Category Archives: HUMILITY

RESISTING EVIL. 041315

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PICS 092114 094Matthew 5:38 [Jesus said] “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person.”

Jesus says we’re not supposed to resist the evil person.  We’re supposed to give up, give in, let them have their way.  How can we possibly do that?  The only way we can even consider doing it is if we have truly surrendered to God and we have His Spirit in our hearts.  Then we can say, “Lord, I don’t like this, but I’m going to do what You say.  I’m going to be obedient.”  Why?  Because God really CAN do something about it.  He turns the world upside down every day, just to bring honor and glory to Him.  He can supernaturally intervene and change peoples’ lives, just because we surrender and obey.

It reminds me of Bobby Ray, a friend of mine in prison.  Bobby Ray leads a little Bible study out in the Rec Yard.  One day, he’s getting ready to have the Bible study, and this guy walks up to him and says, “You make me mad.  I’m going to whip your ‘rear’.”  Now Bobby Ray is a big guy, about 50 years old, maybe 6’2”, weigh about 250, not an ounce of fat on him. He says to himself, “I don’t have to take this kinda stuff off this guy.” Continue reading →

Seek God With All Your Heart. 040815

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MeditationDeuteronomy 4:29-31:  If [even after worshipping idols] you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him, if you seek Him with all your heart and soul. When you are in distress, and all these things come upon you .  .  . when you turn to the Lord your God and obey His voice (for the Lord your God is a merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them.

What does it mean, ‘With All Your Heart”?  Yes, I know, it means that you’re really serious; that you really want to have a relationship with God; that you want the benefits of having a close relationship with Him, because what you’ve been doing definitely isn’t working.

Sounds like, from the next sentence, that if you’re tired of going on without God, and you’ve done a whole lot of really stupid stuff, (like worshipping something besides God), and all these [bad] things come upon you .  .  . when you turn to the Lord your God and obey His voice.  .  .  God won’t forsake you or destroy you or forget the covenant He made with your fathers, because He is a merciful God. Continue reading →

CORRECTION AND DISCIPLINE. 040615

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Warning SignHebrews 12:5-8 says, “My son .  .  .  and do not lose heart when He scolds you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he [corrects] everyone he accepts as his son.” .  .  .  If you are not disciplined—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all.” NIV

My son Ian, 16, just got his ‘real’ driver’s license, and an ’88 Ford pickup.  Along with the license and the truck he got a few hard fast rules to live by.  FIRST RULE “keep your parents informed.”        Second rule: Don’t drive near the HEB, the primary shopping area by our house. It’s dangerous: traffic accidents, teenage drivers and others not paying attention; cell-phones, texting and other distractions.  Not a place for an inexperienced driver.

The other night, after supper, he says, “I’m going to go drive around just for fun.”  He said he’d drive in the neighboring subdivision and be back in 25 minutes . We agreed.  In 25 minutes he called.  He said, “I’m down here across from the HEB and the truck won’t run.”  When I arrived, I asked him about gas. Turns out he bought a little gas ($2.50 worth) 3 days ago.  No wonder he ran out. Continue reading →

Holy Smoke! A Talking Donkey. 040315

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AsinoIn Numbers 22:26-28, it says,  “Then the Angel of the Lord went further, and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.  And when the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam; so Balaam’s anger was aroused, and he struck the donkey with his staff.  Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”

The story goes on to say that the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes and he saw the Angel of the Lord, and fell on his face.  The Lord was very displeased with Balaam for what he was wanting to do, so He sent the Angel to kill Balaam.  But the donkey saved Balaam from being killed.  You can read the whole story in Numbers Chapters 22-24.

The moral of this story is this:  If the Lord can use a donkey to get His message out to people in the world, maybe He can even use you and me.  Praise the Lord!

OBEDIENCE. 032515

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Ephesians 2.8In the 22nd Chapter of Genesis is the story of when God told Abraham to get his son Isaac, the ‘Son of God’s Promise’, and take him up on a mountain, and “offer him there as a burnt offering.”  The very next verse in the story says, “So Abraham got up early the next morning and started out.”

It really is clear in the Bible, that from the beginning, God’s preferred means of reconciling Himself to men (really His only method and means) is by grace through faith; and this episode is but one of many examples of that message found in the Bible. Continue reading →

SERVANTS: WHO THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY DO.032315  

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Silhouette of man surrendering with two hands raised in air near the beach at sunsetMatthew 25:35-36: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ Continue reading →

TRUE OBEDIENCE. 022515

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Silhouette illustration of a man praying under the lightIn Matthew 21: 28-32, Jesus tells the story of the man who had two sons.  He went to the first and said, “Go to the vineyard.” And the son said, “I will not.” But afterward, he regretted it and went.  Then the father went to the second son and said the same.  That son said, “I’ll go.”  But he didn’t.  Then Jesus said, “Which one of the sons did the will of his father?”  [the Pharisees] said, “The first.”

Then Jesus tells the Pharisees that the sinners will get into heaven before them because the sinners BELIEVED what John the Baptist preached and were changed; while the Pharisees didn’t believe even after they saw it.  Jesus compared them to the second son, who said the right thing, but didn’t do it. Continue reading →

PRAY WITHOUT CEASING. 012715

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One Bloom Many Buds“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: NKJV

The kind of prayer I’m talking about; the kind of prayer I think this passage is talking about is substantially different from regular praying, where you ask for things and intercede for others.  It’s not an activity where you’re focusing your conscious mind on God, and talking to Him about specific issues, or events, or material things in your life.  It’s more like an attitude, an awareness of God’s presence; Continue reading →

COPING WITH LIFE.021615

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Stress Burdens Sticky Notes Reminders for Stressful LifeYou know, every day with Jesus really IS sweeter than the day before; but sometimes the cares of this world just get you down.  There is too much to do and not enough time to do it all in. The bills are more than the income and lots of people standing in line waiting for their part.  You’re tired, exhausted, and you get depressed from all the toxins in your system caused by the fatigue.  There’s nothing you’d like better than to have one whole day just to sleep, and maybe another day to get organized, but all this stuff is still there demanding attention.  What do we do? Continue reading →