“In God We Hope”
Scripture:
Psalm 146:5
Happy are those who have the God of Israel for their helper,
whose hope is in the LORD their God. (NLT)
Observation:
Putting your hope in anyone else but the LORD—the Almighty Sovereign God, is not only foolish, but is very dangerous as well. For when we put our hope in other human beings who could die at any moment, what we get most is a false sense of security that will inevitably lead us to disappointment and discouragement, which eventually weakens our spirits and leaves us prey to the Enemy of our souls; the Devil. And likewise, whenever we put our hope in this fallen world, we are again putting our hope in something dying; a world that is not only reliably unstable, but whose god is Satan himself; the destroyer of all that is good. Your best hope, my friends, is your only Hope—the God who always was and always will be (Revelation 1:8); the only true and living God (Daniel 6:26).
Application:
When we put our hope in the living God of all creation, we are able to find rest from the heavy burdens of living in this dying world—allowing us to find a peace that brings true and lasting joy to our lives. Our loving and compassionate God has graciously given us His prophetic Word so that we would know what lies ahead in the future, for both a warning and an encouragement. When you have God as your Helper, your Provider, and your Redeemer, how can you not be happy (Psalm 144:15)? And when you are truly happy in the LORD, how can you not share this phenomenal news of our Great Helper with those who either rely on the false hope of a dying world, or have absolutely no hope at all? When you have the One who defeated sin and death as your only God, His Hope will give you a peace so unlike the world’s peace. For when you have the peace of God, my friends, you can walk fearlessly, day by day, towards a glorious future with the Lord your God (John 14:27). He has great plans indeed, for all those who call on Him for help and hope.
Prayer:
You, O God, are indeed our Great Helper; not only in our times of desperate need, but also in our times of plenty. Thank You for loving us enough to care and provide our every need. You are an awesome God, dear Lord, and there is none as great as You!
Amen
Monday, September 5, 2011
“The Face of God”
Scripture:
Psalm 143:7
Answer me speedily, O LORD; my spirit fails!
Do not hide Your face from me, lest I be like
those who go down into the pit. (NKJ)
Observation:
For all Christian people who live their life knowing and believing that they truly belong to God, there will always be those times when we need to humbly and prayerfully cry out for God’s help. There will always be times in this life when our circumstances are beyond our control to fix—when we feel as if our life is ebbing away; where each moment is critical and it feels like we may soon succumb. And when we come to the end of ourselves our spirits will soon follow suit and become distraught. It is during these moments that our fellowship with God is not only of the utmost importance for our very survival, but the personal relationship it creates with our Creator becomes very precious indeed. For we know that God’s withdrawal from our life not only brings much despair to our hearts and souls, but it also zaps our strength for living.
Application:
We know when God is absent in our lives that His absence enables our enemy’s to gain entrance with little or no restraint what so ever. Therefore, it is wise for God’s people to remain in His presence so that He can defend us and reveal the way of His will, for when we have God’s countenance, we live! If He turns His back on us, we will surely die! When God’s favor looks upon anyone’s life, they will, undoubtedly, be blessed! But if He refuses to shine His Face upon our lives, then we labor in vain! My dear friends; your prayerful plea to God should be the faith in which you live by. Although God may not always give you what you ask for when you ask for it, you can be sure that when you remain faithful, always looking to Him for your rescue, our awesome God (who never fails) will hold you steady (Psalm 18:18) and comfort you until that time when His will for your life is accomplished (Psalm 145:13). For God’s people can always be sure that His mercy has wings when misery is extreme (Psalm 18:10) !
Prayer
Thank You, My dear sweet Lord, for shinning Your Face upon my life and for directing my path to peace. Even though there will be times of doubt and discouragement, I know that I can count on you to pull me through and set my feet firmly back on the right path to peace and everlasting life.
Amen
Scripture:
Psalm 143:7
Answer me speedily, O LORD; my spirit fails!
Do not hide Your face from me, lest I be like
those who go down into the pit. (NKJ)
Observation:
For all Christian people who live their life knowing and believing that they truly belong to God, there will always be those times when we need to humbly and prayerfully cry out for God’s help. There will always be times in this life when our circumstances are beyond our control to fix—when we feel as if our life is ebbing away; where each moment is critical and it feels like we may soon succumb. And when we come to the end of ourselves our spirits will soon follow suit and become distraught. It is during these moments that our fellowship with God is not only of the utmost importance for our very survival, but the personal relationship it creates with our Creator becomes very precious indeed. For we know that God’s withdrawal from our life not only brings much despair to our hearts and souls, but it also zaps our strength for living.
Application:
We know when God is absent in our lives that His absence enables our enemy’s to gain entrance with little or no restraint what so ever. Therefore, it is wise for God’s people to remain in His presence so that He can defend us and reveal the way of His will, for when we have God’s countenance, we live! If He turns His back on us, we will surely die! When God’s favor looks upon anyone’s life, they will, undoubtedly, be blessed! But if He refuses to shine His Face upon our lives, then we labor in vain! My dear friends; your prayerful plea to God should be the faith in which you live by. Although God may not always give you what you ask for when you ask for it, you can be sure that when you remain faithful, always looking to Him for your rescue, our awesome God (who never fails) will hold you steady (Psalm 18:18) and comfort you until that time when His will for your life is accomplished (Psalm 145:13). For God’s people can always be sure that His mercy has wings when misery is extreme (Psalm 18:10) !
