GOD'S BEST SECRETS

In 1998 Whitaker House published one of my favorite books written by Andrew Murray. I am reading through it now for the 4th time. It is a one-page-a-day devotional type book that I always find helpful and motivating...[I often read several pages a day] .so I want to recommend it to you all. Here are a few examples:

"The deep root of all scriptural theology is absolute dependence on God. Waiting on God -in this expression we find one of the deepest truths of God's Word.

"Loving obedience is the way to the enjoyment of His love. Six times the Lord connected the keeping of the commandments with the promise of the great blessing that accompanies loving obedience The love that keeps His commandments is the only way to abide in His love. In our relationship with Christ, love is everything.

"Father, teach me what it means that I am dead with Christ and can live my life through Him. Teach me above all to believe that I cannot either understand or experience this except through the continual working of the Holy Spirit dwelling within me..

"Throughout the church of Christ there is an apparent lack of faith in what the Spirit is as God, in what He can enable us to be, and in how completely He demands full and undisturbed possession of our whole being. All our faith in the fulfillment of Christ's glorious promises, especially that of the Father and Son making their abode in us is subject to one essential and indispensable condition:  a life utterly and unceasingly yielded to the rule and leading of the Spirit of Christ.

"Oh sweet resignation of myself to God-happy death of every selfish desire,...the only driver of all evil out of my soul-be my guide and governor wherever I go!

"We need to pray intensely and persistently that the need for the power of the Holy Spirit may be deeply felt and that a strong faith may be roused in the hearts of many to claim and expect His mighty working. 'I the Lord have spoken, and will do it. Lord I believe, help my unbelief."

bh April 5, 2008
Web www.bertsgoodstuff.com

VISION

I read this week in MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST (by Oswald Chambers) that no one can see Jesus through your eyes-the idea being that each person must see Him through their own eyes. Interesting. I believe that is something to ponder!

For years I have shared with many folks the incredibly important truths of God's Word, especially with reference to how to walk in the Spirit. Humility, obedience, and much prayer alone with God are a necessary part of being controlled by the Spirit. Many times it takes months, or years for some folks to "get" what seems so real and simple to me now. But maybe the statement above is at least part of the reason...they "can't see through my eyes." It mast be revealed to each individual by God, He must "open their eyes." The Holy Spirit is the one who 'convicts' and teaches and makes the love of God real to me, and to them. In Acts 16.14 it says that "the Lord opened her (Lydia's) heart to respond to Paul's message."

So what should we learn from this? That our part is to prepare ourselves to be available for God to use to tell people the truth, and leave the "opening the eyes" part to Him. Waiting is part of it. [I hate to wait, don't you?] But God is willing to wait for us to grow and mature, and learn to trust Him. His continuous patience with me/us is one of the most awesome things about God to me!

Lets pray this week for each other, and ask God to open our eyes-there is a lot out there that we have not yet seen.

bh April 12, 2008

Web: www.bertsgoodstuff.com

UNDERSTANDING

"Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them." John 10.6

He was talking to them about sheep, and shepherds and truth; that He was the 'gate.' He said "I am the gate...and....I am the good shepherd." He taught them in terms with which they were very familiar, and with words and concepts they could easily understand-but they did not understand! Do we have this problem? He talked of grapes, and vines, fruit trees and things familiar to them, but they did not understand. Why not!?

In Mark 6.52 it says, "For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened." Later in Mark 8.17 Jesus said, "Why do you reason because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still hardened?"

        What can we learn from this?

Lack of understanding is not a good thing-it reflects a very bad thing! It is the inevitable product of a heart hardened by unbelief, by rejection of God's truth-actually rejection of God Himself because Jesus said I am "the Truth."

