The Burning Bush Devotional

Welcome to the 1,311 new subscribers since January 1, 2008!!

10.31.08

Break the Cycle

Now these are the nations which the LORD left, that He might test Israel by them, that is, all who had not known any of the wars in Canaan (this was only so that the generations of the children of Israel might be taught to know war, at least those who had not formerly known it), namely, five lords of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites who dwelt in Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal Hermon to the entrance of Hamath. And they were left, that He might test Israel by them, to know whether they would obey the commandments of the LORD, which He had commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses. - Judges 3:1-4.

And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us. - 1 John 3:22-24.

What would you do if you had to repeat the same day over and over again? In the movie "Groundhog Day" that is what happens to Phil Connors (Bill Murray) who is sent to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to do a story on the annual Groundhog Day festivities. Phil finds himself repeating the same day over and over and over again. Things go from bad to worse until he decides to take advantage of the time instead of wasting it. Phil spent months learning the art of flicking a card into a hat perfectly each time. But Phil's heart changes and eventually the day arrives when it is no longer Groundhog Day but tomorrow.

In the Book of Judges the Children of Israel have their own Groundhog Day. No, it is not the same day repeating over and over, but it is the same cycle of life repeating itself over and over. After the death of Joshua the Israelites had abandoned the worship of the One True God and instead served the false God of Baalim (Judges 2:10-13). When the people sinned, God would allow their enemies to defeat them. In their torment the people would cry out to God for help. Each time this happened God would send a leader, who was called a judge to deliver them. This cycle of sin, torment, repentance, and deliverance was repeated over and over again.

This painful cycle of sin, pain, repentance, and deliverance occurs in our lives as well. Until we learn the lesson and break the cycle by walking in obedience to God, we are doomed to go through that cycle over and over again. We will never fully experience the abundant life until we break out of this cycle. Phil Connors eventually learned his lesson. Will we?

If you are not my friend here on ROCspace, you can be - just add me. Visit the Burning Bush website at www.theburningbush.net

The Burning Bush websites have received visits from more than 150 countries. Since 1998 the Burning Bush Devotional has been spreading the truth of God's Word to more than 11,000 subscribers across the world.

0 comments View Entry

The Burning Bush Devotional

Welcome to the 1,271 new subscribers since January 1, 2008!!

10.21.08

Greed

But they lie in wait for their own blood, they lurk secretly for their own lives. So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain; it takes away the life of its owners. - Proverbs 1:18-19.

But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. - 1 Timothy 6:9-11.

When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness (greed - NIV), which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience. - Colossians 3:4-6.

In South Korea, Han Sang-choon, was dismissed last week from his position as the deputy of Mirae Asset Investment Education Institute. He lost his job because of his statement about why so many people lost money in the recent financial crisis. Han Sang-choon on Korean television stated, "I reckon people haven't cashed in their funds because of personal greed and expectations of profits." Mirae Asset in a statement regarding the firing said, "…we decided to sack our deputy head, Han Sang-choon, who gave individual views out of line with our institute's original purpose, and caused concern to investors."

Certainly, I have experienced my own share of greed in my personal life. However, God has spared me from some very bad decisions that I could have made because of greed. In 1982, during a boom in the oilfield I had my own oilfield inspection company and business was great. I was making money and thought it would be good to make even more. To do so, I would need to buy equipment to build another inspection unit and hire another pipe inspector. I went to the bank and established a line of credit and was ready to expand. However, I wanted to make sure this was what God wanted. There was only one person at the time that I thought could be the inspector that would work well with me, and I made it a matter of prayer that if God wanted me to expand the company that this man would agree to work for the company.

In October 1982, I was ready to launch my plans and talked to this prospective employee. He rejected my offer and I knew that because of his rejection that God did not want me to go ahead with my plans for expansion. The next month I did have some jobs but was never paid for them and my income from the business was cut off like a switch had been flipped. The bust had come to the oilfield boom. I was eventually able to sell my equipment, go back to college, and change careers. However, it could have been much more devastating financially if I had not listened to what God wanted. If I had gone ahead with my plans, bankruptcy would have been my only option.

Greed can easily slip into our view of money and use of money. Caution and prayer about our use and plans for the use of money is always the wise way to proceed. We are in an uncertain time in our world today. Most believe that the financial situation will improve but only God really knows what will happen tomorrow. We must lean heavily upon His wisdom and guidance during these times.

If you are not my friend here on ROCspace, you can be - just add me. Visit the Burning Bush website at www.theburningbush.net

The Burning Bush websites have received visits from more than 150 countries. Since 1998 the Burning Bush Devotional has been spreading the truth of God's Word to more than 11,000 subscribers across the world.

0 comments View Entry

The Burning Bush Devotional

Welcome to the 1,221 new subscribers since January 1, 2008!!

10.10.08

In Difficult Times

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. - Matthew 6:19-34.

