26 January 2010 Devotion for Today "Our Expiration Date" Genesis 6: 1-3

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

12:19 PM

^{1 When men began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. 3 Then the LORD said, "My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal ; his days will be a hundred and twenty years." (Genesis 6: 1-3, NIV)}

 
 

At the grocery store the other night I walked to the dairy case to select a gallon jug of milk. As you know, milk is a perishable item and will not keep longer than about 2 weeks in the refrigerator; even less in the summer. So I select milk based on the expiration date stamped on the carton or plastic jug that gives me a fairly good assumption how long that milk will last before it goes sour. I selected the jug whose date had on it the longest shelf life expectancy. I do this because one of the most awful tastes experienced by man's taste buds is the bitter stench of sour milk!

 
 

This is one of those troubling passages that few have been able to interpret without offering a lot of speculation. I have been told that these so-called "sons of God" were either angels, spirit-beings, or even fallen angels who lived on this planet. Some would even go as far as to say that they were angels who inhabited human bodies so as to make procreation possible with the "daughters of men"- human females for whom there were no comparable partners to be found in the spirit-world. I don't like this view because it sounds too mythological- reading more like Greek mythology than revealing about the God that I know who has revealed Himself in Scripture. Others have said that the "sons of God" were descendants of Seth (the third child of Adam and Eve) who married the "daughters of men (descendants of Cain). Considering that Seth's grandfather was none other than our Creator this might be a more plausible view although to be a daughter of Cain would be a descendant of God as well. Since there were many unique dynamics going on the earth at that time that we no longer have today, one may accept just about anything. However, it is clear to us that shortly before the flood, God decreed a definite limit upon the lifespan of mankind- significantly reducing it by several centuries. It did not happen right away, but over a period of time following the Flood to the point that by the time we read about Abraham, human life expectancy was no more than about one hundred-fifty years. Later it was about one hundred years. Some claim that the Flood cataclysm poured in a tremendous amount of ultraviolet rays from the sun; opening the ozone layer and exposing mankind to a depletion of oxygen which significantly lessened the human lifespan. One thing that we do know, is, that man will not live forever. That was true when he lived as long as Methuselah or as long as David (who died in his seventies). Man has an expiration date- a date known only to God, but a date which accompanies this event:

 
 

"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" Hebrews 9:27

 
 

Psalm 90:10 says "The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away." Our shelf life is greatly reduced from the time of the Flood to the time of David. Still, we need to consider the fact that in spite of the advances of modern medicine, we have not been able to crack the code of human longevity. We may live a few years longer than our grandparents, but there is no denying that our expiration date is still there.

 
 

Therefore, knowing that we still have an expiration date, let us conclude that we must do all that we can not just to live better lives that might extend us a few months or years, but plan on what we will do after that expiration date has been exceeded and we leave this world. Because God's Spirit will not always strive with us in this life, He has given us another life which we may exchange for the life of Jesus Christ whom He has given us, so that we will live not just a longer life, but a better life here on earth and an eternal life in heaven. Imagine a life with no expiration date? That is what we have once we receive Christ into our lives.

 
 

Have a blessed day!

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

25 January 2010 Devotion for Today "Epitaphs" Genesis 5: 18-27

Monday, January 25, 2010

10:28 AM

^{18 When Jared had lived 162 years, he became the father of Enoch. 19 And after he became the father of Enoch, Jared lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters. 20 Altogether, Jared lived 962 years, and then he died.}

 21 When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. 22 And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. 23 Altogether, Enoch lived 365 years. 24 Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.

 25 When Methuselah had lived 187 years, he became the father of Lamech. 26 And after he became the father of Lamech, Methuselah lived 782 years and had other sons and daughters. 27 Altogether, Methuselah lived 969 years, and then he died. (Genesis 5:18-27)

 
 

 
 

The following tombstone epitaphs were allegedly seen as reported by Dr. Chuck Swindoll

1. "Here lies Anne Mann. Who lived an old maid, but died an old Mann."