John 10.40 ..Jesus said to Martha at the tomb of Lazarus: "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God." Is that a clue to the darkness of 'not understanding?' "Believe, and you will see.

bh April 19,2008
Web: www.bertsgoodstuff.com

    “WAIT!”...ugh, I hate waiting! It is an unwelcome companion of every day living: I wait at traffic lights, at the bank, to buy tickets, for my baggage, for the bathroom, to see the doctor (in the “waiting room”) I wait for phone calls, for the mail, in airports, in the E.R....wait..wait..wait... 
    In our study of Acts I suddenly realized that the great apostle Paul did a lot of waiting! He waited in Acts 23 for his accusers to arrive, in Acts 24 he waited for two days, and for Felix to question him, and then he waited for two years in prison at Caesarea for Festus , “for many days,”  then some more for King Agrippa, and more.     Why all this waiting? Paul, probably the greatest Christian of all, with the most important message in the entire universe, and only a few years of earth time to get that message to the world...why in the world would God let him be repeatedly sidetracked by these godless heathen politicians?  Well, the Bible has a lot to say about waiting.
    One of the key verses is Isa 40.31. It would be good to memorize it!

        “Those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength,
        they will mount up with wings like eagles.”

    “Those who wait!” Waiting is the key. First comes the Spirit moving in the heart to teach us to get out of the way so the Lord can work. Then comes the test---the waiting begins... involving patience and learning The real waiting doesn’t really begin until the waiting becomes uncomfortable and inconvenient. And finally....wings!!
    The next time you are in a waiting situation (no doubt that will be today)...you can grumble and fret as usual, or you can remember that God is preparing you for wings --and  strength.....and rejoice.   

bh    April 26, 2008
Web: www.bertsgoodstuff.com

WHAT'S IMPORTANT?

Think with me....after you become a Christian, that is, you have been born into God's family by believing in Christ as your Savior, ---after that, what are the two most important things you need to know and believe?? I have been asking some folks their opinion on that (important) question. What would you say?

One young man said "Grace, and God's love." Good answer I thought. Another said, "knowing God and trusting Him." Another good answer. But I believe what we need to believe more than anything else, is what God says about being "controlled by the Holy Spirit," [#1] and what we are to do as Christians [#2].

Number one is the foundation and essential of all Christian living and fruitfulness: -- letting the indwelling Holy Spirit fill us, control us, that is: to "abide in Christ," to walk in the Spirit, to walk in the light as He is in the light. Jesus said, "It is the Father, living in me, doing His work." It is not 'doing my best, with God's help.' It is learning how to let God live His life, through me. That...is a big deal!

Then...Number two,. we need to do what God has planned for all believers to do, and that is "to make disciples." That is what Jesus said in Matthew 28.19; and then He added (V 20) a statement of huge importance...."I am with you always." [See Mar 8, 2008 Goodstuff) The Holy Spirit enables us to do what God desires [make disciples], and is the source of our wisdom, guidance, and adequacy. We are "new creatures in Christ" because of His indwelling presence, and He never leaves.

#1...Walk in the Spirit
#2...Make Disciples
        Is that your strong emphasis. Is that the clear teaching of the church today?

bh March 29, 2008
Web: www.bertsgoodstuff.com

REMEMBER

    The Bible uses the word REMEMBER 29 times in the New Testament. It means to recall with effort, to think of again, to recollect, don’t forget. [It is so easy for us to forget] Jesus used the word several times. Do you remember what it was that Jesus wanted us to remember?

    This weekend lets be sure to remember the most important thing that ever happened in the universe. This is what we need to recall, and never forget today and every day;  Luke 22.19

He took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to them, saying...”This is my body given for you, do this in remembrance of me.”

        Jesus wants us to remember HIM.

bh March 22, 2008
Web: www.bertsgoodstuff.com

READ!

There is an enormous amount of false teaching in the world today. Scripture said there would be! Lies sincerely told, and believed, do not make truth. So how to know what to believe? There is only one source of absolute truth.. God's Word. So it is really important to 'pickle' in it. It's similar to the ability to recognize counterfeit money by much study of the real thing.

This is also motivation for reading great books, by godly authors --- like THE REST OF THE GOSPEL, by Dan Stone, and SAVING LIFE by Major Thomas, HEART OF THE PROBLEM by Henry Brandt, THE GOD YOU CAN KNOW by Dan Dehaan, 31 DAYS OF PRAISE by Ruth Myers, HUMILITY by Andrew Murray, GOD'S BEST SECRETS by Andrew Murray, and HIS INDWELLING PRESENCE by Norman B. Harrison, are some that have greatly influenced me.

