Subject: Worship - Romans 9-11

Romans 11:33-36 (ESV Strong's)

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

“For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counselor?”

“Or who has given a gift to him
that he might be repaid?”

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

Subject:  Worship

Chapters 9-11 of Romans may be the most amazing chapters in all of Scripture.  Especially as it relates to the Theological implications of the Foreknowledge of God and Election of God.   The "mystery" of Election (God choosing someone to be saved before the foundation of the earth) has split churches, confused laymen and caused friction among Elders.    Yet, Paul seems to have quite the clarity over the subject in these three chapters.   It should be noted that to Paul Election was not confusing.  It is only our interpretation of Paul's writings that make for the difficulty today.   However, Paul does make sure we understand the amazing aspects of the mystery of Election:  By how he ends the three chapters.  The above verses close out the words of Paul on election.   He admits in these these words how amazing the concept of Election and Foreknowledge are by saying, "Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgements and how inscrutable his ways!!"   Paul is telling us that what he just wrote is "deep."  We ought not to read it casually.  The mind of God is hard to know.   The one thing these chapters should do for us, however, is not split us, but cause us to join in unity in the worship of the glory of God!!   We ought to pursue the truth in these chapters and seek to understand them in humility.   We ought to read them in awe and wonder.   We can debate and sharpen each other's views on them, but, in the end, we ought to fall down in worship at the unsearchable ways of God!!  True worship is not always understanding God.  True worship is realizing we can't understand God and we fall down to praise Him as a result.

Subject: Sanctifiacation - bearing fruit - Matthew 11-13

Matthew 13:23 (ESV Strong's)

As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

Subject:  Sanctification - Fruit bearing

Jesus, in this passage in Matthew, had given a parable to the religious leaders of the day.  The parable was about the seed (God's Word) sown onto difference surfaces and in different conditions.  The seed (God's Word) was sown on the rocks and nothing could take root.  The seed (God's Word) was sown among the thorns and the throne choked out the Word.   And, finally, the seed (God's Word) was sown in good ground and fruit was produced.  This is a picture of the work God does in our lives to produce fruit in us and through us.   Too, too many believers believe it is their efforts that produce fruit.  However, what actually is producing the fruit in this parable?   The fruit is not coming from the soil (us). The fruit is coming from the seed ... God's Word!!   We are to have faith in God's Word to produce fruit in us.  We are not to have effort in our lives to produce fruit.   When we read God's Word and believe it will produce fruit in us (despite our clear understanding sometimes) we mix faith (a gift from God) with God's Word and fruit is produced!!!  That is the way sanctification in the life of believers works.   We don't produce fruit.  We have fruit produced in us and that is an act of God!!  

Subject: Salvation - Isaiah 23-28

Isaiah 25:6-8 (ESV Strong's)

On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples
a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine,
of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.

And he will swallow up on this mountain
the covering that is cast over all peoples,
the veil that is spread over all nations.

He will swallow up death forever;
and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces,
and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth,
for the Lord has spoken.

Subject:  Salvation

God will "swallow up death forever."  Is there a better thought to mediate upon all day?   Can we find a better truth to herald?   Is there a more comforting set of words ever spoken?     Note how Paul picks up this same theme when writing to the believers in Thessalonica:

1 Thessalonians 4:13 (ESV Strong's)
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.

The great "hope" believers have is the knowledge of no more death.   Paul wrote also to the Corinthians:

1 Corinthians 15:55 (ESV Strong's)
“O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”

We can see that God's hope is for Jew and Gentile.  We can trust and rest and hope in the fact that God keeps His promises and His biggest promise is the truth in these verses ... No more death!!! Rejoice!!!

Subject: Counseling - Job 11

Job 11:11-12 (ESV Strong's)

For he knows worthless men;
when he sees iniquity, will he not consider it?
But a stupid man will get understanding
when a wild donkey's colt is born a man!

Subject:  Counseling

Chapter 11 of the Book of Job gives us the words of Job's third friend, Zophar.   Whereas Job's first friend, Elphaz, attributed Job's suffering in the context of his past righteousness and believes this current state is only a minor setback, soon to past; and, whereas Job's second friend, Bildad, attributed Job's suffering in the context of his children (they were much sinners and died, therefore Job must have only slightly sinned since he is still alive); Zophar has no patience for Job.  Zophar believes (and states what he believes bluntly) that Job is simply a sinner who has been discovered by God, and therefore is being punished by God.   Zophar does not mince words.   He says what he thinks.   And, although the rest of the chapter Zophar does offer Job some hope for repentance and relief of his suffering, in the above verses he paints a very dark outcome for Job.   In verse eleven he simply tells Job that God sees sin and he can't hide his from God.  He then, in verse twelve, offers little hope to Job, by quoting a proverb that in essences says, "the chances of a 'stupid man' (like Job) of getting 'understanding' has about as much chance as a wild donkey being born tamed (the better translation of the Hebrew word, than 'born a man').  What Zophar has done, like many of us, void of grace and the power of God, is to condemn Job and let him know that his sin is beyond repair and hopeless.   When we put ourselves in this place of judgment we do harm to the grace of God.   Remember, God knows Job and knows of his righteousness.  God is allowing Satan to do what he will, minus killing Job.  Zophar could not be farther off in his assessment.   Yet, he speaks of no hope and have Job's most certain guilt.   This is how we are about sin in people's lives, or hardship in people's lives.  We are quick to assume their unyielding guilt and certain hopelessness.  Yet, God has the situation well in control.   We ought to never counsel people in light of Zophar's words.  We need to remember that only God knows the situation and our counsel ought to be in light of God's amazing grace and the power of His love.   Yes, there might be little hope for people (when pigs fly), but God is the God of miracles and our counsel ought to reflect that hope and possibility.  

