Pastor Johnnie's Devotional Archives
July 2003
July 2, 2003
Proverbs 2:18a, speaking of a prostitute, says, "For her house leads
down to death...."
From approximately some 30 years back, I recall driving downtown Panama
City, in the Republic of Panama. In one of the narrow side streets, suddenly
a woman of the street, all decked out in her fanciest clothes and makeup,
stepped out in front of the car and began walking ever so slowly, "strutting
her stuff" as they say, her eyes looking through my windshield straight
at me. I stopped the car so as not to hit her. My eyes stared straight
ahead. And, with my fingers I nervously motioned for her to keep going...and
get on across the street. She hesitated momentarily and sort of stomped
on across the street as though she were angry that I didn't 'bite'. This
kind of woman preys upon your very life, and has the unbelievable ability
to reduce a man to a loaf of bread (see Proverbs 6:26-35). Like oxen going
to the slaughter or a deer stepping into a noose til an arrow pierces
it's heart (Proverbs 7:22,23,26,27), tons of men of all ages daily give
in to the lust of the flesh and are quickly brought down, not realizing
that the loose woman's house is a highway to the grave, leading down to
the chambers of death!
Holy Father, for myself, all my men friends, and all the men of Your
family, I pray that we'll not only see and learn to fear the carnal dangers
around us which appeal to our lower nature; but that, as did Job, we might
be willing to make a covenant with our eyes to not look lustfully at a
girl (Job 31:1). For Jesus' sake I pray. Amen.
July 4, 2003 - USA is 227 years old!
Proverbs 4:20 says, "My son, pay attention to what I say; listen
closely to my words."
As I reflect on the significance of our national independence, I find
myself feeling deeply honored that my forebears, in search of freedoms
which they were not experiencing under British rule, were willing to go
to such lengths to cast off the bonds of restraint and to establish a
nation of the people, by the people, and for the people. With all the
political and moral deterioration our nation is going through, we still
need to be very grateful for the remaining freedoms we have (speech -
religion, etc.) - though they too are under serious attack.
The basic principles of spiritual independence, of course, are similar.
From eternity past, God was not willing that any should perish. Not willing
that His created beings live any longer "dead in your transgressions
and sins", following the "ways of this world and of the ruler
of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who
are disobedient", holding them hostage; keeping them from the freedoms
which He desires for all creation (Ephesians 2:1,2). As we celebrate our
national freedom today, let us also remember the greater freedom secured
for us 2000 years ago on the cross of Calvary (read Galatians 6:14).
Holy Author of true independence, we worship and adore You for the
life of freedom into which You have brought us through Your Son, Jesus.
"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free" (Galatians 5:1).
Teach us to listen closely to Your words; and to number our days (Psalm
90:12), that we may live holy, righteously, and godly for Your sake. Amen.
July 6, 2003
Proverbs 6:7,8, speaking of the ant, says "It has no commander, no
overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers
its food at harvest."
It's wonderful how the Lord God refers to part of His magnificent creation,
the animal kingdom, throughout the scriptures. In today's verses, we see
the imagery of many ants, working in harmony to accomplish a common goal....without
someone barking out orders or marking the flow chart as progress is made.
If only the Lord's people would take the time to observe the ants...consider
their ways....and be wise, as verse 6 says! Someone once said, "There
is no limit to the amount of work that can be done by a group of people
if no one cares who gets the credit!" Through more than 40 years
of ministry, I have witnessed people disqualifying themselves for teamwork
ministry through competition, division, individuality, egotism, and 'loner's
syndrome'. The latter would be commonly described as an unwillingness
and therefore an inability to work with others in order to accomplish
the mission God has given us - together! - to spread His Word to the ends
of the earth. What a shame! In another animal imagery, God says, "The
ox knows his master, the donkey his owner's manger, but Israel does not
understand" (Isaiah 1:3).
Father, teach us to learn from the animals around us, especially the
ants - and to understand Your way. Give us a willing spirit to join heart
and hand with our brothers and sisters, so that, until Jesus comes, we
might store up a great harvest of souls for the glory of God! Amen.
