Author Archives: lrbartel

Jun 26 2017
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Devos

Great writer’s… especially “inspired” Biblical writers… capture it all!

So impressed this morning in my Bible reading during “Coffee with the Lord” by the song of Moses… A great patriarch who had seen human suffering at its worst contrasted with the greatness and glory of God displayed at the pinnacle of human ability to endure it… Miracles, wonders, signs and the shekinah splendor of God’s glory… Human depravity and God’s holiness in stark contrast… The Children of Israel are about to enter the “Promised Land” and Moses had seen it all… the “good, the bad, and the ugly” and he encompassed it all in the Song of Moses…

 
Great poets process and express human experience… the totality of it – the tragic and the transcendent… the depraved and the divine – the pathetic and the powerful – the gory and glorious! All of it! And that is even more true of the divinely inspired human writer of Scripture.
 
You really need to read the entire “Song of Moses” to get the full effect! Here is just a taste of its beauty from the opening words of “the Song of Moses”…
 
“Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak,
And let the earth hear the words of my mouth.
May my teaching drop as the rain,
My speech distill as the dew,
Like gentle rain upon the tender grass,
And like showers upon the herb.
For I will proclaim the name of the Lord;
And ascribe greatness to our God!
The Rock, His work is perfect,
All His ways are justice.
A God of faithfulness and without iniquity,
Just and upright is He!”
 
(From Deuteronomy 32:1-43)
Jun 26 2017
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Devos

Experiencing Heavenly “Customer Service” – the experience is a bit different!

Customer serviceI don’t know that I’ve ever had someone with unlimited resources, incredible influence, or boundless ability offer to do anything I needed or wished. I’ve had people involved in “customer service” say to me, “What can I do to help you?” or “What would you like me to do for you?” The limitation, however, has always been their ability!
 
This morning, however, I read a stunning encouragement from Apostle Paul written by divine inspiration and revelation: He said, “According to His [God’s] eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord… In Him and through faith in Him [Christ] we may approach God with freedom and confidence!” In other words there is an invitation – even an encouragement – to boldly appeal to God’s divine resources, influence and ability for what we need! Imagine it! And God has the ability to do it… He’s capable of doing anything and everything he has promised! Nothing is to hard for Him!!
 
And what follows in that passage is awe-inspiring! Apostle Paul prays with unfettered faith for four things…
 
1. He prays for inner strength through the Holy Spirit: “I pray that…He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being!”
 
2. He prays “that Christ may dwell (be “at home”) in their hearts through faith!”
 
3. He prays that fellow Christians may really grasp the incredible love of God and comprehend personally how much God loves them! Here it is…“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide, and long, and high, and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge!”
 
4. And finally Paul prayed, “That believers may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God!” (And believe me that last one, along with the other three just blows my mind!)
 
How can that prayer be answered? Paul says, “Out of His glorious riches!” Here’s the incredible good news: God has the resources to do it! It’s the same thing referred to in Philippians when Paul assured the believers, “And my God will supply every need of yours ACCORDING TO HIS RICHES IN GLORY in Christ Jesus!” (Philippians 4:19).
 
So how does Paul end this incredible passage urging us to “approach God with freedom and confidence?” Here it is, an incredible word of assurance:
 
“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power at work within us, to Him be glory in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen!” (All of this is taken frrom Ephesians 3:12-21)
 
Just let me say, I’ve got a friend or two (one in particular) that I’m asking God to do the very things Paul prayed for on their behalf… And I’m coming boldly, with confidence, on their behalf! I believe God will accomplish these things in their lives – incredible things! Oh, and yes, I want it for myself as well for the glory of God!
Jun 08 2017
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Devos

Over the next couple of weeks… “Coffee with the Lord” will be a little intermittent

fjords of NorwayPosts to “coffee with the Lord” may be a little “intermittent” over the next couple of weeks. I’ll do my best as there is affordable and available internet. I’m going to Norway with the love of my life, Sharon Barnett Bartel, to visit the fjords on a cruise in celebration of our 50th wedding anniversary! (I happily signed up for 50 more years! The past 50 have been marvelous!)
 
Song of Solomon 8:7… “Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it! If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house, it would be utterly condemned!”
 
I’ll have “coffee with the Lord” every day though… depend on it!!!
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