Alan Harris Ministries
  • Home
  • Store/DONATIONS
  • Schedule
  • Newsletter Sign-up
  • Photos
  • Contact
  • Promotional Info
  • Life After Death?
  • Treasures from the Word - Devotional thoughts from Angie
  • Resources and Links
  • What We Believe
  • Blog

Treasures from the Word

As a child in Sunday school, I learned to believe and love every word in the Bible.  As a teen at youth camp, I realized that the Word was God.  It was alive with words that I needed daily.  It was there that I began reading the Bible through one verse at a time.  I love to take my time to meditate and learn as the Holy Spirit teaches and guides.  My favorite reference is Strong's Concordance.  Since the Bible was not written in English, much can be learned by referring to the original language of the author.  Often, God will direct my attention to another topic or passage.  Then, I take a detour, spending time on that road, before returning to my stopping point.  Along the way, I journal the thoughts, ideas, and lessons God gives me. Now I am obeying God in sharing some of these thoughts with you.  My prayer is that you will be encouraged and challenged.  My desire is that you  fall totally and madly in love with God and His Word.  I would love to hear from you. Feel free to respond to what you read, whether you agree or disagree.  

The Cedar Chest

6/9/2015

0 Comments

 
Jeremiah 22:13-16
Woe unto him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by wrong; that useth his neighbour's service without wages, and giveth him not for his work;
That saith, I will build me a wide house and large chambers, and cutteth him out windows; and it is cieled with cedar, and painted with vermilion.
 Shalt thou reign, because thou closest thyself in cedar?
did not thy father eat and drink, and do judgment and justice, and then it was well with him?
 He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well with him: was not this to know me? saith the LORD.


I have not been able to get away from the impact of this passage.  For some reason, the idea of thinking that we are safe and sound in our house of cedar seems to pierce my heart.  Today, I think I realized why this already impactful passage touches me on a deeper and more personal level.  Allow me to share some bittersweet memories...

Somewhere in a crowded and lonely attic or perhaps in a corner booth of a busy antique mall sits a dusty cedar hope chest, handmade by some high school students from a small town in Indiana.  Though the tradition has faded now, in decades past a young girl would collect keepsakes from her school days as well as items to be used in her future home in some type of chest or trunk, appropriately called a "hope chest."  Along with items that marked special events of her passing girlhood; gifts from grandparents, parents, and other relatives would be lovingly tucked away for use in the young woman's own future household. 

My mom, growing up in the 40's and 50's had one such hope chest.  Her dad, my Grandpa Lloyd, was an industrial arts teacher at a local high school.  One year he gave his class a special project.  They were to build a beautiful cedar chest which would be given to my mom to use as her hope chest.  As a young girl, I often admired the huge trunk with its smooth red wood and its contents from a generation before mine. As I would carefully unfold the enclosed memories, I would imagine my mom as a beautiful teen twirling around in her poodle skirt complemented by a soft wool sweater and of course completed with  black and white saddle shoes.  I can still smell the pungent cedar scent that guarded the precious memories for decades.

Through an unfortunate series of events, the trunk was eventually lost, sold in a storage sale.  My imaginings are now extended to where the beautiful chest and its precious contents could be today.  While they may be appreciated for their vintage value, the personal essence can never be realized in the hands of the unknown owners. Although Grandpa Lloyd, my mother, and I thought that the momentos of days past were well guarded by sturdy cedar walls,  they were carried away by strangers. 

Shalt thou reign, because thou closest thyself in cedar?

Jeremiah's message was directed at King Jehoiakim and his son Jehoiachin (or Coniah). The king thought he was untouchable in his majestic palace made with rich cedar from the famous cedar trees in Lebanon, and painted with brilliant vermilion to bring out the red hues of the cedar.  (See the above verses.)  It must have been like an ancient florescent light, signaling to all around that the king and his kingdom were prestigiously protected by their riches and  finery.

This is where most of the world today lives.  Everyone has his own "cedar," the material with which he is building his house that makes him think he is invincible.  Good works, rules, reputation, education, talent, charitable service, appearance, health, career, family, religion, material possessions...  Are you, am I, sitting enclosed in our walls of cedar, thinking we are content and well-protected?  Have we painted our houses with impressive colors so that anyone who looks will think we are a little better than they are? 
Although, the above list contains real life building blocks, they are all temporary.  No matter how strong the walls my seem, they can be destroyed in a moment and carried away by strangers. 