In February of 1999, on the front page of our morning newspaper was a photo of the charred remains of a couple's dreams. Bill and Shirley Brunkhorst were building a triple deck excursion paddle boat called "The Eufaula Queen." A spark from a welder's torch destroyed their life savings along with the four years of effort spent in building the boat. There was no insurance to cover the damage. As most would be, the Brunkhorsts were emotional traumatized by their loss.

We have to admire the Brunkhorsts for their years of effort in pursuing their dream. They designed the boat themselves even without engineering degrees. Sadly, what has happened to the dreams of the Brunkhorsts often happens to earthly dreams. Many of you have experienced traumatic material losses as well. You have lost jobs, businesses, or homes. Many of you in the space of a few weeks have lost the dreams that you had for retirement as the stock market has plunged down further and further decimating your 401ks. One thing we know about the things here on Planet Earth, these things are temporary. A welder's spark, a wrong turn, a momentary decision, or greed of people you do not even know can destroy your worldly dreams.

While we pursue our careers, build businesses, and plan for retirement hopefully someday, let us not forget that earthly things are temporary. There is a finite amount of time for us to possess whatever we have here. Should we not be storing up treasures in Heaven as we walk along the highways of life? When we have spent 10,000 years in Heaven, these things we treasure now upon earth will have very little meaning to us.

Let us remember that whatever we may be facing that God is still God, and He is the One, who can carry us through these difficult times.

If you are not my friend here on ROCspace, you can be - just add me. Visit the Burning Bush website at www.theburningbush.net

The Burning Bush websites have received visits from more than 150 countries. Since 1998 the Burning Bush Devotional has been spreading the truth of God's Word to more than 11,000 subscribers across the world.

0 comments View Entry

The Burning Bush Devotional

Welcome to the 1,180 new subscribers since January 1, 2008!!

09.30.08

Eternity Where?

For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. - Romans 10:13.

The summer after I turned 14 years old was the only time I went to a church camp before becoming an adult. It was a great experience, and I know God was speaking to me while I was there. The camp is located in a canyon, and it is very beautiful in the summer. I remember being off by myself sitting on a picnic table one afternoon, and as I was there on the picnic table I began to think about the future. What would happen? I thought I would probably graduate from High School. I wasn't thinking about going to college, so I thought I would probably get a job, get married and we would have children. I wanted to make a lot of money and retire early. Then, I would be old, and finally I came to the point of considering death. I could not see anything after death, it was just all dark, all black.

As I look back on my picnic table experience at church camp it is almost frightening. Why? Because it was five years later before I even seriously thought about what would happen to me after death. Then, I only thought about it after my wife (Jeanie) shared her testimony with me one night. What if she had not shared her testimony? What if no one had? What if I had not married a Christian? What if I had not thought about eternity again?

When we think about salvation many times we say the word, "saved." Or, "I got saved." In Romans 10:13, the Bible does say that if we call on the name of the Lord, we will be "saved." Being saved infers being saved from something. If someone is drowning and rescued, they are saved from death. Spiritually, being "saved" also means being saved from something and specifically it means being saved from spiritual death. I am thankful today that I know that I am "saved." I am thankful that I can look back to a moment in time when in a state of repentance, I called upon the name of the Lord and asked Him to come into my heart and life. Now when I think about death it is not all black out there. Instead I can see the blinding glory of my Lord whose sacrifice has given me eternal life. I know, as did the psalmist, that: "I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever."

There used to be two signs standing on the side of the highway between where I live and Elk City, Oklahoma. The signs along the road are nearly gone now, but I remember well what they said because I passed by them many, many times. The signs said: "After death what then?" "Eternity where?" I remember on the back of one of the signs it said, "Heaven or Hell." Do you know where you will spend eternity? Please don't wait to think about this later because later may never come. Call upon the Name of the Lord Jesus now receiving Him as your Lord and Savior. You will be eternally glad that you did.

If you are not my friend here on ROCspace, you can be - just add me. Visit the Burning Bush website at www.theburningbush.net

The Burning Bush websites have received visits from more than 150 countries. Since 1998 the Burning Bush Devotional has been spreading the truth of God's Word to more than 11,000 subscribers across the world.

0 comments View Entry

The Burning Bush Devotional

Welcome to the 1,158 new subscribers since January 1, 2008!!

09.25.08

How to Receive a Miracle

Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you." - Matthew 9:2.

…behold, a ruler came and worshiped Him, saying, "My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hand on her and she will live." So Jesus arose and followed him…. And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. …Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, "Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well." When Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, He said to them, "Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping." And they ridiculed Him. …He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. - Matthew 9:18-25.

… two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, "Son of David, have mercy on us!" And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to Him, "Yes, Lord." Then He touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith let it be to you." And their eyes were opened. - Matthew 9:27-30.

If you are searching for employment you know a few of the basic things that you will need to do. You will search for employment opportunities by networking with friends, and associates. You will search the classified job listings, online job listings, call or go in person to the offices of companies that employ people with similar skills to your job skills. You will submit resumes or complete applications as needed to apply for possible employment opportunities. You will do all that you can to find and gain the employment that you need.

