Church guide

Dangerous Devotions is going to take a turn soon so I apologize for the sporadic postings. Keep looking and pray for me as I seek the mind of God in this project. There will continue to be devotional postings, just trying to do a different venue and have more form the pastor than other writers.

Dangerous Devotions: 1 Peter 3:10-15 (KJV) 10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: 11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. 13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? 14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; 15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Many People have tried to get into the Christian faith thinking that God would automatically fix all of their problems and make their lives a bed of roses. Think about this for a moment: to be a Christian means you are a disciple of Jesus Christ. You cannot study Him and see a life that was full of nothing but good times. What you do see is a teacher that showed us how to rise above those that hated him and tried all that they could to discredit him and eventually they think they took His life. He actually gave it willingly for all of mankind, even the ones physically responsible for the horrific way He died. He did so because He knew man was too into himself to make any real sacrifices or changes that would benefit them in the long run. He did it because His sacrifice was the only true hope for mankind. Peter tells us that to love life and see good days, you must go out of the way to avoid evil, even retribution. There will always be mean and even hateful people that bully their way through life. If you are going to suffer mean spirited people, and you are harrassed unjustly while trying to live for God, He will take care of you. There is a place in God that gives peace in the storm and it comes by allowing Him to calm your storms. The first time it happens is surprising, but after you see Him keeping His promises you learn to expect that He will be there right on time. Once you learn that the storm is what taught you how good the calm is you can easily proclaim the reason of hope that is in you.

Dangerous Devotions: From - A Word for the Day: Key Words from the New Testament. Torch lampas As noted yesterday, there is a difference between luchnos (an oil-fed hand-lamp) and lampas , a torch. While our English word lamp comes from lampas, that's where the similarity ends. Perhaps the most vivid example of this contrast appears in Revelation 4:5, where we read of John's vision of God's throne in heaven: "And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps [lampas, torches] of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God." While a lamp (luchnos), an image John used back in 1:12, 13, and 20, gives off a softly glowing light, a torch (lampas) is a fierce, blazing fire. As the number seven is used throughout Scripture as the number of perfection, this describes the Holy Spirit's perfect and diverse, sevenfold ministry. And what is that ministry? Isaiah 11:2 tells us: "And the spirit of the Lord [showing deity] shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord [showing reverence; emphasis added]." Added to those, however, our text depicts the Holy Spirit's judgment. A torch often pictures war in Scripture (e.g., Judg. 7:16, 20; Nah. 2:3-4). Here, then, we see God preparing to make war on sinful, rebellious man, and we see the Holy Spirit as His "war torch." While the Holy Spirit was originally sent by Christ to be the Comforter of those who received Him (John 14:16; etc.), that same Spirit will come as the Consumer of those who rejected Him. Another graphic use of lampas appears in the familiar Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matt. 25:1-13). The point of the parable, of course, is the importance of being ready for the Lord's return. While five of the virgins (i.e., bridesmaids) were ready for the bridegroom's arrival, pictured by their having oil for their lamps in case he arrived later than expected, five of them were not ready and had no oil. The application is clear that the latter five represent only professing believers. What's noteworthy here is that "lamps" is lampas, not luchnos. The picture, therefore, is not small lamps, but rather, blazing torches. As one Greek authority notes, in eastern culture, torches as well as lamps were fed by oil. How many people do you know who are not ready for the Bridegroom's arrival? Scriptures for Study: Read John 18:3 ("torches") and Revelation 8:10 ("lamp"), noting the true image that lampas gives.

