August 2015 – Page 2 – Thought of the Day

August 19, 2015

This Day’s Thought from The Ranch- Wednesday

What is impossible to God? Not that which is difficult to His power, but that which is contrary to His nature.
Ambrose

And Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment–what to say and what to speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.”
John 12:44-50
The English Standard Version

God reveals Himself through people. Through Moses we glimpse God’s law, Amos showed us His justice, Hosea His love, and Micah His ethical standards. Someone was kind when we were sick, helped in time of trouble, was friendly when we were lonely. Someone we had wronged forgave in a spirit of love. In all such acts a little bit of God is revealed unto us.
Charles L. Allen

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August 18, 2015

This Day’s Thought from The Ranch- Tuesday

Christians often talk far too glibly and easily about God. “I have heard students,” says Professor Eugene Rosenstock-Huessy, “talking about the attributes of God in a way that made me feel ashamed. They knew everything about God except that He was listening to them. They showed no sense of shame.” They were theological students. Dietrich Bonhoeffer says more than once in his letters from prison that he finds a continually deepening meaning in the fact that the Israelites never allowed themselves to pronounce the name of God.
John H. Oldham

He who heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who rejects reproof goes astray.
Proverbs 10:17
The Revised Standard Version

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August 17, 2015

This Day’s Thought from The Ranch- Monday

Within each of us exists the image of God, however disfigured and corrupted by sin it may presently be. God is able to recover this image through grace as we are conformed to Christ.
Alister McGrath

I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations. For I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.
Psalm 89:1-2
The King James Version

I cannot believe that my illness is natural. I suspect Satan, and therefore I am the more inclined to take it lightly.
Martin Luther (laid low with a sudden illness)

