Month: May 2007

God’s Goodness – Day 27 – Thunder & Lightning

On By KateIn VariousLeave a comment

When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder: (Job 28:26) One of the most awesome of God’s wonders to me is a good lightning and thunder storm! I love to sit and watch one and I stand amazed each time a lightning bolt goes across the sky and the sound of thunder claps afterward.

Man in his “finite wisdom” still does not know exactly why this phenomenon occurs. Here we are in the 21st Century and it is still a mystery! But here is what they do know. Lightning is an atmospheric discharge of electricity that happens mostly during a storm. It also occurs during a tornado, along with hail, as well as when a volcano erupts. It also occurs when it’s hot, called heat lightning. Scientists say a bolt of lightning travels at 100,000 miles per hour and that its temperature reaches almost 50,000 °F! It is said that the average bolt of lightning can produce enough energy to power a 100 watt light bulb for two months! The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world: the earth trembled and shook. (Psa 77:18 )

When I see lightning, I think of the Lord’s return. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (Mat 24:27) A lightning bolt shoots across the sky so quickly (100,000 mph), so will Christ’s return be! What a glorious thing to behold!!

When I was a little girl, my father told me that when I see lightning, all I have to do is to start counting when I hear the thunder. The number I reach is the distance in miles the lightning is away from me. It’s amazing what people attribute thunder to: the angels bowling, the clouds colliding, etc.! But even today, scientists do not completely understand what causes thunder. The current theory is that plasma expands in the lightning bolt’s trail and creates a sonic shock wave caused by the rapid heating and expansion of the air around the lightning. We see lightning before the thunder because light travels faster than sound.

I love the fact that even with all the head knowledge of our scientists today, they still cannot figure out lightning and thunder completely. They have but a “theory”! Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder: I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. Selah. (Psa 81:7) God’s Word says that thunder is in the secret place … I wonder if God intends to keep it a secret from man until His return!

How appropriate to end today’s devotional with the great song, “How Great Thou Art” by Carl Boberg! In 1885, he was walking home after church and watched a storm over Monsteras Bay in Sweden. The storm captured his attention and inspired him to pen the words to this beautiful hymn.

How Great Thou Art
Carl Boberg

O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Chorus

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

Chorus

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God’s Goodness – Day 26 – The Wind/Part 2

On By KateIn Various3 Comments

And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters asswaged; (Gen 8:1) The first mention of the wind is in Genesis 8:1. You all know my love for God’s use of numbers in the Word – and I believe He continues this love right down to the chapter numbers and verse numbers. The number eight symbolizes “new beginnings.” When we are born again, we have a new beginning – we receive the Holy Spirit of God within us who seals us. The Holy Spirit stirs our hearts like a breeze stirs the embers in a fire.

Another beautiful analogy I noticed was how the wind blew across the waters and caused them to asswage (to move and pull back). Christ, through His Word, is our Living Water and His Spirit moves within us to convict us, grow us, and pull us away from the world. Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. (Joh 4:10) The Living Water of the Word of God is stirred by the Wind, the Holy Spirit. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. (Joh 3:8 )

As the Holy Spirit stirs our spiritual embers, we grow in grace. He stirs us and reveals to us what His Word says. He guides us in our spiritual walk and reveals false doctrines so we can be equipped when cultists come our way. He pricks our hearts when we “hear” a different gospel. He reveals God’s will in every page of the Word. He shows us how to communicate to our Heavenly Father. God uses examples of the wind and makes His Word come alive through examples. The Master Painter paints a picture in our mind’s eye so we can better understand what He is communicating to us. God didn’t just give us His Word but He uses His creation to explain Himself more clearly. How blessed we truly are! But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. (Jam 1:6)

Another aspect of wind is its force. Wind carries dust and debris and sometimes it clutters the way and creates obstacles, like in the instance of a tornado. The Christian who spends time in the Holy Spirit breathed pages of the Bible will be able to discern teachings which are not scriptural. The new believer is a prime candidate for falling victim to deception. They are not yet experiencing the meat of the Word and they will be easily deceived. Spending little time in the Word invites debris and obstacles in their spiritual path.

