Psalm 66: 10, 12
You have tested us, O God. You have refined us in the same way silver is refined.
... We went through fire and water, but you brought us out and refreshed us.
The people went through all kinds of terrors and dangers, and God saved them out of all of it.
God still saves His people out of all kinds of situations that squeeze us, pound us, and try to shred us. All the problems, sorrows, and pain of life.
Just like He did in the past, God doesn't keep us from going through it, but He protects us so that it doesn't harm us. Like Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego in the fiery furnace--all it burned was the bonds with which they were tied up.
Whatever I face in life, whether hot or cold, whether "fire or water," my Father is bringing me through, refining me like silver, like gold. His pressure is making me like a diamond.
O my Father, You have been with me very powerfully through so many trials and sorrows and problems and dangers. You have shown Yourself faithful in protecting me and carrying me through all these days.
You have brought me out and refreshed me, and You are still with me.
Thank You, Father, for being our good, good Father. You are our Abba, our Daddy, Who loves us with a Da-Da's gentle love. In Your wisdom You allow us to go through and be surrounded with all the evil and wrong in the World, and You protect us from being harmed by it when we walk with You, hand-in-hand.
O Father, continue to lead us, guide us, protect us, and teach us Your ways as we travel through this "vale of tears." This World is broken, and it has broken us, because we have broken it by our foolish choices.
You meant for us to follow Your ways that You designed into this Earth, but we have built our World on it in defiance and rebellion against You, the Maker and Creator. No wonder it doesn't give us the bounty You built into it for us.
No wonder we think that what we need is scarce, and to have something it must be taken away from someone else. This is our enemy's tactic to produce covetousness and greed, and it deceives us.
When we believe You and think Your thoughts toward us, and live our lives in obedience to Your precepts, then the result is that we will gain the bounty You put here for us.
Whenever Your people worshipped You, they enjoyed Your bounty. But our own hearts lie to us, along with this World we live in, and the enemy who wants to destroy us. That's why we need to be diligent to stay in Your Word, to nourish our souls and keep our real life healthy.
Father, You are great and wise and strong. You are just and kind. You have given us an endless bounty in this Earth You made for us, and You want to bless us with the great prosperity that brings us joy.
Let me prosper, Father, in all the ways You intend for us all: spiritually, relationally, physically, and even financially. You meet all my needs in every area of my life, and You even give me extras, that I haven't even thought to ask You for.
You are so generous, Father. Teach me to be more like You every day, and restrain my mouth and my thoughts to only promote Your good toward others in my life today.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, June 19, 2018
Monday, June 18, 2018
Light Affliction?
II Corinthians 4: 17
For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.
Paul's sufferings often brought him close to death, yet he could say that they are "momentary," "temporary," and "light," not heavy. And they cannot even compare with the enormous weight of glory that we will be rewarded with, and will last forever, will never end.
It's like we're in school here. We learn lessons, we take tests, we go on field trips. But after we graduate and apply all the knowledge we learned in the fulfilling work we can now do, we can look back at the schooling, all the hard studying, hard tests, rugged terrain; and say it was all worth it.
Even more, when we've finished our course here and gone on to glory, we will be able to say with Paul, "it was nothing!" It was only through the hardship, the pain, the sorrow, that we learned how gentle, how healing, how soothing and comforting our God is.
And by it all we can learn to be to others how our Father is to us, showing the World His character and personality. His goodness and graciousness. How He loves all of us so freely and greatly.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.
Paul's sufferings often brought him close to death, yet he could say that they are "momentary," "temporary," and "light," not heavy. And they cannot even compare with the enormous weight of glory that we will be rewarded with, and will last forever, will never end.
It's like we're in school here. We learn lessons, we take tests, we go on field trips. But after we graduate and apply all the knowledge we learned in the fulfilling work we can now do, we can look back at the schooling, all the hard studying, hard tests, rugged terrain; and say it was all worth it.
