Jacob’s Vow 01/12/2009
Gen 28:20-22 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, 21 so that I come again to my father's house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God, 22 and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God's house. And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you."
Jacob had an experience with God through a dream which prompted him to make a vow unto the Lord. The question which must be asked is “What is the motive of the vow?” Was this a statement of true commitment to God or was it a conditional bargain driven by selfishness? Obviously, the language leaves room for interpretation as commentators debate the true intent of this vow. This leads to another thought. Language within itself can always leave room for uncertainty. Words that are written or spoken with the clearest of communication can never prove true motive. Was it not our Lord who said, “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me,…” Isa 29:13. Therefore, any vow or statement must be proven by the actions that follow. Proceeding the vow, Jacob was a man who lived up to his name as a supplanter/deceiver to acquire the desires of his heart. At the very time of the vow he was on the run escaping his brother’s vengeance for stealing his blessing. Jacob was the same man after the vow, a man always scheming to get an edge rather than placing dependence upon the God of his vow. It was not until he was on the run again that he wrestled with God and cried out in desperation that his motives appear pure. Only then did he receive a new name, Israel. No longer was he bargaining with God but instead, grabbing hold and not letting go. This is a vow of the heart. This is a vow which our Lord smiles upon.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Blessing the Lord at All Times
Psalm 34:1 I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth
David was a refugee in an enemy territory running from a mad king who was trying to murder him. He could have easily cried out in complaint questioning why God had allowed these things to occur in his life. But instead, during one the most difficult times of his life David made this incredible declaration:
I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. Ps. 34:1
Through David we can learn these basic principles of gratitude.
• Gratitude is a matter of the heart and not the circumstances surrounding you.
• Gratitude is a matter of choice which reveals the condition of the heart within in you.
• Gratitude is a matter of perspective which reveals how you see the circumstances around you.
• Gratitude is a matter of the mind which reveals how you understand the God who created you.
David simply chose not to allow tough times to rob him of the joy of praising God, but instead turned his trials into praise which then turned his potential fear into hope and sadness into joy. Friends, each of us can do the very same regardless of the circumstance. The spirit of gratitude will change your life and will make every day a good day and every circumstance a matter of thanksgiving. I am reminded of a these thoughts on the subject of thanksgiving by Pastor Troy Mason…
I am Thankful for......... ....the taxes I pay ....because it means I’m employed. ....the clothes that fit a little too snug ....because it means I have enough to eat. ....my shadow who watches me work ....because it means I am out in the sunshine. ....a lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning and ....gutters that need fixing ....because it means I have a home. ....the spot I find at the far end of the parking lot ....because it means I am capable of walking. ....my huge heating bill ....because it means I am warm. ....all the complaining I hear about our government ....because it means we have freedom of speech. ....the lady behind me in church who sings off key. ....because it means that I can hear. ....the piles of laundry and ironing ....because it means my loved ones are nearby. ....the alarm that goes off in the early morning hours ....because it means that I’m alive. ....weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day ....because it means I have been productive. The art of thanksliving. It is gratitude in action. It is thanking God for the gift of life by living it triumphantly. It is thanking God for your talents and abilities by accepting them as obligations to be invested for the common good. It is thanking God for all that men and women have done for you by doing things for others. It is thanking God for happiness by striving to make others happy. It is thanking God for beauty by helping to make the world more beautiful. It is thanking God for inspiration by trying to be an inspiration to others.”
Let us each learn to live daily with the spirit of thanksgiving and an attitude of gratitude. This will allow us to give God the glory He is due and will allow us to experience the simple joy of finding God’s hand in everything. He is an incredible God in the good and the bad. Let us bless Him at all times.
David was a refugee in an enemy territory running from a mad king who was trying to murder him. He could have easily cried out in complaint questioning why God had allowed these things to occur in his life. But instead, during one the most difficult times of his life David made this incredible declaration:
I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. Ps. 34:1
Through David we can learn these basic principles of gratitude.
• Gratitude is a matter of the heart and not the circumstances surrounding you.
• Gratitude is a matter of choice which reveals the condition of the heart within in you.
