Know It

Psalm 44

1 O God, we have heard it with our own ears—

our ancestors have told us

of all you did in their day,

in days long ago

I pray that this is something my children and their children (whenever that happens) can say about Peggy and me. We have tried our best to pass along a heavenly heritage, not just by teaching Scripture (and that is very important to do), but by living out our faith. We can tell of God’s mighty works in our lives, how we are different people since obeying the Gospel of Christ, and how that difference has made us the people we are today. To God be the glory always! May our children see that, hear that, know that to be the TRUTH because they see it, hear it and know it in the lives of Peggy and me.

Power of Prayer

Mark 9

28 Afterward, when Jesus was alone in the house with his disciples, they asked him, “Why couldn’t we cast out that evil spirit?”

29 Jesus replied, “This kind can be cast out only by prayer.”

The power of prayer is something that many of us never truly harness. I confess that my prayer life is nowhere near what I would like it to be. Oh, I pray, but I know that my walk with Christ and my ability to serve Him better would be enhanced by a greater prayer life than I currently have. I’m working on that. Pray for me in this regard, please.

Jesus is Messiah

Mark 8

27 Jesus and his disciples left Galilee and went up to the villages near Caesarea Philippi. As they were walking along, he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”

28 “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say you are one of the other prophets.”

29 Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”

Peter replied, “You are the Messiah.”

While society may continue to debate as to Who Jesus is, those of us who follow Him should be unequivocally clear on this point: Jesus is Messiah, the Son of the Living God. May my life and my words be clear on this matter so that anyone who has contact with me has no doubt as to where I stand on the matter. May these people also come to believe that Jesus is Messiah.

A Source of Joy

Psalm 41

1 Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor!

The Lord rescues them when they are in trouble.

If the joy of the Lord is my strength (and it is), and this Psalm says that there is joy in being kind to the poor, then the joy of the Lord comes from (among other things) being kind to those who are poor. Physically poor. Spiritually poor. Being kind does NOT mean looking at them and say, “be blessed, be well-fed,” and walking off. No, it means getting my hands dirty in service to them. May the joy of the Lord fill my life and may it be marked by (among other things) my service to the poor.

Just A Thought

6b “ ‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
7 Their worship is a farce,
for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’

8 For you ignore God’s law and substitute your own tradition.”

When Jesus quotes Isaiah in this passage of Scripture, He i talking to the religious leaders of His day. I wonder what Jesus would say to the religious leaders in the United States of America today? I suspect it would be something eerily similar, since many of them have substituted their own traditions (sinner’s prayer for example) for the clear teachings in Scripture. Just a thought.

You Feed Them

Mark 6

35 Late in the afternoon his disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. 36 Send the crowds away so they can go to the nearby farms and villages and buy something to eat.”

37 But Jesus said, “You feed them.”

Wow. As a follower of Jesus, and as someone who claims to teach in His Name, I must realize the awesome responsibility that comes with that. I am commissioned to feed people. Not just physically (although, that is part of it), but spiritually as well. Now, I know this is Mark’s version of the miracle where Jesus fed 5,000 people with one little boy’s lunch. More than that, this was a test of the faith of Jesus’ disciples. Remember, Christ followers, with Christ nothing is impossible. Jesus commands us to go out and feed people today. We must stop making excuses and allow Jesus to work in us and through us.

The Time Is Now

Psalm 39

4 “Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.

Remind me that my days are numbered—

how fleeting my life is.

5 You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand.

My entire lifetime is just a moment to you;

at best, each of us is but a breath.”

Lord, remind me that my time on this planet is limited. I have no promise of the next breath, so may my every breath be filled with Your praise. May the words of my mouth, and the actions of my life purposefully be designed to draw others to Jesus, because time’s a wasting and the time is NOW!

Feet on Faith

Mark 5

34 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over.”

Are there any more comforting words in all of Scripture? “your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over.” Lots has been said about the woman who had suffered from an issue of blood for many years and who believed that if she could only touch the hem of Jesus’ garment, she would be healed. Her faith was strong, her determination even stronger. May my faith and my determination lead me to do whatever it takes so that Jesus is glorified. I know that I will be strengthened in the process. Whether I suffer or not is of no importance to me, so long as Jesus is glorified. I just want to have the kind of faith that this woman had, and the courage to put feet on my faith!