Subject: God's Guideance - Psalm 12-14

Psalms 13:3-4 (ESV Strong's)

Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;
light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”
lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.

Subject:  God's Guidance

In Psalm 13 we read about David's plea to God for deliverance.   He starts by asking God, "How long?"   Apparently David was in trouble and he needed God's deliverance.  Yet, the trouble lingers and God, to David's wishes, seems to delay.   As the Psalm unfolds, David prays specifically asking God to "light up my eyes."   This is a unique way of asking God for discernment and insight.  David needs that so that his enemies can't say, "I have prevailed over him."  David does not ask for punishment of his enemies, but the wisdom to know how to combat them.   The phrase "light up my eyes" can be cross referenced to many other passages that give us insight into what David may have meant:

Psalms 19:8 (ESV Strong's)
the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure,
enlightening the eyes;

Ezra 9:8 (ESV Strong's)
But now for a brief moment favor has been shown by the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant and to give us a secure hold within his holy place, that our God may brighten our eyes and grant us a little reviving in our slavery.

Ephesians 1:18 (ESV Strong's)
having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,

Only God can "light up the eyes."   Our own attempt for insight and understanding will fall short of the need in our life.   Truth wisdom and discernment are from the Lord (Proverbs 1:5-7).

Subject: God's Provision - Joshua 21-24

Joshua 24:12-13 (ESV Strong's)

And I sent the hornet before you, which drove them out before you, the two kings of the Amorites; it was not by your sword or by your bow.
I gave you a land on which you had not labored and cities that you had not built, and you dwell in them. You eat the fruit of vineyards and olive orchards that you did not plant.’

Subject:  God's Provision

We tend, in our society today, to accumulate things.   We not only accumulate things, we like to brag and boast about the things we have accumulated.   It is in our nature.   We tie accumulation to success and therefore we tend to use these things to show others our great success.   Joshua was afraid, that after his death, the nation of Israel might think that their accumulated cities and towns and land was due to their good nature; great strength; exceptional wisdom.    In the above verse, Joshua reminds them that the reason they have these cities, this land, the crops and the bounty they have, is because the Lord gave it to them.   The very fruit in their mouth was because God allowed the nations that were there before them to plant the fruit and harvest the fruit.   The olive oil they had for baking, eating and utilizing was there because God allowed another nation, whom God destroyed, to harvest it.   God did not want the hearts of the people of Israel to get haughty because of their possessions.   The same is true with us.  We tend to think our great strength, skill-sets, schooling, talents, or experience and education gets us what we have today.  That is the way of our society.  God wants us to know that it is HIS great strength and grace and mercy that allows us to accumulate what we have.   We are to give God praise for the wisdom, strength, talent and skill-set.   We are not to take credit for theses things.  

Subject: Repentance - Genesis 16-19

Genesis 19:26 (ESV Strong's)

But Lot's wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt

Subject: Repentance

The story of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is a story repeated in a variety of places in God's Word.  Jesus, in the Gospels, uses the story to talk about the evilness of mankind and the need for repentance.   The story of Lot's wife, looking back, in desire for Sodom, ought to be a story we remind ourselves of often.  God had decided to destroy Sodom and, by His grace and as a result of Abraham's prayer, decided to save Lot and his family.  However, Lot's future son-in-laws did not want to come and, in fact, laughed at Lot for such a suggestion.   Worse, however, is Lot's wife.  So, attached to the evilness of the city of Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot's wife, as they are departing the city with the Angel of the Lord (an appearance of Jesus in the Old Testament) turns around to look, in desire, at her city.    In many ways you can relate to her wanted to see the destruction.  But, apparently this was not a look fostered out of a heart of curiosity.  This is a look out of envy and desire.    The fleeing of Sodom and Gomorrah ought to be a picture of repentance and confession of sin.   Lot and his family are saved from destruction of evil.   This should be a time of reflection and praise to God for His mercy and grace.  Yet, that is not what is happening in the heart of Lot's wife.   Instead she looks back in desire.   Since God looks at the heart, we can see that God is concerned about our hearts when it comes to sin and repentance.   Confession and repentance means to not look back.  Commitment to follow Jesus is to look to Him and to not look back.   God wants our full repentance, not feet headed one way and a heart looking back they other.

Subject: Victorious Living - Romans 7-8

Romans 8:1 (ESV Strong's)
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Subject: Victory in the Christian Life

Paul, in Chapter 8, is showing us what Victorious Christianity looks like. In Chapter 7 he showed us the struggle in the Christian life. In Chapter 8 he is showing us the solution. He begins to show us the victory we have in our Christian life with one of the most powerful statements in all Scripture:

"Therefore, there is no more condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus!"

What does it mean to have "no more condemnation"?  (There is an emphasis on the Gift of Christ)

A.We have no condemnation, despite the evil that is present with me (see 7:21-25) - See further, Paul's dilemma in chapter 7

B.We have no condemnation despite the accuser's work in our lives (Revelation 7:7-12).  Satan accuses us to God and to our conscious every day.  Yet, God says, He has cared for that and covered that.

C.We have no condemnation despite the inward conscience's work in our lives (Romans 2:15).  Even though our own conscience attempts to condemn us, this verse says God has covered that, as well.

D.We have no condemnation despite the world's work in our midst (3 John 9, 10).  The World loves to condemn us.  Yet, we have no condemnation from the world because of Christ's work in our lives.

We can live a victorious life despite condemnation from a variety of sources, because we have be cleansed by Christ and His righteousness has been imputed to us.   That is victory!!!

