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timewithgod.blog-city.com — September 2008
Isaiah 58 Honoring God, And A Map To Community Ministry
This chapter is entitled "How To Honor God" in my Bible. As I read it, I noticed both actions and benefits. The important thing to remember when going over these is not to let legalism set in, and not to take pride in ourselves
This chapter is entitled "How To Honor God" in my Bible. As I read it, I noticed both actions and benefits. The important thing to remember when going over these is not to let legalism set in, and not to take pride in ourselves for doing these things, because it is God who is being honored by these actions and not ourselves.
God listed the following ways that we can honor Him:
1) For the sake of accountability and not judgmentalism, tell our Christian brothers what they've don't that is against God.
2) Be truly sorry for what we have done.
3) Get rid of wickedness in our lives.
4) Do not be guilty of any sort of oppression, whether physical or verbal.
5) Give food to the hungry.
6) Provide shelter for the poor.
7) Provide clothing for those who need it.
8) Be sure to help our relatives.
9) Don't make trouble for others.
10) Don't use cruel words -- encourage instead.
11) Don't blame others. Be more concerned about what we might have done.
12) Take care of the needs of those who are troubled.
13) Please the Lord and not ourselves on His holy day.
14) Watch what we say on His holy day as well.
I think many will tend to look at that list and think, "Man, that's a lot of sacrifice on my part. What's in it for me?"
God provides a whole list of blessings if we honor Him as He desires:
1) Our light will shine like the dawn.
2) Our physical and emotional wounds will heal quickly.
3) Our God will walk before us.
4) His glory will protect us from behind.
5) When we cry out to Him, He will answer, "Here I am!"
6) Our light will shine in the darkness.
7) We will be bright like the noonday sun.
8) The Lord will always lead us.
9) He will satisfy our needs.
10) He will give us strength.
11) We'll grow spiritually.
12) We'll become repairers and rebuilders and we'll be known for that.
13) We'll find joy in the Lord.
14) He'll carry us to the high places above the earth.
15) We'll eat the fruit of the Promised Land.
I couldn't help but notice three references to our light, which is just another way of saying that God will glorify Himself through our actions. This could be a plan for community ministry. Imagine what a town we'd have! Imagine how God would be honored by it! And just look at how He promises to bless us!
Father, with the economic events of yesterday, I can see there is a very real possibility of further hardships to come. Help us to see the needs around us and to be pro-active in stepping forward to honor You with our service.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Gary Ford
Isaiah 59 -- An Incorrect View Of Sin?
"Why does God not answer our prayers?" the people appear to ask. Isaiah's answer was, "He can hear you ... It is your evil that has separated you from your God. Your sins cause Him to turn away from you."And someti
"Why does God not answer our prayers?" the people appear to ask. Isaiah's answer was, "He can hear you ... It is your evil that has separated you from your God. Your sins cause Him to turn away from you."
And sometimes we can't even see our sins. The sidebar in my Bible says, "Holy living demands constant examination of our actions and motives. But in doing so we must guard against the tendency to focus totally on self, which is easy to do .... For when we speak of 'victory' in the Christian life, we all-too-often mean personal victory -- how God will conquer sin for us (at least those sins we would like to be rid of -- those extra 10 pounds, that annoying habit, maybe a quick temper). This reflects not only egocentricity but an incorrect view of sin... The Christian life begins with obedience, depends on obedience, and results in obedience. We cannot escape it.... Loving God -- really loving Him -- means living out His commands no matter what the cost.
[from Loving God by Charles Colson]
Father, You don't allow us to cherry pick the sins we'd like to be rid of -- You want it all gone. You also require effort on our part to obey. Please help me to examine my motives and actions. Help me to understand that doing something, even for You, with the wrong motives can be a sin. Help me not to focus of self, but on You.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Gary Ford
Isaiah 60-61 -- ALL That I Am
There was just something about Isaiah 61:10 that leapt off the page at me:"The Lord makes me very happy; ALL that I AM rejoices in my God. He has covered me with clothes of salvation and wrapped me with a coat of goodness, like a bridegroo
There was just something about Isaiah 61:10 that leapt off the page at me:
"The Lord makes me very happy; ALL that I AM rejoices in my God. He has covered me with clothes of salvation and wrapped me with a coat of goodness, like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding...."
Last night at youth, Russ was sharing about the importance of doing the right thing when we are confronted with our sin. He told of two tragic stories from this week's news -- of Ray Boltz and Michael Guglielmucci's revelations to the world -- and the two very different ways these men have chosen to respond to it.
This verse seems to echo the results of our proper response to God when we are confronted with our sin -- He makes us happy by forgiving us, forgetting our sin, and removing the guilt of it, WHEN WE REPENT AND TURN FROM IT.
