“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!!!

“HE IS THE PROPITIATION FOR OUR SINS!”

 

1 John 2:1-6                 (ESV)

CHRIST OUR ADVOCATE

“[1] My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the FATHER, JESUS CHRIST the righteous. [2] “HE IS THE PROPITIATION FOR OUR SINS”, and not for ours only but also FOR THE SINS OF THE WHOLE WORLD. [3] And by this we know that we have come to know HIM, if we keep HIS  commandments. [4] Whoever says “I know HIM” but does not keep HIS commandments is a liar, and THE TRUTH is not in him, [5] but whoever keeps HIS WORD, in him truly the love of GOD is perfected. By this we may know that we are in HIM: [6] WHOEVER SAYS HE ABIDES IN HIM OUGHT TO WALK IN THE SAME WAY IN WHICH HE WALKED.”

The English term “PROPITIATION” is rooted in Latin (propitiatio), carrying the sense of atoning and RENDERING FAVORABLE.

There are times when a person can SEE things that are DIVINELY revealed to them!  For this humble servant, I understand that HIS TRUTH is COMPLETE and there is NOTHING MORE that can be added to it (Revelation 22:18-19)!  What I am referring to is that my “understanding” is OPENED and I can understand what GOD is trying to get through my thick skull beforehand!!!

For my “wretched” soul to attain a position of RENDERING FAVORABLE is something that ONLY GOD can make happen.  GOD sent HIS SON JESUS (1 John 4:9) so that we could we MIGHT live through HIIM!  NOBODY IS WORTHY of this BLESSING, but HIS AMAZING GRACE is ENOUGH for HIS CHOSEN!!!

“HE IS THE PROPITIATION FOR OUR SINS”, and there is NOTHING we can do to improve our standing before HIM….to make our RENDERING more FAVORABLE!!!

“THE IMPLANTED WORD!”

 

‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭19‬-‭27‬                  (HCSB‬‬)

“My dearly loved brothers, understand this: Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger, for man’s anger does not accomplish GOD’s righteousness. Therefore, ridding yourselves of all moral filth and evil, HUMBLY receive “THE IMPLANTED WORD”, WHICH IS ABLE TO SAVE YOU. But be doers of the word and NOT HEARERS ONLY, deceiving yourselves. Because if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at his own face in a mirror. For he looks at himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But the one who looks intently into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres in it, and is NOT a forgetful hearer but one who does good works — this person will be blessed in what he does. If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, then his religion is useless and HE DECEIVES HIMSELF. Pure and undefiled religion before our GOD and FATHER is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”

This humble servant ONCE WAS busier than busy, trying to solve the problems which “this world” caused, and the problems weren’t getting any better!!  But GOD wasn’t through with me and decided I needed “a break”!  So HE caused a tiny blood vessel in my brain to begin leaking!!!  

After a 52 day hospitalization, which was EXTREMELY NERVE WRACKING for my loved ones, I was released to come back home and begin the recovery process!  I began writing a daily blog to improve my “word-recall” a few years later.  That process is STILL ongoing, almost 19 years later!!!  

During the recovery process it has been REVEALED to me that my brain wasn’t the only organ that was affected by the “hemorrhagic stroke”!  My HEART was changed dramatically!  Not my physical heart, by my SPIRITUAL HEART.  Memorizing words has never been something that I have excelled in, and it isn’t to this day. But GOD has displayed that “THE IMPLANTED WORD” can be stored in my HEART without any meaningful effort on my behalf.  

Humanity NEEDS to HUMBLY receive “THE IMPLANTED WORD”, WHICH IS ABLE TO SAVE YOU before THE LORD comes back for HIS CHOSEN………even HIS Brain Damaged ones!!!!

“KEEP ASKING!”

 

Matthew 7:7-11                 (HCSB)

“”KEEP ASKING”, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. What man among you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you then, WHO ARE EVIL, KNOW HOW TO GIVE GOOD GIFTS to your children, how much more will your FATHER in heaven give GOOD THINGS to those who ask HIM! Therefore, whatever you want others to do for you, do also the same for them — this is the Law and the Prophets.”

‭‭

It seems that my Brain Damaged mind readily remembers certain things in the past with very little effort, but some items I have to struggle with my recollection??  For instance, I can recall doing whatever I could to give my children things that I didn’t have the opportunity to enjoy when I was growing up.  From a laptop computer to a Turbo-Man toy, I remember doing things that my mom didn’t have the resources to do for me and my sisters growing up.  

But our HEAVENLY FATHER has wealth beyond our comprehension and HE has the ability to GIVE us things above our wildest dreams!  However in ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭29‬:‭11‬ IT IS WRITTEN “For I KNOW the plans I have for you” — this is the LORD’s declaration — “plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”  Our “wishes” DO NOT supersede HIS PLAN for our lives!  

The SON OF GOD never owned a house, an expensive wardrobe, nor anything else that would elevate HIS social status during HIS earthly ministry.  HIS PLAN was very simple, to GLORIFY HIS FATHER and REDEEM the sinful lives of THE CHOSEN!!!  

We are not DIVINE and we ALL FALL SHORT (Romans 3:23) of HIS EXAMPLE!  When HIS PLAN for our lives is REVEALED to us, we HAVE to “KEEP ASKING” for HIS BLESSINGS to accomplish HIS PLAN for our earthly existence!  Our children never had a problem with “KEEP ASKING”, and we shouldn’t either!!!

“DO JUST AS I HAVE DONE TO YOU!”

 John 13:15-17                 (ESV)

“[15] For I have given you an example, that you also should “DO JUST AS I HAVE DONE TO YOU”. [16] Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. [17] IF you know these things, BLESSED ARE YOU IF YOU DO THEM’.”

There is a clear, yet uncomfortable, lesson given to we who are CHOSEN by our CREATOR to serve HIM!  JESUS is saying to HIS CHILDREN that we should “give up” what our “dreams and aspirations” are and surrender our lives to HIM!  Knowing that we are CALLED to sacrifice our lives to HIS PLAN “can be” a scary situation, especially if we are subjected to the abuse and torture that JESUS was subjected to!!!

JESUS “gave up” a throne in Heaven to walk among “fallen humanity” because HE was the ONLY HOPE for HIS PLAN to be fulfilled!  There is ABSOLUTELY NO OTHER WAY to accomplish and complete HIS PLAN!  

So why do we have a problem surrendering to HIS PLAN?  We didn’t choose to give up everything we had worked so hard for to DIE ON CALVARY’s CROSS!  But HIS INSTRUCTIONS are for us to “DO JUST AS I HAVE DONE TO YOU”….FOR HIS GLORY!!!

For this Brain Damaged reject who has nothing to offer THE KING OF GLORY, all I can do is to “DO JUST AS I HAVE DONE TO YOU”!  HE IS IN CONTROL and I am NOT!!!