THE BLESSINGS UPON THE NATION THAT HONORS GOD…


Spiritual Blog - Honor God

Leviticus 26:1-13 – “’You shall not make for yourselves idols, nor shall you set up for yourselves an image or a sacred pillar, nor shall you place a figured stone in your land to bow down to it; for I am the LORD your God. 2′ You shall keep My sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary; I am the LORD. 3′ If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments so as to carry them out, 4 then I shall give you rains in their season so that the land will yield its produce and the trees of the field will bear their fruit. 5′ Indeed, your threshing will last for you until grape gathering, and grape gathering will last until sowing time. You will thus eat your food to the full and live securely in your land. 6′ I shall also grant peace in the land, so that you may lie down with no one making you tremble. I shall also eliminate harmful beasts from the land, and no sword will pass through your land. 7’But you will chase your enemies and they will fall before you by the sword; 8 five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall before you by the sword. 9’So I will turn toward you and make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will confirm My covenant with you. 10′ You will eat the old supply and clear out the old because of the new. 11′ Moreover, I will make My dwelling among you, and My soul will not reject you. 12′ I will also walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people. 13′ I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt so that you would not be their slaves, and I broke the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect.”  NASU

 

That is a lot of scripture for a short devotional but I hope you will take the time to read, reread, and meditate upon it reflecting on the nation.  There are some instructions, warning, and promises that some dismiss because they are referring to a form of worship often not seen in this modern culture.  I ask you to briefly walk through these passages and consider them considering today.

Consider the instructions, prohibitions, and warnings:  NO IDOLS!  Is that a problem today?  What is an idol?  It is anything that takes the place of God or is substituted as a god or is a person or thing that is greatly admired to the point of worship.  Some have made $$$ their idol.  Some idolize celebrities to the point that whatever those individuals do or say becomes their rule of faith and practice.  Some have made ethnicity an idol in that they hate everything that is not of their ethnicity and worship their skin color.  The Bible tells us that God will not share His glory with anyone or anything.  His promise throughout scripture is that if we Honor Him He will honor us.  He is our Creator!  Scientific evidence and calculations reveal that this could not be random chance.  If the planetary orbits were 1 degree off there would be chaos.  If the human body was not exactly as it is, we could not live and thrive.  I believe the Bible and believe that God is real and the Creator of All Things and if that is true, then He and He alone is worthy of worship for He and He alone determines our lives and our eternity.  To place anything before or above Him is an insult of the highest order.  We are also instructed to keep God’s Sabbaths and reverence His sanctuary.  Why?  Because God rested on the 7th day and the sanctuary is representative of His Person and Presence.

Then He declared that IF and that is the keyword.  “IF” we walk in His statutes and keep His commandments, not just with lip service but with the heart and walked out in our daily lives He (God) would do several things.  There would be rains in their season.  Rains were an absolute requirement for the crops and the crops determined life or death.  The land would then produce in abundance.  Notice in verse five, “…your threshing will last for you until the grape gathering, and grape gathering will last until sowing time.”  The condition would be unceasing prosperity and provision.  He said that if we walk in obedience we will be filled and live securely in our land.  If that is not something to be desired, I’m not sure what is.  The promise was peace and no one making us tremble.  He said he would eliminate the harmful beasts and not sword would go through the land.  There would be protection from within and without.  The continuation of that is seen in verse seven, “But you will chase your enemies and they will fall before you by the sword; five our you will chase a thousand and a hundred will chase ten thousand…”  That is an incredible promise.

The Promise is that if we do this and return to Him He will make us fruitful and multiply us and confirm His Covenant with us and His Covenants are incredible.  He also promised to walk among us and we would be His people.  We would have such abundance that we’d have to eat the old to make room for the new it would be so plenteous.  We would not have a need to horde and make provisions for lean times because there would be no lean times.  WHY?  Because He is walking among us and in our obedience, His face is shining upon us and His blessings overtaking us.

In America, we have drifted far from this picture and if we return to God he will return to us.  I encourage you to look to Him and tear down any idols that have been erected in your lives.  Our nation can be restored.  Our lives can be restored.  Our world can be reached IF and that again is the key “IF” we follow the prescription of these verses.

God bless you, and God bless America!