Prayer
Thank You, My dear sweet Lord, for shinning Your Face upon my life and for directing my path to peace. Even though there will be times of doubt and discouragement, I know that I can count on you to pull me through and set my feet firmly back on the right path to peace and everlasting life.
Amen
“God and You”
Scripture:
Psalm 139:1
O LORD, You have examined my heart
And know everything about me. (NLT)
Observation:
The Almighty God, Jehovah, is not only an all knowing God, but He is also ever present in our lives; it is simply His nature (Jeremiah 23:23-24). The LORD knows each and every living being personally and completely, just as if He probed into the deepest depth of who we are (Hebrews 4:13). He knows exactly the kind of persons we are; He knows both our nature and our character to the fullest.
Application:
Never doubt God’s divine knowledge, which is extremely thorough and searching, for He could not be otherwise and be God. Although God’s omniscience and omnipresence and omnipotence puts Him so far above us, He still remains an up-close and personal God, which means He perfectly watches over His creation and is deeply involved in the most minute area’s of our existence. When we come to understand and believe these incredible attributes about our Creator, it only makes sense that we have a personal relationship with Him, rather than trying to alienate ourselves from His Presence and live as if He is not there. When we finally admit and understand that it is impossible to hide anything from the LORD, is it not quite frivolous that we even try? When we know that God is always present and always watching, it becomes quite essential to confide in Him, because He understands us completely. And you need not feel embarrassed about sharing your deepest thoughts and feelings with Him, because He already knows the things that are good about us and the things that are not so good. We need not be afraid of how God may feel or react towards us (as we do with other people), because His love and compassion is holy and complete and He never changes (Malachi 3:6). Our gracious and merciful Lord not only knows, but will tell you exactly what is needed in order to live a righteous life that will bring you joy and peace. He also knows and will tell you about the things you need to stay away from, for they are not only deadly, but will bring much sorrow and hopelessness to your life. Our God is always with you, my friend, to be your everything for all eternity. He is a complete Provider and your personal Life Giver; the only One who will never, ever let you down.
Prayer:
How thankful we should be that You are God. For without You we would be nothing at all. Without Your protection we would surely die a horrible death. Without Your everlasting mercy and grace, we would be at the beck and call of Satan; doing his dirty work against You. Thank You, dear Lord, for who You are and all that You do for Your people. You are truly an awesome God!
Amen
Scripture:
Psalm 139:1
O LORD, You have examined my heart
And know everything about me. (NLT)
Observation:
The Almighty God, Jehovah, is not only an all knowing God, but He is also ever present in our lives; it is simply His nature (Jeremiah 23:23-24). The LORD knows each and every living being personally and completely, just as if He probed into the deepest depth of who we are (Hebrews 4:13). He knows exactly the kind of persons we are; He knows both our nature and our character to the fullest.
Application:
Never doubt God’s divine knowledge, which is extremely thorough and searching, for He could not be otherwise and be God. Although God’s omniscience and omnipresence and omnipotence puts Him so far above us, He still remains an up-close and personal God, which means He perfectly watches over His creation and is deeply involved in the most minute area’s of our existence. When we come to understand and believe these incredible attributes about our Creator, it only makes sense that we have a personal relationship with Him, rather than trying to alienate ourselves from His Presence and live as if He is not there. When we finally admit and understand that it is impossible to hide anything from the LORD, is it not quite frivolous that we even try? When we know that God is always present and always watching, it becomes quite essential to confide in Him, because He understands us completely. And you need not feel embarrassed about sharing your deepest thoughts and feelings with Him, because He already knows the things that are good about us and the things that are not so good. We need not be afraid of how God may feel or react towards us (as we do with other people), because His love and compassion is holy and complete and He never changes (Malachi 3:6). Our gracious and merciful Lord not only knows, but will tell you exactly what is needed in order to live a righteous life that will bring you joy and peace. He also knows and will tell you about the things you need to stay away from, for they are not only deadly, but will bring much sorrow and hopelessness to your life. Our God is always with you, my friend, to be your everything for all eternity. He is a complete Provider and your personal Life Giver; the only One who will never, ever let you down.
Prayer:
How thankful we should be that You are God. For without You we would be nothing at all. Without Your protection we would surely die a horrible death. Without Your everlasting mercy and grace, we would be at the beck and call of Satan; doing his dirty work against You. Thank You, dear Lord, for who You are and all that You do for Your people. You are truly an awesome God!
Amen
“Choice Wisdom”
Scripture:
Deuteronomy 30:19, 20
Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, that you and your descendants might live! Choose to love the LORD your God and to obey Him and commit yourself to Him, for He is your life. (NLT)
Observation:
Although this message from God (spoken through Moses) is directed to His people Israel, it is also, I believe, a message for everyone, including those who believe in the One and only true God; the sovereign One who created everything that exists. The choice that stands before God’s created people of today involves our God in the flesh, Christ Jesus. We must choose either Jesus or the world as our pathway for life; a choice that is not easily made for many of us.
