Proverbs 14: 16
A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is arrogant and careless.
Our holy, gracious, heavenly Father has already cleansed my heart of so much arrogance and carelessness and other foolishnesses in the past few years. He has been teaching me His ways of wisdom, compassion, understanding, and generosity; graciousness, patience, and forbearance.
But I seem to be such a slow learner, it takes me forever even after I know it, to be able to live it in my life and attitudes! Every time I take a step forward, I seem to slip back a half-step!
The more I learn, the more I realize how far I have still to go!
O my Father, Please put a guard on my tongue! Teach me to fill my heart with Your goodness, and to consider my words before I open my mouth (or set my fingers to my keyboard, or my thumbs to my phone!)
I am desperate for You, Father, I pant after You! I need Your strength to follow Your ways and do the works You planned out for me beforehand! I can do nothing without You, O Father!
Keep me constantly and continually in Your lap, Your arms around me constraining me from going my way! Let me not deviate from Your path, not turning to the right or to the left, not running ahead or lagging behind, not wandering off or pulling away!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, November 14, 2018
Tuesday, November 13, 2018
Rebuking
Luke 4: 39
And standing over her, He rebuked the fever,and it left her. ...
In this same chapter, Jesus rebuked demons: the man in the synagogue with an unclean demon who testified that Jesus was "the Holy One of God" (vs. 33-35); and many demons who were crying out, "You are the Son of God," as He healed many (vs. 40-41).
So Jesus rebuked demons and a fever. So was the fever caused by a demon (it does not say that) or caused by a living virus or bacteria or fungus?
What (or who) else did Jesus rebuke? The winds and the sea (Matt. 8:26; Mark 4:39; Luke 8:24), people, the demons in people (Mark 1:25, 8:33, 9:25; Luke 4:35, 9:42, 55), the devil (Matt. 17:18).
The winds and the sea we do not consider as living beings. But other than that, Jesus rebuked sentient beings (the fever could be either).
As Christians, we are commanded to rebuke a brother who is sinning (I Timothy 5:20; II Timothy 4:2; Titus 1:13, 2:15). The Angel said to the devil, "The Lord rebuke you!" (Jude 9). And in Revelation Jesus says, "As many as I love I rebuke and chasten" (Rev. 3:19).
<Have I gone off chasing a rabbit trail here?>
Father, help us to have Your wisdom and compassion in rebuking one another. Teach us to let personal insults and emotional injuries roll off us, and be concerned only with Your reputation. Show us what is important and what is trivial in Your Kingdom. Keep us from rebuking when it is not according to Your righteousness, but only when Your Name has been maligned.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
And standing over her, He rebuked the fever,and it left her. ...
In this same chapter, Jesus rebuked demons: the man in the synagogue with an unclean demon who testified that Jesus was "the Holy One of God" (vs. 33-35); and many demons who were crying out, "You are the Son of God," as He healed many (vs. 40-41).
So Jesus rebuked demons and a fever. So was the fever caused by a demon (it does not say that) or caused by a living virus or bacteria or fungus?
What (or who) else did Jesus rebuke? The winds and the sea (Matt. 8:26; Mark 4:39; Luke 8:24), people, the demons in people (Mark 1:25, 8:33, 9:25; Luke 4:35, 9:42, 55), the devil (Matt. 17:18).
The winds and the sea we do not consider as living beings. But other than that, Jesus rebuked sentient beings (the fever could be either).
As Christians, we are commanded to rebuke a brother who is sinning (I Timothy 5:20; II Timothy 4:2; Titus 1:13, 2:15). The Angel said to the devil, "The Lord rebuke you!" (Jude 9). And in Revelation Jesus says, "As many as I love I rebuke and chasten" (Rev. 3:19).
