Morals are your compass for the direction of your life—if you know something is not good or right, you avoid it. But that which is good, you always seek to do what’s right.”
–B. N. Rundell (The Road to Retaliation)
“And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”
–Jeremiah 29:13 (NKJV)
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(NKJV)
5.4 — For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel: “Seek Me and live;
5.5 — But do not seek Bethel, nor enter Gilgal, nor pass over to Beersheba; for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nothing.
5.6 — Seek the LORD and live, lest He break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour it, with no one to quench it in Bethel–
5.7 — You who turn justice to wormwood, and lay righteousness to rest in the earth!”
(NASB)
5.4 — For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel, “Seek Me that you may live.
5.5 — But do not resort to Bethel and do not come to Gilgal, nor cross over to Beersheba; for Gilgal will certainly go into captivity and Bethel will come to trouble.
5.6 — Seek the LORD that you may live, or He will break forth like a fire, O house of Joseph, and it will consume with none to quench it for Bethel,
5.7 — For those who turn justice into wormwood and cast righteousness down to the earth.”
Whooee, I wonder what Amos would be saying if he were alive and standing in the austere room of the Supreme Court or in front of a joint session of Congress. Listen, this season is a good time of year to stop, get still, and ponder your fate and whom you serve. Take inventory of your life and see if you are not serving the Baals of greed, materialism, globalism, wokeism, and so many other -isms. It cannot be to dead idols no matter what name they go by.
“Seek Me and live.”
The prophet points the nation to the supreme truth that her following the one true God and seeking after His presence, laws, and true worship was the one way she still could preserve her national spiritual life. Look, if you dare, at the spiritual life of America starting at the top down. What kind of spiritual life does a nation have when they have drag queens reading to elementary students; when satanic figures parade down the streets masquerading as the spirit of Christmas? We’ve come a long ways from “A Miracle on 34th Street.” What kind of spiritual life does the nation have when the gay crowd is promoted as a legitimate way of life? Perhaps the reading of Romans 1-2 is in order. H.A. Ironside said, “Scripture must ever be the guide–not human rules and assumption of authority.” It is not wokeism, cross culture, progressive socialism, or globalism; it is God’s Word that is the ultimate guide and truth. God tells the people not to go to these false places of worship for He is not there.
“Seek Me and live.”
Righteousness has been forgotten, or at least the Biblical form of righteousness. The words of Gary G. Cohen tell us, “The nations crime was so great in God’s sight that He portrays it as one who perverts justice into wormwood; a bitter tasting and poisonous root. Those who lit sacrificial fires in the calves at Bethel would soon discover they had ignited a fire of punishment that would burn them with judgment. Ultimately, such a fire will never go out.” These altars, these gods were idols portraying falsity and futility. We must remember that “our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29). “Righteousness and justice should be the pillars that hold up society” (Warren Wiersbe) not something that causes bitterness and infection and death.
Israel “had become corrupt, morally and ethically, and roots of bitterness had grown up in them against righteousness, they had cast righteousness under their feet… They dethroned righteousness from their lives though it was the vicegerent and representative of God on earth.” (Albert Garner) It would do us well to recall the words of Isaiah, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil…” (5:20)
(NKJV)
5.8 — He made the Pleiades and Orion; He turns the shadow of death into morning and makes the day dark as night; He calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out on the face of the earth; the LORD is His name.
5.9 — He rains ruin upon the strong, so that fury comes upon the fortress.
(NASB)
5.8 — He who made the Pleiades and Orion and changes deep darkness into morning, who also darkens day into night, who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out on the surface of the earth, the LORD is His name.
5.9 — It is He who flashes forth with destruction upon the strong so that destruction comes upon the fortress.
By offering sacrifice to the false gods of the day they are in reality mocking the holy God–the Creator of heaven and earth. Offering children upon the altars of Baal; do they not think that God does not hear the cry of the innocents? Using the name of God in their syncretistic worship was a slap in His face. God reminds us Who He is! It is God, not some other deity that created and keeps the laws of nature in operation. All ways do not lead to God; the only is way is His Son, Jesus Christ; therefore, do not be delusioned like the people of Israel were. He is the I AM; He can vanquish the strong person and army, as well as a mighty man-made fortress. “He it is who flings ruin in the face of the strong, and rains destruction upon the fortress.” (vs 9, J.B. Phillips) [Mock Me], I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you; I will mock when calamity overtakes you—” (Proverbs 1:26, NIV).