• Gratitude is a matter of perspective which reveals how you see the circumstances around you.
• Gratitude is a matter of the mind which reveals how you understand the God who created you.
David simply chose not to allow tough times to rob him of the joy of praising God, but instead turned his trials into praise which then turned his potential fear into hope and sadness into joy. Friends, each of us can do the very same regardless of the circumstance. The spirit of gratitude will change your life and will make every day a good day and every circumstance a matter of thanksgiving. I am reminded of a these thoughts on the subject of thanksgiving by Pastor Troy Mason…
I am Thankful for......... ....the taxes I pay ....because it means I’m employed. ....the clothes that fit a little too snug ....because it means I have enough to eat. ....my shadow who watches me work ....because it means I am out in the sunshine. ....a lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning and ....gutters that need fixing ....because it means I have a home. ....the spot I find at the far end of the parking lot ....because it means I am capable of walking. ....my huge heating bill ....because it means I am warm. ....all the complaining I hear about our government ....because it means we have freedom of speech. ....the lady behind me in church who sings off key. ....because it means that I can hear. ....the piles of laundry and ironing ....because it means my loved ones are nearby. ....the alarm that goes off in the early morning hours ....because it means that I’m alive. ....weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day ....because it means I have been productive. The art of thanksliving. It is gratitude in action. It is thanking God for the gift of life by living it triumphantly. It is thanking God for your talents and abilities by accepting them as obligations to be invested for the common good. It is thanking God for all that men and women have done for you by doing things for others. It is thanking God for happiness by striving to make others happy. It is thanking God for beauty by helping to make the world more beautiful. It is thanking God for inspiration by trying to be an inspiration to others.”
Let us each learn to live daily with the spirit of thanksgiving and an attitude of gratitude. This will allow us to give God the glory He is due and will allow us to experience the simple joy of finding God’s hand in everything. He is an incredible God in the good and the bad. Let us bless Him at all times.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Prosperity of the Soul
Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. 3 John 2
Much is being spoken of today on the subject of prosperity. The self-help sections of bookstores are crammed with books teaching us how to become more prosperous or rich. Obviously, prosperity “sells” as it is the major theme of much of today’s preaching. This subject dominates Christian broadcasting programming. But material prosperity is not that which is spoken of by Christ Jesus and the apostles. It is something more precious.
The apostle John was also a prosperity preacher but not in the same vein of today’s materialistic crowd. He desired above all things for his readers to experience prosperity: prosperity of the soul. One is never more rich than when one overflows with prosperous soul. Such a soul flourishes with love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faithulness, meekness and self-control. Understandably, the soul that prospers is the soul the overflows with happiness and enjoys life each day regardless of the circumstance.
The world cannot offer this type of prosperity nor can materials provide such satisfaction in life although many chase its counterfeit glimmer. Yet, prosperity of the soul is available to all regardless of economic, educational or cultural status. It can be found through Christ and His Word. I am reminded of the words spoken through Joshua before the children of Israel entered the Promised Land as he reminded them, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success” (Joshua 1:8).
Let us all desire being rich in the soul as it is available to all. The world can’t give it and the world can’t take it away.
Much is being spoken of today on the subject of prosperity. The self-help sections of bookstores are crammed with books teaching us how to become more prosperous or rich. Obviously, prosperity “sells” as it is the major theme of much of today’s preaching. This subject dominates Christian broadcasting programming. But material prosperity is not that which is spoken of by Christ Jesus and the apostles. It is something more precious.
The apostle John was also a prosperity preacher but not in the same vein of today’s materialistic crowd. He desired above all things for his readers to experience prosperity: prosperity of the soul. One is never more rich than when one overflows with prosperous soul. Such a soul flourishes with love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faithulness, meekness and self-control. Understandably, the soul that prospers is the soul the overflows with happiness and enjoys life each day regardless of the circumstance.
The world cannot offer this type of prosperity nor can materials provide such satisfaction in life although many chase its counterfeit glimmer. Yet, prosperity of the soul is available to all regardless of economic, educational or cultural status. It can be found through Christ and His Word. I am reminded of the words spoken through Joshua before the children of Israel entered the Promised Land as he reminded them, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success” (Joshua 1:8).
