June 30, 2006
Psalms 84:4 Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah.
How could one who dwells in God’s house not praise the LORD? One would think that to be close to God in the service of His house, meeting with Him every day for inspiration, getting His wise counsel, would naturally produce a spirit of overcoming praise. What fear, trouble or worry could tease us when we are close to the Father?
Sad to say, many a life, though displaying a form of ‘spirituality’, does not project this spirit of overcoming praise. Oh yes, it is easy to praise the Lord at the appointed times in public and at church, but what about in the privacy of your home at the dinner table, --and what about in the privacy of your hearts (Pro 15:3)?
How can you tell others to have faith in the omnipotent God, when your own spirit is overcome by personal conditions? Do you inform the simple about the “peace of God that passes all understanding” (Phil 4:7) when all the while you are subject to fear and fretting? Do you advise others to praise in the midst of their adversity, but you are weakened by a ‘murmur’ in your heart? Do you pray “Our Father” but live as if you were an orphan?
Brother, you do not need to tell me if you “dwell” in the Father’s house; you do not need to inform me, prove to me that you live close to the presence of God. If you do, in your presence I will smell the Rose of Sharon (SOS 2:1), in your songs, I will be cradled by the harmony of the stars. From your lips will drop the wisdom of the ancients; from your heart the peace of the Conquering King. Your words will project overcoming praise.
So are blessed all those whose who “dwell” in the house of God.
Col 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
htt\p://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
'Be strong, be strong and be strengthened!'
Friday, June 30, 2006
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Daily Devotion
June 29, 2006
Psalms 84:3 Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God.
The great warrior king of the most powerful empire in the Middle East is jealous of the sparrows and the swallows that frequent the temple courts.
The sparrow, the most ordinary of all birds, freely comes to the peace and serenity of the temple courtyard in hopes of finding crumbs, grains and other foods. The presence of meek and lowly birds is often seen as a mark of God’s blessings upon one’s household; none dares to shoo them away. David wishes that he too had the privilege of ever so freely partaking of the heavenly atmosphere and food of the Lord’s house.
Swallows nested under the eaves of the priest’s house. They found in the house of the Lord a place where to raise their young. We rejoice not only in our own pleasure, but we also love to bring our children to the fellowship of the saints. We love to see them play and interact in a place that is safe and spiritually nourishing. David, whose family was violently torn by murders, lusts and jealousies, wishes that he too, like the swallows, could have the privilege of bringing up his children in the constant presence of the LORD’s Spirit.
Beloved, you may not be a most powerful king; you may not live in a palace of cedar and hewed stones, but a refuge from the madness and confusion of the world is available to you. In the secret of the inner chambers of your heart, you will be, at any time of the day or night, in the presence of the LORD. You will find the peace and serenity of the Holy of Holies and partake of its heavenly food. Give a refuge also to your children from the temptation filled highways, and let them nestle and grow in the nurturing presence and fellowship of those who fear and respect the LORD.
Psalms 73:25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
htt\p://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Psalms 84:3 Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God.
The great warrior king of the most powerful empire in the Middle East is jealous of the sparrows and the swallows that frequent the temple courts.
The sparrow, the most ordinary of all birds, freely comes to the peace and serenity of the temple courtyard in hopes of finding crumbs, grains and other foods. The presence of meek and lowly birds is often seen as a mark of God’s blessings upon one’s household; none dares to shoo them away. David wishes that he too had the privilege of ever so freely partaking of the heavenly atmosphere and food of the Lord’s house.
Swallows nested under the eaves of the priest’s house. They found in the house of the Lord a place where to raise their young. We rejoice not only in our own pleasure, but we also love to bring our children to the fellowship of the saints. We love to see them play and interact in a place that is safe and spiritually nourishing. David, whose family was violently torn by murders, lusts and jealousies, wishes that he too, like the swallows, could have the privilege of bringing up his children in the constant presence of the LORD’s Spirit.
Beloved, you may not be a most powerful king; you may not live in a palace of cedar and hewed stones, but a refuge from the madness and confusion of the world is available to you. In the secret of the inner chambers of your heart, you will be, at any time of the day or night, in the presence of the LORD. You will find the peace and serenity of the Holy of Holies and partake of its heavenly food. Give a refuge also to your children from the temptation filled highways, and let them nestle and grow in the nurturing presence and fellowship of those who fear and respect the LORD.
Psalms 73:25 Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
htt\p://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Daily Devotion
June 29, 2006
Psalms 84:1-2 How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts! (2) My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.
The desert camp of the Children of Israel--hundreds of thousands of them-- formed a square around the tabernacle of the Lord. The tabernacle was comprised of three distinct courts divided by thick curtains held with four tons of silver sockets. The Levites, its dedicated priests, camp nearest to it, to care for it day and night. It contains no image, no statue, no identification of any sort; only a name, Yehovah, meaning the Self-Existent Being, the “I am that I am” (Gen 3:14). From these three courts came forth laws that define our moral code even today. From this tent were taught the earmarks of the coming Messiah, the Redeemer of humanity.
David was a military man. He led God’s people into war. David called God the “LORD of hosts”, or the LORD of the armies. He knew that ultimately God was in charge of His army, that he was just an instrument. While on military campaigns David must have spent time praying, singing to the LORD, claiming, demanding, pleading for victory over his unrighteous enemies. The Ark, the figure of the redemptive promises of God, the spiritual home of every man’s soul, rested in its own place in Gibeah or Jerusalem. As the soldier on the distant battlefield longs for the comforts of home, for the sweetness of wife and family, David longed for the “courts of the Lord”. Today, God’s people are an army on the move, away from ‘home’. We long for the Tabernacle of God, the “New Jerusalem” (Rev 21:2-3). We long for the restoration of all things when the world will finally know peace, love and the true justice of the LORD.
On Calvary, Jesus-Christ took away the “veil” ( 2 Cor 3:16); He broke the barriers of physical representations and put in our hearts the earnest of the Promises to come (2 Cor 1:22): He came to our heart and made His home there so He can be with us wherever we are.
Do you long for the Spirit of God? Do you yearn for peace? Does you spirit groan in waiting for ‘home’? Do this now: close your eyes, call upon Him from Whom peace and beauty comes, fellowship with Him within the curtain of the Holy of Holies. In the closet of your heart, let the flow of His Words in the silence of your soul enrapture you into the hope and Spirit of redemption, for there is the Ark, the Temple, the Shekinah glory, the House of God!
1Co 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
htt\p://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Psalms 84:1-2 How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts! (2) My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.
The desert camp of the Children of Israel--hundreds of thousands of them-- formed a square around the tabernacle of the Lord. The tabernacle was comprised of three distinct courts divided by thick curtains held with four tons of silver sockets. The Levites, its dedicated priests, camp nearest to it, to care for it day and night. It contains no image, no statue, no identification of any sort; only a name, Yehovah, meaning the Self-Existent Being, the “I am that I am” (Gen 3:14). From these three courts came forth laws that define our moral code even today. From this tent were taught the earmarks of the coming Messiah, the Redeemer of humanity.
David was a military man. He led God’s people into war. David called God the “LORD of hosts”, or the LORD of the armies. He knew that ultimately God was in charge of His army, that he was just an instrument. While on military campaigns David must have spent time praying, singing to the LORD, claiming, demanding, pleading for victory over his unrighteous enemies. The Ark, the figure of the redemptive promises of God, the spiritual home of every man’s soul, rested in its own place in Gibeah or Jerusalem. As the soldier on the distant battlefield longs for the comforts of home, for the sweetness of wife and family, David longed for the “courts of the Lord”. Today, God’s people are an army on the move, away from ‘home’. We long for the Tabernacle of God, the “New Jerusalem” (Rev 21:2-3). We long for the restoration of all things when the world will finally know peace, love and the true justice of the LORD.
On Calvary, Jesus-Christ took away the “veil” ( 2 Cor 3:16); He broke the barriers of physical representations and put in our hearts the earnest of the Promises to come (2 Cor 1:22): He came to our heart and made His home there so He can be with us wherever we are.
Do you long for the Spirit of God? Do you yearn for peace? Does you spirit groan in waiting for ‘home’? Do this now: close your eyes, call upon Him from Whom peace and beauty comes, fellowship with Him within the curtain of the Holy of Holies. In the closet of your heart, let the flow of His Words in the silence of your soul enrapture you into the hope and Spirit of redemption, for there is the Ark, the Temple, the Shekinah glory, the House of God!
1Co 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
htt\p://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Daily Devotion
June 27, 2006
Psalms 40:17 But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.
Did you ever desire to have a peek into what was going on in the mind of our LORD as He was faced with the stern opposition of the very people He came to save? Haven’t you been curious as to His internal reaction when He was maligned by those who knew who He was, and yet, in their dense rebellious indifference to God’s Words, crucified Him (Mat 21:33-42)? Have you ever wanted to lift the veil of the carnal material world, to hear the hidden thought and prayers in Jesus’ heart at the time He was on the cross?
Through David’s life expressed in this song, the unborn earthly Christ exposes us to the sufferings He will endure for the salvation of mankind. David, as a faithful servant, records these words placed in his heart. Hear these words from David, for they are but the weak earthly expression of the agony and suffering that our Lord went through. When you read them, can’t you hear? Can’t you see? Can’t you feel?
Can’t you hear the crowds of the enemy yelling shouts of blasphemy against Him, the only hope for the salvation of humanity (Mat 12:24,31)? Can’t you see the Lamb of God, beaten, pierced, sheared of all human dignity, yet He did not utter a word of complaint or rebellion? Can’t you feel the loneliness of the cross, the hopeless sinner’s death as He hanged on the tree (Mat 27;46)?
My friend, when you are the victim of injustice; when it seems that you have been dealt a raw deal; when in your desperation you cry for help, and it seems that no one answers; read these words again, hold them dear in your heart, keep them close to your soul, for these are the prayers of our resurrected LORD; these are the words of the One who conquered even death, that you may live again.
Psalms 40:7 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
htt\p://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Psalms 40:17 But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.
Did you ever desire to have a peek into what was going on in the mind of our LORD as He was faced with the stern opposition of the very people He came to save? Haven’t you been curious as to His internal reaction when He was maligned by those who knew who He was, and yet, in their dense rebellious indifference to God’s Words, crucified Him (Mat 21:33-42)? Have you ever wanted to lift the veil of the carnal material world, to hear the hidden thought and prayers in Jesus’ heart at the time He was on the cross?
Through David’s life expressed in this song, the unborn earthly Christ exposes us to the sufferings He will endure for the salvation of mankind. David, as a faithful servant, records these words placed in his heart. Hear these words from David, for they are but the weak earthly expression of the agony and suffering that our Lord went through. When you read them, can’t you hear? Can’t you see? Can’t you feel?
