“DO NOT LEAN ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING!”

 

Proverbs 3:5-8                   (ESV)

    “[5] Trust in the LORD with all your heart,

        and “DO NOT LEAN ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING”. 

    [6] In all your ways acknowledge HIM,

        and HE WILL MAKE STRAIGHT YOUR PATHS. 

    [7] Be not wise in your own eyes;

        FEAR THE LORD, and TURN AWAY from evil. 

    [8] It will be HEALING to your flesh

        and REFRESHMENT to your bones.”

When I began writing my daily devotionals in late 2013, my purpose was to improve my word recall following the brain hemorrhage in 2007.  The speech therapist who GOD placed in my life had told me that a good exercise was to continuously “find words” and that might help me grow the proverbial “well” that I was dipping into?  Well, it has ……and IT SLOWED ME DOWN to where THE LORD could make me HEAR FROM HIM!!!

In the mid 1990’s, when I was beginning to work solo, my closest friend made me a FAX COVER sheet with the Bible verses Proverbs 3:5-6 on it. Well, I read it and my paths were anything but straight!  As a matter of fact, they were very tumultuous and scary!!  But THE LORD was there with me as HE was “adjusting” MY OWN UNDERSTANDING!!!  What I WASN’T doing was “trusting in the LORD with ALL MY HEART”!!!

You see, GOD knew precisely how stubborn and head headed I was, and HE “gently” had to MOLD me and MAKE me into what HE wanted me to become, IN HIS TIMING!!

GOD had to get me to the POINT that HE was being GLORIFIED, and I was NOT the center of the attention!  I am simply “tool” that HE is using to forward HIS KINGDOM!  HE had me right where HE could be GLORIFIED on July 29, 2007 after HE SLOWED ME DOWN!!!  

“DO NOT LEAN ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING” isn’t written as a suggestion!  

“I REMEMBER!”

Psalm 143:5                  (ESV)

   “[5] “I REMEMBER” the days of old;

        I meditate on all that YOU have done;

        I ponder the work of YOUR HANDS.”

There is a dear friend of mine who generally always posts a Spiritual song at night before retiring for the evening.  Recently that song was “Remind Me, Dear Lord”.  It is obviously something that I wouldn’t want to run away from, but the Brain Hemorrhage in 2007 is something that is always near the front of my recollection!!!  At the time (2007), Brain Hemorrhages were 80% fatal, so it SHOULD be something that is rather “memorable” in my brain damaged mind!  

King David certainly had a GIFT FROM GOD for writing, because his words have been used to change a multitude of lives over the years.  The WORKS performed by ALMIGHTY GOD have most assuredly been astonishing in my life, just as they were in King David’s life.  There are many ways that GODS existence and the MAGNITUDE of HIS GLORY is EVIDENT in the lives of ALL of humanity.  Having our EYES OPENED to SEE these things is something that VERY FEW people are BLESSED to recognize!!

There is VERY LITTLE that I can remember from the seventeen day coma.  In fact, to this day I still have to ask my wife for help with my recollection of what precisely transpired during the 52 days I was away from my house!  One thing for CERTAIN that “I REMEMBER” is that GOD ALONE brought me through “the valley of the shadow of death”, and I am FOREVER GRATEFUL to be CHOSEN by HIM!!!

“WE WALK!”

 2 Corinthians 5:5-7                 (ESV)

“[5] HE WHO has prepared us for this very thing is GOD, WHO has given us THE SPIRIT as a guarantee.

[6] So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the LORD, [7] for “WE WALK” BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT.”

There was a time when in my life I was attempting to “run the race” (Romans 12:1; 2 Corinthians 9:24) with THE LORD!  My “vision” was to always try to be “the first” to cross the finish line, no matter the situation!!  

The Apostle Paul, the author of BOTH of the aforementioned passages of Scripture, wasn’t “brain damaged” like some of us, but he was “given a NEW HEART, and a NEW SPIRIT” (Ezekiel 36:26) when GOD “arrested” (taking or detaining in custody) him on the road to Damascus (Acts 9)!  

