Category Archives: Devos

Mar 03 2016
Leave a comment
Devos

Message to those who are suffering for their faith and faithfulness…

Pray for the Persecuted

Message to the righteous who sometimes suffer when the unrighteous reap judgment for their sin… God will sustain you, He will strengthen you, He will give you courage and wisdom… AND He can and will vindicate and protect you! … Ask Daniel and his young friends!  Ask Esther!  Ask Ezra and Nehemiah!  I’m aware that some gave their lives for their faithfulness, but ultimate vindication awaits them!  (Check out Hebrews 11:35b-38 and Revelation 2:10)  The Lord will not fail them!

Thought about that today as I read these words from Isaiah 51…

“Listen to Me, you who pursue righteousness, you who seek the Lord! … Listen to Me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is My law… Fear not the reproach of man, not be dismayed at their revilings!  For the moth will eat them up like a garment, and the worm will eat them like wool; but My righteousness will be forever, and My salvation to all generations! … The ransomed of the Lord SHALL return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads!  They shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away!  I, I am He who comforts you!  Who are you that you are afraid of man who dies, of the son of man who is made like grass, and have forgotten the Lord, you Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth? … I am the Lord your God!  The Lord of hosts is His name!  I have put My words in your mouth and covered you in the shadow of My hand, establishing the heaven and laying the foundations of the earth and saying to Zion, ‘You are my people!” (From Isaiah 51 ESV)

So my heart and prayers go out today if you are suffering because of what someone else, who has little regard for the Lord, has done!  I pray that the Lord will sustain, protect and vindicate and deliver you.  And I pray especially for suffering Christians around the world who are suffering under evil leaders and governments – those who are being persecuted for their faith and faithfulness!  Oh God fulfill what Isaiah 51 talks about on their behalf!

Mar 02 2016
Leave a comment
Devos

The 10 Commandments… Who do they apply to anyway?

The 10 CommanndmentsI just finished reading Exodus 20, the passage in the Bible that contains the 10 Commandments. The thought entered my mind as I read them again, “Who is supposed to keep these commandments and obey them anyway? Do they apply to everyone?”

I guess it could be argued that they do apply to everyone in some sense… But that is to miss the clear point of the passage expressed in the opening verse! Here it what it says, “And God spoke all these words, saying ‘I am the Lord YOUR God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery! You shall have… (and then follow the 10 commandments)’” The point is this; these commandments are a code of conduct, NOT primarily for the pagan nations – they are the code of conduct for “THE REDEEMED PEOPLE OF GOD!” They are “counter-cultural!” They are not the standard by which the broader culture lives!

So who should take these commands VERY seriously? Who should be very careful the live by them within the broader culture? The redeemed people of God! (And I’m not at all sure “the redeemed people of God” take them as seriously as they ought to! Consequently they lose their “counter-cultural impact” within the broader culture!)

Oh, I can hear it already… “But we are not under ‘Law” as Christians! We are under ‘grace!’” Better be careful about that one… Apostle Paul warned against using “grace as an excuse for sinning” (read Romans 6!).

And how about these verses that declare we, today, as Christians are “the redeemed people of God?” …

In a passage that clearly addresses the 7th commandment’s claim on Christians, Apostle Paul predicates his argument upon them being “the redeemed people of God” … “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body!” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20 ESV)

And Apostle Peter argued, “if you call on Him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile here, knowing that you were redeemed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.” (1 Peter 1:17–19 ESV)

As someone who has been “redeemed from the futile ways” of the broader culture … “by the precious blood of Christ” … I’m going to take the 10 commandments very seriously! I believe they are a counter-cultural code of conduct for the “redeemed” within the broader culture! God help us to make a positive impact on our culture by the way we live today!

Mar 01 2016
Leave a comment
Devos

When problems pile up… One word – “Hesed!”

Problems piling up
Sometimes it seems the problems and challenges we face will never end! One issue after another – problem piles up upon problem – I guess we could use the word “interminable” to describe it (Webster defines it as “having or seeming to have no end; continuing for a very long time; wearisomely protracted”). The Psalmist, David, four times in two verses in Psalm 13 put it this… “How long O Lord?! … How long…?! How long…?! How long…?! And then he cried in desperation, “Consider and answer me, O Lord my God!”
 
Ever feel that way?
 
But then David’s faith rose to the occasion and He affirmed… “But I have trusted in your steadfast love (Hebrew “Hesed” – i.e. God reliable, unshakable, covenant love)! My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation! I will sing to the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me!” (Psalm 13:5-6)
 
I’m praying that your faith rises to the occasion today in what you’re facing! You can depend on God’s steadfast love! Apostle Paul had it right… Regardless of the problems – regardless of the difficulties – regardless of what we face… He said, “I am convinced that…NOTHING will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord!” (You might want to check out and re-read Romans 8:31-39!)
← Older posts
Newer posts →