Can’t you hear the crowds of the enemy yelling shouts of blasphemy against Him, the only hope for the salvation of humanity (Mat 12:24,31)? Can’t you see the Lamb of God, beaten, pierced, sheared of all human dignity, yet He did not utter a word of complaint or rebellion? Can’t you feel the loneliness of the cross, the hopeless sinner’s death as He hanged on the tree (Mat 27;46)?
My friend, when you are the victim of injustice; when it seems that you have been dealt a raw deal; when in your desperation you cry for help, and it seems that no one answers; read these words again, hold them dear in your heart, keep them close to your soul, for these are the prayers of our resurrected LORD; these are the words of the One who conquered even death, that you may live again.
Psalms 40:7 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
htt\p://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Monday, June 26, 2006
Daily Devotion
June 26, 2006
Psalms 40:16 Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified.
The endorsement of the world is discriminatory; you receive its dainties if you belong to the right social class, biological descent or ethnic group;
The blessing of the LORD is universal; all are welcome to its gifts and blessings. The world will judge you according to its criteria regardless of virtue;
The LORD will judge you according to virtue regardless of the world’s criteria.
And what is the virtue required? What gives me access to the treasury of Heaven? What opens the door to rejoicing and gladness so perfect that my heart shouts in praising devotion?
One by one I see them coming in the horizon; they bring their gifts to the altar. They come in true sincerity and adoration; they come in hopes of acceptance. One brings a sheave, the yield of the land, as he shows his laboring hands. Another, out of skill, brings a perfectly written and beautifully uttered praise. Look at the third, he offers tears of compassion and sorrow for the plight of the poor, the cripple and the orphan. Will these be accepted? Will these be sufficient?
“You have worked so hard”, the LORD says; “I do not require bribery, that you earn My blessings with the works of your hands, of your mind or of your heart. All that is needed is that you “seek” Me. Apply your heart to desire Me, to yearn and long for My presence within you. As you do, I will fill your heart to the full, I will fill it with the cloud of My glory (1 Kings 8:10).
May we today be blessed with joy and gladness in the zeal and passion of seeking the LORD.
Jer 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
htt\p://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Psalms 40:16 Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified.
The endorsement of the world is discriminatory; you receive its dainties if you belong to the right social class, biological descent or ethnic group;
The blessing of the LORD is universal; all are welcome to its gifts and blessings. The world will judge you according to its criteria regardless of virtue;
The LORD will judge you according to virtue regardless of the world’s criteria.
And what is the virtue required? What gives me access to the treasury of Heaven? What opens the door to rejoicing and gladness so perfect that my heart shouts in praising devotion?
One by one I see them coming in the horizon; they bring their gifts to the altar. They come in true sincerity and adoration; they come in hopes of acceptance. One brings a sheave, the yield of the land, as he shows his laboring hands. Another, out of skill, brings a perfectly written and beautifully uttered praise. Look at the third, he offers tears of compassion and sorrow for the plight of the poor, the cripple and the orphan. Will these be accepted? Will these be sufficient?
“You have worked so hard”, the LORD says; “I do not require bribery, that you earn My blessings with the works of your hands, of your mind or of your heart. All that is needed is that you “seek” Me. Apply your heart to desire Me, to yearn and long for My presence within you. As you do, I will fill your heart to the full, I will fill it with the cloud of My glory (1 Kings 8:10).
May we today be blessed with joy and gladness in the zeal and passion of seeking the LORD.
Jer 29:13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
htt\p://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Daily Devotion
June 25, 2006
Psalms 40:13-15 Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me: O LORD, make haste to help me. (14) Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil. (15) Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame that say unto me, Aha, aha.
How could we ever please God? Our very carnal nature is sinful (Job 15:14). Yet, like the man who said, “Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief” (Mar 9:24), we can ask--yes, we can boldly demand, that God to be ‘pleased’ to deliver us. The blood of Jesus sprinkled on our heart allows us the boldness of faith in the language of our prayers. His promises form a contract that allows us to ‘demand’ (2 Per 1:4; Is 45:11).
For those who “kick against the pricks” (Acts 9:5), death is a fruitless empty end. We need to remember that God “is not willing that any should perish” (2 Pet 3:9).
Shame is the cousin of conviction, who leads the way to repentance.
How beautiful it is to have the assurance that as in the realm of physics, in the Kingdom of God, our actions are always met with their ‘reward’. The careful study of history proves that the fate of nations has always been dependant on their attitudes towards God, His Laws, and His people.
Do you worry about your enemies? Do you fret about those who wish you evil? Do not wish for their destruction. Know that their shame and desolation will soon come as the self-inflicted reward of their evil actions. But as for you, the Child of God, remember the words of our LORD and “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Mat 5:48)
Matthew 5:44-45 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; (45) That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
htt\p://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Psalms 40:13-15 Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me: O LORD, make haste to help me. (14) Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil. (15) Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame that say unto me, Aha, aha.
How could we ever please God? Our very carnal nature is sinful (Job 15:14). Yet, like the man who said, “Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief” (Mar 9:24), we can ask--yes, we can boldly demand, that God to be ‘pleased’ to deliver us. The blood of Jesus sprinkled on our heart allows us the boldness of faith in the language of our prayers. His promises form a contract that allows us to ‘demand’ (2 Per 1:4; Is 45:11).
For those who “kick against the pricks” (Acts 9:5), death is a fruitless empty end. We need to remember that God “is not willing that any should perish” (2 Pet 3:9).
Shame is the cousin of conviction, who leads the way to repentance.
How beautiful it is to have the assurance that as in the realm of physics, in the Kingdom of God, our actions are always met with their ‘reward’. The careful study of history proves that the fate of nations has always been dependant on their attitudes towards God, His Laws, and His people.
Do you worry about your enemies? Do you fret about those who wish you evil? Do not wish for their destruction. Know that their shame and desolation will soon come as the self-inflicted reward of their evil actions. But as for you, the Child of God, remember the words of our LORD and “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Mat 5:48)
Matthew 5:44-45 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; (45) That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
htt\p://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Saturday, June 24, 2006
Daily Devotion
June 24, 2006
Psalms 40:11-12 Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me. (12) For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.
Hear the sinner’s prayer. Hear the prayer of a broken man. Is it as the guilty before the magistrate, as the weak before the mighty lord, or as the reed before the fury of a stormy wind? Nay; it is rather as the flower begging for the sun; as the land calling for the rain, and as the baby resting and trusting in the strong arms of the father.
Have your iniquities taken hold of you? Have they borne heavy on your heart to the point that you are not able to look up? Are they so many? Do they keep your heart down in a constant state of depression?
This do: remember that you have done no evil that Jesus has not borne for you on the cross (1 Pet 2:24). Remind yourself that God prefers the repentance of your broken heart to the sacrifices of your self-righteous perfection (Psa 51:17). Do not think that you need to deserve the LORD’s mercy; if you deserved it, it would not be mercy. Let your prayers emanate humility in the sweet savor of a repentant heart in need of the abundant graces of his LORD.
Hear now the songs of rejoicing; see now the angels dancing and shouting for joy. The devil is licked at his own game, his power is reduced to naught, as virtue wins again.
Luk 15:7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Psalms 40:11-12 Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O LORD: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me. (12) For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.
Hear the sinner’s prayer. Hear the prayer of a broken man. Is it as the guilty before the magistrate, as the weak before the mighty lord, or as the reed before the fury of a stormy wind? Nay; it is rather as the flower begging for the sun; as the land calling for the rain, and as the baby resting and trusting in the strong arms of the father.
Have your iniquities taken hold of you? Have they borne heavy on your heart to the point that you are not able to look up? Are they so many? Do they keep your heart down in a constant state of depression?
This do: remember that you have done no evil that Jesus has not borne for you on the cross (1 Pet 2:24). Remind yourself that God prefers the repentance of your broken heart to the sacrifices of your self-righteous perfection (Psa 51:17). Do not think that you need to deserve the LORD’s mercy; if you deserved it, it would not be mercy. Let your prayers emanate humility in the sweet savor of a repentant heart in need of the abundant graces of his LORD.
Hear now the songs of rejoicing; see now the angels dancing and shouting for joy. The devil is licked at his own game, his power is reduced to naught, as virtue wins again.
Luk 15:7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Friday, June 23, 2006
Daily Devotion
June 23, 2006
Psalms 40:9-10 I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest. (10) I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.
In these prophetic words of King David, we discover the integrity of our LORD towards His redemptive mission; we discover His passion in His message of lovingkindness and truth to us.
He came to the ‘great congregation’, to “His own”, knowing that they wouldn’t receive Him (John 1:11). He came with the knowledge of the fate that awaited Him. He came aware of the violent price of His redemptive work. In the face of these facts, He did not ‘refrain’ His lips. This left us with an example to emulate.
You may say, “Oh, but He was the Son of God; He had supernatural powers to withstand it all!” Did He? Didn’t He, like we all have to, learn obedience through suffering? Wasn’t He a man, tempted in all things even as we are? (Heb 5:8; Heb 4:15). My friend, can we really excuse ourselves from striving to follow His example? (Mat 10:24,25).
He has not concealed the truth from us, and we should not conceal it from others either. Truth hurts; it is difficult to grasp and it feels uncomfortable to our modern day ears. The mind of this generation seems to have become like its nutritional diet. Everything has to be processed, soft, sweet, fat, tender, grounded and sad to say, lacking for true nutritional substance and value. People do not want to do the hard work of chewing on principles of virtue anymore. May God help us to not settle for this food; may God help us to be hungry for the truth, to not be apprehensive of the ‘chewing’, processing and heavy digesting it demands, but rather look at it with challenge. Would you really want Him to ‘conceal’ the truth from you because you cannot take it?
Fear not my friend, this truth by the Son of God, is tempered with His lovingkindness; for He loves us and has no desire in to see us our perish (2 Pet 2:9. When He is done, oh wonder of wonders, you will have found freedom!
John 8:31-32 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; (32) And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Psalms 40:9-10 I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest. (10) I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.
In these prophetic words of King David, we discover the integrity of our LORD towards His redemptive mission; we discover His passion in His message of lovingkindness and truth to us.
He came to the ‘great congregation’, to “His own”, knowing that they wouldn’t receive Him (John 1:11). He came with the knowledge of the fate that awaited Him. He came aware of the violent price of His redemptive work. In the face of these facts, He did not ‘refrain’ His lips. This left us with an example to emulate.
