Daily Devotionals – Page 9 – Serminutes

"Digging" God's Word – The Archaeology of Your Heart

June 24, 2011R. Mangold

Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. I Peter 1:23

Every year the nation of Israel is credited with literally thousands of archaeological discoveries, and even with ongoing instability in the Middle East slowing archaeological endeavors somewhat, the Bible’s reliability as a historical document continues to be confirmed by the field of archaeology every day. Dr. Nelson Glueck, probably the greatest modern authority on Israeli archaeology, said, “No archeological discovery has ever controverted a single biblical reference.”

Hypothetically, if an archaeologist were to do some digging in your “spiritual” life what would his findings be? Would proof of God’s Holy Word be irrefutable? Would the evidence be so compelling, even the harshest critic would concede?

Every detail of a believer’s life is scrutinized by critics – ready to pounce on any proof there’s nothing to what you believe.

Still others are hoping and praying what you say is true, and what you’re living is real…they want it to be true; they need it to be true!

Why are they so desperately hoping the Bible you represent is real? Because this world needs HOPE!

Today dear Christian, why not be living proof God’s Word still changes lives, saves souls, and is the key to eternal life? Like the Apostle Paul called the Corinthians, let’s be ”epistles…known and read of all men.”

“Serminutes” – Sermon in a Minute. A one minute spiritual pick-me-up for busy Christians! Visit this POST for details on what exactly that is. Thank you for visiting today! May the Lord richly bless you. Rodger Mangold

The Art of the Rebound

June 23, 2011R. Mangold

Wilt Chamberlain holds the NBA record for the most REBOUNDS leading the NBA in rebounds in 11 different seasons, and has the most career rebounds in the regular season (23,924), the highest career average (22.9 rpg).

Watching a basketball game, you quickly realize that just as important as getting the ball in the hoop is when you miss the hoop, catching the REBOUND!

The Bible is chocked full of examples of REBOUNDS. Naturally they’re not labeled as such, but we can learn as much from Biblical REBOUNDS as we can Basketball – i.e. Samson, Moses, David, and even Peter, Paul, and Onesimus.

Proverbs 24:16 tells us, “A just man falls seven times, and rises up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.”

Our modern vernacular says, “A just man falls seven times, and REBOUNDS again. By not getting back up, you’ve only shown you’re shallow and lack maturity. In fact, NOT getting back up is considered not just failure, but in Proverbs’ terms…the WICKED are the ones that DON’T get back up!

The true mark of your success is not in never having fallen; it’s most assuredly in the fact that you HAVE fallen, and taken the REBOUND and getting back in the game!

Study Not to be Noisy or Nosy

June 22, 2011R. Mangold

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. Joshua 24:15

“What about him,” asked Peter as he motioned to John (the disciple whom Jesus loved).

“What is it to you if I allow him to live until I return? Just follow me,” replied Jesus. (John 21)

At times we have an innate propensity to “concern” ourselves with someone else’s situation, especially if we feel they have an advantage over us. Peter even tried it with Jesus. The disciples surely must have questioned why it was that John seemed to be Jesus’ “favorite?” See a related Serminute entitled, “God’s Heartbeat” for an illustration of one such account.

Joshua on the other hand said it well when he stated, “as for me…” He left the choosing to the people. When it comes to committing, it would do us well to have an “As-For-Me” mentality. Yes, be prayerfully and genuinely concerned for your brother and sister, but when it comes to commitment, the only one you can truly vouch for is you. Paul admonished the Thessalonians not to be noisy…or nosy, saying, “study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you.”

The next time you find yourself questioning the integrity, commitment, and loyalty of a fellow servant of God, be reminded of Jesus’ words, “What is it to you?”

The Secret to the Redwood's Majesty

June 21, 2011R. Mangold

The northern California coast plays host to the world’s tallest and most majestic tree; The Redwood. Known for their enormous height and beauty, the secret to the strength of this giant can be traced to its extensive root system. Towering up to 350 feet, the Redwood’s root system is surprisingly shallow. Buried no deeper than 6 to 10 feet below these skyscrapers, you will find a convoluted network that travels for miles beyond each individual tree to intertwine into a sophisticated root system. With a lifespan of nearly 2000 years and each tree weighing nearly 500 tons, the success and longevity of this kingly tree is a direct result of the tapestry of interwoven roots that connect with other Redwoods.

Despite having shallow roots in the sandy soil of California; these trees have survived for centuries not independently but collectively. The Apostle Paul stated we are members of one body. If we think we can survive in isolation, we’re wrong. As Christians our survival depends on our ability to band together until “we all come in the unity of faith.” (Eph. 4:13)

Let us take to heart the lesson the Redwoods teach us; united we stand and divided we fall.

Redwood Ecology – California Stateparks (Link)

Blessed or Blissed?

June 19, 2011R. Mangold

The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. Proverbs 10:22

It is a gross misconception when we equate God’s blessings with God’s sanctioning. Even Jesus decried this delusion when he said, “For he (God) maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matt. 5:45).

False teachers presume to preach a gospel of prosperity and mislead millions into believing if you’re blessed you must be pleasing to God and conversely, if you’re not blessed, you must not have enough faith. This is a miscarriage of the Gospel that Jesus taught…Blessed are the poor, the mournful, the meek, the merciful, and the persecuted! (Matthew 5)

This list reads like a “who’s who” of mistreated, brokenhearted, and the socially outcast of our day. What the world views as weakness, God sees as a trust in His Strength that is made perfect in weakness. What the world sees as poverty, God sees as being an heir to the Kingdom of Heaven.

