The Carpenter's Chapel (7)

Hidden Sins

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” - Proverbs 28v13

For most of us it is not the obvious, outward sins that cause us the problems. Everyone can see those so we learn to deal with them relatively early in our Christian lives. It is those other sins that can linger and cause us immense problems.

Sins like jealousy, lust, covetousness, and greed can be masked on the outside to a certain extent. Yet, they are relatively easy to hide in our hearts. One of our greatest sins is hypocrisy, which is a Greek term for “wearing a mask.” We all know how to wear our spiritual masks. We can put on a show for everyone else, but our hearts can be full of hidden sins.

We can rest assured that we cannot prosper while these sins are hidden and not dealt with. God tells us that if we are regarding sin in our hearts He won’t hear our prayers. Unconfessed, hidden sins will keep us from a right relationship with our Lord.

Yet, we have a God who is full of mercy. He is waiting for us with open arms like the prodigal son’s father. If we confess and forsake those sins he waiting to pour out His mercy on us. If we have hidden sins that are keeping us from prospering, isn’t it time that we confess and forsake them and receive His mercy?

 

Get over it

“Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee: For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.” - Ecclesiastes 7v21-22

Don’t you hate when you find out something that someone has said about you? I thought about that this week when news came out that Kyra Phillips, a CNN presenter had left her mike on when she was in the toilet and the whole world heard her call her sister-in-law a “control freak” during what was supposed to be a broadcast of a speech by President Bush. Surely her sister-in-law was upset by this offhanded remark.

Even here the word of God has some advice for this kind of a situation. To paraphrase the verse above God says, “Don’t let it bother you when you hear what someone else makes some kind of comment about you. You know in your heart of hearts that you have done the same thing yourself.”

Our pride is far too easily hurt. Hopefully Kyra and her sister-in-law will have a good laugh overt the remarks above. We can’t take this kind of thing seriously when it happens to us. This is the kind of thing Satan can use to divide and destroy relationships. If we are not careful a root of bitterness can grow and trouble you and defile many (Hebrews 12v15).

The best advice when we hear that someone has made some kind of comment about us? Usually, the best choice is to just get over it and move on.

 

The wells of salvation

“Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.” - Isaiah 12v3

In the midst of judgement in the book of Isaiah God takes time to encourage His people with the promise of His Messiah. In that description of Messiah He gives a beautiful word picture regarding Him – “…with joy you will draw out of the waters of salvation.” If I were an artist would paint a picture of a well bubbling over with fresh, cool water. If I were a poet I would write of all the joys that come with finding a well of fresh water in a dry and barren land. But, alas, I am neither.

I think of Jesus speaking to the woman of the well of the “Living water” that He could offer her. He told here she would never have to thirst again. Not only would she never thirst, but also from this verse we find that there is joy to be found in the wells of salvation. If we are saved there is unspeakable joy in being saved, being a child of God, being daily loaded with His benefits, and being the heirs of eternal salvation.

John Peterson captures the idea beautifully in his song “Springs of Living Water.”

“I thirsted in the barren land of sin and shame,
And nothing satisfying there I found;
But to the blessed cross of Christ one day I came,
Where springs of living water did abound.

Chorus
Drinking at the springs of living water,
Happy now am I, my soul they satisfy;
Drinking at the springs of living water,
O wonderful and bountiful supply.

How sweet the living water from the hills of God,
It makes me glad and happy all the way;
Now glory, grace and blessing mark the path I've trod,
I'm shouting Hallelujah every day.

Chorus
Drinking at the springs of living water,
Happy now am I, my soul they satisfy;
Drinking at the springs of living water,
O wonderful and bountiful supply.

O sinner, won't you come today to Calvary?
A fountain there is flowing deep and wide;
The Saviour now invites you to the water free,
Where thirsting spirits can be satisfied.

Chorus
Drinking at the springs of living water,
Happy now am I, my soul they satisfy;
Drinking at the springs of living water,
O wonderful and bountiful supply.”

Let’s make today a day where all spend the day joyfully drawing from the wells of salvation!

