Daily Devotional – A Look at the Book #384

A Though for today by Papa “J”

Testimony – a solid declaration of truth based on an observation by a witness. That is a definition found in most dictionaries. Here is the biblical definition. One’s character before the eyes of God and man, if it is not the same then you are a hypocrite! Both definitions are not far apart. Matthew 23:27

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With just about everything a person can do, someone else can find a fault it what is being done. So I will be directing our thoughts to one word; observation. I believe (and of course some would observe not to believe) that God did not give us eyes to observe and condemn, but to observe and give praise. All of the chatter that runs out of the mouth about our negative observations accomplishes NOTHING. When is the last time you or I accomplished our goal of a critical spirit where it worked out well? I can think of none! At the very least of this is that someone might be heard saying; “well I vented some of my frustration and now I feel better”. Is that selfish or what? So here is the way to stay off the dead end street of critical observation. “Rejoice in the LORD always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The LORD is at hand.” Philippians 4:4-5 for the whole of the matter read Philippians 4:6-9 too! God’s children do not need to observe the world (they know it and they know what to expect). Saints need to observe; things that are true and noble, things that are just and pure, things that are lovely and of good report. Finally believers in Jesus Christ must observe virtue and express a praiseworthy Spirit. This is the testimony that does not fail the trials of living in and among the lost. Look, in doing this you will properly observe that one lost sheep that Jesus is leading you to! Luke 15:3-7.

Psalm 38:9-10

The heart that contemplates repentance from sinful bondage will painfully sift through the various weights of indifference found in the rebellious attitudes of the heart. Each desire must be evaluated, tossed out or revised to the will of God. It is not an easy task to regain the blessing of living a holy, confident, Spirit filled life after having fallen away for a season of time. Most Christians know this first hand. I praise the LORD for you if you have not had to climb out of this terrible spiritual rut.

The sighing comes just as one feels the accomplishment of repenting from some issue, only to see in the minds eye, another stumbling stone right behind the one just cleared. If you live in New England, repenting is like these back to back snow storms that keep us shoveling snow on Wednesday instead of going off to our Wednesday night prayer service. The soul that has to pray for forgiveness of the mounds of selfish sin has no time to pray for the “one anothers” in Christ. (Matthew 7:1-6)

The heart that is sick with sin races with confusion, doubt and fear. Repenting from a season of sin is not impossible. Repent and behave as a Christian. Romans 12:1-21. Verse 21; do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Daily Devotional – A Look at the Book #383

A Though for today by Papa “J”

Aminni dominni! Poof you are a frog! Or hockus pokeus, be eaten by a swarm of locust! I remember as a child playing these games and moms would call us when we got home, little angels or saints. Think about this for a moment or two!

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Over sixty four sins are recorded in the epistle of 1 Corinthians and a good study for anyone would be to count them. Want to see something that I find interesting? Notice the first few verses of 1 Corinthians 1:1-3. Verse one: Paul called an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God. Then again in Verse two: The church of God at Corinth, to those who are sanctified (set apart) in Christ Jesus called saints. The words (to be) in italics are not in the original manuscripts but are added by translators for flow and connection. God called Paul an apostle and he was. Why? Because he personally followed Christ and this was the will of God. Just as it is the will of God that those who are set apart for Jesus Christ are called by God, saints. So I do not believe that any human religious authority has the power to call men or women saints. Since the only one who maintains that authority and power to lift humans above the sixty four sins found in this epistle is Jesus Christ. Who by the will of God is the Lamb of God who qualifies us to become saints, Colossians 1:12-14, so comfort yourself with this thought. Grace and peace come from God our Father, the Father of all saints who call upon the LORD Jesus as their Savior. Romans 10:13

Psalm 38:6-8

For me I find a great deal of comfort as I read the thoughts that are racing through king David’s mind. He says that he is bent down (troubled) then he goes on to further explained that he is reluctantly bowed down as God forces him to mourn over his sinfulness of the past months. Daily, physical pain and spiritual anguish is about all that David can think about… ever been there? I have so I can speak with some authority. I do not want to know this condition of life ever again.