Subject: Evangelism - Matthew 8-10

Matthew 9:36-38 (ESV Strong's)
When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;
therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Subject: Evangelism

The passage helps us understand the heart of Jesus as He fulfilled His ministry on this earth.   His compassion for the people He saw should be the example to us for our walk on this same earth.   When Jesus saw the crowds He had compassion on them.  He did not disdain them.  He did not allow the large crowds to swell His ego, since they were there to see Him.   His eyes saw the crowds as lost sheep, who needed a shepherd.   He, of course, is The Shepherd.    Yet, He also saw this as a teaching moment.   He wanted His disciples to see that there are many who are lost and their job was to go out and lead the lost sheep to Jesus, the Shepherd.   In fact, the very next chapter (10) gives us the example of Jesus sending out the twelve disciples into the harvest.   It is too bad there is a chapter break here, because their really shouldn't be.   Jesus sees the crowds and knows they need a shepherd and immediately sends out the disciples.   Today, we are those messengers for Christ.   It is our role in this world to be the chapter ten to the chapter nine.   The crowds are still needing compassion ... Not criticism.   The crowds are still needing a messenger to tell them about Jesus ... Not someone to condemn them.  

Subject: God's Judgment - Isiaah 18-22

Isaiah 19:14-15 (ESV Strong's)
The Lord has mingled within her a spirit of confusion, and they will make Egypt stagger in all its deeds, as a drunken man staggers in his vomit. And there will be nothing for Egypt
that head or tail, palm branch or reed, may do.

Subject:  God's Judgment

In the day of Isaiah's prophecy, Egypt was a super power.   Many nations sought Egypt as protection and a source of commerce.   Israel was tempted to run to Egypt when they saw the power of Babylon rising.   This is why, in this section of Isaiah, we see this prophecy against Egypt.   God is saying, to the super power of the world, I am so going to reduce you that nothing will be able to save you.    Egypt had many occasions to see God and to come to God.   Starting with the plaques of the Exodus and many visible signs since, Egypt should have recognize the both the power of God and the judgment of God.  Yet, they continued to reject God and worship worthless Idols.  God will now judge them and reduce them to nothing.   This is the lesson Isaiah is telling Israel. He wants them to know they should not trust in the strength of of a national super power.    Such is our example today.  The United States is a super power that believes it can succeed in all things.  Despite the miracles and signs of God grace and love and power being poured on this country they insist on turning their back toward God.   They, too, will be reduced to nothing.   If they continue to reject God, they will, in time, see their power reduced and diminished.    Only God can be the source of our salvation, not the power of our country.   We have so much national pride that we let it get in the way of true worship.  Often we see people worship the Constitution more than God's Word.   God is the source of our strength and salvation, or should be.  If not, we, like Egypt, will be reduced to nothing in judgment.  

Subject: Suffering - Job 8-10

NOTE:  This was the passage God gave me after a major accident that totaled my car.  God is great!!!

Job 10:1-2 (ESV Strong's)

“I loathe my life;
I will give free utterance to my complaint;
I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
I will say to God, Do not condemn me;
let me know why you contend against me.

Subject:  Suffering

Job has lost his family, his possessions, his status and, is in the process, of losing his health ... And from his perspective, perhaps his very life.   The friends around him can only declare what they know and what they know from history is that those who do bad, suffer for it (Job 8:8-9).   In the above couple of verses, Job has come to a point to "loathe" his life.  He "can't take it any more" and is going to bring his compliant directly to God.   He wants to know why God condemned him and why God wants to "contend" with him.   Yet, through all this, we, the readers, have information not in possession of Job or his friends.  We know that God already declared Job righteous (Job 1:1, 8).   We know that this is really a result from an attack by Satan (something NEVER considered by Job's friends throughout the entire book).   Yet, Job, without all the information, begins to defend himself and challenge God based upon a false premise.   It is important to remember, that in the midst of suffering, we are not holding all the information.   God has His purposes and His will.  Our job is to trust God's character, not evaluate the circumstances.   We KNOW that God can't do wrong (Here is where we can agree with Job's friends ... Job 8:3).   But, we can't agree with them that these circumstances are a result of Job's sin.   We have information neither they or Job has.   Just like Job's situation, so too with us.   God is doing a work and our part is to trust God with all the pieces.  We only have the pieces in front of us.   But, God's plan and care has all the pieces.   We ought not to "loathe" our lives in this suffering because we trust in God to put all the pieces together, perfectly.

Subject: Worship - Pslam 9-11

Psalms 9:2 (ESV Strong's)
I will be glad and exult in you;
I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

Subject: Worship

The writer of this Psalm (King David) is about to pray for help from his enemies.   In the remainder of the psalm David talks about the wicked and how he attempts to destroy the righteous and ignores God.    But, before David pleas for help, he worships God.   David takes the first breaths of his prayer to proclaim his contentment in God and his desire to "exult" God.   The Hebrew word for the word "exult" is used eight times in the Old Testament, four of them in Psalms, by King David.   It literally means to "jump for joy."   David jumped for joy when he brought the Ark back from captivity (his wife was upset because she interpreted the jumping for joy ... His dance ... For showing off and inappropriate behavior for a king) (2 Samuel 6:14ff).   We can "exult" in a lot of things.  We mostly exult in our own talents, skills, abilities.   We often exult in our possessions.   We love to exult in OUR victories.   David states that he is going to exult in God and His character.  That should be our ultimate and single exultation.   Rejoice in God's character and jump for joy over what He can do, will do and is doing.   That is the way to start a prayer; start a day; start a week; or, a year!!   Exult in God!!

