12/15 Spurgeon Devotion

“Orpah kissed her mother-in-law; but Ruth clave unto her.” — Ruth 1:14

Both of them had an affection for Naomi, and therefore set out with her
upon her return to the land of Judah. But the hour of test came; Naomi
most unselfishly set before each of them the trials which awaited them,
and bade them if they cared for ease and comfort to return to their
Moabitish friends. At first both of them declared that they would cast in
their lot with the Lord’s people; but upon still further consideration Orpah
with much grief and a respectful kiss left her mother in law, and her
people, and her God, and went back to her idolatrous friends, while Ruth
with all her heart gave herself up to the God of her mother in law. It is one
thing to love the ways of the Lord when all is fair, and quite another to
cleave to them under all discouragements and difficulties. The kiss of
outward profession is very cheap and easy, but the practical cleaving to
the Lord, which must show itself in holy decision for truth and holiness, is
not so small a matter. How stands the case with us, is our heart fixed upon
Jesus, is the sacrifice bound with cords to the horns of the altar? Have we
counted the cost, and are we solemnly ready to suffer all worldly loss for
the Master’s sake? The after gain will be an abundant recompense, for
Egypt’s treasures are not to be compared with the glory to be revealed.
Orpah is heard of no more; in glorious ease and idolatrous pleasure her life
melts into the gloom of death; but Ruth lives in history and in heaven, for
grace has placed her in the noble line whence sprung the King of kings.
Blessed among women shall those be who for Christ’s sake can renounce
all; but forgotten and worse than forgotten shall those be who in the hour
of temptation do violence to conscience and turn back unto the world. O
that this morning we may not be content with the form of devotion, which
may be no better than Orpah’s kiss, but may the Holy Spirit work in us a
cleaving of our whole heart to our Lord Jesus.

12/15 Same Old Page

Genesis 19:30
“And Lot went up out of Zoar, and dwelt in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he feared to dwell in Zoar: and he dwelt in a cave, he and his two daughters.”

One of the saddest stories in the Bible is the story of the life of Lot. Here was a man that had every opportunity to do right, but it seemed that every time he had an opportunity to do right he ended up doing wrong. For instance, when he was a young man and tragedy hit his life, Abram was there to take him as his own son and raise him. After all that Abram did for Lot, he ended up causing Abram problems to the point where they had to split up. Lot’s journey down towards Sodom and Gomorrah was one of the biggest mistakes of his life. He ended up getting caught up in the wicked lifestyle of the people of those cities. If it were not for Abraham pleading with God, Lot would have been destroyed with these two cities.

In the verse above, Lot had just left the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and seen their destruction. Now, he was in a mountain outside of the city of Zoar, and we see him making the same mistake that he made when he moved to Sodom and Gomorrah. Instead of taking this new page in his life and writing something good on it, he made the mistake many make today and wrote the same old acts that got him into trouble in the first place. He didn't take the new page in his life as an opportunity to make something good out of his life.

When you are given an opportunity to write a new page in your life story, don't make the same mistake Lot made by making the new page of your life look just like all the old pages of your life. What I mean by this is, you must be careful when you are given an opportunity to turn your life around that you don't waste that opportunity. If you are given that opportunity, make the best of it, and make the new page of your life a turn around in your life. Let me give you some examples to explain what I mean.

If you were fired from a job and the employer decides to bring you back on, don't make the same mistake again that got you fired. Make the employer glad that he gave you that opportunity by being the employee that you are supposed to be. If you were suspended or kicked out of school, if you are allowed to come back, don’t make the same mistakes that got you into that tragic position. Instead, become the best student the school has and write a new page in your life. When a prisoner is released from prison, they shouldn’t go back and make the new page in their life look like the old page in their life by doing the same things that got them into trouble. Make those who have given you a chance to write a new page in your life glad that they gave you that opportunity. If you made some mistakes in your marriage, and your spouse has given you another chance to write a new page, don't ruin that chance by writing the same bad things from the old pages on your new page.

Whenever we are given a second chance in life, let's be sure not to waste it. For the sake of those who come behind us, don't waste that second chance. If we waste our second chance, then those behind us may not be given a second chance because we have ruined it for them.

Don't waste that second chance by making everything you do look like the same old page. Make the best of the opportunity of a new page in life, and let's make it just that, a new page. Let's not fill our life the same old page. When given a second chance let's make our new page better.

12/14 Fundamental Thoughts

Who Will?

