Saturday Night Devotions

1 Peter 2:17

     Honor all people.  Love the brotherhood.  Fear God.  Honor the king.

     Following up on his point in verse 16 Peter now lists for us 4 great duties of our liberty.  First, we are to honor all people.  Man is prone to honoring those he deems greater than himself and scorning lesser men (those he deems as lesser).  Peter calls us to honor all men, regardless of station, ability, intelligence, or power.  James made this point as well in James chapter 2.  Man is created in the image of God – all men and all women are created in God’s image (Genesis 1:26).  Any time we dishonor people, we dishonor God.  God has crowned men with glory and honor (Psalm 8:5) and we become offensive to God when we try to remove our fellow man’s crown of glory and refuse to render him the honor that God has given him.  We are in a truly indefensible position if we find that God honors men more than we do.  

     Secondly, we are called to “Love the brotherhood.”  “Oh how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity (Psalm 133:1)!”  It is a delightful, inspiring sight to see Christians love on each other as we see commanded of us here.  It is as if our Lord points at the church and says, “love all those people who worship me there.”  This love springs from the overflow of our love for God Himself.  It is irrespective of the qualities of the people we love.  We simply love our brothers and sisters in Christ because we love Christ.  If we want to love people more, especially if we want to obey this verse and love the “brotherhood” of fellow believers in the church, we need not clench our fists, squint our eyes, and determine to doggedly love people even if it kills us.  All we have to do is sit at the Master’s feet in the mornings, dwell in His love and His abiding Presence, and love for His people will consume us.  A woman who puts on perfume in the morning does not need to consciously strain to smell good the rest of the day.  In the same way, if we put on Christ in the morning, bask in His glory and forgiveness upon rising each day, we will not need to strain at trying hard to love His people.  His love in us will pervade our relationships as effortlessly as perfume permeates the air around the wearer. 

     Thirdly, we are called upon to “Fear God.”  Proverbs 14:27 says, “The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to turn one away from the snares of death.”  A proper fear of God is very healthy.  The world is full of snares which tempt us to turn our back on God – but rebelling against God often leads to emptiness on earth and always leads to an eternity in hell.  The fear of God protects us from both of these devastating outcomes.  Without a proper fear of God, we fail to fear His ultimate judgment and so sentence ourselves to death and hell and eternal separation from Him.  But fearing God does not simply protect us from Hell.  The fear of God also fills us with a “fountain of life.”  Our fear of displeasing Him leads us to shun sin, and an avoidance of sin affords us an avoidance of the empty feeling that often shadows sin and replaces it with days that are purposeful, fulfilling, and overflowing with joy.  God’s heart is to protect men from death and hell, and to fill men with a fulfilling life while he is on earth – and the key to attaining these two great gifts is in holding dear a proper fear of God’s power and judgments.  “Behold the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy, to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine (Psalm 33:18-19).”

     Finally, this verse from Peter calls on us to “Honor the king.”  It is common for cultures which revere kings to also have the tendency to snub and look down on people that are “beneath them.”  This trait is spoken against in the first line of this verse which calls on us to honor all men.  But the opposite is also true.  Those who see the value and equality in the common man are prone to be disrespectful toward those in authority and fail to give them their due honor.  Our American culture is prone to cultivate this trait in us.  Without abandoning our respect for the common man, we must maintain this proper regard for people in authority over us whether they be kings or governors or leaders of a lesser domain.  “Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor (Romans 13:7).”           

Saturday Night Devotions on Sunday

I Peter 2:16

     As free, yet not using your liberty as a cloak for vice, but as servants of God.

     If Christ has set us free, we are free indeed (John 8:36).  We are free from being dominated by sin; we are free from the fear of death; we are free from worthless religious traditions which teach ritual but starve our soul; we are freed from wasting our lives on worthless temporal pursuits – oh the joy of the freedoms gleaned by means of the presence of our indwelling Savior!  Among the myriad of wonderful freedoms enjoyed by the believer in Christ, however, one freedom is perhaps misused more than the others.  We are freed from religious ritual and legalism, that is true, but the temptation for the Christian is to use our new found freedom “as a cloak for vice.”  In the Old Testament, followers of God were easy to spot.  They had several hundred pages of rules to live by in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.  The laws in those pages were full of outward actions that were intended to verify a person’s pure devotion to God.  But what will we use to replace those rituals and “thou-shalt-nots”?  Peter pleads with us here not to use our freedom in Christ as an excusing cloak for a less-than-holy lifestyle.  Oh the tragedy when Christians live by the dogma “don’t judge me,” rather than living by the inner drive to be holy.  If we think that our freedom in Christ gives us license to live immorally we are horribly mistaken.  This “cloak for vice” is all too commonly used by believers today.  We use our freedom to excuse all manner of vices.  We entertain ourselves by unwholesome means, enter relationships that God considers immoral, use profane language that stain our character, imbibe in drinks and drugs that weaken our witness, and then pretend to think that we are above judgment and criticism because of our “freedom in Christ.”  Peter plainly calls us here to use our freedom paradoxically to become “servants of God.”  Usually, “freedom” means we can do what we want – this leads to using “liberty as a cloak for vice.”  But Peter calls us to use our freedom to do what our Master wants, “as servants of God.”  David felt this wonderfully contradictory state of becoming the servant of God to be freed by God: “O Lord, truly I am Your servant; I am your servant, the son of Your maidservant; You have loosed my bonds (Psalm 116:16).”  Let us rejoice that our life in Christ has “loosed our bonds” from a heart to sin and a penchant to waste our time on meaningless matters, but let us not neglect the duties of our liberty and submit to the Lord as faithful servants.

