Monday, May 30, 2011
“Friends of God”
Scripture:
Psalm 25:14
Friendship with the LORD is reserved for those who fear Him.
With them He shares the secrets of His covenant. (NLT)
Observation:
Like good friends who walk side by side sharing the most secret inner parts of their hearts, so it is with God and His children. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross we can once again walk in the presence of God, sharing our deepest secrets, and learning God’s (John 15:15).
Application:
When you humbly go to the foot of the cross and fully accept the gift of forgiveness, the Holy Spirit will begin to reveal the secrets of God concerning life (Daniel 2:28). It was the covenant of old that kept mankind separated from God by a sacred curtain, but we now live under a new covenant of grace that was paid once for all by the blood of Christ Jesus (the perfect sacrificial Lamb of God). Jesus’ sacrifice tore that sacred curtain in two making it possible for us to come back into God’s Holy Presence so that we could again become His friends. And by becoming friends with God, He fills our heart with His Spirit, giving us understanding (2 Timothy 2:7) as we read and study His Book on His unending love and compassion, and His faithful mercy and grace. When you have true fellowship with the Author of Life, my friends, He will listen closely to your troubled heart and not only speak words of comfort and peace, but He will also give you His secret knowledge and wisdom. And we should never take for granted the mercy and grace of the LORD our God, because without it; this dark world would be even darker and more frightening than it already is—and even more disheartening—there would be no way out!
Prayer:
Thank You, dear Jesus, for making it possible for all those who ask to be forgiven their past rebellion against our Sovereign God. Thank You for allowing us back into His Holy Presence so that we can know the joy’s of life while in the midst of this troubled and fallen world. Help me to better understand Your Word, so that I can point out to others the only Light that can reveal Your Truth, which is so dearly needed in this dying world that groans for Your return.
Amen
“Stay Close”
Scripture:
Hebrews 4:16
Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace,
that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (NKJV)
Observation:
Because our Lord, Christ Jesus, shed His precious and perfect blood as the finial sacrificial Lamb of God, we who believe in Him are able to come into His Presence for both forgiveness and help in our times of need. Our highest of High Priests now sits on the throne in heaven providing His people with the mercy and grace that is needed everyday while living in this fallen world which groans for His return.
Application:
We have at our beck and call, the Good Shepherd who can provide the people of His flock with everything they need (Psalm 23:1-3) for living a life of peace and protection in a world that is anything but friendly; one that is filled with wild and hungry enemies ready to feast on the weak and helpless. The Lord, our wise and mighty Shepherd, has paid a dear price for each one in His fold; therefore, they belong to Him; they are His possession and He puts great value on each one by providing all they will ever need. When we remain close to our Shepherd, He will call us by name (John 10:3) and lead us safely to the greenest of pastures where we will find living water to refresh our souls and His Word to feed on; giving us the strength for the difficult battles that lie ahead. There is no One greater, my dear friends, that we can fully trust our lives with, because He knows all and sees all and there is nothing He cannot do (John 10:29-30). When He calls your name, go to Him; for He will take you in His mighty arms and heal your deadly wounds. He will then refresh and nourish your life so you will stand strong upon solid ground and confidently follow Him Home where nothing nor will anyone ever hurt you again.
Prayer:
How great You are, O God! For I know that no matter what difficulties or hardships that are around the corner; You have victory over them all. And when we come under the protection of the shadow of Your wings we can confidently trust in You to see us through with the peace of God in our souls and His joy in our hearts.
Amen
Scripture:
Hebrews 4:16
Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace,
that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (NKJV)
Observation:
Because our Lord, Christ Jesus, shed His precious and perfect blood as the finial sacrificial Lamb of God, we who believe in Him are able to come into His Presence for both forgiveness and help in our times of need. Our highest of High Priests now sits on the throne in heaven providing His people with the mercy and grace that is needed everyday while living in this fallen world which groans for His return.