If you really want a job you will not just sit at home hoping that someone will call you and offer you a job. If your marriage is falling apart, and you want to save it, you will not keep on doing the same things that have led to the problems. If you are in a financial crisis, and you are drowning in debt you will attempt to reduce your spending and increase your income.

Something similar is seen with those who receive miracles in Matthew chapter nine. Those receiving the miracles did not wait for Jesus to come to them. The friends of the paralyzed man brought him to Jesus. The woman with the bleeding problem appears to have crawled through the crowd so that she could touch the hem of the garment Jesus was wearing. The ruler went to where Jesus was to ask Him to come and heal his daughter. The two blind men followed Jesus around until He healed them.

How does this apply to us when we need God to move in our lives? It means that we need to be where God is at for a greater likelihood of receiving a miracle. Do you need a relationship to be healed? Do you need a job? Do you need God to help with your financial crisis? Do you need healing? Do you need hope? Do you need help to overcome an addiction? If so, you need to be seeking God. It could be that God will intervene in your life in a supernatural way even if you are not faithfully in church, even if you are not reading your Bible, even if you are not praying, and even if you are not serving Him. However, that possibility of God's intervention will be much less than if you are actively seeking God in every way that you can. "God looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God (Psalm 53:2)."

If you are not my friend here on ROCspace, you can be - just add me. Visit the Burning Bush website at www.theburningbush.net

The Burning Bush websites have received visits from more than 150 countries. Since 1998 the Burning Bush Devotional has been spreading the truth of God's Word to more than 11,000 subscribers across the world.

0 comments View Entry

The Burning Bush Devotional

Welcome to the 1,140 new subscribers since January 1, 2008!!

09.19.08

Come Home

Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, "This Man receives sinners and eats with them." So He spoke this parable to them, saying: "What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!' I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. - Luke 15:1-7.

A piece of music written by the great composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart has been found. It somehow had become lost in a library in Nantes, France and the score, Credo in D major, is unknown to modern researchers. The head of research for a Mozart foundation in Austria calls the one page score, "really important." The Credo was part of a collection donated in the 19^th-century collector and according to the library had been "entirely forgotten" about. This discovery of an unknown score by Mozart is said to be, "extremely rare." It is difficult to estimate the monetary value of a score like the Mozart Credo but its value to the music world is invaluable.

Jesus has been criticized by the religious crowd of his time for associating with those who can only be described as immoral people, or as the Pharisees and scribes say, "sinners." Jesus responds by telling a series of three parables and the first is of the lost sheep. Even if a shepherd had ninety-nine sheep that were safe and sound but one was missing it is obvious that he would go and try to find the one that was lost. Jesus with an escalation in value describes a woman who has ten silver coins and loses one of them which was possibly part of a headdress of her wedding dowry. Of course, the woman will search every place possible and when the piece of silver is found there will be great joy. Then, the last parable in the trilogy is the one of the lost son. Even though the son had left home spending all that he had unwisely in sinful living the father welcomes his lost son home with great joy. Jesus says there is great joy in Heaven when even one of those the world would call sinners turn to Him in repentance.

You may not be part of the "religious crowd" and you may have never been inside of a church but these parables make it clear that God is concerned about you. Like the father whose lost son returned home, your Heavenly Father will welcome you home with great joy. When your Heavenly Father sees your heart turn toward him through Jesus - He will run to wrap His arms around you and there will be great rejoicing in Heaven.

Jesus says in John 3:16, "For God so loved the world…." "The world" includes you and God longs for you to become a part of His eternal family. While you were God's enemy, while you were a sinner, Jesus died for you (Romans 5:8). God so loved you that He gave His "only begotten son", Jesus, that you might have eternal life. Jesus says that "whoever believes in Him (Jesus) should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16c)." What better time than now to become a part of the eternal family of the King of kings and Lord of lords? The Father is waiting, and longing for you to come home.

If you are not my friend here on ROCspace, you can be - just add me. Visit the Burning Bush website at www.theburningbush.net

The Burning Bush websites have received visits from more than 150 countries. Since 1998 the Burning Bush Devotional has been spreading the truth of God's Word to more than 11,000 subscribers across the world.

0 comments View Entry

The Burning Bush Devotional

Welcome to the 1,129 new subscribers since January 1, 2008!!

09.17.08

Put On Jesus

Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." They answered Him, "We are Abraham's descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, 'You will be made free'?" Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. - John 8:31-36.

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. - Romans 13:14.

When I was in the sixth grade I had been doing fine, at least I thought I was doing fine, back in the back of the classroom. All of that came to an end one day when Mr. McCall looked back at me and wanted me to answer a question he had written on the blackboard. I had no clue as to what the answer could be although it was not that I didn't know the answer. It was just that I could not see the words he had written. Because of that I was suddenly transported to the front row for the rest of the year, and soon I was wearing those dreaded things called, eyeglasses. The law of nearsightedness had disrupted my life and learning experience.