Jesus Said NO

Mark 5

18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to go with him. 19 But Jesus said, “No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been.” 20 So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them.

Sometimes the best thing Jesus can do for us and for the Kingdom, is to tell us “NO!” That’s what happened here. The man who had formerly been possessed by a legion of demons, and is now cleansed, BEGS to go with Jesus. Jesus tells him that he cannot go with, instead he is to remain where he is. Why? Because the testimony of his life will be MOST POWERFUL in his home region. Everyone knew this dude, and everyone would be able to see the difference in his life because of Jesus. Not everyone is called to go off to distant cities or lands to proclaim the Gospel. Some are called to stay where they are. However, ALL are called to proclaim the Gospel to the people within their sphere of influence. Don’t ignore that part of the instructions here. The man in this story didn’t, and countless numbers of people were blessed because of his obedience.

Delight The Lord

Psalm 37

23 The Lord directs the steps of the godly.
He delights in every detail of their lives.

Wow! I want to delight the Lord. I desire to live my life in such a manner as to delight God every day. May my will be so in tune with His Will that everything I do and say gives Him glory, Honor, Praise and delight!

Committed

Psalm 37

5 Commit everything you do to the Lord.
Trust him, and he will help you.

It is my desire to do everything for the Lord. I want my motivation, my desire, my drive, my actions and my words to bring glory and honor to God through Jesus Christ. Period. From the time I get up in the morning, until my last waking thought at night, may it all be dedicated to my Jesus. Period.

Lord Over The Sabbath

Mark 2

27 Then Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!”

The Sabbath was designed to be a day of rest and reflection on the LORD. It is a day set aside to honor God and to REST. The Jewish religious leaders had turned the Sabbath into a day filled with lots of do’s and don’ts, regulations and rules, blah, blah, blah. Jesus came to throw out all of that manmade stuff, and help people reconnect with God on a personal level. The Son of Man is Lord, even over the Sabbath!

Am I Willing?

Mark 1

40 A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed. “If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean,” he said.

41 Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!”

The fact that Jesus healed many people of physical infirmities is widely reported in the Gospel accounts. However, this morning, it is not the healing that jumps out at me, it is the willingness that gives me pause to ponder. Jesus, when confronted with a need, is told by this man that he knows if Jesus is willing, Jesus can heal and make him clean. Jesus is moved with compassion and tells the man that He is indeed willing. I live among a people who are spiritually sick and in need of healing. The question with which I must wrestle this morning is, am I willing to share with them the healing power of Jesus?

Putting It Bluntly ("Blountly")

Mark 1

1 This is the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God. It began 2 just as the prophet Isaiah had written:

“Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
and he will prepare your way.
3 He is a voice shouting in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming!
Clear the road for him!’”

4 This messenger was John the Baptist. He was in the wilderness and preached that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven.

Mark’s Gospel is short, sweet, and to the point. He doesn’t mince words. He starts right off proclaiming that this is the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God. No mistaking his purpose in writing this book. There should be no mistaking my purpose in this life. That purpose is to bring glory and honor to God through Jesus the Messiah. May I always be “Blount” in my proclamation and in my lifestyle because, like John Mark, I believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God!

Commissioned

Matthew 28

18 Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

So, Jesus gives these instructions to His 11 disciples gathered to meet Him in Galilee. Does that mean that these instructions apply ONLY to those 11 men? Some would say so, while many others (including me) would say that all followers of Christ should heed these instructions. If indeed we are to go, make disciples, baptizing people, and teaching them to obey the commands of Jesus, then we are without excuse for our disobedience. Who are we discipling these days? Who are we leading to Christ these days? Who are we baptizing into Christ these days? If we can’t put at least one name in each of these three categories, then we are failing in the commission to which Jesus has called us.

Every Day

Psalm 34

1 I will praise the Lord at all times.

I will constantly speak his praises.

2 I will boast only in the Lord;

let all who are helpless take heart.

3 Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness;

let us exalt his name together.

Far too often, we think about praising the Lord as something that is confined to the corporate Celebration Service on the Lord’s Day. I like David’s attitude much better: “I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises.” I try to exhibit that attitude in my life every day, because I do believe that God Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth, the Author of Life, and the Forgiver of my sins is worthy of my praise every moment of every day of my life!

