Graze in the pasture

http://www.intouch.org/read/magazine/daily-devotions#.U8edMVIg_X4

If you are reading this on another day, search for June 5, 2015 on the intouch.org website.

From the CANON on this blog:

      How the worship of Baal breaks the Ten Commandments

1.    Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

 

Tyrants do not believe in the true God.  Their god is Tyranny.  They cause their subjects to worship and be dependent on them, rather than God.

 

      Solutions

1.    God is omnipotent and therefore can solve any problem.  He may choose to use the solutions listed below, but he often provides in ways you could have never imagined.  The poor should cry out to God for help, rather than depending on Baal.

 

From today’s scripture reading:

¹ The Lord is my shepherd;
    I have all that I need.
² He lets me rest in green meadows;
    he leads me beside peaceful streams.
³     He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
    bringing honor to his name.
⁴ Even when I walk
    through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
    for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
    protect and comfort me.
⁵ You prepare a feast for me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
    My cup overflows with blessings.
⁶ Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
    all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord
    forever.

Psalm 23 (NLT)

From today’s devotional:

Oftentimes in Scripture, God is portrayed in ways that are easy for us to understand. One of the best-known and favorite passages in the Bible is Psalms 23, which begins, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” Here, David offers a touching and poignant representation of God by describing Him as a shepherd.

In ancient times, shepherds had a special relationship with their flocks. They spent each day with the animals, guiding their paths, protecting them from danger, and corralling those that went astray. To the sheep, the shepherd was a constant companion, to the extent that the animals actually grew to recognize his voice and, therefore, to respond only to his call.

In Psalms 23, David acknowledges his position as a wandering sheep under the direction of the Great Shepherd. As such, he rejoices because he’s part of the Lord's "flock" and God is such a gracious, loving Guide.

Because of his assurance of God’s protection and guidance, David was able to boldly exclaim, "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me” (Psalms 23:4). This is truly a remarkable statement, because it reveals that while David was aware he would face hard times, he was able to rest in the confidence that God would safely see him through the ordeal.

Just as a shepherd knows his flock, God knows you. Thank Him today for allowing you to graze in the pasture of His blessings.

 

Not desiring Baal’s riches

http://www.intouch.org/read/magazine/daily-devotions#.U8edMVIg_X4

If you are reading this on another day, search for June 4, 2015 on the intouch.org website.

From the CANON on this blog:

      How the worship of Baal breaks the Ten Commandments

1.    Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

 

Tyrants do not believe in the true God.  Their god is Tyranny.  They cause their subjects to worship and be dependent on them, rather than God.

 

2.    Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.

The idol that is the physical representation of the Tyrant’s god is money. Money is the physical means by which the Tyrant promulgates its prime tenet.

    10. Thou shalt not covet.

This is what causes Tyrants and their subjects to violate all the other commandments.  The Tyrants covet, and their resulting actions cause their subjects to covet.

 

      Solutions

1.    God is omnipotent and therefore can solve any problem.  He may choose to use the solutions listed below, but he often provides in ways you could have never imagined.  The poor should cry out to God for help, rather than depending on Baal.

 

From today’s scripture reading:

Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the best part of everything your land produces.

Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with the finest wine.

Proverbs 3:9-10 (NLT)

From today’s devotional:

If you knew that something you desired could destroy your life, would you keep chasing after it? The Bible warns about a certain kind of pursuit that can cause one to:

1) Fall into sin.
2) Be mastered by foolish wishes.
3) Engage in activities that erode character.
4) Plunge into moral ruin.
5) Wander from faith.

In spite of these dire warnings, many people are still ruled by a longing to get rich.

There is nothing wrong with being affluent, as long as we follow God’s rules for wise living. Specifically, we are to honor Him with our money, which includes acknowledging that He is the rightful owner (Proverbs 3:9;  Psalms 50:10). And we’re also to give it cheerfully (2 Corinthians 9:7). The desire for riches becomes a sin when accumulation is among our highest priorities. If that is the case, the god we end up serving is money.

Believers are to live by grace in every aspect of their lives, including finances. That means we surrender wages, portfolio, and charitable giving into God’s hands. Furthermore, we accept what He gives as enough, even when the bank account seems low by the world’s standards. He has promised to supply our needs, so we’re to regard financial gains and losses as part of His will and plan.

I am not preaching a message that suggests godly people are rewarded with riches. Poverty and tough times are as common to believers as to unbelievers. However, the Bible promises that if we live by God’s grace, He will provide amply for whatever we need (2 Corinthians 9:8).

Commentary:

The desire for riches becomes a sin when accumulation is among our highest priorities. If that is the case, the god we end up serving is money.

We should accept what He gives as enough, even when the bank account seems low by the world’s standards. He has promised to supply our needs, so we’re to regard financial gains and losses as part of His will and plan.

The Bible promises that if we live by God’s grace, He will provide amply for whatever we need (“God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.”  2 Corinthians 9:8).

Strength in Waiting

http://www.intouch.org/read/magazine/daily-devotions#.U8edMVIg_X4

If you are reading this on another day, search for June 3, 2015 on the intouch.org website.

From the CANON on this blog:

      How the worship of Baal breaks the Ten Commandments

1.    Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

 

Tyrants do not believe in the true God.  Their god is Tyranny.  They cause their subjects to worship and be dependent on them, rather than God.

