Psalms 40:11
Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O Lord: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.
Would we say that we have truth in one hand and love in the other? If so, I believe that we are doing it wrong. You can't have love in one hand and offer it to the world apart from truth. You also can't have truth in one hand and offer it to the world without love. We should know that this will never work.
Let's say that we offer truth from the left hand to people of our society. Will they accept it? What do you think the percentage of those who listen to us versus those who turn us off would be? I'm going with a high percentage. Truth today is very much unacceptable. We are told by scholars and professors that truth is only truth if it relates to you. We want commandments removed. We want laws removed. Truth is healthy, but many times too bland to swallow.
Now let's say that you have love and offer it from the right hand. Will they accept it? Absolutely! Love is the candy of life. Everyone is looking for love (in all the wrong places...). We will feast on love. But does love address the issue of sin, hell, eternity? No.
Truth and Love must be in the same hand when speaking of the Gospel of Jesus. The truth of the Gospel is that Jesus suffered a horrible death while the love of the Gospel is that through His death He has offered you life. The truth is that without Christ we are lost forever, but the love is that He has made the way for you to be saved. Law without Grace is no good, just as Grace without Law is void.
Speak the truth in love. There can be no other way. "O Lord: let thy LOVINGKINDNESS and thy TRUTH continually preserve me."
Friday, January 26, 2018
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
Think About It
Ecclesiastes 7:13
Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?
When I consider the work of thy hands O Lord I praise your name! Have you ever held a newborn baby? I don't know what you saw when you held them but I will never forget holding my boys for the very first time. When the doctor delivered them and handed them off to me, there was a feeling of extreme joy and thankfulness that came over me.
I thought about them for months. What will they look like? How big will they be? But when I actually held them those questions faded into the background. The thoughts of what they would become or whet they looked like disappeared. The first thing I thought of when holding them was how awesome of a God I serve. He wonderfully and fearfully created these babies. He will grow them and take care of them as they become older.
Who can do such a thing? Is it the parents, nature or just a circle of life? No it is God! Think of the heart and its functions, can this just happen? Think of the brain and its work. In a split second I can think of moving my hand and my brain sends the impulses to all systems which cause me to move my hand. Is this just science? No it is God!
God, when I consider your work I constantly am amazed. I love you and thank you so much for your work. Especially your work of salvation on the cross of Calvary. Just as no one could create a life, no one could give their life on the cross.
Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?
When I consider the work of thy hands O Lord I praise your name! Have you ever held a newborn baby? I don't know what you saw when you held them but I will never forget holding my boys for the very first time. When the doctor delivered them and handed them off to me, there was a feeling of extreme joy and thankfulness that came over me.
I thought about them for months. What will they look like? How big will they be? But when I actually held them those questions faded into the background. The thoughts of what they would become or whet they looked like disappeared. The first thing I thought of when holding them was how awesome of a God I serve. He wonderfully and fearfully created these babies. He will grow them and take care of them as they become older.
Who can do such a thing? Is it the parents, nature or just a circle of life? No it is God! Think of the heart and its functions, can this just happen? Think of the brain and its work. In a split second I can think of moving my hand and my brain sends the impulses to all systems which cause me to move my hand. Is this just science? No it is God!
God, when I consider your work I constantly am amazed. I love you and thank you so much for your work. Especially your work of salvation on the cross of Calvary. Just as no one could create a life, no one could give their life on the cross.
I’ll Fix It
Luke 8:43-44
And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.
Have you tried everything that you know to do? GREAT! Now maybe God can move in your situation. Too often we try our best to figure out the solution to our problems or perils. We come up with a new strategy. We devise a new plan or search for a remedy instead of allowing God to move upon our need.
I am guilty! The man, or flesh, in me goes into fix it mode everytime something arises. All of my life I was taught that if we had a problem then we fix it. If a pipe burst because of the cold weather it was just second nature to fix it. If the car breaks down, fix it. If the storm damages the house, fix it. It is just something inside of me that goes into the "fix it" mode.
What about those things that you just can't fix? (Which are few in my mind...I think I can fix anything) What about a broken heart? A broken marriage? A home that has been devestated with death? These things, without Jesus, would be broken forever.
