Should Christians remain true to God's Word?

Romans 1:26-27 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.

In a few short decades, our post-modern culture has changed its mores to the point of accepting as normal behavior things that were once considered abnormal and even illegal. These activities and behaviors have not only become accepted, the affirmation and approval of them is now considered politically correct and taught in many schools. Anyone who does not agree is in great danger of losing their jobs and being labeled with the one sin in our culture today that cannot be tolerated. This is the sin of failing to be tolerant. Tolerant is defined as: (Inclined to tolerate the beliefs, practices, or traits of others; forbearing). However, we now have a new redefined politically correct definition of tolerance. To be tolerant one must add to the above definition an agreement that the beliefs, practices, and traits of others is valid and correct. In short, we are called by the PC police to not only be tolerant, but also give approval if we are going to pass muster.

In the passage above, Paul mentions one sin that our culture today not only considers valid and normal, but it is even celebrated as something to be glorified. The change in opinion took little more than a decade with the entertainment and news media doing an about face and presenting with favor and acceptance what was once presented as a perversion. One only has to observe the way Hollywood has changed the way homosexuality is presented in order to see the difference. I could go on with the way that homosexuality has been favorably presented and promoted by Hollywood and the television industry, but that gets away from my main point.

Considering that calling many things sin that the Bible calls sin is now considered hate speech and could very likely become illegal in the United States, what do you believe should be the position of Christians? Should Christian conform to the world and possibly the law, or should they continue to practice Biblical Christianity? Many mainline protestant churches have already ceased to practice and preach Biblical Christianity. Therefore, there would be the argument from secular society that those who do practice Biblical Christianity are fundamentalist nuts. Actually, I believe that has already happen.

What are your views?

Question to consider?????

Romans 13:1-5 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience.

I was asked the following question by a liberal:

”What is your feeling on the current administration's refusal to ban the torture of war prisoners? Does that mean that Republicans condone torture? Both are pretty repugnant to me.”

Although I am aware that liberals are more upset over the U.S. military dropping a Koran in a toilet than they are jihadists beheading people and placing it on the internet, I think it would be interesting to open this question up to discussion and wrap it around the following hypothetical scenario:

(1) U.S Intelligence, in spite of all the restrictions that liberals have placed on intelligence gathering, have determined that Jihadists have a nuclear bomb and are planning to detonate it over a major American city with a helicopter or either hidden in a transport truck. They are not sure if it will be across the Mexican border, the Canadian border, or from a ship at sea. They believe that a helicopter will be used to bring it over the border, or from a ship where it will be loaded on to a transport truck or possibly delivered directly from the helicopter.

(2) Our military gets really fortunate and captures the leader of the plan. Time is of the essence and they know that this individual knows everything about the plan.

QUESTION: Knowing that this plan is with days or even hours of being carried out, do you believe that all methods of enhanced interrogation techniques should be used to obtain the particulars of this plan including anything that might be considered torture?

Set free from the bondage of sin

Romans 6:6-23 (6)We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. (7) For one who has died has been set free from sin. ……………………………………………………(14) For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. …………………………… (22) But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. (23) For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

When the redeemed are regenerated and baptized in Christ, they are baptized into his death. Just as Christ was crucified and died as an atonement for the sins of the redeemed, we know that our old self was crucified with him. Through the power of Christ and the Holy Spirit, redeemed sinners are no longer under the power of sin, and are no longer slaves to sin because we have been set free from the bondage of the sin nature. Through the ministry of the indwelling Holy Spirit, grace sets us free and brings us to willingly become slaves of God. With a new heart there is a new attitude, direction, and focus in life. Just as the attitude of the old sin nature produced fruit that led to death, the new Spirit led nature produces a fruit that leads to sanctification. Sanctification brings a progression toward godliness and holiness that results in eternal life. Verse 22 above does not state that it may happen, should happen, or could happen. No, it states that it will happen. Just as surely as attempted justification by law-keeping, void of the Holy Spirit, leads to death, a fruitless carnal “professing Christian” lifestyle without any influence of the Holy Spirit also leads to death. Just as a successful bowler must keep the ball from going into gutter on either side, a true Holy Spirit led Christian will not fall permanently into the gutter of self-righteousness on the one side or total fruitless carnality on the other side. Grace saves and grace carries the redeemed sinner all the way to glory.

