Time Hastens

“So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12)

Whatever happened to the month of April? It was New Year’s Day and suddenly here it is, the last day of April. The year 2015 is one-third gone, or put another way, the year is thirty-three and one-third percent finished.

The psalmist saw the swiftness of life. He said, “We spend our years as a tale that is told.” (Psalm 90:9)  He also said, “A thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.”(Psalm 90:4)

So, what can we do about it? We must “redeem” the time, using it wisely and not wasting it. It is very true, “Time and tide wait for no man.” Many people have said, “Someday I plan to get saved and become a Christian.” Now is the time. Do it now.  Trust Jesus today. The old invitation hymn says, “Time is now fleeting, the moments are passing…”

Christian, Don’t Make Yourself at Home Here

“For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. (Philippians 3:20)

The word, “conversation” in newer translations is “citizenship.” A study of the word “conversation,” here is not about two people carrying on a verbal exchange, or involvement in word communications with one or more people. Our citizenship is in heaven. One translation even says that “we Christians are a colony of heaven living on earth.”

Geese were flying over a barn yard and stopped to get some water from the pond and to feast on some spilled grain. When they flew away on their continued trek north one goose got left behind and he thought, “I’ll join back with them when they come back south in a few months.” He made himself at home, got fat and did not exercise his wings. When he heard the south bound geese honking overhead he had the urge to go with them, but he got no higher than the barn roof and fell to earth in the barn yard. When they came back north again a few months later he never even looked up when he heard the honking over head. “Oh well,” he said. “It’s not too bad down here in the barn yard.”

Many Christians are like that old fat goose, content to enjoy this world and just ignore the upward call.

Revive Us Again

“Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?” (Psalm 85:6)

When I was much younger I had some friends who never took a bath because they did not think they needed one. Every decent person around them knew better, but those needing the baths could not be convinced. They had gotten accustomed to the smell and the smudge and they smelled and looked no different than most of the people around them.

Spring is the time for revivals in many areas or our country, especially the Bible belt. Most members of most churches need a spiritual awakening, a real time of renewal and cleansing. However, I have discovered that folks who need revival the most realize it the least. They are like my childhood friends who thought they did not need a bath. Often we just don’t think we need a revival because we fit right in with the rest of the cold, prayerless, powerless, indifferent, carnal, uncommitted, sinful, backslidden church members. Thankfully, not all church members are guilty of that kind of description. Many do fall on their faces before God in contrition, humility, confession and repentance.

Lord, let our verse for today be our heartfelt and sincere prayer. Lord, our churches, our homes, our nation and our world need a revival. Please awaken us to the need and then may we be renewed and revived. As the song says, “Lord, send a revival, and let it begin in me.”

Neither Murmur

“Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.”(I Corinthians 10:10)

What is murmuring? The sound of it is somewhat like the low, almost whispering sounds of the audience before a concert or play begins in a large auditorium. It is low, undistinguished, sounds of several conversations going on at the same time. I hasten to say that the sound itself is not the sin.

Murmuring is that sound I just described filled with bitterness, malice, ill will, rancor, and complaint. It can be done by a single person, a large or small group and is frequently propagated through gossip. Murmuring is what took place in the Jerusalem Church when the Hellenist widows were being neglected in the distribution of food. (Acts 6:1) It is what Korah and his group were doing against Moses and Aaron in our text above. (Also see Numbers 16:21)

In studying the numerous gifts of the Holy Spirit in Romans 12:6-8, 1Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4 there is no “Gift of Murmuring” mentioned. Since it is not a gift of the Spirit and is not sanctioned by the Spirit and the Bible says, “Do all things without murmurings and disputings” (Philippians 2:14), it is a sin to be avoided.

Christ Inside You

“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13)

It has been said that if one has been saved by the grace of God and has the claim of Christ upon his/her life, they will have a deep longing and desire to do God’s will.  If such a desire to serve God and to please Him is not there it is doubtful that one is really born again.  Christ inside you gives you a desire to serve Him. And Christ living within the person not only gives the desire to serve Him but gives one the capacity to serve Him.

Is God working in you? If so, you are like a glove with a hand inside. The glove can do whatever the hand inside directs it to do. Until the glove has the hand inside, it can do nothing. Jesus said, “Without me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5) And Paul the Apostle said, “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13) The secret is to live your life surrendered to Him.

If My People

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (II Chronicles 7:14)

I have talked to many people who see the need and have a tremendous desire to experience a Spiritual awakening in America. While it is our responsibility and privilege to evangelize, there is an overwhelming need for God’s people, the people who already wear the name of Christ, to do the four things mentioned in our text. It is true that God is speaking to Israel of old in this verse, but it is also applicable for Christians today.

Prayer is probably the most neglected of our resources in the Christian life.  We must get back to earnest prayer. There must be some humility as well as prayer in the prayer closet. Seeking His face is to seek His pleasure, to be pleasing to Him. The fourth necessity for Spiritual awakening is repentance, a turning from our ungodly ways. And then God declares that when we do these four things He will hear from heaven, will forgive our sin and heal our land.

Do What the Lord Tells You to Do

“His mother saith unto the servants, whatsoever He saith unto you, do it.” (John 2:5)

The servants at the wedding could not turn water into wine, but they could fill six waterpots with water. It is very much like the raising of Lazarus who had been dead and in the grave four days. Jesus told those at Lazarus’ grave, “Take ye away the stone.” (John 11:39) Jesus could have taken away the stone, but would not. They would have raised the dead, but could not.

Do you want a happy home? Hear the advice given to the servants at the wedding in Cana of Galilee. Whatever He says unto you concerning your home, do it. Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church, giving Himself for it. Wives, be in subjection to your own husband. And ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Children, obey your parents and honor thy father and thy mother. The path to an unhappy home and ultimately to a divorce is to not heed the things he says concerning your home.

“Whatsoever He says to you, do it,” is good advice on any subject from repentance, to Bible reading, to prayer, to witnessing, to church attendance, giving, honesty, and a host of other subjects that affect your life.