Period

Psalm 150

6 Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord!

Praise the Lord!

If we’re breathing, we should be praising the Lord. Period.

Privilege of Praise

Psalm 149

1 Praise the Lord!

Sing to the Lord a new song.
Sing his praises in the assembly of the faithful.

What an honor and a privilege it is to leads God’s people in songs of praise each Lord’s Day morning. I am blessed beyond what mere words can express because I get to worship my Lord and my God while leading others in corporate worship. May my life be one that leads others in praise of God Almighty every single day of the week, for He alone is worthy of all glory, honor, and praise!

Skies Praise The Lord

Psalm 148

1 Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord from the heavens!
Praise him from the skies!
2 Praise him, all his angels!
Praise him, all the armies of heaven!
3 Praise him, sun and moon!Praise him, all you twinkling stars!
4 Praise him, skies above!
Praise him, vapors high above the clouds!

Yesterday evening at sunset, the skies did just this!

The Feast

Revelation 19

9 And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.” And he added, “These are true words that come from God.”

For the past several days, we have feasted on way too much food, and especially way too much junk. Peggy’s Mom is a master chef and she loves to fix dessert type stuff especially. My weight watchers regime has been thrown out of the window for a few days and must start again with a vengeance after the first of the year. However, the feast I am looking forward to with my very soul is the wedding feast of the Lamb. I have indeed been given an invitation, and I cannot wait for this feast. I will no longer be worrying about weight watching, but will instead have a perfect body and be in the very presence of my Lord Jesus. I am so ready for that day. Meanwhile, I will try to do less feasting here on earth, and will keep my eyes focused on the goal of worshipping my King, my Lord, my Jesus!

Every Breath

Psalm 146

1 Praise the Lord!

Let all that I am praise the Lord.
2 I will praise the Lord as long as I live.
I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath.

I can think of no higher purpose for my every breath than to bring God praise. That being said, my praise must be more than just words from my mouth, it must be the actions of my life. Lord, I have never been more humbled than I was on Christmas night by Turtle’s letter. Thank you for Turtle, and for what he means to me and to our family. May YOU be glorified in that and in every situation always!!!

Next Generation

Psalm 145

1 I will exalt you, my God and King,

and praise your name forever and ever.

2 I will praise you every day;

yes, I will praise you forever.

3 Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!

No one can measure his greatness.

4 Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts;
let them proclaim your power.

How will the next generation proclaim the glory of God, if this generation does not teach them how to do this? Perhaps one of the greatest responsibilities I have as a follower of Christ is to teach the next generation how to follow our Lord. I must live in such a way that the generations coming along behind me have a clear example of someone who proclaims the glory of God by the way he lives each day. Father, it is a serious responsibility. Help me to do so faithfully every day of my life.

Cup of God's Wrath

Revelation 16

17 Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air. And a mighty shout came from the throne in the Temple, saying, “It is finished!”18 Then the thunder crashed and rolled, and lightning flashed. And a great earthquake struck—the worst since people were placed on the earth. 19 The great city of Babylon split into three sections, and the cities of many nations fell into heaps of rubble. So God remembered all of Babylon’s sins, and he made her drink the cup that was filled with the wine of his fierce wrath.

On this day when we celebrate the birth of Jesus, it seems appropriate to be reminded that it is ONLY through His blood that we have been saved from having to drink the cup of God’s fierce wrath. Jesus drank from that cup on our behalf when He was on the cross. Those who reject Jesus must drink from that cup themselves, and this description from Revelation 16, drinking from that cup will not exactly be a pleasant experience.

Righteous Deeds Revealed

Revelation 15

3b “Great and marvelous are your works,

O Lord God, the Almighty.

Just and true are your ways,

O King of the nations.

4 Who will not fear you, Lord,

and glorify your name?

For you alone are holy.

All nations will come and worship before you,

for your righteous deeds have been revealed.”

As I listen to Handel’s Messiah this morning, and as I read from God’s Word, I cannot help but grow in excitement on this Christmas Eve. Jesus is Lord, and His righteous deeds have been revealed. As we celebrate His birth tonight and tomorrow, may I celebrate His life every day. May He be glorified always.

My Constant

Revelation 1

8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.”

God is my constant. With Him, I will never be lost. Without Him, I have no hope whatsoever. May my life reflect this belief. May my life reflect this reality.

Immoral Living

Jude

3 Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people. 4 I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God’s marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives. The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

It is one thing for the pagans to live immoral lives, because that what pagans do. It is quite something else for those who claim to follow Christ to do so. Yet, our churches in America are filled with folks who lie, cheat, fornicate, grumble against authority, steal, and more. Yeah, that is a pretty varied list, but everything on it is recorded in Scriptures among lists of sins. Check out Paul’s letters and see if everything I just listed isn’t contained somewhere in Paul’s writings about those who will not be in heaven. Living a pure life is the goal for every Christ Follower. Yes, we will sin and fall short of God’s glory, but if we teach that it is “okay” to sin and then ask for forgiveness, we are directly violating the teaching of Paul to the Roman Church (see chapters 5 & 6 specifically). May it not be so at VCC!!! May it not be so with me!!!

Call To Repentance

Hosea 6

1 “Come, let us return to the Lord.

He has torn us to pieces;

now he will heal us.

He has injured us;

now he will bandage our wounds.

2 In just a short time he will restore us,

so that we may live in his presence.

3 Oh, that we might know the Lord!

Let us press on to know him.

He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn

or the coming of rains in early spring.”

In Hosea’s call to repentance, I find that I need to repent mightily. I have neglected my time in the Word for much of this month. No excuses, just a humble repentant attitude today. Lord, forgive me. My desire is to do better. I have been torn apart, and am in need of Your healing. I want to press on to know You in a deeper way from this day forward.

Simple, Right?

2 John 1

5 I am writing to remind you, dear friends, that we should love one another. This is not a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning. 6 Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning.

