Bible Living

Good Morning! - 2010.09.03 - 2Chronicles 20:12 - Our Eyes are Upon Thee

2010-09-03T08:01:00.002-04:00

O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee. (2Chronicles 20:12)

Lest we forget, we did not know the outcome of the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. I remember that Sunday; unseasonably warm at Medlock. Our government assumed that an imminent attack on our west coast of California might be part of the plan. We were not prepared.

Our immediate plunge into war with NAZI Germany came within days. We knew what they were doing to England, France, and Poland. We were caught unprepared and for a while we were at the mercy of our enemies. That day is an example of a nation in the position of our text for today.

A great host of individuals are in that circumstance every day. As we drive through the streets and see people milling about in "normal" living, we cannot see how many people are struggling with sickness or death or hunger and overwhelming poverty. How many families are overwhelmed by a wayward child who has chosen drugs and deviant lifestyle?

I have lived in the world of "other people" for 57 years and know first-hand that people make one of two choices when they are overwhelmed. Either they focus on "we have no might against this great company that cometh against us" and surrender to despair, alcohol and drugs or suicide—or else they retreat to the presence of the living God and cry from their hearts: "our eyes are upon thee!"

Since I got saved October, 1943 I have been urging everyone I could to turn their eyes upon Jesus. When I began telling the boys in my fourth grade class about getting saved in the bean market, I was surprised that it upset them and caused them to gang up on me. I was not prepared for their mockery.

I suppose most of their resistance was against my disposition and not my position. I was a trumpet in their ear and they saw no reason to be disturbed about God. And so it is that men today will most often have no use for God until they are hurting or overwhelmed with something in their lives. I'm still looking for open doors in the hearts of men but have learned that patient waiting for their "Pearl Harbor" is the better part of wisdom. I've worked a good bit on my disposition but my position has not changed and it will not change.

That's why I say to everybody I meet: "How's your day?" I love to tell them that this is a special day like no other and that God just shipped it in. It won't be here but a few hours and then it will be gone forever. The response to "How's your day?" is very important to me. Sometimes I sense something and will say, "OK…how IS your day…REALLY?" It's surprising how many times that question will bring tears to the eyes and down the cheeks or cause someone to tremble. You see, we've learned that we have to make it through the day and it's easier if we put on a happy smile and a cheery "Fine! Just fine!" speech.

But sometimes you can look past theatrical smiles and see behind the mask. "Have you prayed about it?" Or, "would you like for me to pray with you about it?" It's OK at Walmart to pull your cart over against the paint shelves and bow your head. Nobody will bother you. The Walmart Chapel is a good place to help someone lift their eyes to the Lord for their burdens. You don't have to make a scene. It's amazing how much good can be done with a quiet voice while people scoot by you looking for parsley.

If I get tired and sit down on a bench, I don't waste time wondering who I'm sitting beside. "How's your day?" Would you believe that I have never made anyone mad by asking them "How's your day?" People love to talk about themselves, to look at themselves in a mirror, or look for themselves in a group picture. I do! Don't you? So that's why I love to ask people "How's your day?" And I just love to tell them that God just made this day fresh this morning and shipped it in. But sometime, our last day will be shipped in, then what?

Do you know the song: Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus? It goes like this: "Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim – in the light of His glory and grace." It has verses too but that's the popular chorus. It's in the key of F but I sing it in E-flat. Ω

Good Morning! - 2010.09.02 - 2Chronicles 15:2 - With You With Him

2010-09-02T03:52:00.001-04:00

Good Morning!

And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa,

and all Judah and Benjamin; The LORD is with you, while ye be with

him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him,

he will forsake you. (2Chronicles 15:2)

Yesterday as Barbara and I were having our morning devotions the above highlighted phrase came to mind. I had tucked it away many years ago but had forgotten where it was found. The LORD is with you, while ye be with him;

We should not look at the above verses removed from their setting. The people had forsaken God and were reaping bad times. Really bad times! Some had begun to pray and God had begun to respond by sending them the Prophet Azariah who had a message for them. He put it on the line. If they wanted God to help them, they would have to get off the fence and be on God's side. What a great encouragement this is and what a great reminder of their responsibility toward God! It applies no less today for you and me.

Encouragement of Azariah, The Prophet. McGee, the radio Bible teacher also puts it on the line and it may offend some preachers today. "On the road to revival there are three bridges which must be crossed. We come now to the first bridge, which is a knowledge of the Word of God.

