ONE-YEAR JOURNEY OF THE BIBLE
Day 211 - Isaiah 9-18 (Jesus is the Messiah, God in Human Form)
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"For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
(Isaiah 9:6)
One of the saddest realities in life is the spiritual blindness of many to the truth of the diety of the Lord Jesus Christ. Speaking about the Messiah who was to be born of a woman, the prophet Isaiah writes in our text above five descriptive names including Mighty God and Everlasting Father. Yet, the Jews do not believe that the Messiah is actually God in human form.
It is not just the diety of the Messiah that the Jews don't believe; they also do not acknowledge that Jesus is the Messiah prophesied by the prophet Isaiah in our Scripture passage. In chapter 53 of the book of Isaiah, the prophet details the suffering of the Messiah who was to come. Ancient Jewish Rabbis agreed that Isaiah 53 was describing the Messiah. Today, however, Isaiah 53 is deliberately not mentioned in Synagogues and by the Rabbis, again, due to their spiritual blindness in rejecting Christ.
I urge you to watch the video in full attached to this Facebook post. If you are reading this through my blog, please go to the link below. Observe carefully the reaction and surprise of the Jews in Israel being interviewed about the "forbidden chapter" of Isaiah:
https://video-lga1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hvideo-xpa1/v/t43.1792-2/11748946_1047267671957858_913028441_n.mp4?efg=eyJybHIiOjE1MDAsInJsYSI6NDA5Nn0%3D&oh=566d60f7d4d0b3f4163e08608691a186&oe=55BC46AC
Jesus is Mighty God described in Isaiah 9 as well as the suffering Messiah in Isaiah 53. The question is: Do you believe it? If you answer yes, you must answer to the Lord Jesus Christ about how you live your life. Do you live your life to reflect that Jesus is your Lord or is your profession of faith in Him just that - a mere profession without true conviction and conversion? I pray it is the latter.
Friday, July 31, 2015
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
Day 208 - Isaiah 6-8
ONE-YEAR JOURNEY OF THE BIBLE
Day 208 - Isaiah 6-8 (Here Am I, Send Me)
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'"Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying:
"Whom shall I send,
And who will go for Us?"
Then I said, "Here am I! Send me."'
(Isaiah 6:8)
In our text above, God called the prophet Isaiah to be a proclaimer of His Word to the Jews. In the succeeding verses, God instructs Isaiah to warn His people about their impending destruction. He tells Isaiah that they will not listen but that he will not leave them without a witness.
That is the nature of our God, He is compassionate and merciful and never forsakes any person until his last breath. Even in the Great Tribulation that will last seven years, we are told in the book of Revelation that God will send an angel to proclaim His mercy and truth before Jesus comes to destroy all who refuse to repent.
Isaiah responds to God's call by volunteering himself to go. Right before Isaiah's call, we read how he was touched by God by means of a live coal placed on his mouth by an angel through a vision he had. The angel told him that God had removed his sins. As a result of Isaiah's spiritual transformation, he wanted to be used by God to be a blessing to others.
Once God has touched our lives, He wants to use us to touch others also. He wants to use us to proclaim the good news of salvation to others and to warn them about God's impending judgment on sinners. Jesus spent most of His three and a half years of ministry preparing His disciples to become His witnesses and to make other disciples.
We read in the book of Romans how God has chosen to use frail human beings as His primary instrument in reaching the world for Himself:
"whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."
How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:
"How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,
Who bring glad tidings of good things!"
Day 208 - Isaiah 6-8 (Here Am I, Send Me)
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'"Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying:
"Whom shall I send,
And who will go for Us?"
Then I said, "Here am I! Send me."'
(Isaiah 6:8)
In our text above, God called the prophet Isaiah to be a proclaimer of His Word to the Jews. In the succeeding verses, God instructs Isaiah to warn His people about their impending destruction. He tells Isaiah that they will not listen but that he will not leave them without a witness.
That is the nature of our God, He is compassionate and merciful and never forsakes any person until his last breath. Even in the Great Tribulation that will last seven years, we are told in the book of Revelation that God will send an angel to proclaim His mercy and truth before Jesus comes to destroy all who refuse to repent.
Isaiah responds to God's call by volunteering himself to go. Right before Isaiah's call, we read how he was touched by God by means of a live coal placed on his mouth by an angel through a vision he had. The angel told him that God had removed his sins. As a result of Isaiah's spiritual transformation, he wanted to be used by God to be a blessing to others.
Once God has touched our lives, He wants to use us to touch others also. He wants to use us to proclaim the good news of salvation to others and to warn them about God's impending judgment on sinners. Jesus spent most of His three and a half years of ministry preparing His disciples to become His witnesses and to make other disciples.
