Two Choices

 Two Opinions

Two opinions and it is yours to choose, both will require a lot of faith.  First is from the Scriptures, that God made man in His image.  The second is 500 million years ago somehow an ancient fish-like creature produced at least one offspring with a curious mutation — twice the number of genes.  Then some 150 million years later it became a man.  If you go with that, the question remains, where did this ancient fish-like creature come from?

How does that conflict with what the Bible tells us, the question boils down to where did you come from?  I read a great paper on “What is the age of the earth” by Got Questions, it is worth your time.  One thing is very clear from the Scriptures when God formed man in His likeness, he was a man, not a little boy, nor a baby.  That being true when God created the earth and all that has been created, he assigned an age to them.  Before the Creation, there was no time, it also was part of the creations.

 

In the Beginning God

 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.  The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.  And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.  God called the light Day and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

 And God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.”  And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so.  And God called the expanse Heaven.  And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.  (Genesis 1:1-8)

The Word Became Flesh

In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.  In him was life, and the life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.  (John 1:1-5)

You may want to dust off your bible and read more of these accounts!

 

A man's view of where you came from

The human brain runs on less power than a 60-watt lightbulb.

Some 500 million years ago, an ancient fish-like creature produced at least one offspring with a curious mutation — twice the number of genes. These excess genes began developing in new directions, eventually creating more and more complex brains. Some 150 million years later, human ancestors roamed the land, and their brains continued to grow in complexity. About 2.5 million years ago, hominid brains started growing especially large, although scientists aren’t exactly sure what led to that sudden burst. Yet after millions of years of evolutionary experimentation, the human brain is a biological wonder many times more efficient than any artificial equivalent — in fact, it’s even more efficient than a 60-watt lightbulb.

 

Have you looked to see what your Children are being taught in public school?

 

Make a Joyful Noise to the Lord

 

 

Psalm 98

 

August 13, 2022

 

Make a Joyful Noise to the Lord

 

 “Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.  The Lord has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations.  He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.”

Nowhere can one find entitlement in Scripture unless we are referring to hell, and let’s not miss words, eternal punishment.  Yes, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) And the salvations that King David is referring to in these first three verses of this Psalm are not an entitlement, nor can it be earned.  We live in a time where from childhood people are taught, that they are entitled to almost everything, even what someone else has worked and sacrificed to acquire.  Yes, it is a setup and design failure, so who would do such a horrible thing to humans, the answer is found in John 10:10.

 

John 10:10, not only gives us information on who our real enemy is but also gives us information on where to run for help.  And the Spirit that lives in all who have found peace and joy in this world will find rest for their soul in Jesus.  Shall we look to the words of Jesus found in John 3:16-21, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.  Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.  And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.  For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.  But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

Grace is not an entitlement, and not earned, it is a gift from God, it is a heart transplant, found in Ezekiel 36:26, “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”   We call this act of God regeneration, and it is a secret act of God by which He imparts new spiritual life to a dead heart.  A heart that has always got its needs met, outside of Christ.

Have you experienced this grace, do you have a heart that sings a new song to the Lord?  If not, you have been given enough information in this paper to do so, and Scripture teaches that today is the day of Salvation.

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

The Lord Reigns

 

Psalm 97:1-12

 

8-12-2022

 

The Lord Reigns

The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad!   Clouds and thick darkness are all around him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.  Fire goes before him and burns up his adversaries all around.   His lightnings light up the world; the earth sees and trembles.  The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth.

The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory.  All worshipers of images are put to shame, who make their boast in worthless idols; worship him, all you gods!  Zion hears and is glad, and the daughters of Judah rejoice, because of your judgments, O Lord.  For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth you are exalted far above all gods.   O you who love the Lord, hate evil!  He preserves the lives of his saints; he delivers them from the hand of the wicked.  Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.  Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name!

 

The Lord reigns, but that does not sit well with the ungodly who love wealth and power.  The love of power is in all facets of life. It often begins in elementary school but where it shows its head is later in people like you and me, who are followers of Jesus and call it our flesh.  Each of us has flesh, and flesh likes to run the show, it does not want authority over it.  A person with a personal relationship with Jesus Christ has the power to make the flesh submit to the Holy Spirit, whereas the worldly person without Christ has no desire to be under authority. 

 

The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory.  Romans 1:18-23 gives us the same message with more clarity.  “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.   For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.   For his invisible attributes,  namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.   For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.                                      Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.” Now back to Psalm 97,  “All worshipers of images are put to shame, who make their boast in worthless idols; worship him, all you gods!”  News flashes, that the world the Psalmist lived in, and that the world you and I live in.  In fact, it all began after the fall of Adam who stood silent while Eve was under the attack of the old serpent, and like many men today they went passive while all that had value to them was being destroyed by that same old serpent.  So if you love the Lord, you should hate evil, and in Christ, you have the authority and power to stand against all evil.

