Submission

Col. 3:18

 

18 Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

 

Submit, what a misunderstood word! Today it definitely has a bad rap, but perhaps there was some validity to these thoughts. Was submission understood to be slavery? Ruling without any voice or recourse? Indeed submission is not slavery, but has an essential willing component. It is willingly putting oneself under the direction of another. Why would God initiate such an order? Certainly it wasn't to frustrate the women of the twenty-first century!

 

I find that the divine example is the most telling. Jesus, my example, savior, redeemer, hope, and my everything willingly submitted to His Father to the point of death. Jn. 5:19 says, So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. What an example! Phil. 2:6-8 shows to what extent that submission went. Who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Is Christ's example in any way demeaning? Does it mean He was inferior? Of course, we know it doesn't because what He did is to our benefit. Sadly, when the shoe is on our foot, it's often a different story.

 

Since all believers are to emulate Jesus, to grow in holiness as He did, to let His indwelling power fill their lives, should we follow Him in this crucial area within the husband and wife relationship? We all know the answer! But how hard it is to say it! Perhaps are difficulty in submitting to our husbands is a sign of our overall attitude to Christ. Are we in essence saying, it was good for You Jesus, but not so much for me? Are we in essence thinking, Jesus had to submit to the Father who was perfect in all respect, but we have to submit to a flawed human being? Are we allowing this command to degrade our view of God? Are we thinking God cannot work through our husbands or even transform them? Certainly, as they grow, so do we.  Where is the submission that Paul mentioned in Phil. 2:3-4, Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his (her) own interests, but also to the interests of others. How many times have I read that and never applied it to marriage? Would willing submission eliminate rivalry and conceit? How convicting!

 

Father,

Teach my heart and attitude of submission. Help me have an obedient heart. Give me Your grace and strength to live in the home as You would have me.

Christ in me and in His name,

Amen



Christ in Me

Col. 1:27-29

To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that He powerfully works in me.

 

Paul was given a specific stewardship from God--to make the Word of God fully known. The mystery that had been hidden for generations was his message, that is salvation for the Gentiles. God chose to make them His children just as He chose to make Christ known.  How mysterious is this great gift!  First there is the gift of salvation for the Gentiles when previously it was only Israel, and then the amazing fact that Christ dwells in them personally. The Son of God lives in me! How this should impact every area of my life!! It certainly changed Paul's life. He proclaimed this message everywhere he went no matter how it was received. Prison or beatings were no deterrent. I think this is because he too lived in the reality of Christ indwelling Him. His desire was to present everyone mature in Christ, in the Christ who was resident within each one. Paul knew that he must struggle with all his energy that Christ powerfully worked in him. And there it is this strange yet glorious blend of the energy of Christ and the energy of Paul. Is it the same for believers today? Definitely. I must work as powerfully as I can through the energy that He powerfully works in me. But how? I am beginning to see that it doesn't demand understanding, but it requires faith, faith that God will make this a reality. Just because it is difficult to understand is no excuse for inactivity. When Christ indwells me, then I must toil struggling with all His energy. Nowhere does this sound like laying back, instead the goal of maturity in Christ should be my number one goal.

 

Father,

Thank You for a gift so great! I know that I don't fully understand the how but I ask You to make it a reality in my life. Show me how to become spiritually mature in the Christ who lives in me. Show me how to toil struggling with all my might yet in His working in me.

In His name,

Amen 

Morning till Evening

Acts 28:23

When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets.

 

Paul's heart was committed to one thing alone, that is spreading the gospel of Christ. Time was no issue with him. He would talk morning till evening approaching the subject from the Law of Moses and the Prophets. But did all who heard believe? No, some were convinced, but others disbelieved. These men were all local Jews who knew the Law of Moses and the Prophets. They all had the ability and the background to understand what he was saying, yet not all believed. Why?

 

Belief is itself  a gift of God. Certainly the message-giver is important but he can not determine the outcome. I am sure Paul was a gifted speaker since crowds always gathered as he taught. Even though all this is true, a person must be drawn by the Father. They must receive grace and faith as a gift. Paul knew that Isaiah said it right. Go to this people and say, You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive. For this people's heart has grown dull...God has ordained and chosen those that are to be His chosen ones, but Paul didn't know who that was nor do I. Not knowing did not stop Paul, and it shouldn't stop me. The commission is still the same, share the gospel wherever you are even to those I think would never respond.