We read in the book of Romans how God has chosen to use frail human beings as His primary instrument in reaching the world for Himself:
"whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved."
How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:
"How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,
Who bring glad tidings of good things!"
(Romans 10:13-14)
Have you been touched by God with the fire of His Holy Spirit? Do you have the Son of God in your life? The Bible says, "He who has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life (1 John 5:12)." If you are saved, God is calling you to share the good news of salvation to others.
I believe that God has called me to return to my country, the Philippines, to witness for Him there. Now, God does not call everyone to leave his home and family and friends to go overseas to proclaim the gospel but He does call all of us to do it wherever we are planted such as in our neighborhood, workplace, school or anywhere we may be. Would you respond to God's call as Isaiah did by saying, "Here am I, send me."
Monday, July 27, 2015
Day 207 - Isaiah 1-5
ONE-YEAR JOURNEY OF THE BIBLE
Day 207 - Isaiah 1-5 (Do Christians Have Blind Faith?)
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"Come now, and let us reason together,"
Says the LORD,
"Though your sins are like scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be as wool.
If you are willing and obedient,
You shall eat the good of the land;
But if you refuse and rebel,
You shall be devoured by the sword";
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."
(Isaiah 1:18-20)
Some critics of Christians say that we practice blind faith. What they really mean to say is that Christians do not use their reason in their faith. Nothing can be further, however, from true Christianity. The God of the Bible invites us humans to reason together with Him! God is a reasonable God who wants reasonable followers; not blind followers who do not understand why they believe what they believe.
There are many religions and philosophies today that teach the unsuspecting that believe in yourself or in something or whatever as long as it makes you happy or makes you feel good. And so they follow their senses to whatever can give them pleasure or excitement or a mystical experience. They cannot really explain why they believe what they believe but only that they feel a sort of "oneness" with the universe or something.
In our text above, God is proposing to His sinful people, the Jews, a reasonable offer: "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool." There is one condition, though, they must be "willing and obedient". Count me in God - that sounds like a very reasonable offer to me.
The alternative which God gives to the Israelites if they are not willing to obey God is found in verse 20: "But if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword"; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken." I would think that any reasonable person would choose to obey God and be cleansed of his sins and those who refuse are the ones who are unreasonable.
I used to give my children a similar proposal when they were younger. I would tell them that they have a choice; they could be rewarded for obeying me or they could suffer a punishment for disobedience. I think it was a reasonable offer and they often chose to obey rather than suffer punishment.
To those who say that Christians have blind faith, I challenge them to read the whole Bible and then try to arrive at the same conclusion. I am confident that they will never again say that Christians have blind faith.
Day 207 - Isaiah 1-5 (Do Christians Have Blind Faith?)
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"Come now, and let us reason together,"
Says the LORD,
"Though your sins are like scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be as wool.
If you are willing and obedient,
You shall eat the good of the land;
But if you refuse and rebel,
You shall be devoured by the sword";
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."
(Isaiah 1:18-20)
Some critics of Christians say that we practice blind faith. What they really mean to say is that Christians do not use their reason in their faith. Nothing can be further, however, from true Christianity. The God of the Bible invites us humans to reason together with Him! God is a reasonable God who wants reasonable followers; not blind followers who do not understand why they believe what they believe.
There are many religions and philosophies today that teach the unsuspecting that believe in yourself or in something or whatever as long as it makes you happy or makes you feel good. And so they follow their senses to whatever can give them pleasure or excitement or a mystical experience. They cannot really explain why they believe what they believe but only that they feel a sort of "oneness" with the universe or something.
In our text above, God is proposing to His sinful people, the Jews, a reasonable offer: "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool." There is one condition, though, they must be "willing and obedient". Count me in God - that sounds like a very reasonable offer to me.
The alternative which God gives to the Israelites if they are not willing to obey God is found in verse 20: "But if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword"; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken." I would think that any reasonable person would choose to obey God and be cleansed of his sins and those who refuse are the ones who are unreasonable.
I used to give my children a similar proposal when they were younger. I would tell them that they have a choice; they could be rewarded for obeying me or they could suffer a punishment for disobedience. I think it was a reasonable offer and they often chose to obey rather than suffer punishment.
To those who say that Christians have blind faith, I challenge them to read the whole Bible and then try to arrive at the same conclusion. I am confident that they will never again say that Christians have blind faith.
Sunday, July 26, 2015
Day 206 - Song of Solomon 1-8
ONE-YEAR JOURNEY OF THE BIBLE
Day 206 - Song of Solomon 1-8 (You Are Loved)
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"The song of songs, which is Solomon's.
I have compared you, my love,
To my filly among Pharaoh's chariots.
Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments,
Your neck with chains of gold."