Thank God, another law overcame the law of nearsightedness in my life. The law of corrective lenses overcame it. You would think that I would have more freedom to live life without being hindered by glasses. After all, you have to keep them clean, wear them, and it is very hard to swim in them. Actually, I am truly free to live my physical life only if I wear those eyeglasses. When I am wearing my glasses I am free to drive, to read, to see faces clearly and so many other things that would not be possible without them.

In our spiritual lives we are overcome and held captive by sin. But just as glasses are able to overcome nearsightedness so can sin be overcome. To overcome sin, we must put on the Lord Jesus Christ. When we do that we are still slaves; instead of being slaves to sin, we have become slaves of righteousness. Jesus says, "My yoke is easy and My burden is light (Matthew 11:30)." The yoke of Jesus cancels out and overcomes the sin in our lives. By taking on the yoke of Jesus, we can be free to live life to its utmost. As Jesus says, "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed." Only by putting on Jesus can we truly have freedom that brings real life.

Each day we have a choice. We can choose to put on the Lord Jesus Christ, or we can make provision for sin. We can choose life, or we can choose death (Romans 8:5-6). Which will you choose today, and for eternity?

If you are not my friend here on ROCspace, you can be - just add me. Visit the Burning Bush website at www.theburningbush.net

The Burning Bush websites have received visits from more than 150 countries. Since 1998 the Burning Bush Devotional has been spreading the truth of God's Word to more than 11,000 subscribers across the world.

0 comments View Entry

The Burning Bush Devotional

Welcome to the 1,125 new subscribers since January 1, 2008!!

09.16.08

Your Nineveh

So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three-day journey in extent. And Jonah began to enter the city on the first day's walk. The he cried out and said, 'Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!' So the people of Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. - Jonah 3:3-4.

When I was in the eighth grade I had the unpleasant experience of attending shop class with a bully. He was a head or two taller than any of us. He had failed a couple of grades and moved to our little school from a large school in California. His name was Gene and Gene's entertainment consisted of making life miserable for others. Each day he would pick on someone. My turn finally came when he had me down on the ground hitting me and there was absolutely nothing that I could do about it. Gene moved after that year, and I have not heard what became of him. For several years even after becoming a Christian, I could have cared less about what had happened to Gene, but I did finally forgive him.

Jonah had a problem with an even larger bully. The bully was the evil place called Nineveh and the Ninevites who lived there. We know the story. The word of the Lord came to Jonah to go and preach in that evil place. Jonah we know refused until he had a little attitude adjustment in the belly of the great fish. The word of the Lord came to Jonah again and the second time Jonah went to Nineveh and there was a great revival. Jonah only had a one-sentence sermon, but it was enough to bring the city to its knees.

What was the biggest obstacle to revival in Nineveh? Jonah was the biggest obstacle. One self-righteous person stood in the way of the greatest revival of the ancient world. The word of the Lord came to me about my bully. He has been on my prayer list for many years now. I do not know where he is but God does. Any old bullies, antagonists, Ninevehs you're still having bad thoughts about?

I'm not sure that Jonah ever forgave the Ninevites for the evil acts that they had committed. However, if we want to have peace and be in a right relationship with our Lord; we must forgive those who do us wrong. Why? Because our Lord has forgiven us. Jesus says in Matthew 6:12 for us to pray, "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." Jesus says in Matthew 6:14-15, "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

Revenge, getting even, getting back at someone is always much more enjoyable than extending forgiveness. Forgiving someone is always difficult when their offense against you is serious. It is only through the power of God that we can forgive those offenses. In 1947, Corrie ten Boom came face to face with a former concentration camp guard who had been one of her and her sister's tormentors during that difficult time in which her sister Betsie died. The former guard was now a Christian. He extended his hand toward Corrie and asked her to forgive him. Corrie knew that forgiveness was an act of the will, but still it was so very hard. She silently prayed for Jesus to help her. She lifted her hand and as she grasped his hand, she was able to verbally say that she forgave him. As she did so, tears came to her eyes, and she was able to hug him and call him her brother. Corrie said that was the most intense moment of experiencing God's love in all of her life. Incredible!

It could be that if you have a lack of joy and a lack of peace in your life that you need to forgive someone. It will not be easy but in the act of forgiving you will experience the love of God and you may also gain an opportunity to share the love of God.

If you are not my friend here on ROCspace, you can be - just add me. Visit the Burning Bush website at www.theburningbush.net

The Burning Bush websites have received visits from more than 150 countries. Since 1998 the Burning Bush Devotional has been spreading the truth of God's Word to more than 11,000 subscribers across the world.

0 comments View Entry

The Burning Bush Devotional

Welcome to the 1,108 new subscribers since January 1, 2008!!

09.11.08

Strong Towers

In Remembrance of the 9/11 attack of 2001

The devotional written 09.12.01

Personal Note concerning events of September 11, 2001 written that day: I started watching the news this morning just in time to be shocked to see the second plane crash into the World Trade Center. That was just the first of many shocks this day has held so far as I watched with horror the events that have unfolded. Once again we have been forced to take our minds off of our little petty problems and think of the agony of life and death. We pray for those who are still alive but trapped. We pray for those who have been injured but struggling to survive. We pray for those whose loved ones have been killed or injured. Let us look to our Lord during this time. Isaiah 26:3 comes to mind. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee." - Ed Wrather 09-11-01.

