Only take heart and be very strong; take care to do all the law which Moses my servant gave you, not turning from it to the right hand or to the left, so that you may do well in all your undertakings.
Josh 1:7 (BBE)
Then Moses sent for Joshua, and before the eyes of all Israel said to him, Be strong and take heart: for you are to go with this people into the land which the Lord, by his oath to their fathers, has given them; by your help they will take it for their heritage.Deut 31:7 (BBE)
Take care, then, to do whatever the Lord your God has given you orders to do; let there be no turning away to the right hand or to the left. Deut 5:32 (BBE)
You are to keep with care all the words I give you, making no addition to them and taking nothing from them.Deut 12:32
So keep the words of this agreement and do them, so that it may be well for you in everything you do.Deut 29:9.
And keep the orders of the Lord your God, walking in his ways, keeping his laws and his orders and his rules and his words, as they are recorded in the law of Moses; so that you may do well in all you do and wherever you go.1 Kings 2:3
Happy are they who keep his unchanging word, searching after him with all their heart.
Psalms 119:2 (BBE)
Friday, May 11, 2018
Thursday, April 6, 2017
BLESS ME GOD
I will not let you go, if you do not bless me.
Lord, take my strength, so that I may have peace, and that you may be at peace with me.
For you woman, today I tell you how great your faith is; Then I also tell you to Be with you as you want, because as the Word says "According to your faith be done." But I also say to you, That you ask in faith, do not be anything hesitant. For the one who doubts is like the wave of the sea, which is stretched by the wind and thrown to where another wants. Because if you do not believe, then you will not receive anything from the Lord.
Your prayer should be: Lord "I pray thee, if I have found grace in thine eyes, show me now thy way, that I may know thee." Surely the Lord will tell you, "My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."
Isaiah 27: 5. Matthew 15:28. Matthew 9:29. James 1: 6,7. Luke 24: 28,29,31,32. Exodus 33:13.
Tuesday, April 4, 2017
What Is The Real "Mission"?
Last night I was in the lovely home of a business executive and his wife. The furniture was tastefully appointed, expensive cars filled the driveway, maids scurried about. Impressive and enviable.
This attractive couple routinely host Bible studies, conduct all night prayer vigils, go on mission trips, and consistently lead people to Christ. They are generous with their resources beyond measure. Their commitment to Christ and His cause is without question.
These folks have it together, wouldn't you say? Sadly, the answer is "No". How is this possible?
The answer lies in the fact that they are failing in the most basic area of their lives: Their children.
In the home confusion reigns. The children are angry, flustered… disrespectful. There is constant jostling for control between parents and children. The decibel level is deafening.
Guests find it difficult to carry on conversation without being interrupted. Rather than a place of refuge, the home is a center for chaos and discord.
Involvement in God's work does not absolve us of parental responsibility as Eli, the priest discovered: "For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons made themselves contemptible, and he failed to restrain them. Therefore, I swore to the house of Eli, 'The guilt of Eli's house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering." (1 Samuel 3:13-14)
Missionary stateswoman Helen Morken has sagaciously observed, "Many Christians have forsaken their children for the mission, living to see their children undo their mission, realizing too late that their children were the mission."
Paul reminds us that an elder "must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his household how will he take care of the church of God?)" (1 Timothy 3:4, 5)
The term "manage well" presents the idea of order, discipline, planning, superintending; of giving direction. Literally of "presiding with beauty or excellence."
The Christian husband and father is to lead his family with dignity. That is, he is to guide them with reverence, respect, gravity and sanctity. It is one thing to control one's family with harshness and cold directives, and quite another to lead with firm compassion.
It has been our observation that chronic behavioral problems are usually an indication of a failure in parenting —generally centering on the father's failure to lead his family in a Biblical manner.
May God help us to not miss it here!
This attractive couple routinely host Bible studies, conduct all night prayer vigils, go on mission trips, and consistently lead people to Christ. They are generous with their resources beyond measure. Their commitment to Christ and His cause is without question.