When I read the verse below, I am reminded of:

(Acts 9:6)  And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?  And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

              I think of Paul lifting himself up, probably with help, in absolute wonderment of what just happened.  I have that portion of this scripture, which asks the question, “…what wilt thou have me to do?” on the wall above my computer monitor.  I need to ask myself that question many times a day. 

              However, in our text below, “The Lord” is asking “Whom shall I send?”  He is asking who will go and warn the others, warn them of their impending doom.  Who will tell them what they must do? 

              God is looking for willing hearts.  He is looking for men, women, and children who will accept Him in their heart personally. 

(1 Chronicles 28:9)  And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.

              God searches ALL hearts and He knows the imaginations of your mind.  He knows your sincerity. He wants someone, anyone who through conviction and desire of the heart, wants to serve Him in the capacity in which you are called.

(Joel 2:13)  And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

              Notice in this verse where Joel puts the responsibility.  It is square on our shoulders.  It is not God’s responsibility to change us.  It is our responsibility to desire to be reshaped into His image.  Once we have rendered our heart, repented, and accepted Jesus, God will change us.  He will use each of us in a capacity related to our abilities.  The question is, “Who shall I send?”  The answer should be “Here am I; send me.”

              Paul asked a similar question while on the road to Damascus.  We will not see Jesus as Paul did, but we, you and I, need to first tell God, “Here am I; send me.”  Then ask, “…what wilt thou have me to do?” 

              Have you asked?  I guess the best question would be, would you ask God the serious questions, or will it be for some more blessing for nought?

Bro. John R. E Chastain

Isaiah 6:6-8  Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:  (7)  And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.  (8)  Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

12/14 Fundamental Thoughts

It Shall Come To Pass

When I read the verses below, I needed to put it into context.  Most of what Peter quoted came from Joel 2:28-32.  The question is why Peter was quoting a prophecy concerning the “Day of The Lord?” 

              Joel was foretelling what Matthew, John, and Peter would later write.  Joel was talking of the time when Jesus returns to earth to exact His judgment on earth.  “The Day of The Lord” will be a terrible time for any resident on earth.  We must also know this is not the Rapture. This is seven years after the Rapture.

              So, why was Peter quoting Joel?  He was talking to the Jews and was telling them from their Scripture what to expect in that terrible “Day of The Lord.”  He was warning them that a time was coming that no one wanted, and that they needed to call upon the name of the Lord,

                                   

(Joel 2:32)  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: ...

Joel is defining to the Jews to call upon the name of the Lord and be delivered.  It will come to pass.  Peter in:

(Acts 2:21)  And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Paul tells us in:

(Romans 10:13)  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

              If we carefully read and consider the context of these passages, we can know that God has given us a plan of Salvation that all can understand.  If we will decide in our heart that Jesus is God’s Son, and by accepting Jesus, we can be saved from Hell and the “Day of The Lord.”

                                   

(John 3:16)  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.

The “whosoever” is anybody, regardless of their sin condition.  If they will believe that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God, Salvation has happened.

(John 3:18)  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Without a sincere belief, you are condemned.  Prior to hearing of Jesus, you were already condemned to hell.  By accepting Jesus as your personal Saviour, you are no longer condemned, and Heaven becomes your home.

              Accept Him before it is eternally too late.  Do it today.

Bro. John R. E Chastain    

Acts 2:17-20  And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:  (18)  And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:  (19)  And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke:  (20)  The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come:

12/14 Spurgeon's Devotions

“They go from strength to strength.” — Psalm 84:7

They go from strength to strength. There are various renderings of these
words, but all of them contain the idea of progress.
Our own good translation of the authorized version is enough for us this
morning. “They go from strength to strength.” That is, they grow stronger
and stronger. Usually, if we are walking, we go from strength to weakness;
we start fresh and in good order for our journey, but by-and-by the road is
rough, and the sun is hot, we sit down by the wayside, and then again
painfully pursue our weary way. But the Christian pilgrim having obtained
fresh supplies of grace, is as vigorous after years of toilsome travel and
struggle as when he first set out. He may not be quite so elate and
buoyant, nor perhaps quite so hot and hasty in his zeal as he once was,
but he is much stronger in all that constitutes real power, and travels, if
more slowly, far more surely. Some gray-haired veterans have been as firm
in their grasp of truth, and as zealous in diffusing it, as they were in their
younger days; but, alas, it must be confessed it is often otherwise, for the
love of many waxes cold and iniquity abounds, but this is their own sin
and not the fault of the promise which still holds good: “The youths shall
faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but they that wait
upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings
as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not
faint.” Fretful spirits sit down and trouble themselves about the future.
“Alas!” say they, “we go from affliction to affliction.” Very true, O thou
of little faith, but then thou goest from strength to strength also. Thou
shalt never find a bundle of affliction which has not bound up in the midst
of it sufficient grace. God will give the strength of ripe manhood with the
burden allotted to full-grown shoulders.