"The tragedy of the hour in our day is that there is not enough Bible teaching in the church. I say this very kindly, but we do not need more preachers. You can buy them like bananas, by the dozen. Bible teachers are few and far between; yet they are needed. And they were needed in Asa's day. They did not have a teaching priest. They had priests and Levites—they were knee-deep in priests and Levites—but they did not have a teaching priest. Consequently they were without the Law, without the Word of God." Is McGee too hard on them and on us today? Let's look at the word-for-word text that follows our text in blue.

Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law. But when they in their trouble did turn unto the LORD God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them.

And in those times there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the countries. And nation was destroyed of nation, and city of city: for God did vex them with all adversity.

Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded. (2Chronicles 15:3-7)

This last verse strikes me hard! It has to be addressed to individuals. It is the individual who has hands. It is the individual who applies his or her heart to work. It is the individual who will be rewarded. But in the time of great national trouble, the individual is cut off and isolated from the public picture. It was true in Elijah's day. The great prophet of God thought he was the only one in Israel who cared about God or who was taking things to heart or who was praying daily with a broken spirit. God finally told Elijah about the seven thousand who had not bowed their knees to Baal (1Kings 19:18).

So it is today. You may think you are the only one who sees the great moral decline of America and the only one who fears the destructive consequences of God's judgment upon America. But, my friend, I believe at this point in time, there are many thousands of people in America who know God and are bowed in their spirits daily in prayer before God and are praying for an outpouring of the Spirit of God. Be encouraged to seek God with a bowed heart, a bowed head, a bowed knee or however you want to pray. What God is looking for is a bowed heart—a bowed spirit.

If you want to do further study in your Bible, here is an excellent study guide from the Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge. These references are not live links. You will need to look them up.

2Ch 15:2

Hear ye me: 2Ch_13:4, 2Ch_20:15, 2Ch_20:20; Jdg_9:7; Psa_49:1-2; Isa_7:13; Mat_13:9; Rev_2:7, Rev_2:11, Rev_2:17; Rev_2:29, Rev_3:6, Rev_3:13, Rev_3:22

The Lord: 2Ch_13:12, 2Ch_32:8; Deu_20:1; Jam_4:8

if ye seek him: 2Ch_15:4, 2Ch_15:15, 2Ch_33:12; Isa_55:6-7; Jer_29:12-14; Mat_7:7-8

if ye forsake: 2Ch_12:1-3, 2Ch_24:20; 2Ki_21:14; 1Ch_28:9; Rom_11:1-2; Heb_10:38, Heb_12:25

Our text is a great verse to memorize and to live by. Ω

This article can also be viewed at www.bibleliving.blogspot.com

To be removed from this mailing list, please click here. In the subject line type "remove." ●To subscribe to this and other Encourager mailings, click here. In the subject line, type "subscribe." Also, please give your email name, email address, U.S. Mailing address, & phone number.. ●Please set your spam system (contact list) to accept encourager@biblewalking.com and dan@dancarr.org. ●Thank you for accepting our mail and passing it on. Photos: Microsoft Clip Art

Good Morning! - 2010.09.01 - 2Corinthians 5;10-11b - The Judgment Seat of Christ

2010-09-01T02:04:00.000-04:00

Good Morning!

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every

one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath

done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the

Lord, we persuade men; (2Corinthians 5:10-11b)

Let us note the words with great care. This is the judgment seat of Christ and not the Great White Throne Judgment, nor the Judgment of the Nations, nor the Judgment of Angels. It is not the Judgment of God's Son for the sins of the whole world. The Judgment Seat of Christ is not to judge sin but to judge the works done by the redeemed Christians. It is not the judgment for Old Testament saints.

McGee writes: "This is the judgment seat, literally, the bema. There is still a bema in Corinth, and when we were there on tour, we took pictures of the ruins of it. At the judgment seat of Christ only believers will appear. It is not a judgment of the believer's sins, which Christ fully atoned for on the Cross. The judgment is to see whether you are going to receive a reward or not.

When Paul says, "We must all appear," remember that he is writing to believers. All we believers will be judged, that we may receive the things done in the body. We will be judged on the way we lived the Christian life, how we have lived in these bodies down here. When we go into His presence, we will be finished with these old bodies. The question He will ask is how we used these bodies. How did we live down here?"