However, the Christian who spends time in the Word, growing thereby, can recognize the devil’s winds about him. That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; (Eph 4:14) The devil is the father of lies according to John 8:44. But God did not leave us helpless, my friend. We have two of the most powerful defense weapons known to man: the Bible and prayer. The Holy Spirit wrote the Word of God through men and He speaks to the Father through us when we cannot find the words. How many times have I searched for just the right words to express to the Father what my heart contained. Yet, the Spirit had already told Him! The Spirit had already completed the mission and was revealing God’s will and plan through the blessed pages of my Bible in my reading time.

The wind is a magnificent part of creation to which much of God’s teachings can be attributed. How blessed we are that we can look at every facet of creation and see our God and His character. As Christians, we should take advantage of it and meditate on whatever it is that God puts in our path each day. God is waiting there to teach us and bless us through His creation. Thank You, Lord!

Dear God…
Your blessed Holy Spirit
Is seen in the softest breeze
Please move and stir within my heart
And mold me as You please.

God’s Goodness – Day 25 – The Senses

On By KateIn Various1 Comment

I wanted to do something unusual and not “obvious” in today’s God’s Goodness. I immediately thought about the body’s five senses. As I meditated on that this morning, I quickly recognized the Lord in all of our senses. We are so blessed! Of course, the first thing I noticed was the number five – for five senses. By now, you’ve noticed I have a love for God’s references to numbers in the Bible. The number five is the number for grace. I decided to look for God’s grace as it affects all of our senses. As I dug in, I was totally blessed and so I hope this is as much of a blessing to you as it was to me.

Let’s look at the the first sense – sight. For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him. (Isa 64:4) Can you imagine this? Just think of the most beautiful waterfall or majestic mountain that you have seen. God says that your eye (or anyone’s for that matter) has never seen what awaits you in Heaven. Glory!!

It amazes me how God intricately created the eye. Just the eye alone has so many parts and all work together to enable us to behold God’s beauty! Have we every stopped to think what we would do without our eyes? We would stumble in darkness. God likens the lost in this way: The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble. (Pro 4:19) Does not this just illuminate the song verse “I once was blind but now I see”? Truly such amazing grace!!

The next sense is that of hearing. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. (1 Co 2:9) As Paul was quoting Isaiah, he pointed out that nothing that we have heard with our own ears can be compared to what we will hear in Heaven! I have heard the Philadelphia Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir singing Handel’s Messiah, the Hallelujah chorus, and I thought this was the most beautiful sound I had ever heard. I was certain this would be sung in Heaven. I’ve also enjoyed listening to the beautiful coos of a newborn baby. But God tells us that no one has any idea, or even a clue, of what we will hear in Heaven! Double Glory!! Christ used the sense of hearing seven times in the Book of Revelation Chapters 2 and 3. The Word says that with our sense of hearing we will come to have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Rom 10:17)

God is so good to His children. He has given us eyes and ears with which to enjoy the beauty and sound of His creation! The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the LORD hath made even both of them. (Pro 20:12)

The third on our list is the sense of taste. O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. (Psa 34:8 ) How can you “taste” God? Have you not walked away from your Bible reading with the feeling that you ate sweet honey because God has healed your broken spirit? Have you ever walked away from your reading with a “bitter” taste in your mouth where God has revealed a sin to you? How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! (Psa 119:103) I think of how Christ used the sense of taste in His words to us. He is the water of life – He said we should be like salt to the unsaved! Christ used the senses as examples to us so as to teach us. So did Peter. 1 Pet. 2:2-3, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: (2) If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. (3)

The sense of touch is next. Touch not; taste not; handle not; (Col 2:21) Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, (2 Co 6:17) We touch thousands of things in the course of a day. Our hands touch what our eyes see and our brain leads us to touch. We must be so careful to protect our eyes so that our hands are not led to touch what we should not. If we protected ourselves in this manner, we would be able to fulfill 2 Co 6:17 without a problem. Our desire (our heart) should be to touch what is good in God’s eyes. I love sitting with my Bible and running my fingers across its leather cover and eagerly anticipating my time spent in reading its blessed pages. I love to hold a rose and touch its velvet-like petals. I love to touch a baby’s skin and nuzzle my nose into its sweet, precious soft neck.