<Have I gone off chasing a rabbit trail here?>
Father, help us to have Your wisdom and compassion in rebuking one another. Teach us to let personal insults and emotional injuries roll off us, and be concerned only with Your reputation. Show us what is important and what is trivial in Your Kingdom. Keep us from rebuking when it is not according to Your righteousness, but only when Your Name has been maligned.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Monday, November 12, 2018
Begging For Bread
Psalm 37: 25
I have been young, and now I am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, or his descendants begging bread.
O my Father, I thank You for Your Word, that I can read what You have said and rely on Your faithfulness to do everything You said You will do.
You have told me everything You are doing for the whole history and future of Mankind; and it is exciting to watch Your Plan unfolding in the Nations to prepare for the Glorious Appearing of our King over all kings and Lord over all lords, our Sovereign, our Savior and Redeemer!
Through all the political and geographical and financial and climatological upheavals.
You will continue to be faithful to Your chosen ones, to care for me and take care of us, that we will never be forsaken or be in want or in need to beg for bread (would that be Food Stamps?)!
Father, I pray for the families whose breadwinner is out of work: Please provide for these families in righteousness out of Your great riches in Glory! Whether to provide them work or through other means, use these times to draw families together and closer to You.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
I have been young, and now I am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, or his descendants begging bread.
O my Father, I thank You for Your Word, that I can read what You have said and rely on Your faithfulness to do everything You said You will do.
You have told me everything You are doing for the whole history and future of Mankind; and it is exciting to watch Your Plan unfolding in the Nations to prepare for the Glorious Appearing of our King over all kings and Lord over all lords, our Sovereign, our Savior and Redeemer!
Through all the political and geographical and financial and climatological upheavals.
You will continue to be faithful to Your chosen ones, to care for me and take care of us, that we will never be forsaken or be in want or in need to beg for bread (would that be Food Stamps?)!
Father, I pray for the families whose breadwinner is out of work: Please provide for these families in righteousness out of Your great riches in Glory! Whether to provide them work or through other means, use these times to draw families together and closer to You.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, November 11, 2018
He Has Done All Things Well
Mark 7: 37
And they were utterly astonished, saying, "He has done all things well; He makes even the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak."
This is what the people said about Jesus. They were "utterly astonished" because no one had ever done these things.
And He never made a mistake, He was the Expert in everything He did, whether He was teaching, healing, or raising from the dead!
O my Father, please help all Your children to "do the work of an evangelist" in sharing what You have done for them ("the dumb to speak").
And open the ears of those who heretofore have never "heard" Your Good News that Jesus died in their place as the Lamb of God to give them His Resurrection Life ("the deaf to hear").
Father, each one of us lives in "our own little world," our circle of family, friends and acquaintances; please give us Your words to boldly speak to those who don't know You yet.
And enlarge our boundaries, that those we speak Life to will in turn speak to others in their circles, and them in theirs, as ripples on a lake will widen continually until they reach the shore.
Then when we all reach that Heavenly shore, we will be able to meet and know all those who have come there through our obedience to Your charge to us.
And we will be worshiping and giving You all the glory throughout all the Ages to come, forever!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
And they were utterly astonished, saying, "He has done all things well; He makes even the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak."
This is what the people said about Jesus. They were "utterly astonished" because no one had ever done these things.
And He never made a mistake, He was the Expert in everything He did, whether He was teaching, healing, or raising from the dead!
O my Father, please help all Your children to "do the work of an evangelist" in sharing what You have done for them ("the dumb to speak").
And open the ears of those who heretofore have never "heard" Your Good News that Jesus died in their place as the Lamb of God to give them His Resurrection Life ("the deaf to hear").
Father, each one of us lives in "our own little world," our circle of family, friends and acquaintances; please give us Your words to boldly speak to those who don't know You yet.
And enlarge our boundaries, that those we speak Life to will in turn speak to others in their circles, and them in theirs, as ripples on a lake will widen continually until they reach the shore.
Then when we all reach that Heavenly shore, we will be able to meet and know all those who have come there through our obedience to Your charge to us.