Dangerous Devotions: From - A Word for the Day: Key Words from the New Testament. Lamp (Candle) luchnos Today and tomorrow we compare two words because of their seeming similarity; in reality, however, there is an important distinction. As one noted Greek scholar makes clear, luchnos "refers to an oil-fed hand-lamp," and lampas refers to "a torch." We find luchnos , for example, in Matthew 5:15-16: "Neither do men light a candle [luchnos], and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick [luchnia, 3087, lampstand]; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." While candle and candlestick are close translations, more precise is lamp and lampstand. Oil is used in Scripture as a symbol of the Holy Spirit, so the picture here is that we do not hide the light of Christ or hoard it for ourselves, but rather, empowered by the Holy Spirit, we display it for all to see. We find the same truth in Revelation 1:12,13, and 20, where the seven churches are likened to "candlesticks," that is, "lampstands." The churches themselves do not create light; rather, each church bears the light of Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. Also significant is 2:5, where our Lord tells the Ephesian church that if they do not repent of their sin, He would remove their "lampstand" (luchnia). As commentator Adam Clark puts it, "Take away my ordinances, remove your ministers, and send you a famine of the word." That is a frightening warning. And tragically there is today a famine of the Word of God in countless churches. Our Lord's words vividly picture the fact that He would remove their light, which would also mean that real life and vitality would disappear. Our Lord paid a great tribute to John the Baptist by declaring that "he was a burning and a shining light" (John 5:35). Light is luchnos, again giving us the picture of the "oil" of the Holy Spirit empowering him as a witness for the coming Christ. Significantly, our Lord goes on to say that He was an even "greater witness than that of John" (v. 36). As we've noted before, in fact, He is the "Light of the World" (see light, phōs, June 15-16). Let us be the "oil-fed hand-lamps" we should be. Scriptures for Study: What marvelous truth do we read about in Revelation 21:23 ("light") and 22:5 ("candle")? What "light" is referred to in 2 Peter 1:19?

Dangerous Devotions: From - A Hebrew Word for the Day: Key Words from the Old Testament. Lionʾariy Of the approximately eighty occurrences of ʾariy () in the OT, only a handful refer to a literal lion, such as those killed by Samson (Judg. 14:5), David (1 Sam. 17:34, 35), and Benaiah (2 Sam. 23:20). Other instances include the lion that killed a disobedient prophet (1 Kings 13:24; 20:36), those the Lord sent among the settlers in Samaria (2 Kings 17:25), and of course those who spent the night with Daniel (Dan. 6:7, 12, 16, 19, 20, 22, 24, 27, Aramaic ʾaryēh, ). These were probably of the Asiatic variety, which while smaller than the African was still quite formidable. The remaining references to a lion are generally metaphorical, highlighting its various characteristics: strength (Judg. 14:18), boldness (2 Sam. 17:10), ferocity (Ps. 7:2), stealth (10:9; Lam. 3:10), and virtual unstoppability (Ps. 7:2; cf. 22:21). Such images prompted the prophets to describe Israel's enemies as predatory lions (Jer. 4:7; 5:6; 50:17; Ezek. 32:2; Joel 1:6). Wicked men in general are also depicted as lions (Ps. 7:1, 2; 10:9; 17:12; 22:13, 21; 57:4; 58:6). We cannot help but mention 1 Peter 5:8 here: "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion [leōn, ], walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." Like a lion, Satan stalks his prey, lurks in the shadows, blends in with the tall grass, and just waits for the precise moment to pounce with the frightening savagery we've all watched on nature programs. How vital it is that we remain vigilant! God Himself, however, is also likened to a lion in His sudden destructive wrath (Isa. 31:4; 38:13; Jer. 49:19; Hosea 5:14; 11:10; 13:7; Amos 3:8). In a day when God is viewed as "all love and no wrath," we need to be reminded (and remind others) that God is both, one who saves believers but condemns unbelievers (e.g., John 3:18). In the same vein, we are reminded of Revelation 5:5: "Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof" (cf. Gen. 49:8-10). Occurring before the judgments of chapters 6 through 18, this verse underscores that while Christ came the first time as a Lamb to the slaughter, He will come the second time as a Lion to devour. Let us proclaim the coming Lion! Scriptures for Study: Read the many verses cited today and meditate on their applications.

Dangerous Devotions: From - Faith's Checkbook. Nothing Old "And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new." Rev. 21:5 Glory be to His name! All things need making new, for they are sadly battered and worn by sin. It is time that the old vesture was rolled up and laid aside, and that creation put on her Sunday suit. But no one else can make all things new except the Lord who made them at the first; for it needs as much power to make out of evil as to make out of nothing. Our Lord Jesus has undertaken the task, and He is fully competent for the performance of it. Already He has commenced His labor, and for centuries He has persevered in making new the hearts of men, and the order of society. By-and-by He will make new the whole constitution of human government, and human nature shall be changed by His grace; and there shall come a day when the body shall be made new, and raised like unto His glorious body. What a joy to belong to a kingdom in which everything is being made new by the power of its King! We are not dying out: we are hastening on to a more glorious life. Despite the opposition of the powers of evil, our glorious Lord Jesus is accomplishing His purpose, and making us, and all things about us, "new," and as full of beauty as when they first came from the hand of the Lord.