Application:
We have at our beck and call, the Good Shepherd who can provide the people of His flock with everything they need (Psalm 23:1-3) for living a life of peace and protection in a world that is anything but friendly; one that is filled with wild and hungry enemies ready to feast on the weak and helpless. The Lord, our wise and mighty Shepherd, has paid a dear price for each one in His fold; therefore, they belong to Him; they are His possession and He puts great value on each one by providing all they will ever need. When we remain close to our Shepherd, He will call us by name (John 10:3) and lead us safely to the greenest of pastures where we will find living water to refresh our souls and His Word to feed on; giving us the strength for the difficult battles that lie ahead. There is no One greater, my dear friends, that we can fully trust our lives with, because He knows all and sees all and there is nothing He cannot do (John 10:29-30). When He calls your name, go to Him; for He will take you in His mighty arms and heal your deadly wounds. He will then refresh and nourish your life so you will stand strong upon solid ground and confidently follow Him Home where nothing nor will anyone ever hurt you again.
Prayer:
How great You are, O God! For I know that no matter what difficulties or hardships that are around the corner; You have victory over them all. And when we come under the protection of the shadow of Your wings we can confidently trust in You to see us through with the peace of God in our souls and His joy in our hearts.
Amen
“Watcher of Men”
Scripture:
Psalm 16:1
Preserve me, O God, for in You
I put my trust. (NKJV)
Observation:
Even though He was holy and pure (without sin), our Lord Jesus did not put His confidence in that purity, but as an example for His followers and all of humanity, He looked to the Lord, His Father, for protection, just as David did in singing this song of trust.
Application:
One of the many great names of God is “the Watcher of Men” (Job 7:20), and even His Son, Christ Jesus, was promised by God that He would be watched over and persevered (Isaiah 49:7). And in like manner, we, too, are persevered in Christ Jesus when we are as one with Him. Our perfect and holy Lord Jesus so emptied Himself and had so truly taken the form of a servant that as a man, He needed and relied on divine keeping just as we do. And just as Jesus cried to Jehovah for strength, so must we cry out to our Redeemer—the Holy One of Israel. If Jesus who was fully divine looked outside Himself for protection, how much more must we, His flawed and sin filled followers, do the same! Oh, that we should fully trust in our Omnipotent Protector with unwavering faith (1 John 5:4), for this one great rule of heaven is, indeed, so graciously handed out to those of us in need of divine intervention. When we sincerely declare that we are exercising strong faith in the Almighty God regarding the mercy and grace that we seek, we can surely be filled with the utmost confidence that our plea will prevail in God’s perfect timing. As our Savior prayed let us also pray, for the Lord Jesus became so much more than a conqueror, and so, too, will we through Him. When you are ravaged by the storms of life, my dear friends, know that you can bravely cry out to the LORD as Jesus did; “I put my trust in You alone, O Great and Mighty God,” and a heavenly peace will surely bring comfort to your troubled heart as you confidently wait for His perfect resolve.
Prayer:
Thank You, O LORD, for all the mercy and grace that You pour out on Your creation. Thank You for providing the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Our souls would be lost without You and our lives would be lived in vain. How awesome it is that You remain faithful and true to Your Word, for we cannot. It is for this reason, Lord, that we can turn to You in trust, knowing that we are safely in Your hands.
Amen
“Wisdom for Life”
Scripture:
Colossians 2:2-3
I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love.
I want them to have complete confidence that they understand
God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ Himself.
In Him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (NLT)
Observation:
In these verses a concerned apostle Paul is writing to the believers in Colosse, including the Church in Laodicea, telling them how to avoid being deceived by the teachers of false doctrine, which is even today a concern for believers around the world.
Application:
Because of Satan’s strength in this fallen world the meaningless messages of self-induced sovereignty is creeping into the populous (including the Christian Church) at an alarming rate. The world is bursting at the seams with false teachings of deceiving ideologies and smooth sounding philosophy, telling us things like; all wisdom and knowledge are hidden away and are only found by mystical experiences and higher knowledge. Many of these false teachers are claiming that this “secret knowledge” is only available to a few selected elite. Do not be duped into believing any of this fine-sounding nonsense, my friends, because all it will do is confuse you into complacency; drawing you away from the Truth. And the truth is; all wisdom and knowledge are hidden in one place only, and that place is in our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He is all the wisdom and knowledge that anyone needs. Christ Jesus is the fullness of deity, the complete forgiver of sins, and the conqueror of Satan and all his satanic forces. He is the Lord of creation, and the Lord of our lives (Hebrews 1:10-12). But with that said, I believe that it is still critical that we remain alert and aware of the onslaught of lies that come disguised as smooth and persuasive speech (Romans (16:17-18), for when you stay grounded in the Word, He will be your shield; the Protector of your faith. The Spirit of God has all the wisdom and knowledge that you will ever need. All you have to do, my friends, is sincerely ask for it and believe that He, the Creator and Sustainer of life, will give you all the wisdom and knowledge that you can handle.