Application:
Just like the people of Israel, our sinful natures tend to point us first to the world for both our needs and to fulfill our desires; until that is, the day when we discover that the world only leaves us empty and desperate for something better—something that it can never give us—Hope and Peace! As far as I can tell, our gracious and mighty God desires nothing more than to give all His children the gift of eternal life (1 Timothy 2:3-4). For just as God desired to give His people Israel the land of milk and honey, so too, does God want all His created people to enjoy our true Home in Heaven with Him. And just as Jehovah choose Abram to father the nation of Israel to be His chosen people (Genesis 12:1-2, Deuteronomy 14:2), Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior, has come on our behalf and made it possible, through His sacrificial death on the cross, for many peoples of all nations to become God’s chosen people as well (Ephesians 2:12-13).
Prayer:
Thank You, O LORD, for the grace and mercy you have shown me by bringing me into Your holy and eternal family. Help me to never forget that it is by Your grace only that I have been saved from Your final and eternal wrath. How blessed we are to have a God has gracious and merciful as You.
Amen
“Eyes That See”
Scripture:
Psalm 123:1
Unto You I lift up my eyes,
O You who dwell in the heavens. (NKJ)
Observation:
As finite human beings we naturally look beyond ourselves for something or someone we can look up to—something or someone that can give us hope while living in these uncertain times that are undoubtedly getting more difficult by the day. Those of us who have been blessed with spiritual eyes should be utterly grateful to the Lord (Colossians 2:7), because there are billions of spiritually blind people in this world that cannot see our God (Ephesians 4:17, 18). There are so many lost souls in this darkened world who, because of ignorance or pride, are more inclined to look downward at the hopelessness of it all, or inward for some hidden inner strength to survive, or anywhere else they can rather than looking to the LORD our God; the only One who knows the Way out of the darkness that consumes our world.
Application:
You may not see God the Savior at first glance (much like I and many others have done), but with persistent gazing into the heavenly realms, searching for that one piece of hope that can make sense of it all and bring you comfort and peace, God will allow your spiritual eyes to begin to focus more clearly so that you can see the Creator of the universe, our God and Savior, Christ Jesus —the only One who is able to rescue you from the hopelessness we all face without God in our lives. Our God is very real, my friends, and He resides in one place, and that place is in Heaven. How blessed we are that our God is always Home with His door opened wide. The One that is never out on a journey, but always close at hand. He is forever there where you can find Him, always looking your way and longing for your glance—
Prayer, my dear friends, is but the burden of a sigh,
And the upward glance of a searchful eye.
The shedding of a desperate tear,
When no one else but our loving God is near.
He is your Sovereign Keeper, the One who never sleeps nor slumbers (Psalm 121: 3, 5); the forever Watchful One, who has eyes that see all and a heart for you.
Prayer:
O Lord, please help me remain steadfast in my faith no matter what my circumstances may be. Develop in my character the wisdom to know when to look upward and when to look inward in order to do Your will. And I pray that I will never take for granted what You have so graciously given for me, because I deserve so much less.
Amen
Scripture:
Psalm 123:1
Unto You I lift up my eyes,
O You who dwell in the heavens. (NKJ)
Observation:
As finite human beings we naturally look beyond ourselves for something or someone we can look up to—something or someone that can give us hope while living in these uncertain times that are undoubtedly getting more difficult by the day. Those of us who have been blessed with spiritual eyes should be utterly grateful to the Lord (Colossians 2:7), because there are billions of spiritually blind people in this world that cannot see our God (Ephesians 4:17, 18). There are so many lost souls in this darkened world who, because of ignorance or pride, are more inclined to look downward at the hopelessness of it all, or inward for some hidden inner strength to survive, or anywhere else they can rather than looking to the LORD our God; the only One who knows the Way out of the darkness that consumes our world.
Application:
You may not see God the Savior at first glance (much like I and many others have done), but with persistent gazing into the heavenly realms, searching for that one piece of hope that can make sense of it all and bring you comfort and peace, God will allow your spiritual eyes to begin to focus more clearly so that you can see the Creator of the universe, our God and Savior, Christ Jesus —the only One who is able to rescue you from the hopelessness we all face without God in our lives. Our God is very real, my friends, and He resides in one place, and that place is in Heaven. How blessed we are that our God is always Home with His door opened wide. The One that is never out on a journey, but always close at hand. He is forever there where you can find Him, always looking your way and longing for your glance—
Prayer, my dear friends, is but the burden of a sigh,
And the upward glance of a searchful eye.
The shedding of a desperate tear,
When no one else but our loving God is near.
He is your Sovereign Keeper, the One who never sleeps nor slumbers (Psalm 121: 3, 5); the forever Watchful One, who has eyes that see all and a heart for you.
Prayer:
O Lord, please help me remain steadfast in my faith no matter what my circumstances may be. Develop in my character the wisdom to know when to look upward and when to look inward in order to do Your will. And I pray that I will never take for granted what You have so graciously given for me, because I deserve so much less.
Amen
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