 

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DON’T DO IT FOR SHOW…


Spiritual Blog - Caution

Matthew 6:1 – “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.”  NASU

             This is a powerful passage and when you continue reading you see some incredible things in the context.  But before I mention any of them let me state emphatically that “outward” religion or Christianity for the purpose of the “praise of men” or “to be noticed” is not pleasing to God.  It does not draw people to Christ because those on the outside of the Family of God often see through faux righteousness and piousness before many within the family.  Additionally, those on the outside are often very skeptical and cynical about our faith and relationship with God, therefore it is imperative that we conduct ourselves chastely and our character above reproach.

Jesus goes so far as to say that if we do what we do religiously for the purpose of being noticed and praised by men, the Father will reject our works.  I pray daily, “Lord, let the words of my mouth and the mediation of my heart be acceptable and pleasing in your sight.”  I ask that He make me a man after His own heart and purge from me all unrighteousness.  I pray, as did David, “Create in me a clean heart, renew in me a right spirit, and please do not reject me or take your Holy Spirit from me and restore to me the joy of Your Salvation while upholding me with your Free Spirit.”  If that is the condition of my heart I will be able to teach transgressors the Ways of God and see those who are lost won into the family of God.  I want to be a vessel that God can use and need no recognition of man and continually ask that He help me develop an attitude that makes me impervious to the criticisms of men and immune from the Spirit of Rejection that drives many to seek the approval of men.  If we do what we do out of a “pure heart” others will be impacted positively for God and we will, through our lives, “Lift Jesus Up” and when that happens people will be drawn to Him like moths to a flame.

The next verse reveals a very practical application of our Lord’s words regarding our good works and our giving.  There is something incredibly powerful about anonymous giving for it strips the devil of any opportunity to lessen the impact for good.  It also robs the devil of any opportunity to impregnate our hearts with pride and the praise of men.  If you do what you do for show and the approval of people, that is your reward and your action focuses more on you than God and thereby limits the potential benefit outside the immediate results of your actions.

The same is true about prayer.  If we pray, as did the Pharisees, for public show, notice, and recognition we weaken the results.  I participate in a ministry where the major focus and theme is Prayer.  We encourage people to pray and in so doing find it necessary to talk about our personal prayer lives, but we do not do so to call attention to ourselves but to inspire others to utilize that weapon of spiritual warfare.  Some, pray lengthy prayers of repetition thinking that if they pray long and use flowering words somehow God will be impressed and respond.  As Jesus spoke about this, still connected to verse one, He gave us the pattern of prayer in verses 9-13 and the powerful statement in verses 14-15 about Forgiveness and being Forgiven.  The entire chapter, if read with verse one in mind, will be a catalyst to transform your thinking and actions in a most wonderful way.

He concluded His remarks in verses 25-34 and I urge everyone to read and reread the entire chapter time and again UNTIL it explodes within your spirit with recognition of His Purpose and Power.  We are who we are IN HIM and need to be nothing else for we are the Temple of God and He lives within us.  We are epistles (letters) know and read among men.  The only question is, “What are they reading when they read your life?” 

            May the Lord richly bless you as you enjoy this day in Him.

 

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AT THE CROSS…


Spiritual Blog - Cross

1 Timothy 2:5-7 – “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, 7 for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle — I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying — a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.”  NKJV

 

I have long loved Isaac Watt’s beautiful song, “At The Cross”.  What a beautiful and powerful truth of not only the beauty of what Christ did but the necessity.  In today’s world, too many churches are either no longer or limitedly preaching the Cross as a staple.  I had a preacher tell me that the Cross was too violent for civil society and not really necessary for man’s redemption.  He did not come out of a liberal theological persuasion but grew up in an old line fundamental church and trained in a very conservative theological seminary.  How he arrived at that conclusion I do not know but he is not alone.

The Bible is clear that “without the shedding of blood is no remission” (Hebrews 9:22).  Jesus sacrificial death on the Cross paid the price for mankind’s sin and effected a legal transaction that stripped the devil of his dominion over man.  The god of this world had been empowered over the race in the Garden at the Fall when Adam sinned.  Now the Second Adam, Jesus Christ, came to earth and satisfied divine justice in presenting a lamb without blemish sacrifice in His person.  He took our place on the Cross!  He died that we could live!

            The refrain is incredibly powerful: 

            “At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light,

             And the burden of my heart rolled away,

             It was there by faith I received my sight,

             And now I am happy all the day!