Prayer:
My dear Lord, I pray that as I draw closer to You, that You will give me the strength and wisdom I need to remain faithful and transparent as I trust in You . I pray that You will help me discern what is true about this life and what is not. Even thought I know You will give me all I need when I need it, I ask in Your mighty Name to help me remain steadfast in my trust that You, the Savior and Provider, are the only true source that can save a life.
Amen
Scripture:
Colossians 2:2-3
I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love.
I want them to have complete confidence that they understand
God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ Himself.
In Him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (NLT)
Observation:
In these verses a concerned apostle Paul is writing to the believers in Colosse, including the Church in Laodicea, telling them how to avoid being deceived by the teachers of false doctrine, which is even today a concern for believers around the world.
Application:
Because of Satan’s strength in this fallen world the meaningless messages of self-induced sovereignty is creeping into the populous (including the Christian Church) at an alarming rate. The world is bursting at the seams with false teachings of deceiving ideologies and smooth sounding philosophy, telling us things like; all wisdom and knowledge are hidden away and are only found by mystical experiences and higher knowledge. Many of these false teachers are claiming that this “secret knowledge” is only available to a few selected elite. Do not be duped into believing any of this fine-sounding nonsense, my friends, because all it will do is confuse you into complacency; drawing you away from the Truth. And the truth is; all wisdom and knowledge are hidden in one place only, and that place is in our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He is all the wisdom and knowledge that anyone needs. Christ Jesus is the fullness of deity, the complete forgiver of sins, and the conqueror of Satan and all his satanic forces. He is the Lord of creation, and the Lord of our lives (Hebrews 1:10-12). But with that said, I believe that it is still critical that we remain alert and aware of the onslaught of lies that come disguised as smooth and persuasive speech (Romans (16:17-18), for when you stay grounded in the Word, He will be your shield; the Protector of your faith. The Spirit of God has all the wisdom and knowledge that you will ever need. All you have to do, my friends, is sincerely ask for it and believe that He, the Creator and Sustainer of life, will give you all the wisdom and knowledge that you can handle.
Prayer:
My dear Lord, I pray that as I draw closer to You, that You will give me the strength and wisdom I need to remain faithful and transparent as I trust in You . I pray that You will help me discern what is true about this life and what is not. Even thought I know You will give me all I need when I need it, I ask in Your mighty Name to help me remain steadfast in my trust that You, the Savior and Provider, are the only true source that can save a life.
Amen
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
A Higher Tolerance
"Extol" comes from the Middle English, extollere (ex = up or out; and tollere = tolerate). "Tolerate" means "to allow to be or to be done without prohibition, hinderance, or contradiction."
Thus, every day, I will "tolerate" God's sovereign goodness in whatever way He in His tender mercy decides is best--even when my soul is wanting to prohibit, hinder, or contradict His design; even when my understanding is tormented or my emotions are confused. Frankly, that's a pleasant gift He provides for people. We are sometimes easily bewildered; sometimes we are appropriately bewildered... or so we think.
Lord, my God and my King, I delight in praising You, especially when "circumstances" instead of Truth tempt me to distrust Your goodness and faithfulness. Bewildered? (How curiously funny that bewilderment immediately precedes bewitch in the dictionary.)
Why would I ever choose to "be wilder, confused, or jumbled?" Your Spirit is ever brooding over the dark voids of Your creation (Genesis 1:1-3), bringing light to darkness and order to confusion and substance to emptiness. Lord, as a humble corner of Your creation, I eagerly await Your new dawn on this day in my life! Really! Eagerly! Happily!