Dangerous Devotions: 365 Days in the Presence of God: Daily Devotions from the Sermons of Dr. Frank Ray. In Due Time 1 Peter 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. God resists the proud. When you come to God all proud, God steps back. When you come to God with your little ideas saying, "I can handle this by myself? then God steps back and lets you handle it. But when you surrender yourself to Him and say, "Lord I'm yours and you belong to me. Even if I could handle it, things would work better if you handle it. I am coming to you with a humble spirit asking you to take care of this matter yourself Then God will exalt you in due time. You see God has a time set to lift you. We may think our time is the same time that our sister's time is. But God doesn't lift all of us at the same time. God has a season to bless you. When you're doing well, it's difficult to get yourself to church. You've got to decide which car you are going to drive. You must decide what you want to eat. It takes two hours to figure out which suit you will wear. Then you have to choose which car to drive. After you get to church, you have to determine from which checkbook you will write out the check. It's hard to rush to the Lord when you have everything. Sometimes God has to take some stuff from you before you'll show up at His door. When we didn't have anything, we showed up for worship. Rain or snow didn't stop us from coming to the Lord. When we're weary, wounded, and sad we come to Him. We are to cast our cares upon Him. The word cast means to commit. Take what I have out of my hand and place it in his hands. You see my hands are limited. My hands won't hold that much. His hands are much larger than mine. The stuff that would run me crazy God handles with ease. We need to know he will bless us, but in due time.

Dnagerous Devotions: From - Facts of the Matter: Daily Devotionals. Eight Questions To Ask When Facing Ethical Decisions 1. IS IT PERMISSIBLE? (If there is a clear Biblical command against it, then it is not permissible.) "The man who says, 'I know him,' but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him .… You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love… " (1 John 2:4; Gal 5:13) 2. WILL IT LEAD TO PEACE AND MUTUAL EDIFICATION? "Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification… If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." (Romans 14:19; 12:18) 3. WILL IT BUILD UP OTHER PEOPLE? "Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others… Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up." (1 Corinthians 10:24; Romans 15:2) 4. IS IT PROFITABLE (BENEFICIAL)? "All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify." (1 Corinthians 10:23 – nasb) 5. IS IT CONSTRUCTIVE? "Love… looks for a way of being constructive… Love builds up." (1 Corinthians 13:4b – Phillips; 1 Corinthians 8:1b) 6. DOES IT HAVE THE GOOD OF OTHERS AT HEART? "Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others… Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." (1 Corinthians 10:24; Philippians 2:3, 4) 7. WILL IT CAUSE OTHERS TO STUMBLE? "Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved… " (1 Corinthians 10:32, 33) (See 1 Corinthians 8:9; Romans 14:13) 8. DOES IT GLORIFY GOD? "Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God… " (1 Corinthians 10:31)

Dangerous Devotions: From - Pastor Roger J Roth And With The Child Came Hope The true birth date of Christ was not likely December 25th, but the true spirit of what His entry into this world supports hope for this world and its inhabitants like no other child before or after. John 1:1 (KJV) 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. • This Word is from the beginning the promised fulfilment of God’s plan for the salvation of man in manifesting Himself to become the only perfect sacrifice for mans sin. Genesis 3:15 (KJV) 15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. • Expressed first in Genesis when Satan was told he would be defeated, crushed and otherwise done before he really got started. Isaiah 7:14 (KJV) 14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. • A virgin would conceive and bring forth Emmanuel, God with us! God manifest in the flesh not only to die for our sins but to show us how we could and should live above the temptations of this life. He came as son of man and son of God because He entered the world through the womb of a natural woman. Isaiah 9:6 (KJV) 6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. • These are more attributes of who He was and is than actual names as He was given the name of Jesus, a derivative of Jehovah and His last name was not Christ. Christ means Messiah and therefore we have Jesus the Christ, Jesus the Messiah • He is Wonderful, He is the Counsellor, He is the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace and… Matthew 2:1-2 (KJV) 1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. WISE MEN STILL SEEK HIM because He is the only hope of our salvation.

