tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51316822024-02-08T07:31:49.965-07:00OnTheHillMeditations from the Word of GodJasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10632224456189259136noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5131682.post-90852609476323780212009-01-14T23:19:00.005-07:002009-01-19T22:48:09.929-07:00Can we hear? Will we respond?The reading for today in Oswald Chamber' My Utmost for His Highest is entitled "Called of God" and references Isaiah's hearing of God's call.<br /><br /><blockquote>"Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me." (Isaiah 6:8)<br /><br /></blockquote><blockquote></blockquote>The idea is that God is talking to everyone, yet Isaiah heard His still small voice and chose to respond based on that hearing. Oswald says,<br /><br /><blockquote>"<span style="font-style: italic;">Whether or not I hear God's call depends on the state of my ears; and what I hear depends on my disposition.</span>"<br /></blockquote><br />This fits wonderfully in the discussion of the understanding of perspectives. Isaiah was responding, but it wasn't necessarily to a personal call (though that could be argued) but a general call. He was responding because of, as Oswald puts it, the state of his ears and disposition.<br /><br />Oswald's quote is interesting because he says that "whether or not I hear" is a result of the state of his ears. Presumably his ears are that part of him which has the capability of truly hearing the call. This would be his spirit. It presumes that he was hitherto walking in the spirit and not the flesh; that he was not living a life blaspheming the Holy Spirit and thus hindering the work of the Spirit in his life. The state of our heart, or willingness to submit to the authority and love of Christ in our lives, then determines whether or not we can actually hear the still small voice of God when He speaks. If we are living in the flesh or at the leading of another master (like ourselves) it will be hard for our spirit to hear through the din of the carnal static. If however, our "disposition" is one that is submitted, one that is walking under the Lordship of God and His Christ, then not only will we hear, we will also hear the "what" of His call.<br /><br />What we hear, the specifics of God's call and our place in it, can only be heard through a willing heart ("Who will go?") that is poised and ready for action. It is about having a continual relationship of building and mentoring by the Holy Spirit; it is about being willing to introspect and "let the Spirit of God bring us face to face with God" as Oswald puts it; it is about having our hearts prepared so that when the moment comes, we have the opportunity to say "Here am I, send me."<br /><br />If we neglect the Spirit of God and his leading, and aren't able to hear his voice through our flesh, and can't hear what He is calling us to do through our fallen disposition - will we be able to respond? Clearly the answer is no, and clearly the answer is straightforward, though the way may be difficult depending on how much we hang on to the flesh and walk under our own lordship.<br /><br />Can we hear? Will we respond?<div class="blogger-post-footer">copyright 2008 jason dean all rights reserved</div>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10632224456189259136noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5131682.post-52321673505069116542008-11-03T20:36:00.004-07:002008-11-03T21:04:05.836-07:00what will beOswald Chambers, in today's reading of <span style="font-style: italic;">My utmost for His Highest</span>, commented about the breaking of our independence from God.<br /><blockquote>I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. (Galatians 2:20)</blockquote>In the last paragraph Mr. Chambers rhetorically asked whether we are going to make our selves available for God to help Himself to, or are we going to prevent Him from doing so due to our own "conception of what we are going to be?" I find this to be a very powerful question. As I consider my own life planning - work, formal education, certifications, ministries, and more - am I truly making myself available for His use and glory, or am I consumed with "vain ambition?"<br /><br />Certainly my attempt and desire is to make myself available for the Master's use. If God called me to go to China to preach the gospel, could he gift me with tongues in Chinese? Sure! Would it make a difference if I was at the same time, working diligently to study and learn Mandarin Chinese? Sure! Would the latter prevent God from choosing me, or prevent me from being used if I only spoke English? No way! Would my speaking Chinese make me better or somehow more spiritual? Absolutely not! Would my obedience and choice by faith to learn Chinese so that I can be used in a deeper way be blessed? Oh yeah!<br /><br />So my question then is, am I consumed with vanity for my own plans or am I really and truly making myself available to God for His plans. As it was put in a recent Christian movie, am I acting in faith to prepare the fields for rain and see His harvest? Certainly we can add nothing to God, but clearly we get to see Him more when we seek to be used! When we put our faith and obedience on the line, dying to self, we get to see Him do things that we would never see otherwise.<br /><br />Oswald also says, "The passion of Christianity is that I deliberately sign away my own rights and become a bond-slave of Jesus Christ." To be His means that I am not mine. I am not my own, I am purchased with a price (<a href="http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=1Cr&c=7&v=23&t=NKJV#23">1 Cor. 7:23</a>). The problem however is that while it is somewhat easy to say those words, it's different to live them. Do I choose to take those thoughts captive? Do I choose to honor God with humility, even if I "lose?" By God's grace I set my heart once again to live the life of a bond-slave for Jesus and submit myself to His mercy, grace, joy, peace, hope, <a href="http://www.blueletterbible.org/Bible.cfm?b=Hbr&c=11&v=25&t=NKJV#25">affliction as necessary</a>, and above all, Love!<div class="blogger-post-footer">copyright 2008 jason dean all rights reserved</div>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10632224456189259136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5131682.post-49742920244816072442008-01-05T00:13:00.001-07:002008-11-03T22:30:18.261-07:00Jesus is our Resolution<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="font-size:130%;"><strong>Jesus is our Resolution</strong></span><br />Sermon Notes<br />Calvary Chapel of Emmett, Idaho<br />Sunday, December 30th, 2007<br /><br /></span><a name="_Toc186749116"><strong><em><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Introduction</span></em></strong></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /><br />We try to set new years resolutions. Jewish new year custom is to reflect and repent for last year. American custom to resolve to do something different.<br /><br />Definition: resolve - to come to a definite or earnest decision about; determine (to do something):<br /><br /><u>Resolutions are about change, which is about making decisions. </u><br /><br />As Americans we are typically more focused on the what than the how. We want to see or be something, we have an end result in mind. Yet how to get there eludes us. </span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><ul><li>Some of us come to the new year with a need for a fresh start or second chance </li><li>Some come to the new year with the knowledge of the richness of Christ and a yearning for more </li><li>Some come without thought about what's ahead </li><li>Some are just beginning to consider the future </li></ul><p><a name="_Toc186749118"><strong><em><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Not making a choice is still a choice</span></em></strong></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /><br />An old professor of mine hade a great quote, “Your lack of planning does not constitute an emergency on my part.” His point was that my lack of deciding to do what was necessary was still a choice.<br /><br />My daughter's teacher told the class that not forgetting an assignment was choosing not to turn it in because they didn’t make plans and take the appropriate steps to ensure that the assignment was turned in.<br /><br />We make decisions every day, whether we consider them resolutions or not, they are just that. Either a resolution by default, as a loss (i.e. not deciding to change, and therefore deciding to stay the same); or purposely choosing something different.<br /><br />We are all making resolutions today - some will be the result of planning and action, while most will be the result of a lack of planning and/or inaction on our part.<br /><br />Change is the result of purposeful choice, a decision followed by action.<br /><br /></span><a name="_Toc186749119"><strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">True Change requires Christ</span></strong></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /><br /></span><a name="="><strong><em><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">We must choose to Repent and follow Jesus</span></em></strong></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /><br />God is a God of new beginnings, of second chances.<br /></span></p></span><blockquote><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><strong>1 John 1:9</strong> If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.<br /><br /><strong>Luke 5:31-32</strong> Jesus answered and said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. (32) "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."<br /><br /><strong>Joel 2:12-13</strong> "Now, therefore," says the LORD, "Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning." (13) So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span></p></blockquote><strong><em>We must choose to mature in our faith.</em></strong><br /><br /><blockquote><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><strong>Hebrews 5:12-14</strong> For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. (13) For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. (14) But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. </span></blockquote><a name="_Toc186749122"><strong><em><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">True Christians can change</span></em></strong></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br />· We are new in Christ<br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span><blockquote><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><strong>Corinthians 5:17</strong> Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.</span></blockquote><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">· Because of what Jesus has done for us, we are clean and filled with the Spirit of God<br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span><blockquote><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><strong>Ezekiel 36:25-27</strong> "Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. (26) "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. (27) "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.</span></blockquote><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">· We are children of God (John 1:12, Titus 3:4)<br /><br /></span><blockquote><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><strong>John 1:12-13</strong> But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: (13) who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.<br /></span></blockquote><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">· We are called and directed by the Spirit (Rom 8:9,13-14, Gal 5:26)<br /><br /></span><blockquote><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><strong>Romans 8:9-14</strong> (9) But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. (10) And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. (11) But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. (12) Therefore, brethren, we are debtors; not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. (13) For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. (14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of<br />God.</span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><strong>Galatians 5:25 </strong>If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.</span></p></blockquote><p><a name="_Toc186749123"><strong><em><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">We have all we need in Christ</span></em></strong></a><a name="_Toc186749123"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> </span></a></p><a name="_Toc186749123"></a><blockquote><p></p></blockquote><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><strong>2 Peter 1:3</strong> as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,<br /><br /><strong>2 Corinthians 9:8</strong> And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.<br /><br /><strong>John 8:34-36 </strong>Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. (35) "And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. (36) "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.<br /><br /><strong>Romans 6:15-18 </strong>What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! (16) Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? (17) But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. (18) And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.</span><a name="_Toc186749124"><strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">We must choose to grow in the Word</span></strong></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /><br />Jesus prayed that we’d be sanctified by the truth - John 17:17<br />I have hidden Your Word – Psalm 119:11<br />The Spirit teaches us through the Word – John 14:25-26<br />The Word of God is effective and powerful – Hebrews 4:12<br /><br /></span><a name="_Toc186749125"><strong><em><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">We must Put on the New Man, put off the old</span></em></strong></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /><br />God makes things new<br /><br /></span><blockquote><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><strong>Matthew 9:17</strong> "Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved."<br /><br /><strong>Galatians 6:15</strong> For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.<br /><br /><strong>Romans 8:13-14</strong> For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. (14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.<br /><br /><strong>Ephesians 4:20-24</strong> But you have not so learned Christ, (21) if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: (22) that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, (23) and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, (24) and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.<br /><br /><strong>Colossians 3:1-10</strong> If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. (2) Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. (3) For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. (4) When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. (5) Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. (6) Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, (7) in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. (8) But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. (9) Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, (10) and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, </span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><strong>Colossians 3:12-17</strong> Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; (13) bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. (14) But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. (15) And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. (16) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. (17) And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. </span></p></blockquote><a name="_Toc186749126"><strong><em><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">His will, not ours</span></em></strong></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><strong><em> </em></strong><br /><br />We should live for Him instead of ourselves<br /><br /></span><blockquote><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><strong>2 Corinthians 5:14-15</strong> For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; (15) and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.<br /><br /><strong>Psalms 37:3-7</strong> Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. (4) Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. (5) Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass. (6) He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday. (7) Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. </span></blockquote><a name="_Toc186749127"><strong><em><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Abide in Christ</span></em></strong></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><strong><em> </em></strong><br /><br /></span><blockquote><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><strong>John 15:1-11</strong> "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. (2) "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. (3) "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. (4) "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. (5) "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. (6) "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. (7) "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. (8) "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. (9) "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. (10) "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. (11) "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. </span></blockquote><a name="_Toc186749128"><strong><em><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Press toward the Goal</span></em></strong></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><strong><em> </em></strong><br /><br /></span><blockquote><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><strong>Philippians 3:12-14</strong> Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. (13) Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, (14) I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.<br /><br /><strong>Hebrews 12:1-2</strong> 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.<br /></span></blockquote><br /><a name="_Toc186749129"><strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Today, not tomorrow</span></strong></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /><br /></span><blockquote><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><strong>Matthew 6:34</strong> "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.<br /><br /><strong>Revelation 21:1-7</strong> Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. (2) Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. (3) And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. (4) "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." (5) Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful." (6) And He said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. (7) "He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. </span></blockquote><a name="_Toc186749130"><strong><em><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Motivation for Resolution</span></em></strong></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><strong><em><br /></em></strong><br /></span><blockquote><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><strong>Romans 12:1-2</strong> I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. (2) And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.<br /><br /><strong>Hebrews 3:15</strong> while it is said: "Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion." </span></blockquote><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><strong><u>Our real New Year’s Resolution should be Christ Himself – to know Him, and serve Him.<br /></u></strong><br /><br /></span><a name="_Toc186749131"><strong><em><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Ask, Seek, Knock</span></em></strong></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /><br /></span><blockquote><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><strong>Matthew 7:7-11</strong> "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. (8) "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. (9) "Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? (10) "Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? (11) "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!<br /><br /><strong>Deuteronomy 4:29-31</strong> "But from there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul. (30) "When you are in distress, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, when you turn to the LORD your God and obey His voice (31) '(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. </span></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><strong>Jeremiah 29:11-14a</strong> For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. (12) Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. (13) And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. (14a) I will be<br />found by you, says the LORD, ... </span></p></blockquote><p><strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">May Jesus be the desire of your heart, and may God give you all you desire!</span></strong></p><p></p><hr /><em><span style="font-size:78%;">All scripture quotations are from the New King James Version of the Holy Bible.<br />"Resolve" Definition from Dictionary.com<br />Copyright 2007, Jason Dean</span></em><div class="blogger-post-footer">copyright 2008 jason dean all rights reserved</div>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10632224456189259136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5131682.post-64475044499016620232007-08-10T00:37:00.000-06:002007-08-10T10:12:17.929-06:00Your Cup of GethsemaneSermon Notes<br />Calvary Chapel of Emmett, Idaho<br />Sunday, August 5th<br /><br /><strong>Your Cup of Gethsemane</strong><br />A. Jesus came to seek and save the lost<br /><br /><blockquote><p><strong>Luke 19:10</strong> "for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." </p><p><strong>Ezekiel 34:16</strong> "I will seek what was lost and bring back what was driven away, bind up the broken and strengthen what was sick; but I will destroy the fat and the strong, and feed them in judgment." </p></blockquote><blockquote><strong>Luke 5:30-32</strong> And their scribes and the Pharisees complained against His disciples, saying, "Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?" (31) Jesus answered and said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. (32) "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."</blockquote>B. Jesus will bring a baptism of Spirit and Fire<br /><blockquote><strong>Luke 3:16</strong> John answered, saying to all, "I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. </blockquote>1. Spirit comes within<br /><blockquote><strong>John 20:19-22</strong> Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, "Peace be with you." (20) When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. (21) So Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you." (22) And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. </blockquote>2. Spirit comes upon<br /><br /><blockquote><strong>Acts 2:1-4</strong> When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. (2) And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. (3) Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. (4) And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.</blockquote><br />a. Spirit brought boldness and power!<br /><blockquote><p><strong>Acts 2:36-43</strong> "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." (37) Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" (38) Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (39) "For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call." (40) And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation." (41) Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. (42) And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. (43) Then fear came upon every soul, and many<br />wonders and signs were done through the apostles.</p></blockquote>C. Jesus' Baptism of Fire<br /><br />1. The disciples want to be great with Jesus<br /><blockquote><strong>Matthew 20:17-28</strong> Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them, (18) "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, (19) "and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again." (20) Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him. (21) And He said to her, "What do you wish?" She said to Him, "Grant that these two sons of mine may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom." (22) But Jesus answered and said, "You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" They said to Him, "We are able." (23) So He said to them, "You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father." (24) And when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers. (25) But Jesus called them<br />to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. (26) "Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. (27) "And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave; (28) "just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."</blockquote>2. Before greatness must come a broken will, a baptism of fire (followed by obedience)<br /><br /><blockquote><strong>Luke 12:49-50</strong> "I came to send fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! (50) "But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished!</blockquote><blockquote><p><strong>Matthew 26:36-46</strong> Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, "Sit here while I go and pray over there." (37) And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. (38) Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me." (39) He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." (40) Then He came to the disciples and found them asleep, and said to Peter, "What? Could you not watch with Me one hour? (41) "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." (42) Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done." (43) And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy. (44) So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. (45) Then He came to His disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. (46) "Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand."</p></blockquote>3. Brokenness and obedience<br /><br />a. Pick up the cross and be broken (before power comes death)<br /><br /><blockquote><strong>Matthew 16:24-27</strong> Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. (25) "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. (26) "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? (27) "For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. </blockquote><blockquote><strong>Matthew 21:44</strong> "And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder." </blockquote>b. The result of a poor and contrite spirit<br /><br /><blockquote><strong>Isaiah 66:1-4</strong> Thus says the LORD: "Heaven is My throne, And earth is My footstool. Where is the house that you will build Me? And where is the place of My rest? (2) For all those things My hand has made, And all those things exist," Says the LORD. "But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word. (3) "He who kills a bull is as if he slays a man; He who sacrifices a lamb, as if he breaks a dog's neck; He who offers a grain offering, as if he offers swine's blood; He who burns incense, as if he blesses an idol. Just as they have chosen their own ways, And their soul delights in their abominations, (4) So will I choose their delusions, And bring their fears on them; Because, when I called, no one answered, When I spoke they did not hear; But they did evil before My eyes, And chose that in which I do not delight."</blockquote><strong>Poor </strong>= Hebrew aw-nee' - depressed, in mind or circumstances: afflicted, humble, lowly, needy, poor.<br /><strong>Contrite </strong>= Hebrew naw-keh' - smitten, that is, (literally) maimed, or (figuratively) dejected: - contrite, lame.<br /><br />c. Fear, truth, holiness, relationship and obedience, power<br /><br />1. Levi received God's covenant of life and peace<br /><blockquote><strong>Malachi 2:5-6</strong> My covenant was with him [Levi] of life and peace; and I gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name. (6) The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity.</blockquote>i. Fear of the Lord<br /><blockquote><strong>Proverbs 1:7</strong> The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction. </blockquote><p>ii. Truth </p><blockquote><strong>John 17:17</strong> "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.<br /></blockquote><p>iii. Holiness </p><blockquote><strong>1 Thessalonians 4:7-8</strong> For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. (8) Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit. </blockquote><p>We want a painless Pentecost<em>*</em><br />We don't really want to be like Jesus (discounted, ignored, hated, abandoned, crucified)<br /><br />iv. Obedient Relationship</p><blockquote><strong>Romans 6:17-23</strong> But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. (18) And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. (19) I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness. (20) For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. (21) What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. (22) But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. (23) For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.</blockquote><p>v. Power from God</p><blockquote><strong>Acts 1:4-8</strong> And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me; (5) "for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." (6) Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" (7) And He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. (8) "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."</blockquote><p>vi. That we might know Him</p><blockquote><p><strong>John 17:20-26</strong> "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; (21) "that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. (22) "And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: (23) "I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. (24) "Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. (25) "O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. (26) "And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them."</p></blockquote>4. Summary<br /><ul><li>The Spirit comes at Salvation </li><li>The breaking of our will </li><li>To become one with the Father and the Son </li><li>The power of God unleashed in our lives for the sake of the world and His<br />Glory </li></ul><p><strong>References: </strong><br /><em>Holy Bible, New King James Version<br />*Leonard Ravenhill - </em><a href="http://www.sermonindex.net/modules/articles/index.php?view=article&aid=6914"><em>Are we willing to drink His cup</em></a><em> </em></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">copyright 2008 jason dean all rights reserved</div>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10632224456189259136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5131682.post-42956797308287462362007-06-03T06:41:00.000-06:002007-06-03T07:01:07.289-06:00Proverbs 3<blockquote>Trust in the LORD with all your heart,<br />And lean not on your own understanding;<br />In all your ways acknowledge Him,<br />And He shall direct your paths.<br />(Proverbs 3:5-6)<br /></blockquote>The pathway to life doesn't depend upon our knowing of it, but rather in the knowing of the One who does. Our our understanding is limited and feeble, held back our own perspective and tiny view of Truth. Instead it is ours to trust and acknowledge that our Savior God has all knowledge and desires to show us the way. The question remains however, will we be listening when He speaks it? Will we choose to then acknowledge His response to our dilema? If we will, then we shall be directed and we shall have His knowledge imparted.<br /><br />To trust is to let go. We must let go of our desire to want to contol, to understand, to think out the best resolution. We must trust that His mighty hands are ever under us, and if we will but let go and be free of what we want, of what our expectation are, then we will see the Glory of God! Do we honestly expect to see what He has for us if we are still looking at our own ability to conquer? David would still be on the edge of that battlefield looking at Goliath if that were the case. No, instead we hurl ourselves headlong into the field of the enemy with the Stone that will bring down our foe.<br /><br />Will we abandon ourselves to His glory? Will we like David be more concerned about the Name of Christ than about our own security? And yet, David knew that the enemy's head would that day be released from it's roots. Why, because He somehow knew his own ability would be enough? No, because He was confident, he Trusted, in His God and was not willing to wait for the strength of man. He did not trust his own understanding, but trusted in His MIGHTY GOD!<br /><br />How must we trust God? How must we acknowledge Him? As David did before his opressor! With complete abandon to God as we run headlong down that path that He has chosen since the foundation of the world! There is no other way. There is no other way.<div class="blogger-post-footer">copyright 2008 jason dean all rights reserved</div>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10632224456189259136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5131682.post-1158853240349059632006-09-21T09:37:00.000-06:002006-09-21T09:40:40.366-06:00Proverbs 21:31<blockquote><em><strong>Proverbs 21:31</strong> The horse is prepared for the day of battle, But deliverance is of the LORD.</em></blockquote>While men make preparations and seek to prudently ready themselves for the task ahead (which is something the Lord would have us to do), we must remember that it is a show of faith and not of strength. Deliverance comes only from the Lord for our strength is weakness and our weapons carnal. When we prepare with the knowledge that God will sustain and deliver, it shows that we trust Him to take that which is meager and weak and accomplish all that He desires.<br /><br />Gideon (Jdg 7) surrounded the camp of the Midianites with three groups of 100 men and together they broke clay jars with torches inside and blew trumpets. The enemy slaughtered themselves! It was not the strength of Gideon, though he did prepare the clay pots and torches and trumpets. It was the Lord's battle.<br /><br />The children of Israel marched around the walls of Jericho (Josh 6) for seven days and marched around seven times on the last day, shouted, blew their trumpets and the walls fell down! It was not the strength of Israel that brought down the walls not was it the trumpets they blew or the words they shouted, though they prepared for all those things. Victory came by the strength of God alone.<br /><br />In Matthew 14 we see the story of the little boy with five loaves and two fish, it wasn't much to offer, yet in the hands of the Master, after being broken, that meager offering became amazing provision for thousands! Our weakness is the fertile soil of God's provision, because where we are weak, He is strong.<br /><br /><blockquote><em><strong>2 Corinthians 12:9</strong> And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.</em></blockquote><p>We tend to fear the situation, to fear the battle that we're in, the battle that Solomon was referring to when he talked about preparing the horse for battle. But that fear was misplaced. Fearing the battle only brings weakness. Instead we should fear God, giving Him that awesome reverence and respect that He deserves. Do we say to the sea, you are powerless against my little boat? Do we say to the mountain, my feet will always find footing? Do we say to the fire, you cannot burn me? No, we respect and fear all these. We must fear the Lord God with the knowledge that He truly is the God of the Universe, the maker of my soul, the Judge of all Creation, the Savior who died and rose again. When we reject our pride and choose to see our weakness, and come prostrate and fearful to the feet of the living God, we will see that He is true and understand that it is truly He that alone can deliver!</p><p><br />The Proverbs talk much about the fear of the Lord. We must be zealous for the fear of the Lord (Pr 23:17), for it is the beginning of knowledge (Pr 1:7) and wisdom (Pr 9:10). We must choose to fear God, (Pr 1:29) it doesn't happen naturally. Naturally (read, "flesh") self worship happens, not self-less-ness. If we seek the Lord with our whole self, inclining our ears toward wisdom, applying our heart to understanding, crying out for discernment, then we will understand the fear of the Lord (Pr 2:5). The fear of the Lord is to hate evil (pride, arrogance, evil ways, and perverse mouth) (Pr 8:13). As we fear the Lord we are given prolonged days (Pr 10:27) and strong confidence in Him (Pr 14:26). The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life to keep us from the snares of death (Pr 14:27).</p><p>As we see that our deliverance cannot come from our strength, we must also realize that it cannot come from the world either. As Egypt is a type of the world, we must avoid going to it for that strength. The reason is simple, the world is just a collection of other weak people, it offers no true strength.</p><blockquote><p><em><strong>Isaiah 31:1</strong> Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, And rely on horses, Who trust in chariots because they are many, And in horsemen because they are very strong, But who do not look to the Holy One of Israel, Nor seek the LORD! </em></p><p><em><strong>Psalms 33:16-18</strong> No king is saved by the multitude of an army; A mighty man is<br />not delivered by great strength. A horse is a vain hope for safety; Neither shall it deliver any by its great strength. Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy,</em> </p></blockquote><p>We must trust in the name (authority, power, character) of the Lord, nothing else. Our God has all authority, has all power, and His character is true. He is light, love, and justice!<br />Psalms 20:7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the LORD our God. </p><p>What a glorious Name He has!</p><div class="blogger-post-footer">copyright 2008 jason dean all rights reserved</div>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10632224456189259136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5131682.post-1158247171085922692006-09-14T09:18:00.000-06:002006-09-14T09:20:26.320-06:00Proverbs 14:14<blockquote><em><strong>Proverbs 14:14</strong> The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways, But a good man will be satisfied from above.</em></blockquote><p>Where does my filling come from? Am I looking for my own plans, my own wants and needs, my own benefit, my own ideas, all that which will satisfy me? Or do I look to the God of Heaven, my Father, my maker, my Savior, the One who accepted and forgave me even though He knew I was completely unable to give anything in return? Am I so backslidden that I cannot lift my eyes to the One who cares about me and loves me and has ordered all of history and all eternity that I personally might be with Him?! How backslidden have I become that I would see my self before I would see my God? How backslidden have I become that I would seek to be filled by the vile stink of my rotting self seeking sin, instead of the glorious light and love and peace and joy and contentment of the only One who can truly know my hidden fears and needs and heart?! </p><p>Only Jesus can satisfy the heart of man, though we try to fill it with everything else. We have become so earthly minded, so materially focused, so deaf to the sweet soft whisperings of the Spirit. It would be logical to believe that after getting burned so many times after trying to be filled with the world, we would turn and seek our God. But no matter how logical it seems we find a way to forget all that He has already done, to push away that which He is attempting to convince us of today. We reject any criticism, hide from any pain, run from any conflict, spurn any condition which doesn't give us ease and yet our God is knocking at the door of our life, wanting to break through and break down the walls of sin we have so carefully built and protected and coddled. We want life to be easy and we want it now, so we miss in massive quantity the difficult and long path that God knows we must take if we are to be conformed to His image. We gave our lives to Christ, but we stand at the door to His throne pounding and begging for the right to control it!