 

Rejoice in the Lord, as the Psalmist tells us to do, “Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name.”

 

My brothers in Christ follow Jesus, and not man, not emotions, make sure you are lining up with the will of God, and get counsel before any actions.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

       

 

Worship in the Splendor of Holiness

 

Psalm 96:1-13

 

8-10-2022

 

Worship in the Splendor of Holiness

Oh sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth!  Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day.  Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!  For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods.  For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens.  Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.   Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord's glory and strength!   Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts!   Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness, tremble before him, all the earth!  Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!  Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity.”  Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it!  Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth.  He will judge the world in righteousness, and the people in his faithfulness.

 

The Psalm tells us to sing a new song to the Lord, it also tells us to bless His name.  Jesus to my knowledge never instructed us to sing a new song to Him but he gave us clear directions on telling of His salvation from day to day.  We find that in Matthew 28:18-20, Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”   

Is that a suggestion or a command, when my dad said Bob go cut the grass, it was never when you want to, it was a go now and cut the grass, he never had to tell me twice?  Why do you and I pay so little attention to the “go” from Jesus?

 

He is to be feared above all the gods you allow to come into your life.  For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens.  Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.   Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord's glory and strength!   Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts!   Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness, tremble before him, all the earth!  Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!   What is a  worthless idol, anything that you put a value on above the Lord?

 

If we could just get President Biden and the ones that or in the religion Biden and the ones that or in the religion of “Climate Change” to read the Scriptures they would understand the foolishness of believing a man could destroy what God has made.                     Often in the Psalm, we find statements like; “Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved.”

 

And we will end as the Psalmist did; Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth.  He will judge the world in righteousness, and the people in his faithfulness.  When you stand before God in judgment will your sins be covered in the blood of Jesus, if so God will call you His child, but if you try to stand before the all-knowing Judge without the blood of Jesus wiping clean your sins, you will be condemned to eternal punishment.  But God never planned hell for mankind, it was designed for the devil and his angels, why would anyone choose to go to a never-ending punishment and darkness?  No beer party with your friends, no Scriptures tell us it's isolation.  When you tell someone to go to hell, you have no understanding of what you are saying.  I believe the most wicked man alive today is George Soros, and I have asked the Lord to open his eyes to the truth before it is too late, 

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

 

            

 

Let Us Sing Songs of Praise

 

Psalm 95

 

August 9, 2022

 

 Let Us Sing Songs of Praise

 

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!  Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!  For the Lord is a great God and a great King above all gods.  In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also.  The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.  Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!

For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand.  Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,  when your fathers put me to the test and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work.  For forty years I loathed that generation and said, “They are a people who go astray in their heart, and they have not known my ways.” Therefore I swore in my wrath, “They shall not enter my rest.”

 

The writer of this Psalm is referring to “let us”, more than one, and we find in the New Testament, this requirement, in Hebrew 10:24-25.   ^“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”  You may be one who has quit coming to small groups, you just stay home and watch the service on the tube, but how can you spur one another on toward love and good deeds, if we do not meet together?

 

It is my understanding that my words or little importance but God’s word brings conviction.  So today no matter why you dropped out of assembling

With others, it is important for you to ponder on Hebrews 10:24-25 and Psalm 95.

 

Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts, my prayer is that you learn the need to find a quiet place and be open to hearing God speak to you through His written word.  I have experienced sickness and not being able to attend the worship services, and it was great to have the tube to watch, but I longed for a time where I could have that encouragement and fellowship.  This is not where you desire to be; “They are a people who go astray in their heart, and they have not known my ways.”                      

 

From the Back Porch,  

 

Bob Rice

The Lord Will Not Forsake His People

 

 

Psalm 94: 1-23

 

8-6-2022

 

The Lord Will Not Forsake His People

O Lord, God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, shine forth!   Rise up, O judge of the earth; repay to the proud what they deserve!  O Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked exult?   They pour out their arrogant words; all the evildoers boast. They crush your people, O Lord, and afflict your heritage.  They kill the widow and the sojourner, and murder the fatherless;  and they say, “The Lord does not see; the God of Jacob does not perceive.”

 

 Understand, O dullest of the people   Fools, when will you be wise? He who planted the ear, does he not hear?  He who formed the eye, does he not see?   He who disciplines the nations, does he not rebuke?  He who teaches man knowledge—the Lord—knows the thoughts of man, that they are but a breath.   

