2-5-2023 Devotion: Peace

 We want to continue focusing on developing our devotional time with the Lord. This is to be a time of excitement and joy, not legalism and drudgery. I have written about the need to read and study Scripture as part of your growing in the faith. In doing so, we must make sure to avoid the pitfalls of "cherry picking" a verse out of context. Colossians 3: 15 reads: "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful." I have heard "ministers" say this verse is the authority for letting "peace" be your guide to confirm an impression or thought you have had about a decision you are about to make. Just the other day, someone said to me, "Don't do it if you don't feel at peace." However, when the verse is read in context, we see it has nothing to do with making decisions about a life choice. Verses 13, 14 and 16 set the context: "Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness....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." In context, Paul is telling the readers to get along with each other. We are to forgive and forbear; we are to act in love; we are to live in peace with the body of Christ whether Jew or Gentile. Once again, the Bible makes perfect sense when interpreted in context. Don't let "peace" be your "Magic 8 Ball."

2-4-2023 Devotion: Power

 We want to continue focusing on developing our devotional time with the Lord. This is to be a time of excitement and joy, not legalism and drudgery. We are to read, study and meditate on the Word of God.  We are to be mindful of Whom we stand before. You are in the presence of the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. Take a moment to look at the sky. Whether you see sunshine, clouds or stars, you are beholding the work of God. He created everything you see with His Words. Genesis 1: 3 reads: "And God said, Let there be light: and there was light." He created it when He spoke. Then, He sustains His Creation minute by minute. Hebrews 1: 1-3 states: "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high...." Today, meditate on God's power in creation. Look around if you need help.

2-3-2023 Devotion: Ponder

 We want to continue focusing on developing our devotional time with the Lord. This is to be a time of excitement and joy, not legalism and drudgery. I love spending time with my wife. I could sit all day with my wife. I adore her and want to know her every thought. The Holy Bible provides communication from the Trinity and I will read and study and meditate on the words. To meditate in Hebrew means "to mutter." I am to keep God's Word in my heart and mind throughout the day. Joshua 1: 8 reads: "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success." I like to read a portion of Scripture and ponder on the words. What is the context? Who is speaking and who is being spoken to? I want to know what the original audience thought the words meant. From there I can see the spiritual principle intended and apply it to my life. This is important in my walking out of my Christian faith. Today's verse tells me it is not enough to speak the words of God, but also to obey them. If we obey, the Word promises good results. Take time to read, study and meditate on the Word of God. You will prosper spiritually.

2-1-2023 Devotion: Angry

 As we continue to focus on developing our devotional life, we want to approach every passage of Scripture as a Word from the Lord. There are many who misinterpret verses out of ignorance or by design. Another verse that is consistently misinterpreted is Ephesians 4: 26: "Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath...." Now, this is often used in counseling to tell a husband and wife not to go to bed angry with each other. Now that is good advice and I agree with it. However, that is not what the verse is speaking about. Like I have said often, the key is context. We look at the verse before and the verse after to understand the meaning: Ephesians 4: 25-27: "Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil." Verse 26 is about hating sin. We are to be angry at our sin, give it no place nor give place to the devil. We are to be angry at the sin in our lives every day. We are to fight against sin and never stop doing so while we live in our mortal bodies. This is the approach we are to have in our lives as we walk out our Christian faith. Be angry at your sin every day and every hour. Fight and strive against sin. NOTE: This is not to earn our salvation but to make our calling and election sure.

2-1-2023 Devotion: Same

 As we continue to focus on developing our devotional life, we want to approach every passage of Scripture as a Word from the Lord. There are many who misinterpret verses out of ignorance or by design. Another verse that is consistently misinterpreted is Hebrews 13: 8: "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." Many churches teach this verse to mean that everything Jesus did we should be doing because He is the same. This brings confusion and condemnation when the believer is taught this and they can't do what Jesus did and they wonder what is wrong with them. The Lord Jesus Christ is the same today as He was yesterday and will be forever, in character and love toward us, however, He is different in how He applies that character. For example, we all know that the Lord Jesus Christ existed eternally, before the world was even created. Was He healing people before they were born? What about in the Old Testament? Did the Lord Jesus heal people in Genesis through Malachi? No, His healing ministry was in operation for approximately three years. So while Christ is the same as yesterday, His character and love is manifested differently in 2023. Does He still heal? Yes, He may choose to heal and He may choose not to. Our duty is to pray, believe and have faith. Then, we leave the results up to Him, without condemnation,so don't be concerned if you can't  feed a crowd with a few fish and loaves of bread.

1-31-2023 Devotion: Hear

 As we continue to focus on developing our devotional life, we want to approach every passage of Scripture as a Word from the Lord. There are many who misinterpret verses out of ignorance or by design. For example, John 10: 44 reads: "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me...." This verse is used wrongly to support the idea that God is giving someone personal extra-Biblical revelations. We have seen previously, that is how the following churches were formed from "new material" outside of His Word: Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Christian Scientists, the Jim Jones cult and even Muslims. The context for verse 44 is found in the immediately preceding and following verse. Verse 43 reads: "But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you." So the context is that Christ is talking to nonbelievers. This is confirmed when looking at verse 45: "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." Verse 44 is not about Jesus whispering guidance to you about who to marry, what job to take or what clothes to wear. Instead, He is talking about the effectual call that the Holy Spirit gives to those chosen before the foundation of the world. God's elect hears His voice and responds. John Wesley called it prevenient grace and John Calvin called it irresistible grace. The point is that the Lord Jesus Christ was describing how one receives the call to be saved through the grace of God. The Bible is so clear when it is studied correctly. God did not intend to make you follow breadcrumbs to get direction. The Bible is His Word, that is it.

1-30-2023 Devotion: Discipline

 As we continue to develop our devotional life, we want to ensure that we avoid "cherry picking"  a verse out of context and trying to make the verse mean what our opinion is, not what the text actually says. For example, one verse misinterpreted by a number of churches is Matthew 18: 20: "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." This verse is generally quoted when the attendance for a service is small. You will hear someone in authority say, "Well, there are just a few of us here tonight, but the Bible says that where two or three are gathered, Jesus will be in their midst." While I concur that the Lord Jesus Christ is omnipresent, that is not what the verse is referencing. The verse is about church discipline. If someone is in sin, go to him privately. If that does not work, take one or two witnesses with you. If that does not produce results, take the matter public to the church. Start reading in Matthew 18: 15-20 and you will see what the context says about the verse. My point today is that it is not enough just to read your Bible and pray, but you want to also have an understanding about what Scripture means. I have said for years, the Bible is the only book I need to know how to be saved, how to walk in holiness, and how I am to make decisions in my everyday ordinary life. Read, study and pray, and be careful who you let have your ear. As a side not, if you have been attending a church for several years and there has never been a case of church discipline, you should prayerfully consider going somewhere else. If a church is never disciplining anyone, you are either in a perfect church or one with weak leadership.