John is known as the Apostle of Love, and once again he draws a clear correlation between obeying God and love. In verse six, he plainly states (in the NLT) that love means doing what God has commanded us. Doesn’t get any more simple than that, now does it?

That Big Word IF

1 John 5

2We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey his commandments. 3 Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome. 4 For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. 5 And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

There it is. The biggest word in the English language. Yeah, I know that John didn’t write this letter in English originally, but the word is there in the translation from Greek to English, and it is key. The word? “IF.” Loving God is the point here, and loving God is shown by OBEYING His commands. IF we love God we will obey His commandments. If we disobey those commandments, we do NOT love God. Loving God is not just about believing, it is about obedience as well. Oh, if those who would try to dumb down faith would just come to terms with that Scriptural admonition.

Living in Love

1 John 4

7 Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. 8 But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. 10 This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

11 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 12 No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.

13 And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. 14 Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 All who confess that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. 16 We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love.

God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. 17 And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.

18 Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. 19 We love each other because he loved us first.

John says it all, and he says it perfectly. Since God is love, and all who live in love live in God and God lives in them; I will live in love every day of my life. Period.

Doing Right

1 John 3

7 Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. 8 But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil.

Doing what is right is the natural outflow of being a follower of Christ. We don’t do what is right because we “have to,” but because that is just the way we live. To deliberating keep on living sinful lives would be to reject the Lordship of Christ, showing that we instead belong to the devil. May my life reflect the fact that I belong to Jesus. Every single day!

Blown Away

Psalm 21

5 The Lord himself watches over you!

The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.

I am blown away this morning by the thought that the Creator of Heaven and Earth, the Almighty God of the Universe, is the One who watches over me, standing beside me as my protective shade. Sure, God could send an angel to take care of that work, but the Scripture says that the LORD himself does this! May the LORD be praised always, and may I never forget that He Himself is right here with me every step of the way!

As You Please

1 John 2

15 Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. 16 For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. 17 And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.

Living in America presents a special challenge when it comes to this passage of Scripture. We are prosperous, affluent, spoiled. What we consider “hardships” most of the population of this planet would consider luxury. I have for far too long, been seduced by American Prosperity. I want to use the material blessings God has give me to bless others and to draw others to Christ. Yes, we do that with much of what we have, but as the month of December starts, I want to start being serious about making sure I am not “loving” the things of this world. What I have is Yours, O Lord. Do with it as You please.

In The Light

1 John 1

5 This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. 6 So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. 7 But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.

8 If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.

It is my desire to live in the Light of Jesus always. I still struggle with my own personal darkness, and must confess my sin to my Lord every day. I also must ask for the strength and courage to live the way Jesus wants me to live. It does indeed take strength and courage to do so. I am a sinner saved by Grace. I cannot do this on my own, nor do I want to try to do so. I simply want to live in such a manner as to bring God the glory, and to bring people to a saving relationship with Jesus.

Daily Refresher

2 Peter 3

1 This is my second letter to you, dear friends, and in both of them I have tried to stimulate your wholesome thinking and refresh your memory.

We all need a refresher course, and speaking for myself, I need it daily. That is why it is so important for me to be in God’s Word every day. I need that daily reminder of Who God is. I need that refresher on why I am loved so much by the Creator of Heaven and Earth. I need to be recharged so that I can withstand the attacks of satan. Without this daily time with the Word, my thinking starts stinking. I get distracted, discouraged, and disturbed. I praise my God for the ability to daily read the Bible so that I can be reminded of Whose I am and who I am. May Jesus be glorified in my life today.

Refresher

2 Peter 3

1 This is my second letter to you, dear friends, and in both of them I have tried to stimulate your wholesome thinking and refresh your memory.

We all need a refresher course, and speaking for myself, I need it daily. That is why it is so important for me to be in God’s Word every day. I need that daily reminder of Who God is. I need that refresher on why I am loved so much by the Creator of Heaven and Earth. I need to be recharged so that I can withstand the attacks of satan. Without this daily time with the Word, my thinking starts stinking. I get distracted, discouraged, and disturbed. I praise my God for the ability to daily read the Bible so that I can be reminded of Whose I am and who I am. May Jesus be glorified in my life today.

Washed Pig

2 Peter 2

20 And when people escape from the wickedness of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and then get tangled up and enslaved by sin again, they are worse off than before. 21 It would be better if they had never known the way to righteousness than to know it and then reject the command they were given to live a holy life. 22 They prove the truth of this proverb: “A dog returns to its vomit.” And another says, “A washed pig returns to the mud.”

Peter makes it clear in this passage that people who follow Christ can indeed turn from that way of living and go back to their sinful lifestyle. While salvation is a free gift from God, it is one we must accept daily. It is a gift that must be first and foremost in our lives, it cannot be like oh so many Christmas gifts in our past that get put up on a shelf to collect dust, or get lost in a sea of other “meaningless gifts.” Living for Christ is something to be done every single moment of every single day of our lives. To do any less is to simply be a “washed pig.”

Proper Response

2 Peter 1

3 By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.

5 In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.

8 The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.

A few things jump out at me this morning from this passage: 1) God provides us with everything we need to live a godly life. 2) The natural response to this provision is a succession of attitudes from faith to love for everyone. 3) Without this proper response, we are not productive or useful for God but instead are short sided or blind, forgetting that we have been cleansed from our sins. Lord, keep me focused on Jesus, and may my life reflect the provisions You have given me. May my love for everyone be evident, and may Jesus be glorified always!

Use Your Gifts!

1 Peter 4

10 God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. 11 Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.

This is my favorite “Spiritual Gifts” passage in the Scriptures. It is not one usually cited by those discussing Spiritual Gifts, but the message Peter has for us all here is simple: God has given each of us Spiritual Gifts. Use them for His Kingdom. I am grateful for the gifts He so richly has bestowed upon me, and it is my desire to bring Him glory, honor, and praise every single day of my life. May His gifts shine through me, and may I get out of the way so that Jesus is lifted up, drawing all people to Him.

