by Terry Laughlin | Apr 30, 2016 | God's Provision
Understanding the meaning of Jehovah-jireh opens the spiritual heart to the significance of God being your provider. Hebrews 4:14-16 says, “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are–yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Our key text today says, “So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, ‘On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.’” (Genesis 22:14)
When Abraham gave this place a new name, he showed that he realized that this test was more significant than just the testing of His own faith. He had seen the Lord’s provision through his whole life, and now he had witnessed God provide in the most challenging test he had ever gone through. There is a powerful truth so easily missed in Genesis, “…And to this day it is said.”
The incident of Genesis 22 is a prototype of the promise of Jesus Christ who was to come and be a replacement on the altar of sacrifice for the sins of the world. This Christ who came in fulfillment of God’s providence, for the redemption of sinful mankind, gives us this daily promise, “So do not worry, saying, `What shall we eat?’ or `What shall we drink?’ or `What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:31-34)
Time after time the Lord has proven His faithfulness to me. The Holy Spirit brings to my mind the provision of the home we needed to take care of my wife Bonnie, who suffered the effects of brain cancer. Long before Bonnie was diagnosed with brain cancer, our family went through a time of testing when I was laid off from work. I often sought the Lord, knowing only He could provide for us. During this time, I would help my oldest son Derek deliver the Norton Daily Telegram. We delivered papers to a certain area in Norton, Kansas that had really nice homes. I would walk through this nice part of town with Derek, praying in my heart that the Lord would provide a nice home for Bonnie in this area. As I would pray, I would tell the Lord, “If you choose not to answer yes to this prayer, then I am blessed to know that she has a special place being prepared for her in heaven.” (John 14:1-3)
I prayed this on several occasions with complete peace and contentment in how the Lord had already provided for us. After eight years of battling brain cancer, Bonnie’s health had failed to the point where our old home was no longer safe for her. The Lord provided us with a beautiful home in that nice area of town where I had walked and prayed. This home has handicap access that met Bonnie’s specific needs. We have enjoyed the Lord’s provision throughout the past 24+ years, we have seen the Lord provide cars, computers, literally everything we need for meeting our needs.
Do you live in the significance of the promises of God and Christ? If so, you live in the powerful truth, “The Lord will see, He will look upon thy need; and will hear thy prayer and provide that need.” (The Pulpit Commentary)
by Terry Laughlin | Apr 30, 2016 | God's Provision
After believing the promises found in God’s Word and choosing to walk in obedience in their present testing, Christians can grasp the meaning of Jehovah-jireh. The King James Bible says, “And Abraham called the name of the place Jehovah-jireh…” (Genesis 22:14 KJ) After Abraham was found faithful in the test, he enjoyed God’s provision for the sacrifice to be made on the altar as a replacement for Isaac.
In order for you to be able to express a life that says, “My Lord is Jehovah-jireh,” it is imperative that you understand the meaning of the name. In Genesis 22:14 we read of Abraham giving the place a new name in the honor of God, a name for the encouragement of all Christians to the end of all time, a name which would enable them to walk in cheerful obedience to the Lord’s call upon their lives.
The names of God are His self-identification expressing various aspects of Hid being. In Scripture, the names and person of God are inseparably related. In the Hebrew language, the term for name (onoma) is derived from a verb that means to know. Therefore, a name from a Biblical perspective is given to a person or place so others may know how that person or place is to be known. “Name” in Biblical usage correctly describes the person, place or object and indicates the essential character of that which the name is given.
Nathan Stone had spent a great deal of hard study regarding the Names of God. He writes, “There are a number of names compounded with Jehovah. Naturally these names owe something of their significance to the name Jehovah itself, which reveals the God of revelation, the God of moral and spiritual attributes – of righteousness, holiness, love, and therefore redemption. The God who stands in special covenant [with the people of God]… Most of these names of God arise out of some historical incident and portray Jehovah in some aspect of His character as meeting human need.” Jehovah-jire (yireh) is a wonderful revelation of God’s character meaning, “The Lord will provide… to see or to provide or to foresee as a prophet. God always provides, adquate when the time comes.” (Nathan Stone) “It means ‘the Lord will see to it’ literally… ‘the Lord will provide.’” (Thru the Bible) Often the meaning of this name is expressed in the well known word, “Providence.” “Providence” means to provide. It means the hand of God is in human events. (Thru the Bible) The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia says providence involves foresight; “Applied to God, providence obviously includes the Divine foreseeing, but God in foreseeing has an even fuller and broader reference in view of the Divine overruling. Providence, then, is the preservation, superintendence, and teleological direction of all things by God. It is the Divine governance whereby all possible events are woven into a coherent pattern and all possible developments are shaped to accomplish the divinely instituted goal. Regarding individuals, …the whole sweep of history stands under the providential ordering of God, so the individual life within history… [may be] called to faith, built up in discipleship and service…”
It is in times of crisis, trials, and testing that the child of God needs to destroy the flesh, recall all that the Lord has done and let the Holy Spirit speak through him the Name, Jehovah-jireh.