And we will be worshiping and giving You all the glory throughout all the Ages to come, forever!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Saturday, November 10, 2018
A Solemn Charge To Us All
II Timothy 4: 1-5
I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, Who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His Kingdom:
Preach the Word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove; rebuke; exhort; with great patience and instruction.
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine;
... And will turn aside to myths.
But you be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
This is written to all Christians, not just pastors and elders.
We are all to know what we believe, and be able to show why we believe it.
And not be shy or ashamed to speak of our Lord and what He's done for us.
O my Father, please be with me in a very powerful way to enable me to obey these commands.
Teach my mind, my emotions, my attitudes, and my mouth to speak in season and out of season the reproof, the rebuke, the exhortation that is needed with great patience and love and compassion and accurate instruction.
Grow me as I do the work of an evangelist, and enlarge my borders to fulfill my ministry in this World.
And may You receive all the glory in drawing many to Yourself! O Father, find all Your lost sheep, from every Nation, every tribe, every family, every language; that there will be Your one flock with one Shepherd!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, Who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His Kingdom:
Preach the Word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove; rebuke; exhort; with great patience and instruction.
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine;
... And will turn aside to myths.
But you be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
This is written to all Christians, not just pastors and elders.
We are all to know what we believe, and be able to show why we believe it.
And not be shy or ashamed to speak of our Lord and what He's done for us.
O my Father, please be with me in a very powerful way to enable me to obey these commands.
Teach my mind, my emotions, my attitudes, and my mouth to speak in season and out of season the reproof, the rebuke, the exhortation that is needed with great patience and love and compassion and accurate instruction.
Grow me as I do the work of an evangelist, and enlarge my borders to fulfill my ministry in this World.
And may You receive all the glory in drawing many to Yourself! O Father, find all Your lost sheep, from every Nation, every tribe, every family, every language; that there will be Your one flock with one Shepherd!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Friday, November 9, 2018
Her Right And Her Cause
Psalm 35: 22-26
You have seen it, O Lord, do not keep silent;
O Lord, do not be far from me.
Stir up Yourself, and awake to my right
And to my cause, my God and my Lord.
Judge me, O Lord my God, according to Your rightousness,
And do not let them rejoice over me.
Do not let them say in their heart, "Aha, our desire!"
Do not let them say, "We have swallowed him up!"
Let those be ashamed and humiliated altogether who rejoice at my distress;
Let those be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves over me.
(Read the whole Psalm, 28 verses.)
O my Father, I pray for the peace of Jerusalem! I pray for Your child Israel; that as David prayed for vindication against his enemies, that I pray for You to stir up Yourself and awake to her right and to her cause, O Lord; do not let them rejoice over her!
Do not let them say, "We have swallowed her up!" as their purpose and reason for being is stated so!
O Father, those Nations that surround tiny Israel are unabashedly seeking to destroy and obliterate Israel, and yet Israel has yet to turn to You!
Please, Father, draw this tiny Nation that You have chosen and built to Yourself! Open their eyes and hearts to Your Truth, that You may then strengthen her over her enemies!
Please draw her to Yourself, Father; for she cannot turn to You withoug Your drawing.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
You have seen it, O Lord, do not keep silent;
O Lord, do not be far from me.
Stir up Yourself, and awake to my right
And to my cause, my God and my Lord.
Judge me, O Lord my God, according to Your rightousness,
And do not let them rejoice over me.
Do not let them say in their heart, "Aha, our desire!"
Do not let them say, "We have swallowed him up!"
Let those be ashamed and humiliated altogether who rejoice at my distress;
Let those be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves over me.
(Read the whole Psalm, 28 verses.)
O my Father, I pray for the peace of Jerusalem! I pray for Your child Israel; that as David prayed for vindication against his enemies, that I pray for You to stir up Yourself and awake to her right and to her cause, O Lord; do not let them rejoice over her!
