Devotionals March 2-4th

MONDAY MARCH 2, 2009 -
GENESIS 6:1-8
Whenever I read the Word of God I get excited. The next great event on the Christian calendar is what is commonly referred to as the "Rapture" of the church. Now, you cannot find the word "rapture" in the Bible but that is the word that we use to explain this event. One day, the Bible states, God is going to open the graves and call all of his saints home to heaven. The Bible says "in a moment, the twinkling of the eye" we are going to be gone. The Bible gives us many signs of his coming. And one of the signs is "as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the days of the coming of the son of man." There is no doubt that we live in a very sinful, wicked world. I am just 59 years old and have been in the ministry for 35 of those years. If someone had told me then the things I am seeing today I would have told them, "maybe other places, but not in America." I would have been wrong. The focus of today devotional is found in verse 5. All that Noah's generation thought about was sin, how to commit it, how to hide it, and how to get by with it. Now, that sounds a great deal like today.
The Bible tells us that "whatsoever a man thinketh, so is he." Take a moment, and ask yourself this simple question. Do I think as they did in the days of Noah, or are my thoughts on the things of God?

TUESDAY MARCH 3, 2009 -
EXODUS 25:1-9
As a regular reader, you know that I think about death and the legacy that I am going to leave behind. It is, in reality, a daily thought and prayer of mine. When the people that I counsel stand beside my casket, what will they think of me after spending many hours with me as I tried to help them? My congregation, what will they say about me after sitting under my ministry for over thirty years? When I have preached revival meetings and special services, did I effect anybodies life? The students, at Fellowship Baptist College, in Indiana, and Central Baptist Bible College, Philippines, that have sat under my teaching, did I make an impact in their lives? Did my writing ministry change anybody? All of these things are very important to me. However, there is one other thing that is more important that all of the aforementioned, what impact did I have on my family? That is the most important thing to me.
Now, I said all of this to ask a question. What kind of impact did Abraham have on his family? Abraham was a great man of God, much grater that I will ever hope to be. He was a great man of faith. He was courageous! But, and it is a big but, the problems in the world today between the Jews and the Muslims, can be put at the feet of Abraham. For that one moment, Abraham was impatient, he did not want to wait on God, he lacked the faith that he needed and went in with another woman, bore a child with her, and the Muslim world was born.
Abraham is now dead. Both Isaac, his son by Sarah, and Ishmael, his son by Hagar are at Abraham's funeral. One, a promise of God of prosperity, the other a son of destruction (Gen 16:11-12). What a shame such a beautiful life is marred for all eternity because of a lack of faith, just for a moment, but with an eternal impact. What about your life, what impact will you have for eternity?

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 4, 2009 -
DUETERONOMY 2:26 - 30
As Moses and the Israelites were passing through there were many obstacles that stood in their way. As today, the same then, when they passed through a strange land, a land inhabited by others, they had to receive permission to continue on the journey. The Edomites and Moabites did not hinder the Israelites from passing through their country, though they were far from friendly and dealt with them in an unbrotherly way. However, when the arrived at Heshbon, the chief city of the Amorite king, Sihon, Moses overtures of peace were rejected.
The Bible says that God had hardened his spirit, and made his heart obstinate. Many times in the Word of God, you will find the phrase or similar phrase that God hardened their hears. Now the question arises, if God hardened their heart how then did a fair, and righteous God judge them if they could not help their heart being hardened?
First of all, God is God, and He can do as He wills. This is the sovereign act of God, and we must not question.
Secondly, when we question the act of God and think he is unfair, then we put ourselves into a position of being a judge and claiming that we are more knowledgeable, understanding, righteous and merciful that God. What a ridiculous and arrogant thought is that.
Thirdly, God simply puts man in a situation that reveals the hidden content of the heart, so that we can see the intent of heart as it is seen through the eyes of God. When you squeeze an orange, only what is inside comes out - orange juice. You squeeze an apple and what do you get? The only thing that you can get is apple juice. You squeeze a Triple Whopper from Burger King, and what do you get? Fat! When you find yourself in a tight situation, your decision will reveal what is hidden in your heart.