Springtime Gardening

Posted on May 10, 2012 by glenn

I love the springtime, in part because of the renewal of life. Having been reared on a farm, I have a natural urge to plant a few things in a small backyard garden when the spring arrives. That is what I have been doing this week. Among other things, I planted a couple of rows of green beans. Funny thing, you plant only a cup full of beans, but you anticipate many containers of green beans when they produce. If you sowed a gallon of seeds, you would reap a truck load of beans. You always reap more than you sow, often a hundred fold. If only we could make application of this principle in life.

Galatians 6:7 reads, “Do not be deceived, GOD is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” Now, for our consideration, I would like to note three truths from this passage.

  1. Time

When I planted my beans, I was not expecting a harvest immediately. But the fact that it takes time to mature and produce does not diminish the expectation. The harvest will happen. There may be a time lapse between the sowing and the harvest, but it will happen. “That he will also reap.” There is certainty about the harvest. Philips’ translation reads, “You cannot make a fool of GOD.” This is His law of sowing and reaping.

  1. Kind

There is a biblical principle of sowing and reaping after its kind. Genesis 1:24-25 notes that from the beginning the creation has produced after its kind. When you sow beans, you don’t expect to reap corn. In life, your sowing will produce after its kind. We often think of the sowing and reaping negatively, and that certainly can be true, but there are ample references of a positive nature. See Romans 8:18 and 2 Corinthians 9:6-9. As a matter of fact, the context of our verse in Galatians 6 is a positive thought. See verses 8-10 of Galatians 6: “let us not grow weary while doing good.”

  1. Increase

For our thoughts, I want to consider the negative aspect of the law. Here is the sobering truth. You will always reap more than you sow. Sowing bad seeds will reap unbelievable results in time to come. You will reap more than you sow. The alcoholic never imagines what lies ahead when as a young man he takes that first drink. If we could only see the heartache that lies ahead in many choices of life we would choose a different path.

The harvest will happen. And it will produce after its kind. And the harvest will be much more than what is sown….

LORD help us to make wise choices.

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The old grasshopper lure

Posted on April 27, 2012 by glenn

When I was a young boy growing up my brother and I would go fishing almost every day. We would work on the farm but finish in time to load the gear into the old pickup truck and head to the lake. There was a lake near our home called Burdick’s Lake. It was a lake in the country that contained bream and bass. It was a paradise to a couple of young boys growing up in the country.

I remember one trip in particular. I had a new lure to try out. This particular lure was a plastic grasshopper. It looked and felt like a real grasshopper only it had a fishhook embedded in it. I remember the first time I threw it in the water a bass practically jumped out of the water to get to it. After reeling the catch in, I threw it out again. Time after time, I caught a fish with each cast until the grasshopper was mangled so badly that it just wouldn’t work anymore. Those are pretty good memories for a young man. In case you were wondering, I went to the store and bought a new one, but never caught another fish with the new grasshopper.

The idea behind a fishing lure is to entice a fish to bite. The lure must fool the fish into thinking it is something that it is not. The fish saw a grasshopper; it did not see the hook.

James 1:14-15 reads, “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”

The Greek word translated ‘enticed’ is the word ‘deleazo’. The only other time it is found in the New Testament is in 2 Peter 2:14,18 where it is translated ‘beguiling’ and ‘allure’. The root word is actually a fishing term: it is a form of bait. Just as the lure presents a very tempting object to the fish, so too does sin present us with temptation. The Scriptures say that when we allow our own desire to get out of control then Satan’s presentation of sin ensnares us.

We must mature to the point of seeing through the packaging and seeing sin for what it is. We must realize that there is always a hook there. We must realize that “the wages of sin is death” (Rom 6:23).

Don’t miss the progression found in verse 15 of our text. Desire gives birth to sin which brings forth death. Desire…sin…death. What begins as an enticing lure, often contains the hook that we didn’t see until it was too late. May we ever be on guard.

 

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Three branches of government

Posted on April 23, 2012 by glenn

It seems there is always a jockeying for power among our three branches of government. Currently, the President’s health care bill is in the hands of the Supreme Court to decide if, at least, portions of it are unconstitutional. Comments were made that it should be declared constitutional on the basis that it was a law passed by Congress. But that is the whole idea behind the checks and balances of our government: each branch has the responsibility of being answerable to the other branches. Laws that are passed by Congress must be signed or vetoed by the President and then the Supreme Court must decide the constitutionality of the law itself.

I have always been fascinated by the wisdom of the founding fathers in producing a document like the United States Constitution. Here we are, over 200 years removed, and we are still able to operate as a government of the people, for the people and by the people.

