Men,
I'm guessing that looking at the title of this post your first reaction was a smile and the though..."that's easy, mine." Yeah...me too, until I read this devotional called "The Devil's Theology" by Stephen Davey for Wisdom for the Heart. Click on the link to read for yourself.
What I found is that the devil, and his demons, know all the facts about God, knows the context and meaning of His Word, and by the way they were present and singing God's praises when He created the universe.
So, what's my point. My point, and the point of the devotional on James 2:19, is that our theology is not just about facts of God's history, knowing Bible verses and "believing" in God. Good theology is a personal relationship with Christ and here is the kicker:
BEHAVING ACCORDINGLY.
I'm not bringing this to you to judge you, but to provoke you because I'm provoked by this devotional as well.
Doulos for Him,
danny
Apr 15, 2013
Dec 6, 2012
What's the condition of your heart...mine stinks.
Brothers,
Most of you know I'm in seminary and it has been a fantastic learning experience. I have learned so much. However, it consumes a great deal of my time. I often find myself skipping my devotional time so that I can work on homework or staying up until midnight and not having a chance to wash my wife in the Word at night like I ought to. When this happens, I slowly move further and further away from the Lord until I am empty, vulnerable and unprotected. It's not hard to figure out what happens next. The enemy pounces..."Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:8 NASB). Well it manifested itself in me today in my lack of patience with my precious garden (My wife) and with a co-worker who knows I'm a Christian and that is how I presented Christ to him. Nobody that loves God, treats people that way.
Brothers if you are finding yourself in a bad place, ask yourself these questions, How is my devotional time? When's the last time I was in the Word? What comes first in your day, time with God or other things? Don't even think you can use the excuse that your involvement in ministry gives you an excuse for not nurturing your relationship with Him. God can care less about the ministry if He doesn't have time with you. Don't believe me...check out this devotional that He led me to read today...this day that I was most effected by my distance from Him.
A Heart That Loves God
For I desire loyalty and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings (Hosea 6:6)
No amount of activity for God will ever take the place of a heart that is right with Him. Through the ages God’s people have been persuaded that they could please Him through their service and their offerings, regardless of their heart condition. King Saul offered generous sacrifice, hoping God would
overlook his disobedience (1 Sam. 15:22-23). David may have assumed that after all he had done on God’s behalf, God would overlook his sin (2 Sam. 12:7-15). Ananias and Sapphira thought that their generous gift to the church would compensate for their deceitfulness (Acts 5:1-11). Paul was certainly one who had thought his zealousness would please God. Alter his conversion, however, he concluded that even if he had faith to remove mountains, gave all he had to feed the poor, and offered his body to be burned for the sake of God, and yet had a heart that was not right, it would all be for nothing (1 Cor. 13:1-3).
We are susceptible to the same misunderstanding as all of these people were. We can be deceived into assuming God is more interested in our activity for Him than He is in the condition of our hearts. God has consistently made it clear that He will not be pacified by even the most generous offerings and zealous service if our hearts are not right with Him (Mic. 6:6-8). No matter how much we do in God’s service, regardless of how active we are in our church, no matter how honorable our reputation in the Christian community, He will not overlook a sinful heart. His desire is that we devote ourselves to knowing Hirn and loving Him with all of our hearts.
Most of you know I'm in seminary and it has been a fantastic learning experience. I have learned so much. However, it consumes a great deal of my time. I often find myself skipping my devotional time so that I can work on homework or staying up until midnight and not having a chance to wash my wife in the Word at night like I ought to. When this happens, I slowly move further and further away from the Lord until I am empty, vulnerable and unprotected. It's not hard to figure out what happens next. The enemy pounces..."Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:8 NASB). Well it manifested itself in me today in my lack of patience with my precious garden (My wife) and with a co-worker who knows I'm a Christian and that is how I presented Christ to him. Nobody that loves God, treats people that way.
Brothers if you are finding yourself in a bad place, ask yourself these questions, How is my devotional time? When's the last time I was in the Word? What comes first in your day, time with God or other things? Don't even think you can use the excuse that your involvement in ministry gives you an excuse for not nurturing your relationship with Him. God can care less about the ministry if He doesn't have time with you. Don't believe me...check out this devotional that He led me to read today...this day that I was most effected by my distance from Him.
