Sword of the Spirit – Like a Rock #1025

Posted on April 1, 2018 by ron021950

SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                           1025

“Like a Rock”

There is none holy like the Lord: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God. (1 Samuel 2:2)

Whenever I read Scripture that describes our Lord as a rock I get a mental image of the Rock of Gibraltar. Perhaps this stems from being exposed to the logo of a 140 year old insurance and financial services company that uses this image to convey its stability and permanence.

Yet no matter how majestic and stable the world’s magnificent rocks and mountains are, they remain temporary, fragile, fluid and simply cannot compare to the rock solid stability of our Lord Jesus. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain… For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you…says the Lord… (Isaiah 40:4; 54:10)

The Word of God tells us that He is the solid rock foundation for His church and we are the living stones that He will build into His spiritual house. …And I tell you, you are Peter (Petros, e.g.: pebble), and on this rock (Petra, e.g.: boulder, mountain) I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it; you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (Matthew 16:16-20; 1 Peter 2:5)

Sadly, the proliferation of denominations claiming to be Christian has brought about various doctrinal belief systems that seek to lay foundations other than that of Jesus Christ, our risen Savior. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 3:11)

In building His church, Jesus made provision for us to be discipled, to learn and grow in spiritual maturity so that we would not be deceived by false doctrine. … There is one body and one Spirit…one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all…And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. (Ephesians 4:3-14)

Upon what ground do you stand? Is it slippery or easily shaken? Is it shifting, sinking sand? Does it provide a stable, solid surface for you to withstand the storms of life and attacks of the enemy of your soul? But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ… Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord…  (1 Corinthians 15:57-58)

May you place your hope and trust solely in the solid rock of Jesus Christ. Accept no substitutes.

He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?  My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. (Psalm 62:6; 121:1-2)

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Sword of the Spirit – Unauthorized Fire #1024

Posted on March 26, 2018 by ron021950

SWORD of the SPIRIT                                                                                                    1024

“Unauthorized Fire”

Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the Lord, which he had not commanded them. And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord. (Leviticus 10:1-2)

I am reminded by this Scripture of the one time in my life that I spoke the Lord’s Name in vain. I was ten or eleven years old, it was a Summertime Saturday and I was playing baseball. I tried to steal home base and was picked off when I attempted to return to third. I swore. I was immediately convicted of my sin. I feared that lightning would come out of heaven and turn me into bacon on the baseline. I left the game and ran to the Catholic Church to go to confession and receive absolution for my sin.

Nadab and Abihu were not ordinary men. They were priests of God. They are named among Moses, Aaron, and the seventy elders as those who could come closer to the presence of God than the masses of people. Then he said to Moses, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship from afar. Moses alone shall come near to the Lord… (Exodus 24:1-2) So what did these prominent men do that was so grievous a sin as to justify being immediately consumed by fire from the Lord?

The only fire acceptable to God was the fire He initially created. And fire came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt offering… (Leviticus 9:24) The Lord commanded that this sanctified fire never be allowed to go out and that its coals were to be used in worship.

Fire shall be kept burning on the altar continually; it shall not go out;  And he shall take a censer full of coals of fire from the altar before the Lord, … and he shall bring it inside the veil and put the incense on the fire before the Lord, … so that he does not die. (Leviticus 6:13; 16:12-13)

Referencing the fire offered by Nadab and Abihu, the root word translated as unauthorized carries the meaning of strange, foreign, and profane. For whatever reason that they did it, whether drunk or careless, Nadab and Abihu showed utter disregard for the holiness of God and His commands by offering in the sight of the people fire of their own making. Moses explained this to Aaron following the death of his sons.  Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the Lord has said: ‘Among those who are near me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified.’” And Aaron held his peace. (Leviticus 10:3)

What lesson can we learn from Nadab and Abihu? God is holy and the only sacrifice acceptable to Him is the holy and perfect sacrifice He initiated, that of His Son, Jesus. We cannot approach a holy God without Jesus. Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)

We cannot let the fire of the presence of the Lord in our hearts go out and ritualistically approach a holy God on Easter and Christmas and expect that our worship will be acceptable to Him. This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; (Matthew 15:8)

May you receive the free gift of salvation through faith in Jesus. May the Holy Spirit kindle and continuously fan into flame a heart of reverential awe and love for the one, true, holy God. May you worship Him in Spirit and Truth by your lifestyle – in all that you say and do.

