise, Compliment, recognition, ovation, commendation, esteem.
let your mind dwell on these things.
This is God's "thought list" for us all. We are to focus on the positive, and let the negative fade into the background.
Will Durant said, "The mind is formed by what it takes in." Also, it is said, "You are what you eat." The food I eat is the building blocks of my body. My media consumption determines the state of my mind and heart.
What would change if I filtered my reading and watching through this list: is it true? honorable? right? pure? lovely? Does it have a good reputation? Is it excellent? worthy of praise?
If not, then why would I want to waste my time on it?
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Finally, brethren, Here it is, dear family members; listen up now.
whatsoever is true, What conforms to the actual reality as God made it.
whatsoever is honorable, Principled, honest, ethical, noble.
whatever is right, Appropriate, proper, suitable, legitimate.
whatever is pure, Authentic, unadulterated, unmixed, genuine, clean.
whatever is lovely, Beautiful, charming, agreeable, graceful, pleasant.
whatever is of good repute, Good reputation, good character, moral, chaste modest.
if there is any excellence Greatness, perfection, good quality, virtue.
and if anything worthy of praise, Compliment, recognition, ovation, commendation, esteem.
let your mind dwell on these things.
This is God's "thought list" for us all. We are to focus on the positive, and let the negative fade into the background.
Will Durant said, "The mind is formed by what it takes in." Also, it is said, "You are what you eat." The food I eat is the building blocks of my body. My media consumption determines the state of my mind and heart.
What would change if I filtered my reading and watching through this list: is it true? honorable? right? pure? lovely? Does it have a good reputation? Is it excellent? worthy of praise?
If not, then why would I want to waste my time on it?
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, January 11, 2017
Isolationism
Proverbs 18:1
An unfriendly man pursues selfish ends; he defies all sound judgment.
"An unfriendly man," isolationists, loners.
"pursues selfish ends," care only about themselves, are selfish.
"defies all sound judgment," lash out at common sense, rage against the common good.
When I isolate myself from others, I am deliberately ignoring their needs in favor of my own selfishness, defensiveness, self-pity. I make myself unavailable to God to be His hands to do His work, and His feet to go to others I am uniquely gifted to help. When I isolate I am robbing God's church of what God intends to channel through me.
O my Father, please teach me to hear Your quiet voice deep in my spirit, and obey instantly. Don't let me ignore it, or put it off until I forget. Please help me to come out of myself to be Your servant, focusing only on You and what You are telling me how to live my life. Continue to work in me and through me an on me, to make me more and more into the very image of Your dear Son. Thank you for already accepting me into Your beloved, as my Savior and Lord is.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
An unfriendly man pursues selfish ends; he defies all sound judgment.
"An unfriendly man," isolationists, loners.
"pursues selfish ends," care only about themselves, are selfish.
"defies all sound judgment," lash out at common sense, rage against the common good.
When I isolate myself from others, I am deliberately ignoring their needs in favor of my own selfishness, defensiveness, self-pity. I make myself unavailable to God to be His hands to do His work, and His feet to go to others I am uniquely gifted to help. When I isolate I am robbing God's church of what God intends to channel through me.
O my Father, please teach me to hear Your quiet voice deep in my spirit, and obey instantly. Don't let me ignore it, or put it off until I forget. Please help me to come out of myself to be Your servant, focusing only on You and what You are telling me how to live my life. Continue to work in me and through me an on me, to make me more and more into the very image of Your dear Son. Thank you for already accepting me into Your beloved, as my Savior and Lord is.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, January 10, 2017
Procrastination
James 4: 17
Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.
This is procrastination. I think we all may be guilty of this "falling short." How many times have I known I need to do something, then put it off. I have been the "queen of excuses." I have an excuse for everybody, no matter what they've done, I can think of some excuse for why they did it. But I also "explain away" a lot of the wrongs I've been guilty of.
I have decided to have no more excuses for what I've not done that I could. I have determined to listen to God's whispers and nudges, and not discount them as my imagination.
I still refuse to judge others harshly, but still excuse them, so they can have another chance to do right. I can do this because I am not responsible for others, and I am to love mercy. I will let the Maker and Lawgiver mete out whatever disciplines will bring them back to Him; or the judgments He knows they deserve.
O my Father, let me hear Your voice and recognize it, and obey instantly. I know this will not be easy for me, but I trust You, and I trust Your Spirit in me that communicates so gently with my spirit. Strengthen me, Father, to always love and serve You with my whole heart, soul, mind and strength.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.
This is procrastination. I think we all may be guilty of this "falling short." How many times have I known I need to do something, then put it off. I have been the "queen of excuses." I have an excuse for everybody, no matter what they've done, I can think of some excuse for why they did it. But I also "explain away" a lot of the wrongs I've been guilty of.
I have decided to have no more excuses for what I've not done that I could. I have determined to listen to God's whispers and nudges, and not discount them as my imagination.
I still refuse to judge others harshly, but still excuse them, so they can have another chance to do right. I can do this because I am not responsible for others, and I am to love mercy. I will let the Maker and Lawgiver mete out whatever disciplines will bring them back to Him; or the judgments He knows they deserve.
O my Father, let me hear Your voice and recognize it, and obey instantly. I know this will not be easy for me, but I trust You, and I trust Your Spirit in me that communicates so gently with my spirit. Strengthen me, Father, to always love and serve You with my whole heart, soul, mind and strength.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Monday, January 9, 2017
Wisdom
James 3: 17-18
But the wisdom that comes from Heaven is first of all pure.
Pure: not alloyed; clean; not mixed with anything.
It is also peace-loving,
To love peace is to appreciate the quietness that comes from not meddling in others' lives, and allowing them their own choices; and not letting them meddle in our lives, either: Live and let live.
gentle at all times,
Not harsh or loud or brash.
and willing to yield to others.
Considering others' preferences as having priority over our own preferences.
It is full of mercy
God's mercy is not receiving the punishment we deserve; when we have mercy on others, we also are not considering the negative they deserve, but granting them another chance to do right.
and good deeds.
Good deeds would be those that God had planned before time for us to do in the power of His Holy Spirit Who lives in us.
It shows no partiality
Completely just and fair, not influenced by a bribe or favor.
and is always sincere.
Honest, transparent, with integrity.
And those who are peacemakers
Those who do the work of promoting peace where it is needed.
will plant seeds of peace
Will lay a foundation that others can build on to promote more peacefulness.
and reap a harvest of goodness.
Goodness: everything that is good in every area of living.
God's wisdom is how He built this world, and He designed it to run on Love--His love for us and ours for one another. This is a list of some of the qualities of His wisdom, as practiced faithfully by us toward one another. The more we can be like God, and live our lives according to His character, then the more we will reap a harvest of blessing in this life, and spend eternity with Him as His children who display our Parent's traits.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
But the wisdom that comes from Heaven is first of all pure.
Pure: not alloyed; clean; not mixed with anything.
It is also peace-loving,
To love peace is to appreciate the quietness that comes from not meddling in others' lives, and allowing them their own choices; and not letting them meddle in our lives, either: Live and let live.
gentle at all times,
Not harsh or loud or brash.
and willing to yield to others.
Considering others' preferences as having priority over our own preferences.
It is full of mercy
God's mercy is not receiving the punishment we deserve; when we have mercy on others, we also are not considering the negative they deserve, but granting them another chance to do right.
and good deeds.
Good deeds would be those that God had planned before time for us to do in the power of His Holy Spirit Who lives in us.
It shows no partiality
Completely just and fair, not influenced by a bribe or favor.
and is always sincere.
Honest, transparent, with integrity.