2. "Beneath this sod, a lump of clay lays Arabella Young; who on the 21st of May began to hold her tongue."

3. "The children of Israel wanted bread, the Lord sent them Manna. Old Clark Wallace wanted a wife, the devil sent him Anna."

4. Here lies Johnny Yeast- 'Forgive me for not rising.'

5. "Here lies Butch, we planted him raw. He was quick on the trigger but slow on the draw."

6. "Under the sod and under the trees, lies the body of Jonathan Peas. He's not there, there's only the pod. Peas shelled out and went to God."

 
 

You do not see many epitaphs any more, humorous or not. Its probably because tombstones and engraving is expensive. Once it is etched in stone, it is there forever. Most epitaphs that I have seen are only about four to six words. It is hard to choose the words that best summarize one's life, so most people just opt for their names and dates that they lived. But if you had the opportunity to put into four or six words that would represent a good statement for the life that you have lived, what would they be? Because I often find myself out of money, I think my epitaph would be "Back in the hole again!" But seriously, how would you summarize your life in four to six words?"

 
 

In the fifth chapter of Genesis, we see the epitaphs of several through the generations who were the forefathers of Noah. Jared, Enoch, and Methuselah. Jared, (for whom we named our second child) was known for little else except that he was the father of Enoch and that he was exceedingly old when he died. But once we get a glimpse of his son's character, that he walked with God, do we appreciate the kind of man that we assume Jared to have been. It stands to reason that if his son Enoch walked with God, then Jared was the one who showed him how to do that. A godly man will usually leave this legacy to his children. There are, of course, exceptions. Jared may not have been quite the godly man that his son became, but he surely showed him how to get there. It is not mentioned that Jared did any thing great or that he stood out in the eyes of the world for his notability. Instead, it was enough for Jared that he left a godly legacy for his son Enoch to build upon. Methuselah lived a long time with the memory of his father an grandfather- and ended up becoming the oldest man in recorded history. However, whatever else he did in his longevity is unknown to us.

 
 

If we have children, our children are our legacies- our epitaphs. What we instill in them is what they build upon. The character we build in them as children will be one of the things which causes them to either succeed or fail unless they make a break somewhere and make a radical change through God's guidance. Either way, the lives that we live today will live on afterward-for good or for bad. Like the engraver who carves our epitaph into a tombstone, we only have one opportunity to do this, so let us make sure that we do it right, and that we have something positive to show for the years that we lived on this planet. May others whom we do not now know continue to see our godly character in our children, in their children, and in their children's children. They will be our epitaphs written upon their hearts.

 
 

Prayer: Dear God, I may have many years to live for you, or I may well have more years behind me than ahead of me. Help me to see that my children, and those much younger than me are opportunities for Your character in me to live on after me in those whom You have placed around me. Help me to make the most of what You have given me today for Your glory. Amen.

 
 

Have a blessed day!

 
 

 
 

22 January 2010 Devotion for Today "The First Murder" Genesis 4:1-15

Friday, January 22, 2010

1:00 PM

^{1 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, "I have acquired a man from the LORD." 2 Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3 And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD. 4 Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering, 5 but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.}

^{6 So the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it."}

^{8 Now Cain talked with Abel his brother;[a] and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother and killed him.}

^{9 Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is Abel your brother?"}

He said, "I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?"

