"The Lord Will Grant You Full Insight...In Everything"

"Do not move an ancient boundary stone set up by your forefathers."

(Proverbs 22:28)

 

The concept here was put forth in Deuteronomy 19:14, "You shall not remove your neighbor's landmark in the land which the Lord your God gives you to possess, which the men of old [the first dividers of the land] set" (Amplified Bible).  In the curses issued in Dt. 27:17, we read, "Cursed is he who moves his neighbor's boundary mark.  And all the people shall say, 'Amen.'"  I submit-- A study of Jesus' Words concur. 

 

I cannot say why our text today has always carried a special "anointing" for me.  From the first time I remember reading about "boundary stones," or, "ancient landmarks" 40 years ago, I knew there was something very dear to God's Heart concerning boundaries and landmarks.  We can spiritualize it all we wish, but it was very, very practical in the ancient Jewish community, and, I can tell you, it is today also. 

 

When we read the Pentateuch, we discover over and over again just how important inheritance and private property are to God.  Yet private property has always been a nemesis of the socialist/communist mentality.  When I took a course in "The History of Economic Thought" in the university, time and time again, the whole concept of landowners, even entrepreneurship was disparaged.  It rules now in two legislative branches of American government.  But recently, the judicial branch ruled in favor of the concept, which the leftists love to claim they champion, but in reality, they despise.  The following is a commentary by Matthew Henry on our text.  May the Lord Jesus Christ, in the Holy Spirit give us understanding.

1. "We are here taught not to invade another man's right, though we can find ways of doing it ever so secretly and plausibly, clandestinely and by fraud, without any open force.  Let not property in general be entrenched upon, by robbing men of their liberties and privileges, or of any just ways of maintaining them.  Let not the property of particular persons be encroached upon.  The land-marks, or meer-stones, are standing witnesses to every man's right; let not those be removed quite away, for thence come wars, and fightings, and endless disputes; let them not be removed so as to take from thy neighbour's lot to thy own, for that is downright robbing him and entailing the fraud upon posterity. 

 

"2. We may infer hence that a deference is to be paid, in all civil matters, to usages that have prevailed time out of mind and the settled constitutions of government, in which it becomes us to acquiesce, lest an attempt to change it, under pretence of changing it for the better, prove of dangerous consequence."

 

I encourage you from 2 Timothy 2:7---- "Think over these things I am saying [understand them and grasp their application], for the Lord will grant you full insight and understanding in everything."

 

Father, in Jesus' Name, I repent on behalf of "Christians" who have so narrowly interpreted Your Words.  Help us as Your Church to see just how complete is Your Word for living in this life.  Amen.

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When 18 year old Peter Torjesen "heard the call to evangelize China, he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking Unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2

"What Must I Do To Be Saved?"---Give Up!

"Jesus said to them, 'I tell you the truth, tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.  For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did.  (Matthew 21:31b, 32a-- NIV)

There is no merit in being, "tax collectors and prostitutes," or vice in being a religious person.  The issue is not what we have been or done, but whom we trust and obey.

Central to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the message of Eternal life in Christ is----------- You and I can do absolutely nothing, nada, nichts, to earn salvation.  Go to church services every day and night of the week, pray four hours a day, read through the Bible every month, tithe, do missions, give to the poor, adopt 20 Haitian children.  But if there is any inkling in all of this that these endeavors make you more righteousness, that it causes God to love you more, or you will earn a better place in Heaven------ it is all for naught.  "But," some might protest, "surely all that good stuff must be good for something"-- Maybe, but not for, "entering the kingdom of God," and, "the way of righteousness."  If this is my passion, then, according to our text, the only entrance to "the Kingdom," and, "way of righteousness," is, "repent and believe,"  i.e., change my way of thinking and living, and obey Jesus Christ.

There might be a tendency to read this next verse too quickly since you know it so well, but I advise not.  "I have been crucified with Christ [in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ...lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me."  Now, all I need to do?---------------------------------- give myself up for Him.

Father, in Jesus' Name, deliver me from any work-for-my-salvation religious behavior.  Amen.
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Eighteen year old Norwegian, Peter Torjesen, "when he heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2

"My Grace, All Sufficient" (From Hymn Below)

"They protested, 'Those fellows worked only one hour, and yet you've paid them just as much as those of us who worked all day in the scorching heat.'" (Matthew 20:12, Living Bible)

 

It is important to point out that earlier in the passage the landowner had, "agreed with the laborers for a penny a day."

