December 2009
December 1
Timing
One of the things God works with me on is timing.
As His thoughts are not my thoughts and His are higher. So my view of timing can
also be not according to God’s timing. One of the downfalls of society as a
whole is to want and have to have things now. Patience and waiting which can be
great virtues are almost long forgotten.
Often times I have to surrender my timing to God’s and let Him work it toward
the good of me and those around me. I have been known to get out of step with
God and go ahead when I should have lagged behind or vice-versa.
My timing often isn't perfect. Fortunately God's always is.
Joseph was thrown into a pit and sold into slavery and imprisoned for something
He didn't do. If anyone had a reason to complain about God's timing, it was
Joseph. Why did you let me be thrown into the pit Lord? Why didn't you rescue me
from the slave traders Lord? Why did you let me be put in jail for something I
didn't do Lord? Why have I been in jail so long Lord? Yet God had used all those
circumstances to put Joseph in the right place at the right time to save His
people.
Genesis 45:4-7 NIV
Then
Joseph said to his brothers, "Come close to me." When they had done so, he said,
"I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be
distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it
was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. For two years now there has
been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will not be plowing
and reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth
and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
God has control. He's sees all the pieces to the puzzle of life and
circumstances we'll never see. He understands the way an action in one part of
the globe impacts someone on the other side of the world or two generations down
the line. He alone knows what and when is best.
Perhaps you've been struggling with difficult circumstances. Maybe you've been
praying and not getting the answer you want. Trust God. His answer and His cure
will be at exactly the right moment and will be better than anything you could
ever imagine.
Until next time, whatever you're in the midst of praise God. His timing is
perfect, His faithfulness total and His generosity unbounded. When it's right He
will deliver exactly what's needed.
The tests of God are not always pass and fail, but often whether you can
surrender to His timing and way of doing things.
Are you allowing God to have His way, His thoughts and His time in your life?
Surrendering again to allow God to work His timing out in my life!
Darrel Mason
December 2
A Jolt
New Mexico just had a big snow storm move through the state. As I was watching
the news; they played a clip of some kids on a hill sliding down the slope onto
a pond which was frozen over. The toboggan hill runs right out onto a pond and
the kids were competing to see who can go the furthest out onto the ice.
Had the ice given in this could have been a “not so smart move”. Anyone of the
kids could have found themselves in danger of drowning or freezing. A mother ran
up and got onto her little boy and you could hear the conversation as the child
said, “But mom everyone else was doing it and it was such fun.” This was an all
too familiar scenario of my-self as a young child and also with my children.
I think about the many times in life I've done stupid things. During the
process, God often gave me a jolt to get my attention. Often I didn't listen
because I was enjoying what I was doing, or everyone else was doing it.
Here's a jolt for us. We are called to
do what God has asked, not fall into a life of “everyone else is doing it so
what’s the harm?” We are called to stand apart and stay off the slippery slopes
and the icy ponds of life. We are called to listen to the nudges and jolts God
gives us. Standing out and standing apart is required to be an ambassador or
representative of the Lord.
We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal
through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made
him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the
righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:20-21 NIV
As children of the “Most High” God, as His ambassadors, we're called to a higher
standard. We called to a higher standard morally, financially, and spiritually.
We're called to touch the untouchable, love the unlovable, and forgive the
unforgivable. We're called to give even when it hurts. We're called to show the
world who He is through everything we do.
Ambassadors are not expected to be perfect, but they are called to demonstrate
the best the nation they represent has to offer in all circumstances.
We represent our true home, heaven.
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with
God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the
apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In
him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in
the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in
which God lives by his Spirit. Ephesians 2:19-22 NIV
What kind of an ambassador have you been? Are you falling in with the crowd or
standing apart from the world?
If the best we can show is what everyone else does, it's no wonder they don't
want anything to do with our God. Why would they if being Christian doesn't
change our lives?
Being a Christian is more than just being saved to spend eternity with God.
That's a wonderful part of the equation but we're also called to represent Him
here on earth and that is both an incredible joy and an awesome responsibility.
As the old saying goes, "You may be the only Jesus people ever see." What are
they seeing in you?
Until next time, forget what everyone else is doing and concentrate on becoming
the person God designed you to be through the cleansing power of His blood and
the anointing and strengthening of His holy Spirit.
Stay off the slippery slopes and the icy ponds and Dare to make a difference in
your life and the lives of those around you!
Remember what your mom said and for sure we better heed the nudges and jolts of
the Holy Spirit. Her concern was temporal, His is eternal!
Be blessed.
Darrel Mason
December 3
Fear God?
There are times in the ministry where God has a theme that He continually brings
up that is like a “Verily, Verily I say unto you”! This is to make sure we are
listening and understanding what He is trying to show and tell us. One such
theme as of late is “the fear of the Lord”.
One thing to remember in this theme is the God of the Old Testament is the God
of the New Testament. He never changes. His wrath and His love are both ever
present.
Some would say that the idea of "fearing God" was "Old Testament stuff" and not
appropriate in today's "age of grace". I
would tell them they were wrong.
We're told to fear God throughout the Bible.
Exodus 20:20 says…
"Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be
with you to keep you from sinning."
In Deuteronomy 6:1-2 we're called to fear God
These are the commands, decrees and laws the LORD your God directed me to teach
you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that
you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as
long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so
that you may enjoy long life.
In Psalm 64:9-10 we read:
All mankind will fear; they will proclaim the works of God and ponder what he
has done. Let the righteous rejoice in the LORD and take refuge in him; let all
the upright in heart praise him!
In 1 Peter 2:13-17 we see:
Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men:
whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by
him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is
God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish
men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live
as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of
believers, fear God, honor the king.
Revelation 14:6-7 says
… I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to
proclaim to those who live on the earth--to every nation, tribe, language and
people. He said in a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour
of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea
and the springs of water."
And in Revelation 19:5-6 it says
Then a voice came from the throne, saying: "Praise our God, all you his
servants, you who fear him, both small and great!" Then I heard what sounded
like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of
thunder, shouting: "Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
Those are just a few examples. I could go on quoting chapter and verse from
before and after the resurrection that make it clear we are to fear God.
God's wrath is still present today. God's discipline is still a blessing. The
fear of God is a good thing.
It is healthy to have a deep seated reverential fear of God and His wrath. It is
the key to wisdom.
Yes God is love, but to look at only that beside of His character is to have a
distorted and deeply flawed picture of God. God is also holy, righteous and just
and to be feared. Focusing only on fearing God is as flawed as focusing only on
His love. We need to see both.
Until next time, trust in His grace but always give him the reverential awe and
honor that He is due (i.e. fear Him)
Gaining wisdom through the fear of the Lord that loves me enough to discipline
me and let me know when I’m wrong.
Gaining wisdom through the fear of the Lord that loves me enough not to leave me
where I’m at.
Gaining wisdom because I love Him and fear Him in His love and mercy!
