Thursday, October 27, 2011

Having Done All

There comes a time when temptation is too hard to handle. I do well for a season resisting temptation, living a disciplined life, then I give in and now all I can think about is that temptation. As the scripture says, lust just never quits!

Proverbs 27:20
(MSG)
Hell has a voracious appetite, and lust just never quits.

Once that floodgate is opened it’s pretty hard to plug it up again. But thank God for His Word!

Ephesians 6:13
(MSG)
Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet.

I remember a parable that Mark Hankins tells about when driving down the road and you start swatting at a fly and lose focus on what you’re doing and crash into the ditch. Sometimes it’s just better to put up with the annoyance for a while until you can pull over and deal with the pest!

Ephesians 6:13
(KJV)
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Having done all—that’s the key! Having done all you can possibly do to withstand the devil’s onslaughts—that’s the key to resisting temptation. Let’s face it, we are tempted by something we love, something we are lusting after. It’s not something we dislike. Yes, lust is evil – it’s the evil day spoken of in our text, but it doesn’t present itself as evil. It comes after me as the most prized possession I desire!

Like I’ve said in other studies, I’m retarded. God knows that, he made me that way. There’s nothing I will do that will ever surprise Him! But, when faced with temptation I need to listen to God’s still small voice in the midst of the shouting of that temptation and just be still!

Elijah was having a pity-party and got alone to seek God (sounds real religious doesn’t it – just because you have your devotions and time to pray doesn’t guarantee that you won’t be caught up in selfishness). He had just slain all the prophets of Baal with the sword.

1 Kings 19:1-18 (MSG)
1-2 Ahab reported to Jezebel everything that Elijah had done, including the massacre of the prophets. Jezebel immediately sent a messenger to Elijah with her threat: "The gods will get you for this and I'll get even with you! By this time tomorrow you'll be as dead as any one of those prophets."
 3-5 When Elijah saw how things were, he ran for dear life to Beersheba, far in the south of Judah. He left his young servant there and then went on into the desert another day's journey. He came to a lone broom bush and collapsed in its shade, wanting in the worst way to be done with it all—to just die: "Enough of this, God! Take my life—I'm ready to join my ancestors in the grave!" Exhausted, he fell asleep under the lone broom bush.
    Suddenly an angel shook him awake and said, "Get up and eat!"
 6 He looked around and, to his surprise, right by his head were a loaf of bread baked on some coals and a jug of water. He ate the meal and went back to sleep.
 7 The angel of God came back, shook him awake again, and said, "Get up and eat some more—you've got a long journey ahead of you."
 8-9 He got up, ate and drank his fill, and set out. Nourished by that meal, he walked forty days and nights, all the way to the mountain of God, to Horeb. When he got there, he crawled into a cave and went to sleep.
    Then the word of God came to him: "So Elijah, what are you doing here?"
 10 "I've been working my heart out for the God-of-the-Angel-Armies," said Elijah. "The people of Israel have abandoned your covenant, destroyed the places of worship, and murdered your prophets. I'm the only one left, and now they're trying to kill me."
 11-12 Then he was told, "Go, stand on the mountain at attention before God. God will pass by."
    A hurricane wind ripped through the mountains and shattered the rocks before God, but God wasn't to be found in the wind; after the wind an earthquake, but God wasn't in the earthquake; and after the earthquake fire, but God wasn't in the fire; and after the fire a gentle and quiet whisper.
 13-14 When Elijah heard the quiet voice, he muffled his face with his great cloak, went to the mouth of the cave, and stood there. A quiet voice asked, "So Elijah, now tell me, what are you doing here?" Elijah said it again, "I've been working my heart out for God, the God-of-the-Angel-Armies, because the people of Israel have abandoned your covenant, destroyed your places of worship, and murdered your prophets. I'm the only one left, and now they're trying to kill me."
15-18 God said, "Go back the way you came through the desert to Damascus. When you get there anoint Hazael; make him king over Aram. Then anoint Jehu son of Nimshi; make him king over Israel. Finally, anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. Anyone who escapes death by Hazael will be killed by Jehu; and anyone who escapes death by Jehu will be killed by Elisha. Meanwhile, I'm preserving for myself seven thousand souls: the knees that haven't bowed to the god Baal, the mouths that haven't kissed his image."
We have to stop the pity-party that we are the only one's who have ever been tempted this way and have got to start training ourselves to listening for that “still small voice” that “gentle and quiet whisper” so we may be able to do all we can to stand in our moments of temptations! 