Subject: The Justice of God - Joshua 16-20

Joshua 20:1-3 (ESV Strong's)

The Cities of Refuge

Then the Lord said to Joshua,
“Say to the people of Israel, ‘Appoint the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses,
that the manslayer who strikes any person without intent or unknowingly may flee there. They shall be for you a refuge from the avenger of blood.

Subject:  The Justice of God

In the above verse we see God reminding Joshua to establish the Cities of Refuge.   In the Law, Moses was instructed by God, that when the nation reached the Promise Land, they were to establish cities of asylum for someone who accidentally caused the death of another.   If, in the event of a death, the person who committed the death, came to one of the cities (Joshua establishes six throughout the Promise Land), that person could find refuge until the Elders of that city could determine if the death was by accident (our modern day "manslaughter" case), or was by intent (our modern day "homicide" case).   God wanted to be sure that, in the event of a death, the loved one of the deceased would not be able to exact their own form of justice.  The Understanding the Bible Commentary of the Old Testament has a great application of this text:

(UBC OT) Setting aside cities of refuge teaches an important lesson about God. The God of Israel believes in the right of all to a fair trial and has created places of asylum to protect the accused from rash anger or revenge. God believes in due process and protects even potential criminals from retribution. God’s protection stretches to all but the most flagrant, violent criminals. Vigilante revenge is no substitute for justice by due process.

God is a God of Justice. Hot anger is not acceptable to God.   God so understood the "reaction" of men, that He established the Cities of Refuge to assure that this "hot anger" would not cause more sin.  God established the Cities of Refuge in His grace for both the person who caused the death AND for the loved one who suffered lost.   God's Justice is a picture of His grace.

Subject: Saving Faith - Genesis 12-15

Genesis 15:6 (ESV Strong's)
And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.

Subject:  Saving Faith

Abraham is the example in God's word of the man of Faith.   The apostle Paul will use the above verse and the life of Abraham to explain "justification by faith and not by works."  This is the main verse to demonstrate that argument.   Many people during Paul's day (and ours) believe that you must do something to be saved.  They falsely believe you must obey the Law (the Ten Commandments in particular) to be saved.  Most believe you must "do good" to be saved, or, to be righteous "enough" that God will accept your "good works" as payment for a ticket to Heaven.   However, the above statement about Abraham challenges and changes those thoughts.   First it should be noted that the above verse states that it was through faith that Abraham had righteousness counted toward him.   That blanket statement should be enough.   Second, the is statement about Abraham was made BEFORE the Law (the Ten Commandments) were even given.   Abraham could not obtain righteousness by "doing The Law" since he was not given the requirements of the law, prior.   Third in this section God is telling Abraham that he will have a son and that son will be the one who is blessed and that he will produce more and more sons, all in the line of Abraham.   Abraham is old and hasn't seen a son, yet.   But, because God told him he would have one, he believed.   His faith was then counted as righteousness.   We are not saved by works, we are saved by believing in the promises of God.   Faith is the avenue for salvation; not works.  

Subject: Sanctificatioin - Romans 5-6

Romans 6:12-14 (ESV Strong's)

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.
Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.
For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

Subject: Sanctification

Sanctification, as taught in the Bible, is the part of Salvation that follows Justification.   Before looking at any part of Salvation we have to remember that ALL parts of Salvation are of God.  Man can do any of it.   If one part of Salvation is completed by man's work than Salvation would not be totally by grace, and, yet, that is what the Bible teaches (Ephesians 2:9-10).   Once we have been Justified by God (Romans 5:1), God than starts the Sanctification process.   Once our sins have been paid for and declared forgiven (Justification of our position), than the active sin in our lives need to be cleaned up (Sanctification of our person).   Even though we are Justified, we still have the sin nature.  It can't condemn us, but it can attempt to defeat us.  Sanctification is the work of God that, by faith, we allow Him to begin to change our daily lives.  The above verses speak to that.   By faith (all parts of God's salvation are administrated to us, "by faith") we submit ourselves to God (in the above verse the word is "present").   We are to "present" our "members" (the parts of our body that previously bent on sin ... Eyes to see evil; tongue to speak evil; feet to run with evil; etc.).   Our part, in the Sanctification process is to, BY FAITH, present our members to God for His cleaning up and His control of them.   Notice what Paul will say in just a few verses:

Romans 6:19 (ESV Strong's)
I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.

Our "presenting" our members to God causes us to be "slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification."   How is that done?  In sin we simply give our members over to sin ... We submit them to evil.   Paul tells us that this is how we defeat that, however.  We now, in faith, simply give our members of to God and that will enable Him to use them and produce sanctification.   Sanctification is an act of God that, through our continued faith, God does in us and for us.  

Subject: Prayer - Matthew 5-7

Matthew 6:6 (ESV Strong's)
But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Subject: Prayer