Thus, every day, I will "tolerate" God's sovereign goodness in whatever way He in His tender mercy decides is best--even when my soul is wanting to prohibit, hinder, or contradict His design; even when my understanding is tormented or my emotions are confused. Frankly, that's a pleasant gift He provides for people. We are sometimes easily bewildered; sometimes we are appropriately bewildered... or so we think.
Lord, my God and my King, I delight in praising You, especially when "circumstances" instead of Truth tempt me to distrust Your goodness and faithfulness. Bewildered? (How curiously funny that bewilderment immediately precedes bewitch in the dictionary.)
Why would I ever choose to "be wilder, confused, or jumbled?" Your Spirit is ever brooding over the dark voids of Your creation (Genesis 1:1-3), bringing light to darkness and order to confusion and substance to emptiness. Lord, as a humble corner of Your creation, I eagerly await Your new dawn on this day in my life! Really! Eagerly! Happily!
Sunday, May 15, 2011
“Good Meditation”
Scripture:
Philippians 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true,
whatever things are noble, whatever things are just,
whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely,
whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue
and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. (NKJV)
Observation:
The apostle Paul is telling the believers in Philippi that living in this out-of-control world has a way of distracting our thoughts away from the glory of God and His will for our lives. As imperfect people being bombarded daily by the lies of the Enemy, most of our anxiety really comes from not trusting in the truth that is found in the Lord our God, Jesus Christ. Because of our many natural weaknesses most of us tend to trust more in the things of this fallen world rather than trusting in the Creator of life. All things that are true and noble and just and pure and lovely originated from the LORD Himself, for these are the characteristics that radiate who He is and His perfect attributes will never change.
Application:
It is these kinds of godly characteristics that He wants us to develop for both our benefit and for the sake of His Kingdom. Because this ungodly world thrives on deceit and untruths, and the world’s dirt and scandal, and sexual immorality and perversion, and shameless self-seeking gain, it has never been, nor will it ever be an easy task to meditate only on those things that are truly praiseworthy--that is, the admirable things of God. Satan and this fallen world will do everything in their power to draw us away from the goodness of God and all that He stands for. But the truth is, my friends, when you praise the Lord and glorify His mighty deeds, praying for His sovereign power to help you stay focused on those things that edify His character, He will put deep into your heart the desire to become the kind of person that He wants you to be. And in the process, the anxiety and worry that once consumed both your thoughts and your life will steadily be lifted away and replaced with the joy and peace that can only come from Heaven; praiseworthy things that you will find hard to keep to yourself (Psalm 31:1-5).
Prayer:
I ask You, dear Lord, to help me keep my eyes on You, the giver of life and all that is good. You have given me the wisdom to know that I need to rely on You alone to survive in this world that hates You, Your followers, and everything You are. I know that because of who You are and what You have accomplished that I, too, can overcome this hard and difficult world to find true peace and joy that will get me through anything this fallen world can throw at me.
Amen
Scripture:
Philippians 4:8
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true,
whatever things are noble, whatever things are just,
whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely,
whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue
and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. (NKJV)
Observation:
The apostle Paul is telling the believers in Philippi that living in this out-of-control world has a way of distracting our thoughts away from the glory of God and His will for our lives. As imperfect people being bombarded daily by the lies of the Enemy, most of our anxiety really comes from not trusting in the truth that is found in the Lord our God, Jesus Christ. Because of our many natural weaknesses most of us tend to trust more in the things of this fallen world rather than trusting in the Creator of life. All things that are true and noble and just and pure and lovely originated from the LORD Himself, for these are the characteristics that radiate who He is and His perfect attributes will never change.
Application:
It is these kinds of godly characteristics that He wants us to develop for both our benefit and for the sake of His Kingdom. Because this ungodly world thrives on deceit and untruths, and the world’s dirt and scandal, and sexual immorality and perversion, and shameless self-seeking gain, it has never been, nor will it ever be an easy task to meditate only on those things that are truly praiseworthy--that is, the admirable things of God. Satan and this fallen world will do everything in their power to draw us away from the goodness of God and all that He stands for. But the truth is, my friends, when you praise the Lord and glorify His mighty deeds, praying for His sovereign power to help you stay focused on those things that edify His character, He will put deep into your heart the desire to become the kind of person that He wants you to be. And in the process, the anxiety and worry that once consumed both your thoughts and your life will steadily be lifted away and replaced with the joy and peace that can only come from Heaven; praiseworthy things that you will find hard to keep to yourself (Psalm 31:1-5).
