30 September 2009 Devotion for Today "Work Ethic" Proverbs 6:6-11

 6 Go to the ant, you sluggard!

      Consider her ways and be wise,

       7 Which, having no captain,

      Overseer or ruler,

       8 Provides her supplies in the summer,

      And gathers her food in the harvest.

       9 How long will you slumber, O sluggard?

      When will you rise from your sleep?

       10 A little sleep, a little slumber,

      A little folding of the hands to sleep—

       11 So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler,

      And your need like an armed man. (Proverbs 6:6-11)

 
 

Pasted from <http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=proverbs%206&version=NKJV>

 
 

If there is one thing I hate to see, it is a person who has more opportunity thrown at them than they have a right to expect and won't do anything with them or just throws them away. Ever know anyone like this? Solomon calls them sluggard. We may also rightfully call them "lazy" people. And after Solomon gives us the contrast to the ant who is continually working (the only ant I have ever seen standing still is a dead ant), Solomon gives us six characteristics of the sluggard who needs to have a stick of dynamite lit under him:

 
 

1) They sleep too much. Proverbs 26:14, "As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed." Just as a door won't move in any direction without hanging on to its hinges, so is that person that loves sleep too much. All day long all you hear them say is that they can't wait to get to bed or to lie down. They go around yawning all the time. (Although I see a lot of people who do the same from lack of sleep too) It's hard to get them to do anything that takes away from their sleep time. They aren't going very far from their place of rest.

 
 

2) They love to make excuses. Proverbs 22:13, "The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets." It has been said that if you don't want to do something that any excuse will do. No one can find more excuses to not do something than the person who is too lazy to do anything.

 
 

3) They have a "know-it-all", un-teachable attitude. Proverbs 26:16, "The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason." They will tell you why they can't do something and find every reason in the world why they are right in their assumption. You can't argue with a lazy person and the only thing that will make them move is a lighted stick of dynamite under them. I know a lot of people who will starve do death before they will admit that they are lazy but they won't work for anything less than top salary.

 
 

4) They are procrastinators. They always put things off until the last minute and are always late for everything, if they show up at all. They never finish anything they start but find every excuse for not continuing with any project. They tire very easily and just give up rather than to attempt to improve. They blame everyone and everything else for their own failure to accomplish anything rather than to admit that they are lazy. They are terrible planners, in fact, they don't plan for anything. They just live from second to second, reacting to whatever comes instead of attempting to change things before they happen.

 
 

5) They are irritating to everyone around them, especially those who are busy. Busy people with a vision and a dream to chase don't have much patience or compassion for those who are not. Proverbs 10:26, "As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him." Don't expect a sluggard to get the job done. If you do, you will always be disappointed. Their inactivity and bad attitude will put a bitter taste in your mouth and make your eyes water with aggravation and you will, most likely, have to do the job yourself anyway.

 
 

1. What is the final condition of a sluggard who is unwilling to change?
   

   Proverbs 19:15, "Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger."
   

    
    

   (Thanks to James May, Sermon Central)
   

    
    

   Perhaps I have not been as charitable in my tone as I ought to be today, but one thing I will say as a word of caution to parents- especially very hard-working, ant-type parents. It utterly amazes me the parents I have seen who enable mediocrity and laziness in their children. They are the ones who give their school teachers fits by not making their children be responsible and accountable for their behavior and for doing their work. These same parents work themselves to death all day long and won't make their children do chores around the house. They give their teenagers money rather than making them go out and get a part-time job. They buy them cars and give them money for gas. They also take care of the repair bills when they mess around and wreck their vehicles. These same parents can't understand why their children are directionless and lazy. Some of the sweetest hard-working people I have known are in their eighties and have children who still live with them or are raising their grandchildren. It defies all imagination.
   

    
    

   We are given only one shot at instilling a godly work ethic into our children. May we all do our part, with God's help, to raise ants instead of a "couch potatoes".
   

    
    

   Prayer: Dear God, sometimes its all the energy I can muster just to get everything done that I need to do to survive. But our children need to learn how to work because society is not doing a good job of teaching them this. Help me, by my example, to demonstrate a godly work ethic to them that will glorify You. In Jesus Name, Amen.
   

    
    

   Have a blessed day!
   

    
    

    
    

    
    

    
    

29 September 2009 Devotion for Today "The Mouth of the Immoral Woman" Proverbs 5:1-6

29 September 2009 Devotion for Today "The Mouth of the Immoral Woman" Proverbs 5:1-6

My son, pay attention to my wisdom;
Lend your ear to my understanding,
2 That you may preserve discretion,
And your lips may keep knowledge.
3 For the lips of an immoral woman drip honey,
And her mouth is smoother than oil;
4 But in the end she is bitter as wormwood,
Sharp as a two-edged sword.
5 Her feet go down to death,
Her steps lay hold of hell.[a]
6 Lest you ponder her path of life—
Her ways are unstable;
You do not know them. (Proverbs 5:1-6)

Recently I had contact from a person who was expressing deep trouble and woe over the
relationship between herself and her husband. She called me in tears, and with much
emotion went to great lengths to demonstrate to me that her husband was violent and
abusive and that she had to get out of the marriage. As I listened to her spin her tales of woe, her dramatic whine, her so-called desperation and desire to be set free she also began to make statements about God and how God would not want anyone to be in a marriage where they were not happy. As I asked some questions, I could not get her to substantiate where abuse was in the home except that in a fit of frustration her husband pointed a fork at her at meal time which she embellished. I finally concluded that I could not trust what she was telling me, and was glad that I had listened to the Lord speaking to my heart when she asked for a counseling visit at the church. I refused this and would speak only on the telephone. There's no telling what she would have done or said had I been there without anyone else present- that's a bad situation for a pastor to be in and should never allow himself to be in, anyway.