Then where should we find our security?   True security and contentment can never be found in the temporary.  Secure and temporal are opposing terms.  Most of us make our choices like Lot did in Genesis 13:10-11.  He looked around him and chose what looked best.  Today, we look around at various career paths and what others have accomplished as they have gone down those paths.  We count the money and the hours and compute the best life.  But God's question in Jeremiah 22:15 peels away all the layers of impressiveness, and exposes the heart.  If true security cannot be found in the temporary, then it must be found in the eternal.  In verses 15 and 16, we see 3 things that are eternal: judgment, justice and knowing God.  These three can be summed up in one word, Truth.    We must choose between right and wrong based on the righteous judgments of God, not on comparisons of man.  We must get to know Him through His word and allow His desires to become our desires as we choose the building materials for our lives.  Perhaps he will allow us to choose cedar, but the building is simply that, a building.  When all is lost, the foundation must be sure in our relationship with the Way the Truth , and the Life.  (John 14:6) 
My "stuff" might look impressive to some.  I might have talent, career, education, possessions, etc. But they are things I seek only as God gives me liberty to do so, and all is done to bring Him glory, not to build my own castle from which to reign. 

It was not easy for me or for my mom to let go of the regrets of the past.  There has been a mourning process for the lost items that tell some of the story of our lives. But though the walls of cedar may have protected a few temporary treasures, the memories they represent will last many lifetimes as they are passed down to my children and grandchildren.  Similarly, though the things I have collected may one day be carried away by strangers, the foundation of faith will remain secure.  Though my children may mourn my passing, they can choose to stand firm and secure on their own foundation of faith, trusting in an eternal Truth that will remain even if the cedars of Lebanon are broken. (Psalm 29:5)








0 Comments

"Worse than Their Fathers..."

5/20/2015

0 Comments

 
Jeremiah 16:10-12 And it shall come to pass, when thou shalt shew this people all these words, and they shall say unto thee, Wherefore hath the LORD pronounced all this great evil against us? or what is our iniquity? or what is our sin that we have committed against the LORD our God?

 Then shalt thou say unto them, Because your fathers have forsaken me, saith the LORD, and have walked after other gods, and have served them, and have worshipped them, and have forsaken me, and have not kept my law;

 And ye have done worse than your fathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the imagination of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me:

"The Lord our God?"   This was surely in name only.  Each Israelite was raised with the knowledge that he was part of a nation that was different than all other nations. They were chosen by God as His special people.  They knew the history of being rescued from slavery in Egypt, following Moses for forty years of wilderness wanderings, and bravely fighting with Joshua as Israel defeated nation after nation to take control of the land God had promised to Abraham.  The history was a given.  Everyone knew the stories.
But their fathers had chosen to forsake God.  They knew the history to be true, but little by little, their hearts had turned from following God and had absorbed the ways of the pagan cultures around them. 

Then these people who had forsaken God began to have children.  Whereas the parents had a reference point of following God at some point in their lives, their children were now being raised without that knowledge.  The children knew the history, but "did worse than their fathers" since they started out with no godly foundation.  The only way of life they knew was "walking after the imagination of their evil hearts." God sent prophets to proclaim His Word, to remind His people who they were and what His laws were, and to plead with them to return to Him and avoid coming judgment.  But the children had no concept of who God was.  They knew only the gods they had been introduced to by their idol-worshiping parents.  What a sad state of affairs they were in!

 And what a sad state of affairs we are in today. We are reaping the same harvest of generations of people who have no concept of the reality of God and His laws and His love.  Each generation becomes "worse than their fathers" as we get further and further away from the source of truth. 
Let us continue to cry out as Jeremiah and the other prophets!  Let us allow God to use our lives as He used theirs as pictures of His redeeming grace.  God's power and forgiveness can stop the downward spiral as He reclaims one wandering soul at a time, just as He promised to do with Israel.
0 Comments

Turn Around!

5/14/2015

0 Comments

 
Jeremiah 10 and 11.  Jeremiah's conversation with God in these chapters is interesting.  With this weeping prophet's characteristic empathy, Jeremiah pleads with God to have mercy on the people of Israel.  In 10:23-25, he appeals to the age old issue of God's sovereignty.  God is the ultimate controller of man's steps, Jeremiah says. What can they do but follow the course of history that has been put in motion? He realizes the people deserve judgment and correction, but asks that God not destroy them as He will the heathen people who don't even know God. 
I love God's response in chapter 11!  God does not disagree with Jeremiah's premise, but he reminds him (and tells him to remind the people), that they had an agreement.  God agreed to bless His chosen nation on one simple condition....that they obey His Word!
The Israelites had blatantly and intentionally broken their end of the deal.  "Therefore," in 11:11-13, we read that since they had chosen to behave like the idol worshiping nations around them, they would be judged and punished as such.  In verse 14, God tells Jeremiah that he should not even be praying for their deliverance! 
It is certainly not a stretch to apply God's response to my own life today.  It is foolish and hypocritical for me to make choices that are clearly in opposition to God's Word, and then pray that God will deliver me from the consequences. I do have a responsibility in God's sovereign plan.  That responsibility is obedience.  Though I may have to suffer the consequences of my sin, I can stop at any point and choose to obey.  If I am a redeemed child of God, I have the power of the Holy Spirit dwelling within me, enabling me to obey. 
If you are struggling to break free from the path you have chosen, heed the cries of the Jeremiahs in your life who can help you turn around and walk in the right way.  You don't have to continue on the path toward destruction. They want to help you. 
Perhaps your struggle is not quite that intense. You and I make many choices every day. However, I must remind myself that any disobedience is rebellion against God and leads to more disobedience.  As I humbly endure the consequences of my wrong choices, help me now, O Lord, to turn around and begin to obey You, trusting You with the final destination of my steps.

