Nahum 1: 3
The Lord is slow to get angry, but His power is great, and He never lets the guilty go unpunished. He displays His power in the whirlwind and the storm. The billowing clouds are the dust beneath His feet.
God is God, and there is no other. He is Almighty God, Lord of the Hosts of Heaven. His power is greater than humanity can imagine.
All the evil rulers in this World have no idea of His Plans or ways, they have been deceived and blinded by our enemy. They put their trust in themselves and the things of the World, and they do not realize that God is giving them time and space to repent.
But in the end, the guilty will not go unpunished. Their calamity will come upon them suddenly, and they will be destroyed. How much better it would be for them to hear about God's love in Jesus, taking their punishment for them, so they can live.
God is just, and He is also the justifier of those who let Jesus be their personal Sacrifice. That has been His Plan from the beginning. He gave His chosen people the sacrificial system so that we would understand how Jesus is our Lamb of God, shedding God's own Blood on His altar, the Cross. Animal blood could not take away our sins, only cover them; Jesus' precious Blood actually washes away our sins. Now that He has come to fulfill that Law, we don't have sacrifices any more, so our understanding today must come from the past.
When Jesus died He fulfilled the personal sacrifice law for individuals for our salvation, one by one. He fulfilled the corporate sacrifice for the Nation, in purchasing all the Nations, making Him our rightful judge. So those who refuse to admit that they deserve that death and let Jesus pay their eternal debt for them will be judged by Him. So let's tell them.
Pray that God will send laborers into His fields that are already white to harvest. Wherever you live, tell the people you know about Jesus. People everywhere need to hear this good news that they don't need to work to try to please God, He already loves them and sent His own Son for them. Now we can trust Him to have done all the work to save us from the power of sin in our lives.
O my Father, thank You for Your faithfulness to Your Word. Thank You for telling us what You are doing, and giving each of us a part to play in Your great Plan. Thank You for Your wisdom in using everything that happens to further Your purposes for this World, according to Your Plan and in Your time.
Help us, Father, to understand how what You have done for us applies to our own lives, and teach us how to cooperate with You in what You are doing where we are, where You have placed us in the World.
Here we are, here I am, Lord; send me to where You want me, use me to tell those You have prepared to hear, and keep me faithful to Your ways.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, June 29, 2017
Wednesday, June 28, 2017
Jude's Benediction For Us
Jude 24-25
Now all glory to God, Who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into His glorious Presence without a single fault. All glory to Him Who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power and authority are His before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.
Jude wrote only one chapter, but in it he talks about some very weighty things. This little book is very rich in that it is packed solidly with deep understandings of important truths we need to know.
The book ends with this benediction, which wraps up his whole message to us.
All glory to God - God is the One Who deserves all the credit.
Who is able to keep you from falling away - God is powerful to hold us securely in His hand and keep us from being deceived by these false teachers Jude wrote about earlier, and also from the extreme persecution that will come in the end of the Last Days.
And will bring you with great joy - God will give us His great joy.
into His glorious Presence - God's Presence is more glorious than we can imagine.
without a single fault. - God has seen the Blood of Jesus upon His altar the Cross and it has washed away all of our sins without a trace, to make each one of us perfectly clean and holy and worth dwelling with God in His glory forever.
All glory to Him Who alone is God, our Savior - God our Savior is a title of the Lord God in the Old Testament, and it survives in the New Testament being used 7 times. We know the Lord God of the O.T. as Jesus in the N.T., Who has always been the One Who saves: Israel from Egypt, the three friends from the fiery furnace, Daniel from the lions' den, and now as our atoning Sacrificial Lamb of God.
through Jesus Christ our Lord. - God the Father has saved us from the power of sin right now (Salvation), and will save us from the very presence of sin (Redemption, Glorification) through the Death and Resurrection of Christ Jesus our Lord.
All glory, majesty, power and authority are His before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen. - Our God deserves all the credit (glory), all the majesty, all the highest authority (Lord means Boss) over all creation; right now, from forever past and all past time, and through all future time and all eternity.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Now all glory to God, Who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into His glorious Presence without a single fault. All glory to Him Who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power and authority are His before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.
Jude wrote only one chapter, but in it he talks about some very weighty things. This little book is very rich in that it is packed solidly with deep understandings of important truths we need to know.
The book ends with this benediction, which wraps up his whole message to us.
