Scripture

Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of Your name lead and guide me. Keep me free from the trap that is set for me, for You are my refuge.

~Psalm 33:3-4, NIV

Quote

We have no doubt that God provides guidance: our doubt is in our receptivity to His guidance.

~J.I. Packer

I do agree with Packer that God offers guidance. Primarily He has given us His word. The Bible is not just a book, it is definitely the word of God and it contains every instruction we need to live a godly and wholesome life. We also have the indwelling Spirit of God, the Ruach Ha Kodesh, Spirit of Holiness, and He can also give us guidance. What we look for is an agreement between the word and the Spirit. When those two agree, we have our guidance. The questions are: [1] Are we willing to do what God guides us to do? [2] Are we open and receptive to His guidance? The Wise Men lived six hundred miles from Bethlehem, yet they visited the Christ child after His birth. It is true that they followed a star most of the way, but that got them only so far, eventually, they needed the word of God which they got in Jerusalem from, of all people, the Jews. When I say Jews, I am talking about the upper crust: the Scribes, Priest and the Sanhedrin. They were vile and corrupt men, but they did know scripture, and they told the wise men where the child would be born.

Now this is what interest me: the wise men took the information and acted on it promptly and the Jews did nothing. Why is this? Why didn’t they at least send a delegation to Bethlehem? Because they were not open or receptive to God’s leading. Wise me are open and receptive: they pursue the truth. The powerful Jews in Jerusalem were too busy defrauding the peasant Jews and making money hand over fist. Do you really want to know where God is leading or have you set up your own little kingdom like the unbelieving Jews. They did not want to be interupted, not even by God Himself. The Savior is born right under their prideful noses and they miss it. Thirty years later when they are persecuting Jesus, they do not take the time to research his birth. They keep saying ignorant things like, “No Messiah comes from Galilee.” It is like, “dah,” He was born four miles from your court room. How can a “so called” scholar not know this? Their ignorance is amazing and ironically, they are highly intelligent people, just not open or willing to let God lead them.

Extra

It was a cool brisk walk to the office this morning and I loved it. No wind this morning. I did have to turn on a little heat when I got to the office. God is good and we praise Him for another great day of celebration. The LORD answered prayer for me and I thank Him. We were down in attendance at GP. When I say down, I don’t mean slightly. We may have had 60 which means we were missing about that number. I texted Steve Edmonson and told him we voted him out of church for absenteeism, he said, “That’s OK, I have the check book.” That boy always gets the best of me. I did get the best of him one time. He called after my sister was killed in a car accident three years ago and said “If there is anything I can do, let me know.” I said, “there is actually, I could use a thousand dollars in cash.” Without a moments hesitation he said, “You need to call Don Murphy.”

Charity Clark is very low. At present, they are trying to manage the pain. Hospice is making daily visits now. Annual Meeting of the Morgan County Executive Committee this morning at 10:00 at DBC. Joe David is the moderator. Dr. J. Spencer Bell will be preaching. Joe David gave him a ten minute slot but that will never work. Spencer always has three points and each of the points have three points and they all start with the same letter.

Big Mama celebrated her 77th birthday on Saturday: Lara and Lexi will be 28 tomorrow. Unbelievable!

I hope you have a good day and thanks for reading the blog.