August 4, 2018 Saturday

“1 ¶  It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. 2  Then it happened one evening that David arose from his bed and walked on the roof of the king’s house. And from the roof he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful to behold. 3  So David sent and inquired about the woman. And someone said, “Is this not Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?” 4  Then David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her, for she was cleansed from her impurity; and she returned to her house. 5  And the woman conceived; so she sent and told David, and said, “I am with child.” 6 ¶  Then David sent to Joab, saying, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab sent Uriah to David. 7  When Uriah had come to him, David asked how Joab was doing, and how the people were doing, and how the war prospered. 8  And David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.” So Uriah departed from the king’s house, and a gift of food from the king followed him. 9  But Uriah slept at the door of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house. 10  So when they told David, saying, “Uriah did not go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, “Did you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?” 11  And Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah are dwelling in tents, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are encamped in the open fields. Shall I then go to my house to eat and drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing.” 12  Then David said to Uriah, “Wait here today also, and tomorrow I will let you depart.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day and the next. 13  Now when David called him, he ate and drank before him; and he made him drunk. And at evening he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house. 14 ¶  In the morning it happened that David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by the hand of Uriah. 15  And he wrote in the letter, saying, “Set Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retreat from him, that he may be struck down and die.”” (2Samuel 11:1-15 NKJV)

            As Christians we often are afraid of doing the wrong thing but we can also get into trouble when we don’t do what we are supposed to do.  David should have been out with the army but by staying home he sinned and destroyed many lives!

            A Christian once said “If we spent more time doing the good we would have less time to do the bad!”  When we are outside of God’s will we are much more susceptible to sin and can end up doing things we never would have thought possible! 

            David probably would never have thought he was capable of getting one of his military leader’s wives pregnant and then murdering him!  The man who was a Hittite was faithful to Israel and to David was set up to be murdered while he was at the battle David was supposed to be at!

            Uriah revealed his honor as he said “The ark and Israel and Judah are dwelling in tents, and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are encamped in the open fields. Shall I then go to my house to eat and drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do this thing.”

            This statement should have shamed David but instead it took him to lower depths to resort to murder to hide his sin!  David still did not go to the battlefield but sent a note to his general (by Uriah!) to murder Uriah on the battlefield so it would not look like murder!

            Are you at the battlefield or letting others fight the spiritual warfare?  Are you robbing the life of those who are doing what you should be doing?  Do non-Christians live a more caring and loving life than you?

I went to the Men’s breakfast at Asbury and it was a good message and good food.  I am getting so weak and my condition is causing more trouble for Bonnie especially.  I really do not know how to make it easier and my brain is getting fuzzier.  God please guide me!

August 3, 2018 Friday

“14 ¶  For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15  from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16  that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 17  that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18  may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height —  19  to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. 20  Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21  to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:14-21 NKJV)

            Prayer is something we often are taught to do but not what prayer means or how to pray.  The Hebrew word for prayer is itself a primitive root word which has several meanings including intervene, interpose, mediate and judge.

            There are many ways to pray. It is more important to take time to pray then to worry about how. There is not a wrong way to pray because as we pray God will guide us so we can discover the most direct way to talk with God.

            It is very important to remember prayer is a conversation with God and not an opportunity to present a wish list. Like in any conversation there is an opportunity to speak but you must also listen carefully to be a conversation.

            For some prayer must be formal on their knees, eyes closed and head bowed while others tend to be more informal and talk with God like they are talking to another person. Each person must find the way to pray which helps them to pray more often.

            The Bible calls for us to pray without ceasing and this is a reminder God is with us all the time and so it is important to share your day with God and seek help throughout!

            This passage is also a reminder to not pray too small! Paul prays for his brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ to receive and live the fullness of the Christian faith. Rather than limiting our requests to our own family, our congregation and community as John Wesley reminded us “the world is our parish”. Our prayer can and should be beyond our ability and comprehension. We are taught in Scripture when we run out of words or are beyond what we have words to say the Holy Spirit will speak for us!

            If you pray how often do you pray? During your time of prayer do you pause so you can hear God speaking to you? Have you ever prayed so deeply you ran out of words and had to trust the Holy Spirit would speak for you?