Day 206 - Song of Solomon 1-8 (You Are Loved)
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"The song of songs, which is Solomon's.
I have compared you, my love,
To my filly among Pharaoh's chariots.
Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments,
Your neck with chains of gold."
(Song of Solomon 1:1, 9-10)
Pastor Chuck Smith in his commentary on the book of Song of Solomon said, "Now there are some people who consider the Song of Solomon no more than just an erotic, oriental love song and feel that it has no place in the scriptures. But others have found tremendous inspiration in the Song of Solomon by looking at a spiritual allegory, seeing it as a spiritual allegory. Now to the Jews, it became a spiritual allegory of God's special relationship to the nation Israel. As God is seen in the figure of Solomon the king, and Israel as the favorite choice wife, and as they express their love of each other, so God's expressions of His love for Israel and Israel's expressions of their love for God." (http://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/smith_chuck/c2000_Sgs/Sgs_001.cfm?a=672001)
Chuck goes on to say, "To the church, because the church is often seen in the New Testament as the bride of Christ, it became a picture to the church of the bride of the church, her relationship to Jesus Christ, her bridegroom, her coming King who we look forward to. And so the spiritual allegories are then made applicable to Christ and His love for the church and the church's response to His love." (C. Smith)
Surely, a married couple would benefit greatly from reading Song of Solomon with regards to improving their emotional and physical bond for each other and I believe that is the main objective of God in including this book in the Old Testament. The second objective, as I quoted from Chuck above, is just as important if not more important for its readers.
I would imagine that most people, like me, would struggle to accept that God loves us so deeply as the hero of the Song of Solomon loves His beloved wife. It takes great faith for anyone to believe he or she could be an object of such intense love. But that is what Scrupture teaches not just in the Song of Solomon but in all sixty-six books of the Bible.
I can think of no greater picture of God's love for me and for all people than Christ hanging on the cross as my substitute, taking on His body all my sins, past, present and future, so that I can be made sinless before the Father through His sacrifice.
"Lord Jesus, no words can express my gratitude for your deep love for me as your beloved. Please help me to be worthy of your love. Keep me from doing or thinking anything that will grieve You. Help me to love you more than I can possibly do on my own."
Saturday, July 25, 2015
Day 205 - Ecclesiastes 1-12
ONE-YEAR JOURNEY OF THE BIBLE
Day 205 - Ecclesiates 1-12 (A Time to Die)
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"To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:
A time to be born,
And a time to die;
A time to plant,
And a time to pluck what is planted;
A time to kill,
And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
And a time to build up;
A time to weep,
And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
And a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones,
And a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace,
And a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to gain,
And a time to lose;
A time to keep,
And a time to throw away;
A time to tear,
And a time to sew;
A time to keep silence,
And a time to speak;
A time to love,
And a time to hate;
A time of war,
And a time of peace.
He has made everything beautiful in its time. "
(Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, 11a)
Although the author remained anonymous, it is almost sure that King Solomon was the one who wrote the book of Ecclesiastes based on the description of the author about himself, especially the part about being the wisest and richest king who ever lived up to his time. Ecclesiates means preacher or teacher which was what the author was. The book is all about the vanity of life and about what really matters in life. I highly recommend you read the entire book which is not long at all.
The text I chose above for this devotional is a very popular passage that has been quoted by both secular and religious people alike. Because God is a patient God who has appointed a time for everything under heaven including the seasons of the year and the birth of every living being, we too must recognize that there is a time for everything in life. When we align everything with God's timing, we can expect to see Him make everything beautiful in its time.
The rest of what I'm about to write may sound morbid but for the person who understands what God is saying in our Scrupture passage above, it is not at all. As God has appointed a time for every person to be born, so also we are told that He has appointed a time for us to die. Now, I choose to believe God's word when it says that God has made everything beautiful in its time, so therefore, I believe that the time of my appointed death by my maker is beautiful. As the Psalmist wrote, "Precious in the sight of the LORD Is the death of His saints (Psalm 116:15)."
For those who truly know the Lord Jesus Christ, they ought not to be afraid of death knowing that even that time is appointed by God in His time. Jesus promised His followers that death will simply be the gate for them to enter heaven and that someday He will raise their dead bodies back to life to live forever on the new earth. As for me, I choose not to be afraid to die but rather desire to look eagerly to my entrance into the eternal presence of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and God the Father.
Day 205 - Ecclesiates 1-12 (A Time to Die)
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"To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:
A time to be born,
And a time to die;
A time to plant,
And a time to pluck what is planted;
A time to kill,
And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
And a time to build up;
A time to weep,
And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
And a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones,
And a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace,
And a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to gain,
And a time to lose;
A time to keep,
And a time to throw away;
A time to tear,
And a time to sew;
A time to keep silence,
And a time to speak;
A time to love,
And a time to hate;
A time of war,
And a time of peace.
