Seeing By Faith

  But go up to Pisgah Peak, and look over the land in every direction. Take a good look, but you may not cross the Jordan River. (Deuteronomy 3:27 NLT)

God often gives his servants vision that he does not let them complete. In the case of Moses, the Lord allowed him to see the Promised Land from a distance, as it were, by faith.

Moses viewing Canaan

Things that we envision as happening in our lives don’t often come to pass.  Unfulfilled vision may be by God’s design or as with Moses, by his failure.  This eventuality does not preclude the fact that the vision will not come to reality.  A word from God cannot be canceled by any human component and is not dependent on any one person to complete.  Moses not being able to enter the Promised Land possibly was an object lesson for his people. Even Moses reaped the consequences when he disobeyed God and so would they.  Also, God and not Moses was their security in taking their inheritance.  Moses was not permitted to cross the Jordan River, but sometimes judgment is mixed with mercy.  He was allowed to go up on the mountain and view the good land.  He knew all the faithful promises of God and must have seen by faith all of those fulfilled.

Take courage by dear friends who have not accomplished all you set out to do for God.  The Lord gave Moses a great blessing, a faithful servant like Joshua to carry on his work.  Remember, that the people in whom you have invested your life, will collectively be able to do far more than you could have done by yourself.  So go up to that mountain and by faith see God accomplish all that he has placed in your heart.

Image used with permission by Microsoft.

Ken Barnes the author of “The Chicken Farm and Other Sacred Places”  YWAM Publishing
Email:  kenbarnes737@gmail.com
website: https://sites.google.com/site/kenbarnesbooksite/

Blogs: http://kensblog757.blogspot.com

            http://gleanings757.blogspot.com

Podcasts: http://kensblogpodcast.blogspot.com

                http://gleaningspodcast.blogspot.com

Real Truth

“The Lord our God has secrets known to no one. We are not accountable for them, but we and our children are accountable forever for all that he has revealed to us, so that we may obey all the terms of these instructions.

(Deuteronomy 29: 29 NLT)

In God’s infinite wisdom he has information known only to him. The Lord loves for us to use our intellect to seek out wisdom from him, but if the pursuit becomes to obtain knowledge just for the sake of knowing, it becomes meaningless.

Yes, God does delight in us seeking out hidden things (Proverbs 25:2 NLT).  In our quest for truth, there is a point where we can cross that line between what we can know and what is unknowable.  God does have secret counsels and trying to explain them is an exercise in futility.  About God’s foreknowledge and man’s freedom, it appears that the Bible does not entirely clarify their relationship. About what God has not completely explained, maybe we should not expect to understand totally.  Being overly inquisitive about such issues can be just an intellectual rather than a spiritual pursuit. 

What demonstrates we have found real truth?  Our scriptural reference may provide the answer to this question? A greater accountability to the Lord should emanate from all revelation.  Also, we should be able to demonstrate godly knowledge through obedience.  As the commentator, Matthew Henry, once said, “All our knowledge must be put into practice because this is the purpose of all divine revelation.”  It is not given to us just to think about and discuss.  It should change our actions and daily lives.  If what we perceive to be knowledge from God does not have behavioral outcomes, is it really truth at all?

Images used with permission  by Microsoft.

Ken Barnes the author of “The Chicken Farm and Other Sacred Places”  YWAM Publishing
Email:  kenbarnes737@gmail.com
website: https://sites.google.com/site/kenbarnesbooksite/

Blogs: http://kensblog757.blogspot.com

            http://gleanings757.blogspot.com

Podcasts: http://kensblogpodcast.blogspot.com

                http://gleaningspodcast.blogspot.com

Loving Much

 ^“For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.” (Luke 7: 47 NASB)

An immoral women can teach us a lot about the Kingdom of God.  The recognition of our need is the first step toward our entrance into Heaven.  If we are forgiven much we will love much.

Jesus was invited to dinner at a Pharisee’s house.  A woman of ill repute started to weep and wipe his feet with her tears.  She anointed him with expensive perfume.  The Pharisee was taken back that Jesus would let such a sinful woman touch him.  In response to this Pharisee, Jesus told him this story.

A man lent money to two men, five hundred pieces of silver to one and fifty to another.  When they both were not able to repay him, the man kindly forgave them both.  Then Jesus asked the Pharisee, “So which of the them will love him more?”  The Pharisee answered, “I suppose the one who he forgave more.”  Jesus replied, “You have judged correctly.”  The woman saw her need and was broken by her sin.  The Pharisee only saw the woman’s sin and not his own.  If we never grasp the depth of our own sinful nature, we will never understand the enormity of God’s grace in forgiving us.  Whoever sees no need for the cross of Christ, will never embrace it.

The woman in our story was closer to the Kingdom of Heaven than the Pharisee in all his religious regalia.  Recognition of our need for forgiveness is the evidence of a repentant heart.  The woman fulfilled the law of love through faith by which she was saved.  Whoever has been forgiven much, loves much. 

Image used with permission by Microsoft.

Ken Barnes the author of “The Chicken Farm and Other Sacred Places”  YWAM Publishing
Email:  kenbarnes737@gmail.com
website: https://sites.google.com/site/kenbarnesbooksite/

Blogs: http://kensblog757.blogspot.com

            http://gleanings757.blogspot.com

Podcasts: http://kensblogpodcast.blogspot.com

                http://gleaningspodcast.blogspot.com