You may say, “Oh, but He was the Son of God; He had supernatural powers to withstand it all!” Did He? Didn’t He, like we all have to, learn obedience through suffering? Wasn’t He a man, tempted in all things even as we are? (Heb 5:8; Heb 4:15). My friend, can we really excuse ourselves from striving to follow His example? (Mat 10:24,25).
He has not concealed the truth from us, and we should not conceal it from others either. Truth hurts; it is difficult to grasp and it feels uncomfortable to our modern day ears. The mind of this generation seems to have become like its nutritional diet. Everything has to be processed, soft, sweet, fat, tender, grounded and sad to say, lacking for true nutritional substance and value. People do not want to do the hard work of chewing on principles of virtue anymore. May God help us to not settle for this food; may God help us to be hungry for the truth, to not be apprehensive of the ‘chewing’, processing and heavy digesting it demands, but rather look at it with challenge. Would you really want Him to ‘conceal’ the truth from you because you cannot take it?
Fear not my friend, this truth by the Son of God, is tempered with His lovingkindness; for He loves us and has no desire in to see us our perish (2 Pet 2:9. When He is done, oh wonder of wonders, you will have found freedom!
John 8:31-32 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; (32) And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Daily Devotion
June 22, 2006
Psalms 40:7-8 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, (8) I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.
NOTE: The context of these 2 verses is imbedded in verse 6 when David, a foreshadow of Jesus, proclaims that God did not desire sacrifices nor did He require burnt offerings.
We sometimes complicate the works. If I were to learn about the human body, I would pick up a book on biology. If I were to learn French, I would use a book to teach me that language, and speak to people who would be able to coach me in its pronunciation and grammar.
If I want to learn about God, let me use the Book of God. Let me use the book that is written by Him; let me read it plainly with no need of an interpreter. The book of God from the beginning to the end shows the heart of God. It tells us that God does not desire sacrifices. Maybe only at the early stage of learning, at the infancy of the faith does God require of us these shadows of the truth, skits and illustrations, such as rituals, blood sacrifices and burnt offerings. But as we grow, what God wants from us is plainly written in the Book--He wants us to delight to do His will; He wants His Law written in our heart.
Oh, it is so easy to replace living faith with religion; it is so easy to settle for works instead of letting grace do its perfect work in our heart. It is so easy to settle for justice, a form of godliness, but all the while, “denying the power thereof” (2 Tim 3:5).
Lord Jesus, write your Law in my heart so that I would follow You out of love and gratitude, and not out of forced duty.
Jeremiah 31:31-33 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: (32) Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: (33) But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Psalms 40:7-8 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, (8) I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.
NOTE: The context of these 2 verses is imbedded in verse 6 when David, a foreshadow of Jesus, proclaims that God did not desire sacrifices nor did He require burnt offerings.
We sometimes complicate the works. If I were to learn about the human body, I would pick up a book on biology. If I were to learn French, I would use a book to teach me that language, and speak to people who would be able to coach me in its pronunciation and grammar.
If I want to learn about God, let me use the Book of God. Let me use the book that is written by Him; let me read it plainly with no need of an interpreter. The book of God from the beginning to the end shows the heart of God. It tells us that God does not desire sacrifices. Maybe only at the early stage of learning, at the infancy of the faith does God require of us these shadows of the truth, skits and illustrations, such as rituals, blood sacrifices and burnt offerings. But as we grow, what God wants from us is plainly written in the Book--He wants us to delight to do His will; He wants His Law written in our heart.
Oh, it is so easy to replace living faith with religion; it is so easy to settle for works instead of letting grace do its perfect work in our heart. It is so easy to settle for justice, a form of godliness, but all the while, “denying the power thereof” (2 Tim 3:5).
Lord Jesus, write your Law in my heart so that I would follow You out of love and gratitude, and not out of forced duty.
Jeremiah 31:31-33 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: (32) Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: (33) But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Daily Devotion
June 21, 2006
Psalms 40:6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.
It is uncanny how David’s life was so intertwined with that of the Christ (Rev 22:16) who would be David’s descendent. His songs reflect the creation of Israel as a nation, its present troubles, as well as its future.
The Levitical system of offerings and sacrifices were the corner stone of Jewish worship. David is the one who ordered the temple liturgy, the priest’s office, and who organized its rituals. Yet, hear the wisdom of the King, understand the perspective in which God has established all things. When the sun has risen, do you use candles? When daylight fills the firmament, do you need a lamp to see your way? Even so, to you who fear God, in whose heart the Sun of Righteousness has risen (Mal 4:2) and brought light to the firmament of your life: what is your need of a candle?
(KJV note: fear = have respect for).
Rejoice now in the light of the Bridegroom. As our sun in his ecliptic course sheds its light on the planets of our galaxy, “as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race;” as “ His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.” (Psa 19:5-6), so our LORD Jesus, the Sun of Righteousness, risen in you, His beloved Bride, shines in your heart to lighten its darkness, and make your soul fruitful with the heat of His love. (Joh 8:12).
Gaudy rituals, spendy offerings, and showy sacrifices have a wicked way of feeding our religious ego. Whether we like it or not, they make us keep score with God. They make us compare and measure ourselves with other people, which is not wise (2 Cor 10:12). Sacrifices and offerings also have a way of making the sacrifice an external part of ourselves, when what God really wants is the “inside scoop” of our heart!
Come now, let us offer today on the altar; let us lay on it that which our LORD-Jesus desires the most. Let us learn what He tries to teach us all along. Let us give Him the sacrifices of our yielded hearts, of our submissive spirits, and of our unchanging gratitude.
Psa 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Heb 13:16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Psalms 40:6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.
It is uncanny how David’s life was so intertwined with that of the Christ (Rev 22:16) who would be David’s descendent. His songs reflect the creation of Israel as a nation, its present troubles, as well as its future.
The Levitical system of offerings and sacrifices were the corner stone of Jewish worship. David is the one who ordered the temple liturgy, the priest’s office, and who organized its rituals. Yet, hear the wisdom of the King, understand the perspective in which God has established all things. When the sun has risen, do you use candles? When daylight fills the firmament, do you need a lamp to see your way? Even so, to you who fear God, in whose heart the Sun of Righteousness has risen (Mal 4:2) and brought light to the firmament of your life: what is your need of a candle?
(KJV note: fear = have respect for).
Rejoice now in the light of the Bridegroom. As our sun in his ecliptic course sheds its light on the planets of our galaxy, “as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race;” as “ His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.” (Psa 19:5-6), so our LORD Jesus, the Sun of Righteousness, risen in you, His beloved Bride, shines in your heart to lighten its darkness, and make your soul fruitful with the heat of His love. (Joh 8:12).
Gaudy rituals, spendy offerings, and showy sacrifices have a wicked way of feeding our religious ego. Whether we like it or not, they make us keep score with God. They make us compare and measure ourselves with other people, which is not wise (2 Cor 10:12). Sacrifices and offerings also have a way of making the sacrifice an external part of ourselves, when what God really wants is the “inside scoop” of our heart!
Come now, let us offer today on the altar; let us lay on it that which our LORD-Jesus desires the most. Let us learn what He tries to teach us all along. Let us give Him the sacrifices of our yielded hearts, of our submissive spirits, and of our unchanging gratitude.
Psa 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Heb 13:16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Daily Devotion
June 20, 2006
Psalms 40:5 Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.
What a wonderful God who has so much love and compassion that He sacrifices the life of His own Son to gain His people!
I have traveled the world over. I have lived with people who hold to many different religious practices. I have debated politics, theology and sociology with them. I have discussed life, past, present and future. I have pondered fate, divinity, peace and the principles of love with them. And lo and behold, here is what I have discovered.
During the time of King Solomon, two women gave birth to a child on the same day in the same household. During the night, one of the babies died. Its mother, unscrupulously exchanged her dead baby with the live baby of her roommate. When morning came, the roommate realized what had transpired during the night but no matter what she could say, the unscrupulous mother did not confess to her evil deed. The case went to the court of King Solomon who was faced with making the decision to identify the truth and bring justice to the true mother (1 King 3:16-23).
In the Bible’s narration, this was Solomon’s response:
1 Kings 3:24-27 And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king. (25) And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other. (26) Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it. (27) Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she is the mother thereof.
Allow me now if you please to put myself in the shoes of the wise judge. Let me look at the various powers vying for the allegiance of your soul, at all those who claim to be its creators and benefactors. Let me now by the means of truth and virtue discover who has true God-ordained ownership of humanity? The true beneficiary of our lives needs not to revert to low trickeries. Truth is His motto. He needs not to revert to force and coercion, His love is His law; He needs not to use bribery, prizes and empty promises to win us, because our love, within the majesty of our free will is His drawing power. Only the LORD Jehovah has “thoughts to-us wards” more that can be numbered. His “bowels” yearn for us; He wins us through His love, even at the cost of the personal loss.
He is the true one with the heart of the true Father.
John 10:11-15 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. (12) But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. (13) The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. (14) I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. (15) As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
John 10:17-18 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. (18) No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Psalms 40:5 Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.
What a wonderful God who has so much love and compassion that He sacrifices the life of His own Son to gain His people!
I have traveled the world over. I have lived with people who hold to many different religious practices. I have debated politics, theology and sociology with them. I have discussed life, past, present and future. I have pondered fate, divinity, peace and the principles of love with them. And lo and behold, here is what I have discovered.
During the time of King Solomon, two women gave birth to a child on the same day in the same household. During the night, one of the babies died. Its mother, unscrupulously exchanged her dead baby with the live baby of her roommate. When morning came, the roommate realized what had transpired during the night but no matter what she could say, the unscrupulous mother did not confess to her evil deed. The case went to the court of King Solomon who was faced with making the decision to identify the truth and bring justice to the true mother (1 King 3:16-23).
In the Bible’s narration, this was Solomon’s response:
1 Kings 3:24-27 And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king. (25) And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other. (26) Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it. (27) Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she is the mother thereof.
Allow me now if you please to put myself in the shoes of the wise judge. Let me look at the various powers vying for the allegiance of your soul, at all those who claim to be its creators and benefactors. Let me now by the means of truth and virtue discover who has true God-ordained ownership of humanity? The true beneficiary of our lives needs not to revert to low trickeries. Truth is His motto. He needs not to revert to force and coercion, His love is His law; He needs not to use bribery, prizes and empty promises to win us, because our love, within the majesty of our free will is His drawing power. Only the LORD Jehovah has “thoughts to-us wards” more that can be numbered. His “bowels” yearn for us; He wins us through His love, even at the cost of the personal loss.
He is the true one with the heart of the true Father.