The secret to prayer is to pray in secret!   That is Christ's words, here, stated in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7).  Jesus is teaching His disciples about the difference between the life they think they should live and have been taught to live, by the Jewish Scribes and the life God wants us to live.  The difference between the two is the difference between the outward and the inward.  The Jewish religious leaders had taken all The Law and turned it into a set of outward mandates, policies, practices and procedures (think Employee Handbooks).   The teaching of Jesus, however, is a focus on the internal.  His concern is the heart.   Everything flows from the heart.   After tackling several practical issues, Jesus reaches the teaching on prayer.    Like the other teachings, the Scribes had turned prayer into an outward, public and pretentious spectacle.   Public worship and public prayer were signs of pious behavior to the religious leaders of the day.  But, Jesus changes it all with the above verse.  It is not about the outward, public prayer, it is the inward, secret prayer life that conquers sin, moves mountains and finds favor with God.   God will openly reward the secret prayer life.   It is about talking to God in private and not exposing to theirs your pious behavior.  Jesus is not forbidding public prayer.  We have plenty of examples in the Book of Acts of the Apostles praying in the Church in public.  Jesus is not forbidding telling people you pray.  Paul, in almost all his letters, tells us about his prayer life.   Jesus is saying that the character of prayer (in "secret" meaning between you and God and in sincerity) is more important than the construct of prayer.   How it is done is less important that why it is being done.  The heart behind the prayer is more important than the lips of the prayer.  The odd aspect of Jesus' teaching is that the "Lord's Prayer" follows the above verse.  What have people done with the "Lord's Prayer?"  They have turned it into a pious and pretentious repetition to show false faith.   The secret to prayer is to do it secretly.  

Subject: Trusthing God - Isaiah 12-17

Isaiah 12:2 (ESV Strong's)
“Behold, God is my salvation;
I will trust, and will not be afraid;
for the Lord God is my strength and my song,
and he has become my salvation.”

Subject:  Trusting God

The book of Isaiah is a prophecy against Israel and the surrounding nations for their refusal to obey God.  It is a prophecy to tell the people about God's sovereignty and how He will use one nation to punish another nation and than, turn, and punish that nation for their sin.  It is a prophecy about the consequences of sin in our lives and how, nationally, that sin can bring a complete city, country, King, nation or community down.   Yet, in the midst of these type of prophecy, it is also a book of great promise.  it is a book that tells us about the coming Messiah and the saving grace of God ... In the midst of doom and destruction.   The above verse is an example of this promise.  Like a Lilly in a swamp, the verses in chapter twelve ring about about God's ability to save and our praising Him for that salvation.   In the midst of doom and destruction we can, and should, rejoice in the God of our salvation.  We we finally come to the point we know we can't trust ourselves, or the government and people around us, it is time for us to realize we can turn to God for our salvation and trust Him.   In the next chapter Isaiah will pronounce doom on Babylon and make the observation that Babylon exalted herself.   In the above verse we see Isaiah talking about humbling yourself and remembering, that in life, there is only One person who can save and is worthy of our praise.   God is the God of salvation.   We are to stand strong on that thought and sing praises to Him as a result.  

Subject: Friendship - Job 6-7

Job 6:14-17 (NIV 1984)

“A despairing man should have the devotion of his friends, even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty. But my brothers are as undependable as intermittent streams, as the streams that overflow when darkened by thawing ice and swollen with melting snow, but that cease to flow in the dry season, and in the heat vanish from their channels.

Subject:  Friendship

Job is in a bad spot.  Not only has the cursing blows of Satan's evilness destroyed his family and property, it has touched his body.     But, in the above statement the loss of property, the loss of family, nor the loss of health are his subject.   In these verses Job has a larger compliant.   He already feels that God has forsaken him (Job 6:1-13).  In that section he states, "the arrows of the Almighty are in me."    Job is in a very weak state of faith and belief.   So, what is his concern that now torments him?  His "friends."    In a blistering statement, Job tells his friends that they should not criticize him in this moment of weakness.  They should, rather, come along side and give him support  and allow him to hold to his faith.  He states, "even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty," he would want the friends to continue to show him kindness and love.   But, they are more like the stream that is weak one time and overflowing the next.   Job is simply saying, "Please do not forsake me in this moment of weakness and despair."  Yet, that is what most of us do to others during their time of struggle.  We, like Job's friends, try to find the "spiritual" reason for their struggle, rather than just being there as a friend to help them walk through the fire.    God will, in the end of this book, condemn these "friends" of Jobs because they failed to give Job good counsel (Job 42:7).   Perhaps if they has simply been kind to Job and shut their mouths, God would have rewarded them rather than rebuke them.

I love what the "Understanding the Bible Commentary" says about these two verses:

(UBC OT) Job turns now to castigate his friends for their failure of true friendship. In a rather shocking statement, he claims that true friends would remain loyal even if their companion went so far as to forsake the fear of the Almighty. It is Job’s fear of God (1:9) that has been at issue in the test of suffering, and now Job hints that his will to fear may be eroding. Intense suffering often diminishes our ability to understand and believe. When the pursuit of survival exhausts our energies, we have little left to sustain our faith. This is when we most need believing friends who resist the temptation to criticize our struggling faith, and instead come alongside us to give testimony of the continuing faithfulness of God that we have such difficulty seeing through our pain. This is precisely what Job’s friends fail to do. They are so focused on what they consider to be Job’s failure, that

Subject: God's Love - Psalm 6-8

Psalms 6:4 (ESV Strong's)

Turn, O Lord, deliver my life;
save me for the sake of your steadfast love.

Subject:   God's Love

How many times do we pray for deliverance so that WE can have relief, or some blessing, or because of what we think we deserve.   In the above words, Kind David prays for deliverance, but not based upon any merit of his own.   That would be a useless prayer.    David, like us, has no merit to win favor with God.   We are all evil continually.   David's prayer, above, is based upon God's "steadfast' love.   In some version the phrase is translated, "unfailing love."   The words "steadfast" and "unfailing" are not in the original Hebrew.   The prayer is based simply on God's love ... Which I in the Hebrew writer's mind and thoughts is always unfailing and/or steadfast.  God's love is a permanent kind of love.  It is an unconditional type of love.   It doesn't take a day off.  It doesn't consider merit.  David is asking for deliverance based upon God's unconditional and unwavering love.   That is the basis for a great prayer.    David can be assured of deliverance because God's love is meant for that purpose.   God loves those whom He calls and will assure that His own are completely and marvelously loved.   That is the type of Love we can count on.   Believe in.   Rest in.  Be delivered in!!

