Story of The Broken Roof (part 5)

Today's Reading: Mark 2:6-7

Mark 2:6–7 (ESV)⁶ Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, ⁷ “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

Comment: See part 1 for a full outline of observations and questions.

Walking the Bank

Today's Reading: Psalm 23:1-3

	Overview of Psalm 23-
	From the Matthew Henry Commentary- Many of David’s psalms are full of complaints, but this is full of comforts, and the expressions of delight in God’s great goodness and dependence upon him. It is a psalm which has been sung by good Christians, and will be while the world stands, with a great deal of pleasure and satisfaction. I. The psalmist here claims relation to God, as his shepherd (v. 1). II. He recounts his experience of the kind things God had done for him as his shepherd (v. 2, 3, 5). III. Hence he infers that he should want no good (v. 1), that he needed to fear no evil (v. 4), that God would never leave nor forsake him in a way of mercy; and therefore he resolves never to leave nor forsake God in a way of duty (v. 6). In this he had certainly an eye, not only to the blessings of God’s providence, which made his outward condition prosperous, but to the communications of God’s grace, received by a lively faith, and returned in a warm devotion, which filled his soul with joy unspeakable. And, as in the foregoing psalm he represented Christ dying for his sheep, so here he represents Christians receiving the benefit of all the care and tenderness of that great and good shepherd. Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: Complete and unabridged in one volume (Ps 22:22–31). Peabody: Hendrickson.

Put Down the Calf and Be My Witness

Today's Reading: Exodus 30-32; Acts 8

Exodus 30:14-16
Everyone who is numbered in the census, from twenty years old and upward, shall give the Lord’s offering. 15 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when you give the Lord’s offering to make atonement for your lives. 16 You shall take the atonement money from the people of Israel and shall give it for the service of the tent of meeting, that it may bring the people of Israel to aremembrance before the Lord, so as to make atonement for your lives.”

To See or Not to See

Today's Reading: Exodus 9-11; Luke 24

Exodus 9:34 (ESV)34 But when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet again and hardened his heart, he and his servants.

Don't Shrink Back; Look to Me and Pray!

Today's Reading: Genesis 44-46, Luke 18

Luke 18:1
1 And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.

Whom Do You Serve?

Todays Reading: Genesis 39-41, Luke 16

Luke 16:13
No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

Bind Yourself

Today's Reading: Genesis 20-22, Luke 8

Luke 8:11-15
Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. 14 And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. 15 As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.

Luke 8:18
Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.”

Seek Satisfaction Only In Me

Today's Reading: Genesis 15-17, Luke 6

Genesis 15:6
And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.

Abel's Surrender

Today's Reading: Genesis 3-5, Luke 2

SPADES Method (Kent Spark's adaptation of Rick Warren's SPACEPETS):

Genesis 4:3-7
In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. 6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”

Wisdom to Act

James 3:13
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.

Paraphrase it method:
One who is wise will demonstrate such wisdom through the actions of living out their saving faith in humility. Based upon James 2:17-18 this saving faith means they will not merely make statements or have "beliefs" but they will surrender and allow the Lord to manifest their faith in their daily activities/priorities.

My study bible (MacArthur study bible) suggests that the description of the person who is wise and understanding is referring to someone very skilled at living, at the practical application of the wisdom of God.

The next verse discusses the need to refrain from boasting if there is bitter jealousy or self entered ambition in your heart...this is contrasted to wisdom "from above" and so equates to wisdom from somewhere else; namely self.

Application:
Today I am to seek wisdom from above as described here and I know that I receive this wisdom by asking it from the Lord...

2 Chronicles 1:10-12 (King Solomon prays for wisdom)
Give me now wisdom and knowledge to go out and come in before this people, for who can govern this people of yours, which is so great?” 11 God answered Solomon, “Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked possessions, wealth, honor, or the life of those who hate you, and have not even asked long life, but have asked wisdom and knowledge for yourself that you may govern my people over whom I have made you king, 12 wisdom and knowledge are granted to you. I will also give you riches, possessions, and honor, such as none of the kings had who were before you, and none after you shall have the like.”