Ephesians 6:13
(GW)
For this reason, take up all the armor that God supplies. Then you will be able to take a stand during these evil days. [Or “when the evil day comes.”] Once you have overcome all obstacles, you will be able to stand your ground.

(AMP)
Therefore put on God's complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day [of danger], and, having done all [the crisis demands], to stand [firmly in your place].

Amen! When we have “done all the crisis demands” we can stand firmly in our place.

Nehemiah 8:10
(MSG)
Ezra continued, "Go home and prepare a feast, holiday food and drink; and share it with those who don't have anything: This day is holy to God. Don't feel bad. The joy [you have in] God is your strength!"

The joy we have in God is what the devil’s after. Don’t let him have it!

Bible Translations are retrieved from http://www.biblegateway.com/  BibleGateway.com © Copyright 1995-2010 Gospel Communications International
Amplified Bible (AMP)—Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
God's Word (GW) copyright ©—1995 by God's Word to the Nations Bible Society
King James Version (KJV)—Public Domain/ 1604, King James I of England
The Message Bible (MSG)—Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995 by Eugene H. Peterson

Monday, October 24, 2011

Do you know what the secret of life is?

We all remember the famous line from the 1991 film City Slickers:

Curly: Do you know what the secret of life is? [points index finger skyward] This.
Mitch: Your finger?
Curly: One thing. Just one thing. You stick to that and the rest don't mean shit.
Mitch: But, what is the "one thing?"
Curly: [smiles and points his finger at Mitch] That's what you have to find out.

Thankfully we don’t have to find out by watching City Slickers, we can find it in the Bible.

Luke 10:42 One thing is needed
(GW)
There’s only one thing you need.[a] Mary has made the right choice, and that one thing will not be taken away from her.”
a Footnotes: Luke 10:42 Some manuscripts and translations read, “But of the few things [worth worrying about], there is only one thing you need.”
(NLT)
There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.

Mary had chosen intimate fellowship with the Lord—that’s the one thing needed in life! All else pails in description compared to being intimately united to Christ in everything we do. Do you have a job to do? Do it whole heartedly as unto the Lord:

Colossians 3:23
(KJV)
And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;
(MSG)
22-25 Servants, do what you're told by your earthly masters. And don't just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best. Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, confident that you'll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you're serving is Christ. The sullen servant who does shoddy work will be held responsible. Being a follower of Jesus doesn't cover up bad work.

Martha wasn’t doing shoddy work physically but in the soulish realm – in her mind. She was full of anxiety and worry! Two of the worst conditions of heart that one could find themselves in. Jesus was always nailing the disciples over worry:

Matthew 6:25-29
(MSG)
25-26 If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don't fuss about what's on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.
27-29 Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion—do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them.

30-33 If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

Luke 10:41
—Adam Clarke's Commentary
Thou art careful and troubled—Thou art distracted, μεριμνας, thy mind is divided, (see on Matthew 13:22 note below), in consequence of which, τυρβαζῃ, thou art disturbed, thy spirit is thrown into a tumult.
About many things—Getting a variety of things ready for this entertainment, much more than are necessary on such an occasion.

Matthew 13:22 The Parable of the Sower
He also that received seed among the thorns—In land ploughed, but not properly cleared and seeded. Is he—represents that person who heareth the word, but the cares, rather the anxiety, η μεριμνα, the whole system of anxious carking [distressful] cares.

The parable of the sower is about the state of mind of believers:

Mark 4:14-20
(AMP)
14 The sower sows the Word.

15 The ones along the path are those who have the Word sown [in their hearts], but when they hear, Satan comes at once and [by force] takes away the message which is sown in them.