Subject: Retirment - Joshua 11-15

Joshua 13:1 (ESV Strong's)

Now Joshua was old and advanced in years, and the Lord said to him, “You are old and advanced in years, and there remains yet very much land to possess.

Subject:  Retirement

The above verse is my theme verse for 2016.   When you get past 60 people start to look at you differently, and, if you are not careful, you start to think differently.    In this chapter of Joshua we are told that God recognizes Joshua's age.  In the next chapter we are told about Caleb's age.  Both of them, at this time, are around 80-85 years old.   But, I love the above statement from God; for what He DOESN'T say!!    God does not say, "Joshua, I recognized you are old and advanced in age and you have less strength than you did in the past.  Therefore, I want you to sit back and relax and draw on the social charity of those around you.  I want you to retire and allow those younger than you to support you.  You deserve it!! You earned it!!"   God DOES NOT say those things.   Instead God says, "Joshua, you are old and there is still much work to be done!!!"   God is not in the business of retirement.  The closest look we have for retirement in the Bible is when King David DID NOT go to war in his old age.   Yet, he stayed home and designed and prepared for the temple; which would be built by his son Solomon.  Even in his old age, there was work to be done.   The work might change.   Joshua will move from commander of the Army to City Planner of the new Kingdom.   But, there is work to be done.  Our society's bent on retirement and "earning" a relaxed life style is not a Biblical concept.   Paul, Peter, John and anyone in the early church knew there was work to be done.  The Church MUST BE built.  The Kingdom MUST BE built.  There is much work to be done.

Subject: Global Warming - Genesis 8-11

Genesis 8:20-22 (ESV Strong's)

God's Covenant with Noah
Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
And when the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma, the Lord said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man's heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done.
While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”

Subject:  Global Warming

In our society today there is much discussion, argumentation and debate about global warming.   In the political world the sides are mostly divided down party lines.  In the world of faith there is much more confusion and debate.   It is obvious from Scripture that believers are supposed to be good stewards of what God has given us; the earth, not-withstanding.   Yet, there is so much speculation and contrary data it is tough to really know what side of the argument is the right place to stand.   However, the above verses that describe God's promise to Noah after the flood, might give believes some reference and perspective.  When Noah came off the Ark, God made him a promise to never destroy the earth by flood again.   These verses and most of chapter nine of this book speak to that promise.  God even gave us the rainbow as a sign of His covenant promise (Genesis 9:13-15).   However, in the above few verses God also states, as part of His covenant promise, that the seasons and the heat and the cold WILL NOT cease.   This does not mean we should continue to destroy our planet with little regard for what God gave us.  What it does mean is that God will continue to sustain the planet, despite us.   Remember Paul told us that all creation is "groaning" for redemption (Romans 8:22).   We also know that the entire planet will someday be completely destroyed with fire (2 Peter 3:11-13).   It would be surprising to see God destroy the earth with fire that was invited by the wastefulness of God.    All this, in time, will happen.  These are also promises of God.  But, God did promises to Noah that this world would not cease to have its seasons; hot and cold.  

Subject: Rigtheousness by Faith - Romans 3-4

Romans 4:22-25 (ESV Strong's)

NOTE:  Paul is speaking here of Abraham ...

That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.”
But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone,
but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord,
who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

Subject:  Righteousness by Faith

In this section of Romans Paul is using Abraham to teach us about faith and the difference between salvation by faith and salvation by fulfilling the requirements of the Law.  The Jewish Christians at Rome had come to believe that their "Jewishness" (being circumcised) gave them special privilege in the Church and higher status than Gentile Christians.   Paul has been explaining to them that God stated that "Abraham's Faith was accounted to him" prior to him even being circumcised.   Therefore, righteousness was not "counted" to him by what he did (circumcision), but by the faith he had in God's promises.   His faith was counted to him.   Paul then makes the points, so, too, will ours, apart from circumcision and doing the requirements of the Law.   Faith is the avenue of righteousness, not works we do (baptism; church attendance; reading the Bible; being kind to others; etc).  Faith is the avenue to righteousness.

Subject: God's Soverignty - Matthew 3-4

Matthew 4:12-14 (ESV Strong's)

Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee.
And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali,
so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

Subject:  God's Sovereignty

When John the Baptist is arrested, Jesus begins His public ministry.   We do not hear about John the Baptist again until Matthew 14:1.    Never-the-less, John the Baptist's ministry ends and Christ's earthy ministry begins.   John was to be the "forerunner" of Christ, to prepare the way.   He would be recorded in John the Gospel writer as saying the following:

John 3:30 (ESV Strong's)
He must increase, but I must decrease.

John the Baptist knew that his ministry was not THEY ministry.   He probably did not suspect that his ministry would end with an "arrest," however.  God allowed The Baptist to be arrested to move the spot light to Jesus.   The Baptist would embrace that.   Would we?  Would we embrace being falsely arrested so that the ministry of Jesus might be furthered?   When we allow our station, or even our own ministry, to become a hindrance for Jesus ministry we have caused alarm in the Kingdom.  God moved John the Baptist, using a way that will eventually glorify God.   It was never about John the Baptist.   It is never about you and me.

