Why is This Happening?

WHY IS THIS HAPPENING?

Third of twelve parts in Breathtaking Promise series

Romans 8:29a:  “For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son,”

            We saw in God’s Plan that every person He creates has purpose.  Besides the gifts planted in people to achieve what they enjoy doing, God wants us to believe in and accept His Son Jesus’ offer of eternal life.  The opening Scripture says that God knew all about you…and planned for your growth…from forever past. 

            His goal is for you to grasp and agree with your purpose of growing into Christ’s likeness.  That means cooperating with His Spirit, who indwells every Believer.  Not to belabor the point that Spiritual growth takes a lifetime, we also HATE parts of the growth process. 

            The thing is that hardship and suffering are tools that God uses to shape His kids.  What we hate will likely be the very thing He uses to hone His character in us.

            People aren’t meant to grow into gods, but to become godly.  God’s Spirit teaches us love by placing hateful people in our lives.  We learn joy during suffocating grief.  Godly patience is a character best learned when pulling out our hair explaining our innocence.  Peace is gained in the midst of chaos.

            These godly characteristics are taught in all kinds of life situations where we find ourselves.  The depth of spiritual growth as we become more like Christ seems to have   no bottom.   “Why is this happening?” will be something you will screech more than once.           

            A more mature, growing approach would screech, “What am I supposed to learn from this?”  The answer is what aids your spiritual growth.  God is not the author of evil, but He sure can bring good out of bad.  He will bring you what challenges your core.  What are you made of?  Will you yield to an easy bitter road or accept the challenge to follow God’s Spirit to godly behavior?

            The choice is yours. 

            Maybe you’ll remember this devotion at the best time to decide that your response will be godly.

            Every challenge has the single purpose to grow Believers up spiritually to be like
Jesus.

Take Home Nugget

            But wait.  Don’t despair.  God knows this growing up is hard.  Jesus knows more than anyone how dealing with people can threaten one’s sanity.  Sooo, there are gifts for God’s chosen attending Jesus’ School of spiritual growth!  

            Galatians 5:22b-23a says the “fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”   Believers only need to cooperate with God’s Spirit and these character traits will become second nature.

Jesus advises, “Take it slow, graduating from My school takes a lifetime.  But I’ll be leading you through every test.” 

                                                                                                  

Adapted from “God Wants You to Grow Up” by Rick Warren.  September 10, 2016. Daily Hope.   www.PastorRick.com

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God's Plan

GOD’S PLAN

Second of twelve parts in Breathtaking Promise series

Genesis 1:28:  “God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.  Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.’”

            Adam and Eve do not belong in the “Animal Kingdom” of humanly-devised category-of-life.  God’s plan was for animals to be created differently than man.  He spoke animals into existence.  God made animals to reproduce more of “their kind.”

            But humans were fashioned after God’s kind.  God fashioned Adam from dirt—tenderly, purposefully (Genesis 2:7).  God longed to have a relationship with man, so He created man according to His kind.  Having a relationship with our Creator is far better than what ANY animal can achieve. 

            God’s education plan is His Word, the Bible.  That revealed knowledge introduces God to the same people with whom He wants to have relationships.  Revealed knowledge provides understanding for what man cannot discover or reason out for himself.

            It reveals answers to life’s most important questions.

            But humans reasoned a theory of evolution to explain human existence.  These same people reject revealed knowledge that God provides.  Can you imagine the look on Adam or Eve’s face if you suggested to them that they came from apes?  

            During 1960-1970, people set out to “find themselves.”  Kids were tired of hearing and following parent’s plans for their lives.  They wanted to discover why they were born and what their purpose is.

            Little did they know that God’s revealed knowledge contains purpose for everyone.  What is more important than to discover the purpose of your life?  Most of the kids in the 1960s and 70s hadn’t found a clue to their life’s purpose. 

            Nothing has changed for people who don’t know God’s revealed knowledge today.

            Life’s greatest questions, why life and what now? cannot be found outside God’s revealed knowledge.  God’s plan shows that each person has an awesome purpose   that isn’t reasoned out from human intellect. 

            God longs to have relationships with the people He made.  That’s the why life answer.  God’s plan is for all people to believe in His Son Jesus.  Jesus died to offer people forgiveness of sins and eternal life.  When we accept His offer, God’s Spirit comes to dwell within Believers-in-Christ.   

Take Home Nugget

            God’s plan for Believers is to BE like Him answers the what now question.  

            God’s Spirit immediately goes to work transforming Believers into God’s likeness.  While God formed human shape physically like Himself, we cooperate with His Spirit to develop His character.  That takes a lifetime. 

God’s breathtaking promise is to build His character in you!  That’s your purpose.  Will you accept the challenge?

