Scripture:
Jeremiah 17:7
“Blessed is the man who
trusts in the LORD
And whose trust is the LORD.”
Observation:
The truth of these words will not hit home until you have experienced the many blessings we receive when we live for the Lord our God, Christ Jesus, and do it according to His will. But what hits home for most people is the truth found in verses 5 and 6, for when we put our trust in this fallen world and in our own strength the consequences for most people will be devastating; not only in this life, but in our eternal destination as well.
Application:
God’s blessings are many and come in many shapes and sizes and are not only based on our own individual needs, but on many occasions, according to the needs of an entire nation. But for whoever the blessing are given, we can rest assure that they are all given according to God’s eternal plan. Therefore, the same can be said about the curses of God for those who turn their backs on Him and live only in the flesh as their own provider and savior. My dear friends, I know from experience, that when our lives are far from God and we rely solely on our own abilities and strength it is never enough to save us from the wrath that living in this world can bring, nor will it keep us from the final wrath of God.
Whenever we walk through our life-journey in the Light of God’s Truth our blessings will always be more than enough (Proverbs 28:20) to help us persevere in this life with the peace and joy of Lord living in our hearts (Psalm 29:11). For in all peoples, God has put eternity in their hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11), even though there are many who live in denial of this truth. The question is: are we willing to suffer a short while, trusting in our Creator to give us all that we need until that day when He will bless with eternal life, or do we chose to struggle through this short life grabbing all that we can to satisfy our fleshly hungers only to suffer unfathomable misery in the eternal darkness of hell? You have a choice, my friends, will you trust in the Lord and all He has promised, or will you trust only in yourself and loose all that God has for you?
Prayer:
Thank You, Lord, for being who You are and for doing all that You say You will do. I know that Your Word is truth and this is what gives me the strength to deal with all the lies of the Enemy and his unstable world. Because You, O Lord, are my Rock, I can lay down in peace knowing that no matter what happens I am safely in Your hands.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Knowing God
Scripture:
Psalm 19:14
Let the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer. (NASB)
Observation:
We can gaze in awe at the heavens above and marvel at the beauty of earth, and this testimony by itself tells us there is a Creator and that He is far greater than ourselves (Acts 17: 24-25). But this alone is not enough to sustain us in this life, nor is it sufficient in saving us from the pain and consequences of our sin and rebellion. Therefore, we must not only look to God as our Creator and Provider, but we also need to depend on Him as our Teacher and our Redeemer if we are to find any peace at all in a world that has no mercy, nor does it care whether we live or die.
Application:
I have discovered (through years of experience) that living is this world believing there is a God who created the heavens and the earth and everything in them and knowing little else about Him is not only irresponsible and unwise (Ephesians 5:15-17), but it also leads to condemnation and death at the end of this earthly life. I traveled much of my life-journey cursing God, rather than loving Him; fighting Him, rather than obeying Him, and living the lies of the world instead of living in His Truth. Therefore, it is not surprising that I spent a good portion of my life burdened with overwhelming guilt, shame, and regret, which led to depression and the hopelessness of ever finding anything that would give me some peace about my existence (Matthew 12:28-30).
My dear, dear, friends, until you look to the One who created you and understand how far He went to save you from the grips of hell and the abyss it brings, and until you feel the extent of His love and all He has done, you will never experience His peace, nor will you discover the everlasting joy of knowing what lies ahead. The better you know this amazing God of ours, the deeper your love and understanding of Him will be. And the more knowledge you gain about God’s redeeming plan for you and His creation, the better equipped you become in dealing with the onslaught of deception that is killing the very souls of so many people in this fallen world which is struggling to survive.
Prayer:
Thank You, Lord, for Your mercy and grace; for sharing Your Truth which brings Light to this dark world we live in. Without You, dear Lord, we would live in the chains of oppression with no hope of escape. But when we live in You there is new life and more hope than we deserve. What an honor it is in knowing that you have once again made us Your friends.
Psalm 19:14
Let the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer. (NASB)
Observation:
We can gaze in awe at the heavens above and marvel at the beauty of earth, and this testimony by itself tells us there is a Creator and that He is far greater than ourselves (Acts 17: 24-25). But this alone is not enough to sustain us in this life, nor is it sufficient in saving us from the pain and consequences of our sin and rebellion. Therefore, we must not only look to God as our Creator and Provider, but we also need to depend on Him as our Teacher and our Redeemer if we are to find any peace at all in a world that has no mercy, nor does it care whether we live or die.