This type of "drama queen" personality lines up fairly closely with the familiar patterns found in the devotional text today. The woman Solomon warns about is the "adulterous woman". She is adulterous not only in the sense that she has been unfaithful to her husband, but that she desires more than anything to manipulate and wrest power over those who stand in her way. She will get this power any way that she can.

First of all, Solomon says, "her lips drip with honey and her mouth is smoother than oil." When some people speak this way, they usually do so because of ulterior motives. It is sweet not because she is sweet, but she is sweet and is smooth in order to mask the bitterness she hopes someone else will swallow her guile and deceitfulness. She knows most men crave female attention and will seek to use their sexuality to lure them into a trap from which they cannot get out. Sharp as a two-edged sword, this adulterous spirit entices us to to cut ourselves off from our marriages, our spouses, our families promising a better life. Then she will cut us again once she has gained financial stability or power from us. After all, she thinks, how can she trust a man who will be unfaithful to one spouse- chances are he will not be faithful to me, either. Indeed her feet go down to death. I have seen more than one person sacrifice and throw away everything they have ever had, including their marriages, their families, and all their material possessions because of one brief encounter that promised so much, but ended in misery.

Don't get me wrong, it is not entirely the fault of the adulterous woman. If the desire to be unfaithful in the man were not there to begin with, he would never have allowed himself to get into that situation. But there is so much brokeness and heartache in the world today because of our desire to be satisfied with less than what God desires for us. This is why pornography is so wicked and so bad. Many happily married men expose themselves to it because they think it will not harm them. But it does, whether his wife finds out about it or not because sooner or later the more this man exposes himself to the pornographic image in the tabloid or on the screen, the less he will be satisfied by his own wife. The heart of a woman knows when this happens, so stay as far away from this as possible. If necessary, get rid of your computer. You may not be able to read these online devotionals anymore, but far better to do this than to fall into the trap of the adulterous woman who will steal everything that you have ever had. By the way, please do not think I am focusing exclusively on women or think they are the soul cause of maritial problems. The adulterous man is also responsible and has his own set of problems and symptoms to which I will speak later. Please heed this warning, and have a blessed day.


Prayer: Dear God, I know that my satisfaction comes from none other than from You and from the one whom You have given me to share for a lifetime. Help me to put this adulterous woman- either in real life, or in plastic- as far away from me as You can get it. In Jesus Name,
Amen.

25 September 2009 Devotion for Today “Guard Your Heart” Proverbs 4:23-27

25 September 2009 Devotion for Today “Guard Your Heart” Proverbs 4:23-27

23 Keep your heart with all diligence,
For out of it spring the issues of life.
24 Put away from you a deceitful mouth,
And put perverse lips far from you.
25 Let your eyes look straight ahead,
And your eyelids look right before you.
26 Ponder the path of your feet,
And let all your ways be established.
27 Do not turn to the right or the left;
Remove your foot from evil. (Proverbs 4:23-27)

A few years ago, we were all shocked to hear about the tragic death of the late Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter. We were stunned, not that he died, for he faced tremendous dangers on a daily basis we were, rather, surprised by the way that he died. About the only way that a Stingray could kill you is to stab you directly in the heart with his barbed spine. Irwin was keenly in tune with nature, and knew his boundaries. He was very centered and focused. Who would have thought that the great Crocodile Hunter would go in this fashion? If ever we expected him to have a great injury we would think it would be his leg, his hand, or maybe his head-but no, it was his heart!

At the close of this Proverb, Solomon tells us to keep our heart with all diligence. Keeping our heart means keeping it protected. The heart he refers to, however, is not just the blood pumping organ, but the very center of our souls. It is out of the heart where we define what life is all about, demonstrating what our values which also determines our destiny. The way to do this, Solomon says, is to put away a deceitful mouth. Keep people who want to drag you down as far away from you as you can get. They say that misery loves company. You can spot a deceitful mouth by listening to them put down and criticizing others, or acting as though they know more than anyone else- yet their lives reflect little more than poverty. Shun such a person. Keep them away and do not adopt them as a pet project or you will soon find yourself thinking the way they do.

Keep your eyes focused on the goals you sense God has for your life. Don’t let anyone distract you from them or try to belittle you for them. Watch where you step. Many of the messes I have stepped in have resulted from not watching what was in front of me. Once in a while someone will tell you, “Look out, don’t walk in that!” But those people will not always be around, so we are responsible for looking ahead for ourselves. Let your ways be established simply means build a strong foundation. Cultivate that strength by reinforcing it everyday by prayer and by reading and meditating upon the Word of God. Don’t allow untried and whimsical ideas and philosophies to become the sole basis of your life.