 

This parable speaks, among other things, to today's economic philosophy. Notice that the decision was the landowner's, not that of some union or government.  Also, the question of the workers in this parable has to do with "fairness."  That is the deception argument of liberalism.  Basically, leftist believe that a man has no right "to do what I wish with my own things"

(v. 15)--- remember, "redistribution of the wealth?"  What even many gullible Christians don't realize is that owning a business and private property is Biblical.  Government interference and takeover of such is not. 

 

The problem with the union-minded workers in our text is what we all battle.  They thought that they should "have a say" in the landowner's decisions.  Not so.  The "landowner" is the one who made the investment and bears the ultimate responsibility; it is only right that he be the one who determines how the business should be run.  Yes, I am well aware of the issue of employees' treatment.  No problem-- it's covered in the Bible also.

 

Maybe, in affect, the landowner in our text is saying, "I have provided a living for all of you.  You should appreciate and be thankful for what you have."  We see this "principle" of The Landowner also in John 21.  "When Peter saw [John], he asked, 'Lord, what about him?'  Jesus answered, 'If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?  You follow Me.'"  The issue in both texts is not how our Landowner, Our Lord Jesus Christ, treats others.  It is how He treats you and me.  I am continually amazed at just how far His "penny" can go.

 

"How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in his excellent word!
What more can he say than to you he hath said,
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

"Fear not, I am with thee; O be not dismayed!
For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;
I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by my gracious, omnipotent hand.

"When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of sorrows shall not overflow;
For I will be with thee thy trials to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

"When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flames shall not hurt thee, I only design
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

"The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to its foes;
That soul, though all hell shall endeavor to shake,
I'll never, no, never, no, never forsake."

 

Father, in Jesus' Name, I say a hearty, Amen.

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When 18 year old Peter Torjesen "heard the call to evangelize China, he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking Unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2

"From Your Heart"

"So shall My heavenly Father also do to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart." (Matthew 18:35)

 

It is the, "from your heart," which is the human impossibility.  I have been in a lot of "repentance" meetings, have witnessed people asking forgiveness from each other, in short, all the religious "stuff" which people do to try to deal with interpersonal conflict, or just look spiritual.  But according to our text, if all this does not come, "from your heart," forget it. 

 

I saw an article in a local paper this morning about a law suit in a local congregation between board members and the pastor.  A congregation which has no apostolic authority has no other recourse but to go, as Paul said to the Corinthian Church, "before the unrighteous."  But be not shocked.  This kind of thing has been going on ever since the Fall of man.  I did not "get" this devotional today from the newspaper.  I got it from my regular daily Bible reading, January 18, 2010.  It shows just how deeply relevant the Word of God is to humanity's every day life. 

 

"From the heart"----  How this happens, how you do it may bring many teachings.  But my answer is that I need to be as David, not "a man after God's heart," but as I heard a Jew translate it, a man who "had God's Heart."  Being "after" suggests God's favor.  Of course, who doesn't need that?  But "[having] God's Heart" enables me to live life, "from the heart," a life of my heart regenerated, forgiven, empowered, sustained, indwelt by and abiding in the "Sacred Heart of Jesus." 

 

Father, in Jesus' Name, "Teach me Your way, O LORD; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name."  Amen.

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When 18 year old Peter Torjesen "heard the call to evangelize China, he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking Unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2

Questions or Praise, Which Will Dominate Your Life?

"You, O Lord, are good.... There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours." (Psalm 86:8, ESV)

The tragedy in Haiti is before the world.  There are people asking how God could allow this to happen, accusing Him of merciless treachery.   Yet, there are Haitian Followers of Jesus Christ who are uttering the words of our text.

If you look closely at David's life, you realize that his statements of the goodness of His Good Shepherd were not idle, flippant, religious gobbledygook.  They were from a life of first, "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.  He makes me lie down in green pastures.  He leads me beside still waters.  He restores my soul.  He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake."  Then, when the inevitable, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death," came upon him, he could say what only those who know the "Good Shepherd," Jesus Christ, can say with any deep certainty, "I fear no evil."  And I remind all, David not only feared "no evil," He did not rail on His Shepherd for "allowing" it to come. 

If you look at the experience of the Jews and Followers of Jesus Christ through the centuries, you could come to the conclusion of those who know not Christ-- "Where was God?"  But if we, "run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus," we will just keep saying with David, even in the midst of the unthinkable,  "There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours."

Father, in Jesus' Name, even though I may not "understand" them all, I say with David, there are no "works like Yours."  Amen.
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Eighteen year old Norwegian, Peter Torjesen, "when he heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2