Praise God that redeemed sinners are not only justified with divine power, but are sanctified by the same heavenly power. Divine power is fail safe. This free gift of eternal life is in Christ Jesus or Lord and God provides EVERYTHING needed in receiving this gift and it comes with awesome POWER.

Definitions

While political positions are a normal occurrence at liberal Christian and Emergent Church blogs, here at Jazzycat we refrain from getting into that fray. However, I would like to give a few definitions without comment:

treason……….a person who commits treason by betraying his or her country.
betray…….. To give aid or information to an enemy of; commit treason against: betray one's country.
aid…….. to give help or assistance.

Feel free to connect the dots and come to your own conclusion.

Released from the law!

Romans 7:6 But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.

In the photo above, Moses is holding the written code of bondage. Born again believers have died to the law through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. They have been released from the law and are under the ministry of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Believers are led by the Spirit and have the law written on their hearts. They are regenerated and through faith in their Lord and savior Jesus Christ are justified and adopted as sons of God. They are in Christ and no longer controlled by the law of sin and death as Jesus has fulfilled the righteous requirements of the law on their behalf. Believers are also given the fruit of the Spirit as they look to grow in grace, sanctification, and Spirit led service. The old way of the written code is no longer applicable to Spirit led believers because Jesus has set them free and when the son sets you free, you are free indeed.

Praise our triune God that he provided everything he requires for those redeemed by the blood of the lamb. Christians should look to grace, the Holy Spirit and the teachings of Jesus in their sanctification and not the law.

New Covenant Glory

2 Corinthians 3:5-11 Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, 6 who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 7 Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses' face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? 9 For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. 10 Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. 11 For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.

In this passage Paul calls the old covenant a ministry of death and condemnation. By contrast he calls the new covenant a ministry of righteousness that greatly exceeds the old covenant in glory. In fact the new covenant renders the old covenant to having no glory at all by comparison. The old covenant has ended and is finished. It has served its purpose and is over. Does that mean we can kill, commit adultery, etc? Certainly not, but we should not frame God’s righteousness and Christian conduct in the language of the ten commandments of “thou shall not” that suggests and points people toward legalism and works salvation. When we carry people back to the Mosaic Covenant it seems to have the effect of pointing them to works salvation. The new covenant of grace, regeneration, the indwelling Holy Spirit, and the ministry of Jesus points believers toward sanctification and the fruit of the Spirit.

Matthew Henry’s commentary says the following about this passage:
v. 6-11…….The law is done away, but the gospel does and shall remain,
2 Corinthians 3:11. Not only did the glory of Moses's face go away,
but the glory of Moses's law is done away also; yea, the law of Moses itself is
now abolished. That dispensation was only to continue for a time, and then to
vanish away; whereas the gospel shall remain to the end of the world, and is
always fresh and flourishing and remains glorious.

The law was a guardian until Christ!

Galatians 3:15-29 To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. 16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ. 17 This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void. 18 For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise. 19 Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. 20 Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one. 21 Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. 22 But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.

Jesus Christ fulfilled the covenant of promise made with Abraham. The Mosaic covenant, put in 430 years after the covenant of promise, did not add to or annul the covenant of promise (v. 15). The law of the Mosaic Covenant was not contrary to promises of God (v. 21). The law was added to be a guardian until the promised new covenant of faith in Jesus Christ was revealed. The law was given specifically to Israel at Mt. Sinai and ended with the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Now that faith has come a guardian is no longer needed, as all who are in Christ Jesus through faith are sons of God.

Does this mean God’s righteous standards have changed? Absolutely not! It means all the blessings of the New Covenant have been bestowed upon those who are redeemed by the blood of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Praise God that he perfectly fulfilled the Mosaic Covenant for the redeemed and paid their sin debt on the cross of Calvary. By this redemption, Christ freed believers from the curse of the law, which brings death and not salvation. Redeemed blood bought followers of Christ should not go back to Moses and the law for standards of obedience and sanctification. We should look to Jesus Christ.

