Who’s on First?

If you don’t know Who’s first, it doesn’t matter who’s second.  

September’s Awakening, Day 24

You can’t get second things by putting them first; you can get second things only by putting first things first.

 —C. S. Lewis  

Lord, we don’t mind who is second as long as Thou art first.

 —W. E. Stangter 

 

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:24, 33 NIV   

 

            Living life to the fullest and successfully is all about priorities. We obviously cannot accomplish or obtain all we desire at once. Life takes planning and organization and most importantly prioritization. That which is essential to our total health and well-being must come first. That not only includes our physical, emotional, and mental well-being, but our spiritual as well. Everything filters down from the top, so at the top we must start. God must take priority overall, and truly, if that is in order the rest will follow. If God is misplaced in the hierarchy of your priorities, then you will find your life in a misplaced and misshapen condition.

            So, Who’s first? If He isn’t, then you are. If you are, then you’re under the thumb of the wrong master, and soon you will find the pressure too great to overcome.

Author Web Page Link

http://www.christianfaithpublishing.com/books/?book=renew-my-heart-o-god-daily-devotions-for-healing-your-heart

Firm in Principle, Flow with Trends

Go with the flow in vogue and trends, but stand firm in stone on the established standards and principles.

September’s Awakening, Day 23

In matters of principle, stand like a rock; in matters of taste, swim with the current.

 —Thomas Jefferson

Those who stand for nothing fall for anything.

 —Alex Hamilton 

 

I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world. 2 Corinthians 10:2 NIV 

 

            Our culture is a continually changing organism. It grows, changes, ages, matures, and ultimately will die when this world is made new. Being a part of this culture means that we, too, must change along with it. Change keep things interesting and oftentimes, but not always, is beneficial. Trends and styles and the current vogue will always continue to change, and we can freely choose to follow closely or follow at a distance and embrace or reject the current flow. Mores and principles, however, should stand firm in stone and not sway aimlessly back and forth with the tide. Standards are principles to be upheld. Styles are superficial and fleeting, but principles of morality and civility and ethical standards are not.

            Enjoy the varied moments of your life and the changing trends and times, but keep always firm in your beliefs, standards, and all ethical principles. Life is to be joyful, thrilling, and exhilarating, but not compromised.

Author Web Page Link

http://www.christianfaithpublishing.com/books/?book=renew-my-heart-o-god-daily-devotions-for-healing-your-heart

May the Testimony of Two Be True

Are you standing on the truth on your own or with the testimony of others? Are you firmly standing on the testimony of the Word of God? Wherein lies your testimony of truth?  

September’s Awakening, Day 22

I am not bound to win but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed but I am bound to live up to what light I have. I must stand with anybody that stands right; stand with him while he is right and part with him when he goes wrong.

 —Abraham Lincoln 

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.

 —Martin Luther King, Jr

 

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.” Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true. I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.” John 8:12–18 NIV  

 

            Standing strong for what is right is powerful. Standing together with others for what is right is invincible. For the human testimony, it’s the power of two. Two human witnesses are required to bear the power of the truth. Conversely, as Jesus stated in the above passage in the Book of John, only the power of One, as God Himself or His written Word, is required as sufficient evidence for the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

            If you have been perusing through this devotional, it should be apparent that I have almost always chosen two quotations (or sometimes more), from the human witness, and typically one (or sometimes more), from the Word of God. The human witness of two, bearing witness to the infallible witness of God’s one witness through His Word has been presented. The truth bearing witness to the truth makes for indisputable evidence. In your eyes and in God’s eyes may it be so.

Author Web Page Link

http://www.christianfaithpublishing.com/books/?book=renew-my-heart-o-god-daily-devotions-for-healing-your-heart

Faithfully Principled

 

Where do you stop and take a stand before crossing the line of the highest of standards and principles? Have you looked at every aspect of your life? Where have you crossed over the boundary, and what are you going to do to remedy that situation?

September’s Awakening, Day 21

Faithfully faithful to every trust,

Honestly honest in every deed,

Righteously righteous and justly just:

This is the whole of the good man’s creed.

 —Author Unknown 

 

Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice.