It Is In The Word

1 Peter 3

18 Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.

19 So he went and preached to the spirits in prison—20 those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood. 21 And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

I wanted to keep this passage in its context so I could simply say that it amazes me how people can claim that baptism has nothing to do with salvation. Peter gives a perfect explanation as to the saving properties of baptism: not water removing dirt from the body, but a response to God from a clean conscience, effective because of the resurrection of Christ. For those who claim to be followers of Christ yet deny that baptism is essential to salvation, I simply say: read the Word, and stop lying about what God wants from His people!

Proper Living

1 Peter 2

11 Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. 12 Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.

Living properly includes loving others as Christ loves them. It includes putting the wants of others above your needs. It entails behaving in such a way as to attract others to Christ. I have a long way to go achieve these goals, but I am blessed to be surrounded by family and loved ones in Christ who keep me focused and balanced. On this day of Thanksgiving, I simply want to praise God for the abundant blessings showered upon me. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am the most blessed man on this planet. May those blessings overflow to folks around me, so that they may experience the love of Christ that dwells in me daily.

I Know Better

1 Peter 1

13 So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. 14 So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. 15 But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. 16 For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”

As a follower of Christ for the past couple of decades, I SHOULD be more clear in my thinking and much better at self-control than I was earlier in my walk. I cannot always say that this is the case, but it certainly is my desire. As Peter reminds me in this passage: “Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then.” But, I DO know better now. It is up to me to live as an obedient child of God, being holy because God is Holy. I know better, so I SHOULD live better.

Inheritance

1 Peter 1

3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, 4 and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.

I am so looking forward to the day when I receive my inheritance from the Lord. Meanwhile, there is much work left to be done, and I need to get at it. Keeping my focus on Christ inspires me to keep on going, especially when the going gets tough!

Fattened

James 5

5 You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter.

After yesterday’s sermon, I am doubly convicted by this passage from James. I know that I am rich materially. I like to think about the fact that I am rich spiritually, but I way too often ignore the fact that by the standards of the majority of the people who inhabit this planet, I am filthy rich. May I be even more inclined to use the material blessings I have for the glory of God. Yeah, in many ways I do pretty good in this regard, and in so many other ways, I simply live a life satisfying my every desire, fattened up for the day of slaughter. Forgive me, O God. May I repent of this sin and live accordingly.

Ought To

James 4

17 Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

Scott, you KNOW what you ought to do. You have no excuse for NOT doing it. Live so that Jesus is glorified and so that everyone with whom you interact is drawn to Jesus. Period. To do any less is to sin. Ask for the forgiveness you need to start this day, and live for Jesus. That is all.

First Allegiance

Proverbs 28

2 When there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily.

But wise and knowledgeable leaders bring stability.

Now HERE is a word for the United States of America in 2011. I think this proverb speaks for itself. I am praying that Christians in this country wake up before America falls. However, if America falls, I will still praise my Lord Jesus because my first allegiance is to Him.

Just Do It

James 1

22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 23 For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.

Again, I cannot help but think about many who darken the doors of church buildings on Sunday mornings. They come, they are fed God’s Word, and they leave with nothing having been changed in their lives. They still live for themselves, having been fooled by the god of this world that they can “play church” and everything will be alright. “Playing church” does not save anyone. Following Christ is a 24/7 endeavor to be worked out in fear and trembling. I know that I have been set free from sin by Christ Jesus. I also know that I can easily fall back into that bondage. Lord, help me to listen to Your Word, and then to do what it says! Help me to live for my Lord Jesus every day.

Great Joy

James 1

2 Dear brothers, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

I have a LONG way to go before I am perfect and complete. I know that there is much in the way of patience I must learn. I prayed for patience many years ago, and God continues to provide opportunities for me to endure and have great joy. May I be found worthy of the test, and may God be glorified by my actions and reactions always. I know that this is not always the case right now, so I also know that I still have much to learn, as my endurance has a chance to grow!

Living the Message

Ezekiel 33

31 So my people come pretending to be sincere and sit before you. They listen to your words, but they have no intention of doing what you say. Their mouths are full of lustful words, and their hearts seek only after money. 32You are very entertaining to them, like someone who sings love songs with a beautiful voice or plays fine music on an instrument. They hear what you say, but they don’t act on it!

I know that Ezekiel is prophesying about the people of Israel in this passage, but man does it ever sound like the Church in America today! How many Sunday mornings have I had people tell me how much they “enjoyed” the message or “enjoyed” the worship service. Really? Is the message from God something we should only enjoy? No, it is something we should LIVE! The question I always want to ask, is, “what difference will today’s message make in your life?” That is the question I ask myself each Lord’s Day. If God’s Word does not bring about change in our lives then we are either already in heaven, or we are simply pretending to be sincere. Since we aren’t yet in heaven, well...

Living In Peace

Hebrews 12

14 Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.

This is an interesting command from Scripture. Work at living in peace with everyone. In living a holy life, we will, by definition, be at odds with those who live pagan lifestyles. However, we who follow Christ must live in such a way as to attract the pagans to Christ, not to repel them from Him. Too many Christians fail in this regard. We cannot expect pagans to live like Christians, because they are NOT Christians. Why is it that so many Christians get this confused? Why do we expect pagans to act morally? Why do we “fight” when we should love? May I work at living a holy life so that others will see Jesus at work in my life, and be attracted to Him. I desire to live in such a manner as to bring glory and honor to Jesus, and to draw others to Him always.

Needing to be Sharpened

Proverbs 27

17 As iron sharpens iron,

so a friend sharpens a friend.

I am in need of some sharpening this morning. feeling rather blue and quite dull, actually. I know that all will work out, but I have played a role in a situation that could have easily been avoided. I forgot about youthful enthusiasm and assumed a matrix that hasn’t quite fully kicked in yet, and now I have placed several of my brothers in a less-than-desirable position. I should have known better, thought things through a little more, and reminded myself (and others) of the “no surprises” rule of communication. Yes, I am in need of being sharpened today.