Subject: Christ and the Spirit - Isaiah 7-11

Isaiah 11:2 (ESV Strong's)

And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him,
the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the Spirit of counsel and might,
the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

Subject: Christ and the Spirit

The pictures and references of Christ in the Old Testament give us a depth of understanding of Christ's ministry for us and in us.   In the above passage, Isaiah is giving us a prophetic statement about Christ's ministry, when it begins.   It is the statement that Christ's ministry on the earth will be with the Spirit.   The key word in the above passage is the word "rest."  In the Old Testament the Spirit of God did not "rest" on the servants of God.  King Saul is the prime example.   God sent the Spirit to Saul for service.  But, when Saul sinned and acted in unbelief and disobedience, the Spirit of God left Saul.   The above passage not only tells us about the ministry of Christ, but also the ministry of the Spirit.  The "resting" on Christ is how the Spirit of God will work in our lives.  The Spirit of God, through Christ, rest upon us and gives us the power of the Spirit.  This truth is even taught in the Old Testament.  

Subject: Counseling - Job 3-5

Job 4:3-6 (ESV Strong's)

Behold, you have instructed many,
and you have strengthened the weak hands.
Your words have upheld him who was stumbling,
and you have made firm the feeble knees.
But now it has come to you, and you are impatient;
it touches you, and you are dismayed.
Is not your fear of God your confidence,
and the integrity of your ways your hope?

Subject:  Counseling

In chapters 1-3 of Job we have the story of Job and the pain that is brought on him by the work and craftiness of Satan.   Job is a good man (God has said so) and Satan has been given the opportunity to take break him.    Along comes Job's three friends, however.   If the abuse of Satan was not enough, these men's words will be even more.   They no NOTHING about what is really going on.   They do not consider that Job is under attack.  Instead, they will attack Job with the swords of their tongue.  You can't read ANY of the friends speeches without first reading the following, from the end of the book and the Word from God, to the three friends:

Job 42:7 (ESV Strong's)
After the Lord had spoken these words to Job, the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.

However, God's condemnation does not mean that the three friends don't stumble on some truth as they speak.   It is important to know that their overall counsel misses the mark, but there are parts of their speeches where we can learn something.   Their doctrine was right in places but their application to Job was completely amiss. In the first words (from Eliphaz's 1st speech), above, we see that Job is accused of helping others and having great words that comfort others, but not trusting the words for himself.    This is a statement where we can find some truth.   We often are quick to give input and wisdom to others, but fail in the end to find some way to apply it to ourselves.   We can tell others how to manage something, but fail to manage it, in Christ, ourselves.   It is important that the doctrine that we preach, we also practice.   That is a simple truth this "friend" of Job stumbled upon.  

Subject: Joy - Psalm 3-5

Psalms 4:6-7 (ESV Strong's)
There are many who say, “Who will show us some good?
Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord!”
You have put more joy in my heart
than they have when their grain and wine abound.

Subject:  Joy

Have you ever attended a party and just stood off to the side and simply watched those in attendance laugh and express their feelings of joy?   You know what you see ... Smiles; laughter; hugs; foolish-jesting; togetherness!   There is nothing like a party to bring out the inner self and the ability to forget the struggles of life.   In the above couple of verses from Psalm 4 we have something similar, but very different.  The writer is not at a party. In fact, according to the first verse of the chapter, the writer is in distress.   This is not a happy moment.   The writer's faith is being challenged.   There are some who are taunting him about his faith.    Those mocking him are saying, "Who will show us some good?"  But, David, the writer, turns his focus onto God.  He stops looking at the distress and looks to God for his hope.   He asks God to turn His face toward the trouble.   David is saying, "Look at the situation we are in God!!"   Even though we are given no indication that there is an act of God manifested, note the next thing David says.  This next line comes directly from an act of faith:  "You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound."   Take the joy and smiles and laughter you see I a party and multiple it seven-fold.  That is what happens when you trust God.  God throws a party in your heart.   When we trust God, despite our circumstances, we can be assured of joy in our heart.   This is not a party based upon great circumstances.  This is a type of joy based upon the presence of having peace with God and faith in God.  It transcends all forms of happiness the world can get ... Even from abundance of grain and wine.   God's joy in our hearts is like New Year's Eve, everyday and despite the situation.   That is faith in a powerful and loving God.

Subject: Leadership - Joshua 6-10

Joshua 9:16-18 (ESV Strong's)

At the end of three days after they had made a covenant with them, they heard that they were their neighbors and that they lived among them.
And the people of Israel set out and reached their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim.
But the people of Israel did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by the Lord, the God of Israel. Then all the congregation murmured against the leaders.

Subject:  Leadership

Joshua is now the leader of Israel.  He is learning how to follow God and lead people.   It is not an easy task.  He has had one great success:  Jericho.    He has had one great failure: Ai.   He now is confronted with a band of deceptive Gibeonites who claim to be from a far away land and seek a peace treated.   Joshua, like with Ai, does not consult God (his need to be a good follower) and instead rushes into the covenant with the Gibeonites.    He then learns the Gibeonites are not from a far away country, but rather the next city on the "hit list."    Joshua has failed at his leadership.  He must honor the covenant he has made with them (although this causes a bigger issue with obeying God and destroying all the people of the land).   When the people discover this mistake they begin to murmur.  The nation of Israel are very, very good at the art of the "murmur."   They had plenty of practice coming out of Egypt and constantly murmured before God over one thing or another.   This time, however, they have a valid reason:  Joshua and the other leaders had made a mistake.    Sometimes in leadership when we hear the "murmur" of the masses, it is not always because they are weak and simply complaining.   It may be they are, like the Orphan, shouting, "danger, danger, danger."    Joshua eventually makes the Gibeonites the slaves of the people and they carry water and cut wood for them (this must have been a nice relief ... To not have to carry water or cut wood anymore).    Make sure when the leader hears the follower murmur we don't always just think something is wrong with the people.   It just may mean a very good leader (Joshua) made a mistake and needs to take corrective action to save the people.

