Antipas Prayer Force Devotionals: 11/23/14

Friday, November 28, 2014

Something "Blacker" Then "Black Friday"

"Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness." (1 John 3:4, NASB)

Every quarter when I read 1 John 3 I am struck with the reality of sin and how much the Blessed Trinity hates sin. Verse 8 tells us, "....the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil." Here we see that sin is, "the works of the devil", and Father does nothing less than, "destroy (those) works"...; and why not? Sin destroys you and me, and Father will not permit anything which destroys His Children. He, "was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself," to free us from the slavery of sin as well as forgive our sins.

1 John 2 tells us plainly Jesus' purpose for us, "My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin." Yes, He goes on to say there is forgiveness, "if anyone sins," but there is a very real sense, "that you may not sin," is equally important as the forgiveness of sins. Sin does something in you and me that forgiveness cannot erase. Yes, we have fellowship in the Godhead, but the damage is done. Sin destroys something in us any time we yield to temptation. We will sin, but we must do all we can, draw upon all the Grace of Jesus to stop the cyclical, "practices sin...." We do not worship it away. We do not pray it away. And no one can preach it away. We can only stop it away.

I have no doubt that in modern Christendom sin is taken far too lightly. The Bible teaches us that those who, "practices sin," are, "sinners against their own souls." We not only sin against God, but also ourselves. I know most do not hear this today. I just pass on to you what I have been reading, and what I have been reading are the very, "Words of God," the Words which are, "God-Breathed."

    "Breathe on me, breath of God,
    Fill me with life anew,
    That I may love what Thou dost love,
    And do what Thou wouldst do.

    Breathe on me, breath of God,
    Until my heart is pure,
    Until with Thee I will one will,
    To do and to endure.

    Breathe on me, breath of God,
    Blend all my soul with Thine,
    Until this earthly part of me
    Glows with Thy fire divine.

    Breathe on me, breath of God,
    So shall I never die,
    But live with Thee the perfect life
    Of Thine eternity."-------
In Jesus' Name, Amen.

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Another perspective on the Ferguson Riots @: jhs58.blogspot.com

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "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

Thursday, November 27, 2014

A Brief "Thanksgiving" Holiday Thought

"If is it possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men." (Romans 12:18)

Phillips' says, "As far as your responsibility goes, live at peace with everyone." This means "the good, the bad, and the ugly." Apparently, however, it is not, "possible," to, "live peaceably with all men," but it does, "depends on you," and me to make every attempt to bring peace into every situation.

Some today in the US will be gathering with family and friends, etc., some of which will not know our Lord Jesus Christ and will be "war-makers," i.e., argue at every point, take an opposite opinion, in short, just be negative in any way they can. That is not our Lord Jesus Christ; that is flesh unbridled.

So, as an encouragement to all of us who claim to Follow Jesus here in the US on this Thanksgiving Day, "As far as your responsibility goes, live at peace with everyone," Believer and nonbeliever alike.

Father, in Jesus' Name, help me to so live and sow. Amen.

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Tomorrow Is The Thanksgiving Holidiay in The United States of America

"I thank God--- through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Romans 7:25a)

Thanksgiving in the United States of America is not giving thanks into the nebulae of the universe. I have much to be thankful for. Ultimately, however, only One to be thankful to.

The original intent was expressed by George Washington in his decree in 1789, "to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God." This was the first national govenmental declaration of a special day of Thanksgiving. It was and is a giving of thanks to God Himself for the nation, the blessings, and the undeserved mercies He has shown us throughout the generations of our nation. By the way, I do not buy for a minute that the World War 2 generation was "the greatest generation." Every generation had its greatness, from the first pioneers to the present, generations of self-sacrificing, country loving, and most especially, the William Penns, the Wesleys, Whitefields, Edwards, Finneys, who laid the foundation of Jesus Christ in our nation's founding, and others who gave so much that I and my fellow Americans have what is still a great country. We have great sins for which repentance is a constant need, e.g., the First Nations Peoples, slavery. But I could make a case that even with those sins, so much has been turned to good.

"After their first harvest, the colonists of the Plymouth Plantation held a celebration of food and feasting in the fall of 1621. Indian chiefs Massassoit, Squanto and Samoset joined in the celebration with ninety of their men in the three-day event" (Archiving Early America). Would to our Lord Jesus Christ that such comradery would have continued, and may Jesus help you and me to do all we can to right those wrongs. Yes, there are many sins of America, but personally, I am thankful to have been born here. I say again what many do not like to hear and think is too nationalistic--------- but it's true. If it were not for the United States of America, despotism would rule the world.

As those of us who are US Citizens gather with family and friends tomorrow, I pray we are thankful to and for Jesus Christ, "King of kings (and nations) and Lord of lords." Not only Americans, but the whole world might as well join in the Thanksgiving to and for Jesus, "For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea."

Father, in Jesus' Name, Thank You. Amen.

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

"And If That Had Been Too Little, I...Would Have Given You...More!"