In Not Of

Exodus 34

12 “Be very careful never to make a treaty with the people who live in the land where you are going. If you do, you will follow their evil ways and be trapped. 13 Instead, you must break down their pagan altars, smash their sacred pillars, and cut down their Asherah poles. 14 You must worship no other gods, for the Lord, whose very name is Jealous, is a God who is jealous about his relationship with you.”

God’s instructions to the children of Israel as He prepares them to enter the Promised Land are quite interesting. God does not desire for HIS people to compromise with the people of this world. Now, while we don’t have the specific instructions that God wanted the Israelites to follow (we are not to kill all the people who inhabit the land, for example), the prohibition against compromise is still very valid today. One of the major problems with the church in the 21st Century is the fact that we have compromised our beliefs to try to “fit in” with the pagans around us. I say this to our (and my) shame. I also believe those of us who claim to follow Christ and yet compromise our beliefs with the world are in grave peril. Remember, we are to be IN this world, but not OF this world.

His Intentions Can Never Be Shaken

Psalm 33

1 Let the godly sing for joy to the Lord;
it is fitting for the pure to praise him.
2 Praise the Lord with melodies on the lyre;
make music for him on the ten-stringed harp.
3 Sing a new song of praise to him;
play skillfully on the harp, and sing with joy.
4 For the word of the Lord holds true,
and we can trust everything he does.
5 He loves whatever is just and good;
the unfailing love of the Lord fills the earth.

6 The Lord merely spoke,
and the heavens were created.
He breathed the word,
and all the stars were born.
7 He assigned the sea its boundaries
and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs.
8 Let the whole world fear the Lord,
and let everyone stand in awe of him.
9 For when he spoke, the world began!
It appeared at his command.

10 The Lord frustrates the plans of the nations
and thwarts all their schemes.
11 But the Lord’s plans stand firm forever;
his intentions can never be shaken.

On this day when the people of Egypt have forced their president to resign, may we all be reminded that God is still God. His plans for mankind remain unimpeded, no matter what may happen here on this earth. I will sing for joy to the Lord, and will trust in His Plan always. I am so glad that my first citizenship is in heaven, and I gladly proclaim that citizenship today and every day!

What Joy

Psalm 32

1 Oh, what joy for those

whose disobedience is forgiven,

whose sin is put out of sight!

To this, I would add, what joy for those Whose Lord is Jesus, for He has taken our sin away and paid the penalty for our transgressions. May we live lives of gratitude in our service to Jesus always!

Sharing Unfailing Love

Psalm 31

21a Praise the Lord,
for he has shown me the wonders of his unfailing love.

In the midst of times that can indeed be trying, I also can look up to see that my “problems” are piddly little things not worthy of wasting my time on at all. The LORD has shown me the wonders of His unfailing love, and it is my DUTY to show that kind of unfailing love to others. Both in the church and especially those outside the church. My comfort zone has become too large, and over these next several days, I am in prayer as to how best to step out of that zone, and do what I need to do to show that unfailing love of God to others.

Least of These

Matthew 25

40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’”

45 “And he will answer, ‘I tell you the truth, when you refused to help the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were refusing to help me.’”

Jesus makes it pretty plain that followers of His are marked by how they treat the “least of these.” Father, help me to have eyes to see as You see, a heart to love as You love, and actions that back all of that up. In Christ’s Name I pray, Amen.

Be Prepared

Matthew 25

1 “Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, 4 but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. 5 When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

6 “At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’

7 “All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. 8 Then the five foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’

9 “But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 “But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. 11 Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’

12 “But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’

13 “So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.”

Two words seem appropriate when thinking about this admonition from Jesus. Since we don’t know when He will return, the Boy Scout Motto would be a wise way to live: “Be Prepared.”

Liar

Matthew 24

36 “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.

37 “When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. 38 In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. 39 People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes.”

Somebody told me recently that a supposed “prophet” is claiming that Christ is coming back in May of this year. I can say with full confidence that Christ is not coming back on the day this doofus is predicting. How can I be so sure? Because Jesus Himself says NO ONE KNOWS THE HOUR WHEN THESE THINGS WILL HAPPEN! How easily people are manipulated because of their ignorance of Scriptures. Folks, anyone who tells you that they know when Jesus is coming back is a liar. Period.

