Live Fence Free

Notice: Future devotionals will

appear at my main site: http://www.danieljkoren.com/.

 

I drove up the road, chasing our cow with the family van. He had left our homestead and decided to make friends with my neighbor’s cows. Now, I am no cowboy, but a friend of the family made us a deal on a calf last year, and we raised him on our acreage.

Many people feel “fenced in” by God.

Instead of seeing the green pasture He provides and the protection within the fence, they see a world outside they want to explore. My steer did not understand the danger of 18-wheelers and 4x4’s that could turn him into hamburger. He only saw greener grass and some heifers that could really put on the moooves. It took someone smarter (that’s me by the way) who could look out for his own best interest to keep him eating the right food (instead of the Wal-mart bags in the ditch).

We do not live inside a fence of rules, however.

We live inside the parameters of Jesus Christ and His righteousness. People who live on the fence are looking at rules of “do not touch, do not taste, do not handle” (Colossians 2:21) which make life very limiting. Those who gallop across the countryside have experienced the freedom of pursing Christ’s identity of loving, serving, encouraging, and praying.

“Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, (touch not; taste not; handle not; which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.” (Colossians 2:20-23)

The bounds of love

We also own a wonderful little border collie. She does not wear a collar and we have never tied her out on a chain. She can go anywhere she pleases since our yard is not fenced and she can duck under the barbed wire fences. She, however, never leaves. She might go out back and chase rabbits for part of the day or just sit on the back porch and smile and wag when we walk by. I do not have to fence her in because she loves us and appreciates our care. She does not go to the neighbors for dinner, she trusts us to feed her. Spiritually, I would rather be a dog than a cow by setting my own boundaries out of love rather than wires.

God has given you a grand estate to enjoy: a world full of life and hope. You could sneak through the fence to catch up on what you have been missing (like potholes, cussing drivers, and lack of water), or you can enjoy the turf He has given you in this life. You can relax in the breeze of the Spirit, feast on what His Word provides, and inhale the beauty of His love. When we get to the big round up in the sky, we will enjoy a two-million square-mile ranch with no fences.

Do the Pajama Dance

The scandal of a half-naked king must have given the pundits and bloggers something to criticize. If they had news networks, they all would have shown up to give this disgrace some prime-time coverage. We may not be able to say exactly why David took off his kingly robes to dance before the presence of the Lord, but we can follow his example. My guess is that David only knew how to worship God as David, not as a national official (II Samuel 6:14). He did not learn to play a harp at church. He learned it all alone on a grassy hillside as he worked out his unique abilities to exalt the Almighty. How much we could learn from his example.

Do you dance in your pajamas?

If David got excited about his God who lived in a box (the ark of the covenant) how much more we should get excited about our God who lives in our hearts! Is your relationship with God cold and formal? Get real with Him. Read His word and fall in love with Him in truth. When His Spirit fills you, you should feel like shouting, jumping, running, and maybe even cutting the rug.

If we are going to get excited about the Lord Jesus at church, however, we should first dance at home, in our pajamas. Wearing the Sunday dress or brand new suit should not be our only time to get crazy about Jesus, as if to put on a show. If we are going to shout for God, it should begin when we are alone with Him in the prayer closet. God needs to see my actions as worship to Him before anyone else does. Too many times the people who jump on Sunday droop through the rest of the week. The soprano in the choir could sound like an angel on the weekend but gripe like the devil all week. What good is it to shout for Jesus at church if I shout at my wife and kids at home? Our homes and prayer closets must build the foundation of our walk with God (Matthew 6:6).

Get more vile than this

King David did not care if people thought he was common. He loved God with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength. He did not have a public worship face and a private alternative. He only knew how to worship God with everything within him. He did not know how to sing without his homemade harp. He could not fight a battle with borrowed armor, just the weapon he had perfected alone with God’s help. He did not know how to jump, run, and spin in the presence of the Lord in those bulky robes. He only knew how to dance in his pajamas and he did it with all his might.

When his wife criticized him, he shrugged it off. He said, “I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight” (II Samuel 6:22). In other words, “Honey, you haven’t seen anything yet!” Before you make a scene at church again—in fact, even before you are seen at church again, get real before God. Let Him hear your voice alone. Worship him with all your heart where no one can see. Then, when you feel the urge in public, it will not be a drama, but a reality show.

Too Religious for God

This devotional on religious rules has been moved to http://www.danieljkoren.com/2011/12/religious-god/.

Do not Get Burned Out

This post has moved to http://www.danieljkoren.com/2011/12/burned/.

A Poor Reason for Giving

Find this post on giving to the poor at http://www.danieljkoren.com/2011/05/poor-reason-giving-poor/

How to Worship

A golden throne sparkles as iridescent lights flicker a rainbow of color. The Lord Jesus, seated on the throne, shines blazing bright in pure white with a smile like the sun. Angels fly around the throne, shouting out “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty!” Before the throne several elders bow and worship the Lord. They tell Him how powerful He is. They speak of His mighty works. They rejoice over His wisdom and beauty in Creation (Isaiah 6:1-4; John 12:41; Revelation 4).