Do not let them say, "We have swallowed her up!" as their purpose and reason for being is stated so!
O Father, those Nations that surround tiny Israel are unabashedly seeking to destroy and obliterate Israel, and yet Israel has yet to turn to You!
Please, Father, draw this tiny Nation that You have chosen and built to Yourself! Open their eyes and hearts to Your Truth, that You may then strengthen her over her enemies!
Please draw her to Yourself, Father; for she cannot turn to You withoug Your drawing.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, November 8, 2018
He Will Give Then He Will Grant
Psalm 37: 4-5, 7, 8
Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it (He will grant it).
Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way.
Cease from anger and forsake wrath; do not fret, it leads only to evildoing.
God is so good, and He has made this Earth specifically for us, Mankind, to build our World here and prosper. He has put here everything we need.
When we delight in our Lord, learning His ways, then whatever desires He has placed in our hearts, He wants to fulfill. Then we'll be able to cooperate with the way He designed things to run, and it will work for us.
Even if it doesn't seem to be happening right away, we can still rest in the Lord and wait patiently for His answer we trust Him to bring us in His time. We don't need to fret over other people who don't even know Him when they prosper, too. If they're doing it God's way, then maybe it will draw them to Him.
And then also we won't need to get angry at anyone, and leave all the wrath for God to take care of. When we take that into our own hands, we're stealing it from God, and making ourselves our own god. Let Him be God, and trust Him to always do what's right, because He is righteous.
He has promised to even all the odds, balance all the books, pay all the debts, and finish every plan. He will see to it, we only need to cooperate with Him.
O my Father, You are our Maker, our Creator; You have made this environment for us, and placed us here. You have made us in Your own Image, after Your likeness--so we have intelligence and a will to choose and imagination to get passionate about.
We receive all these from You, Father. You are the Intelligent Designer Who used Wisdom to create and give order to what You have made; You have chosen to give us the power of choice, so we can choose to love You and follow Your ways; and You have imagined us--if You would not be thinking about us, we wouldn't exist! And Your Love for us is as passionate as a newlywed husband for his new bride, as You have called Israel Your wife, and the church is the Bride of Christ. And His Passion for us is shown by His Sacrifice on our behalf.
O Father, thank You so much for Who You are! Thank You for showing us Your Love, and Your Passion, and Your Grace and Mercy. Thank You for letting us see Your passionate justice for evil and wickedness, to have poured out Your Wrath that we deserve on Your own Son, so You could give us His Resurrection Life, in the Person of Your Holy Spirit to give Life to our dead spirits.
And the passionate drama of Your judgment on those who refuse to choose You and let Jesus take the wrath we deserve upon Himself is another demonstration of Your Love for us.
Father, You are Love (I John 4:16), so everything You do comes of this Love: all Your blessings, all Your Grace and Mercy; and all Your Righteousness and Justice and Judgment and wrath. All of it is because You are Love and our standard for measuring what is Love.
The World has no understanding of this concept. Our enemy has twisted what he wants us to believe about love, and the World has fallen for his deceptions.
But we who have been born into Your family, Father, and have Your Spirit of Truth in us, can see and understand what real Love is, can recognize the Genuine Article, and don't need to succumb to the devil's lies.
Real True Love is not only tender and gentle and passionate and accepting; it is also tough and hard when it needs to be, to remain True and beneficial to us.
Father, I know that my desire to spread Your good Seed of the Word all over the World is from You, and I have waited for more than 15 years for You to release me from that geographical bond, which You have granted! Thank You so much, Father; now show me how to make my plans to be in alignment with Your plans for me, in living out this dream of mine.
Send me, Father, into Your fields white for harvest! Continue to prepare the way before me in these travels. Show me Your ways, my Lord, and take my hand, for You will never let me slip out of Your grip! Lead me and guide me, give me Your eyes to see and comprehend, Your ears to hear and understand, Your words in my mouth to teach clearly Your Word to those You have drawn to hear.
