Accepted: I am a Child of God

The book by Anderson & Miller includes a list of truths that apply to the Christian. These are truths we often lose site of, and even worse, they are often replaced by lies in our heads and hearts. I would like to present these foundational truths here in an effort to lay a good foundation for our study of anger.

Acceptance, Security and Significance are all important for our peace of mind. Many of our angry roots may tie back into these areas.

John 1:12 (ESV):
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

As Christians we must embrace this important truth. So much more than words, it tells us about the core of our relationship with God the Father and reminds us that we only got there through Jesus Christ.

We have the privilege of adoption, and we are numbered among God's children. We were children of wrath and children of this world, but now we are children of God. God calls us His children, and we call Him Father. It is a relationship of love. We can enjoy all the privileges of children at the hand of this Perfect Father. Not the sinful fathers you see here on earth, but the Perfect Heavenly Father. This Father is all powerful and all knowing. His heart is full of lovingkindness and compassion for his needy children. He does discipline, but never in anger. His love for us is always present and active. Because of the perfect sacrifice of the first born son, Jesus, on the cross, God's wrath is no longer directed at us, but rather He loves to care for us and to keep us from harm.

This acceptance into the family of God is not based on my goodness or merit, but upon the Sovereign Grace of God. He chose me, before I could choose Him. When I think of enjoying the benefits of a perfect father, I am so grateful, and I want to live to please Him. Lord, help us and strengthen us so we can be obedient sons and daughters.

I am a child of God.

God Bless You,
Dennis

Do you have a problem with anger?

Anger is a problem that many people struggle with. Not only in the general population, but many Christians also. I must admit that I am in that number. Anger is at the same time a God-given emotion, and when it is out of control, a pervasive sin that strives to please the flesh and destroy everything else.

I can recommend a really good book on this. It is both practical, with true life illustrations, and also soundly rooted in Scripture. The book does not merely agree with God's word, but actually works to apply the very specific truths of God's word to this problem of anger.

Maybe this would be a helpful book for you. I would like to share some of the truths from the book in this blog. That would be a help to me, as well as my readers.

The book is "Getting Anger Under Control", by Neil T. Anderson & Rich Miller.
The subtitle on the front cover says:

Overcoming

• unresolved resentment
• overwhelming emotions
• the lies behind anger

God Bless You,
Dennis

Starting Something New

Looking real seriously at starting some devotionals that will be looking at the broad issue of anger. I struggle with anger, my family struggles with anger and we all know it is wrong. Only God can help us get inside and see the source of this anger. I've got a book that I will use as a resource

Do stay tuned. It will be worth it and informative.

God Bless You,
Dennis

Contact with the Father

Yesterday I was thinking how important it is that we have daily contact with God through His word and prayer. In an effort to share this point with my daughters, we had a brief time of prayer last evening, after we looked at these verses from Psalm 5.

Psalm 5:1-3

1 Give ear to my words, O LORD,
Consider my meditation.
2 Give heed to the voice of my cry,
My King and my God,
For to You I will pray.
3 My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD;
In the morning I will direct it to You,
And I will look up.

So we meditate on God, we direct our prayers to Him, and then we look up, in expectation for the answer. Even the baby sparrows know how to do that.

God Bless You,
Dennis

What God says about Anger

Here are just a few scriptures on the topic of anger. Maybe today is the day you needed to be reminded of these.

"But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment." Matthew 5:22

"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." Ephesians 4:31,32

"My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires." James 1:19,20

And that is so, so true. The fruit of anger is certainly not righteous and not what pleases our Great God - El Shaddai.

God Bless You,
Dennis

Solid Evidence

If you were to look at my life you would see some solid evidence that I have not incorporated the truth of El-Shaddai into my life. For if I was truly trusting Him, resting in Him and living in Him, then I would not allow the emotion of anger to control me. Even today there were a couple of times where I reacted in anger. There are triggers that set me off really easily. I am not stating that as an excuse, because I know that the responsibility lies with me. Over the years, I have more and more allowed anger to be part of me, as opposed to confessing it as sin and cleansing the wrong attitudes out of my heart.

This is bad for me, and it is really bad as I see how my anger has passed on to my children. Big zero for this father on the anger battle!

God Bless You,
Dennis

El-Shaddai

Genesis 17:1-8

This is the name God used of Himself when He spoke with Abram in Genesis 17:1-8. The scene is when God is repeating to Abram the covenant promise that he would be the father of a multitude of nations. Remember that Abram is 99 and Sarah is 89 at this time. The promise of a son leading to many nations was first given by God more than 20 years earlier, but there was still no baby.

God changed his name from Abram to Abraham, by inserting one Hebrew letter, which happens to be the main letter in the name of God himself. The symbolism is clear, when God is in the midst of any impossible situation, it becomes possible.