I am really not amazed at the wisdom of this group of men because I believe they were only instruments of GOD. Our nation was founded providentially. By that I mean that I believe our GOD guided the events and the creation of the document that brought our nation into existence. There is a wonderful book in my home library called The Light and the Glory, by Peter Marshall and David Manuel. It is subtitled “Did GOD Have a Plan for America?” When studying the founding of our country, there were too many things that happened to be coincidence. So I have no doubt that His hand was leading the actions and the thoughts of those founding fathers, including the development of the US Constitution.

And these three branches of government, the executive, the legislative, and the judicial, are designed to operate independently of one another and keep each other in check. Did you know this idea originated in GOD’S word? You shouldn’t be too surprised. We frequently think we have come up with some new idea only to find that GOD gave it to us in the Scriptures. It just took us a while to uncover it. Such is the case with the three branches of government. Note the judicial, executive and legislative branches in the following verses.

Acts 10:42 identifies the LORD as being ordained by GOD as the Judge of the living and the dead. 2 Timothy 4:8 calls Him the righteous Judge. (Judicial)

Matthew 2:2 asks the question, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?” (Executive)

James 4:12 declares that there is one Lawgiver who is able to save and to destroy. (Legislative)

With GOD there is no need for three separate branches. Jesus is, in fact, all three branches in one.  Isaiah 33:22 says, “For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; he will save us;”

Jesus is all that I need! Thank you GOD for your wisdom and guidance. I pray You will continue to guide our nation.

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What about the Sabbath?

Posted on April 21, 2012 by glenn

The question of today’s blog involves a keeping of the Sabbath as a holy day. This is clearly one of the Ten Commandments, and thus, a part of the old law, given Moses on Mount Sinai in Exodus 20. But there are many who mistakenly point to the observance of the Sabbath as originating at creation when GOD rested on the seventh day and blessed it (Gen 2: 2-3). Let’s examine this more closely.

The actual term ‘Sabbath’ does not appear in the first 65 chapters of the bible, a period of about 2500 years. In Genesis 2, the term Sabbath is not used. However the Hebrew verb translated ‘rested’ in verse 2 is the origin of the noun Sabbath. It is important to note, however, that the Genesis account is telling what GOD did, not what man is to do. The creation account does not ordain Sabbath worship. A further study of subsequent scriptures will bear this out.

In Exodus 20, as a part of the ten commandments, the Jews were required to remember the Sabbath day and to keep it holy. Though we usually associate the word ‘remember’ with past events, the word here applies to the future, not the past. That is, the official observance of the day as a holy day for man is beginning at this time and the Jews in the future were to remember this observance. A similar usage is found in Exodus 13:3.

Deuteronomy 5:14-15 is a passage detailing the law. Note particularly verse 15, where we read that a part of the observance of the Sabbath was to commemorate the deliverance from Egyptian bondage. We even find the word ‘therefore’ at the end of the verse. Refer also back to verse 3 and note that this covenant was not from the beginning.

The clearest scripture on the matter, however, is from Nehemiah 9:13-14. This scripture makes it very clear that the Sabbath was given at Sinai and not in Eden. In other words, it was not from the beginning. According to Deuteronomy 5:2-3 it was given only to the Jews.

We are no longer to observe the Sabbath as a holy day. We read in Colossians 2 that the old law was nailed to the cross and we are now a part of the body of Christ. The blotting out of ordinances in verse 14 leads to the ‘therefore’ statement in verse 16. Holy days (yearly), moons (monthly) and Sabbath days (weekly) are no longer observed under the new law of Christ. Under this new law, the new day for worship is Sunday, the first day of the week (Acts 20: 7, 1 Cor 16: 2).

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What does sin do?

Posted on April 20, 2012 by glenn

I remember one time as a very young boy of perhaps 5 or 6 years old, I became separated from my parents. I remember it vividly. It was in the old Southgate Mall in Muscle Shoals. I frantically looked around for them but could not see them anywhere. I began to cry and started toward the security guard standing nearby. Of course, I had not taken many steps until my mother came and rescued me. The feeling of being alone and forsaken was so great that I remember it today as a middle-aged man.

When I read Matthew 27:46, it reminds me of that separation.

“…Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?“

What exactly happened that dark day my LORD hung on the cross? The Scriptures, in Habakkuk 1:13, tell us that GOD is so holy that HE cannot look on sin.

“Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity:”

When Christ went to the cross he shouldered the sin of all mankind. In this instance of time, it was as though GOD turned his back on the SON.

So what does sin do? It separates us from GOD. Isaiah 59:1-2 reads, “Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.”

It is as though when I have unforgiven sin in my life it stands between my GOD and me. There is something there between us that separates us. My GOD is too holy to look upon the sin and HIS face is hidden from me.