And those who are peacemakers
Those who do the work of promoting peace where it is needed.
will plant seeds of peace
Will lay a foundation that others can build on to promote more peacefulness.
and reap a harvest of goodness.
Goodness: everything that is good in every area of living.
God's wisdom is how He built this world, and He designed it to run on Love--His love for us and ours for one another. This is a list of some of the qualities of His wisdom, as practiced faithfully by us toward one another. The more we can be like God, and live our lives according to His character, then the more we will reap a harvest of blessing in this life, and spend eternity with Him as His children who display our Parent's traits.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, January 8, 2017
Fickle Crowds
Acts 14: 18-19
But even with these words, Paul and Barnabas could scarcely restrain the people from sacrificing to them [as Zeus and Hermes]. Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowds to their side. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of town, thinking he was dead.
How fickle are the crowds! How easily they are fooled and swayed! Paul could hardly restrain them from considering him a god to be worshiped, and in the very next verse they stone him! From one extreme to the other, the crowds of people are worked up passionately. O that they would be passionate toward God! Then they would have a more reasonable view of God's servants, and avoid the extremes.
When we pay attention to the crowds, we will almost always be led astray, like these crowds. May we be strong in our knowledge of God's Word, and follow it in our thinking, our attitudes, and our daily lives.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
But even with these words, Paul and Barnabas could scarcely restrain the people from sacrificing to them [as Zeus and Hermes]. Then some Jews arrived from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowds to their side. They stoned Paul and dragged him out of town, thinking he was dead.
How fickle are the crowds! How easily they are fooled and swayed! Paul could hardly restrain them from considering him a god to be worshiped, and in the very next verse they stone him! From one extreme to the other, the crowds of people are worked up passionately. O that they would be passionate toward God! Then they would have a more reasonable view of God's servants, and avoid the extremes.
When we pay attention to the crowds, we will almost always be led astray, like these crowds. May we be strong in our knowledge of God's Word, and follow it in our thinking, our attitudes, and our daily lives.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
No Pleasure In Death
Ezekiel 18: 23, 32
"Do you think that I like to see wicked people die?" says the Sovereign Lord. "Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live. ... I don't want you to die," says the Sovereign Lord. "Turn back and live!"
Isaiah 33: 11
"As surely as I live," says the Sovereign Lord, "I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live. Turn! Turn from your wickedness, O people of Israel! Why should you die?"
God does not want any to perish, He takes no pleasure in having to destroy anyone. He made us with the capacity to live forever with Him, and He wants us to be with Him. But He cannot live in the presence of what is against who He is. Wickedness is anything that does not align with God's goodness, His wisdom, His love. So He has provided the remedy for our human nature tending to wander from Him -- He puts His own Holy Spirit in us to live in us and teach us to be the people He made us to be. By sacrificing His own Lamb to die in our place, we don't have to die any more, we can depend on Him and trust Him to have paid our whole debt.
Let us all, who are called by His Name, begin this New Year living that New Life He has placed within us in His mercy and grace.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
"Do you think that I like to see wicked people die?" says the Sovereign Lord. "Of course not! I want them to turn from their wicked ways and live. ... I don't want you to die," says the Sovereign Lord. "Turn back and live!"
Isaiah 33: 11
"As surely as I live," says the Sovereign Lord, "I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live. Turn! Turn from your wickedness, O people of Israel! Why should you die?"
God does not want any to perish, He takes no pleasure in having to destroy anyone. He made us with the capacity to live forever with Him, and He wants us to be with Him. But He cannot live in the presence of what is against who He is. Wickedness is anything that does not align with God's goodness, His wisdom, His love. So He has provided the remedy for our human nature tending to wander from Him -- He puts His own Holy Spirit in us to live in us and teach us to be the people He made us to be. By sacrificing His own Lamb to die in our place, we don't have to die any more, we can depend on Him and trust Him to have paid our whole debt.
Let us all, who are called by His Name, begin this New Year living that New Life He has placed within us in His mercy and grace.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
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