Giving God Praise

Matthew 21

14 The blind and the lame came to him in the Temple, and he healed them. 15 The leading priests and the teachers of religious law saw these wonderful miracles and heard even the children in the Temple shouting, “Praise God for the Son of David.”

But the leaders were indignant. 16 They asked Jesus, “Do you hear what these children are saying?”

“Yes,” Jesus replied. “Haven’t you ever read the Scriptures? For they say, ‘You have taught children and infants to give you praise.’”

I love watching children give praise to God. Some are boisterous, others are a little timid. But they go for it with, if you will pardon the very bad pun, a youthful enthusiasm. I want my praise for the Lord God Almighty, the Creator of Heaven and Earth to be that way, too. Having experienced one of the most powerful times of corporate worship in my life yesterday, I am stoked for that to be a regular occurrence. No, I wouldn’t grow tired of it. No, it wouldn’t become routine for me, and yes, it would be pleasing to God.

For God's Glory

Exodus 10

1 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Return to Pharaoh and make your demands again. I have made him and his officials stubborn so I can display my miraculous signs among them. 2 I’ve also done it so you can tell your children and grandchildren about how I made a mockery of the Egyptians and about the signs I displayed among them—and so you will know that I am the Lord.”

So many times, people wonder why Pharaoh was so stubborn. I mean, you would think that after four or five of the plagues, he would have relented and acquiesced to God’s demands. Yet, the LORD tells Moses that the reason Pharaoh’s hard continues to be hardened is so that God can display His miraculous signs and so that the Israelites can pass along to their children and grandchildren how God delivered them from the bondage of slavery. The responsibility of proclaiming God’s glory, and teaching others about His deliverance continues to this day. May I make sure that I am always focused on my Savior and that I always proclaim my allegiance to Him.

End of Discussion

Matthew 19

23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. 24 I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”

25 The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked.

26 Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.”

After Jesus has just sent away the rich man who is very sad (having been told to sell all his possessions and give them to the poor), we see this exchange between the Disciples and Jesus. Check this out: we humans cannot save ourselves or anyone else for that matter. Salvation is a work of God through Jesus. Period. End of Discussion.

All I Need

Psalm 23

1 The Lord is my shepherd;

I have all that I need.

Having once been a lost sheep, and now being found, I can absolutely proclaim that Jesus IS my Shepherd; I have all that I need.

Guard Your Heart

Proverb 4

23 Guard your heart above all else,
for it determines the course of your life.

Could I seriously add anything of significance to such a profound thought? No. All I can do is pray that God will help me guard my heart so that it may be set only on Him always.

Proclaiming God's Glory

Psalm 19

1 The heavens proclaim the glory of God.

The skies display his craftsmanship.

2 Day after day they continue to speak;

night after night they make him known.

One of the many benefits of living in Florida is the big sky here because of the flat terrain. I love looking up at the sky because it truly does display the glory of God. How anyone can look at the beauty of God’s Creation and deny that God exists is beyond me. It not only is illogical, it is simply stupid. There, I have said it. People who deny the existence of God are stupid. No judgement on my part, just observing the facts. I look forward to seeing the glory of God displayed in the heavens today. May He be praised always!

Keep My Eyes On Jesus

Matthew 14

28 Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”

29 “Yes, come,” Jesus said.

So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.

If I keep my eyes on Jesus, I can walk on water. So sang Audio Adrenaline, and so says this passage of Scripture. The key to living the Christian life is to keep your eyes focused on the Christ. Yes, the storms of life will come, the winds will howl and the waves will crash. But, with Jesus, you can not only survive the storms, but you can come out the other side of them much stronger. My prayer each day is to simply keep my eyes on Jesus. I know that He can take care of me in the midst of storms, or when life is all clear.

Gems of Truth

Matthew 13

52 Then he added, “Every teacher of religious law who becomes a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a homeowner who brings from his storeroom new gems of truth as well as old.”

Spending time in God’s Word each day brings to my life new gems of truth as well as old. As many times as I have read through the Bible now using the one year reading plan, I still find something new every day that God says to me through my reading. What a blessing! Of course, it is my responsibility to share the gems of truth I learn with others. May I get out of the way, and let the Word shine through because the truth needs to be shared and lived out every day.

Gems of Truth

Matthew 13

52 Then he added, “Every teacher of religious law who becomes a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a homeowner who brings from his storeroom new gems of truth as well as old.”