 

Father,

Help me to share Your words wherever I go. Give me Your strength and boldness. Put within me the words you would have me say.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Be Still

Ps. 46:1

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

 

What are the consequences of believing this statement? What is implied? First and foremost, it implies that I have a relationship with God. Knowing Him personally and trusting in Him for all things means He is my refuge and strength, my help in trouble. Even though I know this in my head, how many times do I try and solve a problem on my own. My default mode seems to leave God out until the situation has me completely against the wall. How sad when He is there waiting for me! 

 

Secondly, I will not fear though the earth gives way, or the mountains be destroyed. Major global situations will not touch me because I know that God is in the midst of it all. His will and plan operate without interruption. I may not see His plan clearly but that is not the issue. The issue is that I cease fear and cling to Him.

 

Next I need to behold the works of the Lord. I need to focus on what He has done and on what is true about Him. He is faithful to all His words and kind in all His works. There are no gray areas with God. I know exactly where He stands and where I stand. Thank God, He is merciful!

 

Finally, I need to Be still and know that He is God. He will be exalted among the nations and in all the earth. The Lord is with me. He is my fortress. I do notice that when my days are jammed with things to do, I tend to run headlong from one thing to the next. All this crowds out my time with God and my obedience to His word. The key to my relationship in this busy culture that I live in is to be still. Be still and know that He is God.

 

Father,

Keep my eyes focused on You knowing full well that you are in charge of all things. Teach me to be still and to wait on You. That is so foreign to me. I know You are my refuge and strength. I just need to be taught how to make it a reality.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Throne and Kingdom

Ps. 45:6

Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of Your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness; You have loved righteousness and hated evil.

 

Ps 145 praises God for these very things: the throne and the kingdom. Here David extols and praises God for His great works, His faithfulness, and His kindness. God is great and greatly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable. Not only do God's people praise Him, but His works do as well. His saints will bless Him and tell of His power to make known to the children of men His mighty deeds and the glorious splendor of His kingdom. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and His dominion endures throughout all generations. How blessed am I that I am part of that kingdom as well. I have it to look forward to when Jesus calls me home. His kingdom and His dominion will never end. Like David, I will extol you, my God and King, and bless Your name for ever and ever.

 

Father,

Thank You for being the great God that You are and for reaching down to save sinners.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Slave

Mt. 20:26-27

It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.

 

I am called to follow in His footsteps-footsteps that include suffering, persecution, and servant hood. I know that the servant can not be greater than his master so I can not be greater than Jesus. However, this concept is not only paradoxical but also counter to my culture. In the world I am to push myself forward, to get and to gain, but in the Jesus' realm, others come first. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Such a hard concept! My flesh tells me to be the best, to do my own thing before others, and to think I am something important. But in truth my self-worth comes in knowing Jesus. It comes in understanding that a true sense of self-worth means that I can do nothing apart from Jesus. All I have and am is a reflection of Him. But living a life like this is very hard. Who wants to be constantly thinking of others first especially when others take it all without giving any back. Pretty soon I am wondering who is being a servant to me? There is the rub! I cannot do it knowing that I will get it back. I must do it in the same spirit Christ did, that is the spirit of self-sacrificial love. Jesus cared about everyone else even to the point of dying for the sins of many. What is the measure of my life? It is self-sacrificial? Thankfully, when God calls me to follow and obey, He gives me the grace and strength to do it. None of this serving others can be done in the flesh. It must be done only through Him so that it can bring glory to His name.

 

Father,

Thank You for such great grace! Teach me to embrace servant hood and follow in His footsteps. Grow me in bringing honor to Your name.

In Jesus name,

Amen

 

 

The Light and the Truth

Ps. 43:3

Send out Your light and Your Truth; let them lead me;let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your dwelling!

 

 

As I read the psalmist's request, I am blessed to know that God has sent His light and truth to the world and to me in particular. Jesus said clearly, I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. As the Light, he came to lead the way to life and to make a way for us to come into the presence of the Father. He dealt with our sin issue by paying sin's debt so that I could be reconciled to the Father. He also said, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except by Me. God did indeed send out His Truth and Light so that all who believe could be led to the Father, to the Holy hill, and to His dwelling. Once I am there, I can go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy, and I will praise You with the lyre, O God, My God. The psalmist and I share this same joy. How blessed it is to come into His presence and to worship wholeheartedly. How blessed to have a God who is my exceeding joy! How blessed am I that Jesus made all this possible! 

 

Father,

Praise You and Your love for man. Praise You for sending Your Son to bridge the great gulf between us. Thank You for letting me come into Your presence to praise and glorify You. Thank You for being my exceeding joy!

In His name,

Amen 

As a Deer

Ps. 42:1-2

 As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?