Darrel Mason
December 7
No Room at the Inn
Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus to
register all the empire for taxes. This was the first registration, taken when
Quirinius was governor of Syria. Everyone went to his own town to be registered.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the
city of David called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of
David. He went to be registered with Mary, who was promised in marriage to him,
and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to
deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in
strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in
the inn.
Luke 2:1-7
We're all familiar with this account
from Scripture. We can imagine the hardships of traveling several days on a
donkey while due to give birth at any time. Well perhaps we can't quite imagine
it, but any woman I have talked to who has had children has emphatically told me
it was not a journey she would have liked to make.
To top it off there is the
frustration of finding no place to stay. On more than one occasion I have been
on the road and needed to stop for a rest only to find no available hotel rooms.
Sleeping in the car on the side of the road beats sleeping outside hands down on
a cold night, but I cannot imagine giving birth in one.
While being born in a stable points
us to the depths our Lord was willing to go in order to bring us salvation, I
believe it is also symbolic of the state of people's hearts. Most people simply
have no room in their heart for God, whether He is an infant or ruler of the
entire universe.
We don't want Him around. Believing
there is a God means that we must also accept that we are accountable to someone
else. Knowing there is a God means that there are rules and that there is a
right way and a wrong way to do things. It means that we are not self sufficient
Gods at the centre of our own universe. That hits right at the heart of our
self-centered rebellion and people do not want to think about the ramifications
of these things.
The people of the darkness prefer the
dark. They do not want what is done in the dark revealed in the light. That
means keeping God away. It means leaving no room for Him. Instead of opening
their hearts to the saving mercy of Jesus, they prefer their sin and fill their
hearts with everything but Him.
Even as Christians we often want just
enough Jesus to keep out of hell. We keep Him crowded in a little corner in the
back of our heart. We keep Him in our own stable. Close enough to get to in the
event of an emergency but not so close that we actually have to think about Him
or walk in obedience to Him.
While only God can judge a person's
heart, I think many people with Jesus kept in the stable at the rearmost corner
of their heart may well be in for a rude awakening come judgment day. He may
well say "I never knew you" to them.
Don't risk it. Bring Jesus in from
the stable and give Him free reign in your life. You'll never regret it.
Until next time, may there be room
for Jesus, not just in the stable, but in your heart, your soul, your mind and
especially in your life.
Cleaning out the cobwebs, closets, and
secret places to make room for Jesus!
Darrel Mason
Would you help us spread the word about
"According to your Faith"? Tell your friends and family about us and encourage
them to subscribe for themselves. Help us to take the good news of Jesus Christ
to people around the globe. Help us to encourage and challenge believers in
their faith walk. I know there are many people out there who could benefit
greatly from what we do.
Will you help them find us?
Thanks. Darrel
December 8
Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but
worldly sorrow brings death. 2 Corinthians 7:10 NIV
I often hear people pray blanket prayers like, “Lord, forgive me of all my sins
known and unknown.” This type of prayer cannot cleanse us. We need to be
specific. We need to go to God with Godly sorrow. We need to understand that sin
grieves the Holy Spirit. We need to be grieved that our behavior has grieved the
Lord. When we can connect to God’s heart and hate what He hates and love what He
loves, then our sin will lead us from confession to repentance.
The dictionary definition of repent is to make a change for the better as a
result of remorse or contrition for one’s sins. The Word tells us we don’t need
to regret. The world regrets their sin because of the consequences it brings.
God’s desire is for us to share His heart. If we can feel his sorrow and
identify with Him, a change will be made because of our love for Him, but how
can we change unless we know what sins we are committing? In the following three
places in scripture, Peter, David, and Ephraim, were very aware of the sin they
had committed. They showed Godly sorrow and asked to be restored.
Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: "Before the rooster crows, you
will disown me three times." And he went outside and wept bitterly. Matthew
26:75
David was conscience-stricken after he had counted the fighting men, and he said
to the LORD,
"I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, O LORD, I beg you, take away
the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing." 2 Samuel 21:8 NIV
"I have surely heard Ephraim's moaning: 'You disciplined me like an unruly calf,
and I have been disciplined. Restore me, and I will return, because you are the
LORD my God. After I strayed, I repented; after I came to understand, I beat my
breast. I was ashamed and humiliated because I bore the disgrace of my youth.'
Is not Ephraim my dear son, the child in whom I delight? Though I often speak
against him, I still remember him. Therefore my heart yearns for him; I have
great compassion for him," declares the LORD. Jeremiah 31:18-20 NIV
The laver of bronze in the tabernacle was made of bronze mirrors according to
Exodus 38:8. It was the place where the priests cleansed their hands and feet.
Isn’t it interesting that they had to examine themselves as they were cleansing
themselves?
2 Corinthians 7:1
7:1 Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from
everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of
reverence for God. NIV
We too must examine our sins and ourselves so that we may repent and cleanse
ourselves from all unrighteousness and be consecrated to the Lord. We must be a
people that confront our sin.
1 John 1:9 tells us that If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and
will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. NIV
As you confront your sin today, have no regrets, just Godly sorrow that leads to
a changed life walking in more and more freedom!
Janet Fairbrother
Originally written
November 6, 2007
December 9
For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged
sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and
marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12 NKJV
In the passage of our daily lives we sometimes for get the promises and truths
of God's word. When we are being attacked, assailed or tempted; it is important
to remember and speak to our situations and circumstances. One of the weapons of
our warfare is the word of God. Here are just a few reminders for you to use and
speak:
It is written - God forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.
It is written - The love of God has been shed abroad in my heart by the Holy
Spirit . . . and perfect love casts out all fear.
It is written - Christ has redeemed me from the Law, having become a curse for
me.
It is written - Jesus bore my sins in His own body on a tree, that I having died
to sin, might live for righteousness, by whose stripes I was healed.
It is written - He was wounded for me transgressions and bruised for my
iniquities, the chastisement of my peace was upon him and by his stripes I am
healed.
It is written - He himself took my infirmities and bore my sicknesses.
It is written - He sent his word and healed me and delivered me from my
destructions.
It is written - My light shall break forth like the morning, my healing shall
spring forth speedily and my righteousness shall go before me, the glory of the
Lord shall be my rear guard.
Be Blessed in this day for it is the day the Lord has made!
Darrel Mason
December 10
Merry Christ-mas
The bell ringers are out for the Salvation Army and as I approached the store he
called out to me “Happy Holidays”. I’m sure he was coached to say this so as not
to offend the shoppers and givers. I’m sure William Booth would not have been so
politically correct as he named the organization, “THE SALVATION ARMY”. I wonder
if he would be surprised that the army has represenatives that are afraid to
mention the very name of Jesus Christ. That is a topic for another time. I do
salute the salvation Army and their work as my wife worked there as Editor in
Chief for 14 years in the Philippine Division based in Manila. So as this was my
introduction I now say,
“Merry Christmas”! I know it's getting to be increasingly unpopular to say those
words as we move towards a politically correct thought police state.