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Sword of the Spirit – Freedom is Not Free #1023

Posted on March 19, 2018 by ron021950

SWORD of the SPIRIT                                                                                     1023

“Freedom Is Not Free”

 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery…For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. (Galatians 5:1, 13)

It is disheartening to see the rapid rise of various movements in America that embrace giving up essential freedom fought for and paid for with precious lives. People are demanding Democratic Socialism instead of our Constitution. A paraphrased version of Ben Franklin’s quote engraved on the Statue of Liberty states that ‘people who would give up essential liberty in order to gain temporary safety deserve neither’. It is as if we have become such a pampered society that like Peter Pan we never want to grow up. The movement and trend is to trade the liberty and freedom we have as “We the People..” for bondage to big government or some ideological system of laws.

Since our places of work and our churches are microcosms of society we see the same effects there as we do in the political arena. Work ethics are nearly non-existent. People feel that they are entitled to a ‘living wage’ paycheck, but do not want to put forth the effort to earn it. In our churches people increasingly want to be ‘entertained’ and hear ‘feel good’ preaching rather than delve into the Truth of the Word of God. Like their desire for big government to do everything for them, they expect that the evangelistic work of the church belongs solely to the Pastoral team and not to them. They have lost sight of the fact that as the Body of Christ, they are the church and that we all bear the responsibility of the Lord’s great commission to us.

Men and women fought and died to obtain and preserve the constitutional freedoms we have in America. Our freedom was not free and it came at a high price. However, like all things of this world, America’s freedom is temporal and it can be lost.

There is a freedom however that is available to all people that can never be taken away from us – freedom from the law of sin and death. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:1-2)

This freedom also came at a high price. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

Jesus, fully God and fully man, willingly paid the price with His life for our freedom and opened the door for us to have eternal life through faith in Him. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father; …If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free…So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (John 10:18; 8:31-36)

Although we need to continue the fight to preserve our constitutional freedom in America, rest assured that you will never have to fight to earn the freedom purchased for you by Jesus. My sheep hear my voice…I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand; And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. (John 10:27, 28; 6:39)

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Sword of the Spirit – Eating the Scroll #1022

Posted on March 11, 2018 by ron021950

SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                   1022

“Eating the Scroll”

…And he said to me, “Take and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.” …; And he said to me, “Son of man…eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.”…Then I ate it, and it was in my mouth as sweet as honey. (Revelation 10:9-11; Ezekiel 3:1-3)

I am sure we have all experienced eating foods that tasted oh, so good only to have an upset stomach afterward. Why would God’s Word have a sweet and sour aspect to it? When we first come to Christ and are saved by His grace, we receive the Word of God with joy. This is akin to the scroll given to Ezekiel and John to eat. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…; I am the living bread that came down from heaven… For my flesh is true food…(John 1:1-14; 6:51-55)

Having been justified and saved we enter in a process of sanctification (transformation and renewal) as we learn to walk His path and to follow Jesus in our daily life. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind…(Romans 12:2) This is when the initial sweet taste of the Word of God becomes bitter. It becomes bitter for two opposite spectrum reasons.

For some, the Word becomes bitter because the path of Christ is too difficult to follow when the siren call to conform to the world becomes more attractive to our flesh.  Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me…(Matthew 16:24-26) The Word initially sown has become like the seed sown along the path, on rocky ground or among thorns. …the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy…endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises…immediately he falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. (Matthew 13:19-22)

At the opposite spectrum is the bitterness felt by Ezekiel and John as the Word of God produced in them the burden and sorrow of God because of the sin in them and in the world. As we grow in grace and fellowship with Jesus, the light of His Word exposes hindrances in our life that can cause us to stumble – things we need to renounce. The sweet Word of God becomes bitter in our stomach as we acknowledge our sin. For the grace of God has appeared…training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age… (Titus 2:11-13)

Bitterness also comes as we see the sin of the world around us and feel the pressure to be politically correct and hide the light of the Word under a basket. Homosexuality is a sin. Abortion is murder, not a choice. Marriage is between one man and one woman. God made us male and female, not gender neutral. “So you, son of man, I have made a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. (Ezekiel 33:7)

May the Living Word of God in you give you utterance to speak boldly His uncompromised Truth in love.