The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. - Proverbs 18:10.

We are still in shock and still horrified after the destruction of the terrorist attacks upon the United States yesterday. The World Trade Center had already withstood one terrorist attack in 1993. Who would have thought that those towers could have so quickly been destroyed? Yesterday, I listened to two architects who discussed the construction of the World Trade Center towers. According to them the towers were designed to withstand the crash of a Boeing 707. What the towers were not designed for was the crash of a plane still loaded with most of the jet fuel. The steel had been treated to withstand fires of paper and wood but not the thousand degree prolonged fire of jet fuel. The buildings withstood the initial crashes well but could not withstand the extreme heat, which caused the steel to lose strength and collapse.

According to the architects it would be possible for a building to be built with the steel coated in such a way that would enable it to even withstand the jet fuel fires which caused so much destruction yesterday. However, even if the World Trade Center Towers were to be rebuilt to be resistant to jet fuel fires they could still be destroyed. They could be destroyed through atomic attack or even by an earthquake. The fact is that there is not a building that man can build that cannot be destroyed in some way. There is no place completely safe in this world from every kind of danger or enemy.

There is only one place of ultimate safety for the human race. That place of safety is a Strong Tower not made with human hands. That place of safety is the Strong Tower of the Lord and the only way of entry is through Jesus Christ (John 14:6). Let us run to the Strong Tower of our Lord.

If you are not my friend here on ROCspace, you can be - just add me. Visit the Burning Bush website at www.theburningbush.net

The Burning Bush websites have received visits from more than 150 countries. Since 1998 the Burning Bush Devotional has been spreading the truth of God's Word to more than 11,000 subscribers across the world.

0 comments View Entry

The Burning Bush Devotional

Welcome to the 1,105 new subscribers since January 1, 2008!!

09.09.08

Blaming God

Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death. - James 1:13-15.

For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. - John 3:17-18.

Have you ever been sued? I was once sued while I was a parole officer by a house arrest client. He sued claiming false arrest and was asking for $40,000 in damages. He had been sent back to prison for a violation of the rules and conditions of his release. How did he violate them? He assaulted his girlfriend giving her a severe beating. He could have been charged with an additional law violation for the assault, however, since he was being returned to prison for a lengthy period the assistant district attorney decided not to pursue those charges. He should have been happy that he would not have several additional years of prison time tacked onto his time to serve, but instead he blamed me for his problems. The state attorney general's office handled the lawsuit, and it was eventually dismissed. However, it did hang over my head for many months with the thought that with the right jury I could be paying $40,000 to this guy.

I have lost track of the number of times that I have heard someone blaming God for something. Many of those times it was someone cursing God for one thing or another and whenever something bad would happen the curse words would spew out of their mouths. Whose fault is it that someone drinks, gets into their vehicle and drives while intoxicated resulting in an arrest or worse an accident? Is it God's fault that this happened? Whose fault is it that someone has an affair and their spouse finds out resulting in a messy divorce? Is that God's fault? Whose fault is it that after a s_xual encounter one of the individuals involved ends up with a STD? Is that God's fault? On the Day of Judgment when the book is opened and your name is not found whose fault is that? Is it God's fault that you have rejected Jesus Christ as your personal Savior?

I like the way that The Message translates James 1:14-15, "The temptation to give in to evil comes from us and only us. We have no one to blame but the leering, seducing flare-up of our own lust. Lust gets pregnant, and has a baby: sin! Sin grows up to adulthood, and becomes a real killer." We have no one to blame but ourselves for the consequences of sin. When we reject Christ as our Savior, we condemn ourselves, we send ourselves to hell for eternity. As Paul says in Galatians 6, "... for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption…." It is a description of a spiritual law. Much like the law of gravity enables you to know what will happen if you jump off of the Empire State Building. The result is that you will be hurt and no one is to blame for the consequences except yourself.

So if you have been blaming God for everything bad that happens in your life perhaps it is time to reassess your position because God loves you so much that He "…gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16)."

If you are not my friend here on ROCspace, you can be - just add me. Visit the Burning Bush website at www.theburningbush.net

The Burning Bush websites have received visits from more than 150 countries. Since 1998 the Burning Bush Devotional has been spreading the truth of God's Word to more than 11,000 subscribers across the world.

0 comments View Entry

The Burning Bush Devotional

Welcome to the 1,098 new subscribers since January 1, 2008!!

09.08.08

You Belong to God

Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. - 1 Corinthians 6:18-20.

Listen to this news report. "Gambling, robbery, sexual immorality, and violence is prevalent. Half of all children are born out of wedlock; purity and fidelity to the marriage vow are sneered out of fashion. Corruption in politics is rampant. The world is broken." That news report was from the year 1694, but it sounds like it could have been a news report from 2008.

Immorality is not a new thing, and it has been a problem for as long as there have been human beings. We look around our world today, and we know that there are huge problems of all kinds, and sometimes it looks like the whole world is going to hell in a handbasket.