Seek Me and live!
Author: Ira Paine
The Saga of Miles Forrest
Then she gave birth to her firstborn Son, and she wrapped Him snugly in cloth and laid Him in a feeding trough—because there was no room for them at the lodging place.”
–Luke 2:7 (HCSB)
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
All I had on my mind was that turkey dinner. I was about midway down the park when an arm grabbed me pulling me into the trees. I swung with the Greener and connected with something, but then I was struck on the head. As I fell, I saw several pairs of boots begin to kick at me. One took the rowel of his spur and began to kick with his heel at my side. I couldn’t do anything; I still held the Greener. In my groggy state I cocked a hammer and pulled the trigger–a blast came from the barrel. It was then I felt another hard object hit my head and I went down the last thing I thought about was pumpkin pie.
I came to lying on a table covered with a white sheet. It caused me to laugh which brought pain, but I recalled another time I woke in a fancy room with flowers and one of those canopies over the bed. I thought I was in the undertaker’s parlor. I groaned again.
“Well, he’s alive,” I half-heard a voice.
“Oh, Miles, what have you got yourself into this time,” came a sweet-sounding voice that I seemed to remember.
Molly came to my side to grasp my hand. I must have been in bad shape as I could barely make her out. One eye was shut and the other I had to squint. I tried to grin when I asked in a whisper, “I take it I missed the turkey dinner and pie.”
I heard someone grunt in the room; it must have been Doc. “The turkey and pie will keep,” came the soothing voice of Molly.
Two men stepped up to the side of the bed. “Any idea who jumped you, Miles?” It was Mateo asking. I tried to shake my head, but the pain was too bad. I lifted a hand and waved.
“I don’t even know what happened,” I replied. “Thirsty…”
A few seconds later, Molly had a glass of water at my lips. “Slow and easy, Mister,” she said trying to keep the tension down.
“If Lucas hadn’t come running, well, those men most likely would have kicked you to death. He heard the sound of the shotgun and came from the jail to investigate.”
Mateo added, “The blast from the shotgun must have scared them away,” he paused, and I tried to open my eye wider. “Did you happen to hit any of them with the shot?”
I vaguely recalled firing the shotgun, then everything went black. “Don’t know.”
I tried to lift myself up, but the pain shot through me. “Easy, don’t try to be moving!” ordered Doc. “If you need something ask. Miles, I don’t have to tell you, that you’re really beat up. It looks like a team of mules stomped on you. Bruises and lacerations cover your body, and you have a few broken ribs. I had to stitch up some of those cuts, they were pretty deep.”
“Spurs,” I muttered.
“What?” I heard the three of them exclaim at the same time.
Doc leaned down, looking at my barely opened eye. “You rest, sleep,” and he sorta chuckled, “and don’t be moving around. I’ll check on you later.”
I felt that they were leaving, but I held tightly to Molly’s hand. “Don’t go,” I pleaded.
Someone, Mateo, may have said, “Stay, I’ll tell the others that he’s come to.”
As I was drifting into unconsciousness again, my mind went to that dinner and pie…
Echoes From the Campfire
Living with awareness had enriched his life.”
–Louis L’Amour (Flint)
“For God is pleased when, conscious of his will, you patiently endure unjust treatment.”
–1 Peter 2:19 (NLT)
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Frustrations…do you ever find them in your life? It is important that we remember that God is there–He is with us every step of the journey. Martin Luther said, “Our life is a beginning and a progress, not a consummation.” Even if there is one great event in your life, it is only a part, not the whole. We see in the first part of Psalm 132 a remembrance of the suffering of David when the ark was taken by the Philistines and David promising the Lord a royal house.
1 — LORD, remember David and all his afflictions;
2 — How he swore to the LORD, and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob:
3 — “Surely I will not go into the chamber of my house, or go up to the comfort of my bed;
4 — I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids,
5 — Until I find a place for the LORD, a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
6 — Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah; we found it in the fields of the woods.