These folks have it together, wouldn't you say? Sadly, the answer is "No". How is this possible?
The answer lies in the fact that they are failing in the most basic area of their lives: Their children.
In the home confusion reigns. The children are angry, flustered… disrespectful. There is constant jostling for control between parents and children. The decibel level is deafening.
Guests find it difficult to carry on conversation without being interrupted. Rather than a place of refuge, the home is a center for chaos and discord.
Involvement in God's work does not absolve us of parental responsibility as Eli, the priest discovered: "For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons made themselves contemptible, and he failed to restrain them. Therefore, I swore to the house of Eli, 'The guilt of Eli's house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering." (1 Samuel 3:13-14)
Missionary stateswoman Helen Morken has sagaciously observed, "Many Christians have forsaken their children for the mission, living to see their children undo their mission, realizing too late that their children were the mission."
Paul reminds us that an elder "must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his household how will he take care of the church of God?)" (1 Timothy 3:4, 5)
The term "manage well" presents the idea of order, discipline, planning, superintending; of giving direction. Literally of "presiding with beauty or excellence."
The Christian husband and father is to lead his family with dignity. That is, he is to guide them with reverence, respect, gravity and sanctity. It is one thing to control one's family with harshness and cold directives, and quite another to lead with firm compassion.
It has been our observation that chronic behavioral problems are usually an indication of a failure in parenting —generally centering on the father's failure to lead his family in a Biblical manner.
May God help us to not miss it here!
Monday, April 3, 2017
End of the Age
Mat 13:36-46 KJ2000
(36) Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.
(37) He answered and said unto them, He that sows the good seed is the Son of man;
(38) The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
(39) The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
(40) As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
(41) The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
(42) And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
(43) Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who has ears to hear, let him hear.
(44) Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; which when a man has found, he hides, and for joy thereof goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field.
(45) Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking fine pearls:
(46) Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
There is a curiosity here: The disciples question him on this parable, but not the others. Why?
It is faintly possible that they did not understand the parable. But note that no one else followed Jesus to ask; and the meaning as explained seems simple enough.
More likely it is this: they wanted to know if he really meant it. The direct, frightening consequences of this parable are indeed terrifying. Jesus, in effect, says, "That's what I meant to tell you."
So what was it that so perturbed this disciples? It was the ultimate reality of Christ himself:
The reality of the bodily resurrection. It is so easy to "spiritualize" the resurrection into a non-event. It is a frequent error, but it clearly cannot be derived from the Bible. The teaching of the Bible and the early church was clear: the dead shall rise in the body—to face the judgment.
The reality of the Judgment. The Bible is also perfectly clear on this: all will face their maker to receive what is due them for what they have done in this life. They will face him in the body and be rewarded or punished as they deserve. Mercy will be given to the merciful (Lord, make me the most merciful of men.)
The reality of Hell. Almost all the teaching on the subject of Hell comes from our Lord himself. Perhaps we would believe it from no other source. But what would you have? The righteousness of God demands the punishment of the unrepentant. He is patient—but not forever.
The reality of eternal life. For those who are written in the Book of Life, they shall have life indeed. The description here is that they will "shine like the sun." Perhaps this is literal, perhaps not; whatever it is, it is glorious.
It is interesting to note that the sower is specifically identified to be the Son of Man. In the humility of his first coming, Jesus has sown the seeds of eternal life for you and me. But in his second coming, the reaping is done by the angels, for then he shall come in all his power and glory.
The disciples questioned this. Jesus made it explicit—to them, and to us. Are you ready?
(36) Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.
(37) He answered and said unto them, He that sows the good seed is the Son of man;
(38) The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
(39) The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
(40) As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
(41) The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
(42) And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
(43) Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who has ears to hear, let him hear.
(44) Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; which when a man has found, he hides, and for joy thereof goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field.
(45) Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking fine pearls:
(46) Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
There is a curiosity here: The disciples question him on this parable, but not the others. Why?