0 Comments

My Friend, Isaiah!

5/8/2015

0 Comments

 
A quick thought (or so I thought...) today from Isaiah 6.  I can so relate to Isaiah's experience here!
Verse 1 - In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
In verses 1-4, Isaiah describes the unbelievable glimpse God gives him of God's glory as the chorus of heaven worships and praises the "Lord of hosts."  As I look into God's Word, or as I look out an airplane window into the massive white clouds, or as I stand on the beach beholding the waves that never cease, I get glimpses of God's majesty, glory, and omnipotence.  
My response is often like Isaiah's in verse 5: Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.  His holiness reminds me of how sinful I am.
But praise God, I don't have to stay on my face, wallowing in my own worthlessness! 
See what happens to Isaiah in verses 6 and 7! Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:  And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.
I, too, have been forgiven!  In 1970, I came to Jesus with the faith of a little child, seeking forgiveness and restoration.  As a coal from the altar cleansed Isaiah, God reached down and touched my heart with the sacrifice of Jesus, taking away my iniquities!  And He continues to go with me, forgiving me and loving me. 
Having been cleansed from my sin, my ears were opened to hear the same voice that Isiah heard!  Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? (Isa. 6:8a)  The Lord of the hosts of heaven wants me to represent Him and his army!  How can I refuse? 
Then said I, Here am I; send me. (Isa. 6:8b)
And what is His first command to Isaiah?  GO, and tell this people... (Isa. 6:9)  Isaiah was commanded to go and tell a rebellious nation of impending judgment.  I am compelled, as a disciple of Christ, to take up Jesus's command to go and tell my world a similar message. 
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
Whether they listen or not, I must do as Isaiah, and tell them of impending judgment as well as of the infinite blessings of obedience.
  

0 Comments

Glory!

5/5/2015

0 Comments

 
Jeremiah 9:23-24 Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:
But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.

In one verse, God covers three main quests of man: wisdom, strength, and riches.  After more than 2500 years, man is still striving to reach for these three commodities.  These are the big three that bring fame and honor. 

However, in the context of this chapter, we see that these three accomplishments do not keep a man from divine judgment unless they are founded in a knowledge of God as the Lord of all.  God is not denouncing wisdom, strength and riches.  These are admirable attributes and worthwhile accomplishments.  A man may be recognized and highly regarded by his achievements in these three areas, but what makes a man truly shine with eternal glory is his knowledge and understanding of God. 

God may give a man great wisdom, strength, or riches, but what God delights in is lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness. Wisdom without kindness in its application can become harsh dictatorship.  Strength without laws can become domineering abuse.  Riches without virtue easily becomes an avenue to indulge in fleshly lusts. While these may seem to be extreme outcomes, they are actually extremely realistic.  Admittedly, there are those who do not claim to know God and manage to handle their wisdom, strength and riches with honor and altruism.  Even so, these three attainments can quickly fade with age or misuse. 

Let us not glory in our own accomplishments.  If we shine, let it be the shine of God's glory as we get so close to His face that we, as Moses in Exodus 34, literally shoot out with the rays of His brightness.



0 Comments

Christian Dialysis

5/4/2015

1 Comment

 
Jeremiah 12:2 ....thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins.
Throughout the Old Testament and the New Testament God stresses the essential importance of transparency.  Our outward words may sound eloquent and sincere, and may even bring about desired results.  But God looks on the heart. 
The word used in this verse is "reins."   This is literally the kidneys, but of course, represents the inward self.  It is interesting that the kidneys are used in many places in the Old Testament to refer to the inner man.  The kidneys are an essential organ, purifying the blood.  We cannot live without this purifying process.  If the kidneys cease their normal functioning, dialysis must be prescribed. 
How many Christians are living on "dialysis?"  Though they continue to speak the words of faith, their inner man is dying, ceasing to filter the toxins of the world.  They no longer allow God's Word to enter into their deepest selves, cleansing and purifying their lives from within.  Sophisticated programs and plans may prolong their lives and maintain healthy appearances, allowing normal living for long periods of time.  However, while the development of dialysis has been a tremendous blessing to millions of people, medical professionals confirm that it is not a permanent substitute for the functioning of healthy kidneys.  Similarly, there is no substitute for the filter of God's Word and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  Eventually, our "sin will find us out" (Numbers 32:23).
Lord, show me when my words are just for show.  I want my "reins" to be controlled and sustained by You, not by outward, artificial means.
1 Comment

Valiant for Truth!