I suppose I should say something like Happy Holidays. Or perhaps "Have a happy
non-religious, or religion of your choice, festive winter solstice season, if
indulging in such a holiday is personally non-offensive to you".
That might be less offensive to some, but frankly it doesn't mean anything to
anyone so why bother to say it?
Can we talk?
Even without the politically correct thought police and their very political
agenda, the gospel is offensive. It always has been. There have always been more
people who reject the truth about Jesus than those who accepted it. Even when
our culture was supposedly "Christian", it was primarily Christian in name only.
Certainly there were some benefits but few had the true heart changes that
signify being a follower of Christ. There were mostly "nominal" Christians that
were Christian in "name" only.
I know the angels proclaimed
"Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the
people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ
the Lord"
over the fields of Bethlehem, but as good as the news was then (and still is)
most would reject it (and still do).
I know that the choice to celebrate Christmas on December 25 was an arbitrary
political decision on behalf of politically minded church leaders. I can live
with that. However, whatever date we choose to celebrate the birth of the King
it is a time to celebrate love beyond measure.
We celebrate the arrival of God, Almighty God who emptied Himself of all power,
honor and majesty and came to us as a human infant. He reached down to us in a
way that we could never reach up because all of our striving would be for
nothing. We can never undo what we've done.
His coming is something I don't really comprehend. Why would God give all that
up for people like you and me?
I know it's true because the Bible says so.
John 3:16-21 NIV
"For God so loved the world that he
gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but
have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the
world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not
condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has
not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light
has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their
deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into
the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the
truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done
has been done through God."
I know it's because He loves us but a gift of that magnitude still baffles me.
I'm glad Jesus did come because without His coming there would be no redemption
for sins. We'd all be headed for the hell that is the natural consequence of our
sin. I'll celebrate someone who loves me that much any time.
You can be as politically correct as you want, as for me and my house we wish
you a merry CHRIST-mas!
Blessings to all,
Darrel Mason
December 14
Christmas Gifts
Like many other people, Christmas has been in my thoughts of late. It's hard to
escape with the barrage of advertising on the radio and television and in the
increased poundage of flyers in our mailbox. The advertisers work hard on
convincing us to spend more and more.
Guilt and pressure seem to be the most effective means of selling this stuff. It
must work because they spend a fortune doing it and if it didn't work they'd
advertise in some other fashion.
If you really love someone you'll buy them this or that. To be really popular
buy them this other thing. Expensive electronics, high end jewelry and more seem
to top the lists.
Giving is a part of Christmas. Mary gave her womb, Joseph gave his wife and his
reputation, God gave us Jesus, the Magi gave gifts. Of course all of that took
place over an extended period of time and probably not on December 25, but you
get the idea.
Joseph and Mary had their reputation besmirched for the rest of their lives as
many would never believe that the child was Holy Spirit conceived. Mary allowed
the conception and carried Jesus for nine months and cared for him right up to
his death and beyond. There was likely a two year gap (or so) between when the
Magi saw the star and arrived to give gifts to the baby. God's gift of Jesus had
eternal consequences.
All those gifts were extravagant, yet none was coerced or brought on by guilt or
pressure. All were given willingly. That's so different that we see today.
This morning as we read part of Luke's and Matthew's Advent accounts, look for
the gifts and ponder the marvel of His birth.
Luke 2:1-21 NIV
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken
of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while
Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to
Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.
He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and
was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be
born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and
placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over
their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of
the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them,
"Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the
people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ
the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and
lying in a manger."
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising
God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom
his favor rests."
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one
another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the
Lord has told us about."
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in
the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had
been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the
shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them
in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the
things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the
name the angel had given him before he had been conceived.
Matthew 2:1-12NIV
MT 2:1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King
Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has
been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship
him."
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he
had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he
asked them where the Christ was to be born. "In Bethlehem in Judea," they
replied, "for this is what the prophet has written: " `But you, Bethlehem, in
the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of
you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.' "
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the
star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful
search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may
go and worship him."
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had
seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the
child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house,
they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.
Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of
incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod,
they returned to their country by another route.
Until next time praise God for the gift of His Son.
Out of all the gifts you can ever give is the one you could never buy. Jesus is
the reason for the season!
Have you missed God because He didn’t do things your way?
When was the last time you Thanked God for His gift to you?
Thanking God for the gift He gave though it was not wrapped or packaged the way
I thought it should, could or would be!
Merry Christmas!
December 15
Thinking About Silly Putty and God
While out shopping today I saw a child with what I will call “silly putty.” It
is a term for a substance made back when I was a kid. I enjoyed playing with it
as much as the youngster I saw today.
I remember I could stretch it, tear it apart, shape it or whatever else seems
appropriate at the moment. When I was done playing with it, I just stuffed it
back into the egg and left it until the next time I felt the urge to play. Each
time I opened the egg, the silly putty has slumped back to its original shape.
If I didn't know better, I'd say that it had never been played with.
Sometimes in life, we feel like we're the silly putty. We're sitting there
minding our own business and suddenly we're being stretched, rolled, shaped and
torn. The difference is that God never does it just for play and He is always
intentional about what He's doing. He doesn't give up part way through and
forget about us.
Sometimes, we do slump back, but that's our choice not His design. He can shape
us and mold us, but if we choose to go back to our old ways He may let us. For a
while. Then He pinches, moulds and shapes us all over again. We don't have to
revert, He's set us free to be more than we were. He's given us the choice to
follow or to be disobedient.
Some days we choose to follow and others we choose to slump and be disobedient.
Many people have to get reshaped again and again because we choose not to listen
to Him. When we're disciplined for habitual sin, it isn't God's fault. We're the
ones who made the poor choice of falling again.
He disciplines us and reshapes us because He loves us.
And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons:
"My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when
he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes
everyone he accepts as a son." Hebrews
12:5-6 NIV
When we've slumped back into the formless mold of sin and God pulls us out to
reshape us to His plan, it's time to rejoice. It might hurt a bit at the time,
but it means He hasn't forgotten us. It means He still loves us. It means He
loves and accepts us where we're at when we come to Him, but He also loves us
too much to leave us there.
Being conformed to the image of God is a growing process, and like all growth
involves change and some amount of pain. We can limit that pain by choosing to
walk closely with Him and keeping with the changes He's making. Or we can go
through it over and over again, because we've chosen to slide backwards.
There isn't an in between position. Either we're moving forward with God or
we're slumping back to the old self.
I've grown a lot as a Christian, and there have been times when it has been
tough. There were things I didn't want to give up. I didn't want to stop being
the center of the universe. I didn't want to face the consequences of my own
actions. I've got a lot of growing to do yet, but I'm learning (notice I didn't
say I've learned) to let Him have His way, fight Him less and slump back less.
It's helped a lot.
Until next time, pay attention when He wants to reshape you and go with the
flow. He's going to have His way anyway, after all He's God and we're not.
Rejoice in the fact that He loves you enough to not leave you wallowing in your
sin.
What God is trying to make you into will change the world if you will let Him!
