Author Archives: lrbartel

Mar 10 2020
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Devos

Psalm 19… What a marvelous Psalm!

Psalm 19 graphicPsalm 19… what a marvelous Psalm! This morning during my Bible reading I was reminded of three things as I read it…
 
1. Every day – day-by-day and night-by-night – I look up and see God’s glory grandly displayed in the splendor of the heavens!
 
“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork…” (19:1-6)
 
2. And every morning during my time of “coffee with the Lord” (and during other times and opportunities that I have) I am comforted, counseled, confronted, convicted, and cleansed by the marvelous truth of God’s word revealed through Scripture!
 
“The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul! The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple! The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple! The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart! The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes! The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever! The rules of the Lord are true and righteous altogether! More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb! Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward!” (19:7-11)
 
3. All of that – God’s revelation in the heavens and nature, and also God’ revelation through His infallible word – prompt me to cry out from the bottom of my heart often, as I did again this morning…
 
“Who can discern his own errors? O, declare me innocent from hidden faults! Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sin – let them not have dominion over me! … Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer!” (19:12-14)
Mar 05 2020
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Devos

Prayer… Appealing to God’s sovereignty

A child asking for something
In my Bible reading this morning I was reminded of a wonderful truth… Although we can’t tell God what to (He is sovereign)… He is also “providential” (“Sovereignty + Love = Providence! … Bartel’s equation) Consequently, He invites us to appeal to His sovereignty through prayer in Jesus’ name! (Think about that!!!)
 
The Psalmist apparently depended on that truth as he penned the inspired words of Psalm 17! Here is a taste of what He said…
 
“Oh Lord, hear my plea… Listen to my cry… Pay attention to my prayer! It comes from honest lips! You have tested my thoughts and examined my heart… You have scrutinized me and found nothing wrong. I am determined not to sin in what I say! I have followed Your commands! … My steps have stayed on Your path; I have not wavered from following You!
 
“I am praying to You because I know you will answer, O God! Bend down and listen as I pray! Show me Your unfailing love in wonderful ways! … Guard me as you would guard your own eyes. Hide me in the shadow of Your wings. Protect me from wicked people… Arise, O Lord! Rescue me!” (This is what I underlined in my Bible from Psalm 17 NLT)
 
My advice… Pray! He is a loving Heavenly Father… He has invited you to come into His presence in Jesus’ name and appeal to his sovereignty! Here is how the Bible puts it in another place: “Let us come boldly [NOT arrogantly!] to the throne of our gracious God! There we will receive mercy, and will find grace to help us in our time of need!” (Hebrews 4:16)
Feb 29 2020
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Devos

A few thoughts on grasping (and communicating) God’s intended message in Scripture…

Preacher

…An ol’ Bible college/university prof here – one who has taught “hermeneutics” (how to interpret the Bible accurately) and “homiletics” (communicating the message of Scripture effectively) for many years…

I just finished reading 1 Corinthians 2 in my Bible this morning during my time of personal devotions (you ought to read it for yourself!) and I’ve got a few reflections based upon what that chapter in the Bible declares…

First of all, Apostle Paul, in that chapter, champions the incredible power of a simple Gospel message shared in the power of the Holy Spirit! He asserts that it is life-transforming and life-giving to the hearer who hears it, believes it, and responds to it with faith!

Secondly, he declares that our preaching/teaching must be more than simply what a good class in speech skills, communication essentials, or rhetorical essentials, or persuasive techniques can deliver!

Inspired by the Holy Spirit He informs us, that if individuals are going to grasp, respond to, and be transformed by “What no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind imagined – things that God has prepared for those who love Him” (i.e. eternal truth – Divine revelation – God’s Word!; 1 Corinthians 2:9 quoting Isaiah 64:4) we’re going to need the Holy Spirit’s help in…

– In both communication AND comprehension
– In both proclamation AND perception!
– In both rhetoric AND reception

Which brings an old worship song to mind… “Come Holy Spirit, I need Thee! Come sweet Spirit I pray! Come in Your strength and Your power! Come in your own gentle way!”

Listen, here’s one preacher/teacher who will declare to you, I need the Holy Spirit to be very active in the study when I am seeking to interpret a passage of Scripture, I need Him to be very active when I’m crafting a message, I need Him when I am seeking to communicate that message to a group of people, and I certainly am depending on Him to work in the mind and heart of those who hear the message of God’s word! I JUST NEED HIM – “top to bottom, beginning to end, inside out” if lives are going to be changed!

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