John 10:11-15 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. (12) But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. (13) The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. (14) I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. (15) As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
John 10:17-18 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. (18) No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Monday, June 19, 2006
Daily Devotion
June 19, 2006
Psalms 40:4 Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
Pride was the devil’s downfall (Is 14:14). Pride leads to worldliness, vanity, avarice, hatred, jealousy, covetousness, selfishness, idolatry, and the like sins which are all lies.
The proud cannot trust the LORD because His ways are too humbling, too quiet. To “make the LORD his trust” may injure his popularity as he chooses to live a wholesome life without the frills of the world. The LORD may require him to share his wealth, however large or meager, with another at his own injury. Could you imagine also the proud having to forget the hatred of an injustice he received? The proud are usually jealous; they think that they deserve every blessing, so they selfishly covet, which is a form of idolatry. Such a person is far from God’s blessings.
So today, take stock of your heart. Do pride and its children have a place in it? Here is the cure. Do you remember Naaman the Syrian leper? His pride led him to anger against Elishah the prophet of God. Elishah had no regard for the proud Naaman, and such as turn aside to lies. He would not even personally meet such an idolatrous worldly and compromised man (2 Kings 5:11) who also despise the simple means of his cure--why should he dip in the dirty Jordan River when Syria, his own country, had some of the most beautiful pools?
Do you desire deliverance from pride? Dip in the pools of God’s will; obey the things the LORD asks you to do, however small or humbling they may be. Do you share His words of comfort with someone, even though they may find you ‘corny’? Do you impart the word of witness, of prophecy or of teaching, even though you may injure your relationship with those who may qualify you as ‘preachy’? Can you take the brunt of a difficult situation with a neighbor or with a partner, bite the bitter end of the stick, and preserve the friendship at your own cost? Can you put the injured rights, demands, requests, ‘minimum requirements’ of your married relationship, in the able hands of the LORD and trust Him with them while you go about humbling yourself in the dirty Jordan River of His will?
Oh, my friends; behold this dirty Jordan River, therein is your healing, therein is your blessing!
1Jo 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Psalms 40:4 Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
Pride was the devil’s downfall (Is 14:14). Pride leads to worldliness, vanity, avarice, hatred, jealousy, covetousness, selfishness, idolatry, and the like sins which are all lies.
The proud cannot trust the LORD because His ways are too humbling, too quiet. To “make the LORD his trust” may injure his popularity as he chooses to live a wholesome life without the frills of the world. The LORD may require him to share his wealth, however large or meager, with another at his own injury. Could you imagine also the proud having to forget the hatred of an injustice he received? The proud are usually jealous; they think that they deserve every blessing, so they selfishly covet, which is a form of idolatry. Such a person is far from God’s blessings.
So today, take stock of your heart. Do pride and its children have a place in it? Here is the cure. Do you remember Naaman the Syrian leper? His pride led him to anger against Elishah the prophet of God. Elishah had no regard for the proud Naaman, and such as turn aside to lies. He would not even personally meet such an idolatrous worldly and compromised man (2 Kings 5:11) who also despise the simple means of his cure--why should he dip in the dirty Jordan River when Syria, his own country, had some of the most beautiful pools?
Do you desire deliverance from pride? Dip in the pools of God’s will; obey the things the LORD asks you to do, however small or humbling they may be. Do you share His words of comfort with someone, even though they may find you ‘corny’? Do you impart the word of witness, of prophecy or of teaching, even though you may injure your relationship with those who may qualify you as ‘preachy’? Can you take the brunt of a difficult situation with a neighbor or with a partner, bite the bitter end of the stick, and preserve the friendship at your own cost? Can you put the injured rights, demands, requests, ‘minimum requirements’ of your married relationship, in the able hands of the LORD and trust Him with them while you go about humbling yourself in the dirty Jordan River of His will?
Oh, my friends; behold this dirty Jordan River, therein is your healing, therein is your blessing!
1Jo 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Daily Devotion
June 18, 2006
Psalms 40:3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.
Naaman the Syrian was sick with leprosy; he needed to find a cure. He found none to heal him in the whole great kingdom of Syria until a young Jewish girl told him of the prophet of God’s people in Israel. She knew that Elishah could heal him. Naaman saddled his camel, and with great company and pomp traveled to present himself to the lowly prophet with the intent of giving a rich reward to him who would heal him! (2 Kings 5:1-6)
But the prophet would not see Naaman, he sent his servant to tell him to dip seven times in the Jordan. “What?” Naaman exclaimed, “Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers in Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? May I not wash in them, and be clean?” Yet at the persuasion of his servants, he dipped in the waters God had ordained for him “and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean” (2 Kings 5: 9-14).
This is not the end of the story. Keep reading, and you will find the great human weakness, the one that has challenged mankind from the beginning, and will challenge him until the end. For knowing well that his healing came from the LORD Jehovah, the God of Israel, when Naaman’s returned to Syria, in spite of the screaming voice of his conscience (2 Kings 5: 18), he went to worship at the temple of the god Rimmon.
Be not like Naaman whose visit to the temple of Rimmon stole the credit for the healing that he received from the LORD. Do not pray privately to Him, and because of fear of the opinions of man, live a public life that denies His truth in your heart. After He has redeemed you, let your mouth, and your life praise Jesus who has delivered you; then the world will know, fear, and trust the LORD.
Has the LORD delivered you from great and deep sorrow, praise Him!
Has He succored you from life’s dangerous billows, praise Him!
Praise Him with the song of your lips;
Praise Him with the praise of your heart;
Let no man glory in His doings;
And no god usurp His blessings.
Isa 29:13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Psalms 40:3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.
Naaman the Syrian was sick with leprosy; he needed to find a cure. He found none to heal him in the whole great kingdom of Syria until a young Jewish girl told him of the prophet of God’s people in Israel. She knew that Elishah could heal him. Naaman saddled his camel, and with great company and pomp traveled to present himself to the lowly prophet with the intent of giving a rich reward to him who would heal him! (2 Kings 5:1-6)
But the prophet would not see Naaman, he sent his servant to tell him to dip seven times in the Jordan. “What?” Naaman exclaimed, “Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers in Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? May I not wash in them, and be clean?” Yet at the persuasion of his servants, he dipped in the waters God had ordained for him “and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean” (2 Kings 5: 9-14).
This is not the end of the story. Keep reading, and you will find the great human weakness, the one that has challenged mankind from the beginning, and will challenge him until the end. For knowing well that his healing came from the LORD Jehovah, the God of Israel, when Naaman’s returned to Syria, in spite of the screaming voice of his conscience (2 Kings 5: 18), he went to worship at the temple of the god Rimmon.
Be not like Naaman whose visit to the temple of Rimmon stole the credit for the healing that he received from the LORD. Do not pray privately to Him, and because of fear of the opinions of man, live a public life that denies His truth in your heart. After He has redeemed you, let your mouth, and your life praise Jesus who has delivered you; then the world will know, fear, and trust the LORD.
Has the LORD delivered you from great and deep sorrow, praise Him!
Has He succored you from life’s dangerous billows, praise Him!
Praise Him with the song of your lips;
Praise Him with the praise of your heart;
Let no man glory in His doings;
And no god usurp His blessings.
Isa 29:13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Daily Devotion
June 18, 2006
Psalms 40:3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.
Naaman the Syrian was sick with leprosy; he needed to find a cure. He found none to heal him in the whole great kingdom of Syria until a young Jewish girl told him of the prophet of God’s people in Israel. She knew that Elishah could heal him. Naaman saddled his camel, and with great company and pomp traveled to present himself to the lowly prophet with the intent of giving a rich reward to him who would heal him! (2 Kings 5:1-6)
But the prophet would not see Naaman, he sent his servant to tell him to dip seven times in the Jordan. “What?” Naaman exclaimed, “Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers in Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? May I not wash in them, and be clean?” Yet at the persuasion of his servants, he dipped in the waters God had ordained for him “and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean” (2 Kings 5: 9-14).
This is not the end of the story. Keep reading, and you will find the great human weakness, the one that has challenged mankind from the beginning, and will challenge him until the end. For knowing well that his healing came from the LORD Jehovah, the God of Israel, when Naaman’s returned to Syria, in spite of the screaming voice of his conscience (2 Kings 5: 18), he went to worship at the temple of the god Rimmon.
Be not like Naaman whose visit to the temple of Rimmon stole the credit for the healing that he received from the LORD. Do not pray privately to Him, and because of fear of the opinions of man, live a public life that denies His truth in your heart. After He has redeemed you, let your mouth, and your life praise Jesus who has delivered you; then the world will know, fear, and trust the LORD.
Has the LORD delivered you from great and deep sorrow, praise Him!
Has He succored you from life’s dangerous billows, praise Him!
Praise Him with the song of your lips;
Praise Him with the praise of your heart;
Let no man glory in His doings;
And no god usurp His blessings.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Psalms 40:3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.
Naaman the Syrian was sick with leprosy; he needed to find a cure. He found none to heal him in the whole great kingdom of Syria until a young Jewish girl told him of the prophet of God’s people in Israel. She knew that Elishah could heal him. Naaman saddled his camel, and with great company and pomp traveled to present himself to the lowly prophet with the intent of giving a rich reward to him who would heal him! (2 Kings 5:1-6)
But the prophet would not see Naaman, he sent his servant to tell him to dip seven times in the Jordan. “What?” Naaman exclaimed, “Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers in Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? May I not wash in them, and be clean?” Yet at the persuasion of his servants, he dipped in the waters God had ordained for him “and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean” (2 Kings 5: 9-14).
This is not the end of the story. Keep reading, and you will find the great human weakness, the one that has challenged mankind from the beginning, and will challenge him until the end. For knowing well that his healing came from the LORD Jehovah, the God of Israel, when Naaman’s returned to Syria, in spite of the screaming voice of his conscience (2 Kings 5: 18), he went to worship at the temple of the god Rimmon.
Be not like Naaman whose visit to the temple of Rimmon stole the credit for the healing that he received from the LORD. Do not pray privately to Him, and because of fear of the opinions of man, live a public life that denies His truth in your heart. After He has redeemed you, let your mouth, and your life praise Jesus who has delivered you; then the world will know, fear, and trust the LORD.
Has the LORD delivered you from great and deep sorrow, praise Him!
Has He succored you from life’s dangerous billows, praise Him!
Praise Him with the song of your lips;
Praise Him with the praise of your heart;
Let no man glory in His doings;
And no god usurp His blessings.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Saturday, June 17, 2006
Daily Devotion
June 17, 2006
Psalms 40:2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
Consider the man who is falling. He doesn’t know how long nor how far his fall will be. He tries to stop, he tries to break the fall, but he cannot; his feet slide on slippery miry clay. The pit seems eternal—it takes him far down to the bottom of the earth, and there seem to be no escape.