Application:
I have discovered (through years of experience) that living is this world believing there is a God who created the heavens and the earth and everything in them and knowing little else about Him is not only irresponsible and unwise (Ephesians 5:15-17), but it also leads to condemnation and death at the end of this earthly life. I traveled much of my life-journey cursing God, rather than loving Him; fighting Him, rather than obeying Him, and living the lies of the world instead of living in His Truth. Therefore, it is not surprising that I spent a good portion of my life burdened with overwhelming guilt, shame, and regret, which led to depression and the hopelessness of ever finding anything that would give me some peace about my existence (Matthew 12:28-30).
My dear, dear, friends, until you look to the One who created you and understand how far He went to save you from the grips of hell and the abyss it brings, and until you feel the extent of His love and all He has done, you will never experience His peace, nor will you discover the everlasting joy of knowing what lies ahead. The better you know this amazing God of ours, the deeper your love and understanding of Him will be. And the more knowledge you gain about God’s redeeming plan for you and His creation, the better equipped you become in dealing with the onslaught of deception that is killing the very souls of so many people in this fallen world which is struggling to survive.
Prayer:
Thank You, Lord, for Your mercy and grace; for sharing Your Truth which brings Light to this dark world we live in. Without You, dear Lord, we would live in the chains of oppression with no hope of escape. But when we live in You there is new life and more hope than we deserve. What an honor it is in knowing that you have once again made us Your friends.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
The Undeserved Gift
Scripture:
Acts 2:38
Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized
in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins;
and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (NASB)
Observation:
Before the Day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit walked beside the believer, but it was not until Jesus ascended into heaven that He sent His Spirit to dwell within us, giving us the power to live a godly life and spread His message of salvation and hope throughout the world. The gift of the Holy Spirit of God, my friends, is very real and hard at work in our world today. Don’t miss out on this special gift that was so freely given, because without it, there can be no life for your soul. The only way to the Father is through His Son and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit working in ways that will astound you.
Application:
The beauty of being borne anew is that no one is excluded who is wholeheartedly remorseful for their sin and rebellion against the Holy God of creation. When we come humbly before the Lord our God, laying down all our sin before Him with sorrow-filled hearts, He not only forgives us, but most importantly, He will remember them no more (Hebrews 10:17). And by clearly understanding this we can then start our lives anew, for our old self has passed away making room for the new life to begin (2 Corinthians 5:17). From the moment of our admission of wrongs and our submission to the Lord, He fills our hearts with His Holy Spirit to open our eyes to the truth that we had been blinded from knowing for so long. It is only when you have the Spirit of God dwelling within you that you will gain the power and wisdom that will totally transform your life for the glory of God (Galatians 5:22-23).
Prayer:
How refreshing it is, O Lord, knowing that you dwell within me, giving me the power to do Your good and perfect will. Help me spread this “Good News” to others, so that they, too, can enjoy the truth that this fellowship with Your Holy Spirit brings to this struggling, fallen world. The hope you give us is the only way we can survive the onslaught of uncertainty and hopelessness that engulfs our world today. You are truly the Light of the world, Lord Jesus. Thank You!
Acts 2:38
Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized
in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins;
and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (NASB)
Observation:
Before the Day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit walked beside the believer, but it was not until Jesus ascended into heaven that He sent His Spirit to dwell within us, giving us the power to live a godly life and spread His message of salvation and hope throughout the world. The gift of the Holy Spirit of God, my friends, is very real and hard at work in our world today. Don’t miss out on this special gift that was so freely given, because without it, there can be no life for your soul. The only way to the Father is through His Son and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit working in ways that will astound you.
Application:
The beauty of being borne anew is that no one is excluded who is wholeheartedly remorseful for their sin and rebellion against the Holy God of creation. When we come humbly before the Lord our God, laying down all our sin before Him with sorrow-filled hearts, He not only forgives us, but most importantly, He will remember them no more (Hebrews 10:17). And by clearly understanding this we can then start our lives anew, for our old self has passed away making room for the new life to begin (2 Corinthians 5:17). From the moment of our admission of wrongs and our submission to the Lord, He fills our hearts with His Holy Spirit to open our eyes to the truth that we had been blinded from knowing for so long. It is only when you have the Spirit of God dwelling within you that you will gain the power and wisdom that will totally transform your life for the glory of God (Galatians 5:22-23).
Prayer:
How refreshing it is, O Lord, knowing that you dwell within me, giving me the power to do Your good and perfect will. Help me spread this “Good News” to others, so that they, too, can enjoy the truth that this fellowship with Your Holy Spirit brings to this struggling, fallen world. The hope you give us is the only way we can survive the onslaught of uncertainty and hopelessness that engulfs our world today. You are truly the Light of the world, Lord Jesus. Thank You!