 

Behold, He cometh

“Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen” (Revelation 1:7).
This striking verse, which deals with the return of Christ, contains several aspects well worth our study.
First: Behold, He cometh.” This event is still future, but it is as sure as if it had already taken place. Christ will return.
Second, “They shall see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matthew 24:30). His coming “with clouds” was also prophesied in Daniel 7:13, Matthew 26:64, Acts 1:11, and elsewhere.
Third: “Every eye shall see Him.” Who is included here? Certainly everyone living at the time, both Christian and non-Christian. But also the saved and raptured saints will be present (1Thessalonians 4:17). Can it be that unsaved dead will likewise “see” Him come? Those who died without Christ should be vitally interested. Either the coming rebellion will defeat Christ and free their spirits from Hades, or they will soon face certain, final judgement.
Fourth, notice the different reactions. His tormentors will be in horrible distress; those who “pierced Him” will be in inexpressible anguish as they realize the awful consequences of their actions. Who pierced Him? Certainly Israel, but the collective sins of all men of all ages pierced Him. Some have gained forgiveness and will gladly see Him come; others have refused and will “wail” at His return.
Saints in heaven and on earth will delight in His coming. To them, it means release from persecution, justice on their persecutors, and a righteous kingdom established. It will mean questions answered, imperfections removed, the curse repealed. Any distress felt for friends and loved ones still living in ejection will be swallowed up in the rightness of the action.

 

Heart of Man Heart of God

“And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the Lord that He ad made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart” (Genesis 6:5-6)
These two verses, describing the incurable wickedness of the antediluvian world which finally brought on the global flood, contain the first two of over a thousand occurrences of the word “heart” in the Bible. Note the contrast: man’s heart was evil; God’s heart was grieved.
Both the Hebrew and Greek languages treated the heart as the center of a person’s being, the seat of all feelings and thoughts, and we do the same in English. The writers knew that the heart was a physical organ, with its function of circulating the blood as basic to physical life. Leviticus 17:11, among other Scriptures, notes that “the life of the flesh is in the blood,” but only rarely was the word used thus in Scripture. Nearly always is the word used symbolically in reference to the deep essence of a person’s being. It is also used occasionally to refer to the innermost part of physical objects (e.g., “the heart of the earth,” as in Matthew 12:40.
In this first occurrence, it refers to the “thoughts” of the heart. Somehow, before one thinks with his mind, he thinks with his heart, and these deep, unspoken thoughts will determine the way he reasons with his brain. Jesus confirmed this in Mark 7:21: “For from within, out of the heart of man proceed evil thoughts.”
How important it is, then, to maintain a heart that is pure. In fact, in sharp contrast to the first occurrence of “heart” in the Old Testament referring to man’s evil thoughts, the first occurrence in the New Testament is in the gracious promise of Christ: “Blessed is the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8)

 

A New Approach

Random Job 29:25
“I chose out their way, and sat as chief, and dwelt like a king in the army, as one that comforts the mourners.” (Job 29:25 KJV2000)


Believing that God speaks through His Word, no matter how you study it-With this writing, I will be attempting something new: open my Bible, point to a verse and endeavor to write about whatever verse comes up. Those that will be written this way will have “Random” in the title. Here goes.

Before Abram (whose name was later changed to Abraham) was called by God, there lived an upright and faithful servant of God by the name of Job. As to the fact that Job was a righteous servant of God, we have the best authority attesting to this fact: God Himself!
“And the LORD said unto Satan, Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one that fears God, and turns away from evil?” (Job 1:8)
Now, after the great calamities that God allowed Satan to heap upon him, Job, in the ashes perhaps of his destroyed home, looks back at his past life here in chapter 29.
How respected he was:
“The young men saw me, and hid themselves: and the aged arose, and stood up. The princes refrained from talking, and laid their hand on their mouth” (Vv 8,9).
How helpful he was:
“ I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.” (Vv 15,16)
But, as upright as Job was, he still fell short of the glory of God and this he would come to realize: “I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear: but now my eye sees you. Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes” (42:5,6).
We will all, no doubt, sooner or later, look back on our own lives. We should not use Job as a comparison to how we should have conducted ourselves here, but look to the only One who was perfect in all His ways: the Lord Jesus Christ: God’s example of the perfect life, the perfect man.

 

Random Micah 1:13

“O you inhabitant of Lachish, harness the chariot to the swift steeds: it is the beginning of sin to the daughter of Zion: for the transgressions of Israel were found in you.”
(Mic 1:13 KJV2000)

Lachish was a city inside Judah. By “…the beginning of sin…” we can infer that Lachish was the first city in Judah to begin practicing the idolatry that was dominant in Israel at the time. Israel (referred to by God in the Old and New Testaments as His “vineyard”) was founded by God to be His special people through whom the whole world would be blessed. However, this was not what Israel turned out to be: “What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? why, when I expected that it should bring forth grapes, it brought forth wild grapes?” (Isa 5:4) Israel was not bearing the fruit that was indicative of God’s people, but was bearing the fruit of the idolatrous nations that surrounded them.
How did this happen? The same way that the Church today has been led astray: compromise in the name of “Getting along” with the world. As I heard a well-known preacher say, “Tolerance is the last virtue insisted upon by a decadent generation.”
We are to display loving-kindness to all people, but that does not mean that we compromise with the world and sacrifice Biblical principles on the name of being friends with those who do not honor the Lord Jesus as Lord. “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (1John 2:15) “Therefore come out from among them, and be you separate, says the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, “ (2Co 6:17)

