Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Ahh, now I'm safe
Proverbs 10:15 "The rich man's wealth is his fortress."
Lord, that surely is true, but I pray it is not true for all wealth/wealthy. On a global scale I know I am very wealthy. I also pray that You would always be my fortress.
Certainly a bit of wealth does give me freedom from concerns, worries & stress. It certainly could give a person a freedom that they would not have otherwise, but I pray it would never give me a sense of freedom from You. I pray that You would always be my fortress until my last breath.
I think of Lynda's Dad and what a testimony his trust in You is to all who would observe. May I never look at my wealth (such as it is ... or such as it could be) and say "Ahh, now I'm safe!" For I know how stupid and foolish that would be. Rather, may I always look to You and say "Ahh, now I'm safe!" Dead or alive - safe in the Jesus' hands.
A little PS:
v. 16
The wages of the righteous is life;
The income of the wicked, punishment.
Wow, that's something to think about - that money can be a reward (life) or a punishment (trouble that goes with it). Help me, once again, to choose life.
Lord, that surely is true, but I pray it is not true for all wealth/wealthy. On a global scale I know I am very wealthy. I also pray that You would always be my fortress.
Certainly a bit of wealth does give me freedom from concerns, worries & stress. It certainly could give a person a freedom that they would not have otherwise, but I pray it would never give me a sense of freedom from You. I pray that You would always be my fortress until my last breath.
I think of Lynda's Dad and what a testimony his trust in You is to all who would observe. May I never look at my wealth (such as it is ... or such as it could be) and say "Ahh, now I'm safe!" For I know how stupid and foolish that would be. Rather, may I always look to You and say "Ahh, now I'm safe!" Dead or alive - safe in the Jesus' hands.
A little PS:
v. 16
The wages of the righteous is life;
The income of the wicked, punishment.
Wow, that's something to think about - that money can be a reward (life) or a punishment (trouble that goes with it). Help me, once again, to choose life.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Why am I in trouble?
Exodus 14
God specifically designed a hopeless situation so that His great power and salvation could be seen.
Not only did He purposely lead His people into an area where there was no way out, He had them go back and forth to tease Pharaoh - so that Pharaoh would come after them.
When Pharaoh showed up, God had His people in such a corner that the only solution possible, other than defeat, was a miracle wrought by the hand of God.
The point today is that God did not do this just so that the Israelites, His people, would know that He is the Lord, He did it so that the heathen Egyptians would know!
Ex 14:18: "Then the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD, when I am honored through Pharaoh, through his chariots and his horsemen."
After this great salvation, Israel did fear the Lord and believe in the Lord and Moses. (Ex 14:31: When Israel saw the great power which the LORD had used against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD and in His servant Moses.) But I see that before it ever happened, God told Moses that the purpose was a testimony to the Egyptians!
Lord, help me be honest enough with my neighbors and my non-believing friends that they will see the salvation you deliver to me day after day, that they may know that You are the LORD.
God specifically designed a hopeless situation so that His great power and salvation could be seen.
Not only did He purposely lead His people into an area where there was no way out, He had them go back and forth to tease Pharaoh - so that Pharaoh would come after them.
When Pharaoh showed up, God had His people in such a corner that the only solution possible, other than defeat, was a miracle wrought by the hand of God.
The point today is that God did not do this just so that the Israelites, His people, would know that He is the Lord, He did it so that the heathen Egyptians would know!
Ex 14:18: "Then the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD, when I am honored through Pharaoh, through his chariots and his horsemen."
After this great salvation, Israel did fear the Lord and believe in the Lord and Moses. (Ex 14:31: When Israel saw the great power which the LORD had used against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD, and they believed in the LORD and in His servant Moses.) But I see that before it ever happened, God told Moses that the purpose was a testimony to the Egyptians!
Lord, help me be honest enough with my neighbors and my non-believing friends that they will see the salvation you deliver to me day after day, that they may know that You are the LORD.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
The blessing of Obed Edom
I've often wondered what it means that the Lord blessed Obed-Edom and his household. Did his tools not break? Were his kids obedient? Did he always have enough work to do?