It is also worthy to comment on the name El-Shaddai. The El is a shortened form of God's name Eloim - meaning Almighty and all powerful. Shaddai refers to God being compassionate and caring for his people. The root of the name is the Hebrew word used for breast. Think about how a baby finds all sufficieny in his mother's breast. Physically the food is complete in itself, but we must not forget that the baby's emotional needs are also fully satisfied there.

God wants us to realize that we are not self-sufficient, even if we think we are. If we are to have a meaningful life (as defined by God's word), we need to see our dependence on the Lord and then cry out to Him for help. He is wanting to give strenght, power and all-sufficient blessing, if we will just cooperate with His love.

djbtol

Amazing Love Un-deserved

This verse from the well-known hymn "How Great Thou Art" says so much.

And when I think that God, His Son not sparing,
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin:

Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee:
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul! my Savior God, to Thee:
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

Such an incomprehensible love for such an unworthy person, it is beyond description. I will never merit this love, I can only love and praise the Great God giving it. My prayer is that my life could be what He wants it to be.

Do you know Him? Then "magnify the Lord with me, let us exalt His name together"

God Bless You,
djbtol

Fight to see holiness in your life

Matthew 6:13 ESV

"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."

A few more thoughts on the sixth petition in the Lord's prayer. When you were first saved and made peace with God, you invited war with the world, flesh and devil. So you are now at peace with God, friends with God and this makes you an enemy of Satan. Prior to the change in your heart, Satan had you right where he wanted you. You are now enjoying new friendship in the church family, while your real family is not impressed with your religion. Before you walked in sin and it seemed so natural. Now you are called to a life of righteousness which seems foreign to your members.

The flesh will undermine your attempts to be holy, the world resents your efforts to be holy and the devil stands opposed to you choosing to be holy.

You must fight to be holy. The Grace that led you into this conflict is the same Grace that will fully equip you to stand strong for the King.

Don't be surprised at the battles, and remember, we need to be praying for God to strengthen and protect us.

God Bless You,
Dennis

Temptation and Testing

Matthew 6:13 ESV

"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."

These words are from the model prayer that Jesus gave to His disciples when they asked Him to teach them to pray. Today's sermon was on this verse and there were many good points.

For now, I'll just point to one of the key points. God certainly does lead his children into testing. This is essential to our faith. But He will not put us in over our heads or leave us there. On the other hand, Satan leads us into temptation, not to build our faith, but to destroy it. You can have in the same circumstances, both God and Satan at work. Of course, Satan always remains subservient to the Sovereign God.

We look for benefit in our trials because God is the mastermind.

God Bless You,
Dennis

Wisdom from the Word

Ask God for wisdom in applying His Word as you read the Bible. You'll find that God's advice is just as relevant today as it ever was.

We certainly must be reading God's Word on a regular basis, but reading alone is not enough. The Bible is far more than a book.

We need to ask God for wisdom to read with understanding, knowledge and thoughtfulness. Also we must have a heart set to obey and apply the truths we read. We want to actively incorporate the things God allows us to see.

Then God's Word will surely be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.

God Bless You

Dennis

Watermelon Devotion

Believe it or not, the watermelon can cause us to think about our faith! If we find that we are always trying to figure out how God does the things he does, our attitude toward God may be off. While on earth, we will never be able to explain many of the things God does. We must be content to leave His actions with the fact that He is God. Then we must believe His Word and obey it.

So marvel at the watermelon, be amazed at Jericho and let God be God.

http://www.backtothebible.org/devotions/devotion.php/lessons/272

Dennis

Thursday email test

As you certainly can tell, I am a newbie with blogging and websites. In reviewing my setup for this
blog, I came across the option of using email to submit a blog entry. This may be helpful next week
since I will be away from my normal computer.

So here it is! Hope it looks OK!

Have a great day,
Dennis

and many believed in Him

John 8:30
As he was saying these things, many believed in him. ESV

On this verse, Matthew Henry says the following:

"Here is the good effect which this discourse of Christ's had upon some of his hearers: As he spoke these words many believed on him.

Note, 1. Though multitudes perish in their unbelief, yet there is a remnant according to the election of grace, who believe to the saving of the soul. If Israel, the whole body of the people, be not gathered, yet there are those of them in whom Christ will be glorious, Isa. 49:5.

This the apostle insists upon, to reconcile the Jews' rejection with the promises made unto their fathers. There is a remnant, Rom. 11:5. 2. The words of Christ, and particularly his threatening words, are made effectual by the grace of God to bring in poor souls to believe in him. When Christ told them that if they believed not they should die in their sins, and never get to heaven, they thought it was time to look about them, Rom. 1:16, Rom. 1:18. 3.

Sometimes there is a wide door opened, and an effectual one, even where there are many adversaries. Christ will carry on his work, though the heathen rage. The gospel sometimes gains great victories where it meets with great opposition. Let this encourage God's ministers to preach the gospel, though it be with much contention, for they shall not labour in vain. Many may be secretly brought home to God by those endeavours which are openly contradicted and cavilled at by men of corrupt minds."