Subject: Sin - Genesis 4-7

Genesis 6:11-12 (ESV Strong's)

Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight, and the earth was filled with violence.
And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupted their way on the earth.

Subject:  Sin

The above verses are the account of wha God thought and saw just before He told Noah to build the Ark and said He would rebuild the earth with Noah and his family.   Imagine if God were to walk around today.  What would He do today, with the sin we have running rampant in our society?   God can't destroy the world, again, by flood, because He made a promise not to: That is the reason for the rainbow (Genesis 9:13).   But, God will again destroy the earth and bring man to judgement.   That is what the entire book of Jude is about.   Note Jude's words:

Jude 1:14-16 (ESV Strong's)
It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones,
to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”
These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.

The world does not think that judgment is coming.  Or, worse, they think it is here and this is the extent of that judgement.    Yet, God promises a future judgement upon Christ's return that will exceed the judgement that took place in Noah's day.  God does see the sin today in our society and His only patience is waiting for those who need to come to Him for salvation to do so.  

Subject: Salvation - Romans 1-2

Romans 2:29 (ESV Strong's)

But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.

Subject:   Salvation

Circumcision, to the Jew, was a passport out of hell.    In the Jewish culture they were taught that if you were circumcised you had nothing to fear in regard to death.    No Jew would fear the afterlife as a result of their belief in being circumcised.   This is why the above verse (and chapter two as a whole) are so striking in the book of Romans.   Let's read again what Paul wrote it Romans 2:25.

For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision.

Most Jews would reject, or want to reject, that conclusion as penned by Paul.   Jews were taught that they needed to obey the Law.  That is no doubt.   But, just as a U.S. Citizen, born in the great U.S.A., can disagree with some of the parts of the constitution and still be a citizen, so too, to the Jew, you could miss parts of the Law and still be a Jew and bound for glory, IF you were circumcised.   Circumcision was their pass port.   Paul needs to bring all the Romans Christians he is writing to a fuller understanding of God's grace.   The above verse is the swing verse in doing just that.   When Paul writes, "His praise is not from man but from God," Paul is saying that salvation, every part of it, is an act of God and not the performance of man.  He is making the case that no one can keep the entire law, therefore circumcision, for the sake of circumcision, will not help.   Salvation is and from God.  Since all have sinned (where Paul is going in chapter three), all will need God's grace.   We ought not trust our own ability to save us.  No part of salvation is of man.   Nothing we DO can give us a passport.   Only what He DID can save us.   Salvation is "from God."  

Subject: Sovereingty of God - Matthew 1-2

Matthew 2:19-22 (ESV Strong's)

But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead.”
And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel.
But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee.

Subject:  Sovereignty of God

In the early days of Jesus' life, Mary and Joseph had a lot of movement.   Herod, this time, was not the one who was trying to kill Jesus ... It was His son, Archelaus.   Rome often allowed despot leaders to rule regions of their land.  These despots had limited reign, but also acted with reasonable autonomy.   The leaders reigns in Ancient Rome were often tenuous at best.   It was not abnormal for a leader to kill the offspring of his feared rival.   The threat of a coup was normal.   Once Archelaus became king, he too, would fear this "Jesus."   Although he probably didn't have the same understanding as his father Herod, he did understand a threat of another ruler taking his spot.   God used that fear of his to move Jesus to Nazareth, to fulfill, yet another prophecy.   God used these fears from leaders to complete and compliment His plan for mankind.   This must have been tough on baby Jesus and mother Mary.   Yet, there was a reason.  We need to realize that when we have struggles in life, sometimes God is moving us to where He wants us to be.    We ought not struggle and kick against our circumstances.  It is God moving us from one point to another and putting us where we need to be for His purpose and His glory.  He did it for His Son, He will certainly do it for us.

Subject: Worship - Isaiah 1-6

Isaiah 6:1-5 (ESV Strong's)
In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple.
Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.
And one called to another and said:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory!”

And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.
And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

Subject:  Worship

In the above passage we have the scene of the prophet Isaiah's vision of seeing God and His holiness.   God is said to be on His throne, "high and lifted up."    The Angels around God are singing, "holy, holy, holy."   The scene is one that highlights an awesome declaration of God and HIs worthiness of worship.    Not only did His appearance shine fourth to Isaiah, but when He spoke "the foundations of the thresholds shook."   And the house was "filled with smoke."    This is a first class worship opportunity.   Here Isaiah has a change to respond it great worship.  He could lift up his hands; he could jump around; he could scream at the top of his lungs and praise God, and no one would object.    But, what does Isaiah do in this most perfect opportunity to worship? He does the same thing that every person in the O.T. does when they see God in a worship setting:  They fall down and recognize their sin and unworthiness to be in such a place.   When Moses was in the wilderness and saw God in the bush, he fell down because of the holiness of God.    When Daniel sees God in a vision, he too, falls down in humble worship.  When Paul meets Christ on the Damascus Road he is so struck by the light that he falls down and sees his own sin.   We often think of worship as a time to get all excited about what we "feel" at the time.  Often people choose their corporate worship (Church) based upon how the "worship" service makes them feel.   But, the examples we have in the O.T and the N.T don't speak of this great "feeling."   True Biblical worship, when you actually are in a place to see the glory and character of God, is a humbling experience that pushed you to your knees vs causing you to jumps on your feet and wave your hands.    The feeling you get when you are in a right place with worship is guilt and the need for grace.   Isaiah teaches us that!!