If you, today, are on a downward spiral, if you are in a seemingly hopeless situation, if you feel without relief of any kind, remember this: even at times when like Jonah in the great fish, (Jon 1:17) you are taken to the foot of the mountain (Jon 2:6), a lifting of the hands, however so weak (Ex 17:11-12); a word of praise, (Jon 2:7), a single look towards the brazen serpent of redemption (Numb 21:8), will reverse the course of events.
As you set your mind on your blessings, as you start comparing yourself positively, as you remind yourself of the mighty promises of God, and of His love and care for you, you will see a change. Your external situation may not change, but because your heart will be set on the certainty of the Promises of God rather than on the miry uncertainty of personal feelings, you will understand your way, your feet will be set upon a rock, your goings will be established, because with the eyes of simple childlike faith, you’ll see the purpose of God in your life.
This text is from a song written by King David, whose life in many ways, was a foreshadow of the life of our Lord Jesus. Both King David and our LORD Jesus give us a lesson through this passage; we would do well to acknowledge and practice its teaching. David’s days were a continual praise provoked by continual danger. The life of Jesus, the firstfruits of what we will be (1 Cor 15:23), ended drastically at the cross on Calvary. As David’s enemies never succeeded to discourage him from giving full praise and trust to his God, the devil was never able to keep Jesus down in the grave, but God raised Him up in victory, and He will also raise us!
Keep praising Him!
Act 2:24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
1Co 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Psalms 40:2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
Consider the man who is falling. He doesn’t know how long nor how far his fall will be. He tries to stop, he tries to break the fall, but he cannot; his feet slide on slippery miry clay. The pit seems eternal—it takes him far down to the bottom of the earth, and there seem to be no escape.
If you, today, are on a downward spiral, if you are in a seemingly hopeless situation, if you feel without relief of any kind, remember this: even at times when like Jonah in the great fish, (Jon 1:17) you are taken to the foot of the mountain (Jon 2:6), a lifting of the hands, however so weak (Ex 17:11-12); a word of praise, (Jon 2:7), a single look towards the brazen serpent of redemption (Numb 21:8), will reverse the course of events.
As you set your mind on your blessings, as you start comparing yourself positively, as you remind yourself of the mighty promises of God, and of His love and care for you, you will see a change. Your external situation may not change, but because your heart will be set on the certainty of the Promises of God rather than on the miry uncertainty of personal feelings, you will understand your way, your feet will be set upon a rock, your goings will be established, because with the eyes of simple childlike faith, you’ll see the purpose of God in your life.
This text is from a song written by King David, whose life in many ways, was a foreshadow of the life of our Lord Jesus. Both King David and our LORD Jesus give us a lesson through this passage; we would do well to acknowledge and practice its teaching. David’s days were a continual praise provoked by continual danger. The life of Jesus, the firstfruits of what we will be (1 Cor 15:23), ended drastically at the cross on Calvary. As David’s enemies never succeeded to discourage him from giving full praise and trust to his God, the devil was never able to keep Jesus down in the grave, but God raised Him up in victory, and He will also raise us!
Keep praising Him!
Act 2:24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
1Co 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Friday, June 16, 2006
Daily Devotion
June 16, 2006
Psalms 40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
Haven’t you read in the Holy Book? Haven’t you read the stories of old? Sit and take the time to meditate and ponder on God’s ways as expounded in His acts of old. Take notice and learn that He always comes through for His children. . . .at the last minute. He does it in this manner so that we would learn patience. Oh, how we squirm while we wait on God; and worst of all, in our self-righteous lack of patience, we accuse Him of not caring about us, and of not answering our prayers.
In this generation, the name of the game is ‘speed’. The faster it goes, the faster we want it to go. Waiting is considered an infringement of our rights. We want to be ‘tended to’ right away. It is sad though when we are that way with God. This is the generation of instant gratification. This generation says, “I want to be happy, and I want to be happy NOW!” I want it, and I want it NOW!” “I want to know it, and I want to know it NOW!” But happiness comes to us through taking the time be broken into the real satisfaction of the heart; gain comes by giving time for investments to grow into earnings; and knowledge comes through having the patience to learn.
May we learn to have the faith of the importunate woman who, by her patient importunity, so annoyed the wicked judge that he rendered justice unto her(Luke18:1-7). May we learn to pray patiently, knowing that God knows what is the best time for all things. Help us always to remember that God’s delays are not denials!
Luke 18:1-7 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; (2) Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: (3) And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. (4) And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; (5) Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. (6) And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. (7) And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
Romans 5:3-5 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; (4) And patience, experience; and experience, hope: (5) And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Psalms 40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
Haven’t you read in the Holy Book? Haven’t you read the stories of old? Sit and take the time to meditate and ponder on God’s ways as expounded in His acts of old. Take notice and learn that He always comes through for His children. . . .at the last minute. He does it in this manner so that we would learn patience. Oh, how we squirm while we wait on God; and worst of all, in our self-righteous lack of patience, we accuse Him of not caring about us, and of not answering our prayers.
In this generation, the name of the game is ‘speed’. The faster it goes, the faster we want it to go. Waiting is considered an infringement of our rights. We want to be ‘tended to’ right away. It is sad though when we are that way with God. This is the generation of instant gratification. This generation says, “I want to be happy, and I want to be happy NOW!” I want it, and I want it NOW!” “I want to know it, and I want to know it NOW!” But happiness comes to us through taking the time be broken into the real satisfaction of the heart; gain comes by giving time for investments to grow into earnings; and knowledge comes through having the patience to learn.
May we learn to have the faith of the importunate woman who, by her patient importunity, so annoyed the wicked judge that he rendered justice unto her(Luke18:1-7). May we learn to pray patiently, knowing that God knows what is the best time for all things. Help us always to remember that God’s delays are not denials!
Luke 18:1-7 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; (2) Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: (3) And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. (4) And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; (5) Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. (6) And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. (7) And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
Romans 5:3-5 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; (4) And patience, experience; and experience, hope: (5) And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Daily Devotion
June 15, 2006
Psalms 27:14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
In the conclusion of this psalm there lies a resolution for the life of the believer.
A host of the wicked and enemies may come upon us to eat up our flesh and we have the assurance of the protection of His pavilion. No matter what ‘life’ may throw at you; no matter what the enemy may use to intimidate you; always remember the end result. “Psalms 27:(5). . . in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. (6) . . . mine head (shall)be lifted up above mine enemies round about me. . . “ We have that promise of the secret place of His tabernacle, and there is no doubt that when the time of judgment arrives, our heads will be lifted up above that of the enemies of God (Dan 7:14,18).
Oh Lord, I want to thank that You won the victory (1 John 3:8). I can now look at the future without fear, with the certainty that the battle will lead to victory and the unconditional surrender of the enemy. It is not a question of if; the only question is when.
Anticipate the victory party; even now, make preparations towards it (Rev 19:9), for thanks to our wonderful LORD, we have reservations for it. Let’s shout, sing and blow the *shofar, for His redeeming blood has won the victory for me and for humanity. There is no stopping us now; every fall is a fall upward and every trial is an instruction to bring us closer to Him. Let the meditation of these thoughts strengthen your faith and courage--that the victory is already won.
I see a soldier. I see a soldier wounded, lying on the ground. His blood pours from his gashing wounds. He is in pain, in terrible suffering, while his enemy stands by him sneering, about to give the wounded soldier the final blow. The Son of God appears from the sky,” Stand back, leave him!” He says, “My blood already paid for his life, he is Mine!”. Beloved, the victory doesn’t depend upon you, but upon the Son of God crucified for you on Calvary!
* Shofar: a Jewish trumpet made out of ram’s horn
Revelation 19:11-21 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. (12) His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. (13) And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. (14) And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. (15) And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. (16) And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. (17) And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; (18) That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. (19) And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. (20) And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. (21) And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Psalms 27:14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.
In the conclusion of this psalm there lies a resolution for the life of the believer.
A host of the wicked and enemies may come upon us to eat up our flesh and we have the assurance of the protection of His pavilion. No matter what ‘life’ may throw at you; no matter what the enemy may use to intimidate you; always remember the end result. “Psalms 27:(5). . . in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. (6) . . . mine head (shall)be lifted up above mine enemies round about me. . . “ We have that promise of the secret place of His tabernacle, and there is no doubt that when the time of judgment arrives, our heads will be lifted up above that of the enemies of God (Dan 7:14,18).
Oh Lord, I want to thank that You won the victory (1 John 3:8). I can now look at the future without fear, with the certainty that the battle will lead to victory and the unconditional surrender of the enemy. It is not a question of if; the only question is when.
Anticipate the victory party; even now, make preparations towards it (Rev 19:9), for thanks to our wonderful LORD, we have reservations for it. Let’s shout, sing and blow the *shofar, for His redeeming blood has won the victory for me and for humanity. There is no stopping us now; every fall is a fall upward and every trial is an instruction to bring us closer to Him. Let the meditation of these thoughts strengthen your faith and courage--that the victory is already won.
I see a soldier. I see a soldier wounded, lying on the ground. His blood pours from his gashing wounds. He is in pain, in terrible suffering, while his enemy stands by him sneering, about to give the wounded soldier the final blow. The Son of God appears from the sky,” Stand back, leave him!” He says, “My blood already paid for his life, he is Mine!”. Beloved, the victory doesn’t depend upon you, but upon the Son of God crucified for you on Calvary!
* Shofar: a Jewish trumpet made out of ram’s horn
Revelation 19:11-21 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. (12) His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. (13) And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. (14) And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. (15) And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. (16) And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. (17) And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; (18) That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. (19) And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. (20) And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. (21) And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Daily Devotion
June 14, 2006
Psalms 27:13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
What is it that gives courage to the laboring missionary? What is the element that gives the believer the substance to fight the good fight of faith daily? How do we explain Christians-- both the past and contemporary-- who, without hesitation put their lives on the line for the Lord and the Word of the Gospel? What keeps these people from spiritually “fainting”, giving up, or cracking under spiritual strain or pressure?
Turn now your ears from carnal wisdom, and hear the Words of celestial truth. Faith in its early stages is like a love relationship. As it is easy to say, “I fell in love”, it is so easily proclaimed, “I believe”. But time and conflict have the nasty habit of testing both love relationships and faith. And what makes the difference between a “fainting” love or a “fainting” faith, is the caliber of “belief” in its foundation.
Is the “belief” based on emotion? Passion? Does it exist because of physical gratification and gain? Or is it a “belief” that is true and alive of its own without having to lean on the shaky props of feelings, and one that stands tall without the stilts of personal gratification?