7 — Let us go into His tabernacle; let us worship at His footstool.
8 — Arise, O LORD, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your strength.
9 — Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness, and let Your saints shout for joy. (NKJV)
David had a dream, one that was in his mind constantly. To build a house for the Lord. George Wood draws our attention to the fact that of all that David had to endure. He is a “model for those who have been spiritually or emotionally bloodied and bandaged.” He continues, “Hardships. A lifetime of adversity summarized in two syllables.” Then of the life of David and all that he went through; the ups and downs, the successes and failures. One of the things that enabled David to endure was his dream–the dream of building a house for the Lord.
We know that this did not happen. It was David’s son, Solomon who built the temple. David never witnessed the fulfillment of his dream. Dreams–that is almost a magical word. Some dreams are fleeting, some are fantasy. Some may be realized, but for one reason or another are never brought to completion. David had a “consuming passion to build the temple, a request denied by God.” (Steven Lawson) A couple of things to remember: one, make sure your dream is in the will of God and not contrary to His Word; and second, endure, most dreams are not fulfilled overnight. William J. Petersen states, “God wants you to have dreams and goals and ambitions, but don’t analyze your progress at every bend in the road. How God measures you and how you measure yourself may be two different things.”
But this house that he wanted to build for God, wasn’t that beyond comprehension? God is a spirit and does not dwell in houses or buildings made by man. Or does He? Haven’t you ever been in the house of God–the church, and felt His overwhelming presence? It is not the building, it is what it represents. “What truly counts is the spiritual reality of what happens inside that place–the purity of the pulpit, the fidelity of the ministries, and the sincerity of the hearts. This is what makes God’s house a true place of worship.” (Lawson)
Ah, but look at one more aspect. As you endure your suffering and afflictions remember that your body is now the temple of the Holy Spirit. Are you willing, are you trying to make it a dwelling place for Him? The journey upward is not an easy one, but the dream, the desire must always be there–to have a place where the Holy Spirit dwells. “Perhaps you’re very restless because you don’t see any progress or hint of resolution in the problems you’re dealing with. You will outlast your trouble if you refuse to give in to it; if you keep your eyes instead on what is most important–living in a way that pleases God.” (Wood)
We are a “royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9) therefore we are to be clothed with righteousness. Not our righteousness, oh no, but that of Jesus Christ. In our daily activities as a “priest” we are to be holy for we represent the house of the Spirit. We are to endure, taking up our cross daily, and with joy sing and shout as we continue upward and onward to glory.
“Lord Jesus Christ, the work is thine,
No ours, but thine alone;
And prospered by thy power divine
Can ne’er be overthrown.”
–German hymn, translated by Frank Houghton
——————————
Frustrations…do you ever find them in your life? It is important that we remember that God is there–He is with us every step of the journey. Martin Luther said, “Our life is a beginning and a progress, not a consummation.” Even if there is one great event in your life, it is only a part, not the whole. We see in the first part of Psalm 132 a remembrance of the suffering of David when the ark was taken by the Philistines and David promising the Lord a royal house.
1 — LORD, remember David and all his afflictions;
2 — How he swore to the LORD, and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob:
3 — “Surely I will not go into the chamber of my house, or go up to the comfort of my bed;
4 — I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids,
5 — Until I find a place for the LORD, a dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
6 — Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah; we found it in the fields of the woods.
7 — Let us go into His tabernacle; let us worship at His footstool.
8 — Arise, O LORD, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your strength.
9 — Let Your priests be clothed with righteousness, and let Your saints shout for joy. (NKJV)
David had a dream, one that was in his mind constantly. To build a house for the Lord. George Wood draws our attention to the fact that of all that David had to endure. He is a “model for those who have been spiritually or emotionally bloodied and bandaged.” He continues, “Hardships. A lifetime of adversity summarized in two syllables.” Then of the life of David and all that he went through; the ups and downs, the successes and failures. One of the things that enabled David to endure was his dream–the dream of building a house for the Lord.