The Will of God
Scripture:
Romans 12:2
And do not be conformed to this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,
so that you may prove what the will of God is,
that which is good and acceptable and perfect. (NASB)
Observation:
The apostle Paul is explaining how, as believers in Christ, we should live our lives according to God’s good and perfect will. The world’s contemporary thinking and system of values always has and always will be dominated by Satan (2 Corinthians 4:4). It is a self-absorbing system of pleasure which focuses on the here and now. And the only way we will ever escape its grip and renew our minds is through the power of the Holy Spirit, who softens our hearts and changes our thinking process through consistent study and meditation on the truth found only in God’s Word (Psalm 119:11, 12).
Application:
Most of us, through no fault of our own, are taught the world’s view of living. And if the world view is all we learn and see, then it is the world view that we base our knowledge on and live accordingly. And in most cases it doesn’t take long to discover that the only way to survive in this harsh and unfair life is by hardening our hearts and surrounding our selves with those things that can numb our pain and give us pleasure. Even though God has created within us the moral differences between right and wrong, it is impossible for anyone to overcome their sinful nature without God’s help. We want to do the right thing, but self gratification trumps the will of God and leads us down a path of self-destruction and eventually eternal judgment.
The truth, my friends, is that your life of sin and rebellion has been fully justified by Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior (Acts 13:39). You now have a new and better way to live your life, one that is not only pleasing to God and to those with whom you surround yourself with, but your life will gain a glorious new purpose that will fill your heart with the peace and joy of the Lord; the kind of peace and joy that gives us the strength and security to face another day with hope.
Prayer:
I hate to think about how the world would be without You, dear Lord. For I know that when I lived without You in my life, I lived with hopelessness in a life that deemed meaningless and futility. But now my life is filled with hope and meaning and a future that is beyond my imagination. Thank You for the gift of salvation and Your Holy Spirit to guide us Home.
Beginning Anew
Scripture:
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if anyone is in Christ,
he is a new creature;
The old things passed away;
behold, new things have come. (NASB)
Observation:
What the apostle Paul is pointing out to the new believer’s in Corinth is the inexhaustible and profound truth’s about man’s redemption through Christ Jesus our Lord. As believers of the Good News we all share in the security of forgiveness of sin and spared the final judgment of God; that we are clothed in the righteousness of Christ; that we will be resurrected into eternal life with Christ and receive our promised inheritance; and that we will also share in Christ’s divine nature.
Application:
What the human birth of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ, brought to the entire world was a message of divine hope (John 10:27-28). The Lord knew that man could not redeem himself enough to walk in His presence, for we cannot control our sinful nature without God’s amazing grace and intervention. Once you humbly admit your rebellion against God’s will and ask Him to forgive you your sins and you promise to repent, your regeneration begins immediately. The Lord begins to open your eyes to those eternal truths that you have never seen, nor heard of; truths that will change the way you think about life and its purpose (Acts 26:18). And as your life is being transformed, your priorities, your value system and beliefs, the things that you love, and the plans that you have will gain an all new perspective—temporal things of this world will no longer control the way you live, instead, your new eternal perspective causes you to focus on the Creator, the God of Glory; the One who gave you life and the One you were fashioned after (Ephesians 2:10). God gives us a new beginning each and every day. We should, then, begin each day in thanksgiving, asking the Lord to continue His good works in us so that we will shine in His everlasting glory for all to see.
Prayer:
Thank You, O Lord, for leading me in truth. How wonderful it is to see this life through Your eyes. Indeed, the view is better and the journey more rewarding. Thank You for the hope and security You have given me, for without it I would be hopeless and lost.
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if anyone is in Christ,
he is a new creature;
The old things passed away;
behold, new things have come. (NASB)
Observation:
What the apostle Paul is pointing out to the new believer’s in Corinth is the inexhaustible and profound truth’s about man’s redemption through Christ Jesus our Lord. As believers of the Good News we all share in the security of forgiveness of sin and spared the final judgment of God; that we are clothed in the righteousness of Christ; that we will be resurrected into eternal life with Christ and receive our promised inheritance; and that we will also share in Christ’s divine nature.
Application:
What the human birth of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ, brought to the entire world was a message of divine hope (John 10:27-28). The Lord knew that man could not redeem himself enough to walk in His presence, for we cannot control our sinful nature without God’s amazing grace and intervention. Once you humbly admit your rebellion against God’s will and ask Him to forgive you your sins and you promise to repent, your regeneration begins immediately. The Lord begins to open your eyes to those eternal truths that you have never seen, nor heard of; truths that will change the way you think about life and its purpose (Acts 26:18). And as your life is being transformed, your priorities, your value system and beliefs, the things that you love, and the plans that you have will gain an all new perspective—temporal things of this world will no longer control the way you live, instead, your new eternal perspective causes you to focus on the Creator, the God of Glory; the One who gave you life and the One you were fashioned after (Ephesians 2:10). God gives us a new beginning each and every day. We should, then, begin each day in thanksgiving, asking the Lord to continue His good works in us so that we will shine in His everlasting glory for all to see.