Lastly, Solomon tells us to remove your foot from evil. There are times when evil may catch up with us or trip us up. Usually it will be not because we went looking for it, but because it deceived us. When it does, get out of that trap as soon as we become aware of it or else it will literally become a foothold from which we cannot escape. Once I accidentally stepped in wet cement, but as soon as I became aware of it, I got out as quickly as I could. Had I stayed in it, it would have hardened, requiring a jackhammer to get me out. The same is true for evil. The residue can easily be washed away by the blood of Jesus Christ.
Above all, protect your heart. Put on the Breastplate of Righteousness as a covering for your spiritual vitality.

Dear Lord, Help me watch where I step today, and help me to keep my heart covered. Keep me from looking or listening to any evil thing. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Have a blessed day.

23 September 2009 Devotion for Today “The Lord’s Discipline” Proverbs 3: 11-18

23 September 2009 Devotion for Today "The Lord's Discipline" Proverbs 3: 11-18

¹¹ My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD,
      Nor detest His correction;
       ¹² For whom the LORD loves He corrects,
      Just as a father the son in whom he delights.
       ¹³ Happy is the man who finds wisdom,
      And the man who gains understanding;
       ¹⁴ For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver,
      And her gain than fine gold.
       ¹⁵ She is more precious than rubies,
      And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.
       ¹⁶ Length of days is in her right hand,
      In her left hand riches and honor.
       ¹⁷ Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
      And all her paths are peace.
       ¹⁸ She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her,
      And happy are all who retain her. (Proverbs 3: 11-18)

Do you remember the last time you were punished as a child for wrong-doing? I don't remember exactly when but I recall when the physical punishment moved into psychological punishment about the time I turned twelve. I noted that I no longer got "spankings." Instead, my parents inflicted more meaningful punishments when I was disobedient, delinquent in my studies, or especially, when I was disrespectful. That was when the word "restriction" came out. I could not talk on the phone or visit with my friends, nor was I allowed to ride my bike. Other privileges were withheld as well. I can remember thinking, "I would rather go back to getting a spanking than to have these privileges taken away- at least the spanking would be over with quickly." The threat of one or two weeks of restriction would keep me in line and was very effective.

But there were times when I saw the disparity of the discipline enforced in my home and what I saw some of my friends get away with. I could not understand why some kids were allowed to do most anything they wanted- but I couldn't. A school friend with whom I rode the bus said, "Your folks are raising you to be a "mama's boy! I get to stay out all night and do what I want!" This boy could do anything he wanted to do, that was true. It was mainly because his mother and stepfather stayed out all night themselves- partying and drinking. I remember thinking- does his parents not care what happens to him? Probably not.

That was when the truth of our Bible passage struck home to me: "For whom the Lord loves, he corrects." God loves us too much to let us do what we want to do without consequences. Even today, as I come close to the dawn of my fiftieth year- I still receive God's chastening. Usually this comes by way of financial punishments because of bad spending habits that I have allowed myself to develop, or possibly the alienation of relationships that are important to me. These discipline me to help me as I reflect upon what has happened: "I better think about this and pray about this better next time!"

Be grateful for God's chastening- for this indeed signifies that we belong to our heavenly Father and that we are not illegitimate. Be thankful of His care and protection, and even for consequences for in them there is no doubt to whom we belong.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I don't like it when You discipline me, but I am grateful for it because I know that it will help me be a better child of Yours. Help me understand what You are doing, God. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Have a blessed day!

22 September 2009 Devotion for Today “Trust in the Lord with All Your Heart” Proverbs 3:1-10

22 September 2009 Devotion for Today "Trust in the Lord with All Your Heart" Proverbs 3:1-10

¹ My son, do not forget my law,

But let your heart keep my commands;

² For length of days and long life

And peace they will add to you.
       ³ Let not mercy and truth forsake you;
      Bind them around your neck,
      Write them on the tablet of your heart,
       ⁴
And so find favor and high esteem
      In the sight of God and man.
       ⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
      And lean not on your own understanding;
       ⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him,
      And He shall direct^[a] your paths.
       ⁷ Do not be wise in your own eyes;
      Fear the LORD and depart from evil.
       ⁸ It will be health to your flesh,^[b]
      And strength^[c] to your bones.
       ⁹ Honor the LORD with your possessions,
      And with the firstfruits of all your increase;
       ¹⁰ So your barns will be filled with plenty,
      And your vats will overflow with new wine. (Proverbs 3:-10)

 

 

In May 1995, Randy Reid, a 34-year-old construction worker, was welding on top of a nearly completed water tower outside Chicago. According to writer Melissa Ramsdell, Reid unhooked his safety gear to reach for some pipes when a metal cage slipped and bumped the scaffolding he stood on. The scaffolding tipped, and Reid lost his balance. He fell 110 feet, landing face down on a pile of dirt, just missing rocks and construction debris. A fellow worker called 911. When paramedics arrived, they found Reid conscious, moving, and complaining of a sore back. Apparently the fall didn't cost Reid his sense of humor. As paramedics carried him on a backboard to the ambulance, Reid had one request: "Don't drop me!" (Doctors later said Reid came away from the accident with just a bruised lung.)

 

Apparently Reid was more fearful of falling a few inches than he was over a hundred feet, but the point was made- it is difficult to trust others, to put your complete trust into the hands of others. Will they handle your life as carefully as they would handle their own? When you are doing something that you really care about, do you think others will give it the same time, care, and attention that you do? More than once I've considered the old adage- "If you want something done right, do it yourself!"