He has made everything beautiful in its time. "
(Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, 11a)
Although the author remained anonymous, it is almost sure that King Solomon was the one who wrote the book of Ecclesiastes based on the description of the author about himself, especially the part about being the wisest and richest king who ever lived up to his time. Ecclesiates means preacher or teacher which was what the author was. The book is all about the vanity of life and about what really matters in life. I highly recommend you read the entire book which is not long at all.
The text I chose above for this devotional is a very popular passage that has been quoted by both secular and religious people alike. Because God is a patient God who has appointed a time for everything under heaven including the seasons of the year and the birth of every living being, we too must recognize that there is a time for everything in life. When we align everything with God's timing, we can expect to see Him make everything beautiful in its time.
The rest of what I'm about to write may sound morbid but for the person who understands what God is saying in our Scrupture passage above, it is not at all. As God has appointed a time for every person to be born, so also we are told that He has appointed a time for us to die. Now, I choose to believe God's word when it says that God has made everything beautiful in its time, so therefore, I believe that the time of my appointed death by my maker is beautiful. As the Psalmist wrote, "Precious in the sight of the LORD Is the death of His saints (Psalm 116:15)."
For those who truly know the Lord Jesus Christ, they ought not to be afraid of death knowing that even that time is appointed by God in His time. Jesus promised His followers that death will simply be the gate for them to enter heaven and that someday He will raise their dead bodies back to life to live forever on the new earth. As for me, I choose not to be afraid to die but rather desire to look eagerly to my entrance into the eternal presence of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and God the Father.
Thursday, July 23, 2015
Day 203 - Proverbs 30-31
ONE-YEAR JOURNEY OF THE BIBLE
Day 203 - Proverbs 30-31 (The Virtuous Wife)
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Day 203 - Proverbs 30-31 (The Virtuous Wife)
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"Who can find a virtuous wife?
For her worth is far above rubies.
The heart of her husband safely trusts her;
So he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
For her worth is far above rubies.
The heart of her husband safely trusts her;
So he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good and not evil
All the days of her life.
She watches over the ways of her household,
And does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed;
Her husband also, and he praises her:
"Many daughters have done well,
But you excel them all."
Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
Give her of the fruit of her hands,
And let her own works praise her in the gates."
Proverbs 31:10-12, 27-31)
In answer to the question on the first verse of our text above, I praise and thank God that He has so blessed me as to allow me to find a virtuous wife. I know that not many husbands are as blessed as me which is why I treasure my wife more than anything in this world. I agree with the author of our text that a virtuous wife is worth far above rubies or any precious stones.
I will let you in on a little secret I have in finding a virtuous wife. When I was still single and actively looking for my wife, I wrote a short list of qualifications as to the kind of woman I want to marry. Wanna know what was on my list? All you need to do is read the whole chapter 31 of Proverbs and you will find every criteria I had in choosing my wife.
You may say that I was just lucky or blessed or whatever in finding my wife and to a certain extent you are right. I believe, however, that any godly man who sets the same criteria that I had in choosing my wife and then asks God to give him such a wife will also receive what he asks just as I did. How do I know? Because it is God's will for every godly man. One caveat - the seeker of a virtuous wife must be willing to wait as long as it takes.
I realize that you may be a husband reading this and thinking, "Good for you but I am stuck with a wife who is not the virtuous wife of Proverbs 31, so what do I do now?" My answer applies not just for you but for all husbands, read Ephesians 5 and you will find exactly what God wants you to do now as a husband. By the way, if you are a wife reading this, read the same passage I just mentioned and you will also find out what God wants you to do now as a wife.
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Day 202 - Proverbs 27-29
ONE-YEAR JOURNEY OF THE BIBLE
Day 202 - Proverbs 27-29 (Are You Acknowledging the One Who Holds Your Future?)
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"Do not boast about tomorrow,
For you do not know what a day may bring forth.
Instead you ought to say,
"If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that."
(Proverbs 27:1; James 4:15)
Whenever I try to reply to text message or email to confirm an invitation or appointment, I try to say, "Lord willing, I will be there." I do it because it is how God wants me to response as we read in our text above. The reason Scripture gives us is it helps us avoid boasting about tomorrow because we so not know what the future will bring; only God knows that.
One benefit of always deferring to the Lord with regards to the future or the unknown is that it keeps the person doing it humble and submissive to the will of God. He is in effect saying to God each time he says Lord willing, "I submit to your will, O Lord."
Another benefit for the person who is submissive to the Lord's will with regards to the future is that he does not have to bear the burden and stress of worrying about the future because he knows that the One who holds the future, in whom he has placed his trust and confidence, is faithful and just and never makes mistakes, unlike humans.