In seeking forgiveness the Psalmist in Psalms 51:9, 10, “Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”

The passage from Psalms 51 paints a picture of forgiveness as being a GOD takes that something between us (sin) and casts it behind HIM so his face is hidden from the sin instead of being hidden from me!

That forgiveness is found only in the blood of Christ. First and foremost be sure you are in Christ. Then in keeping with 1 John 1:7, be found walking in the light so that the blood will continually cleanse you from the sin.

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Infinity

Posted on April 19, 2012 by glenn

When I taught high school mathematics, one of the most difficult concepts to relate was the idea of infinity. The idea of something existing that has no end is tough to grasp. Our number system is a simple example. No matter where you stop counting, you can always add one more. Forever. Infinity…

When GOD, through inspiration, gave us the Scriptures, He gave us many examples of forgiveness. We recently looked at one such illustration. Micah said that when GOD forgives us of sin, it is as though He throws the sins into the depths of the sea. As far removed as that is, there is still a limit to the depths of the sea. However, there is a Scriptural example that makes use of the idea of infinity.

Psalms 103:12 reads, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”

I think I know why He didn’t say as far as the North is from the South. When you start out in the direction of North, there is only so far you can go while still traveling North. Eventually, you will reach the North Pole and then your route will be headed South. However, if you start out going East, you will never reach a point at which you are no longer heading East. You will continue in an easterly direction forever. For infinity…

GOD says: I will remove your transgressions as far away from you as the East is from the West…infinity. Thank you, GOD, for forgiveness.

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Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

Posted on April 19, 2012 by glenn

GOD is omniscient – all knowing – Psalm 139:4

GOD is ubiquitous – all present – Psalm 139:7, 8

GOD is omnipotent – all powerful – Psalm 139:14, 15

Psalms 139 is credited as a Psalm of David. David praises GOD for being all knowing, present everywhere and all powerful. It is his praise of the fact that we are fearfully and wonderfully made that I examine today.

The more man learns, the more he finds he doesn’t know. Imagine the limited knowledge of biology and medicine in David’s time. But David praises GOD for the creation of the marvelous human body, among other things. As history has progressed, man’s knowledge has increased. And the more our understanding has increased, the more appropriate David’s words of praise appear to us.

In my own lifetime, I have seen the discovery of Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) in the cell. DNA represents the unique blueprint of the human genetic makeup. It is found in virtually every cell of the human body. I am told that the information in the DNA of one cell is enough to fill one thousand 600-page books.

With this design there must have been a Designer! Indeed, marvelous are Your works (vs. 14). Though David was unaware of it, he possessed DNA in his cells unlike any other. He did realize that he was fearfully and wonderfully made.

I can only imagine how much more we have to learn; perhaps only eternity will reveal the depths of the statement, “we are fearfully and wonderfully made”.

Thank you GOD that You are all knowing, present everywhere and all powerful.

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What time is it?

Posted on April 18, 2012 by glenn

I don’t remember exactly when it started, but for many years, I have had a peculiar habit. Whenever I look at a digital clock and see the time of 6:33, I am reminded of Matthew 6:33. The verse comes to my mind and I frequently will say something to my family about it. This usually happens in the morning as I am about to leave to go to work. It has become a little ritual that helps me start my day on the right foot. “Seek ye first the kingdom of GOD…” and all the other things in life fall into place.

A few years ago, something happened that stuck in my mind. We all remember where we were when the events of September 11, 2001, happened. Afterwards, each time I looked at a digital clock and saw the time of 9:11, it brought on those unpleasant memories. It seemed that I would always look at the clock twice each day at that time. I began to think of how to replace that unpleasant memory with something more positive. One of my favorite scriptures is Psalms 119:11. Alright, so you have to use your imagination to leave off the first two numbers, but now when I look at the clock and see 9:11,  I am reminded that “Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee”.

So as this practice took on a life of it’s own, I now have thirty of these “times” that bring to mind special verses. These are my favorite. Perhaps you can develop your own. Of course, you can start with as many as you like. Just as we are told to pray without ceasing (1 Thes. 5:17), we should have a perpetual attitude of keeping the Word in our hearts. This practice is a means of doing that. Start your list and commit them to memory.

Time

Book

Verse

1:04

3rd John

 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

1:07

1st John

 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship

one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth

us from all sin.

1:27

James

 Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To

visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep

himself unspotted from the world.

2:08

Ephesians

 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of

yourselves: it is the gift of God:

2:15

2nd Timothy

 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that

needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2:38

Acts

 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of

you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye

shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

2:52

Luke

 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with

God and man.

3:05

Proverbs

 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine

own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall

direct thy paths.

