Colossians 3: 1-11
Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ, Who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
Since you died, also put to death all the things that pertain to your Earthly nature:
Sexual immorality--fornication (sex outside of marriage);
Impurity--uncleanness;
Lust--inordinate affection (lustful longing);
Evil desires--evil concupiscence (ardent, sensuous longing for what is evil);
and Greed--covetousness (wrongly desirous of others' wealth or possessions),
which is Idolatry--(proritizing worldly things over God).
Because of these things the wrath of God is coming on the children of disobedience.
And you also used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived, before you were saved.
But now you must also rid yourselves of all the things like these:
Anger,
Rage,
Malice (desire to inflict injury, harm, or suffering on another),
Slander, blasphemy (cursing, using God's Name inappropriately, attributing God's qualities or authority to self or other),
and filthy language from your mouth (cussing, using "dirty words").
Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge into the image of its Creator.
Paul is writing to the Christians in the City of Colosse, where he had established the church, and he knew these people. He knew that it was a very wicked city, and these Christians once were part of that evil society.
Now he's telling them that they don't need to conform to the ways of their society any more, because they have New Life in Christ; and now have the Holy Spirit's power to be able to live better lives, different from what they used to do.
Here (in God's family) there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free; but Christ is all and is in all.
So there is to be no prejudice against a brother or sister for genetic descent, for geographical origin, for cultural background, or for societal position.
Paul is also writing to us. We also, who have been placed into the Body of Christ, should also consider ourselves as set apart from all these worldly attitudes.
We also, like the Colossians, need to stay away from all sexual improprieties; any act or desire that conflicts with God's good intent for our bodies--the intimacy of a husband and wife within the shelter of marriage, given to no other.
And our minds are to be conformed to the thoughts God has for us, to consider others as God sees them: as fellow family members, or as sinners who need God's mercy and grace to be brought into His family. That's the only difference God sees.
So we need to take care that our attitudes and words not disparage either God or the person God made in His image. God values us at a very high worth, so we are to respect ourselves in not permitting any kind of filthy or slandrous words to form or be expressed, also showing respect for the worth of the hearers.
We need to remember that we have taken off the old man and have put on a new man that is holy, separated and washed clean from all evil and filth, and is being made more and more like Christ in knowing and doing things His way.
The more we learn of Who God is and His ways and thoughts, the better we will know Him and we will love Him back in response to the great Love wherewith He has loved us. And we will also love what and who He loves: primarily, Mankind. All of us. Every one of us, as children of Adam, in need of God's goodness.
God loves everything He made; the order He placed in the Universe is His love for it. He made this Earth for us, and put into it everything we need to live here. Then He made us of it (our bodies are made of all the same elements as the Earth, in the same proportions--Science), and gave us His rules for living here so that we could enjoy it's abundance.
And He sent His Son so we could face our sinful condition and let Him cleanse us of all the sinful filth by taking our paycheck, death, on His altar, the Cross; then giving us New Life as His Holy Spirit takes up residence in our spirits, making us God's own children in His family. That's why it's called a New Birth (see John 3:3-8).
And we who have been born into God's family need to think like our Father and live our lives here as His children with His values, not like those of the World around us.
And His Spirit in us will help us to do that. We only need to be willing to let Him change us, instead of those around us, or the World we live in.
That's why God will receive all the credit, all the glory, all the honor, and all the praise from every creature He has created (see Isaiah 45:34, Romans 14:11-12, Philippians 2:10-11, and Revelation 5:13-14).
Because He thought it all up, designed it, planned how it would all work out, then made it and worked it all out according to His plan, and finished everything perfectly, justly, fairly, generously, and completly. He got it done.
We are still in the midst of it, so we can look at history and where we are now, but we need to understand His Word to see how it will all work out.
He laid out how all the Nations would proceed from Daniel's day all the way to today.
And He gave all the sacrificial laws to show what Jesus would accomplish on our behalf, and how He would do it as the Lamb of God.