 

Perhaps this is the reason that many people have difficulty trusting God with their lives. It's not that they don't love Him or appreciate what He has done for them, but the only thing they have to go on regarding trust is how they have tried to trust people and have been bitterly disappointed. It's hard, for example, for someone to trust a Heavenly Father when his own father was never there for them. It's also difficult to value what God has said in His Word when the word of so many was so undependable. However, the fear of being out of control, or not being in control works a vicious cycle. The more I try to be in control, the more I draw into my shell and the less will I grow- because my knowledge and understanding is so limited. In order to grow, I've got to learn to trust and to depend upon others. I have to trust that what my teachers tell me is the truth, I've got to trust the mechanic that he will fix my car so that it is running right. In fact, if I want to sustain a reasonably good standard of living, I've got to depend upon people I do not know, and probably will never meet, to keep the electricity, water, telephone and other utilities functioning normally. There is no way that I can live long enough to amass the knowledge and skills necessary to do all these things, let alone operate them myself. Yet I seldom think about them- I just trust them to be there and never think about the electric power unless there's been a power outage.

 

We can always depend upon God to be there for us. But He is better than the utility company. He has a face and a name whose presence is ever with us. With Him we are never alone and have Him as a constant companion. As we grow to know Him, we love Him, and see Him at work long enough to know that He is the best and most trusted Friend that we have.

 

Prayer: Dear Lord, I admit that I am not very trusting of others. So many over the years have let me down. But I know that You will never let me down. You have been there for everyone I've ever known and loved. I've seen many of them slip their hand into Yours as they stepped into eternity. I know I can depend upon You. Help me not to lean to my own understanding today, and to place my life in Your control. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Have a blessed day!

 

You can find this devotion on-line at www.devotionfor today.blogspot.com

21 September 2009 Devotion for Today “Wisdom Will Save You” Proverbs 2:12-15

21 September 2009 Devotion for Today “Wisdom Will Save You” Proverbs 2:12-15

12 Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men,
from men whose words are perverse,
13 who leave the straight paths
to walk in dark ways,
14 who delight in doing wrong
and rejoice in the perverseness of evil,
15 whose paths are crooked
and who are devious in their ways. (Proverbs 2:12-15)

Have you ever met someone that you knew that you could not trust, or been in circumstances where everything looked right, but there was just something about it that you did not understand? Something inside your spirit tells you, “This is all wrong- or there is something “up” with this!” I remember many years ago a church member asked me to drop by to visit this elderly person who was wheelchair bound. I had never met this person but came by the house and introduced myself. She invited me in and we had a conversation for a while. Immediately, however, I sensed evil- not from the woman- but from the room where I sat. She seemed very pleasant, but also nervous. I attributed that to the fact that I was a stranger to her. However, as we talked together in the living room, my eye caught a glimpse of what appeared to be some rather expensive-looking video or camera equipment through the open doorway in the next room. It was mounted on a tripod with professional studio lighting and other items sitting around which seemed to belong to a professional cameraman. In the conversation, the woman, who was in her late seventies, explained that her grown son lived with her, and that she was having problems with him. She went on to explain how she simply had to leave the place that had been her home for so many years, but that she had no where else to go. I could not really understand what she was trying to tell me. Was there abuse going on? I had to know, so I asked her. She said that there wasn’t, but there were “other” things going on that she was just not comfortable with, but I could tell that she did not trust me enough at this point to tell me. I remember coming down with a severe headache. I did not stay long, and prayed with the woman, and got in my car and drove away with my head aching and a heaviness in my heart that I could not explain.

Not more than two weeks later, I picked up our local newspaper to read a startling article telling of a local man who had been arrested for producing child pornography in his home. I checked the address and noted the name instantly. The arrest was made at the home of the elderly woman that I had visited. It frightened me to think that I had been in a place where so much evil had gone on! The tragic thing was that the elderly woman’s home was confiscated and that she had also been charged as an accomplice in the crime. Later the charges were dropped but she was moved to a nursing home. I thought, “How tragic!” Then I remembered the feeling of oppression I felt and how I just wanted to get out of there.

In the Proverbs, Solomon tells us about the importance of Godly wisdom, and how His wisdom has the ability to protect us from the presence of evil and especially evil person. Most of us, like myself, are naïve. We take things at face value. It doesn’t often occur to us that there are people in the world who have dedicated themselves to the evil as I described above. But God makes His wisdom available to us through discernment that helps us to see that, even though we do not have the facts immediately available, our suspicions are aroused and our senses become keener. That’s the time when God is trying to warn us of danger, as if to say, “Look Out!”

Does a threatening situation face you this week? That’s the time to seek the face of God instead. Run, don’t walk, to the nearest place of prayer you can find and say, “Dear Jesus, please protect me from the evil that I sense lurking about me right now! I don’t understand it, and I can’t see it clearly. All I know is, I feel that I need Your protection today. Hold me up in Your arms of refuge and keep me off the paths of devious people. In Jesus Name, I pray. Amen.

Have a blessed day!

18 September 2009 Devotion for Today “Solomon’s Wisdom” Proverbs 1:1-7

18 September 2009 Devotion for Today "Solomon's Wisdom" Proverbs 1:1-7

¹ "The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:
       ² To know wisdom and instruction,
      To perceive the words of understanding,
       ³ To receive the instruction of wisdom,
      Justice, judgment, and equity;
       ⁴ To give prudence to the simple,
      To the young man knowledge and discretion—
       ⁵ A wise man will hear and increase learning,
      And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel,
       ⁶ To understand a proverb and an enigma,
      The words of the wise and their riddles.
       ⁷ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,
      But fools despise wisdom and instruction." (Proverbs 1:1-7)

This week I learned a few helpful hints that really work. We traveled to Englehard, NC to look over a church situation that we were surveying for a possible mission trip. I enjoyed my time of fellowship with three men in our church and learned so much from them on the two-hour trip there. One talked about getting rid of ants by mixing a concoction of borax laundry soap, corn syrup, and some water. Very effective against the ants that invade his grape vineyard. Another spoke of not having any wasp spray when a wasp nest was discovered under the children's swing set before the Vacation Bible School picnic at church. He went to the church kitchen, put about a fourth cup of dishwashing detergent in a Styrofoam cup and filled the rest of it with water. He mixed it and then splashed it on the wasps- they all fell down dead! Another showed us how houseflies could be kept away by filling a gallon sized plastic bag full of water and placing it over a doorway . Some, he said, would place a penny inside. The pastor of the church whom we met that day told us how he made antifoulant paint by mixing a gallon of ordinary enamel paint with ground, dried chili peppers. He painted the bottom of his sailboat with it and hasn't had any moss or barnacles growing on it in several years. There were other helpful hints that we shared along the way. We even got an opportunity to watch a demonstration of the home-made wasp spray when a large wasp nest was discovered over a doorway at the church we visited.

I have gone all week thinking about this wisdom I learned on Tuesday. Man's wisdom is very plentiful and usually very practical- yet Solomon tells us that the wisdom of God is even far superior than anything man can share. Solomon was considered the wisest king of Israel. He was inspired of God to write most of the book of Proverbs and other books of the Bible. But the basis of the wisdom he experienced was the wisdom of God. This, he said, was to be found in "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge" (verse 7). Without a fear of God, even man's best wisdom falls back on itself eventually.

He also says that "A wise man will hear and increase learning, And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel" (verse 5). Those in their youth think they know everything. They know all the answers. Just ask them, they will tell you. And they think the most ignorant people on the planet are their parents. But the older they get, they find that they really do not know the answers they thought they knew. I know that the older I get, the more dependent I am upon the wisdom of others-especially the wisdom of God.

Beginning today, we will embark upon a great adventure- to explore the wisdom of God in the Proverbs. I hope that you will learn as much as you enjoy it.

Prayer: Dear God, help me to apply my heart to Your wisdom, and to apply it to the life You want me to lead. In Jesus Name. Amen

Have a blessed day!

16 September Devotion for Today "Drawing Waters" Psalm 18

On our tour of Ronneburg castle with my cub scout troop we visited the castle well that is known to be one of the deepest on the continent- 93 meters deep! For a fifty-pfennig piece, one can drop a coin into a box that runs a series of lights that illuminates the well all the way to the bottom of what looks like an abyss. It is even more fascinating to fill a wooden bucket with water and pour it into the top of the well and wait several seconds until one hears the splash of the water as it hits the bottom. Once, as I leaned over the edge of the well and trying to get a better view, the thought of what might happen if someone were to accidentally fall down the well shaft glanced across my mind. Thankfully there is a heavy metal mesh provided for the saftey of tourists. To be certain, this mesh was not always there. On one occasion, a tour guide told us about an individual, a household servant, who plunged into the well hoping to escape a maurading force of invaders as it overran the fortress during the Thirty Years War. He survived the nearly 100 meter fall and lived for about three days in the darkness until someone drew him out with the elaborate pulley system rigged to haul large quantities from the well.
He lived through the invasion and was hauled to saftey after the fortress was retaken.

Quite a story, I thought. As I reflected on the man who thought he could hide in that well: "How could he have gotten himself into a situation like that?" BUt the more I thought of it, I know that on more than one occasion, I have gotten into such trouble. I never thought to jump into a 100 meter well, but other things have had about the same effect. If we were all honest, all of us could concurr with the same experiences. Sin causes us to get "in over our heads" in deep trouble.
Trouble that is easy to get into, but nearly impossible-if not impossible, without God's help.

I am reminded of God's mercy and grace in Psalm 18, where David tells of such trouble as he writes, "He sent from above, He took me; He drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, From those who hated me, for they were too strong for me." Verses 16-17.

Are you in "deep waters" today? Call upon God and He will answer you. God always has an ear for the voice of repentance. Call upon Him today. Have a blessed day.

(from 6 Juni 1999)

Picture: Ronneburg Castle "We could see it from where we lived in Mittel Gruendau"
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15 September 2009 Devotion for Today "Weapon of Mass Destruction" Philippians 2:1-4

15 September 2009 Devotion for Today "Weapon of Mass Destruction" Philippians 2:1-4

"Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others." Philippians 2:1-4

Here is a disturbing thought- perhaps one you might not relish this early in the day: what is the greatest weapon of mass destruction? The Atom bomb, the hydrogen bomb, clusters of sarin nerve gas? What about carpet firebombing or biological weapons? To picture their destructive power is too gruesome even to imagine.

But someone once told me that the greatest weapon of mass destruction is disunity. This might be hyberbole, but as I reflect on this thought today, I can certainly see how this is so. Usually we think of weapons of mass destruction as nuclear warheads in the hands of crazed terrorists. But even the chaos that they can unleash is nothing to be compared to the destruction caused by people who will not work together. Here is what I mean. If you can get two or three people to work together, there is nothing that they cannot do. They can accomplish more than each of the three can do individually. Their potential is limitless, their power, unequaled. On the other hand, get three people who refuse to be united and their power to create trouble is probably ten times more destructive than the good that they could have done had they been working together. It is a good thing that evil men have not found a way to isolate and harness the power of this kind of destruction, or we would have more to be concerned about than a few dozen atomic bombs.

Paul has much affection for the Philippian church. They had done so many things for Christ and had grown quickly as they followed Christ. In fact the church grew to almost overshadow all the others in terms of their influence and power as they preached the Gospel. Yet some cracks were beginning to form that Paul was beginning to see and to be concerned about. He pleads with them as earnestly as he could, as it says in the KJV "if any bowels and mercies". That's the way they expressed as we would say, "down deep in my heart". But Paul was concerned that Satan would get in and try to drive them apart with disunity brought about by selfish ambition and pride, which threatened not only to undo what good they had done, but create such a negative impact the likes from which they could never recover.

This is why he pleads with them not to be concerned only with what they wanted, but on what others wanted. I've been reflecting upon this quote today and there is much truth in it: "If you will first help people get what they want, they will help you get what you want."- Zig Ziglar. May God help you to do this and work hard to build unity around you instead of a weapon of mass destruction.

Prayer: Dear God, I have a lot of things that I want to do today. But help me not to think about what I have on my plate. Other people's plates are full, and they are trying to succeed as I am. Lord give me the grace not to compete with them in pride, but help me to find ways that I can help them become successful so that we can glorify You as the greatest force in the world.
In Jesus Name, I pray. Amen

Have a blessed day!

Devotion for Today "Reflections of September 11th" Romans 8:35-39

Note: this was the devotional I sent out dated 13 September 2001- which was the first day I could get a devotional out that week after the 9-11 tragedy. We were in Germany at the time, and I was corresponding with a distant cousin who was at that time


Yesterday I received an email from a distant cousin, LTC David Lamp,
of Falls Church, Virginia, relating to his email mailing list that he
was all right. He worked at the Pentagon in the building right next
to the one that was destroyed by the hijacked aircraft. In his narrow
brush with death, he recognized that not all were as fortunate as he.

Since this tragedy started on Tuesday, I have fought back tears (not
always very successfully) for those whose interviewed accounts by the
media revealed that they had loved ones in the World Trade Towers and
could not find them. They fear the worst as they go from hospital to
hospital and not finding them. Several on the hijacked aircraft made
calls to their loved ones on the ground telling them that they loved
them, and would not see them again. The horror of this is unimaginable.
But the sense of separation and anxiety of not knowing what has happened
to a family member is a feeling too awful to be put into words.

As I read the Scriptures, there is some comfort in that while we may
lose many people and things of this world, there is One whom we will
never lose no matter what may try to dislocate us. The Apostle Paul
tells us in Romans 8:35-39- "Who shall separate us from the love of
Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine,
or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: 'For your sake
we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.'
Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved
us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor
principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor
height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to
separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Many are pouring over lists of people this week wondering if they will
be separated by this tragedy. This may even have happened to you. If
it has, I'll not want to minimize the pain that you feel. But as the
shock wears away and the hurt and the grief come in overwhelming waves,
God is still there, and He promises never to be separated from you. He
knows what you are feeling, and as His Son, Jesus Christ, allowed
Himself to be hijacked and sent to the Cross, and separated from the
Father's love, He emerged from the tomb alive that we may never know
that kind of separation from God again.

In some small way, may you all be comforted and blessed by the promises
of God's Word.

God Bless America!

10 September 2009 Devotion for Today “Slow to Speak!” James 1:19-20

I seldom read this passage of Scripture without remembering one of my professors at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. William Tolar taught a course in hermeneutics (Biblical origins and translation) in my first year there in 1983. He always gave excellent, up-beat, dynamic, very interesting and sometimes humorous lectures in his distinctive Louisiana Cajun draw. At times, when he was excited (because he was always excited about his subject matter) he would have a tendency to talk rapidly. I remember a student putting up his hand in the lecture hall and said, “Dr. Tolar, I am taking notes just as fast as I can, but sir, I’m sure you know that the Bible says ‘let every man be slow to speak!” The class broke up in laughter. Dr. Tolar grinned and did not skip a beat: “Yes, and it also says, ‘be swift to hear!”

Dr. Tolar continued by saying that this is why God made us with two ears and one mouth, so that we would listen twice as much as what we say. James seconds that sentiment by saying “Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath.” James implies what would have been a statement of the obvious had he written it: not every man is like that. Some have the tendency to “pop off” before they know the facts, “calling them the way they see them” without taking the time to listen. James tells us also in verse 20, “for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” The goal of our lives as believers in Christ is to produce the righteousness of Christ in us-that is, the development of Christ’s character within us. Did Christ exhibit anger? Yes, He did. But that was righteous anger which took the time to examine the facts and to listen carefully before He took the action of driving the money changers out of the Temple.

What about our actions today. It is especially easy to get upset and defensive when someone confronts us with something we do not like. Be swift to hear-listen to what they say. They may not say it in the tone that we appreciate, but they may have a point that there is something about us that they feel needs improvement. Accept it graciously by being slow to speak. Proverbs 15:1 says that “ a soft answer turneth away wrath.” Nothing disarms vehement criticism when you say, “You know, you are probably right. I’ve been struggling with such and such and appreciate your pointing that out to me...” That leaves the person with nothing else to say. Slow to wrath is an excellent witness because the one who comes storming up to you is expecting a response in kind, and when you don’t react the way he expects, he may feel ashamed that he acted that way to you even if he would never dare admit it.

Seek to produce the righteousness of Christ in your life today, and you, and others will have a blessed day!

03 September 2009 Devotion for Today "Sermon Fail" Philippians 1:12-14

03 September 2009 Devotion for Today "Sermon Fail" Philippians 1:12-14

"12 But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, 13 so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; 14 and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear." (Philippians 1:12-14)

Murphy (whoever he was) once said: "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong at the worst possible moment." There are some who would say that Murphy was an optimist. Even us preachers experience the worst possible things at the most inopportune moment. Last Sunday was such an example. Fraught with a few jitters about the upcoming annual business conference, I thought I had taken every precaution so that everything would go well. I even prepared myself with extended sessions of prayer. Before the weekend, I sent my bulletin notes off to our church secretary including the sermon title and the Scripture. She sent it back to me for approval, which I also included the information for the weekly powerpoint display at church. Everything looked fine, or so I thought, and didn't think about it again until Sunday morning. We have a lay person each week who reads the Scripture aloud during the morning service. I was very busy that day and did not have the opportunity ahead of time to make sure that he knew what to do, but he read the bulletin and marked his place in the Scripture as he prepared to read. So far in the worship service, everything was going well. The Scripture reader got up to read from Jeremiah 7:7-8. But when I listened to him read about "lying words which cannot benefit, etc." I thought to myself, "What?- that's not the Scripture I meant to be read!" Yet I looked and sure enough, it was printed correctly in the bulletin.

I noticed the congregation shuffle and make faces, wondering what kind of blistering sermon they were about to expect as I stumbled through the prayer before the beginning of my message. Then it occurred to me what had happened. There was a typographical error. I should have typed Jeremiah 17:7-8, but I left out the 1. (I'm having another problem in that I lost my glasses last week and cannot see well to read or type). This caused me to nearly loose my composure, but I stumbled through the message as best I could. I felt flushed with embarrassment- wishing I could just melt through the stage and go off somewhere. I thoroughly expected someone to put a big sign over me that reads "Sermon Fail!"

Following the delivery of what I thought was the worst, botched up message I had ever preached, there were several who came up to me and told me what a wonderful message they had heard. One said, "What a blessing that was to my life today, Pastor!" I got a couple of emails later in the week saying the same thing. And I'm thinking- "this has got to be some kind of a joke!" Yet, there have been times when I delivered what I thought had been the perfectly crafted sermon, and got no comments, or perhaps received criticism for it.

This is certainly proof in what the Apostle Paul says in our text today. "The things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel." The Apostle was not preaching a sermon, but he had something happen to him that was beyond his control. He had been thrown into prison in Rome for preaching the Gospel. This was not something he had planned to happen, yet God used it as an opportunity to spread the Gospel message and to allow the leaders in the churches that Paul addressed to take responsibility for their growth and continue on preaching the message.

Satan may orchestrate the calamity that is facing you today, or you may be suffering from an unfortunate incident that did not go as well as you had planned. Still, God can use this incident to glorify Him. Its always best to prepare and do the best that you can, but when the unavoidable happens beyond our control, God can and often uses it to accomplish His will. Things that happen actually turn out well- as in Paul's case, for the furtherance of the Gospel.

Don't be distressed if things do not go well today. Give it your best effort, but remember, God is in control of your life and your plans. Trust Him to alter them in a way that He would be glorified.

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, things did not go as well as I had planned. In fact I thought they were complete failures. Yet Lord I thank you that you can take my failures and redeem them to fit the plans that You have made. Help me not to beat myself up about them, but to see myself as Your child who is under Your control to bring about glory to Yourself. In Jesus Name, Amen.

02 September 2009 Devotion for Today "Thank God for You" Philippians 1 :3-5

02 September 2009 Devotion for Today "Thank God for You" Philippians 1 :3-5

"3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, 5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now." Philippians 1:3-5

We own a chocolate-brown Labrador Retriever. His name is Buddy. He's is about three and a half years old and full of life. He is alert, very smart, and playful. He's a good hunter and excellent bird dog. I have to admit that when we first discussed taking Buddy in to our home, I was dead-set against it. We already owned a small dog and I really did not want the responsibility of caring for another. Besides, the larger the animal, the bigger the food bill and the vet bills were going to be. Buddy certainly did not prove me wrong there. He has his faults- one being that he is so big and clumsy that he and his tail will knock every thing down in his path. He is so feisty he can almost be overwhelming. Yet for all his faults do you know how he treats me? He acts as though I am his biggest fan! He has never been unkind to me, snubbed me, hurt me, or abused me. Buddy has never come around me complaining about anything. He was badly injured this spring because he still hasn't learned to look both ways before crossing the street. Yet he never failed to glance at me with those large eyes of love or ceased to wag his tail when I walked into the room. He sleeps in the garage and when I open the door to let him outside, he bounds up the steps toward me so enthusiastically as if to say, "Thank God for you! I cannot wait to be with you today!"

I am going to ask you a blunt question that is also intended to be humorous, but I hope it does not sound too abrasive. Here is the question: Are you the kind of person that when you come around others they say, "Thank God, he's here!" or when you leave, do they say, "Thank God he's gone?" You may never have thought this before- at least not about yourself, but you may well ask yourself this question before you finish reading this devotional. It has nothing to do with popularity or how attractive you are to others, but it has everything to do with the impression of what you offer to the needs of those to whom you come into contact. You may have nothing more to offer than a smile, but your presence with that smile may be a blessing to someone else today. Do you show others that they are important to you?

The Apostle Paul had the Philippian church people in mind when he wrote these words in the text. They were definitely one of the brightest spots in his life. As Paul sat there in the Roman prison, he reflected upon how good they had been to him, and how meaningful they were to his ministry. They were a joy to him, not only because they had followed through with the things he had taught them about Christ. Now they were reaching out and ministering to others with the same love that Paul had shown them. This was coming back to Paul now in the thoughtfulness they were showing him while he was in prison.

Think about the joy that you can give others today. You may not have a tail like Buddy has, but you can wag it in your heart with the love of Christ that He has given you. And when leave the company you are in to go off somewhere, may those people say among themselves, "I'm glad he came today!"

Have a blessed day!

Prayer: Dear Lord. I admit to You that I have not always been the kind of person that brightens other people's days. In fact, they may not be very happy to see me around. Help me to examine this so that I might have more to offer others on Your behalf as I seek to relate and interact with people today. May I start with my family and loved ones by offering them a smile and a loving attitude. Keep me from complaining and being selfish. May it bring glory to You when others say, "Thank God he's here!"

In Jesus Name, Amen.

01 September 2009 Devotion for Today "Bondservants " Philippians 1:1-2

01 September 2009 Devotion for Today "Bondservants " Philippians 1:1-2

" 1 Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." (Philippians 1:1-2)

Today we begin a new month with a new book and a new look at Scripture as we explore Paul's letter to the church at Philippi. The Apostle Paul begins on the outset with a description of himself and his colleague Timothy; using a term that would be a stumbling block to some and virtually misunderstood by the rest: "bondservants." In other translations, this word is rendered simply "servants," while others, like the Holman Christian Study Bible, translates this word as "slaves." Slavery conjures up all kinds of images for Americans, particularly in the South where I live. Its a part of our history that our elders don't like to talk much about. It conjures up images of cruelty and deprivation, along with that the trauma of separation of families and forced menial labor with no compensation. No one living today has any memory of slavery- except for the elderly whose grandparents may have shared the memories they had of that system. No one that I know has servants in the classical sense of having someone living in their home to help take care of household chores. Americans living in other countries, particularly Asia, talk about how cheaply someone can be hired to come into your home to cook and clean for them. A slave or a servant also assumes something else- a master. Very few people in our culture fit, or would even desire, this term.

Slavery and servanthood are foreign concepts to our culture today, but they were very much a part of the life and culture in the time that Paul lived. A guest preacher spoke to us the other night to tell us that "a servant is one who exists to do the will of another." Paul saw himself as one who did this; totally sold out to do the will of his Master, Jesus Christ. To do the will of another means complete and total obedience- voluntarily giving up his or her rights so that this will may be performed, whether convenient or not.

Herein lies one of the pitfalls of the expression of American Christianity in the early part of the 21st century. We live in a culture driven by convenience, but not service. One of the worst mortal sins that anyone can perpetrate, so we think, is to demand the imposition of our time or our money upon another. We talk about serving Christ, but we serve out of our convenience, not obedience. We will get involved and we will help, and perhaps even lend a hand- but few will put themselves out for an extended length of time. We will try to serve until it gets difficult or makes demands upon our time and families, and then we will look around for those we think has more time or fewer demands upon their schedules and make them feel guilty if they don't do it. Churches and other organizations find it more and more difficult to find those once cheerful people willing to be even involved in God's work, let alone finding those with servant's hearts. Sometimes we will find the dedicated person only to discover that they have been serving out of an attitude of pride and sense of satisfaction- but not because they are doing it for Christ. How ever they are motivated, we are fearful of making that person accountable as a servant lest they quit and leave us with all the work.

Perhaps we need to go back to Scripture and instill in ourselves as Christians the concept of being a servant. For one thing, being a servant means working hard. A servant performs thankless tasks- Christ appreciates them and will reward us one day for our efforts, but those around us may neither know nor care about what we are doing in our roles as servants. Right now, it may not be very fun to be a servant when we see others around us living with no obligations upon them. Nevertheless, we are called to be servants- to do the will of our Master. This is a role that we do not learn easily. It takes the grace of our Lord to help us to extinguish our pride and our schedule and make it subservient to Him.

As we begin this new month, and this new day, may we dedicate it in a manner that we would strive to please our Master as His servants. May we one day hear from Him as He rewards us, "Well done!"

Have a blessed day.

Prayer: Master, I admit to you that I have not been a very good servant. When I say this I mean that while I don't go around looking for ways to sin at the same I have not been very obedient in my attitude. My attitude has been all wrong. I desire to serve you out of obedience, and not convenience. I also desire to serve You with excellence today, and to do everything I do today as if I were doing it for You and for no one else. By Your grace I will do this today, as Your obedient servant. In Jesus Name I pray. Amen.