This has been a hard week.  Had a real bad experience where I was freezing and jerking all over.  It went on so long I only quit because my muscles were worn out.  July was a terrible month and I struggled in so many ways. It was so hard on Bonnie and Rebecca since they have had to do even more.  Even the little I can do seems to make it harder on them.

August 2, 2018 Thursday

“Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;” (1Peter 5:2 NKJV)

            This verse and this devotion are very personal to me because this is my 60^th birthday! To some this may be a day to fear but to me it is very special.

            As a teenager I became an alcoholic and at the age of 19 was given three months to live. I used to tell people I wished it was longer but truthfully I really didn’t care because I was more afraid of living than of dying.

            It was sent home for two weeks before I went to my next base to die. The pain and agony of my disease ravaged me and made my days a living nightmare. I could only hope I would be able to sleep and not feel the pain.

            Mrs. Richardson, whose son had been a friend in high school, took me to her Pentecostal church where a circle of men prayed for me. As I left an old white-haired gentleman told me “remember you are healed by the stripes on Christ’s back.” Since then I have sought to give my life to Jesus Christ who gave his life for me.

            After a few years of discipleship God used this verse not only as my call but how I was to live out my call. Through God’s power and strength I have sought to serve as I have been served and to love as I have been loved. In the many times when I have failed God has found a way to bring blessing from it.

            For the last year and half I have been on disability and constantly in pain and struggle with weariness. I have maxed out most of my medicines and am in what the doctors call the maintenance mode. Though I have had to leave the pastoral ministry which I loved God still uses many to pray and to send cards to shut-ins. The great adventure with God continues.

            I can honestly say this has been the longest three years of my life. But since the time Jesus healed me I have found not only the wondrous joy of God’s great adventure of life but also to look with joy to the time I will see my Lord and My Love face-to-face!

            What is your story of how you met Jesus? Do you share it with others to bring glory to God and hope to their lives? Is your life as a Christian a great adventure with God?

August 1, 2018 Wednesday

“1 ¶  « To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. » The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, They have done abominable works, There is none who does good. 2  The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of men, To see if there are any who understand, who seek God. 3  They have all turned aside, They have together become corrupt; There is none who does good, No, not one. 4 ¶  Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge, Who eat up my people as they eat bread, And do not call on the LORD? 5  There they are in great fear, For God is with the generation of the righteous. 6  You shame the counsel of the poor, But the LORD is his refuge. 7  Oh, that the salvation of Israel would come out of Zion! When the LORD brings back the captivity of His people, Let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad.” (Psalm 14:1-7 NKJV)

            It is said the first verse is the slogan for April Fool’s Day.  How important is it for people to believe in God?  The psalmist gives the outcome of not believing in God.

            When we do not believe in God we lose our moral compass and we who are already broken because of the fall go from corruption to abomination.  By denying God we become our own god and even as God watches we grow in evil and self-destruction.

            When we cast off God to become our own God’s we cast off our definition of right or wrong and lose God’s protection. We are then left with only our fear which quickly grows to become anger and hatred.

            The God we cast off because of our fear now becomes our hated enemy! But how can you fight against or hurt God? For the horrific irony is we fear and hate the God we claim to not believe in. We push out and cast aside every public sign or expression of God. But that will never be enough!

            Unable to directly harm the God they claim to not believe in they seek to hurt God by devouring his people! Once again they are only expressing their “great fear” of the God they claim to not believe in. Their efforts to stop public prayer to God and access to the Bible only prove they believe in the power of God more than many Christians do!

            But the people of God can know that even if they take away our Bibles, make slaves of our children, imprison, behead or seek to humiliate and ostracize us the God they claim to not believe in will be our refuge and our salvation in this world and the world to come!

            In truth those who do not believe in the one true God end up harming and destroying themselves more than anyone else!

            Do those who work against God believe in the Bible more than you do? If they fear the Bible so much shouldn’t you read it to find out why? Do you fear death in this world more than you love life eternal with God?

