Today’s Thought “I Believe the Children Are the Future…” G. Ward

Deuteronomy 7

⁹ Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His faithfulness to a thousand generations for those who love Him and keep His commandments; ¹⁰ but He repays those who hate Him to their faces, to eliminate them; He will not hesitate toward him who hates Him, He will repay him to his face.

The term “for HIS Glory” is attributable (solely) to Holy God and His choosing Israel to represent that glory wouldn’t regard their worthiness, but His sovereign choice. As what typifies the whole of mankind – a deceitful heart (Jer.17:9), they would soon disappoint (cf. Ge.8:21); via an abandonment of perfect guidance (i.e., consistently and faithfully), whereby generations thereafter would emulate wrongful compromise similarly (cf. Judg.21:25).

While many of us (particularly those who believe) would love to criticize a people chosen, yet with periodic, blatant disregard of God’s commands, we too have been chosen (Eph.1:4-5) and if we’re not careful (in obeisance), our greatest grandchildren will suffer. *Incidentally, hate’s definition is a lack of full devotion to God.

 

Today’s Thought “Just Got Paid!” G. Ward

Proverbs 24

¹⁶ For a righteous person falls seven times and rises again,
But the wicked stumble in time of disaster.

 

Failure is overwhelming when an escape desired - relies on another plan entirely temporal; but when one observes an attempt to life as godly (initially), to then seek to recapitulate onto the ONE whose plan for the lives (i.e., those who experience periodic lapse in good judgment, to thereafter insist on personal demand in allowing their Savior’s lead – cf. Ro.7:14-20) is perceived as perfect and faithful, success will be the end result (*Ps.34:8)!

 

Today’s Thought “The Filled Auditorium” G. Ward

Ezekiel 2: ³ Then He said to me, “Son of man, I am sending you to the sons of Israel, to a rebellious people who have rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have revolted against Me to this very day. ⁴ So I am sending you to those who are impudent and obstinate children, and you shall say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says:’ ⁵ As for them, whether they listen or not—for they are a rebellious house—they will know that a prophet has been among them.

Could this commissioning, along with current visuals of masses gathered to hear great orators, be indicative in how Christ unfolds a rebellion continued in man; to then compel every disciple to choose a perceived smallest avenue of blessed hope, particularly not the loudest, but with guaranteed joy and peace (as any would follow), versus the path meticulously decorated whereby many participants are impressed with the leader of the pack, who is profoundly charismatic and eloquently promotes no less a messaging comparable to fields of pretty flowers, with a refusal to prepare those adherents unto the many trials ahead (*Matt.7:13-14)?

Our demands will soon witness judgment (cf. 2 Ti.4:3-4) …

 

Today’s Thought “Quiet Anarchy” G. Ward

Romans 5

¹⁰ For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 

 

There’s continued spiritual disconnect with us when our mindset obtains Christ in measurement convenient to our sorrows, along with points of moral congeniality expressed in group exchange (cf. Matt.23:4-7). A genuine dependence on Him as Owner of my life is profoundly aware of what’s been provided (i.e., forgiveness of sins, through my repentance unto HIM – without categorization and revocation). It allows every directive to first observe that to which is supremely significant – His Word and believing those precepts contain points of adherence unto every particularism I’m given to perceive and then agree it’s not burdensome to pursue, yet comfortable in knowing His care for me won’t relent.

 

Today’s Thought “Masquerade Party” G. Ward

Psalm 32

⁶ Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found; certainly in a flood of great waters, they will not reach him. ⁷ You are my hiding place; You keep me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance. 

Mankind’s sinfulness has become marginalized by the rhetoric of many who seek to impose a “get it while you can” mentality; along with pervading an insistence unto those vulnerable onto philosophies of sorts, to be known by personal pursuits (i.e., to be happy) and don’t allow anything or anyone to block this chase.

Have any sought observance of the lives of Christ, along with His apostles and disciples (John 15:18-20, Matt.16:21-23,*24)? Will any chase after Supremacy’s demand; particularly before it’s too late? Are some counting on the thief at the cross kind of redemption, discounting sudden death? Joy and peace obtained, truly emanates from an assurance that mine own sins are reconciled through Christ death, burial and resurrection (John 14:6); admitting, I’ve done nothing right; outside of confessing HIS Sufficiency…

 

Today’s Thought “Big Baby” G. Ward

Philippians 4

⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

 

Periodic anxiety is the unfortunate visitor onto the believer, requiring a meditation of HIS unrelenting presence that guides us into Truth and when that reality is then mostly desired, peace ensues; knowing the road ahead may contain pot holes, but I’m contained in slow-down mode, so as to thwart my vehicle’s suspension from damage, rendering me inoperable (John 15:5).

I’m discovering how lonely worry truly is, particularly as I grow in our Lord; that is, until I enter HIS sanctuary (i.e., the soul HE provides); it then enables my adulthood’s regression unto the child who’s secure with such Perfect, Supreme Care (cf. Mark 14:36).

I pray that your today is as good…

 

Today’s Thought “Eye Contact” G. Ward

1 John 4

¹⁰ In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

 

When it’s said that God is holy, it means His moral purity (from everlasting), won’t abide with mankind’s sinfulness. His love for us however, understood (particularly with the first two) a necessitation for a Perfect sacrifice on our behalf – Jesus; whose life in earth embodied sinlessness and perfect devotion; becoming our example of greatest spiritual character, worthy to follow. What will any do with such a gift provided? We’ve been taught to say thank you upon gifts unmerited and whereas this Gift (Christ our Lord) keeps giving, blatant disregard to more appreciate (via a consistent devotion) to His granting our every breath, echoes traditional, periodic “thank you” without His demand for obedience unto the commands – nullifies His sacrifice (*Luke 6:46)!

If other men can detect whether there’s altruism in your presumptuous “thank you” – Is Holy God able? To do, versus to say, is proof (*James 3:8-10). See you on Sunday …