 —Thomas Paine

 

And you will know that I am the Lord, for you have not followed my decrees or kept my laws but have conformed to the standards of the nations around you.” Ezekiel 11:12 NIV 

 

            We live in a world of tolerance, conformity, acceptance, and laxity. When dealing with the diversity of the peoples of the earth, this is all well and good. However, when concerning our basic principles and standards to live by, conformity can become a dangerous thing. We are called to uphold the highest of standards and principles, and for the believer, the utmost and foremost authority is God and His Word. There should be understanding and acknowledgment of differing thoughts and ideas, but no compromise on the essential precepts and principles set forth before us in His Word. We can embrace people without necessarily embracing their standards and principles. We can love them, without being in conformity with them. God has a measuring rod of standards set for all mankind. We may believe that these are negotiable, but in His presence, one day we will all find out that there exists for everyone His absolutes and non-negotiables.

            Love the people of the world, but do not conform, compromise, or become anything other than what God has set in stone by His very finger. 

Author Web Page Link

http://www.christianfaithpublishing.com/books/?book=renew-my-heart-o-god-daily-devotions-for-healing-your-heart

The Angel of the LORD

Do you know who’s who? Sometimes, it may be important to know if you’re talking to God Himself or one of His angels. When you’re reading Scripture, you need to know.  

September’s Awakening, Day 20

The Angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened bread and lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth.” And he did so. Then the Angel of the LORD put out the end of the staff that was in His hand, and touched the meat and the unleavened bread; and fire rose out of the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened bread. And the Angel of the LORD departed out of his sight. Now Gideon perceived that He was the Angel of the LORD. So Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord God! For I have seen the Angel of the LORD face to face.” Judges 6:20–22 NKJV  

 

Now there was a certain man from Zorah, of the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren and had no children. And the Angel of the LORD appeared to the woman and said to her, “Indeed now, you are barren and have borne no children, but you shall conceive and bear a son. For behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. And no razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines.” So the woman came and told her husband, saying, “A Man of God came to me, and His countenance was like the countenance of the Angel of God, very awesome; but I did not ask Him where He was from, and He did not tell me His name. And the Angel of the Lord said to Manoah, “Though you detain Me, I will not eat your food. But if you offer a burnt offering, you must offer it to the LORD.” (For Manoah did not know He was the Angel of the LORD.) Then Manoah said to the Angel of the LORD, “What is Your name, that when Your words come to pass we may honor You?”  And the Angel of the LORD said to him, “Why do you ask My name, seeing it is wonderful?” So Manoah took the young goat with the grain offering, and offered it upon the rock to the LORD. And He did a wondrous thing while Manoah and his wife looked on—it happened as the flame went up toward heaven from the altar—the Angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar! When Manoah and his wife saw this, they fell on their faces to the ground. And Manoah said to his wife, “We shall surely die, because we have seen God!” Judges 13:2–3, 5–6, 16–20, 22 NKJV  (This is the foretelling of the birth of Samson.)

 

            A distinction must be made between the Angel of the LORD, seen in the Old Testament, and an angel of the Lord, typically seen in the New Testament (and occasionally in the Old Testament as well). The Angel of the LORD in most Old Testament Scripture verses is actually a theophany (a direct manifestation of God Himself to a person). In the New Testament, the angel of the Lord is a created angel, often the angel Gabriel, who brings a direct message from God to those special people on earth. Unfortunately, few translations of the Bible, other than the NKJV, capitalize “Angel” appropriately to help us determine who this entity really is. For that matter, most modern translations fail to capitalize many names directly referring to God Himself and the associated pronouns. This is extremely disheartening, and the reason that multiple translations, including the NKJV, need to be consulted frequently to appreciate the full, vibrant meaning of the biblical text.

            The Angel of the LORD is most often taken to specifically be the pre-incarnate Jesus Christ Himself, before He was born man. Notice that in Judges 13:18, He identifies His name as “wonderful”, the very same description Isaiah gives us of Christ in Chapter 9, verse 6, as we just saw in our devotional yesterday. Furthermore, created angels always refuse worship and speak only on behalf of God, relating a specific message. However, the Angel of the LORD typically speaks with authority in the first person as God Himself, and oftentimes, initiates or encourages a burnt offering sacrifice, accepting worship of Himself. Furthermore, those who see and speak with the Angel of the LORD are often aware that this entity is in fact God and are fearful for their lives because they have seen Him.

            Some notable appearances of the Angel of the LORD are as follows: to comfort and give assurance to Sarai’s maid Hagar in Genesis 16:7–11, to stop Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac in Genesis 22:11–15, the “Man” who wrestled with Jacob and renamed him Israel in Genesis 32:22–30, the One who spoke to Moses out of the burning bush in Exodus 3:2, to Balaam in Numbers 22:22–35, to the Israelites in Judges 2:1–4, to Gideon in Judges 6:11–22, to Manoah and his wife in Judges 13:2–22, and in Zechariah’s prophetic visions in Chapters 1 and 3. Sometimes, it’s important to know Who you’re talking to.