I think that it was that next part, though, that reminded me of last night's study:
"ALL that I AM rejoices in my God."
The sum total of who we are, warts and all -- everything that makes us uniquely us -- REJOICES in our God. We don't try to fight Him and proclaim our independence from Him. Instead, we turn over even those unlovely parts of us for His use and remaking.
In a follow-up story to the one I'd first read about Ray Boltz, this prayer by Stanley Jones was given as something every Christian struggling with sexuality ought to memorize:
"O God, our Father, I thank Thee for this fire of sex within me. Let it burn within me as a sacred fire upon Thine altar, lighting up my entire being. For if it is not this, it will be a fire to consume my mind, my tissues, my bones, my possibilities, ME. Then help me this day to dedicate this sacred fire to Thee. Amen."
Two word choices God made in the next two lines of verse 10 seem tailor-made for today -- "He has covered me with clothes of salvation and wrapped me with a coat of goodness."
God intends that the covering of salvation and the wrapping of goodness are not meant to hide our internal ugliness from the world. They are to protect us from further necessity to sin, by helping us want to distance ourselves from those things of this world that cause us to desire to sin.
Father, thank You for making me very happy and able to rejoice in You. Thank You for covering my sin with Jesus' blood. Thank You for wrapping me in Your goodness in order to keep me away from the things of this world that I might desire but that I should have no part in. Help me to see my sexuality as a sacred fire upon Your altar. Help me dedicate it to You.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Gary Ford
Isaiah 62-64 Hope For The Clay
The remnant desires so much to once again have a close relationship with God. He'd called them, and though He knew in advance EXACTLY what they would do, He became their Savior (and ours), plus "He became their partner in all thei
The remnant desires so much to once again have a close relationship with God. He'd called them, and though He knew in advance EXACTLY what they would do, He became their Savior (and ours), plus "He became their partner in all their trials," my commentary says.
Chapter 63 verse 17 says, "Lord, why are You making us wander from Your ways? Why do You make us stubborn so that we don't honor You?"
My commentary says, "The remnant seems to blame the Lord for their backsliding, but the truth is that God only hardens man's hearts after they have first hardened their own hearts. "It offers a possible better translation: "Why did You permit us to err from Your ways?"
They seem to be on the path to discover Him again in chapter 64. "They remember that God shows favor to those who delight in practical righteousness... Then "They confess to personal uncleanness and admit that their best deeds are like filthy rags (literally "menstrual cloths")", my commentary added.
But there's a shining ray of hope in that chapter as well: "You have done amazing things we did not EXPECT... No one has ever heard of a God like You .... Lord, You are our Father. We are like clay, and You are the Potter; Your hands made us all. Lord, don't continue to be angry with us; don't remember our sins forever. Please, look at us, because we are Your people."
What a shame that He did come to help, and He did look at them through the very human eyes of Jesus, and they missed Him!
The sidebar of my Bible says, "We are not holy, and we will not become holy humans. Christ in us can manifest His holiness if we will yield our flesh to Him. This is not a human operation; it is a spiritual one. Jesus installs His holiness in us by grace. Not a once-for-all-time transaction, this is a daily, moment-by-moment STRIVING to live more by the Spirit and less by the flesh."
Father God, I'm no better than they were. I too sin, and I too disappoint You. Thank You for loving me anyway. Thank You that there is still hope for this clay. Continue Your "grace-IV" into my soul and help me to live by the Spirit and not by the flesh.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Gary Ford
Isaiah 65-66 -- God's On The Hunt (That's GOOD!)
I see a real picture of my life here, in what God says, and it says so much about how God works:"The Lord says, 'I made Myself known to people who were not looking for Me. I was found by those who were not asking Me for help ...All day
I see a real picture of my life here, in what God says, and it says so much about how God works:
"The Lord says, 'I made Myself known to people who were not looking for Me. I was found by those who were not asking Me for help ...All day long I stood read to accept people who turned against Me .... I will choose the people who will live there; My SERVANTS will live there... [The plains and valleys] will be for the people who want to follow Me.... My servants will eat, drink, be happy, and shout for joy because of the goodness of their hearts .... The troubles of the past will be forgotten. Look, I will make new heavens and a new earth, and people will not remember the past or think about those things. My people will be happy forever because of the things I will make ... I will provide for their needs BEFORE they ask, and I will help them while they are still asking for help .... Like babies you will be nursed and held in My arms and bounced on My knees. I will comfort you as a mother comforts her child.... The Lord's servants will see His power.' "
Of course, if someone is not actively looking for God, such a drastic change can seem overwhelming. I was for me, too. Often friendships must either adapt or end (they did). Old ways have to be forsaken. But God gives an awesome promise here for those afraid to take that first step: "I will not cause pain without allowing something new to be born,' says the Lord."