We know that this did not happen. It was David’s son, Solomon who built the temple. David never witnessed the fulfillment of his dream. Dreams–that is almost a magical word. Some dreams are fleeting, some are fantasy. Some may be realized, but for one reason or another are never brought to completion. David had a “consuming passion to build the temple, a request denied by God.” (Steven Lawson) A couple of things to remember: one, make sure your dream is in the will of God and not contrary to His Word; and second, endure, most dreams are not fulfilled overnight. William J. Petersen states, “God wants you to have dreams and goals and ambitions, but don’t analyze your progress at every bend in the road. How God measures you and how you measure yourself may be two different things.”
But this house that he wanted to build for God, wasn’t that beyond comprehension? God is a spirit and does not dwell in houses or buildings made by man. Or does He? Haven’t you ever been in the house of God–the church, and felt His overwhelming presence? It is not the building, it is what it represents. “What truly counts is the spiritual reality of what happens inside that place–the purity of the pulpit, the fidelity of the ministries, and the sincerity of the hearts. This is what makes God’s house a true place of worship.” (Lawson)
Ah, but look at one more aspect. As you endure your suffering and afflictions remember that your body is now the temple of the Holy Spirit. Are you willing, are you trying to make it a dwelling place for Him? The journey upward is not an easy one, but the dream, the desire must always be there–to have a place where the Holy Spirit dwells. “Perhaps you’re very restless because you don’t see any progress or hint of resolution in the problems you’re dealing with. You will outlast your trouble if you refuse to give in to it; if you keep your eyes instead on what is most important–living in a way that pleases God.” (Wood)
We are a “royal priesthood” (1 Peter 2:9) therefore we are to be clothed with righteousness. Not our righteousness, oh no, but that of Jesus Christ. In our daily activities as a “priest” we are to be holy for we represent the house of the Spirit. We are to endure, taking up our cross daily, and with joy sing and shout as we continue upward and onward to glory.
“Lord Jesus Christ, the work is thine,
No ours, but thine alone;
And prospered by thy power divine
Can ne’er be overthrown.”
–German hymn, translated by Frank Houghton
Coffee Percs
Daylight slipped in front of the stars, their fading light giving way to the early dawn. He was up, fixing a pot of coffee.”
–Donald L. Robertson (The Savage Valley)
Don’t do it much anymore, but still try to watch the sun rise. Back in the day of my teaching I would get up at 4:30, but now it’s an hour later and sometimes on the weekends I’ll spend a little longer under the covers. With one of them fancy coffeepots and I can have it set and ready to go in the mornin’ unless I take a notion to perk some on the stove. Yep, memories of days gone by.
But I’m up, ready to have yuh come to my door for coffee. It’s hot, strong and ready for yuh. Come on in, Pard. Trust yuh had yurself a good week. Ahhh, how ’bout that brew this mornin’? Say, Pard, I read something this past week, I’m not quite sure about. Some bureaucrats said that Biden should pardon, and they used the words, “preemptive pardon” those that President Trump was goin’ to bring to justice. Doesn’t that mean they’ve already committed a crime, or are in the process, or will do so in the next eight weeks? ‘Course them liberal bureaucrats have some new angle goin’ all the time.
Pard, Christmas time’s a-comin’. Ha, ha, do yuh need one of them pardons for the past year? Are yuh sittin’ on Santy Claus’ naughty list? Sure hopin’ not, but if’n yuh are remember that we do have a preemptive pardon. Yep, all was taken care of once and for all at the Cross. I like that verse in 1 John, it brings me comfort ’cause I’m not like you yet–I haven’t made the perfect stage in life. I need to lean, sometimes more than others on the words of that ol’ fisherman, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1:9, NIV)
Ahhh, that swaller tasted mighty good. Yuh know, Pard, that is a present that comes wrapped in the blood of Jesus Christ. Never doubt it, for it is one that will last throughout this life an’ on into eternity. It’s one of those promises that keeps on givin’. ‘Course we should be doin’ our best to be livin’ the life of righteousness, but once in a while we fall in the mud, or slop around in it if not actually fallin’. Why Pard, it’s like you not checkin’ yur cinch and fallin’ on yur noggin’.
So, a good time to be prayin’ and thankin’ the Lord for His marvelous gift of His Son and the salvation that He brought it while yur saddlin’ up and checkin’ that cinch.
Vaya con Dios.