Even more, when we've finished our course here and gone on to glory, we will be able to say with Paul, "it was nothing!" It was only through the hardship, the pain, the sorrow, that we learned how gentle, how healing, how soothing and comforting our God is.
And by it all we can learn to be to others how our Father is to us, showing the World His character and personality. His goodness and graciousness. How He loves all of us so freely and greatly.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, June 17, 2018
To Be Reconciled
Romans 5: 10-11
For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom we have now received the reconciliation.
When I reconcile my checkbook to the bank statement, if there is any discrepancy, it's my checkbook I change, not the bank statement.
And when we are reconciled to God, it is we who are changed, to become more like our Lord God.
God does not change. We do. We must adjust our thinking, our attitudes, our very lives, to conform to His ways.
O my Father, You are so good to us to show us Yourself and Your ways. Your ways, Father, are not our ways. Our ways focus on ourselves, and are selfish and self-centered. Your ways, Father, show us that our focus needs to be redirected to be on others, not ourselves.
O Father, I know that my own flesh draws me away from loving others the way You have loved me. My own heart lies to me when I feel hurt, or lonely, or deprived in some way. Help me, Father, to take my focus off of my own circumstances and see the needs of others around me.
You are so generous with me, Father, out of Your great riches in glory, and I thank You so much for Your tender care for me. Since You care for me, help me to care for others.
Teach me how to trust You so much that I won't need to focus on my needs at all, knowing that You are caring for me. Free me, Father to care for others, and to show them by my life and attitudes how You care for them, too.
Continue to reconcile my thinking processes and attitudes to conform to Your ways, Father, not the World around me. You began this good work in me, and You will continue to perform it until I am perfected on that Day our Lord and King returns to rule.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom we have now received the reconciliation.
When I reconcile my checkbook to the bank statement, if there is any discrepancy, it's my checkbook I change, not the bank statement.
And when we are reconciled to God, it is we who are changed, to become more like our Lord God.
God does not change. We do. We must adjust our thinking, our attitudes, our very lives, to conform to His ways.
O my Father, You are so good to us to show us Yourself and Your ways. Your ways, Father, are not our ways. Our ways focus on ourselves, and are selfish and self-centered. Your ways, Father, show us that our focus needs to be redirected to be on others, not ourselves.
O Father, I know that my own flesh draws me away from loving others the way You have loved me. My own heart lies to me when I feel hurt, or lonely, or deprived in some way. Help me, Father, to take my focus off of my own circumstances and see the needs of others around me.
You are so generous with me, Father, out of Your great riches in glory, and I thank You so much for Your tender care for me. Since You care for me, help me to care for others.
Teach me how to trust You so much that I won't need to focus on my needs at all, knowing that You are caring for me. Free me, Father to care for others, and to show them by my life and attitudes how You care for them, too.
Continue to reconcile my thinking processes and attitudes to conform to Your ways, Father, not the World around me. You began this good work in me, and You will continue to perform it until I am perfected on that Day our Lord and King returns to rule.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Saturday, June 16, 2018
Favor In His Sight
Exodus 33: 13
Now therefore, I pray Thee, if I have found favor in Thy sight, let me know Thy ways, that I may know Thee, so that I may find favor in Thy sight.
Moses is saying that if God sees him favorably, then teach him Your ways so that Moses will get to know God; then he will be able to be a person God will find favor with.
So it's an upward spiral.
O may I find favor with God, to learn of His ways, to get to know Him better, and find favor with Him. That I be continuously on that upward journey.
May all Your children, Father, continue to seek Your face, learn of Your ways, get to know You better every day, and find favor in Your eyes. And to recognize the favor and blessings You lavish on all of us every day.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Now therefore, I pray Thee, if I have found favor in Thy sight, let me know Thy ways, that I may know Thee, so that I may find favor in Thy sight.
Moses is saying that if God sees him favorably, then teach him Your ways so that Moses will get to know God; then he will be able to be a person God will find favor with.
So it's an upward spiral.
O may I find favor with God, to learn of His ways, to get to know Him better, and find favor with Him. That I be continuously on that upward journey.
May all Your children, Father, continue to seek Your face, learn of Your ways, get to know You better every day, and find favor in Your eyes. And to recognize the favor and blessings You lavish on all of us every day.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Friday, June 15, 2018
Rahab The Harlot's Faith
James 2:25
And in the same way was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works, when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?
So what was her faith that was justified?
Joshua 2: 11
...The Lord your God, He is God in Heaven above and on Earth beneath.
So Rahab knew and believed that the God of Israel was the real God, not any of the idols they worshipped in the land. Because she believed, that's why she protected the spies who came to her "hotel."
Thank You, Father, for the gift of faith to believe You. Thank you that You draw people to Yourself through Your Son, our Lord Christ Jesus, to give them this faith. Thank You that the faith You give us is strong, and that You use our testimony along with the Blood of the Lamb of God to gain the victory over the evil one.
Thank You for giving us all the stories of those in Scripture who believed in You in opposition to the obstacles in their way, and trusted You over insurmountable barriers.
And thank You for putting Rahab's story in the record so we can get to know her. And You even put her into the very genetic line of Your Messiah for us. Proof that You change us fundamentally when You save and redeem us.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
And in the same way was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works, when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?
So what was her faith that was justified?
Joshua 2: 11
...The Lord your God, He is God in Heaven above and on Earth beneath.
So Rahab knew and believed that the God of Israel was the real God, not any of the idols they worshipped in the land. Because she believed, that's why she protected the spies who came to her "hotel."
Thank You, Father, for the gift of faith to believe You. Thank you that You draw people to Yourself through Your Son, our Lord Christ Jesus, to give them this faith. Thank You that the faith You give us is strong, and that You use our testimony along with the Blood of the Lamb of God to gain the victory over the evil one.
Thank You for giving us all the stories of those in Scripture who believed in You in opposition to the obstacles in their way, and trusted You over insurmountable barriers.
And thank You for putting Rahab's story in the record so we can get to know her. And You even put her into the very genetic line of Your Messiah for us. Proof that You change us fundamentally when You save and redeem us.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, June 14, 2018
Strife Or Cooperation?
Romans 13: 13
Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy.
We are to live our lives as in full daylight, not doing the kinds of things people do at night, like:
"Carousing and drunkenness" is the kind of partying that is destructive;
"Sexual promiscuity and sensuality" is all the sexual and sensual things people do to pleasure and please their bodies at the expense of their souls and characters; and
"Strife and jealousy" is all the competitveness in our relationships instead of working together in concert with one another, focusing on their positive qualities to build them up and encourage them.
There's nothing wrong with partying, Jesus loved to go to parties. But He never did do anything at parties that would be unhealthy to His body, or injurious to anyone else. He used these festive occasions to invite people into relationship with Himself, to present His Kingdom. The Lord's table in His Kingdom will be the biggest party ever!
And the sexual act, the "one flesh" of marriage, is a beautiful sharing between a husband and a wife. Our enemy has twisted the concept into unrecognizable forgeries and divorced it from marriage, which is very destructive deception.
Neither strife nor jealousy has ever helped anyone in either their emotional life or their relationships. How much better is cooperation and recognizing the different ways God has gifted us with varied abilities and propensities, to admire in one another and encourage each other.
Whenever someone is jealous of another's skill or ability, they are neglecting their own skill or ability with which to serve and bless someone else. And it's always more fun to give than to receive.
God designed this World to work on the basis of our loving one another, as He has loved us. When we understand what real love is, we realize that it is a sacrificial wanting the very best for the one loved regardless of the cost to ourselves. So when we love one another, we'll not think twice about doing for another what might be very costly to ourselves in time or energy or finances, because they have a need.
And we will be humble enough to allow others to also minister to us, in ways we are not able to do for ourselves.
Jesus taught this to Peter when He washed his feet at the Last Supper. He ministered to him in a way only the lowliest servant was required to, and showed him to accept this service even from his Lord.
O Father, help me to understand the balance of ministry that You desire of Your children. Show me how I can serve others, and give me the humility to accept their help with what I cannot do on my own. You never mean for any of us to be "on our own," You have put us into societies, organizations, neighborhoods. We all live together on this beautiful Earth, and we all have different personalities, different abilities, different interests; so that everything will get done.
Please teach all of us how to help one another with all the things You want us to accomplish in this age. Especially to share Your love with one another, and find all the lost sheep that belong in Your fold.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy.
We are to live our lives as in full daylight, not doing the kinds of things people do at night, like:
"Carousing and drunkenness" is the kind of partying that is destructive;
"Sexual promiscuity and sensuality" is all the sexual and sensual things people do to pleasure and please their bodies at the expense of their souls and characters; and
"Strife and jealousy" is all the competitveness in our relationships instead of working together in concert with one another, focusing on their positive qualities to build them up and encourage them.
There's nothing wrong with partying, Jesus loved to go to parties. But He never did do anything at parties that would be unhealthy to His body, or injurious to anyone else. He used these festive occasions to invite people into relationship with Himself, to present His Kingdom. The Lord's table in His Kingdom will be the biggest party ever!
And the sexual act, the "one flesh" of marriage, is a beautiful sharing between a husband and a wife. Our enemy has twisted the concept into unrecognizable forgeries and divorced it from marriage, which is very destructive deception.
Neither strife nor jealousy has ever helped anyone in either their emotional life or their relationships. How much better is cooperation and recognizing the different ways God has gifted us with varied abilities and propensities, to admire in one another and encourage each other.
Whenever someone is jealous of another's skill or ability, they are neglecting their own skill or ability with which to serve and bless someone else. And it's always more fun to give than to receive.
God designed this World to work on the basis of our loving one another, as He has loved us. When we understand what real love is, we realize that it is a sacrificial wanting the very best for the one loved regardless of the cost to ourselves. So when we love one another, we'll not think twice about doing for another what might be very costly to ourselves in time or energy or finances, because they have a need.
And we will be humble enough to allow others to also minister to us, in ways we are not able to do for ourselves.
Jesus taught this to Peter when He washed his feet at the Last Supper. He ministered to him in a way only the lowliest servant was required to, and showed him to accept this service even from his Lord.
O Father, help me to understand the balance of ministry that You desire of Your children. Show me how I can serve others, and give me the humility to accept their help with what I cannot do on my own. You never mean for any of us to be "on our own," You have put us into societies, organizations, neighborhoods. We all live together on this beautiful Earth, and we all have different personalities, different abilities, different interests; so that everything will get done.
Please teach all of us how to help one another with all the things You want us to accomplish in this age. Especially to share Your love with one another, and find all the lost sheep that belong in Your fold.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, June 13, 2018
Incline Our Hearts
I Kings 8: 58
"That He may incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His ordinances, which He commanded our fathers."
This is part of King Solomon's dedication of the Temple he built, following his father King David's blueprints.
If only the people would have continued in God's ways!
But we all tend to follow our own ways, our natural instincts that lie to us and draw us away from God's good ways for us.
May God "incline our hearts to Himself," take the initiative to turn our hearts and attitudes toward His righteousness and love for one another.
To draw us into that warm, intimate relationship with Himself that He wants us all to have.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
"That He may incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His ordinances, which He commanded our fathers."
This is part of King Solomon's dedication of the Temple he built, following his father King David's blueprints.
If only the people would have continued in God's ways!
But we all tend to follow our own ways, our natural instincts that lie to us and draw us away from God's good ways for us.
May God "incline our hearts to Himself," take the initiative to turn our hearts and attitudes toward His righteousness and love for one another.
To draw us into that warm, intimate relationship with Himself that He wants us all to have.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
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