When I think of this woman touching His garment I imagine her saying to herself, "If I would have known that this was all I needed to do I would have done this twelve years ago." How much suffering could we avoid if we would only come to Christ when these situations arise? I guess a better question would be... How many years are you gonna try to fix it yourself before you take it to Jesus?
And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any, came behind him, and touched the border of his garment: and immediately her issue of blood stanched.
Have you tried everything that you know to do? GREAT! Now maybe God can move in your situation. Too often we try our best to figure out the solution to our problems or perils. We come up with a new strategy. We devise a new plan or search for a remedy instead of allowing God to move upon our need.
I am guilty! The man, or flesh, in me goes into fix it mode everytime something arises. All of my life I was taught that if we had a problem then we fix it. If a pipe burst because of the cold weather it was just second nature to fix it. If the car breaks down, fix it. If the storm damages the house, fix it. It is just something inside of me that goes into the "fix it" mode.
What about those things that you just can't fix? (Which are few in my mind...I think I can fix anything) What about a broken heart? A broken marriage? A home that has been devestated with death? These things, without Jesus, would be broken forever.
When I think of this woman touching His garment I imagine her saying to herself, "If I would have known that this was all I needed to do I would have done this twelve years ago." How much suffering could we avoid if we would only come to Christ when these situations arise? I guess a better question would be... How many years are you gonna try to fix it yourself before you take it to Jesus?
Tuesday, January 23, 2018
Burdened and Broken
Proverbs 11:30
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life;
and he that winneth souls is wise.
"I remember, when I have preached at different times in the country, and sometimes here, that my whole soul has agonized over men, every nerve of my body has been strained and I could have wept my very being out of my eyes and carried my whole frame away in a flood of tears, if I could but win souls" - Charles H. Spurgeon
How broken were you this past year for the salvation of others? Study is a great asset to our witness. Prayer is a great asset to our witness. But weeping may be the greatest asset to our soul winning. Jerry Vines said, "I've seen tears do what wisdom could not".
Let us pray today that we would be burdened and broken for lost people. So broken that we couldn't focus on their sin, but their need for salvation only found in Jesus Christ.
Monday, January 22, 2018
M.Y.O.B.
Proverbs 26:17
He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own
Is like one who takes a dog by the ears.
How many times has your momma told you to mind your own business? Hundreds or thousands for me. When you’re a nosey little boy you will be told this many times. What is so funny to me now is I often yell this phrase out on my bus. I don’t say it like my momma used to tell me though. I just yell, “M.Y.O.B!” Then my kids on the bus say, “What does that mean?” Mind. Your. Own. Business.
Daily you can ride with me and hear, “She’s talking about me, He’s staring at me, They won’t stay out of my conversation!” Then I usually have someone jump in and try to solve to problem. You know that person that sticks in their two foot long nose... I always tell them to M.Y.O.B. You don’t know what you are talking about and you don’t want to get involved.
God’s Word explains it much better than I can. He says a “person that walks by and meddles in a quarrel not his own...” First of all this isn’t talking about a person who walks by and sees an argument or fight and tells them to just keep walking. No, He says that a person that sees a quarrel and wants to “meddle” in it. In the south I hope that I don’t have to explain what meddling means.
Last of all, God says the person who passes by and meddles in a quarrel that’s “not his own is like a person who takes a dog by the ears.” I don’t know about you but I don’t think grabbing a dog by its ears would end well. It may just come back to bite you. So, what is the conclusion we should come to? Let me spell it out like our scripture teaches us this morning... M.Y.O.B.
He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own
Is like one who takes a dog by the ears.
How many times has your momma told you to mind your own business? Hundreds or thousands for me. When you’re a nosey little boy you will be told this many times. What is so funny to me now is I often yell this phrase out on my bus. I don’t say it like my momma used to tell me though. I just yell, “M.Y.O.B!” Then my kids on the bus say, “What does that mean?” Mind. Your. Own. Business.
Daily you can ride with me and hear, “She’s talking about me, He’s staring at me, They won’t stay out of my conversation!” Then I usually have someone jump in and try to solve to problem. You know that person that sticks in their two foot long nose... I always tell them to M.Y.O.B. You don’t know what you are talking about and you don’t want to get involved.