Without 'meaningful meditation' in God's Word and great books, you are vulnerable to devastating deception.

C. S. Lewis once said: "It is one of the commonest of mistakes to consider that the limit of our power of perception is also the limit of all there is to perceive. Good! And a similar truism is that "We only know in part." So to increase our perception of the 'whole'....we gots to read...LOTS, and often, and daily-and spend quality time with others who do the same.

Reading is far more valuable than listening/watching. So READ!

bh February 9, 2008

web www.bertsgoodstuff.com

UNLOCKED ENTRY

    A burglar needs only one open door or window in your house to get where he can cause you tremendous loss and sorrow. At that point, the doors and windows that are locked, do not matter. Sin is like that; it only needs to be allowed one point of entry into your thinking, and terrible damage follows. Think about that. Lets say you never steal, or murder, or hit and run-those are locked doors----but you entertain lustful thoughts. That is an open door, and there will be enormous chaos in your house. I hope that door is closed for you, but how about selfishness, pride, disobedience (to God), and unbelief!! If our purpose is to please God and help His people, those are entry points that we simply must choose not to allow. Sin is always incredibly destructive. God hates it.

    To 'tolerate' any sin is truly insanity. The results are published every single day in our newspapers; violence, murder, unhappiness, fighting, arguing, anger, revenge, war, worry, hatred, over and over and over. Those are the end products of sin..

    God has a cure, but only one, and that is to be 'in Christ.' God says that in Christ...we are dead to sin! God's grace has provided us a position where all the doors and windows are shut, and locked-where sin (the burglar) has no entry We all can live there. We do that by faith in God's Word. That faith results when we know Him If you know Him, you will love and trust Him. Marvelous!!

bh February 23, 2008

Web: www.bertsgoodstuff.com

BECAUSE YOU SAY SO

One day, Jesus got into a boat owned by a fisherman named Peter, and spoke to a crowd of people. Then Jesus told Peter to go into deep water, let down the nets, and catch some fish. Peter says: "Master we've worked hard all night and have caught nothing" -and then this remarkable statement, "But because you say so, I will let down the nets."Luke 5.5 And sure enough, --a huge catch.

This week I have been combining that statement, with the last sentence in Matthew where Jesus said "I am with you always," and Luke 5.16 where it says that "Jesus often withdrew to a lonely place and prayed." I think Peter and the disciples learned a great deal about the value of spending time alone with God here. And the fishing expedition surely helped them realize they could trust His Word. "Because you say so" is all we ever need, but we do need to grow into the depth of it.

If the Creator of all the universes and the one who is Almighty, and Infinite and "One with the Father" says something, why would any sane person doubt? And we do know what He says because we have it written in the Bible.

So:  Are we doing what we are doing this week, "because He said so?"-or, are our empty nets still in the boat?

bh March 15, 2008
Web: www.bertsgoodstuff.com
   Bonus item: Andrew Murray's book of daily readings entitled GOD'S BEST SECRETS has been of great value to me over the past                     5 years. Published by Whitaker House, and is $11.19 at Amazon.

BEYOND AWESOME UNPACKED
    “I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS.”  ---Lets unpack those five incredible words:

“I”...Who is this? 
    Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Creator of everything that exists, in whom dwells all wisdom and knowledge and authority. The One who is pure Truth, Love, Light, & Love; who cannot lie and never exaggerates.  Who is totally trustworthy, infinitely holy, all powerful, all knowing, and omnipresent and Who had no beginning and no end. —I have filled several pages with similar thoughts about Him, and often spend time just meditating on His person and work, and love.

“AM”...
    Is not the same as “could be”. It is not “perhaps, some day, possibly, or maybe.” There are no qualifiers, conditions, rules to follow, small print, options, or ‘catches,’ no performance requirements or monthly fees. Am is am and can never be altered. .

WITH ...
    Not alongside, in front, behind, near-by, within earshot, etc. but right there.

YOU....
    That is the person who is ‘me’, the one Jesus loved enough to die on the cross for, and the one His blood cleanses from every sin, the one He knows by name, knows my every thought, and motive. Jesus says He am with me.