^{10 And He said, "What have you done? The voice of your brother's blood cries out to Me from the ground. 11 So now you are cursed from the earth, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. 12 When you till the ground, it shall no longer yield its strength to you. A fugitive and a vagabond you shall be on the earth."}

^{13 And Cain said to the LORD, "My punishment is greater than I can bear! 14 Surely You have driven me out this day from the face of the ground; I shall be hidden from Your face; I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond on the earth, and it will happen that anyone who finds me will kill me."}

^{15 And the LORD said to him, "Therefore,[b] whoever kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold." And the LORD set a mark on Cain, lest anyone finding him should kill him.}

(Genesis 4:1-15)

 
 

A few weeks ago I ministered to a dear family who was grieving over the death of a family member whose life was taken by his own hand. It was one of those things that one could say in response: "Sad, but not surprised." Everyone had done what they could to encourage the victim, to get him the help he needed, and to help him with feelings of overwhelming despair. His family and friends stayed as close to him as possible and reached out in every way possible. But in the end, he took his life on New Years Day. This was perhaps the second or third time in my ministry where I preached the funeral of a suicide victim. But even in almost thirty years of ministry, one victim of this type is one too many. It is perhaps one of the most challenging and excruciating times for a minister, but it is far worse on the family who is left shattered, sometimes angry, and often confused. Few words suffice when comfort is offered. I am very thankful that I've never done many of these, nor have I stood at the grave of a murder victim, although suicide is virtually the same thing.

 
 

Genesis 4 records the first murder. Many know the story. Envy, outrage and jealousy incited Cain to slay his brother, Abel. When God first confronted him about the deed, Cain was sarcastic and refused to take responsibility ("Am I my brother's keeper?") Like his father, Cain wished to assign the blame and responsibility to the one who created both he and his brother. His sentence was to roam the earth with a mark upon him, separated from his family forever. Everybody hurt when this happened. Adam and Eve not only lost one son; they lost Cain as well. The grief must have been unbearable for them even though Cain claimed that his own grief was greater. He feared more for his own life than for the one whom he had taken. The loss for the world was great as well.

 
 

This week we mark the Sanctity of Human Life- a week where we celebrate the special place and love that God has in his heart for the primacy of His creation: human life. While other forms of life are to be treated with respect, God expects us to have the same love and responsibility for human life. Yet we live in a world that will throw someone in jail for drowning a litter of kittens, but will do nothing when a human baby is aborted. On September 11, 2001- four thousand lives were taken by terrorists, and the world was outraged. Yet four thousand lives are taken every day in the United States, and we do little and say nothing. Even Christians feel sometimes that there is little we can do to prevent it, and give up in surrender as though the war on abortion is lost. I fear one day our punishment for this crime will be what Cain's was- to wander destitute all over the earth, having our blessing of God taken away and living under a curse where we never prosper. It could well be happening as I write this note today.

 
 

Your life is not only special, it is sanctified by God- set apart as a holy instrument of God. May we view all human life this way- the preborn, as well as the elderly and infirm. Only God can ascribe the value of a life. It is His prerogative when to bring it to conception, to birth, and when to take our last breath. May it ever be.

 
 

Have a blessed day!

20 January 2010 Devotion for Today "The Teacup" Genesis 2:7

^{" the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being." Genesis 2:7}

 
 

I'm kind of in a hurry today but for my devotional thought I would like to offer this story as a reflection on the Scripture verse that was just given from Genesis.

 
 

There was a couple who took a trip to England to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. While there, they shopped in a beautiful antique store; they both liked antiques and pottery, and especially teacups. Spotting an exceptional cup, they asked, 'May we see that? We've never seen a cup quite so beautiful.'

 
 

As the lady handed it to them, suddenly the teacup spoke, 'You don't understand. I have not always been a t eacup. There was a time when I was just a lump of red clay. My Master took me and rolled me pounded and patted me over and over and I yelled out, 'Don't do that.' 'I don't like it! Let me alone.' But He only smiled, and gently said, 'Not yet!'

 
 

'Then WHAM! I was placed on a spinning wheel and suddenly I was spun around and around and around. 'Stop it! I'm getting so dizzy! I'm going to be sick!' I screamed. But the Master only nodded and said, quietly, 'Not yet.' He spun me and poked and prodded and bent me out of shape to suit Himself and then He put me in the oven. I never felt such heat. I yelled and knocked and pounded at the door. 'Help! Get me out of here!' I could see Him through the opening and I could read His lips as he shook His head from side to side, saying, 'Not y et.'