Prayer:
Thank You, O Lord, for leading me in truth. How wonderful it is to see this life through Your eyes. Indeed, the view is better and the journey more rewarding. Thank You for the hope and security You have given me, for without it I would be hopeless and lost.
Knowledge and Wisdom
Scripture:
Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the LORD is
beginning of knowledge. (NASB)
Observation:
The Proverbs of Solomon is a collection of short and to the point truths that King Solomon, the son of David, put together to help his people develop the skills needed for godly living (2 Chronicles 1:11). Because the word proverb means “to be like,” this is a book of comparisons between common, yet solid images and life’s most profound truths. The overall meaning of the word fear (used throughout the Book of Proverbs, especially in the first nine chapters) is reverence for God; being submissively in awe of our Creator and the truth of His sovereignty over the life of His creation (Job 28:28).
Application:
Most people, especially those who have lived enough years upon the earth, know that having knowledge certainly helps one, not only extend their life, but also helps them live in more comfort. All of us can make statements about life and truth in the context of our experiences and the world’s view of survival, but only those who live in the truth of God’s Word have the ultimate knowledge that comes from the Creator; knowledge that will not only fill your heart with the peace and joy that only comes from knowing the Truth, but will also save you from a life of sinful living that will lead to its final consequences; unimaginable pain and suffering and eternal separation from God.
Most of us know how terrible and hopeless this world would be without Jesus’ first coming. And all Christians everywhere know how their lives were before they learned and believed in the Truth (found only in the pages of the Bible) and what incredible, never before realized insight and joy it brought them. And in my prayers for this new year, which unfortunately promises us another year of more uncertainty and doubt, is that the Son of God, the true Light of the world (John 9:5), will shine brightly in this unmanageable and out of control world to touch and give hope to the millions of people who are afraid and without hope; just as He has done for thousands of years. It is my hope that there will be many who do not know the Lord; those who are lost and hopeless and in need of a Savior, will find the peace and certainty that knowing Him brings to our lives. But it is my deepest and most profound hope that all peoples who are suffering at the hands of the worst this life can bring, will find the peace, comfort, and the abounding joy of the Lord which will ease their pain until He comes to take them Home.
Prayer:
Oh, Lord, please help me live my life knowing You, giving me the ability to hear when You speak to my heart, those things that always stand true; the truth’s that will lead me down a path of peace and thanksgiving that You promise will comfort and strengthen me until You come to take me home.
Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the LORD is
beginning of knowledge. (NASB)
Observation:
The Proverbs of Solomon is a collection of short and to the point truths that King Solomon, the son of David, put together to help his people develop the skills needed for godly living (2 Chronicles 1:11). Because the word proverb means “to be like,” this is a book of comparisons between common, yet solid images and life’s most profound truths. The overall meaning of the word fear (used throughout the Book of Proverbs, especially in the first nine chapters) is reverence for God; being submissively in awe of our Creator and the truth of His sovereignty over the life of His creation (Job 28:28).
Application:
Most people, especially those who have lived enough years upon the earth, know that having knowledge certainly helps one, not only extend their life, but also helps them live in more comfort. All of us can make statements about life and truth in the context of our experiences and the world’s view of survival, but only those who live in the truth of God’s Word have the ultimate knowledge that comes from the Creator; knowledge that will not only fill your heart with the peace and joy that only comes from knowing the Truth, but will also save you from a life of sinful living that will lead to its final consequences; unimaginable pain and suffering and eternal separation from God.
Most of us know how terrible and hopeless this world would be without Jesus’ first coming. And all Christians everywhere know how their lives were before they learned and believed in the Truth (found only in the pages of the Bible) and what incredible, never before realized insight and joy it brought them. And in my prayers for this new year, which unfortunately promises us another year of more uncertainty and doubt, is that the Son of God, the true Light of the world (John 9:5), will shine brightly in this unmanageable and out of control world to touch and give hope to the millions of people who are afraid and without hope; just as He has done for thousands of years. It is my hope that there will be many who do not know the Lord; those who are lost and hopeless and in need of a Savior, will find the peace and certainty that knowing Him brings to our lives. But it is my deepest and most profound hope that all peoples who are suffering at the hands of the worst this life can bring, will find the peace, comfort, and the abounding joy of the Lord which will ease their pain until He comes to take them Home.
Prayer:
Oh, Lord, please help me live my life knowing You, giving me the ability to hear when You speak to my heart, those things that always stand true; the truth’s that will lead me down a path of peace and thanksgiving that You promise will comfort and strengthen me until You come to take me home.
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