“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

“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

“Simple but True”

Scripture:

Psalm 119:130
The entrance of Your words gives light;
It gives understanding to the simple. (NKJ)

Observation:

As soon as God’s words find their way into the soul the light of His Truth begins to shine through the darkness of any troubled heart, bringing both hope and understanding. It is often out of deep desperation that many a lost soul opens the Bible in search of something that will comfort their soul and give them hope, but if the person does not allow these enlightening words to seep deep into their soul, its light will dimly flicker and they will surely lose their way, only to remain in the darkness that holds them captive (v. 105).

Application:

When we allow the true words of God to penetrate the hardness of our hearts (that living in this difficult world brings) it will open up our minds to its life-saving instructions, which are clear and easily understood, for in God’s providence and grace He will shine His eternal Light upon its pages for you to absorb (2 Peter 1:19). One cannot merely see or hear the words of God and experience the transforming power it brings, for unless they shine brightly in both the heart and the soul, these words will remain foreign and impossible to understand. Mankind has proven over and over again, throughout the ages, that when we are disconnected from our Creator, we are oblivious to His words of truth, leaving ourselves unprotected and in the hands of Satan and this dark and evil world he reigns in, causing much chaos and destruction in its wake. Without God’s Word and the Holy Spirit dwelling in your heart this life becomes a very lonely and hopeless place, and the longer you live the more proof you have that God is faithful and longs for your salvation. See it, touch it, read it, and feel the power of its Truth, my friends, for the Light that it shines will surely, as the dawns coming light, subdue any darkness in your life, so that you will be able to see the Way that leads to Life (1 John 1: 1-2).

Prayer:

Thank You O LORD, for the Light of Life that gives us the hope we need to face this dying world and the lies it hangs on to. Thank You for Your mercy and grace and for the Word that comforts our souls and brings us peace. There is none as mighty and upright as You, O Lord our God. For only through You do we find salvation for our soul.

Amen

“Joy in Obeying”

Scripture:

Psalm 119:7-8
When I learn Your righteous laws,
I will thank You by living as I should.
I will obey Your principles.
Please don’t give up on me. (NLT)

Observation:

For most people, especially those who have lived the majority of their lives obeying only the laws of the land, it is much more difficult to follow the simple laws of our Creator than it is to comply with the multitudes of complex manmade laws in which the average person cannot even understand. It is not because God’s laws are more numerous and difficult to understand, but it is because we are all born with a rebellious nature that loves to sin (Romans 8:7) even though it causes us much guilt and shame.

Application:

One of the best used lies of the Enemy is that living God’s way takes the fun out of life; that we cannot enjoy this life when we are bogged down with righteous rules that we cannot bend. How far from the truth this is, my friends. For what I have discovered in my new life-journey with Christ is that by living under God’s powerful protection and knowledge is when a person finds the true meaning of their existence and with this simple truth, by itself, is what gives us the desire to obey God’s Law, which in return, brings us life and everlasting joy. The Lord has created many earthly things that bring us joy, but we, in our fallen state, take the very things God gave us to enjoy and make them our very reason for living. And so many people, in spite of the possible consequences, will end up doing almost anything to get them, often ignoring what is good and what is not. The first command that our God has given us is to love Him above all else. This is not an easy task when you live apart from Him. But when He teaches you about Himself and how you should live our life, it becomes your first nature to love Him and live your life in ways that bring Him honor and glory. For God’s Word will teach us the best way of living, the honorable way of suffering, and the most comfortable way of dying. When we truly know the Lord, loving and praising Him becomes our highest goal and the reason we live. It is humanly impossible for us to live a sin free life while we occupy these weak and fallen bodies and it is for this reason that we must depend on the mercy and grace of our Lord, Jesus Christ. For when He forgives our sins they are completely washed away and forever forgotten by Jehovah, the LORD God Almighty (Jeremiah 31:34). The Lord knows first hand how weak we are, and as long as we have the breath of life in these mortal bodies He will never give up trying to draw His children closer to Himself in order to protect their precious lives from destruction. Knowing His Grace, dear friends, will keep you on the straight and narrow with a smile that shines and a heart filled with joy.

Prayer:

Thank You, dear Lord, for the opportunity to know You so that I and all of those who believe in You can one day stand in Your Presence. Thank You for showing us the path that leads to life.

Amen

“Rescued by Grace”

Scripture:

Galatians 1:3-5
May grace and peace be yours from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. He died for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live. That is why all glory belongs to God through all the ages of eternity. (NLT)

Observation:

Every breath we take should be breathed in thanksgiving, because without the grace of God, which was poured out in His blood, there would be absolutely no hope nor joy for any human being, because without Christ’s sacrificial death on the Cross every living soul would face an eternity of darkness, forever separated from God’s Light; the only Light that gives us life (John 8:12).

Application:

The free will of mankind was given because the LORD did not want puppets for children—people that He could control into obedience and love. God graciously gave everyone the ability to freely choose either to live in obedience that would honor Him or to live in disobedience that would eventually bring them into destruction (Genesis 2:15-17). And like God’s created angels who had this same free will, we, too, make the fatal error of disobedience, thinking we can please our sinful nature and get away with it. But unlike the fallen angels, our gracious God has given every man, woman, and child the opportunity for redemption; for God so loved His created children that He provided the Way that we could regain our righteous standing before Him. But again, He gives us the freedom to make that choice—to choose His forgiveness and salvation or remain the way we are and suffer the dire consequences of eternal darkness. This life or death choice is one we must all make; God will not make it for us. There is no time to waste, dear friend, for your life could end at any moment and this decision must be made before it ends. This life is the only chance anyone has to make this eternal decision, and although most will choose the path of the world that leads into darkness, the LORD our God will keep His promise and honor His Word to those who choose to trust in His grace for their salvation. It is never too late while you breathe the breath of life to choose the eternal gift of God’s grace—the grace that saves—the grace that brings us peace (Ephesians 2:8).

Prayer:

My dear Lord, how can we thank You enough for the gift of our salvation that none of us deserves. What joy it can bring to any troubled heart just knowing that there is hope—that there is a future that ends good. Help us spread this Good News to those who are hopeless and lost, for without Your mercy and grace and the gift of salvation, the future without You as Lord is bleak, indeed.

Amen

“Days in Wisdom”

Scripture:

Psalm 90:12
So teach us to number our days,
That we may gain a heart of wisdom. (NKJ)

Observation:

As finite human beings living in a fallen world with an easily sinful nature we are more inclined to put our energies into finding ways that we can selfishly enjoy this life while we can rather than dwelling on the reality of our days end and the possibilities thereafter. Because of our limited ability to look beyond this life we need God to teach us the true value of the short time He has given us here on this earth (Psalm 103:15-16). We need the Lord’s infinite wisdom to teach us the truth about who He is and who we are, because it is only by understanding God’s purpose in creation that we can joyfully number our days and gladly look forward to the rewards of salvation, which He has so graciously provided.

Application:

If your heart truly desires godly wisdom from the Creator, then ask Him; believing He will answer you with everything you need to know (James 1:5-6). God calls His people to reflect deeply on the brevity of time, for by doing so we are more apt to pay closer attention to the eternal consequences of life, rather than seeking only the temporal desires, which if gone unchecked, will walk us straight into the eternal pits of Hell. It can be a very humbling experience to look into the grave that will one day hold your body, because the earthly things our bodies lust for tend to lose there grip in the presence of mortality. So be of wise mind, my dear friend, and ask the Spirit of God to fill your living heart, which will one day cease its beating, with the wisdom of eternity. Every moment of this very short life should be wisely spent discerning the eternal from the temporal, for we know not the number of days we have left. There is not enough time to justify misuse or idleness, nor is it wise to procrastinate thinking there is always tomorrow. Living with the wisdom that God has so graciously offered you is much more satisfying and rewarding than the foolishness that comes from the deceitful heart of man, who knows (in his own mind) that he is wise (1 Corinthians 3:19).

Prayer:

Reveal and teach us, O LORD, Your true wisdom, for by knowing Your Truth we are assured the kind of peace that will bring comfort to our troubled lives. Help us be wise of heart so that we can discern what is good and what is not. Help us look beyond the grave so that we can know what lies ahead in eternity. Teach us to not only fear Your Mighty Name, but to also stand in awe of Your Holy and Sovereign Providence, for you are our God; full of lovingkindness and mercy and grace. There is no other living God; none as wonderful as You LORD. You hold each and every life in the palm of Your hand and the Savior of our souls.

Amen