August 14

1 SAMUEL 4
He is called the One who dwells between the Cherubim. The Cherubim are the proclaimers of the holiness of God. The Israelites thought that surely if they put the Ark of the Covenant out in front that the Lord would fight for them. They were trying to manipulate God in to doing what they wanted Him to do. God will not be manipulated. He is after all, the holy God. His holiness will not be manipulated. How often do we try to manipulate God? What was the result? It was their utter defeat. Eli’s grandson was born prematurely under duress as the new mother gave birth she named the child, “Ichabod,” which means, “the glory has departed.” Has the glory departed from us? If it has maybe it is because we try to manipulate the Lord into doing what we want, rather than praying for and claiming what He wants. He is after all the Holy God. Indeed we serve a glorious King. Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

PSALM 44
He knows the secrets of my Heart. The very things that I do not wish anyone else to know about, He already knows. Consequently, He seems to leave me as sheep for the slaughter. What do I do? This Awesome God, who is holy and just, knows the secrets of my heart even when I cannot discern them. The Psalmist knows that. He is painfully aware that he and the nation are guilty and deserving of the invading nation that is so cruelly oppressing them. He knows that we are like sheep being led to the slaughter. But he also knows the great mercy of our Lord, so he calls upon the Lord to awaken out of His slumber and deliver!
Paul knows of the great love of the Lord. In the middle of waxing eloquent concerning the love of the Lord in Romans 8, he asks, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” Then, Paul quotes this verse stating that for His sake we are killed all day long and led like sheep for the slaughter. Strange kind of love? Actually no! Love that is the greatest is revealed only under the greatest stresses. What stress is greater than death? What stress is greater than apparently meaningless death? He knows the dark secrets of my heart and loves me still. He ever works to remove the evil secrets and reveal His greatest love toward me and perfect my greatest love toward Him. That necessarily involves the death of my flesh. It is not a pleasurable thing, but it is necessary. It is not His hate that promotes it, rather it is His love. That is glorious. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor john

EZEKIEL 13

ROMANS 14
I am free to eat whatever I want. I am free to wear whatever I want. I am free to minister however I want. There is only one law that governs these things: “Do I love like Jesus loves?” His love controlled His actions. So it ought to control my actions. Does what I eat or wear or how I minister cause others to sin? If it does, then the law of love requires me to evaluate those actions to see if there is an alternative way.
One day He will evaluate all our actions. The guide He will use is whether or not our actions were motivated by His love. He will be the judge. We will bow before Him and declare Him Lord of all. What was not of love will be covered by His blood. What was of love will increase His glory and He will reward us for His glory. Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John