“THE LORD BESTOWS FAVOR AND HONOR!”

Psalm 84:11-12                 (ESV)

    “[11] For the LORD GOD is a sun and shield;

        “THE LORD BESTOWS FAVOR AND HONOR”.

    NO GOOD THING DOES HE WITHHOLD FROM THOSE WHO WALK UPRIGHTLY. 

    [12] O LORD of hosts,

        blessed is the one who trusts in YOU!”

The WORDS that translators select to enunciate what GOD is trying to say to this brain damaged BELIEVER is very critical to what is HEARD !  The word BESTOW (ESV) is defined “to put in a particular or appropriate place” by one dictionary.  In the King James Version of Scripture, this part of verse eleven says “the LORD WILL GIVE GRACE and GLORY”, as does the 1599 Geneva Bible!  No matter what translation is being read, it is quite obvious that THE LORD WILL GIVE GRACE and GLORY to the one who is trusting in HIM!  

It is quite obvious that not everyone who reads from THE WORD is going to HEAR the same thing as others who read the same passage.  Hearing from THE CREATOR is what makes my heart know that it am “on key” with HIS PLAN for my life!

Whether “THE LORD BESTOWS FAVOR AND HONOR” or “the LORD WILL GIVE GRACE and GLORY”, hearing from HIM is the most precious and satisfying thing I can begin my day with!!!

“CHILDREN OF THE PROMISE!”

 

Romans 9:6-13                 (ESV)

“[6] But it is not as though the Word of GOD has failed. FOR NOT ALL WHO ARE DESCENDED FROM ISRAEL BELONG TO ISRAEL, [7] and NOT ALL ARE CHILDREN OF ABRAHAM BECAUSE THEY ARE HIS OFFSPRING, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” [8] This means that it is NOT the children of the flesh who are the children of GOD, but the “CHILDREN OF THE PROMISE” are counted as offspring. [9] For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.” [10] And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, [11] though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that GOD’s PURPOSE OF ELECTION might continue, not because of works but because of HIM WHO calls—[12] she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” [13] As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.””

The DOCTRINE OF ELECTION is one of the most divisive and controversial subjects known to mankind!  An article found during a study of this subject says the following::

“Emphasis on Election and Covenant

The strong contrast between “loved” and “hated” underscores God’s sovereign choice to work through Jacob, establishing the covenant line through him. Romans 9:11 explains that “before the twins (Esau and Jacob) WERE BORN or had done anything good or bad,” GOD  PURPOSED TO FULFILL HIS PLAN of salvation through Jacob. Thus, “hate” is not petty hostility but an illustration of choosing one lineage for a specific redemptive role.”

The belief that GOD “predestined” any person to spend their eternity away from HIM in hell is something that “a loving GOD would never do “…….CORRECT???  But is ANYONE worthy of being CHOSEN by their CREATOR?  Esau was born before Jacob and he was “supposed to” inherit the BLESSING from Isaac, their father!  But the “birthright” was taken away from Esau via “unscrupulous” means of Jacob, AND because GOD said in Genesis 25:23 “the older will serve the younger”!  GOD ISN’T BOUND BY THE PLANS OF MAN!!!

It is “a mystery” to me that THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSES would CHOOSE a humble servant such as I to be a part of “CHILDREN OF THE PROMISE”???  My ancestral background is anything but noteworthy.  My wealth and business acumen is nothing to brag about.  But I AM a “CHILDREN OF THE PROMISE”, and that is something to celebrate for ETERNITY!!!

“FOR THE VISION AWAITS ITS APPOINTED TIME!”

 Habakkuk 2:2-3                 (ESV)

The Righteous Shall Live by HIS FAITH

[2] And THE LORD answered me:

    “Write THE VISION,

        make it plain on tablets,

        so he may run who reads it. 

    [3] “FOR STILL THE VISION AWAITS ITS APPOINTED TIME”;

        it hastens to the end—IT WILL NOT LIE.

    If it seems slow, WAIT FOR IT;

        it will SURELY COME; it will NOT DELAY.”

Humanity doesn’t possess the ability to alter THE LORDS TIMELINE!  Imagine if you will the disciples and others who were tortured and killed by “the enemy”, and most of them were of the opinion that THE LORD would return for HIS CHURCH, probably during their lifetimes!  

As a Believer that GOD IN FLESH is going to come back for us, I am of the opinion that our FAITH will become very costly in the near future.  In Matthew 24:44 JESUS HIMSELF said to HIS Disciples “Therefore you also must be ready, for the SON of MAN is coming at an hour you do not expect.”  ALL OF THE DISCIPLES were martyred for their FAITH, with the exception of John, and he survived being dipped in a pot of boiling oil!!!  

We need to be prepared for troubling and trying times as we are getting closer to HIS RETURN!  Will it be in my lifetime when JESUS comes back?  Many, including HIS Disciples, have died expecting JESUS to come back ANY DAY!

“FOR STILL THE VISION AWAITS ITS APPOINTED TIME” is not always going to be TRUTH!  One day THE FATHER will say IT IS TIME and JESUS WILL COME BACK FOR HIS CHURCH!!!  I pray that your ETERNITY is secured by THE ONLY ONE WHO IS ABLE???

“WRITE THE VISION!”

 

Habakkuk 2:2-3                 (ESV)

The Righteous Shall Live by HIS FAITH

[2] And THE LORD answered me:

    “”WRITE THE VISION”;

        make it plain on tablets,

        so he may run who reads it. 

    [3] For still the vision awaits its “appointed time”;

        it hastens to the end—IT WILL NOT LIE.

    If it seems slow, WAIT FOR IT;

        it will SURELY come; it will NOT DELAY.”