Dangerous Devotions: From - Faith's Checkbook. Evening Brightens Into Day "It shall come to pass, that at evening time it shall be light." Zech. 14:7 It is a surprise that it should be so; for all things threaten that at evening time it shall be dark. God is wont to work in a way so much above our fears and beyond our hopes, that we are greatly amazed, and are led to praise His sovereign grace. No, it shall not be with us as our hearts are prophesying: the dark will not deepen into midnight, but it will on a sudden brighten into day. Never let us despair. In the worst times let us trust in the Lord who turneth the darkness of the shadow of death into the morning. When the tale of bricks is doubled Moses appears, and when tribulation abounds it is nearest its end. This promise should assist our patience. The light may not fully come till our hopes are quite spent by waiting all day to no purpose. To the wicked the sun goes down while it is yet day: to the righteous the sun rises when it is almost night. May we not with patience wait for that heavenly light, which may be long in coming, but is sure to prove itself well worth waiting for? Come, my soul, take up thy parable and sing unto Him who will bless thee in life and in death, in a manner surpassing all that nature has ever seen when at its best.

Dangerous Devotions: From - Faith's Checkbook. "Through" Not Engulfed "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee." Isa. 43:2 Bridge there is none: we must go through the waters, and feel the rush of the rivers. The presence of God in the flood is better than a ferry-boat. Tried we must be, but triumphant we shall be; for Jehovah Himself, who is mightier than many waters, shall be with us. Whenever else He may be away from His people, the Lord will surely be with them in difficulties and dangers. The sorrows of life may rise to an extraordinary height, but the Lord is equal to every occasion. The enemies of God can put in our way dangers of their own making, namely, persecutions and cruel mockings, which are like a burning fiery furnace. What then? We shall walk through the fires. God being with us, we shall not be burned; nay, not even the smell of fire shall remain upon us. Oh, the wonderful security of the heaven-born and heaven-bound pilgrim! Floods cannot drown him, nor fires burn him. Thy presence, O Lord, is the protection of thy saints from the varied perils of the road. Behold, in faith I commit myself unto thee, and my spirit enters into rest.

Dangerous Devotions: From - 365 Days in the Presence of God: Daily Devotions from the Sermons of Dr. Frank Ray. Hardship Psalm 57:1 Be merciful unto me, 0 God, he merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast. David continually had serious problems with King Saul. If you're going to have problems with a person, you don't want it to be the king. Whatever the king says or does, that is law. But for some mysterious reasons, Saul had problems with David. Although David was a fine fellow, he was not the greatest character. He didn't know that God was preparing him for the same position of the man that was chasing him. That's why it's important to be careful when you're up because the person you look down on now, someday you might have to look up at. It is amazing how quickly God can switch things around. David was a fugitive running from a king. He had to get help from others just to stay alive. And if you're going to get anywhere you need some help. Honest to goodness you need some help just to survive in life. I look at the many people that reached down to help me in polite and sincere ways. I've had others to be ugly and low down. But both helped me because I accept encouragement and correction. In addition, I also get help from folk that try to mash me down. Your enemies are the ones that really help you by taking you to your prayer closet. They will help you have a closer relationship with God. God needed to take David through some things to learn some lessons. David needed to experience some situations, have some headaches and heartaches, let downs, set backs, and some back sets. It is bothersome when people that have never gone through things try to tell others how to hang on. Those who never had to say good bye to mom and dad tell you that you can make it. I like to know you've had some trials before you give too much advice. God allows us to go through some things So we can have a testimony.