I am always encouraged and inspired by others who have great trust in God for their future. One dear friend of mine, who has more problems than anyone I know, is always optimistic that God will help him get through all of his problems which is why he can still be one of the most positive and helpful person despite his situation.
The next time you are tempted to aswer with a confident yes to a future commitment, why not add, "Lord willing"; it will change your life and make you more humble before your maker who alone determines your future.
Day 202 - Proverbs 27-29 (Are You Acknowledging the One Who Holds Your Future?)
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"Do not boast about tomorrow,
For you do not know what a day may bring forth.
Instead you ought to say,
"If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that."
(Proverbs 27:1; James 4:15)
Whenever I try to reply to text message or email to confirm an invitation or appointment, I try to say, "Lord willing, I will be there." I do it because it is how God wants me to response as we read in our text above. The reason Scripture gives us is it helps us avoid boasting about tomorrow because we so not know what the future will bring; only God knows that.
One benefit of always deferring to the Lord with regards to the future or the unknown is that it keeps the person doing it humble and submissive to the will of God. He is in effect saying to God each time he says Lord willing, "I submit to your will, O Lord."
Another benefit for the person who is submissive to the Lord's will with regards to the future is that he does not have to bear the burden and stress of worrying about the future because he knows that the One who holds the future, in whom he has placed his trust and confidence, is faithful and just and never makes mistakes, unlike humans.
I am always encouraged and inspired by others who have great trust in God for their future. One dear friend of mine, who has more problems than anyone I know, is always optimistic that God will help him get through all of his problems which is why he can still be one of the most positive and helpful person despite his situation.
The next time you are tempted to aswer with a confident yes to a future commitment, why not add, "Lord willing"; it will change your life and make you more humble before your maker who alone determines your future.
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
Day 199 - Proverbs 24-26
ONE-YEAR JOURNEY OF THE BIBLE
Day 199 - Proverbs 24-26 (How Strong is Your Inner Strength?)
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"If you faint in the day of adversity,
Your strength is small.
For a righteous man may fall seven times
And rise again, ...
Day 199 - Proverbs 24-26 (How Strong is Your Inner Strength?)
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"If you faint in the day of adversity,
Your strength is small.
For a righteous man may fall seven times
And rise again, ...
A righteous man who falters before the wicked
Is like a murky spring and a polluted well."
(Proverbs 24:10, 16a; 25:26)
If there is one thing that I would like to be prepared for more than anything else in life it is to be steadfast and immovable during times of severe test and trials and even persecution unto death for my faith. I take very seriously the words of Solomon in our text above and I dread the thought that my strength might be found small in the day of adversity.
One of my utmost desires in life as a Christian is to be found faithful and courageous by my Lord in times of adversity. I want to be that righteous man who, even though I may fall seven times, will get back up each time. I want to be that righteous man who will not falter before the wicked. I want to be that pure spring and well before my God.
One of my favorite movies is Cool Hand Luke starring Paul Newman and my favorite scene is where he fights with a much bigger guy who whips him throughout the fight. The cool part is that each time Luke is knocked down he always got back up until the other guy gave up and walked away.
That is the kind of strength I would like to have if ever the time comes when my faith will be tested. Meanwhile, I need to master overcoming the small tests and trials that God sends my way every single day in order to strengthen my inner man. I pray to God that if and when my ultimate test of faith comes that I will be found strong and pure before my Maker.
Is like a murky spring and a polluted well."
(Proverbs 24:10, 16a; 25:26)
If there is one thing that I would like to be prepared for more than anything else in life it is to be steadfast and immovable during times of severe test and trials and even persecution unto death for my faith. I take very seriously the words of Solomon in our text above and I dread the thought that my strength might be found small in the day of adversity.
One of my utmost desires in life as a Christian is to be found faithful and courageous by my Lord in times of adversity. I want to be that righteous man who, even though I may fall seven times, will get back up each time. I want to be that righteous man who will not falter before the wicked. I want to be that pure spring and well before my God.
One of my favorite movies is Cool Hand Luke starring Paul Newman and my favorite scene is where he fights with a much bigger guy who whips him throughout the fight. The cool part is that each time Luke is knocked down he always got back up until the other guy gave up and walked away.
That is the kind of strength I would like to have if ever the time comes when my faith will be tested. Meanwhile, I need to master overcoming the small tests and trials that God sends my way every single day in order to strengthen my inner man. I pray to God that if and when my ultimate test of faith comes that I will be found strong and pure before my Maker.
Day 198 - Proverbs 21-23
ONE-YEAR JOURNEY OF THE BIBLE
Day 198 - Proverbs 21-23 (Is it Wrong to Work to Be Rich?)
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"Do not overwork to be rich;
Because of your own understanding, cease!
Will you set your eyes on that which is not?
For riches certainly make themselves wings;
They fly away like an eagle toward heaven."
(Proverbs 23:4-5)
The Bible does not say that it is wrong to work to be rich; it does say, however, "not to overwork to be rich" as we read in our text above. Solomon explains in the next verse what he meant by "overwork", that is, setting one's eyes on that which "is not" or that which does not have eternal value.
Like many couples in our modern society who both work outside their home to provide for their families, my wife and I could have worked more than we did and made more money but we made a deliberate decision not to because we wanted to care for our four children ourselves and make sure that we spent enough time with family modeling to our children how to live the Christian life.
That turned out to be one of the best decisions my wife and I ever made as a couple. We praise and thank God for honoring our desire to teach our children biblical values. Today, all four of our children are God-fearing believers who all live morally upright lives.
I dread the thought of how my family could have turned out had I set my sights on that which is not. Not only could the riches I could have made "fly away like an eagle", my children could have also flown away from the right path and gone on the way of the world like so many who have their age.
"Father, thank you for giving me the wisdom early on as a husband and father to not set my sights on the things that are not but rather on the things that last forever. Thank you for honoring the desire of my wife and I to raise a family that will serve you as long as we live. I pray you grant the same conviction to all our children for their own families. Amen."
Day 198 - Proverbs 21-23 (Is it Wrong to Work to Be Rich?)
(To View Past Posts Click: http:/tonyvicreyes1-yearbible.blogspot.com/ )
"Do not overwork to be rich;
Because of your own understanding, cease!
Will you set your eyes on that which is not?
For riches certainly make themselves wings;
They fly away like an eagle toward heaven."
(Proverbs 23:4-5)
The Bible does not say that it is wrong to work to be rich; it does say, however, "not to overwork to be rich" as we read in our text above. Solomon explains in the next verse what he meant by "overwork", that is, setting one's eyes on that which "is not" or that which does not have eternal value.
Like many couples in our modern society who both work outside their home to provide for their families, my wife and I could have worked more than we did and made more money but we made a deliberate decision not to because we wanted to care for our four children ourselves and make sure that we spent enough time with family modeling to our children how to live the Christian life.
That turned out to be one of the best decisions my wife and I ever made as a couple. We praise and thank God for honoring our desire to teach our children biblical values. Today, all four of our children are God-fearing believers who all live morally upright lives.
I dread the thought of how my family could have turned out had I set my sights on that which is not. Not only could the riches I could have made "fly away like an eagle", my children could have also flown away from the right path and gone on the way of the world like so many who have their age.
"Father, thank you for giving me the wisdom early on as a husband and father to not set my sights on the things that are not but rather on the things that last forever. Thank you for honoring the desire of my wife and I to raise a family that will serve you as long as we live. I pray you grant the same conviction to all our children for their own families. Amen."
Sunday, July 19, 2015
Day 197 - Proverbs 18-20
ONE-YEAR JOURNEY OF THE BIBLE
Day 197 - Proverbs 18-20 (Anger Management)
(To View Past Posts Click: http:/tonyvicreyes1-yearbible.blogspot.com/ )
"The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger,
And his glory is to overlook a transgression.
He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city. "
(Proverbs 19:11; 16:32)
Anger - who has not known it and the devastation it brings? Countless multitude are its victims, both offended and offender. It has severed marriages, murdered its objects of wrath, estranged parent and child, and destroyed invaluable properties to name a few of its casualties.
Those who have tried to conquer anger and failed cannot be numbered. No wonder Solomon observed that "He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city." Wow, what a noble quest it is to be able to master anger!
Thankfully, Solomon tells us the way to be able to tame anger's ugly head. He says that the secret is discretion. Discretion is defined as the quality of behaving or speaking in such a way as to avoid causing offense or revealing
private information.
Solomon points out that one way to practice discretion as it relates to mastering
anger is to overlook a transgression or offense by someone. Although most
may think letting an offense pass or go is a sign of weakness, the Bible says that the exact opposite is true. It is far more difficult to overlook a transgression.
I happened to watch one of my favorite movies entitled Braveheart starring Mel Gibson as William Wallace, the warrior hero of Scottland. When punched by his best friend who got upset with Willian in their argument in front of their comrades, William did not fight back but let is pass. Although he could have beaten his friend badly, Willian exercised restrained and discretion and was respected even more by his followers.
There was another person who was no doubt the strongest and bravest and most powerful who ever lived and yet meekly subjected Himself to the ridicule and abuse of his tormentors even though He could have easily called His angels in heaven to kill every single one of them. You guessed it right, He was the Lord Jesus Christ.
