religious traditions and preferences

 

Nehemiah 9:5-33 ...

“Stand up and bless the Lord your God Forever and ever!

“Blessed be Your glorious name, Which is exalted above all blessing and praise!

6 You alone are the Lord; You have made heaven, The heaven of heavens, with all their host, The earth and everything on it, The seas and all that is in them, And You preserve them all. The host of heaven worships You.

7 “You are the Lord God, Who chose Abram, And brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans, And gave him the name Abraham; 8 You found his heart faithful before You, And made a covenant with him To give the land of the Canaanites, The Hittites, the Amorites, The Perizzites, the Jebusites, And the Girgashites— To give it to his descendants. You have performed Your words, For You are righteous.

9 “You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, And heard their cry by the Red Sea. 10 You showed signs and wonders against Pharaoh, Against all his servants, And against all the people of his land. For You knew that they acted proudly against them. So You made a name for Yourself, as it is this day. 11 And You divided the sea before them, So that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land; And their persecutors You threw into the deep, As a stone into the mighty waters. 12 Moreover You led them by day with a cloudy pillar, And by night with a pillar of fire, To give them light on the road Which they should travel. 

13 “You came down also on Mount Sinai, And spoke with them from heaven, And gave them just ordinances and true laws, Good statutes and commandments. 14 You made known to them Your holy Sabbath, And commanded them precepts, statutes and laws, By the hand of Moses Your servant. 15 You gave them bread from heaven for their hunger, And brought them water out of the rock for their thirst, And told them to go in to possess the land Which You had sworn to give them. 

16 “But they and our fathers acted proudly, Hardened their necks, And did not heed Your commandments. 17 They refused to obey, And they were not mindful of Your wonders That You did among them. But they hardened their necks, And in their rebellion They appointed a leader To return to their bondage.

But You are God, Ready to pardon, Gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, Abundant in kindness, And did not forsake them.

18 “Even when they made a molded calf for themselves, And said, ‘This is your god That brought you up out of Egypt,’ And worked great provocations, 19 Yet in Your manifold mercies You did not forsake them in the wilderness. The pillar of the cloud did not depart from them by day, To lead them on the road; Nor the pillar of fire by night, To show them light, And the way they should go. 20 You also gave Your good Spirit to instruct them, And did not withhold Your manna from their mouth, And gave them water for their thirst. 21 Forty years You sustained them in the wilderness; They lacked nothing; Their clothes did not wear out And their feet did not swell. 

22 “Moreover You gave them kingdoms and nations, And divided them into districts. So they took possession of the land of Sihon, The land of the king of Heshbon, And the land of Og king of Bashan. 23 You also multiplied their children as the stars of heaven, And brought them into the land Which You had told their fathers To go in and possess. 24 So the people went in And possessed the land; You subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, The Canaanites, And gave them into their hands, With their kings And the people of the land, That they might do with them as they wished. 25 And they took strong cities and a rich land, And possessed houses full of all goods, Cisterns already dug, vineyards, olive groves, And fruit trees in abundance. So they ate and were filled and grew fat, And delighted themselves in Your great goodness.

26 “Nevertheless they were disobedient And rebelled against You, Cast Your law behind their backs And killed Your prophets, who testified against them To turn them to Yourself; And they worked great provocations. 27 Therefore You delivered them into the hand of their enemies, Who oppressed them; And in the time of their trouble, When they cried to You, You heard from heaven; And according to Your abundant mercies You gave them deliverers who saved them From the hand of their enemies.

28 “But after they had rest, They again did evil before You. Therefore You left them in the hand of their enemies, So that they had dominion over them; Yet when they returned and cried out to You, You heard from heaven; And many times You delivered them according to Your mercies, 29 And testified against them, That You might bring them back to Your law. Yet they acted proudly, And did not heed Your commandments, But sinned against Your judgments, ‘Which if a man does, he shall live by them.’ And they shrugged their shoulders, Stiffened their necks, And would not hear. 30 Yet for many years You had patience with them, And testified against them by Your Spirit in Your prophets. Yet they would not listen; Therefore You gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands. 31 Nevertheless in Your great mercy You did not utterly consume them nor forsake them; For You are God, gracious and merciful.

32 “Now therefore, our God, The great, the mighty, and awesome God, Who keeps covenant and mercy: Do not let all the trouble seem small before You That has come upon us, Our kings and our princes, Our priests and our prophets, Our fathers and on all Your people, From the days of the kings of Assyria until this day. 33 However You are just in all that has befallen us; For You have dealt faithfully, But we have done wickedly."