Spending time in God’s Word each day brings to my life new gems of truth as well as old. As many times as I have read through the Bible now using the one year reading plan, I still find something new every day that God says to me through my reading. What a blessing! Of course, it is my responsibility to share the gems of truth I learn with others. May I get out of the way, and let the Word shine through because the truth needs to be shared and lived out every day.

Hmmmmm

Matthew 13

24 Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. 25 But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. 26 When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew.

27 “The farmer’s workers went to him and said, ‘Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds! Where did they come from?’

28 “‘An enemy has done this!’ the farmer exclaimed.

“‘Should we pull out the weeds?’ they asked.

29 “‘No,’ he replied, ‘you’ll uproot the wheat if you do. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.’”

Remember when Jesus said that the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few, and that we need to ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers? Now, look at this parable again. Christ followers will be in the mix with those who do not follow Christ, and should be so closely involved with the non-followers that we need to wait for the harvest to separate them. Hmmm...so, Christ Followers should be in close proximity to pagans, not separated from them. How else can we influence them? Hmmmm...

Family

Matthew 12

46 As Jesus was speaking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. 47 Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, and they want to speak to you.”

48 Jesus asked, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” 49 Then he pointed to his disciples and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. 50 Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!”

It is my strong desire to do the will of God the Father in my life every day. How sweet it is to know that I am a part of the family of God.

Calling It Like You See It

Matthew 12

33 “A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad.”

Jesus Himself relieves me of the need to pass judgment on anyone. It is not judging when you see someone’s actions (fruit) are bad and call it that way. It is simply identifying bad actions (fruit). Pretty simple, eh?

Common Sense and Discernment

Proverbs 3

21 My child, don’t lose sight of common sense and discernment.
Hang on to them,
22 for they will refresh your soul.
They are like jewels on a necklace.
23 They keep you safe on your way,
and your feet will not stumble.

Ah, common sense and discernment. If only they were highly sought after traits within our culture today. No, common sense and discernment seem to have been thrown out in this PC world today. Well, I will continue to seek God’s Word, God’s Face, and the common sense and discernment that come from following His instruction. To do any less just wouldn’t make sense at all to me.

Relief

Matthew 11

28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

In the busyness of life, and with the burdens we all bear in this life, these words from Jesus are such a relief! I know that when I truly lay my burdens on Jesus, I have a sense of peace that does indeed pass all understanding. I know that when I allow my focus to be upon the Christ, my life seems to be filled with peacefulness. Not that the burdens go away, or that everything is hunky dory, but that even in the midst of my trials and tribulations, I know that Jesus is there. That knowledge alone helps me to survive and thrive. Thank You, Jesus, for the relief You provide in this life and in the life everlasting!

No Peace

Matthew 10

32 “Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.

34 “Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword.

35 ‘I have come to set a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
36 Your enemies will be right in your own household!

It is interesting to me that verses 34 and following come right on the heals of Jesus proclaiming that public acknowledgement of the Christ is a requirement for those who hope to live eternally in the presence of God. Because such public acknowledgement does not always (and very often) bring about peace. In fact, Jesus flat out says that he didn’t come to the earth to bring peace! Jesus may be the Prince of Peace, but for those who follow Him publicly, their lives are not assured to be peaceful, at least while on this planet. May I be even more determined to follow the Christ this year, and may I stop desiring peace as the dividend for such a lifestyle. May Jesus be glorified in my life, no matter what!

Wisdom

Proverbs 3

13 Joyful is the person who finds wisdom,
the one who gains understanding.
14 For wisdom is more profitable than silver,
and her wages are better than gold.
15 Wisdom is more precious than rubies;
nothing you desire can compare with her.

Wisdom is found in the Word of God. Wisdom is found in following the Word of God. Wisdom is found in loving and living out the Word of God. I’ll take wisdom over silver & gold any day. I am a far richer man today than I was 25 years ago because of the time I have spent in the Word of God. May my life reflect the wisdom of God, and may this goober stay out of the way so that God’s Word can do what it will in me and through me.

Harvesters Needed

Matthew 9

37 He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. 38 So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”

Funny how we in the “church business” spend so much time trying to figure out how to bring more people into our fellowship, but rarely do we discuss how to bring more harvesters into the fields. There is a huge difference between someone who will “sit in the pews,” and someone who will spread the Good News. My desire is not just for bodies to fill a Celebration Service. My desire to to attract people who will live lives that attract others to the Saving Grace of Jesus.