When our friends and neighbors are involved in immoral activities we may come to think that because everyone around us is doing what is wrong that it is okay for us to do those things too. We begin to slide into the gray area between black and white, and before long we are closer to the black than we are the white. Before long we are not coming to church, we stop reading out Bibles, we stop praying, we stay away from other Christians, and we may not think it - but down there in our heart of hearts we think that God is okay with it because He hasn't struck us dead with lightening or something else.

Let me remind you what God thinks about that kind of thinking and living. He says, "You are not your own. You were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's." You as a child of God are not your own. You belong to God. Your body belongs to God. Your spirit belongs to God. You are accountable to God.

When you stop coming to church, when you don't read your Bibles, when you don't pray, when you don't live like you ought to live – you are not getting away with something. No, you are shooting yourself in the foot. Because you are accountable to God and God is not deceived. As the apostle Paul says in Galatians 6:7-8, "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life."

We live in a society where no one wants to admit to their own mistakes or to their faults. We see so many politicians wanting to take credit for the good things that are done or that occur and then when something bad happens or goes wrong - they are more than ready to point their finger at someone else! We are ready to do that too, but it simply will not work with God, don't be deceived about that because "God is not mocked." Paul says, "... for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption…."

How do we sow to our flesh? We sow to our flesh any time that we sin. We sow to our flesh by doing what we want to do instead of what God wants us to do (Things like going to church, reading the Bible, praying, witnessing, serving, etc.). When we spend money selfishly that should have been given to the Lord, we are sowing to the flesh. When we look at the wrong things, tell lies, steal, blaspheme God by the way we live our lives we are sowing to the flesh.

Instead of sowing to the flesh and reaping harvest after harvest of bad things we must instead sow more to the Spirit, to reap more of what the Spirit has for us. "You are not your own. You were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's."

If you are not my friend here on ROCspace, you can be - just add me. Visit the Burning Bush website at www.theburningbush.net

The Burning Bush websites have received visits from more than 150 countries. Since 1998 the Burning Bush Devotional has been spreading the truth of God's Word to more than 11,000 subscribers across the world.

0 comments View Entry

The Burning Bush Devotional

Welcome to the 1,089 new subscribers since January 1, 2008!!

09.04.08

Vetted

Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. - Ephesians 2:19-22.

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name. - John 1:12.

A word that has been in frequent use in recent days in the US presidential campaign is "vetted" or "vetting". The word comes from the world of horse racing where the health of horses are checked out by veterinarians and then the horse is referred to as having been "vetted". The word has been taken up by the media which uses fact checkers to check the accuracy of stories and that process is referred to as "vetting". The word is also now used in the development of software where there is "vetting" of code prior to a build being approved or passed on for further testing. In addition, we have all been exposed to the use of "vetting" or "vetted" in relation to the checking of the background of prospective candidates for political office.

While I was a probation and parole officer I would conduct pre-sentence investigations of those convicted of criminal acts but not yet sentenced. It is helpful to the judge to know as much as possible about a person's life history prior to sentencing. Some of the things that may be checked are the criminal history, employment history, financial records if applicable, references are interviewed, employers are interviewed, family members are also interviewed if possible, and victims are interviewed. If the individual has only recently turned 18 (or if a lifetime pattern of behavior is suspected), teachers may be interviewed and school discipline records may also be checked. The more time available for the investigation, the more thorough and complete it will be with a picture of the person emerging.

As Christians we are children of God meaning that we are part of the royal family of the Lord of lords, and King of kings. What if God had a similar vetting process for all who are prospective candidates to become His children? Can you imagine how that might take place? Let us suppose an investigative angel is dispatched to do the vetting of a prospective Christian's life. The angel will begin with the basics. "Mr. Prospective Christian (PC for brevity) I will need to ask you a few questions." "Let's see, how many lies have you told in your lifetime." PC replies that he is not sure but thinks it must have been only three or four. The angel begins looking for something in a book and finally says, "Mr. PC it is recorded in God's book that you have lied two million five hundred fifty-six thousand one hundred and two times which includes the one you just told about the number of times you have lied." "Now let us consider another of God's commandments, you know the one about not stealing." The interview is brutal as each of the PC's violations of the Ten Commandments is considered. The Angel then informs PC that Part II of the investigation will consist of interviews with family members, relatives, friends, neighbors, employers, and all those who have been encountered in their life.

The truth is that God does have a vetting process for those who want to become a part of His royal family. However, God's vetting process is much briefer than the one described and much simpler. It consists of one question and that question is this, "Do you know my son, Jesus Christ, as your personal Savior?" Jesus makes this truth very clear in John 14:6 where He states, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

If you are not my friend here on ROCspace, you can be - just add me. Visit the Burning Bush website at www.theburningbush.net

The Burning Bush websites have received visits from more than 150 countries. Since 1998 the Burning Bush Devotional has been spreading the truth of God's Word to more than 11,000 subscribers across the world.

