Daily Devotional December 7 - Denial Doesn't Diminish Truth

"And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of Him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by Him." Luke 23:8

This Herod is from a line of Herods that had reputations of being unrelenting, calculating and wicked. This Herod beheaded John the Baptist. But Herod was a leanerd man and he, like his father knew about the prophesy of Jesus. This Herod's father was the one that had all the children under two years of age killed at Bethelehem. And this Herod was over the Jews at Jerusalem as the keeper of peace between the Romans and the Jews. This Herod wanted to see Jesus do a miracle like an enthusiast would pay to see a magician. This Herod like the Herod before him had no real interest in Jesus, but this Herod did want to seek some magic.

It's the same today. There are many people that really want a magical genie god; one that will kindly get back in the bottle and mind his own business after performing a great feat for their master. Jesus doesn't do magic and God doesn't need Herod's approval. The fact that Jesus spurned Herod is simply more proof of the fact that Jesus was true to Himself and true to His mission. Herod, in his indiscreet and conspicuous fashion wanted Jesus to do a miracle to show off to his underlings.

Jesus didn't meet Herod's expectations and Jesus doesn't meet the expectations of many people today either. I have heard it from many, "If Jesus was to do a miracle, I would believe in Him." If Jesus was real He would do this or that. The list is long of all the things that the unfaitful would like to see Jesus do.

But on the other hand there are those who have learned to trust Jesus even though they have never seen a miracle. They believe in Jesus having never seen, but by faith accepting the work of Jesus on their behalf. Those saved by faith alone, no miracles, no gifts, no special agreement, just simple faith. There are those who believe all that Jesus has said even while in their own experience things aren't looking that good, because faith transcends the physical world and outlives the temporal.

For the naysayers out there, we don't believe in Jesus because we have seen Him walk on water and we don't love Jesus because He did some miracle for us, and we don't follow Jesus because He will come back and set up His kingdom, nor because of all that Jesus has done for us. We believe, love and follow Jesus because He called us and we answered yes. Our proof has already taken place and the truly faithful need no more proof. Jesus has already proven Himself, to Herod and to you and to me. Herod's denial of the truth and anyone else's denial of the truth for that matter has not changed a thing. Jesus and His children and the angelic hosts have changed everything.

Daily Devotional December 6 - Mockers Of Reality

"This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: that ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation." 2 Peter 3:1-4

There are scoffers today alright. I was watching a program produced by an atheist. It was anti-religious and anti-Christ. The commentator interviewed Christians and Jews and then ran selected sound bites attempting to reveal how utterly incompetent believers are. He misquoted almost everyone, made fun of the older women, ministry leaders and priests and it was obvious his intent was to belittle and ultimately dismiss men and women of faith as complete and utter idiots.

I know that it is the times we are in and I know that the unbelieving world hates us and loathes the thought that those with faith might just know what they are talking about. What I don't understand is why the unbelieving world is so bent on making those who do have faith look so bad? What is it that causes them to say such awful things about people they don't know? Why do they denounce people of faith? I'll tell you why.

The unbelieving world are meddlers. They have no faith and no hope of their own, so they demean others to stoke their own ego. They have no vision and most of them believe that there is no purpose for their existence except to fill themselves up and then die. They meddle for something to do. I would say that that is not a very productive lifestyle. Why bother passing on tradition or cultural excellence if when you die it is the end? Why bother establishing stability for future generations? There's just no incentive to provide for others now or in the future if you only believe in yourself.

The unbelieving world are superficial. They are always talking big like they are in the know when they don't have a clue about the most important part of life as a whole, the spiritual component. They claim to trust science, but when science reveals something that the Bible has said was true all along, they conveniently deny those facts; They trust in the scientific community as long as the science doesn't agree with scripture; a sort of pick and choose science.

