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Posts tagged with: Bible
Oct 6, 2021    |       2 comments

Lamb’s Blood, Doorposts, and You.

Before reading this blog post…First Read Exodus Chapter 12 from the Bible.

Have you ever considered how the doorposts of our homes hold great value to each of us? Many goodbye’s and hello’s take place from the doorposts of our homes. Our doorposts are the entry to our privacy.The Biblical Hebrew culture holds even greater symbolism and tradition relating to doorposts. Public declarations, contracts, prayers, and so much more take place from the doorposts of an Israelite family’s home. So, when the Lord told them to slaughter a lamb and put the blood of that lamb on their doorposts, it would not have been as strange to them as it sounds to us. Keep in mind, the Israelites have now experienced 9 plague phenomenons, so this command to put blood on their doorposts must have really set them on edge in regard to what’s next.  I hope you didn’t get lost in the ritual and rules while reading Exodus chapter 12 today. I hope today’s devotion will bring about the personal impact that God intended for us to learn when He asked the Israelites to cover their doorposts with the blood of a lamb.

I desire to meet Moses someday and ask him all about this night when death passed over the homes with blood on their doorposts, yet entered the homes, and killed all the first born sons, of those who didn’t have blood on their doorposts. I can’t wait to hear the first hand account of what must have been a terrifying night. I want you to fully understand how God used this night to reveal 1. Who He is, and 2. how He works.

  1. WHO: Understand that God IS integrity. I didn’t say God has integrity. Understand the difference of having integrity and literally being integrity. God IS integrity, therefore, if God breaks any of His own laws, He can’t be God. I ask you to understand this because God created, what I call, His foundational laws. They are recorded in Leviticus 17:11. My shorthand version of these laws go like this; Life is in the blood, and blood must be shed to receive forgiveness of sins. Remember that God is integrity.
  2. HOW: There is one other attribute of God that is vital for our understanding Him. God is perfect and holy. This reality makes it impossible for Him to be in relationship with sin, or with anything sinning. God originally created us all, sin free. He declared us good. He also, remarkably, declares us His masterpiece of all creation. That makes us/you, His favorite of all created things! When we, starting with Adam and Eve, freely chose to break God’s laws, this brings sin into our lives, causing us to be separated from a perfect and holy God. This terrible reality forced a great dilemma upon God. Remember, God must honor His own laws because He is integrity. So God wants to forgive us, so He can be back in relationship with us, but integrity requires that bloodshed must first take place. God has two choices in His predicament. He can kill us, and shed our own blood, to forgive us, but that would mean He would lose His relationship with His masterpiece. So, God, in the Old Testament times, chose to have us kill an animal in our place, and have that animal’s blood be the lifeblood that is shed for our forgiveness. The blood of a lamb, was God’s free gift and pathway back into a relationship with Him. The blood of a lamb, was God’s invitation to receive His protection from death.  On this night, all God asked was for each family take the blood of a lamb and wipe it on the doorposts of their home. That evening, those who did as God asked, were saved from death. That evening, at Midnight, those who did not do what God asked, were visited by death, and every firstborn son and first born animal were killed in their individual homes. Exodus 12 records that there was loud wailing heard throughout the land of Egypt, for there was not a single Egyptian home where someone didn’t die. Imagine the terrifying echo that carried into each Israelite family’s quiet and dark homes. Imagine, each parent drawing their children in closely, comforting their fears, assuring their safety, and being thankful for the blood of the lamb. 

Questions to answer:

  1. Did you notice, in this Exodus 12 recorded history, that God wasn’t concerned about what kind of people were behind the blood covered doorframes? God was only looking for the blood of the lamb on the doorframe to cause Him to save anyone who was inside that door. How does this reality help you understand who God really is? How does this relate to Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross? How do you receive the blood of the lamb, Jesus, on your life so you too can be brought back into a relationship with God? 
  2. It became clear, at midnight on this Exodus night, that God’s saving act was a gift. That gift still required two things. FAITH in what God required for salvation, and OBEDIENCE to physically put the blood of the lamb on the doorpost. A free gift that required faith and obedience. Anybody who was saved, would never be able to brag they were saved, because all who were saved did the same thing…applied the blood of the Lamb. 
  3. Bible Verses to Meditate on: James 2:14-26, Romans 5:8, Romans 6:23, 1 Timothy 1:15, Hebrews 9:11-28 

Aug 30, 2020    |       4 comments

Church/State Compliance due to Covid-19 in America…

The Apostle Paul, under the teaching of Jesus, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, wrote in Romans 12:21, “Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.”  

There’s a lot of talk lately about doing good through compliance, respect, courtesy, and obedience to the Gov, and respect for our fellow citizens. This fact is a good thing. There is and has been a tremendous amount of compliance from Churches and Christians over the past 6 months. One would think this would be respected and appreciated by non believers and government officials. One might think it would win them over. Time will tell.

My gut…not always accurate…tells me the opposite is happening. The rest of this post is simply my opinion. As I often say, and already repeat in this post…Time Tells All things. My personal gut tells me that the American Church…which does have more freedom than any other Church group around the world. (America is very good in that respect) So…it is an unarguable fact that we as the Church, that live in America, have done a lot of good, as Romans 12:21 states, through compliance and obedience to the Government’s wishes and laws. Is it too pushy of me to be concerned that the Church need be reminded of the other half of God’s mandate found in Romans 12:21? Conquer evil.

I’ve witnessed Christians across the USA, bend over backwards to do the compliance part. In America we have the God given freedom to use the law to do the other half of Scripture’s command too…to Conquer, using good.  

The Law is Good. It can be used by the Christian to accomplish much.

Christianity in America will not retain freedom through compliance, passivity, and courtesy only. I am convinced there are some who would prefer we all simply lay our heads on the chopping block and allow the world to dominate us, end our lives, and send us into eternity. That was Jesus’s role. He came to earth for the propitiation sacrifice required to pay for our sin. Our mission while we are on earth, is not exactly the same as Jesus’s mission while He was here on earth. We are mandated to behave like Jesus, but we are not mandated to have the exact same mission as Jesus. Jesus’s mission was full submission to God and Man. He could not defy, as that would prevent him from dying. He came here to die. Along the way, He did a lot of good, that we also are to do…but His first part of coming to die…is His mission…and His alone. There is only one Lord and Savior, and we are not Him and our mission is different than His.  So, I ask…where is the Christian and the Church that is honoring both sides of the command to Conquer and do Good?

Strength and defiance can be done while also honoring Scripture’s command of remaining good.  The Bible tells us to obey the law of the land. America has been fortunate to have been founded on “We The People” are the law makers…and We The People are the Government of the land. Yes…even Christians living in America.

I copied an article today I found in the News….check it out below…

Pay special attention to the 2nd paragraph below…I capitalized it for easy reference. The full article can be found in The Christian Post Sunday Edition August 30, 2020.

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The four-page letter posted on the front door of the church accused North Valley Baptist of “failing to prevent those attending, performing and speaking at North Valley Baptist’s services from singing.” 

IN THE LETTER, COUNTY OFFICIALS REVEALED THEY HAD BEEN SENDING AGENTS INTO THE CHURCH TO SPY ON THE CONGREGATION DURING WORSHIP SERVICES. 

“This activity is unlawful,” the notice stated. “The county understands that singing is an intimate and meaningful component of religious worship. However, public health experts have also determined that singing together in close proximity and without face coverings transmits virus particles further in the air than breathing or speaking quietly.” The county demanded that North Valley Baptist “immediately cease” their activities, warning that “failure to do so will result in enforcement action by the county.”

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There are no easy answers in regards to how to conquer and do good in regards to this topic of Government control and Church Worship Services. We will have to continue to talk it out.

I’m convinced the world will only like Christianity when it fully submits to them.

You will go to hell if you fully submit to the world. The Scripture tells us that we cannot be friends with the world and friends with Jesus at the same time. (James 4:4)

Who are we trying to appease?

Jul 8, 2020    |      Comments Off on Is our USA falling apart?…

Is our USA falling apart?…

Imagine you were born in America and the year is 1900.

When you’re age 14, World War I begins and ends by the time you’re age 18… there are 22 million dead.

Soon after a global pandemic, the Spanish Flu, appears, infecting 500 Million–(1/3 of the world’s population) and killing 50 million people. And you’re alive at the age of 20 years old.

When you’re age 29 you survive the global economic crisis that started with the collapse of the New York Stock Exchange, causing inflation, unemployment and famine. This era also gets nicknamed the Dirty Thirties.

When you’re age 33 years old the nazis come into power.

When you’re age 39, World War II begins and ends when you’re age 45 years old with a 60 million dead. 6 Million dead Jewish People from the Holocaust.

When you’re age 52, the Korean War begins.
When you’re age 64, the Vietnam War begins and ends when you’re age 75.

If you were fortunate enough to live to 2001, at the age of 101, you witnessed 3000 people die when the twin towers were destroyed by a terrorist attack.

Most Children born in the late 1900’s naturally think their grandparents have no idea how difficult life is. They naturally think their current era, and their world is falling apart more than ever.

Well…is our world falling apart more than ever? I answer no. I think there is more good happening than bad. The problem might be, we all have our iPhone’s out and use social media to overly populate the bad news views. Life is hard. Choose to focus on the millions of good that happens everyday.

In America Today we have all the comforts of a new world, even amid a new pandemic. What are your current complaints? Pause and imagine all the things we have that allow us to be described as fortunate. WiFi, Running Water, Electricity, Netflix, Insta, Coffee Shops on every corner, Sports, Great Schools, Equal Opportunity for Every American, Laptops, Cool Cars, iPhones, Air Conditioning, and Freedom. … keep the list going.