ALMIGHTY GOD IS IN CONTROL OF EVERYTHING!  HE IS NOT “required” to do anything but that which HONORS and GLORIFIES HIS NAME!  HE operates in HIS DIVINE PLAN and humanity must accept that HIS PLAN is COMPLETE and PERFECT!!!  For humanity to be permitted to be USED by THE ALMIGHTY is a PRIVILEGE that is beyond comprehension.  

My feeble, brain damaged mind cannot FATHOM what PRECISELY HE has PLANNED for me!  HIS WORD gives us DIRECTION as to what HE is doing.  However, Matthew 24:36 PLAINLY states “But concerning that day and hour NO ONE KNOWS, not even the angels of heaven, nor the SON, BUT THE FATHER ONLY!”  

We are CHOSEN to WALK BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT until THE FATHER says IT IS TIME!!!  “WE WALK” in HIS PLAN, not run so fast that we miss what HE desires to SEE from us!  “WE WALK” BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT”!!!

“NO ONE!”

 “NO ONE!”

John 6:41-45                 (ESV)

“[41] So the Jews grumbled about HIM, because HE said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” [42] They said, “Is not this JESUS, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does HE now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” [43] JESUS answered them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. [44] “NO ONE” can come to ME unless the FATHER WHO sent ME draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.”

Many people want to challenge what Scripture records as THE WORD OF GOD.  I am not a person who Believes that I am far enough advanced that I am unable to learn more about GODS WORD ….. every day!!!  But one thing that I am very careful NOT TO DO is to “add to NOR take away from” (Revelation 22:18-19) THE WORD that GOD IN FLESH spoke when HE walked among us!!!

Humanity, no matter how clean they live, doesn’t have the ability nor inclination to beg GOD for HIS MERCY, WITHOUT THE FATHER “drawing” them!!  JESUS plainly says in the passage of Scripture above that “NO ONE” can come to ME UNLESS the FATHER WHO sent ME draws him!!  I’m no Biblical Scholar, but “NO ONE” pretty much says what HE meant to say?!?  “NO ONE”!!!

Romans 5:1 says plainly “Therefore, since WE HAVE BEEN JUSTIFIED BY FAITH, WE HAVE PEACE WITH GOD THROUGH our LORD JESUS CHRIST.”  Ephesians 2:8 also says “For BY GRACE by grace you have been saved THROUGH FAITH. And this (FAITH) is not your own doing; IT (FAITH) IS THE GIFT OF GOD,”!!!

So SEEING that OUR ONLY HOPE is FAITH in JESUS CHRIST, and that FAITH is purely a GIFT FROM GOD, we DO NOT have the even the inclination to desire a relationship with HIM UNLESS THE FATHER DRAWS US!!!!  “NO ONE”!!!!

“TAKE CARE!”

 2 Peter 3:17-18 (ESV)

“[17] You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, “TAKE CARE” that you are NOT carried away with THE ERROR OF LAWLESS PEOPLE and lose YOUR OWN STABILITY. [18] But grow in the grace and knowledge of our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST . To HIM be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”

It “could be” a strange coincidence that the focal passage today is the same as the sermon I heard recently from church? My prayer is that I will share a message that embodies traits that are intrinsically related to MESSAGE OF JESUS CHRIST, and NOT my own personal thoughts!  

“”TAKE CARE” generally means to “be cautious, vigilant, or to pay attention to safety”. It is commonly used as a friendly, informal parting phrase to wish someone well (similar to "goodbye" or "look after yourself"). It also means to manage, handle, or deal with a task or person.” The Apostle Peter, who was the author of this letter, desired to EMPHATICALLY make it known that THE TRUTH needed to be adhered to, especially when THE ERROR OF LAWLESS PEOPLE was being interjected into the conversation.  

Peter KNEW that “the enemy” would use any and all means available to him to MUDDY the SPIRITUAL WATERS with ANYTHING other than THE TRUTH! Peter wrote that the readers of this letter should “be cautious, vigilant, or to pay attention to safety” that you are NOT “duped” by THE ERROR OF LAWLESS PEOPLE! “TAKE CARE” wasn’t just a suggestion, it was an ALL OUT WARNING to KNOW THE TRUTH well enough that THE ERROR OF LAWLESS PEOPLE would not be permitted to be heard by anyone!!!  

