Psalm 118:5-6 (ESV)
“[5] Out of my distress I called on the LORD;
the LORD answered me and set me free.
[6] “THE LORD IS ON MY SIDE”; I will NOT fear.
What can man do to me?”
Wednesday, July 10, 2024
Tuesday, July 9, 2024
“YOU SHALL REMEMBER!”
Deuteronomy 8:1-3 (ESV)
REMEMBER the LORD Your GOD
“[1] “The whole commandment that I command you today you shall be careful to do, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land that the LORD swore to give to your fathers. [2] And “YOU SHALL REMEMBER” THE WHOLE WAY that the LORD your GOD has led you these FORTY YEARS in the wilderness, that HE MIGHT HUMBLE YOU, testing you TO KNOW what was in your heart, whether you would keep HIS commandments or not. [3] And HE HUMBLED YOU and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that HE might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.”
SEVENTEEN YEARS is a long time ago, but seventeen years ago this morning I awoke having a “massive brain hemorrhage” and walked in the “valley of the shadow of death” for longer than I ever thought I would! It is difficult to memorialize the he past the further away from it you get, but some memories are vivid and you can’t shake them away from your mind.
The Children of Israel weren’t given the option of forgetting the exodus from Egyptian captivity. In Exodus 8:2 THE LORD told them “”YOU SHALL REMEMBER” THE WHOLE WAY that the LORD your GOD has led you the FORTY YEARS in the wilderness, that HE MIGHT HUMBLE YOU, testing you TO KNOW what was in your heart, whether you would keep HIS commandments or not”!!!
From my experience, it wasn’t difficult to forget SEVENTEEN YEARS ago! The MEMORIES of the monumental escapade are as vivid as they can be. But one thing that “the enemy” attempts to make me forget is that ALMIGHTY GOD was the reason why I survived what I did? As I type my thoughts at 4:30 this morning, “YOU SHALL REMEMBER” isn’t difficult for me to comprehend!!! When you experience the path of GOD HUMBLING you, it leaves you with an indelible memory of how insignificant we are before a HOLY GOD, and how magnificent HE is to live inside of my heart!!!
“YOU SHALL REMEMBER” wasn’t an option for the Children of Israel, and it isn’t for me either! I PRAISE GOD that HE brought me through “the valley of the shadow of death” and is STILL allowing me to live for HIM! When you are “delivered” by the HAND of ALMIGHTY GOD, “YOU SHALL REMEMBER” is a command that is a joy to experience , even SEVENTEEN YEARS LATER!!!
Friday, July 5, 2024
“IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE HIM!”
Hebrews 11:6 (ESV)
“[6] And WITHOUT FAITH it is “IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE HIM”, for whoever would draw near to GOD MUST BELIEVE that HE exists and that HE REWARDS THOSE WHO SEEK HIM.”
As GOD often does, HE continues SPEAKING to me through a prior verse (or passage of Scripture) that I have written about. Earlier this week I wrote about trying to live LIFE “WITHOUT FAITH”. If you are BORN AGAIN you may not remember life before JESUS CHRIST rescued you from hell, BUT I DO!!!
Which brings me to the next portion of this verse, “IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE HIM”, our CREATOR WITHOUT the aforementioned FAITH!! Of course, we might be SOOO grateful that our EYES have been OPENED that we tend to gloss over who JESUS transformed??? I was/am so vile and repugnant that it took a SPOTLESS LAMB to cover my sins!
GOD KNEW “before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4) that HE would have to Sacrifice HIMSELF for my sins, yet HE CREATED me anyway!!! Because ”IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE HIM” doesn’t make sense to me? But because of the FAITH that HE bestowed upon me, that is the MAJESTIC GRACE of GOD!!!!
Thursday, July 4, 2024
Wednesday, July 3, 2024
“WITHOUT FAITH!”
Hebrews 11:6 (ESV)
“[6] And “WITHOUT FAITH” it is IMPOSSIBLE to please HIM, for whoever would draw near to GOD MUST BELIEVE that HE exists and that HE REWARDS THOSE WHO SEEK HIM.”