Adapted from “Your Awesome Potential! (Part 2)” by David C. Pack.  The Real Truth Magazine.  March, 2016.  Pages 1-2, 28-30.  Ohio.  www.RealTruth.org

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Begin Correctly

BEGIN CORRECTLY

First of twelve parts in Breathtaking Promise series

Genesis 1:26:  “Then God said, ‘Let us make men in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’”

1 Corinthians 15:45-49:  “So it is written, ‘the first man Adam became a living thing, the last Adam, a life-giving spirit.  The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that, the spiritual.  The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven.  As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth, and as the man from heaven, so also are those who are from heaven.  And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven.”

            Humans are complex creatures.  God created humans with body, mind, soul, and spirit.  Believers have God’s indwelling spirit, as well.  That’s very confusing.  Adam and Eve had no idea that they were more than physical creations. 

            They forgot they were to rule. 

            So when the devil told the half-truth that they will not die if they eat fruit from the tree that God had specifically forbidden, they both disobeyed.  Humans are still the same.  We tend to get “carried away” with emotion and forget sober judgment.  We’re impulsive; [im-PUL-sive] means reckless, hasty, earthly. 

            Eve zoned in that she’d “be like God” (Genesis 3:5), if she were to eat the forbidden fruit (Genesis 2:17).  She wanted that.

            Adam heard and saw everything that just happened.  No red flags raised in him shouting that they were skating on thin ice by eating the forbidden fruit.  Eve didn’t fall down dead.  Did God lie?

            Adam took a bite. 

            Like ice water thrown on their heads, Adam and Eve instantly realized they were naked!  Both forgot that they were more than physical bodies. 

            Too late.  No do-overs.  Neither of our original parents consulted with their spirit before disobeying God.  They passed on the sin gene to everyone coming after.    

           

Take Home Nugget

            Although our first parents were made in God’s image, there is a HUGE difference between coming from dust (Adam) and spirit (God).  Humans can create, reason, observe, experiment, and process physical knowledge.  We think that we can reason everything out for ourselves. 

            That was human’s starting point.

            The missing truth was that man cannot reason his salvation.  Whoever is God’s-Spirit incomplete is destined to fail.  Whoever has not been born again still has it wrong (John 3:7).  See the lesson linked below.  

Holy Father, teach Your Kids to begin correctly.  Amen.

Adapted from “Your Awesome Potential! (Part 2)” by David C. Pack.  The Real Truth Magazine.  March, 2016.  Pages 1-2, 28-30.  Ohio.  www.RealTruth.org

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Today is a World Unto Itself

TODAY IS A WORLD UNTO ITSELF

Psalm 118:24:  “This is the day the Lord has made;”

            People should pay close attention whenever Scripture repeats words.  A previous devotion, “Melchizedek Blessings”, quoted Deuteronomy 11:26-27, but not in totality.  Here, see the word “today” twice: “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse—the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today.” 

            The sentence ends with a curse people bring on themselves when they disobey the commands that the Lord gave them.

            Believers accept that the Bible is God’s Word written by men inspired by God’s Spirit.  So, every word bears profound significance.  The word “today” could have easily been omitted the second time without changing the meaning of the passage.  Clearly, “today” demands a closer look.

            Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, (a great Hasidic master of the 18^th century), once said, “In this world, a person has only the very day and the very moment in which he finds himself.  Tomorrow is a completely different world.”

            God stresses the importance of today, as well.  The opening Scripture wants people to “rejoice and be glad” in “this day”.  Does God intend rejoicing and gladness to be commands?  That sounds like a good idea to me.

            God made this day specifically for His kids; surely “Today” IS good!  Rabbi Nachman stresses today as a world unto itself.  When it’s gone—like tomorrow—another world will take today’s world’s place. 

            Jewish masters explain that each day has its own “spark.”  This day is unique in its opportunities and challenges, its own potential for greatness or failure.  Or, in terms of Deuteronomy 11:26-27, possibilities for blessings—or curses, heaven forbid!  When this day is done, its spark is gone forever—and so also are the choices that people had this morning!

            Understanding this, we find a new appreciation for the Lord’s setting before us today a blessing or a curse, don’t we?  Life isn’t a game.  We need to take life seriously.  Life is a gift for which we have a duty to live our best.

             

Take Home Nugget

            Life is human’s proving ground.  Every single day affords us opportunities to choose—using God’s gift of free will—obedience and blessings, or—disobedience and—why would we be surprised at God’s curses?  (See the lesson that’s linked below).  

            No matter how miserably you may have failed yesterday, you can choose obedience and blessings today!

            After death, how cool would it be if friends agree that you lived each day to the fullest for God?

“This s a day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”  Thank You, Lord.  I’ll make every effort to make today count for blessings!  Amen. 

Adapted from “This is the Day” by Rabbi Eckstein.  September 01, 2016.  www.HolyLandMoments Daily Devotional.