I was raised on the preaching and teaching that assumed there would be a general day of resurrection when all the dead would be raised at once on the same day. And then there would a general judgment when everyone would be judged on the same day, including the nations. On that day the sheep would be separated from the goats and the sheep would go to heaven and the goats would go to hell. When I got old enough to read the Bible for myself and to study the writings of some very capable men, I realized that the theory of a general resurrection and a general judgment was well-meaning but very much wrong.

The first great judgment was when Christ was judged on the cross for the sins of the world. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6)

God's wrath burned hot upon the body of His own son who hung upon the cross. He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? (Romans 8:32)

For years I pondered the phrase: "Knowing the terror of the Lord." If God poured out His wrath upon His own dear Son on the cross, then why should we think about the "terror of the Lord." This is not the Great White Throne judgment of Revelation 20:11-15 where only the unsaved will stand. If you are a believer, your name is written in the Book of Life, and you have eternal life. However, you will stand before the bema, the judgment seat of Christ, to be judged for rewards. We who are saved will stand before Him—every one of us!

I have no business looking down on other Christians who are also going to stand before him. You don't like somebody chewing tobacco and sayong tacky things all the time? Well, they are going to have to explain everything to the one who owns them and died for them. That takes a load off of me. That relieves me of the responsibility of going around telling everybody they need to shine their shoes. It is true that God has told us to exhort one another, to love one another, to pray for one another and there are some other "one anothers."

When we look in the face of the Lord at the Judgment Seat of Christ, we may wish we were somewhere else. We are going to be looking into the face of the One who knows everything we ever did or thought since we gave our hearts to Him and the Holy Spirit moved into our bodies and sealed us unto the day of redemption. We are forgiven, yes! Nevertheless, we are going to be judged for rewards or for the withholding of rewards. These rewards are not based on grace but upon our works. Puts a little seriousness into living the Christian life doesn't it? 2Corinthians 5:10 is a good verse to memorize.

The Scofield Reference Bible gives the following references. Look them up in your Bible.

The judgment of the believer's works, not sins, is in question here. These have been atoned for, and are "remembered no more forever" (Heb_10:17) but every work must come into judgment, (Mat_12:36); (Rom_14:10); (Gal_6:7); (Eph_6:8); (Col_3:24); (Col_3:25). The result is "reward" or "loss" (of the reward), "but he himself shall be saved". (1Co_3:11-15).

This judgment occurs at the return of Christ (Mat_16:27); (Luk_14:14); (1Co_4:5); (2Ti_4:8); (Rev_22:12).

See other judgments:

(See Scofield) - (John_12:31).

(See Scofield) - (1Cor_11:31).

(See Scofield) - (Mat_25:32).

(See Scofield) - (Eze_20:37).

(See Scofield) - (Jud_1:6).

(See Scofield) - (Rev_20:12).

This article can also be viewed at www.bibleliving.blogspot.com

Good Morning! 2010.08.31 - Romans 14:23 - Whatsoever is Not of Faith

2010-08-31T02:17:00.002-04:00

And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. (Romans 14:23) Read Chapter 14

Our text today is the last verse in a chapter that deals with living among other Christian people when we don't all agree on what is right and wrong. Specifically, it was about eating meat and wine and Sabbaths or holy days. More than that, it was about how these things might be offensive to our fellow believers and particularly to "weak" brothers. Please follow the link above and read the short chapter.

The Bible is sufficient for faith and practice because it covers everything of real importance. It does not name everything but it covers everything either by name or by principle. Sometimes when we consider a principle, we are required to study and discuss and pray and observe and discern. Life is complicated and our guidebook is a relatively short book. The Bible requires us to study it and apply it rightly as God intended. The questions are always: 1. What does it say? 2. What does it mean? 3. How does it apply to me?

The Bible sometimes requires us to make judgments. Some people know only the phrase: "Judge not." But the Bible constantly requires us to make judgments. In selecting Bishops, it is said that they must …have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil (1Timothy 3:7).

This involves the opinions of people outside the church, not just church members. If a man sings good and prays a good prayer in church but has a foul mouth and cheats people outside the church, he is not qualified to be a bishop (overseer). We're talking about people making judgments about other people.

But our text refers to a man's own opinion of himself. We know when we are going against what is right and to do so is to sin, even if the Bible doesn't give a chapter and verse about it. One of the most important verses in the Bible says:

Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth (Romans 14:22).

McGee points out: " My friend, you are to believe in what you are doing. If you don't believe in it, you should not be doing it. Here is a new definition of sin for the believer: Any line of conduct or any act which is not the outflow of faith becomes sin. This is the Holy Spirit's answer of questionable things. As the believer is saved by faith, just so the believer is to walk by faith."