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August 16, 2015

This Day’s Thought From The Ranch- This Week’s Sermon

The Fear of God
by Robert Leroe
Proverbs 1:7-1:7
I was sitting around with a few other chaplains, and our conversation focused on war–ministry in a combat environment. One of our small group was a chaplain who had served in Viet Nam. We asked him, among other things, “Were you afraid?” He said what I’ve heard from many combat veterans, “Of course–only the foolish were not afraid.”
Fear serves as an important alarm system, warning or preparing us for impending danger. Yet fear can also paralyze us, causing us to freeze when we should fight or flee. There are 2 categories of fear-beneficial and harmful. In other words, fear can be friend or foe!
There is one kind of fear God wants us to have. In Deuteronomy 5:29 the Lord exclaims:
“O that their hearts would be inclined to fear Me and keep all my commandments”.
The fear of God has been grossly misunderstood by many…
Before his conversion, Martin Luther was so petrified by God, he nearly grew to hate Him. Luther had a picture of God that was distorted–he could only envision God as the wrathful Judge; he later saw God as the loving, merciful Father as well.
Jonathan Edwards’ famous fire & brimstone sermon, “Sinners in the hands of an angry God” had his congregation trembling, grasping the pews lest they tumble into the very pit of hell itself. Some appraise Edwards solely on the basis of this sermon and fail to see that he also preached on God’s grace.
To say we “fear” God does not mean we’re afraid of Him…
II Timothy 1:7 clarifies this, explaining that “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-discipline”.
Definition: The fear of God is an awesome respect or reverence growing out of the greatness and power of God. To revere God as we ought, it is critical that we understand His nature.
In Job 37 we learn a basic reason why God is held in reverence–because of Who He is:
“God is clothed with awesome splendor and majesty. The Almighty–we cannot imagine His power. He is great in justice and abundant righteousness in His dealings with men. No wonder men everywhere fear Him!”
I’ve had the occasion to drive through southern Germany and northern Austria, taking in the inexpressible beauty of the mountains and lakes, feeling a sense of reverence and awe for our Creator.
Perhaps no one has captured the character of God better than C. S. Lewis in his Chronicles of Narnia, a series of 7 fantasy novels in which he portrays the Lord Jesus Christ as a lion, as John does in Revelation chapter 5. The lion is a figure fierce and powerful, yet tender. His splendor is dazzling. His wrath is terrible, yet His love and tenderness are infinite. To be in His presence was awesome. Quoting Lewis:
“As the Lion passed by they were terribly afraid He would turn and look at them, yet in some queer way they wished He would.” Naturally one would be nervous meeting a lion! The question was asked to one who knew this Lion well, “Is He safe?” I find the answer both wise and startling: “Safe? Who said anything about safe? Of course He isn’t safe. But He’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”
This is a message we need to hear today. How irreverently we treat God! The third commandment tells us not to take God’s name in vain. This means lightly, loosely, irreverently. There’s a difference between saying God is our friend and our “Good Buddy”. I’m comfortable with my Brigade commander, but I when I go in his office I don’t put my feet on his coffee table and call him by his first name!
Our motivation for fear grows out of an understanding of Who God is, because an understanding of the character and attributes of God motivates respect and reverence. This Godly fear also shows itself in several areas:
a) Salvation–many people who turn to Christ are fearful of hell. Hopefully that isn’t the only reason, though it’s not a bad one. We tend to picture God as a kindly old grandfather who’d never send anyone to hell. This is the 20th Century God of sentimental love and not the God of the Old and New Testaments.
Hebrews 10:31 tells us that “it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
Jesus says in Matthew’s Gospel, “Fear Him who is able to destroy both body and soul in hell.” (10:28)
The fear of God converted the shipmates of the prophet Jonah and later the inhabitants of Ninevah.
Paul discloses to the church at Corinth, “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ” (II Cor. 5:10).
When I was a teenager I attended a class on the book of Revelation. I soon realized how little I knew about the Bible, and I learned that the wrath of God bringing tribulation to a wicked earth was frightening! My concern/fear led me to search the Bible to learn about God and His divine plan, which led me to ask Christ to be my Savior.
b) The fear of God is commanded. Sometime take a Topical Bible and just read over the verses regarding the “fear of God”. It is amazing how many times it is mentioned, and even encouraged! Let me read just a few:
Deut 10:12, “What does the Lord require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the Lord.”
Eccl 12:13, “Fear God, and keep His commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.”
Psalm 33:8, “Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.”
c) Wisdom comes by way of fear, which brings us to perhaps the most well-known verse regarding the fear of God, Proverbs 1:7: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Why do people scorn wisdom? Vs 29, “because they hate knowledge and do not choose the fear of the Lord.”
If we reject God, we cut ourselves off from our only source of wisdom. We may be wise in our own eyes, but we are foolish, trusting a twisted perspective, if we do not fear the Lord.
d) Sin–When we revere the Lord we keep ourselves from sin. Proverbs 16:6 instructs us, “By the fear of the Lord one avoids evil. ”
Annanias and Sapphira were members of the early Christian church. They behaved in a deceitful way, and were struck down by God. According to Acts 5:11, “great fear came upon the whole church.” Whenever we see God chastening someone in His church, it should move us to Godly fear.
Hebrews 12:29 urges us, “Let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire.” This is a reference to Deuteronomy 4:24 where God is warning Israel about their idolatry.
What keeps you from sinning? Fear of hellfire? If you’ve received Christ, His cleansing blood covers your past, present, even future sins, but that is no license to sin. Paul exclaims, “Should we then continue in sin, taking advantage of God’s grace? May it never be!” (Rom. 6:1-2).
My dad recently turned 79. I respect and love him, not out of fear that he will stop loving me, but simply because of who he is. That respect causes me to want to please him. When my doctoral work was completed, my dad was the first person I called. Does your relationship with Your heavenly Father motivate you?
e) The fear of God gets us through hard times. Job was asked, “Is not the fear of God your confidence?” God, who has limitless might, welcomes our prayers, and cares about our hurts. We need not fear the future, for we know the One who holds the future. The awesomeness of God is our confidence.
f) The fear of God affects life itself! In Proverbs we’re told that “The fear of the Lord prolongs life” (10:27); is a “fountain of life” (14:27); and “leads to life” (22:4). David sings in Psalm 34:7, “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and rescues them.”
g) The fear of God is essential for leaders. In Exodus 18 Moses gives a prerequisite for leaders that they should fear God. Those entrusted with governmental authority are warned in Psalm 2:
“O kings, be wise; show discernment; and be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, with trembling. Do homage to the Son, lest He becomes angry, and you perish in the way” (2:10-12).
God appraises our service. If you have been given a position of leadership, remember the counsel of Jesus, “To whom much has been given, much will be required” (Lk 12:48).
h) Finally, the fear of God results in answered prayer. Psalm 145:19, “He fulfills the desire of all who fear Him.” Are your prayers characterized by reverence for the Almighty? If ever fear was beneficial, this one is!
Conclusion: The fear of God is the one fear that removes all others. As we cast our cares upon Him, we can become fearless. David wrote while his life was being threatened, “I fear no evil, for Thou art with me” (Ps 23:4). The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the fearsome Lord of Lord has this to say to us: “Fear not, for I am with you. I will never leave you nor forsake .let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (Jn 14)
Prayer: “O mighty and awesome Lord, may Your splendor inspire our reverence. Free us from our anxieties and may Who you are produce in us a desire to serve You with our heart and soul, our mind and strength. This we pray in our Savior’s name, Amen.”

