Friday, November 23, 2018
Thursday, November 8, 2018
Friday, August 3, 2018
A Devotional Thought From Leviticus
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the
children of Israel, and say unto them, I am the LORD your God. After the doings
of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings
of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do; neither shall ye
walk in their ordinances. Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances,
to walk therein: I am the LORD your God. Leviticus 18:1 – 4
In His many instructions to the Jewish people, then in the
wilderness preparing for their future, the LORD tells them don’t do in your
lives and society what the Egyptians do in theirs. You lived there, but I’ve
brought you out, and I want you to be different than they are. Also, when I
bring you into the land of Canaan, the land of blessing that I will give you,
do not do what the Canaanites do either. Don’t follow their ways, or laws, or
ordinances.
I am your God, and I want you to do what I instruct you to
do. I want you to keep my law. I want you to live the way I prescribe.
If you read the rest of chapter 18, you will find very
numerous, direct statements about morality. I will not go into the details.
They are graphic.
The nations that inhabited Canaan defiled themselves with
these sins, and that was one reason why God was casting them out of the blessed
land, and giving it to His people (18:24). He spoke of putting the iniquity of
these people on the land, and as a consequence pictures the land itself
vomiting out the inhabitants (18:25).
While this chapter refers specifically to God’s ancient
people, and the land of promise, it should give any modern nation pause. Has
the level of our societal morality sunk so low that it can compare with vomit
in the gutter? Is the nation floating in a pool of filth? Will terrible
immorality bring terrible consequences?
Friday, July 13, 2018
July 13, 2018
Why A Revival Of Biblical Faith And Behavior Would Benefit
America Or Any Nation
And Pharaoh said, Who
is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the
LORD, neither will I let Israel go.
Exodus 5:2
Many individuals, in this country and others around the
world, if they spoke the true feelings of their hearts and minds about the God
of the Bible, would echo the words of the Pharaoh of the Exodus as they are
stated in Chapter 5 verse 2 of the book of Exodus in the Bible.
If they were candid they would say “I know not the LORD.” Like Pharaoh did. Why should I obey him? Why should I follow his commands? Why should I accept
his moral standards?
Pharaoh then said “neither will I let Israel go.” To
paraphrase, I do what I want to do even though what God wants is something
different. I think it is fair to say, that feeling, pervades those today who do
not know the Lord, and as a result the land(s) is filled with their reckless
sinful behavior. And, their reckless sinful behavior affects the entire nation.
What Pharaoh should have known is that he was setting
himself, and his nation, up for judgment. Pharaoh’s magicians summed it up when
they said together to their head of government, “knowest thou not yet that
Egypt is destroyed? (Exodus 10:17).
If such a thing could happen to the greatest national power
on earth at that time because of disobedience to God…Well, you get the point.
Tuesday, February 20, 2018
Unspeakable Hurt
17 people dead, shot, murdered in a high school on Valentine’s
Day in Florida, add that to the many other evils that hurt and destroy the
lives of people in our country and around the world. Besides the unspeakable
grief with which it shrouds the family members and friends of the victims, it
places all caring Americans in the grip of sorrow, and guilt, and confusion,
about why such things happen. Those answers, if there are any, will come on investigation,
but what can be said to those who carry the hurt and sorrow, at least from the spiritual
side of the questions? Here, edited, is a Christian Devotional reading
expressing where God is in relation to the tragedy of the individuals left
behind, mourning, and hurting. It appears in the devotional book, A Year in the
Life: Ministry and Memories ©2017.
March 29
He Will Carry You
In all their
affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his
love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he
bare them, and carried them all the days of old. Isaiah 63:9
There are so many people who face
grave dangers and difficulties in their lives; their children shot to death at school, toddlers
afflicted with dread diseases, persecution for their faith that puts their life
and liberty at risk, drunken spouses, desperate poverty, or personal mental
illness; just a few among many of the tragedies of life that can break the
will, and break a heart, and break a faith. Where is God for these people? Why
do they suffer all alone in their dreadful circumstances?
The prophet Isaiah tells us that
when Israel, God’s people, was under affliction that He was afflicted with them.
He loved them while they were stricken and suffering. He brought them back to
Himself and carried them. He carried them all
the days of old. He carried them through it all. No matter what they faced
He was there with them, and if they desired it, for them.
When people ask “Why? Why me? Why
my child? Why my family? Why my emotions? Why my country? Why my church?” Or
any of the many “Why?” questions that come up during a season of suffering, the
only answer is God knows. Not much comfort humanly speaking, yet there is
comfort in knowing that God knows and cares. God is with you in your
affliction. He feels for you, His child, He is carrying you. Hug his neck like
a toddler in the dark hugs her daddy. God will carry you as long as it takes.
Prayer: You are with us in the furnace, Lord. Help us walk
through the fire knowing we are in Your care, and be comforted. In the name of
Jesus who suffered for us. Amen.
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