"....I anointed you king over Israel, and delivered you from the hand of Saul.... And if that had been too little, I also would have given you much more!" (2 Samuel 12)

But it's never enough, is it? (Genesis 3)

2 Samuel reveals that although David had what any of his era could ever want, it obviously was not enough for David. Every quarter as I read of David's downfall, it is depressing. I know this is not what you probably want in a devotional, but it is the reality of far too many Kingdom People throughout history. Yet, though depressing, there are lessons which you and I can learn from David's life, and learning is one of the purposes of God's Words.

David had it all, one could say. He was a mighty warrior. It is recorded that he, "had God's heart." He left to his son, Solomon, the greatest extent of the Kingdom Israel has ever known. He is called, "the sweet Psalmist of Israel." But one day, one very "fateful" day, he broke covenant with his God. He allowed his base nature to get the better of him, and as the Word says, "Know that your sin will find you" (CEB). Now the Bible tells us that, "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law", yet the Scriptures (and life) just won't stop showing us all that there is a price for sin. Yes, Nathan told David that his sin was forgiven, that he would not die as a result of it, but he also uttered those frightful words, "Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house."

Now what possible "devotional thought" can I share with you from the life of David, a man who started out with such "promise," so successful in everything he did, yet, in the vernacular, "blew it"? First a warning and exhortation that no matter what the self-appointed theologians may preach and teach, we do pay for our sins in this life, or to put it another way, sin has consequences which once set in motion cannot be reversed. We are forgiven, but forgiveness does not erase those consequences. Yet, in face of the reality of all this, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has... predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved....In whom (Jesus) we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins" (Eph. and Col.).

David probably thought he was beyond and above the sin which he saw in so many others. My encouragement to you and me today is that we never so think, but rather obey the Words of God, "See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise." May our Lord Jesus grant us the grace to so walk the reminder of this day---------------- and all days.

Father, in Jesus' Name, I am thankful that you put on my heart so many years ago to never be selective in my Bible reading. Amen.

Monday, November 24, 2014

Do You Need Comfort Today? (Some Corrections to First Posting)

"I remember, Lord, your ancient laws, and I find comfort in them....Your statues are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart....Trouble and distress have come upon me, but your commands give me delight." (Psalm 119:52, 111, 143, NIV)

What are you "going through" right now? I don't mean a "season" you are in, or some long standing, "trouble and distress," but right now, in this moment as you read this, do you need, "comfort.., joy.., delight"?

I have found over the last almost 45 years that, "comfort," and, "joy," and, "delight," are not feel good nouns, and don't come to me in great meetings, gatherings, etc. If people base their "religious experience" upon such, they are in for very great disappointment. "Your ancient laws,...Your statutes,...Your commands," are empowering; what more can I say? You may not always get duck bumps when you read them. You may actually get bored while reading them, or don't understand them, or think, "O, I have read these words so many times and nothing has changed." All are lies of The Enemy, lies which our finite minds are all too many times willing to embrace.

Today I simply repeat perhaps what you may think I have said far too many times, but here it is again. The, "ancient laws," the, "statutes," the, "commands," of the Word of God, Jesus, have sustained me to this very moment. "I find comfort in them....They are the joy of my heart...and...give me delight." I am not aware of how Jesus does this or how "it works," but I can tell you that whatever, "comfort.., joy.., delight," I have today comes from Jesus', "ancient laws,..statutes..,commands."

I have no doubt that this is the reason so many in Christendom fell prey to the hermeneutics which came out of Germany in the latter half of the 19th century. It came in the form of high sounding words such as "form criticism" and "higher criticism." One can debate various legitimacies of this approach to the Bible, but after I went through them, after "much learning" in the university and graduate school, the passing of our son brought me back to the thinking/living of our text. I found indeed, "....Your ancient laws...comfort."

I had and still do not have satisfactory answers for those who keep asking questions about the Bible, e.g., "What good is it to read Leviticus, or the genealogies, or the outdated ceremonial laws," and, "How do we really know if the documents are reliable and not changed by men over the centuries." To quote an old movie line, "Frankly, my dear, I don't____" I was and still am a desperate person, prone to sin, doubt, and uncertainty about life as much as many. But this one thing I know, and by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, I will never depart from It/Him, "I REMEMBER YOUR ANCIENT LAWS, AND I FIND COMFORT IN THEM."!! Try an experiment today. If you have never done this, pray through Psalm 119. I'm sure you will find a prayer for whatever you are going through.

Father, in Jesus' Name, I may not know nor understand much. But this one thing I know, You and Your Words, "comfort." Amen.

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Our Mission to Berlin/East Europe is tentatively set for the month of March, 2015. Also, don't forget our plans for the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation in Germany, October 2017

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Posted By Antipas Prayer Force: to Antipas Prayer Force Devotionals at 11/24/2014 01:25:00 PM

Do You Nee Comfort Today?

I have found over the last almost 45 years that, "comfort," and, "joy," and, "delight," are not feel good nouns, and don't come to me in great meetings, gatherings, etc. If people base their "religious experience" upon such, they are in for very great disappointment. "Your ancient laws,...Your statutues,...Your commands," are empowering; what more can I say? You may not always get duck bumps when you read them. You may actually get bored while reading them, or don't understand them, or think, "O, I have read these words so many times and nothing has changed." All are lies of The Enemy, lies which our finite minds are all too many times willing to embrace.