July 8, 2003
In Proverbs 8, the main subject is 'wisdom'. Verse 5 says, "You who
are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, gain understanding."
The word 'simple' can mean silly, as easily seducible; it can also refer
to naivete. The word 'foolish' refers to being 'stupid', acting the 'simpleton';
or even being 'fat with arrogance'. The world around us has no mercy on
the simple or foolish. It makes fun of them; belittles them; laughs them
to scorn. After all, every decision they make, almost everything they
do reveals some sort of imprudence or an inexcusable lack of awareness.
So God, from heaven, looks down to se if there are any who understand,
any who seek God (Psalm 14:2). His plan: those who become His children
can have all the wisdom, prudence, and understanding of God available
to them through their personal relationship with His Son, Jesus. His tool:
His Word. The law of the Lord is perfect reviving the soul. The statues
of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple (Psalm 19:7). No room
here for arrogance (Psalm 5:5). No need to be senseless ever again (Psalm
94:7,8).
Caring and gracious Father, open our eyes, clean out our ears, and
clear up our 'foolish', 'simple' minds (I Corinthians 2:9). Grant us spiritual
wisdom and understanding so that we might grow in our knowledge of You
(Ephesians 1:17). Through Jesus, our Lord, we pray. Amen.
July 10, 2003
Proverbs 10:8 tells us that "The wise in heart accept commands, but
a chattering fool comes to ruin."
We've probably all had the experience of being around someone who "has
all the answers". You try to make some comments of correction or
clarification to what they're saying, and you end up hearing the chattering
of someone who will not be taught, and they nearly exhaust the English
language as they "dance around the mulberry barn", explaining
something they - it appears! - know nothing about (A cloud without rain).
I could easily have been there at one time in my life. Teaching Bible
courses, the greatest fear I had was of being publicly humiliated by a
question to which I might not have the answer. By the grace of God, I
was brought to the point of realizing that I would never have all knowledge
(You needed to have that proved to you, Jenkins?! You were worse off than
we realized!). It drove me to more study of the Word, for sure. And the
spiritual 'freedom' and peace I felt in my heart by saying, "Thanks
for a great, provocative question. I don't have an answer right now; but
in tomorrow's class, I'll address that", was wonderful.
Father in heaven, a fool's mouth is his undoing, and gets him into
a lot of trouble (Proverbs 18:6,7). He is consumed by his own lips (Ecclesiastes
10:12). Forgive the pride which motivates a need to appear as though I
know it all or that I should have 'the' answer for everything. I am deeply
humbled by Your mercy and grace to this poor soul! Accept my sincere thanks,
in Jesus' name. Amen.
July 13, 2003
Proverbs 13:22a says "A good man leaves an inheritance for his children's
children..."
The New Testament tells us that Abraham believed God's promise of a son
and it was credited to him as righteousness because he was fully persuaded
that God had power to do what he had promised (Romans 4:4,21). When he
was 99 years old, God appeared to Abraham again, establishing His covenant
as an everlasting covenant (think divine inheritance) between Himself
and Abraham "and your descendants after you for the generations to
come...." (Genesis 17:7,8). Talk about a 'good man' leaving an inheritance
for his children's children! God Himself preeminently modeled what He
prompted Solomon to say many years later from today's scripture. And,
He has made sure that every generation has been impacted by His children
who are "mighty in the land", who are also blessed because of
their uprightness (Psalm 112:2). Truly, a Good Man leaves an inheritance
for His children's children....
Father, You said: blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in His
ways. You have promised them a glorious, spiritual inheritance: wives
will be like fruitful vines; children will be like olive shoots around
the table; they will live to see their children's children (Psalm 128).
Thank You for Your mercy and grace evidenced in the unbelievable inheritance
You've left us! We love You! Amen.
July 15, 2003
Proverbs 15:15 says, "All the days of the oppressed are wretched,
but the cheerful heart has a continual feast."