No Matter What

Psalm 10

16 The Lord is king forever and ever!
The godless nations will vanish from the land.

Tucked away in the Psalms is this warning. As America continues her descent into pure godlessness, those of us who follow Christ and who live in this land should not be surprised, nor even alarmed if our nation disappears into the ash heap of human history. May we remain faithful to the Lord Jesus no matter what.

Who is this man?

Matthew 8

27 The disciples were amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked. “Even the winds and waves obey him!”

The question of the ages is asked in this verse. “Who is this man?” The disciples have just seen Jesus clam a storm simply by speaking. He demonstrates in person for these men that He is the Word of God. Their reaction? Amazement. Then, comes the question: “who IS this man?” Lot of folks have asked that question since that stormy night on the sea of Galilee. The answer is the same: Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. May my life reflect that Truth always. I serve the Christ. I follow the Christ. May the Christ be glorified in my life always!

Faith

Matthew 8

5 When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer came and pleaded with him, 6 “Lord, my young servant lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain.”

7 Jesus said, “I will come and heal him.”

8 But the officer said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. 9 I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.”

10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel! 11 And I tell you this, that many Gentiles will come from all over the world—from east and west—and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob at the feast in the Kingdom of Heaven. 12 But many Israelites—those for whom the Kingdom was prepared—will be thrown into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

13 Then Jesus said to the Roman officer, “Go back home. Because you believed, it has happened.” And the young servant was healed that same hour.

Oh to have the faith of that Roman Officer (Centurion). May God increase my faith this year, and yes, I do realize that I am asking to be put in situations where my faith will have to be increased in order to get through them.

Correct Identification

Matthew 7

15 “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves. 16 You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. 19 So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. 20 Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.”

Ya know, people love to throw around that “judge not, least ye be judged” stuff, but you rarely hear anyone quoting Jesus when He says “you can identify people by their actions.” Yeah. Jesus doesn’t want us to be timid in calling a spade a spade. Nor does He want us to be seduced by false prophets. He certainly doesn’t want us to be bullied into not identifying sinful behavior and warning others about it. Now, sinful behavior by pagans is normal. Sinful behavior by those who claim to want to follow Christ is not! THOSE are the folks to call out. Sinful behavior is the behavior to correct, rebuke, and of which to repent. Identifying people by their behavior is our responsibility.

Silly

Genesis 18

32 Finally, Abraham said, “Lord, please don’t be angry with me if I speak one more time. Suppose only ten are found there?”

And the Lord replied, “Then I will not destroy it for the sake of the ten.”

33 When the Lord had finished his conversation with Abraham, he went on his way, and Abraham returned to his tent.

As many times as I have read this account of Abraham bargaining with God over the fate of Sodom, this morning something different has hit me. Yeah, I put the last part of the bargaining session here, remember, Abraham starts with the number 50, and “gets” God to “compromise” all the way down to ten. While I used to think that it was amazing for Abraham to be bold enough to bargain with God, this morning a different thought overwhelms me. Abraham didn’t change what would happen to Sodom with his bargaining ploy with God. Sodom didn’t have even ten righteous men living there, and GOD ALREADY KNEW THAT! So, Abraham’s efforts to bargain with God were silly. So are mine.

Forgiveness

Matthew 6

14 “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

Forgiveness is the most difficult attitude for us humans to truly attain. I firmly believe this. We like to hold grudges. We wallow in our pride and refuse to forgive when we have been wronged. Families are torn apart, friendships destroyed, faith is abandoned. Yes, Jesus Himself says that we will receive the same amount of forgiveness from God the Father that we give out to the people in our lives. I know that as a sinner in need of Grace, I have no right to be unforgiving towards anyone who has sinned against me (or my family, or my friends, or my Lord). Help me, O God to be a forgiving follower of Jesus every day of my life.

Believe

Genesis 15

6 And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith.

With the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, it sometimes doesn’t seem like that a big a deal. Yeah, Abram believed God, and it was counted as righteousness. But wait, what did Abram believe? That, being older than 75 now and still never having had a child, much less a boy, Abram was going to be the father of nations, and that through his offspring the entire human race would be blessed. Oh yeah, no big deal. Well, it isn’t a big deal for God to accomplish this feat, but it is a huge deal for Abram to believe God. While I haven’t been given a promise anywhere near the kind that Abram got, I have been promised by God that if I will be obedient to Him, I can receive the blessing that comes through Abram’s offspring. THAT is a big deal, and it is my desire to be counted among those who believe God.