Father, permit me to grow Your Kingdom finding lost sheep to draw into Your fold, in preparation for Your Son, our King Jesus, to return to set up His Kingdom, that Your will be done on Earth just as it is in Heaven.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He will do it (He will grant it).
Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way.
Cease from anger and forsake wrath; do not fret, it leads only to evildoing.
God is so good, and He has made this Earth specifically for us, Mankind, to build our World here and prosper. He has put here everything we need.
When we delight in our Lord, learning His ways, then whatever desires He has placed in our hearts, He wants to fulfill. Then we'll be able to cooperate with the way He designed things to run, and it will work for us.
Even if it doesn't seem to be happening right away, we can still rest in the Lord and wait patiently for His answer we trust Him to bring us in His time. We don't need to fret over other people who don't even know Him when they prosper, too. If they're doing it God's way, then maybe it will draw them to Him.
And then also we won't need to get angry at anyone, and leave all the wrath for God to take care of. When we take that into our own hands, we're stealing it from God, and making ourselves our own god. Let Him be God, and trust Him to always do what's right, because He is righteous.
He has promised to even all the odds, balance all the books, pay all the debts, and finish every plan. He will see to it, we only need to cooperate with Him.
O my Father, You are our Maker, our Creator; You have made this environment for us, and placed us here. You have made us in Your own Image, after Your likeness--so we have intelligence and a will to choose and imagination to get passionate about.
We receive all these from You, Father. You are the Intelligent Designer Who used Wisdom to create and give order to what You have made; You have chosen to give us the power of choice, so we can choose to love You and follow Your ways; and You have imagined us--if You would not be thinking about us, we wouldn't exist! And Your Love for us is as passionate as a newlywed husband for his new bride, as You have called Israel Your wife, and the church is the Bride of Christ. And His Passion for us is shown by His Sacrifice on our behalf.
O Father, thank You so much for Who You are! Thank You for showing us Your Love, and Your Passion, and Your Grace and Mercy. Thank You for letting us see Your passionate justice for evil and wickedness, to have poured out Your Wrath that we deserve on Your own Son, so You could give us His Resurrection Life, in the Person of Your Holy Spirit to give Life to our dead spirits.
And the passionate drama of Your judgment on those who refuse to choose You and let Jesus take the wrath we deserve upon Himself is another demonstration of Your Love for us.
Father, You are Love (I John 4:16), so everything You do comes of this Love: all Your blessings, all Your Grace and Mercy; and all Your Righteousness and Justice and Judgment and wrath. All of it is because You are Love and our standard for measuring what is Love.
The World has no understanding of this concept. Our enemy has twisted what he wants us to believe about love, and the World has fallen for his deceptions.
But we who have been born into Your family, Father, and have Your Spirit of Truth in us, can see and understand what real Love is, can recognize the Genuine Article, and don't need to succumb to the devil's lies.
Real True Love is not only tender and gentle and passionate and accepting; it is also tough and hard when it needs to be, to remain True and beneficial to us.
Father, I know that my desire to spread Your good Seed of the Word all over the World is from You, and I have waited for more than 15 years for You to release me from that geographical bond, which You have granted! Thank You so much, Father; now show me how to make my plans to be in alignment with Your plans for me, in living out this dream of mine.
Send me, Father, into Your fields white for harvest! Continue to prepare the way before me in these travels. Show me Your ways, my Lord, and take my hand, for You will never let me slip out of Your grip! Lead me and guide me, give me Your eyes to see and comprehend, Your ears to hear and understand, Your words in my mouth to teach clearly Your Word to those You have drawn to hear.
Father, permit me to grow Your Kingdom finding lost sheep to draw into Your fold, in preparation for Your Son, our King Jesus, to return to set up His Kingdom, that Your will be done on Earth just as it is in Heaven.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
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