<br /><br />The proverb says "a good man will be satisfied from above". What makes a man good? Certainly not his ability to do, or his desire to be, but only one thing, the blood of Christ. If we are covered by the blood of Christ, he has positionally made us good, though we could never be on our own. If we are in Christ today He will satisfy our empty and darkened hearts! If we are in Christ today we WILL be satisfied because to be in Christ is to be indwelt by Christ, to be a dwelling of the Spirit of God. We will be satisfied because His presence can do nothing less. Our lives are like a thimble at the bottom of the ocean of God. If we are in Him and He is in us, we become so full that there is no way to be empty, no way to be lacking, no way to not be overwhelmed by His depth and fullness!<br /><br />May we be filled with only Jesus today! May we welcome the conviction of the Spirit today! May we hold tightly to the difficulties that are before us that God is so wanting to use to destroy the old man and give life to the new! May we reject our own needs and wants and hopes and fears and seek the God of the Universe for His will and His purpose and His Person! May we writhe in sick destestation of all that God hates and hold on with an unyielding clench to all that God loves. May we seek to be conformed to the image of our glorious God today! </p><div class="blogger-post-footer">copyright 2008 jason dean all rights reserved</div>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10632224456189259136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5131682.post-1157659933965478322006-09-07T14:06:00.000-06:002006-09-07T14:12:16.263-06:00Proverbs 7:1,5a<blockquote><em><strong>Proverbs 7:1,5a</strong> My son, keep my words, And treasure my commands within you. (5a) That they may keep you from ...</em></blockquote>The Lord loves us so much that He wants to keep us from harm, from being separated from Him through sin. He gave us His word to keep us from those things that would destroy us. However He gave it to us to be more than just a reference when we need it, He gave it to us so that we might write it upon our heart.<br /><br /><blockquote><em><strong>Psalms 119:10-12</strong> With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! (11) Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You! (12) Blessed are You, O LORD! Teach me Your statutes!</em></blockquote>Jesus also told us that whatever we treasure, whatever is most precious and special to us, is going to be the place where our heart is also. What we treasure will become our focus.<br /><br /><blockquote><em><strong>Matthew 6:21</strong> "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.</em></blockquote>God has provided His Word then that we might make it our treasure, so that it would become part of our heart, integrated into our life, that we might not sin against Him.<br /><br />By extension, we know that Jesus Christ is the Word of God or the logos or express revelation of the Father (Heb 1:1-3). Because Jesus is the Word of God made flesh, we also need to treasure Him personally, to treasure His love and forgiveness, His grace and mercy, and above all his complete life and death and resurrection of sacrifice for us, that we might have our sins purged, that we as scarlet might be made white as wool. If we treasure our relationship with Jesus above all else, He will dwell within us and conform us to His image (Rom. 8:29), day by day.<br /><br />As we make the Word of God our treasure, we will be kept from evil and be pleasing to our Father who loves us. Is that our desire today?<div class="blogger-post-footer">copyright 2008 jason dean all rights reserved</div>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10632224456189259136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5131682.post-1157037446731285892006-08-31T09:14:00.000-06:002006-08-31T09:17:26.746-06:00Proverbs 31:8-9<blockquote><em><strong>Proverbs 31:8-9 </strong>Open your mouth for the speechless, In the cause of all who are appointed to die. (9) Open your mouth, judge righteously, And plead the cause of the poor and needy.</em></blockquote>In the Western social experience it's easy to forget that most of the rest of the population of the world lives at a level that we'll never see unless we visit them. In our fast paced, self-focused life we miss seeing that the world is full of people who have serious need. Sure, those people are brought up in whatever conditions they live in and they may not know that the possibility for more is there. Indeed this is not to say that people cannot be full of joy and satisfaction unless they are rich or have all of their needs met. Obviously a heart filled with the love of Jesus is a full heart, whether the stomach is full or not.<br /><br />The latter idea however is the aspect that is being addressed in this proverb. The Lord mentions "the speechless", those who have no power or ability to speak for themselves; and the "poor and needy" who are in need of someone to plead their cause. I see a two fold calling in these verses.<br /><br />The first and most obvious call is to give those that have need knowledge and the path to Christ. If they ask Jesus into their lives and submit themselves to Him, He will care for all of their needs. He says that if we seek first the Kingdom of God (in Himself specifically), that He will provide all those physical things we need (Matt 6:33). There are many programs carried on throughout the world to meet the needs of the hungry and sick and destitute, yet if we don't give them what they really need, a relationship with Jesus, no amount of physical comfort will alleviate the pain of the sinful condition that their heart is in.<br /><br />The second need follows from the first. If we claim to know Jesus and be His child, we will do what He did, we will reach out and seek to meet the spiritual and physical needs of those that are in want.<br /><blockquote><em><strong>James 2:15-18</strong> If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, (16) and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? (17) Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. (18) But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.</em></blockquote>Jesus makes it pretty clear, we cannot claim to believe and have faith if we are not willing to try to give people the physical things they need. Obviously we are not always in a place to meet all of a person's physical needs, maybe they are suffering from a disease for which there is no cure. Our work is not done however. We can dish out an abundance of love, compassion, and fellowship. We can comfort others with the comfort that God has given us as we have gone through difficult times.<br /><blockquote><em><strong>2 Corinthians 1:3-4</strong> Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, (4) who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.</em></blockquote>If you will notice as you read the Bible, there is an overwhelming call by God to reach out to those who have need. Indeed, even under the covenant of Grace in the New Testament we see James tell the disciples to remember the widows and the orphans (James 1:27), as that is true undefiled religion. That is, to care for and speak up for those that cannot care or speak up for themselves is the heart of God. If we claim to be His, we will be about His business (Luke 2:49) and will find a way and pray for a way to reach out to those around us and around the world who are in need.<br /><blockquote><em><strong>Luke 12:48b</strong> "... For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more."</em></blockquote>This is not an option, we are asked by our Father to take what we have been given and use it in the lives of others for His glory. May we seek for opportunities to do that today!<div class="blogger-post-footer">copyright 2008 jason dean all rights reserved</div>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10632224456189259136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5131682.post-1156948681166536102006-08-30T08:34:00.000-06:002006-08-30T08:38:01.190-06:00Proverbs 30:5-6<blockquote><em><strong>Proverbs 30:5-6</strong> Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. (6) Do not add to His words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.</em></blockquote>I have been found guilty at times of putting words in God's mouth. How so? The Lord asks me to do certain things, by the stirring of His Spirit in my heart, and in my pride and self focused flesh I add to that command other things which "seem good" at the time. But the Lord reminds me ever so faithfully that my own understanding of things are not to be trusted.<br /><br /><blockquote><em><strong>Proverbs 3:5</strong> Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding;</em></blockquote>Instead He calls me to simple obedience. When He says go there, I go. When He says look away, I look away. He calls me to obedience and it is by this obedience that my success is defined. My pride would have me build upon what He has called, either for selfish fleshly reasons (to consume it upon my lust) or for selfish spiritual reasons (to be great in the Kingdom, to build a kingdom, to be "something", to have recognition, to be regarded as spiritual). My sin is practically boundless I've discovered. If it's not outright two-fisted grabbing of blatent sin it can be the simple addition of a line or two upon what God has told me. Both are sin, both misrepresent what the Father has said, and hence Who He is. Both are not standing on the rock of Truth.<br /><br />The Proverbs (v5-6) tells me to trust in His Words, they are a shield, not my own words, for they make me a liar and a liar has no support from God. If I lie, I place myself outside of the protection of the Father. Will He abandon me? No, for His character will not allow it. However He will most certainly discipline me. Praise Him for that!<br /><br /><blockquote><em><strong>Proverbs 3:11-12</strong> My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor detest His correction; (12) For whom the LORD loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights.</em></blockquote>Yet as Paul discussed, the battle rages within me between my spirit and my flesh! In my flesh I do those things that my spirit doesn't want to do, and in my flesh I cannot do those things which my spirit yearns to do.<br /><br /><blockquote><em><strong>Romans 7:23-25</strong> But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. (24) O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? (25) I thank God; through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.</em></blockquote>The answer is found in Jesus Himself. As I seek to love Him with all my heart (Deut 6:5) I will be conformed to His image (Rom 12:2), I will desire to obey, and I will become quiet before Him. The questions will silence, my words will come to and end and there I will find Him and His will. This is the place I long for!<br /><br />May God have mercy and give us grace today to seek Him with all our heart. He says that if we seek Him, we will surely find Him (Mat. 7:7). If we return to Him, not adding to what He has spoken, He will turn to us (Mal. 3:7). Praise God that He speaks, may we listen with love and obedience.<div class="blogger-post-footer">copyright 2008 jason dean all rights reserved</div>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10632224456189259136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5131682.post-1156877813013255872006-08-29T12:17:00.000-06:002006-08-29T12:56:54.230-06:00Proverbs 29:25-26<blockquote><em><strong>Proverbs 29:25-26</strong> The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe. (26) Many seek the ruler's favor, But justice for man comes from the LORD.</em> </blockquote>How many times have we made decisions with one of the primary factors being what another person would think of our decision? Have we picked out clothes based on what everyone else was wearing? Have we drunk something or smoked something to make us accepted by the group? Have we raised our hands in praise to God when we knew that someone we respected was watching?<br /><br />Yet the Lord tells us that to fear man, to worry about what other's may say, rather than what God says, is to bring a snare. We'll get caught up in trying to be something or someone for the wrong reason. But if we will trust in our God and seek to be accountable to Him alone, we are on safe ground! When we seek to please our Father, running away from sin and towards obedience and holiness, the snare will be far away.<br /><br />Giving into temptation results in sin and sin results in death. This is the snare of the fear of man.<br /><blockquote><em><strong>James 1:14-15</strong> But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. (15) Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.</em><br /></blockquote><br />To trust in Jesus however is to be safe. He is our refuge and and strength. If we are concerned about how God sees our actions, then we will have right motivations. Obedience will follow naturally from those right motivations and although we can be wrong with the right motives, we are covered by the Lord who is our shield.<br /><blockquote><em><strong>Psalms 144:2</strong> My lovingkindness and my fortress, My high tower and my deliverer, My shield and the One in whom I take refuge, Who subdues my people under me.