Hank Williams wrote and sang, “I Saw The Light” and although his life testified of a life outside the light the lyrics indicate he understood something that too many miss.  In God there is light and without God, there is no light.  It is at the Cross that we truly begin to see and as Watt’s song declares, it was there that real sight came.

Once we receive spiritual sight and can look beyond the present into the eternal our heart’s burdens roll away and joy comes to the heart that has been freed from sin.  The Bible declares that there is no greater love than to die for a friend.  Jesus willingly went to the Cross for you and me.  He paid for our crimes or sins and opened the door to grace that is beyond human comprehension.  I’m not sure any of us can understand grace we experience it and as a result are transformed into a new creation.

How can I fail to preach the Cross for without the Old Rugged Cross I would still be lost in my sins and separated from God?  The preaching of the Cross to those who are perishing is foolishness but to those of us who have believed it is the power of God unto salvation.  (1 Corinthians 1:18)   If one thinks the Blood and Cross too vile for civil society what will they think of Hell?

            God bless you as you go through this day!

 

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CLOUD OF WITNESSES…


Spiritual Blog - Witnesses

Hebrews 12:1-2 – “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”  NKJV

 

I remember a cousin giving me advice before I departed for boot camp and he said, “I was fearful of not making it but the more I thought about it the more I realized that if so many others had successfully gotten through that ordeal I could too.”  That helped me more times than I can count in boot camp, Vietnam and life in general.  The very fact that a host of others has successfully traveled the path inspires me that I can too.

Paul used the truth powerfully.  He sought to inspire the hearts with the reality that others have walked the path before us.  Because they have we should be careful to divest ourselves of all hindrances, develop patience and confidence in God’s promises and determine to endure or finish the course.  We run, not without purpose but with our focus on the LORD Jesus who is that friend who will never leave or forsake us.  He is the one that has gone before us to prepare a place for us.  He has promised to return for us and allow us to join Him in that heavenly abode forever.

The confidence inspired by others successfully having achieved an objective is a powerful inspiration and reminder.  There are things we must do to enhance our journey and propel us toward victory.  Most of us have loved ones who have proceeded us having crossed over and their faith, lives, and commitment is an inspiration as is the desire to see them again.  In life’s difficulties we can and should be reminded of the myriad of others who have faced similar circumstances and successfully defeated the enemy.  As my cousin said, “If they can I can too!” 

I would be remiss if I failed to note that it is not in our strength we run this race but in His.  It is a biblical truth that we can DO ALL THINGS through Christ who strengthens us.  We are MORE THAN conquerors through Him.  If God is for us who can be against us?   Therefore, knowing that He has led multitudes through the twists and turns of life and successfully led them to victory we can rest in confidence that He will lead us as well.

            May the Lord be with you as you go through this day!

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BECAUSE HE LIVES I CAN…


Spiritual Blog - He Lives

1 Corinthians 15:12-20 – “Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. 14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. 15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up — if in fact the dead do not rise. 16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. 17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! 18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. 20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.”  NKJV

 

Bill Gaither wrote an incredibly powerful song at the birth of their son called, “Because He Lives.”  Truly, because Jesus lives we can!  We can face the future without fear and in perfect peace because He has risen from the dead, ascended to the right hand of the Father and now makes intercession for us.  Because He lives I can…

  • Face Life…

The Bible tells us that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever, therefore, the three days we need to concern ourselves with are “yesterday, today and tomorrow”.  Yesterday is history so fretting over it is futile.  It is history and what is written is written. Worrying about what might have been will not change what is or will be.  Tomorrow has not yet come and might not come therefore concerning ourselves with it is without redeeming value.  Our Lord confirmed that telling His followers to “take no thought of the ‘morrow…”  He was not counseling them to do no planning or preparation but to not be overwhelmed with what might be.  The day we should focus on is TODAY for as the Bible declares in Psalm 118:24, “This is the day which the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”   TODAY is the moment in life that we should devote our attention.  Today is the day of salvation.  Today determines tomorrow in our lives.  Because He lives we can face today and life.

  • Reject Worry…

Jesus instructed His followers in Matthew 6:25 – “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?”  NKJV We can live in peace and confidence that God is at work on our behalf and in our best interest at all times.  Remember in Romans 8:28 we are told – “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” NKJV Because He lives we can live worry free!

  • Face Death…

Death to the unbeliever is finality and painfully troubling.  Although few truly yearn for death the believer is so completely confident in the promise of eternity death holds no terror.  The difference in how we face death is Jesus Christ.  If we have received Him as our personal savior death has no sting.  If we have not then death brings fear to our hearts as a terrorist’s threat of destruction.  Because He lives I can face death without fear.

  • Face Eternity…

The Bible makes it clear that judgment is real.  Heaven is real.  Hell is real.  All will stand before God and give account.  The covering of the Blood of Jesus is essential and His presence at the Judgment Bar defending us before the Father is vital and affords incredible comfort as we face eternity.  Because He lives we can long for our eternal destiny rather than live in fear.

May the Lord be with you and may your heart leap for joy as you consider the power of the truth that He Lives!   Blessings!

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I WISH I WAS EIGHTEEN AGAIN…


Spiritual Blog - 18 AgaIN

Luke 9:62 – “But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”  NKJV

             The title and the text have some wiggle room to attain the message I desire to present in this short devotional.  Truly, if one looks back at their past longingly and regrets or pines for the pleasures of sin that is an awful place and fits squarely in the word of our Lord in the above passage.  That is something I would want everyone to hold in the forefront of their consciousness but not specifically what I desire to present today.

I have said and heard others say, “If only I could be eighteen again knowing what I know now.”  There is both good and bad in that statement but at its foundation, there is a wrong frame of mind.  The past is the past and time once lived cannot be recovered.  It is gone!  Paul, told the Philippians that he knew he had not achieved spiritual perfection but was continuously reaching for the prize.  He emphasized that in pressing forward he refused to look back.  Lessons are learned in our experiences but they should never become a point of focus that we keep before us.  Learn the lesson, implement the learned and move forward.

Eighteen is so far in my rearview mirror that I can barely remember it and although I made many mistakes at that stage of my life and have often wondered how different my life would have been and be had those mistakes not been made.  I dwell there only momentarily for almost immediately the Holy Spirit reminds me that my path led me to Christ and eternal redemption.  I made several choices after high school to try and avoid Vietnam and with each choice something changed that kept my path headed to Southeast Asia where I spent the year of 1967.  I wanted to be a pilot but that didn’t happen although I had opportunity to cross branches and learn to fly helicopters.  Had I been assured of flight school in the Air Force or crossed branches and trained as a helicopter pilot my life could have and probably would have been dramatically different if I had survived.  Experiences in childhood, high school, military and afterward conditioned my heart to hear the tugging of the Holy Spirit and the wonder of salvation.  I would not change that for anything so I do not want to be eighteen again.

Some want to be eighteen again or any age younger than their present years because they fear the eventuality of death.  Death is a horror if you do not know the LORD in salvation and forgiveness but holds not sting or threat if we do.  We know that it is simply a promotion, sleep and/or transition from the physical reality to spiritual and eternal reality.  If it were possible to turn back the clock, travel back in time and be eighteen again where is the guarantee one would make the right choices and still arrive at the desired destination.  The desire is somewhat rooted in vanity but even more concerning is it expresses a lack of peace.  It expresses a lack of contentment with where our lives are now.  It expresses a desire to be god and in control rather than walking in faith and obedience to the Father.

We are on an eternal journey and reaching the finish line is not an undesirable thing.  Rather than wishing, we could return to the days of youth let’s focus on making the remaining days of our lives productive and full.  I desire to LIVE not ENDURE.  I desire to savor every moment of the remaining days and my prayer is that the LORD enable me to fulfill my purpose in this generation.  I want to be a vessel the Master can and does use to touch lives for God and good.

Never focus on the past but keep your eyes on the prize that is before!  The end of the race is better than the beginning!   May God bless you, guard and guide you as you walk through this day in Him!   Blessings!

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FAITH – FAMILY – FREEDOM…


Spiritual Blog - Faith

2 Timothy 1:3-7 -”I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, 4 greatly desiring to see you, being mindful of your tears, that I may be filled with joy, 5 when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. 6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”  NKJV

  

Three things are foundational in my life and outlook:  Faith, Family & Freedom.  The Bible reveals in Hebrews 11:6 that “without faith, it is impossible to please God…”  We are also informed in Romans 10:17 that “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”  We read in Ephesians 2:18 that salvation is by grace and we receive that gift or prize through faith.  So Faith is incredibly important in the spiritual.  We demonstrate our faith through obedience.  Our obedience to the directives of the Word of God indicates our confidence in the God of the Word and is an expression of faith.  Without faith, we would be like rudderless ships tossed on the sea of life.  Some have accused me of preaching a “blind faith” that is unreasonable but I contend that Hebrews 11 teaches faith, that the unbeliever could easily view as “blind”. 