The unbelieving world is hateful They are always trying to find ways to disgrace someone or make fun of them or to uncover their shortcomings. It makes them feel important, knowledgeable and or course right. But building your own self up on the backs of others is hardly noteworthy, nor is it admirable. They scoff at the simple words of faith while they promote lies and untruths about: Biblical facts, our founding fathers and their faith, who Jesus is, the power of faith in medicine and healing, the power of faith in world history. They say awful things about good people and try to pass laws expelling any reference to Jesus simply because they are hateful.

The unbelieving world is desperate. They have no hope, no Saviour, no inner peace, no eternity vision. Their hope is in their own mind, limited and profoundly self-aggrandizing. They find peace in nothing so they have to be vigilant to hurt others feelings. They take delight in passing laws that strip people of faith their rights, while they promote their own rights to do so. Hypocrites at best, liars and mean-spirited lovers of themselves. They are desperate because they have no hope for the future or a willingness to learn something new because they are satisfied with the inferiority that comes with ignorance and reduced responsibility.

The unbelieving world is lost. They are spiritually dead. They trust in themselves and beyond that they get their kicks form others who identify with them. Serious unbelievers have made a religion for themselves. They preach, they follow, they teach, they train, they promote and they advertise.

The unbelieving world has been around since the beginning. So have men and women of faith. We are called to be compassionate to those who hate us and to be tolerant of those who believe differently or in the case of atheist, believe in atheism. We are to love those who despitefully use us and stand against us and to lend them a cheek to smack if necessary. We are to pray for them and do what we can to bless them. That's right to bless them that curse us is a Christian attribute. Despite what they do to us, we are to do to them what Christ has done for us, to forgive them.
This blog was inspired by Bill Maher in his childish ploy to discredit Christianity in his movie/docudrama, Religulous.

Daily Devotional December 5 - Encouragement

"Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and the things wherewith one may edify another." Romans 14:19

I think we can get trapped into the fast paced lifestyle and get entrenched in our work to the point of distraction away from the things of God. I know from personal experience that inner peace is hard to find, but outer peace is almost non-existent. There's just to much hustle and bustle, distractions from being at peace, obstacles and barriers to overcome to have the quiet and peaceful life come easy.

How many people take the time to make someone else's life better, to say encouraging things to them and maybe even do something for them that takes time and money. Most people are frantic about just keeping their own storehouse full. I love the way that the scriptures bring us back to center. The scriptures point out how we should live and where we should be putting our energy. The scriptures are always right and I am thankful that I have the Bible to guide me. I need to be encouraged and lifted up. An encouraging comment is quite the motivator, but they are hard to come by. Just as much as I want to be encouraged, I want to encourage others also.

My first goal will be to say something nice to my wife and my children this morning, then as the day progresses to find a way to do something encouraging for someone. I will be kind to whomever crosses my path and I will keep my eyes open to the needs of others. I will seek after peace and share with others the peace that I do have. As the day progresses and the challenges get tougher I will keep my head and pray them through. I will thank God for my health and all that He has provided and I will pray for others also. I encourage you to do the same.

Daily Devotional December 4 - How Much Light Do You Let In?

"And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof." Revelation 21:22-23

Please lay aside any preconceived notions you have about heaven for a moment. John was actually in heaven during this vision. He participated in events with you and me at different junctures in the book of Revelation. At certain times in the book of Revelation John was taken into the future and we were already there with him. The Bible doesn't mention you and me by name, but we are there with John as he gets a look at the future. What John is seeing is you and me in the presence of God, in the light that is God as well as his visions of God and the Lamb of God and the seven lamps of fire which is the Holy Spirit. So what does that have to do with our lives today.

You were chosen to see and be in the glory of God, filled with the Light of God, completed for all eternity. Why do you need to be convinced over and over again about who God is and what your part is in the overall plan of salvation? I know dozens of men and women that have been going to church for forty years or more and they only know religious rhetoric. Start talking about the daily walk or the long haul, about talking to God or the presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit and they look at you as if you were embarrassing yourself with some strange affection for God. Religion works for those who are not interested in following Christ. But religion falls short if you have any hunger to be in and do the will of God.