 
 

'When I thought I couldn't bear it another minute, the door opened. He carefully took me out and put me on the shelf, and I began to cool. Oh, that felt so good! 'Ah, this is much better,' I thought. But, after I cooled, He picked me up and brushed and painted me all over. The fumes were horrible. I thought I would gag. 'Oh, please, Stop it, Stop, I cried.' He only shook his head and said, 'Not yet!'

 
 

Then suddenly He put me back into the oven. Only it was not like the first one. This was twice as hot and I just knew that I would suffocate. I begged. I pleaded. I screamed. I cried. I was convinced I would never make it. I was ready to give up. Just then the door opened and He took me out and again placed me on the shelf, where I cooled and waited and waited, wondering 'What's He going to do to me next?'

 
 

'An hour later He handed me a mirror and said, 'Look at yourself.' And I did. I said, 'That's not me; that couldn't be me. It's beautiful. I'm beautiful!!!'

 
 

Quietly He spoke: 'I want you to remember,' He said, 'I know it hurt to be rolled and pounded and patted, but had I just left you alone, you'd have dried up. I know it made you dizzy to spin around on the wheel, but if I had stopped, you would have crumbled. I know it hurt and it was hot and disagreeable in the oven, but if I hadn't put you there, you would have cracked. I know the fumes were bad when I brushed and painted you all over, but if I hadn't done that, you never would have hardened. You would not have had any color in your life. If I hadn't put you back in that second oven, you wouldn't have survived for long because the hardness would not have held. Now you are a finished product. Now you are what I had in mind when I first began with you.'

 
 

The moral of this story is this: God knows what He's doing for each of us. He is the Potter, and we are His clay. He will mold us and make us and expose us to just enough pressures of just the right kinds, that we may be made into a flawless piece of work to fulfill His good, pleasing and perfect Will.

 
 

So when life seems hard, and you are being pounded and patted and pushed almost beyond endurance; when your world seems to be spinning out of control; when you feel like you are in a fiery furnace of trials; when life seems to 'stink', try this.

 
 

Brew a cup of your favorite tea in your prettiest tea cup, sit down and think on this story and then, have a little talk with the Potter.

 
 

Prayer: Lord, You are the Potter, I am the clay. Its true I have been through so much in my life, but now I see that the sufferings and hardships I've encountered are Your refining processes to make me to have the character You desire in me. Help me to accept them and to glorify You in them. In Jesus Name, Amen.

 
 

Have a blessed day!

18 January 2010 Devotion for Today

Monday, January 18, 2010

9:34 AM

^{15 And I will put enmity}

      Between you and the woman,

      And between your seed and her Seed;

      He shall bruise your head,

      And you shall bruise His heel."

^{16 To the woman He said:}

      "I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception;

      In pain you shall bring forth children;

      Your desire shall be for your husband,

      And he shall rule over you."

(Genesis 3:15-16)

 
 

 
 

David Shepherd is a biology professor at Southeastern Louisiana University. In an experiment he conducted, he put rubber reptiles on or near reads and watched how 22,000 motorists reacted to them. They put fake snakes and turtles in places where the drivers would hit them if they kept driving straight; they also put the rubber reptiles where drivers had to go out of their way to hit them.

His conclusion: "There are apparently very few animals hit accidentally on the highway.�

A couple of examples Shepherd witnessed: A policeman crushed one of the snakes with his tires, then stopped and pulled his gun. One woman saw the snake in the road and swerved to kill it, then turned around and ran over it five more times. (Sermon Central)

 
 

What brought on this unreasonable fear of snakes and other reptiles to the point of wanting to kill one each time we see one? This fear was instilled into us as one of our last memories of Eden. At times the fear is irrational. Many farmers where I live don't like for residents to kill snakes because snakes feast on mice, rodents and other pests that destroy their crops. Yet, because they have fangs and will bite to defend themselves, "we'll shoot first and ask questions later," as to their venomous abilities. I've killed many snakes here in this region known as the Dismal Swamp. But relatively few have been poisonous. The reason for it is found in verse 15. However, for the remainder of the passage, it is difficult to know exactly of whom God is speaking in the narrative- the man or the snake. The snake is also symbolic of the breakdown of the original relationship man and woman had in the Garden. Because not only is there a rivalry (enmity) between the woman and the snake, but there is also an enmity between the woman and the man. Where first they were partners in the garden and supporters of one another, now there is a breakdown in their relationship and trust. The desire of the woman which God is not only for the man to protect her, but she also desires her husband's role as leader of the relationship and the home. The husband repels this desire by dominating her into submission in order to maintain his role- a role which he did not do very well in the earlier chapter for had he done that, Eve would not have been tempted by the serpent. Breakdowns in communication, hurt feelings, resentfulness, bitterness and hateful words all stem from this original split in the relationship of Adam and Eve.

 
 

The pain in this relationship is compared to the pain of childbirth, which is also mentioned here. God gives us the idea that it was possible for them to have had children in the Garden before the fall. But because of sin, the pain of childbirth would increase. Who knows how much easier it might have been had not sin entered the world. But the pain of childbirth would also carry over into the pain experienced in this new relationship between Adam and Eve after the Fall. It would never been like it was before.

 
 

If you are having difficulty in your relationship with your spouse, it may help to know where it came from, but it must not just end there. The pain in the relationship may never be completely reversed, but it can be managed by love and respect each for the other. The woman does not especially enjoy having to strive with the man to get him to do what she wants: protection, love, respect and consideration. The harder the husband works to give these things, the less the wife feels the need to compete with him. And the harder the wife works to cooperate with her husband and honor him (whether he deserves this or not!) the more responsive he will be to meet his wife's needs. This is a delicate line upon which to treat, and it is easily disrupted. But another element, prayer, will help strengthen and encourage the relationship to be as good as it can be when there are two sinful natures prone to compete with one another rather than encourage one another.

 
 

Prayer: Dear God, forgive me for my lack of consideration for my mate today. Thank you for reminding me of how precious he or she is to me. May my desire be not to compete with him/her, but to love and to support him/her all that I can today. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.

 
 

Have a blessed day!

14 January 2010 Devotion for Today "Fig Leaves" Genesis 3:1-7

^{1 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden'?"}

^{2 And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; 3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.'"}

^{4 Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."}

^{6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings. ( Genesis 3:1-7)}

 
 

 
 

A farmer friend and leader in my church grows figs. The figs are delicious and are harvested in August and September. My children worked for him through high school, picking berries and grapes, but they told me that the figs were the most difficult to pick. The reason is because the juices from the tree is toxic and very caustic to the skin. It causes blisters and irritations for a day or so which is why it is essential to wear a pair of gloves when picking figs. Because of this, few like to pick them. However, if one can get past the idea of the distastefulness of picking figs, the fruit is delicious; especially when made up in preserves.

 
 

I find it interesting in this passage how Adam and Eve sewed fig leaves together when they ate of the forbidden fruit. They looked at one another and discovered their nakedness. The fig leaves were abrasive and toxic to the bare skin. They must have been miserable- hiding the thing that no one can hide: a fellowship with God that was broken.

 
 

The nakedness of Adam and Eve is not only a physical perception; it is a spiritual one. Adam and Eve felt like they needed to hide from God. But not only did they hide from God, they also began to hide from one another. Adam and Eve would never know one another again the way they once did before they were overcome by temptation. Because of their sin, they placed a barrier between them as husband and wife that they never knew before- a barrier that exists to this very day. This barrier has fostered mistrust and misunderstanding between them. Each has tried since that time to understand and to relate to one another. Some couples have done very well, but their relationship will never be perfect because their sinful natures keeps their guard up. Sin causes us to withhold part of ourselves. Not only do we not want God to see everything about us, but we become irritated and defensive when we are questioned by our spouse. Why? Because if he or she really knew what we were doing or what we were thinking, it would cause us to become ashamed, or cause us to feel guilty. Therefore we withhold that part from them- a part we don't want them to see. And we will find that it is that part we don't want the other spouse to see will always be the part that will cause us trouble or bring about problems in our marital relationships. It will bring about problems with communication. It will create misunderstandings about sex. It will bring up differences about how money is to be spent, how the children should be raised, and how the house is to be kept.

 
 

Since that time married couples have had to manage the barriers of misunderstandings, and accept that those barriers will always be there, and have been there since the day they ate of the forbidden fruit and looked at one another, and began sewing fig leaves together for coverings. Fig leaves make for a poor covering. They put those coverings on not only for each other, but in the likelihood that they would be confronted with their nakedness before God: hence the barriers. When there are fig leaves in our relationship with God, there will be fig leaves in our relationships with one another- especially in marriage.

 
 

Where are there "fig leaves" in your life or relationships? Its probably a sign that you are not honest or are trying to hide something- either from yourself, your spouse, your children, or from God. Use this lesson today to identify where the fig leaves are and ask God to show you not only where they are but why are they are there. May God help you be transparent so that your relationships may grow in as many levels as possible. You will not only grow but you will also be happy and most of all, free.

 
 

Prayer: God, help me with the fig leaves where I am hiding behind. My relationship with You is suffering. When that happens, God, everybody suffers. Help me Lord to identify them and lay these fig leaves before You. In Jesus Name, Amen.

 
 

Have a blessed day!

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

12 January 2010 Devotion for Today "A Plan That Works" Genesis 1:21-25

^{21 And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. 22 Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.}

^{23 And Adam said:}

      "This is now bone of my bones

      And flesh of my flesh;

      She shall be called Woman,

      Because she was taken out of Man."

 24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

^{25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.}

 
 

 
 

A Hollywood actor who was famous for his romantic roles was once asked the question, "What makes a great lover?" I am sure that the listeners expected him to answer with a typical playboy-macho response. But he surprised almost everyone when he answered, "A great lover is a man who can satisfy one woman all of his life, and who can be satisfied by one woman all of his life. A great lover is not one who goes from woman to woman - any dog can do that."

 
 

However, many of our magazines, movies, and TV programs are proclaiming a very different message. They say that marriage is repressive and degrading for women & that we need alternatives that are in step with our modern age. Many people are doing finding alternatives to marriage- or experiment with them. There is the ill-fated open-marriage where one is married to one mate but can have several relationships outside of the marriage relationship and both married partners consent to this. Then there is the cohabitation relationship where couples live together as husband and wife but do not commit to the legal marriage contract- looking for more "outs" than "ins" in the relationship. Or there are the couples who are planning to get married but exploring their sexual and emotional compatibility first to see if it is going to work out. What they often find is because they have not established trust in the relationship before marriage, there is little trust in the relationship after marriage which is why the majority of couples who "live together" before marriage divorce within the first two to five years. Many are also exploring intimacy with same-sex relationships (that is the new politically correct term for homosexual marriage) because God's plan is not being followed. They fear intimacy with the opposite sex because they fear the emotional, physical, and spiritual challenges and demands of the opposite sex that they are unwilling to commit to them. I find it interesting that while many opposite sex couples are trying to find intimate alternatives outside of marriage, homosexual couples seek commitment and bond within marriage. Either way, man and woman seem so distraught and lonely, unsatisfied and discouraged because they won't accept God's plan for intimacy: "One man- one woman for life." Many couples wind up in my office hurt, confused, discouraged, and disillusioned about life and relationships because they have listened to the world instead of God who has a definite plan for intimacy, and when it is followed, it brings about a greater satisfaction and blessedness in the relationship. This is not to say married, opposite-sex, lifetime committed couples will not have problems. When one sinful nature joins with another there is bound to be friction and problems- especially selfishness. But when a relationship with God becomes the focal factor in that marriage- it has the potential to be everything not only God desires for that couple, but everything that couple is looking for.