Author Web Page Link

http://www.christianfaithpublishing.com/books/?book=renew-my-heart-o-god-daily-devotions-for-healing-your-heart

Common Names for God

Knowing God’s names helps us to better know Him. I hope and pray that your visualization and understanding of Him will draw you ever closer and keep you firmly attached.

September’s Awakening, Day 19

“Hear, O kings! Give ear, O princes! I, even I, will sing to the Lord; I will sing praise to the LORD God of Israel. Judges 5:3 NKJV 

 

            Yahweh-Elohim (or Jehovah-Elohim), the “LORD God,” combines the personal name of God, Yahweh, with the more general term for God, Elohim. Elohim often means the Mighty One, but in certain other contexts could mean Creator, King, Judge, or Savior. When seen as the LORD God of Israel, the connotation is typically that of the One, True God, the Mighty One. There is none like Him.

 

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1 NKJV

 

            Elohim, “God,” the most common usage for God in the Bible is the general term, Elohim. Again, its meaning is the Mighty One, in all His majesty and glory.

 

Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. Genesis 14:18 NKJV 

 

            El Elyon, “God Most High,” is used in a few passages of Scripture and literally means “the strongest Mighty One.” El is believed to be the root or more ancient version of Elohim and connotes the same identification of God.

 

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. Genesis 17:1 NKJV 

 

            El Shaddai, “Almighty God,” rendered in various ways throughout Scripture as Almighty God, God Almighty, the Almighty, the LORD Almighty, and the LORD God Almighty. There is the obvious meaning of almighty as the all-powerful, omnipotent God, but also the connotation of God, the All-Sufficient, needing nothing in Himself and supplying fully all the needs of all His creation. So, He is the all-powerful, all-sufficient Mighty One. Yes, truly He is.  

 

Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there called on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God. Genesis 21:33 NKJV 

 

            El Olam, the “Everlasting God or God of Eternity.” Often, we just see the phrase “from everlasting to everlasting.” And finally, we see a similar description of Jesus Christ in Isaiah:

 

For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 NKJV  

Author Web Page Link

http://www.christianfaithpublishing.com/books/?book=renew-my-heart-o-god-daily-devotions-for-healing-your-heart

Our God of Recompense and the One Who Smites

Every person will ultimately experience the presence of God—either as salvation poured out or judgment poured out. Be exceedingly thankful that you’re a believer, and share the love of Christ poured out for you.

 

September’s Awakening, Day 18

Because the LORD is plundering Babylon And silencing her loud voice, Though her waves roar like great waters, And the noise of their voice is uttered, Because the plunderer comes against her, against Babylon, And her mighty men are taken. Every one of their bows is broken; For the LORD is the God of recompense, He will surely repay. Jeremiah 51:55–56 NKJV  

 

            Yahweh-El-Gemolah (or Jehovah-El-Gemolah), is the “LORD, the God of recompense,” our God who, with full righteousness and justice, makes sure that full restitution will be made where needed and the wrongs fully righted. We can be sure that nothing escapes His balance scales and that all truth, honor, and perfect justice will ultimately prevail. Rest assured that we do not need to get back at our enemies or try to even the score, for God has all that perfectly taken care of. It is best we leave all that to Him. So, the next time you’ve been wronged, do nothing on your own, but pray to our God of recompense, and be at peace knowing that He will make it right.

 

Now will I shortly pour out my fury upon thee, and accomplish mine anger upon thee: and I will judge thee according to thy ways, and will recompense thee for all thine abominations. And mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: I will recompense thee according to thy ways and thine abominations that are in the midst of thee; and ye shall know that I am the LORD that smiteth. Ezekiel 7:8–9 KJV

 

            Yahweh-Nakeh (or Jehovah-Nakeh), the “LORD that smites,” literally the Lord who ultimately brings perfect judgment upon the earth and all those who willingly reject Him. The ultimate realization of God’s judgment is, of course, the Tribulation, when His wrath is poured out upon the entirety of earth and its inhabitants, including the antichrist and false prophet. We, the church, will have already been raptured to heaven and so escape God’s wrath and judgement. Remember, God is a loving God, but also holy, righteous, and ultimately must judge sin and evil and forevermore remove it from His presence.  

Author Web Page Link

http://www.christianfaithpublishing.com/books/?book=renew-my-heart-o-god-daily-devotions-for-healing-your-heart