Dangerous Devotions: From - Facts of the Matter: Daily Devotionals. Suffering Is An Integral Part Of All Our Lives During a recent seminar I attended on suffering, I mentally went around the room and noted the afflictions of the people attending the session. They included: One couple whose daughter is extremely rebellious — A wife who is suffering over her husband's unfaithfulness — A couple who have a child with Down's syndrome — A single woman who is immobilized with self-doubt and feelings of inferiority — A senior executive who recently lost his job — A man whose 17 year old daughter is suffering with a terminal disease — A father whose son just impregnated a girl, and is in trouble with the police. Often when suffering, we wonder if God has made a mistake. Or we may well feel He does not care, that He is not there, or that He is not fair. We may be tempted to ask, "In all my suffering, where is God?" The answer of course is, "The same place He was when His Son suffered." We know from 1 Peter that God uses suffering to mature us in our faith, "...Now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed...Do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed." (1 Peter 1:6, 7; 4:12, 13) If you are in the midst of a painful experience, may I suggest seven things you can do: 1. List and define your trouble. 2. Give thanks for your blessings and look for what didn't happen. 3. Amidst your problem, ask this question, "Have I contributed to the cause?" 4. Explore the possible and potential benefits that can come from the pain. 5. In your suffering or tragedy, recognize that it may not be as bad as it appears. 6. During your time of trouble, recall the character of God and His promises. 7. Pray with surrender that God will work out the problem, and that He will work into your life the character or lesson(s) that can be learned from the experience.

Dangerous Devotions: From - A Hebrew Word for the Day: Key Words from the Old Testament. Slide (Slip) [and] Foot (3) môṭ [and] regel Before leaving these words, we are compelled to mention one more verse. In a day when many of the facts surrounding America's founding have been obscured or rewritten, it is critical for us to be reminded of her Christian roots. As made clear in the Mayflower Compact (1620), as well as in later founding documents, America was without argument founded by godly men and upon biblical morality. Sadly, however, a serious spiritual decline developed in New England. The city of Enfield, Connecticut, remained unmoved by revival and was perhaps the most wicked of all. To aid the ministers there, Jonathan Edwards went to Enfield and preached his now-famous sermon Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God during the afternoon session on Wednesday, July 8, 1741. It was a message he had actually preached a month before in his own church in Massachusetts and would preach again several times after Enfield. While expositors today commonly construct a message using three or more points, Edwards had only one, namely: His listeners were not in hell at that very moment only because of God's "pleasure," that is, His grace. As has been well documented, the response was staggering. Even though Edwards spoke in a virtual monotone, demonstrating that it wasn't oratory that affected the people, they began to weep and wail in terror, some grabbing the pillars of the church in fear of slipping into hell. It continued through the night, as people throughout the city cried out to God for mercy, with some 400 coming to Christ. It was that event, along with the preaching of Whitefield, that ignited the Great Awakening. Edwards' text was from the Song of Moses (Deut. 31:30-32:43): "To [God] belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste" (32:35). Referring to His vengeance upon the evil of Israel's enemies, God is saying, in effect, "At the appointed time, they will slip and fall quickly into their own doom." While many today think such "hellfire and brimstone" preaching out of date, even cruel and damaging to people's "self-esteem," Scripture declares, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Heb. 10:31), "for our God is a consuming fire" (12:29; cf. Deut. 4:24; 9:3). Let us go forth and share the gospel with those who without it will one day slip. Scriptures for Study: Edwards' sermon is readily available in print and even audio. We would encourage you to read or listen to its power.