 

      Solutions

1.    God is omnipotent and therefore can solve any problem.  He may choose to use the solutions listed below, but he often provides in ways you could have never imagined.  The poor should cry out to God for help, rather than depending on Baal.

 

From today’s scripture reading:

Have you never heard?
    Have you never understood?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary.
    No one can measure the depths of his understanding.
He gives power to the weak
    and strength to the powerless.
Even youths will become weak and tired,
    and young men will fall in exhaustion.
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
    They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
    They will walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:28-31 (NLT)

From today’s devotional:

God has a purpose and plan for your life, and His timing is perfect. Sometimes He answers our prayers with “yes” or “no.” But at other times, He says, “Not now.” When this is the case, we can avail ourselves of the rich rewards that come while we wait.

One very practical blessing is that God strengthens us as we lean on Him during delays. Isaiah 40:31 describes an eagle soaring—an apt metaphor for how the believer who abides in the Lord will be lifted and sustained by His Spirit. (In fact, it’s interesting to note that the Hebrew for “wind” and “spirit” come from the same word: ruach.)

When we are facing a difficult decision, the real key is learning to wait. There is no verse of Scripture that tells us to take control and fight our own battles. God is the one who fights them on our behalf (2 Chronicles 20:15). We are to be patient and trust in Him.

When David faced his greatest battles, he waited upon the Lord. God delivered him from destruction and set his feet on solid ground (Psalms 40:1-3). He will do the same for you. When you abide in Him, He gives supernatural energy to accomplish the things He requires of you—His Spirit does for you what you cannot do for yourself.

In reading through the Scriptures, we see that every time one of God’s saints gains a victory, he or she is waiting and trusting in the Lord. You can likewise experience triumph in your life. When you have the omnipotent Creator of the universe acting on your behalf, you can’t lose.

Commentary:

Compare that to depending on Baal.

We should not take control and fight our own battles. God is the one who fights them on our behalf (“This is what the Lord says: Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” 2 Chronicles 20:15). We are to be patient and trust in Him.

          If we circumvent God’s power by not waiting for God’s timing, but rather depending on Baal to supply our need, we will not experience the triumph in our life that we would have otherwise received.

God is omnipotent and therefore can solve any problem.  When you have the omnipotent Creator of the universe acting on your behalf, you can’t lose.

Provision in ways you could never imagine

http://www.intouch.org/read/magazine/daily-devotions#.U8edMVIg_X4

If you are reading this on another day, search for June 2, 2015 on the intouch.org website.

From the CANON on this blog:

Solutions

1.    God is omnipotent and therefore can solve any problem.  He may choose to use the solutions listed below, but he often provides in ways you could have never imagined.  The poor should cry out to God for help, rather than depending on Baal.

 

From today’s scripture reading:

Even when I walk
    through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
    for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
    protect and comfort me.
You prepare a feast for me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
    My cup overflows with blessings.

          Psalm 23:4-5 (NLT)

From today’s devotional:

Waiting for God’s timing is neither passive nor idle—it takes discipline and commitment. I can think of four basic requirements for successful waiting.

Faith. The Lord’s ways and timing are nothing like ours (Isaiah 55:8-9). From a human standpoint, the way He does things is usually totally different than expected. But as we trust Him more, we’ll discover that His approach isn’t so strange after all. And when we live in harmony with God’s will, His timing starts to make sense.

Humility. To wait for the Lord, you must be convinced of your need for Him. Submission to His divine will requires humility—you cannot charge ahead with your own plans and at the same time be fully surrendered to God.

Patience. Are you willing to remain in your current position until you receive clear divine direction? Pausing for clarity from God does not mean that you disengage and allow circumstances to fall apart around you. Waiting upon the Lord is a deliberate decision that requires patience.

Courage. Waiting for God often takes courage, especially when there is pressure to act. If you’re not careful, you might stop listening to the Lord and follow other advice. So keep your ear attuned to the voice of Almighty God, and you won’t go wrong.

Waiting upon the Lord is one of the wisest, most important decisions we make in life. And contrary to popular assumptions, it is an active endeavor that requires faith, humility, patience, and courage. When you rely upon God and wait for His timing, the various facets of life fall into place.

Commentary:

The Lord’s ways and timing are nothing like ours (“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.  “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.  For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.  Isaiah 55:8-9). From a human standpoint, the way He does things is usually totally different than expected.

 

RCP souring on the Pope’s activism?

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2015/06/01/popes_activism_might_muddy_mideast_peace_hopes_126807.html

The Catholic Vote

http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/20150531_The_Pulse__Watch_this_player_in_presidential_race__The_pope.html

“Francis is just kind of breaking up this right/left box that we have, but I think especially in his emphasis on social issues, like poverty, like climate change, there's going to be some rethinking about what the Catholic vote is going to look like.  Because of their non-monolithic nature, Catholics will be an important constituency in 2016. One quarter of 2012 voters were Catholic.”

Hopefully, Catholics will see the Baal Tyranny theology for what it is and vote for conservatives.

What was your first clue?

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/business-663584-small-percent.html

I disagree with your conclusion:  “This should be an issue not just for conservatives or progressives, but for all those who value this country’s historical mission.”

I would change that to:  “This should be an issue for all those who value this country’s historical mission, and tyrants should become conservatives.”