It is faintly possible that they did not understand the parable. But note that no one else followed Jesus to ask; and the meaning as explained seems simple enough.
More likely it is this: they wanted to know if he really meant it. The direct, frightening consequences of this parable are indeed terrifying. Jesus, in effect, says, "That's what I meant to tell you."
So what was it that so perturbed this disciples? It was the ultimate reality of Christ himself:
The reality of the bodily resurrection. It is so easy to "spiritualize" the resurrection into a non-event. It is a frequent error, but it clearly cannot be derived from the Bible. The teaching of the Bible and the early church was clear: the dead shall rise in the body—to face the judgment.
The reality of the Judgment. The Bible is also perfectly clear on this: all will face their maker to receive what is due them for what they have done in this life. They will face him in the body and be rewarded or punished as they deserve. Mercy will be given to the merciful (Lord, make me the most merciful of men.)
The reality of Hell. Almost all the teaching on the subject of Hell comes from our Lord himself. Perhaps we would believe it from no other source. But what would you have? The righteousness of God demands the punishment of the unrepentant. He is patient—but not forever.
The reality of eternal life. For those who are written in the Book of Life, they shall have life indeed. The description here is that they will "shine like the sun." Perhaps this is literal, perhaps not; whatever it is, it is glorious.
It is interesting to note that the sower is specifically identified to be the Son of Man. In the humility of his first coming, Jesus has sown the seeds of eternal life for you and me. But in his second coming, the reaping is done by the angels, for then he shall come in all his power and glory.
The disciples questioned this. Jesus made it explicit—to them, and to us. Are you ready?
Saturday, April 1, 2017
What communion hath light with darkness?
2 Corinthians 6:14
Men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. — Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
Darkness hath blinded his eyes. — Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
The dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty. — Love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble. The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness
Ye were sometime darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light.
John 3:19. 1 Thessalonians 5:5. 1 John 2:11. Psalm 119:105. Psalm 74:20. 1 John 4:7,8. Proverbs 4:19,18. John 12:46. Ephesians 5:8.
Friday, March 31, 2017
Thou shall guide me with Thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
Psalm 73:24.
There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
Hebrews 4:9.
Guide us through life; and when at last
We enter into rest,
Thy tender arms around us cast,
And fold us to Thy breast.
H. F. LYTE.
Go forth to meet the solemnities and to conquer the trials of existence, believing in a Shepherd of your souls. Then faith in Him will support you in duty, and duty firmly done will strengthen faith; till at last, when all is over here, and the noise and strife of the earthly battle fades upon your dying ear, and you hear, instead thereof, the deep and musical sound of the ocean of eternity, and see the lights of heaven shining on its waters still and fair in their radiant rest, your faith will raise the song of conquest, and in its retrospect of the life which has ended, and its forward glance upon the life to come, take up the poetic inspiration of the Hebrew king, "Surely goodness and mercy have followed me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."
STOPFORD A. BROOKE.
Thursday, March 30, 2017
There shall no evil befall thee
Psalm 91:10.
Whoso hearkeneth unto Me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.
Proverbs 1:33.
I ask not, "Take away this weight of care;"
No, for that love I pray that all can bear,
And for the faith that whatsoe'er befall
Must needs be good, and for my profit prove,
Since from my Father's heart most rich in love,
And from His bounteous hands it cometh all.
C. J. P. SPITTA.
Be like the promontory, against which the waves continually break; but it stands firm, and tames the fury of the water around it. Unhappy am I, because this has happened to me? Not so, but happy am I, though this has happened to me, because I continue free from pain, neither crushed by the present, nor fearing the future. Will then this which has happened prevent thee from being just, magnanimous, temperate, prudent, secure against inconsiderate opinions and falsehood? Remember, too, on every occasion which leads thee to vexation to apply this principle: that this is not a misfortune, but that to bear it nobly is good fortune.
MARCUS ANTONINUS
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