So we can trust God to tell us everything we need to know to live here with one another, to seek Him for rescue, and to reward us generously for what He enables us to do in His power.
And also trust Him to display His Love for us by righteously judging all that works against His good, and hurts, wounds and damages those He loves.
Since He loves all of us, He is patient with us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (II Peter 3:9).
He is also a Gentleman, so He won't force Himself on anyone.
Whoever refuses to be willing to come to Him doesn't want anything of God; so since God is good, they have refused goodness, God is Beauty so they prefer ugliness, God is Light so they run to the darkness.
Everything God is, He is the Source, He is the Standard. So when they refuse God, they are left with emptiness and nothingness; pain and sorrow and dispair. Not what God wants, but what they have freely chosen.
O my Father, thank You for everything You are! Thank You for Your great Salvation from sin and Redemption from death.
Thank You for Your justice and fairness to grant even what You don't want, to those who have freely chosen it.
Thank You for Your generosity in offering release to all Mankind.
Thank You for Your patience, for Your faithfulness, for Your steadfastness, for Your constancy in not ever changing; so we can fully trust You to always be You, regardless of the circumstances and situations we may find ourselves in.
I know, Father, that You have my back, and no weapon, physical, mental, or psychological, that is formed against me will be successful (Isaiah 54:17).
Keep me close at Your side, my Father; Your protection over me, Your arm around my shoulders and Your hand over my mouth. Teach me more of Yourself, Father, that I can love You more and serve You better each day.
And I will be in that numberless throng praising and honoring and giving glory to You forever!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Saturday, January 12, 2019
Friday, January 11, 2019
Does The Lord Delight In Your Way?
Psalm 37: 23-24
If the Lord delights in a man's way, He makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hand.
This is a promise. God always keeps His promises. But this promise has a premise: the way we live our daily life must be in accordance with His ways, then He can delight in our way. Then He will make our steps firm. Then when we stumble, He will uphold us with His hand. When God takes your hand, He won't let go.
O my Father, teach me Your ways, so that when I stumble, You will hold me up with Your hand in mine. Teach me to lean on You, not my own understanding; keep me in Your realm, to see You in all You have made, and the people You have put into my path.
Show me Your face, I want to see You; I want to hear Your voice; I want to touch You; to embrace You, to dance with You!
Draw me to Yourself, Father, so that others who see me would not see me, but would see You in me, to draw them to Yourself. And, Father, please grant repentance to the unrepentant, and mercy and grace to the sinner.
And Your will will be done and Your Kingdom will come on Earth as it is in Heaven, when Your people walk in Your ways, and fully when Your Son arrives to establish His Throne to govern this World.
And Your Kingdom will last forever, and never ceast to increase throughout all eternity!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
If the Lord delights in a man's way, He makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hand.
This is a promise. God always keeps His promises. But this promise has a premise: the way we live our daily life must be in accordance with His ways, then He can delight in our way. Then He will make our steps firm. Then when we stumble, He will uphold us with His hand. When God takes your hand, He won't let go.
O my Father, teach me Your ways, so that when I stumble, You will hold me up with Your hand in mine. Teach me to lean on You, not my own understanding; keep me in Your realm, to see You in all You have made, and the people You have put into my path.
Show me Your face, I want to see You; I want to hear Your voice; I want to touch You; to embrace You, to dance with You!
Draw me to Yourself, Father, so that others who see me would not see me, but would see You in me, to draw them to Yourself. And, Father, please grant repentance to the unrepentant, and mercy and grace to the sinner.
And Your will will be done and Your Kingdom will come on Earth as it is in Heaven, when Your people walk in Your ways, and fully when Your Son arrives to establish His Throne to govern this World.
And Your Kingdom will last forever, and never ceast to increase throughout all eternity!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, January 10, 2019
Be Careful And Take To Heart
Deuteronomy 4: 6, 9, 15, 23, 39
... Observe them carefully ...
... Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely ...
... Watch yourselves very carefully ...
... Be careful not to forget ...
... Acknowledge and take to heart ...
This Book is called, "The Second Giving of the Law." Moses gave the Law to the people when they came out of Egypt, at Mount Sinai, 40 years previous to this time.
Now they are getting ready to enter the Promised Land, and Moses wanted to make sure that they all knew what was expected of them. So he went over all the commandments, regulations, and precepts again, a second time.
Moses couldn't see into the future any more than we can, but he knew these people. People everywhere need reminders in order to stay on track. These Israelites were no different.
I am impressed with Moses' repeating to them so often to be careful, watch themselves, not forget. I also need to observe, to be careful, to watch, to acknowledge, to take to heart, to remember, to be mindful, and to not forget.
The Book of Judges tells us the story of the twelve tribes in the Promised Land before they had a king. God wanted to be their King, and when they did obey His Law and followed His ways in their individual and national life, God blessed them with great abundance. But when they became prosperous, their focus came off of God and on to their own possessions, that they had got them themselves. Then they got off track and looked at the other peoples ways, and fell into their attitudes and practices.
So God allowed their neighbors to enslave them. Then they cried out to God and turned back to Him, and God sent a Judge, a military leader to win their freedom. So they worshipped God again, and He blessed them again.
This cycle went around repeatedly, over and over, round and round.
This shows how easy it is for riches to blind us to God's love for us. Even when we have personally seen His goodness and miracles in our own lives, over time the excitement fades, our focus changes, and we can find ourselves in some kind of bondage.
That's why, the love of money is the root of many kinds of evil (I Timothy 6:10), and Jesus said that, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God (Matthew 19:24 and Mark 10:25); because riches and material possessions tend to draw our attention onto them, instead of humbly seeking God.
So we need to be constantly reminded to keep our focus on what is most important: our life itself, which is spiritual, and our relationship with our Father.
Even when we do things His way and He allows our abundance to multiply, we really do need to continually welcome Him into our moments, to share every joy, every sorrow, every fun time, every hard time, everything we look at and listen to. Then we will be more likely to use that prosperity to promote His Kingdom, instead of our own comfort.
God blesses us so we can bless others. Money is not an end in itself, it's only a tool. We will give account for how we have used it (see for example, Matthew 25:14-30; the Parable of the Talents). So I want to be careful to use whatever my Father grants me to use primarily for others' benefit, and if my income increases, I will not upgrade my own lifestyle but live at the same level.
I would love to be able to finance God's Kingdom; the Lord knows that our enemy certainly has been financing his.
O my Father, I am weak--please strengthen me with Your strength, for I have none of my own! Teach me how to observe, to see with Your eyes; to be careful to keep my focus on You; to watch out for stumbling stones and potholes in my path; to acknowledge Your authority in my life; to take to heart all the lessons You are teaching me; to remember Who You are and Your goodness to me every moment; to be mindful of each step I take with my hand in Yours; and to never forget that I am Yours and You are mine, for time and all eternity!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
... Observe them carefully ...
... Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely ...
... Watch yourselves very carefully ...
... Be careful not to forget ...
... Acknowledge and take to heart ...
This Book is called, "The Second Giving of the Law." Moses gave the Law to the people when they came out of Egypt, at Mount Sinai, 40 years previous to this time.
Now they are getting ready to enter the Promised Land, and Moses wanted to make sure that they all knew what was expected of them. So he went over all the commandments, regulations, and precepts again, a second time.
Moses couldn't see into the future any more than we can, but he knew these people. People everywhere need reminders in order to stay on track. These Israelites were no different.
I am impressed with Moses' repeating to them so often to be careful, watch themselves, not forget. I also need to observe, to be careful, to watch, to acknowledge, to take to heart, to remember, to be mindful, and to not forget.
The Book of Judges tells us the story of the twelve tribes in the Promised Land before they had a king. God wanted to be their King, and when they did obey His Law and followed His ways in their individual and national life, God blessed them with great abundance. But when they became prosperous, their focus came off of God and on to their own possessions, that they had got them themselves. Then they got off track and looked at the other peoples ways, and fell into their attitudes and practices.
So God allowed their neighbors to enslave them. Then they cried out to God and turned back to Him, and God sent a Judge, a military leader to win their freedom. So they worshipped God again, and He blessed them again.
This cycle went around repeatedly, over and over, round and round.
This shows how easy it is for riches to blind us to God's love for us. Even when we have personally seen His goodness and miracles in our own lives, over time the excitement fades, our focus changes, and we can find ourselves in some kind of bondage.
That's why, the love of money is the root of many kinds of evil (I Timothy 6:10), and Jesus said that, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God (Matthew 19:24 and Mark 10:25); because riches and material possessions tend to draw our attention onto them, instead of humbly seeking God.
So we need to be constantly reminded to keep our focus on what is most important: our life itself, which is spiritual, and our relationship with our Father.
Even when we do things His way and He allows our abundance to multiply, we really do need to continually welcome Him into our moments, to share every joy, every sorrow, every fun time, every hard time, everything we look at and listen to. Then we will be more likely to use that prosperity to promote His Kingdom, instead of our own comfort.
God blesses us so we can bless others. Money is not an end in itself, it's only a tool. We will give account for how we have used it (see for example, Matthew 25:14-30; the Parable of the Talents). So I want to be careful to use whatever my Father grants me to use primarily for others' benefit, and if my income increases, I will not upgrade my own lifestyle but live at the same level.
I would love to be able to finance God's Kingdom; the Lord knows that our enemy certainly has been financing his.
O my Father, I am weak--please strengthen me with Your strength, for I have none of my own! Teach me how to observe, to see with Your eyes; to be careful to keep my focus on You; to watch out for stumbling stones and potholes in my path; to acknowledge Your authority in my life; to take to heart all the lessons You are teaching me; to remember Who You are and Your goodness to me every moment; to be mindful of each step I take with my hand in Yours; and to never forget that I am Yours and You are mine, for time and all eternity!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, January 9, 2019
Our Scent And The Hound Of Heaven
II Corinthians 2: 15-16 (The Message)
Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is recognized by those on the way of salvation--an aroma redolent with life.
But those on the way to destruction treat us more like the stench from a rotting corpse.
We as Christians who carry the Name of our Lord must remember that we exude a fragrance. This scent is exquisite, sweet, and redolent with life to those who are chosen of God, even if they haven't turned to Him yet.
But the same scent is perceived completely differently by those who have determined their course against God. It is a stench of death. Because that is where they are heading, if God does not grant them repentance.
I believe there is hope for everyone who has breath. God works a miracle every time He saves anyone, so who am I to give up on someone who is still breathing and making choices, even if they have no more short-term memory (like my mother-in-law), or if they are railing against God's ways as Saul of Tarsis was.
God has been called the "Hound of Heaven" for His tracking down His lost sheep, even to mountain crags and brambles.
O my Father, I pray for my loved ones. And I pray for all Your wayward ones, who have yet to be found by you. And I pray for the little ones who are surrounded by evil, but loved by You.
When I see no way, Father, You have a way. When I see no possibilities, You know Your plans. I only see where I am today, You see all things from eternity past through to eternity future. I must trust You, Father; You have repeatedly shown Yourself to be faithful and true and compassionate and just and persistent. You know the end from the beginning, and I am still in the middle of it all.
I know we are all in Your hands: Your strong, protective, soft, firm, ready hands. Hands that will never let go.
And, Father, I will not stop praying for my loved ones who have yet to turn to You. I know that they know Your Truth, even if they choose not to believe You; please hound them. They can push me away, but they cannot push You away.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, January 8, 2019
The Greatest Commandment
Matthew 22: 36-40
Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?
Jesus replied, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.
And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.
It really does all come down to Love, doesn't it! To love God is to give Him all worship, all credit, every prayer only to Him.
And to love one another is to consider our neighbor's best, as what we would want for ourselves. If we're hungry, we eat; if my neighbor is hungry, we feed him. If I'm cold I put more clothes on; if my neighbor hasn't enough clothing, I can give him some of mine. Just as I care for my own needs, I am to also care for the needs of my neighbor, who is anyone I have the ability to help.
So all the Laws and Commandments are fulfilled when we live by these two.
But Jesus said He was giving us a New Commandment, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you love one another (John 13:34).
So what is "new" about this commandment?
We were already to love one another as we love ourselves. When I look at how people act toward one another, I realize that we already treat each other according to how we see ourselves. So people with a low self-esteem will also not respect others as valuable; and those who know they have high worth will also esteem others as with a high worth and respect.
What is new is that we are to love one another, not only with our own human love, but with the unconditional limitless Love that Jesus has lavished upon us, in sacrificing everything for us. We are to love one another with a sacrificial love that doesn't count the cost, regardless of how high it may be.
Have you ever loved someone this way? Even when they didn't deserve it? That's how God loves us. All of us. Every day.
O my Father, if only we can (or will) learn to love as You have loved us, with Your pure Love; instead of our own human love, which is self-centered and muddied with all kinds of selfish motives!
O Father, teach me to love You purely, and to love others, especially those closest to me, with Your pure, true Love!
Teach me to discern between Your Love and my own. Keep me in the control of Your sweet Spirit, thinking before I speak to consider my words and the intent of my heart and mind before I even open my mouth!
Continue to work on me, and in the World, to further Your Kingdom that is in Your people now and will cover the Earth at our King's coming.
Prosper Your Kingdom people, Father, to finance Your Kingdom; as our enemy has been amply financing his kingdom. I know that You will win the final war, but Father, we have been losing so many battles, and hanging on by a thread in some instances.
Teach us how to follow Your ways, Father, in all that we do every day. When Your people Israel followed Your laws in the Land, You prospered them greatly. I ask You, please do the same for Your people today, to promote Your ways in our Nations as National Policies, instead of the enemy's plot to destroy us and dominate us and reward his own lackeys.
You are good, and You have put good in this Earth to prosper us, for our good.
You are Love, and You have Loved us beyond our comprehension; teach us how to love one another for their good and Your glory.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?
Jesus replied, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.
And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.
It really does all come down to Love, doesn't it! To love God is to give Him all worship, all credit, every prayer only to Him.
And to love one another is to consider our neighbor's best, as what we would want for ourselves. If we're hungry, we eat; if my neighbor is hungry, we feed him. If I'm cold I put more clothes on; if my neighbor hasn't enough clothing, I can give him some of mine. Just as I care for my own needs, I am to also care for the needs of my neighbor, who is anyone I have the ability to help.
So all the Laws and Commandments are fulfilled when we live by these two.
But Jesus said He was giving us a New Commandment, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you love one another (John 13:34).
So what is "new" about this commandment?
We were already to love one another as we love ourselves. When I look at how people act toward one another, I realize that we already treat each other according to how we see ourselves. So people with a low self-esteem will also not respect others as valuable; and those who know they have high worth will also esteem others as with a high worth and respect.
What is new is that we are to love one another, not only with our own human love, but with the unconditional limitless Love that Jesus has lavished upon us, in sacrificing everything for us. We are to love one another with a sacrificial love that doesn't count the cost, regardless of how high it may be.
Have you ever loved someone this way? Even when they didn't deserve it? That's how God loves us. All of us. Every day.
O my Father, if only we can (or will) learn to love as You have loved us, with Your pure Love; instead of our own human love, which is self-centered and muddied with all kinds of selfish motives!
O Father, teach me to love You purely, and to love others, especially those closest to me, with Your pure, true Love!
Teach me to discern between Your Love and my own. Keep me in the control of Your sweet Spirit, thinking before I speak to consider my words and the intent of my heart and mind before I even open my mouth!
Continue to work on me, and in the World, to further Your Kingdom that is in Your people now and will cover the Earth at our King's coming.
Prosper Your Kingdom people, Father, to finance Your Kingdom; as our enemy has been amply financing his kingdom. I know that You will win the final war, but Father, we have been losing so many battles, and hanging on by a thread in some instances.
Teach us how to follow Your ways, Father, in all that we do every day. When Your people Israel followed Your laws in the Land, You prospered them greatly. I ask You, please do the same for Your people today, to promote Your ways in our Nations as National Policies, instead of the enemy's plot to destroy us and dominate us and reward his own lackeys.
You are good, and You have put good in this Earth to prosper us, for our good.
You are Love, and You have Loved us beyond our comprehension; teach us how to love one another for their good and Your glory.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Monday, January 7, 2019
To Gaze Upon His Beauty
Psalm 27: 4
One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His Temple.
As God's children we will spend eternity in His House, that we term Heaven. This Psalm is requesting to spend this Earthly life in His House, His Temple. How do we do that?
One way is to recognize that my own body that I live in is also inhabited by God's Spirit of Life. He came into my dead human spirit and made it alive when I knew that Jesus took my place in death to pay for my sins, and His Blood splattered on the sides of His Cross washed me white as snow. Now He has made me fit to be where He lives on this Earth in the Person of His Holy Spirit.
Second Corinthians says that, you are the temple of the living God; as God has said, I will dwell in them (6:16). So you and I are God's Temple.
So to, dwell in the House of the Lord all the days of my life, is to acknowledge Christ is in me, and invite Him to accompany me wherever I go, realizing that He hears all my words and knows my every thought.
When I keep myself aware of His presence with me, then I am encouraged to do things His way, instead of my way. To pause and think, even in the heat of a passionate exchange: Jesus, what would You have me say?
This is not easy. It takes discipline and patience, which I historically have been short on. But God is still working on me, as well as in me, and I am painstakingly slowly learning. So I hope He is also working through me to help you also to live your life closer to our Father, Who loves us more than we can imagine.
O my Father, I know that You are God! There is no other like You! You made all things, so every other god who has ever been worshiped is merely a creation from Your hand!
You are the only God Who has total control of all things, because You made them all for Your pleasure. And You are working out Your plans, the great Plan of the Ages, through the lives of Your chosen ones, as well as every other one You have made.
You used Pharaoh to demonstrate Your power among the Egyptians, and You used Moses to lead Your people back to their Land.
Now You are preparing the Nations of the World to receive their sovereign King!
O my Father, continue to work in me and on me and through me, as all the little things become the big things of history, and fulfill Your purposes.
Therefore, You will receive all the honor and glory forever! And I will gaze upon Your beauty forever!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His Temple.
As God's children we will spend eternity in His House, that we term Heaven. This Psalm is requesting to spend this Earthly life in His House, His Temple. How do we do that?
One way is to recognize that my own body that I live in is also inhabited by God's Spirit of Life. He came into my dead human spirit and made it alive when I knew that Jesus took my place in death to pay for my sins, and His Blood splattered on the sides of His Cross washed me white as snow. Now He has made me fit to be where He lives on this Earth in the Person of His Holy Spirit.
Second Corinthians says that, you are the temple of the living God; as God has said, I will dwell in them (6:16). So you and I are God's Temple.
So to, dwell in the House of the Lord all the days of my life, is to acknowledge Christ is in me, and invite Him to accompany me wherever I go, realizing that He hears all my words and knows my every thought.
When I keep myself aware of His presence with me, then I am encouraged to do things His way, instead of my way. To pause and think, even in the heat of a passionate exchange: Jesus, what would You have me say?
This is not easy. It takes discipline and patience, which I historically have been short on. But God is still working on me, as well as in me, and I am painstakingly slowly learning. So I hope He is also working through me to help you also to live your life closer to our Father, Who loves us more than we can imagine.
O my Father, I know that You are God! There is no other like You! You made all things, so every other god who has ever been worshiped is merely a creation from Your hand!
You are the only God Who has total control of all things, because You made them all for Your pleasure. And You are working out Your plans, the great Plan of the Ages, through the lives of Your chosen ones, as well as every other one You have made.
You used Pharaoh to demonstrate Your power among the Egyptians, and You used Moses to lead Your people back to their Land.
Now You are preparing the Nations of the World to receive their sovereign King!
O my Father, continue to work in me and on me and through me, as all the little things become the big things of history, and fulfill Your purposes.
Therefore, You will receive all the honor and glory forever! And I will gaze upon Your beauty forever!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, January 6, 2019
Plans And Steps
Proverbs 16: 1, 9
To Man belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the reply of the tongue.
In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.
John 13: 38
Then Jesus answered, Will you really lay down your life for me? ...
Peter was very sure of his loyalty to Jesus; he had planned his way. But Jesus knew that he would deny Him three times that very night.
Only when Jesus reinstated Peter's love for Him after His Resurrection (John 21:15-19), and Peter received the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4, then Peter's sermon, vs. 14-36), was he able to follow through on the plans he had made that earlier night.
When he failed so miserably after all his grandiose words, Peter was ready to just give up and go back to his previous profession he had before Jesus called him to be His disciple. Jesus was gone, so he might as well go back to the old status quo: I go a-fishing (see John 21:2-3).
But the Lord Jesus knew His plans for Peter. Jesus reinstated him to encourage him to wait for the Spirit. And we know the rest of that story.
I know that I have made many plans that went astray, because I made them in my own strength and understanding. But I give all my plans into His hand, and search His Word for His righteous principles of how to interact with the World we have built on the Earth He designed for us, and I have seen a glimpse of the Plan He made for me.
As I follow in His footsteps, may my one thread of His great Tapestry of Time shine golden or silvery or irridescent against the black velvet of the growing evil that surrounds us more and more.
O my Father, please help me to plan my words and my steps, teach me not to rely on my own flesh; teach me to lean only on You and to rely on You to give me Your words and direct my feet into Your footsteps.
Keep me from the pride of thinking, "I got this!" when I know only Your wisdom, Your understanding, Your character, and Your actions and words--only--are appropriate.
Grant me Your strength to trust You enough to let You work in and on and through me.
And You will receive all the credit, Lord; all the glory and honor and praise and thanksgiving, for it is You Who has done it all. You conceived the idea, designed all the parts, and made it all fit together to work for our benefit.
So all that is belongs to You, to do with as You will.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
To Man belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the reply of the tongue.
In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.
John 13: 38
Then Jesus answered, Will you really lay down your life for me? ...
Peter was very sure of his loyalty to Jesus; he had planned his way. But Jesus knew that he would deny Him three times that very night.
Only when Jesus reinstated Peter's love for Him after His Resurrection (John 21:15-19), and Peter received the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4, then Peter's sermon, vs. 14-36), was he able to follow through on the plans he had made that earlier night.
When he failed so miserably after all his grandiose words, Peter was ready to just give up and go back to his previous profession he had before Jesus called him to be His disciple. Jesus was gone, so he might as well go back to the old status quo: I go a-fishing (see John 21:2-3).
But the Lord Jesus knew His plans for Peter. Jesus reinstated him to encourage him to wait for the Spirit. And we know the rest of that story.
I know that I have made many plans that went astray, because I made them in my own strength and understanding. But I give all my plans into His hand, and search His Word for His righteous principles of how to interact with the World we have built on the Earth He designed for us, and I have seen a glimpse of the Plan He made for me.
As I follow in His footsteps, may my one thread of His great Tapestry of Time shine golden or silvery or irridescent against the black velvet of the growing evil that surrounds us more and more.
O my Father, please help me to plan my words and my steps, teach me not to rely on my own flesh; teach me to lean only on You and to rely on You to give me Your words and direct my feet into Your footsteps.
Keep me from the pride of thinking, "I got this!" when I know only Your wisdom, Your understanding, Your character, and Your actions and words--only--are appropriate.
Grant me Your strength to trust You enough to let You work in and on and through me.
And You will receive all the credit, Lord; all the glory and honor and praise and thanksgiving, for it is You Who has done it all. You conceived the idea, designed all the parts, and made it all fit together to work for our benefit.
So all that is belongs to You, to do with as You will.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
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