 

Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O Lord, and whom you teach out of your law, to give him rest from days of trouble until a pit is dug for the wicked.  For the Lord will not forsake his people; he will not abandon his heritage; for justice will return to the righteous, and all the upright in heart will follow it.

 

Who rises up for me against the wicked?  Who stands up for me against evildoers?  If the Lord had not been my help, my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence.   When I thought, “My foot slips,” your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up. When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.  Can wicked rulers be allied with you, those who frame injustice by statute?  They band together against the life of the righteous and condemn the innocent to death.  But the Lord has become my stronghold, and my God the rock of my refuge.  He will bring back on them their iniquity and wipe them out for their wickedness; the Lord our God will wipe them out.

 

As I read the opening five words of Psalm 94, call my wife over and ask her do you view God in this way?  (O Lord, God of vengeance,) She said no I have not.  I must confess I was in full agreement; I see Him as a warrior, but most of all as a loving, merciful, Holy, Pure, All-knowing, and jealous God.  Could it be that it comes from the worldview that has crept into the Church of the USA?  The Western Church wants a Loving, and Merciful God, and that He is but is He also a God of vengeance?  The answer is sure He is a God of Vengeance, or it would not be recorded in His written Word.  But if one set their mind on what God did to the nations like Egypt that treated His people and Him with contempt, you will know that our God is the God of Vengeance. 

 

As we move down in the Psalm we see these strong words to all who forget that our God is not the Western or Eastern God but that His ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts.  Understand, O dullest of the people   Fools, when will you be wise? He who planted the ear, does he not hear?  He who formed the eye, does he not see?   He who disciplines the nations, does he not rebuke?  He who teaches man knowledge—the Lord—knows the thoughts of man, that they are but a breath.  Strong Words, but needed for our generation. 

 

The generation we are living in does not like discipline, in fact, most do not discipline their children, and this generation of children, or the most entitled kids on planet Earth, are not thankful, or respectful, they want more stuff. Is that in line with the word of God; Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O Lord, and whom you teach out of your law, to give him rest from days of trouble until a pit is dug for the wicked.  If God does not discipline you it is because you are not His Child.

 

When I thought, “My foot slips,” your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up. When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.  Can wicked rulers be allied with you, those who frame injustice by statute?  They band together against the life of the righteous and condemn the innocent to death.   But the Lord has become my stronghold, and my God the rock of my refuge.  He will bring back on them their iniquity and wipe them out for their wickedness; the Lord our God will wipe them out.

 

It is not hard to have your foot slip if you’re not in God’s word, and applying it to your daily life.  If you’re not in a relationship with other men who also are walking with the Lord.  And the same thing goes for a woman, with other women.  Watch out for the deceiver, he always going to do two things, tell you you deserve, or that you are of little worth and the world is better without you.

 

 

Can wicked rulers be allied with you, those who frame injustice by statute?  No, but that is why they see followers of Jesus as their enemies.

 

But the Lord has become my stronghold, and my God the rock of my refuge.  He will bring back on them their iniquity and wipe them out for their wickedness; the Lord our God will wipe them out.  Yes our God is a God of vengeance, but we must never be vengeful, we are called by our Lord to love our enemies, and to pray for them.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

"Jesus Loves Me"

 

"Jesus Loves Me"

My Dearest_________________

​      I love you!

I shed my own blood for you, to make you clean.

Please I don't call common and unclean that which I have called clean

You are new ... so believe it is true.

You are lovely in my eyes and I created you to be just as you are.

Don't. criticize yourself for not being perfect in your own eyes.

This leads only to frustration.

      I want you to trust Me, _______________

one step ... one day at a time.

Dwell in My power and Love...

and be free... be yourself.

Don't allow other people to control you!

I will guide you... if you let Me.

      Be aware of my presence in everything.

I have given you patience...love...joy...peace.

Look to me for answers.

I am your Sheppard and I will lead you.

Follow me only!  Do not forget this.

       Listen and I will tell you My will.

Please understand I love you_______________ I love you.

Let it flow from you ...spill over to all you touch.

Don't be concerned with yourself...you are My responsibility

I will change you without your hardly knowing it.

You are to love yourself...and love others...

simply because I love you.

Take your eyes off yourself! Be confident in my love.

Look only at Me!

I lead...I change...I mold, but not when you are trying.

I won't fight your efforts.

Let Me have the joy of making you like Christ.

Let Me love you!

Let Me give you happiness! No one else can!

You see____________ you are not you own.

You have been bought with My blood...now you belong to Me and I love 

you...just because you are Mine.

It is really none of your business how I deal with you.

Your only command is to look to Me!

Never to yourself...never to others.

