Father Abraham and a Prostitute

S ~ And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? James 2:23-25

O ~ James skips over centuries to go from Abraham to Rahab. So many people, including Issac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses. He shows that faith is faith - and the real stuff shows up whether you are the 'father of faith' or a 'lady of the evening'. 

A ~ I really need to live this truth, that it is level ground at the foot of the cross. We are all the same, no matter how 'righteous' or 'unrighteous' we appear. We all are saved by faith, and we all must live by faith - as it shows up in what we do. We are not saved by good works, but we are saved unto them.  It is not about possessing faith, it is about demonstrating it is real.

P ~ Lord, please help my faith to be real, and for it to show. May it be said of me... "By faith Barry.......". Amen.

It's Not Fair! (Yes it is)

S ~ 17 “Yet the children of your people say, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ But it is their way which is not fair! 18 When the righteous turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, he shall die because of it. 19 But when the wicked turns from his wickedness and does what is lawful and right, he shall live because of it.  Ezekiel 33:17 - 19

O ~ Children say "But it's not fair!", when in fact, it is. Israel is crying because they do not want fair consequences - they only want 'no punishment'. If the righteous turn away from their righteousness, or if the wicked turn away from their wickedness, they shall reap the consequences of their actions.

A ~ People today do not want fairness; they want freedom without consequences. And when they sin in their freedom, they want forgiveness. Justice and punishment for others, license for themselves. 

P ~ Lord, please help me to help others see that You are fair in Your dealings with humanity as a people. You spell out the consequences of our actions - eat of the fruit and you will die. Thank you that mercy triumphs over justice, but You are still just.

Chastening

S ~  But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Hebrews 12:8

O ~ Clearly chastening happens to sons. If chastening is not happening, you are not yet a true son, but rather someone who is just looking for the benefits of family, without the requirements of family. Father's chasten (discipline) their sons for a time.

A ~ I wonder if there is a time when a child of God becomes mature enough to not require discipline. It must be if the chastening has produced good fruit and served its purpose, it is no longer required. Bumpers in bowling alleys are only needed until skill is improved. Chastening is needed to keep you on the path, but when you can stay on the path, chastening is no needed. It is like Autoopia in Disneyland - an undercarriage guide that won't let you go off the road.

P ~ Lord, please chasten me where I need it, and help me accept it - that I might not need it anymore. 

Able Abel

S ~ By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks. Hebrews 11:4

O ~ How many years later? Abel died in Genesis 4, and yet his righteousness is still being remembered IN THE BIBLE 4000 years later, and 2000 years after that.

A ~ Oh how I want my righteous offerings to God to matter - and to last. I just don't want to have to be murdered for it. Yet this is not referring to how he died, but how he lived. May I live in such a way to have God testify of my gifts.

P ~ Lord, I want to live like righteous Abel - please make me able :)

Given To Prayer

S ~ In return for my love they are my accusers, but I give myself to prayer. Psalm 109:4

O ~ A psalm of King David. He is doing all he knows to do to be at peace, but the people against him will have none of it. And so David, weary from fasting  - simply says that he will give himself to prayer. That is where the victory is - in prayer.

A ~ How powerful to see that this warrior knows where the victory is. I need to not just 'say a prayer', but rather give myself to prayer, and in doing so, give myself to the Lord. It is in prayer that I meet with God, the God who answers prayer.

P ~ Father, please help me be a man of prayer, given to prayer, and see the battles won.

Unconscious

S ~ For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. Hebrews 10:2

O ~ Once purified, the worshippers would no longer 'be aware of' their sins. This was not the case, as the sacrifice was incomplete, and the people remained 'aware of' their sins.

A ~ Oh how marvellous it is that Jesus does purify us as worshippers, and we are to be no longer conscious of our sins, no longer aware of our sins, sins no longer have power over us, and we remember them no more. Yet it seems that the enemy of our soul wants to do all he can to remind us of our sinfulness. 

P ~ 

Purify my heart, let me be as gold and precious silver.
Purify my heart, let me be as gold, pure gold.

Refiner's fire, my heart's one desire is to be holy,
Set apart for you Lord.
I choose to be holy, set apart for you my Master, ready to do your will.

Purify my heart, cleanse me from within and make me holy.
Purify my heart, cleanse me from my sin, deep within.

Speak, Lord

S ~ He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. Psalm 107:20

O ~ Even then God's people were so desperately wicked, when they turned to God, He sent His Word and healed them. There is healing in His Word.

A ~ This is such a struggle. What is "His Word" that heals. In light of Robyn's current health struggles, what is 'the word' that will heal her? Is it enough that I share verses with her, or pray God's word over her? Clearly not. It's not using the bible as a talisman, but somehow God has to speak. I can quote what God has said, but what happens when that seems to not bring any change? Is it that He must speak again?

P ~ Lord, please. Whatever needs to happen, please heal Robyn. Speak the word, send Your word, tell me what to say, or send, or quote, or pray. Please, heal my precious daughter.

Mingling

S ~ But they mingled with the Gentiles and learned their works; they served their idols, which became a snare to them. Psalm 106:35-36

O ~ Mingling, mixing, and learning. More was perhaps caught than taught - but the influence was clear, they ended up serving idols, and became ensnared.

A ~ Mingling is not harmless. We can't be isolated from the world, but we do need to be isolated. We need to be 'friends of sinners' and yet 'come out and be separate'.  Mingling reminds me of the mixed multitude who came out of Egypt with Moses, and how idolatrous sacrifices were mingled with blood.

P ~ Lord, please help me to be influenced by Your Spirit and Your Word, than I might not have a mingled devotion to You.

It's Only A Day Away

S ~ Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth. Proverbs 27:1

O ~ Two parts - don't boast about it, and you just don't know. It really shows that you are at the mercy of tomorrow, not in control of it.

A ~ It's good to plan, and to hope, and to dream, but not to trust. I need to trust in the Lord, not trust in tomorrow. It's especially true of how I often say "Tomorrow I will be different". Tomorrow becomes today, and I am not changed. Boasting of the last hurrah has proven pointless. 

P ~ Lord, please help me be faithful with today, that will lead to being faithful tomorrow. The clock of life is wound but once, and no one has the power, to tell when the clock will stop, on what day or hour. Now is all the time you have, so live it with a will. Don't wait until tomorrow, the hands may then be still.

Catch Up

S ~ For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principle of the oracles of God.  Hebrews 5:12

O ~ This is a criticism, and also a motivation. You should have grown by now, so don't delay any longer.

A ~ By this time, I should know more about pastoring, and leading. It is a critique, and a motivation - and so I am pouring into learning and being intentional on leading, even developing a leadership pathway through Purpose Driven 2018.

P ~ Lord, I am sorry for where I have fallen behind. Please help me catch up.