The writer of Hebrews 11 presents a complex definition of faith saying, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”  I heard a preacher take this text once and contended for NOW FAITH!  I like that, not future faith, past faith but present faith or faith that is alive and operational in the NOW!  This faith described in Hebrews is a demonstrated confidence in the promises and provisions of God.  It is the desired object yet unseen but possessed in the heart, mind, and spirit by FAITH.  Faith transforms hopelessness into hope and inspires those facing seeming sure defeat to rise and stand on the promises of God.  Is it “blind”?  Only to the natural mind or eye.  For we are serving one who sees the end from the beginning.

I find it tragic in dealing with people, reading articles, seeing television programming and observing the efforts of Hollywood to witness the lessening of importance to the family unit.  I realize that I was raised in a different generation and with parents and grandparents who were totally committed to family and valued it above everything but God.  My parents considered it both an obligation and privilege to teach, nurture and train us in life.  They believed that if they kept us pointed in the right direction and taught us basic principles of morality, life, and faith we would become wholesome contributors to society and could, in time, become responsible parents ourselves.  In my family, we did not and do not rubber stamp attitudes and actions simply because of kinship.  We illustrate and advance the idea of iron sharpening iron but at the end of the day we value family and carefully guard those relationships.  My sister was a grade behind me in school and I was told once that some guys were afraid to ask her out because of me.  The statement was, “You are so fiercely loyal to family and friends some guys are afraid.”  I responded, “Nothing to fear unless you harm her.”

Today the world and America are witnessing the weakening of Freedom on many fronts.  Freedom is not the absence of chains on the body but the absence of chains on the heart.  Of course, none of us want to be in chains physically and find slavery repulsive but many are in chains spiritually, mentally, emotionally, financially and politically.  Freedom is a treasure must never to be treated lightly.  Freedom on virtually every front is fragile if there is not a solid foundation of Faith.  If I do not trust or have faith in government I will not feel confident or secure in my freedom.  If I do not trust others I cannot have confidence, or feel secure in relationships.  If I do not have confidence in the Word, Promises, and God Himself I cannot be Free spiritually and become an easy target for the enemy of our souls.

Therefore, I believe it is imperative that we first develop a foundation of Faith, strengthen Family relationships and in that condition we can achieve and enjoy Freedom regardless of what transpires in our world.  For me, it is:  Faith-Family-Freedom!  I would add one more “F” to the mix – FRIENDS!

            God bless you and God bless America!

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DON’T YOU KNOW WHAT DAY IT IS???


Spiritual Blog - This Is The Day

Matthew 12:1-8 – “At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. And His disciples were hungry, and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. 2 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath!” 

3 But He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him:  4 how he entered the house of God and ate the showbread which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?  5 Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath, and are blameless?  6 Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple.  7 But if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless.  8 For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”  NKJV

             As I look back on the years I laugh and cry over the Phariseeism of many in the Church.  This account has always stood out to me and given both comfort and confrontation.  The Holy Spirit has used it to remind me of the danger of becoming legalistic and ritualistic.  Through the years I have been around preachers who would blast people for working on Sunday but would lead the crowd to the restaurant after church for lunch.  I have heard sermons on the sin of hunting or fishing on Sunday but then hear a promotion of the Cowboys game coming up and even hosting a viewing party in the church fellowship hall.  I guess we tend to kill the sacred cows we don’t want.

Here the Pharisees were incredibly upset with the disciples for “working” on the Sabbath by gathering ears of corn and eating them.  How dare the disciples, for the Law of the Pharisees demanded no work be done and that was considered work.  I find it most interesting that they were not even remotely concerned with the disciples taking someone else’s corn.  Justice was not their strong suit but keeping every jot and tittle of their law was.  Their self-righteousness was enhanced by their strict compliance but justice and mercy were secondary.

Jesus took their exceptions and exposed their hypocrisy pointing to that which is most important – – Messiah!  He forced them to come face to face with Mercy and that is a message that we dare not forget.  Mercy truly rewrote my life and yours or can!  Without God’s mercy and grace, we would be in a world of hurt.  It is not our great sacrifice or strict compliance with some man-made list of rules that justifies it is God’s Grace!  It is possible to become so zealous for the minute that we miss the vital.

