Zephaniah 2: 1-3
Gather together--yes, gather together, you shameless Nation. Gather before judgment begins, before your time to repent is blown away like chaff. Act now, before the fierce fury of the Lord falls and the terrible Day of the Lord's Anger begins. Seek the Lord, all who are humble, and follow His commands. Seek to do what is right and to live humbly. Perhaps even yet the Lord will protect you--protect you from His anger on that Day of Destruction.
Jesus is coming soon! We've heard this phrase so often that it seems trite. But its Truth is becoming more and more present in the World today.
God is giving our Nations time and space to realize their errors and turn around. He does not want to have to pour out His wrath on people, that's why He put it on Jesus on the Cross. But He will not violate our Free Will--those who refuse His offer will experience His wrath. He is just, and justice must be done.
God is also merciful in not wanting to give us the punishment we deserve, and gracious in granting us all the good that we don't deserve in Jesus.
O my Father, I pray for my Nation. I pray that You would wake up Your church here, set us on fire with Your Holy Spirit. Reveal the hidden things and make them known; reveal who are Yours and who are not; and reveal to us the secret sins hidden in our own hearts. We hereby confess those sins as You reveal them to us, and forsake those personal gods that have separated us from You and cause us to run from You.
Please turn us around as a Nation to remember the first things; to return to You, O Lord God, and Your ways that initially made us great. Let us be that City on a Hill that displays to the World Your goodness and Your greatness.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Friday, June 30, 2017
Thursday, June 29, 2017
The Lord's Anger And Power
Nahum 1: 3
The Lord is slow to get angry, but His power is great, and He never lets the guilty go unpunished. He displays His power in the whirlwind and the storm. The billowing clouds are the dust beneath His feet.
God is God, and there is no other. He is Almighty God, Lord of the Hosts of Heaven. His power is greater than humanity can imagine.
All the evil rulers in this World have no idea of His Plans or ways, they have been deceived and blinded by our enemy. They put their trust in themselves and the things of the World, and they do not realize that God is giving them time and space to repent.
But in the end, the guilty will not go unpunished. Their calamity will come upon them suddenly, and they will be destroyed. How much better it would be for them to hear about God's love in Jesus, taking their punishment for them, so they can live.
God is just, and He is also the justifier of those who let Jesus be their personal Sacrifice. That has been His Plan from the beginning. He gave His chosen people the sacrificial system so that we would understand how Jesus is our Lamb of God, shedding God's own Blood on His altar, the Cross. Animal blood could not take away our sins, only cover them; Jesus' precious Blood actually washes away our sins. Now that He has come to fulfill that Law, we don't have sacrifices any more, so our understanding today must come from the past.
When Jesus died He fulfilled the personal sacrifice law for individuals for our salvation, one by one. He fulfilled the corporate sacrifice for the Nation, in purchasing all the Nations, making Him our rightful judge. So those who refuse to admit that they deserve that death and let Jesus pay their eternal debt for them will be judged by Him. So let's tell them.
Pray that God will send laborers into His fields that are already white to harvest. Wherever you live, tell the people you know about Jesus. People everywhere need to hear this good news that they don't need to work to try to please God, He already loves them and sent His own Son for them. Now we can trust Him to have done all the work to save us from the power of sin in our lives.
O my Father, thank You for Your faithfulness to Your Word. Thank You for telling us what You are doing, and giving each of us a part to play in Your great Plan. Thank You for Your wisdom in using everything that happens to further Your purposes for this World, according to Your Plan and in Your time.
Help us, Father, to understand how what You have done for us applies to our own lives, and teach us how to cooperate with You in what You are doing where we are, where You have placed us in the World.
Here we are, here I am, Lord; send me to where You want me, use me to tell those You have prepared to hear, and keep me faithful to Your ways.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
The Lord is slow to get angry, but His power is great, and He never lets the guilty go unpunished. He displays His power in the whirlwind and the storm. The billowing clouds are the dust beneath His feet.
God is God, and there is no other. He is Almighty God, Lord of the Hosts of Heaven. His power is greater than humanity can imagine.
All the evil rulers in this World have no idea of His Plans or ways, they have been deceived and blinded by our enemy. They put their trust in themselves and the things of the World, and they do not realize that God is giving them time and space to repent.
But in the end, the guilty will not go unpunished. Their calamity will come upon them suddenly, and they will be destroyed. How much better it would be for them to hear about God's love in Jesus, taking their punishment for them, so they can live.
God is just, and He is also the justifier of those who let Jesus be their personal Sacrifice. That has been His Plan from the beginning. He gave His chosen people the sacrificial system so that we would understand how Jesus is our Lamb of God, shedding God's own Blood on His altar, the Cross. Animal blood could not take away our sins, only cover them; Jesus' precious Blood actually washes away our sins. Now that He has come to fulfill that Law, we don't have sacrifices any more, so our understanding today must come from the past.
When Jesus died He fulfilled the personal sacrifice law for individuals for our salvation, one by one. He fulfilled the corporate sacrifice for the Nation, in purchasing all the Nations, making Him our rightful judge. So those who refuse to admit that they deserve that death and let Jesus pay their eternal debt for them will be judged by Him. So let's tell them.
Pray that God will send laborers into His fields that are already white to harvest. Wherever you live, tell the people you know about Jesus. People everywhere need to hear this good news that they don't need to work to try to please God, He already loves them and sent His own Son for them. Now we can trust Him to have done all the work to save us from the power of sin in our lives.
O my Father, thank You for Your faithfulness to Your Word. Thank You for telling us what You are doing, and giving each of us a part to play in Your great Plan. Thank You for Your wisdom in using everything that happens to further Your purposes for this World, according to Your Plan and in Your time.
Help us, Father, to understand how what You have done for us applies to our own lives, and teach us how to cooperate with You in what You are doing where we are, where You have placed us in the World.
Here we are, here I am, Lord; send me to where You want me, use me to tell those You have prepared to hear, and keep me faithful to Your ways.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, June 28, 2017
Jude's Benediction For Us
Jude 24-25
Now all glory to God, Who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into His glorious Presence without a single fault. All glory to Him Who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power and authority are His before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.
Jude wrote only one chapter, but in it he talks about some very weighty things. This little book is very rich in that it is packed solidly with deep understandings of important truths we need to know.
The book ends with this benediction, which wraps up his whole message to us.
All glory to God - God is the One Who deserves all the credit.
Who is able to keep you from falling away - God is powerful to hold us securely in His hand and keep us from being deceived by these false teachers Jude wrote about earlier, and also from the extreme persecution that will come in the end of the Last Days.
And will bring you with great joy - God will give us His great joy.
into His glorious Presence - God's Presence is more glorious than we can imagine.
without a single fault. - God has seen the Blood of Jesus upon His altar the Cross and it has washed away all of our sins without a trace, to make each one of us perfectly clean and holy and worth dwelling with God in His glory forever.
All glory to Him Who alone is God, our Savior - God our Savior is a title of the Lord God in the Old Testament, and it survives in the New Testament being used 7 times. We know the Lord God of the O.T. as Jesus in the N.T., Who has always been the One Who saves: Israel from Egypt, the three friends from the fiery furnace, Daniel from the lions' den, and now as our atoning Sacrificial Lamb of God.
through Jesus Christ our Lord. - God the Father has saved us from the power of sin right now (Salvation), and will save us from the very presence of sin (Redemption, Glorification) through the Death and Resurrection of Christ Jesus our Lord.
All glory, majesty, power and authority are His before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen. - Our God deserves all the credit (glory), all the majesty, all the highest authority (Lord means Boss) over all creation; right now, from forever past and all past time, and through all future time and all eternity.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Now all glory to God, Who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into His glorious Presence without a single fault. All glory to Him Who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power and authority are His before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.
Jude wrote only one chapter, but in it he talks about some very weighty things. This little book is very rich in that it is packed solidly with deep understandings of important truths we need to know.
The book ends with this benediction, which wraps up his whole message to us.
All glory to God - God is the One Who deserves all the credit.
Who is able to keep you from falling away - God is powerful to hold us securely in His hand and keep us from being deceived by these false teachers Jude wrote about earlier, and also from the extreme persecution that will come in the end of the Last Days.
And will bring you with great joy - God will give us His great joy.
into His glorious Presence - God's Presence is more glorious than we can imagine.
without a single fault. - God has seen the Blood of Jesus upon His altar the Cross and it has washed away all of our sins without a trace, to make each one of us perfectly clean and holy and worth dwelling with God in His glory forever.
All glory to Him Who alone is God, our Savior - God our Savior is a title of the Lord God in the Old Testament, and it survives in the New Testament being used 7 times. We know the Lord God of the O.T. as Jesus in the N.T., Who has always been the One Who saves: Israel from Egypt, the three friends from the fiery furnace, Daniel from the lions' den, and now as our atoning Sacrificial Lamb of God.
through Jesus Christ our Lord. - God the Father has saved us from the power of sin right now (Salvation), and will save us from the very presence of sin (Redemption, Glorification) through the Death and Resurrection of Christ Jesus our Lord.
All glory, majesty, power and authority are His before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen. - Our God deserves all the credit (glory), all the majesty, all the highest authority (Lord means Boss) over all creation; right now, from forever past and all past time, and through all future time and all eternity.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, June 27, 2017
Bringing In The Sheaves
Psalm 126: 4-6
Restore our fortunes, Lord, as streams renew the desert. Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest.
Going forth with weeping, sowing for the Master,
Though the loss sustained our spirit often grieves;
When our weeping's over, He will bid us welcome,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves.
We will come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves,
Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves.
We will come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
(Knowles Shaw, 1880)
O my Father, thank You for being so faithful to do exactly what You have said You would do. I listen to Your Word and I see what is happening in the World today and I marvel at the accuracy of what is being done is exactly what You said to expect. So I trust that You are preparing me, strengthening me and all of Your children, for the coming troubles. Like another song says, "It's Friday, but Sunday's coming!"
Your fields are already white to harvest, Lord: Send Your workers into Your fields. Here I am, send even me! Send me to the field You have prepared for me, and continue to ready me to go to work and toil to harvest Your crops. Send me, and all of Your workers to correctly and skilfully and compassionately harvest all Your fields, Lord!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Restore our fortunes, Lord, as streams renew the desert. Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest.
Going forth with weeping, sowing for the Master,
Though the loss sustained our spirit often grieves;
When our weeping's over, He will bid us welcome,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves.
We will come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves,
Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves.