This Day’s Thought from The Ranch, P.O. Box 3784, Greenwood Village, CO 80155, USA

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August 14, 2015

This Day’s Thought from The Ranch- Friday

Never take others for your example in the tasks you have to perform, however holy they may be, for the devil will set their imperfections before you. But imitate Christ, who is supremely perfect and supremely holy, and you will never err.
John of the Cross

Thus says the LORD: “Refrain your voice from weeping, And your eyes from tears; For your work shall be rewarded, says the LORD, And they shall come back from the land of the enemy. There is hope in your future, says the LORD, That your children shall come back to their own border.”
Jeremiah 31:16-17
The New King James Version

Not all who wander are lost.
J. R. R. Tolkien

This Day’s Thought from The Ranch, P.O. Box 3784, Greenwood Village, CO 80155, USA

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August 13, 2015

This Day’s Thought from The Ranch- Thursday

Sickness helps to remind men of death.
Sickness helps to make men think seriously of God, and their souls, and the world to come.
Sickness helps to soften men’s hearts, and teach them wisdom.
Sickness helps to level and humble us.
Sickness helps to try men’s religion, of what sort it is.
The storms of winter often bring out the defects in a man’s dwelling, and sickness often exposes the gracelessness of a man’s soul. Surely anything that makes us find out the real character of our faith is a good.
J. C. Ryle

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.
2 Corinthians 8:9
The New International Version

This Day’s Thought from The Ranch, P.O. Box 3784, Greenwood Village, CO 80155, USA

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August 12, 2015

This Day’s Thought from The Ranch- Wednesday

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The imagery of the heavens as being two thousand million light-years in diameter is awesome when compared to the tiny earth, but trivial when compared to the imagery of the “hand that measured the heavens.”
Fulton John Sheen

And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.
Mark 10:13-16
The King James Version

No matter what we choose to call it, sin is sin, and God is not confused about it.
Ed Young

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August 11, 2015

This Day’s Thought from The Ranch- Tuesday

The reason why God is so great a lover of humility is because he is the great lover of truth. Now humility is nothing but truth, while pride is nothing but lying.
Vincent de Paul

Dear Brothers, if a Christian is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help him back onto the right path, remembering that next time it might be one of your who is in the wrong.
Galatians 6:1
The Living Bible

This Day’s Thought from The Ranch, P.O. Box 3784, Greenwood Village, CO 80155, USA

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August 10, 2015

This Day’s Thought from The Ranch- Monday

Not how much we give, but what we do not give, is the test of our Christianity.
Oswald Chambers

Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.
Proverbs 19:21
The English Standard Version

The greatest service one can perform is to be a friend to someone. Friendship is not only doing something for someone, but caring for someone, which is what every person needs.
C. Neil Strait

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August 9, 2015

This Day’s Thought From The Ranch- This Week’s Sermon

BACKSLIDING
by Andrew Stringer
Hosea 4:16-4:16

What’s a Backslider?
“Dad, what’s a backslider?” the boy asked.
“Well, Son, that’s a man who leaves our church and goes to another.”
“But Dad, then what do you call a man who leaves his church and joins ours?”
“He’s a convert, Son, a convert!”
The idea of backsliding is mentioned quite a few times throughout the Bible. Sometimes it is called sliding, turning aside, turning back, falling, etc… The word actually means exactly what it sounds like it means. To backslide is to go backwards in your spiritual life!
Hosea 4:16 likens a backslider to a heifer. The backslider is like an ox that is in a double yoke. Both of the oxen are supposed to pull together to drag the cart, plow, etc… forward. The backsliding heifer decides to turn to the side or to stop in its tracks or even to go backward! Of course, this hinders not only the heifer’s progress, but also the progress of the other ox and the cart or plow itself! Can you see the application?
Jesus said for us to take His yoke upon us and learn of Him. We are supposed to be laboring together for the cause of Christ while getting to know Him more! When one of us backslides–stops doing our part in praying, devotions, giving, witnessing–the church suffers and ultimately the cause of Christ suffers!
Let us note a few things about backsliding:
I. The Causes of Backsliding
A. Spending Time with the Wrong People
1. “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners” (I Corinthians 15:33).
2. “For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father” (I Kings 11:4).
3. “Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go: lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul” (Proverbs 22:24-25).
4. “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed” (Proverbs 13:20).
5. Don’t tell me that the people you hang around do not affect you!
6. The Bible teaches that we become more like the people we spend time with.
7. A wise man once said, “A year from now you will be the same person you are today, except for the books you read and the people you meet!
8. Solomon, the wisest man in history, who had direct revelations from God himself, let people turn his heart away from God!
9. O! How many times have I seen Christians who were truly devoted to the Lord let someone close to them distract them and cause them to backslide!
10. I know–you value them as friends and do not want to offend them by turning down their invitation to go to places that you would not normally go!
11. Maybe they invite you to do something on Sunday, which will keep you out of church!
12. Whatever it is–do not let someone else determine your spiritual altitude!
B. Spending Time in the Wrong Places
1. Because it does matter what you see!
a. “Mine eye affecteth mine heart…” (Lamentations 3:51).
b. “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes…” (Psalm 101:3).
c. Many people think they can go watch a movie or go to a beach full of ¾ naked people and not be affected by it!
d. I am here to tell you today that it is at the least, spiritually unhealthy!
e. At worst, it will cause you to lust.
2. Because it does matter what you hear!
a. “Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).
b. Well, the devil knows the Scriptures, too.
c. He knows that he can affect people, not only through the eye gate, but also through the ears as well!
d. Why do you think he bombards us with his music everywhere we go?
e. Have you ever heard the song little children sing?–“O be careful, little feet…”
f. We adults would do well to remember those principles that even children understand.
g. The places we go, the people we meet, the things we see and hear, all affect our inward man–which is directly linked to backsliding!
C. Developing the Wrong Passions
1. “I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love” (Revelation 2:4).
2. Jesus spoke these words to a church that had all the outward signs of spirituality.
3. They were correct in their doctrine and practice!
4. But they had left their honeymoon for Christ!
5. That is really the main cause for backsliding –misplaced priorities concerning people and places that lead to declining passion for the Saviour that bought you with His life and saved you from sin!
6. Would you rather watch television than spend a moment with God in Bible Reading and Prayer?