Psalm 89:11-18

The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours; The world and all its fullness, You have founded them. 12 The north and the south, You have created them; Tabor and Hermon rejoice in Your name.

13 You have a mighty arm; Strong is Your hand, and high is Your right hand. 14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Mercy and truth go before Your face.

15 Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! They walk, O Lord, in the light of Your countenance. 16 In Your name they rejoice all day long, And in Your righteousness they are exalted. 17 For You are the glory of their strength, And in Your favor our horn is exalted. 18 For our shield belongs to the Lord, And our king to the Holy One of Israel.

Proverbs 21:29-31

A wicked man hardens his face, But as for the upright, he establishes his way.

30 There is no wisdom or understanding Or counsel against the Lord.

31 The horse is prepared for the day of battle, But deliverance is of the Lord.

Acts 27:27-44

God has a plan for each one of us. In Acts 27, we read of God's plan to send Paul To Rome.

As these readings from different sections of the Bible tell of God's plan, God also provides protection and provision. What is God's plan for you?

#1 Do you know Jesus Christ personally? John 3:16

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 

John 8:32; John 14:6

The bolded letters are for emphasis and not in the Bible. All the scripture is the NKJV from BibleGateway.com

United by the Gospel

Every one of us was created with a free will to think and choose; my belief is that we are ALL created in the image of Holy God. Sometimes I can and sometimes I cannot change my circumstances, but I can ALWAYS change my way of thinking or my focus in the circumstance. In this blog, I would like to share a few of my survival strategies learned in my 80+ years. Where do I try to focus? What am I learning?

  

Since January 1, 2020, I have been reading the LifePrinciples Daily Bible by Charles F. Stanley. This devotional combines a growing knowledge and understanding of God through His Word. Every reading combines something from the Old Testament, Psalms, Proverbs and the New Testament. Only by example can I hopefully explain how the four separate readings connect with knowledge and understanding. The first reading is Genesis 1-2, creation, Life Principle “Our Intimacy with God—His highest priority for our lives—determines the impact of our lives.” In Psalm 1, I learn “…in His law he meditates day and night…” In Proverbs 1, I learn “to receive instruction is wise behavior…” In Matthew 1, I read the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah.

A few examples of recent scriptures that have encouraged me:

Proverbs 21:2 “People think they are doing what is right, but the Lord knows the heart.” :10 “Evil people love to harm others; their neighbors get no mercy from them.” :30 “Human plans, no matter how wise or well advised, cannot stand against the LORD.” :31 “The horses are prepared for battle, but the victory belongs to the LORD.”

John 13: 24-25 “A new commandment I give you that you love one another, even as I have loved you that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

John 17:20-26, especially “…that they all be one…” The following excerpt is from The Tony Evans Bible Commentary page 1057.

   He [Jesus] prayed that all believers would all be one —that is, experience unity. Legitimate unity is not uniformity or sameness. Rather, Jesus was talking about being unified in God and his purposes. That’s why he prayed, May they also be in us, so that the world may believe you sent me.

   A football team consists of different players filling different positions with different roles. But the entire team has one purpose: reaching the goal line. Their unity consists of pursuing that one goal according to the rules of the game. The church of Jesus Christ is composed of people from every race, ethnicity, gender, and walk of life. But we have the common purpose of proclaiming the gospel and pursuing God’s kingdom agenda. Our effectiveness is determined by our unity. That’s why Satan works so hard at causing division among Christians and within churches.   Please read the rest of this commentary.

1 Peter 5:7 “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” KJ biblegateway.com

Please listen to “Does Jesus Care?” by Frank E. Graeff recorded by Gaither Music.

United by the Gospel; how has the good news of Jesus Christ comforted you? I have written about how I am comforted during difficult circumstances. How do you find comfort in a time of turmoil? Please share your thoughts, where do you go for encouragement? The Gospel will unite us in prayer and action. Thank you.

Finding Favor With God and Man

Proverbs 3:1-4 

The Rewards of Wisdom

My son, do not forget my teaching,

But let your heart keep my commandments;

 

For length of days and years of life

And peace they will add to you.

 

Do not let kindness and truth leave you;

Bind them around your neck,

Write them on the tablet of your heart.

So you will find favor and good repute

In the sight of God and man.

www.biblegateway.com New American Standard Bible (NASB)

   One of our basic human needs is acceptance. Without it, we feel alienated or maybe even rejected. In the Bible, acceptance is often referred to as "favor." For example, when Joseph was sold into slavery, Genesis 39:4 says he "found favor" in the sight of his master Potiphar and was put in charge of the official's entire household. Joseph found acceptance and approval because of his exemplary behavior.