12/14 It Takes One

Genesis 4:26

“And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call upon the name of the LORD.”

The effect of one person's lifestyle is tremendous. Apparently, up to the point of the verse above, people were not calling on God. The verse above says of Seth, that after his birth men began to call upon the LORD. What a testimony of the life of Seth. We don't know much about his life, but if the only thing that came out of his life is that men began to call upon the LORD, then his life was a success.

You never know the effect your life will have upon others. Many times we go through life thinking that we could never change anything. Many times we think that we are so insignificant that what we do really doesn’t matter. Let me make this very clear to you, you are affecting people with your life. No matter how uninfluential you think you are, your footprint upon this Earth is leaving a mark for better or worse.

When we look at the verse above, we see that the power of one life is tremendous. All it takes for things to change in a place is for one person to decide to do right and stand for right. If everybody had the mentality that their life could never change a place, then nobody would ever take a stand for right.

In order for the workplace to be changed for right, it takes one employee to do right. You may think your workplace is too wicked to change, but all it takes to influence others is for one person to take a stand for right. In order for the home to be the place it ought to be, it will take one person to do right. In order for a church to do right, it takes one person to do right in order to influence others in the church to do right. In order for a nation to do right, it takes one person to take a stand for right in order to influence others to take a stand for right.

Noah was one person who did right, and his stand for right saved the human race. Mordecai was one person who did right, and his stand for right saved the Jewish race. Daniel was one person who did right, and his stand for right influenced three other young men who took a stand and changed the laws of their land. Elijah was one person who took a stand for right, and his stand caused others to be motivated to take a stand.

We could go through example after example illustrating the power of one person taking a stand. Without one person doing right, you will never have two people doing right. It always starts with one person. All it takes for a place or nation to be destroyed is for nobody to take a stand for right. If everybody waits for one person to take the stand for right, then nobody will ever take a stand for right, thus destroying that place or nation.

Will you be the one in your realm of influence to take a stand for right? It will not be easy to take this stand. In fact, if you take a stand, you will find opposition, but someone must take a stand for right. Be the one who takes the stand for right. Whether it is at work, school, church or in your neighborhood, take your stand for right.

One person, in the verse above, changed a whole generation. Be that one person for your generation and take a stand. The influence of one person willing to stand is more powerful than a whole crowd doing wrong. It is the one person who takes a stand for right that stands out among the rest. Be the one, and do right today. It could be your influence that changes your nation.

12/12 Spurgeon's Devotions

“His ways are everlasting.” — Habakkuk 3:6

What He hath done at one time, He will do yet again. Man’s ways are
variable, but God’s ways are everlasting. There are many reasons for this
most comforting truth: among them are the following — the Lord’s ways
are the result of wise deliberation; He ordereth all things according to the
counsel of His own will. Human action is frequently the hasty result of
passion, or fear, and is followed by regret and alteration; but nothing can
take the Almighty by surprise, or happen otherwise than He has foreseen.
His ways are the outgrowth of an immutable character, and in them the
fixed and settled attributes of God are clearly to be seen. Unless the
Eternal One Himself can undergo change, His ways, which are Himself in
action, must remain for ever the same. Is He eternally just, gracious,
faithful, wise, tender? — then His ways must ever be distinguished for the
same excellences. Beings act according to their nature: when those natures
change, their conduct varies also; but since God cannot know the shadow
of a turning, His ways will abide everlastingly the same. Moreover there is
no reason from without which could reverse the divine ways, since they
are the embodiment of irresistible might. The earth is said, by the prophet,
to be cleft with rivers, mountains tremble, the deep lifts up its hands, and
sun and moon stand still, when Jehovah marches forth for the salvation of
His people. Who can stay His hand, or say unto Him, What doest Thou?
But it is not might alone which gives stability; God’s ways are the
manifestation of the eternal principles of right, and therefore can never pass
away. Wrong breeds decay and involves ruin, but the true and the good
have about them a vitality which ages cannot diminish.
This morning let us go to our heavenly Father with confidence,
remembering that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever,
and in Him the Lord is ever gracious to His people.