The Ark was parked at his house for three months. This is because of the outburst of the Lord against Uzzah, because they did not transport the Ark according to God's ordinance.
We are told in 2Sam 6:11 "the Lord blessed Obed-Edom and all his household." Then, in 2Ch13:14 "the LORD blessed the family of Obed Edom with all that he had."
In 2Ch15:24 I see that the priests blew trumpets before the Ark, and Obed-Edom was a gatekeeper for the Ark. Finally, in 16:38 I see that Obed-Edom and his 68 relatives cared for the Ark - the ministered before the Ark, as every day required.
I see Obed-Edom's sons names listed in 2Ch26:4 along with the "editorial note" that God had indeed blessed him.
I have found at least one concrete way in which God blessed him and his family: We know that the LORD directs the lot. In 2Ch26:15 the lot fell to Obed-Edom, and "to his sons went the storehouse." They will never lack. What a blessing indeed.
But then, should I marvel at this when God has told me in Ephesians 1:3 that He has "blessed me with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ"? Thank you, Lord, for all the promises of blessing and provision you have given me in your word! I am blessed indeed.
The Ark was parked at his house for three months. This is because of the outburst of the Lord against Uzzah, because they did not transport the Ark according to God's ordinance.
We are told in 2Sam 6:11 "the Lord blessed Obed-Edom and all his household." Then, in 2Ch13:14 "the LORD blessed the family of Obed Edom with all that he had."
In 2Ch15:24 I see that the priests blew trumpets before the Ark, and Obed-Edom was a gatekeeper for the Ark. Finally, in 16:38 I see that Obed-Edom and his 68 relatives cared for the Ark - the ministered before the Ark, as every day required.
I see Obed-Edom's sons names listed in 2Ch26:4 along with the "editorial note" that God had indeed blessed him.
I have found at least one concrete way in which God blessed him and his family: We know that the LORD directs the lot. In 2Ch26:15 the lot fell to Obed-Edom, and "to his sons went the storehouse." They will never lack. What a blessing indeed.
But then, should I marvel at this when God has told me in Ephesians 1:3 that He has "blessed me with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ"? Thank you, Lord, for all the promises of blessing and provision you have given me in your word! I am blessed indeed.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Opening the eyes of the blind
John 8 & 9
Immediately after a very honest and confrontational encounter with the Pharisees in which they wanted to apprehend Him because 1) He told them that they did not know God. (If they knew God, they would know Him and where He was from), and 2)That God was His Father (making Himself equal with God), Jesus encountered the man born blind.
Jesus said this man was born blind to give God glory. He healed the man’s blindness.
Immediately the man was dragged before these same Pharisees. There he testified that it has never been known that a man was healed who was born blind. “You are leaders, and you can’t see that He is the Prophet?” They threw him out.
It is obvious that John wrote about this encounter the way he did so he could emphasize the point Jesus was making to the leaders: Only God can open the eyes of the blind. But because the leaders could not, or would not admit that they were blind, they could not receive spiritual (in)sight from God. Only Jesus can make the blind see.
Lord, I’m sure that a lot of days I don’t even know what I’m missing. Please open my eyes to see, my heart to receive and my soul to respond to You and to the Truth, so that I may see, like the blind man, and bring You glory.
Immediately after a very honest and confrontational encounter with the Pharisees in which they wanted to apprehend Him because 1) He told them that they did not know God. (If they knew God, they would know Him and where He was from), and 2)That God was His Father (making Himself equal with God), Jesus encountered the man born blind.
Jesus said this man was born blind to give God glory. He healed the man’s blindness.
Immediately the man was dragged before these same Pharisees. There he testified that it has never been known that a man was healed who was born blind. “You are leaders, and you can’t see that He is the Prophet?” They threw him out.
It is obvious that John wrote about this encounter the way he did so he could emphasize the point Jesus was making to the leaders: Only God can open the eyes of the blind. But because the leaders could not, or would not admit that they were blind, they could not receive spiritual (in)sight from God. Only Jesus can make the blind see.
Lord, I’m sure that a lot of days I don’t even know what I’m missing. Please open my eyes to see, my heart to receive and my soul to respond to You and to the Truth, so that I may see, like the blind man, and bring You glory.
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