Lastly, let’s look at the sense of smell. I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. (Amo 5:21) God even used the sense of smell to reveal to us His desires and His will. God does not want the work of our hands – He does not want us to play religion. This verse says that God hates the smell of our unrighteous sacrifices. God wants us to have a relationship with Him. Man’s relationship with God was severed in the Garden of Eden. However, Christ came to restore that relationship. He has saved us and His sacrifice is the sweet savour that God smells. In kind, our testimonies should be a sweet savour to a lost and dying world. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: (2 Co 2:15) The lost should be able to see that our “religion” is not one of burnt offerings of our own works but the blessed sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is what they should see in us – our testimony should smell like a rose to them, not like a skunk.

God’s Word has so much on the senses. I never gave it much thought until this morning. Just doing a word search in my Bible software showed me just how much God used the senses to teach us. What an awesome God we serve!

My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding. (Psa 49:3)

[Maschil of Asaph.] Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth. (Psa 78:1)

Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taste discern perverse things? (Job 6:30)

All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad. (Psa 45:8 )

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. (Heb 4:15)

Six Ways to Prove That I Am Saved

On By KateIn Various4 Comments

I have been overwhelmed at work as of late and not added to my devotional series on God’s Goodness for quite a few days now. I will finish it – I promise. I wanted to take a break today, however, to share with you a topic that recently resurfaced at Fundamental Baptist Forum which I had shared in June 2006. As I re-read it, the blessing was stirred again and I wanted to share it with you.

I took these notes on a message preached by Evangelist Hal Webb at our revival in June 2006. It was an awesome message! It was the first time I had ever seen a check list, so-to-speak, of how to prove your own salvation. We’ve all been there, haven’t we? Moments of doubt arise within us at times of spiritual failures and defeats. Also, we’ve all met people who live like the devil but claim to be saved. They prayed a “prayer-ette” and thought this gave them insurance against hell. The born again creature is a new creature with new desires, desires for righteousness – if this is not true, then God is a liar. But God does not lie – man does. God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; (Rom 3:4a)

Re-reading my notes blessed me so much that I expanded on it and added verses. I have put it in my Bible so that I can share that with those who “think” they are saved but their lives don’t show it. I hope it is a blessing to you!!!

Six Ways to Prove That I Am Saved:

1. I have no desire for habitual sinning in my life. If I smoke, my desire will be to quit and I will succeed with Christ’s help. If I struggled with lying, my desire will be to stop and I will be under conviction each time I do so.

Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. (1 Jo 3:9) Our soul is converted at the time we are saved. This soul is no longer bound by sin but free. It is the “house,” our flesh, which desires to sin. That is why we battle sin in this body. No one explained that better than Paul himself in Rom. 7:14-15, For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. (14) For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. (15)

The born again believer will hate the fact that he has sinned. 1 Jo 3:9 is not talking about the flesh but the soul. Our flesh is corrupt and will not enter Heaven. It is our soul which will enter. God sees Christ’s blood upon us – He sees His Son when He looks at us. As Paul battled, our own soul battles daily with the flesh. The more we feed this flesh with the Word of God and the things of God, the flesh will sin less.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 Jo 1:9)

2. I have a personal belief in Jesus Christ. I truly believe He is God Who left Heaven to come to earth; in His virgin birth; His sinless life on earth; He is the Messiah of mankind Who shed His blood on the cross of Calvary for my sins; He was buried and on the third day, He arose from the dead; He ascended into Heaven and now sits at the right hand of the Father awaiting His return to reign on earth.

Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. (1 Jo 5:1)

I was raised catholic and I learned about Jesus Christ. However, I never knew Jesus Christ. I had a head knowledge of who He was but I did not possess Him in my heart so He was just knowledge to me. It did not phase me in the least to use His name in vain. I did not have a desire to even “think” on Jesus Christ. However, after I was saved, I had a deep desire to get to know everything about Him. I could not stop reading the precious milk of the Word – the Gospels! I would call my spiritual mother almost daily with new things I had discovered and was excited to tell her what God had shown me in His Word! All these were golden nuggets to me and I was energized each time I read one!