Public Proclamation

Psalm 111

1 Praise the Lord!

I will thank the Lord with all my heart
as I meet with his godly people.
2 How amazing are the deeds of the Lord!
All who delight in him should ponder them.
3 Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty.
His righteousness never fails.
4 He causes us to remember his wonderful works.
How gracious and merciful is our Lord!

I am so privileged to meet with my brothers and sisters in Christ this morning to Celebrate Jesus. I do not want to EVER take this weekly gathering for granted, because there are many on this planet who gather to celebrate Jesus at great personal peril. Many who must do so in secret. In the United States of America at this point in our history, it is perfectly legal for us to gather to proclaim the glory of God in a corporate setting. Should that legality change, I will still proclaim God’s glory, and I will still meet with others to do so. God’s righteousness never fails, and my need to publicly remember His wonderful works will never end.

Nomads

Hebrews 11

13 All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. 14 Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. 15 If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. 16 But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

The roll call for the Hall of Faith has started, and then the writer reminds us that these Old Testament Heroes of the Faith all had one very important thing in common: they died still believing what God had promised them, even though they hadn’t received it, having only seen it from a distance. How pitiful it is for me to have doubts when I have been shown the full Promise of God through the person of Jesus! Instead, may I emulate these Old Testament Heroes, remembering that I am a nomad on this earth. This is NOT my home, nor my homeland. I long for the day when I am in the very presence of God, just as these Old Testament Heroes longed for that day, and are now experiencing it.

Encouraged

Hebrews 10

23 Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. 24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

Meeting together with other believers on a regular basis is crucial if I am to hold tightly without wavering to the hope I affirm. I know that God can be trusted to keep His promise, but I also know that I am easily distracted by the things of this world. I am easily led astray by my own desires. I need the encouragement of brothers and sisters in Christ to hang in there. I love the fact that I not only get to meet with the body of believers known as Vero Christian Church each Lord’s Day, but that I am involved in small groups, praise team, and a couple of different mentoring situations. Having these sprinkled throughout my week keeps me on track, and keeps me encouraged. I praise God for these people and these times of meeting together. I wish everyone had such times of meeting throughout their week as well. The body of Christ would be greatly strengthened by such meetings.

Your Love O Lord

Psalm 108

1 My heart is confident in you, O God;

no wonder I can sing your praises with all my heart!

2 Wake up, lyre and harp!

I will wake the dawn with my song.

3 I will thank you, Lord, among all the people.

I will sing your praises among the nations.

4 For your unfailing love is higher than the heavens.

Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

5 Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens.

May your glory shine over all the earth.

I have spent a good part of the day talking with folks who are in the midst of marital problems, family disintegration, and severe spiritual attack. God has placed me in a position to “be there” for these folks. Not that I have any words of wisdom for them, but I am there for them. I have had the privilege of praying for four different situations today, and in each of these situations, folks are straying from God, while others are hanging on for dear life. I am praying that God’s Almighty Hand intervenes in each situation; that people turn their hearts toward Him. Meanwhile, I praise God that He allows me to approach Him on behalf of these dear ones. I am so thankful for the lovingkindness God showers upon me each day. His love reaches to the heavens, and His faithfulness stretches to the clouds. May that love and faithfulness cover the folks with whom I am spoken and prayed for today.

Speak Out

Psalm 107

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!

His faithful love endures forever.

2 Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out!

Tell others he has redeemed you from your enemies.

Has God redeemed me from my enemies? Of course! So, how could I dare to keep silent? To do so would be to heap insults upon my Redeemer! I will gladly let everyone know that my Redeemer lives, and that He loves me. I will loudly proclaim that Jesus is the Christ, and I will live my life in such a manner that there is no mistaking this fact.

Focus

Ezekiel 18

 23 “Do you think that I like to see wicked people die? says the Sovereign Lord. Of course not! I want them to turn from their and live. 24 However, if righteous people turn from their righteous behavior and start doing sinful things and act like other sinners, should they be allowed to live? No, of course not! All their righteous acts will be forgotten, and they will die for their sins.”

God does not desire than anyone would perish, but that all would come to Jesus and have eternal life. God also does not wish anyone who has once tasted eternal life through Christ to turn their back on that free gift of salvation. Alas, both scenarios play out in the lives of humans daily. Lord, help me to guide others to Christ, and to keep them focused on Christ always. May my focus be laser sharp, and may Jesus be the only One on Whom I focus.

If We Had Any Sense

Hebrews 8

6 But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises.

We have a better promise than the one God gave to the children of Israel under the Old Covenant. That promise is salvation through Jesus. The Old Covenant never promised eternal life, only a chance to look forward to the coming of Messiah. Since Messiah came in the person of Jesus, we now have a New Covenant through Him that does promise eternal life. How could we be anything less than grateful? If we had any sense about us, we couldn’t be.

Challenge of Gratitude

Psalm 106

1 Praise the Lord!

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
2 Who can list the glorious miracles of the Lord?
Who can ever praise him enough?
3 There is joy for those who deal justly with others
and always do what is right.

When I truly take stock of my life, I have nothing but gratitude for the blessings God so freely pours upon me. The challenge of gratitude for me is to not get caught up in the minutia of day-to-day living; not to get bogged down by details that may not go the way I think they should, but rather I must remember the great sacrifice Jesus made on my behalf. I must remember the blessings He pours out on me every day. I must be reminded that the only logical response to these gifts of mercy, grace, and eternal life is gratitude!

Rebellious People

Ezekiel 12

1 Again a message came to me from the Lord: 2 “Son of man, you live among rebels who have eyes but refuse to see. They have ears but refuse to hear. For they are a rebellious people.”

This could be said of God’s people today in many cases. Those who claim to follow Christ yet refuse to see the clear mandates of Scripture, those who want to be called Christians, but live lives of anything but love for their fellow man...well, they are a people with eyes that refuse to see, and ears that refuse to hear. Father, may I NOT be counted among those people. Please, continue opening my eyes and ears to Your Word daily, and help me to live my life accordingly.