Being broken by God is very real and the scripture text that comes to mind here is found in the epistle of Hebrews. Hebrews 4:11-14, once we depart from the rest of faith that God has prepared for His children to abide in there will be no rest for the wicked. The only reward is unrest like we observe here in these passages of David’s confession.

Turmoil of heart will make anyone small or great in the eyes of the world groan. All of the private desire of mankind is before the LORD. Every emotion we generate is visible to God, so hearts fail… not because of health, but because of sin. The weight of sin, not forgiven is an unbearable burden. How many ways does it take to explain this truth before it sinks in? The heart and strength give way to weakness, even the light in the eyes begins to go out. Awe; go ahead, run to the doctor for a pill or a band aide, both will wear out soon. But for me, I am looking to my compassionate High Priest. Hebrews 4:14-16. He is eternal and He never wears out.

Daily Devotional – A Look at the Book #381

A Though for today by Papa “J”

The gutters and ruts of life are not far from anyone of us. Truth is that many of God’s saints came from such a place. I for one am very familiar with gutters and ruts!

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The finite mind is an interesting tool that man has to work with. What is on one persons mind may never travel through the mind of another. Even if you bring it to their attention of whatever “it” is; it may not register. Take for example the word, “prosperity”, oh you say that everyone understand prosperity so that undermines your thoughts on the finite mind. Notice if you will Psalm 73:1-3. Truly God is good to Israel. Most people know that and yet many have differing reasons why. We need to take this a bit further. Notice what God says to the reader, “to those who are pure in heart”. Not all of Israel is pure of heart! Now look at verse two. “But as for me, my steps had nearly stumbled; for I was envious of the boastful, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked”. So there is dispirit or discouragement that goes on in the finite mind on every transaction of the mind. In the case of the prospering wicked person, the godly may slip into the sin of coveting what the wicked has. So it goes with most of what travels the highways and byways of the mind of man. Notice the conditions of health of the prospering wicked (which diminishes rapidly) and the remorse of the godly one who still craves prosperity. Psalm 73:4-8, notice the godly and ungodly in stiff necked rebellion, Psalm 73:10-14. God has placed His wisdom to overcome all stumbling blocks in the sanctuary of every church. It takes people inspired of God the Holy Spirit to bring the congregation through the misunderstandings of the finite mind. Psalm 73:1-28.

Psalm 38:3-5

Some has determined and I think if you take the time to do the math you too will see that king David spent about eighteen months in solid rebellion against God once he committed adultery and murder during this period in his life. Actually, in the forgiveness of God, David was fully forgiven, but the circumstance of his sin was never removed. Life after sins (any sins) is never fully the same since sin always leaves a human pathway to the future.

But we’ve not gotten past David’s confession as of yet. Notice, if you will that David’s health is affected by his sin, we could cover another nine pages of what sin does to the human body and not even mention the soul.  Notice too, that David uses the word “iniquities” instead of the word “sin”. He means that he is days removed from sin and confession. Now his life is out of balance, he is on an uneven keel with God. The unrepentant soul stands on the threshold of the sin unto death. 1 John 5:14-17

Foul is the odor of death, if you have been around one who has been dead for only a few days the stench is very alarming. Think of this going on in the body while one yet lives! God does not hold back many punches for the soul that sins and does not confess. It is foolish to walk out of balance with God. He will either bring you to a balanced relationship once again, or bring six feet of dirt over your body.

Daily Devotional – A Look at the Book #381

A Though for today by Papa “J”

I may have struck a nerve with the devotional of yesterday. Of the two blogs, the one that is aimed at the gutters of the world, we had over four hundred viewers. By the way… those in the gutters do read, praise the LORD!

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What would it be to you and me if there were no wisdom or glimmer of truth in the world around us? Oh Bosh! That would never happen! Well now maybe we should give this a moment or two of thought? There is a push throughout the world to dumb the populations of the world down. One effort is called socialistic (government) rule and the other is called autocratic (dictatorship) rule. Both are forms of oppression, both work by controlling life, liberty and the pursuit of truth. The first attack is on life, once life is controlled the next step is to take away liberties by exacting laws that control freedom. Once these two elements have directed the population through controlled education, the Truth is extinguished and the dumbing down of a people or nation is complete. The cost of this nationally is terminal, and on a world wide scale is setting up for the end of life on planet earth. Can this trend in the world today be corrected? Some reformed theologians believe it can, if so what are they doing about it? I see nothing! There is but one solution. The world cannot function without Truth, so Jesus is Coming Again, either the world will repent (unlikely), or the world will soon witness the heavens open and Christ will come with His Army, His translated Saints with Him and His Reign will be millennial. Revelation 19:11-16 and the oppression of socialistic and autocratic rule will be destroyed for ever Revelation 19:17-21.  

Psalm 38:1-2

I believe that when a person who knows the LORD and walks away from Him, that he or she will respond just as king David does in this Psalm. Most of us who are born again have felt the rebuke of Jesus Christ when we sin. To God it does not matter if the sin is adultery, or stealing. Sin is sin! Such a small word, but one sin the size of stealing a plastic bag carries enough weight to feel the hot rebuke of God and the terrible knowledge of destroying your testimony of holiness and obedience.

His chastening comes from every angle in the mind. Guilt, sadness, emotional anguish, loneliness, helplessness and a host of conditions in the mind that tell you, you have sinned against God and wronged your fellow man.

Then, as if that is not enough, and usually it is not enough the weight of God’s Hand will press you down. Depression will set in. Now I have committed a lot worse sin, but recently on the way to the dump I thought of stealing the plastic bag that the trash was in because the dump charges nearly two dollars a bag for these special dump bags. The moment of truth was very weighty. I could in my mind hear God’s hot displeasure. “What are you thinking Jesse? For two dollars you are willing to throw your testimony away with the trash! I own the cattle on a thousand hills. Can I not provide what you need before you need it?” Awe LORD you are so awesome! You bring me to tears of repentance and joy!

Daily Devotional – A Look at the Book #380

A Though for today by Papa “J”

Pray for Justice, Mercy and Faith! Pray for Justice, Mercy and Faith! Pray for Justice, Mercy and Faith! Americans may have their National Coming out Day if one person has their way. If the Saints of God neglect the call to prayer and fasting, Sodom and Gomorrah will witness the fall of another corrupted nation.

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Not by volume, but by weight says the LORD! You say; ”Where does He say that?” Matthew 23:23 reminds us to hate personal and national sin. My question now! Do you personally or nationally hate sin, or do you tolerate it like most? The volume of this personal and national conduct increases daily and we are asked continually by Para-church organizations to throw money and time at the problems we personally and nationally face. Have you not noticed that those who practice personal and national sin simply tolerate these efforts, likewise! “Woe to you, lawyers and teachers, hypocrites! For you pay the premium price of the law, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law, such as; Justice and Mercy and Faith!”  What is that I hear again, did someone say… hogwash? Here is God’s invitation to abundant life: “If my people who are called by My Name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” God does not need our money or our so-called educated talent. He needs our humbled repentant soul. Until every saint of God needs “knee surgery” God will not heal this land.

Psalm 37:37-40

In the economy of God, does He see you as blameless? If I look around at people, my observation is that there are none blameless. The plain truth is that I do not even need to read this in Holy Bible to know this truth, but it is much better to see this in scripture. Romans 3:9-18 and verse 23. You can if you have the time read Romans 1:18-32 and see the national conditions that God is aware of in this nation today.

My heart cries and aches with pain. I would so much like to own an arsenal as large as the armies of the world and destroy all the stiff-necked people I could find. But first I would have to aim the first bullet at myself, then that war would be over quickly. But take this moment and read 1 Corinthians 6:9-11. God has a much better way, notice verse 11. And such were some of you, but you were washed, but you were sanctified (called out). That is the calling out we need. WE need to be justified in the name of the LORD Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

We live in troubling and confusing times. Satan is a hungry lion. He is devouring this nation’s children even before birth. If he fails at this, he distracts them with homosexuals and sodomites. He has placed blinders on the grand parents of this land who say. “Well times are changing, we would not have done this in our day and our day is over! As for parents, WHERE ARE THE PARENTS? Why, they are in 1 Corinthians 6:9 too; Idolaters, adulterers, drunkards and revilers. But God says and we must follow His command for JUSTICE, MERCY and FAITH. This will come to the nation if we wear out our knees.