Only God and godly works bring joy

New Guest: Like this one, most entries are devotional. Those related to Car Biz can be located by searching the blog archives for that title. You might start with 'Welcome,' the first entry, dated November 12, 2008, where I introduce myself and the blog. I hope you'll record your responses as you read, since these entries serve best as the first remarks in a coversation.

Blessings and best wishes,
Dr. Will

Friday, August 6, 2010 Devotions: Ps 88, 91, 92; Jdg 9:1-21; Acts 4:13-31; Jn 2:1-12

Lord, You have been so faithful and kind, that my troubles have fluttered away. I don't doubt that they'll be back from time to time, but I am not dwelling in darkness or despair just now. Those who live under God's wings abide in the sheltering shadow of the Almighty One. No harm can touch me when God protects me. He gives His angels charge concerning those He loves, rescues and delivers and honors us. So I am blessed, and I am grateful! It is good to thank God in all circumstances, and I declare God's love and faithfulness this afternoon. YHWH has made me glad by His works, and He scatters His enemies completely. I will be fruitful, even in my old age, green and full of sap. YHWH is my Rock and there is no unrighteousness in Him at all.

Gideon's son Abimelech visited his mother's family in Shechem, and asked his relatives there to persuade the people of the city to follow Abimelech. They provided him with seventy pieces of silver, which Abimelech used to hire ruffians, who became his followers. With these, Abimelech assailed his father's house in Ophrah and killed seventy of Gideon's legitimate sons, Abimelech's half-brothers. He murdered them on one stone; only Jotham, Gideon's youngest son, escaped—he hid himself and was not executed. And the Shechemites made Abimelech their king. Jotham ascended Mount Gerizim and called out to the residentes of Shechem: 'Hear me, men of Shechem, that YHWH may listen to you: The trees collaborated to find a king to rule them; they first invited the olive tree, but the olive declined; so did the fig tree and the grape vine. Finally, they agreed with the bramble, and the bramble became their monarch. Now, if you acted in good faith and honor when you made Abimelech your king, and if you treated the house of Jerubbaal fairly—for my father fought for you and risked his life and rescued you from bondage under Midianites; and today you have murdered seventy men on one stone, all his legitimate sons, and have made the bastard son of his maidservant your king—if you then have acted in good faith and honor, then rejoice with Abimelech and let him rejoice in you. But if not, let fire come forth from Abimelech to devour the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millor; and let fire from these cities come forth and devour Abimelech.' After this challenge, Jotham ran away to Beer and lived there, seeking to avoid the wrath of Abimelech his brother.

The priests and Jewish council observed the boldness of Peter and John; they could see they were undeducated common men, but they had been with Jesus, and so their behavior was remarkable. Since they man they had healed was before the group, they could not deny the power of the apostles. They sent the disciples outside, and conferred among themselves. They charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, 'You must judge whether it is right in God's sight to listen to you rather than to God. We cannot help but speak of what we have seen and heard.' When the authorities had further threatened them, they let the two apostles go—since the common people praised God for what they had achieved—the man whom God healed through themn was more than forty years old. When released, Peter and John reported everything to their fellow believers, and together they praised God: 'Sovereign Lord, you made heave and earth and sea and all that is in them. We know that the unfaithful have conspired against You and against Your holy servant Jesus, so that Herod and Pontius Pilate, the Romans and the Jews alike, did all they could to silence Him—yet Your plan has been carried through. Lord, look upon their threats, and grant to us Your servants to speak Your world with all boldness, while You stretch out Your hand to heal, and sings and wonders are performed through the name of Your holy servant Jesus.' When they had prayed, the place of their assembly was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke God's word with boldness!

On the third day after Jesus turned his steps homeward to Galilee, there was a wedding in Cana. Jesus' mother was there, as were Jesus and His disciples. When the wine gave out, Mary said to Jesus, 'They have no wine.' And he replied, 'Dear woman, what has this to do with Me? My hour has not yet come!' But she said to the servants, 'Just do whatever He tells you!' Nearby stood six large stone jars, each holding twenty or thirty gallons, that were normally used for the mikvah, rites of purification. Jesus told the servants, 'Fill the jars with water.' They filled each to the brim. Then He said, 'Draw some out and take it to the steward of the feast.' The water had turned to wine, and when the steward tasted it, not knowing where it had come from (though the servants knew), the steward called the groom to him and said, 'Everyone serves the good wine first; and when the guests have drunk freely, they bring out the lesser wine. But you have kept the best until now.' This was Jesus' first miraculous sign, performed at Cana in Galilee, manifesting His glory. And His disciples put their faith in Him. After the wedding, Jesus and His disciples, with his mother and siblings, went down to Capernaum and stayed there for a few days.