God help us to realize that He is the focus not a particular day of the week.  God help us to remember that it is by Grace that we are saved not by our compliance to a list of rules and our comparison to others.  Yes, I know what day it is and I also know that the LORD is Lord of the Sabbath and every other day of the week.  This is the day the Lord has created and I will rejoice and be glad in it.

            God bless you as you go through this day!

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THE TRUTH ABOUT LAZINESS…


Spiritual Blog - Laziness

Proverbs 18:9 – “He who is slothful in his work is a brother to him who is a great destroyer.” NKJV

The Bible clearly teaches and experience confirms that prodigality is bad.  If we remember the parables of the talents we realize that mishandling or not developing that which God has given is viewed negatively by the LORD.  There are people who spend more than they can afford and always seek to live well above their means.  They are not good stewards and in a sense throw away what they have in wasteful living.  The Prodigal.

The Bible also reveals that idleness is bad.  A person who is lazy and negligent in their work, labors or duties is akin to those who openly and actively destroy.  Laziness is not just a propensity to avoid work it is destructive.  It siphons from that which is productive and squanders it on that which is unproductive.  It is visible in today’s ‘entitlement mentality’ crowd who are perfectly content to sit idle and allow the production of another to sustain them.  No wonder the apostle Paul declared that if one “would not work” they “should not eat”.  The operative word is WOULD NOT!

This is true in the everyday matters of life but it can and should also be applied to the spiritual.  If we are negligent in our studies, prayers, and labors for the Kingdom we adopt a life that is non-productive and even destructive.    If we see evil and danger and sit idly by we are guilty of the blood of those who go into perdition without warning.  If we know to do good and fail to do it the Bible calls that sin.  How can we stand before the LORD expecting to hear commendation and acceptance when we have neglected that which we know?

Laziness or slothfulness is not genetic nor even a condition of one’s environment, it is a heart and mind condition.  Children need to be taught industry.  My heritage taught me that you work for what you receive with the exception of salvation.  Grace is a free gift but if after receiving grace we sit idle and become slothful in our Christian responsibilities we are trampling underfoot the Blood of Jesus.  We do not work to earn our salvation but we work because of our salvation.  I believe that Jesus’ statement in Revelation is applicable.  “I would that you were hot or cold but because you are lukewarm I will spew you out of my mouth.” 

God is not asking everyone to be fanatical zealots but He is asking that we bloom where we are planted and stand ready and willing to share our faith and present Him to the world.  The depraved man will be bent toward laziness and slothfulness but when the Holy Spirit resides in the heart He always motivates us to action.

            God bless you as you go through this day!

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THE LOINS OF YOUR MIND…


Spiritual Blog - Loins

1 Peter 1:13-16 – “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”  NKJV

Without question, there is a visual of the long robes they wore and when they were performing labor or service they would tuck them in their girdles or waistbands so as to be able to move freely without hindrance.  Although I fully concur that we must allow our minds to be free of encumbrances so as to bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ there is something more in this passage that I hope to offer.

The loins are always understood as that part of the anatomy from which reproduction comes or is initiated.  Therefore, if we are to gird up the loins of our minds could it not be understood that we are to prepare ourselves so that our minds can give birth to thought and thereby imagination and creativity.  Is it not in the loins of the mind that we encounter our LORD in knowledge and fellowship?  Is it not in the loins of our mind that we embrace His life and have our minds renewed so that we become one with Him in our consciousness thought?

If out of the physical loins, reproduction is possible then out of the mind’s loins we give birth to thought.  Peter’s instruction is, in my view, a directive and encouragement to bring our minds into obedience to Christ and thereby resting our hope squarely on the grace that comes to us through the revelation of Christ.  It is through this that we are better prepared and capable of obedience in all things.

I find it disturbing that too many in Christendom give so little importance to the mind.  I am not suggesting mind over matter or any other metaphysical activity but I am saying that our minds are incredibly important in our spiritual development and walk.  If we are as we think in our hearts then how could we not understand the value of the mind?  The mind, like the muscles in our physical body, must be exercised to have strength, discipline and grow.  In the things of God if we are to bring every thought captive to the obedience of Christ we must learn to gird up the loins of our minds.

I encourage you to allow God to expand your mind, stretch your thinking and infuse into you an ever expanding imagination guided and led by the Holy Spirit.  How far can you think in Christ?   God bless you as you go through this day!

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