Category Archives: Devotional/Bible Thoughts

Rulers who were Placed and Chosen by Men (not by God)

“They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off.” -Hosea 8:4

It is a well known Bible fact that God raises up kings and He takes them down. You can get the basic idea from Daniel 4:32 where it says, “…the most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomsoever he will.” But is it also true that men choose and put up leaders of their own accord without God choosing them as the leaders? Absolutely! Continue reading →

Paid by God for your Service (4-23-2013)

18 “Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon caused his army to labor strenuously against Tyre; every head was made bald, and every shoulder rubbed raw; yet neither he nor his army received wages from Tyre, for the labor which they expended on it. 19 Therefore thus says the Lord God: ‘Surely I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; he shall take away her wealth, carry off her spoil, and remove her pillage; and that will be the wages for his army. 20 I have given him the land of Egypt for his labor, because they worked for Me,’ says the Lord God.” -Ezekiel 29:18-20

Does God pay us for our faithful service to Him? Yes, a thousand times, the answer is yes! Jesus promised it over and over again. God will pay us with the wages of Heaven! But, even in this life we can receive blessings and rewards from God for our service to Him (See Matthew 6:4,6,18; 20:8; Luke 10:7; 2 Timothy 4:8).

In these verses from the book of Ezekiel God was paying back the nation of Babylon and it’s King for their service done to Him. God had wanted to send Judgment upon the wicked, proud, sinful city of Tyre! The armies of Babylon did their service to destroy this place. However, the spoils gathered from that destruction were not that great, but the cost was a little much for their army’s labor and travels. Therefore, God said, “I will reward them with Egypt and it’s riches also for their service to me.” God allowed them to overtake and destroy Egypt as well, thus finding the riches and getting the funds that were needed to pay for their military labors and to make it profitable for them. How nice of God to pay them for their services to Him. God also pays us for our services to Him!

You may think, “Oh, but when I do gospel labor there is not much profit. Oh, there is not much to be gained when I sell or give a Christian book to someone who has almost no money. Or when I do a Bible study freely for another person it is only for the value of our study and a soul, nothing more.” You may not get much apparently at this time for your efforts, but you can be sure that the rewards of God are on their way! You will be rewarded NOW with blessings from God, but rest assured that there is even a far greater reward that is coming from God in the future! Maybe at the next house (for you Colporteurs) your reward is coming. But, even more so when the Lord appears the greatest of all payments will be ours! The King of Babylon didn’t get his pay when he labored against Tyre, but God gave him what he needed as pay and profit at the very next military encounter. The treasures of the next campaign easily paid for both endeavors! God blessed these servants and rewarded them for their service! Maybe our kind act today, in service for God, will put us down a little bit financially speaking, but tomorrow God has plans to pay and to reward your kind service of faith! So, serve Him faithfully today, not counting the cost, but trusting that if it is God’s service, then He will richly repay you at just the right time! Be blessed in the Lord today!

[originally posted on our old CCM blog, April 23, 2013]

Is sharing sickness or disease love? (4-14-2013)

To the title question of this article, you might quickly say, “No!” That would seem like a reasonable response. However, believe it or not, there are people and cultures in the world who in practice (and/or belief) would think that sharing sickness and disease was love. After all, some people we really just “love so much!” Perhaps we think, well, if they can suffer it, then I will too. Is that love? The face of your spouse, that cute little child, or significant other; wouldn’t it just be love to share their sickness and feel their ill ease together? Is that right? To some, such an idea would seem like madness! And it is madness, isn’t it? Others would just buy it as “love” and suffer the illness of a loved one. However, despite people’s personal opinions and various cultural ideas, what does God have to say about this in His word? It is love, or insanity and sin? Well, let’s take a look at the Bible, the ultimate source for truth and right thinking! Surely, God has an answer for us! Continue reading →

Having more Clout with the Almighty! How to get answers!! (1-30-2012)

“Then said the LORD unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth” (Jeremiah 15:1).

Clearly, God was angry with his people in the days of Jeremiah. They had crossed the line of NO return! There was no remedy, except to cast them out to the enemy. They had to receive the harsh curses of God to wake up and realize their own wickedness! For generation upon generation they had been living in wickedness and the voice of God’s true prophets and His word (the Law) had been nothing to them. Their ears would not listen, nor obey. Now God himself was not going to listen to them!

