Author Archives: lrbartel

Jul 31 2019
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Devos

Consequences… God can and will help you deal with them!

Ashamed

Consequences… You may be experiencing them or you may fear them!  God can (and will) help you deal with them!

I can remember standing ashamed before my Dad as a boy bumbling all over myself, apologizing for what I had done… Guilty!  Guilty as could be!!  I remember him responding to my shame with these wise and wonderful words… LeRoy, have you talked to God about this yet… Thank you for apologizing to me… but it’s really Him you need to talk to!  He’ll forgive you!  He’ll help you!

So perhaps you’re bearing the consequences of bad decisions or outright sin today!  Or you’re fearful of the consequences of what you’ve done (or not done)…

Here’s what I read this morning in the Bible during my time of “coffee with the Lord”… I think it’s just for you… (I know of several times it’s been “just for me!”)

“Out of the depths [the consequences] I cry to you, O Lord!  O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy!  If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?  BUT WITH YOU THERE IS FORGIVENESS, that you may be feared [reverenced]!  I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope!  My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.  O hope in the Lord! FOR WITH THE LORD THERE IS STEADFAST LOVE, AND WITH HIM IS PLENTIFUL REDEMPTION!  And he will redeem us from all our iniquities!” (Quoted and adapted from Psalm 130… check it out)

Jul 29 2019
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Devos

The Lord’s blessing… Can’t beat it!!!

The blessing of the Lord

Here’s a wonderful promise and word of assurance from God’s word at the beginning of another work week!…

“Blessed is everyone who fears [or reverences] the Lord, who walks in his ways!  You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you… Behold, thus shall the person be blessed who fears [or reverences] the Lord.“ (from Psalm 128:1–4 ESV)

What a wonderful blessing!  I can tell you how I want to live this week… and the rest of my life!  I’ll be blessed… and my family will be blessed… and all that I endeavor will be blessed by God!!!

Jul 29 2019
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Devos

Moral purity… A big deal for Christians according to Apostle Paul!

Purity
I just read news of another professing Christian (a person of influence) who has decided to follow the whims of culture regarding morality and abandon their faith in Christ… I’m grieving!!! Who will we listen to anyway – the cultural relativists or the clear standards of God’s inspired word, the Bible?
 
For me, I’ll take the inspired words of Apostle Paul on the issue found in Scripture!
 
So here’s what I read in my Bible this morning during my time of “coffee with the Lord”…
 
Finally, then… we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, that you do so more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: THAT YOU ABSTAIN FROM SEXUAL IMMORALITY; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles [those] who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother [fellow Christian] in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. FOR GOD HAS NOT CALLED US FOR IMPURITY, BUT IN HOLINESS. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.” (From 1 Thessalonians 4:1–8 ESV)
 
What is there about that passage that is not clearly understood?
 
Listen, I know that we are all fallen creatures – sinners in need of a Savior! That’s why the same apostle who wrote the passage above also wrote this to the believers in sinful Corinth…
 
“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. AND SUCH WERE SOME OF YOU. BUT YOU WERE WASHED, YOU WERE SANCTIFIED, YOU WERE JUSTIFIED IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND BY THE SPIRIT OF OUR GOD.” (1 Corinthians 6:9–11 ESV)
 
Thank God for His redeeming grace and forgiveness! … But God’s “grace” can never be used as an excuse to go on sinning! (Romans 6:1-4)
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