Get Them Grounded

Hebrews 6

4 For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened—those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come—6 and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people back to repentance; by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame.

This is perhaps one of the saddest passages in all of scripture. It points out to me our great need to get folks firmly grounded in the Word of God, so that they will not choose to turn their backs on Him and crucify Jesus all over again. We are not doing a great job in that area with adults at VCC. Lord,may the things I learned yesterday and those I learn today, help me to be able to help reverse that trend at VCC.

Beyond the Milk

Hebrews 5

11 There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. 12 You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. 13 For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. 14 Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.

We leave today for ReChurch. I am so excite that three of our four elders, all three of the staff, and one other key leader at our church are going on this trip. I am not saying that these guys are still on the milk by any stretch, but there are changes I am hoping for to come as a result of this trip. For all seven of us. Be with us, Lord.

Surrendered

Ezekiel 4

12 Prepare and eat this food as you would barley cakes. While all the people are watching, bake it over a fire using dried human dung as fuel and then eat the bread.” 13 Then the Lord said, “This is how Israel will eat defiled bread in the Gentile lands to which I will banish them!”

14 Then I said, “O Sovereign Lord, must I be defiled by using human dung? For I have never been defiled before. From the time I was a child until now I have never eaten any animal that died of sickness or was killed by other animals. I have never eaten any meat forbidden by the law.”

15 “All right,” the Lord said. “You may bake your bread with cow dung instead of human dung.”

All I can say is praise God that I am not an Old Testament prophet. Having said that, I must also be willing to do whatever God wants, whenever He wants, however He wants, and wherever He wants. May my life be totally surrendered to Him always.

Overwhelmed

Hebrews 3

1 And so, dear brothers and sisters who belong to God and are partners with those called to heaven, think carefully about this Jesus whom we declare to be God’s messenger and High Priest. 2 For he was faithful to God, who appointed him, just as Moses served faithfully when he was entrusted with God’s entire house.

3 But Jesus deserves far more glory than Moses, just as a person who builds a house deserves more praise than the house itself. 4 For every house has a builder, but the one who built everything is God.

5 Moses was certainly faithful in God’s house as a servant. His work was an illustration of the truths God would reveal later. 6 But Christ, as the Son, is in charge of God’s entire house. And we are God’s house, if we keep our courage and remain confident in our hope in Christ.

I am overwhelmed when I think of the glory and majesty of my Lord Jesus. I am even more overwhelmed by the thought of being God’s house! Did you catch that? Of course, there is that HUGE qualifier laid in there: IF. We are God’s house IF we keep our courage and remain confident in our hope in Christ. Well, Jesus is the ONLY One in Whom I have my hope and confidence placed. Lord, keep me focused on You daily.

Pay Attention

Hebrews 2

1 So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it. 2 For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was punished. 3 So what makes us think we can escape if we ignore this great salvation that was first announced by the Lord Jesus himself and then delivered to us by those who heard him speak?

Hey Christians, pay attention! Do not drift away from the Truth of Jesus! Easy to say that to others, isn’t it? This morning, I want to say it to Scott. Listen very carefully to the truth about Jesus, and live your life accordingly. Do not drift away, Scott! Your eternal life depends on it!

Yes Jesus

Hebrews 1

1 Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. 2 And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. 3 The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven. 4 This shows that the Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave him is greater than their names.

Yes, we have been living in the “final days,” or the “end times” since Jesus ascended into heaven. Yes, Jesus not only saves us from our sins, but He is the very force that is holding it all together. Yes, Jesus radiates God’s own glory, sits at the right hand of God, and yes, Jesus is the One to Whom all praise belongs. May my day today be filled with the praises of Jesus. Not just from my lips, but from my attitude and my actions.

Sing Praise

Psalm 101

1 I will sing of your love and justice, Lord.

I will praise you with songs.

Sing songs of praise to You, O Lord is more than just my “job.” It is my life’s desire. May my songs bring a smile to Your face, and may my life be a song of constant praise for You. As I go about my daily business, remind me of Your great mercy and grace. I have allowed my life to get too crowded as of late, and I need to repent for the sin of crowding You out. I have missed my time with Your Word, and I desire to get back into that precious habit. Thank You for loving me, and for forgiving me. You are amazing, O Lord, and worthy of all glory, honor, and praise!

Praying Today

1 Timothy 2

1 I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. 2 Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. 3 This is good and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.

I am praying today for all people. Those with whom I agree politically, and those with whom I disagree. I am praying that all of us would seek the Face of the Lord Jesus and live our lives accordingly. I pray for those in positions of political power, and for those who are governed by these leaders. I pray that we would all realize that our trust needs to be in Christ, not in politics. I pray that all would come to a saving knowledge of Jesus. Then, all of this other stuff would not be nearly as “important” as some folks seem to think it is.

Paul's Purpose Statement

1 Timothy 1

5 The purpose of my instruction is that all believers would be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and genuine faith. 6 But some people have missed this whole point. They have turned away from these things and spend their time in meaningless discussions. 7 They want to be known as teachers of the law of Moses, but they don’t know what they are talking about, even though they speak so confidently.

Paul sums up the purpose of his instruction quite succinctly here, doesn’t he? It is to lead all believers to be filled with love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience and genuine faith. Wow! I cannot say that I have always had that same motive in my teaching, but I do indeed strive for those goals now. Help me Lord, to not get sidetracked by meaningless controversies. Instead, may I stay focused on You always!

Wow

2 Thessalonians 3

6 And now, dear brothers and sisters, we give you this command in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ: Stay away from all believers who live idle lives and don’t follow the tradition they received from us.

Now, this has caught my attention big time today. Paul does not exhort Christians to stay away from pagans, but rather, he tells Christians that they should stay away from all believers who live idle lives and don’t follow the tradition they received from Paul and company! Wait a minute!! Idle believers who do not follow Scripture are to be avoided. Shunned even. Hmmm...

