Post election results

 

Good day! I’m Duane Matz and this is Today’s Living Word

 

Da 2:21 And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise And knowledge to those who have understanding.

 

On this morning after the presidential election in America, it appears Donald Trump was the winner and will return to the office that he held from 2016-2020.

 

Some of you will gloat, (please don’t) others will grumble, (please don’t) rather, based on this scripture from Daniel,  and  Ro 13:1 we ought to be thankful, and we ought to view all election results through the lens of the Word of God!

 

Rom 13:1 Says, “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.

 

And incredibly,  not one ruler or king is immune to the will of God! God is able to turn the heart any which way He chooses. Pr 21:1 assures us, “The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes.”

 

In the meantime let us pray for the winners! Pray that the Lord would grant wisdom and knowledge to all elected officials! Pray as we are encouraged to do in 1Ti 2:1-4 “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

 

The Lord concerns Himself with the leaders of the land and their policies. Be thankful for them.  Pray for an atmosphere conducive to a quiet and peaceful life in the land. which are marks of the followers of Christ, and above all pray and work for revival in America for it is God’s ultimate desire that all men, Republicans, Democrats  and all others to come to the knowledge of truth.

 

The knowledge of God’s truth is simply this: We are all sinners in need of a Savior and God sent His only Son into the world for that purpose, Joh 3:16 "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

 

 

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word

Stones Have Ears

 

Good day! I’m Duane Matz and this is Today’s Living Word

 

How many of you remember the “Pet Rock” craze of 1975? The rocks sold for 4 dollars apiece and came with a custom cardboard box complete with ventilation  holes and straw bedding imitating a pet carrier. The fad lasted six months and an  advertising executive (Gary Dahl) sold more than a million of them, becoming a millionaire overnight.

 

I want to spend a little time today on stones. Did you know stones have ears?

 

In Jos 24:27 – Joshua used a stone as a witness to a covenant that the Lord had made with the Israelites. He set the stone up by an oak tree and said, "Behold, this stone shall be a witness to us, for it has heard all the words of the LORD which He spoke to us. It shall therefore be a witness to you, lest you deny your God."

 

That stone heard what God had promised and what the people had promised and if God chooses, this stone could be called upon on the Last Day to testify!

We shouldn’t be surprised that God is able to call upon stones as witnesses! Jesus said in Lu 19:40 "I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out."

 

Not only do rocks have ears, they can speak as well!

 

Makes me wonder about those stones the men were planning to toss at the woman caught in the act of adultery. They must’ve said something like “drop me.” Or “put me down!” Because none of them were without sin!

 

We pick up the story in  Joh 8:10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?"  11 She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."

 

Those stones on  the ground testify that He did not condemn the woman and they also heard His charge to the woman to not commit adultery again. Go and sin no more.

 

As Ro 8:1 says, “ There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word

 

The Path of Love

 Ps 119:33  Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes, And I shall keep it to the end.

As I read this portion of Scripture I found myself wondering why are statutes plural and “way” singular? Why didn’t the Psalmist say I shall keep “them” (the statutes) to the end instead of I shall keep it? Same thing in verse 35 concerning the commandments!

 

The answer is fairly simple. The “way” or “path” of the Lord is love! The statutes and commandments are guidelines to keep us on the path of love!

 

In Mt 22:37 Jesus said to him," 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'

 38 "This is the first and great commandment. 39 "And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 "On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."

 

Jesus narrowed the ten commandments from 10 to 2, and the two can be summed up in one word….love!

1Co 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

 

Obedience without love is ice cold pharisaical legalism and it profits nothing. No wonder the Psalmist  asks the Lord to keep him on the path of love!

 

Similarly, love without commandments is no holds barred hedonism.

 

Do you want to know how you are doing concerning the way of love? Look in the mirror of God’s Word. Jesus said  “if you love Me keep My commands.”(Jn 14:15)

 

The commandments are a measuring stick of your love of God and love of man. They show us how to demonstrate love to both.;

Choices

 

I’m Duane Matz and welcome to Today’s Living Word.

Ps 119:30 – The psalmist says, “I have chosen the way of truth” Joshua said  Jos 24:15 "And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."

 

To have a choice is to have an option, the Psalmist choice was

(A)           The path of truth (The Word of God)

(B)           The path of lies in the ways of the world.

