Today's reading: Genesis 49, 50; Exodus 1; Psalm 17, 47, 77, 107, 137; Proverbs 17
Genesis 50:20, "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive."
I heard a man tell of a town in Kentucky that was experiencing a drought so bad that even the catfish had tics. That is bad. He said that the Methodist Church began to issue rain checks. Wow, that is bad too.
While telling how bad the drought became he told of an elderly lady who had run out of food and would pray daily as she sit on her front porch swinging. Her neighbor was a non-believer. He thought he would play a joke on her. He went to the store and bought a bag of groceries and set them on her porch. He watched from the bushes as she came out and found them. She began to praise God for His wonderful provision in such bad times. All of a sudden the man jumped out of the bushes and said, "Ha,ha! I bought those groceries. It was not your God." This lady simply bowed her head and said, "Lord, I want to thank You for providing these groceries and using the devil to do it."
Sometimes we have the best laid plans for our lives and we are happily going through life. Then suddenly something happens and we are now going a different direction or doing something different. We think, "What happened?"
Maybe we did not synchronize our calender with God's calender. God uses things in our lives to direct us. Most of the time we do not even see it until we are right there.
Look at Joseph. I am sure that he was wondering what God was doing sending him to Egypt and all that happened. As we see, God had a wonderful plan and Joseph just had to trust Him. Notice that Joseph was a better person for his experiences and not a bitter person.
Friend, in your life are you better or bitter? Sure about that?
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Saturday, January 16, 2010
January 16, 2010
Today's reading: Genesis 46, 47, 48; Psalm 16, 46, 76, 106, 136; Proverbs 16
Genesis 46:34, "That ye shall say, Thy servants' trade hath been about cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and also our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians."
There seems to be a trend in our country to want to be like people in Europe. I don't know why. We have seen things popping up in our little grassy spot like roundabouts. Some people call them traffic circles. I call them a pain in the neck. I don't like the fact that we look at the other side of the fence and want to be like _____. The reason I don't like is is because I am guilty of it myself.
This has nothing to do with the people themselves. It is not that I do not like the people of Europe. I love them because God loves them. The fact remains that I do not want to be like them. My goal is to be like Jesus. This is easily said; but, not so easily done.
It is hard for me to believe that there are people that do not like me. In fact there are people that down right hate me. I should get used to it and get over it. I don't know why. So many people over the years have reassured me that I am a nice guy. I guess those don't know me very well. To some people, my name brings a picture that is unpleasant or even hurtful and I don't like this.
My attention today was drawn to the phrase, "for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians." How sad! Shepherds were a valuable group of people. I thought of modern day shepherds. I am speaking of the man who stands, service after service behind a pulpit to proclaim God's Word. Many Pastors today are considered an "abomination" in the eyes of people. America has drifted a long way down the slippery slope of sin.
Many people follow all kinds of other people. I hope that Jesus Christ is your Shepherd. He loves you and gave His life for you as The Great Shepherd. So friend, who is your Shepherd?
Genesis 46:34, "That ye shall say, Thy servants' trade hath been about cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and also our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians."
There seems to be a trend in our country to want to be like people in Europe. I don't know why. We have seen things popping up in our little grassy spot like roundabouts. Some people call them traffic circles. I call them a pain in the neck. I don't like the fact that we look at the other side of the fence and want to be like _____. The reason I don't like is is because I am guilty of it myself.
This has nothing to do with the people themselves. It is not that I do not like the people of Europe. I love them because God loves them. The fact remains that I do not want to be like them. My goal is to be like Jesus. This is easily said; but, not so easily done.
It is hard for me to believe that there are people that do not like me. In fact there are people that down right hate me. I should get used to it and get over it. I don't know why. So many people over the years have reassured me that I am a nice guy. I guess those don't know me very well. To some people, my name brings a picture that is unpleasant or even hurtful and I don't like this.
My attention today was drawn to the phrase, "for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians." How sad! Shepherds were a valuable group of people. I thought of modern day shepherds. I am speaking of the man who stands, service after service behind a pulpit to proclaim God's Word. Many Pastors today are considered an "abomination" in the eyes of people. America has drifted a long way down the slippery slope of sin.
Many people follow all kinds of other people. I hope that Jesus Christ is your Shepherd. He loves you and gave His life for you as The Great Shepherd. So friend, who is your Shepherd?
