July 14, 2010

“Written Aforetime”

Blessings Folk!

What do you do when you need encouragement?
Shop?
Eat?
Seek ‘amusement’?
Work?
‘Go somewhere’?
‘Do something’?

Where do you find hope?
In events yet to come?
In diversion?
In fantasy?

Do you ever wish you had more wisdom?
Ever desire more knowledge?

Hear the Word of the Lord.

God has provided all that we need.

Need encouragement?
The Lord provides.

Need hope?
The Lord provides.

Need wisdom...knowledge?
The Lord provides

How?

Rom 15:4
4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
KJV

The things which were written aforetime...what we call the Old Testament...were written for our learning.

In the Scripture, yes Old and New Testaments, we find comfort, instruction, learning, patience, perseverance and endurance.

Let me give you a couple of other English versions…

Rom 15:4
4 For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
NASU

Rom 15:4
4 For whatever was written before was written for our instruction, so that through our endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we may have hope.
(from Holman Christian Standard Bible® Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005 by Holman Bible Publishers.)


The Word of the Lord provides comfort and encouragement so that we can persevere in the patience of the Lord.

We endure through His Word.

That is the reason that we examine and learn the Word.

We are in the midst of a 10-course study of a portion of the Old Testament (we will resume after labor day.)

Folk wonder why we should know the Old Testament.

It was written for our instruction.
It was written for our learning.
It was written for our comfort.
It was written so that we might have hope.

Comfort, hope, patience, learning, instruction, etc. will not be found in the amusement of the world, nor will they be found in the necessities of work, nor in relationships of the flesh.

One last verse related to this…

1 Cor 10:11
11 Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
NASU

Spend time before the Lord today in His Word.
Listen.
Rejoice.

Blessings!!

July 12, 2010

“50th Anniversary”

Blessings Saints!

Yesterday I attended the 50th anniversary of the first church that allowed me to be “minister of music”.

It was a time of worshipping the Lord through music, historical account and a challenging word for the future. (“Be courageous. Do not be dismayed.” Hummm… where I have heard that before&hellip

The time together, and the days leading to it, brought constant pauses of reflection.

The gentleman leading the worship was a year old baby when I went to the church.

Several of my best friends have gone to glory...one with a lingering illness...three suddenly...one day fine, the next day better…in glory.

All the “children and youth” are aged 40’s and 50’s.

I realized that I am now older than the old people then were...does that make sense?

Truly, time does pass quickly.

Ecclesiastes 3:11
He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.

Some thoughts for us today…

Ask yourself…
Seek the Lord…

Is what you are doing at this very moment significant for the Kingdom?

Now, don’t listen to the lie of the evil one.
He would have us believe that we must be famous, doing some “big” thing.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

The life of the Kingdom is…
the giving of a cup of water
the changing of the diaper
the listening to the hurting
the exhorting of the Body
working to provide
weeping with those who weep
rejoicing with those who rejoice

But, I also know that much of what we believe to be so important will not stand the test of time, nor the fiery judgment of God.

Choose the way of the Kingdom.

The Kingdom is love...God manifested in His Body to His Body and those in the world.

Who knows what the Lord wants to do through you at this very moment...regardless of where you are?

You may be leaving for the second shift...pressing to meet a quota.
You may be taking care of a loved one in their last days.
You may be praying for your family.
You may be searching the cabinets for food to cook for supper.

It is in the obedience of the Lover of God that the work of the Kingdom is done.

You might be plowing fallow ground.
You might be planting a seed.
You might be watering.
You might be tending the crop.
You might be harvesting.

The church at Corinth had division among them...for several reeasons...one of which was that they were choosing sides as to varied leadership and giftedness. Hear what the Spirit of the Lord said to the Corinthians through Paul.

1 Corinthians 1
 10 Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.
 11 For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe's people, that there are quarrels among you.
 12 Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, "I am of Paul," and "I of Apollos," and "I of Cephas," and "I of Christ."
 13 Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

1 Corinthians 3
4 For when one says, "I am of Paul," and another, "I am of Apollos," are you not mere men?
 5 What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one.
 6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth.

It is the Lord Who brings forth the fruit...to His praise, honor and glory.

It is the Lord working through us...if we allow.

The portion of the Body of Christ that I was with yesterday lived in the love of the Lord.
It was evident.

Where do we stand today?
Are we manifesting the love of God every second?
Upon what foundation are you building? Living?

1 Corinthians 3:10
According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.

Are you ready for the remainder of life?
Are you ready for glory?

I know all my friends were ready.

May we press on and run the race set before us...to the praise and glory of the Lord alone.

Blessings!!