Being pinched, poked, pulled and torn apart daily for the good of myself and
those around me!
Darrel Mason
December 16
Great Journey
Abram, later to be known as Abraham is a hero to Christians, Jews and Muslims
alike. He is recognized as a man full of great faith. He lived in one of the
most luxurious and wealthiest urban areas of his day. Abram chose to trust God,
give up his security and his home, and move to a land he did not know. He risked
everything for a promised reward he could not see.
Genesis 12:1-7 NIV
The LORD
had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household
and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I
will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will
bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples
on earth will be blessed through you."
So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was
seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran. He took his wife Sarai, his
nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had
acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived
there. Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of
Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. The LORD
appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he
built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.
The Bible doesn't tell us how Abram came to know the Lord. He lived in a pagan
culture surrounded by idol worshippers yet somehow God revealed Himself to Abram
and Abram believed. According to one source (Jewish Virtual Library -
http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/biography/abraham.html), Abram was
strong in his faith, against worshipping idols and even took risks in an effort
to convert his father.
According to Jewish tradition, Abraham was born under the name Abram in the city
of Ur in Babylonia in the year 1948 from Creation (circa 1800 BCE). He was the
son of Terach, an idol merchant, but from his early childhood, he questioned the
faith of his father and sought the truth. He came to believe that the entire
universe was the work of a single Creator, and he began to teach this belief to
others. Abram tried to convince his father, Terach, of the folly of idol
worship. One day, when Abram was left alone to mind the store, he took a hammer
and smashed all of the idols except the largest one. He placed the hammer in the
hand of the largest idol. When his father returned and asked what happened,
Abram said, "The idols got into a fight, and the big one smashed all the other
ones." His father said, "Don't be ridiculous. These idols have no life or power.
They can't do anything." Abram replied, "Then why do you worship them?"
Now I can't vouch for the veracity of the tradition, but it does provide an
interesting insight into the man Abram might have been and makes a good story at
the same time.
In sharing that tidbit, I've digressed from where I planned to go this morning.
My original point is that Abram took God at His word and moved to a land he knew
nothing about and had never seen. It was credited to him by God as faith.
Hebrews 11:8-12 NIV
By faith
Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance,
obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. By faith he
made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he
lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same
promise. For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose
architect and builder is God. By faith Abraham, even though he was past age--and
Sarah herself was barren--was enabled to become a father because he considered
him faithful who had made the promise. And so from this one man, and he as good
as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless
as the sand on the seashore.
I've often marveled at Abram's faith. To risk it all and go to parts unknown at
the call of God does indeed require faith.
I was thinking on the faith of Abram last night as I drifted off to sleep when I
made a realization. God has called every Christian to do exactly what He called
Abram to do and everyone who has accepted Christ does the same thing.
God reveals Himself to us in the midst of an evil and idolatrous world. He calls
us to follow Him through the dangers and sorrows of life to a land that we have
never experienced. We follow (like Abram with varying degrees of obedience) in
the hope and promise of heaven. None of us has seen heaven. None of us knows
what it will be like, we simply take God by faith that it will be worth the
journey.
Like Abram's journey, our journey will be imperfect. It will be hard at times as
we battle an unseen enemy dedicated to our destruction. We will live
countercultural lives for a promise of a land we do not know. We will risk
persecution and rejection. We will be called to give up our powerless idols,
whatever those idols may be in our lives.
It is a wild ride. No two of us make the same journey. We all start at different
places and times and travel different routes facing different dangers to end up
at the same unknown place at a time only God Himself knows.
We have an idea of where we are going, but really we won't know where it is or
what it is like until we arrive. Until you get there hold fast to God in faith
and enjoy the great journey.
God can be trusted when all else fails!
Darrel Mason
December 17
Jehovah Jireh
I like to plan ahead when it comes to financial decisions. I do not like to be
in debt. I am willing to spend money. I am not a hoarder. I am a giver, but I do
not like big surprise expenditures. I most prefer to have what I’d call a
cushion for those surprises, because they do come around every once in awhile.
Now on one hand, that makes me a wise steward. On the other hand, God often will
test me to see where my security lies: in Him or my so called “cushion.” The
Lord once spoke to me and said, “Look not at what you
don’t have but instead, on what you
do have.”
God is our provider, our Jehovah Jireh. Abraham first gave Him this name on
Mount Moriah when the Lord stopped him from sacrificing Isaac and provided the
ram in the thicket. “And Abraham called the name of
the place, The-LORD-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, "In the Mount of
the LORD it shall be provided." Genesis 22:14
Jehovah Jireh actually means, The Lord Who Sees, or The Lord Who Will See. We
must remember that no matter what we are going through, God sees all of our
needs, and He provides for our every need as we trust in Him. Just as with
Abraham, His timing is perfect. In other words, the ever watching eyes of God
see the needs of His people, and those needs move God’s heart.
From the foundation of the world, God had already seen His people in need
of a Savior and provided His son as the sacrificed Lamb able to atone for their
sins. Not only does He see our needs, but He saw them before we were aware of
them ourselves.
As Jesus looked over the city of Jerusalem in Luke 19:41-42, His heart was
moved. He saw His people in need, and wept saying,
"If you had known, even you, especially in
this your day, the things that make for your peace!” He wept because His
people were in need, but refused to turn to the One who would provide. God’s
hand reaches out to those who acknowledge their need for Him and empty their
hearts of substitutes to receive His provision.
Too often, we look to our substitutes for our provision, our “cushions,” rather
than to the real Provider. So if
your “cushion” is being tested, examine your heart to see if it has become a
substitute for the only true Provider. We must learn to proclaim the truth of
Philippians 4:18-19 that says,
“I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied.” Let’s
be thankful for what we do have: a God who
“…will meet all your needs according to
his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”
In Matthew 6:34 Jesus said, “Therefore do not worry
about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the
day is its own trouble.” Each day, brings its own trouble, but our God
will bring its help. We have no need to worry about our future; our God has
already made the provision for tomorrow as we trust Him today.
God may test your heart by asking you to give some of your cushion for tomorrow
to someone as their provision for today.
God Bless,
Janet Fairbrother
December 21
Winter Is Here
Today is officially the first day of winter although we have had cold weather
and a few snow storms already. The forecast is more snow coming in a day or two.
Winter weather comes without fail year in and year out. People have been
commenting on the fact that its arrival has been late this year. So why are we
surprised when it does arrive?
I think there is something in the human condition that causes us to push
unpleasant or inevitable things to the back of our mind. Sometimes, that can be
a good thing but other times it can be devastating.
Young people live their lives as if they were immortal. Part of that is because
if they knew what life was really like many of them would never want to leave
home. There are bills to pay and living is expensive. Many teens don not truly
understand that until they're out on their own for a while. Part of it is just
the self focus that comes from being young.
It is not just the young. Criminals think they can escape justice. Adulterers
think that no one will ever know. Tax cheats never imagine that they will be
audited. The list could go on and on with things large and small.