</em> </blockquote>We also often seek for the favor of those that we see as the holders of power that our cause might be heard. Many will march at rallies or demonstrate at a clinic, yet the Proverb (v26) tells us that truly our justice, that which is judged according to truth, is from God. God alone knows all the details of the situation and knows our's and other's motivations. Our justice comes from the Lord. We see this so clearly in the end of the life of Jesus. He stood before His accusers, silent. He did not fight his own battle, He completely submitted Himself to the will of the Father at ALL cost!<br /><em><blockquote><em><strong>Matthew 10:28</strong> "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.</em><br /></blockquote></em><br />Jesus was committed to trusting in the Father and His love for the Father allowed Him to be willing to go through whatever was placed before Him, knowing that He was pleasing God.<br /><blockquote><em><strong>John 8:29</strong> "And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him."</em> </blockquote>May we take our example from Jesus today!<div class="blogger-post-footer">copyright 2008 jason dean all rights reserved</div>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10632224456189259136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5131682.post-1156332502725476872006-08-23T05:24:00.000-06:002006-08-23T05:28:22.740-06:00Proverbs 23:15-16<blockquote><em><strong>Proverbs 23:15-16</strong> My son, if your heart is wise, My heart will rejoice; indeed, I myself; (16) Yes, my inmost being will rejoice When your lips speak right things.</em></blockquote>Is it our heart to please our wonderful and mighty Father? Is it our our heart to bring rejoicing to the lips of the Father? He has done so very much for us, by His amazing grace He sent His son to live a perfect life for us, to be separated from the Father and made sin for us, to die a painful death for us, to rise again and be victorious and glorfied forever so that we who deserve nothing might have everything in Him! What an amazing God we serve! How marvelous is His name and how deep is His love for those that don't love Him back.<br /><br />Our greatest desire should be to love God with all of our heart, and mind, and soul, and strength. When we love Him we want to please Him. We can look inward at our hearts and honestly ask ourselves, "Do I desire to please the Father in all that I am, in all that I do, in all that I think, in all that I say, in all that I pursue, in all that I reject, in all that ever hope to be?" If we cannot say that we truly desire to please the Father then we must look closely at our love for Him. If we have given our heart to Him, we must get back to our first love, not forgetting the amazing gift of grace that He has given us.<br /><br /><blockquote><em><strong>Revelation 2:4</strong> "Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.</em></blockquote>Remember Josiah, the boy King? (2 Kings 22-23, 1 Chron. 34-35) When he had found the Word of God again in the temple and read it, he was convicted of heart and saw that the Lord had promised destruction to the nation if they would not heed His word and abide in His love. So Josiah broke down all the high places and alters to false Gods and purged the land of idolatry. God spared the nation during his reign because of the condition of his heart. What was the condition of his heart?<br /><br /><blockquote><em><strong>2 Kings 23:25</strong> Now before him there was no king like him, who turned to the LORD with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses; nor after him did any arise like him.</em></blockquote>May we turn to the Lord with all our heart and soul and might! Seeking and gaining the wisdom of God by His Spirit and speaking right things in worship of His greatness will declare to Him our love and He will rejoice! May we live a life today that would cause our God to rejoice!<div class="blogger-post-footer">copyright 2008 jason dean all rights reserved</div>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10632224456189259136noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5131682.post-1156236894424710092006-08-22T02:51:00.000-06:002006-08-22T02:54:54.426-06:00Proverbs 22:20-21<blockquote><em><strong>Proverbs 22:20-21</strong> Have I not written to you excellent things Of counsels and knowledge, (21) That I may make you know the certainty of the words of truth,<br />That you may answer words of truth To those who send to you?</em></blockquote>God has, in His Word, revealed His character and heart and wisdom and plans for man, so that we will know, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that His words are true. To know that His words are true will change us and conform our minds to His will.<br /><br /><blockquote><em><strong>Romans 12:2</strong> And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.</em></blockquote>As God transforms our way of thinking into His way of thinking, we are made new and prove out, in a real and living way, what the will of God is and Who God is. Then, as He says in the Proverb (v21), we will be able to answer words of truth to those who ask us.<br /><br />Lord please fill us with your word that we may be conformed to your image and ready and willing to share the love and joy and truth of Who you are to those You bring before us today.<br /><br /><blockquote><em><strong>1 Peter 3:15</strong> But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;</em></blockquote><div class="blogger-post-footer">copyright 2008 jason dean all rights reserved</div>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10632224456189259136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5131682.post-1156236488135630312006-08-22T02:38:00.000-06:002006-08-22T03:03:55.793-06:00Proverbs 21:21-22<blockquote><em><strong>Proverbs 21:21-22</strong> He who follows righteousness and mercy Finds life, righteousness and honor. (22) A wise man scales the city of the mighty, And brings down the trusted stronghold.</em></blockquote>Ecclesiastes 9:18a says, "Wisdom is better than weapons of war... ." Through God's wisdom, we have the upper hand, though we may not see it physically or understand how it is the case. Our upper hand is not the skillful use of creative abilities, it is the surrendered life to the powerful and mighty Jesus Christ. It is the trustworthiness and commitment by God to live up to His Words and not change or found a liar. Wisdom comes only from Jesus, and as believer in Christ, our life is hid in Him.<br /><br /><blockquote><em><strong>Galatians 2:20</strong> "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me</em>. </blockquote><p>Any good that comes, any wisdom that scales the wall, is from the Lord. Any strongholds brought down are laid waste by the wisdom of God as He has communicated it to us by His Word. The wisdom of God is knowledge used correctly, God's knowledge, not what we think is a good idea or power or ability (2 Cor 10:4). Wisdom however, as Solomon has taught us, comes through first having truly godly fear and respect of the Almighty creator. When we are broken before Him and see Him as truly great and ourselves as truly unable, then we can cry out to Him to be strong where we are weak (2 Cor 12:10). We can cry out to God and dig in His Word for His wisdom. Then truly, the mighty and strong have no chance before the living God. </p><p>Jesus said that through Him we can do all things (Phil 4:13), yet without Him we can do nothing (John 15:5). No matter how high the wall, Jesus can make it fall.<br /><br />Look at the story of Joshua (Josh. 2). The Israelites were just moving into the promised land. They had just seen God stop the Jordan river and the priests passed through on dry land. Then they were told to march around a city 7 times, with a final 7 laps on the last day. They did as they were asked and God made the walls fall, not just crumble, not just erode over time, but fall down. There was some ruins of a city discovered in Israel, and some have thought it to be the ruins of Jericho. Why? Because the walls were laying outward flat on the front as if they had been pushed from inside, as if they had "fallen down" Whether that ruin was truly Jericho remains to be known, yet truly God delivered the Israelites without so much as lifting a sword.<br /><br />Think about David and Goliath (1 Sam 17). David was a boy, a sheep herder, and the runt of the family. Yet the uncircumcised Philistine was defying the living God and David was not willing to let that insult pass. David _ran_ to meet his nine foot tall enemy that in the natural realm would have destroyed David. But this is not a "natural" realm, it is a spiritual one. David didn't kill Goliath, but instead God directed that stone and brought down the impossible foe.<br /><br />Where are our Jericho walls? God can bring them down! Where is our Goliath, God can bring him down! Where are strongholds and cities of the enemy that God cannot bring down! Is He not mighty!? Is He not God!? If we submit ourselves into His mighty hand there is no obstacle, no barrier to where we can go in Christ! If we commit in fear and love to the One who can send us body and soul to hell (Matt. 10:28), will we not be upheld?<br /><br />We must put on our armour (Eph 6) and stand and be counted as ones who will scale the city, by faith we stand on the character of God as David did, by faith we stand on the knowledge and wisdom and ability of God and Joshua did. And lest we forget, we have been given grace through faith, which itself is a gift from God (Eph 2:8-9). God has given us faith to trust Him, and He has given us grace to reach Him. How far will we go in Christ? Are we willing to take the next step in faith and trust, leaving fear behind? (1 John 4:18)<br /></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">copyright 2008 jason dean all rights reserved</div>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10632224456189259136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5131682.post-1155919310654443142006-08-18T10:27:00.000-06:002006-08-18T10:41:54.493-06:00Proverbs 18:2<blockquote><em><strong>Proverbs 18:2</strong> A fool has no delight in understanding, But in expressing his own heart.</em></blockquote><p>Have you ever heard anyone say that they just needed to vent? Sometimes when we've had a hard day or someone's offended us or done something unexpected, and then we get upset, we have a tendency to let out our feelings either to the offending party or, as is more often the case, to someone else.<br /><br />There was a man in traffic that was late for work and there was a slow old man driving in front of him. He honked and tailgated until finally, the car in front of him came to a complete stop. Frustrated and angry, the man got out of his car and when to the old man's window. He was ready to chew out the man and tell him all the reasons why he should never be allowed on the road. However, as he looked in the window he could see the old man, head hung low, sobbing. He was caught offguard and wondered what was happening. "Has he lost his marbles all together?" Then he tapped gently on the window and the old man looked up with red eyes, tears on his face and slowing rolled down the window. Curious and feeling a little convicted about his own impatience, he asked the man what was wrong. The old man looked at him and replied that the love of his life, his best friend and wife, had just died in his arms at the hospital and he had to go home to tell the family and make arrangements. Expressing his condolences and giving an apology he made his way back to his car with a new perspective.<br /><br />How many times do we act like a complete fool, without any desire to know the truth of a situation or to know what another person is going through, or to not have a care about problems or pressures or the background of another person and yet we're ready to fully express our own feelings about them or what they've done?<br /><br />The Lord said that the two greatest commandments are to love God and to love others. It is not love to let our frustrations out on another person. It's sin when we speak in a way that is not edifying to someone. As James 3 says, people are created in the image of God and we need to treat them like it. Also, most of the time, when we are busy expressing our own heart we are either judging someone's actions (without knowledge - Romans 2), or we're gossiping and spreading someone's problems to someone else. These are obviously not pleasing to the Father. </p><p>When we speak, we as believers, represent our Father. When we vent our feelings and speak rashly in arrogance and pride, in an unloving way, we misrepresent our Father's wonderful love and patience and grace and mercy.<br /><br />Yes God is just, be we are not God. Only God knows what's in a person's heart. Even Jesus said that He didn't come to judge but to save the world (John 12:47). The Father will judge in the end (according to the Word of God) and we have no right to do so. Why? Because we are also sinners saved by grace and in need of forgiveness. Our sin is the same as everyone else's sin and we have no right to lift ourselves over another. That is to be in the place of God and God will not allow it for long, He is jealous God and intervene if you act innappropriately in His place.