Some of the saddest and most frustrating people to be around in ministry
or in life are those who are continually angry or depressed. The cup is
always half empty. The skies may be totally blue with the exception of
one small cloud, but they'll see the cloud and endlessly talk about it
and whatever calamitous thing could happen. They seldom - if ever! - see
the grace of God in life's situations (Hebrews 12:15), and so they live
in a constant state of wretchedness and bitterness. The cheerful heart,
on the other hand, does good, like a medicine (Proverbs 17:22). They could
be in prison and still find reason to be joyful (Acts 16:25). They could
be facing difficult times, but be tenaciously joyful in hope (Romans 12:12).
They could be experiencing sadness, but in some way find opportunity to
rejoice (II Corinthians 6:10). Aware of dangers around them, they nonetheless
rejoice because they know they are shielded by God's awesome and sovereign
power (I Peter 1:6-8). The glorious mystery is this: they are indeed participating
in the sufferings of Christ; but 'hope' tells them that one day they will
be overjoyed as they share His glory when it is displayed to all the world
(I Peter 4:13 TLB). Meantime, what a feast of joy and peace they enjoy
(John 14:27)!
Thank You, Holy Father, for the continual feast of joy You give us
as we view life from Your point of view. Thank You that You are sovereign,
all-powerful, and all-knowing. Life IS wonderful when You're in control.
I love You! Amen.
July 17, 2003
Proverbs 17:11 reminds us that "an evil person is bent only on rebellion;
a merciless official will be sent against him."
Years ago, during our children's childhood, I remember very well teaching
them about rebellion, and having to discipline them many, many times for
that sin. The most common form of rebellion I remember them expressing
was in attitude. A facial expression of disgust, a quick turnaround expressing
displeasure, a loud huffing accompanied by two fists pumping downward
as they decided to 'obey' and do what they really didn't want to do. These,
and many more, were what revealed the 'malignancy' of their 'evil' hearts.
Sound harsh? It's not. God's Word tells us that "rebellion is like
the sin of witchcraft" (I Samuel 15:22). The word used for rebellion
refers to 'viciousness', 'evil', 'displeasure', and 'malignance', just
to name a few. The Lord sees the heart. Deuteronomy 9:7 and 24 are reminders
that the rebellion of the Lord's people against the Lord, His will, and
His holy purposes understandably provokes Him to discipline for such sin
(I Samuel 12:14,15). Why? Because it is detestable to Him (Deuteronomy
18:10,11).
Father of mercy, I will speak of Your tender mercies to me forever
(Psalm 89:1)! Thank You for instructing us through Your Word and revealing
to us the awfulness of sin. Teach us to judge our rebellious attitudes
and thoughts as faithfully as we would tend to judge words and actions.
Amen.
July 19, 2003
Proverbs 19:21 says, "many are the plans in a man's heart, but it
is the Lord's purpose that prevails."
So many plans! So little time! Both the righteous and the unrighteous
have a great capacity for an imaginative mind and a planning heart, both
of which can be used for good or evil. His brothers sarcastically called
Joseph "a dreamer" (Genesis 37:19,20) because of the things
God gave him to dream and think about in terms of future events for His
people. Haman's heart and mind conjured up an "evil scheme"
to destroy the people of God (Esther 9:25). God's enemies plot evil against
Him and His people (Psalm 21:11). Jesus was called "a deceiver"
because He said, "In three days, I'll rise again" (Matthew 27:63,64).
Nations have their evil plans (Psalm 33:10,11); people have had their
unholy purposes as they plot against the living God and His Son (Matthew
26:4,5). But the Lord condemns a crafty person (Proverbs 12:2) because
there is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord
(Proverbs 21:30)! It is the Lord's purposes which prevail according to
the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose
of His own will (Ephesians 1:11).
Father in heaven, grant us the greater courage to trust Your holy
purposes after we have made our plans and You, exercising Your sovereign
authority, have said, 'it will not take place, it will not happen' (Isaiah
7:7). Amen.
July 21, 2003
Proverbs 21:1 reminds us that "the king's heart is in the hand of
the Lord; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases."