We live in a world where the inevitable is ignored. We either think that we are
the ones who will never get caught or we spend our lives in horrific pain and
guilt that someone will someday find out.
I'm reminded of the story about the gag Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (or Mark Twin
depending on the source) is reported to have pulled in his day. He sent a
telegram to twelve people saying "Flee. All is discovered". Within 24 hours six
of the twelve had left the country. I have never been able to find a source for
the story so I suspect it is just that, a story, but it does make you wonder.
What do we have buried waiting to be uncovered? Did we think we could get away
with it and never be found out? Or are we living in terror of the day it is
discovered? Either answer is a terrible form of bondage and we likely all have
some of both if we are truly honest.
I doubt there is a person alive who would want every thought, word and deed put
on public display for everyone else to see. That's why the old punishment of
being put in stocks seemed so effective.
There will come a time when all is revealed in front of God. He already knows it
all, but people will have to step up to the bench and answer for it all.
Romans 2:12-16 NIV
All who sin apart from the law will
also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by
the law. For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight,
but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. (Indeed, when
Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they
are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show
that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences
also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.)
This will take place on the day when God will judge men's secrets through Jesus
Christ, as my gospel declares.
Christians know of this judgment and know our sins are forgiven. I think that
tends to, at times at least, make us complacent about it. We will get past
because of the blood of Jesus but surely the inevitability of judgment would
make us want to share the truth with those who don't know.
Our love for others should cause us to want to see them get right with Jesus. We
know what will happen to those who do not so we must not ignore it. To do so is
as much folly as not being prepared for winter, but with eternal consequences.
Winter will pass but hell is forever.
Are you
prepared or will you be surprised, by something you knew was coming all along?
Darrel
Mason
December 22
More Worship, Less Preaching
In one of the former churches I attended when I
was invited to preach I was told to limit my sermons to thirty minutes or less.
I was never given a reason for such but even now I think we can all take a few
guesses of why a limit on a sermon, right?
A common thread within Christianity is to have
more worship and less preaching. Some churches brag of singing praises for
hours, but how many brag of a sermon going on for hours?
Why is it that most Christians prefer worship over
preaching? It is because we love the God that we imagine when we worship because
we can almost create our own God or certainly we can create our own image of God
during worship. However, during preaching we are brought face to face with God
and who He really is and what He really expects from us. It is only natural
(fleshly) that we would shy away from hearing the Truth of how God wants us to
change.
“Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for
I am compelled to preach” (1 Corinthians 9:16). Paul was not compelled to preach
just to add another sermon to his resume. Instead, he preached so that the Body
of Christ might grow to maturity and remain in strong spiritual health.
The Bible does not say that worship will set us
free. It says that the Truth will set us free. I believe is seems easier for us
to worship than to study God’s Word and change our lives based upon what we
discover from His Word. Rarely does a good worship change most people. Instead,
they simply enjoy worshipping. We must be very careful in this because we can
worship God and yet never obey Him, and never hear from Him.
Find someone who always talks about how much they
love to worship God and how much they enjoy their church’s worship service.
Then, ask them some common Bible questions. They probably can’t answer the Bible
questions. Ask them about how reading the Word last week has caused them to die
to more of their flesh. You probably will get a long pause as they try to say
something that sounds spiritual.
The Word of God changes us, cuts away our flesh
and draws us closer to the LORD. In fact, our worship is more authentic when we
have been changed by the Word of God.
I’m not suggesting we abandoned all worship and do
nothing but preach the Word, although for a season this probably could save some
dying churches and some dying Christians. But what I am saying is that we should
give the preaching of the Word of God a predominant place in our worship,
whether in our church services or in our individual worship, the Word of God
must be foremost!
Are you truly a worship person?
Then check your time reading the Bible?
Check your time obeying and fulfilling God’s will
on a daily basis.
God requires more from us than a pretty voice and
feeling good.
Those who worship Him must worship in truth and
Spirit!
How much truth can you handle compared to the
music you hear?
If you want to be set free then the truth is the
key!
Darrel Mason
December 23
Isa 9:6-7
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David's throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the LORD Almighty
will accomplish this.
NIV
While strolling along the mall, salesperson everywhere would often greet us
“Happy Holidays, Ma’am, Sir!” At first it didn’t bother me. I just
smiled at them and went on with my shopping.
But then it dawned on me that they were greeting us with Happy Holidays to be
“politically correct” and to not offend any religion or ‘holidays’ beliefs.
This got me thinking now…Who’s birthday is it anyway we are celebrating? It’s
Christ’s birthday, right? So what’s politically incorrect and offending with
that?
If other people can celebrate the enlightenment of whomever, commemorate the
finding of whatever and remember the discovery of whichever, why can’t we tell
people “Merry Christmas” without feeling that we are offending their religious
beliefs?
If we are Christians and we believe in Christ, then we should be celebrating the
birthday of a child that was given to us to redeem us from our sins. A
baby boy that was meant to be called the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
everlasting Father and Prince of Peace.
So I call upon all and every Christians who will be celebrating the birth of our
Savior, let us help correct the “politically incorrect” greeting that’s such a
buzz this Christmas season. Let’s greet each other with
a “Merry Christmas” because it is a
happy occasion that our Savior was born.
Don’t just settle on a happy holiday because this day is not just a holiday.
It is a time to commemorate the love of great God to humankind.
Merry CHRISTmas to all of you!!
Beth Mason
Noveleta, Cavite- Philippines
December 24
Rev 12:11
They overcame him
by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony;
they did not love their lives so much
as to shrink from death.
NIV
Rev 3:19-20
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten : be zealous therefore, and repent.
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the
door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
KJV
God Chastens Those He Loves
During this wonderful season of the celebration of our Savior’s birth, I am very
much aware of so many of our blessings.
One blessing for which I am especially grateful this year stands out
among the rest.
I have personally been blessed by the Lord’s correction in me for something I
was not even aware of in my life.
God spoke through a prophet to tell me that I was complacent in my faith. I did
not receive this message at first with gratitude.
I was angry, indignant, argumentative, rebellious, and stubborn.
Funny how I always believed that I was willing to receive anything the Lord had
to say to me, yet I doubted the prophet, argued with him, crossed my arms over
my chest, and cried.
Not only was I informed of my sin, but God dealt with me very seriously about my
sin by responding with a promise of judgment if I did not respond to His
correction. At that point my anger
turned to the fear of the Lord.
His correction was targeted to fears that plagued me and were replacing my
faith, as fear and faith cannot operate together.
So God laid the fear of the Lord on me that absolutely overpowered any
other kind of fear I could possibly experience.
The fear of the Lord became much more significant than the fears I
entertained in the natural realm.
Since my relationship with God is the most important and dearest thing in my
life, I was undone. After hours
of work my heart became soft, as my need became greater than my denial.
Hours of counseling followed with my mentors, and I began to understand the
truth and God’s purpose and love in this correction. My mentors helped me put
together a plan of action to overcome fear in my life.
Much studying of the Word of God to renew my mind and taking every
fearful thought captive became my goal.