3. I live righteously.

If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him. (1 Jo 2:29)

I will have a different holy life. Do I try to please Christ every day? Do I find myself trying to please Him? Am I doing His will? Do I avoid evil? The greatest joy in life is the joy of serving Christ.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Co 5:17)

Those who doubt their salvation can many times attribute this doubt to a lack of righteous living or doing God’s known will. Pastor Eugene Zorbas, of Tabernacle Baptist Church, preached a message on a similar topic last week. He said that being a Christian is not about keeping a list of rules but it is all about developing a relationship with Jesus Christ. The better our relationship, the better the results will be – keeping those rules because of your relationship with Him. Your desire will be to please Him with righteous living.

4. I will have a love for fellow Christians.

We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. (1 Jo 3:14)

I can tell I’m saved by the crowd I choose to hang around with. Am I eager about Christian things? Do I desire to be around other Christians more than my worldly friends?

After I got saved, I wanted to be with other believers. I was so anxious to attend church for the first time just so I could share with others who believed as I believed!

I also discovered that this new nature caused my old friends to feel uncomfortable. It was not too soon after that they did not wish to “hang around” me any longer. As well, I did not enjoy being around them either. Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? (2 Co 6:14)

5. I’m overcoming the world.

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. (1 Jo 5:4)

There’s always some Christian you know that “everything in their life is always going wrong”! Are they overcoming their circumstances? This is not to say things won’t go wrong, but what is their attitude as they go through these circumstances? Are they overcoming or are they defeated?

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. (Joh 16:33) Jesus said that we shall have tribulation – not maybe. Christian, we will have tribulation in our life time here. However, Jesus said to be of good cheer! The Christian who does not overcome his circumstances does not fit here. That Christian has a “poor, pitiful me” attitude and is defeated already. However, Jesus said to be of good cheer! If it was not “do-able,” would Jesus have told us to be of good cheer? Of course not. Jesus went on to say “I have overcome the world.” Now put that with the following verse: I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (Phi 4:13)

This is the Christian’s recipe for overcoming the world – through Jesus! Look at this example with me: A man had two dogs which he raised since they were puppies. They were kept in separate parts of the property away from each other. One dog was fed good dog food and nurtured with love and care. The other dog was given bits which would fall from the table. The nurtured dog was solid – sound muscular structure – and full of energy. The other dog was scrawny – his rib cage was noticeable – and he had no zest at all. One day, the two dogs were roaming free on the property and met each other for the first time. As their instincts took over, a territorial battle took place. Who do you think won the battle? Yes, the strong and nurtured dog won.

It is the same with Christians. If we feed our flesh with worldly things, we will be weak when it comes to spiritual battles. However, if we feed our spiritual nature with the Word and righteous living, we will be strong, ready and prepared for battle.

The world’s opinion is not to be my standard of living. My standard is the Word. I am not to please the world but I am to please the Lord, Jesus Christ.

1 John 2:15-16 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (15) For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (16)

6. I will have a desire for purity.

We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. (1 Jo 5:18)

I am to care for my soul and protect it from evil. The flesh desires to sin. So protect yourself from evil. Whichever you “feed” the most will thrive in your life. If you feed your soul more, you will desire to be pure. If you feed your flesh more, you will desire the lusts of the flesh. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (1 Jo 2:16)

Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph. (Amo 5:15)

Abstain from all appearance of evil. (1Th 5:22)

I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me. (Psa 101:3)

Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. (Eph 5:16)

Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure. (1Ti 5:22)

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. (Phi 2:12)

I’m so glad I was brought to read this again this morning. Once again, I was blessed by Brother Webb’s words from a year ago!

God’s Goodness – Day 24 – The Cockroach

On By KateIn Various1 Comment

Probably one of the worse subjects for me to talk about is that of the cockroach – or any bug for that matter. As disgusting as this little creature is, there is something there that God can use to teach us. God’s lessons can not only be found in the most beautiful of His creation but also in the most loathsome creature! When I think of cockroaches I think of the pestilences of Scriptures. Whether the cockroach was a part of these pestilences or not, they certainly are pests to be reckoned with today. He made a way to his anger; he spared not their soul from death, but gave their life over to the pestilence; (Psa 78:50) Unless you have experienced an annoying pest problem, you can’t begin to imagine in your mind’s eye what a pestilence can truly be.