God’s Word explains it much better than I can. He says a “person that walks by and meddles in a quarrel not his own...” First of all this isn’t talking about a person who walks by and sees an argument or fight and tells them to just keep walking. No, He says that a person that sees a quarrel and wants to “meddle” in it. In the south I hope that I don’t have to explain what meddling means.
Last of all, God says the person who passes by and meddles in a quarrel that’s “not his own is like a person who takes a dog by the ears.” I don’t know about you but I don’t think grabbing a dog by its ears would end well. It may just come back to bite you. So, what is the conclusion we should come to? Let me spell it out like our scripture teaches us this morning... M.Y.O.B.
Friday, January 19, 2018
Reacting VS Responding
Exodus 19:7-8
And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord commanded him. And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord.
When the man of God preaches the words of God, what do you do? Did you fumble through a hymn book? Did you clip your nails? Maybe catch up on some Bible study time? Or did you listen with the Spirit of God and respond?
When we hear God and His word it asks for us to respond, not react! Some will react by getting angry and turning their ears and heart off. Some will even react with emotions, jump up and shout but then fizzle out like an old soft drink. God's word leads us to respond. Responding is an emotional heart search that leads to an action. Responding is faith in action. When these people heard the word of God something happened. First, they all came together. Then they all answered together. Look at their response to the word of God...
"All that The Lord hath spoken we will do." Now we can continue to read about the children of Israel and see that some of the people said this out of reaction to their emotions. We see it because they went away from this promise shortly after they made it. It's because they reacted instead of responding.
Lastly, to our Moses' (preachers of the word), maybe people react to the message because you just skim through what God has told you and you're not giving it all. Maybe because you only give the emotional part of the message is their reason of reacting. God's words are sometimes tough for the speaker and the hearer, but what are we sharing if we only share what we want and not what God says?
Think if Moses told everyone that it was going to be simple and easy. That there would always be a banquet to feast on and roses to walk on. God says it will be tough and I require obedience from my children, but know this... I love you and I will be there every step of the way.
What did you take from God's word? How did you respond? Let Him hear your answer right now.
Thursday, January 18, 2018
All Day Long
Romans 10:21
But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.
Haven't we all been disobedient at times? Sure we have. When we were children, our parents would instruct us to not do something and what would we do? That's right, run right over to what they told us not to do and do it. No one had to teach us this kind of behavior. It seems to just come naturally.
But even when we were children we understood the disappointment of continual disobedience. At some point it must turn from disobedience to just a total rejection of the truth. God tells us that He has stretched out His hand to a disobedient and gainsaying (pride filled) people. Over and over God reaches out His hand of mercy and grace to a disobedient people. It reminds me of a parent. With love and understanding the possible danger, they instruct their child. They tell them to not go somewhere or to not touch something. At first they understand the child's mind that doesn't know any better. Sometimes this can be an all day affair.
God says, "I have reached out for you. I love you Israel!" But again and again they continue in their own disobedient ways with things making them happy. Not mine! I want you to hear me O Lord. Stop walking in disobedience right now and walk in the glorious light of His Word
But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.
Haven't we all been disobedient at times? Sure we have. When we were children, our parents would instruct us to not do something and what would we do? That's right, run right over to what they told us not to do and do it. No one had to teach us this kind of behavior. It seems to just come naturally.
But even when we were children we understood the disappointment of continual disobedience. At some point it must turn from disobedience to just a total rejection of the truth. God tells us that He has stretched out His hand to a disobedient and gainsaying (pride filled) people. Over and over God reaches out His hand of mercy and grace to a disobedient people. It reminds me of a parent. With love and understanding the possible danger, they instruct their child. They tell them to not go somewhere or to not touch something. At first they understand the child's mind that doesn't know any better. Sometimes this can be an all day affair.
God says, "I have reached out for you. I love you Israel!" But again and again they continue in their own disobedient ways with things making them happy. Not mine! I want you to hear me O Lord. Stop walking in disobedience right now and walk in the glorious light of His Word
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