by donfinto | Jul 13, 2016 | The Good Report
Strange, but there are scriptures I dread reading!
I read one of them again this morning – the story of David and Bathsheba. What horrendous consequences followed the lustful godless decision of one night!
Yes, I know God later describes David as a “man after God’s own heart.” That’s the good news, and, I might add, very comforting and encouraging good news.
But it should not have happened. And so many people suffered as a result of one man’s sin.
Sin always has consequences – maybe not as dramatic as in the life of David, but sin always has consequences.
The story is recorded so that we will learn!
Surrender! Be on guard! Make no compromises!
May God grant each of us to guard our hearts against the big three – lust, greed, pride – in all their expressions, and stay full of His Holy Spirit Who will guard our hearts and minds! That’s good news and will bring a Good Report!
by donfinto | Jun 8, 2016 | The Good Report
“Selah.” Strange word. Appears in Scripture over 70 times. Primarily in the Psalms,but also three times in Habakkuk.
When I’ve read Scripture in times past and come across the word with its uncertain meaning, I would almost be annoyed with its interruption to my perhaps too rapid reading.
“Probably a musical term, its meaning is uncertain,” a comment to the recent NIV translation (that keeps changing), notes. “Since it may interrupt reading and distract the reader, this word has not been kept in the English text, but every occurrence has been signaled by a footnote.”
Wait a minute! I thought. What right do they have to take this word out of Scripture and relegate it to a footnote? I’ve begun to like the word! Yes, it interrupts my reading, but it makes me remember to slow down, to pause, to ponder, to meditate. Maybe that’s the intention!
Rather than take this word out of Scripture, I’ve rather made it a part of my entire Bible reading plan: Slow down! Think about that! Drink this in! Receive! Let’s not take Selah out. Let’s put more “Selahs” into our relationship with Jesus, with the Father, with Holy Spirit!
by donfinto | May 25, 2016 | The Good Report
I’ve told you there are scriptures that I dread reading. I’ve read them before, I know what’s going to happen, and I hate to read it again.
One of those scriptures is Joshua 9:14.
Joshua, a mighty man of God, the man who would stay at the “Tent of Meeting” with the Lord even after his mentor, Moses, would leave the tent (see Exodus 33:11), God’s chosen successor to Moses, and the man who had led Israel in possessing the land of the giants in fulfillment of God’s promise – this Joshua made a dreadful decision one day, a decision that caused great anguish in the whole of Israel.
A tribe of Hivites “resorted to a ruse” (Joshua 9:3) when they heard how Israel was conquering their land. The Gibeonites with their stale bread, ragged clothing, and cracked wineskins, told Joshua they had come from a distant land and had heard of the fame of Joshua and his God. “Make a treaty with us,” they begged.
Our biblical scribe says, “The men of Israel sampled their provisions, but did not inquire of the Lord. Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath (vv. 14-16).”
Three days later, they learned the truth, but it was too late. Joshua and the leaders kept their oath, but “the whole assembly grumbled against the leaders” (v. 18).
Ah, yes, Lord! Please alert us! Let us remember that human wisdom is never enough! You have sent Your Spirit to guide us! We must continually inquire of You! Only You can save us from disaster!
by donfinto | May 18, 2016 | The Good Report
Joshua was a Godly man, well schooled in the ways of the Lord. Even in his young years, he often remained behind at the “tent of meeting” with the Lord even after Moses left (see Exodus 33:11). He was God’s chosen successor to Moses, and Israel committed to following him.
After years of following hard after the Lord, on one day, Joshua and his leaders considered only the natural surroundings, and used their human wisdom to make a decision. That one decision caused great turmoil in the ranks of Israel, causing “the whole assemble” to grumble “against the leaders” (Joshua 9:18).
What had happened? The near-by tribe of the Gibeonites, fearing Israel, tricked Joshua and his leaders into thinking they were from a far distance. Their worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended, their patched sandals, old clothes and molded bread convinced Joshua that they were indeed from a distance. But he neglected to inquire of the Lord!
Natural wisdom is never enough. Inquire of the Lord before you act!
by donfinto | May 11, 2016 | The Good Report
When Jesus was asked about the most important commandment, His response was, “Listen!” (as The Message translates Mark’s account of the conversation, or as other translations put it) “Hear!”
When I am walking strong in the Lord, I find myself continually wanting to listen for that prompting of God’s Spirit within! To hear His instructions and guidance!
A couple of weeks ago, pondering my own future path, I heard the Lord caution me against two things:
1. Be careful to do nothing out of a man-pleasing spirit – doing something to please others, but something the Spirit of God has not confirmed.
2. You will never walk in the full will of God only doing what is considered the norm. Every Godly, biblical hero walks a different path from those around them.
Some years back, I heard the Lord caution me about burn-out – that He never burns anyone out! That we only burn out if
1. We are doing something God has not called us to do, or
2. We are doing what God called us to do, but we are doing it in our own strength, rather than in the strength He provides.
What is the most important commandment?
“Listen!” “Hear!”
by donfinto | Apr 27, 2016 | The Good Report
Psalm 27 is one of my favorite Psalms. The context of this Psalm is that David is surrounded by enemies and is fearful. He begins the Psalm by declaring who God is. “The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?”
This deliberate focus on his great defender doesn’t start with intercession, but rather intimacy. This crescendos in verse four, “One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.” This ONE THING desire and focus awakens the longing and passion in my heart like few other verses in scripture.
This intimate relational focus leads to warfare. As I was reading through this passage I was startled to see the context and connection that verse four has with the next two verses. Verse five says, “For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock.” The word “for” means reason.
The reason that David sought to dwell in the presence of the Lord, to gaze on his beauty and to ask him questions was because this would keep him safe in trouble and set him high on a rock. The next verse elaborates, “Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD.” So,
David is saying that the result of his intimacy fueled prayer would lift his head- his position of authority and power- above his enemies! And then he bursts into joyful praise with the full band accompanying him! I pray that you will enter into prayer through the door of intimacy and then walk in your God-given authority over the enemies that surround you!