   Whose favor are you longing to receive? Do you desire God's approval? Today's text shows us how we can find favor with both God and man.

   FIRST, WE SHOULD VALUE THE LORD'S TEACHING. God blessed us by giving us HIs Word, but not everyone makes it a priority. We should recognize Scripture as our most valuable earthly possession because it is God's revelation of Himself and His instructions for us.

   SECOND, WE SHOULD MAKE OBEDIENCE TO GOD A MATTER OF THE HEART. Following His commands is about far more than just external rule keeping; it involves not only our actions but our attitudes and thoughts as well.

   THIRD, WE ARE TO LET KINDNESS AND TRUTH CHARACTERIZE OUR LIFE. When we are wholeheartedly living in obedience to God's commands, the effect will spill over into our relationships, as kindness and truth become the guardians of our words and actions.

   Although the Christian faith may evoke a negative response from some, believers shouldn't be discouraged. A life that reflects Christ pleases God. And in bringing light to a dark world, an obedient life will also bring the favor of many in its circle of influence.

Stanley, Charles F. "Finding Favor With God and Man." In Touch: Daily Readings for Devoted Living. February 2018. Atlanta, In Touch Ministries. page 35.

"The Knowledge of the Holy" by A. W. Tozer review

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. Proverbs 9:10

The following gleanings are from The Knowledge of the Holy, The Attributes of God: Their Meaning in the Christian Life by A.W. Tozer.

“It is impossible to keep our moral practices sound and our inward attitudes right while our idea of God is erroneous or inadequate.”

“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.

The history of mankind will probably show that no people has ever risen above its religion, and man’s spiritual history will positively demonstrate that no religion has ever been greater than its idea of God. Worship is pure or base as the worshiper entertains high or low thoughts of God.

For this reason the gravest question before the Church is always God Himself, and the most portentous fact about any man is not what he at a given time may say or do, but what he in his deep heart conceives God to be like. We tend by a secret law of the soul to move toward our mental image of God. This is true not only of the individual Christian, but of the company of Christians that composes the Church. Always the most revealing thing about the Church is her idea of God, just as her most significant message is what she says about Him or leaves unsaid, for her silence is often more eloquent than her speech. She can never escape the self-disclosure of her witness concerning God.”

“Thought and speech are God’s gifts to creatures made in His image; these are intimately associated with Him and impossible apart from Him. It is highly significant that the first word was the Word: ‘And the Word was with God, and the Word was God.’ We may speak because God spoke. In Him word and idea are indivisible.

That our idea of God correspond as nearly as possible to the true being of God is of immense importance to us… Only after an ordeal of painful self-probing are we likely to discover what we actually believe about God.

A right concept of God is basic not only to systematic theology but to practical Christian living as well. It is to worship what the foundation is to the temple; where it is inadequate or out of plumb the whole structure must sooner or later collapse.”

“The heaviest obligation lying upon the Christian Church today is to purify and elevate her concept of God until it is once more worthy of Him-and of her. In all her prayers and labors this should have first place. We do the greatest service to the next generation of Christians by passing on to them undimmed and undiminished that noble concept of God which we received from our Hebrew and Christian fathers of generations past. This will prove of greater value to them than anything that art or science can devise.

O God of Bethel, by whose hand

Thy people still are fed;

Who through this weary pilgrimage

Has all our fathers led!

Our vows, our prayers we now present

Before Thy throne of grace:

God of our fathers! Be the God

Of their succeeding race.

Philip Doddridge

“The child, the philosopher, and the religionist have all one question: ‘What is God like?’

This book is an attempt to answer that question. Yet at the outset I must acknowledge that it cannot be answered except to say that God is not like anything; that is, He is not exactly like anything or anybody.

We learn by using what we already know as a bridge over which we pass to the unknown. It is not possible for the mind to crash suddenly past the familiar into the totally unfamiliar. Even the most vigorous and daring mind is unable to create something out of nothing by a spontaneous act of imagination…”

“When the Spirit would acquaint us with something that lies beyond the field of our knowledge, He tells us that this thing is like something we already know, but He is always careful to phrase His description so as to save us from slavish literalism…”

“When the Scripture states that man was made in the image of God, we dare not add to that statement an idea from our own head and make it mean ‘in the exact image.’ To do so is to make man a replica of God, and that is to lose the unicity of God and end with no God at all… To think of creature and Creator as alike in essential being is to rob God of most of His attributes and reduce Him to the status of a creature. It is, for instance, to rob Him of His infinitude: there cannot be two unlimited substances in the universe. It is to take away His sovereignty: there cannot be two absolutely free beings in the universe, for sooner or later two completely free wills must collide. These attributes, to mention no more, require that there be but one to whom they belong.