So, my friend, build your faith, your relationships, your marriage and your life on the certainty of the foundation of the Word of God. Lead your life and service for the Lord on His unfailing will, and you too, will not “faint” as you “believe” to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
2Pe 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Psalms 27:13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
What is it that gives courage to the laboring missionary? What is the element that gives the believer the substance to fight the good fight of faith daily? How do we explain Christians-- both the past and contemporary-- who, without hesitation put their lives on the line for the Lord and the Word of the Gospel? What keeps these people from spiritually “fainting”, giving up, or cracking under spiritual strain or pressure?
Turn now your ears from carnal wisdom, and hear the Words of celestial truth. Faith in its early stages is like a love relationship. As it is easy to say, “I fell in love”, it is so easily proclaimed, “I believe”. But time and conflict have the nasty habit of testing both love relationships and faith. And what makes the difference between a “fainting” love or a “fainting” faith, is the caliber of “belief” in its foundation.
Is the “belief” based on emotion? Passion? Does it exist because of physical gratification and gain? Or is it a “belief” that is true and alive of its own without having to lean on the shaky props of feelings, and one that stands tall without the stilts of personal gratification?
So, my friend, build your faith, your relationships, your marriage and your life on the certainty of the foundation of the Word of God. Lead your life and service for the Lord on His unfailing will, and you too, will not “faint” as you “believe” to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
2Pe 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Daily Devotion
June 13, 2006
Psalms 27:11-12 Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies. (12) Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.
A good teacher friend of mine often challenges her students with the question, “Are you teachable?”
We need to ask ourselves that question. Am I teachable? Is it easy for the LORD to lead and guide me? Am I a problem to Him? Would I want ME as a “ student”?
The problem that I think the LORD faces in teaching us is that He leads us in a “plain” path. Our flesh likes to pride itself in the complicated, the smart, the gaudy; but the path of the LORD is usually plain, simple, self-effacing; humiliating by its simplicity.
God’s greatest military heroes were asked to do some of the most ridiculous things but when they obeyed, they won His battles. Who ever heard of winning a war where you outnumbered one to a thousand, by breaking pots, hiding torches, and blowing trumpets and screaming your head off in the middle of the night? But that’s just what Gideon did (Judg 7:20)! And who would have been crazy enough to obey God when He said that in order to conquer one of the most impregnable cities of their day, they should walk around it seven times with the Ark of the Covenant, and again, blow their trumpets and scream their heads off? And yet, that’ s just what Joshua did (Jos 6:20).
The apostle Paul was one of the smartest men alive in the first century A.D. One could have thought that his intellectual prowess was the success in his winning the intellectual and wisdom hungry Greeks, but in order to give total glory to God, he determined to put aside his carnal wisdom in favor of projecting the simple power of the Holy Spirit.
So it is, my friend, that when you allow God to lead you in His “plain” path, He will deliver you from your enemies, help you win the victories, and the testimony of false witnesses will not touch your soul.
1Co 2:4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
1Co 2:2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Psalms 27:11-12 Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies. (12) Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.
A good teacher friend of mine often challenges her students with the question, “Are you teachable?”
We need to ask ourselves that question. Am I teachable? Is it easy for the LORD to lead and guide me? Am I a problem to Him? Would I want ME as a “ student”?
The problem that I think the LORD faces in teaching us is that He leads us in a “plain” path. Our flesh likes to pride itself in the complicated, the smart, the gaudy; but the path of the LORD is usually plain, simple, self-effacing; humiliating by its simplicity.
God’s greatest military heroes were asked to do some of the most ridiculous things but when they obeyed, they won His battles. Who ever heard of winning a war where you outnumbered one to a thousand, by breaking pots, hiding torches, and blowing trumpets and screaming your head off in the middle of the night? But that’s just what Gideon did (Judg 7:20)! And who would have been crazy enough to obey God when He said that in order to conquer one of the most impregnable cities of their day, they should walk around it seven times with the Ark of the Covenant, and again, blow their trumpets and scream their heads off? And yet, that’ s just what Joshua did (Jos 6:20).
The apostle Paul was one of the smartest men alive in the first century A.D. One could have thought that his intellectual prowess was the success in his winning the intellectual and wisdom hungry Greeks, but in order to give total glory to God, he determined to put aside his carnal wisdom in favor of projecting the simple power of the Holy Spirit.
So it is, my friend, that when you allow God to lead you in His “plain” path, He will deliver you from your enemies, help you win the victories, and the testimony of false witnesses will not touch your soul.
1Co 2:4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
1Co 2:2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Monday, June 12, 2006
Daily Devotion
June 12, 2006
Psalms 27:10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.
We live in a generation where so many are “forsaken” by their mother and/or father. They are forsaken because their conception was due to the heat of a thoughtless moment of passion, to a marriage built on the shaky foundation of emotions, to a lack of commitment to make this marriage work, or even to the cares of life and lust of the eye, that make parents devote more time to their career or financial advancement than to their children. But also, they are at times forsaken due to sickness, death, accidents, religious bigotry and persecution.
It is a sad and lonely thing to grow up in the world with the knowledge that those who are called your parents, who are meant to be your trainers and mentors, do not have enough virtue to keep the roof of your family together, do not have enough roots in their own lives to keep the foundation of your life strong and sound. This builds a cynical negative precedent in your life about love, sexual relationships, marriage, as well as a shaky sense of family. Where do you turn to then? Where do you find your security, your emotional stability?
My friend, you can rest assured. The physical roots of your life may be as shaky as a reed in a stormy wind; the bedrock of your existence may be like the rolling sand of a desert storm; the foundation of your house may resemble mud washed away by a furious river. Know that there is tree that hold its ground stronger than the mighty oak; that there is rock surer than any bedrock, on which you can build your house. When you feel like there is no one on whom to rest your weary, discouraged and forsaken soul, come to Jesus, the sure Foundation laid on the bedrock of the earth (Luk 6:48), the infallible anchor of the soul (Heb 6:18-20), and find refuge from the beatings of the stormy weather, in the place where your heart can rest at peace, anchored in the safe harbor of His love.
Luke 6:48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
Hebrews 6:18-20 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: (19) Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; (20) Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Psalms 27:10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.
We live in a generation where so many are “forsaken” by their mother and/or father. They are forsaken because their conception was due to the heat of a thoughtless moment of passion, to a marriage built on the shaky foundation of emotions, to a lack of commitment to make this marriage work, or even to the cares of life and lust of the eye, that make parents devote more time to their career or financial advancement than to their children. But also, they are at times forsaken due to sickness, death, accidents, religious bigotry and persecution.
It is a sad and lonely thing to grow up in the world with the knowledge that those who are called your parents, who are meant to be your trainers and mentors, do not have enough virtue to keep the roof of your family together, do not have enough roots in their own lives to keep the foundation of your life strong and sound. This builds a cynical negative precedent in your life about love, sexual relationships, marriage, as well as a shaky sense of family. Where do you turn to then? Where do you find your security, your emotional stability?
My friend, you can rest assured. The physical roots of your life may be as shaky as a reed in a stormy wind; the bedrock of your existence may be like the rolling sand of a desert storm; the foundation of your house may resemble mud washed away by a furious river. Know that there is tree that hold its ground stronger than the mighty oak; that there is rock surer than any bedrock, on which you can build your house. When you feel like there is no one on whom to rest your weary, discouraged and forsaken soul, come to Jesus, the sure Foundation laid on the bedrock of the earth (Luk 6:48), the infallible anchor of the soul (Heb 6:18-20), and find refuge from the beatings of the stormy weather, in the place where your heart can rest at peace, anchored in the safe harbor of His love.
Luke 6:48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
Hebrews 6:18-20 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: (19) Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; (20) Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Daily Devotion
June 11, 2006
Psalms 27:9 Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
A child may disobey and be naughty at times. He may incur his parent’s displeasure, their anger, their wrath; he may even sometimes sadden them. But he knows that no matter what, his parents will continue to care for him, to shelter, dress, feed and love him. They will also eventually get over their anger and forgive him. His place is forever secure in their hearts.
It is the same with the LORD. We hurt Him so much through our disobediences and sins! We certainly also must make Him angry and sad through our selfishness, pride and lack of love. Our sins must feel to Him as if we were to stir the nails in His hands and feet, or turn the spear in His side, creating more pain for Him. But no matter what, we have the assurance of His grace, that He doesn’t reward us according to our iniquity (Psa 103:10), and that His mercies are new every morning (Lam 3:22,23). We can call on Him to forgive us, He will answer us and not “put us away” in anger.
In our imperfect world, there are no perfect relationships. Natural affections between parents and children, husbands and wives are not always so “natural” anymore, and it is all the more so the more we approach the time of the retuning of our LORD (2 Tim 3:1-5). But God has ordained it to be so, so that our hearts would yearn for Him, from whom perfect love emanates.
So my friend, not matter what you have done, no matter what the sin in your heart, do not be afraid to turn around and ask for His mercy. Call upon Him and plead; remind Him of His past help and of His promises. His mercies are new every morning!
Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need..
Lamentations 3:22-23 It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. (23) They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Psalms 27:9 Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
A child may disobey and be naughty at times. He may incur his parent’s displeasure, their anger, their wrath; he may even sometimes sadden them. But he knows that no matter what, his parents will continue to care for him, to shelter, dress, feed and love him. They will also eventually get over their anger and forgive him. His place is forever secure in their hearts.
It is the same with the LORD. We hurt Him so much through our disobediences and sins! We certainly also must make Him angry and sad through our selfishness, pride and lack of love. Our sins must feel to Him as if we were to stir the nails in His hands and feet, or turn the spear in His side, creating more pain for Him. But no matter what, we have the assurance of His grace, that He doesn’t reward us according to our iniquity (Psa 103:10), and that His mercies are new every morning (Lam 3:22,23). We can call on Him to forgive us, He will answer us and not “put us away” in anger.
In our imperfect world, there are no perfect relationships. Natural affections between parents and children, husbands and wives are not always so “natural” anymore, and it is all the more so the more we approach the time of the retuning of our LORD (2 Tim 3:1-5). But God has ordained it to be so, so that our hearts would yearn for Him, from whom perfect love emanates.
So my friend, not matter what you have done, no matter what the sin in your heart, do not be afraid to turn around and ask for His mercy. Call upon Him and plead; remind Him of His past help and of His promises. His mercies are new every morning!
Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need..
Lamentations 3:22-23 It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. (23) They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Saturday, June 10, 2006
Daily Devotion
June 10, 2006
Psalms 27:7-8 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. (8) When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.
In the morning, flowers and plants open up to the light and warmth of the sun. They know naturally that their “prayers” will be answered if they turn themselves to “seek the face” of the sun. Both their color and their scent are tuned to their need for sun and pollination.
