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God Rules Over All

I watched television shows like Matlock starring Andy Griffith as a kid, and there were times in court when the judge "overruled" an objection from an attorney.  I observed the judge also had authority to "sustain" an objection, which meant the question asked or evidence presented was to be disregarded according to the objection.  In the Law of Moses,  we see God granted authority to a father or husband to release his daughter and/or wife from a rash oath.  However, there was no such protection for a man who rashly made an oath before the LORD:  he was required to make good on his word. Numbers 30:3-5 says, " Or if a woman makes a vow to the LORD , and binds herself by some agreement while in her father's house in her youth,  4 and her father hears her vow and the agreement by which she has bound herself, and her father holds his peace, then all her vows shall stand, and every agreement with which she has bound herself shall stand.  5  But ...
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Sanctified by the Word

On the night Jesus was betrayed, He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane concerning His disciples in  John 17:14-17 :  " I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.  15   I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.  16   They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.  17   Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth ."  Those who are born again by faith in Jesus Christ are not of this world, even as Jesus is not of this world.  Though Jesus would soon be received into heaven after His death and resurrection, He did not leave His people in a vulnerable state.  Our LORD did not pray we be taken out of the world, but that His redeemed followers be kept and preserved from evil in the world.  The child of God need not assume a defensive or combative posture in Christ, for tho...
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Moved By The Word

We can be troubled sometimes by things we see and hear.  We see prices go up, and this does not please us.  When we hear about big things like ongoing wars or relatively small things as people gloating over the team we support losing again, it does not fill us with happiness.  I have noticed we can also be troubled or feel frustrated over what we do not see.   Jeremiah 8:15 illustrates this:  " We looked for peace, but no good came; a nd for a time of health, and there was trouble! "  Many times I have heard Christians lament the lack of seeing spiritual revival, as if them seeing or hearing of revival is of primary importance.  We are not always able to find what we are looking for.  Even when we have the rare experience of obtaining our desire, it can leave much to be desired. In all seasons of life, in good times and bad, the child of God does well to remember to look to Jesus and consider Him.  This is put forth as a remedy to ...
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Fruitful, Not Afraid

Recently at a worship night, I was encouraged by a reading from God's word in  Jeremiah 17:7-8 :   " Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD , a nd whose hope is the LORD .  8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, w hich spreads out its roots by the river,  a nd will not fear when heat comes;  b ut its leaf will be green,  a nd will not be anxious in the year of drought,  n or will cease from yielding fruit ."  Those who place confidence in God and rely upon Him will be most blessed, for the LORD is faithful and His promises sure.  The God who created the heavens, earth and all that is in them knows those who trust Him, and He rules over all the affairs of mankind.  He is never rocked by financial struggles, political intrigue or health issues.  He is not distracted or forgetful, for He is ever faithful to protect, provide and guide. Similar to Psalm 1 , Jeremiah wrote one who trusts in the LORD is compared ...
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The Word Revealed

There are some who think, "Out with the old, and in with the new!" and apply this rationale to the Old and New Testament in the Bible.  All of God's word is important for us to read and study.  Since Jesus is the central figure in all Scripture, the Old Testament often points to the New and the New Testament builds on and expands upon the Old.  All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness that God's people would be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work ( 2 Timothy 3:16-17 ). This week I read a passage in the Gospel of John that quoted from the book of Isaiah and provided insight by identifying Jesus as God he saw.  John wrote many did not believe Jesus was the Messiah or God in  John 12:37-41 :  " But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him,  38  that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spok...
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Problem Waste

Today was the "Chemical CleanOut" day for our local council, and people are invited to go to the Sydney Motorsport Park to drop off what is considered "problem" waste.  There are many locations where used motor oil can be dropped off to be recycled for free, but I had some petrol contaminated oil that could not be recycled.  After church I went out of my way to swing by the motorsport park in the last hour to drop off the oil and a few old tins of paint that were left in our garage by the previous owners. As I drove away from the motorsport park--free of all chemical waste that had been sitting in my garage for years--I considered times previous I acquired items or waste products that were illegal to throw away and difficult to offload.  When I worked previously at a church, our storage area had become the dumping grounds for an incredible volume of paint that became my problem.  I remember when it became illegal in California to throw fluorescent tubes into dumpste...
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Take Pleasure in Christ

" You are worthy, O Lord, t o receive glory and honour and power;  f or You created all things,  a nd by Your will they exist and were created ." Revelation 4:11 John witnessed 24 elders worship the LORD God and proclaim His worthiness, having creating all things by His will as it pleased Him.  While the modern use of "pleasure" leans almost entirely into involving the gratification of fleshly desires and senses, Webster recognised it also means, " What the will dictates or prefers; will; choice; purpose; intention; command ."   Isaiah 44:28 is cited as an example:  "... Who says of Cyrus, 'He is My shepherd, a nd he shall perform all My pleasure,  s aying to Jerusalem, "You shall be built,"  a nd to the temple, "Your foundation shall be laid ."  God affirmed King Cyrus would gladly do all God's pleasure in fulfilling His command to send Jews back from captivity to Jersualem and provide materials to rebuild the templ...
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