<br /><br />This is the same reason why the Jewish High Priest would go into the Holy of Holies once a year (Exo 29:30) with a rope around his foot. If he sinned in the presence of God, he would drop dead and they would have to pull him out. God will not be mocked. (Gal 6:7)<br /><br />This is the same reason why Moses, when he struck the rock in anger to provide water to the complaining Israelites, was not allowed to go into the promised land (Num 20:7-12). He misrepresented God and made the people feel like God was angry and frustrated with them. In fact God was loving them in His perfect patience and He knew exactly what they would do before they did it. God cannot get frustrated, He knows all things. Frustration is sin and God cannot sin. </p><p>So we can act like a fool, and "express ourselves." Or, we can act with wisdom and seek understanding of the person, the situation, and God's desire for us in the moment. God has asked us to put aside our natural tendencies since all they do is bring death. </p><blockquote><em><strong>Romans 7:5</strong> For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death.<br /><br /><strong>Romans 8:13-14</strong> For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. (14) For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.</em><br /></blockquote><br />If we are son's of God, let us be led by His Spirit and speak in a way that would please and honor what He has done for us!<div class="blogger-post-footer">copyright 2008 jason dean all rights reserved</div>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10632224456189259136noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5131682.post-1155766471238037502006-08-16T16:12:00.000-06:002006-08-16T16:14:31.263-06:00Proverbs 16:1,20,25<blockquote><em><strong>Proverbs 16:1</strong> The preparations of the heart belong to man, But the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.<br /><strong>Proverbs 16:20</strong> He who heeds the word wisely will find good, And whoever trusts in the LORD, happy is he.<br /><strong>Proverbs 16:25</strong> There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.</em></blockquote>Men make plans based on their limited knowledge and understanding, and usually from the position of what is best for self. Given these basic foundations it is easy to see how the best laid plans of men find their way to ruin. Yet here we see that, though we make the best plan that we can, the answer or solution or working out of that plan is going to be from the Lord.<br /><br />We need to heed His words as we make those plans and then put our trust in Him as they are worked out by Him. Our plans may come to fruition or they may come to nothing, but we will be satisfied if we have trusted the Lord. We will have the joy knowing that we have submitted to Him and His greater understanding, to His greater and selfless love for us.<br /><br />We are promised that if we will heed His words, we will find good. This "good" is that abundant life that Jesus spoke of when He said, "I came that they might have life, and that more abundantly." If we choose not to heed His way, the only path that is left is broad and leads to certain destruction.<br /><br />Praise the Lord that we can trust Him to guide us and trust Him to bring to bear that which is according to His perfect and all knowing will. Praise the Lord that He is good and that His desire is to share that with us, to share Himself with us.<br /><br />He proved His love for us on a cross (Heb 12:2, Col 2:14), He has given us the Spirit as our earnest (2 Cor 1:22, 2 Cor 5:5), and He will give us Himself as we come into His glorious presence at some nearing moment!<div class="blogger-post-footer">copyright 2008 jason dean all rights reserved</div>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10632224456189259136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5131682.post-1155648251934436902006-08-15T07:16:00.000-06:002006-08-15T07:24:11.960-06:00Proverbs 15:1<blockquote><em><strong>Proverbs 15:1</strong> A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.</em></blockquote>Sometimes it is easy as a parent, a teacher, a driver in traffic, a boss, an employee, as anyone - to want to speak out in anger or harshness, especially when we feel slighted or disdained or disrespected. As our frustration rises and our selfishness focuses, our words can become sharper and more dangerous. These harsh words stir up anger against us and within us, setting free sin, and bringing down both the accuser and the accused.<br /><br />This chapter has a lot to say about the tongue. It can be used for good or evil, to tear down or build up, to blaspheme or Praise! The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly (v2), a wholesome tongue is a tree of life (v3), the lips of the wise disperse knowledge (v7), the prayer of the upright is His delight (v8), a man has joy by the answer of his mouth (v23), and the righteous studies how to answer (v28).<br /><br />The Lord would have us to give a soft answer that allays the wrathful heart, allowing for peace, allowing for a defocusing of self and a dissipation of frustration. Think of Jesus when he was brought before His accusers.<br /><blockquote><em><strong>Isaiah 53:7</strong> He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.</em></blockquote>If anyone had a position to defend it was Jesus, He was perfect and could have rebuffed His accusers. Of course Jesus was being silent because He came to die and this furthered that cause. Yet we have been asked to die also, haven't we? We have been crucified with Christ (Gal 2:20). We have been asked to die to ourselves, to die to the sin nature that would like to rear it's ugly head. The Lord has asked us to let our mouths be a tool fit for the Kingdom, used for His purposes. If we have given our lives to Jesus, our tongue is not our own. It has been bought with price (1Cor 6:20) and we owe a soft answer for the sake of the the sacrifice given to us by Christ and also because of the debt of love we owe to one another (Rom. 13:8).<br /><br /><em><blockquote><em><strong>Proverbs 18:21</strong> Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.</em></blockquote></em>Jesus said that the greatest commandments were to love God with our whole being and to love our neighbor as our self. If our tongue is biting and corrosive, that cannot show love and thankfulness to our Father who gave so very much that we might be with Him. If our tongue is cutting and destructive, that cannot show love to our fellow man. To love another is to take the low road, the road of humility. To let others be lifted up and not ourselves. We often get to the place where we want to defend ourselves, instead we should be willing to be silent if necessary, to allay that wrath that will surely be born of a harsh tongue.<div class="blogger-post-footer">copyright 2008 jason dean all rights reserved</div>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10632224456189259136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5131682.post-1155564648117275662006-08-14T08:06:00.000-06:002006-08-14T08:12:51.013-06:00Proverbs 14:2<blockquote><em><strong>Proverbs 14:2</strong> He who walks in his uprightness fears the LORD, But he who is perverse in his ways despises Him.</em></blockquote>My greatest fear as a child of God is that He will not receive the praise and worship from my life that He so deserves. He has bought me with a price, the price of His blood (1Cor 6:20). I cannot but seek to glorify Him with my life. When I entertain perverse thoughts (to be "turned aside" or "to depart" from God), the Proverb declares plainly that I am despising my Lord, my Savior, the One Who gave so much that I might live! What horror to think that my selfish thoughts and actions and words are despising the One Whom I love so much, the last One I'd want to offend! May God forgive our putrid "theology" that we can live life how we want and still call Him our God!<br /><br />Instead we must walk in uprightness, showing our fear and respect and honor and adoration of our God! To walk in uprightness we must first come to Christ and give Him our life if we have not. If we have already invited Christ into our lives, it means that we must continually lay down our lives for Him and His Kingdom. Colossians 3:3 says that we died and our lives are hidden in Christ. We must die to our own desires and pursue Him with love and abandonment! He makes us righteous by His blood, yet by our obedience we demonstrate that we do truly fear Him and that we are completely His.<br /><br /><blockquote><p><em><strong>Romans 2:4-5</strong> Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? (5) But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,</em></p></blockquote>May we not be despisers of God and His goodness, but instead may we walk worthy of His calling (Eph 4:1).<br /><br /><blockquote><em><strong>Galatians 2:19-20</strong> "For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. (20) "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.</em></blockquote><div class="blogger-post-footer">copyright 2008 jason dean all rights reserved</div>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10632224456189259136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5131682.post-1155329505239998432006-08-11T14:47:00.000-06:002006-08-11T14:52:28.606-06:00Proverbs 11:14<blockquote><em><strong>Proverbs 11:14</strong> Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.</em></blockquote>When Christians are presented with the plight of starving children, or of a single Mom with cancer, or of some other tragic circumstance, they often cry out to the Lord seeking resolution and comfort for those involved. We understand and agree that someone should meet those needs. Unfortunately however, we aren't willing many times to be a part of that solution. The same applies to witnessing to others about Jesus and what He has done for them. We feel like it should be done, but aren't necessarily willing to be that one who does it.<br /><br />The proverb teaches us that the people are falling down because of a lack of counsel. Yet, in the multitude of counselors there is safety. We must be one of those counselors. It's not enough that missionaries share their faith, or pastors counsel their flocks, or elders minister to the hurting. We have all, every believer, been called to be part of the solution, to be a counselor, to be a witness and proclaimer of the sufficiency of Jesus Christ to minister to the needs of man. Many times we shrink at this responsibility because we think that to be a counselor we must have all the answers, be insightful and impressive, and have commanding knowledge of the Bible. Instead the Lord has called us to reach out to one another in simple love, not waiting for someone else, in some other position to do it.<br /><br />Simply put, our responsibility toward one another is love. If we love one another truly we will desire to counsel, to help, to minister to one another, to point them toward Jesus. Jesus has all the answers and loves that person who is struggling.<br /><em><blockquote><em><strong>Romans 13:8</strong> Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.</em></blockquote></em>The greatest thing that we can do is to love someone. That love may manifested in many ways; through service, prayer, rebuke, instruction, etc. But if we love one another, we are fulfilling the heart of God, which is what the law is. Christians sometimes think that because they are not bound to the law to keep it for salvation, that it means we are free of all responsibility period. This is far from the truth and has led so many away from close fellowship with God and detracted from their usefulness to His kingdom.<br /><br />It is true that we have been freed from being slaves of sin, however, we are now bondservants to Christ to fulfill His will and not our own. As His word says then, we owe a debt of love to one another. Jesus paid our debt of sin for us and gave us His love freely without being required to do so by any measure of divine responsibility. We are being asked to be the arms and feet and hands and mouth of Christ to those around us.<br /><blockquote><em><strong>Matthew 28:19-20</strong> "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.</em></blockquote>The heart of God is that we would go forth and witness of Christ to others and help them to become true disciples, commited learners, of Christ. It is our responsibility... more specifically, it is your responsibility, it is my responsibility to give love to those that God brings across our path, trusting Him to guide and lead us and trusting Him to minister to His people through you.<br />We are called to serve Him for His purposes in His kingdom. Through the guidance and empowerment of the Spirit, through the Word of God, and through the learning and wisdom that God brings through our obedience, Jesus will edify the body of Christ and present them to Himself clean and without spot. May we stay atuned to His voice today, and may we obey with uncompromising trust.<br /><br />To God be the glory and power forever and ever!<div class="blogger-post-footer">copyright 2008 jason dean all rights reserved</div>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10632224456189259136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5131682.post-1155216934823440042006-08-10T07:24:00.000-06:002006-08-10T07:37:00.386-06:00Proverbs 10:3,24,29<blockquote><p><em><strong>Proverbs 10:3</strong> The LORD will not allow the righteous soul to famish, But He casts away the desire of the wicked.<br /><strong>Proverbs 10:24</strong> The fear of the wicked will come upon him, And the desire of the righteous will be granted.<br /><strong>Proverbs 10:29</strong> The way of the LORD is strength for the upright, But destruction will come to the workers of iniquity.</em></p></blockquote>Are we seeking to be filled at the Lord's table and no other? The Lord will not allow a righteous soul to be hungry.<br /><blockquote><em><strong>Matthew 5:6</strong> Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.</em></blockquote>Are we hungering and thirsting for the will of the father? We have the promise from God that if we are hungry and thirsty to be right with Him we will be filled with that righteousness. In one sense we are made completely righteous when we give our life to Christ, He made us free from sin and cleansed us. Yet in another sense we must walk daily in confession and repentance.<br /><blockquote><em><strong>1 John 1:9</strong> If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.</em></blockquote><p>When Jesus was washing the disciples feet (John 13:5-10), he told Peter that unless He wash Peter, Peter could have no part in Him. Then Peter replied asking for a complete bath! But Jesus said that he'd been made clean already, he only need his feet washed. Jesus was referring to the fact that Peter's faith had saved him, yet he still needed daily washing, just like his feet did. </p><p>If we are seeking to be filled with God with all our heart, we know from these verses that God will hear and will answer and not allow that righteous/being made righteous soul to starve from the presence of and relationship with the Father. Then the Proverb (10:29) says that the desire of the righteous will be granted. If we are firstly submitted, then being cleansed day by day we will receive that which we ask for. </p><blockquote><em><strong>1 John 3:22-24</strong> And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. (23) And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. (24) Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.<br /><br /><strong>Matthew 7:7-8</strong> "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. (8) "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.</em></blockquote><p>Jesus promises that we will get whatever we ask for in righteousness, because the righteous soul is one that is walking in obedience to His commands and doing those things that are pleasing the sight of the Father. If we are ones that are cleaned and directed by the Spirit of God, abiding in One-ness with the Father, then we will truly receive what we ask for. </p><p>The Lord also says that if we delight in Him, He will give us the desires of our heart. Those "desires" could be those things that we are asking according to His will, and they could also be that as we delight in Him, He puts His desires in our heart, thereby guiding us to His will.</p><blockquote><em><strong>Psalms 37:4</strong> Delight yourself also in the LORD, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.<br /></em></blockquote><p>Many times we don't get what we ask for of course, however that's because we ask amiss, seeking selfish fulfillment, seeking to be satisfied by something other than the very Person of God. </p><blockquote><em><strong>James 4:3</strong> You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.</em><br /></blockquote><br />If we are seeking Jesus and are righteous before Him, our greatest satisfaction will be His presence in our heart and nothing that we might ask for. Then when we ask, we are asking according to the will of God and not man.<br /><blockquote><em><strong>John 14:14-16</strong> "If you ask anything in My name, I will do it. (15) "If you love Me, keep My commandments. (16) "And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever;</em></blockquote>Jesus said, "ask...I will do it. If you love Me, keep my commandments." This relates back to the last Proverb (10:29) that says that the "way of the Lord is strength for the upright." If we love Jesus, being made righteous by His sacrifice and daily forgiveness, if we are seeking and hungering for God's will, asking for the things that He puts on our hearts, we will gladly be walking in the power of the Spirit, walking in obedience. Obedience is the result of love for God. Fortunately God knows our heart and knows that we can't just conjure up that love. He says that He has sent a helper to live with us. That Helper of course is the Spirit of God and is there to guide and motivate us toward love for God.<br /><br />The greatest success, the greatest call, the greatest satisfaction, the greatest gift, the greatest pursuit is to love God with all of our heart and mind and soul and strength, by the grace and power of the Spirit.<br /><blockquote><em><strong>John 4:34</strong> Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.</em></blockquote>If we want to be like Jesus our desire will be to love and pursue God with all our heart, asking for and doing the will of God. May we worship our Master and Creator today with simply faith and obedience. Lord show us Your will that we might serve you in it!<div class="blogger-post-footer">copyright 2008 jason dean all rights reserved</div>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10632224456189259136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5131682.post-1155129336449317272006-08-09T07:09:00.000-06:002006-08-09T07:15:36.470-06:00Proverbs 9:1-6<blockquote><em><strong>Proverbs 9:1-6</strong> Wisdom has built her house, She has hewn out her seven pillars; (2) She has slaughtered her meat, She has mixed her wine, She has also furnished her table. (3) She has sent out her maidens, She cries out from the highest places of the city, (4) "Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!" As for him who lacks understanding, she says to him, (5) "Come, eat of my bread And drink of the wine I have mixed. (6) Forsake foolishness and live, And go in the way of understanding.</em> </blockquote>The wisdom of God's Word, as the previous chapters have been discussing, is that which guides us daily in our walk with Him, assisting and making clear the path by which we must walk. That theme continues in this chapter. The house is completed (seven pillars), provisions are prepared, and messengers are sent out. Then Wisdom cries out to the simple and says come. What a lovely description of the familiar New Testament story of the marriage supper of the Lamb!<br /><br />Once a Jewish man was engaged, he would go and build onto his father's house, preparing a place to house his new wife and soon to be family. When the place was complete (seven meaning complete) and provisions were complete, the father would tell the son and messengers would be sent out to tell of the coming of the Groom. So it is with Jesus and His bride, the church. He has gone to prepare a place and when it is complete, He will send out His messengers and the call will sound, the Trump of God and His bride will be gathered together with Him, forever to stay.<br />Jesus is the head of the body (the Church) and has gone away to prepare a place, that where He is, we may be.<br /><blockquote><em><strong>John 14:2-3</strong> "In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (3) "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. </em></blockquote>Jesus taught a parable about a King who prepared a marriage (<a href="http://www.blueletterbible.org/cgi-bin/tools/printer-friendly.pl?book=Mat&chapter=22&version=nkjvp&Go.x=30&Go.y=12" target="_blank">Matt. 22</a>). Many were called but his invited guests disdained or ignored the invitation and killed the messengers. But then the King gathered, from the highways, all who would come. The Father has prepared a wedding supper and many were first called (the Jews) and rejected the messengers (the prophets), so the Lord gathered those on the highways (the gentiles - non-Jewish) and made them His guests.<br />As the Jewish man would prepare his new home, he would also prepare for the marriage feast, which the Bride and all the invited guests would attend. The marriage supper of the Lamb as Revelation calls it, is that final gathering of all those that believe in Jesus Christ.<br /><blockquote><em>Revelation 19:6-9 And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! (7) "Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready." (8) And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. (9) Then he said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!' " And he said to me, "These are the true sayings of God."<br /></em></blockquote><br />Jesus tells another parable about ten virgins who were preparing for an upcoming wedding. Some were ready and some were not. Those that were ready were gathered to be with the Groom and those that were not had no way into the gathering. Then the Groom says, watch and be ready.<br /><blockquote><em><strong>Matthew 25:11-13</strong> "Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!' (12) "But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.' (13) "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.<br /></em></blockquote><br />May we be watching for the coming of the Groom today! As the Proverb says, "forsake foolishness and live, and go in the way of understanding." What great advice, to leave behind that which hinders us (<a href="http://www.blueletterbible.org/cgi-bin/tools/printer-friendly.pl?book=Phl&chapter=3&version=nkjvp&Go.x=22&Go.y=13" target="_blank">Phil. 3:13</a>), and live in the knowledge and understanding that our Savior is returning to gather us to Himself. The time is so very short.<br /><blockquote><em><strong>Revelation 22:20</strong> He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! </em></blockquote><div class="blogger-post-footer">copyright 2008 jason dean all rights reserved</div>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10632224456189259136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5131682.post-1155054145745701852006-08-08T10:19:00.000-06:002006-08-08T10:31:22.433-06:00Proverbs 8:32-35<blockquote><em><strong>Proverbs 8:32-35</strong> "Now therefore, listen to me, my children, For blessed are those who keep my ways. (33) Hear instruction and be wise, And do not disdain it. (34) Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors. (35) For whoever finds me finds life, And obtains favor from the LORD;</em></blockquote><p>The Proverbs are wise sayings to be sure, but the wisdom of the proverbs is much more. They are the very words of God and hence the heart of God. Wisdom proceeds from God, for it is His nature. Like the nature of white light is the combination of all colors of light. It is a defining property. It would be a mistake to believe however that God used a separate or distinct power, that He tapped into something that was already there. Wisdom is wise because it comes from the perfect heart and perfect thoughts of the Almighty God. God defines wisdom, not the other way around.<br /><br />This chapter is a great example of the Personification of Wisdom. Wisdom (Godly knowledge rightly applied) itself becomes the voice of God. This gives us wonderful insight into the person and personality of God. We hear wisdom crying out to the simple to turn to it, this is the cry of God to those that He loves so much. We see wisdom compared to the precious things of man and find that nothing can be compared to what our God says (v11), all things pale in comparison. We find that the ways of God are for all men, both the simple and Kings and in this we understand the unchanging and all loving nature of God Who prefers no one above another (James 2). We find that by God's righteous decree and complete understanding he framed the world and set the seas in its limits.<br /><br />Then in verses 32 through to the end we see the application of this Personification, "<em>Now therefore listen to me</em>." Because God created all things and knows all things and desires for us to turn to Him, he calls us to listen. Anytime we are exhorted to listen in Scripture, it's not just a call to open our ears, but to open our understanding, to absorb and apply wisdom. So God through Wisdom says that He will bless those who keep His ways (v32), it's a wonderful promise. His perfect and just and loving and merciful heart is contained in His cry. He is yearning for us to make His ways of safety and blessing be part of our daily worship.<br /><br />He says it more clearly in verse 34, "<em>Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors</em>." So we listen, and then daily we watch for Him at the gates of decision, where we choose moment by moment if we are going to allow Him to guide us or if we are not. Do we watch daily for our God? Do we wait daily at the posts of His doors, ready to come into His wonderful and incredible presence? What blessing we miss in knowing our Jesus when we choose not to listen and watch and wait for our God! Like a newly married couple who yearns to be with one another, like a child yearning to see her long separated Mother, like one in suffering longing to be free from pain. How much more is our God that our spouse and our Mother and our comfort? How much more is the question that will reveal our heart. Do we yearn for our God? He deserves it! </p><blockquote><p>"If the Son of God has been born into my human flesh, then am I allowing His holy innocence, simplicity, and oneness with the Father the opportunity to exhibit itself in me?" - <a href="http://www.rbc.org/utmost/index.php?month=08&day=08&year=06" target="_blank">Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest</a></p></blockquote><div class="blogger-post-footer">copyright 2008 jason dean all rights reserved</div>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10632224456189259136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5131682.post-1154971409081093112006-08-07T11:20:00.000-06:002006-08-07T11:23:29.096-06:00Proverbs 7:22-23<blockquote><em><strong>Proverbs 7:22a,23b</strong> Immediately he went after her, as an ox goes to the slaughter ... He did not know it would cost his life</em>.