When ALMIGHTY GOD KNOWS our FAITH exists, sometimes HE places us in predicaments where we have NO HOPE but to TRUST IN HIM!! The most GLARING exhibition of PURE FAITH was my wife KNEW that I would “be alright” in July 2007, even though others, especially in the medical profession, “weren’t so sure”! I was in a coma, so ALMIGHTY GOD had the “weakest link” (yours truly) removed from the equation.
TRUE FAITH is BELIEVING that what you are UNABLE to SEE what WILL COME ABOUT, with NO proof that it ever will happen! Whether you were raised “in church” or not, ALMIGHTY GOD uses you to reveal HIMSELF to others in ways that are SEEMINGLY IMPOSSIBLE by REVEALING our FAITH in HIM!!
GOD ALMIGHTY IS ABLE to deliver us through the darkest valleys! Sometimes we have to be REMOVED from helping HIM so we “WITHOUT FAITH” won’t stand in the way of those who TRULY BELIEVE!
SEEING the IMPOSSIBLE occur isn’t a thing of the past! KNOWING that GOD IS ABLE to “come through” with a MIRACLE is something that some people will NEVER understand. I pray that when GOD places me to the TEST that I will never again be one “WITHOUT FAITH!!!”.
Tuesday, July 2, 2024
“BE STILL!”
Psalms 46:10 implores us to “BE STILL, AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD”!!!
““I cannot be the man I should be without times of quietness. Stillness is an essential part of our growing deeper as we grow older” (Charles R. Swindoll).
We live in a world where it is hard to find peace and quiet. This is in part our own fault. For example, if we find a place where stillness abounds, we carry our own noise makers. Our cell phones, IPods, or whatever today’s music player of choice is will never be far from our hands.
In 1 Kings 19:11-12, we are told: “And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.” It was then Elijah heard the Lord and listened to His voice.
GOD, teach us to be willing to be still enough to hear Your whispers. Amen.
Bro. Bill
In GOD we Trust!”
Briefly, the devotional today is from another man, but ultimately it is FROM GOD!!!
Monday, July 1, 2024
“I HAVE LEARNED THE SECRET!”
Philippians 4:8-13 (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.
GOD’s PROVISION
[10] I rejoiced in the LORD greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. [11] Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I HAVE LEARNED IN WHATEVER SITUATION I AM IN TO BE CONTENT. [12] I know how to be BROUGHT LOW, and I know how to ABOUND. In ANY and EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE, “I HAVE LEARNED THE SECRET” of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. [13] I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH HIM (CHRIST) WHO STRENGTHENS me.”
THINK ON THESE THINGS—Paul wrote this letter to the church at Philippi while incarcerated in prison! Yet he wrote in Philippians 4:08 “…. 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.” Don’t think about how difficult things are, but remember that the CREATOR CHOSE me (Ephesians 1:4) BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, so I should REJOICE!!!
The “cares” of what is transpiring in things of our surroundings can be very difficult to manage? But consider where I was July 09, 2007?? How did that turn out?!? JESUS CHRIST willingly gave HIMSELF as a Sacrifice for our sinful lives because we are INCAPABLE of defeating sin in our lives!
ALMIGHTY GOD is the ONLY way to be a person who is capable of saying “I HAVE LEARNED THE SECRET” of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need! Until my EYES were OPENED to SEE precisely how and what GOD has for me to “glean” from “this world”, I was like a ship without a rudder. But IN HIS TIMING, GOD is perfecting me, through sacrifices of JESUS!!! 2 Corinthians 10:5 says “We (humanity) DESTROY arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of GOD, and take EVERY THOUGHT CAPTIVE to obey CHRIST.”
It is my desire to SURRENDER my life to the PLAN that JESUS had for me from BEFORE the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4)!! Although at the time the Apostle Paul was in a Roman prison , “I HAVE LEARNED THE SECRET” is to FOLLOW JESUS and TRUST HIM with everything!!!
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