Let us all desire being rich in the soul as it is available to all. The world can’t give it and the world can’t take it away.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Never Forsaken
Psalm 22:1-3 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? 2 O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent. 3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
Being forsaken is one of the deepest pains to cut the human soul. The agony of rejection and aloneness pierces deep within the inner being. Our God has promised that He would never leave us nor forsake us, yet the psalmist David, who was a man after God’s own heart, cried out in his feelings of forsakenness. And Jesus, God’s only Son, uttered these same prophetic words as He hung between heaven and hell crying out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” No more painful words have ever been spoken. Has God forgotten His promise or even worse has He been found unfaithful? God forbid. God is faithful. His promise to never to leave us nor forsake us was made to His redeemed children and not to Christ. Jesus was forsaken that we would never be. There will be times in our Christian pilgrimage that we may feel forsaken, but our Heavenly Father is always there. He may even lead us to these deserts of trial. These are times of testing. These dark times are not for us to test God’s faithfulness but for Him to test our faithfulness. Will we still trust Him even when we cannot see Him? Will we say as the psalmist in these tough times, “Yet, You are holy” which confirmed in his spirit “My God can do no wrong.”
Being forsaken is one of the deepest pains to cut the human soul. The agony of rejection and aloneness pierces deep within the inner being. Our God has promised that He would never leave us nor forsake us, yet the psalmist David, who was a man after God’s own heart, cried out in his feelings of forsakenness. And Jesus, God’s only Son, uttered these same prophetic words as He hung between heaven and hell crying out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” No more painful words have ever been spoken. Has God forgotten His promise or even worse has He been found unfaithful? God forbid. God is faithful. His promise to never to leave us nor forsake us was made to His redeemed children and not to Christ. Jesus was forsaken that we would never be. There will be times in our Christian pilgrimage that we may feel forsaken, but our Heavenly Father is always there. He may even lead us to these deserts of trial. These are times of testing. These dark times are not for us to test God’s faithfulness but for Him to test our faithfulness. Will we still trust Him even when we cannot see Him? Will we say as the psalmist in these tough times, “Yet, You are holy” which confirmed in his spirit “My God can do no wrong.”
All Things Are In His Hands
Daniel 8:15,17 When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I sought to understand it. And behold, there stood before me one having the appearance of a man.... 17 … But he said to me, "Understand, O son of man, that the vision is for the time of the end."
God is God of the past, the present and the future. He knows all things and controls all things. He is the Sovereign Lord of all. Even before the onset of time and creation He decreed a plan for His creation; and He has the wisdom and the power to fulfill that plan. If He is not able, then He cannot be God; but He IS able. He allowed Daniel a glimpse of the future through visions to assure Daniel that He is in control even to the end of the world. This gave Daniel great peace and assurance knowing that He served the Sovereign Lord of all things, even the sitting up and the tearing down of kings were in His hands. Daniel did not need to understand all things. He only needed to understand that God understood and controlled all things. This should also give us great peace and comfort. God is in complete control of all things. He knows our beginning and He already knows our end. Therefore, why should we fret? Time and even the events of time are in His hands and His perfect plans will not falter.
God is God of the past, the present and the future. He knows all things and controls all things. He is the Sovereign Lord of all. Even before the onset of time and creation He decreed a plan for His creation; and He has the wisdom and the power to fulfill that plan. If He is not able, then He cannot be God; but He IS able. He allowed Daniel a glimpse of the future through visions to assure Daniel that He is in control even to the end of the world. This gave Daniel great peace and assurance knowing that He served the Sovereign Lord of all things, even the sitting up and the tearing down of kings were in His hands. Daniel did not need to understand all things. He only needed to understand that God understood and controlled all things. This should also give us great peace and comfort. God is in complete control of all things. He knows our beginning and He already knows our end. Therefore, why should we fret? Time and even the events of time are in His hands and His perfect plans will not falter.
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