“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.”

If we “THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS”, such as when we have been done wrong by others, we will tend to “work ourselves into” a bad place where “the enemy” can grow his harvest.  

Conversely, we we “THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS”, such as the salvation SOLELY purchased by JESUS, “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”, then we tend to NOT remember the bad things that have happened in our past!!

Which “THINK ABOUT THESE THINGS” drives your thoughts???

“FOLLOW ME!”

 Matthew 16:24-26                    (ESV)

Take Up Your Cross and Follow JESUS 

“[24] Then JESUS told HIS disciples, “If anyone would come after ME, LET HIM DENY HIMSELF AND TAKE UP HIS CROSS AND “FOLLOW ME”. [25] For whoever would save his life WILL LOSE IT, but WHOEVER LOSES HIS LIFE FOR MY SAKE WILL FIND IT. [26] For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?”

In the focal passage above, THE LORD HIMSELF is communicating to HIS Disciples a TRUTH that most modern day people seem to ignore, or maybe just can’t SEE before them???  Most people are so caught up with the cares of “this world” and they can’t seem to take the time to SEE what is right before their eyes!  

WAITING ON THE LORD (Psalms 27:14) is one of the most difficult lessons that I have ever been taught.  When you understand that when you “FOLLOW ME”, you are REQUIRED to WAIT ON THE LORD.  We tend to be so intent on “doing something” for THE LORD that we WILL NOT WAIT ON THE LORD at times!

One of the greatest miracles performed in my lifetime was of course in July of 2007.  GOD KNEW that HE had to remove me from the equation, so HE put me in a coma for SEVENTEEN DAYS!!!  I had NO CHOICE but to WAIT ON THE LORD because of “where I was”!!  It is AMAZING that I STILL want to continue “barreling through” life when HE is trying to TEACH me to “FOLLOW ME”!!!

FATHER IN HEAVEN, in only WAYS that YOU are capable of, TEACH me to become so dependent on YOU that I will succumb to “FOLLOW ME”, at ALL TIMES!!!

“I AM THE LORD!”

 Isaiah 42:5-8                    (ESV)

    “[5] Thus says GOD, the LORD,

        WHO created the heavens and stretched them out,

        WHO spread out the earth and what comes from it,

    WHO gives breath to the people on it

        and spirit to those who walk in it: 

    [6] “I AM THE LORD”; I HAVE CALLED you in righteousness;

        I WILL TAKE you by the hand and keep you;

    I WILL GIVE you as a covenant for the people,

        a light for the nations, 

    [7]     to open the eyes that are blind,

    to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,

        from the prison those who sit in darkness. 

    [8] “I AM THE LORD”; that is MY NAME;

        MY GLORY I give to no other,

        nor MY PRAISE to carved idols.”

These verses tell me the MAIN TRUTH of SCRIPTURE that I can easily be in TOO BIG OF A HURRY to hear what I “want to hear” that I fail to recognize that ALL THINGS come from “I AM THE LORD”, to GLORIFY HIS NAME!!!  Too many times I try to figure out how I can enjoy HIS BLESSINGS when rejoicing that HE CHOSE ME (Ephesians 1:4) BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD should be my focus!!!  

Not because HE CHOSE ME should I be celebrating, but because “I AM THE LORD” saw the opportunity to save a wretch such as me!!!

“I WILL DO MARVELS!”

 Exodus 34:10                    (ESV)

The Covenant Renewed

“[10] And HE said, “Behold, I AM making a covenant. BEFORE ALL OF YOUR PEOPLE “I WILL DO MARVELS”, SUCH AS HAVE NOT BEEN CREATED IN ALL THE EARTH OR IN ANY NATION. And all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the LORD, for it is AN AWESOME THING that I will do with you.”

As I saw Exodus 33:18 recently on a social media site, which says “Moses said, “Please show me YOUR Glory”, it caused me to research the verse more thoroughly.  I was drawn to Exodus 33:18, I went onto read Exodus 34:10 which was highlighted in my BIBLE, but I apparently hadn’t ever used it in my “writings”??  The phrase“I WILL DO MARVELS” especially intrigued me.  