My beloved friend, is your need expressed by the “cry of your voice” in sincere and honest prayer to God worth less than that of a mere flower, which at the end of every season withers? Is it worth less than that of the grass which fades away (Is 40:8)? And tell me now: how would you like for one to make a request to you while at the same time looking away at the ground, or at the people passing by rather than at your face? Wouldn’t you feel that your friend only came to you because he needed something, but that he didn’t really appreciate the time spent in your presence and fellowship?
Hear a lesson from the garden, my friend; hear a lesson from the flowers of the fields, from the grass in the meadow. Hear the lesson imbedded in the humanity that God has created
In answer to the psalmist’s prayer, the LORD said, seek ye my face (ye=plural “you”. The LORD made a corporate request, David answered on personal level.) How many times do we pray to the LORD, looking “away”, for the answer? Or how many times do we pray to the LORD, like the Pharisees of old, looking “away” in consciousness of the people around us (Mat 6:5)? The LORD said, “Seek ye my face!”
Oh, that you would seek the face of God! Like Moses’, it would shine with the glory of His presence (Ex 34:29); it would reflect a faith and a confidence more sure than the seeing of the eye, than the hearing of the ear (2 Pet 1:19). For how can you worry, how can you fret when you look at the LORD face to face in the secret temple of your prayer closet in your heart?
The LORD’s answer to ALL your prayers is: SEEK YE MY FACE!
Isaiah 55:1-3,6 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. (2) Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. (3) Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
(6) Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Psalms 27:7-8 Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me. (8) When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.
In the morning, flowers and plants open up to the light and warmth of the sun. They know naturally that their “prayers” will be answered if they turn themselves to “seek the face” of the sun. Both their color and their scent are tuned to their need for sun and pollination.
My beloved friend, is your need expressed by the “cry of your voice” in sincere and honest prayer to God worth less than that of a mere flower, which at the end of every season withers? Is it worth less than that of the grass which fades away (Is 40:8)? And tell me now: how would you like for one to make a request to you while at the same time looking away at the ground, or at the people passing by rather than at your face? Wouldn’t you feel that your friend only came to you because he needed something, but that he didn’t really appreciate the time spent in your presence and fellowship?
Hear a lesson from the garden, my friend; hear a lesson from the flowers of the fields, from the grass in the meadow. Hear the lesson imbedded in the humanity that God has created
In answer to the psalmist’s prayer, the LORD said, seek ye my face (ye=plural “you”. The LORD made a corporate request, David answered on personal level.) How many times do we pray to the LORD, looking “away”, for the answer? Or how many times do we pray to the LORD, like the Pharisees of old, looking “away” in consciousness of the people around us (Mat 6:5)? The LORD said, “Seek ye my face!”
Oh, that you would seek the face of God! Like Moses’, it would shine with the glory of His presence (Ex 34:29); it would reflect a faith and a confidence more sure than the seeing of the eye, than the hearing of the ear (2 Pet 1:19). For how can you worry, how can you fret when you look at the LORD face to face in the secret temple of your prayer closet in your heart?
The LORD’s answer to ALL your prayers is: SEEK YE MY FACE!
Isaiah 55:1-3,6 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. (2) Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. (3) Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
(6) Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Friday, June 09, 2006
Daily Devotion
June 9, 2006
Psalms 27:6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.
When Noah came out of the ark, he celebrated victory that he had won with God over an ungodly world by offering a sacrifice unto the Lord (Gen 8:20). When Moses saw Pharaoh’s armies drown in the Red Sea where he had successfully led the children of Israel as on dry land, he celebrated victory by offering a song of praise unto the Lord (Ex 15:1-21).
The soldier who fights in the LORD’s battles claims no glory of his own for the victory. The cause of the war is to be ordained by the Lord (1 Sam 15:2-3) and those fighting were carefully chosen one by one at His command (Jud 7:5-6); the plan of attack given by the Word of His command (Josh 6); the fighting according to His plan of attack; and therefore, the victorious outcome is all and only from the LORD, and there is no doubt about it in anyone’s mind. Moses, Joshua, Gideon, and many others fought the battle of the LORD in unconventional ways that looked like foolishness to the carnal mind of men, especially from a strategic point of view. But they won, and in their own eyes, as well as in the eyes of the people, the only One who could get the glory, and praise for victory in this sort of battle, was God.
So, my friend, let your battle be the LORD’s battle, a battle for His righteous cause. Take the time to pray and listen, to get the plans of attack from Him. Listen and obey Him to do whatever He says to do, to fight the war according to His plans no matter what it is. And when all is done, most important of all, praise Him for the victory.
He purposed the cause, proposed the plans; fought the battle and won the victory; who else should be praised?
Psalms 33:16-22 There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength. (17) An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength. (18) Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy; (19) To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. (20) Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield. (21) For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name. (22) Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Psalms 27:6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.
When Noah came out of the ark, he celebrated victory that he had won with God over an ungodly world by offering a sacrifice unto the Lord (Gen 8:20). When Moses saw Pharaoh’s armies drown in the Red Sea where he had successfully led the children of Israel as on dry land, he celebrated victory by offering a song of praise unto the Lord (Ex 15:1-21).
The soldier who fights in the LORD’s battles claims no glory of his own for the victory. The cause of the war is to be ordained by the Lord (1 Sam 15:2-3) and those fighting were carefully chosen one by one at His command (Jud 7:5-6); the plan of attack given by the Word of His command (Josh 6); the fighting according to His plan of attack; and therefore, the victorious outcome is all and only from the LORD, and there is no doubt about it in anyone’s mind. Moses, Joshua, Gideon, and many others fought the battle of the LORD in unconventional ways that looked like foolishness to the carnal mind of men, especially from a strategic point of view. But they won, and in their own eyes, as well as in the eyes of the people, the only One who could get the glory, and praise for victory in this sort of battle, was God.
So, my friend, let your battle be the LORD’s battle, a battle for His righteous cause. Take the time to pray and listen, to get the plans of attack from Him. Listen and obey Him to do whatever He says to do, to fight the war according to His plans no matter what it is. And when all is done, most important of all, praise Him for the victory.
He purposed the cause, proposed the plans; fought the battle and won the victory; who else should be praised?
Psalms 33:16-22 There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength. (17) An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength. (18) Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy; (19) To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine. (20) Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield. (21) For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name. (22) Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Daily Devotion
June 8, 2006
Psalms 27:5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
The ungodly, the ”worldling”, has to rely upon himself for safety and protection. He lives by his own means; he has established his own righteousness; has become his own kingdom, with its own god: himself! He therefore has to provide for his own safety and protection with locks and security guards of all sorts, so much so that his house becomes his own prison.
It is not so with the child of God. One who delights to do God’s will and whose righteousness is God’s Law (Psa 40:8), one whose perpetual desire is to live close to God, owns the host of heaven for his protection.
In old-times warfare, the royal pavilion was situated in the middle of the army camp. Day and night, guards rotated shifts to protect it; there was no safer place in the whole camp. Priests also protected the tabernacle of the Lord with their own lives; they would die to keep the impure from entering the Holy of Holies, and some lost their lives keeping the Ark from falling into the hands of foreign invaders.
But most importantly, the highest protection is the salvation of your soul redeemed by the King himself. Once the King has purchased your soul, there is no way possible that the enemy can own it again.
So my friend, do you long for peace from the constant warfare that seems to plague your soul? Do you long for safety from the unceasing onslaught of the enemy upon your spirit? Do not do as the ungodly who has to provide for his own safety, but remember that your salvation, and your desire to be close to your LORD, to dwell in His house, reveling in His beauty (Psa 27:4) is your never failing protection.
Linguistic note:
The word translated as ‘rock” in our English Bibles is not always the same word in the Hebrew text. In this text, the word “rock” is the Hebrew “tsur”. “Tsur” is the same word for rock used in the following verses: Exodus 17:6; 33:21; Deut 8:15; 32:4; 32:13, 15,18, 31,37; and many others referring Jesus and salvation.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Psalms 27:5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
The ungodly, the ”worldling”, has to rely upon himself for safety and protection. He lives by his own means; he has established his own righteousness; has become his own kingdom, with its own god: himself! He therefore has to provide for his own safety and protection with locks and security guards of all sorts, so much so that his house becomes his own prison.
It is not so with the child of God. One who delights to do God’s will and whose righteousness is God’s Law (Psa 40:8), one whose perpetual desire is to live close to God, owns the host of heaven for his protection.
In old-times warfare, the royal pavilion was situated in the middle of the army camp. Day and night, guards rotated shifts to protect it; there was no safer place in the whole camp. Priests also protected the tabernacle of the Lord with their own lives; they would die to keep the impure from entering the Holy of Holies, and some lost their lives keeping the Ark from falling into the hands of foreign invaders.
But most importantly, the highest protection is the salvation of your soul redeemed by the King himself. Once the King has purchased your soul, there is no way possible that the enemy can own it again.
So my friend, do you long for peace from the constant warfare that seems to plague your soul? Do you long for safety from the unceasing onslaught of the enemy upon your spirit? Do not do as the ungodly who has to provide for his own safety, but remember that your salvation, and your desire to be close to your LORD, to dwell in His house, reveling in His beauty (Psa 27:4) is your never failing protection.
Linguistic note:
The word translated as ‘rock” in our English Bibles is not always the same word in the Hebrew text. In this text, the word “rock” is the Hebrew “tsur”. “Tsur” is the same word for rock used in the following verses: Exodus 17:6; 33:21; Deut 8:15; 32:4; 32:13, 15,18, 31,37; and many others referring Jesus and salvation.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Daily Devotion
June 7, 2006
Psalms 27:4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.
Yes, I may be the king of a vast empire. Yes, I may own great treasures. Yes, my strength may be so increased that all my enemies fear me. Yes, my place on earth may be secure and comfortable. But all these are as nothing to me; all these are as the “husks” (Luk 15:16) to me.
Any day, Lord, any day I will give up the things that I treasure, the things that make me feel secure and comfortable if they meant to be away from Your presence and out of Your will. Above the wealth and riches that the world has to offer, I choose You; above the comfort and securities of the flesh I choose You.
And I thank You that I do not have to go to Jerusalem, Mt Gerizim (John 4:21), nor even to Rome to dwell in Your house and behold You that You have set the foundations of Your house in my heart, that the earnest of Your beauty You have imbedded within the confines of my spirit. Any time, any time I want, I can enter in Your presence, see the Shekina glory, and behold Your beauty. And that Lord, is worth more than all the gold and silver of the world; it is the pearl of great price!
Matthew 13:44-46 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. (45) Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: (46) Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Psalms 27:4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.