A Heart That Loves God
For I desire loyalty and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings (Hosea 6:6)
No amount of activity for God will ever take the place of a heart that is right with Him. Through the ages God’s people have been persuaded that they could please Him through their service and their offerings, regardless of their heart condition. King Saul offered generous sacrifice, hoping God would
overlook his disobedience (1 Sam. 15:22-23). David may have assumed that after all he had done on God’s behalf, God would overlook his sin (2 Sam. 12:7-15). Ananias and Sapphira thought that their generous gift to the church would compensate for their deceitfulness (Acts 5:1-11). Paul was certainly one who had thought his zealousness would please God. Alter his conversion, however, he concluded that even if he had faith to remove mountains, gave all he had to feed the poor, and offered his body to be burned for the sake of God, and yet had a heart that was not right, it would all be for nothing (1 Cor. 13:1-3).
We are susceptible to the same misunderstanding as all of these people were. We can be deceived into assuming God is more interested in our activity for Him than He is in the condition of our hearts. God has consistently made it clear that He will not be pacified by even the most generous offerings and zealous service if our hearts are not right with Him (Mic. 6:6-8). No matter how much we do in God’s service, regardless of how active we are in our church, no matter how honorable our reputation in the Christian community, He will not overlook a sinful heart. His desire is that we devote ourselves to knowing Hirn and loving Him with all of our hearts.
Nov 12, 2012
Oct 25, 2012
Guard the Treasure
Men,
I had an assignment this week to make 15 observations, identify the main idea and determine 5 applications/implementations from the passage 2 Timothy 1:14-15. It was a rich time and I could have spent hours on this small passage if I had time to dig into biblical history, word study etc. I thought I'd share with you to give you a head start at really unpacking this passage.
The reason this passage is so important, as if all Scripture is not important, but this country is slowly turning its back on God being more interested in the world; more interested in the easy road due to the growing persecution of Christians. Now I know that we don't experience anything near the persecution at the time Paul wrote this letter to Timothy, but we still need to be just as aware and just as concerned to "Guard the Treasure."
2 Timothy 1:14-15 NASB – 14 Guard, through the Holy Spirit
who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you. 15 You
are aware of the fact that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom
are Phygelus and Hermogenes.
1. Paul is the
author.
2. Paul’s disciple
Timothy is the audience.
3. Paul’s mood is
somber, if not vulnerable.
4. Treasure in
this use is an adjective, not a noun.
Therefore, it is not an object Timothy has to protect.
5. Treasure is the Greek word kalos. It is used 102 times in the NT and 83 is translated good.
6. Therefore, when Paul says "Guard the Treasure" he is telling Timothy to hold on to what is good, namely the "Truth."
7. Timothy is a
believer.
8. Paul must be
concerned for Timothy why else would he be exhorting or urging him to guard the
treasure.
9. Perhaps there
are enemies of the truth where Timothy is.
10.
Since the truth is not an object, the enemies
wouldn’t be able to steal it, but perhaps there is a real danger that they are
trying to lead Timothy astray.
11.
To what lengths should Timothy guard the
treasure?
12.
How is Timothy supposed to guard the treasure,
since it isn’t an object?
13.
Paul is reminding Timothy that he should guard
through the Holy Spirit which implies that Timothy doesn’t have to do it alone…moreso
he can’t do it alone.
14.
Why was the treasure (The Truth) entrusted to
Timothy?
15.
Timothy must be the shepherd of a flock why else
would the treasure be entrusted to him.
16.
Is Paul
referring to all the churches in Asia, all his disciples in Asia?
17.
He
points out two specific people Phygelus and Hermogenes probably because these
two were the strongest of those in Asia and if they have abandoned, things must
be really bad.
Main Idea:
Paul is warning
Timothy to stay strong and protect what is good (Treasure) namely the Truth. There
must be heavy pressure, or persecution, to do so because Paul is making Timothy
aware of all the believers from Asia that is abandoning him particularly two
strong ones.
Application/Implementation:
1. Prepare yourself for persecution.
2. Rely on the Holy Spirit to help you guard
against the enemy.
3. We are individually responsible for guarding
the truth.
4. The only way to know and guard the truth is
to be in the word.
5. Despite the fact that others may become weak
and fall away, you can still guard the truth even if you’re alone.
Oct 16, 2012
Aug 13, 2012
The Branches are for Fruit and Fruit ALONE!