Moses was the author of the first five books of the HOLY BIBLE, and ALMIGHTY GOD USED him to make HIMSELF known to anyone who would have an interest in HIM!  “I WILL DO MARVELS” could mean that GOD is doing something that cannot be understood by human minds???  One dictionary says that MARVEL means “to become filled with surprise, wonder, or amazed curiosity”!  We do not have the capability of understanding precisely WHO ALMIGHTY GOD is in our humanity!  

Immediately my brain damaged mind goes to my medical records for September 25, 2007 which say, “However, he has had a remarkable recovery THAT COULD ONLY BE DEFINED AS A MIRACLE FROM GOD”!!!  My doctor has since said that it was the only explanation he had for my recovery?!?  While it is true that my doctor is a BELIEVER, there apparently NO WORDS to describe how “critical” my condition was?  

Moses KNEW the MAGNITUDE of THE DELIVERER named I AM WHO I AM (Exodus 3:14)!  When he descended from Mount Sinai (Exodus 34:19) his face “shone because he had been talking with GOD”!!!  When ALMIGHTY GOD does a WORK that ONLY HE can get credit for, “I WILL DO MARVELS” is the ONLY THING that will suffice for HIS HANDIWORK!!!

“LET HIM DENY HIMSELF!”

 Matthew 16:24-26                    (ESV)

Take Up Your Cross and Follow JESUS 

“[24] Then JESUS told HIS disciples, “If anyone would come after ME, LET HIM DENY HIMSELF AND TAKE UP HIS CROSS AND FOLLOW ME. [25] For whoever would save his life WILL LOSE IT, but WHOEVER LOSES HIS LIFE FOR MY SAKE WILL FIND IT. [26] For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?”

“LOT’S WIFE!”

 Genesis 19:26                    (ESV)

“[26] But “LOT’S WIFE”, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.”

Luke 17:32                    (ESV)

“[32] Remember “LOT’S WIFE”.”

It is so very important that we are aware that THE CREATOR HIMSELF was trying to make a point to we who would HEAR HIS WORD!  Luke 17:31 says “On that day, let the one who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, NOT COME DOWN to take them away, and likewise let the one who is in the field NOT TURN BACK.” 

“LOT’S WIFE” became a “pillar of salt” because of the love she had for “this world”!  It cost her EVERYTHING!  She never made it out of the wickedness of Sodom and Gomorra.  Instead she was “memorialized” by her CREATOR as EVIDENCE of what selfish behavior will bring to those who cherish it before their LOVE for HIM!!

Our CREATOR was instructing HIS Disciples to “Remember “LOT’S WIFE”, not to fully make her an example, but I BELIEVE to remind us that our attention and focus should ALWAYS be on HIM, and NOT the things of “this world”!  “LOT’S WIFE” is the example that we need to REMEMBER!!!!

“IT WAS THE LORD’S DOING!”

 Joshua 11:20                       (ESV)

“For “IT WAS THE LORD’S DOING” to harden their hearts that they should come against Israel in battle, in order THAT THEY SHOULD BE DEVOTED TO DESTRUCTION and should receive NO MERCY but be destroyed, just as the LORD commanded Moses.”

The Sunday School lesson this Sunday was entitled GOD KEEPS HIS PROMISES focusing on Joshua 11:16-21.  I couldn’t “get past” Joshua 11:20!  “IT WAS THE LORD’S DOING” would NOT leave my mind, so I decided I would “dig” a little bit and SEE with what THE LORD was trying to enlighten me?

While it is true that Joshua led the CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, it is very important to remember that THE LORD was the ONE WHO told Moses (Deuteronomy 20:16-17) to “save alive NOTHING that breathes” and “you shall devote to them to TOTAL DESTRUCTION”!!!

When ALMIGHTY GOD has a PURPOSE to be COMPLETED, it WILL BE COMPLETED!  The PURPOSE and PLAN of GOD NEVER alters, even when “a man after HIS OWN heart” (1 Samuel 13:14) has been CHOSEN to serve HIM!  GOD uses the ”weakness” of that servant to accomplish HIS PURPOSE (Matthew 1:6-7)!  