Did you know that here are roughly 3,490 species of cockroaches in six families??!! Cockroaches are found worldwide, except for the polar regions. Only a handful of these species dwell in buildings. But once you find a cockroach in your house, you can be sure there are a lot more hidden in the walls. The most common cockroach in the U.S. is the German cockroach. Their female carries an egg case on the end of her abdomen. (OK – I just had a chill run up my spine!) The egg case holds about 30–40 long, thin eggs, packed like hot dogs in its case. As disgusting as all this sounds, it brought to mind how the world is filled with lost sinners, packed together living their lives without thought of their spiritual condition. There is no better place to view this than at a night club. I do not need to elaborate on this – all you have to do is remember your unsaved days and when you visited these places – sinners crammed together like sardines just so they can fulfill the lusts of the flesh – all in the guise of fun! Yet, in this darkness sin runs rampant – no one is seeking to walk righteously. God says in His Word that pestilence walks in the night. I wondered if He was referring to the likes of cockroaches. Ps. 91:5-6, Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; (5) Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. (6)

One thing that I did find fascinating about the eggs were how they hatch. The hatchlings continuously gulp air until they “swell” like a balloon. Their combined pressure causes the case to break open. These little nymphs are initially white in color and they continue inflating themselves with air. Within about four hours, they have hardened and darkened in color. This process reminded me of a baby coming into this world. As this baby grows, the sin nature takes hold and this beautiful innocent child becomes harder and harder to win to salvation because the sin nature now reigns. The inflating cockroach brought to mind how our sins are multiplied every day – I can see why God likens them to filthy rags. But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Isa 64:6) Once salvation is found, those filthy sins – those scarlet sins are made white as snow because of the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. (Isa 1:18 ) Our hard, sinful nature has been replaced with a heart filled with the seed of the Gospel planted into good soil.

Once you see a cockroach in your home, you have to admit that it’s too late. Killing the one roach won’t do you a bit of good – you already have a problem. The female may produce up to eight egg cases in her life with an end result of up to 300-400 babies! Just writing about this topic gives me the woollies! Because of our sin nature, our sins are multiplied daily. Just think of it this way – if you were to live until you were 80 years old and you commit only one sin per day, you will have sinned 29,200 times! And that’s only one sin per day! Our Heavenly Father created Adam and Eve perfect and sinless! It was not His desire for them to be sinners. He created them perfect, as well as the entire earth. God gave them a free will so they would serve Him willingly, not as robots. They exercised their free will by succumbing to sin. This sin had them kicked out of the perfect Garden of Eden! This sin brought curse to this earth. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (Rom 5:12) It is not God’s choosing but ours.

Anyone who has had roaches in their kitchen can verify that they are a nocturnal creature – they come out by night. The minute you turn the light on, they scatter, thus the phrase, “scatter like roaches.” The sinner finds comfort in the night because he thinks he cannot be seen. Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us? (Isa 29:15) The sinner is blind to the things of God. And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch? (Luk 6:39) A believer cannot hang around a lost person for very long because he will find himself going back spiritually. Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness; (Pro 2:13) We do not need to walk in darkness any longer. We have the ability to say no to sin and to walk in the paths of uprightness. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. (1Th 5:5)

Even looking at the cockroach we can see God’s Goodness in the lessons He has for us. So as the cockroach scatters when the light is brought forth, so should we scatter when sin crosses our path. We have the blessed light of the Word of God to lighten our way. NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. (Psa 119:105) We do not need to stumble as the lost do. The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble. (Pro 4:19) Learn from the cockroach. Use this piece of creation to teach you how to be a better Christian.

Dear God…
You have used the vilest of creatures
To teach Your child today
May we watch and diligently listen
As Your Word lights up our way!

God’s Goodness – Day 23 – The Wild Columbine

On By KateIn Various1 Comment

This beautiful flower, the Wild Columbine, can be found growing in the State of Wisconsin. It reminded me of a dear, precious sister in the Lord who lives there. Today’s devotional is for this dear friend. I am praying that the Lord would bless it and use it to encourage her.