And all the branch possesses belongs to the vine. The branch does not exist for itself, but to bear fruit that can proclaim the excellence of the vine: it has no reason of existence except to be of service to the vine. Glorious image of the calling of the believer, and the entireness of his consecration to the service of his Lord. As Jesus gives Himself so wholly over to him, he feels himself urged to be wholly his Lord's. Every power of his being, every moment of his life, every thought and feeling, belong to Jesus, that from Him and for Him he may bring forth fruit. As he realizes what the vine is to the branch, and what the branch is meant to be to the vine, he feels that he has but one thing to think of and to live for, and that is, the will, the glory, the work, the kingdom of his blessed Lord--the bringing forth of fruit to the glory of His name.
The parable teaches us the object of the union. The branches are for fruit and fruit alone. "Every branch that beareth not fruit He taketh away." The branch needs leaves for the maintenance of its own life, and the perfection of its fruit: the fruit itself it bears to give away to those around. As the believer enters into his calling as a branch, he sees that he has to forget himself, and to live entirely for his fellow-men. To love them, to seek for them, and to save them, Jesus came: for this every branch on the Vine has to live as much as the Vine itself. It is for fruit, much fruit, that the Father has made us one with Jesus.
Wondrous parable of the Vine--unveiling the mysteries of the Divine love, of the heavenly life, of the world of Spirit--how little have I understood thee! Jesus the living Vine in heaven, and I the living branch on earth! How little have I understood how great my need, but also how perfect my claim, to all His fullness!
Murray, Andrew (2010-04-24). Abide in Christ (p. 20). Wilder Publications. Kindle Edition.
The parable teaches us the object of the union. The branches are for fruit and fruit alone. "Every branch that beareth not fruit He taketh away." The branch needs leaves for the maintenance of its own life, and the perfection of its fruit: the fruit itself it bears to give away to those around. As the believer enters into his calling as a branch, he sees that he has to forget himself, and to live entirely for his fellow-men. To love them, to seek for them, and to save them, Jesus came: for this every branch on the Vine has to live as much as the Vine itself. It is for fruit, much fruit, that the Father has made us one with Jesus.
Wondrous parable of the Vine--unveiling the mysteries of the Divine love, of the heavenly life, of the world of Spirit--how little have I understood thee! Jesus the living Vine in heaven, and I the living branch on earth! How little have I understood how great my need, but also how perfect my claim, to all His fullness!
Murray, Andrew (2010-04-24). Abide in Christ (p. 20). Wilder Publications. Kindle Edition.
Jun 5, 2012
You can not hide!
Men,
In my study to prepare for my Oral Doctrinal Exam to become a full time missionary, I came across the verse Jeremiah 23:24 "Can a man hide himself in hiding places so I do not see him?" declares the Lord. "Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?" This verse speaks to God's Omnipresence. I just can't get over the enormity of our God in this verse. God tells us that He fills EVERYTHING but NOTHING can contain Him. What a paradox??? Can you even fathom this? No you can't and neither can I but think on it for a second...He is right next to you ALWAYS whether you know it or not. He's in the plane that crashes to the earth; He's in the building that collapsed on 9/11; He is in the delivery room when your first child was born; He was next to you when you made your vows; He is in your room when you are crying; He is smiling when you win the race.
I can go on...and on...and on...and on. I could go on my whole life and never name every instance.
"He sees the depths of my heart, but He loves me just the same." Oh what a great Father is He.
In my study to prepare for my Oral Doctrinal Exam to become a full time missionary, I came across the verse Jeremiah 23:24 "Can a man hide himself in hiding places so I do not see him?" declares the Lord. "Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?" This verse speaks to God's Omnipresence. I just can't get over the enormity of our God in this verse. God tells us that He fills EVERYTHING but NOTHING can contain Him. What a paradox??? Can you even fathom this? No you can't and neither can I but think on it for a second...He is right next to you ALWAYS whether you know it or not. He's in the plane that crashes to the earth; He's in the building that collapsed on 9/11; He is in the delivery room when your first child was born; He was next to you when you made your vows; He is in your room when you are crying; He is smiling when you win the race.
I can go on...and on...and on...and on. I could go on my whole life and never name every instance.
"He sees the depths of my heart, but He loves me just the same." Oh what a great Father is He.