GOD still uses imperfect people to accomplish HIS PLAN!  NONE of us are perfect, so we all QUALIFY to serve HIM!  But we MUST remember “IT WAS THE LORD’S DOING”, that is the only way our battles are 

“BROKEN AND CONTRITE!”

 Isaiah 66:1-2                    (ESV)

The “HUMBLE AND CONTRITE” in Spirit

    “[1] Thus says the LORD:

    “Heaven is MY throne,

        and the earth is MY footstool;

    what is the house that you would build for ME,

        and what is the place of MY rest? 

    [2] All these things MY hand has made,

        and so all these things came to be,

    declares the LORD.

    BUT THIS IS THE ONE TO WHOM I WILL LOOK:

        HE WHO IS “HUMBLE AND CONTRITE” IN SPIRIT

        and trembles at MY WORD.”

HUMBLE: Marked by meekness or modesty in behavior, attitude, or spirit; NOT ARROGANT OR PRIDEFUL.

CONTRITE: Thoroughly bruised or broken

Remembering coming home from church on Sunday evening January 08, 1978, I felt like I was TOTALLY inadequate to be CHOSEN by the CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE to serve HIM!  BUT I surrendered to be ONE of HIS CHOSEN without really knowing what it meant, just trying to ease the pain of NOT being selected by HIM!  

Today as I was reading Isaiah 65:24 (ESV) “Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear”, I then read the words that are shared above! Ephesians 1 reveals to me that ALMIGHTY GOD CHOSE me BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, and I am EXTREMELY “HUMBLED AND CONTRITE” to be apart of HIS PLAN!  Surely HE could have found a number of people to better reflect HIS LOVE than me?  But HE CHOSE ME to be HIS, and I am SO glad HE did!!!

There are SO MANY THINGS I could have done better over the years, but HE was ALWAYS there for me, even when I wasn’t LOVABLE!!  Noticing recently a testimony about the closer we are to GOD, the more inadequate we should feel about being CHOSEN by HIM causes me to STOP and PONDER my situation?  Then I read “BUT THIS IS THE ONE TO WHOM I WILL LOOK: HE WHO IS “HUMBLE AND CONTRITE” IN SPIRIT and trembles at MY WORD.”  Maybe I am getting closer to what HE is LOOKing for???

“PSALMS 88!”

 Psalm 88                    (ESV)

I Cry Out Day and Night Before You

A Song. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. To the choirmaster: according to Mahalath Leannoth. A Maskil of Heman the Ezrahite.

    [1] O LORD, GOD of my salvation,

        I cry out day and night before YOU. 

    [2] Let my prayer come before YOU;

        incline YOUR ear to my cry!

    [3] For my soul is full of troubles,

        and my life draws near to Sheol. 

    [4] I am counted among those who go down to the pit;

        I AM A MAN WHO HAS NO STRENGTH, 

    [5] like one set loose among the dead,

        like the slain that lie in the grave,

    like those whom YOU remember no more,

        for they are cut off from YOUR hand. 

    [6] YOU have put me in the depths of the pit,

        in the regions dark and deep. 

    [7] YOUR wrath lies heavy upon me,

        and YOU overwhelm me with all YOUR waves. Selah

    [8] YOU have caused my companions to shun me;

        YOU have made me a horror to them.

    I am shut in so that I cannot escape; 

    [9]     my eye grows dim through sorrow.

    Every day I call upon YOU, O LORD;

        I spread out my hands to YOU. 

    [10] Do YOU work wonders for the dead?

        Do the departed rise up to praise YOU? Selah 

    [11] Is YOUR steadfast love declared in the grave,

        or YOUR faithfulness in Abaddon? 

    [12] Are YOUR wonders known in the darkness,

        or YOUR righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

    [13] But I, O LORD, cry to YOU;

        in the morning my prayer comes before YOU. 

    [14] O LORD, why do YOU cast my soul away?

        Why do YOU hide YOUR face from me? 

    [15] Afflicted and close to death from my youth up,

        I suffer YOUR terrors; I AM HELPLESS. 

    [16] YOUR wrath has swept over me;

        YOUR dreadful assaults destroy me. 

    [17] They surround me like a flood all day long;

        they close in on me together. 

    [18] YOU have caused my beloved and my friend to shun me;

        my companions have become darkness.”