Looking at this magnificent piece of God’s creation, I noticed that its colors are so vivid! The bright yellow center, like rays streaming from the sun, is surrounded by a beautiful reddish-dark pink blanket. It reminded me of Christ’s precious blood covering our sins and how His Spirit should shine forth in our lives. Christ’s agape love drove Him to die for us so that our sins would be covered! It sure opened my eyes to the true meaning of: And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. (1 Pe 4:8 )

At its center lies the sweet nectar used in pollinating! Oh that our lives should be sweet nectar to the unsaved world! We should be ready with the sweet honey from the Word – ready to show them salvation through Jesus Christ. Doesn’t the entire flower look like a lantern bursting forth with light? This beautifully clad flower is an example to us that we should be a light to a lost and dying world. No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light. (Luk 8:16)

The little buds on the same plant are waiting for the perfect time, God’s time, to open up and reveal the beautiful flower within. Our new life in Christ produces a spiritual bud which will burst forth as we grow in grace. When we are born again, we become new creatures. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2 Co 5:17) We possess the wonderful Holy Spirit who molds us and forms us into the image of Jesus Christ. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. (1 Co 15:49)

Buds on a plant pop up and grow at different times. The bud cannot survive without the plant – apart from the plant, this bud would die. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. (Joh 15:5) As we view the life of a Christian as it relates to this plant, we see the new born again believer – he is like a new bud. The bud then begins to open, beginning its life as a flower – so the believer grows in grace and begins to look like his Saviour. The more the bud opens, the more it looks like the flower it is going to become. The same goes for Christians – the more we grow in Christ (through trial and tribulation), the more we become like Him.

Each bud belongs to the same plant just as each believer belongs to the Vine. Yet each is unique in its own way. They are all Wild Columbines but yet different in the time they bud and in their appearance. Some may have blotches due to disease – some may have little holes due to insects. Each Christian goes through life experiencing trials and tribulations which produce blotches. Each Christian will go through physical trials because of Adam’s sin. But we have encouragement in the Word because nothing is unique – somewhere, someone has been through the same trial (whether spiritual or physical) and we are not alone. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. (1 Co 10:13) The Lord’s mercy is seen here – we can encourage one another during various trials so that a brother or sister does not get totally discouraged. We are to use the gift(s) God has given us to lift up those who desperately need to see the Lord. What a beautiful picture of the body of Christ it is when each Christian is using his gifts for His glory! The church works together as one to bring glory to the Son! All our gifts working together in harmony will form a church family that is ready to meet the needs of a lost and dying world. These same gifts will be as a healing salve for the hurting Christian. Just as these buds on the Wild Columbine plant contribute to the whole plant, so does each born again believer contribute to the Body of Christ!

Lastly, this beautiful flower reminds me that not all Christians are at the same place spiritually. We are all growing at different paces – we are a work in progress. We need to be patient with one another. We will not achieve perfection until we reach Heaven. In the mean time, our Heavenly Father is busy molding us into a vessel fit for His use. But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand. (Isa 64:8 ) As Christians, we will fail as we walk this pilgrim’s path. However, God’s Word promises that He can pick up the broken pieces and make something new fit for His use. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. (Jer 18:4) Did you notice that the potter here did not throw away the marred vessel? Instead, he “made it again” into another vessel! God can take our sins, our mistakes, our messed up lives, and mold us into something new that he can use! He is the God of second chances – and, yes, third, fourth and even more!

Never did I dream when I started meditating on the beautiful Wild Columbine that I would walk away this blessed! Oh Lord, “Marvellous are thy works.” Ps. 139:14

Thank You, Lord (for saving my soul)
Words and Music by Mr. and Mrs. Seth Sykes

Some thank the Lord for friends and home,
For mercies sure and sweet;
But I would praise Him for His grace
In prayer I would repeat:

Chorus
Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul,
Thank you, Lord, for making me whole;
Thank you, Lord, for giving to me
Thy great salvation so rich and free.

Some thank Him for the flow’rs that grow,
Some for the stars that shine;
My heart is filled with joy and praise,
Because I know He’s mine.