 

Random Hebrews 13:16

“But to do good and to share forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” (Heb 13:16 KJV2000)
The first century Church was truly unprecedented in their sharing with, and caring for one another. Luke records in the book of Acts: “And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and distributed them to all men, as every man had need.” (Act 2:44-45) During this time of transition as the local churches were forming, great changes were occurring. These “new creatures” in Christ had a new relationship with God and with others. Many were sharing their wealth with those who had lost all to become believers in Christ.
Our Lord Jesus had already warned that division would come (Mt. 10:32-39; Luke 12:51-53). This division had caused some to be disowned by their families. So those who still had provisions shared their homes and food with those who had nothing. They began to sell their possessions to share the proceeds with the other believers.
All of this is a far cry from modern communism. No one was forced to do what they did. They did what they did out of love for their Lord and their fellow Christians.
No one is called upon to make such an extreme sacrifice today, however, we should all do what we can for any brother or sister in Christ who has a real need that we can meet.

 

Amen. Thankyou Charles.

 

Looks like we need more devotional contributors in here.

 

More Writers

We would be glad to have you!

 

Random Lam. 4:6

“For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, with no hands laid on her” (Lam 4:6 KJV2000).
Israel, (often depicted in the Scriptures as God’s vineyard) has suffered much down through the ages. God has repeatedly in times past sent plagues, pestilence or rose up other nations to afflict them. The source of Israel’s problems can be boiled down to one thing: rebellion against God. “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.” (1Sa 15:23a).
God’s judgement against Israel, in sending Babylon against them was judged by the prophet Jeremiah here as being worst than what happened to the city of Sodom long before. Indeed, the prophet has a point here: Sodom was destroyed quickly: “Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;” (Gen 19:24). The siege against Jerusalem by the Babylonians here, as well as the one by the Romans in 70a.d. resulted in massive suffering.
However, as the Lord Jesus made plain, Israel’s troubles in this life, was nothing to be compared with the coming (as we know it) Great White Throne judgement that all those who reject God’s offer of grace through faith in Jesus Christ will face:
“But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for you” (Mat 11:24).
“But Israel, who followed after the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. Why? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone; As it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense: and whosoever believes on him shall not be ashamed” (Rom 9:31-33).
If these things happened to God’s chosen people, Israel, we must never take this grace offered through the finished work of the Lord Jesus for granted, or gloat about our good fortune. Remember, we stand only by God’s grace, what we deserve is hell: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” (Rom 3:23).

Now will I sing to my well-beloved a song of my beloved regarding his vineyard. My well-beloved has a vineyard on a very fruitful hill:
And he dug it, and gathered out its stones, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress in it: and he expected that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.
And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, between me and my vineyard.
What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? why, when I expected that it should bring forth grapes, it brought forth wild grapes? (Isa 5:1-4)

 

I can't cos I am female, but I am sure there are people here who would be only too happy to contribute if asked.

Blessings

followinghim

 

"I suffer not a woman to teach"

You must be referring to Paul's words, as I have quoted in title above. Paul's admonition was for women to remain silent in the Church when there would be an usurping of authority: (So, certainly, ladies meetings and those pertaining to children were excluded.)
My first thought is that, obviously, while it is a place the Church gathers (We ARE the Church), this is not a physical gathering to worship God and learn about things pertaining to Him. When I first started here I said that I felt that these devotionals were just that, not teaching. But, looking back I guess I must confess I was desiring to teach on certain ones I wrote!
This would be an interesting question to post here on the Board.
However, I you feel that you do not have tha liberty to do it, than don't ("Whatsoever is not of faith is sin")

 

I don't feel I am qualified to write the devotionals (I am not a pastor) and I don't think that others here would accept devotionals written by a woman. My point in my original post was that maybe others would like to be part of the team of devotional contributors/writers.