Can you and I garner up enough discretion and self-control to overlook a transgression by another? Only the strong can. Are you strong enough? I believe none of us is and this is why we all need the strength that only God through the Holy Spirit can give us. Have you received Him in your life yet?
Day 197 - Proverbs 18-20 (Anger Management)
(To View Past Posts Click: http:/tonyvicreyes1-yearbible.blogspot.com/ )
"The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger,
And his glory is to overlook a transgression.
He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,
And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city. "
(Proverbs 19:11; 16:32)
Anger - who has not known it and the devastation it brings? Countless multitude are its victims, both offended and offender. It has severed marriages, murdered its objects of wrath, estranged parent and child, and destroyed invaluable properties to name a few of its casualties.
Those who have tried to conquer anger and failed cannot be numbered. No wonder Solomon observed that "He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city." Wow, what a noble quest it is to be able to master anger!
Thankfully, Solomon tells us the way to be able to tame anger's ugly head. He says that the secret is discretion. Discretion is defined as the quality of behaving or speaking in such a way as to avoid causing offense or revealing
private information.
Solomon points out that one way to practice discretion as it relates to mastering
anger is to overlook a transgression or offense by someone. Although most
may think letting an offense pass or go is a sign of weakness, the Bible says that the exact opposite is true. It is far more difficult to overlook a transgression.
I happened to watch one of my favorite movies entitled Braveheart starring Mel Gibson as William Wallace, the warrior hero of Scottland. When punched by his best friend who got upset with Willian in their argument in front of their comrades, William did not fight back but let is pass. Although he could have beaten his friend badly, Willian exercised restrained and discretion and was respected even more by his followers.
There was another person who was no doubt the strongest and bravest and most powerful who ever lived and yet meekly subjected Himself to the ridicule and abuse of his tormentors even though He could have easily called His angels in heaven to kill every single one of them. You guessed it right, He was the Lord Jesus Christ.
Can you and I garner up enough discretion and self-control to overlook a transgression by another? Only the strong can. Are you strong enough? I believe none of us is and this is why we all need the strength that only God through the Holy Spirit can give us. Have you received Him in your life yet?
Saturday, July 18, 2015
Day 196 - Proverbs 12-17
ONE-YEAR JOURNEY OF THE BIBLE
Day 196 - Proverbs 12-17 (True Friendship)
(To View Past Posts Click: http:/tonyvicreyes1-yearbible.blogspot.com/ )
"A friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity."
Day 196 - Proverbs 12-17 (True Friendship)
(To View Past Posts Click: http:/tonyvicreyes1-yearbible.blogspot.com/ )
"A friend loves at all times,
And a brother is born for adversity."
(Proverbs 17:17)
I have a wooden frame that has these words written on it: Faith, Family, Friends. I love that because it represents precisely what I value most in life in that order - my faith in God, my love for my family, and my treasure of friends.
Solomon could not have said it better when he wrote those words above about what a friend is. I am so blessed to have a few friends whom I know loves me at all times and vice versa.
Solomon qualified the kind of person who is truly a friend to someone - he is a brother born for adversity. The dictionary defines adversity as an adverse fortune or fate; misfortune; calamity. In other words, a true friend is someone who has my back covered.
As tempting as it may be for me to ask myself who is my true friend, I know that that is the wrong question. The right question for me to ask myself is who am I a true friend to? Who am I willing to help whatever it is they may need from me? Unless I am willing to be a true friend to someone, how can I expect another to be a true friend to me? As Solomon said,
"A man who has friends must himself be friendly,
But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."
(Proverbs 18:24)
"Dear God, help me to be a true friend to those few people whom You have called me to be there for them in their time of need. I thank You for the friends You have given me. Help me to love them much more than they love me. Amen."
Thursday, July 16, 2015
Day 195 - Proverbs 9-11
ONE-YEAR JOURNEY OF THE BIBLE
Day 195 - Proverbs 9-11 (The Tongue: An Instrument of Good or Evil)
(To View Past Posts Click: http:/tonyvicreyes1-yearbible.blogspot.com/ )
Day 195 - Proverbs 9-11 (The Tongue: An Instrument of Good or Evil)
(To View Past Posts Click: http:/tonyvicreyes1-yearbible.blogspot.com/ )
"In the multitude of words sin is not lacking,
But he who restrains his lips is wise.
The tongue of the righteous is choice silver;
The heart of the wicked is worth little.
The lips of the righteous feed many,
But fools die for lack of wisdom."
But he who restrains his lips is wise.
The tongue of the righteous is choice silver;
The heart of the wicked is worth little.
The lips of the righteous feed many,
But fools die for lack of wisdom."