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Melchizedek Blessings

MELCHIZEDEK BLESSINGS

Hebrews 5:8-10:  “Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from when He suffered, and once made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.”

            Mel-KIZ-i-dek is a curious being.  He appeared to Abraham thousands of years before Jesus was born.  Apparently Melchizedek was the first high priest serving God Almighty on people’s behalf. 

            Why did the Father designate Jesus to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek?

            Before God changed Abram’s name to Abraham in Genesis 17:5, Melchizedek, king of Salem, sought out Abram to bless him.   Abram had just finished defeating kings and rescuing his nephew Lot-along with his wives and property.  Melchizedek brought Abram bread and wine to refresh him, but what he said must also have lifted Abram’s spirit: “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.  And blessed by God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.”  (Genesis 14:17-20).

            After Abraham ate and drank, he gave Melchizedek ten percent of all he had.

            This was the first time someone tithed 10% of his wealth back to God.

            Like Melchizedek’s blessing Abraham, Jesus also serves up blessings as Believer’s high priest.  The “once made perfect” phrase in the opening Scripture means Jesus died as payment for our sins and rose to life again.  He is the “source of eternal salvation to all who obey him”. 

            That sounds like blessings to me!

            The difference between both these blessing priests and the hundreds of Aaronic priests was that Aaronic priests took away from people.  After God gave Moses His ten commandments, people were judged under the law.  Deuteronomy 11:26-28 says, “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse—the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God,” … and “the curse if you disobey the commands of the Lord your God,” … “and by following other gods which you have not known.”

            Many disobeyed, earning God’s curse.

            Believers today are under God’s covenant of grace that Jesus ushered in.  He never curses—like how Aaronic high priests served God during people’s disobedience. 

            Believers have the privilege of entering God’s throne room every time we pray to Him (Hebrews 4:16).  Jesus is there interceding for us!  

                                                                                                                                       

Take Home Nugget

            Are you aware of Jesus’ daily blessings?  We smile when the sun rises each day.  But we can’t trust creation; somedays it storms.  Do we thank Jesus each day He cares for us, keeping our bodies healthy and providing everything we need?  Jesus’ blessings never depend on the weather.  

Jesus’ redemptive blessings are all good and are as sure as Jesus, Himself!

Adapted from “Jesus’ Priesthood Never Curses” by Joseph Prince.  August 28, 2016.  www.JosephPrince.org

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Slam the Door on Satan

SLAM THE DOOR ON SATAN

Proverbs 18:21:  “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”

            Job was the greatest man among people of the East, according to Job 1:3. 

            Job can teach Believers today how to avoid opening the door to Satan.  Job had seven sons and three daughters.  His sons took turns throwing parties for the family.  They would eat and drink and have great times together.  Afterwards, Job would have them purified. 

            Early in the morning, Job would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them.  “This is to make up for the possibility that my sons or daughters sinned or cursed God in their hearts.”  (Job 1:4-5).

            Job’s prayers on their behalf got Satan’s attention.  One day, Satan tagged along when angels presented themselves to the Lord.  God was bragging on Job’s being blameless and walking upright before Him.  Satan proposed that God remove the hedge of protection around Job.  Satan predicted, “Stretch out Your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face.”  (Job 1:10-11).

            God limited Satan’s power with, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your hand, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”  (Job 1:12).

            We do not know whether Job’s kids really sinned or cursed God.  We do know that Job was afraid for God’s judgment against them and sacrificed burnt offerings on their behalf regularly (Job 1:5).  Job greatly feared that terrible things would happen to him or his family.  Job’s obsession with sin probably cracked open the door for Satan’s notice. 

            Job’s preoccupation with sins his family MAY HAVE committed brought death and destruction to them all.

            May Believers today learn to never allow fear of judgment and sin-consciousness open the door to Satan’s destruction in our own lives.

Take Home Nugget

            Believers never need to fear God’s judgment or obsess over sin.   We are not under God’s wrath of judgment that Job feared because Jesus was condemned and punished in our place!  We enjoy living safely under Jesus’ umbrella of forgiveness that He died to provide for us.  

            We can daily confess, “I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.” … “Jesus is my holiness and perfection.”  (1 Corinthians 1:30, 2 Corinthians 5:21). 

            When destruction is all around us, we can declare, “Jesus, You are my righteousness and protection.  Surely You shall deliver me from the snare of the fowler and from perilous pestilence!”  (Psalm 91:3).

            Such believing and confessing pleases God.  And, these words slam the door on Satan!

  Holy Father, Remind me to confess being the righteousness of Christ and His holiness and perfection whenever I am afraid, because that slams the door on Satan!  Amen.

Adapted from “What Have You Been Saying?” by Joseph Prince.  August 5, 2016.  www.JosephPrince.org

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