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Sword of the Spirit – Signs and Wonders #1021

Posted on March 4, 2018 by ron021950

SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                             1021

“Signs and Wonders”

 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made… (Romans 1:20)

I love to watch the BBC series, The Blue Planet. Not only do I find it fascinating, marvelously beautiful and educational but I cannot help but enter into praise and worship of God who created it all. It truly takes more faith to believe it all evolved by chance than to believe in our Divine Creator God.

Truly, the evidence – the signs and wonders that proclaim His eternal power surround us if we would but pause and observe.  When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? (Psalm 8:3-5)

Signs and wonders have their place in God’s plan to draw people to know Him and to receive salvation through His Son, Jesus. Jesus performed many signs and wonders during His ministry on earth and His return will be preceded with even more. And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh… And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below…before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day… (Acts 2:17-21)

The Word of God however repeatedly cautions us about reliance on signs and wonders. And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick; So Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” (John 6:2; 4:48)

Our motive for seeking Jesus needs to be pure in heart. Herod wanted to be entertained, others to get a free meal. When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him;  Jesus answered them, Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves;…But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign… (Luke 23:8; John 6:26; Matthew 12:38-39)

We may all know people who chase after signs and wonders, travelling to churches where there is a ‘blessing’ being manifested. In his book, The Counterfeit Revival, Hank Hanegraaff of the Christian Research Institute talks about a shift in Christianity from faith to feelings, and from fact to fantasy. I believe that the churches susceptibility to counterfeit faith is due to the fact that far too many of us have a relationship with religious rituals rather than a personal relationship with Our Lord, Jesus – the Living Word of God. So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:17)

The Word of God warns us about false signs and wonders. The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders; For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. (2 Thessalonians 2:9; Matthew 24:24)

May the Holy Spirit open the eyes of your heart and reveal the Truths of the Word of God to you as you grow in your personal relationship with Jesus through the revelation of His Word.

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Sword of the Spirit – Run to Win #1020

Posted on February 26, 2018 by ron021950

SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                                1020

“Run to Win”

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. (Corinthians 9:24-27)

Although I enjoy watching the Olympic Games, I find the backstory to be of particular interest. There is a level of commitment exhibited by these athletes that is not typically found in the general population. They may have natural talent and ability but these skills must be developed and honed to perfection in order to compete for a gold medal.

This disciplined commitment is what Paul is referencing in his letter to the Corinthians. Paul draws a parallel between being committed to attain a perishable (medal) and an imperishable (eternal life) prize. It is interesting to note that this level of commitment is required of more than just the athlete. There are sacrifices made by parents and others who have a vested interest in the athlete’s success. Let’s unpack Paul’s analogy in light of our Christian walk.

Paul exhorts us in his letter to run to win. He states that although many compete, only one gets the prize. Jesus also warns us not to be flippant relative to our commitment. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness;’ For many are called, but few are chosen. (Matthew 7:21-23; 22:14)

The families of the Olympiads sacrifice much to help the athlete achieve success. In like manner our Father in Heaven sacrificed His only Son so that we may attain the imperishable prize. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

Likewise, Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice by His suffering and death to pay the price for our sins. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:8)

We see the athletes frequently conferring with their coaches. There coaches are always watching and sometimes running alongside shouting words of encouragement, direction and correction. In like manner, our Triune God is so committed to our success that He sent His Holy Spirit to counsel us along the way. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. (John 14:26)

God has demonstrated His commitment to our winning the imperishable prize. Do we match His commitment? Paul exhorts us to not run aimlessly. Are we keeping our eye on the prize? Am I living a purpose driven life for Christ? Am I willing to discipline myself and sacrifice the desires of the flesh that cause me to stumble and sin?

May the Holy Spirit revive and renew a right spirit in us as we go for the imperishable prize that God has made available to us.

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Sword of the Spirit – A Cake Unturned #1019

Posted on February 18, 2018 by ron021950

SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                              1019

“A Cake Unturned”

 “Ephraim is a cake not turned.”-Hosea 7:8

Imagine the unpleasant taste and texture of a pancake burned on the bottom and chalky, gooey-doughy on the top. This is the displeasing image conveyed by our reference Scripture as the Lord describes the Northern kingdom of Israel as ‘a cake unturned’.