VERSE BY VERSE………
v.15 …. The Covenant of promise was a covenant fulfilled in the new covenant of Jesus Christ, and the law of the Mosaic Covenant did not add anything or annul anything.
v. 16…. The promise was the seed of Abraham, Christ
v. 17…. The law did not add to or annul the covenant of promise with Abraham
v. 18…. The promise (Christ) saves, the law doesn’t
v. 19…. Added because of sin until the promised seed should come
v. 20…. God did this
v. 21…. The law does not contradict or nullify the promised seed. If there were any way to salvation through law then, then salvation would be by law.
v. 22…. Scripture showed that sin made salvation impossible except by faith in Jesus.
v. 23…. Before faith (new covenant) came, sinners (everyone) were captive and in prison until salvation would be revealed.
v. 24 …. The law was a guardian until Christ came. The role of the law ended when Christ came. (Guardian- a person who guards, protects, or preserves.)
v. 25 …. Since faith has come we are no longer under law.
v. 26…. The redeemed are in Christ by faith and are sons of God. (Rom. 8)
v. 27…. Those baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
v.28 …. There is one people of God and they are in-Christ.
v. 29 …. Those in Christ are Abraham’s offspring and heirs according to the promise. This verse connects the covenant of promise with Abraham to the new covenant of the gospel of Christ. The guardian of v. 25 is no longer needed and is called obsolete in Hebrews.

Grace trumps law

Heb. 7:22 This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant.
Heb. 8:7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second.
Hebrews 8:13 In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
John 1:17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
Matthew 22:37-39 And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38This is the great and first commandment. 39And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

The law kills, does not save, and as part of the covenant given to Moses is now obsolete. Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ who guarantees this better and saving covenant. The old covenant depended on mechanical external law keeping that flowed from duty. The New Covenant believer is given a regenerated heart by God's grace and a new attitude that has been wrought by the Holy Spirit.

Paul warns in Galatians that attempts to satisfy the demands of the law out of duty and to be righteous are futile (Galatians 2:16). Jesus Christ perfectly obeyed the law and died on the cross to pay the penalty for the sins of all that place their faith and trust in him and his righteousness. This saving faith gains access to an alien righteousness that is imputed to all that trust him. We are justified before God by the work of Christ and not our own works.

I am in no way suggesting that Christians should ignore sanctification and Christian living. However, grace and truth came through Jesus and believers are led by the Spirit and are enabled by the Spirit to follow and obey Jesus and his teachings. This is a dependence on grace rather than external law keeping. Jesus says that the law can be summed up by the greatest commandment which is “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” He also said, “if you love me, you will obey my commands.” Notice Jesus does not say, “if you love me, you SHOULD obey my commands.” No, he says you WILL. This is grace and it comes with power. It does not make a redeemed sinner perfect, but unlike the law, it does not have to make sinners perfect because Jesus paid it all and all to him I owe as the great ole hymn proclaims.

Praise God that the New Covenant replaced law keeping with grace and truth. Let us as Christian keep our eyes on Jesus and his grace and not become entangled with Moses and the law. Jesus saves and the law kills.

The Fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:19-24 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

The works of the flesh proceed from the sinful nature as naturally as water flows down hill. In this passage Paul mentions many of the works of the flesh that the natural unregenerate man show in their lives. The natural man not only does not feel guilty or ashamed of the various manifestations of these traits, but in many cases is proud to claim them as part of his character. Many for example are proud of their drinking, sexual exploits, partying, etc. Our secular culture even makes heroes out of many who exhibit such behavior. Paul says plainly that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

The text then reveals the characteristics of the fruit of the Spirit. These characteristics are given by the Holy Spirit to those that have been regenerated and redeemed from the penalty and power of sin. They are Christians and have been changed from the inside out, and are no longer under law. They are under grace, led by the Spirit of God, and the fruit of the Spirit will flow from them just as naturally as the works of the flesh flow from the unregenerate. The Bible is clear that a redeemed sinner is not made perfect and can still succumb to the works of the flesh. However, unlike the unregenerate, they will not be proud or indifferent to their sin. They will be ashamed, sorry, convicted by the indwelling Holy Spirit, and will repent and turn from their sin.

The bottom line is that those who habitually practice these works of the flesh without remorse, shame, or repentance will not inherit the kingdom of God, no matter what kind of belief or claim they may have professed in Jesus Christ as their savior, unless at some point in their life they truly come to faith in Jesus Christ. Praise God that He does save such sinners such as this from not only the penalty of sin, but also from the power of sin. When God does this work of grace, the born again sinner will not habitually wallow in the works of the flesh that Paul describes in this passage. When the son sets you free, you will be free indeed (John 8:36).