When we try to imagine what God is like we must of necessity use that-which-is-not-God as the raw material for our minds to work on; hence whatever we visualize God to be, He is not, for we have constructed our image out of that which He has made and what He has made is not God.”

“If what we conceive God to be He is not, how then shall we think of Him? …how can we Christians satisfy our longing after Him?”

“The yearning to know What cannot be known, to comprehend the Incomprehensible, to touch and taste the Unapproachable, arises from the image of God in the nature of man…”

“The answer of the Bible is simply ‘through Jesus Christ our Lord.’ In Christ and by Christ, God effects complete self-disclosure, although He shows himself not to reason but to faith and love. Faith is an organ of knowledge, and love an organ of experience. God came to us in the incarnation; in atonement He reconciled us to Himself, and by faith, and love we enter and lay hold on Him.”

“’What is God like?’ If by that question we mean ‘What is God like in Himself?’ there is no answer. If we mean ‘What has God disclosed about Himself that the reverent reason can comprehend?’ there is, I believe, an answer both full and satisfying. For while the name of God is secret and His essential nature incomprehensible, He in condescending love has by revelation declared certain things to be true of Himself. These we call His attributes.”

“That God can be known by the soul in tender personal experience while remaining infinitely aloof from the curious eyes of reason constitutes a paradox best described as

Darkness to the intellect

But sunshine to the heart.

Frederick W. Faber.”

 

A Divine Attribute: Something True About God

“For the purpose of this book an attribute of God is whatever God has in any way revealed as being true of Himself… If we would think accurately about the attributes of God, we must learn to reject certain words that are sure to come crowding into our minds-such words as trait, characteristic, quality, words which are proper and necessary when we are considering created beings but altogether inappropriate when we are thinking about God. We must break ourselves of the habit of thinking of the Creator as we think of His creatures… An attribute, then, is not a part of God. It is how God is, and as far as the reasoning mind can go, we may say that it is what God is, though, as I have tried to explain, exactly what He is He cannot tell us.”

“Every man lives by faith, the nonbeliever as well as the saint; the one by faith in natural laws and the other by faith in God…”

 

The Holy Trinity

“A popular belief among Christians divides the work of God between the three Persons, giving a specific part to each, as, for instance, creation to the Father, redemption to the Son, and regeneration to the Holy Spirit. This is partly true but not wholly so, for God cannot so divide Himself that one Person works while another is inactive. In the Scriptures the three Persons are shown to act in harmonious unity in all the mighty works that are wrought throughout the universe.

In the Holy Scriptures the work of creation is attributed to the Father (Gen. 1:1), to the Son (Col. 1:16), and the Holy Spirit (Job 26:13 and Ps 104:30). The incarnation is shown to have been accomplished by the three Persons in full accord (Luke 1:35), though only the Son became flesh to dwell among us. At Christ’s baptism the Son came up out o the water, the Spirit descended upon Him and the Father’s voice spoke from heaven (Matt. 3:16, 17). Probably the most beautiful description of the work of atonement is found in Hebrews 9:14, where it is stated that Christ, through the Eternal Spirit, offered Himself without spot to God; and there we behold the three Persons operating together.

The resurrection of Christ is likewise attributed variously to the Father (Acts 2:32), to the Son (John 10:17, 18), and to the Holy Spirit (Rom. 1:4). The salvation of the individual man is shown by the apostle Peter to be the work of all three Persons of the Godhead (I Peter 1:2), and the indwelling of the Christian man’s soul is said to be by the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (John 14:15-23).

The doctrine of the Trinity, as I have said before, is truth for the heart. The fact that it cannot be satisfactorily explained, instead of being against it, is in its favor. Such a truth had to be revealed; no one could have imagined it.”

O Blessed Trinity!

O simplest Majesty! O Three in One!

Thou art for ever God alone.

Holy Trinity!

Blessed equal Three.

One God, we praise thee.

Frederick W. Faber

Our Relationship With God

Psalm 119:33-40

33 Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes;
    and I will keep it to the end.
34 Give me understanding, that I may keep thy law
    and observe it with my whole heart.
35 Lead me in the path of thy commandments,
    for I delight in it.
36 Incline my heart to thy testimonies,
    and not to gain!
37 Turn my eyes from looking at vanities;
    and give me life in thy ways.
38 Confirm to thy servant thy promise,
    which is for those who fear thee.
39 Turn away the reproach which I dread;
    for thy ordinances are good.
40 Behold, I long for thy precepts;
    in thy righteousness give me life!
https://www.biblegateway.com RSV

   By trusting in Jesus Christ, a person enters into a lifelong relationship with the heavenly Father. As believers, we have a responsibility to keep that connection healthy.