THE DREAM, VISION, or PLAN that GOD has placed on my heart is WRITTEN on the word processing program that I write devotionals on.  For this “brain damaged” hemorrhagic stroke survivor, it is a habit that I use because my confidence in my abilities isn’t as good as it used to be??  To have it listed on my computer log is a lot better than not remembering the item in question!

Waiting for the “appointed time” is NOT one of my strong suits!  Always wanting to receive HIS PROMISE is something that has been very enthralling!  NOT KNOWING the “difficulties” that are certain to come along with HIS PROMISE is something that causes me to “lose excitement” before the BLESSINGS are enjoyed.  Writing HIS PROMISES down is something that I perform in order to keep my HEART and MIND stable when “the enemy” begins to attack me.  

Habakkuk 2:2 begins with “WRITE THE VISION” being SPOKEN by THE LORD in HEAVEN!  HE knew that I would not be sharp enough to remember HIS PROMISE, especially when trials and tribulations were on their way!  HE wants me to “WRITE THE VISION” so I can be often reminded of HIS PROMISE and HIS PLAN for my life!!!  Therefore, I “WRITE THE VISION” to remind me that HE IS IN CONTROL, and I am not!!!

“TRAIN UP A CHILD!”

 

Proverbs 22:6                 (ESV)

    “[6] 

    “TRAIN UP A CHILD” in the way he should go;

        even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Even though I am BLESSED to be more matured than I was while raising my sons, some people aren’t granted the privilege of experiencing “senior moments” with their grandchildren so they can watch the fruits of their labor???  Recently I saw a meme that brought back memories which said “Teach your child to pray. You won’t be around all their life, but GOD will!”  

My “actions” earlier in life were not something that I would prefer my children to remember.  I was SO BUSY trying to help others that I sometimes didn’t show my own children the time they deserved!  MY OWN CHILDREN are BLESSINGS from THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSES!!  Could I have been so “caught up” with making sure that the cares of “this world” were taken care of that I might have missed making sure my own children understood that the REAL and PERMANENT things were FAR MORE IMPORTANT than the things of “this world”???

My prayer is that I will instill in my children, AND GRANDCHILDREN, that their PERMANENT and REAL relationship with THEIR CREATOR is THE MOST IMPORTANT realm that they can possibly foster!!!  “TRAIN UP A CHILD”, not that they are aware, BUT THAT THEY KNOW what is REAL and PERMANENT in life!!!

“THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS

 

Philippians 4:8-9                 (ESV)

“[8] Finally, brothers, whatever is TRUE, whatever is HONORABLE, whatever is JUST, whatever is PURE, whatever is LOVELY, whatever is COMMENDABLE, if there is any EXCELLENCE, if there is anything WORTHY OF PRAISE, “THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS”. [9] What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and THE GOD OF PEACE WILL BE WITH YOU.”

There is SO MUCH vileness and deceit in “this world” that it seems we CANNOT get away from!!!  “The enemy” gives every indication that the only option for mankind is to lather our minds with a strong dose of social media and other “noise” that is ANYTHING BUT from THE PEACE OF GOD!!!

But we have A CHOICE to what we listen to in our lives!  My PRAYER LIST begins with a paragraph that notes “Only by CHOOSING not to be slaves to our own reasonings and emotions…..”.  We MUST be cognizant that “the enemy” is called the “great deceiver” in Scripture!!

Formerly, I attempted to be in tune with “this world”, trying to make everything better, but failing miserably in my efforts.  But GOD SUPERNATURALLY intervened in the chaos that HE had permitted me to be apart of and placed me into a seventeen day coma to “reset” my priorities and give me a different direction!

When I TAKE THE TIME to seek whatever is TRUE, HONORABLE, JUST, PURE, LOVELY, COMMENDABLE, EXCELLENCE, and WORTHY OF PRAISE, my efforts seem to be FAR MORE successful and productive???  Why do I cloud my thinking with “the cares of this world” when it seems all they do is cause me problems??

My desire is to “THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS”, like TRUE, HONORABLE, JUST, PURE, LOVELY, COMMENDABLE, EXCELLENCE, and WORTHY OF PRAISE, and let GOD handle the defeated foe!!!

“O THE HOUSE OF JACOB!”

 

Isaiah 46:3-4                  (ESV)

    “[3] “Listen to ME, “O HOUSE OF JACOB”,

        all the remnant of the house of Israel,

    who have been borne by ME from before your birth,

        carried from the womb; 

    [4] even to your old age I AM HE,

        and to gray hairs I WILL carry you.

    I have made, and I WILL bear;

        I WILL carry and WILL save.”

For this Brain Damaged person, it is quite easy to admit that I USED TO THINK that the “house of Israel” had promises that others could never experience.  But I heard a snippet recently about Simon of Cyrene and his sons (Alexander and Rufus from Mark 15:21) had their EYES OPENED by helping JESUS carry HIS cross to HIS crucifixion!!  GOD WORKED HIS unmistakable PURPOSE in and through their lives, in spite of their past!!!

A telephone call from a friend came JUST NOW (after writing the first paragraph!) and he had a procedure done at a hospital earlier this week where he was told that he could have possibly died in a day or two IF the procedure wasn’t done QUICKLY!!!  He is of a different denomination than I am, but we BOTH are definitely a part of THE CHURCH!!!

I am SO BLESSED to be apart of “O HOUSE OF JACOB”!!  Not a part of the Baptist. Methodist, Catholic, Nazarene, or any other religion!!  But “O HOUSE OF JACOB” is a family of BELIEVERS WHO ARE CHOSEN BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD!!!