So here God makes it clear that He grants the wisdom and knowledge because of the purity of Solomon's heart in the request.  Solomon did not ask for wisdom and knowledge in all things...he asked for wisdom and knowledge in the area of the responsibility and the calling that God put in Solomon's life.  This would be like me asking for wisdom and understanding in leading my family, serving in TEAM and Men's ministry, Ushering, being a leader in my workplace.  I should not ask God for sick bull fighting skills...or wisdom in how to get rich, or wisdom in how to be more comfortable, or wisdom in how to become popular.  But notice that God freely gave these things to Solomon because Solomon was asking with sincerity only for the wisdom he needed to fulfill the call that God had given him.  Solomon also did not have a mind to be better at this leadership thing than the guy next to him for selfish ambition or due to bitter jealousy.  Rather, he was looking out for God's people.  He knew they needed wise leadership and he did not exalt himself to suppose he was all that.  He recognized he was not and asked God, for the sake of the people, for this wisdom.

God's response is amazing and so encouraging.  He makes it clear what it means to ask "in Jesus name".  We need to ask for things that glorify our Lord, for things that we need to further His kingdom, for things we need out of a sense of service, for things we need not for our self but so that we may bless others.  This is anything but a prosperity gospel!!!!  Praise the Lord.

More on application- Today I am to apply the wisdom He grants me by taking action in those areas of my calling, those areas where I have been given responsibility.  So I am to bless my family, I am to love and lead my wife, I am to invest the wisdom God grants into ministry and into my workplace.  I cannot merely receive wisdom and knowledge and then ignore it because I prefer to remain comfortable or because I need to go count my money or something.  If this was my heart, God would not have granted His wisdom in the first place and therefore whatever wisdom I thought I had would be from myself...

Prayer:

O Lord let me be as Solomon and desire only that you would give me wisdom and understanding to fulfill your calling in my life and to manage the areas of responsibility that you have granted me.  Lord let me not cease in asking and seeking from you this wisdom that you desire to give me.  Please give me faith and let me completely trust in your goodness and your sovereignty, that you would give me this wisdom generously according to your word in James 1:5-6.

James 1:5-6
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.

Lord please give me such wisdom and understanding that I might be fully equipped to lead my family.  To teach my children and to love and lead my wife.  To humbly serve in TEAM, Men's, and the Ushers ministries as you have called me.  To humbly serve in the leadership role you have placed me in at work.  Please help me to not be double minded but to keep a pure heart in these areas that there would be no bitter jealousy or selfish ambition in me, Lord.  Let me not hope for personal gain or glory in any fashion Lord but to you alone be the glory from this filling from your abundant wisdom- Soli Deo Gloria.

Thank you Lord for revealing to me what I am to do with your word.  Thank you for teaching me how to meditate on your word.  Let me dwell on these things throughout the day and let me recognize opportunities to surrender to you today Lord.  In Jesus name I pray, amen.

Saving faith; not in my strength but by your spirit

James 2:15-19
If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “ Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “ You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe — and shudder!

Paraphrase it method:
To tell someone to go in peace and be filled without taking action to actually accomplish that is not only a lack of true compassion but it is obvious the person is not a doer of the word and is deceived. So faith that does not put my feet to action, faith that does not change my life, faith that does not manifest itself daily in me is not saving faith...it is nothing more than an acknowledgement of truth (like even the demons offer).  A faith that stops at acknowledging the truth about God without responding in obedience to it's call is dead and is not a faith that saves.

Knowing that we are not justified by works this idea of saving faith comes full circle to the works being simply an evidence that the faith is more than a spoken word (go and be warm) but it is a manifested reality (today I will give you my coat).  So likewise, let the statement of my faith and belief in the Lord manifest itself "daily" rather than only in some statement about what my "life" is about.  Let my faith in the Lordship of Jesus Christ in my life not be a confession of my lips (Lord Lord) but a reality plainly event by my choices every day.

Application:
I must be to be sure that I am putting action to my faith and meeting with God each morning to hear His voice is one step to that end.  I further need to walk through my day with open eyes and a listening ear for the guidance of the Holy Spirit so I might do His will rather than simply state that I desire His will in my life.