Don't struggle...don't fight...don't rebel...but Trust Me!

I know what is best and I will do it for you.

How I long for you to allow Me to love you freely!

My will is perfect...My love is sufficient...

I will supply your needs...for I love you.

                                                   Jesus

(Author Unknown)

 

The Lord Reigns

 

Psalm 93

 

8-4-2022

 

The Lord Reigns

The Lord reigns; he is robed in majesty; the Lord is robed; he has put on strength as his belt.  Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved.  Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting.  The floods have lifted up, O Lord, the floods have lifted up their voice; the floods lift up their roaring.   Mightier than the thunders of many waters, mightier than the waves of the sea, the Lord on high is mighty!  Your decrees are very trustworthy; holiness befits your house, O Lord, forevermore.

 

We do not have anyone we honor with that title, unlike England who required it subject to call the king or queen your majesty.  As a citizen of the USA, we have only one entity that is worthy of the title of majesty, our God and Father, and His only Son.  As I study the Psalm I keep seeing the following; “Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved.” In 2 Timothy 3:16-17,  ^“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”  Nowhere does it say the church attender or the moral man, but the man of God.  So what does it require to be a man of God, David was such a man, was he moral, no but he feared God, and when confronted with his sin would always repent.  Today it is a person who has chosen by faith to make Jesus their majesty, their authority, and to ask His forgiveness for known sin.  A person of God has a relationship with Jesus Christ.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

How Great Are Your Works

 

Psalm 92;1-15

 

8-3-2022

 

How Great Are Your Works

A Psalm. A Song for the Sabbath.

It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night, to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre. For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands, I sing for joy.   How great are your works, O Lord!  Your thoughts are very deep!  The stupid man knows; the fool cannot understand this: that though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever; but you, O Lord, are on high forever.  For behold, your enemies, O Lord, for behold, your enemies shall perish; all evildoers shall be scattered.  But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox; you have poured over me fresh oil.  My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies; my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants.  The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.  They are planted in the house of the Lord; they flourish in the courts of our God.  They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green, to declare that the Lord is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

 

It is good to give thanks to the Lord, my best friend and wife of 58 years find our self-giving praise with thanksgiving in our hearts for all our Lord has blessed us with.  So many special friends, such a great family, a brother and sister that we love, and Jan’s family what a blessing they are to us.  A house we made into a home, where we so enjoy sitting on the Back Porch, watching the birds and deer and other animals our Lord has made for us to enjoy.  One thing we are so grateful for is being in a great nation that God has blessed us with so much, freedom to speak, travel, to worship, without the government trying to rule over us.  If we ever lose that we will be like all the other nations, and it will take bloodshed to get the freedom, God has given us.

 

The Works of our Lord that have been poured out on the USA, and do we find time as a people to bow down and give Him praise?  I’m fearful that the promotional Church that shows up on Sundays, is nowhere to be found during the week.  I hope I’m wrong and yet I’m fearful that many of us do not understand our God is jealous of our chasing the foolishness of this world.  Many go to movies where the Lord’s name is taken in vain and are not offended, many today put sports and send the message to their children that select ball is more important than worshiping God on Sundays.  Our nation is a pagan nation, its leadership is evil, and they lie and steal.  We often say do not send a good person to Washington D.C. you will just make a crook out of them.  God has both men and ladies who have integrity and will put God and what they know to be true before power and wealth, that a person that is there as a calling. 

 

The stupid man knows; the fool cannot understand this: that though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever; but you, O Lord, are on high forever.  One day death comes to all people, and then the judgment, the ones who have sought Jesus Christ the everlasting God, by faith, He has given them, and they have put trust in His action on the cross for mankind and confess and ask for forgiveness, will not be in the judgment of the wicked.  But the Scriptures are clear the evil and the wicked and all who try to get to heaven on their merit will be put in an eternal hell that was not designed for them but for the devil and his angels.

 

They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green, to declare that the Lord is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.  

We have so much to be thankful for, for what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and spends eternity in hell?  A place of darkness isolation, and eternal torment.  The question one must ask what will you give in exchange for your soul?

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

Have you may the Lord your Dwelling Place

                                                                        Psalm 91:9-11

 

August 5, 2021

 

 

 

“Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place—the Most High, who is my refuge—no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent.  For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.”

 

One of the men of God who mentored me as a young man was Ken Ryan, a man of the Word, and a lover of both God and men like me who needed to put my faith and hopes in God only, and as we read Scripture, he always asked this question; “Do you believe what we just read”?  I would have a quick yes, and Ken would have a quicker, that's not true, for if you did you would obey. 

 

Do you believe what you just read?