Give It All Up

Genesis 12

1 The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”

When God called the man who would become the Father of the Jewish nation, He told Abram to abandoned it all, and follow God’s leading. Hmmm...sensing a pattern here after yesterday’s reading. If you are interested in truly following God, be prepared to give everything else up.

Drop It All

Matthew 4

18 One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. 19 Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” 20 And they left their nets at once and followed him.

21 A little farther up the shore he saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, repairing their nets. And he called them to come, too. 22 They immediately followed him, leaving the boat and their father behind.

When Jesus was ready to begin his earthly ministry, He sought out folks who would be willing to “drop everything” and follow Him. Jesus extends that call today as well. We who claim to follow Jesus must be ready to abandoned it all for the sake of the call. Thank You, Lord for Your call upon my life.

Noah's Ark

Genesis 6

11 Now God saw that the earth had become corrupt and was filled with violence. 12 God observed all this corruption in the world, for everyone on earth was corrupt. 13 So God said to Noah, “I have decided to destroy all living creatures, for they have filled the earth with violence. Yes, I will wipe them all out along with the earth!

14 “Build a large boat from cypress wood and waterproof it with tar, inside and out. Then construct decks and stalls throughout its interior. 15 Make the boat 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. 16 Leave an 18-inch opening below the roof all the way around the boat. Put the door on the side, and build three decks inside the boat—lower, middle, and upper.

17 “Look! I am about to cover the earth with a flood that will destroy every living thing that breathes. Everything on earth will die. 18 But I will confirm my covenant with you. So enter the boat—you and your wife and your sons and their wives. 19 Bring a pair of every kind of animal—a male and a female—into the boat with you to keep them alive during the flood. 20 Pairs of every kind of bird, and every kind of animal, and every kind of small animal that scurries along the ground, will come to you to be kept alive. 21 And be sure to take on board enough food for your family and for all the animals.”

22 So Noah did everything exactly as God had commanded him.

Can’t help but think about Tim Hawkins’ comedy routine about the Dad painting Noah’s Ark on the child’s wall. This story is not kid friendly at all. Before Christ came, God dealt with sinful man in a much different, and dare I say, harsh manner. God will not be in the presence of sin. Before Christ, God simply had to wipe man from the face of the planet. Now, Jesus has paid that price, having been banished from God’s presence while bearing the guilt of our sin. Praise God that Jesus has overcome sin, death, the grave, and hell. Praise God that we don’t have to worry about a repeat of Noah’s Ark.

Personal Responsibility

Genesis 3

6 The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. 7 At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves.

8 When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees. 9 Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”

10 He replied, “I heard you walking in the garden, so I hid. I was afraid because I was naked.”

11 “Who told you that you were naked?” the Lord God asked. “Have you eaten from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat?”

12 The man replied, “It was the woman you gave me who gave me the fruit, and I ate it.”

13 Then the Lord God asked the woman, “What have you done?”

“The serpent deceived me,” she replied. “That’s why I ate it.”

The story is as old as...well, time itself. Adam and Eve had it all, then they gave into sin and disobeyed God. The, when confronted with their sin, they played the blame game, never taking personal responsibility. As a follower of Christ, I do not desire to play that game with God. It is my desire to take personal responsibility, confess my sin, repent of it, and take full advantage of the grace of God extended to me through Jesus. Grace covers my sin, but I must still take personal responsibility and not play the Adam and Eve pass-the-blame-game.

Woah Man!

Genesis 2

18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.” 19 So the Lord God formed from the ground all the wild animals and all the birds of the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would call them, and the man chose a name for each one. 20 He gave names to all the livestock, all the birds of the sky, and all the wild animals. But still there was no helper just right for him.

21 So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the Lord God took out one of the man’s ribs and closed up the opening. 22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man.

23 “At last!” the man exclaimed.

“This one is bone from my bone,
and flesh from my flesh!
She will be called ‘woman,’
because she was taken from ‘man.’”

24 This explains why a man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.

Yup, God knew that a man could not survive on his own, thus the creation of his help mate. One look at what God had done, and the man said, “Woah, man!” I am so blessed to have Peggy as my help mate, and it is a privilege to be her help mate as well. Thank You, Lord for bringing Peggy into my life, and for dulling her mind enough to tolerate me as her husband. We will celebrate our 30th anniversary this year, and things just keep getting better every day. As I start of this New Year, I want to make sure to start it off by praising You for my life through Jesus, and for my Bride, Peggy. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am NOT alone!