Chorus

I trust in Him from day to day,
I prove His saving grace;
I’ll sing this song of praise to Him
Until I see His face.

Chorus

God’s Goodness – Day 22 – The Moon

On By KateIn Devotionals1 Comment

Deu. 33:13-14, And of Joseph he said, Blessed of the LORD be his land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that coucheth beneath, (13) And for the precious fruits brought forth by the sun, and for the precious things put forth by the moon, (14) As the sun provides radiant heat during the day for earth’s precious fruit, the moon provides needful moisture in the night to nourish these precious fruit. God’s own Goodness provides His creation a nightly drink! God goes one step further and gives us the dew, (sparkling like diamonds in the morning sun) to behold just because He can! Our Father paints a picture for us so beautiful, so intricate, so delicate! Ps. 139:14, “Marvellous are thy works.”

The moon’s light is viewed in many ways, isn’t it? Couples view its romantic aspect – Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, (Son 6:10a). Meteorologists and farmers watch it for seasons – He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down. (Psa 104:19). While the child of God sees God’s handiwork – When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; (Psa 8:3) God created the moon for our enjoyment – for us to gaze upon, to draw us closer to Him. Surely one cannot look at a lake with the moon’s light reflecting upon it and not be drawn closer to the Creator! Be still, and know that I am God: (Psa 46:10a)

Mankind attributes the wonders of the skies to science, but God will be exalted in the end – the truth will be revealed to all. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. (Isa 2:11) Remember when Joshua asked God to make the sun still? God did cause the sun to be still but little do we hear that the moon was also made still. And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. (Josh 10:13a) I never noticed that before – God’s Word always has something in there to take notice!

One day, these lights will be gone – their purpose no longer needed. Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. (Isa 60:20) We will no longer need the lights in the skies because God will be all the light we need. I can’t even imagine this in my finite little mind! For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. (Isa 55:8 ) But God says it will be so and, therefore, it will be so. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. (Rev 21:23)

A lunar eclipse is a phenomenon that is beautiful to witness, isn’t it? I’ve seen a few in my life time and each time I’m filled with wonder. Prior to salvation, I viewed it as a scientific wonder. But after salvation, I could not help but see God in it – beholding His wonder!

Brother Jerry Bouey brought out this topic even further for me. He shared some notes that he had written in his Bible next to Matthew chapter 5. What a blessing!

“Like the moon reflects the light of the sun – we are to reflect the light of the Son of God, the Sun of Righteousness.

When the world comes between the sun and the moon, it creates an eclipse (darkness) and the sun’s light is not reflected. Even so, the world (worldliness) coming between us and Christ causes His light not to be reflected through us because there is spiritual darkness in our lives. Also, the moon (our flesh) coming between us and the sun (the Son) creates an eclipse.”

Amen, Brother Jerry! We can see God’s Goodness throughout His Word and throughout all of His creation!

Lastly, I thought it appropriate to end today’s topic with one of Noah Webster’s definition of the word eclipse, “All the posterity of our first parents suffered a perpetual eclipse of spiritual life.” What a wonderful use of God’s handiwork in the sky to reveal the spiritual condition of mankind!

Dear God…
Your hand has placed a lovely moon
On Your canvass in the sky
As Your children look up below
Your Name do they glorify

God’s Goodness – Day 21 – The Sun

On By KateIn VariousLeave a comment

And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. (Rev 21:23) And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. (Rev 22:5)

Without the sun, our earth would die. Plant life requires sun for photosynthesis and without plants and trees giving us oxygen to breathe, the beautiful balance that God created is not there. From the beginning of time, the sun has been the center of mankind’s attention. Not only is the sun a source of light, it is a source of energy, it is a source for plant life to grow – it was and still is in some cases used in forms of worship – it provides man with essential vitamins – and it heats the atmostphere and the earth.

The word sun appears in 152 verses in the Word of God. Although its first appearance is found in Gen. 1:14-19, the actual word sun does not appear until Gen. 15:12. Gen. 1:14-19, And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: (14) And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. (15) And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. (16) And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, (17) And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. (18 ) And the evening and the morning were the fourth day. (19) Creation goes full circle – God provided light prior to the sun’s creation and God provides the light after the sun is no longer needed! Pastor John Snipes, of Fundamental Baptist Forum, had a blessing to share about the sun:

It is interesting to note that the sun was created on the fourth day of creation. Then how were there “morning and evening” on the first three days? It was the light of the glory of God that that caused the first three mornings and evenings and this glory shall shine forever on those who live in the New Jerusalem.