ALWAYS....
    Forever, unalterable, no ‘ifs’ or conditions, no time limits, or production demands, or possible defaults. No end to it, no possible change of mind,...always. When the God of the Universes says “always,” it means always. Grand stuff!
    If that doesn’t increase your pulse rate when you think about it, you definitely have a malfunctioning heart, and this would be a good prayer: “Lord I believe, help my unbelief.”  Mark 9.24

bh     March 8, 2008
Web: www.bertsgoodstuff.com

"Belief causes behavior." If what you are believing (and the resulting behavior) is wrong......would you want to know about it?

    I believe that most of us do not want anyone telling us that we are wrong, ever! For example, how to raise your children, how you treat your wife, social drinking, how to spend your money, how you spend your discretionary time, and your use of money, and when you worry. How about how you treat people who are beneath you, how you react when caught speeding, when you are overcharged, when you are criticized, and when pride & selfishness are obvious. Stuff like that.

    Methinks that there very few of us are secure enough in our daily walk with Christ, that we can actually humbly accept with thankfulness, anyone telling us we are wrong....about anything. And I believe it is primarily needed in the home, in my marriage/ That is where it is needed the mostest, where it needs to happen often.. . and, thankfully, in our home, it does!

    We have made a kind of fun thing out of insisting that we say out loud: "I was wwwrronngg." Amazing how hard it is to get that word out of my mouth! :) Dr. Henry Brandt in his book HEART OF THE PROBLEM tells a story of how he was driving on the freeway one day, and his wife pointed out he was going the wrong way (to Detroit). Although he immediately realized that she was right, (and he was wrong), its irritated him. He kept on driving....and went by the next three exits where he could have turned around before he was willing to admit that he was wrong, and turn back. Interesting, huh?! And that is from one of the best! Ever been there?

    Is there anybody out there who can beat a stubborn, proud, 'five exit denial'?

bh February 16, 2008
Web: www.bertsgoodstuff.com

"Some day will be the last day".....but in the meantime lets be sure to remember that it is enormously important that we not waste the days we have left..."Don't waste your life!" We have the glorious privilege of being part of God's global search for people who will repent, believe in Jesus and live in such a way as to be pleasing to Him. That means that we trust what He says about the fact that He will never leave us, and that our part is by faith to be continuously controlled by His indwelling Holy Spirit. "Christ IS our life. His grace IS sufficient for us. We have everything we need for life and godliness." Hey..do we believe this??

These things are light years ahead of the superbowl in importance! Our whole society is ga-ga this week over the parties and hooopla and hype. Stuff like what bars and 'parties' the 'celebrities' are attending. Pathetic.

The game will be fun (in my opinion) but the commercials will not, promoting mostly alcohol.....with the enormous hypocrisy of the statement at the end "Drink Responsibly." Am I being too negative here?

Well, I do suggest putting in plenty of supplies....not food and drink, but stoke up on truth, and wisdom, and goodies from God's Word...so that post-game, you will have good things in your vat on which to meaningfully meditate. And then you will have some good stuff to share with others.

Most of us are at least at "half-time" in life's journey. What do football teams do at half-time? They concentrate on how to do things better in the second half. Would that not be a good idea for us?!

bh

Subject: "Oprah andFriends" to expose millions to New Age Christ on XM
Satellite Radio starting January 1st.  Here is the Christian perspective of the program.

Oprah Winfrey will be letting out all the stops on her XM Satellite Radio
program this coming year. Beginning January 1, 2008, "Oprah & Friends"
will offer a year-long course on the New Age teachings of A Course in Miracles.  A lesson a day throughout the year will completely cover the 365 lessons from  the Course in Miracles "Workbook." For example, Lesson #29 asks you to go through your day affirming that "God is in everything I see." Lesson #61 tells each person to repeat the affirmation "I am the light of the world." Lesson #70 teaches the student to say and believe "My salvation comes from me."