(Proverbs 10:19-21)
The tongue is the only part of the human body that has power to either destroy or build up another. Obviously, the tongue in itself is simply an instrument for producing sound; it is the words and the tone of speaking that determine the harm or good that the tongue will affect.
No wonder Solomon wrote in our text above that "In the multitude of words sin is not lacking." The more words that come out of our tongue, the more risk of us falling into various kinds of sins including lying, gossip, slander, cursing, self-promotion or pride, insult and many other sins. The less words that we speak, the less we risk committing the above sins and therefore, we are more wise.
Just as the tongue "is a fire, a world of iniquity...and is set on fire by hell (James 3:6)," it can also be "choice silver" that could feed many with the food of the soul such as encouragement, love, wisdom, knowledge, instruction, hope and faith to name a few.
The power of the tongue is evident in creation itself. The very first chapter of the Bible records God speaking and life comes into being. God spoke, "Let there be light" and there was light. God said, "Let us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness..." and man became a living being.
How will you use that small instrument in your mouth; will you use it for good or for evil? A word of encouragement: when you find yourself using your tongue for evil, ask God's forgiveness and also ask the forgiveness of the person you offended. God is always willing to forgive as often as we fail when we truly repent. Make every effort to use your tongue to encourage and build up others.
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
Day 194 - Proverbs 6-8
ONE-YEAR JOURNEY OF THE BIBLE
Day 194 - Proverbs 6-8 (Learn from the Ant)
(To View Past Posts Click: http:/tonyvicreyes1-yearbible.blogspot.com/ )
Day 194 - Proverbs 6-8 (Learn from the Ant)
(To View Past Posts Click: http:/tonyvicreyes1-yearbible.blogspot.com/ )
"Go to the ant, you sluggard!
Consider her ways and be wise,
Which, having no captain,
Overseer or ruler,
Provides her supplies in the summer,
And gathers her food in the harvest.
When will you rise from your sleep?
How long will you slumber, O sluggard?
A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to sleep--
So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler,
And your need like an armed man. "
(Proverbs 6:6-11)
When I first read the text above many years ago, I literally followed the instruction of Solomon and ordered a small ant farm that looked like an aquarium approximately one foot by one foot but only about an inch wide. It came with a few worker ants and sand and I immediately transferred the sand and ant into the glass farm.
The package included instructions on caring for my ant farm. After what seemed only a couple of days, I noticed an elaborate system of tunnels dug by my ants. From what I can recall, the ants built storage areas for their food as well as their sleeping quarters. I'm pretty sure that they one or more of those storage areas were for their waste disposal.
The most fascinating thing I observed with my ants was that they did not just leave the ants that died but carried them to a burial chamber. As you may already know, ants even have their own queen and are organized into groups of workers and soldiers. Wow, talk about a highly sophisticated system of community!
So what does God want us to learn from the amazing ant? Out of all the incredible things that ants can do (they can attach to each other to become a bridge or a tower or a floating raft), Solomon focuses on the ants ability and diligence to provide for the food of an entire colony all year round. Then, he follows it up with a warning to those who, unlike the ant, become lazy - that poverty will become their lot in life.
God has not lacked in providing for the sustenance of all human beings. He even made the ants that live practically throughout the face of the earth so that man could have a living object lesson on how to provide for his sustenance and survival. He who comes to poverty due to his neglect of this fundamental life principle of diligence has none to blame but himself.
A little folding of the hands to sleep--
So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler,
And your need like an armed man. "
(Proverbs 6:6-11)
When I first read the text above many years ago, I literally followed the instruction of Solomon and ordered a small ant farm that looked like an aquarium approximately one foot by one foot but only about an inch wide. It came with a few worker ants and sand and I immediately transferred the sand and ant into the glass farm.
The package included instructions on caring for my ant farm. After what seemed only a couple of days, I noticed an elaborate system of tunnels dug by my ants. From what I can recall, the ants built storage areas for their food as well as their sleeping quarters. I'm pretty sure that they one or more of those storage areas were for their waste disposal.
The most fascinating thing I observed with my ants was that they did not just leave the ants that died but carried them to a burial chamber. As you may already know, ants even have their own queen and are organized into groups of workers and soldiers. Wow, talk about a highly sophisticated system of community!
So what does God want us to learn from the amazing ant? Out of all the incredible things that ants can do (they can attach to each other to become a bridge or a tower or a floating raft), Solomon focuses on the ants ability and diligence to provide for the food of an entire colony all year round. Then, he follows it up with a warning to those who, unlike the ant, become lazy - that poverty will become their lot in life.
God has not lacked in providing for the sustenance of all human beings. He even made the ants that live practically throughout the face of the earth so that man could have a living object lesson on how to provide for his sustenance and survival. He who comes to poverty due to his neglect of this fundamental life principle of diligence has none to blame but himself.
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