Read The Bible, September 6-7

by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible

Psalm 140-142

 Isn’t it wonderful to know that we can run to our God with anything? Are you fearful? Run to Him. Are you feeling guilty of your sin? Run to Him. Are you not sure what to do next? Run to Him.

Our Father is always on our side. He is always pulling for us and there to help us. His grace  is there to carry us to the next level.

Our job is to be honest with Him. It’s silly to think that we can be otherwise, because he knows our thoughts, our fears, and our weaknesses. Yet many somehow think that they can pretend with God, and He will be fooled.

David really understood the significance of being honest with God. He poured our his heart to the Lord on a regular basis – just as he would a best friend. God was indeed David’s best friend.

Now we come to our century and our own set of issues. Our generation is a “got it all together” generation. We want to be on top of everything and always be ready for the challenge. That attitude can be a source of strength to us when it makes us stand strong and exhibit fortitude. However, that attitude can cause trouble for us if we think that we shouldn’t be honest with our Lord.

You don’t have to tell everybody else what you are going through emotionally and spiritually, but when you run to your God and pour out your heart to Him, He will lift you up like no one else can. He will cause new strength to rise up within you. He will direct your steps, and cause greater victories than ever.

He will never fail you.

I Corinthians 15:1-28

“By the grace of God I am what I am,” says Paul. (V.10). The apostle is addressing the Corinthians and reminding them to “hold fast that Word” which he brought to them.

The word they are to hold on to is the gospel, which he has preached to them. That Christ died for our sins, was buried, rose again the third day, seen by Cephas, the twelve apostles, over five hundred brothers at once, and then by Paul.

Apparently there were in the group at Corinth those who were trying to say that the resurrection had not occurred. Paul is addressing that issue.

If Christ has not been resurrected, then there is no hope for anyone, says Paul. It’s important to know and believe that Christ died and rose again for our sins. He paid the price for the sin debt which was against us. That’s the essence of the gospel.

He now is seated at the right hand of God until every enemy is made His footstool. The last enemy is death – which will eventually be totally done away with.

There will come a time when the kingdom of God will rule the earth as He intends. It may seem hard to believe that when you look around you now, but that is the Word of God, and it will happen in due season.

Until then, let’s remain strong and press toward the high calling of our Father which He has for us in this day.

Forever upward!

Read The Bible, September 5

by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible

I didn’t post yesterday. My husband and I spent most of the last two days with or praying for our dear friend, Steve Woods. His precious wife, Darlene, moved to Heaven, and she will be dearly missed. She truly left her mark on all those who knew her.

Psalm 139

Our Father has searched me and known me and is intimately acquainted with all my ways. Just reading this statement brings peace, doesn’t it?

Psalm 139 is full of all of the intimate ways our Father knows us – and all of the personal dealings He has with us as believers.  Often I have shared this with young people as they are going through their self-conscious teen years. They – and you – are special to God. He has a plan for them – and you – and won’t let them go.

“You have hedged me before and laid Your hand upon me…Where can I go from your spirit?”(V. 5-7) The answer: no where. Our Father is watching over us, knowing our every move, and His loving hand is guiding us even when we don’t know about it. Even when we “make our bed in hell,” He will be there to guide us back to the light.

What a loving God!

Then we come to some of my favorite verses. “For you have formed my inward parts…I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”(V 13-14) What a confidence booster! You are fearfully and wonderfully made.

You are a unique person wrought by God Himself. Instead of trying to find all of the faults with your makeup – let your mind meditate on this. God made you the way He wants you. Of course, you aren’t like everybody else. Why would you be? You are unique – according to His plan.

This reminds me of Acts 17:26 where Paul says that God has set the “appointed times and boundaries” of all the people on the earth. The fact that we live in this century and in the places he has put us is no accident. It’s all part of God’s plan.

Then look at this: “Your eyes see my unformed substance.”(V 16) I love this verse, because it reminds me that there are parts of my makeup which I have never discovered. There are gifts and talents which He knows are there, which He put there – deep within me, and as I follow His lead, I will discover them

All of us know people who late in life started painting or writing and we were surprised, because that talent hadn’t been evident before. That’s what I am talking about. Those gifts were always there, and of course, God knew it. He was waiting for the opportunity to reveal them.

So hold up your head. Regardless of where you have been, where you are going is more important. You have a Father who adores you, and has a marvelous plan laid out for you. As you continue to walk with Him, He will open new doors for you, causing your life to become richer along the way.

I Corinthians 14

When you read this chapter, you can really get a picture of the Corinthian personality, can’t you? These people who had been – and in many respects still were – worldly, came to the Lord and received His Spirit. They seemed quick to embrace the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and they were fluently speaking in tongues. (Paul says in 1:7 “you have become short in no gift”).

Here’s the thing. They had received the baptism in the Holy Spirit, but they were trying to show off for each other. Instead of using their tongues, or prayer language, the way they were supposed to, they were trying to outdo each other. Apparently these people needed a governor on their behavior.

Paul rebukes them for getting together and speaking to one another in tongues, or getting up and giving messages in tongues. (Unless there is someone to interpret). He told them to speak in a language the people could understand when they are giving messages in church. “If the whole church comes together in one place and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind?”(V.23)

Paul is certainly not knocking the gift of tongues, as he says, “I’m glad that I speak in tongues more than you all.”(V.18). He is just trying to bring order to the services of the Corinthians.

The bottom line is the bottom verse, “Let all things be done decently and in order.”(V. 40)

Desire to prophesy, and don’t forbid to speak in tongues, but just make sure that your services are orderly. That’s the message of Paul.

Good advice, wouldn’t you say?