Day by day I am winning the victory over fear and replacing fear with faith in
God. Even though I had a daily
prayer time with the Lord and read my Bible before this correction came to me; I
was grieving the Holy Spirit by choking out faith with fear.
I am now moving in the right direction and learning much more about resting in
the Lord. I have great gratitude to
God and to the two servants whom He uses to teach me about removing fear from my
life in order to embrace faith.
Glory to God for loving us so much that He will not allow us to go on in our sin
and our ignorance and instead, bring correction to our lives to bring us into
alignment with Him and save us from Satan’s deception.
Ladonna-Austin, Texas
December 25
MERRY
CHRISTMAS
A Christmas Prayer
by Robert
Louis Stevenson
Loving Father, help us to remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the
song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and the worship of the wise
men.
Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world.
Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting.
Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings, and teach us to be
merry with clear hearts.
May the Christmas morning make us happy to be Thy children, and the Christmas
evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for
Jesus' sake.
Amen!
_________________________________________________
We
decided to do a little something different for today. Enjoy this Christmas
test…May God Bless…FOFM
_____________________________________________
I received this a couple of years ago and thought it might challenge you...God
Bless... Darrel
__________________________________________
How well do you know the Christmas Story? Take the following test. See how well
you do. The answers are at the end. You will discover that many things we are
"certain" are in the Bible are actually not. We assume that they are there due
to the many Christmas plays and dramas we have seen throughout the years. Later,
you can test your friends at work or church. Be warned - there are many "trick"
questions. Enjoy.
A CHRISTMAS I.Q. TEST
1. Joseph was originally from... (Luke 2:3)
A. Bethlehem
B. Nazareth
C. Hebron
D. Jerusalem
E. None of the above
2. What does the Bible say that the Innkeeper said to Mary and Joseph? (Luke
2:7)
A. "There is no room in the inn."
B. "I have a stable you can use."
C. "Come back later and I should have some vacancies."
D. Both A and B
E. None of the above
3. A manger is a...
A. Stable for domestic animals
B. Wooden hay storage bin
C. Feeding trough
D. Barn
4. Which animals does the Bible say were present at Jesus' birth?
A. Cows, sheep, goats
B. Cows, Donkeys, goats
C. Sheep and goats only
D. Miscellaneous barnyard animals
E. None of the above
5. Who saw the star in the east?
A. Shepherds
B. Mary and Joseph
C. Three Kings
D. Both A and C
E. None of the above
6. According to the Bible, how did Mary and Joseph get to Bethlehem?
A. Camel
B. Donkey
C. Walked
D. Joseph walked, Mary rode a donkey
E. Horse-drawn chariot
F. The Bible doesn't say
7. How many angels spoke to the shepherds? (Luke 2:10)
A. One
B. Three
C. Multitude
D. None of the above
8. What did the angels say/sing? (Luke 2:14)
A. "Glory to God in the highest, etc."
B. "Alleluia"
C. "Unto us a child is born, Unto us a son is given"
D. "Joy the world, the Lord is come"
E. "Glory to the newborn King"
9. What is a heavenly host?
A. The angel at the gate of heaven
B. The angel who serves refreshments in heaven
C. An angel choir
D. An angel army
E. None of the above
10. There was snow that first Christmas...
A. Only in Bethlehem
B. All over Israel
C. Nowhere in Israel
D. Somewhere in Israel
11. What is Frankincense?
A. A precious metal
B. A precious fabric
C. A precious perfume
D. None of the above
12. In Matthew, what does "wise men" or "Magi" refer to?
A. Men of the educated class
B. Eastern Kings
C. Astronomers
D. Sages
13. What is Myrrh?
A. Middle Eastern Money
B. A drink
C. An easily shaped metal
D. A spice used for burying people
E. None of the above
14. How many wise men does the Bible say came to see Jesus? _____
15. Where did the wise men find Jesus? (Matthew 2:11)
A. In a manger
B. In a stable
C. In Nazareth
D. In Egypt
E. In a house
F. None of the above
16. When the "magi" found Jesus, he was... (Matthew 2:11)
A. A babe wrapped in swaddling clothes
B. A young child
C. A boy in the temple
D. A grown man
17. The "star in the east" that the "magi" followed... (Matthew 2:9)
A. Stayed in the same place their entire journey
B. Disappeared and reappeared
C. Moved ahead of them and stopped over the place where Jesus was
D. Was just a mirage
E. None of the above
18. The "magi" stopped in Jerusalem... (Matthew 2:2)
A. To inform Herod about Jesus
B. To find out where Jesus was
C. To ask about the star
D. To buy gifts for Jesus
E. None of the above
19. Where do we find the Christmas story?
A. Matthew
B. Mark
C. Luke
D. John
E. All of the above
F. Only A and B
G. Only A and C
H. Only A, B, and C
20. When Joseph found Mary was pregnant, what happened?
A. They got married
B. Joseph wanted to break the engagement
C. Mary left town for three months
D. A, B , C
E. B and C
21. Who told (made) Mary and Joseph go to Bethlehem? (Luke 2:1-5)
A. The angel chorus
B. Mary's mother
C. Herod
D. The shepherds
E. Caesar Augustus
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE ANSWERS: (read the scriptures beside the questions)
1. A. He worked and currently lived in Nazareth, but he was returning to
Bethlehem - "his own city" (See Luke 2:3).
2. E. The Bible doesn't say that the innkeeper "said' anything (See Luke 2:7)
3. C. Feeding trough - Interestingly enough, most mangers in New Testament times
were made of stone. Wood was too valuable to use for mangers. If you visit
Israel today, you can see stone mangers used by Solomon to feed his horses at
Megiddo.
4. E. The Bible doesn't say. We just "assume" that since Jesus was born in a
stable that there were various barnyard animals present.
5. E. This is a "trick" question. The "magi" saw the star. However, the Bible
doesn't say how many there were and they were not "kings", but astronomers or
"star gazers" (see answer 15).
6. F. Although the modern "pictures" in my Bible show Mary on a donkey with
Joseph beside her, the Bible doesn't say!
7. A. Luke 2:10
8. A. Luke 2:14
9. D. The word means "army". (Greek - "stratias") Now, since there was a
"multitude" of the heavenly "army" (hosts), there could easily have been from
10,000 - 100,000 angels there that night! When the incarnate Son of God was
born, heaven could not hold the angels back! No wonder the shepherds were "sore
afraid"!
10. D. Another trick question. There is always snow on Mt. Hermon in northern
Israel
11. C.
12. C. The word "Magi" literally means "star-gazers". Although there is no
Biblical record of exactly who they were or their point of origin, I personally
believe that they were descendants of the "wise men" ("star gazers") of Babylon.
I believe that God, in His great providence, used Daniel (while he was in
captivity in Babylon), to teach these men about future events - including the
birth of the Savior of the world. Read Daniel 5:11 - Daniel was put in charge
of these men!
13. D. Herod was buried with over 150 lbs. of Myrrh wrapped in his burial
clothes.