We would all love to be in the very presence of God. Unfortunately, most of us settle for much less. We assume we will never take part in such a beautiful scene, so we succumb to life on earth. However, we have a ticket giving us special access to the throne room: worship. Think of it this way: if the presence of the Lord is full of worship, then worship is the way to get into the presence of the Lord.

Most people have no clue what it means to worship. Most people do not worship because they only focus on themselves. They have mastered self-worship, like the man Jesus told about who prayed to himself (Luke 18:10-14). Instead of praying about who we are, we learn to focus on the One who can answer all prayer. Rather than start prayer with, “Help me, God,” we should begin with, “My Father in the high and holy place, Your Name is sacred above every name" (Matthew 6:9).

To get started with worship, think of a couple things you know about God. For example, you might say, “God loves me,” and “He is powerful.” Just turn these phrases toward God now. You have just spoken praise, but when you change from saying “He” to “You,” you begin to worship God. So, say, “God, I know You love me. You are so powerful.” Just by talking to God about Himself, you draw nearer to Him. The more you do this, the deeper into His presence you go, moving further from the cares of this life.

Start lifting up Jesus the way the angels and the elders do in His presence and you will enter His throne room, in the Spirit. Leave behind your worries, frustrations, and disappointments. Why only talk to God when you need something? Graduate from beggar prayers to the wealth of worship. Find the joy of just being in His presence. After all, God does not need to be told how great He is. My worship adds nothing to Him, but it does everything to me. Once I have worshipped, I am ready to start praying about my concerns, which I will see now from a different perspective.

Don't Hold Your Horses

This post has moved to danieljkoren.com.

I Only Have What I Gave Away

http://www.danieljkoren.com/2011/02/gave/This devotional on generosity may now be found at danieljkoren.com.

I Hated Life

“For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil” (I Peter 3:10).

Once I suffered a bout of depression, anxiety, and self-pity.  Soon, however, I got sick of the constant gnawing of unhappiness. It got so bad I hated life. I remember dreading every morning.

At first I was afraid I was going to die; then I wished I had. Every dream had been smothered. Every plan had hit the fan. I could not make sense of my mess and I wanted out. Because I let my tongue speak evil, my heart gave up on life. Like the writer who only focused on vanity and meaninglessness, I could say, “I hated life” (Ecclesiastes 2:17).

Oppression and fear can choke a person until life becomes misery. Disappointment will weigh your soul down until you cannot sing again. In the midst of my spiritual battle, I cried out to God, “How do I love life again?” Of course, I had assumed He misunderstood my situation.  I had a right to be upset because of this person, that checkbook balance, this economy, those politicians, them in-laws, and so on. 

The Lord reminded me to “love life” and “see good days” I must keep my “tongue from evil.”  To my amazement, I found out that God knew what He was talking about. I began watching what I was saying.  I had really let things get to me and had started talking smack.  So, I gave the scripture a try. 

I said, “Good morning, God,” instead of “Good God, it’s morning.”  Even though I could not see one thing to be happy about, I promised God I would stop talking about the bad stuff. Even though my relationship with the Lord had become dry and dead, I vowed to give this passage a try. My prayers changed from being a laundry list of problems, to being praise to God for His greatness.

Now I do not just endure life; I love it. Every sunrise is mine. Every meal is divine. Every day is an adventure. When the devil tries to lure me back into the prison of despondency, I just talk about whatever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report.

Life is in the power of your tongue.

Four or 400?

“Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years” (Exodus 12:40).

Jacob’s descendants lived in the wicked world of Egypt for over 400 years. Although they belonged in Canaan, they moved south to escape famine. After the famine ended, they continued to live in Egypt. A generation later, the Pharaoh made slaves out of them, humiliating and abusing the beautiful descendants of Abraham.

Joseph invited the family down, three years into the seven-year famine. They could have moved back to Canaan after four short years. Why did they stay more than 400? Aside from prophetic reasons, for all practical purposes they found it easier to stay rather than move on and fulfill their God-given destiny.

You will at one point end up in a “foreign land.” You may have to take a job in a hostile, Godless environment. You only involve yourself to the level necessary. Do not become a slave to the sin and decadence around you. Do not identify with the wrongs of your neighborhood, culture, or workplace. Step out to be who God wants you to be. Do not adopt the attitude of the hate-speech, gossip-filled crowd. Just stay as long as necessary for survival. You do not have to learn the perverted jokes or twisted mindsets of our self-centered world.

I found secular college to be an intimidating land for five years. I had to enter that world for an education. I did not adopt the lawless culture around me. I refused to let their alcohol, lewdness, and profanity enslave me. In fact, I brought a few students to pursue righteousness during my sojourning. We serve a God who can take us through mucky situations without our lives getting splattered and tattered.

Consider your situation. Are you heading toward four centuries of bondage? Or will you graduate from your trial in short order? Even if you come from an abusive past or troubled youth, leave those scars behind and go on to the Promised Land of living in God’s favor. View your family, social, and corporate reprieves as temporary intervals in life. Remember, your destiny is a little further North.

The Exalted Servant

“But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man” (Hebrews 2:9).

Jacob’s son Joseph faced hateful brothers. Although his father loved him above all his brothers, they despised him and sold him as a slave. Young Joseph proved himself as a faithful worker for his master Potiphar in Egypt. His diligence and hard work got him promoted to chief over all the man owned. Yet one day he lost it all because of his master’s jealous wife. She figured if she could not have Joseph, then no one could and she had sent him to the dungeon.

In prison, Joseph excelled again and became second in command to the jailer. After a few years there, the king summoned him to interpret a dream. That began a new career for Joseph as this Pharaoh promoted him to being CEO of the entire nation. Joseph led the country through a time of great prosperity. When famine struck, his genius management kept the people from starving.

Joseph had to deal with forgiving his brothers, and he even providing for their needs. In every way, he proved to have noble character. Joseph foreshadows the life of Christ. Jesus came into a world of people who did not understand Him. They rejected Him. His own family turned against Him.

God came to earth in the person of His Son (Colossians 2:9). The Father sought to reach a lost world through the Messiah (II Corinthians 5:19). He came in poverty and simplicity (II Cor. 8:9). He lived simply and excelled at all He did.

At the peak of His popularity, jealous clergymen turned Him over to death. He submitted Himself to the dungeon of the grave, yet He could not stay dead. He came back, bringing life, hope, and peace for a soul-starved world. Jesus Christ humbled Himself to walk among us, and Ephesians 1:21 says He is now “far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.”

The One we pray to understands our hardships.

Strong Language

Find this devotional on Christian slang and minced oaths now at danieljkoren.com

Stay in the Game

“Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip” (Hebrews 2:1)

Christians can be more ignorant about their faith than anyone else. Sometimes non-believers know more about the Bible than those who go to church often. Perhaps some folks assume they are free from studying the Book, if they go to church. How easily we grow slack in our discipline and desire for God.

The book of Hebrews encourages us to give more faithful diligence to knowing the principles of the kingdom lest we let them slip. Many times the Bible warns “do not be ignorant” of the principles it contains. As the police officer says, “Ignorance of the law is no excuse!”

We take our unique opportunity for granted. If you live in a country where you are free to study your Bibles, do you do it on a daily basis? Christians in oppressive countries, such as China, search the Scriptures and pray to God far more than some of us. They memorize every passage that speaks to them. If their Bibles did get confiscated, they would already own it in their hearts.

When did you last sit down with God’s word and enjoy it? How long has it been since you read something there that moved you to tears? What have you changed recently about your conduct because the Scriptures convicted you? How much of the Bible do you feed on outside of church and this blog?

Prayer serves as God’s operating table where He removes sinful infections from our souls. Through Bible study He implants vital components in us that help us live free and powerful everyday. Coming to faith in the Lord and obeying His Word is a great beginning—but that should not be the end of the matter. The writer of this passage said that even though God’s message is confirmed with “signs and wonders,… miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost” (2:4), we still might slip away if we get careless. Open it today and let the Lord imprint your soul.

Keep your grip on the message by holding the Word in your heart.

Life is Your Reward

“Baruch, this is what the LORD says: ‘…Are you seeking great things for yourself? Don’t do it!’” (Jeremiah 45:4, New Living Translation).

Baruch served as a scribe to the prophet Jeremiah, leading up to the time of the Babylonian captivity. He had a great education, a respected family, and many good connections. He had everything going for him to be the next bestselling author.

Unfortunately, Baruch’s first book had been burned by the king—before he even got to go on tour with it! Rumors flew, saying Baruch was a conspirator with the pagan Babylonians. To top it off, Baruch knew that his city would be destroyed. He would never enjoy a stable career, a good income, or prestige among his peers. One day he threw up his hands and said, “I am overwhelmed with trouble! Haven’t I had enough pain already?” (Jeremiah 45:3)

God promptly rebuked Baruch, telling him to stop seeking fame and fortune. Life isn’t about seeking great things for ourselves. We aren’t guaranteed success, nobility, or riches.

We are promised something else. People who set their hearts on things of this earth will grow weary and disenfranchised with such meager results. But God has given us a gift to enjoy long before we finish college, buy a home, or make our first million. In fact we can enjoy this gift even if none of those things transpire.

The Lord told Baruch, “I will give you your life as a reward wherever you go. I, the LORD, have spoken!” (Jeremiah 45:5). That is so simple, it blows my mind. Life is the reward. It’s not the car. It’s not the house. It’s not the kids all graduated and married. It’s life. Wearing the name of Jesus, and living a life in the power of His Spirit is its own reward!

While we pursue comfort and a measure of success, let’s not forget that we should already have the reward—life! Everything other plaque should hang below this simple accomplishment. Let us love life and see good days by not complaining, but thanking God for every moment He has given us. We should not spend our days seek fulfillment—just having another day is fulfillment itself. Once we learn this secret, we will know contentment.

If It's to Be...

“Son of man, when the land sinneth against me by trespassing grievously, then will I stretch out mine hand upon it, and will break the staff of the bread thereof, and will send famine upon it, and will cut off man and beast from it… Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord GOD, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness” (Ezekiel 14:13, 20).

Contrary to the promises of popular culture and politicians, our world will not get better. The Bible predicts unspeakable horrors and suffering that will come on our world. The hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes, and plagues are only the beginning of these sorrows. God is sending a time of great punishment upon those who have rebelled against Him.

As life becomes more polluted and complicated, godly people have a harder time living right. Porn houses continue to spring up around us. Bumper stickers spout all types of lewdness and filth. Television zooms in on perversion and muck, and clean-mouthed comedians grow as scarce as two-headed dinosaurs. You want to throw up your hands and say, “I cannot take it. Why does the world have to be so evil?”

Others point fingers, saying, “I would not have it so bad if only mom had…” or “If my dad had only been…” But this scripture tells us that even if your dad had been Noah (the great preacher and ark builder), he could not save you. Even if you grew up with Prophet Daniel (the man of great prayer), his devotion to God would do you no good. And even if Job (who stuck with God through very difficult circumstances) took you under his wing, he could not preserve your soul. Even being with Jesus every day for a few years did not save Judas Iscariot.

Does this mean there is no hope? No, it simply means that we must make sure of our walk with God for ourselves. Those who love God have great prospects of escaping this messed up world. However, my elders’ faith won’t save me. Pastor cannot get me in the pearly gates. Grandma’s devotedness cannot help me. I must “work out [my] own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12).

…it’s up to me.

Eat to God's Glory

“Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed - to you it shall be for food” (Genesis 1:29).

Do you feed garbage to the body God gave you? I’m sure you eat stuff that tastes good, but do you eat to glorify God or to satisfy your taste buds?

Our dietary industries have gone viral with creating foods that people love to eat but their bodies hate to receive. You fill your tummy with a burger and fries, yet your body received none of the vitamins, minerals, or enzymes that it needs for daily function. Then you feel lethargic as your gut tries to make use of these stale, synthetic, and over-processed carbohydrates and proteins. Many people live on Tums, Maalox, or other products that help negate the putrefying slop they just ate.

God didn’t design our bodies to be trash compactors. He created the human body in a garden surround by fruits, nuts, herbs, and vegetables. Later He added meat to supplement the diet (Genesis 9:3). We go backwards of His order by going for meat first, then the potatoes and some grains. We add a sprig of parsley or a slice of apple and call it a balanced diet.

God created us knowing our health needs. However, just like most people ignore the Lord’s advice for life and live by humanistic philosophy, so they live by manmade foods rather than the perfected provisions God created.

Look at your shopping cart. Is it mostly breads, frozen pizzas, cookies, chips, and other instant or processed foods? Start over and fill your fridge from the farmer’s market. Feed your family fruits like watermelon, pineapple, peaches, grapefruits, and more. Let salad become the staple food instead of potato products. Let your family learn to snack on nuts, raisins, and carrot sticks. While I can’t give you a Bible chapter and verse for how to feed your family, you will find that godly eating will make your family healthier and emotionally stable. “For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's” (I Corinthians 6:20).

Don’t demand a miracle when you ask God to bless your food!

Hope from the Pit

“Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God!” (Psalm 42:5, New Living Translation).

Perhaps none of us have sung the blues like Jeremiah. This man of God went through some trying circumstances and difficult challenges to his faith. At one point of his ministry, the governmental leaders got tired of Jeremiah’s preaching and had him dumped in an old well full of muck (Jeremiah 38). He sank down to his armpits and had no hope of rescue. Talk about a discouraging situation! He was in the pits.

Fortunately, a government administrator found out what was going on and begged Israel’s king to not let the man die in that hole in the ground. They lowered a rope to him with old rags to loop under his arms and eased him out.

Beyond his personal experience, Jeremiah’s whole city was in distress. They were under siege by Babylon, and people were starving to death. Before he went into the pit, Jeremiah was preaching against sin, but also sharing the message of hope about a God who delivers His children from destruction. Once he came out of this pit of despair, his message had not changed.

We can either get sucked down by life’s trials, or choose hope through the midst of them. Most of us get off track trying to get God to cheer us up. The only thing that kept Jeremiah sane was the message of hope. He kept his spirits up by sharing the word of the Lord.

Next time you feel down, minister to someone. Share a scripture. Write a letter of encouragement. Start a blog of hope. Do something to help someone else. You’ll find that as you encourage others, you will rise out of the muck of life problems into the court of the King.

Every major character in the Bible, including Christ, suffered massive setbacks. Yet their stories continue to inspire us today because they helped others even when down themselves. Even in your darkest situations, you must “be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you” (I Peter 3:15, King James).

Hope doesn’t come from life’s situations, but through them.

Take Hope in God

“And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD” (Lamentation 3:18).

One of the more difficult reads in the Bible is the poem called Lamentations.  Actually this “book” offers a collection of five poems.  The first two and the last two are about as long as each other, yet the middle one, labeled “Chapter 3” in your Bible, is three times longer than the others.  This lengthy poem of 22 tercets stands as a tower of refuge in the midst of a sea of overwhelming despair.
 

You and I think we’ve had bad times, but Jeremiah laments times far worse than what we’ve ever known.  During the siege of Jerusalem he had seen friends and fellow countrymen starve to death.  Their bodies were thrown over the wall of the city so as not to stink up the area any worse.  Rape, vandalism, and cannibalism had invaded the once-great city.  Sensibilities were outraged.
 

After the invading armies broke through the city, they desecrated the Temple, and burned everything that remained in town.  From a lonely hillside, possibly Golgotha, Jeremiah looked over the ruins and gave rhythm and symmetry to his chaotic emotions.  He swings from questioning God, to blaming God, to confessing his and the nation’s sins, and back again.
 

Grief destabilizes life.  Dishes don’t get done.  Details get forgotten.  Sorrow can drowned our purpose and we can even despair of hope.  After saying his hope had perished, Jeremiah changes his tone.  Suddenly he determines to not give up on his hope in God:
 

It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. (3:22-24)

While we can’t avoid wondering why bad times come, and even when we deserve the punishment we receive, we must remember that God’s personality is not one of chastisement.  He doesn’t “afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men” (3:33).  He loves us and gives every opportunity to turn away from punishment. Bring your sorrow to the One who gives hope.

Huggable Kids

Now find this devotional on cherishing children at danieljkoren.com.

Honest to God

“Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people” (Proverbs 14:34).

City, state, and federal governments struggle today with money issues. While I understand that accountability, economics, and wisdom all factor into what happens with financial matters, it just seems to stand out to me that as we have allowed more sin to become legal. Bars, clubs, and casinos continue to grow. The internet swims with filth. Television continues to drop to new moral lows. We claim sin is okay as long as we can tax it to raise needed revenues. But anything we gain from unrighteousness will be to our loss in God’s eyes.
 

When we uphold God’s principles we obtain His favor. When we ignore Him, we cannot expect kudos. When our country stops giving a tax break to the clergy yet starts funding abortions, we are in trouble. When the government limits the tax breaks for churches yet gives more to schools that teach godless myths of human origin and philosophies of humanism, we are asking for punishment. When our national leadership refuses to honor the Lord Jesus on a National Day of Prayer yet hosts a Capital Hill event to pay respect to a religious movement which denies our Lord, we are begging for disaster.
Sin-filled countries are some of the most dangerous, unhealthy places in the world. The godlier a nation is, the safer it becomes both from disease and destruction. We often make out religion as if it exists in a vacuum and had nothing to do with real life. People make a confession of faith about Jesus at their church or cathedral, yet live like the devil when they go to work or the club.
 

No liturgy, no nice poem, no good motto can undo the damage inflicted by a community that refuses to put God first. When gold comes before God, when fad displaces faith, when tolerance erodes truth, we can only count the days until the end. However, there is still time to turn from our wicked ways, seek first the desires of the Spirit, and live honest to God. Our morals determine our nation's mortality.

Rag TIme

This devotional for those who feel worthless now to be found at danieljkoren.com .

Let the Children Come

This devotional on allowing children to worship with their families has been moved to danieljkoren.com

God Character

This devotional on taking on "God's Character" and many more are now available at danieljkoren.com

The Greatest Joy

This devotional on raising a family now at danieljkoren.com.

Number the Beast

“Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast” (Revelation 13:18).

Bible students have argued for years what the beast and his number 666 might mean. However, there may be a beast lurking in our personal lives that must be dealt with: debt. Most Americans have gotten themselves into debt and don’t know how to get back out. It almost seems as if “no man might buy or sell” unless debt gets involved (Revelation 13:17).

Now, I could quote Romans 13:8 and tell you to “owe no man any thing,” but I think must of us already desire a better life without monthly payments—or worse, collections calls. We’ve got to get rid of the mark of that beast named Debt. Many debtors refuse to take the first step, though. They are afraid to number their beast.

Do you know the tally of what you owe? What do you still owe on your appliances and furniture? How much do you have in credit card balances? Medical bills? School loans? What about that nagging $300 you borrowed from Uncle Larry? If we’d sit down and total up our bills, we could move to the next step of slaying the dragon.

I sat down and calculated my obligations the other day. Sure, I don’t like the fact that I’m still paying a medical bill from a couple years back and some other liabilities, but I also don’t like being a servant to any lender (Proverbs 22:7). After giving that monster a number (and I wish it was only $666) I sized it up and improved my game plan to bring it down piece by piece.

Obviously, this writing has not probed the depths of end-time events as the Bible passage truly means when discussing the world beast and number. Yet I don’t think any believer has really prepared for the Apocalypse if they think they will just fly away from their obligations when Jesus comes back. Let’s be free of debt and make sure there are no commitments tying us to this world. Once you’ve killed your debt monster you’ll enjoy a profound financial liberty and life as God intended for His people.

Master your money or it will master you.

Perfect Woman

This article on the Proverbs 31 woman has moved to my main page.

Jump Into the River

The Day of Pentecost is for everyone one. Did the Holy Spirit fall in the upper room or in the Temple?

Who Gets It?

“In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” (John 7:37-38)

A diligent Bible reader will quickly discover that Jesus’ disciples soon cashed in on this promise when the Holy Ghost fell for the first time in Jerusalem. But what happened after that? The Bible records the stories of thousands who received this heavenly deluge. Today, more people receive the baptism of the Spirit each year than all those recorded in the Bible.

When Jesus introduced us to the promise of the Spirit, He made a key statement that explains exactly who receives this gift. Those who receive the Spirit come first with that rare little trait called “thirst.” Some consider the Holy Ghost as a casual discussion, an interesting possibility, or a doctrinal argument. Jesus, however, isn’t looking for us to just bring Him our minds regarding this gift. He’s not just looking for our faith. He’s looking for those who realize their need for His love, His joy, His peace, His kindness, and much more. Dehydrated from secularism and parched by pluralism, they are seeking a source that doesn’t burn them out and disappoint them in the end.

It’s easy to not thirst for more of God. We drink deeply of our busy lifestyles. Modern society takes a few sips at the fountain of self-indulgence, guzzles a gulp of lewd thinking, and washes it all down with a slosh of Hollywood. Perhaps if we de-carbonated our schedules and de-caffeinated our weekends we might be able to de-mystify certain passages of Scripture that seem to apply to someone else.

Many people who take up physical training or health improvement discover how good pure water can taste when they cut out commercial beverages. A life spent seeking first the Kingdom of God would be just as refreshing. Crave Him. Thirst. Want the Spirit of God more than anything and you will have Him. If a person today would concentrate on worshipping and praising God as those thirsty early Christians did, they too could take a deep drink of that Living River.

Do you want just a swig or the whole river?

Sweating the Small Stuff

“I struck you with blight and mildew and hail in all the labors of your hands; yet you did not turn to Me.” (Haggai 1:6)

God sent the Prophet Haggai to the people of Israel to point out their inconsistencies. They had been working on rebuilding God’s Temple in Jerusalem, but, after some setbacks, began focusing on making a nice life. But the Lord was not blessing their efforts. Their crops were miserable looking, and their harvest was puny.

Contrary to the saying, “Don’t sweat the small stuff,” we do worry about little things. I can picture the Israelites studying what caused the mildew. Down at the farm supply, they were buying nematodes, antifungal powder, and spray disinfectants for their beans and peas. However, this blight and mildew outbreak wasn’t the problem, just an indication of it.

The problem? The people had forgotten God. They had come back to Jerusalem to build God’s house, yet they began building their own kingdoms. This could be at the root of many of our struggles today. Jesus said it this way: “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).

How much time do we waste focusing on our problems rather than focusing on the solution? We want counseling for this and therapy for that. We need answers for this impossible situation and a miracle cure for another, when we really just need to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength and others as our own selves. Blight and mildew (a.k.a. stress and worry) cannot live in a loving environment.

I’m amazed at the number of personal conflicts that could be resolved if we’d grasp this concept. Marriage counseling wouldn’t be so much needed if husbands or wives would pursue the Lord Jesus with all their energy and attention. Just by seeking out God’s ways, most “issues” in life manage to cure themselves. Have you gotten distracted from the most important pursuit? Stop reading that “Mildew for Dummies” book and pick up God’s Manual (the Bible). Quit dialing the Blight Hotline and place your call to Heaven today. You’ll be glad you did.

Don’t mistake symptoms for the disease.

Make God Glad

“Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would… fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness,… That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you” (II Thessalonians 2:11-12)

Most believers know that our lives should give God glory. When you give God glory you are simply making God glad. We do a lot of things for reasons other than making God glad. We usually live only make ourselves happy. Think about children for example. Children who live to make themselves happy have few friends and frustrated parents. When children like to share and help out, they make joyful parents—and the children themselves are happy as well.

People do many religious things without even thinking about making God glad. For example, some religious people came to church reminding their leaders that they always fasted on a certain day each year. God spoke to them through the prophet and asked, “Did you do it for Me?—for Me?” (Zechariah 7:5).

The Lord Jesus asks us this same question today. Do we go to church for Him? or because we are expected to? We should give our tithes and offering to Him, not just to look good. Do we dress to be seen? to be popular? to show off the bling-bling? Or do we dress modestly to honor God?

When we spend money do we spend for us? Too often we spend money we don’t have on things we don’t need to impress people we don’t like. We should handle all our money in a way to make God proud: giving to the poor, investing, saving, paying off debt, and so on.

How do you use your time? How do you treat your family? How diligent are you at your work? When you read your Bible, is to please God, or just follow daily routine? Does your prayer life honor God? Do you worship and thank Him, or just tell Him what you want?

Have you ever seen someone come to a wedding just for the food? A wedding feast is held to honor the bride and groom, not to stuff your gut and take three plates home. God feels the same way when we look at the Bible as a self-help manual instead of a guide book to know Him better.

Live for His glory; you’ll be glad you did.

Rules vs. Relationship

This devotional on rules vs. relationship has been moved to danieljkoren.com.

Listen. Be Heard.

This devotional has moved to http://danieljkoren.com

Never Enough

      “You have sown much, and bring in little;
             You eat, but do not have enough;
             You drink, but you are not filled with drink;
             You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm;
             And he who earns wages,
             Earns wages to put into a bag with holes.”

(Haggai 1:6, New King James)

Human nature drives us for more. If the food doesn’t satisfy, we keep eating. If the paycheck doesn’t make us happy, we chase more money. Then we pursue debt and extend our credit into the danger zone.

So many people live in a continual state of unhappiness. They search for fun, relief, self-expression, distraction, and even wickedness. Why do they feel empty? Because they failed to make God happy.

Leave the carnival, step away from the buffet, shut off the game machine, get off the roller coaster, park your shopping cart, roll up your beach towel, and go to church. Get your heart right with God. Give Him time each day as you search the Scriptures and seek His heart in worship. Give Him the priority in your paycheck by tithes and offerings. Promote His cause by sharing the gospel with someone else and telling them about the Promise.

When you seek first His kingdom, even boring days are fulfilling. When you seek your own, even lavish fun feels hollow. Contrary to Wal-Mart theology, getting more stuff won’t solve an unhappy heart. Only an intense, personal relationship with God does.

When Haggai preached his message to God’s people, they were on a vicious cycle of narrow survival. God reminded them that if they would go back to work building the Temple, they would find satisfaction again in even the simple things of life. How about you? Are you generally satisfied and full of the Lord Jesus? Or do you suffer the inner gnawing of discontent? Don’t neglect building the Temple where God can dwell in your heart and mind.

Crave heavenly things; be content with everything else.

Finish the Battle

“Then cometh the end,… when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.” (I Corinthians 15:24-25)

The bad guy during the reign of queen Esther was Haman, a man descended from Agag (Esther 3:1). Just like great-granddaddy Agag, Haman wanted to destroy the people of God. However, this Haman would not have existed if King Saul had obeyed God some 500 years before by killing all the followers of King Agag (who were Amalekites, murderous enemies of the Jews).

Since God’s man didn’t follow God’s orders the first time, the Lord raised up Queen Esther and her foster-father Mordecai to finish the Job. By a miracle, Mordecai and Esther led their people in a fight against the people of Haman. This brought a great victory to the oppressed and weary followers of God.

While Haman descended from the centuries old hatred of his people against the followers of the One True God, Mordecai and Esther came from the centuries old failure of their ancestor, King Saul (Esther 2:5-7). The man who made a mess of things was fortunate to have a descendent come along to reverse his mistake and turn it into a triumph instead.

We have another ancestor who made a muddle of things: Adam. He should have guarded the human race from the influence of the devil. Instead he submitted himself and all his descendants to the enemy’s power. The story isn’t over. From the genealogy of Adam came a Man who would not flinch from the destroyer. Jesus Christ won’t quit until the enemy is completely demolished.

History never mentions the Amalekites, the descendents of Agag, or Haman again. Soon we will live in a universe free of the enemy’s attacks, where we’ll never hear of Satan again either. Will you join the Lord Jesus Christ in defeating the devil who would like to destroy you? Don’t give him any space for his evil. Let’s help end this battle that our ancestor botched as we follow our Commander to conquest.

Sword Sharpening

“For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.” (Ezra 7:10)

If anyone writes a book about my life someday (don’t ask me why they would attempt such a boring work), I hope the author would say the same about me as the Bible says about Ezra: “he prepared his heart to seek God’s Word.” Too often we don’t seek God’s Word. We read it out of guilt or commitment. But God is looking for someone who will seek out the Truth of His Book. Sure, He appreciates our scripture-a-day calendars and Bible quotes on our personal checks. Yet He still watches for those who will devote time and attention to finding the treasures He has buried in the Book. Not scripture as a program but as a process. Not activity, but activator.

Ezra was a skilled student of God’s Writings (7:6). While we don’t all have to learn Greek and Hebrew to “get it,” we need to sharpen our Bible study skills. We don’t need a bunch of stuffy commentary books either. We need to find out what the Bible says about the Bible. When we encounter a verse we don’t understand, we should seek out other passages like it. God’s Word explains itself if we use cross-reference helps and concordances to find similar topics and teachings. And don’t become an expert on just one verse. Seek out the whole counsel of God’s Word.

In addition to seeking the Truth, we must do it. Many people know what the Bible says. Very few live it. Look at the people around who live in despair, stress, anger, or gluttony. They know the principles, but they’ve yet to encounter the promises by obedience. It’s one thing to know the Bible; it’s another to be known by it.

Finally, we must teach what we know. Once we’ve discovered it, we live it, and then we begin share it with others. What has the Lord Jesus taught you through His Word lately? Are you living it? How could you improve? Who could you share your message with? What’s stopping you from doing it now?

Life isn’t dull for those who keep a sharp sword.

