conviction

The Hand of Conviction and Comfort

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handConviction and comfort:  These two words appear as the underlying theme of much of the Bible.  I’m never too fond of the first, and I can’t seem to get enough of the last.

I like the comfort of verses like Isaiah 41:13:  For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”  When I read this verse yesterday, it occurred to me that as long as God has my right hand, I won’t land in the wrong place.

This is why we are encouraged to, “Come, and worship Him and to bow down and kneel before the Lord who made us. For He is our God and we are His people, the flock of His pasture, His sheep protected and nurtured by His hand.”

Notice the benefits of being “nurtured by His hand:”

  • I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. ~ Psalm 16:8
  • You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. ~ Psalm 16:11
  • You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand supported me, and your gentleness made me great. ~ Psalm 18:35

When you think of these benefits, it’s easy to, “Clap your hands, and raise your voices joyfully and loudly. Give honor for the True God of the universe; Here’s why: The Eternal, the Most High, is awesome and deserves our great respect. He is the great King over everything in this world.” ~ Psalm 47:1-2

Just before I posted this, I was reminded of an old song called “Put Your Hand in the Hand of the Man.”  You can listen to it by clicking here.

DDT: Harmful or Healthy?

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DDT is an abbreviation for the pesticide known as dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane that was banned in 1972 due to its harmful effects on the environment and its connection as a cancer-causing agent.  It was effective, but also deadly.

In recent years there has been a renaissance of interest and a growing fan-base in DDT.  This form of DDT (Dirt Detection Technology) is not considered deadly, but very effective and healthy.

DDT is now associated with the IBOT Roomba series of vacuum cleaners. It uses Dirt Detection Technology (DDT) to distinguish between the cleaner and dirtier areas of a room, so it can use its patented 3 stage cleaning system to deep clean where needed.

As I read about the properties of this property cleaning device, I thought of God’s 3 stage cleaning system:

  • The Holy Spirit: “He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment (John 16:8).”
  • The Word: “All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the faith and correcting error, for re-setting the direction of a man’s life and training him in good living. The scriptures are the comprehensive equipment of the man of God and fit him fully for all branches of his work (2 Timothy 3:16-17).”
  • Prayer: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting (Psalm 139:23-24).”

Casual cleaning is not always enough to get the job done.  Instead of sweeping the dust under the carpet, we need to employ God’s 3 stage system of cleaning–DDT will get the job done.