7. Would you rather go play some sport than be in your place at Church?
8. Would you rather for people at work not to know you are a Christian?
9. All these things are signs of cooling love for God.
10. These are signs that you are already in the process of backsliding!
11. Get your passion back for God–return to that first love you felt as a young Christian–ready to charge hell with a wet rag!
II. The Course of Backsliding (Proverbs 14:14
A. It begins in the heart–“backslider in heart.”
1. Long before you ever get completely out of church or do something we would call really sinful, you get backslidden in your heart!
2. Psalm 78 is a condensed version of Exodus through Deuteronomy.
3. In Psalm 78 we see a nation who backslid time and time again.
4. Verse 37 gives us a clue as to why they backslid so many times: “For their heart was not right with him.”
5. Keep your heart right with God, for out of it are all the issues of life!
6. Everything that you do on the outward is influenced by what is inside!
7. You can do the right things without the right heart; the Bible is clear on this subject!
B. It fills every part of your life–“will be filled.”
1. Either you are going forward for God, or you are going backward!
2. If you continue going backward, you will get into more and more things that you said you would never do.
3. If you stay backslidden long enough, there may come a time when people would laugh at you if you tried to tell them you were a Christian.
4. Lot did that and received the same reaction!
5. The Bible teaches that the path of backsliding is progressively worse.
6. Psalm 1:1 tells us a lot for such a short verse. Turn there with me and let us discuss it a minute!
III. The Consequences of Backsliding (Proverbs 14:12, 14–“his own ways)
A. A backslider hurts himself.
1. “Be not deceived…” (Galatians 6:7).
2. Everything we do will return to us!
3. Have you ever heard the saying, “What goes around comes around”?
4. Well, it is true.
5. If you backslide, you hurt yourself spiritually.
6. You hurt your testimony with others.
7. Backsliddenness results in spiritual deadness (Proverbs 14:12).
B. A backslider hurts others
· Jonah’s story is a perfect example of this idea.
· He ran from God and got on a ship going the opposite way from where God told him.
· He figured it would affect no one but himself!
· Well, he was wrong!
· God sent a storm that affected everyone and everything on that ship.
· Even the unbelieving sailors suffered because of a backslidden preacher!
1. Children
a. Your children, both physically and spiritually, will be affected if you backslide!
b. I am working on a message on influence.
c. We do not realize sometimes the amazing influence we have over many lives!
d. But people are watching us.
e. The people who are looking to us to set the example will be hurt when they see us backslide.
f. Some will be disappointed in us.
g. Some will be discouraged by us!
h. Some, unfortunately, will follow our lead.
i. If they do not see us at church on Sunday night or Wednesday night, they may not see the importance of faithfulness to church!
j. If they see us in the wrong places, they may think it is okay to go there for them, too.
2. The Church
a. Our church suffers when any member suffers, according to the Bible.
b. If anyone is sick spiritually, it is like a part of our body being sick.
c. I have an earache this morning–do you know that my brain has been telling the rest of my body for hours that my ear hurts?
d. Well, a backslidden member hurts his or her church!
e. We are to be salt and light to a dying world.
f. Even one backslidden member hinders our mission as salt and light bearers!
g. It hurts our unity.
h. It hurts our effectiveness.
i. It hurts our meetings.
j. It hurts in every way.
k. I would like to say, it pains me, as your pastor, when I realize some of you are backslidden.
l. Not because I care about how many we have in church or what our offerings are like or how effective we are–but because I hate what you are doing to yourself and to the little lambs in our church!
Conclusion
1. This morning I want every one of us to evaluate our life!
2. Are we indeed backslidden in our heart?
3. Has it progressed to the point that we do not care who it affects and what people think about our actions?
4. If you are saved but backslidden this morning, please come to Jesus today, confessing your sins, and restore fellowship with Him once again!
5. Make some commitments to be faithful to do as you should concerning your walk with Him and faithfulness to His church!
6. If you are not saved, confess Christ as your Saviour, before it is eternally too late!

This Day’s Thought from The Ranch, P.O. Box 3784, Greenwood Village, CO 80155, USA

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