3:16

John

 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,

that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have

everlasting life.

3:23

Romans

 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

4:04

Matthew

 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by

bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth

of God.

4:06

Nehemiah

 So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the

half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.

4:07

James

 Submit yourselves therefore to God.  Resist the devil, and he will

flee from you.  Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.

4:13

Philippians

 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

4:23

Proverbs

 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

5:06

1st Peter

 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that

he may exalt you in due time:

5:16

Matthew

 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good

works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

6:10

Galatians

 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men,

especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

6:21

Matthew

 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

6:33

Matthew

 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and

all these things shall be added unto you.

7:21

Matthew

 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the

kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which

is in heaven.

8:01

Romans

 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in

Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

8:28

Romans

 And we know that all things work together for good to them that

love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

8:31

Romans

 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can

be against us?

8:32

John

 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

9:11

Psalms (119)

 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against

thee.

9:24

Mark

 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with

tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

10:12

1st Cor

 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

10:17

Romans

 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

12:15

Luke

 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness:

for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which

he possesseth.
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A Lesson from Swartzkopf

Posted on April 17, 2012 by glenn

May I tell you about my all time favorite dog? He was a German Shepherd born in the midst of Desert Storm thus he was named after the general, Norman Swartzkopf. This dog was the epitome of loyalty. He loved me and his every motive was to please me. If I was sitting in my den he was laying under the window nearest me. If I got up and went to the kitchen he was soon climbing the back steps to lay by the back door. He loved to run with me and did so until very near the end of his life. He died of old age in 2004 and I have yet to replace him. The reason is probably because I loved him as much as he loved me.

The Greek word for worship in the New Testament is the word proskuneo. It is found over 50 times in the NKJV. This Greek word is made up of two words. The first is the word pros which means ‘forward’ or ‘toward’. We might associate this with our word prostrate (to lean forward and lie face down on the ground). The root word of proskuneo is probably the word kuon. This word has to do with dogs and likely carries the idea of a dog licking his master’s hand.

When I would sit down on the porch, Swartzkopf would lick my hand as if to say “pay me some attention because I worship you”. The lesson should be obvious by now. This word proskuneo means to prostrate oneself in homage or lean forward and kiss the hand in reverence.

I can learn something about worship from my dog’s relationship to me. Worship is what we do to express our feelings to GOD. Does this give me better insight into the attitude I should have when I enter the worship on Sunday morning? Am I as anxious to please my Father as Swartzkopf was to please me? Is my every motive to please my GOD? What is my attitude during the period of worship?

Sadly, we approach worship sometimes as if it is meant to entertain us. Let us realize, first and foremost, worship is meant to be for GOD and to be pleasing to Him.  Notice what the heavenly inhabitants did.

They gave glory, honor and thanks to Him. (Rev. 4:9)
They fell down before GOD. (Rev. 4:10)
They cast their crowns toward Him. (Rev. 4:10)
They sang to Him. (Rev. 5:9)

Worship is a verb; it isn’t a noun. It is something we do; it isn’t somewhere we go. When Abraham declared in Genesis 22: 5, “the lad and I will go yonder and worship,” let us remember that he was not talking about a destination, but rather, an activity.

Let’s realize when we say that we are going to worship we are not talking about a place, but rather, an activity. And let us remember the attitude of complete submission, humility and desire to please when we offer our worship.

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Into the depths of the sea

Posted on March 30, 2012 by glenn

Forgiveness is one of those biblical terms that really is beyond our complete understanding. However, GOD, through the inspired word, has offered several analogies to help us. Micah offers one such picture. Remember that Micah prophesied about 700 years before Christ. This is long before man had any understanding about the depths of the sea.

Recently we have read news reports about James Cameron becoming the first person to pilot a submersible to the ocean’s deepest point in the Mariana Trench. This trench is the deepest part of the ocean located in the Pacific off the coast of Japan and the Philippines. It is said the trench reaches a maximum depth of 35,800 feet. That is almost 7 miles deep!

My wife, Teresa, and I have made trips to the Rockies and love to visit some of the peaks above 14,000 feet. These are huge, majestic mountains. If one doubled the height of these mountains you would still be less than the world’s tallest peak, Mount Everest, at 29,029 feet. What does this have to do with the Mariana Trench and forgiveness?

If you took Mount Everest and placed it in the Mariana Trench the peak would still be covered by more than a mile of water.

When GOD wanted us to understand something of His forgiveness He referenced the depths of the sea. Micah says “Who is a GOD like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.” (Micah 7:18-19)

It has taken us almost 3000 years to fully appreciate the example but we can now better understand how far removed our sins become when GOD forgives.

Thank you LORD for forgiveness…

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