 

Such longing! The psalmist is consumed with his longing for God much like the deer who needs running water is for his very existence. In the image the deer and the psalmist are panting, that is their breathing is no longer normal. Their need is so great that they are expending all the energy they have because without water, life and breath are doubtful. When the psalmist leaves the image, he states  blatantly his condition. He is thirsting for God, a thirst that must be quenched and can only be quenched by God. Nothing else will do! His question is desperate, when Lord, when?

 

What has produced this great longing? The enemy has surrounded him, taunting and accusing him saying his  God has forsaken him. Yet, he remembers times with God and how good they were, leading the people in worship with glad shouts. But where is God now? Even though his soul is in deep despair, he remembers what is true about God. By day the Lord commands His steadfast love and at night His song is with him. But now, all is distant, he can only say to God, Why have you forsaken me? Such despair as this  drives his soul for the water of God. No wonder he is panting!

 

As the psalm resolves itself, the psalmist questions himself. Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? What is his answer? He knows it already, Hope in God for I shall again praise Him, my salvation and my God. This is a time of despair, perhaps a time of waiting on God which is so very hard when the need is so great and the longing consumes the soul. But no matter how long the wait, the psalmist must wait. His need can be met nowhere else. Similarly, we have times where God seems distant and our needs are overwhelming. We might have the same heart of despair and questioning, but we must wait as well. Why wait? Why doesn't God immediately work? Many times He does, but in the times of waiting, He is growing the soul and increasing our dependency and trust. He also has a sovereign plan and will that are much larger than anything we could conceive. We must always and only trust. He has promised that all He does is for our good.

 

Father,

Thank You for the promises in Your word. Grow me as You would desire and teach me to cling during the hard times. Give me a thirst for You.

In Jesus name,

Amen

The Wicked Servant

Mt. 35

So my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.

 

Peter was having trouble understanding forgiveness. Since he wanted to know precisely how many times he must forgive, he offered the number 7 to Jesus. But Jesus replied with seventy times seven.  To clarify what this meant, Jesus told a story about the kingdom of heaven in which the King wished to settle accounts with His servants. When He came to the first servant who owed Him 10,000 talents, the servant fell on his knees begging for mercy since he was unable to pay. Out of pity for the man, the King released him and forgave the debt.

 

But when this same servant went to a fellow servant who owed him a hundred denarii, he seized him and began choking him. Even though the servant pleaded with him, he would not show mercy, and instead put him in prison until he could pay. When other servants saw this incident, they went to the master and reported the scenario. The Master summoned him saying, You wicked servant, I forgave you all the debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have mercy on your fellow servant as I had mercy on you. In anger the Master delivered him to prison until he should pay all his debt.

 

What a picture! How convicting! God forgave me a huge debt, a lifetime of sin. And what do I do in return? Am I like the wicked servant, or do I forgive the lesser debts that people owe me? I must forgive because he forgave me. Col. 3 says, Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and , if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other, as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive. I have no option! No doubt when I am unforgiving, I am forgetting the great cost of my salvation, the sacrificial death that it took to make salvation mine, the great love of the Father to bridge the gulf between God and me, and the great agony that  Jesus had to endure when he was separated from His Father, a separation that was blackened with sin. I must consider these things constantly! Consider and change!

 

Father,

I confess I have not always been forgiving. Give me Your grace and strength to make this a reality in my life.

In Jesus name,

Amen



The Tongue

Ps. 39:1

I said, I will guard my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle, so long as the wicked are in my presence.

 

How easy is it to sin with the tongue and not just in the presence of the wicked! Unless the tongue and the mouth are controlled by God, then disaster looms. I find that I am often like David when he said, I was mute and silent; I held my peace to no avail, and my distress became worse, my heart became hot within me. As David meditated on his inability to control his tongue, he began to pray. O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am. Nothing reveals the human weaknesses like the tongue! As James said, How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! The tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. Without divine help, controlling the tongue is impossible. Amazingly, even with all the great power, information, and insight that man has today, he cannot tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the human mouth come blessing and cursing. James said simply, My brothers, these things ought not to be so. There is the dilemma. It is my human weakness and no matter how hard I try I often fail. What can I do? Where can I turn? Like David I must call out to God. My hope is in You. Deliver me from my transgressions. So as I face each day with all of its challenges and temptations, I can call out to God for the strength and the power that I need.

Father,
Give me Your strength in all power according to Your glorious might so I might walk fully pleasing to You bearing fruit in every good work.
In Jesus name,
Amen


Sin

Ps. 38:18

I confess my iniquity; I am sorry for my sin.

 

Sin is a devastating commodity! Its allure promises happiness, thrills, and satisfaction, but in reality, it destroys a person from the inside out. David's spoke clearly to this situation.

