Author Archives: lrbartel

Mar 30 2017
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Devos

Ever sin? Once? Twice? Three times? More?

Prayer - Repentance - Asking forgivnessEver sin and fail the Lord – doing something that He forbids or that you know displeases Him? Once? Maybe twice? Perhaps three times? More?

Psalm 51 is the sincere, heartfelt acknowledgement [confession] of sin by David after he plotted the death of Uriah and his adulterous affair with Bathsheba (see II Samuel 11-12). Because we all have sinned Psalm 51 gives us great guidance about how to pray when we sin and fail the Lord. It also provides great hope for the person who has sinned (especially when coupled with what I John 1:5-10 says).

But it’s easy to draw the false conclusion that the episode with Uriah and Bathsheba is the only time David sinned and failed the Lord. That simply is not true! In fact, Scriptural evidence, points to the fact that David sinned several times!

This morning, during my time of “Coffee with the Lord,” I read of another occasion when apparently David had sinned and his confession [acknowledgment of his sin] and his appeal for forgiveness. It’s recorded for us in Psalm 38 and here is a sampling of what he said…

“O Lord, rebuke me not in Your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath! … My iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me… I am feeble and crushed! I groan because of the tumult of my heart. Oh Lord, all my longing is before you; my sighing is not hidden from you… For you, O Lord, I wait; it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer! …. I confess my iniquity! I am sorry for my sin! … Do not forsake me, O Lord! O my God, be not far from me! Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation! (From Psalm 38)

What a prayer! This should give us all hope! David had to come to the Lord on more than one occasion and so will we! He forgives! He cleanses! He is merciful! Here it is right out of the Bible… “If we confess [acknowledge] our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness!” (I John 1:9) And to that I give a big sigh of relief and say, “Praise the Lord!” You too?

Mar 29 2017
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Devos

Trumpeting the truth… It pays to serve the Lord and please Him!

Hear Ye!
Some passages just seem to trumpet the truth… “It pays to serve the Lord! The benefits and blessings of pursuing the will of God and a righteous life are abundant!” Yesterday and today in my Bible reading I read portions of Psalm 37 which clearly proclaim that truth! If you need encouragement to continue pursuing a righteous life Psalm 37 is for you!
 
Here’s a sampling of what I read…
 
“The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him, but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming…
 
“Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked… The LORD upholds the righteous!
 
“The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives!
 
“The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the LORD upholds his hand.
 
“I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread. He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing.
 
“Turn away from evil and do good; so shall you dwell forever. For the LORD loves justice; He will not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever!
 
“The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice. The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip.
 
“The wicked watches for the righteous and seeks to put him to death. The LORD will not abandon him to his power or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial.
 
“Wait for the LORD and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land
 
“Mark the blameless and behold the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace. But… he future of the wicked shall be cut off.
 
“The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; He is their stronghold in the time of trouble! The LORD helps them and delivers them! He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him!” (From Psalm 37:12–40 ESV)
 
Wow!!! Didn’t I say that it pays to serve the Lord and seek to live in a way that pleases Him? Believe me, that’s the way I want to live!
Mar 27 2017
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Devos

Doing your part to help the fog to lift… so people can see Jesus!

SONY DSC

Got up the other morning, unlocked the door and stuck my head outside… Heavy fog – and I mean HEAVY fog! Wanted to go run, but was hesitant… didn’t know if early morning drivers would be able see and avoid me – didn’t even know if I would be able to see things on the road that might trip me up. Did I say it was a heavy fog? Remember any mornings like that?
Now, I’m NOT targeting this reflection in “Coffee with the Lord” this morning to people who are not yet Christ followers. My objective is to challenge those of us who claim to be “Christians” and say that we are following Him.
I guess I wish I had a recording of what we sound like when we are “fretting, fussing, complaining or murmuring.” Those sounds – that atmosphere – can be like a huge, dense layer of fog that clouds the ability of those around us from being able to see and embrace the benefits of following Jesus. They can’t see Jesus for the “fog of discontent!”
It may be complaints about our circumstances, what seems to be unfair, how we feel physically or emotionally, the behavior of other people, or simply what runs counter to our personal preferences. It could be something as simple as the service we’re receiving at a restaurant, the style of music in church, or the behavior of our neighbor’s dog… should I go on? You’ve got the idea.
So two passages I read this morning during my devotions prompted this reflection. Here they are for your consideration today…
“Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.“ (Psalm 37:1–8 ESV)
There it is… “Fret not!” And another one…
“Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.” (Philippians 2:14–15 ESV)
My prayer? Lord may I be an atmosphere changer that helps the fog of grumbling, complaint and “fuss’n” to lift so people can clearly see Jesus and the value of following Him!

 

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