Do you have revelation of the meaning of the Lord’s Name, Jehovah-jireh? The importance of knowing the meaning of this name cannot be overestimated because of the striking evidence found throughout Scripture of God’s faithful provision.
by Terry Laughlin | Apr 30, 2016 | Christian Living Truth's
Philippians 4:12-13, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”
The Book of Ecclesiastes was written by a king whose name is associated with the word “peace.” Solomon was famous for his wisdom. He ruled in a city which attracted the wealth of surrounding nations and during his oversight the people of God saw the construction of the temple. This man of wisdom understood life on this earth and wrote about his observation as he considered the vanity and vexation of this world. He writes in Ecclesiastes 4:4, “And I saw that all labor and all achievement spring from man’s envy of his neighbor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.”
Most people have heard the phrase, “Keeping up with the Jones.” Pastor Rick Warren saw a sign that said, “Don’t worry about the Jones. They just filed chapter 13.”
Please understand that the whole of Scripture is not against the desire to acquire good things, the problem is what the Bible calls “coveting” which is the uncontrolled desire to acquire what your neighbor has. Today this sin is often referred to as “materialism.” Advertisers have spent billions knowing mankind’s bondage to covetousness.
There are four Biblical truths that will enable you to enjoy the contentment the Apostle Paul knew. One, “Do Everything in Christ’s Name.” Two, “Have a Fear of Covetousness.” Three, “Find Contentment Through Generosity.” And Four, “Have Your Hope In Eternal Things.”
In a day in which the Bible warns that the love of many will wax cold, the children of God can maintain a Biblical perspective and be content in every circumstance in life. Learn the contentment Paul knew!
by Terry Laughlin | Apr 30, 2016 | Christian Living Truth's
Contentment is found in the heart of those who set their spiritual hope on eternal things. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 says, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
The Apostle Paul paid the cost of preaching the gospel and teaching God’s word. (2 Corinthians 1:8) He suffered physical afflictions (2 Corinthians 12:7) and persecution. (2 Corinthians 6:3-10) He knew disappointment in trusting people in ministry (Acts 15:38) and in being betrayed by those who hated his work with the Lord. (2 Timothy 4:14-15) Therefore, he was given truths that would keep us from becoming discouraged in spite of overwhelming odds.
The fact is our human bodies are getting older and they are more acceptable to illnesses and weakness that will sooner or later push us into the river of physical death. Holy Spirit illuminated Christians still serve the Lord with their bodies in full strength, knowing that some day they will get a resurrected body that will be imperishable and be clothed with immortality. Christians who set their hope on eternal things rejoice in the writings of the Apostle Paul, “Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed–in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:50-56)
There will be a day when Christians will fully enjoy the eternal victory that Christ won for us on the Cross and in His raising from the dead. Therefore, give Him your best effort in the strength he provides! Set your hope on eternal truths!
by Terry Laughlin | Apr 30, 2016 | Christian Living Truth's
This always begins by agreeing with God on the major problems that arise through coveting. 2 Timothy 3:2 says, “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy…” Holy Spirit illuminated Christians make a point to grasp the problems which arise from a coveting heart.
Covetousness has always been a very serious menace to mankind. It was one of the first sins that broke out after Israel had entered the Promise Land. (Achan, Joshua 7) It is found in the early Christian Church as well. (Ananias and Sapphira, Acts 5) Thus there are many warnings against this life controlling sin. This sin is so powerful and abundant in the heart of mankind, it is addressed in the Ten Commandments. Exodus 20:17, “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
“Covet” (hamad) means to take pleasure in, to desire passionately. This sin causes people to desire that which is destructive. “Covetous” (philarguros) meaning people will want more and more, bigger and bigger, better and better and they will seldom be satisfied with what they have.
Walter B. Knight powerfully presents the destructiveness of the sin of covetousness, he writes, “Covetousness is a disease of the soul. It is soul-shriveling, character-tarnishing and personality-dwarfing. This sin tightens its grasp upon it victims as they grow older. It allows men to breath, but they never truly live. It’s victims may receive, but never give with a right motive. It’s victims become creation’s blot, creation’s blank.” (Knight’s Treasury)
Jesus said this sin comes from the spiritual heart. (Mark7:22-23) The Bible says it engrosses the heart. (Ezekiel 33:31; 2 Peter 2:14) This sin is idolatry. (Ephesians 5:5; Colossians 3:5) Covetousness leads to injustice and oppression; (Proverbs 28:20) foolishness and hurtful lust; (1 Timothy 6:9) departure from the faith; (1 Timothy 6:10) intrigues people to lie; (2 Kings 5:22-25) commit murder; (Ezekiel 22:12) theft and domestic affliction. (Proverbs 15:7) Christians are to avoid those who are guilty of coveting and even pray against it, not wanting it within their own hearts. (1 Corinthians 5:11; Psalm 119:36) Learning contentment begins with fearing covetousness!
Recent Comments