The reason is:
Religion represents too many factions.
Religion is where the ego can be nurtured to unnatural levels.
Religion makes room for man's idea of God.
Religion stretches the truth to accommodate its storehouses.
Religion becomes a crutch to live two lives with a blessing, the church face on Sunday and the man of the world whenever.
Religion makes one needy and starves the believer from a full plate of truth.
Religion warms itself by using guilt as its kindling.
Religion has turned eternal truths into stories and allegories.
Religion creates lemmings, not eagles.

Now, if you think I am church bashing, you have totally misread this message. We are exhorted to join, attend and participate in groups. This is best done in church. But the days of resting on your religious affiliation (church denomination) as your answer to life's questions is over. God wants converts, not members.

Your church affiliation is very important and everyone should be part of a family of believers, but you must look beyond the rhetoric and denominational jargon if you are going to follow Christ. The life in Christ is fluid and you will have to be up on your inner man intuitions and found in the closet praying, and out doing for someone, somewhere, without anyone knowing, and giving from your heart if you are going to transcend religion's trappings.

You are going to be transformed from one glory to another after you die, and in the presence of God as seen in this verse you will be in the light, but until you die, you are responsible for activating how much light is available to you. How much light do you let in?

Daily Devotional December 3 - Rest

"Thus saith the LORD, stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, we will not walk therein." Jeremiah 6:16

The old paths here are not archaic ways of living, like somehow we should think down on modernity or that technology is inherently against God or any silly notion like that. The old paths is referring to the original intent for living a life/lifestyle commensurate with being a child of God.

I hope you seek rest for your soul. I have asked many people about this rest and most haven't found it or experienced it. Rest for your soul comes when you are fulfilling your purpose in life, when you are walking in alignment with the will of God, when you have taken time to be with God and He gives you rest.

To have rest you need to be free of wrestling with unresolved issues in your life. Unresolved issues eat at your peace of mind and allow time for doubt to grow into something unrecognizable and sometimes unmanageable. Unresolved issues means that there are uncertainties that linger and could go either way, the kind that infect your thinking like a virus. Doubt sets in and you begin to lose the inner battle. You start to make decisions that are not sound and turn to ways and people that cannot help you. You begin to second guess God and doubt that He has any interest in your situation. You pick up the ball and run with it and while you are running you are running away from the source of your rest. Once you have made up your mind, it is difficult to recant. The level of loss of peace that you can reach while running with the ball and away from God is never ending. At some point you have got to say, Stop!! I'm done with running and hiding. I will return to where I left off and talk to God and resolve this thing.

That's where rest is found. Going back and facing up and taking responsibility and talking to and listening to God. Laying your burden at the feet of the Lord and reading and following the instructions from the Bible that have been there from old. Modernity is not our enemy and neither are the old ways outdated or archaic. It would do you well to seek the face of God on this issue. He has planned a rest for you, right in the middle of the storm. Just believe and receive it.

Daily Devotional December 2 - You Have To Yield To Wield

"And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it." John 14:13-14 "Ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, that ye should go forth and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give to you." John 15:16 "But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord." James 1:6-7

I can tell you right now that I have prayed for a great many things that did not come to pass. I have prayed, pleaded with and even begged God at times to do this or that in the mighty name of Jesus. I have prayed to the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit and many, many times I did not get an answer, nor did what I prayed for come to pass. Have you had a similar experience?

I have heard so many sermons on this issue and most of them say that God answers yes, no or wait. I would be satisfied with yes, no or wait, but I am talking about the times when you would give anything for a clear answer and God lets you wallow in the land of uncertainty.

Have you ever wondered why, when you pray about something quite important and you are careful to pray in Jesus' name, yet nothing easily discernible, nothing conspicuous happens.  What happens to your faith when you are afraid or worn out or worried about something really big and you call on God and and you don't get called back?

Have you ever been mad at God because you were sure that God could hear you, but He wouldn't lift a hand to help you?

Have you ever questioned why some things happened and went the wrong way in spite of your true faith prayers?