Lord of Heaven's Armies

Psalm 84

1 How lovely is your dwelling place,

O Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

2 I long, yes, I faint with longing

to enter the courts of the Lord.

With my whole being, body and soul,

I will shout joyfully to the living God.

A familiar passage, but today I notice something for which I want to start paying attention. It is a title for God that I truly haven’t paid a lot of attention to in the past, but I see it over and over again, and it intrigues me: The Lord of Heaven’s Armies. My God is a Mighty Warrior who is out to win not just the battle, but the war of all eternity. I want to be counted on His side, to enter the lovely dwelling place, shouting with my whole being for joy to the LIVING God.

Broken Covenant

Jeremiah 22

8 “People from many nations will pass by the ruins of this city and say to one another, ‘Why did the Lord destroy such a great city?’ 9 And the answer will be, ‘Because they violated their covenant with the Lord their God by worshiping other gods.’”

Jeremiah is pronouncing God’s judgement against Judah and the people of the Covenant. When the city of Jerusalem is destroyed, folks will ask how that could have happened, and the answer is simple: because they violated their covenant with the Lord their God by worshipping other gods. How easily that can be said of those who claim to follow Christ today. We are swayed by our own evil desires, and selfish attitudes. We worship at the altar of pleasure and self, and we do so at our own peril. Lord, help me to repent of this sin, and to worship You only and always.

Patience Please

1 Thessalonians 5

14 Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.

Okay, so how do you tell the difference between someone who is lazy and someone who is timid or weak? I have someone specifically in mind as I ask this question this morning. I want to encourage and take tender care when needed, but I also want to be able to put a swift kick in the rear end when appropriate. My heart is broken this morning, Lord. Lead me in the way You would have me to go.

Quiet Life

1 Thessalonians 4

11 Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before. 12 Then people who are not Christians will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others.

Okay, so I flat-out struggle with this one. I have not been known to lead a quiet life over the past 26 years in my walk with Christ. I have stood at the forefront of the battle against abortion, the radical homosexual agenda, and pornography. I have written letters to the editor of the newspaper, marched in protests locally and in Washington DC, and have led boycotts. Honestly, all of those activities made me feel good, and hopefully showed the Christian alternative to the pagan culture in which we live. But have any of those activities led to eternal changes? THAT is the question of the day, my friends. My one-on-one times with men I am mentoring has been much more effective. My open display of unconditional love to others has lifted the name of Christ much higher. My change from right-wing radical to follower of Christ has left me much more satisfied. I pray that I will live my life today in such a manner as to draw others to Jesus. Nothing more and nothing less.

Nothing Else

Psalm 80

19 Turn us again to yourself, O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies.

Make your face shine down upon us.

Only then will we be saved.

This phrase is repeated several times in Psalm 80 and it is how the Psalm ends. Today, I am asking God to turn me again towards Himself. It is so easy to get distracted by the cares of this world, by my own selfish wants and desires, and by things that are good (but not best). Help me to focus on You, dear Lord. Nothing else.

Proper Motivation

1 Thessalonians 2

4 For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts.

I LOVE Paul’s attitude here. He knows that it is not his purpose to please men, but it is his purpose to please God. That is the way I want to live my life. My desire is to please God with all I do, with all I say, with all I am. May my heart be examined by the Creator of everything and may I be found to be motivated only by a desire to please You, O Lord.

Devotion

Colossians 4

2 Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.

Three key points for Scott Blount to remember and to put into practice every day: 1)Devote yourself to prayer. 2)Keep your mind alert. 3)Have a thankful heart. While I do pretty good in these areas at certain times, the goal is to do well in all three areas daily. I have a long way to go in this regard. Praying about that right now.

Sigh

Jeremiah 8

8 “‘How can you say, “We are wise because we have the word of the Lord,”

when your teachers have twisted it by writing lies?”

Man, could that ever be written about the false doctrines of man-made pseudo-Christianity of today. It makes me sad to think of the twisting of Scripture that takes place in this world today. Why can’t we simply read the Bible and take it at face value? Why do we have folks who insist on adding their own non-biblical plans of “salvation” to the mix? Sigh.

Can't Hold A Candle

Colossians 2

8 Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ. 9 For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. 10 So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

There are plenty of folks vying for the hearts and minds of people out there. None of them can hold a candle to Jesus. Period.

Christ the Reconciler

Colossians 1

18 Christ is also the head of the church,

which is his body.

He is the beginning,

supreme over all who rise from the dead.

So he is first in everything.

19 For God in all his fullness

was pleased to live in Christ,

20 and through him God reconciled

everything to himself.

He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth

by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.

Christ is Supreme. He is the Word of God, the Creative Force of the universe, the Head of the Church. In Him the fullness of God dwells, and through Him everyone and everything CAN be reconciled to God. The choice is ours as to whether or not we WANT to be reconciled, but make no mistake, the reconciliation comes ONLY through Christ!

Christ is Supreme

Colossians 1

15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.

He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,

16 for through him God created everything

in the heavenly realms and on earth.

He made the things we can see

and the things we can’t see—

such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.

Everything was created through him and for him.

17 He existed before anything else,

and he holds all creation together.

This is the same Christ Who bids me daily to come and die and follow Him. I must die to myself because I am none of the things described in this passage from Colossians. Jesus is. How could I possibly think that I could come before Jesus? How could I dare be selfish and stupid that way? Father, forgive me for the times when I put Jesus in 2nd place in my heart. He is Supreme over all creation, and I am simply part of the creation! Not the other way around.

Considerate

Philippians 4

4 Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! 5 Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.

While I have often referred to verse four, verse five seems to have slipped my notice in the past. Yes, we should be filled with joy, rejoicing always, but the natural tie and and result of being filled with joy is to live a life that is considerate in all you do. Then, there is the kicker: “Remember, the Lord is coming soon.” How many times am I less than considerate of others without even thinking about it, or meaning to be inconsiderate? Far too often, I am afraid. Help me Lord, starting to today to be much more intentional and much more considerate of others ALWAYS.