God does indeed bless His people in so many ways, but if we’re so infatuated with the blessings rather than the “Source” from whom all blessings flow, we’re in extreme peril of being “blessed” rather than “blessed!”

For an expanded version of this post please visit Rodger’s Rants, Writings, and Rambles

"Timely" Advice from our Biblical Ancestors

June 18, 2011R. Mangold

Time is priceless yet it costs us nothing.

You can do anything you want with it, but you can’t own it.

You can spend it, but you can’t keep it.

And, once you’ve lost it there’s no getting it back.

Our biblical ancestors have some “timely” advice for us…

David resigned himself to the fact his “times” were in God’s hands. (Psalm 31:15)
Queen Esther convinced she had come to the kingdom “for such a time as this,” risked execution to save her people, siting, “if I perish, I perish!” (Esther 4:14)
James postulates our lives are just a vapor appearing for just a “little time.” (James 4:14)
Paul admonished the Ephesians to “redeem the time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:16)

Only God occupies all space and time…we don’t! Our days are numbered. If you’re delaying your decision and postponing your purpose, remember, you’re not guaranteed tomorrow. Don’t wait any longer! God can do more with what’s left of your life than everything you’ve accomplished up to this point!

No one knows the day nor the hour of Christ’s return. We must be ready at a moment’s notice…He came for someone today!

Power of the "Moment"

June 17, 2011R. Mangold

¹³Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: ¹⁴Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. ¹⁵For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. James 4:13 – 15

There is within each of our lives “that moment,” that defines us. “That moment” which forever etches into our lives, a pattern. It’s “that moment” that forever alters the direction our life will take. Our first love, first kiss, first child, and even our first encounter with God are just such moments.

Sometimes we live in anticipation of “that moment.” We feel it will be the crescendo, the climax, our arrival on the scene. Ironically, if we’re not careful we can live in such anticipation of “that moment” – our graduation, our wedding, our new home; that we dismiss those precious moments in between.

Just as important as “that moment” are those seemingly inconsequential “moments” that have just as much merit and purpose. For without those “between moments” developing the story and its character, there would be no big climactic “moment.”

For David the “between moments,” the bear, the lion, the attempts on his life by King Saul, led to his “crowning” achievement as King of Israel!

Don’t be quick to dismiss the seemingly mundane moments of life in pursuit of the glory moments. There’s life to be lived in the “between moments” that powerfully sweeten our “moment” in the spotlight!

Let There Be

June 16, 2011R. Mangold

¹In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. ²And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.³And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. ⁴And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. Genesis 1:1-4

“Let there be…” God spoke into nothingness and created everything. He had no base with which to start; no form, no light,…nothing. Before words were even words, God’s Eternal Word authoritatively commanded the heavens and earth into existence.

Perhaps as you read this, you’re feeling like it’s been an eternity since there’s been “light” in your life. Quite literally you have more dark days than light. I have great news friend, God’s Word continues to speak light and life into existence – He’s still saying, “Let there be light!” The only hindrance to the achievement of God’s purpose is simply us drawing back the curtains of our life and “letting” the light of God’s unconditional love to shine its warmth in places we never thought possible.

Initially our response to light may be to squint and might even burn our eyes a bit. But once our vision adjusts, we’ll see by “letting” in light, we let in life and love! No longer will you feel empty, helplessly flailing around in darkness wondering if God even cares.

God saw the light that it was good; so will you. Won’t you let HIM speak the words, “Let there be light” into your life?

Limiting the ONE Without Limits

June 14, 2011R. Mangold

Yes, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it? Isaiah 43:13 (AKJV)

Despite being ALL powerful, even God has a limit. As ludicrous as it sounds, what may come as even more of a shock is what that “limit” is…YOU.

I’m not saying we’re more powerful than God. I AM saying each time we attempt to impose our plan over God’s, in essence we limit His ability to bring about a favorable outcome for us. He will not “force” Himself on us. He may through a set of very undesirable circumstances, convince you His way is superior, but the freedom to choose is yours.

What loathsome ingredient in a man’s character would ever insist his plans are better than God’s? Pride! The very look of which God detests (Pro. 6:16-19)! To the reader of Exodus Pharaoh appears to be withstanding God by holding Israel hostage, but God allowed those circumstances to prove it was in Egypt’s best interest to let HIS people go!

Before we limit God, insisting on our God-given right to choose, let’s humbly submit ourselves to God’s Divine Will. He knows our end from our beginning! Let’s remove our prideful limits off God, allowing Him to “work” an optimal outcome for our blessing and His Ultimate Glory!

"Ain't" – A Boy's Fascination with God's Creation

June 13, 2011R. Mangold

He was just a little boy,
On a week’s first day.
Wandering home from Bible school,
And dawdling on the way.

He scuffed his shoes through the grass;
He found a caterpillar.
He found a fluffy milkweed pod,
And blew out all the ‘filler.’

A bird’s nest in a tree o’er head,
So wisely placed up high.
Was just another wonder,
That caught his eager eye.

A neighbor watched his zig zag course,
And hailed him from the lawn;
Asking where he’d been that day
And what was going on.

‘I’ve been to Bible School ,’ He said,
And turned a piece of sod.
Picking up a wiggly worm replied,
‘I’ve learned a lot about God.’

‘M’m very fine way,’ the neighbor said,
‘for a boy to spend his time.’
‘If you’ll tell me where God is,
I’ll give you a brand new dime.’

Quick as a flash the answer came!
Nor were his accents faint.
‘I’ll give you a dollar, Mister,
If you can tell me where God ain’t.’

~ Author Unknown

“Serminute” Series – Big Lessons in Small Packages

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