Psalm 5: 11-12
But let all who take refuge in You be glad, let them ever sing for joy; And may You shelter them, that those who love Your Name may exult in You. For it is You Who blesses the righteous man, O Lord, You surround him with favor as with a shield.
O my Father, surround me with the shield of Your favor; put Your guard on my tongue (and fingers as I type or text) that I will convey Your Truth and Your compassion. Help me to think before I speak, and to say only what would be encouraging and uplifting to the hearer.
Father, let Your joy be my strength; show me how to value the day over the night, so I won't want to return to my dream instead of facing the day each morning. Show me Your purpose in every moment of each day so I will not waste any time.
Teach me Your ways, Lord, that I may put away laziness and selfishness, and serve You in righteousness and further Your purposes in this World according to Your plan.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, July 16, 2017
Saturday, July 15, 2017
Don't Be Anxious
Matthew 6: 34
Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
God has given us each morning of every new day. A new day to begin again, forgetting the things that lie behind (not being wrapped up in the past, or controlled by the past), and not being anxious, worrying about the future. Concentrating, focusing on today and what I need to do today will help me to follow closely to God in His footsteps, on His path for me (WWJD).
When I accomplish today what I am to do, then everything will be set up for tomorrow, too. All the little things of this day will arrange and set up how things will be tomorrow. When I take care of today's trouble, it will not intrude on tomorrow's trouble and multiply.
Father, teach me Your wisdom to walk with You today. Teach me to think before I speak, to have the Law of Kindness upon my lips, and to follow Your direction in every step I take this day.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
God has given us each morning of every new day. A new day to begin again, forgetting the things that lie behind (not being wrapped up in the past, or controlled by the past), and not being anxious, worrying about the future. Concentrating, focusing on today and what I need to do today will help me to follow closely to God in His footsteps, on His path for me (WWJD).
When I accomplish today what I am to do, then everything will be set up for tomorrow, too. All the little things of this day will arrange and set up how things will be tomorrow. When I take care of today's trouble, it will not intrude on tomorrow's trouble and multiply.
Father, teach me Your wisdom to walk with You today. Teach me to think before I speak, to have the Law of Kindness upon my lips, and to follow Your direction in every step I take this day.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Friday, July 14, 2017
God's Blessing
Genesis 1: 20-22
Then God said, "Let the waters teem with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the Earth, in the open expanse of the Heavens." And God created the great sea monsters, and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind; and God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the Earth."
The first instance of God's blessing recorded in Scripture is to the cold-blooded creatures of the seas and the warm-blooded birds of the air and earth, in multiplying after their kinds, i.e. producing young.
It is God's blessing that enables all His creatures to participate with Him in "pro-creation," having young. Even the fishes, who apparently do not feel emotions, experience God's blessing in producing young.
How much more should we rejoice in God's blessing of children, our heritage from Him, even when we don't feel blessed!
Dear Father, thank You so much for giving me the children I bore. Thank You for letting me rear and raise them in Your Truth. Now, Father, please draw them to Yourself; remind them of the Truth they learned as children, and open their minds and hearts to realize Your love for them.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Then God said, "Let the waters teem with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the Earth, in the open expanse of the Heavens." And God created the great sea monsters, and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind; and God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the Earth."
The first instance of God's blessing recorded in Scripture is to the cold-blooded creatures of the seas and the warm-blooded birds of the air and earth, in multiplying after their kinds, i.e. producing young.
It is God's blessing that enables all His creatures to participate with Him in "pro-creation," having young. Even the fishes, who apparently do not feel emotions, experience God's blessing in producing young.
How much more should we rejoice in God's blessing of children, our heritage from Him, even when we don't feel blessed!
Dear Father, thank You so much for giving me the children I bore. Thank You for letting me rear and raise them in Your Truth. Now, Father, please draw them to Yourself; remind them of the Truth they learned as children, and open their minds and hearts to realize Your love for them.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, July 13, 2017
No Blood From A Turnip
Genesis 4: 2-5
So it came about in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the Lord of the first fruit of the ground. And Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and for his offering; but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his countenance fell.