The Best Ability

http://www.danieljkoren.com/2011/01/ability/Find this devotional on overcoming excuses at danieljkoren.com

Are You a Thief?

“Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee?” (Malachi 3:8)

How have some robbed God? By holding back “tithes and offerings” He says. “Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation” (3:9). That statement is at true today as it was in Malachi’s day. While most of America gives little or nothing to the Lord, amazingly many so-called Christians don’t either. Yep, they might drop a buck or two into the plate on Sunday, but they still rob God by not giving Him full honor with their income.

Tithing is an act of faith demonstrated by Abraham, not a work of the law by Moses. Tithing means giving 10% of our increase (wages, bonuses, SSI, etc.). Although some churches follow a different financial system, tithing was established to support the ministry.

Offerings maintain the church campus and provide missionary and evangelistic funding. Biblically an offering is 5% or 10% more after we tithe. Offerings show our love for God. We give this to God through the local church.

God said, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house” (3:10). This means our tithes and offerings should go to the local church, not to some TV or radio ministry. For there to be “meat in the house,” somebody has got to pay for the groceries.

Remember, we don’t give so that we can have some “say” in how the church is run. Tithing doesn’t mean you’ve rented out the preacher so that he has to come running when you need your lawn mowed or when you lock your keys in the car.

Does God challenge us to give 15-20% of our income so that we will go broke and not be able to keep up with our obligations? Not at all. By giving to God, we remove the curse from our income and see how a little bit goes a lot further than before. To those who give both tithe and offerings, He promises: “prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (3:10). Give and it shall be given unto you.

Prove Him this week.

Healing for the Deepest Wounds

“He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.” (Psalm 147:3)

Family members can hurt you worse than anyone else. When a loved one turns against you, it can cut you deeper than any other form of rejection. Although we’ve all seen our parents get upset at our immature behavior once upon a time, when a care-giver or close relation tells you that you’re worthless they can damage you emotionally and morally. Wounded people often don’t realize how deeply they are hurt. They may not even realize they are acting out wounds buried long in the past. Those things follow us forever until we find out that we can be free.

Not only does Scripture promise us that the Lord is close to those “that are of a broken heart” (Psalm 34:18), but He also said He comes to “set at liberty them that are bruised” (Luke 4:18).

Bruised people have been hurt intentionally.

Bruises hurt whenever you touch them.

Bruises only happen from close up action.

If you’re hurting from someone who deliberately accused you, molested you, or otherwise destroyed your self-worth, you need to know that Jesus Christ offers you liberty. You don’t have to stumble through life in blind pain, grieving inside, seeing no end to your frustration.

When you run to Him with your tears,

when you leave behind all your demands,

when you accept the fact that He thinks you are wonderful,

when you stop believing all the lies you’ve been told,

when you find the end of yourself,

only then will you find what walking with Jesus means.

The Lord didn’t come to wave a magic wand and say “See ya’ in Heaven.” With wide-open arms, He gathered the cast-off children, the drunks, the divorce victims, and the disabled. He came to restore and rebuild a tattered world. He came to let us know a Father’s love. Broken weeping draws us near to Him. Looking into His light chases away the clouds of the past. Begin the lifelong journey now, to experience this life of wholeness.

Jesus is reaching out to you.

Summer Skin Sin

“I also want the women to be modest and sensible about their clothes and to dress properly; not with fancy hair styles or with gold ornaments or pearls or expensive dresses, but with good deeds, as is proper for women who claim to be religious.” (I Timothy 2:9-10, Good News Bible)

Sorry I have to interrupt the party with the voice of morality, but… Too many girls and women today have no sense of shame when they pick out their clothes for the day. Godly ladies should know better than to try to show a lot of skin and outline their figure with skimpy, tight clothing.

This is the time of year when everyone seems to want to work on their tan, but they often do so at the expense of other people’s sensibilities. I imagine every young lady wants to be noticed by the guys, but lowering the neckline (and the morals) only gets the wrong guys to look. Modern styles have driven even mothers and older women to imitate the floozy teen clothes coming from Hollywood. Just because it’s a dress doesn’t mean it’s modest.

Most men fall into the sin of lust around such lewdness. A woman of God “should decide never to do anything that would make others stumble or fall into sin” (Romans 14:13, GNB). Sometimes women aren’t aware of the effect they have on the male gender. A comfortable style for her can make a godly man very uncomfortable.

Of course, men have no room to justify the sin of gawking at a scantily clad female. Sir, if she’s not your wife, don’t look. And let’s pray, pray, pray for winter.

Lady of God, modesty doesn’t turn men’s heads (or their stomachs). Watch the men’s eyes. Do they meet yours when you talk to them? Or are they distracted by what you are wearing (or not wearing)? Put on a godly spirit and a little more cloth, and you’ll have all the attention you want without being overexposed.

If it’s not for sale, don’t put it in the window.

Climb the Mountain

This devotional now located at danieljkoren.com

Perfect Woman

This devotional on the Proverbs 31 woman is now at danieljkoren.com