Prayer:
Lord please search me and know me, reveal to me the ways that I am not living my faith and the ways that I am still denying you in favor of myself.  Please produce this saving faith in me that I may glorify you.

Lord, yesterday you put on my heart that every one I ran into needs to surrender to you and be filled with your joy.  You brought me just short of tears singing "I've got peace like a river, I've got love like an ocean, I've got joy like a fountain in my soul" at Anna's preschool.  Please continue to grant me this joy that can only come from you and may you give me the active faith that will allow me to share that potential with others so they too can be fully surrendered, and freed.

Lord please help me continue to figure out how to best commune with you in the morning that I may not be discouraged by my performance, but rather be transformed by your grace.  I am already too conscience of the blog thing and I sincerely do not want to be distracted like that in my time with you.  Please show me how best to deal with what I felt was your call but that is seeming to be a challenge...these words are making sense as I speak. So you give me a call to action now I am discouraged because it is not easy and I fail at my first effort.  Lord God you are amazing and gracious.  Thank you for opening my eyes each day!  Please grant me the strength, by your Holy Spirit, to walk in the calling you have given me to spread your message of surrender.  Please teach me not to lean on my ability to answer that call but on your ability to accomplish your will through me.  It is you who acts Lord, not me.  Let me be an empty vessel Lord that I do not try to serve from myself but from the power of your indwelling spirit.

Zechariah 4:6
Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts."

Lord let me not attempt to walk in surrender by my own power or will but in every moment, even this moment, may I yield to you and may it not be I who lives but Christ who lives in me.  In Jesus name I pray, amen.

Be a doer

Being my first post, it is fitting that it begin with the verse that was most responsible for pushing me through my self deception and into absolute surrender...

Paraphrase it:  Doer of the word James 1:22-25

Do not hear the word (by reading, by hearing God's call, by hearing a sermon, by receiving a truth from a faithful friend) without immediately doing what the Lord has asked.  You deceive yourself if you think you know who you are when you deny Christ and do not respond to His guidance.  I am deceived if I think I believe the word of God without surrendering to do what He asks.  Like Rick Warren put it "You only believe the parts of the bible that you actually do".

Thank you Lord for giving me ears to hear, despite my hardened heart, and revealing this truth to me.  Coupled with Matthew 6:33
33 "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." This truth has brought me to Andrew Murray's claim that we each choose to deny self or to deny Christ each day.

Lord, you have shown me that I have been deceived for so many years and I have failed to see what I look like; who I am.  I have hidden myself behind broad claims of my beliefs and convictions that, if examined, are not manifested in my daily life (routine).  I can no longer accept lies about what I am living for or what is important to me and I must be a doer each day I wake.  Thank you Lord for showing me this life changing truth and I pray that each day, as I seek first your kingdom and your righteousness, you will reveal to me the areas where I still need to surrender to you.

Lord, the absolute surrender that I believe you call me to is one that includes surrender of all that I am.  My eyes, ears, mouth, hands, feet (and everything these body parts represent), goals, desires, ambitions, perceived rights, emotions, resources, time...everything must be fully surrendered for the sake of seeking first your kingdom and your righteousness.  Let everything I ever think, say, or do be done in surrender to your Lordship.  Please show me what this looks like and provide me with the resolve to walk in this path.  I am already overcome with joy and I am assured by your word that you will bless me- James 1:25 "But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing."  So therefore Lord, please bless me in my doing and let me know you and experience you; let me abide in you.

Lord please lead me to a mentor that has lived like this for many years and can help me gain perspective and keep me from deception.  A man like this I would love to follow and gain from his wisdom.  Please make it clear to me who this person is and may you place it on their heart to mentor me.  Perhaps I am yet deceived Lord, but I think there are many sincere christian men, but few fully surrendered men.  May my surrender to your Lordship manifest itself in the priority and activities of my day, every day, until I am bodily in your presence.  And may I teach this lifestyle to my family according to your perfect will.

Lord it is amazing how much time there is in a day when I am seeking you first; when I am surrendered.  That is a clear blessing according to your word in James 1:25!