 

Joshua choice was one of service.

(A)           Serve the Lord

(B)           Serve the pawns of the devil.

(C)           

These choices come at us every single day, Circumstances that demand a decision. Options to believe and options to serve, and this is where the Holy Spirit comes in. Your flesh will opt for (B) in both cases but the Holy Spirit will always lead you to (A) trust and obedience.

 

Call on Him whenever and wherever the choices come your way, remembering 1Jo 4:4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word

The Original Daylight Savings Time

 

I’m Duane Matz and welcome to Today’s Living Word.

 

Jos 10:12 Then Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel: "Sun, stand still over Gibeon; And Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon." 13 So the sun stood still, And the moon stopped, Till the people had revenge Upon their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day.

 

Ever have one of those days when you have much to do, but not enough time to get it done? Joshua was having one of those days. He was in the midst of a God-ordained command to conquer cities in the promised land and on this particular day he was running out of daylight to get the job done.

 

So he prayed for the initial institution of daylight Savings Time! (Blame Joshua)

 

Only instead of turning the clock ahead an hour he asked God to turn it back, and God didn’t stop at a mere hour! He turned it back “for about a whole day!”

 

 He provided the time Joshua needed to get the job done in daylight.

 

Finding yourself pressed for time these days? Have you brought your concerns to God? You don’t need to run around like a headless chicken. If God can stop the sun in its tracks, he can step into your time management problem and provide the time and help you need to get what matters done Ps 31:15 reminds us: ”My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, And from those who persecute me.”

 

Look to God to be delivered from the “tyranny of the urgent. He will put His “honey do” list for you in proper order, multiplying your time supernaturally.

Believe it! Trust it! And see those items on God’s “honey do” list get checked off without all the stress.

 

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word

AI and Discernment

 

I’m Duane Matz and welcome to Today’s Living Word.

 

Jos 8:34 And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessings and the cursings, according to all that is written in the Book of the Law.

 35 There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded which Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel, with the women, the little ones, and the strangers who were living among them.

 

Say the word A-I today and most everyone knows you are talking about Artificial Intelligence. If you would’ve said that word to Joshua, his thoughts would’ve turned to a city by that same name, that handed his army their first defeat.

 

Long story short, they underestimated the army of AI and more importantly they underestimated God’s displeasure with disobedience in the camp.

 

After taking care of the disobedience in accordance with the Word of God, Joshua and his army crushed the army of AI in a rematch.

After the victory Joshua read God’s Word… all of it….to all of the people.

 

Here’s the connection I want to make. Modern day AI is capable of imitating anyone’s voice and can put words in their mouth. (You people viewing this vlog may be listening to an imposter, but if you are familiar with my past vlogs and their content you should be able to tell the difference.) Even so it’s not my voice that I want you to recognize, it’s the voice of the Good Shepherd.

 

With AI technology moving ahead at blinding speed, it’s going to be more vital than ever for you and I to recognize the voice of the Good Shepherd, which is accomplished by doing what Joshua did…reading all of God’s Word (the Bible)

 

Read the Word of God yourself! Pass it along to your children and connect to a Bible believing church who does the same. Jesus said in

Joh 10:27 "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

 28 "And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone (including AI) snatch them out of My hand.

 

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word

The Burial of Moses

 

I’m Duane Matz and welcome to Today’s Living Word.

 

De 34:5 So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD.

 6 And He buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth Peor; but no one knows his grave to this day.

 7 Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died. His eyes were not dim nor his natural vigor diminished.

 

Moses dies in the land of Moab, short of the Promised Land, just as the Lord had said, and isn’t it interesting that God dug his grave?

 

There was a little confrontation over the burial as we read in Jude 1:9 Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!"

 

Nonetheless, Moses was buried in a place that only God knows and his body is not to be tampered with.

Moses (who represents the Law, the Word of God, is not to be tampered with and further, he goes to his grave with full vigor and perfect sight.

 

I think we can learn two lessons here. First of all, the Word of God is not to be tampered with. De 4:2 "You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.

 

Secondly the Word of God does not lose it’s strength and insight. It is as Jesus said eternal! Mt 24:35 "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

 

 

You want spiritual insight and vigor? Read the Bible. Trust it’s promises, and seek to obey it’s commands.

 

I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word