What God Wants From Us

Isaiah 66

1 This is what the Lord says:

“Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool.
Could you build me a temple as good as that?
Could you build me such a resting place?
2 My hands have made both heaven and earth;
they and everything in them are mine.
I, the Lord, have spoken!

“I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts,
who tremble at my word.”

We have nothing of any value that we can bring to God other than our lives. God owns everything! The glories we can see on this earth (like the beautiful doubler rainbow and sunset Friday night) are nothing but a footstool for God. Our fancy buildings and contraptions are NOTHING to God. Our devotion and love are what He desires.

Call On His Name

Isaiah 65

1 The Lord says,

“I was ready to respond, but no one asked for help.
I was ready to be found, but no one was looking for me.
I said, ‘Here I am, here I am!’
to a nation that did not call on my name.
2 All day long I opened my arms to a rebellious people.
But they follow their own evil paths
and their own crooked schemes.”

God’s people at the time of Isaiah were the people of Israel. Today, God’s people are the Church. I fear that far too often, we, the Church, do not call on His name, and that we follow our own evil paths & crooked schemes. I must fall on my face daily and deny myself. I must call on the Name of the Lord so that I may stay on the path He desires for me always.

What Could I Possibly Have To Complain About?

Philippians 2

14 Do everything without complaining and arguing, 15 so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. 16a Hold firmly to the word of life...

So much easier said than done. I am working each day to be more humble, and to eliminate the tendency to complain from my life. I seriously have no right to complain. I have my salvation in Christ. I am married to Peggy Ruth Dixon Blount. We have four wonderful children who love and serve the Lord. I work as an associate minister at Vero Christian Church. I am the MOST BLESSED MAN on this planet. My struggle is to hold firmly to the Word of Life, but getting in the Word every day helps tremendously in that regard. Thank You, Jesus, for being the Wonderful Counselor, the Prince of Peace, the Perfect Example, and the Lover of my soul! May Your light shine brightly in me and through me every day.

Nothing Else Matters

Philippians 1

20 For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. 21 For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. 22 But if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. So I really don’t know which is better. 23 I’m torn between two desires: I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better for me. 24 But for your sakes, it is better that I continue to live.

As I begin a week of wrestling with the concept of dying daily to self, I am so glad to read this passage. Paul exemplifies what it means to daily die to self. I want to have the same attitude that he has as he writes to the church at Philippi. May I live for Christ this day, may nothing else matter!

Strong in the Lord

Ephesians 5

10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

How do you stay strong in the Lord? Paul goes on to lay out the plan:

13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. 16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Lord, strengthen me today to stand firm and strong for You.

Pleasing Aroma

Ephesians 5

1 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.

Wow, do I have a long way to go in this regard. It is my goal to literally be able to say, “follow me, as I follow Christ.” I know that in order to say that with any integrity whatsoever, I need to do a better job of following Christ. May my life be filled with the love of Christ for everyone, and may I live so that I am a pleasing aroma to God.

Getting Better All the Time

Ephesians 4

31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

“Me used to be angry young man, hiding me head in the sand. You gave me the word, I finally heard. I’m doing the best that I can.” Lyrics from an old Beatles’ tune that best describe my journey with Jesus in regards to what Paul addresses here. While I still have a long way to go, I have to admit its getting better, its getting better all the time!

What Unity?

Ephesians 4

1 Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. 2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. 3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. 4 For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. 5 There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all.

Again, Paul talks about the need for Christians to be humble and gentle; to be patient with one another making allowances for each other’s faults because of your love. Again, I think about how Brent Baker is being treated by a supposed “Christian Brother.” It is no wonder that there is nothing close to unity going on up there.

Purpose

Ephesians 3

8 Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles about the endless treasures available to them in Christ. 9 I was chosen to explain to everyone this mysterious plan that God, the Creator of all things, had kept secret from the beginning.

10 God’s purpose in all this was to use the church to display his wisdom in its rich variety to all the unseen rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11 This was his eternal plan, which he carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.

God’s purpose for the church and through the church is laid out here. The church (the “called out ones”) is designed to display the wisdom of God by spreading the Good News about Jesus to EVERYONE. Since I am part of the church, that is MY PURPOSE, too!

Once Dead, Now Alive

Ephesians 2

4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) 6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. 7 So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.

I once was dead, and now I am alive thanks to Christ Jesus. I praise God for His rich mercy, and His great love! May I live a life of love towards others so they may see Christ living in me.

Shout Praises To God

Psalm 66

1 Shout joyful praises to God, all the earth!

2 Sing about the glory of his name!

Tell the world how glorious he is.

This has been a week filled with busyness, as I have been painting Dad’s room on top of my “normal” schedule. It has been a week when I could serve Dad, Peggy, and all the family at the same time. I praise God for this opportunity and I want to sing His praises for His glorious grace extended to me every day.

What Part of Gently and Humbly is misunderstood here?

Galatians 6

1 Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. 2 Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. 3 If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.

I cannot help but think of how my brother Brent has been treated by a fellow “minister,” when I read these words. While Brent certainly had some fault in the situation and sin for which to repent (and he did), this guy was anything but gentle. This guy did not seek to restore, but rather to destroy Brent. My heart is broken. Not just for Brent, but for this guy, and for the congregation that is now torn up in turmoil because a supposedly godly man chose to be anything but godly in how he handled this situation. May the good Lord have mercy on everyone involved.

Fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5

22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

This kind of fruit continues to be developed in my life. This is what I want my life to look like to others. Father, continue to work in me through Your Holy Spirit. I ask this all in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Thirst For God

Psalm 63

1 O God, you are my God;

I earnestly search for you.

My soul thirsts for you;

my whole body longs for you

in this parched and weary land

where there is no water.

Do I earnestly search for God every day? Do I thirst for God? Do I long for God? I say that I do, but often my actions do not show it. Father, it is my desire to long for You daily. Not just with words, but with my whole being.