W00f

Psalm 29

3 The voice of the Lord echoes above the sea.

The God of glory thunders.

The Lord thunders over the mighty sea.

4 The voice of the Lord is powerful;

the voice of the Lord is majestic.

5 The voice of the Lord splits the mighty cedars;

the Lord shatters the cedars of Lebanon.

I love this picture of the majesty and awesome power of God. I mean, anyone who can split cedars with just His voice...w00f!

Fear God

Exodus 20

18 When the people heard the thunder and the loud blast of the ram’s horn, and when they saw the flashes of lightning and the smoke billowing from the mountain, they stood at a distance, trembling with fear.

19 And they said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen. But don’t let God speak directly to us, or we will die!”

20 “Don’t be afraid,” Moses answered them, “for God has come in this way to test you, and so that your fear of him will keep you from sinning!”

Fear of the LORD will keep people from sinning. That’s what Moses says here in this passage. That explains a lot about people today. In America, we have reduced God to an old man in a rocking chair looking upon mankind “from a distance.” Or, we have decided that God is ONLY a God of love. We seem to ignore the fact that God is HOLY, RIGHTEOUS, AWESOME, & ALL-POWERFUL. I believe a healthy dose of fear is needed once again so we can have a proper perspective, and a proper response to the Creator of all the universe.

Don't Go Into Battle Alone

Exodus 17

8 While the people of Israel were still at Rephidim, the warriors of Amalek attacked them. 9 Moses commanded Joshua, “Choose some men to go out and fight the army of Amalek for us. Tomorrow, I will stand at the top of the hill, holding the staff of God in my hand.”

10 So Joshua did what Moses had commanded and fought the army of Amalek. Meanwhile, Moses, Aaron, and Hur climbed to the top of a nearby hill. 11 As long as Moses held up the staff in his hand, the Israelites had the advantage. But whenever he dropped his hand, the Amalekites gained the advantage. 12 Moses’ arms soon became so tired he could no longer hold them up. So Aaron and Hur found a stone for him to sit on. Then they stood on each side of Moses, holding up his hands. So his hands held steady until sunset. 13 As a result, Joshua overwhelmed the army of Amalek in battle.

Yet another example in Scripture as to why we need not enter the battle alone. Indeed, to enter into the battle alone, even a battle for the LORD, is foolish and could be doomed from the start. As long as Moses held his arms high, the battle went well for God’s people, but when he grew tired and dropped his arms, the tide turned against them. So, Aaron and Hur held Moses’ arms up for him and the battle was won. How often do we try to strike out on our own, even in the name of God, only to grow weary and become defeated. We weren’t meant to fight these battles alone. Yes, we have Jesus with us, and the Holy Spirit living in us, but we need to be surrounded by others who are in the battle for the LORD as well. I am so grateful for my “Band of Brothers” who are in the battle along with me. Some live nearby, and many others live scattered around the globe, but they give me the strength and inspiration to continue in my small part of the battle.

Delight In His Presence

Psalm 27

4 The one thing I ask of the Lord—
the thing I seek most—
is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,
delighting in the Lord’s perfections
and meditating in his Temple.

Part of this learning to be content thing, is to realize that all I want in life is to be in the presence of Jesus. Whatever happens here on this earth, is no big deal. Yeah, I know it matters at the time, and I know there are spiritual matters that I am not including in that statement. What I mean is this: I’ve settled the spiritual matters - I am a 100% sold-out follower of the Christ and will be as long as I walk on this planet. Therefore, whatever else happens is just stuff. My focus is on Jesus, and my home is where He is. I delight in His presence, and I long for eternity with Him.

Deliverance

Exodus 15

1 Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord:

“I will sing to the Lord,
for he has triumphed gloriously;
he has hurled both horse and rider
into the sea.
2 The Lord is my strength and my song;
he has given me victory.
This is my God, and I will praise him—
my father’s God, and I will exalt him!
3 The Lord is a warrior;
Yahweh is his name!

Now, THIS is a praise song! The song of Deliverance Moses and the people sang following watching Pharaoh’s army being swallowed up by the Red Sea lays it all out there. The LORD triumphs here. The LORD is the strength, the song, and the victory. The LORD is worthy of exaltation. And then comes my favorite part...the LORD is a warrior, Yahweh (“I AM”) is His name. Yeah, baby. Yeah!