Moses and Samuel were some of the most earnest pleaders and petitioners of God’s throne. They were righteous men and the Lord listened to their pleadings! (For example, see Exodus 32:31-31; Numbers 14:15-21). Another who we know had such clout with God as a petitioner of the heavenly throne of mercy was Abraham, the friend of God (See Genesis18:17-33). Abraham questioned with God for the lives of those in Sodom and Gomorrah–to spare the city for the sake of the righteous. God answered him fairly according to his questions and demonstrated His great mercies.

There was also Job, whom God boasted of proudly as a heavenly Father, saying, “Have you beheld my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth…?” (Job 1:8). We have also Daniel of whom the heavenly angel spoke of as “…a man greatly beloved” of God (Daniel 10:11). We can find a number of others who were quite faithful and beloved of God. The Scriptures go on, “Jacob, I have loved…” (Romans 9:13), etc.

What is it with these men to whom God and the inspired record of the Scripture give such favor and applause? Why did they have such clout with God? Such favor? Was God just arbitrarily playing favorites? No, of course not! God doesn’t ever do that! (Acts 10:34). What then? Simply this. These men obeyed God’s word diligently and faithfully while seeking Him earnestly! That’s it!!! That’s the secret! How can we have more clout with God? How can we have favor and strength from God? Obey Him faithfully and seek Him earnestly!

Simply look at a few of the many texts in the Bible on this subject and you’ll be quickly convinced, that IS the truth!

The Lord “…is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). “…pray to your Father who sees in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly” (Matthew 6:6). “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16). “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight” (Proverbs 15:8). “He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination” (Proverbs 28:9).

God’s faithful servants have His abundant blessings surrounding them!! They are excellent pleaders and petitioners before His throne! God answers their prayers! God does not answer the prayers of the wicked who will not listen to Him (although these very ones are aware of what the truth is). Sadly, in Jeremiah’s day, the professed people of God had become so wicked, that God said, essentially, “Even though one of My righteous servants like Moses or Samuel pleaded for them, I would still not answer to save these people from calamity.” How sad. The professed worshipers of God had lost all of God’s favor and had gained His certain wrath!! Let us not be among that number! Rather, let us obey God faithfully while seeking Him diligently. Let us be among the number who have power and clout to plead with God, and prevail, reaping the blessings of His Majesty’s favor. Amen?

[originally posted Jan. 30, 2013 on our old CCM blog]

Life Changing Encounters with God (12-10-2012)

“Hitherto is the end of the matter. As for me Daniel, my cogitations much troubled me, and my countenance changed in me: but I kept the matter in my heart” (Daniel 7:28).

As we study something as profound as the prophecies of Daniel we might be very quick to pass over some of the details such as this one. We generally spend a lot of time in studying the text of the prophecy itself! And of course, that is all right and good. We ought to be diligent in studying that message from God. But, let us not be so quick to easily forget that the Holy Spirit saw fit through Daniel to reveal the feelings of Daniel in relation to this vision as well.

There was something so incredible about receiving this vision from God that Daniel was left feeling “troubled” by his thoughts on the matter. His “countenance” was changed in him. But still, he kept the matter in his heart–to ponder it over and to not just reveal it to everyone as of yet. The prophet needed some time to reflect on what was just shown to him.

Previously, Daniel had received night visions and dreams from God, such as with those found in Daniel 2 and 4. However, this particular vision was quite troubling for Daniel! Something about this vision really struck the heart of Daniel and brought some troubles and concerns to his mind. This vision, perhaps even more than the previous ones, was a life changing experience for Daniel! He was troubled by it and his countenance–the face of his heart was changed within him (though he tried to hide the matter in his heart for a while). Something about Daniel’s outlook on life was now changed forever after experiencing this particular vision. It had quite a deep and important message to be shared with all the world, and Daniel knew that it carried with it a very great significance!

There are some lessons that we can take away from this and apply to our own life. First of all, have you experienced some truly life-changing encounters with God? Daniel had known God for his whole young life–this vision however changed something about his outlook and worldview for the future. You and I can also experience some deeper encounters with God as we seek Him–ones that will change our lives forever (Jeremiah 29:12-14). Secondly, if we rightly understand these prophecies in the Bible, then they should have a really solemn effect upon our lives and should change the kind of person that we are into one who is more sincere for God, and who is living more appropriately for the times in which we find ourselves (even as with Noah, see Hebrews 11:7). May God bless and guide you as you seek Him more earnestly! May your life be changed forever by the power of Jesus Christ and may your soul’s experience in God be greatly deepened by an earnest pursuit of Him! He wants to be found…so go for it!

[originally posted Dec. 10, 2012 on our old CCM blog]