Friday, January 15, 2010
January 15, 2010
Today's reading: Genesis 43, 44, 45; Psalm 15, 45, 75, 105, 135; Proverbs 15
Genesis 45:5,27; "Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life." ... "And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them: and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived:" (revived - to live).
As I have told you I love the account of Joseph. I don't know; maybe, I feel like I too have been thrown into a pit and then sold off to some travelers and ultimately into slavery. This is not how God wants you and I to live our lives.
Have you ever thought that you might be on God's wanted poster? Remember in the old west they would post a wanted poster that would have the suspects name and sometimes a picture, to tell all who would see that this particular individual is wanted by the sheriff. Sometimes bounty hunters were employed to chase after someone that was bad enough, to help catch them. Often, if the crime was bad enough, the suspect would be wanted dead or alive. You might think it would take a pretty bad dude or dudette to be wanted dead or alive. What would a person have to do? Murder, bank robbery or what?
Think about this for a moment. You and I have a charge against us. It is called sin. We are guilty of the sin of Adam and this is a sin against God. We who are guilty of such have the penalty of death riding on our head.
We are being pursued by a ruthless bounty hunter: the devil. He seeks only to find us for himself and keep us. You see he would love nothing more than to keep us from the High Sheriff of our soul; the Lord Jesus Christ. If the devil can keep us distracted from the Sheriff then he can lead us to hell at our death date. This is sad and can be avoided.
On the other hand we are also being pursued by the High Sheriff of Heaven. Praise God! He pursues not with the hounds of hell but with His love written in crimson red on a document of forgiveness. You see; if you stand before the Judge of all ages and the High Sheriff of Heaven presents a heavenly pardon on your behalf, then you walk out free. All you have to do is place your faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for your eternal salvation. It is that simple. Then He wants us to live for Him.
As we live for Him we need to realize that we are dead to sin and do not have to live in it any longer. How wonderful! Then when we are dead to sin we need to live our lives in a state of revival (that is a whole different day's writing).
"Wanted: Dead and Revived"! Are you guilty?
Genesis 45:5,27; "Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life." ... "And they told him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them: and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived:" (revived - to live).
As I have told you I love the account of Joseph. I don't know; maybe, I feel like I too have been thrown into a pit and then sold off to some travelers and ultimately into slavery. This is not how God wants you and I to live our lives.
Have you ever thought that you might be on God's wanted poster? Remember in the old west they would post a wanted poster that would have the suspects name and sometimes a picture, to tell all who would see that this particular individual is wanted by the sheriff. Sometimes bounty hunters were employed to chase after someone that was bad enough, to help catch them. Often, if the crime was bad enough, the suspect would be wanted dead or alive. You might think it would take a pretty bad dude or dudette to be wanted dead or alive. What would a person have to do? Murder, bank robbery or what?
Think about this for a moment. You and I have a charge against us. It is called sin. We are guilty of the sin of Adam and this is a sin against God. We who are guilty of such have the penalty of death riding on our head.
We are being pursued by a ruthless bounty hunter: the devil. He seeks only to find us for himself and keep us. You see he would love nothing more than to keep us from the High Sheriff of our soul; the Lord Jesus Christ. If the devil can keep us distracted from the Sheriff then he can lead us to hell at our death date. This is sad and can be avoided.
On the other hand we are also being pursued by the High Sheriff of Heaven. Praise God! He pursues not with the hounds of hell but with His love written in crimson red on a document of forgiveness. You see; if you stand before the Judge of all ages and the High Sheriff of Heaven presents a heavenly pardon on your behalf, then you walk out free. All you have to do is place your faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for your eternal salvation. It is that simple. Then He wants us to live for Him.
As we live for Him we need to realize that we are dead to sin and do not have to live in it any longer. How wonderful! Then when we are dead to sin we need to live our lives in a state of revival (that is a whole different day's writing).
"Wanted: Dead and Revived"! Are you guilty?
Thursday, January 14, 2010
January 14, 2010
Today's reading: Genesis 40, 41, 42; Psalm 14, 44, 74, 104, 134; Proverbs 14
Genesis 41:46, "And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. and Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt."
I love the account of Joseph. I have an entire message that I preach on him. Maybe I will be able to share that in a few days when that particular chapter is part of our daily reading. We shall see.