These verses meant so much to me as I first struggled to find my way back to the Lord. His patience with me was (and has been and remains) incredible. Just the fact that He loved me enough to want me back is a marvel!
Father, for the rest of my years I'll never have enough time to say thank You enough. Yes, it was painful, but more than worth it to be brought back to You! I cannot imagine where my life would have been had You not sought me out when I wasn't looking for You. Thanks for coming to find me again to bring me back.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Gary Ford
Jude 1-11 Like Reading Today's Headlines
Jude has gotten a word from God to lash out at those who appear "religious" yet who are full of sexual sin. They've adopted a mindset that God's grace gives them the license and freedom to do whatever they desire, and they'
Jude has gotten a word from God to lash out at those who appear "religious" yet who are full of sexual sin. They've adopted a mindset that God's grace gives them the license and freedom to do whatever they desire, and they're trying to spread their wrong beliefs into the church.
My commentary said that the mention of Sodom and Gomorrah here reminds us of "politically correct" churches today which try to backpedal and allow same sex marriage.
Verse 8 mentions dreams, and my commentary said, "Their thought life is polluted. Living in a world of filthy fantasies, they eventually find fulfillment of their dreams in sexual immorality."
Verse 10 warns about going on feelings, noting that only dumb animals do that, and when humans attempt it, we are playing with the very things that can destroy us. Feelings should not be used as a substitute for hearing from God, and they must be confirmed by other means.
Because we are all infected with the "sin virus", we cannot trust our own thoughts and must rely on God, who is not infected, to guide us. He is the author of sexuality, even pronouncing it "good", but we must use it only in ways He intended from the start. Any church or person that tries to persuade us differently is not of Him.
Father, our sin infection causes our ears to want to hear what we don't need to hear, and our eyes to want to see what we shouldn't. Please help me to shut out the inputs which You don't want me to process. Help me not to dwell on them in my thought life, and not to fantasize about things I shouldn't, thinking that it won't hurt anything. Your word says that sin first starts in the mind. Please keep mine on You.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Gary Ford
See You At The Pole
Today was See You At The Pole, and a great number of our high school and middle school kids showed up at 7:15am to gather around their school flagpole to pray for teachers, administrators, and students, and for God to move in their schools. Tho
Today was See You At The Pole, and a great number of our high school and middle school kids showed up at 7:15am to gather around their school flagpole to pray for teachers, administrators, and students, and for God to move in their schools. Thought you might enjoy a picture of the beautiful sight....
Jude 12-25 Time To Face Up, Clean This Old House
The sidebar in my Bible by Patrick Morley sounds a wakeup call:"How did the building blocks of the gospel become glued together with the cement of self-centeredness? The American gospel has evolved into a gospel of ADDITION without SUBTRAC
The sidebar in my Bible by Patrick Morley sounds a wakeup call:
"How did the building blocks of the gospel become glued together with the cement of self-centeredness? The American gospel has evolved into a gospel of ADDITION without SUBTRACTION. It is the belief that we can add Christ to our lives, but not subtract sin. It is a change of belief without a change in behavior. It is a spiritual experience without any cultural impact. It is revival without reformation, without repentance....
"The proof of religious conversion is to demonstrate that we have both added a relationship with Christ and that we have subtracted sin (repentance). And we multiply proof to a weary world by what we do ... What we do must confirm what we say. Our deeds are the proof of our repentance... Obedience is the proof."
It then asks the poignant question: "You may be great at obeying some commands of God but lax in obeying others. Which biblical teachings do you struggle to obey?"
My commentary gave a great example of what we must watch out for. Verse 23 mentioned "hating even their clothes which are dirty from sin." It said, "In the Old Testament, the clothing of a leper was contaminated and had to be burned. Today.... we must remember that material objects, such as clothing, for example, often excite the passions. As we see these things or feel them, there is a mental association with certain sins ... Whatever is associated with a life of sin should be cast off and renounced, if we are to be safe from the infection and contagion of this soul-destroying disease."
It could also be music or even movies we used to enjoy when we were out of God's will.
God reminded me of the lyrics to Sanctus Real's song "Whatever You're Doing (Something Heavenly)". They have really caught my attention lately:
"Whatever You're Doing (Something Heavenly)"
It's time for healing time to move on
It's time to fix what's been broken too long
Time make right what has been wrong
It's time to find my way to where I belong
There's a wave that's crashing over me
All I can do is surrender
[Chorus]
Whatever you're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos somehow there's peace
It's hard to surrender to what I can't see
but I'm giving in to something heavenly
Time for a milestone
Time to begin again
Revaluate who I really am
Am I doing everything to follow your will
or just climbing aimlessly over these hills
So show me what it is you want from me
I give everything I surrender...
