Author Archives: lrbartel

May 02 2016
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Devos

Through all that life brings… My whole life long… God has been, and will be faithful!

Through it all
Through all that life brings… My whole life long… From even before I was born… through childhood… through youth… as an adult… even to old age and death… The Lord has been, and will be faithful!
 
Andre Crouch wrote a song about that… He testified…
 
“I’ve had many tears and sorrows,
I’ve had questions for tomorrow,
There’s been times I didn’t know right from wrong.
But in every situation,
God gave me blessed consolation,
That my trials come to only make me strong.
 
“Through it all, through it all,
I’ve learned to trust in Jesus,
I’ve learned to trust in God.
Through it all, through it all,
I’ve learned to depend upon His Word!”
 
There’s a Psalm about that… Psalm 71. You should really take a little time and read it today! I did, and it was very affirming about God and my relationship with Him… “Through it all!” Here’s just a “teaser” from it…
 
“In You, O Lord, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame! In Your righteousness deliver me and rescue me; incline Your ear to me, and save me! Be to me a rock of refuge to which I may continually come! … For You, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my youth. Upon you have I leaned from before my birth; You are He who took me from my mother’s womb. My praise is continually of You! … Oh God, from my youth You have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds! So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim Your might to another generation, Your power to all those to come… You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again! You will bring me up again! You will increase my greatness and comfort me again! … My tongue will talk of Your righteous help all the day long!” (from Psalm 71 ESV)
 
Com’on, look it up… read the whole thing! Underline what God is saying to you from it in a special way! Let it become your words – your confession, affirmation, and testimony to the Lord today!
May 02 2016
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Devos

What an opportunity… Become an ambassador! God’s ambassador!

An AmbassadorI just read a wonderful passage that declares two wonderful truths…

Truth #1 – Although Jesus Christ came in the flesh and appeared as a man – He was more than just a man!  He was the “Messiah” – God’s “anointed one” – He was our Savior!  He was the one sent by the Heavenly Father and appointed by God to save humanity from their sin, reconcile them to God, transform their lives, and grant eternal life!

Truth #2 – People, although by nature sinners because of their “fall” into sin, have divinely given potential.  They can be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ, transformed by His grace, and become agents to bring the message of reconciliation to anyone who will accept it!

Here is what that wonderful passage declares…

Apostle Paul speaking:  “From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer.   Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation!  The old has passed away; behold, the new has come!   All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.   Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God!  For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.  Working together with Him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain! … Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation!”  (2 Corinthians 5:16–6:2 ESV)

I embrace both truths by faith with all my heart!  And, Oh, how I want to be an agent of God’s reconciliation to others through Christ – an “ambassador of Christ – God making His appeal through me!”  My message?  “Oh, be reconciled to God!”

Apr 30 2016
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Devos

Problems! Predicaments! Panic! – Prayer! Provision! Praise!

Problems! Predicaments! Panic! Prayer! Provision! Praise!

 
That’s what Psalm 69 is filled with! If you’ve experienced any of those things (and usually in that order) … Or if you’re only somewhere in the first three… Psalm 69 is a worthy read! More than that, it provides a worthy paradigm for our movement from the first three toward the last three items! My advice? Give it a try! Here is some of what it says…
 
“Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and the flood sweeps over me. I am weary with my crying out; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God… O God, you know my folly; the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you! Let not those who hope in you be put to shame through me, O Lord GOD of hosts; let not those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me, O God of Israel! … But as for me, my prayer is to you, O LORD. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness. Deliver me from sinking in the mire; let me be delivered from my enemies and from the deep waters. Let not the flood sweep over me, or the deep swallow me up, or the pit close its mouth over me. Answer me, O LORD, for your steadfast love is good; according to your abundant mercy, turn to me! Hide not your face from your servant; for I am in distress; make haste to answer me! … But I am afflicted and in pain; let your salvation, O God, set me on high! I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving… When the humble see it they will be glad; you who seek God, let your hearts revive. For the LORD hears the needy and does not despise his own people who are prisoners. Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and everything that moves in them.” (From Psalm 69 ESV)
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