Blessings

followinghim

 

Looking Back

“For ask now of the days that are past, which were before thee, since the day that God created man upon the earth, and ask from the one side of heaven unto the other, whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing is, or hath been heard like it?” (Deu 4:32)
This challenge was given by Moses to the children of Israel as they were preparing to enter the Promised Land. It was vital that the cease all complaining and begin to behave in a manner appropriate to their stature as God’s choosen people.
For this they needed to regain a sense of historical perspective, and Moses urged them to study the history of the world since the beginning. Presumably, this would be possible only through studying the book of Genesis , “since the day that God created Adam (same word as man) upon the earth.”
It is significant that “the days that are past” were implied by Moses to have begun essentially at creation, with no hint of any long geological ages before that. The 25 or more centuries from Adam to Moses had provided enough history to instruct that particular generation about God’s plan for the world, and to prepare them for their own key role in their accomplishment, and to appreciate the real meaning of their lives as they awaited the promised redeemer who was to come someday with salvation.
Now if the Israelites needed a true historical perspective, we need one today far more. I addition to what they had, we now also have the history of Israel, the first coming of Christ, God’s completed revelation, and the Christian dispensation from which to learn and profit. Our understanding of God and His purposes should be far greater than theirs, so we have much greater responsibility. May God help us to study and believe and understand all that has gone before, as recorded in His Word, so that we can be prepared to fulfill or own role in God’s great plan of the ages for eternity.

 

Devotionals.

Let me say in response to you, to other women, or to anyone else. If you do not feel that you can, or should, write here-don't! Let me explain, you can post a devotional here and not be the author. Please note the prohibition of copywrited material. But even if you post from the devotionals written by Spurgeon or other great writers from long ago, as long as full credit is given, it could certainly be a blessing to some.
Just something to think about.

 

This is todays devotional from "The Word For Today" (ww,ucb.co.uk) which is I think a timely reminder to us all for the need to read God's Word every day.

Blessings

Followinghim

A daily dose of Scripture08 Nov 2006'"IT FELT LIKE A FIRE BURNING IN US WHEN JESUS...EXPLAINED THE SCRIPTURES TO US."' LUKE 24:32The two Emmaus-bound pilgrims discovered the power of the Scripture that first Easter Sunday. They were broken-hearted from the crucifixion: '...sadness [was] written across their faces' (Luke 24:17 NLT). They allowed their pain to blind them to the presence of Jesus. He'd risen from the dead, and though they didn't yet recognise Him, He'd come to take their sorrow. How would He do this? 'Then Jesus quoted passages from the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining what all the Scriptures said about Himself' (Luke 24:27 NLT). He opened their eyes, lifting their heavy hearts with the Scriptures. He chose the one thing that never fails; God's Word! Did it make a difference? For those two it did: 'It felt like a fire burning in us when Jesus talked to us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us.' Trying to live a victorious Christian life without a daily dose of the Scriptures is like trying to run your car on an empty tank, work all week on an empty stomach, or pay your bills on an empty bank account. Steve Farrar writes: 'I need to be reminded of what is true. God's Word gives me a dose of reality. My morning briefing in the Word gives me a perspective that I don't get in the world. I need God's commentary on my life every day. A Christian...in this society is swimming upstream. Without the constant nutrition of the Word, he will soon tire and be dragged off by the sheer force of the current.' So, spend time each day in the Scriptures!

 

Lamp unto my feet...

Excellent, yes we need God's word daily. I was particularly struck with:

"Trying to live a victorious Christian life without a daily dose of the Scriptures is like trying to run your car on an empty tank, work all week on an empty stomach, or pay your bills on an empty bank account."
There is something from the prophet Jeremiah... perhaps I can find that and write about it.

 

Consecration

"The Lord called unto Moses, and spake unto him out of the tabernacle of the congregation, saying... (Leviticus 1:1).
This is the introductory verse to what many erroneously consider a dry and difficult book of the Bible actually introduces a remarkable phenomenon. All the rest of the chapter consists of a direct quotation from the Lord Himself. In fact, most of the rest of the book also consists solely of the direct words of God, except for an occasional interjection of a statement that God was still speaking. In all, 717 of the 832 verses in Leviticus (that is 86%) consist of the very words of God, directly quoted. This is more than any other book of the Bible, except for the books of the prophets, some of which also consist almost entirely of verbatim statements from God. The same situation is found in lesser, but still substantial, degree in other historical books, not to mention the extensive quotations from the sermons and discourses of Christ in the four gospels.
While it is true that the Holy Spirit used many different means by which to convey the Scriptures (all of which are verbally inspired and fully inerrant) to writing, it is also true that, on many occasions, what amounts to the "dictation" method was used by Him. Evangelicals have often been intimidated by the scientist' ridicule of this "mechanical theory" of inspiration, but they should not be. God is well able to use whatever means He chooses to reveal His word to men, and we should simply take Him at His word!
Leviticus is a guidebook for the consecration and cleansing of God's people-especially His priests. In the New Covenant, all believers are priests, and therefore are expected to be consecrated and pure. "but ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light" (IPeter 2:9)