I found it interesting that our Triune God’s light is what shown for the first three days! God is seen in every verse and every part of creation – just when man thinks he is so smart, God shows man just how little he knows.

Pastor Snipes insight continued to bless me with the following:

The sun seems so very large to us. It has a diameter of about 864,000 miles and can hold 332, 000 earth’s. Yet our sun is an average star. It seems so big to us because it is so close to us, averaging 93,000,000 mile away from earth. If the sun were any closer, the earth would be baked by the heat and would be no more than a cinder. If it were any farther, the earth would be a ball of ice. Our Lord, in His infinite wisdom, has placed the sun so that it is of the greatest benefit to man. Psalms 19:4-6, “Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.”

Man thinks the universe just happened – a big bang. What foolishness this is! It takes more faith to believe this theory (and that is all it is), than it does to believe that God created everything. There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. (Pro 14:12) God’s Word says that by His hand, He holds everything together. At any time, God could take His hand off and all things in the universe would collide! And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. Col. 1:17

God used the sun in the Bible to show us His power. Pastor Snipes continued to share:

In the Old Testament, we see the Lord using the Sun as a tool to demonstrate His power. Joshua was locked in battle with the kings of the Amorites. The battle was going well; however, the Israelites were running out of daylight so that they might have the final victory. Joshua prayed a most unusual prayer that God answered.

Joshua 10:12-13, “Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.”

How our Lord accomplished this, we cannot say. What I can say is that the Creator God, who established the laws of nature, is able to suspend those laws; the laws that modern man holds to so tightly that they cannot see the spiritual aspect of creation. This was a miracle of God and cannot be explained.

A second miracle involving the Sun is found in the book of Isaiah. There was a godly king, Hezekiah, who was sick and about to die. He knew this because the prophet Isaiah had brought the Word of the Lord to him. Hezekiah prayed for mercy and God granted him 15 more years. When Isaiah returned to the king with the good news, the king wanted to know that what Isaiah had said was the truth. Therefore, God granted a miracle.

Isa. 38:7-8, “And this shall be a sign unto thee from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing that he hath spoken; Behold, I will bring again the shadow of the degrees, which is gone down in the sun dial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward. So the sun returned ten degrees, by which degrees it was gone down.”

Even scientists agree that the sun will not last forever. They believe that the sun will die in 5 billions years! Oh the ignorance of man. God is still in control. The Bible says that at some point we will have no need for the sun or the moon. Revelation 21:22-23, “And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof” Thank you, Pastor Snipes, for your help in putting this beautiful piece of creation into this devotional.

The Word says that Jesus is the light of the world! He sheds the blessed light of His Word into our hearts so that we are no longer blind. I remember the day of my salvation like it was yesterday! Not two minutes after I accepted Christ as my Saviour, I opened His Word to the Book of John and I could see and understand His Word! I never could understand the Bible before that day. It was like drinking sand to me. But on that beautiful, glorious April 1st, 1980 day, Christ shined His light into my heart and I could clearly see! Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. (Joh 8:12) He is our Sonlight!

Sunlight
Judson Van Deventer

I wandered in the shades of night,
Till Jesus came to me,
And with the sunlight of His love
Bid all my darkness flee.

Chorus
Sunlight, sunlight in my soul today,
Sunlight, sunlight all along the way;
Since the Savior found me, took away my sin,
I have had the sunlight of His love within.

Though clouds may gather in the sky,
And billows ’round me roll,
However dark the world may be
I’ve sunlight in my soul.

Chorus

While walking in the light of God,
I sweet communion find;
I press with holy vigor on
And leave the world behind.

Chorus

I cross the wide, extended fields,
I journey o’er the plain,
And in the sunlight of His love
I reap the golden grain.

Chorus

Soon I shall see Him as He is,
The Light that came to me;
Behold the brightness of His face,
Throughout eternity.

Chorus