by George | Feb 1, 2021 | Community News, Devotional, Newsletter
Search Me
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.”
Psalms 139:23-24
What an amazing time we live in. Medical science has made great strides in diagnosing and treating illness. They have developed many ways to “look inside you” with x-rays, CT scans, and ultrasound and the like.
If you’ve lived any length of time, you’ve probably had to undergo one of those tests.
While we’ve made great strides in that area, we know that those tests aren’t infallible. Sometimes, there is something inside of a person that is not detected. It may be “hidden.”
The psalmist asks God to look inside of him, to do a scan of you will.
He is not asking God to do a medical scan, but rather a spiritual one.
God knows all and sees all, so you know that His examination will see all things.
He asks God to “search me and know my heart…”
God knows exactly how we feel.
“For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”
Hebrews 4:15
God knows how you feel…
The psalmist asks God to “know my anxieties…”
We all get worried and anxious sometimes, but have we asked God to help us? The first step is asking God to make us aware of our anxieties. Then, He can administrator the medicine for it, His perfect peace.
“You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.”
Isaiah 26:3
The psalmist also asks God to “… see if there is any wicked way in me…”
This scan uncovers sin, particularly hidden sins that get in the way of fellowship with God.
“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered.”
Psalms 32:1
There is joy in God’s forgiveness.
Finally, he asks God to
“… lead me in the way everlasting.”
Once he has gone through the “scan” which has uncovered his anxieties and sin, he asks for God’s guidance.
Let’s do like the psalmist today and ask God to examine us, bringing to light our anxieties and sin.
Confess them to God.
Go forth in His peace, and joy of forgiveness, being sensitive to His guidance of your life.
by George | Jan 29, 2021 | Community News
The Sacrifice of Thanksgiving
“I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving, And will call upon the name of the LORD.”
Psalms 116:17
Have you ever wondered what “the sacrifice of thanksgiving” means?
In old testament times, it was a literal sacrifice.
In “The Good Book Blog”
Joy Mosbarger writes:
“… the sacrifice of thanksgiving is actually a peace offering that is motivated by thanksgiving. This type of offering included an animal sacrifice as well as various sorts of cereal or bread offerings.”
Living in the age of Grace, we are not required to do animal sacrifices. They were rendered obsolete by the blood of Christ!
But, we can still express our thankfulness to God in prayer, and our conversations with others.
This thankfulness can bless others, just as it did in biblical times. Joy states:
“After the Lord and the priest received their portions, the worshiper who brought the sacrifice would take the remaining portions of the meat and the bread and prepare a feast in which family and friends who were ritually pure could share. “
So, our thankfulness to God should be plentiful, and motivate us to share with others. Joy concludes:
“Maybe the kindness and generosity of God should be an impetus to get us to express to others the same kindness and generosity that we have experienced.”
Let’s live today with an attitude of thankfulness, including it in a whisper to God, and demonstrating it with our actions towards others.
by George | Jan 26, 2021 | Community News
Reading someone else’s mail
“When this letter is read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and you, for your part read my letter that is coming from Laodicea.”
Colossians 4:16
Right before Christmas, I received a devotional magazine from a ministry based in California. A letter inside started off with “Dear George.” Right behind the letter was another letter. Same content, but it started off, “Dear Darlene.” I don’t know who Darlene is, and I wonder if she noticed that there was no letter when she opened her envelope…
A huge portion of the New Testament is composed of letters, or “Epistles.”
The Peanuts character Linus said that he was reading one of Paul’s letters but he felt guilty because he was reading someone else’s mail!
But, Paul encouraged letters to be read not only in one church, but also in others as well.
“When this letter is read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and you, for your part read my letter that is coming from Laodicea.”
Colossians 4:16
So when it comes to the letters in the new testament, it’s ok to read someone else’s mail!
Today, when the minister or lay person reads from an epistle, or other scripture out loud in church, he usually encourages people to “look at the screen” or “open your Bible to…”
In the early church, they didn’t have that luxury.
Someone read the scripture out loud, and all the people were to listen intently to what was being read.
Did you ever stop and think about who was in attendance? People from all walks of life, rich and poor, young and old, educated and illiterate.
The instruction of the apostles was read to everyone!
Adolf Schlatter said: “So, with the reading of his letter out loud, he also articulates that the church is not segregated into the immature and the privileged, but is rather an integrated whole, in which each individual is precious to the apostle and called to full knowledge of the divine will.”
Each individual is precious… and included.
May we go forth today, without partiality, proclaiming the Good News with deep love for everyone.