That God is all-powerful and sovereign is an offensive doctrine to many
proud humans. We want a significant say in the way things 'go down'. Actually,
we even want the last word. We want credit for impressing people to change
their ideas or their plans. We do not like the idea that the issues of
life are ultimately out of our control. For the Christian, however, we
find ultimate comfort in trusting the sovereign Lord to do things His
way: to turn hearts (Psalm 105:25); to give success (Nehemiah 1:11); to
bring honor to Himself (Ezra 7:27); to give wisdom and gain goodwill (Acts
7:10); to give a proper reply (Proverbs 16:1); to cause to be pitied (Psalm
106:46); to work everything out in conformity with the purposes of His
will (Ephesians 1:11). No wonder the whole earth trembles at the presence
of the Lord (Psalm 114:7)!
O Sovereign Lord, You are resplendent with light, more majestic than
mountains rich with game (Psalm 76:4). Forgive the stubborn pride of our
willful, demanding hearts which so often seem to be at cross purposes
with You. Grant us the courage to walk by faith while humbly submitting
to You and to Your ultimate, glorious purposes for our lives! For Jesus'
sake we pray. Amen.
July 23, 2003
Proverbs 23:13,14 says, "Do not withhold discipline from a child;
if you punish him with the rod, he will not die. Punish him with the rod
and save his soul from death."
Some Christians ignore these scriptures and hide behind the constant threat
of being exposed as an 'abuser' by a watching world which long ago gave
up disciplining children. But the truth still remains: to spare the rod
ultimately points back to an uncaring parent (Proverbs 13:24). To spare
the rod means that non-disciplining (and therefore undisciplined) parents
will, in some way, share the shame of a child's early demise or death
(Proverbs 19:18). To spare the rod is to keep your child from gaining
a wisdom that comes only through discipline. To spare the rod only encourages
a child to demean and disgrace his/her parents (Proverbs 29:15; see an
example of an arrogant and pushy child in I Kings 1:6 and of contemptible
children in I Samuel 3:13). To spare the rod is to contribute to a child's
unsettled life of restlessness. To spare the rod is to rob a parent of
the pleasure and joy of having an orderly child (Proverbs 29:17). Finally,
and most importantly, to spare the rod is to defy God and disobey an important
principle of life designed by Him (Hebrews 12:7).
Faithful Father of love and meaningful discipline, forgive our disobedience
to You. With a sense of urgency we ask You to grant Christian parents
the will to obey You and the courage desperately needed to wisely correct
their children within the home so that their lives outside the home will
bring glory to You and will honor Your eternal principles. For Jesus'
sake. Amen.
July 25, 2003
Proverbs 25:6,7 give us a provocative exhortation: "Do not exalt
yourself in the king's presence, and do not claim a place among great
men; it is better for him to say to you, 'come up here,' than for him
to humiliate you before a nobleman."
The meaning behind "exalt yourself" is to be swelled up with
pride; to present one self as 'high', perhaps higher than we ought to
be doing (see Romans 12:3). We live in a day of self-projection. We're
told that if we don't speak up for ourselves, if we aren't pushy and aggressive,
if we don't 'doctor' our resumes, promote our 'successes'
(whatever that means), and inflate our own ego by job and ability exaggeration,
we won't be noticed; we won't be considered for the job; we won't get
the recognition that we deserve, etc. I recently heard of a person who
is apparently an awesome promoter of them self, who gets jobs very easily.
The real story doesn't stop there; this person has had 4 or 5 jobs the
past 3 years. For the authentic Christian, there is a great temptation
to not trust in the sovereignty of God. How much better to simply and
humbly speak the truth about one's self, and let Him handle the 'promotion',
if needed. That may be the ultimate truth behind Proverbs 27:2, with the
Lord Himself our Agent.
O Lord, my heart is not proud, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern
myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. Instead, I have
stilled and quieted my soul before You (Psalm 131:1,2). I will speak humbly,
briefly, and honestly about myself. I will trust You to communicate about
me whatever you wish, so that I and any responsibility I am given, any
task I do, might ultimately point to You and bring honor, glory, and attention
to You alone! Amen.
July 27, 2003
Proverbs 27:1 tells us: "Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do
not know what a day may bring forth."