14. They were "magi" (star-gazers), not necessarily "wise men" - but the Bible
doesn't give the number. Many people assume that there were three because of the
three gifts. However, in ancient times such men usually traveled in large
caravans, along with a full entourage for provision and protection.
15. E. Read Matthew 2:11 (see next answer)
16. B. Read Matthew 2:11 When the Shepherds found Jesus (Luke 2), he was a
"babe" in a manger. The Greek word used in Luke 2 is for a "newborn baby".
However, by the time the Magi appeared, Jesus had been moved from the manger to
a house (verse 11) and the Greek word used in Matthew is for "toddler or young
child". He was probably somewhere between 12-24 months old.
17. C. Read Matthew 2:9 Most people miss this question. The star did not stay
stationary over the manger or the house. This verse makes it clear that the star
moved "in front" of the magi and guided them until it "stood over where the
young child was".
18. B. Read Matthew 2:2
19. G. Isn't it amazing how God divinely inspired these two gospel writers to
write His exact words, but, yet, He used their interests and professions to
recall different aspects of Jesus' birth. Matthew, a tax collector, records the
genealogy of Jesus (used for taxation) and the story of the "magi" - men of
importance from a foreign country. Luke, a physician, records the pregnancy and
birth.
20. E. Joseph wanted to "put her away" secretly and Mary left town to see her
cousin Elizabeth. Matthew 1:19 and Luke 1:39, 56
21. E. "There went out a decree from Caesar Augustus... everyone into his own
city... " (Luke 2:1-5)
December 28
Child
Sacrifice
And you shall not let any of your descendants pass through
the fire to Molech.
Leviticus 18:21
Molech was an idol
revered by the Ammonites as a protecting father. Fausset’s Bible Dictionary
explains Molech was represented as a hollow brass humanlike body, with ox's
head, and hands stretched forth to receive. When it was thoroughly heated the
priests put the babe into its hands, while drums were beat to drown the infant
cries, lest the parent should relent. (from Fausset's Bible Dictionary,
Electronic Database Copyright (c)1998, 2003 by Biblesoft)
Hebrew law as we
see in Leviticus 18 stringently prohibited worship of Molech. Child sacrifice
was and still is an abomination to God. In Ezekiel 16:20-21, God confronts the
people, "Moreover you took your sons and your
daughters, whom you bore to Me, and these you sacrificed to them to be devoured.
Were your acts of harlotry a small matter, that you have slain My children and
offered them up to them by causing them to pass through the fire?” It is
no small matter to God when little ones are given up to false gods.
Sometimes we have a
hard time relating to idol worship. We don’t see how that applies to us today.
Consider how God used Hosea to marry a prostitute and how their marriage and her
unfaithfulness was a picture of the spiritual adultery Israel was guilty of
committing against God. We can’t imagine how the Israelites could offer their
infants as a sacrifice to an idol. It is such a terrible thought. However, it
happens all the time. Anytime a child suffers at the expense of his parent’s
selfish desires a child is sacrificed to an idol. It could be drugs, alcohol,
sex. It could be a parent who chooses work over giving a child the love and
attention they crave or the abandonment of a parent through choice or divorce.
What about the huge number of children who suffer abuse at the hand of a parent
who is supposed to protect them.
Yet, the cries of the child are drown out by the justifications in the parent’s
mind.
I would even say
that anytime a parent who was supposed to protect their child, shatters the
trust of that child, they have caused their descendant to pass through the fire.
When our ability to trust others has been affected by our parents, it affects
our trust of our heavenly Father. The enemy uses our experience to cause us to
question our value and worth and to fear abandonment of our God and His love for
us. Jesus said in Luke 17:2, “It would be better
for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the
sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.”
Have you been
guilty of child sacrifice? Run to God and receive forgiveness. Pray for your
children that God will bring healing to their wounds and that He will make up
for your weaknesses and failures as a parent. Pray for reconciliation.
Have you been a
victim of child sacrifice? God wants to take you back to that place where a
death occurred and bring resurrection. He wants to bring you healing from the
wounds caused by those who were meant to care for you. He wants to bring you to
a place of forgiving them so the torture can come to an end today. Your tears
were not drown out from His ears. Your heavenly Father collected every one of
them in a bottle. You can trust again. Begin with God.
Blessings,
Janet Fairbrother
December 29
Nagging
Over the years I have counseled and met with both men and women alike who felt
like their spouses were nagging them about something. My advice which I also can
apply to me is to get the thing done that my spouse is asking for so I don’t
perceive her as nagging. Sure I can go after the person doing the nagging but I
have found in most cases when I do what I have been asked to do then the problem
is resolved and there is no more nagging or a nagger. The simple solution came
down to me doing what I had been asked to do. Of course most of the time we
would rather blame the other person than take responsibility ourselves.
This unfortunately also can be true when we are under God's conviction we have
this "nagging" sensation to deal with something that will not go away no matter
how much we try and ignore it.
It is not that God is "nagging us". It is simply our spirit responding to His
voice and rather than listen to it we're rebelling.
I have heard people complain about preachers being too "black and white" when
the issue is God is dealing with the listener's own sin. I have seen people
leave churches because they knew the things they were doing were wrong but they
did not have to want to deal with them.
I have seen people get angry when a Christian enters the room because the
Christian is "judging them" when in fact the Christian may know nothing about
that person at all. It is the Holy Spirit convicting them to change their ways.
Christians and none Christians alike deal with the conviction of Holy Spirit in
their life. Sometimes they call it conscience. Other times they call it an
intuition that something was wrong. It carries many guises.
Psychiatrist and psychologists speak of people desensitizing themselves to right
and wrong. After a while they are able to increasingly tune out the voice of
right and slide deeper into the morass of their sin (although most mental health
professionals would be loath to use the dreaded "s" word [sin])
That is a dangerous place to be.
As much as we dislike being under conviction, rebelling against it and tuning it
out is far worse in the long run than dealing with it. You can get to the point
where you no longer hear His voice. The bible calls that a hardening of the
heart.
In Exodus 7-14 we read of Moses and Pharaoh. Pharaoh refused to listen and his
heart hardened. It proved disastrous for the Pharaoh and his people.
Through Ezekiel the prophet God spoke of people having hearts of stone (see
Ezekiel 11 & 26).
God pronounced judgment on the people of Israel more than once because of their
hard hearts.
Zechariah 7:8-14 NIV
And the
word of the LORD came again to Zechariah: "This is what the LORD Almighty says:
`Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not
oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do
not think evil of each other.'
"But they refused to pay attention; stubbornly they turned their backs and
stopped up their ears. They made their hearts as hard as flint and would not
listen to the law or to the words that the LORD Almighty had sent by his Spirit
through the earlier prophets. So the LORD Almighty was very angry.
" `When I called, they did not listen; so when they called, I would not listen,'
says the LORD Almighty. `I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the
nations, where they were strangers. The land was left so desolate behind them
that no one could come or go. This is how they made the pleasant land desolate.'