• David knew that God could not tolerate or condone sin so he cried out to God to withhold His anger and wrath in any disciplinary action. His heart had felt keen conviction which he described as arrows sinking into him and God's hand coming down on him. The same holds true for me. God's arrows are poised and ready to root out any sin in my life.
• The effects of his sin resulted in a lack of soundness in his flesh and unhealthy bones. His iniquities had gone over his head; like a heavy burden, they were too heavy for him. Sin is such a heavy thing that it squelches life and reduces man to disease from the inside out. It is precisely this condition that Jesus came to eradicate. He is the burden-lifter as well as the healer. As if this was not enough, David described his sin as wounds stinking and festering, being utterly bowed down, constant mourning, sides filled with burning, no soundness in the flesh, being feeble and crushed, groaning from his heart. Is sin really worth it? How foolish is man to fall prey to such a thing! He went on to say his heart throbbed, his strength failed, the light of his eyes had dimmed, his friends and companions deserted him, his family separated themselves from him, his enemies were on the the move to overtake him, and he was like a deaf and mute man. How devastating for David! Not only had His sin destroyed the quality of his life and ruined his  relationship with God, but it had allowed his enemies to gain a foothold against him. Anyone contemplating sinning should read this description. It exposes sin for what it really is not how Satan portrays it. How sad for David!
• But what is David's alternative? Is there hope from such a bleak situation? David cried out to God saying, But for you, O Lord, do I wait; it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer. His heart was penitent. He was ready to endure the fall and the pain, ready to confess, and ready to be sorry for his sin. Even though he was accused by his enemies, he asked God not to forsake him. He wanted God to be close again, to make haste and help him. O Lord, my salvation. His prayer to God was not only the only thing he could do but it also was the best thing he could do. Sin is a spiritual condition and can only be dealt with in the spiritual realm. I know that God answered David and delivered him, but what a hard lesson to learn. For all men the flesh is so powerful and so debilitating. Strangely enough, we still listen to the flesh even when it has taken a huge toll on us. How foolish is man!

Father,

My heart is grieved as I read this, I see my heart going down similar paths. I confess to You my sinful self-will and my lack of the spiritual graces that You desire to see in me. Deliver me and give me the strength to grow in You and to resist temptation.

In His name,

Amen

Trust in the Lord

Psalm 37:3

Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.

 

What is trust? How do I trust in the Lord? Verse 4 says to delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. What a strong bond trust and delighting have! If I delight in anything, whatever that something is, it will have control over my life. What I delight in, I value and make time for. So if my delight is in the Lord, then my day will be consumed by Him. Then trusting in the Lord will naturally be a by-product of my delight, my personal relationship with God. What I must ask is if  the desire of my heart is to trust Him?  If this is my desire, then God has promised to increase my trust. The more that I abide and delight in Him, the more that I trust. 

 

Another element of trust is committing my way to the Lord. When I have taken my hands off the ownership of my life and given it to Him, then trust becomes my life. Trust in the Lord, and He will act. Trust allows for action. It gives me a blessing in seeing Him work in my life. He will do what He will do. But how will I respond? Will I fight against it to my own detriment, or will I faithfully trust in Him and accept what He does as the best for my life?

 

Be still and wait patiently for Him, fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil desires. Trust means waiting, waiting for God to act in His perfect time and trusting Him to handle all the situations in my life even the situations where someone is getting the best of me or where someone is plotting evil against me. Trust means that I don't balance the scales of justice, but instead I entrust my life to Him who judges justly. God Himself will balance the scales, it is up to me to trust Him. Maybe I won't see this balancing in my lifetime, but that should not erode my trust at all. With my eyes firmly and faithfully fixed on Him, what goes around me in this world will not faze me in the least. I will be looking to heaven and waiting eagerly for the blessed hope when Jesus will come and call me to Himself.

 

Father,

Build my trust so that I will not be fazed what the world does. Take away from me my desire to balance the scales. Instead draw my eyes to You. Bring Your words to my mind so that I can trust in what You say and who You are.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Steadfast Love

Psalms 36:5-6

Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the clouds. Your righteousness is like the mountain of God; Your judgments are like the great deep, man and beast You save, O Lord.

 

David has described the attributes of God in concrete terms, terms that man can understand.  His love extends to the heavens bridging earth and heaven though the cross and the sacrifice of His Son. Paired with love is ffaithfulness which surpasses the realm of man's dwelling extending to the clouds.

 

The next pair is righteousness and judgment. David contrasts these two attributes stating that God's righteousness is a mountain, high and lofty, while His judgements are like the great deep. Where there is righteousness, there must be judgment.