United With Christ

Galatians 3

26 For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. 28 There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you.

When does Paul say that we are united with Christ? When we are baptized. Paul says that we put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. I am so glad that I have new clothes, because my old ones were as filthy rags in the eyes of God. My new clothes are a shimmering white, because I am now a child of God through my faith in Christ Jesus and through being united with Him in baptism. Like everyone else who has obeyed the Gospel, I am one with Christ and with them!

I'd Rather Have Jesus

Proverbs 23

17 Don’t envy sinners,

but always continue to fear the Lord.

18 You will be rewarded for this;

your hope will not be disappointed.

Godliness with contentment is great gain. I am reminded today of an old song that says, “I would rather have Jesus than anything this world affords today. That is my lifestyle. I do not envy those who appear to have it all (at least as the culture defines it). I am content to be a child of Christ, Peggy’s husband, Elliott (Abi), Ian, and Emily’s dad, and a minister of the Gospel of Christ serving at Vero Christian Church. My life is absolutely amazing and I wouldn’t dare ask for anything more.

Old Self Died

Galatians 2

20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.

This is so key. As a follower of Christ, who has been obedient in Baptism, I know that my old self is dead. Not that I don’t still struggle with sin, but that struggle is different now because I have the indwelling Holy Spirit to convict me when I need to be convicted, to remind me when I need to be reminded, and to encourage me when I need to be encouraged. I cannot overcome sin in my life on my own...it is only through the Power of God through the Holy Spirt and because of the Blood of Jesus that my sin can be overcome. For that I praise my Lord every single day!

A Good Spanking

Proverbs 23

13 Don’t fail to discipline your children.

They won’t die if you spank them.

14 Physical discipline

may well save them from death.

It is easy to fall back into parental mode on this one, but today I want to assume the role of the child. God is my Father, and He must discipline me. I won’t die if I am spanked by my Heavenly Father, but a lack of discipline will surely lead me to separation from Him. There is much in my life for which I am deserving of a good spanking. I do not ask my Lord to spare me from such discipline, I simply ask to learn my lessons well from this discipline so we don’t have to keep going over the same thing time and time again. I am a slow learner, though, and I fully anticipate getting spanked again. Do what You must for my sake, O Lord.

Hmmm

Galatians 1

6 I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News 7 but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ.

8 Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you. 9 I say again what we have said before: If anyone preaches any other Good News than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed.

10 Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.

Paul is way more harsh than I find myself being on this subject, and I do not believe that Paul is in the wrong. The denominational movement within “Christianity” teaches a man-made, false doctrine regarding salvation. Calvinism is flat out NOT found in the Scriptures. I know that there are folks who will vehemently argue this point. I would simply point folks to the pages of the Holy Scriptures, particularly the book of Acts, to see how the early church treated the subject of salvation. How does Paul treat this notion of “the elect”? Why are 21 of the 27 books of the New Testament designed to help Christians know how to live? Hmmm...I could start sounding like Paul in Galatians 1, now couldn’t I?

Traits of a Christ Follower

2 Corinthians 13

11 Dear brothers, I close my letter with these last words: Be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you.

Paul is finishing up his 2nd letter to the church at Corinth, and the last section is filled with stern corrections and rebukes. He then, like a loving parent, reminds the Christians at Corinth to live like followers of Christ: be joyful. Grow to maturity. Encourage each other. Live in harmony and peace. Those are the marks of a true follower of Christ. Father, may I be known for those traits in my life each day.

Put My Trust In You

Psalm 56

3 But when I am afraid,

I will put my trust in you.

4 I praise God for what he has promised.

I trust in God, so why should I be afraid?

What can mere mortals do to me?

I cannot help but think of my buddy Brent when I read this Psalm today. I pray Lord that You will guide Brent and those who have had him under attack. Father, may all involved in this very unChristian treatment of Your servant Brent come to know You, Your Love, Your Grace, and Your Forgiveness. I am trusting in You, O God. May Brent do the same. May the leadership at his (now) former congregation do likewise.

Hear My Cry

Psalm 55

1 Listen to my prayer, O God.

Do not ignore my cry for help!

2 Please listen and answer me,

for I am overwhelmed by my troubles.

3 My enemies shout at me,

making loud and wicked threats.

They bring trouble on me

and angrily hunt me down.

Ten years ago today, a similar prayer to this was on the lips of lots of folks in America. We had suffered the attacks from Muslim Extremists who want to see this nation and these people come to an end. I offer this prayer not as an American, but as a Christian. Lord, do not ignore my cry for help. May this day serve as a reminder for me to depend upon You and Your Son Jesus daily. There are plenty of wicked folks who want to see me and what I stand for destroyed. Not because it is me, but because I stand for You, Lord. Whether I remain alive physically or not, may YOU be glorified always. May my life bring You honor, and may those who observe my life be drawn to You.

Send Me

Isaiah 6

1 It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple. 2Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. 3 They were calling out to each other,

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies!
The whole earth is filled with his glory!”

4 Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke.

5 Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”

6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. 7 He touched my lips with it and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.” 8 Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?”

I said, “Here I am. Send me.”

Today, I knelt before a chair and sang a song of worship to Jesus. It was overwhelming. I cannot imagine what Isaiah must have thought at the vision of God on the throne surrounded by seraphim singing God’s praises. I too, am a man of unclean lips desperately in need of having his sins forgiven each day. I too, want to be a man who will serve God wherever, whenever, however. I want to answer God’s call just as Isaiah did...”here I am, send me.”

God is Real

Psalm 53

1 Only fools say in their hearts,

“There is no God.”

They are corrupt, and their actions are evil;

not one of them does good!

There are plenty of fools out there. I do not wish to be one of them. There is One God, and He is the Creator of Life, the Author of Salvation, and to Him alone will I give all glory, honor, and praise! May my life be a song of love and devotion to Him and Him alone. When others see my life, may they proclaim that surely God is real, for He is seen in this guy’s life!