Joseph is one of those guys who you want to be like in life. The Bible does not have any bad thing to say about him. I could only wish. Joseph is a man that stands by godly principles and does not back down from them at all from what we see in Scripture. Look at the opportunity to sin he had just a few short chapters ago with Potiphar's wife. He could have satisfied worldly, fleshly desires; but, he chose not to do that.
In the prison he could have gotten angry at God, his brothers and a whole host of others. The king's servants both forgot him even after they said that they would not. Then one day the king had a dream and the guy remembered Joseph finally.
You see Joseph over and over doing the right thing and it looks like that he will not triumph and then he does. Doing right in our world will not always yield immediate results in the positive; but, they will eventually yield results. In God's economy they will yield immediate results in the positive. It is better to obey God than to have to sacrifice (like in the Old Testament economy). Obedience is always in vogue in God's economy.
Because of Joseph's obedience Egypt was blessed. Look at Proverbs 14:34, "Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people." Was this not true for Egypt so long as Joseph was running the show, so to speak? Yes it was. Look at how Pharaoh prospered under the leadership of Joseph. People came from all over the land to buy corn and he made a king's ransom I bet.
We need to take some lessons from Joseph and how he lived his life. Would America be blessed of God if you were in the second highest position of the land? What about me? Think about it...
Genesis 41:46, "And Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pharaoh king of Egypt. and Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land of Egypt."
I love the account of Joseph. I have an entire message that I preach on him. Maybe I will be able to share that in a few days when that particular chapter is part of our daily reading. We shall see.
Joseph is one of those guys who you want to be like in life. The Bible does not have any bad thing to say about him. I could only wish. Joseph is a man that stands by godly principles and does not back down from them at all from what we see in Scripture. Look at the opportunity to sin he had just a few short chapters ago with Potiphar's wife. He could have satisfied worldly, fleshly desires; but, he chose not to do that.
In the prison he could have gotten angry at God, his brothers and a whole host of others. The king's servants both forgot him even after they said that they would not. Then one day the king had a dream and the guy remembered Joseph finally.
You see Joseph over and over doing the right thing and it looks like that he will not triumph and then he does. Doing right in our world will not always yield immediate results in the positive; but, they will eventually yield results. In God's economy they will yield immediate results in the positive. It is better to obey God than to have to sacrifice (like in the Old Testament economy). Obedience is always in vogue in God's economy.
Because of Joseph's obedience Egypt was blessed. Look at Proverbs 14:34, "Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people." Was this not true for Egypt so long as Joseph was running the show, so to speak? Yes it was. Look at how Pharaoh prospered under the leadership of Joseph. People came from all over the land to buy corn and he made a king's ransom I bet.
We need to take some lessons from Joseph and how he lived his life. Would America be blessed of God if you were in the second highest position of the land? What about me? Think about it...
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
January 13, 2010
Today's reading: Genesis 37, 38, 39; Psalm 13, 43, 73, 103, 133; Proverbs 13
Genesis 37:28, "Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt."
The first month of the year 2010 is almost half over. Time rushes by so quickly, it seems. I looked at our son last night and it seems as if only the other day we were bringing him home from the hospital. Now he is nearly a foot taller than his mother. Wow! I know it does not take much but still.
We are thankful for our son even though he has special needs. We would not trade him for a dozen that do not have special needs. God has, is and will use this in our lives to conform us into the image of Christ. I admit that there are days that I would like to just run away but then he comes home from school and I look into his eyes and his face and I realize that I was wrong for thinking that.
So many children today are being needlessly slaughtered before their precious lives can barely start. Some children are being sacrificed at the altar of pleasure. Some children are being sacrificed at the altar of career. This list could go on and on; but, you get the point.
I was struck by our verse today when I was reading the phrase, "...and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver:". I thought how cheap life was to the brothers of Joseph. Now twenty pieces of silver in those days could have been a lot of money to them. Still, they were selling their own flesh and blood for "twenty pieces of silver". Human life is far more valuable than that. It is absolutely, positively, priceless.
I was reminded of someone else who was sold cheap also. Matthew 26:15, "And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver." Here we see Judas selling out the Lord Jesus Christ for thirty (30) pieces of silver. How could he do such a horrible thing to the One who loved him so much. I believe it was pretty simple, myself. We do it all the time. Oh, we don't deliver Him to die on Calvary's cross; but, we do it. I am sorry to say that I am just as guilty as anyone else. I need not try to comfort myself in the fact that I have not sold Him to be crucified. Right? I was not there.
The truth is I am guilty of selling out for a few pieces of silver so to speak. If you will take an honest look at yourself you will see that you have also. It is our sin that has sold Jesus out. Plain and simple. Jesus died on the cross to pay the debt I owed because of my sin and I sold Him out. You can be forgiven and have eternal life if you will only trust Him. Would you trust Him today for the forgiveness of your sin? I hope so.
Genesis 37:28, "Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt."
The first month of the year 2010 is almost half over. Time rushes by so quickly, it seems. I looked at our son last night and it seems as if only the other day we were bringing him home from the hospital. Now he is nearly a foot taller than his mother. Wow! I know it does not take much but still.
We are thankful for our son even though he has special needs. We would not trade him for a dozen that do not have special needs. God has, is and will use this in our lives to conform us into the image of Christ. I admit that there are days that I would like to just run away but then he comes home from school and I look into his eyes and his face and I realize that I was wrong for thinking that.
So many children today are being needlessly slaughtered before their precious lives can barely start. Some children are being sacrificed at the altar of pleasure. Some children are being sacrificed at the altar of career. This list could go on and on; but, you get the point.
I was struck by our verse today when I was reading the phrase, "...and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver:". I thought how cheap life was to the brothers of Joseph. Now twenty pieces of silver in those days could have been a lot of money to them. Still, they were selling their own flesh and blood for "twenty pieces of silver". Human life is far more valuable than that. It is absolutely, positively, priceless.
I was reminded of someone else who was sold cheap also. Matthew 26:15, "And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver." Here we see Judas selling out the Lord Jesus Christ for thirty (30) pieces of silver. How could he do such a horrible thing to the One who loved him so much. I believe it was pretty simple, myself. We do it all the time. Oh, we don't deliver Him to die on Calvary's cross; but, we do it. I am sorry to say that I am just as guilty as anyone else. I need not try to comfort myself in the fact that I have not sold Him to be crucified. Right? I was not there.
The truth is I am guilty of selling out for a few pieces of silver so to speak. If you will take an honest look at yourself you will see that you have also. It is our sin that has sold Jesus out. Plain and simple. Jesus died on the cross to pay the debt I owed because of my sin and I sold Him out. You can be forgiven and have eternal life if you will only trust Him. Would you trust Him today for the forgiveness of your sin? I hope so.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
January 12, 2010
Today's reading: Genesis 34, 35, 36; Psalm 12, 42, 72, 102, 132; Proverbs 12
Genesis 35:2-3, "Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments: And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went."
I took account today and came to the conclusion that I have four (4) close friends. The best friend I have is my Lord Jesus Christ. Next in line would be my wife. Then in a tie for third place would the be my last two friends. I have a wonderful Pastor and some close friends at Church also. I thank God for every one of them
One of these friends is the Pastor of a great Church. He shared with me and many others through his internet mailing the guiding principle for their Church for this year and it is great. It is: "O' Lord revive us again in 2010". I love this! This very principle should be everyone's heart's cry for this year.
A couple years ago I put together the chorus of the song "Our Great Saviour" and the tune of "Bind Us Together" with different words. I titled it "We Need Revival". It starts out, "We need revival, Lord send us revival...". Nobody famous has offered to record it as of yet. Such is life. However, when people hear it they echo our need for heaven sent, Holy Spirit led revival.
One man defined revival as, "A new beginning on an old obedience". I do not know who said that but I see his point. In my lifetime I have experienced the breeze of revival occasionally over the past thirty (30) plus years. Our desire should be a revival of life changing magnitude. A revival so real and so great that a lost and dying world could see a marked difference in each one of us for God's glory. I want others to see, hear, smell and taste a difference in me because of personal revival. I echo the songwriters plea, "Revive Us Again"! So friend, what is your heart's cry?
Genesis 35:2-3, "Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him, Put away the strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments: And let us arise, and go up to Bethel; and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went."
I took account today and came to the conclusion that I have four (4) close friends. The best friend I have is my Lord Jesus Christ. Next in line would be my wife. Then in a tie for third place would the be my last two friends. I have a wonderful Pastor and some close friends at Church also. I thank God for every one of them
One of these friends is the Pastor of a great Church. He shared with me and many others through his internet mailing the guiding principle for their Church for this year and it is great. It is: "O' Lord revive us again in 2010". I love this! This very principle should be everyone's heart's cry for this year.
A couple years ago I put together the chorus of the song "Our Great Saviour" and the tune of "Bind Us Together" with different words. I titled it "We Need Revival". It starts out, "We need revival, Lord send us revival...". Nobody famous has offered to record it as of yet. Such is life. However, when people hear it they echo our need for heaven sent, Holy Spirit led revival.
One man defined revival as, "A new beginning on an old obedience". I do not know who said that but I see his point. In my lifetime I have experienced the breeze of revival occasionally over the past thirty (30) plus years. Our desire should be a revival of life changing magnitude. A revival so real and so great that a lost and dying world could see a marked difference in each one of us for God's glory. I want others to see, hear, smell and taste a difference in me because of personal revival. I echo the songwriters plea, "Revive Us Again"! So friend, what is your heart's cry?
Monday, January 11, 2010
January 11, 2010
Today's reading: Genesis 31, 32, 33; Psalm 11, 41, 71, 101, 131; Proverbs 11
Genesis 32:28, And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed."
I always seem to get frustrated when I read about Jacob. I am always thinking to myself, "Why did he do that?" The name Jacob means heel catcher. You remember the account of his birth. Esau came first but Jacob grabbed his heal on Esau's way out and thus came his name. What a thing to live your whole life with. It is sad to say that this family had a bit of a problem with deception.
I know there were families as I grew up that when you mentioned their name that it brought images and thought to your mind. Some were good thoughts. When you say the name Sherman Essex around our family it brings about great thoughts. This is a man that was the Pastor of Pittsboro Baptist Church for 34 years. I still remember the day God called him home. It was an Easter Sunday morning. I thank God for Pastor Sherman Essex. He is the one who showed me how to be saved.
I know when you say the name Jesus Christ there come with His name thoughts and feelings of all sorts. Some men in our world hate that name. This is so sad. How could one disdain the precious name of Jesus? They are blind to the truth of who He really is. The sad fact is that the devil wants to suppress the name of Jesus. Mr. Franklin Graham (son of the Evangelist Billy Graham) wrote the book, "The Name" and it cost him dearly. Thank God that he wrote it.
There is so much in a name and we take it for granted I believe. I once worked with a man that his last name meant "horse thief". Imagine having a banner like that hanging over you..
The great thing is that when you trust Jesus Christ as your Saviour, He changes your name. Much like Jacob becoming Israel. You get a whole list of new things. New life, destination and on and on. I would like for each one of us today to think about one final thought and I hope we really consider it.
If God changed your name, what would it be? Really?
Genesis 32:28, And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed."
I always seem to get frustrated when I read about Jacob. I am always thinking to myself, "Why did he do that?" The name Jacob means heel catcher. You remember the account of his birth. Esau came first but Jacob grabbed his heal on Esau's way out and thus came his name. What a thing to live your whole life with. It is sad to say that this family had a bit of a problem with deception.
I know there were families as I grew up that when you mentioned their name that it brought images and thought to your mind. Some were good thoughts. When you say the name Sherman Essex around our family it brings about great thoughts. This is a man that was the Pastor of Pittsboro Baptist Church for 34 years. I still remember the day God called him home. It was an Easter Sunday morning. I thank God for Pastor Sherman Essex. He is the one who showed me how to be saved.
I know when you say the name Jesus Christ there come with His name thoughts and feelings of all sorts. Some men in our world hate that name. This is so sad. How could one disdain the precious name of Jesus? They are blind to the truth of who He really is. The sad fact is that the devil wants to suppress the name of Jesus. Mr. Franklin Graham (son of the Evangelist Billy Graham) wrote the book, "The Name" and it cost him dearly. Thank God that he wrote it.
There is so much in a name and we take it for granted I believe. I once worked with a man that his last name meant "horse thief". Imagine having a banner like that hanging over you..
The great thing is that when you trust Jesus Christ as your Saviour, He changes your name. Much like Jacob becoming Israel. You get a whole list of new things. New life, destination and on and on. I would like for each one of us today to think about one final thought and I hope we really consider it.
If God changed your name, what would it be? Really?
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