Dad's Ramblings -- Gifts

GIFTS
I Corinthians 4:6-7
 
"Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, than none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other. For what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?"
 
All boasting is misplaced when I remember that everything I have and everything I am has been bestowed on me as a gift from God. Do I have some special talent? Do I have some degree of intellect? Do I enjoy some success? Am I blessed financially? I can take no credit because they are all a gifts that I have received from God. I am only a recipient of His grace. As the songs says, "All that I am or every hope to be – all the glory belongs to Him." What a wonderful God I serve!
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: There is no room for boasting when I understand that whatever I have is a gift from God.
 
Have a thankful day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Here Come De Judge

HERE COME DE JUDGE
I Corinthians 4:3-5
 
"But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I know nothing before the time when the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the heart. Then each one's praise will come from God."
 
When I was a kid (before television), I used to listen to a radio program, "The Shadow." The program always began with the intro, "Who know what evil lurks within the heart of man? The Shadow knows! [Evil laugh.]" Other people may make judgments about me and my motives, both good and bad, but they don't really know what is deep inside. In fact, even when I judge myself, I don't know what evil lurks within my heart because I see myself through rose-colored glasses. But Jesus knows. He knows the good, the bad and the ugly. I am comforted by the fact that I am clothed in His righteousness. I do not have to fear His judgment, because He will manifest whatever is praiseworthy and cover the rest with His blood.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Human judgments are not always accurate; Jesus always sees things as they truly are.
 
Have a comforted day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- The Trustee

THE TRUSTEE
I Corinthians 4:1-2
 
"Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mystery of God. Moreover, it is required in stewards that one be found faithful."
 
My wife and I have established a Revocable Living Trust. In that trust, we have designated a trustee to handle the affairs of our estate when we are no longer here. The trustee has been entrusted with the responsibility to safeguard, use, and distribute the resources in the trust wisely and judiciously, without personal profit or benefit other than what the trust allows. God has entrusted to us the message of the Gospel while Jesus is away. We are responsible for how we use it. We are only stewards of God's riches. Faithfulness is one of the requirements of a good steward. I want to be a faithful steward of what He has intrusted to me.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: God has entrusted his children with His riches and demands that we faithful.
 
Have a faithful day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Now I Belong To Jesus

NOW I BELONG TO JESUS
I Corinthians 3:21-23
 
"Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours: whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come — all are yours. And you are Christ's and Christ is God's."
 
Everything I need for salvation and life is in Jesus. God has given teachers like Paul, Apollos, and Peter for our growth. God has given the fellowship of the church for our encouragement. God has given the world, present and future, for life itself. But none of these things can save me. Only the fact that I am Christ's – that I belong to Jesus – is the assurance of salvation to eternal life. I am His, and because I belong to Him, I have all that I really need.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Everything necessary for life in the present and in eternity is found in Jesus.
 
Have a fulfilled day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Self-Deception

SELF-DECEPTION
I Corinthians 3:18-20
 
"Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seem to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their own craftiness'; and again, "The LORD knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.' "
 
I hate it when someone else deceives me into believing a lie. I am very suspicious of scams. Yet it seems I am less suspicious of my own propensity to deceive myself. I see myself through rose-colored glasses and fool myself into thinking I am smarter and wiser than I really am, that I am more righteous and somehow better than others, that I have life all figured out and everyone else is wrong. So I build a facade – a false view of myself. But the Lord knows how empty my thoughts are. "There is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account" (Hebrews 4:13). As the song says, "People often see you, as you are outside. Jesus really knows you, for He sees inside." It is necessary to do self-evaluation from time to time and be honest with myself. "Lord, help me to see myself as I truly am – as You see me."
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Honesty about myself – my thoughts and motives – will help me avoid self-deception.
 
Have a "self-examination" day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- The Holy Temple (Corrected)

THE HOLY TEMPLE
I Corinthians 3:16-17
 
"Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of god dwells in you? For if anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy."
 
In the Old Covenant, God's presence was manifested in the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle and later the temple where His Shekinah glory dwelled above the Mercy Seat. But in a vision, Ezekiel saw the glory of God depart from the temple (Ezekiel 8-10). The temple may have looked good in outward appearance, but inside, it was filled with abominations – worship of the sun and gods of foreign cultures. So God removed His presence. He is holy and cannot dwell with the unholy. Then during the Passion Week just before Jesus went to the cross, He took a whip and cleansed His temple which had been polluted by merchandising (Matthew 21:12-13). In the New Covenant, I am His temple, and I have a responsibility to keep myself – His temple – holy. What defiles His temple? When I allow the foreign gods of the surrounding culture (whether the wood, hay, and stubble of materialism, or humanism and secular philosophies) to be the center of my life. Oh Jesus, cleanse this, your temple. Make me holy. But please "do not take cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me" (Psalm 51:11).
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: We are God's temple and He demands holiness.
 
Have a holy (wholly cleansed) day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- The Holy Temple

THE HOLY TEMPLE
I Corinthians 3:16-17
 
"Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of god dwells in you? For if anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy."
I
n the Old Covenant, God's presence was manifested in the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle and later the temple where His Shekinah glory dwelled above the Mercy Seat. But in a vision, Ezekiel saw the glory of God depart from the temple (Ezekiel 8-10). The temple may have looked good in outward appearance, but inside, it was filled with abominations – worship of the sun and gods of foreign cultures. So God removed His presence. He is holy and cannot dwell with the unholy. Then during the Passion Week just before Jesus went to the cross, He took a whip and cleansed His temple which had been polluted by merchandising (Matthew 21:12-13). In the New Covenant, I am His temple, and I have a responsibility to keep myself – His temple – holy. What defiles His temple? When I allow the foreign gods of the surrounding culture (whether the wood, hay, and stubble of materialism, or humanism and secular philosophies) to be the center of my life. Oh Jesus, cleanse this, your temple. Make me holy. But please "do not take cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me" (Psalm 51:11).
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: We are God's temple and He demands holiness.
 
Have a holy (wholly cleansed) day. Love you.