 
 

I am exploring this thought in my devotions for the next several days. I hope you will trust me to be open minded as I examine what has been so overlooked and ignored for several decades: that God has a plan for intimacy in marriage. This is not just a throw back to an age of old-fashioned and irrelevant cultural mores, nor is it just one of many options out there that we may consider: it is not just the plan for intimacy God wants for us; it is truly the only plan that works.

 
 

Have a blessed day.

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

07 January 2010 Devotion for Today "He Can Handle It" Mark 5: 21-35

²¹ Now when Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side, a great multitude gathered to Him; and He was by the sea. ²² And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name. And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet ²³ and begged Him earnestly, saying, "My little daughter lies at the point of death. Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live." ²⁴ So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him.
²⁵ Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, ²⁶ and had suffered many things from many physicians. She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse. ²⁷ When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. ²⁸ For she said, "If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well."
²⁹ Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction. ³⁰ And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched My clothes?"
³¹ But His disciples said to Him, "You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?'"
³² And He looked around to see her who had done this thing. ³³ But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. ³⁴ And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction."
³⁵ While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue's house who said, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?" (Mark 5:21-35)

In my mind this morning is the picture of my six year old daughter trying to help us with the laundry. She's going on 17 now but about ten years ago she was trying to help us by picking up a clothes basket of wet clothes and tried to make her way up the basement stairs with them so that we could put them on the clothesline . She was making good progress until, at about the sixth step, her strength just gave out. Exhausting and huffing and puffing, she called out for me to help her. "Daddy", she says, "This is just too much for me to handle!"

There are those times when life presents us with things that are too big for us to handle. We can become mired in the situation and there is no way out. Disease, death, depression and debt. Sometimes it is not us, but someone we love and would gladly trade places with them if we could. In this story from the fifth chapter of Mark we will learn that we can trust Jesus for things that are too big for us, because nothing is too big for Jesus. Not only that, but He traded places with us. In our text, two very different people are confronted with problems that are far too big for them.

First, there is a synagogue official. Here is a man of stature in his community, a family man, a person of means, confronted with something too big for him: his precious, twelve year old daughter is deathly ill. Nothing they have done for her has helped. She is on the very brink of death. Then there is someone else, a nameless woman. She has been hemorrhaging for twelve years. Her problem has rendered her a social outcast-walking pollution. She isn't even allowed to enter in to that synagogue. Her theology is based on superstition. She has no family that we know of, and no money; it has all been spent on the latest remedies. She has tried everything, but this thing is too big.

Mark brings these two very different people together, because they each teach us he same lesson: we can trust Jesus for the things that are too big for us because nothing, not even death, is too big for Jesus. You may be going through some things today that are too big for you to handle. That does not mean its too big for Christ to handle. You must allow Him and accept the help that He gives. Sometimes people don't get help because: 1) they are not aware that there is someone who can help them or 2) they would rather try to deal with the problem themselves because their pride makes them feel badly that they cannot do what is needed. They feel insufficient. They don't want to ask for help because, like the woman in the story, she was ashamed to face Christ. It was an embarrassing, personal situation for her. She knew in that time that most men would not be very understanding of her predicament. This was, after all, a "female problem" that men would shrink back from in disgust or embarrassment. But at least she reached out her hand and touched Him.

Christ shows us in this passage that no matter how critical, or no matter how embarrassing the situation is for us, He can handle it. He is willing to handle it because He loves you and does not want you to feel alone in it. He desires to heal you and to bless your life. He desires also that you come to him and call out for help not because He doesn't know about it, but so you can acknowledge your dependency upon Him. Will you do that today? It may beyond your ability or strength, but remember, He can handle it!