In disobedience to the Lord’s commands, Ephraim mixed with the pagan cultures of the land that they occupied. When the Lord your God cuts off before you the nations whom you go in to dispossess … take care that you be not ensnared to follow them…Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it. (Deuteronomy 12:29-32) Ephraim blended their faith with local pagan customs and like a cake unturned became unfit for service.

As I reflected on this devotional I was reminded of Mardi Gras which occurred this week. In a tradition with roots from pagan customs, people from all walks of life and faiths seek to indulge their flesh appetites to the maximum in the days leading up to a holy time of fasting and abstinence (Lent). One has to question whether this is a hypocritical practice for those who profess to be Christian—are they like a cake unturned? Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. (Romans 13:13-14)

We see it every day – people who profess to be born again Christians with their words or clothing apparel behaving and acting in a totally opposite manner, like a cake unturned. They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work. (Titus 1:16)

We would be remiss if we did not examine ourselves in light of this Scripture verse. Am I like a cake unturned? I wear my faith on my sleeve so to speak. What have I said or how have I behaved that did not live up to the faith I profess in Jesus Christ?

We must always be on guard against conforming to and compromising with the norms of this world that God commands against. Just because abortion is legal, should I tolerate it or work to eradicate it? The Ten Commandments are not suggestions that remain valid only as long as society deems they are. We must not allow our Christian faith walk and church practices to blend with the world such that their integrity is compromised—like a cake unturned. What fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness…Therefore come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord; Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. (2 Corinthians 6:14–18; 1 Peter 2:11).

By the mercies of God may we present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. May we not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of our minds. (ref. Romans 12:1-2)

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Sword of the Spirit – The Feet of Judas #1018

Posted on February 11, 2018 by ron021950

SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                               1018

“The Feet of Judas”

…During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. (John 13:1-17)

I never cease to marvel at the truth of God’s love for us that is portrayed in our reference Scripture verse. Imagine Jesus, fully God and fully man, taking on the position of a bond slave and washing the feet of His disciples. What a picture of His love for us. I recall the ‘aha’ moment when the Holy Spirit revealed to me that Judas’ feet were washed also. He loves us even when He knows our dark hearts. He truly came to take away the sins of the world.

I recently climbed up on my self-righteous pedestal and wondered how Judas could have betrayed Jesus. The Lord brought me back to ground zero with the challenge to examine where my feet have walked – has my path been all that different than the path Judas’ feet walked?

Judas’ feet took him to follow Jesus as have mine. Judas however, was never part of the Lord’s trusted inner circle as were Peter, Andrew, James and John. Do I follow Jesus at a distance? Am I too content to dwell in the shadowy fringe of the world rather than press in to the center of the light of Christ? Is my Christianity simply a means to an end – a sort of ‘get out of jail free’ card?

Judas’ feet took him to clandestine places to steal from Jesus. But Judas Iscariot… said, “Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?”He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. (John 12:4-6) It is interesting to note how little importance Jesus placed on their finances by allowing Judas to have charge of the moneybag. Jesus trusted His Father to always provide their needs.

Does my love for the baubles of this world interfere with my relationship with Jesus? For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. (1 Timothy 6:10) Have I withheld the Lord’s tithe or given it grudgingly? Have I done some creative accounting, calculating the tithe on net, rendering it not as a first fruit offering to the Lord but rather secondary to taxes, benefits, and my 401k?

Judas was quick to walk in the ways of evil and his feet took him to a place of despair and destruction. How quick my feet are to take me where I should not go! For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. (Romans 7:18) The enemy seeks to drag you into despair and tell you the lie that there is no hope for you. Judas believed the lie – you do not have to! Like Judas we have all sinned and like Judas, Jesus washed our feet and more! For by grace you have been saved through faith…; For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (Ephesians 2:8-9; John 3:16)

May your feet take you closer to Jesus, pressing in to the center of the light of His presence.

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Sword of the Spirit – Investing Time #1017

Posted on February 4, 2018 by ron021950

SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                              1017

“Investing Time”

 But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray. (Luke 5:16)

We all have a finite amount of time. It cannot be recycled, accumulated, or saved for the future. Like water under the bridge it is here for the moment, and then it is gone.  Each moment of time we have is precious and should not be wasted.