Dangerous Devotions: From - A Hebrew Word for the Day: Key Words from the Old Testament. Slide (Slip) [and] Foot (2) môṭ [and] regel One other significant metaphorical concept in foot is the danger of its slipping or sliding. While môṭ () is most often translated "moved" in the AV, it is also rendered slip three times and slide once. Meaning "to totter, shake, or slip," it is used literally of something shaking or wavering, such as the world not being "removed" because God laid its foundations (Ps. 104:5). On the other hand, in preparation for the Millennium, Isaiah declares that "the earth is moved exceedingly" and will "reel to and fro like a drunkard" (Isa. 24:19, 20). Of its thirty-eight occurrences, however, most of which are in Psalms and Proverbs, môt is most often used figuratively to denote insecurity and calamity. Calamity is especially emphasized when môt is used in conjunction with regel (foot). How easy it is to slip and fall in our spiritual walk, even when we are walking in the right path. "Hold up my goings in thy paths," David prayed, "that my footsteps slip not" (Ps. 17:5). Spurgeon writes of that verse, "What! Slip in God's ways? Yes, the road is good, but our feet are evil, and therefore slip, even on the King's highway. Who wonders if carnal men slide and fall in ways of their own choosing, which, like the vale of Siddim, are full of deadly slime-pits? One may trip over an ordinance as well as over a temptation. Jesus Christ himself is a stumbling-block to some, and the doctrines of grace have been the occasion of offence to many. Grace alone can hold up our goings in the paths of truth." How careful we must be in our Christian walk (see also September 22)! The world, in fact, will "rejoice over [us] when [our] foot slippeth" (Ps. 38:16). "The least flaw in a saint is sure to be noticed," Spurgeon writes again; "long before it comes to a fall the enemy begins to rail, the merest trip of the foot sets all the dogs of hell barking. How careful ought we to be, and how importunate in prayer for upholding grace!" What, then, will keep us from slipping? One of the many reasons to "make the voice of [God's] praise to be heard" is because He allows "not our feet to be moved" (Ps. 66:8, 9). So as we each "trust in the Lord with all [our] heart; and lean not unto [our] own understanding. In all [our] ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct [our] paths" (Prov. 3:5, 6). Scriptures for Study: What is the promise of Psalm 94:18?

Dangerous Devotions: From - A Hebrew Word for the Day: Key Words from the Old Testament. Foot (1) regel In the vast majority of its OT occurrences, regel () refers to the literal, physical foot (or feet), whether human (e.g., Gen. 18:4; 2 Sam. 4:4) or animal (Gen. 8:9, first occurrence; Ezek. 32:13), even including insects (Lev. 11:42). Among several metaphorical uses of regel, a prominent one is that of rule and dominion. Using the poetic line, "put all things under his feet," David portrays how God gave man "dominion over the works of" Creation (Ps. 8:6). Putting one's foot on the neck of a conquered enemy was also such a picture (Josh. 10:24), and such ceremonies were often depicted on Egyptian monuments. That very image points to God's own treading underfoot His enemies (Isa. 41:2; Lam. 3:34). That latter image is again underscored in Psalm 47, where the psalmist celebrates the reign of the Lord over all the earth. In a statement that looks forward to the millennial reign of Messiah (September 19), verse 3 declares, "He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet." Another metaphor in foot, and one that is of great application, is that of a journey or pilgrimage, a common image in Israel's history (e.g., Ps. 91:12; 94:18; 121:3). That image has the corollary of picturing a person's "walk," that is, his moral conduct in life (73:2; Job 23:11; 31:5). Especially significant in one's journey is the responsibility to spread the gospel. As Romans 10:15 declares, "How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!" which quotes and fulfills the promise of Isaiah 52:7. After all, feet are not particularly attractive in themselves but become so, spiritually speaking, when they go forth proclaiming Christ. Another wonderfully practical metaphor is that to sit at one's feet was to assume the place of student, as when God's saints "sat down at [His] feet" and "[received His] words" (Deut. 33:3). We see the same image in the NT, where in his training, Saul of Tarsus learned "at the feet of Gamaliel," one of the greatest of the rabbis (Acts 22:3). It is then Luke 10:39 that provides us with the greatest illustration, where Martha's sister Mary "sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word." Is there any place in the universe that is equal to that place? Dear Christian Friend, it is there you sit every time you open God's Word, so take care never to neglect that opportunity. Scriptures for Study: What are the challenges of Psalm 119:59, 101, and 105? In preparation for tomorrow's meditation, read Deuteronomy 32:35.