Prayer: Dear Jesus, today I acknowledge the fact that there are things in my life I just don't know how to deal with. It is too big for me. I ask You to help me, and trust in your sufficiency because I know, You can handle it.

Have a blessed day!

06 January 2010 Devotion for Today "In the Image of God" Genesis 1:26-31

Wednesday, January 06, 2010

10:20 AM

 
 

^{26 Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all[b] the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."}

^{29 And God said, "See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. 30 Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food"; and it was so. 31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day. (Genesis 1:26-31)}

 
 

How do we know we are special then? Because we are made in God�s image.

HOW ARE WE LIKE GOD?

 
 

Now, you may be asking, how are we like God?

We could list of several features such as:

 

1. We have a spirit. God is also spirit. Jn 4:23 says "a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.�"

 
 

We relate to God on a spiritual level - spirit to spirit.

 
 

2.We have a free will. We were created with a freedom of choice to determine whether we want to follow God or our own desires. Thus Joshua could rightly say to the people of Israel - Josh 24:14-15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.

 
 

3.We have a Created with a moral dimension (Eph 4:24). A conscience which tells us what is right and wrong. We are able to reason what it is that God would have us do.

 
 

Dr Lloyd Jones says: "Man was made intellectually and morally in such a way that there was a kind of integrity about him, nothing false, nothing imperfect, nothing wrong. There was a straightness, and uprightness. There was a truth. His nature was one; it was balanced; it was exactly what it was meant to be: moral and intellectual integrity, expressing themselves in "righteousness and true holiness."

� We have a rational nature. That means that we are able to reason or to think intelligibly about things. Yes my dog can do this to a limited extent, but she is no where near on the same level as a man or a women. We are able to analyze situations and meditate on God and his goodness.

 
 

1. Lastly, we were created to have dominion over nature. Now many people jump on this phrase and see that the idea that we are to rule over and subdue the earth means that we can do whatever we want. But God is not giving us a license for recklessness. The idea of rule and subdue means to organize and care for. In fact, in Genesis 2 God tells Adam to tend the Garden that He has given men. This is more the idea of being a faithful steward than it is to dominate. We are to be more like gardeners than we are miners.
   

    
    

   Think of what it would mean if someone told you to rule over the fields of their farmland and subdue it? Where I live in eastern North Carolina, we have vast expanses of farmland. Would that mean you could do whatever you wanted on that land? Would you drive around with your friends in your pick up trucks and make all kinds of neat tracks in the mud? Would you put your garbage out in the fields? No. The person who told you to rule and subdue the farmland was really telling you to make it productive. They meant you should cultivate the ground and subdue the weeds and bugs. Having dominion over the earth does not give us license as much as it gives us a responsibility. God has entrusted us with the task of taking care of His creation. It is a job that he hasn't given to any other creature I mean when was the last time you saw a lion pulling out weeks. We are like God because we have been given responsibility. We have not done a very good job.
   

    
    

   Note that each of these four items are not dependant upon you as an individual, your training, your success or other. They are intrinsic to being human. You have a spirit, a conscience, an intellect and a responsibility because you are a human and no other reason. Note also that they are in no way diminished because of the fall. The fact that we have rebelled against God. We are still, regardless of our spiritual condition, images of God.
   

    
    

   A picture of this relationship is seen in Jesus relationship with his Father. Because he was a man, Jesus too was created in the image of God. He shared the attributes that we too share, but his relationship with God was perfect. You want to see what God wants from our relationship- look at the relationship Jesus had with his Father : total commitment, total dependence, total obedience and regular communication. All this worked itself out in terms of a love for his fellow man. This is what we need to model in our relationship with God.
   

    
    

   Prayer: Help me see, dear God, myself as created in Your image, and the responsibility that I have in this relationship and to develop every aspect of this relationship that I may represent You as totally and as completely as I can. In Jesus Name, Amen.
   

    
    

   Have a blessed day!