No Fear of God (5/29-31)

29-31 May 2015 - No Fear of God – Manna by Dorothy Callies

By faith Noah, was moved with fear, prepared an ark to save his family (Heb.11:6).

The best example that I could think about was Noah’s day, when the people had no “fear of God” in them. So what’s the story then? The generations grew from Adam and Eve, along with Cain’s generations until it grew in a very great numbers. Most of them lived to be 900-year-old and they were vegetarian people who ate fruits and grain food.

Adam and Eve had a son, Seth and the generations were godly. Then they met with Cain’s generations, their daughters were so beautiful that Seth’s generation fell into temptation and married them. Then they were led astray from God. “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Gen.6:5). The earth was so corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence (Gen.6:11).

The Scripture said: “It repented the Lord that He made man on the earth, and it grieved him at His heart” (Gen. 6:6). And the Lord said, “My spirit shall not always strive with man, for he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years” (Gen. 6:3). God had shortened man’s days from 900 years and reduced to 120 years.

God found one man, Noah who found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Noah was a just man and he was perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God. And God said to Noah that time has come to end all flesh before Him because the earth was filled with violence through them (Gen.6:13). God decided to bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh … (Gen. 6:17). Why? They had “no fear of God.”

So God told Noah to build Him a boat, an ark. So we know the story of how the ark was completed and eight people went into the ark. The flood came on the whole earth and destroyed all the people who had “no fear of God” in them.

What’s the point of this story? Jesus mentioned Noah. But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark. And they knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall the coming of the Son of man be (Matt.24:37-39). Watch therefore for you do not know when Jesus will come to take you home soon (Matt 24:40-41).

Jesus explained that there will be people whose thoughts of heart was only evil continually just like in the days of Noah. They had “no fear of God,” no respect for God at all. These are the signs that we are seeing which Jesus warned us to watch for yourself just like Noah was perfect. Noah kept himself separate from the moral evil of the society around him. Because Noah was a righteous man who feared God and set his face against popular public and conduct, Noah found favor with God.

Now what will happen to those people who had “no fear of God” in them? Paul mentioned that “God gave them up” three times in Roman 1:24, 26, and 28. God gave them up to their own uncleanness, vile affections and to a reprobate mind which means they are doom to hell. Their time will come and the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men (Rom.1:18). Also check May 19-21 Manna, the example of what happened to people who mocked God. 

So what do we do now while we are seeing Media news tells of many tragedies around the world? Like Jesus said to watch and pray, build ourselves through the Word of God. We are to be like Noah who stood strong and prepare ourselves for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Bless Them that Fear God (5/26-28)

26-28 May 2015 - Bless Them that Fear God – Manna by Dorothy Callies

Psalm 115:13 “He will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great.”

Psalm 128:1 “Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in His ways.”

Psalm 115:9 “O Israel, trust thou in the Lord: He is their help and their shield. 10) O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord: He is their help and their shield. 11) Ye that fear the Lord, trust in the Lord: He is their help and their shield. 12) The Lord hath been mindful of us: He will bless us; He will bless the house of Israel; He will bless the house of Aaron. 13) “He will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great.” 14) The Lord will increase you more and more, you and your children. 15) Ye are blessed of the Lord which made heaven and earth.”

Question: Just how important is it for us to know what “fear of the Lord” really mean? Through the study, we could come to know more about God Himself. A frequent command given to God’s people in the Old Testament was to “fear God” or to “fear the Lord.” It is important that we know what this command means for us as believers. Only as we truly fear the Lord will we be delivered from slavery to all abnormal fears. To understand command to “fear the Lord” includes different aspects or views of the believer’s relationship with God.

Here’re two examples: Noah, by faith, he was “moved with fear” to obey God to build the big boat, an ark (Heb. 11:6). “Fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified” (Acts 19:13-17). What happen? Two men wanted to be like Paul and they tried to command the evil spirits to come out of the man, but the evil spirits attacked them. Everybody heard about it and realized the power of using the name of Jesus. The believers, then show more respect to the “fear of the Lord.”

“Fear of the Lord” helps us to recognize His holiness, justice, and righteousness as it relates to His love and mercy, and “knowing” Him and understanding fully who He is. “Fear of the Lord” is based on “knowing” that God is a holy God, whose very nature causes Him to judge sin. Is there any wonder why God send Jesus to the world to die for our sin? John 3:16 tells us how much God loved the world.

God does not intend for us to be “a fearful child of God”. God wants us to understand that God is not someone to play around with. If we truly fear God, we will worship and glorify Him as Lord of all (Ps. 22:23). God has promised to reward all those who fear Him. “By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honour, and life” (Prov. 22:4). And provisions for our daily needs.

One thing to remember: Those who live without fearing the Lord have no sense of His Presence, grace, and protection, while those who fear God and keep His Words have a deep experience of spiritual security and of the anointing of the Holy Spirit. May the Lord God pour out His love in your heart and enrich your soul! Amen!

Song: Holy is the Lord

Holy is the Lord and mighty is His name.

King of heaven, yet down to earth He came.

Angels sing His praise, all earth shall do the same,

Holy is the Lord and mighty is His name.

(Inspiring Choruses)

Unanswered Prayer (5/25/15)

Happy Memorial Day on May 25, 2015 – Special Message from Devotion!

25 May 2015 Unanswered Prayers – by Dorothy Callies

This morning on May 24^th somehow I picked up one page from devotional book, Our Daily Bread from RBC Ministries I read from June 10, 2012. I was surprised  and impressed because I realized that God had read my heart’s struggle about the unanswered prayers. I thought about some of the others who faced the same thing. I start praying for them "not to lose heart."

What this means to me? God had me picked up one of the collections from the little plastic box and God wants to share His Word of encouragement, “… that men always ought to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1). I felt like you need to hear this as well as I do need to hear this myself. Thank you, Lord! You are awesome! You do care! Help us not to lose hope and not to lose heart!

Anne Cetas wrote this: Unanswered. [Jesus] spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not to lose heart. –Luke 18:1. “One of my biggest struggles is unanswered prayer. Maybe you can relate. You ask God to rescue a friend from addiction, to grant salvation to a loved one, to heal a sick child, to mend a relationship. All these things you think must be God’s will. For years you pray. But you hear nothing back from him and you see no results.

You remind the Lord that He’s powerful. That your request is a good thing. You plead. You wait. You doubt—maybe He doesn’t hear you, or maybe He isn’t so powerful after all. You quit asking—for days or months. You feel guilty about doubting. You remember that God wants you to take your needs to Him, and you tell Him your requests again.

We may feel we’re like the persistent widow in Jesus’ parable recorded in Luke 18. She keeps coming to the judge, badgering him and trying to wear him down so he’ll give in. But we know that God is kinder and more powerful than the judge in the parable. We trust Him, for He is good and wise and sovereign. We remember that Jesus said we “always ought to pray and not lose heart” (v.1).

So we asked Him, “Summon Your power, O God; show us Your strength, O God, as You have done before” (Ps. 68:28 NIV). And then we trust Him . . . and wait.

Pray on, then, child of God, pray on;

This is your duty and your task.

To God the answering belongs;

Yours is the simpler part—to ask. –Chisholm

Delay is not denial so keep praying.

Our Praise as Incense (5/22-24)

22-24 May 2015 – Our Praise As Incense – Manna By Dorothy Callies

Malachi 1:11 NCV: "'From the east to the west I will be honored among the nations. Everywhere they will bring incense and clean offerings to me, because I will be honored among the nations,' says the Lord All-Powerful."

Question: How would God find the nations, the Gentiles who would bring the incense to Him? Malachi, the prophet gave message to the priests that God was not pleased with them. They failed to keep up the fire upon golden altar and with incense inside the golden censer that brings the sweet-aroma of special perfume designed by God. They failed to offer the perfect animals. They did not fear Him nor show any revere to His name.  (Malachi 1:6-8,12-14; 2:1-4)

Malachi 1:11 fulfilled the prophecy 400 years later, what God was looking for the kind of spiritual incense which was worship, praise and adoration in the Spirit toward Him. The book of Acts 2 began with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon 120 believers. Their prayers became "the sweet-smelling aroma incense" as they worship God in new prayer languages the believers had not been taught before.

Thousands of people from other nations came to celebrate Passover and to join the annual festival of Pentecost at Jerusalem. The people who lived in Jerusalem heard the powerful noise that came from the Upper Room where 120 disciples were speaking in different languages. Multitude came together and some groups were surprised to hear their own languages from where they were born from other nations and that from the disciples who lived in the area of Galilee, only know two languages, Hebrews and Greek.

There were about fourteen nations from Asia, Media, Rome and Crete, where people came from with their own languages plus the Greek language. Peter saw them being confused and amazed at the disciples speaking their languages about the wonderful works of God. They asked what does this means.

Then Peter stood up and gave the answer to what God was doing (Acts 2:14-42). The key verse 39 was God’s promise and it fits well with Malachi 1:11 that 3,000 souls were saved. They came from nations, East and West and they honored God with their prayer offering which became an incense to God as they were filled with the Holy Spirit. Since then God’s Spirit is still moving today. Are you being filled with the Holy Spirit? Let your praise become as incense to Him.

Song: Let Our Praise to You Be As Incense

Let our praise to You be as in-cense.

Let our praise to You be as pil-lars of Your throne.

Let our praise to You be as in-cense

As we come be-fore You and wor-ship You alone,

As we see You in your splen-dour

As we gaze up-on Your majesty,

As we join the hosts of an-gels,

And pro-claim together Your holiness.

Ho-ly, ho-ly, ho-ly, ho-ly to the Lord.

(Brent Chambers, Praise Chorus Book by Maranatha! Music)

Fear of the Lord (5/19-21)

19-21 May 2015 - Fear of the Lord – Manna by Dorothy Callies

Psalm 111:10 KJV, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have they all that do His commandments: His praise endureth forever.”

Is it difficult to grasp what exactly is the meaning, “Fear of the Lord”? New Century Version gives a clear interpretation: “Wisdom begins with respect for the Lord; those who obey His orders have good understanding. He should be praised for ever.”

Another good one from New Living Translation says, “Reverence for the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom. The rewards of wisdom come to all who obey Him. Praise His name forever!”

There was a question from Revelation 15:4 “Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name?” And the answer was: “For Thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee: for Thy judgments are made manifest.”

Have you ever wonder why was it so important to have the “Fear of the Lord”? What would God do to them that have not shown any respect to the Lord at all? There was one internet I choose a few examples to read and then to appreciate what the “Fear of the Lord” meant.

It begins with Galatians 6:7 “Be not deceived; God is not mocked; whatsoever a man sow, that shall he also reap.” Here are some men and women who mocked God … [Dorothy: And who had NO “FEAR OF GOD” in them. The internet had eight, I only had room for four.]

John Lennon in 1966 quoted, “Christianity will end, it will disappear. I do not have to argue about that. I am certain. Jesus was okay, but his subjects were too simple, today we are more famous than Him.” Lennon, after saying that the Beatles were more famous than Jesus Christ, LENNON WAS SHOT SIX TIMES.

Tancredo Neves (President of Brazil). During the Presidential campaign, he said if he got 500,000 votes from his party, not even God would remove him from Presidency. SURE HE GOT THE VOTES, BUT HE GOT SICK A DAY BEFORE BEING MADE PRESIDENT, THEN HE DIED.

The man who built the Titanic. After the construction of Titanic, a reporter asked him how safe the Titanic would be. With an ironic tone he said: “Not even God can sink it.” THE RESULT; YOU ALL KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THE TITANIC.

Marilyn Monroe, the Actress. She was visited by Billy Graham during a presentation of a show. He said the Spirit of God had sent him to preach to her. After hearing what the Preacher had to say, she said: ‘I don’t need your Jesus.’ A WEEK LATER, SHE WAS FOUND DEAD IN HER APARTMENT.

Heartbreaking, isn’t it? Inspiration came to me to sing and pray: “Teach me to pray, Lord! Teach me to pray! Thou art the Potter, I am the Clay. Mould me and make me after Thy will, While I am waiting; Yielded and still. Teach me to pray, Lord! Teach me to pray! Wounded and weary, Help me, I pray! Power all power surely is Thine! Touch me and heal me, Savior divine!” Words changed (Have Thine Own Way, Lord to “Teach me to pray, Lord!”) [Have Thy Own Way, Lord! written by Adelaide Addison Pollard]

He Has Made Me Glad (5/16-18)

16-18 May 2015 - He Has Made Me Glad – Bread Box by Dorothy Callies

Psalm 92:4 “For Thou Lord, has made me glad through Thy work: I will triumph in the works of Thy hands.”

There’s a song that fits this verse well, He has made me glad. Why is this important to sing this song? Have you ever look back and try to understand God’s way of placing you in a special home; why He brought certain people and circumstances into and out of your lives; why He permitted difficulties and pain; why He took you to different places and put you in various jobs?

In my own life, I have seen God’s plan that has always brought good results from many things whether they are good or bad. With the psalmist, Psalm 92:4 “The Lord has made me glad,” has taught me to see how often God has helped, directed, and managed the outcomes or results so faithfully.

Psalm 111 tells about the Lord’s wonderful works and how He has promised that He will never leave us nor forsake us. So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear.’ (Heb. 13:5-6) With the promise of God’s presence and help, we would sing, “He has made me glad.”

Song: He Has Made Me Glad

I will enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart,

I will enter His courts with praise,

I will say this is the day that the Lord has made,

I will rejoice for He has made me glad,

He has made me glad, He has made me glad,

I will rejoice for He has made me glad,

He has made me glad, He has made me glad,

I will rejoice for He has made .. me .. glad ….

(Inspiring Choruses, author unknown)

Dorothy: What this means to me? I just had surgery done on May 12^th and I struggle with discomfort of fistula plug, but I am all right. I came to this verse and the Lord has taught me to practice this song to focus on Him, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Benefits (5/13-15)

13-15 May 2015 - The Benefits - Bread Box by Dorothy Callies

Psalm 103:2 “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.”

What are the benefits we should not forget what the Lord has done?

1. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; [Ps. 103:3]

2. Who healeth all thy diseases;

3. Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; [Ps. 103:4]

4. Who crowneth thee with loving kindness and mercies;

5. Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; [Ps.103:5]

6. So that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s

You know, sometimes we are told not to eat too fast. Why? If we eat slowly, we would be able to enjoy the meal much more. The same apply to reading God’s Word, take the time to savor God’s Word. Psalm 119:103 “How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”

What are the benefits of delighting in the rich food of Scripture?

A daily meal of God’s Words helps to keep anxiety, pride, fear, and temptation from plaguing our undernourished hearts and strengthens us for a victorious journey. The Word gives us wisdom and understanding and divine healing. The Word helps us restrain our feet from evil. Just as our digestive systems gives food to our bodies, God’s Word, when digested, nourishes our minds, our emotions, and our will. Like the Psalm 119:103 says, “How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”

Psalm 68:19 KJV, “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our Salvation.” Rather than grabbing the Word on the run just before dashing out the door, it’s important to read it at a time and in a place where we can really fellowship with God.

Prayer: Thank You, Father, for the gift of Your Word. Please forgive us for the times when we’ve rushed through reading without taking the time to savor the richness of its meaning. Help us to listen to Your voice through Your Word. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen!

Song: Friendship with Jesus

Friendship with Jesus,

Fellowship divine;

Oh, what blessed sweet communion,

Jesus is a friend of mine.