The World God Made Was Made for You to Know Him

I Am Special because God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten son.

 This is our TCT staff who worked very hard to get ready for this special day with our home workers.  It was truly a day that was a gift from God.

 We began our day by registering our guests.  All who attended our party were given our specially designed t-shirt (thanks to my daughter Becky Duvall) to remind them of what they would hear about that day.

 

Everyone had to pitch in to make room for all the motorcycles.

 

 

 

 

We started with games and fun.

 

Then I shared a message about our wonderful amazing world.  As I pointed out the things of our world that man cannot make,  water, flowers, trees, the beauty of nature,  I talked about how all these things around us,  all point us to God.  I told the creation story and used the giant globe to point out where man first was created.  I showed them that has man populated the earth he began to forget God and now like Thailand there are  whole countries don't even know that there is a God.  I told them of the first sin and how that separated us from our creator.  But God loved us so much that he sent us his son to show us the way back to Him. I talked about the day Jesus was born and what an important day that first Christmas was. I showed them on the globe where Jesus was born and then where I was born.  I explained that my parents where the ones who told me about God.  Then when I got older I found out there where whole countries that didn't know about God.  So my husband and I decided we needed to go to Thailand to tell the Thai people about the God who made the world.    I explained to  them how they could know God too.  After, I finished my message, I gave them a response card  to indicate whether they were interested in following Christ.  We had 78 cards turned in, 16 of them said they were ready to accept Christ, 51 said they wanted to learn more and have us pray for them. What a wonderful day to serve God and be a part of his calling people back to Him.  My cup runs over with joy.   

 





I Peter 2:15

     For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.

     On rare occurrences, whole nations and societies have turned to saving faith in Christ, but much more commonly when we are born we enter a society dominated by unbelievers.   When we come to saving faith in Christ our soul rejoices that He has called us out of that darkness into His glorious light, but because our salvation sets us apart from the lost world around us, it is very common for the unholy majority to rise up against new believers with a litany of complaints.  Society chastises Christians for abandoning the religion of their ancestors, for not indulging in the old sins that used to bind them together, for discontinuing old traditions, and so forth.  These complaints come from “the ignorance of foolish men.”  In ignorance they see the radical change that overcomes a new believer in Christ and then assume that Christians must be bad because they are different.  We, as children of God combat this ignorance and complaint by “doing good.”  This is the will of God for us – not to win people’s affections by arguing with them, or by using force to turn them to our way of thinking, but by the simple means of “doing good.”  Ignorant people will complain against our devotion to Christ, let us not be shocked, offended, or discouraged by this.  Instead, let us heed the admonition in this verse and seek to change people’s negative feelings toward us by agreeing to “Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on his faithfulness (Psalm 37:3).”

A Thorn in the Head

A Thorn in the Head

 

 

  Most of my friends and partners in our work know that I have struggled for years with severe head aches.  I know I will get one if I get too hot.  Hmmm..... 95 degrees and 95% humidity almost 365 days a year here in Thailand,  doing the math, that means almost daily for me.   Mobile clincs are the worst.  So, when I go on mobile clinics I usually go fully loaded with every medicine that might help, as well as ice packs and caffeinated drinks in the cooler.  Some would say,  why do it????  What are you trying to prove?  Well, I don't have to prove God is worthy of all I have, but I'm glad to endure for the chance to make a difference in the lives of people who might never hear there is a God who made this world. 

  I also usually get a  headache after a major event.  Hmmmm....  orchestrating major events is kind of my thing.  God has given me a huge heart to create huge events which will communicate His message to the most possible people.  So, what do I do?  Quit that too?  I have decided that I cannot quit -- but I have learned that I do need to endure.  Besides, the headaches come after the big events.  No problem! 

     Funny thing is, I rarely have headaches when I'm in America.  Even in red hot Arizona.  So, do I bail and go back and live in the States where life is comfy and all my kids and grandkids live?  No, that is just not God's plan for me right now. 

  God is worthy of all.  Sometimes my "all" doesn't seem like a whole lot.  But I know this is where I'm supposed to be whether I live with head aches or not.  So as long as I can still function well enough to tell people about God and disciple the people God puts in my path,  this is where I'll be.  In my weakness may God show Himself strong. 