With this WARNING being shared by one of the closest people to JESUS CHRIST, my message to ALL would be to “TAKE CARE” regarding anything that is heard outside of THE TRUTH!!!

“IN CHRIST!”

 

1 Corinthians 15:21                 (HCSB)

“For as in Adam ALL DIE, so also “IN CHRIST” all will be made alive.”

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Driving is mostly spent by this humble servant conversing with THE LORD, as I have plenty of time to be quiet!  You see, since the Brain Hemorrhage I generally can’t tolerate “background noise”.  So in the past almost 19, years generally drive in silence.  This adjustment is quite common for Hemorrhagic Stroke survivors.  Yesterday was an extremely different challenge though!!  There were several vehicles that collided with a tractor-trailer on interstate causing a massive crash that was still blocking traffic six hours later!!!  My prayers go out to anyone who POSSIBLY survived the incident.  My driving was affected for the next few hours as I thought “there but by the grace of GOD go I”!!!

However, ALL PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DIE!!!  Scripture is very unambiguous about this.  Hebrews 9:27-28 says we ARE destined to die, and after that, THE JUDGEMENT!!!  Just as sure as our next breath is in coming, ONE OF THESE DAYS it will be our time to meet THE CREATOR OF LIFE!!  

“IN CHRIST” is ONLY POSSIBLE if we are CHOSEN by HIM BEFORE THE JUDGEMENT!!!  We won’t have the opportunity afterwards.  Either we will be so OVERJOYED by SEEING our SAVIOR……..or we will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 13:42)!  The ONLY HOPE we have is decided BEFORE we die!!  “IN CHRIST” was the choice GOD PLACED on my heart BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD (Ephesians 1:4)!!!  I am SO BLESSED that HE CHOSE me to  be “IN CHRIST”!!!  Has HE CHOSEN you???

“WAIT FOR THE LORD!”

 

Isaiah 40:27-31                 (ESV)

    “[27] Why do you say, O Jacob,

        and speak, O Israel,

    “My way is hidden from the LORD,

        and my right is disregarded by my GOD”? 

    [28] Have you not known? Have you not heard?

    The LORD is the everlasting GOD,

        the CREATOR of the ends of the earth.

    HE DOES NOT faint or grow weary;

        HIS understanding is unsearchable. 

    [29] HE GIVES POWER TO THE FAINT,

        and to him who has no might HE increases strength. 

    [30] Even youths shall faint and be weary,

        and young men shall fall exhausted; 

    [31] but THEY WHO “WAIT FOR THE LORD” SHALL renew their strength;

        they SHALL mount up with wings like eagles;

    they SHALL run and not be weary;

        they SHALL walk and not faint.”

Recognizing that humanity, no matter how successful, nor how strong, WILL ONE DAY “expire”!  That word was used in the medical profession when I was a youngster.  There are babies who don’t even make it to birth, and there are people that live to be past one hundred years of age!  One thing is for certain, and that is we have to “WAIT FOR THE LORD” for everything from birth to dying!!!

My recollection of my recovery from the Brain Hemorrhage is the best example that I can utilize.  The blood vessel that broke was in the WORD RECALL portion of my brain.  I had a propensity for spreading myself thin, VERY THIN, and it was “put on hold” for about two years!  I couldn’t WAIT for the ability to get back to “normal”???  What I DID NOT comprehend was that GOD, VERY KINDLY AND GENTLY, was slowing down my frantic activity and replacing it with TRUE SUBSTANCE AND MEANING!!!

ALMIGHTY GOD HAS A PURPOSE for every life HE has CREATED!  This humble servant had to experience the calamity of a broken blood vessel in the WORD RECALL section of my brain to REALIZE (years later!) that I was trying to remain BUSY for THE LORD!?!  

If you aren’t what GOD requires to perform your assignment, HE CAN DRAMATICALLY CHANGE you!!!  HE doesn’t need to get “your permission”!!!   HE doesn’t need ANYONE to agree with HIS PLAN!!!  Whether you like what HIS PLAN is or not, we can “WAIT FOR THE LORD”, or HE can remove us!!!  HIS PLAN WILL BE COMPLETED!!!!