A small change in our perspective can generate entirely different outlooks. This change in perspective could change your outlook in nearly miraculous ways. We could be thankful that we are alive and thriving today. We could do everything we need to do to protect and help each other. Life is hard. It will remain difficult for the rest of our lives…for everybody. I pray we don’t actually think we have it worse than ever before. We don’t. It’s all about our perspective.

I end with a Holy Bible Scripture Verse found in Philippians 4:4-8.

“Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! 5 Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.

6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”

Jan 12, 2019    |      Comments Off on Priority Check

Priority Check

I just got finished coaching a women’s High School Basketball game. Our girls literally got beat by 1 point from the opponents last second shot that went in with 2 seconds left in the game. Its one of the hardest losses I’ve ever experienced in my 35 out of 48 years of being heavily involved in competitive basketball.

In all those years, I have never blamed a loss on refs…until tonight. I’ve never seen anything like it. It was like I was stuck in the Twilight Zone. I’ve never thought that somebody would pay the refs for a win, until tonight. I know the team that won didn’t pay the refs. That’s laughable…but I kid you not it seemed like it. For 3 of the 4 quarters our girls played 5 against 7 on that hardwood court. These two refs had to literally run out of the game at the buzzer, and were escorted out of the gym for protection. It was terrible. All around. The whole thing seemed like such an injustice. Anger was everywhere. Disappointment. Hurt. Screaming. Out of control.

It’s now a couple hours since the game ended. I got home and just couldn’t shake it. Frustrated to no end. Angry. I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep, so I did what I could only do. I went outside on this Saturday night, and went over my sermon notes for tomorrow’s message at Christ’s Church of Fountain Hills. As I began to pour over my notes, and think about what I was going to say, a greater emotion came over me and overruled my basketball emotion. I was instantly shaken back into “reality of priority.”

Oh, don’t get me wrong…women’s High School basketball matters. I believe it is great training for real world stuff and life. Teamwork, injustices, practice, hard work, playing against time, having critics and circumstances always fighting our trajectory of up and to the right in life, wins and losses. So tonight’s terrible results and circumstances in the game of basketball do matter…they do have a priority in life. I just talked to our lady athletes yesterday about how basketball and life are a lot alike. Here are my notes from that short talk.

As I started going through my sermon notes and watching the video testimonies we are going to watch at Church, I was settled down by a higher priority. My sermon for tomorrow…It was written by me, FOR ME. I’m still upset at the ridiculousness I experienced in tonight’s basketball game…but I can’t wait for tomorrow. There is no greater priority than the work we do in the lives of people. My sermon tomorrow is going to be freaking awesome for myself and so many others. I believe with everything in me, that people are going to have a lightbulb come on in their lives due to this message. They are going to be better because of the higher priority I am choosing to let motivate my attention and focus.

If you are like me, then you too have had things happen recently that have caused you to get your priorities out of order. If this is true for you, like it is for me, then I ask you to get into God’s Word, watch an inspirational video about life change, focus on Heaven and Hell. Think about the end of your life and then work backwards right to where you are as you read this. Everything in life matters…even basketball. But not everything is of the same value and priority. There will always be something/someone that causes our priorities to become imbalanced. Life is hard. Disappointment waits at every turn in your life. When this happens, I pray that you will practice extreme self discipline by pausing and hitting shuffle on your priority set. Take a deep breath. Don’t allow yourself to be the number one priority in your life. Feel your emotions. Acknowledge the emotions you are feeling. But be careful about obeying those emotions. They will not always tell you the truth…or at least the highest priority truth.

I can’t wait for tomorrow. I can’t wait to preach a message that I am fully confident is going to be a mile marker moment in many people’s lives. I pray that you have something in your life that helps you prioritize with truth and facts…not just emotions. If you don’t have anything in your life that will help you prioritize your life…I hope you will reach out to me and let me walk with you until you get your priorities in the right order. Its very difficult to keep your priorities in order on your own. Contact me. Let’s team together to restructure your priority list. My email address is [email protected].

Good God Almighty…I love the game of basketball. I hate what happened tonight. I’m so grateful I had something tonight to help me get prioritized in my thoughts, and help me get out of my feelings. What do you have in your life that can help you do the same? Getting our priorities ordered is arguably the most important thing in your life. Think about it. If I can help you, please ask. Seriously I’d be grateful. I’m finally, after 48 years of wins and losses, getting good at it.

May 3, 2018    |      Comments Off on Spiritual Glasses On?

Spiritual Glasses On?

2 Corinthians 5:16…”From now on then, we do not know anyone from a purely human way.”
 
Do you view people with spiritual eyes? If you view, even your enemy through the eyes of Jesus…it will affect how you treat them…no matter how they treat you.  Get your spiritual glasses on and wear them everywhere. 
You will be remarkable! 
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