</blockquote>The Pattern of Sin and Keys to Avoiding it<br /><br />The first five verses give us the keys to dealing with sin and echo what Proverbs has been telling us so far since chapter one. We must keep and treasure the commands of God, they are life and will keep us from sin. To store God's commands in our heart is imperative, but we must also have that prerequisite fear of the Lord, that fear that indicates respect and relationship with the Creator of the Universe (Pr. 1:7).<br /><br />As our heart "treasures" His commands, we make them important and they begin to form the fabric of our reason and motivation. If He is our delight (v. 2), we will be satisfied with nothing less (Pr. 27:7). If we bind His words to our "fingers," the functional part of our life, and our "heart," (v. 3) the core of our spirit, and identify ourselves with and make decisions based upon the wisdom and understanding of God (v. 4), we will be able to walk away from the sin that comes to us (v. 5)<br /><br />Notice that the man in the proverb was devoid of wisdom and understanding of the consequences of sin (v. 7,22-23), he went right to it. But also notice that it wasn't just a momentary lapse (v 8-9), although that does happen. He purposely took the path to sin, a journey that started before dark and ended in the night - there was time to turn back. It wasn't just a stray glance but a purposeful choice. Their meeting was planned (v. 15-17). A great fall into sin doesn't just happen, it starts in the heart and ends with a choice to leave the path, death is assured apart from Intervention (v. 27).<br /><br /><blockquote><em><strong>Proverbs 4:23</strong> Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.</em></blockquote>Sin is seeking to devour (v. 10,13,21) . Notice how alluring sin sin made itself to the man. It was attractive and beautiful (v. 16-17), it was different and exciting (v. 11-13), it was hidden and offered false justification from guilt (v. 14 - she made peace offerings and paid her vows) and consequences (v. 19 - no husband at home). It offered to satisfy the inner desires (v. 18 - take our fill and delight ourselves). It was seductive and pursued his weaknesses (v. 10)<br />1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.<br /><br />Though the sin was calling him, wooing him, enticing him to give in, it didn't have the power to force him. By the time that it took hold of him, the battle was already lost, because He had already decided to leave the path of protection of the Word of God and give in to the lie that the offering was more satisfying than the truth and commands of God. In his heart, he desired self satisfaction over delight in the commands of God. He yielded to his passions and pursued sin without thought of the relationship with God that was being violated and the consequences that would come. Like an animal, controlled by instinct and physical cravings, without knowledge of anymore more but self, he walked calculatedly into the temporary pleasure of sin. He did not know that it would be his destruction. Like an ox walking unknowingly to a butcher's knife, he would be opened up and drained of life. Sin's desire was to destroy him, and it used his own desire for satisfaction of self to do it.<br /><br />The exhortation that follows is simple, to listen and pay attention to the words of God; the command in the Word and the leading of the Spirit. His sin started in the heart and there is where the battle must be fought and won. The heart is where the Words of God must take root (Luke 8) and where the desire for pleasing our God must emanate. Do we desire and yearn for our God, do we desire to please Him in obedience to His protective words, His plans for grace and mercy? If we reject His grace and mercy, not giving heed to His word, how can we live and not fall to the sin that pursues us?<br /><br />The consequences of taking the path to sin's house, was death and hell. No matter how weak or strong (v. 26), the one who turns to sin will die and find destruction. Either we heed the heart of God that He's revealed through His Word, or we ignore it and our heart becomes open for sin which will surely lead to death.<br /><br />Verse two says, "keep my commands and live." Will we?<div class="blogger-post-footer">copyright 2008 jason dean all rights reserved</div>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10632224456189259136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5131682.post-1154818817887221242006-08-05T16:57:00.000-06:002006-08-05T17:00:17.900-06:00Proverbs 5:21<blockquote><strong>Proverbs 5:21</strong> For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, And He ponders all his paths.</blockquote>A good parent steers his children away from danger. A loving parent doesn't want to see his children be destroyed by their actions or led to destruction by the acts of others. What a great Parent our Heavenly Father is! This chapter and others deal so clearly with the consequences and dangers of men seeking satisfaction outside of the relationship between God and man, and between man and wife. The Father doesn't want His children to be led away by lust and wickedness, which lead to death.<br /><br />So often God gets bad-mouthed for being a cosmic kill-joy, for getting in the way of our fun or being too narrow by insisting that Jesus is the only way to Himself. Yet how clearly this chapter points out that it is our wickedness that leads to death, it is our choices that can trap us and lead us astray, and it is our Father who loves us enough to tell us the truth. It is the Father who is trying to steer us clear of danger.<br /><br />Of course the immediate application of verse 21 is that all these wicked ways of men are not hidden, but bare, before the Lord. God thinks about all of man's paths, his choices and desires and hopes and failures.<br /><br />The knowledge that God is always watching us can either cause us to be fearful or resentful or it can bring praise to our lips, depending on which side of the sin fence we stand. If we are in sin, how troublesome it is to know that the Mighty and Powerful Judge is watching, yet if we have had our sins paid for through faith in Jesus and are walking in right-ness before Him, how wonderfully comforting to know that our Father watching and loving us!<br /><br />We can be so comforted by the fact that our ways are before the eyes of the Lord, yet let us not dilute the truth. The Lord knows our hearts, that they are wicked and in need of healing and cleansing, so He will persist in conforming us to His image, He will persist in allowing circumstances that destroy the flesh and give life to the spirit.<br /><br />Silver and Gold are retrieved most often, not through finding a nugget on the ground, but in taking tons and tons of ore and crushing and grinding it to small pieces where it is then superheated to thousands of degrees, causing the precious metal to liquify and the useless waste to separate so that it can be removed. God is going to get that silver and gold that Jesus birthed in us by His Spirit, and it is going to involve the crushing and burning of the old man and the separation to purity of the new man.<br /><br />So God will allow trials and tribulations to purify and cleanse us of impurity if we let Him. Yet if we choose to continue to walk in our sin, there is nothing but death. We can either spend our eternity with God in heaven, worshipping at His feet, or we can endure an everlasting torment in the pit of hell.<br /><br />Pursuing anything other than Jesus Himself will lead to death. God is watching and hoping that we will choose Him! Thank you Lord for your patience and love! How great You are!<div class="blogger-post-footer">copyright 2008 jason dean all rights reserved</div>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10632224456189259136noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5131682.post-1154721843025233022006-08-04T11:39:00.000-06:002006-08-06T14:13:00.430-06:00Proverbs 4:20-27<blockquote><em><strong>Proverbs 4:20-27</strong> My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. (21) Do not let them depart from your eyes; Keep them in the midst of your heart; (22) For they are life to those who find them, And health to all their flesh. (23) Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. 24) Put away from you a deceitful mouth, And put perverse lips far from you. (25) Let your eyes look straight ahead, And your eyelids look right before you. (26) Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways be established. (27) Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil.</em></blockquote><p>The Lord exhorts us to "<em>give attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings</em>." Then He goes on to describe how we can practically give attention to His words. It's interesting to note that what follows are descriptions, not of theology or high minded intellectual musings, but rather everyday areas of obedience. </p><p>1) Eyes - window to the soul</p><ul><li>"Do not let them depart from your eyes" (v20)</li><li>"Let your eyes look straight ahead" (v25)</li><li>"your eyelids look right before you" (v25)</li></ul><p>The eyes can either open your soul to God or to self and world. We must choose to keep the Word of God literally before our eyes, as in read the Word daily, and to keep the precepts and heart of God our focus continually. Our eyes, as that which act as a rudder to our brain, steer us and the Lord is asking us to keep on that straight and narrow path, the path being illuminated by the Word, the lamp to our feet and light to our path. If our eyes aren't working, our feet will not know where to walk. If our focus isn't on Jesus, how will we walk toward Him?</p><p>2) Heart - the seat of The Spirit</p><ul><li>"Keep them in the midst of your heart" (v21)</li><li>"Keep your heart with all diligence" (v23)</li></ul><p>The heart is that eternal part of you, your Spirit, that which has been made new by the blood of the Lamb! We must keep the Words of God at the core of our desires, at the core of our motivations, at the core of our actions, at the core of our hopes. It is the Word of God that is powerful (Heb. 4:12) and is our primary weapon (Eph. 6), so we must keep it at the center of our heart, where all outward manifestations of our belief originate. We are told to "keep your heart with all diligence." If we do not keep our heart focused and grounded in Jesus, we will be pulled aside to the broad way, the path to destruction (Ps 7). It relates to the idea of taking every thought captive in obedience to Christ. </p><blockquote><p><em><strong>2 Corinthians 10:3-5</strong> For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. (4) For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God or pulling down strongholds, (5) casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,</em></p></blockquote><p>3) Mouth - the proclaimer</p><ul><li>"Put away from you a deceitful mouth"</li><li>"put perverse lips far from you"</li></ul><p>The mouth is that little member that may either Praise it's Creator or bring destruction to men. The Lord encourages us to take the deceit and perversity from our lips. Of course those things don't just out of the mouth, the originate in the heart. So then if our heart is pure, our words become pure, if our heart is not, our words will reveal it. We cannot fake what's truly in our heart, it will surface and it will either edify or destroy. We must make the active choice to use what God has given us to obediently serve Him. This doesn't happen by accident, but through the filling of the heart and through keeping watch over the gates of our mouth.</p><blockquote><p><em><strong>James 3:5</strong> Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles!</em></p><p><em><strong>Palms 22:3</strong> But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. (KJV)</em></p></blockquote><p>4) Feet - support and motility</p><ul><li>"Ponder the paths of your feet"</li><li>"let all your ways be established"</li><li>"do not turn to the right or left"</li><li>"remove your foot from evil"</li></ul><p>Our feet are for the purpose of moving us. Yet they do not act alone. If the heart is pure and the eyes are focused, the feet will walk along the narrow path.</p><blockquote><em><strong>Matthew 7:13-14</strong> "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. (14) Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.</em></blockquote><p>Though our feet must depend on the other parts of our person, their purpose is to move the Worshipper toward their God. To act, moment by moment, walking in faith and trust, is to believe. James tells us that we cannot say we believe if there is not fruit. There must be fruit. Our feet carry us, they are those things that we do, in mind and body, that demonstrate our love and trust in Jesus. The mouth acts similarly. If we are not walking forward toward our Savior, then we are misusing the drive, determination, purpose, will, and actions that our Savior died to give us. May we not waste what God has intended for His glory and the benefit of His Kingdom and Body.</p><p>May we be attentive to Words of God and may we have unwavering focus on and cling to the One Who spoke them!</p><div class="blogger-post-footer">copyright 2008 jason dean all rights reserved</div>Jasonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10632224456189259136noreply@blogger.com1