So you can't get blood from a turnip!
God showed very clearly from the very beginning with Adam and Eve that death was necessary to give them clothing to cover their nakedness, their sin.
God was teaching us even that early in our human existence that blood had to be shed, that we deserve death because of sin. So Cain was taught this by his parents, but he expected that his own works, his vegetables, should be enough, that he was good enough and didn't deserve death. But God talked to him, and told him that he was very close to being overcome by sin, and that he would need to fight to overcome it.
It seems that some of us have a hard time admitting our culpability, and others of us don't seem to have a problem admitting when we're wrong. Abel seems to be in the latter group, and Cain in the former. He may have wondered why it was so "easy" for Abel to offer the "correct" sacrifice, when he worked just as hard as his brother did, even harder.
People today face the same dilemma. One person works and slaves and can't seem to get ahead, and another person just sits in an office, or does something else where he never has to break a sweat, and he rakes in the riches. It just doesn't seem fair, does it?
So we need to learn that life in this world isn't "fair." Fair would be everyone getting the same outcome, regardless of the effort put in; it would be that the baby gets the same steak as Dad, or that Dad has to eat pablum. God is not "fair," He is Just.
Those who put their trust in this world's benefits will find in the end that they will not do them any good in the long run, and they don't even satisfy in this life. But putting our trust in the Sacrifice of the Lamb of God to not just cover but take away all our sinfulness, and learning God's ways of living in this world can bring us this world's benefits, bringing the credit for our success to God.
So just working hard is not the key to success, it's working smart, according to the ways God designed this world to work, trusting Him and giving Him the glory.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
So it came about in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the Lord of the first fruit of the ground. And Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and for his offering; but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his countenance fell.
So you can't get blood from a turnip!
God showed very clearly from the very beginning with Adam and Eve that death was necessary to give them clothing to cover their nakedness, their sin.
God was teaching us even that early in our human existence that blood had to be shed, that we deserve death because of sin. So Cain was taught this by his parents, but he expected that his own works, his vegetables, should be enough, that he was good enough and didn't deserve death. But God talked to him, and told him that he was very close to being overcome by sin, and that he would need to fight to overcome it.
It seems that some of us have a hard time admitting our culpability, and others of us don't seem to have a problem admitting when we're wrong. Abel seems to be in the latter group, and Cain in the former. He may have wondered why it was so "easy" for Abel to offer the "correct" sacrifice, when he worked just as hard as his brother did, even harder.
People today face the same dilemma. One person works and slaves and can't seem to get ahead, and another person just sits in an office, or does something else where he never has to break a sweat, and he rakes in the riches. It just doesn't seem fair, does it?
So we need to learn that life in this world isn't "fair." Fair would be everyone getting the same outcome, regardless of the effort put in; it would be that the baby gets the same steak as Dad, or that Dad has to eat pablum. God is not "fair," He is Just.
Those who put their trust in this world's benefits will find in the end that they will not do them any good in the long run, and they don't even satisfy in this life. But putting our trust in the Sacrifice of the Lamb of God to not just cover but take away all our sinfulness, and learning God's ways of living in this world can bring us this world's benefits, bringing the credit for our success to God.
So just working hard is not the key to success, it's working smart, according to the ways God designed this world to work, trusting Him and giving Him the glory.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, July 12, 2017
To Tame Our Tongues
Psalm 19: 14
May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing to You, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
We all need to be careful and watch what we allow to escape from our mouth or fingertips. James tells us that, "If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect person, able to keep his whole body in check" (3:2). This means that we are all vulnerable to letting something unseemly slip out now and then.
O my Father, please help me! I am weak, I am helpless in my thoughts and words without Your guidance and discipline.
Please give me, give us all, accountability among our spiritual brothers and sisters, to hold each other up and to teach us Your ways, O Lord! that we not slip into a fool's ways.
We are foolish whenever we open our mouths or click send before thinking, or without thinking at all. Help us to remember to pause and consider how this will be received by the hearer, if it would be encouraging or critical.
Forgive us for the times we have wounded a dear sibling, and show us how to make our apologies and amends to one another, so that we all may be healed in our emotions and relationships.
And You, O God, our Creator, our Beginner and Finisher, will receive all the credit, all the glory, all the honor and all the blessing for everything You have done, are doing, and will finish, according to Your will, at Your pleasure, by Your plan and in Your time.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing to You, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
We all need to be careful and watch what we allow to escape from our mouth or fingertips. James tells us that, "If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect person, able to keep his whole body in check" (3:2). This means that we are all vulnerable to letting something unseemly slip out now and then.
O my Father, please help me! I am weak, I am helpless in my thoughts and words without Your guidance and discipline.
Please give me, give us all, accountability among our spiritual brothers and sisters, to hold each other up and to teach us Your ways, O Lord! that we not slip into a fool's ways.
We are foolish whenever we open our mouths or click send before thinking, or without thinking at all. Help us to remember to pause and consider how this will be received by the hearer, if it would be encouraging or critical.
Forgive us for the times we have wounded a dear sibling, and show us how to make our apologies and amends to one another, so that we all may be healed in our emotions and relationships.
And You, O God, our Creator, our Beginner and Finisher, will receive all the credit, all the glory, all the honor and all the blessing for everything You have done, are doing, and will finish, according to Your will, at Your pleasure, by Your plan and in Your time.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, July 11, 2017
Who Is Babylon?
Revelation 18
Therefore these plagues will overtake her in a single day--death and mourning and famine. She will be completely consumed by fire. ... And the kings of the world will ... mourn as they see the smoke rising from her charred remains. They will stand at a distance, terrified. ... The merchants of the world will weep and mourn for her, for there is no one left to buy their goods ... will stand at a distance, terrified. ... And all the captains of the merchant ships and all their passengers and sailors and crews will stand at a distance ... as they watch the smoke ascend, and they will say, "Where is there another city as great as this?"
And all three groups of rulers and businessmen cry out, "How terrible, how terrible!"
So this city, this harlot that rides on the Beast (in Chapter 17), this center of the whole world's economies, will be completely consumed by fire all at once, and they will all stand at a distance watching the smoke ascend (like mushroom clouds?) and be terrified!
What Nation among the Nations, what group of powerful people, have so much influence that they affect all the other World's Nations' economies?
We need to recognize where this is, because God calls us to:
Come out of her, My people,
so that you will not share in her sins,
so that you will not receive any of her plagues (v. 4).
This is a group of arrogant people who never think anything disastrously bad will ever happen to them (see v. 7).
This will be such a complete destruction that no society will ever be able to occupy this land again (see vs. 21-24). That's why God wants His people to leave before this happens.
So there are also God's people there. God has called to Himself people from every Nation, every tribe, every language, all over the World. So we need to pay attention to the political machinations in every Nation, and be discerning as to recognizing what our leaders are doing, in both politics and economics, and in their religions, too, as this Nation has persecuted, tortured, imprisoned and martyred God's children.
The merchants of this "city" were the World's great men.
By their "magic spell" or "trance" all the Nations were led astray (v. 23).
This is economic "Armageddon."
In her was found the blood of prophets and of the saints,
And of all who have been killed on the Earth" (v. 24).
This is the "World religion" that will dominate in the "one-World government."
Let's all, all of God's people, who know and worship our Creator, Owner, King and Lord, pay attention to what is going on in the World, and continue to grow closer to our dear Father to follow His direction each day of our lives.
Look, He is coming with the clouds,
and every eye will see Him,
even those who pierced Him;
and all the peoples of the Earth will mourn because of Him.
So shall it be! Amen. (Chapter 1:7).
"Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God forever. Amen." (7:12).
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Therefore these plagues will overtake her in a single day--death and mourning and famine. She will be completely consumed by fire. ... And the kings of the world will ... mourn as they see the smoke rising from her charred remains. They will stand at a distance, terrified. ... The merchants of the world will weep and mourn for her, for there is no one left to buy their goods ... will stand at a distance, terrified. ... And all the captains of the merchant ships and all their passengers and sailors and crews will stand at a distance ... as they watch the smoke ascend, and they will say, "Where is there another city as great as this?"
And all three groups of rulers and businessmen cry out, "How terrible, how terrible!"
So this city, this harlot that rides on the Beast (in Chapter 17), this center of the whole world's economies, will be completely consumed by fire all at once, and they will all stand at a distance watching the smoke ascend (like mushroom clouds?) and be terrified!
What Nation among the Nations, what group of powerful people, have so much influence that they affect all the other World's Nations' economies?
We need to recognize where this is, because God calls us to:
Come out of her, My people,
so that you will not share in her sins,
so that you will not receive any of her plagues (v. 4).
This is a group of arrogant people who never think anything disastrously bad will ever happen to them (see v. 7).
This will be such a complete destruction that no society will ever be able to occupy this land again (see vs. 21-24). That's why God wants His people to leave before this happens.
So there are also God's people there. God has called to Himself people from every Nation, every tribe, every language, all over the World. So we need to pay attention to the political machinations in every Nation, and be discerning as to recognizing what our leaders are doing, in both politics and economics, and in their religions, too, as this Nation has persecuted, tortured, imprisoned and martyred God's children.
The merchants of this "city" were the World's great men.
By their "magic spell" or "trance" all the Nations were led astray (v. 23).
This is economic "Armageddon."
In her was found the blood of prophets and of the saints,
And of all who have been killed on the Earth" (v. 24).
This is the "World religion" that will dominate in the "one-World government."
Let's all, all of God's people, who know and worship our Creator, Owner, King and Lord, pay attention to what is going on in the World, and continue to grow closer to our dear Father to follow His direction each day of our lives.
Look, He is coming with the clouds,
and every eye will see Him,
even those who pierced Him;
and all the peoples of the Earth will mourn because of Him.
So shall it be! Amen. (Chapter 1:7).
"Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God forever. Amen." (7:12).
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Monday, July 10, 2017
Salvation And Redemption
Romans 3: 23-26
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
The word "sin" is an archery term that refers to "missing the bull's eye." We have all fallen short of the Perfection that is God's standard.
being justified
Being declared just, not made just in our human lives.
as a gift
We can't earn it, we can only accept it as a free gift we don't deserve.
by His grace
Grace is God giving us the good we don't deserve, whereas mercy is God not giving us the punishment we do deserve.
through the redemption
To redeem a coupon is to trade it for the benefit it represents. Our redemption is the trading in of our mortal physical body for the eternal spiritual body like Jesus' Resurrection body. It includes all the benefits of Eternal Life.
which is in Christ Jesus,
Only God, Himself, in shedding His own (God's own) Blood on the altar of the Cross could not just cover, but actually wash away all the stain of our sinfulness, thereby fitting us to live with Him in His Heaven.
whom God displayed publicly
God the Father determined that God the Son would be sacrificed publicly for everybody to witness, in full view of the general populace.
as a propitiation
A big word that means, "that which gains or regains the favor or goodwill of," or "an atoning sacrifice" (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). What makes up for wrongdoing. Jesus suffered the whole punishment for our sins, as our substitute in death.
in His blood
His blood is the very blood of God, Himself, with endless value; more than enough worth to pay for all sin and sins everywhere. But not everyone is willing to admit that they deserve death.
through faith.
Our faith is believing what God says in His Word about ourselves, Who Jesus is, what He has done, and that God loves us that much to go through all of this just for me, for each one of us. God saves us one by one.
This was to demonstrate His righteousness,
This was to show everybody how good God is, how right and perfect He is.
because in the forbearance of God
Because God is so patient with us.
He passed over the sins previously committed;
All the animal sacrifices could never take away any sins, but only cover the sins of those individual people who let the animal die in their place on the altar.
for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time,
To show all of us today how righteous God is.
that He might be just
God's justice was satisfied by Jesus' suffering.
and the justifier
And the one who declares that justice has been done.
of the one
Each individual person must come to God through Jesus. The only "group" He died for is all of the whole Universe, including this Earth, the World System on it, and every person who ever lived, to purchase us all as His possession. Now, as our Owner, He also is the rightful judge of us all.
who has faith in Jesus.
Each one of us who puts our faith in the Sacrifice Jesus made as our substitute in death, will have His blood wash away our sins, and our sinfulness, saving us from the power of sin over us now (salvation), and will deliver us from the very presence of sin or any wrong-doing forever in Heaven (redemption).
Thank You, Father, for keeping Your promise to Eve, and all the other promises You have made, in sending Your own Son, Christ Jesus, to be our Savior and our Redeemer. Thank You Jesus, for being willing and going through all the deprivation of Heavens glory when You became Man, and even suffering the execution death we all deserve, so that we could be cleansed and made fit for Heaven with You. And thank You, Spirit, for being the Deposit and the Seal to guarantee that nothing will ever separate us from God again, forever.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
The word "sin" is an archery term that refers to "missing the bull's eye." We have all fallen short of the Perfection that is God's standard.
being justified
Being declared just, not made just in our human lives.
as a gift
We can't earn it, we can only accept it as a free gift we don't deserve.
by His grace
Grace is God giving us the good we don't deserve, whereas mercy is God not giving us the punishment we do deserve.
through the redemption
To redeem a coupon is to trade it for the benefit it represents. Our redemption is the trading in of our mortal physical body for the eternal spiritual body like Jesus' Resurrection body. It includes all the benefits of Eternal Life.
which is in Christ Jesus,
Only God, Himself, in shedding His own (God's own) Blood on the altar of the Cross could not just cover, but actually wash away all the stain of our sinfulness, thereby fitting us to live with Him in His Heaven.
whom God displayed publicly
God the Father determined that God the Son would be sacrificed publicly for everybody to witness, in full view of the general populace.
as a propitiation
A big word that means, "that which gains or regains the favor or goodwill of," or "an atoning sacrifice" (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). What makes up for wrongdoing. Jesus suffered the whole punishment for our sins, as our substitute in death.
in His blood
His blood is the very blood of God, Himself, with endless value; more than enough worth to pay for all sin and sins everywhere. But not everyone is willing to admit that they deserve death.
through faith.
Our faith is believing what God says in His Word about ourselves, Who Jesus is, what He has done, and that God loves us that much to go through all of this just for me, for each one of us. God saves us one by one.
This was to demonstrate His righteousness,
This was to show everybody how good God is, how right and perfect He is.
because in the forbearance of God
Because God is so patient with us.
He passed over the sins previously committed;
All the animal sacrifices could never take away any sins, but only cover the sins of those individual people who let the animal die in their place on the altar.
for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time,
To show all of us today how righteous God is.
that He might be just
God's justice was satisfied by Jesus' suffering.
and the justifier
And the one who declares that justice has been done.
of the one
Each individual person must come to God through Jesus. The only "group" He died for is all of the whole Universe, including this Earth, the World System on it, and every person who ever lived, to purchase us all as His possession. Now, as our Owner, He also is the rightful judge of us all.
who has faith in Jesus.
Each one of us who puts our faith in the Sacrifice Jesus made as our substitute in death, will have His blood wash away our sins, and our sinfulness, saving us from the power of sin over us now (salvation), and will deliver us from the very presence of sin or any wrong-doing forever in Heaven (redemption).
Thank You, Father, for keeping Your promise to Eve, and all the other promises You have made, in sending Your own Son, Christ Jesus, to be our Savior and our Redeemer. Thank You Jesus, for being willing and going through all the deprivation of Heavens glory when You became Man, and even suffering the execution death we all deserve, so that we could be cleansed and made fit for Heaven with You. And thank You, Spirit, for being the Deposit and the Seal to guarantee that nothing will ever separate us from God again, forever.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
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