16 And in the same way the ones sown upon stony ground are those who, when they hear the Word, at once receive and accept and welcome it with joy;

17 And they have no real root in themselves, and so they endure for a little while; then when trouble or persecution arises on account of the Word, they immediately are offended (become displeased, indignant, resentful) and they stumble and fall away.

18 And the ones sown among the thorns are others who hear the Word;

19 Then the cares and anxieties of the world and distractions of the age, and the pleasure and delight and false glamour and deceitfulness of riches, and the craving and passionate desire for other things creep in and choke and suffocate the Word, and it becomes fruitless.

20 And those sown on the good (well-adapted) soil are the ones who hear the Word and receive and accept and welcome it and bear fruit--some thirty times as much as was sown, some sixty times as much, and some [even] a hundred times as much.

In verse 24 Jesus gives a very important clue to what was going on in Bethany at Mary & Martha’s house:

24 And He said to them, Be careful what you are hearing. [This is the kind of carefulness God wants] The measure [of thought and study] you give [to [the truth you hear] will be the measure [of virtue and knowledge] that comes back to you – and more [besides] will be given to you who hear.

Mary was giving concentrated thought and study to what Jesus was saying while Martha was just sticking her head in every once in a while. Let’s not be found guilty of just sticking our heads in and out of fellowship with the Lord only when it’s convenient to do so; it is always the most needful thing to be listening intently to the Lord in our hearts whether we are at home having devotions or at work making hamburgers!


References:
City Slickers Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
City Slickers © 1991 Castle Rock Entertainment

Bible Translations are retrieved from http://www.biblegateway.com/  BibleGateway.com © Copyright 1995-2010 Gospel Communications International
Amplified Bible (AMP)—Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
God's Word (GW) copyright ©—1995 by God's Word to the Nations Bible Society
King James Version (KJV)—Public Domain/ 1604, King James I of England
The Message Bible (MSG)—Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995 by Eugene H. Peterson

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Your Loving Voice

Psalm 143:8
(MSG) If You wake me each morning with the sound of Your loving voice, I’ll go to sleep each night trusting in You.

I’ve been waiting to do this study for a while now; it’s been on my heart for over a month while I’ve been in transition spirit, soul and body! Just let these verses from the Message and the Amplified Bibles speak to your heart – Jim

John 10:4, 14, 16
(MSG)
4 The gatekeeper opens the gate to him and the sheep recognize his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he gets them all out, he leads them and they follow because they are familiar with his voice. 5 They won't follow a stranger's voice but will scatter because they aren't used to the sound of it.

14 I am the Good Shepherd. I know my own sheep and my own sheep know me. 15 In the same way, the Father knows me and I know the Father.

16 You need to know that I have other sheep in addition to those in this pen. I need to gather and bring them, too. They'll also recognize my voice. Then it will be one flock, one Shepherd.

Familiar/know – intimate 


John 18:37
(MSG)
Then Pilate said, So, are you a king or not? Jesus answered, You tell me. Because I am King, I was born and entered the world so that I could witness to the truth. Everyone who cares for truth, who has any feeling for the truth, recognizes my voice.

John 7:16-17
(AMP)
16 Jesus answered them by saying, My teaching is not My own, but His Who sent Me.

17 If any man desires to do His will (God's pleasure), he will know (have the needed illumination to recognize, and can tell for himself) whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking from Myself and of My own accord and on My own authority.

Isaiah 54:13
(AMP)
And all your children shall be disciples [taught by the Lord and obedient to His will], and great shall be the peace and undisturbed composure of your children.

Prov 3:6
(MSG)
Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track.

Prov 4:20-22
Dear friend, listen well to my words;
   tune your ears to my voice.
Keep my message in plain view at all times.
   Concentrate! Learn it by heart!
Those who discover these words live, really live;
   body and soul, they're bursting with health.

Well, I hope you are as blessed and even more so as I was while typing this study! God Bless!

References:
Translations marked with ** are retrieved from http://www.biblegateway.com/  BibleGateway.com © Copyright 1995-2010 Gospel Communications International
**The Message Bible (MSG)—Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995 by Eugene H. Peterson
**Amplified Bible (AMP)—Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation