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SHOW ME THY WAY, AND SHOW ME THY GLORY

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THE WAY OF THE LORD

The way

Ken Blue

“Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.” Exodus 33:13. “And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory.” Exodus 33:18.

The backsliding and rebellion of Israel was beginning to take its toll on Moses. He was so angry and disappointed in the nation that he moved his tent outside the camp where he met with God alone. Joshua was the only remaining loyal friend. He too, found his way to this tent.

[pullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]As believers we need the same guidance as Moses.[/pullquote]

It was there Moses realized that the task before him was impossible unless God went with them and guided them. Thus Moses asks, Show me thy way, and show me thy glory. These he must have if he was to move forward. This God did in a wonderful and compassionate way.

As believers we need the same guidance as Moses. Both the guidance and glory has been provided, and the hand of God is not blocking our view. The way and the glory are seen in the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “I am the way…” Those who follow Him find that they have the Light of life. We need not wonder about the way as we make our journey toward heaven. He is the Way!

Also, He is the glory of God incarnate. “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4:6. The “face” is synonyms with the person. Jesus Christ is the way and the glory of God. Let us gaze upon Him, and know the way as we worship His glory.

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BIRDS AND BARNS

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BIRDS DON’T WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW

BIRDS

By Ken Blue

“ Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?” Matthew 6:25-26.

The omniscient, compassionate God cares for His creatures. The book, How Many Birds Are There? Says, there are between 200-400 billion birds for the entire world. Can you imagine how much food it takes per day to feed that number?

The Lord is telling His disciples not to worry or be anxious about tomorrow. He assures them that tomorrow will have enough problems to fill the day. They need not carry any over from today.

Man labors by the sweat of his brow. He prepares the soil, plants the seed, reaps the harvest, and gathers it into barns. However, birds have no such demands on them. They do not plant or reap to store in barns, yet God cares for and feeds each of them every day.

God cares for His creation and takes note of each one. Man is made in God’s image and is His most valued work. Although the whole creation will be delivered from the curse, man is the only one who has a Savior provided for him. (Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. Romans 8:21).

God’s plan for man’s survival is that he labor, save, and be a good steward of all His gifts. However, we are not to worry and fix our mind on tomorrow’s provisions. God’s love and care for us should rule the day and protect us from being anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of you!

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THANK YOU MINE ENEMIES

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HOW ENEMIES BENEFIT THE PASTOR

EnemiesBy Ken Blue

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” Matthew 5:44.

In the early days of my ministry it never occurred to me that there would be pastors and church members who would hate me. Because I loved the Lord, the ministry, and the members of my church, I assumed everyone loved me too. It didn’t take long for that illusion to disappear.

After five years in the ministry, my wife and I took our first vacation. While we were away a staff member called to tell me of a member who had gathered a group together, and they were going to another part of the city and start a church. I was hurt, angry, and ready to resign. I could not believe an ex-pastor and the members whom I loved would be so deceitful. I thought these were my friends, but I was wrong.

Over a period of years a man in the church, I thought loved me, gathered the addresses of our members and wrote numerous anonymous letters attacking my family and me. These letters were designed to turn the church against me. By God’s grace, it did not happen. This person was in an important ministry in the church and acted as a friend.

The list is not limited to church members. I have also discovered that pastors are also among those who are enemies and have sought to hurt the ministry at Open Door.

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]…as I look back on their evil intent, I learned from my enemies was how wicked my own heart was.[/perfectpullquote]

However, as I look back on their evil intent, I can see things that I could not see before. One of the things I learned from my enemies was how wicked my own heart was. My response was one of hurt, anger, and resentment. Had it not been for my enemies, I would never discover this about myself, and by God’s grace correct it. So, thank you, my enemies.

Another truth learned from my enemies was just how difficult it is to love them and pray for them. Only God can make it possible for us to do that. It forces us to become completely transparent before the Lord. We must love them, pray for them, do good to them, and bless them.

One other benefit we get from our enemies once they are exposed; we discover who our true friends are. They stand by you, defend you, and love you. So, thank God for your enemies, God uses them to teach us how to be like Him. Thank you mine enemies.

THE ABANDONED HOUSE

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DON’T LEAVE YOUR HOUSE UNATTENDED

HOUSEBY Ken Blue

Joyce and I had traveled the same route to Lynnwood every day for about ten years. We knew every house and mailbox along the way. A couple of winters ago, I notice that one of the houses appeared to be empty. There were no curtains on the windows, the porch light was on in the mid-afternoon, and old news papers were accumulating at the door. In the spring the lawn went unattended.

One day I noticed that a window was broken. Days later, I noticed others were being broken also. No doubt children in the neighborhood took advantage of the empty house and hurled stones through the glass.

Little by little you could see the vandalism and abuse. Much of the time the front door stood open a few inches. Someone had evidently pried it open and broken the latch. Occasionally, I noticed old cars parked outside and some kind of activity going on inside.

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Each sign of destruction only invites others to inflict more damage.[/perfectpullquote]

Had the owner rented the house, hired a care taker or came by to check on it, the house could have been salvaged. But, it went unattended and was an invitation for abuse and destruction.

On Saturday afternoon, I decided I would investigate and see what was going on. I went to the door; it was closed, but unlocked. I knocked, but no one answered. So, I let myself in. The stench was enough to gag a garbage man. Human feces was in one corner. Graffiti was on all the walls, and the furniture looked like it was brought in from the garbage dump.

The vandals had taken possession of the unkempt and abandoned house. Each sign of destruction only invited others to take additional possession and inflict more damage. The house was beyond repair. As it was, it only invited more intruders and more destruction.

Your life is like that house, so don’t leave it unattended. I left instructed and wiser.

HOG WALLOW AND DOG PUKE

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The foolishness of man

Foolishness of manBy Ken Blue
“But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.” 2 Peter 2:22.

Human nature is a fragile thing and God warns us to guard it and not to tamper with it. It can be altered, twisted, bound, and distorted until we become slaves. One’s unwillingness to obey the truth is justified by questioning or scoffing at truth. “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.” Psalms 1:1.

The tampering process progresses one small act or thought at a time until the one who believes he is free becomes a slave to the flesh. Once I illustrated the foolishness of man in a sermon at Open Door. I ask Jerry Lundquist, one of the strongest men in our church to come to the platform. I took a spool of thread from my pocket and wrapped one strand around Jerry’s two wrists. Jerry broke it with ease.

Next, I wrapped his wrists with four strands, and again he broke them, but with greater difficulty. Finally, I wrapped about a dozen strands of sewing thread around his wrists and ask him to break them. He could not. This is the way our habits hold us and keep pulling us back to wallow and puke.

I spent my early years on a farm in Arkansas. We had several hogs and dogs. There were other animals, but these two illustrate the point. The hog pen reeked with their excretions. The wetter the mixture, the better and the more attractive it was to them. However, hogs do not have reasoning ability and they wallow in the mire to keep cool. The wallow is disgusting, but we don’t fault the hog. He is a brute beast.

[pullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Like the hog loves his wallow and the dog loves his vomit, so the sinner LOVES HIS SIN.[/pullquote]

Then there is the disgusting behavior of dogs. Many times I have seen dogs vomit and return and eat it. They do more disgusting things, but I won’t mention them. Of the two animals on earth, what two could God uses to better illustrate the foolishness of man; man who was made in God’s image and given reasoning power?

I know people who have been to detox over twenty times, only to return to their vomit each time. Men and women spend long years in prison, and most return within a year because they return to run with the pigs. I’ve watched men and women remove the oxygen tubes from their face so they can light up another cigarette. I personally spoke to a woman who ran a rehab facility. She confided in me that they were unable to do anything for any patient who did not want to clean up; and most do not.

Like the hog loves his wallow and the dog loves his vomit, so the sinner LOVES HIS SIN. He or she could get free if they really wanted to. All of them want their sin; they simply don’t want the misery that goes with it. But, you can’t have one without the other. When you really get serious about giving up the wallow and the puke, God will deliver you.

It doesn’t take long for the wicked heart to open wide for sin. Remember, it only took a few strands of thread to bind the strong man, and you are no match for the wiles of the Devil. Flee sin and you can avoid the dogs vomit and the hog pen.