In summary, we are to live with a clear conscience. We must be satisfied in our minds that we have no red flags or nagging doubts about what we are doing or what we allow. Barnes says it only slightly differently: "Whatever is not done with a full conviction that it is right is sinful; whatever is done when a man doubts whether it is right, is sin." To the contrary, just because a man believes a thing is right doesn't make it right. If it is wrong it may still be a sin to him even if he doesn't think it is.

We are responsible not only for what we know but also for what we could have known if we had applied ourselves. A man may not know the bare electrical wires are live and hot. Nevertheless,if he is standing barefooted on a damp concrete floor they're going to bite him or even kill him.

Many of the persecutors in the Old and New Testament were conscientious John 16:2; Acts 26:9; and the murderers of the Son of God did it ignorantly Acts 3:17; 1Corinthians 2:8; and yet were adjudged as guilty of enormous crimes; compare Luke 11:50-51; Acts 2:23, Acts 2:37.

Our text today does not deal with such heavy issues as the links above. But, we have a fine discussion of the nature of Christian love toward other Christians when we have differences of "opinion." If the rules in this chapter would be followed, there would be fewer harsh words and fist fights among God's people.

The big question is whether there is true love for the Lord Jesus. Love for Him would shut a lot of critical mouths that talk when they should remain closed. Our job is to build each other up in the holy faith and that cannot be done without a firm dedication to the One who gave His all for us on the cross.

Our text is a great verse to memorize and to live by.

Good Morning! 2010.08.30 - Mark 1:35 - Jesus Prayed Early in the Morning.

2010-08-30T06:43:00.002-04:00

And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed. (Mark 1:35)

The question immediately rises "why did Jesus pray? It was not that he needed anything. Jesus was perfectly holy, had participated in making the morning (John 1:3) and in him dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9).

It's closely akin to the question of "why was Jesus baptized?" When He came to be baptized of John, he said "For thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness." Jesus was identifying himself with sinful mankind. Isaiah said the coming messiah would be numbered with the transgresors (Isaiah 53:12). Jesus is getting down in the ditch with us. He did not need to repent, because He was not a sinner.

I hesitate to say that Jesus did not need to pray. Obviously He did need to pray but not for the same reasons we need to pray. In John 17 we have the real "Lord's prayer." It is a prayer of communion with the Father and it is a prayer of intercession for those who were with Him at that time and for all who would repent and become his in the future.

We are told that …he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:25)

King David knew about praying in the morning. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. (Psalm 5:3)

I prevented (preceeded) the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word. (Psalm 119:147)

We must admit that not everyone today is on the same schedule Jesus was on. We don't all go to bed early as they did then because we have electric lights that help us stay up late at night. We must have a certain amount of sleep or suffer loss of health and safety. Nevertheless, we have this strong example of seeking God's face when we first become awake. Paul Ferguson prayed more than any man I ever knew and he said he could not pray when he first awoke in the morning.

Whatever time is best for you, there must be that special time of getting alone with God and meeting with Him.

What a good verse to memorize! I memorized it many years ago and it reminds me over and over to pray. Jesus prayed!

Good Morning! 2010.08.09 - Psalm 127:1 - Except The Lord Build the House

2010-08-09T07:31:00.002-04:00

Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. (Psalm 127:1)

The word vain is used three times in these verses. That should remind us that everything is dependent on the Lord's blessing or the Lord's permission. Jesus said:

Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:31-33)

In this psalm we find a reference to children. When the pilgrim went to Jerusalem three times a year, on at least one of those trips he took his family to worship with him.

As you pursue your labor this week, realize that the Lord is with you if you really want Him. He is above you, like it or not. It sure takes a load off our backs if we will walk by faith with our hand in the hand of the Almighty who makes no mistakes and never gets tired and knows all things.

Good Morning! 2010.08.06 - Psalm 11:3 - If the Foundations be Destroyed

2010-08-06T00:01:00.002-04:00

If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? (Psalm 11:3)

To ignore or shortchange the foundation in construction of a building or highway is to invite disaster and perhaps loss of life. It's equally disastrous to ignore the foundation of our individual lives, our families, churches, and our nation.

McGee writes: "This is still a good question to ask. Today the authority of the Word of God is being challenged on every hand. As I write, we have the "new morality," which is sin that the Bible has condemned from the very beginning. The problem is, What can the righteous do? I will tell you what they can do. Listen to the psalmist:" and that is found in the remaining verses of the Psalm." It is essential that Christians read their Bibles through many times and to obey everything God shows us.