Beware of another Jesus

2 Corinthians 11:1-4 I wish you would bear with me in a little foolishness. Do bear with me! For I feel a divine jealousy for you, since I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ. But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough.

There is one gospel, one Jesus, and one spirit and Paul is refuting anyone that preaches a different gospel or a different doctrine of Jesus or a more powerful gift of the Holy Spirit. In Galatians 1:6-9 Paul admonishes anyone who would preach another gospel and states there is no other gospel. This gospel affirms that salvation is from God’s grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. The person and work of Christ as he is presented in the Holy Bible saves sinners that place their faith in his atoning sacrifice as a substitute for their sin debt. This is the good news of the gospel.

When false teachers, cults, and false religions change and tweak the gospel, it is no longer a gospel at all. Paul says plainly that anyone that proclaims another Jesus is teaching a false gospel. The Bible teaches that Jesus is the second person of the trinity and the infinite God-Man that was and is fully God and fully man. Therefore, the Jesus of the Koran, Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons, and others is not the Jesus of the Bible. Such a Jesus is another Jesus and has no power to save according to Paul.

In spite of these warnings by Paul, there are many who deny Christ’s atonement as a sacrifice for their sin debt and prefer to be called a follower of the way of Christ or a postmodern Christian. Still some, of the so-called free grace thinking, assert that the “other Jesus” as he is presented in the Koran is a saving Jesus as long as a person has faith in such a Jesus. It does not require too much logic to discern that a person that believes in Allah of the Koran and denies the trinity is placing faith in a Jesus that is false and what Paul calls another Jesus. A few years ago a Methodist Bishop proclaimed on national television that there were other ways to salvation than faith in Christ. Paul says no. Within the past week a Catholic Bishop stated that Christians should refer to God as Allah to show good will toward Muslims. The list goes on and on as politically correct pluralistic thinking is celebrated in our culture. Such thinking may make a person popular, but it is a disaster for the soul.

I would encourage all Christians to read and apply 1 John 4:1 which states, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.” Go to Scripture and not to false teachers for the truth.

The Glory of God

High Flight
by John Gillespie Magee, Jr.

Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds...and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of...wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew.
And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

Reminder

Check out the Bluecollar Blog where Jazzycat is contributor! Latest Post on the Beatitudes.

Psalm 100: verse 5

Psalm 100:5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

God is good, merciful, and truthful. These attributes will last forever and will never change. While this sounds simple enough, it is not universally accepted by all who claim to be Christians. While there is theological debate among Christians who agree on the truthfulness, inerrancy and infallibility of the Bible; there are many theological liberals and emergent church proponents that even deny the truthfulness of the Bible. Some emergent church leaders suggest that theology and truth is evolving and changing much like the so-called living and breathing constitution view of political liberals. While the presentation of such views are slick and articulate, the bottom line is nothing but conforming theology to fit a man-centered liberal post-modern world-view. The focus is on temporal concerns, which necessitates that theology must fit their world-view.

Jesus said, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” and Psalm 100 says this truth endures to all generations. Praise God that unchanging absolute truth is available in God’s word. This truth is powerful and sharper than a double-edged sword. May we have eyes to see and hearts to rejoice in the transforming truth of God’s Word.

Psalm 100: verse 4

Psalm 100:4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

It is a blessing and privilege to enter the House of the Lord. Thanksgiving and praise should always be in our hearts and on our minds as we enter his presence. Our prayers should flow from hearts full of joy and peace as we express with words the praise we have for our Triune God. Our Heavenly Father, his Son and our Savior, and the Holy Spirit were all involved in our salvation and glory, praise, and thanksgiving should be directed heavenward on a daily and hourly basis as we meditate on our status as sons of God. When we enter his gates these thoughts and feelings should be magnified and brought into a sharp focus of pure worship and love. Praise God for His salvation and His Holy Word.

Psalm 100: verse 3

Psalm 100:3 Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Know that the LORD he is God. The God of the Holy Bible is God and not the false Gods of other supposed holy books, cults, or men’s imagination. The one true God that made the universe is described in the Bible and He is God. Men should not and do not get to construct a God that suits their sinful nature by choosing attributes that meet their carnal needs. He made us and not we ourselves. God not only created the universe, he created everything in it including man. Therefore, we belong to him. He is the potter and we are the clay. He calls on all men everywhere to repent and believe on the LORD Jesus Christ for eternal life.