Prayer:
I ask You, dear Lord, to help me keep my eyes on You, the giver of life and all that is good. You have given me the wisdom to know that I need to rely on You alone to survive in this world that hates You, Your followers, and everything You are. I know that because of who You are and what You have accomplished that I, too, can overcome this hard and difficult world to find true peace and joy that will get me through anything this fallen world can throw at me.
Amen
“His Nature to Save”
Scripture:
Psalm 145:14
The LORD upholds all who fall,
And raises up all those who are bowed down. (NKJV)
Observation:
As the Lord our God draws me closer to Himself, the greater the desire I have in praising Him for His mighty deeds, just as David does in writing this extolling psalm. And the more I learn about our glorious God, the greater my need becomes that I honor Him with as much praise and glory that is within my abilities to do so (Psalm 47:1-2).
Application:
Our kind and loving Lord, who reigns in glorious majesty, has always taken pity upon the lowly; those who have either fallen in defeat or those who are bent beneath the heavy loads inflicted by this hard and unforgiving world. The Lord is always busy holding up His beloved people, giving them the strength and wisdom they need to persevere the hardships that come with living in this fallen world. The Lord is always lifting up His fallen ones who cry out in desperation for His saving touch. This is who He is, my friends, and this is what He does. He is a loving and kind God; One who is full of unending mercy and grace (Psalm 103:8). It is His very nature to rescue the hopeless and to save the helpless. It is rather amazing how the Lord will bring down the lofty and lift up the lowly in order to bring about His message of truth; that everyone is in dire need of a Savior, and their salvation can only be found in Christ Jesus, our Lord (Acts 4:11-12). Whether you are walking in pride or crawling in shame, the Lord is calling you to come as you are, for there is no one too high, nor is there anyone too low who is beyond the incredible touch of God’s healing grace. For His plan is redemption; His goal is perfection. And there is absolutely nothing, my friends, that can stand in His Way!
Prayer:
I thank You, Lord God, for all the mercy and grace that You pour out on Your people. What an overwhelming peace it brings to a soul knowing that the Lord of the universe is always protecting and providing, keeping His people close to Himself. What a blessing it is to be in Your mighty hands, and what an honor it is to praise Your mighty Name.
Amen
Scripture:
Psalm 145:14
The LORD upholds all who fall,
And raises up all those who are bowed down. (NKJV)
Observation:
As the Lord our God draws me closer to Himself, the greater the desire I have in praising Him for His mighty deeds, just as David does in writing this extolling psalm. And the more I learn about our glorious God, the greater my need becomes that I honor Him with as much praise and glory that is within my abilities to do so (Psalm 47:1-2).
Application:
Our kind and loving Lord, who reigns in glorious majesty, has always taken pity upon the lowly; those who have either fallen in defeat or those who are bent beneath the heavy loads inflicted by this hard and unforgiving world. The Lord is always busy holding up His beloved people, giving them the strength and wisdom they need to persevere the hardships that come with living in this fallen world. The Lord is always lifting up His fallen ones who cry out in desperation for His saving touch. This is who He is, my friends, and this is what He does. He is a loving and kind God; One who is full of unending mercy and grace (Psalm 103:8). It is His very nature to rescue the hopeless and to save the helpless. It is rather amazing how the Lord will bring down the lofty and lift up the lowly in order to bring about His message of truth; that everyone is in dire need of a Savior, and their salvation can only be found in Christ Jesus, our Lord (Acts 4:11-12). Whether you are walking in pride or crawling in shame, the Lord is calling you to come as you are, for there is no one too high, nor is there anyone too low who is beyond the incredible touch of God’s healing grace. For His plan is redemption; His goal is perfection. And there is absolutely nothing, my friends, that can stand in His Way!
Prayer:
I thank You, Lord God, for all the mercy and grace that You pour out on Your people. What an overwhelming peace it brings to a soul knowing that the Lord of the universe is always protecting and providing, keeping His people close to Himself. What a blessing it is to be in Your mighty hands, and what an honor it is to praise Your mighty Name.
Amen
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