We will come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
(Knowles Shaw, 1880)
O my Father, thank You for being so faithful to do exactly what You have said You would do. I listen to Your Word and I see what is happening in the World today and I marvel at the accuracy of what is being done is exactly what You said to expect. So I trust that You are preparing me, strengthening me and all of Your children, for the coming troubles. Like another song says, "It's Friday, but Sunday's coming!"
Your fields are already white to harvest, Lord: Send Your workers into Your fields. Here I am, send even me! Send me to the field You have prepared for me, and continue to ready me to go to work and toil to harvest Your crops. Send me, and all of Your workers to correctly and skilfully and compassionately harvest all Your fields, Lord!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Monday, June 26, 2017
He Holds Us Securely
I John 5: 18
We know that God's children do not make a practice of sinning, for God's Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them.
O my Father, my Abba Dad, thank You so much for holding me securely, and the evil one, who is the god of this World, cannot touch me.
O Father, I pray for all those who do not know you but think that they do, that You would make Yourself known to them, to let them know how much You love them, and draw them to Yourself. I particularly pray for my family members and my friends to realize what godliness looks like and see how their lives are contrary to Your ways. You have said that You are not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance to turn away from their sinful lifestyles and turn to You for Salvation and Redemption. And I pray that You would have mercy on me and save these who I know and love. And that You would show Yourself powerful to make Your ways known among those in the World, who have been deceived by the enemy.
O Father, in every age Your people have seen the signs You have given us to look for Your coming. And I also see everything You have said would happen is taking place right now in the World and in my Nation, also. Thank You for Your faithfulness to Your promises and to me. Thank You for giving us the "last chapter" to let us know how all things will transpire to bring all the credit and honor and glory to You, the only One Who deserves all praise.
Thank You, my dear Abba Dad, for teaching me how to put a guard on my tongue and my thoughts, so that I can reflect on how it will sound before I say it, and keep my mouth closed when it will not encourage the hearer or draw them to You, Lord. Continue to keep me in the moment, doing each day what is set before me to accomplish, one day at a time. And I know that all the little things of each day will build into that great thing that You have planned for me to do.
I am waiting on You, my God, to show me when You would have me turn that corner that is ahead of me, in Your time, in Your way, with no regrets or worries or looking back.
And I give You, my Lord God Almighty, all the praise, all the glory, all the credit, for it is You doing everything that is done, working everyone's doings into Your Plan of the Ages, to accomplish Your will in Your time, in Your way.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
We know that God's children do not make a practice of sinning, for God's Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them.
O my Father, my Abba Dad, thank You so much for holding me securely, and the evil one, who is the god of this World, cannot touch me.
O Father, I pray for all those who do not know you but think that they do, that You would make Yourself known to them, to let them know how much You love them, and draw them to Yourself. I particularly pray for my family members and my friends to realize what godliness looks like and see how their lives are contrary to Your ways. You have said that You are not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance to turn away from their sinful lifestyles and turn to You for Salvation and Redemption. And I pray that You would have mercy on me and save these who I know and love. And that You would show Yourself powerful to make Your ways known among those in the World, who have been deceived by the enemy.
O Father, in every age Your people have seen the signs You have given us to look for Your coming. And I also see everything You have said would happen is taking place right now in the World and in my Nation, also. Thank You for Your faithfulness to Your promises and to me. Thank You for giving us the "last chapter" to let us know how all things will transpire to bring all the credit and honor and glory to You, the only One Who deserves all praise.
Thank You, my dear Abba Dad, for teaching me how to put a guard on my tongue and my thoughts, so that I can reflect on how it will sound before I say it, and keep my mouth closed when it will not encourage the hearer or draw them to You, Lord. Continue to keep me in the moment, doing each day what is set before me to accomplish, one day at a time. And I know that all the little things of each day will build into that great thing that You have planned for me to do.
I am waiting on You, my God, to show me when You would have me turn that corner that is ahead of me, in Your time, in Your way, with no regrets or worries or looking back.
And I give You, my Lord God Almighty, all the praise, all the glory, all the credit, for it is You doing everything that is done, working everyone's doings into Your Plan of the Ages, to accomplish Your will in Your time, in Your way.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, June 25, 2017
Real Love
I John 4: 10-11
But this is real love--not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as the Sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other.
That God would know that we would be so rebellious and wicked, and yet create us anyway, knowing what it would cost Him--this is beyond my ken to try to fathom His goodness and greatness and almighty power to give us freedom of will, yet use every one of us as part of His grand Plan of the Ages!
O my Father, Your wisdom and skill to work everything into Your Plan perfectly and seamlessly is amazing and astounding. And I see everything in my life and in this World around me all proceeding toward that tumultuous and shocking end.
Please, I pray, Father, strengthen me, and put a strong guard on my mouth and fingers, to pause to think first of how my words may be perceived by the hearers before expressing the thought; that I may not push people away, but draw them ever nearer to You, my God.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
But this is real love--not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as the Sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other.
That God would know that we would be so rebellious and wicked, and yet create us anyway, knowing what it would cost Him--this is beyond my ken to try to fathom His goodness and greatness and almighty power to give us freedom of will, yet use every one of us as part of His grand Plan of the Ages!
O my Father, Your wisdom and skill to work everything into Your Plan perfectly and seamlessly is amazing and astounding. And I see everything in my life and in this World around me all proceeding toward that tumultuous and shocking end.
Please, I pray, Father, strengthen me, and put a strong guard on my mouth and fingers, to pause to think first of how my words may be perceived by the hearers before expressing the thought; that I may not push people away, but draw them ever nearer to You, my God.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Saturday, June 24, 2017
Pray For Jerusalem
Psalm 122: 6-9
Pray for peace in Jerusalem. May all who love this city prosper. O Jerusalem, may there be peace within your walls and prosperity in your palaces. For the sake of my family and friends, I will say, "May you have peace." For the sake of the Lord our God, I will seek what is best for you, O Jerusalem.
O my Father, Lord God Almighty, I pray for Jerusalem! Please let her not be divided and given over to her enemies! Please preserve Your people there in safety from attacks. Lord of Heaven's Armies, defend Your people, Your city, Your holy Temple, the place You have set Your Name--even though the building is gone and an idol's temple occupies that geographical spot at this time.
You have said that Your Temple is now the bodies of Your people whom You have chosen out of every Nation. Please protect Your sheep, Your children, especially those who are in countries filled with Your enemies. And strengthen Your children in America.
I pray for our leaders, our legislators and judges and all our elected and appointed officials over us that they would govern and rule according to Your righteousness, so that we can live our lives freely in godliness.
And You will receive all the glory, all the credit for Your wisdom and power to design and plan it all out and to carry our Your plan in Your way and in Your time.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Pray for peace in Jerusalem. May all who love this city prosper. O Jerusalem, may there be peace within your walls and prosperity in your palaces. For the sake of my family and friends, I will say, "May you have peace." For the sake of the Lord our God, I will seek what is best for you, O Jerusalem.
O my Father, Lord God Almighty, I pray for Jerusalem! Please let her not be divided and given over to her enemies! Please preserve Your people there in safety from attacks. Lord of Heaven's Armies, defend Your people, Your city, Your holy Temple, the place You have set Your Name--even though the building is gone and an idol's temple occupies that geographical spot at this time.
You have said that Your Temple is now the bodies of Your people whom You have chosen out of every Nation. Please protect Your sheep, Your children, especially those who are in countries filled with Your enemies. And strengthen Your children in America.
I pray for our leaders, our legislators and judges and all our elected and appointed officials over us that they would govern and rule according to Your righteousness, so that we can live our lives freely in godliness.
And You will receive all the glory, all the credit for Your wisdom and power to design and plan it all out and to carry our Your plan in Your way and in Your time.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Friday, June 23, 2017
Living In Him
I John 2: 5-6
But those who obey God's Word truly show how completely they love Him. That is how we know we are living in Him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.
Proverbs 28: 26
Those who trust their own insight are foolish, but anyone who walks in wisdom is safe.
O my dear Father, You are such a good Abba Dad to me! You deal with me so gently and patiently, even as I tend to come on strong and barrel over others in my pride and self-promotion. Teach me Your ways, Dad, teach me to be gentle with Your gentleness, patient with Your patience, and compassionate with Your passion for others. Let me see them through Your eyes, for I am so blind still.
I am totally destitute and undeserving of any of Your mercies, my Lord. Please take my stony heart and replace it with a soft heart of flesh, malleable and molded by You to reflect Your love and graciousness. Forgive me, Lord, and cleanse me. Heal me of all my sins and their evil effects on my character, my personality and my body.
And I will give You all the credit, all the praise and honor and glory for having designed it all to work according to Your ways, and for working in me and all of us to accomplish Your great, grand Plan of the Ages.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
But those who obey God's Word truly show how completely they love Him. That is how we know we are living in Him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.
Proverbs 28: 26
Those who trust their own insight are foolish, but anyone who walks in wisdom is safe.
O my dear Father, You are such a good Abba Dad to me! You deal with me so gently and patiently, even as I tend to come on strong and barrel over others in my pride and self-promotion. Teach me Your ways, Dad, teach me to be gentle with Your gentleness, patient with Your patience, and compassionate with Your passion for others. Let me see them through Your eyes, for I am so blind still.
I am totally destitute and undeserving of any of Your mercies, my Lord. Please take my stony heart and replace it with a soft heart of flesh, malleable and molded by You to reflect Your love and graciousness. Forgive me, Lord, and cleanse me. Heal me of all my sins and their evil effects on my character, my personality and my body.
And I will give You all the credit, all the praise and honor and glory for having designed it all to work according to Your ways, and for working in me and all of us to accomplish Your great, grand Plan of the Ages.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, June 22, 2017
Time To Get Ready
II Peter 3: 9-13
The Lord really isn't being slow about His promise, as some would think. No, He's being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. But the Day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. ... Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, looking forward to the Day of God and hurrying it along. On that Day He will set the Heavens on fire. ... But we are looking forward to the New Heavens and New Earth He has promised, a world filled with God's righteousness.
God, in His great love and mercy, is giving us all plenty of time to turn from our wicked ways and seek His face. He is calling all of His Elect to himself, and strengthening His people all over the World.
He is giving me time to live my life in a holy and godly manner, to show others His goodness and provision for them. He is giving us all enough time to get our affairs in order, to mend our broken relationships, to be ready for His Glorious Appearing.
O Father, Abba, Dad, I cannot hardly imagine a whole world filled with Your righteousness! It's more wonderful and joyous than my capacity to imagine!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
The Lord really isn't being slow about His promise, as some would think. No, He's being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. But the Day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. ... Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, looking forward to the Day of God and hurrying it along. On that Day He will set the Heavens on fire. ... But we are looking forward to the New Heavens and New Earth He has promised, a world filled with God's righteousness.
God, in His great love and mercy, is giving us all plenty of time to turn from our wicked ways and seek His face. He is calling all of His Elect to himself, and strengthening His people all over the World.
He is giving me time to live my life in a holy and godly manner, to show others His goodness and provision for them. He is giving us all enough time to get our affairs in order, to mend our broken relationships, to be ready for His Glorious Appearing.
O Father, Abba, Dad, I cannot hardly imagine a whole world filled with Your righteousness! It's more wonderful and joyous than my capacity to imagine!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, June 21, 2017
To Love God's Ways
Psalm 119: 124-128
I am Your servant; deal with me in unfailing love, and teach me Your decrees. Give me, Your servant, discernment; then I will understand Your laws. Truly, I love Your commands more than gold, even the finest gold.
That is why I hate every wrong path.
It is time for You to act, O Lord; Your Law is being broken!
I can understand how this writer felt, how he was so devoted to God's ways, God's principles, as laid out and expressed by His laws and commandments. He understood that only God's ways, His Truth, works in this world and in relationships, because the Creator Who made us and the whole Universe according to His ways put order (beauty) into everything He made. And He gave us His "Manufacturer's Instructions" to teach us how to live in it together.
The clearer his understanding of how wonderful everything works so well when following the "instructions," the more upset he became at how people who reject God and His ways really mess things up for all of us, like throwing a monkey wrench into the works. Their rebellion (our rebellion!) only makes it more difficult for the rest of us.
O my Father, Lord, teach us Your ways, give us understanding and discernment to have the wisdom to sort out how we are to order our lives, that we may obey You and bring Your order, Your love, into all our relationships and doings. And You will get all the credit, all the glory, for having planned it all out that way.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
I am Your servant; deal with me in unfailing love, and teach me Your decrees. Give me, Your servant, discernment; then I will understand Your laws. Truly, I love Your commands more than gold, even the finest gold.
That is why I hate every wrong path.
It is time for You to act, O Lord; Your Law is being broken!
I can understand how this writer felt, how he was so devoted to God's ways, God's principles, as laid out and expressed by His laws and commandments. He understood that only God's ways, His Truth, works in this world and in relationships, because the Creator Who made us and the whole Universe according to His ways put order (beauty) into everything He made. And He gave us His "Manufacturer's Instructions" to teach us how to live in it together.
The clearer his understanding of how wonderful everything works so well when following the "instructions," the more upset he became at how people who reject God and His ways really mess things up for all of us, like throwing a monkey wrench into the works. Their rebellion (our rebellion!) only makes it more difficult for the rest of us.
O my Father, Lord, teach us Your ways, give us understanding and discernment to have the wisdom to sort out how we are to order our lives, that we may obey You and bring Your order, Your love, into all our relationships and doings. And You will get all the credit, all the glory, for having planned it all out that way.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, June 20, 2017
The Most High Rules
Daniel 4: 17
... The Most High rules over the kingdoms of the World. He gives them to anyone He chooses--even to the lowliest of people.
Our Almighty God is truly the mighty Potentate Who rules over the whole Universe with wisdom and justice. And He deals with the sons and daughters of Mankind with tender mercies and compassion.
He showed Nebuchadnezzar what a base person he was, in giving him the mind of an animal for seven "times," long enough for his hair and nails to grow grotesquely.
But He did not leave him in that condition. God restored his sanity, and with it the honor and authority of his kingdom. God's mercy to him, in inflicting on him this period of mental illness, brought him to recognize that the Lord God Almighty, the Most High God, is the One Who gave him his kingdom in the first place, not he himself.
God is the one Who sets up and casts down all who have any authority in this World, and the heart of the king, the ruler, is in His hand, to turn it whithersoever He will.
And His great, grand Plan of the Ages is unfolding even today before my very eyes!
Praise and Glory and Honor and Authority and Thanksgiving and Blessing and Wisdom and Power and Might be to our Lord God forever and ever!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
... The Most High rules over the kingdoms of the World. He gives them to anyone He chooses--even to the lowliest of people.
Our Almighty God is truly the mighty Potentate Who rules over the whole Universe with wisdom and justice. And He deals with the sons and daughters of Mankind with tender mercies and compassion.
He showed Nebuchadnezzar what a base person he was, in giving him the mind of an animal for seven "times," long enough for his hair and nails to grow grotesquely.
But He did not leave him in that condition. God restored his sanity, and with it the honor and authority of his kingdom. God's mercy to him, in inflicting on him this period of mental illness, brought him to recognize that the Lord God Almighty, the Most High God, is the One Who gave him his kingdom in the first place, not he himself.
God is the one Who sets up and casts down all who have any authority in this World, and the heart of the king, the ruler, is in His hand, to turn it whithersoever He will.
And His great, grand Plan of the Ages is unfolding even today before my very eyes!
Praise and Glory and Honor and Authority and Thanksgiving and Blessing and Wisdom and Power and Might be to our Lord God forever and ever!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Monday, June 19, 2017
Part Of God's Grace
I Peter 5: 12
My purpose in writing is to encourage you and assure you that what you are experiencing is truly part of God's grace for you. Stand firm in this grace.
Peter is writing to these Christians in Turkey who are experiencing persecution. He is telling them that when we are subjected to unjust persecution for doing what is right, that is part of God's goodness that we don't deserve, His grace.
We may perceive these troubles as not a good thing, but we need to remember that God is good, and everything He does is good. So we need to change our perspective: everything He allows to touch us is good, in that He will bring a great good from it.
When we are put to undeserved persecution, and take it patiently, we are building a return in Heaven that will never diminish. When we realize this, then we will be glad, and rejoice that God counted us worthy to suffer for His Name.
O my Father, I pray that when that day comes for me that I will face persecution for being a Christian, that I will endure it patiently, not striking back or defending myself, but only lifting up Your Name and Your Truth.
Thank You, my dear, dear Father, for carefully preparing me now for what You know is ahead of me. Keep me close, Dad, I desperately need You.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
My purpose in writing is to encourage you and assure you that what you are experiencing is truly part of God's grace for you. Stand firm in this grace.
Peter is writing to these Christians in Turkey who are experiencing persecution. He is telling them that when we are subjected to unjust persecution for doing what is right, that is part of God's goodness that we don't deserve, His grace.
We may perceive these troubles as not a good thing, but we need to remember that God is good, and everything He does is good. So we need to change our perspective: everything He allows to touch us is good, in that He will bring a great good from it.
When we are put to undeserved persecution, and take it patiently, we are building a return in Heaven that will never diminish. When we realize this, then we will be glad, and rejoice that God counted us worthy to suffer for His Name.
O my Father, I pray that when that day comes for me that I will face persecution for being a Christian, that I will endure it patiently, not striking back or defending myself, but only lifting up Your Name and Your Truth.
Thank You, my dear, dear Father, for carefully preparing me now for what You know is ahead of me. Keep me close, Dad, I desperately need You.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, June 18, 2017
God's Provision For Our Bodies
Daniel 1: 12, 14-15
"Please test us for ten days on a diet of vegetables and water," Daniel said. ... The attendant agreed with Daniel's suggestion and tested them for ten days. At the end of the ten days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned them by the king.
Here we have what appears to be a cleanse. No wonder they looked healthier, they had been able to remove all the toxins that may have been in their bodies!
Since our bodies are the Temple of the Holy Spirit, we have a responsibility toward God to take good care of it.
We need to educate ourselves on how to do this, and there are numerous and various resources out there to help us.
One of those is a book and bible study curriculum called "The Daniel Plan" by Rick Warren and his doctor friends at the Saddleback Church, the original Purpose Driven Church, in California. It doesn't set out a diet of vegetables, but it does look at all the attitudes prevalent today about health and fitness, and works with our motivation. And it provides a whole host of resources online dealing with every area of good health, including grocery shopping and recipes.
I went through this several years ago in my Small Group. It helped me straighten out my thinking and I have since educated myself on what foods would be the best for good nourishment. Now I try to avoid non-foods that are flavored with chemicals, highly processed foods, and foods that have been tampered with genetically.
O my Father, Your ways are so good! You have told us what is good to eat, and what is not. Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial. Thank You for showing me what foods today are the most beneficial, and continue to help me to find and properly prepare the good, natural foods You have provided, and to avoid whatever would supplant my body's needs with what would not be the best for health and maintenance.
Grant me wisdom and discernment in this dietary realm, so I will be able to nourish my body, as well as my mind and my spirit, according to Your eternal principles.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
"Please test us for ten days on a diet of vegetables and water," Daniel said. ... The attendant agreed with Daniel's suggestion and tested them for ten days. At the end of the ten days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned them by the king.
Here we have what appears to be a cleanse. No wonder they looked healthier, they had been able to remove all the toxins that may have been in their bodies!
Since our bodies are the Temple of the Holy Spirit, we have a responsibility toward God to take good care of it.
We need to educate ourselves on how to do this, and there are numerous and various resources out there to help us.
One of those is a book and bible study curriculum called "The Daniel Plan" by Rick Warren and his doctor friends at the Saddleback Church, the original Purpose Driven Church, in California. It doesn't set out a diet of vegetables, but it does look at all the attitudes prevalent today about health and fitness, and works with our motivation. And it provides a whole host of resources online dealing with every area of good health, including grocery shopping and recipes.
I went through this several years ago in my Small Group. It helped me straighten out my thinking and I have since educated myself on what foods would be the best for good nourishment. Now I try to avoid non-foods that are flavored with chemicals, highly processed foods, and foods that have been tampered with genetically.
O my Father, Your ways are so good! You have told us what is good to eat, and what is not. Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial. Thank You for showing me what foods today are the most beneficial, and continue to help me to find and properly prepare the good, natural foods You have provided, and to avoid whatever would supplant my body's needs with what would not be the best for health and maintenance.
Grant me wisdom and discernment in this dietary realm, so I will be able to nourish my body, as well as my mind and my spirit, according to Your eternal principles.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Saturday, June 17, 2017
So That You May Be Healed
James 5: 16
Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.
I learned the Truth and power of this verse in Celebrate Recovery after my husband of 30 years died. There I was enabled to face all my fears and insufficiencies, with the help of my sisters in Christ.
When we find others who we can trust, and confess our sins to one another in a safe environment, then we are freed from their power over us, and our emotions and attitudes can be healed. When we pray for one another, we are obeying God's principle of selfless intervention, and God works mightily in our spirits to heal our souls.
Never underestimate God's desire to mold us into the very image of His dear Son. We all need healing in order to become the men and women God created us to be, and to be the most use of God in doing His works to promote His Kingdom. God will never give up on us, as I read that the Tree of Life growing in the New Jerusalem has leaves for healing. Forever.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.
I learned the Truth and power of this verse in Celebrate Recovery after my husband of 30 years died. There I was enabled to face all my fears and insufficiencies, with the help of my sisters in Christ.
When we find others who we can trust, and confess our sins to one another in a safe environment, then we are freed from their power over us, and our emotions and attitudes can be healed. When we pray for one another, we are obeying God's principle of selfless intervention, and God works mightily in our spirits to heal our souls.
Never underestimate God's desire to mold us into the very image of His dear Son. We all need healing in order to become the men and women God created us to be, and to be the most use of God in doing His works to promote His Kingdom. God will never give up on us, as I read that the Tree of Life growing in the New Jerusalem has leaves for healing. Forever.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Friday, June 16, 2017
Bold As Lions
Proverbs 28: 1
The wicked run away when no one is chasing them, but the godly are as bold as lions.
This Proverb tells us that to give in to fear is wicked. To push through the fear to do whatever it is boldly is godly. Facing the fear boldly is Your way, Lord; running away is the opposite of Your way, it is evil and wicked.
Help me, Father, to always look to You whenever I perceive fear rearing its ugly head in my imagination. Strengthen me in the confidence of Your Presence with me to face the adversary boldly. Grant me bold humility in confronting those who are against me, and teach me Your compassion for those who are in bondage to their own chains.
Grant me Your victory through the Blood of the Lamb and the word of my testimony of Your goodness and grace.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
The wicked run away when no one is chasing them, but the godly are as bold as lions.
This Proverb tells us that to give in to fear is wicked. To push through the fear to do whatever it is boldly is godly. Facing the fear boldly is Your way, Lord; running away is the opposite of Your way, it is evil and wicked.
Help me, Father, to always look to You whenever I perceive fear rearing its ugly head in my imagination. Strengthen me in the confidence of Your Presence with me to face the adversary boldly. Grant me bold humility in confronting those who are against me, and teach me Your compassion for those who are in bondage to their own chains.
Grant me Your victory through the Blood of the Lamb and the word of my testimony of Your goodness and grace.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, June 15, 2017
Fill Their Lands With Corpses
Psalm 110
The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit in the place of honor at My right hand until I humble Your enemies, making them a footstool under Your feet." ... You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. ... He will strike down many kings when His anger erupts. He will punish the Nations and fill their lands with corpses; He will shatter heads over the whole Earth. But He Himself will be refreshed from brooks along the way. He will be victorious.
This Psalm tells us about God's own Son, Jesus, born through the royal line of David, to rule over the whole Earth, beginning with the Battle of Armageddon being spread over the whole Earth.
O my Father, I know that You will send Him back to Earth soon, maybe very soon, because I trust Your Word. Your faithfulness is unquestioned, You always do exactly as You say You will do; and I see in the World today all the signs You told us of to herald His coming. I see all the rebellion and wickedness all over the World, as well as all the political machinations lining up precisely as Your Word describes.
O Father, continue to wake up Your church, strengthen what remains, expose to the Light all the hidden things that we may recognize who are Yours and who are not. Draw to Yourself all those remaining of Your called.
Even so, come Lord Jesus!
The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit in the place of honor at My right hand until I humble Your enemies, making them a footstool under Your feet." ... You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. ... He will strike down many kings when His anger erupts. He will punish the Nations and fill their lands with corpses; He will shatter heads over the whole Earth. But He Himself will be refreshed from brooks along the way. He will be victorious.
This Psalm tells us about God's own Son, Jesus, born through the royal line of David, to rule over the whole Earth, beginning with the Battle of Armageddon being spread over the whole Earth.
O my Father, I know that You will send Him back to Earth soon, maybe very soon, because I trust Your Word. Your faithfulness is unquestioned, You always do exactly as You say You will do; and I see in the World today all the signs You told us of to herald His coming. I see all the rebellion and wickedness all over the World, as well as all the political machinations lining up precisely as Your Word describes.
O Father, continue to wake up Your church, strengthen what remains, expose to the Light all the hidden things that we may recognize who are Yours and who are not. Draw to Yourself all those remaining of Your called.
Even so, come Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, June 14, 2017
The Direction Of My Life
Psalm 119: 57-59
Lord, You are mine! I promise to obey Your Words! With all my heart I want Your blessings. Be merciful as You promised. I pondered the direction of my life, and I turned to follow Your Laws.
O my father, I do want Your blessings, not just the things of this World! I want to follow in Your footsteps, as David did, and as Paul did, finding Your lost sheep and bringing them into Your fold, so that there will be one fold and one Shepherd!
Thank You so much for showing me that my puny little life can be used by You as an integral part of Your great Plan of the Ages! O my Father, You are so good to me! You are such a good God! Help me, strengthen me, heal me, lead me into Your path. Keep me from straying either to the right or to the left. May Your kingdom come, let Your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Lord, You are mine! I promise to obey Your Words! With all my heart I want Your blessings. Be merciful as You promised. I pondered the direction of my life, and I turned to follow Your Laws.
O my father, I do want Your blessings, not just the things of this World! I want to follow in Your footsteps, as David did, and as Paul did, finding Your lost sheep and bringing them into Your fold, so that there will be one fold and one Shepherd!
Thank You so much for showing me that my puny little life can be used by You as an integral part of Your great Plan of the Ages! O my Father, You are so good to me! You are such a good God! Help me, strengthen me, heal me, lead me into Your path. Keep me from straying either to the right or to the left. May Your kingdom come, let Your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, June 13, 2017
Our Only Hope
Psalm 119: 43
Do not snatch Your Word of Truth from me, for Your regulations are my only hope.
God's regulations, His rules by which He created this Earth, are all the natural laws we know by science. True science is the search for the Creator's Truth in how His creation operates and works. And all creation abides by and obeys these laws.
God's moral, spiritual laws are just as binding. The only "problem" is that God gave Mankind a free will to choose whether he will obey or not. If he obeys, he experiences all the benefits God put here for us; if he disobeys, then he will know what trouble is, what sorrow is, what regret and shame feel like.
God's laws, natural and spiritual, cannot be broken; we can only break ourselves on them. And we have. We are all broken people. We all have been hurt and wounded by our fellow man, and we have also hurt and wounded them back. Hurt people will hurt people.
But God's regulations are our only hope! If we just turn around, we will find Jesus with His arms open, ready to take us into His warm embrace!
Our natural propensity is to want to make our own decisions. We're smart, we can do whatever we want to do, we can be our own gods. We have fallen into the lies of the devil, to be deceived by him. It seems easier than to "toe the line." The darkness seems safer than the Light, and we all have hearts that want to hide.
But when we step into God's Light, into the Truth that we are all the criminals that deserve execution, and Jesus came to take our death upon Himself, then our eyes will be opened to see spiritual Truth. He fulfilled all the letter of the Old Testament Law, including the first sacrifice (Leviticus chapter 1), the personal sacrifice, that required each individual to bring his animal to the priest, put his hand on its head (conferring his sins onto the calf, kid or lamb), then the priest would sacrifice it on the altar, dying in the place of the person, and splash its blood on the sides of the altar to cover those sins.
Jesus is our Lamb of God, the perfect Sacrifice, to take my place and your place in death, His precious Blood splashed onto the sides of His altar the Cross, to not just cover but to actually wash away our sins! His is the "atoning" sacrifice, to completely and fully take away all our sins. When He said "It is finished" from the Cross, the word He used was the bookkeeping term that was written across a contract that said "Paid in Full!"
When our eyes are opened to see God's ways, then we will understand how God designed all of His creation to function. And He based all these commandments and regulations on Love. The greatest commandment is to love God, and the second is to love one another. All the other laws are based on this Love principle.
Even governments over societies are to govern by these ideas, to love the people in doing what is best for the common person, instead of subjecting them to a slavery that will enrich the top while it impoverishes the people.
Our only hope is for each person, each family, each neighborhood, each town and city and county and state, and even our Nation, and every Nation to look at History to see what has actually worked in the past for the populace, to recognize that God's ways are the best program to implement, as Israel did partially for a time, and as America was founded upon.
When Israel followed God's rules, they knew peace and prosperity. And when America began, she grew to become the foremost power in the World, with great peace and great prosperity.
But, like Israel, the enemy came in and snatched the Truth from the minds of the people, subjecting them to his deceptions, and Israel was destroyed, her people dispersed into all the other Nations of the World. And America is also in danger of destruction, just like her sister.
So our only hope as individuals for our personal lives and our Nation in our national life really is to turn back to God's ways.
O my Father, I pray for my family members, my friends, and my Nation. I pray that You would open all our eyes to see Your ways. Father, be the Hound of Heaven to pursue my loved ones and the leaders of my Nation to draw them to Yourself, to teach them Your ways, and to work Your miracle of Salvation in their lives. So they will seek Your Face and want to learn Your ways, to love You and to love others as they love themselves. And to live their lives according to Your Love, to do the righteous works that promote Your Kingdom and to govern us making every decision according to Your Truth and Your ways for us all.
And You, Father, will receive all the credit, the glory for having designed it so and worked out Your plan in Your time.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Do not snatch Your Word of Truth from me, for Your regulations are my only hope.
God's regulations, His rules by which He created this Earth, are all the natural laws we know by science. True science is the search for the Creator's Truth in how His creation operates and works. And all creation abides by and obeys these laws.
God's moral, spiritual laws are just as binding. The only "problem" is that God gave Mankind a free will to choose whether he will obey or not. If he obeys, he experiences all the benefits God put here for us; if he disobeys, then he will know what trouble is, what sorrow is, what regret and shame feel like.
God's laws, natural and spiritual, cannot be broken; we can only break ourselves on them. And we have. We are all broken people. We all have been hurt and wounded by our fellow man, and we have also hurt and wounded them back. Hurt people will hurt people.
But God's regulations are our only hope! If we just turn around, we will find Jesus with His arms open, ready to take us into His warm embrace!
Our natural propensity is to want to make our own decisions. We're smart, we can do whatever we want to do, we can be our own gods. We have fallen into the lies of the devil, to be deceived by him. It seems easier than to "toe the line." The darkness seems safer than the Light, and we all have hearts that want to hide.
But when we step into God's Light, into the Truth that we are all the criminals that deserve execution, and Jesus came to take our death upon Himself, then our eyes will be opened to see spiritual Truth. He fulfilled all the letter of the Old Testament Law, including the first sacrifice (Leviticus chapter 1), the personal sacrifice, that required each individual to bring his animal to the priest, put his hand on its head (conferring his sins onto the calf, kid or lamb), then the priest would sacrifice it on the altar, dying in the place of the person, and splash its blood on the sides of the altar to cover those sins.
Jesus is our Lamb of God, the perfect Sacrifice, to take my place and your place in death, His precious Blood splashed onto the sides of His altar the Cross, to not just cover but to actually wash away our sins! His is the "atoning" sacrifice, to completely and fully take away all our sins. When He said "It is finished" from the Cross, the word He used was the bookkeeping term that was written across a contract that said "Paid in Full!"
When our eyes are opened to see God's ways, then we will understand how God designed all of His creation to function. And He based all these commandments and regulations on Love. The greatest commandment is to love God, and the second is to love one another. All the other laws are based on this Love principle.
Even governments over societies are to govern by these ideas, to love the people in doing what is best for the common person, instead of subjecting them to a slavery that will enrich the top while it impoverishes the people.
Our only hope is for each person, each family, each neighborhood, each town and city and county and state, and even our Nation, and every Nation to look at History to see what has actually worked in the past for the populace, to recognize that God's ways are the best program to implement, as Israel did partially for a time, and as America was founded upon.
When Israel followed God's rules, they knew peace and prosperity. And when America began, she grew to become the foremost power in the World, with great peace and great prosperity.
But, like Israel, the enemy came in and snatched the Truth from the minds of the people, subjecting them to his deceptions, and Israel was destroyed, her people dispersed into all the other Nations of the World. And America is also in danger of destruction, just like her sister.
So our only hope as individuals for our personal lives and our Nation in our national life really is to turn back to God's ways.
O my Father, I pray for my family members, my friends, and my Nation. I pray that You would open all our eyes to see Your ways. Father, be the Hound of Heaven to pursue my loved ones and the leaders of my Nation to draw them to Yourself, to teach them Your ways, and to work Your miracle of Salvation in their lives. So they will seek Your Face and want to learn Your ways, to love You and to love others as they love themselves. And to live their lives according to Your Love, to do the righteous works that promote Your Kingdom and to govern us making every decision according to Your Truth and Your ways for us all.
And You, Father, will receive all the credit, the glory for having designed it so and worked out Your plan in Your time.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Monday, June 12, 2017
Lying To Ourselves
Psalm 119: 29-32
Keep me from lying to myself. ... I have chosen to be faithful; I have determined to live by Your regulations. I cling to Your laws. Lord, don't let me be put to shame! I will pursue Your commands, for You expand my understanding.
How deceitful are our own hearts. I know that I have consoled myself with comforts that do not agree with God's Truth.
O Father, please examine my heart, and point out where I am lying to myself--expose what I am still in denial about! Reveal to me whatever You find there that is inconsistent with Your regulations, laws and commands.
Teach me Your ways of thinking, speaking and doing, that I may be purified. Shape me and mold me into a vessel fit to serve You--the woman You created me to be.
Expand my understanding of Your Truth. I take Your hand to lead me in the righteous path You have set my feet upon; open my ears to hear Your voice behind me saying, "This is the path, walk this way."
And You will receive all the credit, all the glory for what You are doing in my life, in this World and throughout the whole Universe.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Keep me from lying to myself. ... I have chosen to be faithful; I have determined to live by Your regulations. I cling to Your laws. Lord, don't let me be put to shame! I will pursue Your commands, for You expand my understanding.
How deceitful are our own hearts. I know that I have consoled myself with comforts that do not agree with God's Truth.
O Father, please examine my heart, and point out where I am lying to myself--expose what I am still in denial about! Reveal to me whatever You find there that is inconsistent with Your regulations, laws and commands.
Teach me Your ways of thinking, speaking and doing, that I may be purified. Shape me and mold me into a vessel fit to serve You--the woman You created me to be.
Expand my understanding of Your Truth. I take Your hand to lead me in the righteous path You have set my feet upon; open my ears to hear Your voice behind me saying, "This is the path, walk this way."
And You will receive all the credit, all the glory for what You are doing in my life, in this World and throughout the whole Universe.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, June 11, 2017
Understanding Justice
Proverbs 28: 4-5
Those who forsake the Law praise the wicked,
But those who keep the Law resist them.
Evil men do not understand justice,
But those who seek the Lord understand it fully.
People who discard the moral principles undergirding the Law of God will approve of those who live twisted, ungodly lifestyles. They will not understand the repulsion of God's people for these disgusting attitudes that degrade those who indulge in them.
But we who trust in the Lord and endeavor to keep His ways must find in our hearts compassion for those who are so deceived and trapped in these emotional prisons. They are vulnerable to the enemy's lies and enticements, and have fallen into the pit he has dug for them.
So often "Christians" have condemned these people for their ignorance of the Truth, and even have insulted them and railed against them.
Instead, we need to see all of God's created persons as precious, valuable, and worth God sending His own Son to redeem. Sin is sin, and we see different gradations of evils, but the ground is level at the foot of the Cross, counting us all as under sin, and savable, if only we would turn to Him.
Dear Father, there are so many of Your created beings living in this World, who are being deceived by the philosophies and theories of the World, and have no understanding of the ways You designed this World to work. They are harming themselves and others, and are blind to Your ways. They are hurting, Father, because they have pierced themselves, and hurt people will hurt people; but You are gracious and generous with all of us, offering salvation and healing to every one of us.
Please, Father, grant Your children, who have been born into Your own family, to have Your compassion and gentleness with those who are against themselves as well as us. Help us to respond to their attacks with Your love and kindness. Teach us to respect every member of Mankind, as we are all made by You in Your own image, even though we have marred it.
Give us Your words to say, in Your attitudes of our minds, to not react, but respond in Your love, in all the interactions with others as we live our lives each day, whether to strangers, to acquaintances, to co-workers, to friends or even our own family members.
Please, have mercy on me, dear Father, and draw my own grown children to Yourself; show them Who You are and teach them Your ways, as You convict their hearts of their need for You and the great Salvation You have provided.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Those who forsake the Law praise the wicked,
But those who keep the Law resist them.
Evil men do not understand justice,
But those who seek the Lord understand it fully.
People who discard the moral principles undergirding the Law of God will approve of those who live twisted, ungodly lifestyles. They will not understand the repulsion of God's people for these disgusting attitudes that degrade those who indulge in them.
But we who trust in the Lord and endeavor to keep His ways must find in our hearts compassion for those who are so deceived and trapped in these emotional prisons. They are vulnerable to the enemy's lies and enticements, and have fallen into the pit he has dug for them.
So often "Christians" have condemned these people for their ignorance of the Truth, and even have insulted them and railed against them.
Instead, we need to see all of God's created persons as precious, valuable, and worth God sending His own Son to redeem. Sin is sin, and we see different gradations of evils, but the ground is level at the foot of the Cross, counting us all as under sin, and savable, if only we would turn to Him.
Dear Father, there are so many of Your created beings living in this World, who are being deceived by the philosophies and theories of the World, and have no understanding of the ways You designed this World to work. They are harming themselves and others, and are blind to Your ways. They are hurting, Father, because they have pierced themselves, and hurt people will hurt people; but You are gracious and generous with all of us, offering salvation and healing to every one of us.
Please, Father, grant Your children, who have been born into Your own family, to have Your compassion and gentleness with those who are against themselves as well as us. Help us to respond to their attacks with Your love and kindness. Teach us to respect every member of Mankind, as we are all made by You in Your own image, even though we have marred it.
Give us Your words to say, in Your attitudes of our minds, to not react, but respond in Your love, in all the interactions with others as we live our lives each day, whether to strangers, to acquaintances, to co-workers, to friends or even our own family members.
Please, have mercy on me, dear Father, and draw my own grown children to Yourself; show them Who You are and teach them Your ways, as You convict their hearts of their need for You and the great Salvation You have provided.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Saturday, June 10, 2017
The Lord's Doing, Wonderful To See
Psalm 118: 22-29
The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. This is the Lord's doing, and it is wonderful to see.
This is Jesus, and it is wonderful to see God's amazing Plan carried out by Him.
This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.
We can quote this verse every day.
Please, Lord, please save us. Please, Lord, please give us success.
Have you ever pleaded with God like this? He will answer this prayer, prayed with a broken spirit and a contrite heart (Psalm 51:17).
Bless the one who comes in the Name of the Lord.
This, again, is Jesus (on Palm Sunday); but it can also be anyone.
We bless You. We bless You from the house of the Lord.
To bless God is to recognize His worth and value, as He does for us when He blesses us.
The Lord is God, shining upon us.
We know the Lord of the Old Testament as Jesus; He is the Light of the World.
Take the sacrifice and bind it with cords on the altar.
The horns on the four corners of the altar were for this purpose. When I give myself to God, I am the sacrifice, and if I'm not bound I will jump off.
You are my God, and I will praise You! You are my God and I will exalt You! Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! His faithful love endures forever.
We love God because He first loved us.
O my Father, You are the One I desire, You are the Good I seek, You are the Goal of every endeavor. You have been so good to me; every day I experience Your blessings; You lavish Your love upon me continually!
Father, bind my life upon Your altar; restrain me from jumping off in reaction to the pain and going my own way. Keep me always in Your way, that I may accomplish Your Plan, Your way, in Your time, to fulfill Your purposes and objectives in my life. Then You will receive all the blessing, all the credit, all the honor and glory, for it is You Who deserves it all.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. This is the Lord's doing, and it is wonderful to see.
This is Jesus, and it is wonderful to see God's amazing Plan carried out by Him.
This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.
We can quote this verse every day.
Please, Lord, please save us. Please, Lord, please give us success.
Have you ever pleaded with God like this? He will answer this prayer, prayed with a broken spirit and a contrite heart (Psalm 51:17).
Bless the one who comes in the Name of the Lord.
This, again, is Jesus (on Palm Sunday); but it can also be anyone.
We bless You. We bless You from the house of the Lord.
To bless God is to recognize His worth and value, as He does for us when He blesses us.
The Lord is God, shining upon us.
We know the Lord of the Old Testament as Jesus; He is the Light of the World.
Take the sacrifice and bind it with cords on the altar.
The horns on the four corners of the altar were for this purpose. When I give myself to God, I am the sacrifice, and if I'm not bound I will jump off.
You are my God, and I will praise You! You are my God and I will exalt You! Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! His faithful love endures forever.
We love God because He first loved us.
O my Father, You are the One I desire, You are the Good I seek, You are the Goal of every endeavor. You have been so good to me; every day I experience Your blessings; You lavish Your love upon me continually!
Father, bind my life upon Your altar; restrain me from jumping off in reaction to the pain and going my own way. Keep me always in Your way, that I may accomplish Your Plan, Your way, in Your time, to fulfill Your purposes and objectives in my life. Then You will receive all the blessing, all the credit, all the honor and glory, for it is You Who deserves it all.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Friday, June 9, 2017
Wisdom From Above
James 3: 17-18
But the wisdom from above is first of all
pure. It is also
peace-loving,
gentle at all times, and
willing to yield to others. It is full of
mercy and
good deeds. It shows
no favoritism and is always
sincere. And those who are
peacemakers will
plant seeds of peace and
reap a harvest of
righteousness.
Our God is great and majestic. He is our Awesome God of Truth and Justice. He is Father, Lord, Lawgiver and Judge. His compassion and mercy are incomprehensible, and His Love knows no boundaries. His Justice is righteous and perfect and complete.
O my Father, grant me Your wisdom this day, today, that my thoughts and intentions, my actions, my words today would be Your thoughts, actions, words; Your purposes carried out in and through me, according to Your Plan.
And You, Father, will receive all the glory, for it is You Who is doing it all.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
But the wisdom from above is first of all
pure. It is also
peace-loving,
gentle at all times, and
willing to yield to others. It is full of
mercy and
good deeds. It shows
no favoritism and is always
sincere. And those who are
peacemakers will
plant seeds of peace and
reap a harvest of
righteousness.
Our God is great and majestic. He is our Awesome God of Truth and Justice. He is Father, Lord, Lawgiver and Judge. His compassion and mercy are incomprehensible, and His Love knows no boundaries. His Justice is righteous and perfect and complete.
O my Father, grant me Your wisdom this day, today, that my thoughts and intentions, my actions, my words today would be Your thoughts, actions, words; Your purposes carried out in and through me, according to Your Plan.
And You, Father, will receive all the glory, for it is You Who is doing it all.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, June 8, 2017
Wisdom And Obedience
Psalm 111: 10
Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom. All who obey His commandments will grow in wisdom.
People all over the world, of every Nation, every Time, every religion, have all been aware of the Natural Laws that God based this Universe on when He created it all. And true science is seeking the Truth of how this material existence works.
No one can deny the working of the Law of Gravity, for instance. It would be foolish to try to "break" the Law of Gravity, we can only break ourselves on it. We could not disobey this law, everyone who has tried has paid instant consequences, according to the working of the law.
When we know and respect how Gravity works, then we can learn to enjoy it. Airplanes don't go against Gravity, but obey a higher law, of Aerodynamics. Working with both laws, planes fly. And people jump out of planes to sky-dive. These people are not trying to defy Gravity, but enjoy using it to feel weightless as they drop, and highly respect it by pulling the cord on the parachute in time to, still obeying the laws, approach their landing at a safe speed.
But people don't have the same respect, or fear, of God's moral laws. They talk of "breaking" the laws, but, like the Natural Laws, they will only break themselves on it. We do have the freedom to disobey, but we will only pay the consequences for it, in both our relationships and our peace of mind.
How much better for us when we know the right way to live, and live according to it. The way God designed the World to function. The better we know God and His ways, and follow them, then the better we get along with ourselves, our environment, and our fellow man. That's why the "Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom," and "all who obey His commandments will grow in wisdom."
I've heard it said that the definition of "wisdom" is "knowing how to apply Knowledge." So having knowledge is only the first step. Discerning how to apply the knowledge we have is the key to having Wisdom.
"Always learning, but never able to acknowledge the Truth" is the way Paul's second letter to Timothy says it (3:7). This is one of the "signs" of the Last Days before the Coming of the Lord. These people are highly educated, but are not able to discern God's basic moral rules. I see this in those who are running our highest institutes of learning; they think that any kind of sexual lifestyle is equal to any other, they think that political systems that have failed every time in the past should be put in place instead of what worked in the past, and they are teaching our youth these fallacies and others. They have no wisdom, but have become fools, being deceived.
I do hope and pray that you, dear Reader, are learning how to order your own life and thinking processes according to God and His ways. So that you will acquire godly wisdom, as opposed to the worldly wisdom of the foolish. So that you will know God, not just know about Him, and knowing Him will love Him, as He loves you more than you can imagine. And loving Him, you will love who He loves, your fellow human beings. Then you will be obeying His Law.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom. All who obey His commandments will grow in wisdom.
People all over the world, of every Nation, every Time, every religion, have all been aware of the Natural Laws that God based this Universe on when He created it all. And true science is seeking the Truth of how this material existence works.
No one can deny the working of the Law of Gravity, for instance. It would be foolish to try to "break" the Law of Gravity, we can only break ourselves on it. We could not disobey this law, everyone who has tried has paid instant consequences, according to the working of the law.
When we know and respect how Gravity works, then we can learn to enjoy it. Airplanes don't go against Gravity, but obey a higher law, of Aerodynamics. Working with both laws, planes fly. And people jump out of planes to sky-dive. These people are not trying to defy Gravity, but enjoy using it to feel weightless as they drop, and highly respect it by pulling the cord on the parachute in time to, still obeying the laws, approach their landing at a safe speed.
But people don't have the same respect, or fear, of God's moral laws. They talk of "breaking" the laws, but, like the Natural Laws, they will only break themselves on it. We do have the freedom to disobey, but we will only pay the consequences for it, in both our relationships and our peace of mind.
How much better for us when we know the right way to live, and live according to it. The way God designed the World to function. The better we know God and His ways, and follow them, then the better we get along with ourselves, our environment, and our fellow man. That's why the "Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom," and "all who obey His commandments will grow in wisdom."
I've heard it said that the definition of "wisdom" is "knowing how to apply Knowledge." So having knowledge is only the first step. Discerning how to apply the knowledge we have is the key to having Wisdom.
"Always learning, but never able to acknowledge the Truth" is the way Paul's second letter to Timothy says it (3:7). This is one of the "signs" of the Last Days before the Coming of the Lord. These people are highly educated, but are not able to discern God's basic moral rules. I see this in those who are running our highest institutes of learning; they think that any kind of sexual lifestyle is equal to any other, they think that political systems that have failed every time in the past should be put in place instead of what worked in the past, and they are teaching our youth these fallacies and others. They have no wisdom, but have become fools, being deceived.
I do hope and pray that you, dear Reader, are learning how to order your own life and thinking processes according to God and His ways. So that you will acquire godly wisdom, as opposed to the worldly wisdom of the foolish. So that you will know God, not just know about Him, and knowing Him will love Him, as He loves you more than you can imagine. And loving Him, you will love who He loves, your fellow human beings. Then you will be obeying His Law.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, June 7, 2017
How God Rescues
Psalm 107: 1, 6, 13, 19, 28, 43
O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good: for His mercy endures forever.
"Lord, help!" they cried in their trouble, and He saved them from all their distresses. (4x, all kinds of distresses.)
Whoever is wise and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord.
Just the other day I heard about Christians in the Middle East who were saved by three lions. The terrorists had " pursued Pastor Paul’s group for weeks and finally had the Christians cornered. Then out of nowhere lions came to the rescue.
"Easter Sunday Pastor Ayyoob was leading a worship service at his house when the militant group targeted them. The Christians were certain that they’d lose their lives so they started crying out to Jesus. Then, out of nowhere an angry lion roared out of the forest and pounced on the militants. The lion went after one of the attackers and grabbed him by the neck. Some of the other militants started hitting the lion. Two more lions then appeared and went to the aid of the first lion. Shocked by suddenly having to defend themselves against 3 lions, the militants ran away.
This is modern-day evidence that God is still in the business of caring for His children. When we belong to Him, His eye is always on us, no matter who else sees us as a target. These Middle-Eastern Christians live in a very dangerous part of the World for anyone who doesn't adhere to the idol of the region, especially God's people. And they, "cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses."
Because "The Lord is good, and His mercy endures forever," we can always rely on Him to be true to His Word, and we can trust His love to remain genuine, powerful, and covering over us.
That's why, "Whoever is wise and will [pay attention, take to heart] all these things will understand the lovingkindness of the Lord."
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good: for His mercy endures forever.
"Lord, help!" they cried in their trouble, and He saved them from all their distresses. (4x, all kinds of distresses.)
Whoever is wise and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord.
Just the other day I heard about Christians in the Middle East who were saved by three lions. The terrorists had " pursued Pastor Paul’s group for weeks and finally had the Christians cornered. Then out of nowhere lions came to the rescue.
"Easter Sunday Pastor Ayyoob was leading a worship service at his house when the militant group targeted them. The Christians were certain that they’d lose their lives so they started crying out to Jesus. Then, out of nowhere an angry lion roared out of the forest and pounced on the militants. The lion went after one of the attackers and grabbed him by the neck. Some of the other militants started hitting the lion. Two more lions then appeared and went to the aid of the first lion. Shocked by suddenly having to defend themselves against 3 lions, the militants ran away.
"Pastor Paul was amazed that the lions never approached any of the church members. He was even more amazed by the fact that no lions actually live anywhere near there."
(from the KLOVE news page, http://www.klove.com/news/2017/06/01/Lions-Save-Christians-Targeted-By-Terrorists/)This is modern-day evidence that God is still in the business of caring for His children. When we belong to Him, His eye is always on us, no matter who else sees us as a target. These Middle-Eastern Christians live in a very dangerous part of the World for anyone who doesn't adhere to the idol of the region, especially God's people. And they, "cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses."
Because "The Lord is good, and His mercy endures forever," we can always rely on Him to be true to His Word, and we can trust His love to remain genuine, powerful, and covering over us.
That's why, "Whoever is wise and will [pay attention, take to heart] all these things will understand the lovingkindness of the Lord."
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, June 6, 2017
He Hears My Voice
Psalm 116: 1-2
I love the Lord because He hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because He bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!
I love You, Lord,
And I lift my voice
To worship You,
O my soul rejoice!
Take joy, my King,
In what You hear,
May it be a sweet, sweet sound
In Your ear!
When I read this Psalm, I was reminded of this old song. [If someone knows who gets the credits for this song, I would appreciate that knowledge.]
O my Father, You are such a good God! Such a wonderful Father to me, to us all! Thank You for the privilege of prayer, that I can talk to You and You listen to me!
Open my ears and heart to listen to You, and to obey You--not get distracted from what You are directing me to accomplish. Strengthen me, Father, that I may narrow my focus onto the objective You place before me, and not be turned off to the right or to the left! Use me, Father, to do my part in Your Great Plan of the Ages!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
I love the Lord because He hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because He bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!
I love You, Lord,
And I lift my voice
To worship You,
O my soul rejoice!
Take joy, my King,
In what You hear,
May it be a sweet, sweet sound
In Your ear!
When I read this Psalm, I was reminded of this old song. [If someone knows who gets the credits for this song, I would appreciate that knowledge.]
O my Father, You are such a good God! Such a wonderful Father to me, to us all! Thank You for the privilege of prayer, that I can talk to You and You listen to me!
Open my ears and heart to listen to You, and to obey You--not get distracted from what You are directing me to accomplish. Strengthen me, Father, that I may narrow my focus onto the objective You place before me, and not be turned off to the right or to the left! Use me, Father, to do my part in Your Great Plan of the Ages!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Monday, June 5, 2017
The Wall Of Righteousness
Ezekiel 22: 30
I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone who might stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn't have to destroy the land, but I found no one.
I am concerned for any nation that doesn't have a wall of righteousness guarding their land. There have been only two nations in the history of the World that have been able to have that wall of God's righteousness, and they've been Israel (because God gave His Law to them) and the United States of America (because our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution were based on that Law).
Israel did not maintain that wall, being seduced by all the idols of the nations around her, and God destroyed their land that He gave them, scattering them to all the Nations. Unlike any other people who had been conquered and dispersed, they didn't get lost in the genetic dilution, but always maintained their own identity. Now, since 1948 Israel has again been a Nation among the Nations of the World. But they have yet to recognize their Messiah.
America has a different story. When our founding fathers came here to be able to worship according to their consciences instead of having to join a state-church, they devised a system of government that permitted the new Nation to prosper greatly and enjoy peace with other Nations. We were a very moral people who were mostly church-going and we taught our children how to read with the Bible as their textbook. That's why God blessed us so greatly.
But like the rest of mankind, we got to thinking that God's laws were too restrictive and we thought we knew better, so we changed the laws, and took the Bible out of our schools, and we've experienced two world wars, but not on our soil. Then we took the Ten Commandments (that all our laws were based on) out of our public buildings, and now we're having terrorists flying into our buildings and deranged, cowardly gunmen are mowing down our citizens in no-gun-zones.
Now we have a Christian president and a Christian vice-president, and I do hope that they will seek God with their whole being, and follow His ways in all their decisions to bring God's righteousness back to this Nation, and that God will protect them from their ungodly enemies as they do what is right for all of us. I pray that they will stand in the gap and rebuild that wall of righteousness to guard our land.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone who might stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn't have to destroy the land, but I found no one.
I am concerned for any nation that doesn't have a wall of righteousness guarding their land. There have been only two nations in the history of the World that have been able to have that wall of God's righteousness, and they've been Israel (because God gave His Law to them) and the United States of America (because our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution were based on that Law).
Israel did not maintain that wall, being seduced by all the idols of the nations around her, and God destroyed their land that He gave them, scattering them to all the Nations. Unlike any other people who had been conquered and dispersed, they didn't get lost in the genetic dilution, but always maintained their own identity. Now, since 1948 Israel has again been a Nation among the Nations of the World. But they have yet to recognize their Messiah.
America has a different story. When our founding fathers came here to be able to worship according to their consciences instead of having to join a state-church, they devised a system of government that permitted the new Nation to prosper greatly and enjoy peace with other Nations. We were a very moral people who were mostly church-going and we taught our children how to read with the Bible as their textbook. That's why God blessed us so greatly.
But like the rest of mankind, we got to thinking that God's laws were too restrictive and we thought we knew better, so we changed the laws, and took the Bible out of our schools, and we've experienced two world wars, but not on our soil. Then we took the Ten Commandments (that all our laws were based on) out of our public buildings, and now we're having terrorists flying into our buildings and deranged, cowardly gunmen are mowing down our citizens in no-gun-zones.
Now we have a Christian president and a Christian vice-president, and I do hope that they will seek God with their whole being, and follow His ways in all their decisions to bring God's righteousness back to this Nation, and that God will protect them from their ungodly enemies as they do what is right for all of us. I pray that they will stand in the gap and rebuild that wall of righteousness to guard our land.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, June 4, 2017
Could Today Be Your Last Day?
Hebrews 10: 23-25
Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep His promise.
What is the hope that we affirm? Is it a wish that everything would turn out all right? That's the World's meaning of hope, an "I hope so" kind of way of thinking. No, not at all.
When God talks of hope in His Word, He refers to what He is going to do, without fail, but hasn't yet. This is a firm confidence that everything God says, He will do, exactly the way He says it will happen. That's why we can trust Him to always keep every promise He's ever made, all through the Bible, both Old and New Testaments. If He didn't intend to do exactly what He says, then He would have said something else.
Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.
This is a nice thought. How are we to know how to motivate each other if we don't know each other?
And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another,
Oh, so this is how we are to get to know each other, we need to meet together regularly. This refers not only to attending a worship service on the weekend, but also meeting with a smaller group of believers that we can get to know as friends. That's where "church" actually happens, in the smaller groups of brothers and sisters in Christ who have come to trust each other with their personal sorrows and joys. These are those we can know how to encourage, being acquainted with what's going on in their lives.
especially now that the Day of His return is drawing near.
Believers in every age have had the notion that Jesus could return in their lifetimes, because there have always been some of the "last times" happenings present in every age. But never has there been all the signs being displayed in the World at the same time, as seems to be today.
It is true that Jesus' coming again is closer than it ever has been, every day is another day closer to that Day. I keep my eyes open to catch the news of every sign that has been predicted, and I haven't found one yet that I can't point to somewhere today.
So we need to count every day as if it may be our last. If today were your last day before Jesus calls you out of this world either by death or by rapture, how would you live it? Would you change anything? We never do know when we will live our last day.
So we need to pay attention to holding to the faith we have been given by the church fathers and the Spirit of the Lord. And continue to look for how we can minister to one another, encouraging each other to not give up.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep His promise.
What is the hope that we affirm? Is it a wish that everything would turn out all right? That's the World's meaning of hope, an "I hope so" kind of way of thinking. No, not at all.
When God talks of hope in His Word, He refers to what He is going to do, without fail, but hasn't yet. This is a firm confidence that everything God says, He will do, exactly the way He says it will happen. That's why we can trust Him to always keep every promise He's ever made, all through the Bible, both Old and New Testaments. If He didn't intend to do exactly what He says, then He would have said something else.
Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.
This is a nice thought. How are we to know how to motivate each other if we don't know each other?
And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another,
Oh, so this is how we are to get to know each other, we need to meet together regularly. This refers not only to attending a worship service on the weekend, but also meeting with a smaller group of believers that we can get to know as friends. That's where "church" actually happens, in the smaller groups of brothers and sisters in Christ who have come to trust each other with their personal sorrows and joys. These are those we can know how to encourage, being acquainted with what's going on in their lives.
especially now that the Day of His return is drawing near.
Believers in every age have had the notion that Jesus could return in their lifetimes, because there have always been some of the "last times" happenings present in every age. But never has there been all the signs being displayed in the World at the same time, as seems to be today.
It is true that Jesus' coming again is closer than it ever has been, every day is another day closer to that Day. I keep my eyes open to catch the news of every sign that has been predicted, and I haven't found one yet that I can't point to somewhere today.
So we need to count every day as if it may be our last. If today were your last day before Jesus calls you out of this world either by death or by rapture, how would you live it? Would you change anything? We never do know when we will live our last day.
So we need to pay attention to holding to the faith we have been given by the church fathers and the Spirit of the Lord. And continue to look for how we can minister to one another, encouraging each other to not give up.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Saturday, June 3, 2017
The Great Eagle
Ezekiel 17: 2-10, 24
A great eagle with broad wings and long feathers ... seized the top of a cedar tree and plucked off its highest branch. He carried it away to a city filled with merchants, he planted it in a city of traders. He also took a seedling from the land and planted it in fertile soil ... beside a broad river where it could grow like a willow tree. It took root there and grew ... [and] turned up toward the eagle. ... Then another great eagle came ... so the vine now sent its roots and branches toward him for water, even though it was already planted in good soil and had plenty of water. ...
So now the Sovereign Lord asks: Will this vine grow and prosper? No! I will pull it up, roots and all! I will cut off its fruit let its leaves wither and die. I will pull it up easily without a strong arm or a large army. But when the vine is transplanted, will it thrive? No, it will wither away when the East Wind blows against it. It will die in the same good soil where it had grown so well. ...
And all the trees will know that it is I, the Lord, Who cuts the tall tree down and makes the short tree grow tall. It is I Who makes the green tree wither and gives the dead tree new life. I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will do what I said.
This was written long ago by Ezekiel to and about Israel. But can it also apply to us today? Is not America known as the Eagle? Were we not "plucked off" of Europe's finest, and "planted" in this good land with major rivers and fertile plains? Are we not a Capitalistic society of merchants and traders? And we did honor the Lord, basing our laws on God's good Laws, and He blessed us with great peace and prosperity.
But now another "eagle," who looks like it could be an imposter, has drawn away our gaze from God's ways to the World's ways, even though we already had everything we needed. God has allowed our prosperity to decline. Will we take note of how we have left what works for what has consistently failed in the past? Will God have to pull us up by the roots, easily, without violence (sounds like an election!)? Will He then transplant us in the same soil, but will we not revive, but wither away under the "East Wind" (would this be Middle-Eastern?)?
God is God, and has the authority to "cut the tall tree down and make the short tree grow tall, to make the green tree wither and give life to the dead tree." Just as my son could build his Lego cities and castles, then dismantle them to build them up again greater or smaller, so God is our Creator Who has all authority and power to do whatever He wants with us.
O my Father, I pray for all of us: Your church to wake up; Your people to open our eyes to see what has happened and where we are heading; to turn us around as a Nation, back to what You have shown us is the right Way--to confess our sins, seek Your face, and turn from all of our wicked ways.
Then You have told us that You would hear from Heaven, forgive our sins, and heal our land (II Chronicles 7:14). I pray that it would not be too late for us to turn around, for You to again bless this Nation for the sake of Your Children and Your holy Name. Father, let not Your enemies point to all of our shortcomings and slander Your Majesty! Promote Your righteousness in this land again, make us again that City on a Hill that those all over the World look to because of Your blessings, and protect us from the enemy and his minions who envy our prosperity and seek to destroy us, both foreign and domestic.
Father, I know that Your justice is just, and that we deserve Your wrath for all our wickedness. I also know of Your grace and mercy, that if we turn back to You, then You will relent on the destruction we have earned; just like You relented when Jonah preached in that evil, violent, cruel city Nineveh, when they repented in sackcloth and ashes and sought Your Face (Jonah 4:2). Their destruction did come later, a generation later. Please humble us in "sackcloth and ashes" and relent, that Your Name would be lifted up before all the Nations, and all will know that You are the Lord Almighty.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
A great eagle with broad wings and long feathers ... seized the top of a cedar tree and plucked off its highest branch. He carried it away to a city filled with merchants, he planted it in a city of traders. He also took a seedling from the land and planted it in fertile soil ... beside a broad river where it could grow like a willow tree. It took root there and grew ... [and] turned up toward the eagle. ... Then another great eagle came ... so the vine now sent its roots and branches toward him for water, even though it was already planted in good soil and had plenty of water. ...
So now the Sovereign Lord asks: Will this vine grow and prosper? No! I will pull it up, roots and all! I will cut off its fruit let its leaves wither and die. I will pull it up easily without a strong arm or a large army. But when the vine is transplanted, will it thrive? No, it will wither away when the East Wind blows against it. It will die in the same good soil where it had grown so well. ...
And all the trees will know that it is I, the Lord, Who cuts the tall tree down and makes the short tree grow tall. It is I Who makes the green tree wither and gives the dead tree new life. I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will do what I said.
This was written long ago by Ezekiel to and about Israel. But can it also apply to us today? Is not America known as the Eagle? Were we not "plucked off" of Europe's finest, and "planted" in this good land with major rivers and fertile plains? Are we not a Capitalistic society of merchants and traders? And we did honor the Lord, basing our laws on God's good Laws, and He blessed us with great peace and prosperity.
But now another "eagle," who looks like it could be an imposter, has drawn away our gaze from God's ways to the World's ways, even though we already had everything we needed. God has allowed our prosperity to decline. Will we take note of how we have left what works for what has consistently failed in the past? Will God have to pull us up by the roots, easily, without violence (sounds like an election!)? Will He then transplant us in the same soil, but will we not revive, but wither away under the "East Wind" (would this be Middle-Eastern?)?
God is God, and has the authority to "cut the tall tree down and make the short tree grow tall, to make the green tree wither and give life to the dead tree." Just as my son could build his Lego cities and castles, then dismantle them to build them up again greater or smaller, so God is our Creator Who has all authority and power to do whatever He wants with us.
O my Father, I pray for all of us: Your church to wake up; Your people to open our eyes to see what has happened and where we are heading; to turn us around as a Nation, back to what You have shown us is the right Way--to confess our sins, seek Your face, and turn from all of our wicked ways.
Then You have told us that You would hear from Heaven, forgive our sins, and heal our land (II Chronicles 7:14). I pray that it would not be too late for us to turn around, for You to again bless this Nation for the sake of Your Children and Your holy Name. Father, let not Your enemies point to all of our shortcomings and slander Your Majesty! Promote Your righteousness in this land again, make us again that City on a Hill that those all over the World look to because of Your blessings, and protect us from the enemy and his minions who envy our prosperity and seek to destroy us, both foreign and domestic.
Father, I know that Your justice is just, and that we deserve Your wrath for all our wickedness. I also know of Your grace and mercy, that if we turn back to You, then You will relent on the destruction we have earned; just like You relented when Jonah preached in that evil, violent, cruel city Nineveh, when they repented in sackcloth and ashes and sought Your Face (Jonah 4:2). Their destruction did come later, a generation later. Please humble us in "sackcloth and ashes" and relent, that Your Name would be lifted up before all the Nations, and all will know that You are the Lord Almighty.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Friday, June 2, 2017
Once And Forever
Hebrews 7: 25
Therefore He is able, once and forever to save completely those who come to God through Him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.
The writer of Hebrews has just explained to us how Jesus is our priest, not in the order of Aaron, but in the order of Melchizedek. That is why He saves us completely and totally, nothing else will ever need to be added to it, He has finished it all for us.
Jesus is both the Sacrifice and also the Priest Who offers the Blood of the Sacrifice, as He has entered beyond the veil in the Heavenly Temple (Hebrews 6:19-20).
Hebrews 8: 1-2
The point of what we are saying is this:
All of chapters 6 and 7, about the Law and the Priesthoods.
We do have such a High Priest, Who sat down
Sat down!? Priests never sat down, there were no chairs at all in the Tabernacle or the Temple, their work was never done.
at the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in Heaven,
So His seat is on the Throne of the Majesty in Heaven. His work is done, it's all finished, and He can now sit down, not like any of the priests in the order of Aaron, who never sat down.
and Who serves in the Sanctuary, the true Tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man.
This "true Tabernacle" is the Pattern that God showed Moses at Sinai, telling him to be sure to pay attention to all the details to get them right (Exodus 25:9, 40; Numbers 8:4). Now Jesus, as our High Priest, serves in the Heavenly Temple, His Blood ever fresh, always washing away all our sins.
At this point in Time, everything that we need for Salvation and Redemption is already finished, ready to be applied to us. When I was born, before I did anything right or wrong, all my sins had already been paid for. But that payment was not applied to my account until that day God revealed to me that Jesus had taken my place by dying the death I deserved on the Cross. That day, the weight of all my sinfulness was taken off my shoulders and placed on Jesus at that moment in Time. All my sinfulness--the sin-nature I inherited from Adam, all the sins I had done in messing up my life, and also all the sins I was yet to commit--all of it was paid off long ago and applied to my account that day.
Now when I make a mistake, or decide on a foolish plan, or allow myself to dwell on a negative thought about another person; I need to admit to God what I have done, confess it as sin, and accept His forgiveness (I John 1:9). I never need to dwell on my wrongdoings, because God has already cleansed me of all of it. I need only to face what I have done and deal with it, for my own mental health.
That is also why I need to forgive others when they sin against me, to let it go and let God deal with that person, not try to get them back. I trust God to be just and merciful, to be powerful on our behalf, and to do everything that will ever need to be done for us and against His and our enemies.
O my Father, thank You so much for Your great love, Your justice, Your mercy and grace, and Your strength and power and authority to accomplish all You have planned. Thank You for Your great wisdom and Your sense of humor, and Your cleverness in all the interesting ways You deal with Your created beings.
Thank You that You are worthy of all my trust, that I can safely lean on You in my weaknesses, and that You have tenderly carried me and will carry me through all the hard, painful times I face in this World. You have shown Yourself faithful to me and to all who belong to You by creation, by purchase, and by New Birth and Redemption.
And thank You that all Your plans are continuing to unfold for this Universe. Show me, Father, where You are working, where I can go to join You in Your work, to do my small part in this grand Plan of the Ages, to place my strand of thread in Your great Tapestry of Time.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Therefore He is able, once and forever to save completely those who come to God through Him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.
The writer of Hebrews has just explained to us how Jesus is our priest, not in the order of Aaron, but in the order of Melchizedek. That is why He saves us completely and totally, nothing else will ever need to be added to it, He has finished it all for us.
Jesus is both the Sacrifice and also the Priest Who offers the Blood of the Sacrifice, as He has entered beyond the veil in the Heavenly Temple (Hebrews 6:19-20).
Hebrews 8: 1-2
The point of what we are saying is this:
All of chapters 6 and 7, about the Law and the Priesthoods.
We do have such a High Priest, Who sat down
Sat down!? Priests never sat down, there were no chairs at all in the Tabernacle or the Temple, their work was never done.
at the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in Heaven,
So His seat is on the Throne of the Majesty in Heaven. His work is done, it's all finished, and He can now sit down, not like any of the priests in the order of Aaron, who never sat down.
and Who serves in the Sanctuary, the true Tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man.
This "true Tabernacle" is the Pattern that God showed Moses at Sinai, telling him to be sure to pay attention to all the details to get them right (Exodus 25:9, 40; Numbers 8:4). Now Jesus, as our High Priest, serves in the Heavenly Temple, His Blood ever fresh, always washing away all our sins.
At this point in Time, everything that we need for Salvation and Redemption is already finished, ready to be applied to us. When I was born, before I did anything right or wrong, all my sins had already been paid for. But that payment was not applied to my account until that day God revealed to me that Jesus had taken my place by dying the death I deserved on the Cross. That day, the weight of all my sinfulness was taken off my shoulders and placed on Jesus at that moment in Time. All my sinfulness--the sin-nature I inherited from Adam, all the sins I had done in messing up my life, and also all the sins I was yet to commit--all of it was paid off long ago and applied to my account that day.
Now when I make a mistake, or decide on a foolish plan, or allow myself to dwell on a negative thought about another person; I need to admit to God what I have done, confess it as sin, and accept His forgiveness (I John 1:9). I never need to dwell on my wrongdoings, because God has already cleansed me of all of it. I need only to face what I have done and deal with it, for my own mental health.
That is also why I need to forgive others when they sin against me, to let it go and let God deal with that person, not try to get them back. I trust God to be just and merciful, to be powerful on our behalf, and to do everything that will ever need to be done for us and against His and our enemies.
O my Father, thank You so much for Your great love, Your justice, Your mercy and grace, and Your strength and power and authority to accomplish all You have planned. Thank You for Your great wisdom and Your sense of humor, and Your cleverness in all the interesting ways You deal with Your created beings.
Thank You that You are worthy of all my trust, that I can safely lean on You in my weaknesses, and that You have tenderly carried me and will carry me through all the hard, painful times I face in this World. You have shown Yourself faithful to me and to all who belong to You by creation, by purchase, and by New Birth and Redemption.
And thank You that all Your plans are continuing to unfold for this Universe. Show me, Father, where You are working, where I can go to join You in Your work, to do my small part in this grand Plan of the Ages, to place my strand of thread in Your great Tapestry of Time.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
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