 

How can you pray for me this month? 

 

November 17th-  I will be speaking to over 150 TCT non-believers about the God who made this world and how they can have a relationship with Him.  At 11am my time please pray for me, that I would speak fluently the Gospel message God has given me for this time. 

 

November 20th-January 20th-  Doug and I will be on our stateside time in Arizona.  Pray my head will get the rest it needs to ready me for the year ahead.

Below is Doug's preaching schedule.

Nov.  23rd     Palisades Baptist Church, Pearl City Hawaii 

Dec. 6 and 7th  Forest Park Baptist Church Joplin, MO 

Dec 14th  Pinnacle Church,  Scottsdale, AZ    Evening service: Crosspoint Baptist, Tempe, AZ

Dec. 28th  Gateway Fellowship, Gilbert AZ

Jan 4th, North Phoenix Baptist Church,  Phoenix, AZ

Jan. 10-15  International Learning Center, Richmond VA

 



Saturday night Devotions.... on time

Peter2:12

     Having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.

     Our great work on earth is to glorify God and see Him praised.  God tells Aaron in Leviticus 10:3, “Before all the people I must be glorified.”  If our greatest responsibility is to glorify God, it follows then, that our next greatest work is to see others glorify God.  Peter tells us here one way to do that – we must conduct ourselves honorably so that when others see our good works they will glorify God.  Jesus said the same thing, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16).”  We are part of a royal family, but once again we see that our position does not give us freedom to live lazily or carouse indecently.  Instead, we are to live honorably with a life full of good works.  Psalm 111:2-3 says, “The works of the Lord are great, studied by all who have pleasure in them.  His work is honorable and glorious, and His righteousness endures forever.”   This is our King’s example given to us, may we strive to have our works regarded as “honorable and glorious,” and may our actions be righteous forever, just as our Lord’s are, so that our God and King will be glorified in what we do.          

Saturday Night Devotions....... a bit late

I Peter 2:11

     Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul,

     The previous 2 verses reminded us that we are God’s special people, particularly chosen to obtain His mercy and proclaim His praises.  Verse 9 said that as believers we are a “chosen generation” and have become part of a “royal” family.  Perhaps readers in Peter’s day and ours would be prone to misunderstand how this chosen standing and royal privilege should be fleshed out in real life, so Peter gives in these upcoming verses a picture of the lifestyle appropriate for those who are God’s “special people.”   Although we are called “chosen,” “royal,” and “called” in verse 9, this special position with God gives us absolutely no license to live for our own pleasures and desires as we might suppose.    

     Firstly, verse 11 says that since we are called to be God’s people let us remember that our citizenship is in heaven and live our lives on earth as “sojourners and pilgrims.”  We are passing through this world; this is not our final home.  We are not to become overly attached to the pleasures and possessions the world has to offer.  Since we are God’s special people, let us make Him our special desire, ignoring the temporary pleasures available nearby.  David says in Psalm 42, “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God.  My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.”  God is David’s heart’s desire.  He longs to be with God, to know God, and to enjoy God’s uplifting presence.  So then, he joins with others who also make God their desire and in Psalm 42:4 David says, “I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast.”  We are specially chosen by God to enjoy His presence.  In this world, we have joys and pleasures, and “feasts” which God in His kindness grants to His children.  But they are “pilgrim feasts.”  They are temporary pleasures and are not meant to distract us from the true object of our affection – Jesus Christ Himself.  This is the second time in this letter that Peter has called us “pilgrims” (see verse 1:1).  Peter does not want us to forget this point.  We are called to a royal relationship with the Creator – but this relationship does not mean that we should expect or seek a fine allotment of earthly goods.  Travelers (sojourners) want to pack light – it makes for easier travel.  So then let us “pack lightly,” with the intent of not burdening ourselves with unnecessary weights as we make our way heavenward. 

     Secondly, Peter calls God’s people to “abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul.”  As “sojourners and pilgrims” we are to avoid attachments to worldly goods, and as God’s “holy nation” (verse 9) we are to avoid attachments to worldly lusts.  People who do not know God live to fulfill the lusts of the flesh (I Thessalonians 4:5).  It is a tragedy when Christians live no differently.  We are called by God to be His “holy nation.”  He gives us His Spirit to dwell with us so that we can be in intimate contact with Him all day every day!  What a joy!  But the Spirit in us who calls us to God also calls us to holy living.  When God’s Spirit is in our soul and we give in to the lusts of the flesh, our lusts “war against our soul.”  Our cleansed soul loves being holy, but our earthly flesh lusts after sensual pleasures and these war against each other.  God has called us to peace (I Corinthians 7:15), but our peace is marred and replaced with an inner war when we give in to lustful thoughts and actions.  Sexual pleasures appear alluring, and tempt people to feel good for a moment, but for the godly believer, lust brings war.