 

 

David then breaks into praise for such a great God. How precious is Your steadfast love, O God! the children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. How glorious! His love allows man to have refuge in His presence. Without His love, where would we find refuge? They feast on the abundance of Your house, and You give them drink from the river of delights. God's love satisfies completely, now and for eternity. For with You is the fountain of Life; in Your light do we see light. His love has opened our eyes to the Light of the World, the One who has abolished our darkness and made us live in the light of His presence. Oh, continue in Your steadfast love to those who know You, and Your righteousness to the upright of heart! My heart cries out with David to God, continue Your steadfast love.

 

Father,

How great and precious is Your steadfast love impacting my life and transforming me from a dark-dweller to a light-dweller. Your have nourished and satisfied me and given me a refuge where I may run for safety and comfort. Continue your steadfast love to me.

In the name of the Son,

Amen

Out of the Heart

Mt. 15:18-20

But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person. But to eat with unwashed hands that does not defile anyone.

 

Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees, people who appeared to be holy by their many traditions, false piety, and many words. They questioned Jesus about His disciples eating without washing, thus breaking the tradition concerning washing before eating. Jesus' reply exposed their question and their actions for what they really were. He brought to their minds the matter of honoring their parents. They had justified their neglect by saying they gave the resources required to care for the parents to God. Speaking clearly, Jesus quoted Isaiah. This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. In vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. Ouch! Slap in the face! All their man-made traditions they had added to the law were of no value! In reality all they did was a sham, a mere going through the motions.

 

Then Jesus told them to hear and understand. It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a person. What was He saying? Were the Pharisees offended? Yes, very much so. Their power had been challenged and their traditions had been criticized. Even though  the disciples were concerned about this, Jesus said to leave the Pharisees alone. They were nothing but blind guides.

 

Peter and the disciples still did not understand Jesus' statement. So when they asked for an explanation, He said similar to the physical body, what is eaten eventually is expelled, but what comes out of the mouth comes from the heart. And out of the heart come very vile things, evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander! These are the things that are defiling not eating with unwashed hands. Jesus was showing clearly it is not an man-made rule that is important, but it is the heart. Does the heart love God? Is the heart obedient to the words of God? Or is the life merely a sham, looking one way on the outside but full of evil on the inside.?

 

Father,

Expose any insincerity that I might allow in my life. Give me Your strength to deal with areas even when they are hard and humiliating. Keep me humbly depending on You for all that I am.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Bless and Praise

Ps. 34:1-3

I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes it boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.

 

What a glorious psalm! As I read it today, I remember memorizing it one summer. I don't have it on the front burner now, but as I go through it, it reminds me of a special time with the Lord. His Word has such a life-giving essence leading me and drawing me closer to Him. It is within His Word that I meet with Him and learn to call Him Abba. Here I learn to trust and praise.

 

No matter what happens in my life, I am to bless His name and to praise Him continually. He has promised that all things in my life are for my good. But  what God sees as my good is often a difficult deal. I know that He wants to grow me in holiness and mold me into the image of His Son, but that process is often one of  trials and suffering. It is in these times that I learn dependence on Him. This is what God desires of me: dependence and submission.

 

God has promised me that when I seek Him, He will answer and deliver me. The rub comes in the fact that my deliverance may not be in the way that I think it should be. But because He can see through all time, I must trust that He knows what is best for me. Those who look to Him are radiant and their faces shall never be ashamed. In this radiance, I can bless and praise Him continually!

 

Father,

Teach me to trust You and see Your hand in every detail of my life. Help me to praise You continually.

In His name,

Amen



Ps. 33

Ps. 33:1

Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright.

 

 

This psalm tells of the great power and wisdom of the Lord, a power that makes Him worthy of praise. I can praise Him for His word. For the Word of the Lord is upright, and all His work is done in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice, the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord! What a blessing for those who love the Lord! I have in my possession His very word, the word that  teaches me about the character of God, His plans, and His working in His people. It is because of His steadfast love that  I am saved, that I grow in my faith, and that I have the blessed hope.

 

He is the Creator God. By the Word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host. Nature is established and controlled by Him. Inhabitants stand in awe of Him, and the counsel of the nations is under His control. What a reassurance especially in times of war and uncertainty! In contrast to man's counsel, The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom He has chosen as His heritage.

 

The Lord looks down from heaven; He sees all the children of man; from where He sits enthroned He looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, He who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds. Do I need to worry about world events, about corrupt politicians, and about shifting world powers? No, God sees all. He even fashions the hearts of all. So ironic! These men who deny he existence of God are totally fashioned by the One they deny!

 

Behold the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His steadfast love, that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine. I need not fear corrupt government, encroaching governmental powers, and the lessening of religious freedoms. The eye of the Lord is on me. He knows all. What is my response when I see events that are unnerving? My soul must wait and trust in Him. I must remember His words, trust in His name, and rest in His steadfast love. He is my hope! 

 

Our soul waits for the Lord, He is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in Him because we trust in His holy name. Let Your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in You.

 

Father,

Give me strength to trust in You, to keep my hope in You, and not to be distressed when I see what is happening in America. I know You know all and You have even fashioned the hearts of these men. Thank You for Your Word and Your Son. Keep me covered in Your love.

In Jesus name,

Amen



Forgiven Sin

Ps. 32:1-2

Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, who sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

 

David' writings are exactly what I experience! I am blessed because my sin is forgiven and covered by the blood of Jesus. His death on the cross paid the legal debt of my sin washing clean my charge sheet. The Lord counts no sin against me because He sees me covered in the blood of Jesus. His righteousness is my righteousness. It is only in Jesus' sacrifice and His grace that I have favor with God.  Beyond salvation what should I do? What should I do everyday? Like David, I must acknowledge my sin to God and not cover my iniquity. I must confess for He has promised to forgive. (I Jn. 1:9)

 

It is then that David proclaims his confidence in God. You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance...Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart! What a joy it is to realize that I am righteous because Jesus is righteous and has imputed His righteousness to me! It is all in Him! He has done it all for me.

 

Father,

Thank You for sending Jesus to save and sanctify me. I praise You for this great gift of forgiven sin, for being my hiding place and for imputing His righteousness to me. Such grace is hard to understand, but I accept it by faith and trust You to work in my life.

In Jesus name,

Amen



The Real Thing

Acts 19:20

So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.

 

Paul was the instrument of great things for God. His total being was committed to one thing: spreading the message of Jesus Christ to any and all people. This great power was a source of envy for some Jewish exorcists. They thought that if they invoked the name of Jesus through Paul, they could have the same results. Sadly, no. Instead the evil spirit answered them acknowledging Paul and Jesus, but not them. As a result the very evil spirit they were trying to cast out mastered and overpowered them. They fled the house naked and wounded. As this incident became known, fear fell on them all and the name of Jesus was extolled. Many believed in Jesus, and some who practiced magic burned their books totalling a value of 50,000 pieces of silver.The Word of God prevailed and continued to increase.

 

The power of the gospel can not be sold, copied, or misused. It is the true thing without any deceit or misrepresentation. Believing this gospel changed and transformed men. The power was in the message. In the case of Paul, God was doing extraordinary miracles through him. He was God's man chosen for this express purpose. He was not self-seeking in any way, rather he was a man totally dedicated to God. However, the plight of these exorcists was a marked contrast. They wanted the power without the relationship.They thought they could get in on the glory without the calling or the suffering. How foolish! God is not mocked. Whatsoever you sow, you shall reap. What a warning! In churches today, how many people are pretending to be someone they are not? They know the motions and the vocabulary without knowing the Savior. How many people want the power without the responsibility? To be used of God is a serious things. It requires a heart that is totally His. God accepts no counterfeits.

 

Father,

Purify my heart and cleanse it of any self-seeking. Teach me how to be Your chosen vessel.

In Jesus name,

Amen

A Conversation with God

Ps 31:1

In You, O Lord, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; in Your righteousness deliver me!

 

 

What a conversation David had with God! His words revealed the intimacy and the honesty of his prayer life. He didn't put his distress and anguish in pleasant sounding phrases, but he laid it out exactly as it was. Even though  his life was fraught with enemies, He knew what was true about God. It was this faith in the character of God that was his stay.

 

Some of David's actions seem to be counterbalanced with his requests. His positive actions either springboard to the petition or result from the petition. I see that every detail or circumstance in my life should lead me to prayer. It should be my internal, constant dialogue.

• In You Lord do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; in Your righteousness deliver me.
• I hate those who pay regard to worthless idols, but I trust in the Lord.
• Be gracious to me , O Lord, for I am in distress; my eye is wasted from grief, my soul and my body also. For my life is spent with sorrow, and my years with sighing, my strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away.
• Because of my adversaries I have become a reproach...But I trust in You, O Lord. I say, You are my God. My times are in Your hand, rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors.

David also had passages of praise to God for who He was and how He had worked in David's life. These realities were his stay and comfort in the hard times.

• You are my rock and my fortress, and for Your name's sake you lead me.
• Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God.
• Oh, how abundant is Your goodness which You have stored up for those who fear You and worked for those who take refuge in You.
• In the cover of Your presence You hide them from the plans of men;
• Blessed be the Lord for He has wondrously shown His steadfast love to me when I was in a besieged city.
• You have heard the voice of my please for mercy when I cried to You for help.

Finally David ends the psalm with an exhortation to all the saints, a message of encouragement from one who has personally lived it.

• Love the Lord all you His saints!
• The Lord preserves the faithful but abundantly repays the one who acts in pride.
• Be strong, and let your heart take courage all you who wait for the Lord!

Father,

I confess my lack of prayer. Give me strength of spirit so that I will speak to You all throughout the day.

In Jesus name,

Amen

 

 



On Eagle's wings

Ex. 19:4-5

You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians , and how I bore you on eagle's wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

 

What a beautiful image! God carries us to Himself on eagle's wings, wings that are strong, swift, and powerful. Once we are His, we can hide in the shadow of His wings from the wicked who do me [us]violence. (Ps. 17:8) Like the verse in Exodus, in both Ps. 17 and 91, an enemy is involved. Whatever or whoever the enemy, God can deliver on eagle's wings. God will cover you with His pinions and under His wings you will find refuge, His faithfulness is a shield and buckler.[Ps 91:4] In this psalm God protects and hide from the terror of the night, the pestilence that stalks in darkness, and the destruction that wastes at noonday. With God I need never fear what men can do. God's strength and protection is infinitely more powerful than anything man claims or threatens.

 

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting

god, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might He increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. [Is. 40:28-31]

 

How glorious is it to have a God who does not faint or get weary! It is because of who He is that He can give us these blessings. His understanding and power are ever present and unwavering. Trusting in Him means power, might, and strength for those who trust. believe, and obey. His chosen ones will be  running without weariness and walking without fainting.  But for what purpose? In Ex. it was so that they could be a kingdom of priest and a holy nation. Similarly in I Pet. 2:9 it says. But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Yes these eagle's wings are for me to lift, protect, and strengthen me so that I might be His own possession to proclaim His excellencies.

 

Father,

Thank You for these eagle's wings and for protecting and strengthening me. Help me to boldly and with no fear proclaim Your excellencies to whoever You bring in my path.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Praise

Ps. 29:1-2

Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.

 

Certainly the Lord should be worshiped above all! But why mention the heavenly beings? Perhaps the psalm  addressed angels because it was setting God against Baal, the storm god. In that case the repeated references to storms and nature make sense.The admonition is for these heavenly beings to give God glory and strength because it is His due. They should be worshipping the Lord in holiness, as should all men.

 

The voice of the Lord...

• is over the waters and His glory thunders. Nature is His language and domain by rite of creation.
• is powerful and full of majesty.
• breaks the cedars of Lebanon and makes the Lebanon skip like a calf.
• flashes forth flames of fire.
• shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.
• Makes the deer give birth and strips the forest bare.
• sits enthroned over the flood.

The Lord sits enthroned as king forever, and in His temple all cry glory! The psalm ends with a prayer to the only Lord and God who created and controls all. May the Lord give strength to His people! May the Lord bless His people with peace!

 

How majestic is my God! No other god has any power at all. Maybe I don't struggle with acknowledging Baal as god, but what about science, materialism, humanism, personal power and position, wealth, etc.? There are many gods in my culture rearing their heads and claiming to have power to give satisfaction and fulfillment, claiming to have the key to the wisdom of the universe, and claiming to prove there is no God. How foolish! Just because lesser gods say God is dead does not make Him dead! How egocentric and foolish! Man throws away the strength, power, and glory of the one true God for deception, gods who make grandiose promises that can never be fulfilled.

 

Father,

I love and worship You. I know Your power is above all and controls all. Strength, glory, and honor belong to You and nothing in this world can take what belongs only to You.

In Jesus name,

Amen

 



Anger

Col. 3:8

But now you must also put them all away: anger, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.

 

 

What causes anger to rise up and take control of a person? I know in the past anger would rise and take control when I thought people were not logical, would not listen, or were just irritating. I always felt justified in my anger because of the way that I had been treated. But the truth of the matter is that each of these irritants were an affront to my rights. I felt I had a right to be understood, to be heard and to be respected. But do I really?

 

Colossians says that anger must be put to death just like immorality,impurity, etc. Anger is on the same list as other really heinous vices. Then why is it so hard to consider it dead? I think it comes down to self. As long as my 'self' is on the throne of my life, Jesus is not. Therefore, to live in newness of life, I must put my 'self' to death. It is something that I cannot allow or justify for any reason no matter how logical I think it is. When I allow anger a place in my life, it limits my room for the things that I should put on. Prov. 15:1 gives me a strategy to handling these difficult situation. A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. Is my speech harsh? Has my anger manifested itself in a soft answer? James answers this issue clearly. Know this beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. I can not desire the righteousness of God and make a place for anger in my life. Anger must leave. I must Put to death what is earthly in me...Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. There it is! On one side I have anger with all its frustration and shame, but on the other side I am being renewed in knowledge after the image of my creator. It should be a no-brainer!

 

Father,

Guide me and teach me how to put to death earthly things that still try and hang on. I want to be renewed in Your knowledge.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Turned the World Upside Down

Acts 17:6

And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also.

 

How glorious! What a reputation to have! But did the men really turn the world upside down or did the message the men preached turn the world upside down? I am sure that the perspective of an unbeliever would be to attach significance to the person and not to the message. What was the message, and how did it affect people?

 

Paul was at the Thessalonian synagogue on the Sabbath day explaining and proving that it was necessary for Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead. This Jesus whom I proclaim to you is the Christ. No beating around the bush! Some did believe that day, but the Jews were jealous, and out of their jealousy came wickedness. They took some wicked men[ ironically they thought other men were wicked and not themselves] and formed a mob to set the city in an uproar. During which time, they attacked the house of Jason who was exposed as the man who had housed Paul and Silas. Jason was freed and only had to pay a fine.[so like bureaucracy].

 

That night Paul and Silas were sent away to Berea. Once again Paul went to the synagogue on the Sabbath to proclaim a message that did and will continue to turn the world upside down. Now these Jews were more noble than the Thessalonians. They received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Many believed. But into the mix came the wickedly, jealous Jews who had followed Paul and Silas and were stirring up and agitating the crowds in Berea.  

 

To answer my questions, the message was was the necessity of Christ's suffering for salvation a message that has divided many. It is a message that demands a choice, believe and accept or disbelieve and reject. Belief brings a transformed life, but disbelief brings all manner of evil responses. The Thessalonian Jews not only rejected the message, but were also jealous of the power of the Word. As if that was not enought, they wanted no one else to have it. These rabble-rousing Jews were falling into the footsteps of their leaders. But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people's faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.  But at the same time there were those who embraced the Word with diligence. The Bereans received the Word with eagerness and examined the Scriptures daily.

 

Father,

Give me the boldness to speak Your message so others will be brought face to face with it. Draw them. Grant them repentance so that they are eagerly reading Your words.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Promises

Ps. 27:1

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid.

 

 

What a wealth of promises that the Lord makes for His chosen ones!

•  The Lord is my light and my salvation.-He shows me the path to salvation, drawing me, giving me His salvation.
• The Lord is the stronghold of my life. He is my refuge, that place where I can go and be safe.
• Of whom shall I be afraid? There is no reason for me to fear man. God who created man is my salvation, light, and stronghold.
• He will hide me in His shelter in the day of trouble. When trouble comes, and it does, I have a place of safety, and that safety is in Him.
• He will conceal me under the cover of His tent; He will lift me high upon a rock. He does not hide me in an place removed from Him. It is in His tent. When enemies pursue, He will elevate me so that I am unreachable.
• My head shall be lifted up above my enemies. How frustrating for my enemies!

As beautiful as these promises are, David's responses are equally so.

• One thing have I asked of the Lord that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in His temple.What is my one thing? Surely, in light of all the promises this would be my heart's desire. I would want to be as close to the Lord as possible.
• And I will offer in His tent, sacrifices with shouts of Joy; I will sing and make melody to the Lord. When I am in His tent, I need not fear. In reality, it is the complete opposite. I should be shouting with joy as I offer my living sacrifice.
• Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud; be gracious and answer me! David desires and audience with the Lord. He wants God in His great grace to answer.
• Teach me Your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies. Give me not up to the will of my adversaries.Deliverance comes in the knowing and resting in His  will and way. To be led on a level path would be glorious.
• I believe I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord. David's heart is encouraged after this time of prayer. He can rest assured that the goodness of the Lord will be his portion. He knows he must wait, be strong, and take courage. Hard to do when the enemies are bearing down upon you! But David has prayed and left his petitions with the Lord. He has claimed the promises and now he must wait!

What a beautiful passage! It resonates heavily in my life. This is my portion to know the promises of God, to pray with them in my heart, and then to wait for God to work knowing full well that He does all for my good.

 

Father,

My heart desires to get so close to you. I want David's one thing to be mine. Grow me so that my desires will be purified and only long for You.

In Jesus name,

Amen