“
God called and the people refused to listen. They chose to harden their hearts
and not listen to God's voice.
I find God's response brings on a holy fear when I read it ... `When
I called, they did not listen; so when they called, I would not listen,'
God is patient. He will call us and convict us. He loves us beyond measure, but
that love includes turning us over to the natural consequences of our actions.
Sometimes He lets us feel the full weight of our wrong doing and He does not
rescue us from it.
That is a clear warning to listen when He calls. If God is convicting you of
something respond before it becomes like a nagging to you. If it already seems
like nagging , you better respond before your heart gets hard and feels nothing
at all and God has to chasten you.
Until next time, listen to His convicting voice and turn back to Him doing what
it was He asked or told you to do.
When you can’t seem to hear God’s voice or feel his presence go back to your
last act of disobedience and remedy that.
God’s not a nagger and neither is your spouse; don’t make them in to one!
Darrel Mason
December 30
Unbelief
Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
Matthew 13:58
Unbelief—the fastest way to stop God from moving in our lives. Most Christians
would deny they have unbelief.
Unfortunately, it is the denial of unbelief that stunts their growth most often.
If we were void of unbelief and full of faith, we would be doing all that
Jesus did on Earth, and the church would be walking victoriously. There would be
no fear, miracles would be occurring daily around each one of us, and the lost
have more fear of God.
I don’t believe that. That doesn’t make sense to me. God doesn’t do that for me.
That’s not what I was taught. But the doctor said…These are all phrases that
show signs of unbelief. When we draw a line of unbelief we limit God.
God is not limited except by unbelief. God is who He says He is. God can do what
He says He can do. If you lack belief in God for anything then somewhere the
enemy has lied to you. You have come into agreement with the enemy rather than
believing God.
God wants us to move into our Promise Land. It is an inheritance of an abundant
and effective Spirit filled life that Christ suffered and died for us to have as
joint heirs who are sanctified by faith in Him.
It is His rest that He calls us to enter into.
“For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold
the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, while it is said: "Today,
if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.
For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt,
led by Moses? Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who
sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? And to whom did He swear that they
would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? So we see that they
could not enter in because of unbelief.” Hebrews 3:14-19
It was in Numbers 14:11 “The LORD said to Moses:
"How long will these people reject Me? And how long will they not believe Me,
with all the signs which I have performed among them?” It is the same
today. God
has given us His word. He has sent His son to die for us and still we walk in
unbelief. If we continue to walk in unbelief, He will give us exactly what we
choose to believe. In Numbers 14:28, God said to Moses,
“Say to them, 'As I live,' says the LORD, 'just as you have spoken in My
hearing, so I will do to you.” In other words, God said ok, if you
believe I brought you out into the wilderness just to die then that is exactly
what will happen. That whole generation died in the wilderness; only two entered
the promise land--Caleb and Joshua.
Jesus repeated the same concept again in the New Testament in Matthew 9:28-30:
And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said
to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?"
They said to Him, "Yes, Lord."
Then He touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith let it be to you."
He essentially said, “You will have what you believe.”
We need to become fully convinced as Abraham, through the study of God’s word,
that God is able and will perform all He has promised. Romans 4:20-22 tells us,
“He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened
in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had
promised He was also able to perform. And therefore "it was accounted to him for
righteousness."’
When we struggle in our faith, we need to respond as the father in Mark 9:22-24.
“If You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us."
Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who
believes."
Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears,
"Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!"
Don’t allow tradition, man, society, Satan, lack of understanding, experience,
science, fear, or pride to get in the way of believing God. He is trustworthy.
He has good plans for you. He is faithful and true. What do you need to believe
God for today? Stop limiting God with unbelief.
For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God
through us.
2 Corinthians 1:20
You have a good inheritance in Christ! Take possession of it today!
Janet Fairbrother
As the
year comes to a close it is a time to look back and a time to look ahead. In
remembering this last year all “Thanks” is due to Our Lord.
I would
also like to extend thanks to our sponsors of the Philippine children. Thanks
also to all those who have sent in financial donations, those upholding us in
prayer and intercession. Thanks also to our many readers and evangelists who
have forwarded these devotionals throughout the world.
May the
Lord Continue to Bless and Keep All of You!
________________________________________________
During the course of the year we have used all original materials written by
this ministry. This is a writing we use to help people during the course of the
year so I want to present it again on this last day of the year of 2009, I want
to share this powerful writing by T.D. Jakes. I read this when it was written in
2006 to bring in 2007. I now want to share it for 2009 bringing in 2010.
Let It Go!
There are people who can walk away from you.
And hear me when I tell you this! When people can walk away from you: let them
walk. I don't want you to try to talk another person into staying with you,
loving you, calling you, caring about you, coming to see you, staying attached
to you. I mean hang up the phone.
When people can walk away from you let them walk. Your destiny is never tied to
anybody that left.
The Bible said that, they came out from us that it might be made manifest that
they were not for us. For had they been of us, no doubt they would have
continued with us. [1 John 2:19]
People leave you because they are not joined to you. And if they are not joined
to you, you can't make them stay.
Let them go.
And it doesn't mean that they are a bad person, it just means that their part in
the story is over and you've got to know when people's part in your story is
over so that you don't keep trying to raise the dead. You've got to know when
it's dead.
You've got to know when it's over. Let me tell you something. I've got the gift
of good-bye. It's the tenth spiritual gift - I believe in good-bye. It's not
that I'm hateful, it's that I'm faithful, and I know whatever God means for me
to have He'll give it to me. And if it takes too much sweat I don't need it.
Stop begging people to stay.
Let them go!!
If you are holding on to something that doesn't belong to you and was never
intended for your life, then you need to......
LET IT GO!!!
If you are holding on to past hurts and pains .....
LET IT GO!!!
If someone can't treat you right, love you back, and see your worth.....
LET IT GO!!!
If someone has angered you ........
LET IT GO!!!
If you are holding on to some thoughts of evil and revenge......
LET IT GO!!!
If you are involved in a wrong relationship or addiction.....
LET IT GO!!!
If you are holding on to a job that no longer meets your needs or talents
LET IT GO!!!
If you have a bad attitude.......
LET IT GO!!!
If you keep judging others to make yourself feel better......
LET IT GO!!!
If you're stuck in the past and God is trying to take you to a new level in
Him......
LET IT GO!!!
If you are struggling with the healing of a broken relationship.......
LET IT GO!!!
If you keep trying to help someone who won't even try to help themselves.....
LET IT GO!!!
If you're feeling depressed and stressed .........
LET IT GO!!!
If there is a particular situation that you are so used to handling yourself and
God is saying "take your hands off of it," then you need to......
LET IT GO!!!
Let the past be the past. Forget the former things. GOD is doing a new thing for
2010!!!
LET IT GO!!!
Get Right or Get Left .. think about it, and then.
LET IT GO!!!
"The Battle
is the Lord's!" .........Written by T.D. Jakes
Goodbye 2009!