To make a show of accomplishments or knowledge or possessions or ability
or wealth or information that we might have would be obviously foolish,
which is the idea behind the word 'boast'. So, boasting in itself is not
good. But, to make a big 'to do' about what we're going to do on any given
day beyond today, is definitely unwise. Of course, for many such unwise
people, alcohol plays a significant role (Isaiah 56:12) in making daring
or boastful plans. For others, wealth is the focus which makes them foolish
[egotistical, mindless, rash] in their excessive proclamations (Luke 12:20).
To boast about tomorrow is to demonstrate a form of arrogance and to deceive
ourselves into thinking we might have an edge on the sovereign God in
some way. Since only the living God knows what any day will hold for us,
it is essentially 'evil' [bad - harmful] for us to make any plans without
saying, "Lord willing!" (James 4:13-16). Only His plans and
purposes stand firm forever (Psalm 33:11).
All-knowing Father, we confess our proneness to independence, arrogance,
and ignorance when it comes to planning for anything beyond the moment
in which we live. To the person who knows to do good but doesn't do it,
to them it is sin (James 4:17). So, help us to add to our vocabulary the
phrase "Lord willing", lest we continue to sin against You.
Amen.
July 29, 2003
Proverbs 29:10 says "Bloodthirsty men hate a man of integrity and
seek to kill the upright."
When unbelievers see a Christian making right choices, speaking the truth,
not using filthy language, and admittedly living to please Jesus Christ,
it angers them. Cain demonstrates this (Genesis 4:5-8). So also does Herodias
(Mark 6:18,19). From the beginning, Satan has sought to eliminate those
who dare to live upright. So the less violent unrighteous often seek to
demean the righteous by calling them "goody two-shoes" or 'preacher'
or 'deacon', thinking this degrades them. The more violent unrighteous,
those who have sold themselves "to do evil" (I Kings 21:20),
will seek to eliminate the righteous altogether! This shouldn't surprise
the biblically literate person. By nature, humans are 'unspiritual', sold
as 'slaves to sin' (Romans 7:14). Only the presence of Jesus Christ in
a person's life can make it possible to be people of integrity: upright,
gentle, wholesome, forgiving (Luke 23:34), morally pure, gracious even
in the midst of persecution (Acts 7:60), and actually repaying good for
evil (Jeremiah 18:20; Romans 12:9).
Righteous Father, grant us the courage to boldly walk in integrity
and to not be surprised when the world hates us for doing so (I John 3:12,13).
Prepare us for the persecution which must ultimately come for those who
walk godly in Christ Jesus (John 15:18-21). Amen.
July 31, 2003
In Proverbs 31:17, King Lemuel, speaking of the wife of noble character,
says, "She is energetic and strong, a hard worker."
What man has not observed his mother or wife tirelessly working day and
night, and not been profoundly impressed? Any man who isn't impressed
or drawn to a deeper appreciation of his wife or mother, can't be too
plugged in to the realities of life. If it's not cooking, it's washing
the clothes. If it's not changing the baby's diaper, it's loading the
kids into the car to take them to the doctor....without any help. If it's
not washing the kitchen floor, it's vacuuming the carpets. If it's not
picking up after the kids, it's picking up after her man. If it's not
shopping for groceries, it's managing the budget so that there will be
enough money to buy what needs to be bought. If it's not tending to the
"owies" of the children, it's attempting to tend to the broad
spectrum of needs of her husband as well, though tired as she is. If it's
not feeding the kids snacks and special treats, it's preparing healthy
meals for the man of the house....and often guests.
My prayer today would be that every man is fully aware of the gigantic
responsibilities carried out daily by his wife, and looking for creative
ways to express how grateful he is for her and for all she does. She is
indeed a gift from the Lord! (Proverbs 18:22) Be sure to tell her today!
Father of great grace, thank You for Ruth, who even at this after-midnight
hour, is still working to maintain a clean and attractive home for You,
for me, and for our guests who will begin to arrive tomorrow. Bless her
greatly. And, don't let me pass any opportunity to tell her how grateful
I am for her....and how much I truly love her. Amen.
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