Salvation depends upon the grace of God and the effectual working of the Holy Spirit in accord with the Word of God. Today, as we think of our salvation (are you saved?) let us praise our Great and Sovereign God for His grace that first works in us, for the Holy Spirit that sheds the divine light in our very dark and dead hearts, and for the glorious Word (both living and written) that helps us to see all that God the Father is doing for us.

May God Bless You,
Dennis

Simple Truths

Simple Truths

Speaking of believing in Him, here are some basic verses that all Christians can relate to. Listening to my daughter read these the other night reminded me just how beautiful these Sacred Words are.

Show me Your ways, O Lord;
Teach me Your paths. Psalm 25:4

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9

As it is written: There is none righteous, no, not one. Romans 3:10

If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord who could stand? Psalm 130:3

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:15

…. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved …. Acts 16:31

He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. John 3:36

I hope this review of some simple truths was helpful to you.

God Bless You,
Dennis

Many Believed in Him

John 8:30 ESV
"As He was saying these things, many believed in Him."

Not only was Jesus saying those things found in verses 28 and 29, but the context of this verse would include many other things earlier in Chapter 8. Some of these are listed here:

“Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” (8:7)
“Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me.” (8:16)
“You know neither me nor my Father.” (8:19)
“I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.” (8:21)
“I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.” (8:24)

Jesus spoke the truth very directly to those who were present. Sometimes the truth sounds hard to us. Their responses to Him indicate that many did not understand, but some believed in Him.

God Bless You,
Dennis

Then you will know that I am He...

John 8:28 ESV
So Jesus said to them, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me.

Returning now to John 8, and having looked at Jesus being lifted up, let's focus on Jesus statement in the second part of the verse. The events before, during and after the crucifixion did cause many Jews to see that Jesus is the true Messiah. Most of them would not admit that, but in their consciences they knew. Jesus specified two things they would know:

1. He did nothing of himself, which is another way of saying He is not a false prophet (those who prophesy out of their own hearts, as opposed to those who speak forth God's truth).

2. He spoke the things the Father taught Him. Not only was He not acting on His own, but He was committed to the truth received from the Father. The doctrine preached by Jesus was the counterpart (not the replacement for) the counsels of God. Jesus spoke truth from the Father that complemented and completed the truth spoken by the Father prior to coming of the Messiah. Because of this, Jesus taught with divine power and authority.

When Jesus spoke the truths of His Father, He did not need to qualify or justify those words. Neither was the validity of those words dependent upon Him (although they could have been since He is the perfect one). Those words were fully saturated with divine power and authority because they were God's words. Words backed up by the all the attributes of God.

God Bless You,

Dennis

The Bronze Serpent

Numbers 21:4-9 ESV

4 From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. 5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food." 6 Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. 7 And the people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people. 8 And the Lord said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live." 9 So Moses made a bronze F37 serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.

Yesterday I referenced the account of Moses and the bronze serpent from the Book of Numbers. I thought I better put the actual text up here to make sure my postings are accurate.

It is good to take note of the behavior that brought about this situation: impatience, speaking against God and Moses, complaining and grumbling about the food.

Today, let us not complain against God and the provision He has made for us. Also let us not ignore Him and His commands.

God Bless You
Dennis

Lifted Up

"So Jesus said to them, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me." John 8:28 (ESV)

Referring to John 8:28, Jesus told the Jews that they would better understand once Jesus was lifted up. What does it mean that Jesus will be lifted up? In John 3:14 Jesus is talking with Nicodemus and states that He will be lifted up and He uses the picture of Moses raising the serpent on the pole. (If you remember back in Numbers 21, the people of Israel are being attacked by poisonous snakes. People continue to fall until Moses, in obedience to God, places a larger serpent on a pole and raises it up. When the people obey and look upon the serpent being lifted up, they are saved.) In John 12:32, Jesus references Himself being lifted up and saving men. Finally, in John 19 Jesus is actually lifted up on the cross.

Just like the sacrifices under the law were referred to as being lifted up or elevated, so is Christ the great sacrifice lifted up.

In another sense the lifting up of Christ can be seen as exaltation. The culmination of His perfect obedience to the Father was completed on the cross. His work was finished and He was ready to return to His heavenly home.

When you think about Christ today, remember that he not only was lifted up, as a victorious sacrifice, but He forever remains lifted up as He sits at the right hand of God the Father.
Our Saviour is truly Victor. May we have faith to believe it. Lift your eyes to the cross!

God bless you,
Dennis

John 8:28-30 ESV

So Jesus said to them, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me.
And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him."
As he was saying these things, many believed in him.

Comment: Jesus lived His life in subjection to the authority of His Father, He enjoyed sweet fellowship with His Father and He lived to please His Father.

Today: Let us be subject to God's authority, reminding ourselves of the relationship purchased by the blood of Christ and being ready to live for His pleasure.