Dangerous Devotions: From - 365 Days in the Presence of God: Daily Devotions from the Sermons of Dr. Frank Ray. He Came Running Mark 10:17 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? God had and still does have some rich folk. Abraham was a rich man with many possessions and descendants. Job was a rich man with a large family. Solomon was a very wealthy man. He was the richest on the block. There's nothing wrong with being rich, but the issue is how you handle your wealth. Some folk let money control them. When you learn how to control it, then money is a good servant. However, money is a very poor master. The man who came running to Jesus was both young and rich. The Bible says it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of Heaven. In order for a camel to go through the city gate, the master had to first unload the camel. Then he had the camel bow down and crawl under the gate. Both poor and rich must do the same. Philippians 2:10 says at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow. Not only should you bow, but also you must unload. Hebrews 12:1 says to lay aside every weight and sin which so easily besets us and to run with patience the race that is set before us. Not only does the text tell us about the man, but it also tells us about the master. Two young men met - the young rich ruler and young Jesus. This young man appears to have everything going for him that any youth should want to have. Yet he came running to Jesus. He was eager to get to the Lord. When you can find a young person running to Jesus, that's good isn't it? Its good to see young people at the house of the Lord, wanting to see Jesus and be taught how to read the Bible, how to pray, and how to act in church. It's good to find young people who want to see the Lord. The young ruler wanted to see Jesus so badly that he ran. Bow and take your load to Jesus!

Dangerous Devotions: Fom - Facts of the Matter: Daily Devotionals. Here Are Eight Reasons Why We Struggle To Maintain Our Ethical Edge: 1. A belief that, to meet a specific deadline or a performance goal, some corners must be cut; 2. A lack of resources (human or otherwise) or time needed to accomplish a particular task, thereby necessitating some drastic or improper action; 3. Peer pressure; 4. Pressures from higher up the chain of command to produce and to get the job done no matter what; 5. A belief that the decision or act is not really illegal or unethical; 6. A belief that the decision or act is in the individual's or the organization's best interest and thus would be condoned by others; 7. A belief that the decision or act will never be discovered; and 8. Fear of authority. Keep in mind that God, in His sovereignty has placed you in your situation to demonstrate His character to people in desperate need of a model. Job's intense announcement of his determination to maintain his integrity should serve as an encouragement: "As long as I have life within me, the breath of God in my nostrils, my lips will not speak wickedness, and my tongue will utter no deceit...till I die I will not deny my integrity. I will maintain my righteousness and never let go of it." (Job 27:3-6)

Dangerous Devotions: From - 365 Days in the Presence of God: Daily Devotions from the Sermons of Dr. Frank Ray. When Opportunity Knocks Matthew 19:20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? Here is a text where a man had a great opportunity, but he missed it. The three synoptic writers, Matthew, Mark and Luke, discussed this young man. One writer says he was young. The other writer says he was rich. The other writer says he was a ruler. And by looking at all three accounts, we discover that he was a young rich ruler. When you look at his resume he had a lot to offer, because most of the time people don't have all three at the same time. But when you are young there are several things you ought to do. First, you ought to train your mind while its young and alert. You can think better and comprehend more while you're young. Secondly, straighten your life out. Don't waste and throw away your life while you're young. You can do some things while you're young that will damage you for the rest of your life. You don't want to get a bad record because when you reach a certain age, opportunities will come require a good record. You might miss some things that you could accomplish if hadn't messed up your record while you were young. Thirdly, don't let others snatch youth from you. Don't let other fellows who are going nowhere stop you from going. Instead of hanging around with crack, be introduced to Jesus, the rock. He's all you need. If you want to get high, don't get high on substances and stuff; get high on Jesus. Jesus made me higher than I've ever been before. And when you have a hangover on drugs and alcohol, it makes you worse, but when you have a hangover on Jesus it makes you better. It puts joy in your heart, pep in your step and a glow in your eyes. The Jesus hangover will have you loving folk, but that other hangover will have you hating folk. You can eliminate some stuff and be ready for opportunity if you handle life better while you're young.

This is about Tacoma Pierce County Chaplaincy. There are currently 50+ volunteer chaplains that serve as support to the first responders in Pierce County, WA. We go wherever, whenever they need us in support of them and the communities in which we serve. It is usually die to a crisis that we are called in and we do whatever is necessary to help first responders, victims, loved ones and often even neighbors. It doesn't matter what time, what day, or even what the weather is doing, we go. If you are looking for a worthy cause to support, I recommend this one. None of us are paid by any of the agencies we serve, any funds that we get come from payroll deductions form those agencies and philanthropists in the community at large. The video is enlightening and about 8.5 minutes long. Thank you for taking time to consider this group of sacrificial, selfelss people.