By the end of the year, "Oprah & Friends" listeners will have completed
all of the lessons laid out in the Course in Miracles Workbook. Those who
finish the Course will have a wholly redefined spiritual mindset-a New Age
worldview that includes the belief that there is no sin, no evil, no
devil, and that God is "in" everyone and everything. A Course in Miracles teaches its students to rethink everything they believe about God and life. The Course Workbook bluntly states: "This is a course in mind training" and is dedicated to "thought reversal."

Teaching A Course in Miracles will be Oprah's longtime friend and special
XM Satellite Radio reporter Marianne Williamson-who also happens to be one of today's premier New Age leaders. She and Conversations with God author Neale Donald Walsch co-founded the American Renaissance Alliance in 1997, that later became the Global Renaissance Alliance of New Age leaders, that changed its name again in 2005 to the Peace Alliance. This Peace Alliance seeks to usher in an era of global peace founded on the principles of a New Age/New Spirituality that they are now referring to as a "civil rights movement for the soul." They all agree that the principles of this New Age/New Spirituality are clearly articulated in A Course in Miracles-which is fast becoming the New Age Bible.

So what is A Course in Miracles and what does it teach? A Course in
Miracles is allegedly "new revelation" from "Jesus" to help humanity work through these troubled times. This "Jesus"-who bears no doctrinal resemblance to the Bible's Jesus Christ-began delivering his channeled teachings in 1965 to a Columbia University Professor of Medical Psychology by the name of Helen Schucman. One day Schucman heard an "inner voice" stating, "This is a  course in miracles. Please take notes." For seven years she diligently took spiritual dictation from this inner voice that described himself as "Jesus." A Course in Miracles was quietly published in 1975 by the Foundation for Inner Peace. For many years "the Course" was an underground cult classic  for New age seekers who studied "the Course" individually, with friends, or in small study groups. Here are some quotes from the "Jesus" of A Course in Miracles:

* "There is no sin . . ."
*  A "slain Christ has no meaning."
* "The journey to the cross should be the last 'useless journey."
* "Do not make the pathetic error of 'clinging to the old rugged cross.'"
* "The Name of Jesus Christ as such is but a symbol... It is a symbol that
      is safely used as a replacement for the many names of all the gods to
      which you pray."
* "God is in everything I see."
* "The recognition of God is the recognition of yourself."
* "The oneness of the Creator and the creation is your wholeness, your
      sanity and your limitless power."
* "The Atonement is the final lesson he [man] need learn, for it teaches
      him that, never having sinned, he has no need of salvation."

Most Christians recognize that these teachings are the opposite of what
the Bible teaches. At this critical time in the history of the world, the New
Gospel/New Spirituality is coming right at the world and the church with
its New Age teachings and its New Age Peace Plan. But this New Age Peace Plan has at its deceptive core the bottom-line teaching from A Course in Miracles that "we are all one" because God is "in" everyone and everything.
But the Bible is clear that we are not God (Ezekiel 28:2; Hosea 11:9). And
per Galatians 3:26-28, our only oneness is in Jesus Christ-not in
ourselves as "God" and "Christ."

What Oprah and Marianne Williamson and the world will learn one day is
that humanity's only real and lasting peace is with the true Jesus Christ who is described and quoted in the Holy Bible (Romans 5:1). Oprah Winfrey's misplaced faith in Marianne Williamson and the New Age teachings of A Course in Miracles is a sure sign of the times.

But an even surer sign of the times is that most Christians are not taking
heed to what is happening in the world and in the church. We are not
contending for the faith as the Bible admonishes us to do (Jude 3). We
must pray for all of our pastors to address the real issue of the day. Our true Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is being reinvented, redefined, and
blasphemed right in front of our eyes and hardly anyone seems to notice or care.

If we want the world to know who Jesus Christ is, we need to also warn
them about who He is not. There is a false New Age "Christ" making huge inroads into the world and into the church. The Apostle Paul said that "it is a
shame" we have to even talk about these things, but talk about them we
must (Ephesians 5:12-16). If people want to follow Oprah Winfrey and the New Age "Christ" of A Course in Miracles, they certainly have that right. But let them be warned that  the New Age "Christ" they are following is not the same Jesus Christ who is so clearly and authoritatively presented in the pages of the Bible.