   First, we must learn about our new family. As essential and ongoing part of family life involves knowing and being known by he other members. In the Bible, God gave a detailed description of His attributes, values, and thinking. And since Jesus came to earth, we can better understand His Father's divine character, which was demonstrated in a human life. As we meditate on Scripture, our sense of connectedness to God will grow.

   Second, we should stay in close contact with the Lord through prayer and study of His Word - and resist the temptation to put people, work or pleasures ahead of Him. Remember: Relationships thrive with consistent interaction but wither if they are neglected.

   Third, we must respond to what He has communicated to us. He provided instructions for living and explained what pleases Him. In healthy families, people pay attention to each other. We are to heed our Father's warnings and obey His commands.

   Finally, we're to grow in likeness to God. Relatives can resemble each other in subtle and obvious ways. As we cooperate with the transforming work of the Holy Spirit, we will start to think and act like our heavenly Father.

   The Father provided salvation through His Son, who died so we could be spiritually alive. Jesus set an example of loving, obedient service, and God's Spirit sanctifies us (1 Peter 1:2). Do your part to keep the relationship healthy.

Stanley, Charles F. In Touch: Daily Readings for Devoted Living. March 2016. Atlanta. page 40.

"Our times are in God's hands - not Satan's" Psalm 31:15

The book, Don’t Waste Your Sorrows by Paul Billheimer, gives new insight into God’s eternal purpose for each Christian in the midst of life’s greatest adversities.

   “Because tribulation is necessary for the decentralization of self and the development of deep dimensions of agape love, this love can be developed only in the school of suffering…” Romans 8:18, 5:3-5; John 16:33; 1 Thessalonians 3:3-4

Our Times Are in God’s Hands – Not Satan’s

Psalm 31:15

   “There is nothing accidental in the life of an obedient child of God. All born-again believers are in training for rulership. God Himself is personally supervising the training of His Son’s Eternal Companion who is to be His governing elite following the Marriage Supper of the Lamb… God Himself specifically chooses the tools and instruments which He knows are needed to fashion and qualify His Bride for the unique sphere of her operation and service in the eternal kingdom. Someone has said that the turning lathe that has the sharpest knives produces the finest work. When God makes a saint, He uses the sharpest knives on His turning lathe as well. He cannot shape one without pain, but He never uses needless pain...

   “When He laid down His life on Calvary, it was not for angels or archangels, cherubim or seraphim, nor for any of the other inhabitants of the unseen world, but for human beings made in His own image, who will constitute His Bride…

   “Marriage and the home is the center of all life on earth… It is a complete laboratory with all of the stresses and strains, trials and pressures packed under one roof… Everything needed to produce Christlikeness in us can be found in the home… Marriage is the most stressful fact of life. If the whole of life is stress, then marriage is the center of stress… most newlyweds have not yet learned the true meaning of unselfishness. They may be saved, sanctified or filled with the Holy Spirit, and still be unconsciously self-centered. One of God’s main purposes in ordaining marriage and the home is not primarily for pleasure, as is ordinarily supposed, but to decentralize the self, to teach agape love. The stresses of marriage and the home are designed to produce brokenness, to wean one from self-centeredness, and to produce the graces of sacrificial love and gentleness.

   “Because so few people understand the nature and purpose of marriage, when unexpected stresses and strains develop they are tempted to feel that they have made a mistake and perhaps have married the wrong person. The next step is to seek a way of escape by one means or another, sometimes through a professional marriage counselor or, more often, the divorce court…

   “If all born-again believers are in apprenticeship for rulership, and if a lofty dimension of agape love is the supreme qualification for high rank and authority in that eternal social order toward which the universe is moving, and if a high dimension of agape love cannot be achieved without suffering, could this explain why God permits many who seek healing to suffer on, even for a lifetime?

   “If God healed everyone immediately where would be the opportunity for character training? If God delivered everyone from conflict, oppression, and opposition at the first call, where would be the opportunity for the perseverance that creates character? If tribulation were lifted at the first cry, where would be the chance for exercise in patience which issues in heavenly character, the chief ingredient of which is agape love?” (James 1:2-4; Romans 5:3-5)

“If we suffer, we shall also reign with him” 2 Timothy 2:12 and “If so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together” Romans 8:17

Blackmon, Selma, editor. The Exchanged Life News. Volume 3 Issue 21. May 25, 2003.