Job 2:13
Then [Job's friends] sat on the ground with him for seven days and nights. And no one said a word, for they saw that his suffering was too great for words.
God is with us in our grief and suffering. Let us also be with others in their need, and when there are no words let us keep silent. "Each heart knows its own bitterness" (Proverbs 14:10). Let our hearts break with the brokenhearted, let us weep with those who weep; and also let us rejoice with those who rejoice in the Lord, that He may be honored and magnified, and receive all the glory.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Saturday, November 12, 2016
Friday, November 11, 2016
Confidence
Judges 6:11
Gideon son of Joash was threshing wheat at the bottom of a winepress to hide the grain from the Midianites.
Luke 22:61-62
At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered that the Lord had said, "Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know Me." And Peter left the courtyard, weeping bitterly.
Both Gideon and Peter had no confidence in themselves. But God's plans for them were not anything they would have tried on their own. Gideon became a mighty warrior who led Israel to great military victories; and Peter became one of the most outspoken and powerful of the Lord's witnesses and was a pillar of the early church.
How often do we think we can do something great for God, but it falls flat. God doesn't want us to be useful for Him, He wants us to be devoted to Him. Only when we recognize our inability to accomplish anything will God show His power in us to do what we would never even imagine.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Gideon son of Joash was threshing wheat at the bottom of a winepress to hide the grain from the Midianites.
Luke 22:61-62
At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered that the Lord had said, "Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know Me." And Peter left the courtyard, weeping bitterly.
Both Gideon and Peter had no confidence in themselves. But God's plans for them were not anything they would have tried on their own. Gideon became a mighty warrior who led Israel to great military victories; and Peter became one of the most outspoken and powerful of the Lord's witnesses and was a pillar of the early church.
How often do we think we can do something great for God, but it falls flat. God doesn't want us to be useful for Him, He wants us to be devoted to Him. Only when we recognize our inability to accomplish anything will God show His power in us to do what we would never even imagine.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, November 10, 2016
The Mind Of Christ
I Corinthians 2:15-16
But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no man. For, Who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct Him? (Isaiah 40:13) But we have the mind of Christ.
We "have the mind of Christ," which enables us to understand and evaluate all things of this World accurately. But the "natural man" has not "known the mind of the Lord," this "mind of Christ," Who is the Lord; so the natural man cannot understand the spiritual man.
More and more I have observed in this World system, that those who do not know the Lord, in not being able to understand spiritual realities, tend to be afraid of what they do not understand; and this fear is bringing more and more anger toward God's people.
Anger is increasing, and being promoted by our Enemy and those who are subject to our Enemy's influence. He knows his time is short, so is furiously working hard to not only kill, steal and destroy, but also to eliminate God's influence by negating His Word and persecuting His people. I expect this to continue to increase, as God has told us in His Word. But I also pray for my land, my country, that God's righteousness would return to our Government, leading my people toward God and His ways, before the end.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no man. For, Who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct Him? (Isaiah 40:13) But we have the mind of Christ.
We "have the mind of Christ," which enables us to understand and evaluate all things of this World accurately. But the "natural man" has not "known the mind of the Lord," this "mind of Christ," Who is the Lord; so the natural man cannot understand the spiritual man.
More and more I have observed in this World system, that those who do not know the Lord, in not being able to understand spiritual realities, tend to be afraid of what they do not understand; and this fear is bringing more and more anger toward God's people.
Anger is increasing, and being promoted by our Enemy and those who are subject to our Enemy's influence. He knows his time is short, so is furiously working hard to not only kill, steal and destroy, but also to eliminate God's influence by negating His Word and persecuting His people. I expect this to continue to increase, as God has told us in His Word. But I also pray for my land, my country, that God's righteousness would return to our Government, leading my people toward God and His ways, before the end.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, November 9, 2016
A Human Point Of View
Mark 8:33
"Get away from Me, Satan! You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God's."
Jesus' words here to Peter reveal that there are two opposing viewpoints, human and God's. Peter was thinking only on the human level, the reasonable thinking processes that wanted to defend Jesus from being taken and executed. Common sense would demand this. But God's view was that Jesus came to this Earth, becoming human, in order to be His sacrificial Lamb to die in payment of our sins.
We know that Jesus was tempted in every way we can be tempted, and His strong language here to Peter indicate that He was strongly tempted to let Peter fight for Him, to deliver Him from this consequence. His prayer in the Garden, repeated three times, shows us that, in His flesh, when it really came down to it, He really didn't want to have to go through this horrendous, grisly, painful process of dying for us, but He knew that there was no other way to redeem us. Only this would have the power and authority to remove the sins and the state of sin that separates us from God. Only this would allow us to be with Him for all eternity. So He prayed, "Not my [human] will, but Yours [ours from all eternity] be done." That's how much He loves us!
May we endeavor to think God's thoughts, through the Spirit Who lives in us, instead of succumbing to the reasonable, common sense, worldly way of thinking.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
"Get away from Me, Satan! You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God's."
Jesus' words here to Peter reveal that there are two opposing viewpoints, human and God's. Peter was thinking only on the human level, the reasonable thinking processes that wanted to defend Jesus from being taken and executed. Common sense would demand this. But God's view was that Jesus came to this Earth, becoming human, in order to be His sacrificial Lamb to die in payment of our sins.
We know that Jesus was tempted in every way we can be tempted, and His strong language here to Peter indicate that He was strongly tempted to let Peter fight for Him, to deliver Him from this consequence. His prayer in the Garden, repeated three times, shows us that, in His flesh, when it really came down to it, He really didn't want to have to go through this horrendous, grisly, painful process of dying for us, but He knew that there was no other way to redeem us. Only this would have the power and authority to remove the sins and the state of sin that separates us from God. Only this would allow us to be with Him for all eternity. So He prayed, "Not my [human] will, but Yours [ours from all eternity] be done." That's how much He loves us!
May we endeavor to think God's thoughts, through the Spirit Who lives in us, instead of succumbing to the reasonable, common sense, worldly way of thinking.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, November 8, 2016
Old Age In The Lord
Psalm 92: 12-15
But the godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon. For they are transplanted to the Lord's own house. They flourish in the courts of our God. Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green. They will declare, "The Lord is just! He's my Rock! There is no evil in Him!"
These are wonderful promises for those who are getting "up in years." To flourish and grow strong, and still produce fruit after many years, vital and green. Trees can live hundreds of years, growing ever larger and more beautiful. I pray that I will continue to grow in the Lord, that I will never give in to "old age," always seeking a deeper understanding of God's Word. And to be able to share God's Truth with an ever wider audience, who will participate with me in this profitable and fruitful study.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
But the godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon. For they are transplanted to the Lord's own house. They flourish in the courts of our God. Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green. They will declare, "The Lord is just! He's my Rock! There is no evil in Him!"
These are wonderful promises for those who are getting "up in years." To flourish and grow strong, and still produce fruit after many years, vital and green. Trees can live hundreds of years, growing ever larger and more beautiful. I pray that I will continue to grow in the Lord, that I will never give in to "old age," always seeking a deeper understanding of God's Word. And to be able to share God's Truth with an ever wider audience, who will participate with me in this profitable and fruitful study.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Monday, November 7, 2016
Number Our Days
Psalm 90:12
Teach us to number our days (Teach us to realize the brevity of life).
O my Father, teach me to be constantly aware of how precious each moment is that you grant me to live. Help me to consider each day as an irretrievable gift from You to spend--not waste--doing the things You have planned beforetime for me to do, to accomplish Your plans for my life, plans for my good, that further Your great Plan of the Ages, and will bring glory to Your Name.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
Teach us to number our days (Teach us to realize the brevity of life).
O my Father, teach me to be constantly aware of how precious each moment is that you grant me to live. Help me to consider each day as an irretrievable gift from You to spend--not waste--doing the things You have planned beforetime for me to do, to accomplish Your plans for my life, plans for my good, that further Your great Plan of the Ages, and will bring glory to Your Name.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
Sunday, November 6, 2016
Jesus' High Priestly Prayer, Conclusion
John 17: 24-26
We will now see Jesus' conclusion, His summary of His prayer:
Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I am,
Jesus wants us to be with Him, wherever He is or will be; He wants us to be beside Him, He wants us to spend all our time with Him. That's how much He loves us. He wants us to joy and rejoice with and in Him in the Love that pervades everything He is and does.
and to see My glory, the glory You have given Me
To rejoice in His value, His worth, His importance, His magnificence.
because You loved Me before the creation of the world.
His glory, what gives Him that value, worth and importance is the Love that the Father has given Him, since before He decided to create. Love is what gives value and worth.
Righteous Father, though the world does not know You, I know You, and they know that You have sent Me.
Those in the World System have no idea of Who God is, or what He is like. Jesus came from the Father, and knows Him intimately. And we who belong to Him understand that the Father sent His Son Jesus into the world to save us.
I have made You known to them, and will continue to make You known
Jesus has revealed to us Who He is, Who the Father is, and Who the Holy Spirit is; and He will continue to reveal this to His own throughout all the ages He calls people out to Himself, through His Holy Spirit Who He sends to live in us.
in order that the love You have for Me may be in them and that I Myself may be in them.
It's all about Love. Love is the center of Who God is and what He does. God loves Himself in His three persons, the Family, the Community that is our One God. And He loves His creation, all He has made. He loves Mankind, and gives us the choice whether to love Him back.
Jesus is praying for all of us, every one of us who has chosen to seek Him and to believe His Truth. He wants all of us, from His apostles and disciples through the ages to each of us today, to believe, to trust in the exact same Truth He taught His followers when He walked this Earth. He wants all of us to be one in our love for Him in believing Him, and our love for one another. This love is our basis of and foundation for all we believe, trust in and do in our moment-by-moment daily lives.
God's Truth sets us free from all the lies and deception all around us. What we believe and trust in affects how our daily lives function, whether we do well or are enticed to make poor choices. Jesus saves us from the punishment for our sins, but not the consequences of our decisions. These consequences are to teach us to obey His ways, the principles He has given us in His Word, the Bible.
Jesus asked His Father to protect us (v. 11), so that we can all be one. Let us all decide to formulate our thoughts around what is true, just, honest, pure, lovely, of good reputation, virtuous and worthy of praise (God's thought-list, Philippians 4:8), so we will view others in a positive frame of mind and love them with God's love in us, and choose to obey all God wants us to be and do.
Let's all be one, doing our best to "keep the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace; in the one spiritual body; all being called in the same Hope; in One Lord, one Faith, the same spiritual Baptism [in being immersed into the same Body], into One God and Father of all, Who is above all, and through all, and in you all" (Ephesians 4:3-6). Amen.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
We will now see Jesus' conclusion, His summary of His prayer:
Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I am,
Jesus wants us to be with Him, wherever He is or will be; He wants us to be beside Him, He wants us to spend all our time with Him. That's how much He loves us. He wants us to joy and rejoice with and in Him in the Love that pervades everything He is and does.
and to see My glory, the glory You have given Me
To rejoice in His value, His worth, His importance, His magnificence.
because You loved Me before the creation of the world.
His glory, what gives Him that value, worth and importance is the Love that the Father has given Him, since before He decided to create. Love is what gives value and worth.
Righteous Father, though the world does not know You, I know You, and they know that You have sent Me.
Those in the World System have no idea of Who God is, or what He is like. Jesus came from the Father, and knows Him intimately. And we who belong to Him understand that the Father sent His Son Jesus into the world to save us.
I have made You known to them, and will continue to make You known
Jesus has revealed to us Who He is, Who the Father is, and Who the Holy Spirit is; and He will continue to reveal this to His own throughout all the ages He calls people out to Himself, through His Holy Spirit Who He sends to live in us.
in order that the love You have for Me may be in them and that I Myself may be in them.
It's all about Love. Love is the center of Who God is and what He does. God loves Himself in His three persons, the Family, the Community that is our One God. And He loves His creation, all He has made. He loves Mankind, and gives us the choice whether to love Him back.
Jesus is praying for all of us, every one of us who has chosen to seek Him and to believe His Truth. He wants all of us, from His apostles and disciples through the ages to each of us today, to believe, to trust in the exact same Truth He taught His followers when He walked this Earth. He wants all of us to be one in our love for Him in believing Him, and our love for one another. This love is our basis of and foundation for all we believe, trust in and do in our moment-by-moment daily lives.
God's Truth sets us free from all the lies and deception all around us. What we believe and trust in affects how our daily lives function, whether we do well or are enticed to make poor choices. Jesus saves us from the punishment for our sins, but not the consequences of our decisions. These consequences are to teach us to obey His ways, the principles He has given us in His Word, the Bible.
Jesus asked His Father to protect us (v. 11), so that we can all be one. Let us all decide to formulate our thoughts around what is true, just, honest, pure, lovely, of good reputation, virtuous and worthy of praise (God's thought-list, Philippians 4:8), so we will view others in a positive frame of mind and love them with God's love in us, and choose to obey all God wants us to be and do.
Let's all be one, doing our best to "keep the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace; in the one spiritual body; all being called in the same Hope; in One Lord, one Faith, the same spiritual Baptism [in being immersed into the same Body], into One God and Father of all, Who is above all, and through all, and in you all" (Ephesians 4:3-6). Amen.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
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