0 comments View Entry

The Burning Bush Devotional

Welcome to the 1,070 new subscribers since January 1, 2008!!

09.03.08

What are You Afraid of?

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. - Romans 8:35-39.

An article in the newspaper caught my eye several years ago. The article asked the question, "Are American's becoming scaredy cats?" (To be a "scaredy cat" is to be unduly or excessively fearful.) The article also asked if Americans had forgotten how to face a well-calculated risk and if the West were still to be won, could we roundup enough brave souls to win it? The article discussed a book by Harold W. Lewis entitled, "Technological Risk. What are the real dangers, if any, of toxic chemicals, the greenhouse effect, microwave radiation, nuclear power, air travel, automobile travel, carcinogens of all kinds, and other threats to our peace of mind."

After I read the article I asked myself if that was the problem with the church today. Have Christians become scaredy cats? Do the multitude of dangers that surround Christians choke off their willingness to risk anything for Christ? Have Christians forgotten Jesus says, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me (Luke 9:23)."

If missionaries were to be called today to be the first to go to the innermost regions of Africa, or India, or Burma, or China, who would go? Could God find a Livingstone today? Could He find a William Carey, or a Judson, or J. Hudson Taylor? Are there any Christians, today, willing to risk all that they are and have for the sake of their Lord and Savior? Are there any Christians today, standing in the gap risking all?

Livingstone once wrote to England asking for more missionaries to come to Africa. Some months later the reply came that they had found some men willing to come. They wanted Livingstone to tell them the best roads to take to where he was. Livingstone wrote back that he needed men who would go where there were no roads. God is still looking for men, women, boys, and girls like that today.

If you are not my friend here on ROCspace, you can be - just add me. Visit the Burning Bush website at www.theburningbush.net

The Burning Bush websites have received visits from more than 150 countries. Since 1998 the Burning Bush Devotional has been spreading the truth of God's Word to more than 11,000 subscribers across the world.

0 comments View Entry

The Burning Bush Devotional

Welcome to the 1,070 new subscribers since January 1, 2008!!

09.02.08

Risky Behavior

"For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money." - Matthew 25:14-18. (Read also Matthew 25:19-46)

Every day people risk their lives and their careers for the thrill of the moment. People risk their lives doing drugs, buying drugs, selling drugs, committing burglaries and robberies to have the money to get drugs. It is amazing what people have done and will do for a thrill. I have seen people bungee jump off a bridge over the Colorado River. Yesterday, someone on a motorcycle passed us on the interstate and I estimated their speed at 95mph or more. Other people enter the stock market when they do not really have the money. Some play the state lotteries even though they have a three and a half time greater chance of being struck by lightning than of winning.

Most of us, however, are not into risky behavior. We are more into safe behavior. Most of us are into the avoidance of risks and are committed to playing it safe. The older I become the more cautious I have become. Because of that the words of Jesus in this parable are a challenge. Jesus isn't just talking about what we should do with our physical talents. Jesus is giving us a challenge, the challenge of our lives. To follow Jesus, truly follow Him is to risk everything. It is to risk everything we are, to risk everything we have or ever will be for Him. How often are we to do that, once? Twice? How often do we take that kind of risk? Our entire life is to be lived in that way, risking everything for our Lord.

The kind of life our Lord Jesus would have us to live is a life of action. A life lived as our Lord would want is a life of taking chances, a life of adventure, a life of growth, and expansion for the cause of Christ.

How long since you have risked anything for your Lord? How long since you have told someone about what Jesus did for you on the cross? Read through the rest of Matthew 25 and ask yourself, "How long?" How long since you have fed the hungry, given drink to the thirsty, gave a stranger a place to stay, clothed those in need? How long since you visited the sick and those in prison? How long since you have risked everything by putting first the Kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33).

If you are not my friend here on ROCspace, you can be - just add me. Visit the Burning Bush website at www.theburningbush.net

The Burning Bush websites have received visits from more than 150 countries. Since 1998 the Burning Bush Devotional has been spreading the truth of God's Word to more than 11,000 subscribers across the world.

0 comments View Entry

The Burning Bush Devotional

Welcome to the 1,070 new subscribers since January 1, 2008!!

09.01.08

Never Give Up!

Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying, "Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you." So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, indeed a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, "Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink." And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, "Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand." So she said, "As the LORD your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die." And Elijah said to her, "Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. For thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the LORD sends rain on the earth.'" So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke by Elijah. - 1 Kings 17:8-15.

In 2005, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, the United States was responsible for the creation of 245.7 million tons of garbage. However, that is close to 1.6 million tons of garbage less than the year before and that is about 4.5 pounds of trash per person per day. The good news is that one-third of the garbage was recycled in 2005. The EPA goal for this year is 35 percent to be recycled. As you can see the United States creates a huge amount of garbage every day. We are a throw away society and disposable seems to always be better than the reusable but it wasn't always that way. During the depression years and through much of the World War II years in the United States things were different. During those years not very much of anything was thrown away because everything was needed to survive. Everything was used down to the last drop, down to the last tiny bit.