GOD'S BEST SECRETS (Whitaker House) is a one-page daily devotional by Andrew Murray that I read daily, and consider one of the best. It is full of challenging spiritual meat that often causes me to ponder for days. Here is a recent example:

Luke 23.46 Jesus said: "Father, into your hands I commend My spirit,. Having said this, He breathed His last." This is something very special. He gave up His spirit into the power of death, gave up all control over it and sank down into the darkness of death, where He could neither think, or pray, or will. He let go of everything, surrendered Himself completely into the Father's hands, trusting Him to care for Him in utter darkness, and in time to raise Him up again.

This has been overwhelming to me. Think about it! The Creator of all the universe, the King of Kings, The Owner of it all, set aside His position, His will, and all control over His life and destiny and entrusted His entire being and future to the Father and allowed death to swallow Him up! Incredible.!! That happened as a result of His taking all of our sin, for all of us. The reason for it was that He loved us - while we were yet sinners. He didn't have to do it!! It was His choice.

Join me this week, and spend time meditating, pondering this incredible window into the very heart of God

bh January 12, 2008

Web: www.bertsgoodstuff.com 

Bonus: Listen to Hal Lindsey's message this week....on fundamental principles, one of which is raising children.
http://hallindsey.org/

"Dead" never means annihilated, its "separation." Rom 11.6 says we are to count on the fact that we are 'dead' to sin, and in the same sentence, "alive to God." What does that mean? Do you believe both statements? The essence of the Christian life is revealed here! I have discovered that most of us have very little insight into this bedrock of our relationship to God.

It means that in Christ, we have ended our relationship with sin and death, sin is no longer our nature, even though sin still lives in us. Instead we are alive with the life of Christ. "Christ is our life." We have a new nature. The "real" you is dead to sin, and alive to God. That is way more than a doctrinal statement. It is fact. The reason you can count on it as absolute truth...is that God said so! It is God's word, and not our 'experience' that verifies it. We don't have to 'feel' it; just trust what God says, and go.

It might be helpful to think of an 18 wheel long-haul truck that needs 5 axles. Two of them we just discussed-1. dead to sin, -2. alive to God. For the other three, you might visualize 3. trust, 4. obedience, and 5. humility. We certainly need all five all the time in order to accomplish the work God has given us to do. I like to think of the front axle as obedience, and the load bearing axles as dead to sin, alive to God, trust and humility. If one is missing or not functioning (or has flat tires), its going to be tough sledding.

There is an excellent review in Ruth Myers book 31 DAYS OF PRAISE, [Multnomah 1994) page 128 to 138. And you might want to air up the tires on the 'humility axle' by (re)reading Andrew Murray's book HUMILITY . [Pocket Companion,, Christian Literature Crusade, 1991    Do it this week!

bh January 19, 2008

Web: www.bertsgoodstuff.com
Bonus: Recommend-- Hal Lindsay's message this week. http://hallindsey.org/ (Jan 11)

Every verse in the longest Psalm (119) has to do with the Word of God. This week I noticed the recurring theme of "delight" over and over the Psalmist says, "I delight in your commandments; your statues are my delight; I delight in your decrees; I rejoice in following your statutes; Oh, how I love your law; how sweet are your words to my taste; your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path; your law is my delight" --- And many others!

Its Christmas time. What causes us to "delight?" Is it in 'getting' ---  or 'giving'?? Do we get our 'delights' from God's Word?-which means that really we don't need anything else in this world in order to be full of joy, meaning and pleasure...irrespective of circumstances. There is an awful lot of focus on non-delight items in our society.

    Happiness depends on circumstances, but joy and delight do not! Interesting!

Here is one more delightful thought that has my attention right now: Jesus said two of the most important statements in the Bible (in my HBAO) at the end of Matthew:

        1. Go and make disciples of all nations. [Are we?]

        2. Surely I am with you always..... (That makes #1 realistic, & possible.)

When I stop and think about it, #2 is not only utterly incredible, but makes the whole Bible come alive.
Jesus is not only ALIVE...He is always HERE.

        Nothing could make us more full of delight!!

bh December 22, 2007
Web: www.bertsgoodstuff.com