Psalm 100: verse 2

Psalm 100:2 Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

How do we serve the LORD with gladness? Colossians 3:23 makes it clear that whatever we do, we do it for the LORD. We are serving the LORD in everything and not just in religious activities and ministries. Therefore, since everything is ultimately in service to the LORD, we should do it with gladness. Be cheerful and merry as you go about your life and duties. Imagine being cheerful and glad as you mop a floor or do hard labor under the hot sun. The opposite of happy and cheerful would be unhappy and sour. How many people with infirmities would be elated to be healthy enough to mop a floor or do hard labor in the hot sun? All tasks done well with gladness and cheer glorify God. It is all in the attitude and the attitude we should have is one of gladness as we serve the LORD in all that we do. This joyful and glad attitude will enable us to come before his presence with singing. God’s people should be so full of happiness and joy in the House of the LORD that their hearts are literally singing.

Once upon a time, a little girl attended a wedding held in a gazebo on the property of a friend of her father. She asked the man if she could be married there when she grew up and got married. He told her that he would do even better and build her a chapel in which to be married . True to his word, the photo above is the chapel that was built for her wedding.

Praise God that his marvelous grace enables us to serve him with gladness and come before his presence with singing.

Psalm 100: verse 1

Psalm 100:1 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.

Not only should we praise God with worship and music, but we should also do it with joy. It is a joy that comes from thanksgiving for God’s kindness and mercy that he has bestowed upon his sheep. Everyone, in all countries that call on the name of the LORD, will experience a peace and joy from the Holy Spirit that will cause them to make a joyful noise unto the LORD. A joyful noise does not necessarily mean a loud noise as joy springs from the heart and not the mouth. Joy flows from thankfulness for salvation and trust in God’s providence and promises. This leads to a heart overflowing with praise and a desire to release the joy through music and thanksgiving.

Praise God that His mercy and love fills our hearts with a joy that yearns to point to his glory.

Name it and date it....

The following verse was the feature verse for a daily devotional in a devotional magazine entitled, “Fire from the Bramble":

Judges 9:49 So every one of the people cut down his bundle and following Abimelech put it against the stronghold, and they set the stronghold on fire over them, so that all the people of the Tower of Shechem also died, about 1,000 men and women.

The devotional said in part…… The tower of Shechem must have been a massive structure to hold a thousand people……. By contrast, “The name of the LORD is a strong tower”

Can anyone name the title of the devotional magazine and the date the above verse was the devotional of the day?

Peace and Joy with the LORD

On a recent trip down the Natchez Trace from Nashville, my wife and I stopped at one of many scenic and historic sites. This stop was the Buffalo River in southern Tennessee and we ran into a family with two young boys swimming and playing in the river. There was no one else there but us for a short time to snap a few photos. They were swinging on a rope, as their parents watched, and I wondered if they could have possibly had any more fun at some expensive crowded theme park. The boys were having a great time and I heard the youngest one tell his parents that he wanted to stay there forever. I wonder how many children tell their parents they want to stay at six flags FOREVER. Although it is a cliché, it is true that the best things in life are free and this swim on the Buffalo River did not cost this family anything.

There is no greater joy than to slow down and enjoy the beauty and glory of God’s magnificent creation. What a joy it is to contemplate the joy and peace that FOREVER with the LORD will be like.

Do you think it will be more like the scene above or more like Six Flags over thus and such?

Psalm 23: verse 6

Psalm 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Goodness and mercy are another way of expressing that grace from God is given to Christian saints as they walk through this worldly life. Times may be difficult, with much pain and suffering, but Christians have an inexhaustible reservoir of grace to sustain them through their pilgrimage in this world. Hebrews 4:16 instructs Christians to go boldly to the throne of grace to obtain mercy and find grace in times of need. This grace may not make the suffering cease, but it will bring peace and sustain the souls of the redeemed as they journey to the heavenly City of God. People whose focus and goal in life is to have temporal health, wealth, and perpetual joy and happiness will be disappointed 100% of the time. However, if the LORD is your Sheppard, you will face all the adversity that this world has to offer without fear and you will be 100% satisfied.

Praise God that an eternity to dwell in the house of the LORD dwarfs any temporal pain and suffering from this fallen world. Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.