12/12 Worship God

Revelation 22:9

“Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.”

In the verse above, we see John make a common mistake that many Christians make today. The angel of God had shown John the sights of Heaven. John saw the river of life, the throne of God and the tree of life with all manner of fruits. After seeing all of this, and his life being touched in such a tremendous way, John fell down and began to worship the angel who delivered the message of God to him. Immediately, the angel rebuked John and told him to stand up and stop worshipping him. He told John that the One Whom he should worship is God.

The mistake John made in these verses is that he was worshipping the messenger instead of the One Who sent the message. Because of how his life was changed, he allowed his focus to become obscured and started worshipping the wrong person.

We must be careful that we don't make the same mistake John made and worship the men of God whom God uses to touch our lives. One of the mistakes I see in Christianity is Christians, who have had their lives touched through the messages and counseling of men of God, have set these men up and worshipped them and not God. Now don’t get me wrong, I believe you should be loyal to these men, and you should honor these men, but nobody deserves our worship other than God. We must understand that men of God are only the messengers of God. They are only delivering the message that God gave them to deliver. Now don’t let the magnitude of how the message touched your life cause you to focus your worship on the messenger, and not on the One Who originally gave the message.

Let me remind you, at best, men of God are just men. They are sinners just like you are a sinner. They have things in their lives they must clean up just like you have things in your life you must clean up. They should worship God just like you should worship God.

Though at times I believe we don't mean to get our worship mixed up, it does happen. We must constantly watch ourselves so that we don’t start focusing on the messenger and not on the God Who sent the message. If we allow ourselves to focus on the messenger, then when that messenger starts saying things that God did not say or doing things that God would not want them to do, we will follow them instead of God. This is how false doctrine gets started in the church and in the lives of Christians.

Let's be careful to give honor to the men of God whom God uses, but also let's be careful to keep our focus of worship on God. Let's not allow ourselves to set man up as the object of worship. Only God deserves man's worship. Let's remember that when we set man up as our object of worship that this is nothing more than idolatry. All worship belongs to God, so like the angel told John, remember to only worship God.

12/11 Fundamental Thoughts

For Unto Us

Isaiah 9:6  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Luke 2:11  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

            Within these words rest our whole faith.  The one verse describes the future Son of God, the other verse, the announcement of the birth of that Son, the “…only begotten Son,..” of God.  A portion of the future is revealed.  Within a few days we will celebrate the birth of a man called Jesus, the “only begotten Son” of God. 

John 3:16  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.

                       

            It is not the birth of God, but the birth of His Son who “…shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” 

            He is first and foremost “Christ the Lord.”  He was born for a purpose and that is to “glorify God.”      That purpose is what we, (who are called by His name, CHRISTians) have.

1 Corinthians 6:20  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Jesus’ goal here on earth was to “glorify God,” consequently, we as CHRISTians have been given the same task.   Our single focus as a CHRISTian is to “glorify God.”

            We were given a Saviour to lead us, to guide us, to teach us, but also to save us from an eternal burning Hell. 

            This CHRISTmas Season, spend time first and foremost with Jesus at home, and in His Church house.   If you haven’t been to church much this year, get with God this month.  He will help you become more faithful next year.  Also, spend time with your family, those immediately around you, and if physically possible with those who live away.  We “glorify God” in our lives.  Be what you claim, be the CHRISTian you claim to be. 

            In all, do remember, “For unto you is born” a Saviour.  The “unto you” makes Him a personal gift, an everlasting gift.  We have been given a home in heaven with Jesus and His Father, our God.

            I realize there are people who may read this article and have never accepted Jesus the Christ as their personal Saviour.  Our King James Bible teaches that without Christ they are lost, yet Christ lives for them also.

                       

Luke 19:10  For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

            You may be acquainted, you may have heard His story, but you have never put Him within your heart.  We are told in John 3:16 that if you will believe, God will give you everlasting life.   I know some will say, “God knows what I have done and He would never accept me.”  The word “whosoever” in John 3:16 tells us that regardless of what you are, or what you have been, He will save you if you believe.

Romans 10:9  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Jesus won the Victory over the grave.  If you confess in your heart that Jesus is the Son of God, and believe that God has raised him from that grave, God will save you from the grave, and give you everlasting life.  Accept Him, follow him, and live a life after Him.           

Bro John R. E Chastain