5/2/2015

0 Comments

 
Jeremiah 9:3 And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the LORD.
Lord, help me to stand stand strong for truth upon the earth! When all around me are shooting their arrows of deceit, let me be valiant for the truth of your word.  Help me to raise up warriors who will not be afraid to stand for you, even in the face of danger or death.  I don't want to be characterized by conflict and militancy.  I want to show your love to those around me.  But there are times when I must stand for truth, and not fall in with those whose tongues are full of Satan's lies.  Though I may have to suffer some injuries now, I know that ultimately, truth will prevail!



0 Comments

Crumbs in the Corner

4/29/2015

0 Comments

 
Jeremiah 8:4-7 Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD; Shall they fall, and not arise? shall he turn away, and not return? 
Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return.
I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle.
Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD.

These verses make me think of natural processes like the law of gravity or the water cycle.  There is a rhythm of life.  Usually when a person falls, they get back up.  When an object falls, we pick it up.  When we move in a certain direction, we return to the starting point. 
Not so with the people in these verses.  They turned away from God and stayed there.  The word perpetual here does not refer to a constant going forward and then back again.  It refers to a permanent position.  They had turned away from following God, and refused to return.  In verse seven, God exclaims that even the animals know when to come and go, but His own people defy nature in not recognizing the consequences of their backsliding.
I can think of many today who would fall into this category. 
But I must examine my own heart.  Is there any area of my life, any shadowy corner filled with the dust of of "perpetual backsliding?"  Have I swept into the corner a few crumbs of resentment, bitterness, or pride.  Have I tucked away a secret "little" sin or refused to do something God has clearly instructed me to do?  Am I rushing into battle, having deceived myself into thinking that I can hide this little thing?  No one will ever notice and God will never judge me since I'm doing so many things right.... 
Lord, help me not to be deceived. Show me my transgression (Isaiah 58:1), and create in me a clean heart, O God.... (Psalm 51:10)

0 Comments

How Deep....

4/28/2015

0 Comments

 
Jeremiah 7
As I read this chapter, I am once again amazed at the mercy and forgiveness of God.   Pagan atrocities had become the accepted lifestyle with a proud and hypocritical nod toward God as the people came to the house of the Lord.  Yet, God wanted them back.  He sent Jeremiah to plead with them to come back to Him with promise of total forgiveness and restoration.  How deep the Father's love for us, how vast beyond all measure, that He should give His only Son to make a wretch (ME!) His treasure.....  (Click here to go to Youtube and pause for a moment to worship and thank God for His unending mercy.) 
0 Comments

Which Way?

4/27/2015

0 Comments

 
Jeremiah 6:16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.
God was calling these people as He did in Haggai and in so many other places in the Old Testament to "consider their  ways."  Jesus spent His entire earthly ministry calling people to examine themselves in light of the gospel and their need of a Savior. 
Stand ye in the ways, and see...  To stand, we must stop.  We race along in our lives, navigating the traffic and seldom looking back.  God is calling us to stop now and then and examine our lives and our paths.  Are we really following His direction?  Are we obeying His instruction?  Are we even listening to His voice?
Do you need rest for your soul?  You can find it in the old paths.  This reference has nothing to do with style of ministry.  The old paths were the forgotten ways that the Israelites had walked.  They had previously followed the laws of God, but now they were walking in the ways of the pagan nations around them.  Have you left the simple life of faith?  Pull over and stop a minute.  Examine your life and see whether you are following God and His Word or the expectations of those around you, or even selfish ambitions.  In order to find rest for your soul, you must first see that you are on the wrong path, and then ask God to show you the good way.  Look to His Word, and walk therein.  Don't be like the stubborn people referred to in this verse.  But they said, We will not walk therein.  They chose a path that ended in weariness and desolation.





0 Comments
<<Previous
Forward>>

    Angie Harris

    Alan's wife.  On the road with my man since 1984!
    In love with the Word of God!

    Archives

    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed


                                           ...For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ...
                                                              Alan Harris Ministries.309 W 24th St.Connersville, IN 47331.765-220-1629
                                    HOME>SCHEDULE>PHOTOS>STORE/DONATIONS>CONTACT>PROMO MATERIAL>BLOG>LIFE AFTER DEATH?