Read The Bible, September 3

by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible

Psalm 137-138

“I will praise You, for You have magnified Your Word above all Your name.” What a declaration! God holds His Word higher than His name. His Word is sacred – and He will keep it.

If you want to eliminate any ho-hum attitude toward the Word of God, just think about that statement for a moment.

If you want to know God, read his Word. If you want to know about His character and what He thinks, read His word. If you want to know what He will do, read his Word.

There are many out there speculating about God, throwing around ideas concerning Him – often very foolish ideas. But they don’t even bother to read His Word. When you read and meditate on the Word of God, you begin to know Him – and how He thinks.

The Word is the source of our faith. When we meditate on it, it becomes more than words to us. It grows within us so that it becomes the truth. And when we know the truth, we will be set free.

Over the years, when I have encountered problems of life – similar to the problems which every human being encounters, I have turned to the Word and found God’s promise or plan concerning those issues. When I see what He has said about something, I know what to pray for. It’s his will, and I will pray for that specific will to be done in my life. I will also speak those Words into the atmosphere, causing angels to hearken to obey that spoken Word. (Psalm 103:20)

I’m on the road to recovery! I may have to wait a little bit, but I know that God’s Word is prevailing in my life.

He magnifies His Word above His Name. Awesome!

I Corinthians 13

We come to one of the most important and powerful chapters in the entire Bible. This is your dipstick to check your oil (anointing) level. Are you walking in love?

Now this word for love is different from some others. There is the Greek word “eros,” which means romantic love, “phileo,” which means brotherly love. Then there is “agape,” which we have here. It means “God-like love.” There is no English word which corresponds to this word, so the King James Version of the Bible translates it “charity.”

God-like love is bigger than any other. It is unconditional – it is for everybody. It’s truthful and sometimes tough, as in the case of a mother who doesn’t allow her child to play in the street. (It’s tough so that it will keep the person out of trouble). But it is always reaching for the best in a person.

When you read this passage, you see a perfect description of God’s love for us – and what should be our love for others. Patience, kindness, rejoicing in the truth of the other person. Always pulling for them. Not proud and puffed up, considering themselves better. Not taking into account a wrong suffered.

That last one is a stinger. Have your feelings been hurt? Don’t take it into account. Have they really “done you wrong?” Don’t take it into account. Forgive them, and don’t meditate on the wrong suffered. Let it go. God will handle that for you. He is faithful, when you do things His way.

Bears, believes, hopes, and endures all things. What a picture is being painted here.

God’s love for us will never stop. He never gives up on us. His love never fails.

And that’s the way He wants us to love others. We’ll be working on this the rest of our lives!

Read The Bible, September 2

by Suellen | Project 2013: Read The Bible

Psalm 135-136

Are you an avid praiser? I mean do you praise God exuberantly when you are alone – and nobody knows about it but you and God? (And the angels and the demons)?

I hope so, because there is a spiritual energy which goes with such activity. And you and I need this energy to run the race of life.

So how does this happen? Well, there are several things which happen when we praise God. First, the demons flee (because they hate it), and the angels come running (because they love it). But there’s more. I mean, what happens to you?

When we praise God we take a cue from David, and begin to be specific. We remember one by one the times He has delivered us or brought provision or healed us. And we thank Him for those things.

We also remember the many times we have fallen short and He has washed us clean and brought joy back to our hearts.

As we continue in exuberant praise with our minds focused on Him and not ourselves, the cobwebs of doubt and fear start blowing away. It’s as if a gentle breeze blows a refreshment from the Holy Spirit, and our attitudes change.

Now we can hear Him better. Now we can see what He is doing. Now we have more substantial faith to knock down doors and go through the walls which have been holding back our answers. Along with the faith, joy returns.

Now we are ready to pray and believe. Now we are ready to act in a way which will lead us to greater productivity.

You mean praise does all of that? Yes it does! Try it.

I Corinthians 12

One of the most insidious problems in the Christian life is what some term “gift projection.” It’s the concept which most often causes people to judge each other harshly.

What do I mean? I mean that when one person has a gift, they think everyone should have it. When one person has a certain spiritual drive, they think that everyone should have that also. For instance, there are those with a gift to teach who want to break down the Word and share it everywhere they go. If someone else comes along who doesn’t do that as often, they are deemed “less spiritual.”

However, this second person may have a drive to reach out to the lost – or to minister to the poor – or operate in many other parts  of God’s big plan. They are performing their part with great diligence, and need to be honored and not judged.

Some people are terrific with children; others relate more to adults. God spreads the mission around to different ones so the job isn’t too big for any one person. It’s all part of His plan.

My husband and I pastor a small church in northern Mississippi. When you are small and there are many activities, you find yourself and others wearing many hats – and some of them don’t fit too well.

I remember in times past when we would be planning a luncheon after church, I would have to make the preparations because there was no one else to do it. I would be trying to make certain all of the arrangements for the spiritual service were there. I would be praying, planning the music lineup (yes, we did that too), reading the Word…and trying to make certain that we had everything we needed for a fun luncheon experience afterwards. I was frazzled.

One of the greatest blessings ever to come to me was when God sent someone with a gift of hospitality and a gift of administration rolled into one. My life changed!

It was so exciting for me to walk into the fellowship hall after church and see beautiful tables arranged, with plenty of dinnerware, hot food hot and cold food cold. It was like a miracle at work. Someone whose gift exceeded mine in that area was effortlessly accomplishing what caused me to be driven to near exhaustion.

The bottom line is that we need each other. When we are all doing what we are called to do, churches – or families – run like well oiled machines.

And the important PS to this is that we need to appreciate the gifts we don’t have – as well as those we do. Honor those around you and celebrate their talents. Do your part – and let them do theirs. Life will be so much better.