 

My nature or maybe better stated, my unique type of flesh wants a backup plan, what if God allows this to happen, and I get the virus do I have a plan?  Then this thought came into my head, has God appointed the number of days of my life, and the answer is yes. You will find the answer to this question, in many places in the Scriptures, Psalm 139:16, “Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.”  What about Matthew 6:27, “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?”  We could keep going but I need to read it this morning as I lay in bed at 1:30 in the early morning under an attack of a bad judgment I made with my father-in-law and have asked God to forgive me and on that confession, I know I am forgiven. I need to read again this verse; in Luke 12:7, “Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

 

You and I have great value to God!  He has shown us how much by allowing His Son, His only Son to die for our sins and take His full wrath out on Jesus.  Ken’s question is the foundation of our faith, for without believing in what God has said, are we really His followers?

 

This morning I understand my accuser is not God the Father, but the one Jesus calls the thief, and he comes only to kill, steal, and destroy.  He also is the one who tells me I need a backup plan.  I also hear my dear brother who is basking in the pleasure of Jesus and the saints, once more asking, Bob do you believe what you just read?

 

My answer comes even quicker, I have no other “dwelling place, but the Lord most high.”  For Jan and I have made Him our refuge.

 

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice

 

 

 

 

Where is your Refuge

 

Psalm 91:1-8

 

August 12, 2021

 

 

Where is your refuge, is it a secure place, no matter what happens where is your trust, and to whom do you turn when things go from bad to worse?  Many of you will be quick to say God, but what god?  For many it, is not the God that the Psalmist is referring to in Psalm 91, verse two makes that very clear.  “I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”   So one must ask where does my trust lie?  Do I put my hope in myself, my ability to solve problems, my job, or the company I’m part of?  Or is your trust in government its ability to provide for you and protect you?  What about your wealth, you know the stuff you have and the materials things like houses, and wealth you acquired?

 

I've often put trust in so many of the little gods, and you know the ones that cannot hear nor see, the ones that are here today and gone tomorrow.  But not the Psalmist his fortress and refuge was in God whom he found peace and rest.  He had an understanding of what Jesus told us many years later; the world and its desires are passing away, but He has overcome the world.  He also understood these words of Jesus found in John 10:9-10, “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.  The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.  I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

 

The Psalmist uses figurative language like the snare of the fowler; to describe the thief Jesus is telling us about and how God covers you under His wings like a mother hen does her chicks from the birds of prey.  He also knew his value to God, when he said ten thousand on your right side might fall, but it will not happen to you, but you will see the recompense of the wicked.  

 

Listen to the promise made to the one who holds fast to the Lord.  Psalm 91:14-16, “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.  He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.  With long life, I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

 

So one must ask this question if we are honest with ourselves; can the God I’m putting trust in make such a promise and come through with it?

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice

A Prayer of Moses, the man of God

 

Psalm 90:1-12

 

August 13, 2019

 

A Prayer of Moses, the man of God.

“Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.  Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.  You return man to dust and say, “Return, O children of man!”  For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night.  You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning: in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers. For we are brought to an end by your anger; by your wrath we are dismayed.  You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence.  For all our days pass away under your wrath; we bring our years to an end like a sigh.  The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away.  Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear of you?  So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.”

 

I put a footnote in my Bible that Psalm 90 is the oldest, and its title is “A Prayer of Moses,” it is not known if Moses wrote it or that the poem reflects a Mosaic perspective.  But all in all, that only information, and does not affect how you are going to live your life on planet earth.

 

But as one gives thought to where is your dwelling place, is it not where your heart and soul find rest?  Moses has stated God is their dwelling place, it is only in God that they find rest for their souls.  We live in a time where each day someone is working hard trying to prove there is no God, unlike this Psalmist who not only knew God, but also knew that He formed mankind out of dust and to dust our bodies will return, but not our souls.  He understood God has no timeline, but we people do for, God has numbered our days.  Jan and I try to eat most of the time only what is good for us and exercise three or four times a week, hoping to live a more productive life, but it does not change the day God has picked for life on planet Earth to end.  But do not come to our funeral and talk about us in the pastiness, for our souls are very much alive.

 

Verse twelve, “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.”  What a prayer, it's one I hope I begin to pray for myself, and with it, Psalm 86:11, “Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.”  In that, you have no understanding if today is your last day on Planet Earth, why not live as if it could be?  Why not cry out to a loving Father for wisdom, so you act wisely and not foolish?  For with wisdom, you can receive the Lord’s ways, and wisdom will guide your steps as it leads you down the path of truth.  Wisdom will also give you a healthy fear of awe of a Holy God.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice