http://bible.com/116/isa.30.20.nlt Though the Lord gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink, He will still be with you to teach you. You will see your teacher with your own eyes.
Not exactly the encouragement that I was hoping for this morning.
Continue reading “Can I get a serving of Christian, minus the adversity and suffering, please?”
http://bible.com/116/jhn.15.13.nlt
There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
When I see young men laying down their lives in service to their fellow citizens to defend them…
Continue reading “Love each other in all you do, and you will not sin.”
http://bible.com/116/isa.26.7-8.nlt But for those who are righteous, the way is not steep and rough. You are a God who does what is right, and you smooth out the path ahead of them. Lord , we show our trust in you by obeying your laws; our heart’s desire is to glorify your name.
The past few weeks, I’ve been getting things ready for a gathering of folks at our farm land. At the same time, we are involved in a Dave Ramsey financial peace class where we are running on a very strict weekly budget as we are focusing on eliminating debt and coming into obedience and self discipline in that area of our lives.
Continue reading “Am I running around seeking blindly, or am I following the path?”
http://bible.com/100/num.22.31.nasb Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way with his drawn sword in his hand; and he bowed all the way to the ground.
How often are we walking blindly, but telling ourselves that we know what we are doing? Even those of us who walk by faith and not by sight, don’t we sometimes begin to believe that we know the way ourselves? Doesn’t our own will try to step in and recover a foothold on our Christ surrendered lives?
Continue reading “Are we blind to what is getting in the way?”
http://bible.com/116/isa.2.15-17.nlt He will break down every high tower and every fortified wall.
He will destroy all the great trading ships and every magnificent vessel.
Human pride will be humbled, and human arrogance will be brought down. Only the Lord will be exalted on that day of judgment.
High towers and fortified walls speak of things that man not only takes pride in, but those things that we look to as our source of security. For some who are prosperous, a source of security may be savings, wealth, insurance policies, and retirement plans. For some who are motivated and entrepreneurial, a source of security may motivation, abilities, and charisma. For some who are frugal, a source of security may be self-discipline and meager living. For some who are carefree, a source of security may be abandoning all concern for the future and chasing pleasure and immediate gratification by ignoring and denying the possibility of any future cost or consequences.
http://bible.com/116/ecc.11.9-10.nlt Young people, it’s wonderful to be young! Enjoy every minute of it. Do everything you want to do; take it all in. But remember that you must give an account to God for everything you do. So refuse to worry, and keep your body healthy. But remember that youth, with a whole life before you, is meaningless.
Yes, there is a season of our lives when we are young. And hopefully we feel young and carefree throughout our lives, doing what we want to do, taking it all in. This is true of both physical youth and spiritual youth.
http://bible.com/116/num.15.39.nlt
Numbers 15:39 NLT
When you see the tassels, you will remember and obey all the commands of the Lord instead of following your own desires and defiling yourselves, as you are prone to do.
Yes, the Lord knows very well that we are prone to following our own desires instead of being surrendered to His will. Yes, we are little children, prone to defiling our garments.
Idolatry is asking a god to help us GET what we want.
Christianity is asking God to help us GIVE all we can in service to Him.
Are we rubbing a lamp looking to RECEIVE, or are we grateful and thankful seeking to SERVE?
Are we seeking glory and honor for ourselves, or looking to give God all the glory?
Are we idolaters, following a god that we’ve made up in our minds in hopes that we will receive what we ask for?
Or are we Christians, worshipping the God that created us, who we know is real, and to whom we have surrendered our lives?
http://bible.com/116/1co.13.1-7.nlt If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
Is it just me? This reminds me of how little I look like Christ. In fact this whole book reminds me of how little I look like Christ.
http://bible.com/116/isa.6.1-13.nlt
It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of his robe filled the Temple.
Attending him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. They were calling out to each other,
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies! The whole earth is filled with his glory!”
Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke.
Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the lord of Heaven’s Armies.”
Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. He touched my lips with it and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.”
Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?”
I said, “Here I am. Send me.”
Continue reading “Who will go for us?”
Harold J. Ballinger 