Rabbi Daniel Lapin, an orthodox Jew, insists that Judeo-Christian values are vital for our nation's survival. He says in his book: America's Real War, (© 1985) "Our country is in a tug-of-war. At one end of the rope are those who believe in a secular nation. At the other end are those who stand for a spiritual America." He calls for a halt to the war—through a return to our Christian tradition."

Buried in his book is the observation that there are many ways to build an airplane. But there is only one way to build a plane that will fly: by adhering to the established principles of aerodynamics. He urges his Jewish friends to realize how well they have fared under the Republic spawned by our Founding Fathers and their Founding Documents. (ISBN 1-57673-655-5)Multinomah –

About 30 years ago I read an impressive article that said "Christians are building a foundation for their lives and then building the main structure of their lives alongside, beside the foundation." That's not a good idea, you think? These people don't trust the foundation as adequate but want the foundation close by in case they want to look at it. All the while, they invest a lot of money and time in building a superstructure with no foundation under it.

No doubt about it, the foundations of our nation are gradually eroding as though just any kind of foundation will do.

The good side of this question is that individuals and, quite often, whole families, can build and maintain a strong foundation that will withstand storms and termites. How's your Bible reading and prayer time coming along?

Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. (2Timothy 2:19)

Good Morning! - 2010.08.05 - Psalm 119:18 - Open Mine Eyes

2010-08-05T00:06:00.002-04:00

Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. (Psalm 119:18)

The Bible talks a lot about eyes and most often it applies to our relationship with Him. That's what this verse is about.

Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible, 176 verses. Every verse makes reference to the Word of God, using a variety of words. As I was reading Psalm 119 several years ago, verse 18 seized my attention and I knew I had to memorize it. So, I wrote it on a card and included it in my Bible memory program. This is a short but powerful prayer from the heart of the psalmist. I have reviewed the verse hundreds of times and it always strengthens the inner man.

A weak Bible always results in weak Christians. In America there is a famine for the hearing and reading of the Word of God. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. (Hosea 4:6)

If we could realize how deep and wonderful many things are in the Word of God, we would spend more time reading and studying it and meditating on it and hearing it and memorizing it.

Open thou mine eyes. I dare say that most Christians don't realize that they have a desperate need for God to open their eyes that they may see, may uncover things in the Bible. Otherwise, it's just another book and an irrelevant, dull, boring book at that. I have had many people to tell me that they just don't get anything out of the Bible when they read it. I think they are telling the truth. With all of these honest people there was a need for God to open their eyes and give them a thirst for the Word of God. I have found that nothing will increase one's desire to know the Bible like simply reading the Bible on a daily basis. It creates an appetite for more.

Open: Heb. Reveal, Isa_29:10-12, Isa_29:18, Isa_32:3, Isa_35:5; Mat_13:13, Mat_16:17; Joh_9:39; Act_26:18; 2Co_3:14-18, 2Co_4:4-6; Eph_1:17-18; Rev_3:18

That I may behold wondrous things. Amazing things. Profound things. Interesting things. Exciting things! For the 24-plus years Barbara and I have been married we have disciplined ourselves to read the Bible together at least five days a week and usually six days. We do not read on the Lord's day. Currently we are using the book: All the Prayers of the Bible by Herbert Lockeyer. We look up all the passages listed under each prayer listed in the Bible as well as Mr. Lockeyer's commentary. Then each of us has our own private Bible reading. If you want to walk with God, give Him something to work with.

wondrous: Psa_119:96; Hos_8:12; 2Co_3:13; Heb_8:5, Heb_10:1

Out of thy law – "Out of the written word; out of the Scriptures. The word "law" here is used to denote "all" that God had revealed to mankind; all that is contained in the volume of inspiration. The truths taught here are

(1) That there are deep, hidden, secret things in the word of God, which are not perceived by the natural man;

(2) That those things, when understood, are suited to excite wonder, or to fill the mind with admiring views of God;

(3) That a special illumination of God is necessary that man may perceive these things; and

(4) That the proper understanding of these things is connected with prayer, and can be hoped for only in answer to prayer.

No one has a proper appreciation of divine truth - of the beauty, the spiritual meaning, the grandeur, the sublimity of the Bible - until he is a renewed - a praying - man. See: 1Corinthians 2:6-15." (Barnes)