It has been said that, ‘Time is the currency of relationships. If you want to invest into your relationships, start by investing your time.’

Jesus is the perfect example for us when it comes to investing time. From an early age Jesus sought a closer relationship with God and was found in the temple learning from the teachers. And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” (Luke 2:49)

During His ministry, Jesus ‘walked with God’ always attuned to the leading of the Holy Spirit.    …believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father. (John 10:38)

Although fully man and fully God, Jesus knew the value and necessity to unplug from the daily grind and get away for quality time conversing with God in prayer. This was His practice before making major decisions such as choosing the twelve apostles. In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles. (Luke 6:12-13)

How well do we as followers of Christ live up to His example and invest our time wisely to have a closer relationship with God and our fellow man as well as fulfilling His purpose and calling for our life on earth?

The information technology and social media explosion has interconnected us in a manner never before seen in society. Yet it seems that such technological interconnectedness has worked instead to diminish the depth of interpersonal relationships between individuals and families. Allowing technology to interrupt us continually works to keep us distracted and off balance. We become unable to maintain focused conversations where we actively listen and understand others thereby building in-depth personal relationships. These distractions reduce productivity in our work and most importantly they interfere with our prayer life – our quality time conversing with God.

So what are we to do? First, learn to be the master of technology and not a slave to it. Learn to unplug and control interruptions. Leave the devices at home or in the car when at church. Use the ‘Do Not Disturb’ function when meeting and conversing with others. Shut them off if you have to when in prayer. Just as your tithes are the first fruits and holy to the Lord, so should your time in prayer be a first fruit offering to God at the start of each day.

Maintain ‘God awareness’ always, whether at work, recreation, or at home. This will promote a lifestyle of praying without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and you will strengthen your spiritual attunement with God and His purpose and plan for you.

May you worship God by investing all your time wisely for His kingdom and for His Glory.

Posted in Business as Mission, Prayer, Priorities, Purpose, Relationship, Workplace, Worship | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Sword of the Spirit – Extreme Wickedness #1016

Posted on January 28, 2018 by ron021950

SWORD OF THE SPIRIT                                                                                             1016

“Extreme Wickedness”

Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth; The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. (Genesis 6:11-12; 5-6)

Could it be possible that mankind was more corrupt in the days of Noah than it is today? Having cleansed the earth in the flood, God gave mankind another chance through Noah and his family. Yet ten generations later we see that the extreme wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah again brought judgment from the Lord. Were they more wicked than we are today?

I am struck by the verse: And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. I am reminded of the lyrics in the song, HOSANNA by Hillsong that say: ‘Break my heart for what breaks Yours’ and my heart is indeed also grieved. My heart is broken not so much at what I see in the wickedness of the world but rather because when I point my finger at their sin, there are four other fingers pointing back at me! My heart is grieved because I too am part of the problem because of my sinful nature. We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment; As it is written: None is righteous, no, not one. (Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:10)

I can relate with Paul who wrote in the book of Romans, Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7:24, 25)

I marvel at God’s love for us. In spite of the continuing extreme wickedness of the world, He suffered and died for our sins in the Person of Jesus Christ. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life; he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit. (John 3:16; Titus 3:5)

There are no loopholes in God’s plan for salvation. Although the Lord is patient, not willing that anyone should be condemned (2 Peter 3:9) there will come a day when He says ‘Enough!’ and it will come upon us suddenly, as in the days of Noah. (Matthew 24:37-39) There is only one way out of the cesspool of wickedness that plagues us, and that is through faith in Jesus Christ who paid the price for our redemption. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God…; For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. (1 Peter 3:18; 1 Timothy 2:5)

Is your heart attuned to God’s heart? Are you grieved by what grieves His? Are you willing to deny your flesh and follow Jesus? Yes, we will all trip up and stumble along the way. Do not let the enemy speak the lie that you are unworthy to resume your walk with Jesus. Our righteousness is found in Him and Him alone – never in our abilities.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. (Romans 15:13)

Posted in Business as Mission, Encouragement, Faith, Forgiveness, Holiness, Hope, Morality, Obedience, Salvation, Temptation | Tagged , , | Leave a comment