During WW II tires were very hard to find because of use of the material in the war effort. Neighbors would sometimes share tires with each other in order to have one vehicle, they could use. If someone in the family was ill, having a vehicle that had tires became very important. Because of that, my Dad hoarded old tires for years after the war because he still remembered a time when an old tire could have meant the difference between life and death.

In these modern times, I believe we give up too easily. We give up too early. We give up before it's down to the last drop. We give up before we are down to our last dollar. We would do well to remember Elijah and widow of Zarephath. God gave them the food they needed as long as it was needed. We should remember the example of our Lord at the feeding of the five thousand and of the four thousand. Only a few fishes and a little bread until our Lord blessed the food, and it was multiplied into a provision for the thousands with baskets of food left over.

Before we give up. Before we bail out. Let us give God an opportunity to work that miracle in our lives. Let us thank God for all that we have and are. Ask Him to sustain us. When we think we can't make it another day, let us live one more and see what God will do. When we've gone our last mile, let us walk one more. As we do, we will see the hand of God upon our lives sustaining us each day as we trust Him to provide. Never, ever, give up!!

If you are not my friend here on ROCspace, you can be - just add me. Visit the Burning Bush website at www.theburningbush.net

The Burning Bush websites have received visits from more than 150 countries. Since 1998 the Burning Bush Devotional has been spreading the truth of God's Word to more than 11,000 subscribers across the world.

0 comments View Entry

The Burning Bush Devotional

Welcome to the 1,036 new subscribers since January 1, 2008!!

08.29.08

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. - 1 Peter 5:7.

Have you heard the one about the deacon who was run over by a hit and run driver? Upon the police officerʼs arrival he asked the man if he had gotten the tag number of the car that hit him. The man told the officer that he did not need the tag number because he would recognize his pastorʼs laugh anywhere! Weʼve probably never been run over by our pastor (At least not physically!) but we have had days when we have felt like a truck has run over us.

When I was working in the oilfield it seemed I had those kinds of days on a frequent basis. The oilfield is much like the army in that if there is something to be done, nothing is going to stop it. It doesnʼt matter how cold, hot, wet, or muddy it gets, the work has to be done.

It was one of those days I woke up to many years ago and saw that an ice storm had come in the night. I had a job to do 250 miles away. I was driving a small semi truck and my crew was behind me in another vehicle. The highway was frozen with ice the entire way but we drove slowly and carefully. The farther we went the thicker the ice became. We made it fine until we turned off of the main highway to go to the rig location. Then, as I was almost to the top of a hill I started sliding backwards. Backing a truck picking up speed on ice is somewhat difficult and half way down the hill the truck jackknifed coming to a stop.

We were okay, and there seemed to be little damage to the truck. We went to a farm house and called for a wrecker. With the wrecker we were able to slowly pull the truck up the hill but it took several hours. Finally we decided that it would be just too dangerous and difficult to go any farther. I called into to my company expecting to have to argue with them about not continuing. But to my surprise they told me they had been waiting for me to call all day because they were going to tell me just to park the truck and come back home!! From the jackknifing of the truck and falling on the ice many times, I pulled a muscle in my back which took some time to recover from. It had been a bad day.

When we have those bad days how do we make it through them? How do we recover from them? Our Lord is the One who sustains me. I cast my cares, my worries, my problems upon Him and He carries the burdens that would have broken me.

If you are not my friend here on ROCspace, you can be - just add me. Visit the Burning Bush website at www.theburningbush.net

The Burning Bush websites have received visits from more than 150 countries. Since 1998 the Burning Bush Devotional has been spreading the truth of God's Word to more than 11,000 subscribers across the world.

0 comments View Entry

The Burning Bush Devotional

Welcome to the 1,036 new subscribers since January 1, 2008!!

08.28.08

The Scenic Route

Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. - Matthew 7:13-14.

Have you ever taken the scenic route? Actually, it was going to be a short cut. We could cut through on this road to the south of Cripple Creek, Colorado and then over to Colorado Springs. It looked like only about 20 miles from the turn off to Cripple Creek. Probably only take us 30 minutes.

When we turned off on the scenic route we immediately noticed that it was not paved, but then it wasn't that bad of a road. There was quite a bit of traffic too. But within a couple of miles the highway had narrowed, and it was much rougher.

I was beginning to wish that I had a four wheel drive (Knocked a muffler and tailpipe loose and finally lost it before arriving home.). It began to rain, and I began to pray that we wouldn't slide off into one of the canyons. Four hours later we arrived in Cripple Creek, a little older and wiser. I recently talked to some people in our church who took this same scenic route on their last vacation. They too were wishing they could turn around and thought they might lose a muffler.

Before you take that beautiful scenic short cut, you just might want to check it out a little. Because you may not be able to turn around and go back the other way once you have entered in.

There are two gates with one leading to life and the other to death. There are two trees representing our lives. By inspecting the fruit from the tree of our life it is possible to determine whether we are on the path of life or the path of death. Jesus says in Matthew 7:16-20, "You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every goo