To...
[Chorus]
Time to face up
Clean this old house
Time to breathe in and let everything out
That I've wanted to say for so many years
Time to release all my held back tears
Whatever you're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but I believe
You're up to something bigger than me
Larger than life something heavenly
Whatever you're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but now I can see
This something bigger than me
Larger than life something heavenly
Something heavenly
It's time to face up
Clean this old house
Time breathe in and let everything out
It's time for healing time to move on
It's time to fix what's been broken too long
Time make right what has been wrong
It's time to find my way to where I belong
There's a wave that's crashing over me
All I can do is surrender
[Chorus]
Whatever you're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos somehow there's peace
It's hard to surrender to what I can't see
but I'm giving in to something heavenly
Time for a milestone
Time to begin again
Revaluate who I really am
Am I doing everything to follow your will
or just climbing aimlessly over these hills
So show me what it is you want from me
I give everything I surrender...
To...
[Chorus]
Time to face up
Clean this old house
Time to breathe in and let everything out
That I've wanted to say for so many years
Time to release all my held back tears
Whatever you're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but I believe
You're up to something bigger than me
Larger than life something heavenly
Whatever you're doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but now I can see
This something bigger than me
Larger than life something heavenly
Something heavenly
It's time to face up
Clean this old house
Time breathe in and let everything out
Father, it's time. Do this in me. Clean house.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Gary Ford
Ezra 1-2 And Our Presidential Election, Of All Things
Many years before Cyrus' birth, God had called him by name as the one who would set the Jewish captives free and return them to Jerusalem. I'll bet that during their captivity, none of the Jews dared hope that a Persian king might ever
Many years before Cyrus' birth, God had called him by name as the one who would set the Jewish captives free and return them to Jerusalem. I'll bet that during their captivity, none of the Jews dared hope that a Persian king might ever be their ally.
Yet he not only released them, he also commanded their neighbors to donate to the cause and he released items taken from the Temple to be returned as well.
In my commentary, it said, "Cyrus illustrates the truth of Proverbs 21:1 -- "The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water; He turns it WHEREVER He wishes."
That word from so very long ago spoke to me about the worries many have expressed about who the winner of our presidential election may be, and what the possible outcome might be for our country.
But, as Proverbs 21:1 declares, God is in control A president -- indeed, the entire Congress -- can do nothing that God does not permit. AND, God is fully capable of directing a president's mind, heart, and soul.
Father, as we approach the final days of this presidential election, with such dire financial straits facing us, I pray that You will move in the hearts and minds of the American people, directing each of us to vote in such a way that the man You have chosen to be president will be elected. Help our minds not to be clouded by Satan. Please direct our country to live as You would have us to live.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Gary Ford
Ezra 3&4 -- Attacks From Every Side
Some days it just seems as if we have targets drawn on every part of us.The people wanting to rebuild the Temple faced challenges from within and without. Surprisingly, the first naysayers were those old enough to remember the first Temple buil
Some days it just seems as if we have targets drawn on every part of us.
The people wanting to rebuild the Temple faced challenges from within and without. Surprisingly, the first naysayers were those old enough to remember the first Temple built by Solomon. Here they were, back in their homeland, once again able to make burnt offerings to God, with the foundations of the new Temple laid, and all they could do was cry over the way the new Temple differed from the one built by Solomon, although only the foundation had been constructed! They couldn't let go of the past and simply praise God for what He was doing in the here and now.
Next, those destined to become the Samaritans appeared, wanting to mix their pagan-and-Yahweh worship in with that of the Jews. When they were rebuffed, they decided to make trouble, contacting the government back in Persia on multiple occasions, bringing up the past history of the Jewish nation and suggesting that soon taxes would go unpaid and rebellion would set in. The Jews managed to complete the Temple before these attacks resulted in a halt on any further work in the city.
My sidebar says, "Important projects at work or home or even at church run into problems; injuries strike, the cash flow dries up, arguments arise. Work to resolve the problems you can. Pray for wisdom for the problems you cannot resolve."
Father, as usual Your timing is right on. That list reminds me of the past week. One word really caught my attention: pray. Thank You that we've started Jim Cymbala's study on prayer at church. Please use it to rebuild my prayer life from the foundation up, and make it vital again. Let me see it not just as a time-filler but instead as a working plan to keep You in the center of all that is going on in my life and in the lives of those I love. Help me to see You at work through it.
Your Brother In Christ,
Gary Ford
Gary Ford
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