Yes, I may be the king of a vast empire. Yes, I may own great treasures. Yes, my strength may be so increased that all my enemies fear me. Yes, my place on earth may be secure and comfortable. But all these are as nothing to me; all these are as the “husks” (Luk 15:16) to me.
Any day, Lord, any day I will give up the things that I treasure, the things that make me feel secure and comfortable if they meant to be away from Your presence and out of Your will. Above the wealth and riches that the world has to offer, I choose You; above the comfort and securities of the flesh I choose You.
And I thank You that I do not have to go to Jerusalem, Mt Gerizim (John 4:21), nor even to Rome to dwell in Your house and behold You that You have set the foundations of Your house in my heart, that the earnest of Your beauty You have imbedded within the confines of my spirit. Any time, any time I want, I can enter in Your presence, see the Shekina glory, and behold Your beauty. And that Lord, is worth more than all the gold and silver of the world; it is the pearl of great price!
Matthew 13:44-46 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. (45) Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: (46) Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
Daily Devotion
June 5, 2006
Psalms 27:3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.
This statement follows the preceding declaration. David had faith in his calling and unction. This faith created in him the assurance that no one could really arise against him without incurring God’s wrath; that no one could really touch him without touching the apple of God’s eyes (Deut 32:10! He took faith and courage in reviewing the history of the children of Israel, in knowing that no one ever touched them without receiving due retribution from God.
My friend, do you feel your virtue attacked by the ungodly crowd? Do you see the armies of the wicked getting stronger and stronger? Do you hear their drums of war in the horizon ever more approaching? Do you fear and apprehend the coming days when they will seem to have won and conquered the world, even the godly?
This do; look in the Holy Book and read the stories of old; see how God always protects His children and that the wicked always gets his full retribution. When you have done these things, follow the advice given to us by Peter. Peter was a man who suffered much internal persecution battling his own doubts, fear and confusion, and in the end, he also suffered much external persecution, which ended in an upside down crucifixion. He said, “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:” (2 Peter 1:10).
The man who has the assurance of the calling of God cannot fail, for how can one who has the confidence that he has been chosen and elected to sit with Christ at the right hand of the Father, fear the armies of the ungodly (John 14:3)?
Psalms 37:35-40 I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. (36) Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found. (37) Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. (38) But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off. (39) But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble. (40) And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Psalms 27:3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.
This statement follows the preceding declaration. David had faith in his calling and unction. This faith created in him the assurance that no one could really arise against him without incurring God’s wrath; that no one could really touch him without touching the apple of God’s eyes (Deut 32:10! He took faith and courage in reviewing the history of the children of Israel, in knowing that no one ever touched them without receiving due retribution from God.
My friend, do you feel your virtue attacked by the ungodly crowd? Do you see the armies of the wicked getting stronger and stronger? Do you hear their drums of war in the horizon ever more approaching? Do you fear and apprehend the coming days when they will seem to have won and conquered the world, even the godly?
This do; look in the Holy Book and read the stories of old; see how God always protects His children and that the wicked always gets his full retribution. When you have done these things, follow the advice given to us by Peter. Peter was a man who suffered much internal persecution battling his own doubts, fear and confusion, and in the end, he also suffered much external persecution, which ended in an upside down crucifixion. He said, “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:” (2 Peter 1:10).
The man who has the assurance of the calling of God cannot fail, for how can one who has the confidence that he has been chosen and elected to sit with Christ at the right hand of the Father, fear the armies of the ungodly (John 14:3)?
Psalms 37:35-40 I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree. (36) Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found. (37) Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace. (38) But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off. (39) But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble. (40) And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Monday, June 05, 2006
Daily Devotion
June 5, 2006
Psalms 27:2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
“Now I begin to be a disciple. I care for nothing of visible or invisible things so that I may but win Christ. Let fire and the cross, let the companies of wild beasts, let the breaking of bones and tearing of limbs, let the grinding of the whole body, and all the malice of the devil come upon me; be it so, only may I win Jesus.”
“I am the wheat of Christ: I am going to be ground with the teeth of wild beast that I may be found pure bread.” Ignatius; upon his martyrdom. About 110 A.D.
Many of us are aware of perilous times to come for Christianity (2 Tim 3:1); even today the flames of Christian persecutions remain unabated. It has been found that there is more Christian persecution in the world today than there was during the Roman Empire.
The Bible tells us of a time when the world will be led by a devil-man ruler who will put in place a global economic system that will disfavor all those who do not give him the loyalty that they should only reserve for God. Some look with fear at the time when God will judge the world for such a blasphemy; so much so that terms such “apocalypse; Armageddon” have become associated with horror and havoc.
But my friend, if you are one of God’s people, look upon this time with joyful anticipation! This will be the time when God’s people will be victorious and vindicated (Dan 11:32); this is the final ecstatic climax of the victory of the LORD against the devil and his bands. Yes some of us will fall, but it will only be for a better resurrection (Heb 11:35). We may stumble and fall, but we shall rise up again, while the enemy stumbles to an eternal death.
So today, even today, when you feel your moral stands ridiculed by the mocking world; when you fight the temptation to compromise and be indifferent to the spiritual fight at hand; when you struggle in your upward climb towards virtue and godliness; know that it is not in vain, but that you will be the one standing in front of your LORD and Savior receiving an eternal crown of glory, and hearing those precious words: “Well done,… enter thou into the joy of thy LORD!”
Mat 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Pro 24:16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
Psalms 27:2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
“Now I begin to be a disciple. I care for nothing of visible or invisible things so that I may but win Christ. Let fire and the cross, let the companies of wild beasts, let the breaking of bones and tearing of limbs, let the grinding of the whole body, and all the malice of the devil come upon me; be it so, only may I win Jesus.”
“I am the wheat of Christ: I am going to be ground with the teeth of wild beast that I may be found pure bread.” Ignatius; upon his martyrdom. About 110 A.D.
Many of us are aware of perilous times to come for Christianity (2 Tim 3:1); even today the flames of Christian persecutions remain unabated. It has been found that there is more Christian persecution in the world today than there was during the Roman Empire.
The Bible tells us of a time when the world will be led by a devil-man ruler who will put in place a global economic system that will disfavor all those who do not give him the loyalty that they should only reserve for God. Some look with fear at the time when God will judge the world for such a blasphemy; so much so that terms such “apocalypse; Armageddon” have become associated with horror and havoc.
But my friend, if you are one of God’s people, look upon this time with joyful anticipation! This will be the time when God’s people will be victorious and vindicated (Dan 11:32); this is the final ecstatic climax of the victory of the LORD against the devil and his bands. Yes some of us will fall, but it will only be for a better resurrection (Heb 11:35). We may stumble and fall, but we shall rise up again, while the enemy stumbles to an eternal death.
So today, even today, when you feel your moral stands ridiculed by the mocking world; when you fight the temptation to compromise and be indifferent to the spiritual fight at hand; when you struggle in your upward climb towards virtue and godliness; know that it is not in vain, but that you will be the one standing in front of your LORD and Savior receiving an eternal crown of glory, and hearing those precious words: “Well done,… enter thou into the joy of thy LORD!”
Mat 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Pro 24:16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
Sunday, June 04, 2006
Daily Devotion
June 4, 2006
Psalms 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
The apostle John said, “For we know that God is light”. (1 John 1:5). Light is present for all of us; even for the blind man. He knows that it is there; he feels its warmth; people tell him about the colors it creates. He may even learn about it in books written in Braille; he may become an expert in the matter of light, but to know that there is light doesn’t help him see his way, so he gropes in the dark in fear of falling. The LORD Himself must be our Light so we can walk in surety, be enlightened from the darkness of sin, and not fear the pits of the enemies.
John also said that, “light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” (John 1:5) Let it not be so that when the Light shines upon our soul, we snuff it under a bushel of excuses. Let it not be so that when it exposes error in our heart, we crucify it with the nails of self-justification. We surely can understand a child who is afraid of the dark, but the real tragedy of life is when grown men are afraid of the Light!
David knew about strength. He saw the armies of the LORD in all their apparatus of war fear and tremble before one giant. But he rejected the armor and the sword of the king which failed him in his time of need. He rejected their knowledge of strength which didn’t help them be strong. He rejected their idea of power which left them helpless and afraid against the onslaughts of the enemies of God. David went and said to the Philistine giant, “Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. (46) This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. (47) And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD'S, and he will give you into our hands.” (1 Sam 17:45-47) David knew about true strength, the LORD was his strength!
Paul admonished us and said, “be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. (Eph 6:10). Let it not be so that when He gives us a sling and five smooth stones to fight the giants of ungodliness, we despise His seemingly meager means, to rely on the useless carnal strength of man. Let it not be so that when He gives us a prayer, a praise and a song to lift and teach our soul, we despise them to rely on the empty philosophies of man, we deny them to try and find strength in the ways and strategies of the world.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (10) Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
Psalms 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
The apostle John said, “For we know that God is light”. (1 John 1:5). Light is present for all of us; even for the blind man. He knows that it is there; he feels its warmth; people tell him about the colors it creates. He may even learn about it in books written in Braille; he may become an expert in the matter of light, but to know that there is light doesn’t help him see his way, so he gropes in the dark in fear of falling. The LORD Himself must be our Light so we can walk in surety, be enlightened from the darkness of sin, and not fear the pits of the enemies.
John also said that, “light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” (John 1:5) Let it not be so that when the Light shines upon our soul, we snuff it under a bushel of excuses. Let it not be so that when it exposes error in our heart, we crucify it with the nails of self-justification. We surely can understand a child who is afraid of the dark, but the real tragedy of life is when grown men are afraid of the Light!
David knew about strength. He saw the armies of the LORD in all their apparatus of war fear and tremble before one giant. But he rejected the armor and the sword of the king which failed him in his time of need. He rejected their knowledge of strength which didn’t help them be strong. He rejected their idea of power which left them helpless and afraid against the onslaughts of the enemies of God. David went and said to the Philistine giant, “Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. (46) This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. (47) And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD'S, and he will give you into our hands.” (1 Sam 17:45-47) David knew about true strength, the LORD was his strength!
Paul admonished us and said, “be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. (Eph 6:10). Let it not be so that when He gives us a sling and five smooth stones to fight the giants of ungodliness, we despise His seemingly meager means, to rely on the useless carnal strength of man. Let it not be so that when He gives us a prayer, a praise and a song to lift and teach our soul, we despise them to rely on the empty philosophies of man, we deny them to try and find strength in the ways and strategies of the world.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (10) Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
Patrick Lumbroso
For past issues of the daily devotion go to my blog at:
http://hearthstoneministries.blogspot.com/
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