I hope you have experienced some of these let downs or else I would know that you haven't come very far with Jesus yet.

If every word of the scriptures are true, then why is there this dichotomy between asking and receiving? You are probably thinking that I am going to answer this question with some formula that you just haven't heard before, something that makes you think, something that exposes the great secrets of God, hidden from mortal men, found after deep digging in the mines of God's wisdom. Sorry.

God has withheld much from us followers and seekers of God's will. We should be thankful. Our plates are already full. We can barely manage what we do know, much less the hidden things of God. As a whole we are a much mixed up and confused group of believers. At times I wonder why God would entrust such precious information as that of the salvation of the soul to mortal man. God must know how we will abuse our power, misuse our positions, cause separation by classes, hide what we know from others so that we can act like we know more than they do, distribute unsubstantiated doctrines of men, sell the gospel for money, and even make up stories about how this cloth or that towelette or this tape or that book is the cure-all for the human condition. At times I'm surprised that God entrusted man to even know what we know. We haven't done a very good job of becoming Christ-like and living seriously as children of the living God.

That being said, we are in a fallen world and Jesus did not take that away from us. It is this fallen world that must take the heat for all the interference between God and man, for all the misunderstandings and confusion. It appears that God says one thing and another thing happens because of this fallen world. It's hard to get a clear picture in a foggy bottom/hollow.

This much I do know.
What God says is true.

• If there is a mis-understanding, I am certain that it is I who has misunderstood.
• If there is unanswered prayer it is due to my inability to ascertain the answer in its purest form.
• If there is confusion it is because I trust in too many chiefs.
• If there is any reason to be mad at God it is that I am ignorant of the ways of God and I am suffering the consequences of that ignorance.
• If there is any doubt that pervades our soul, it is there by invitation, a sordid cat and mouse game that we play so we can continue to blame our humanity for our own freewill choices.
• If there is any lack of faith, it's not because the fount of faith is running dry, it is because we place thimble under the faucet when we need a bucket.
• If there is any lack of power, it's not because God isn't pouring out His Spirit on the people. It's because we have to yield to wield.

Daily Devotional December 1 - What Seek Ye?

"Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; And looking upon Jesus as He walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, what seek ye?..." John 1:35-38a

What seek ye?

What is it that you are really after when it comes to Jesus and the whole Christian thing?
Have you taken time to evaluate what it is that causes even the least hunger after a Christ-like life/lifestyle?
Do you have an urging to go further and find out more and dig deeper and follow closer and listen more attentively and prayer with more realism?
Are you struggling with part of your mind believing and part unbelieving?
What is your real, internal motivation for being a Christian?
Are you a religious person but you have never had a close encounter with Jesus?
Do you believe what you have been told or have you searched the scriptures for yourself?

What seek ye?

Are you hoping that you will find a good Christian man or woman at church to marry?
Are you OK with a little church and a little bar hopping, a little Jesus and a little stimulating entertainment?
Do you want Jesus to come and visit your household tonight?
Are you in league with those who think you should leave Jesus at home or in church, but not to mention Him at work or when visiting certain family members or friends or maybe if you are a politician, not to mention that you are a Christian because it could raise up questions about your ability or your ability to stay unbiased?

What seek ye?

Is it that you want God to change you and make you like Jesus?
Is it that you want to quit living a lie and start living a life/lifestyle under the guidance of the Holy Spirit?
Is it that you want to enter into the Holy of Holies and find the gems of truth that are available for you?
Is it that you want to be able to sit with Jesus and lay your burdens down and let Him have His way with you for a season?
Is it that you have been trodding through life like it is a drudgery and you want Jesus to make you paths straight, ease your burden and lighten your load?
Is it that you have been playing church for decades and now you want to dive in with both feet and be drenched with the living water of life?
Is it that you are confused and you really want to know the truth, but there are so many differing opinions that you can't make up your mind?
Are you hungry for more of God's interference in your life?
Are you thirsty for a taste of the goodness of God?
Are you starving for something that makes you want to live again?

What seek ye?