The noise of life leads me astray

Only because I desire that way

I try to shout over all the noise

But only end up with more noise

My mind is left wanting to scream

Hoping the nightmare is a dream

There seems no room for a voice

But then I hear a still small voice

“You do not have to live in fear

If to my presence you draw near

And let my voice be what you hear

I will wash away all of your fear”

The voice of God guides to the way

Fear only comes when I go astray                                    July 31, 2018

July 31, 2018 Tuesday

“10 ¶  All Your works shall praise You, O LORD, And Your saints shall bless You. 11  They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom, And talk of Your power, 12  To make known to the sons of men His mighty acts, And the glorious majesty of His kingdom. 13  Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And Your dominion endures throughout all generations. 14  The LORD upholds all who fall, And raises up all who are bowed down. 15  The eyes of all look expectantly to You, And You give them their food in due season. 16  You open Your hand And satisfy the desire of every living thing. 17  The LORD is righteous in all His ways, Gracious in all His works. 18  The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth.” (Psalm 145:10-18 NKJV)

            “We shall serve no whine before its time!”  It is very easy to see what we do not have and the troubles in our lives as unfair and whine about our lives.  We can cry out “Where is God?  Doesn’t God care?”  We see the world and our lives through our self.

            Some believe God will only condemn them.  God is righteous and so we should be condemned but God is also gracious and if we call upon God we will be forgiven and cleansed.

            The Psalmist looks at the world and life through God and His provision and sees all of creation glorifying the Creator.  Looking at the glory of God rather than ourselves expands our vision and our lives.  We can become life centered rather than death oriented. 

            Centering our lives on God allows us to discover we are part of creation and to join in creations celebration of the Creator and of the redemption of creation by Jesus!  Recognizing creation is the work of the Creator and the Redeemer should help us value creation and seek to honor God’s gift!

            When we praise God join with all of creation to celebrate who God is and God’s provision and presence.  Joining with creation helps us realize God will be worshipped and celebrated generation after generation and we have a responsibility of sharing and passing on the joy of life by being God centered!

            Do you live looking to yourself or look to see God working in your life and in the world?  Are you limited by your own intelligence and strength or do seek God’s power and wisdom?  Have you discovered the value of creation because of the Creator?

              

July 30, 2018 Monday

“42  Then a man came from Baal Shalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley bread, and newly ripened grain in his knapsack. And he said, “Give it to the people, that they may eat.” 43  But his servant said, “What? Shall I set this before one hundred men?” He said again, “Give it to the people, that they may eat; for thus says the LORD: ‘They shall eat and have some left over.’ ” 44  So he set it before them; and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the LORD.” (2Kings 4:42-44 NKJV)

            There seems to be a cycle of not only miracles but also doubters who cannot see beyond what they have at hand.  Thomas Jefferson created his own bible cutting out all of the miracles God’s and missed seeing God’s blessings!  Even we who profess faith in Jesus struggle with the miracles we see in the Bible. 

            It is interesting in some of the stories of God feeding the multitudes there is an offering which seems much too small and to the servants or disciples to be ridiculous!  How can God take some loaves and grain or a few loaves and fishes to feed so many in need?  It may help us to understand their concern since they would be the ones handing out the food and facing those who did not get food if it ran out!

            By being obedient to God’s call many people are fed physically but those who serve are nourished spiritually!  Beginning with a tiny amount they end up with more than they started with!  Faith multiplies as the food does!

            It is interesting that many of the miracles we see in the Bible are miracles of time.  God everyday provides grain, bread, fish and all we need to be nourished and fed.  But in these miracles see God in seconds providing what God usually provides over months!  The grains would grow, the fish reproduce and grapes would grow to be turned into wine!

            These miracles of time are a reminder the Everlasting God is beyond time and holds our lives and time.  God not only provides for us within time but also provides us with time itself!

            These miracles of time also crush our pretence of self sufficiency and provision.  All we have, even our own lives are a gift of God.  We are God’s possession because God created us!  If you are a Christian you have been “purchased by blood” and so you are doubly a possession of God.  Indeed the greatest miracle you will ever see is God saving you from sin and giving you a new life!

            What miracles have you seen?  What miracles have you experienced?  What part do miracles play in the world and in your life?