All glory to God - God is the One Who deserves all the credit.
Who is able to keep you from falling away - God is powerful to hold us securely in His hand and keep us from being deceived by these false teachers Jude wrote about earlier, and also from the extreme persecution that will come in the end of the Last Days.
And will bring you with great joy - God will give us His great joy.
into His glorious Presence - God's Presence is more glorious than we can imagine.
without a single fault. - God has seen the Blood of Jesus upon His altar the Cross and it has washed away all of our sins without a trace, to make each one of us perfectly clean and holy and worth dwelling with God in His glory forever.
All glory to Him Who alone is God, our Savior - God our Savior is a title of the Lord God in the Old Testament, and it survives in the New Testament being used 7 times. We know the Lord God of the O.T. as Jesus in the N.T., Who has always been the One Who saves: Israel from Egypt, the three friends from the fiery furnace, Daniel from the lions' den, and now as our atoning Sacrificial Lamb of God.
through Jesus Christ our Lord. - God the Father has saved us from the power of sin right now (Salvation), and will save us from the very presence of sin (Redemption, Glorification) through the Death and Resurrection of Christ Jesus our Lord.
All glory, majesty, power and authority are His before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen. - Our God deserves all the credit (glory), all the majesty, all the highest authority (Lord means Boss) over all creation; right now, from forever past and all past time, and through all future time and all eternity.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, June 27, 2017
Bringing In The Sheaves
Psalm 126: 4-6
Restore our fortunes, Lord, as streams renew the desert. Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest.
Going forth with weeping, sowing for the Master,
Though the loss sustained our spirit often grieves;
When our weeping's over, He will bid us welcome,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves.
We will come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves,
Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves.
We will come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
(Knowles Shaw, 1880)
O my Father, thank You for being so faithful to do exactly what You have said You would do. I listen to Your Word and I see what is happening in the World today and I marvel at the accuracy of what is being done is exactly what You said to expect. So I trust that You are preparing me, strengthening me and all of Your children, for the coming troubles. Like another song says, "It's Friday, but Sunday's coming!"
Your fields are already white to harvest, Lord: Send Your workers into Your fields. Here I am, send even me! Send me to the field You have prepared for me, and continue to ready me to go to work and toil to harvest Your crops. Send me, and all of Your workers to correctly and skilfully and compassionately harvest all Your fields, Lord!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Restore our fortunes, Lord, as streams renew the desert. Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest.
Going forth with weeping, sowing for the Master,
Though the loss sustained our spirit often grieves;
When our weeping's over, He will bid us welcome,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves.
We will come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves,
Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves.
We will come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.
(Knowles Shaw, 1880)
O my Father, thank You for being so faithful to do exactly what You have said You would do. I listen to Your Word and I see what is happening in the World today and I marvel at the accuracy of what is being done is exactly what You said to expect. So I trust that You are preparing me, strengthening me and all of Your children, for the coming troubles. Like another song says, "It's Friday, but Sunday's coming!"
Your fields are already white to harvest, Lord: Send Your workers into Your fields. Here I am, send even me! Send me to the field You have prepared for me, and continue to ready me to go to work and toil to harvest Your crops. Send me, and all of Your workers to correctly and skilfully and compassionately harvest all Your fields, Lord!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Monday, June 26, 2017
He Holds Us Securely
I John 5: 18
We know that God's children do not make a practice of sinning, for God's Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them.
O my Father, my Abba Dad, thank You so much for holding me securely, and the evil one, who is the god of this World, cannot touch me.
O Father, I pray for all those who do not know you but think that they do, that You would make Yourself known to them, to let them know how much You love them, and draw them to Yourself. I particularly pray for my family members and my friends to realize what godliness looks like and see how their lives are contrary to Your ways. You have said that You are not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance to turn away from their sinful lifestyles and turn to You for Salvation and Redemption. And I pray that You would have mercy on me and save these who I know and love. And that You would show Yourself powerful to make Your ways known among those in the World, who have been deceived by the enemy.
O Father, in every age Your people have seen the signs You have given us to look for Your coming. And I also see everything You have said would happen is taking place right now in the World and in my Nation, also. Thank You for Your faithfulness to Your promises and to me. Thank You for giving us the "last chapter" to let us know how all things will transpire to bring all the credit and honor and glory to You, the only One Who deserves all praise.
Thank You, my dear Abba Dad, for teaching me how to put a guard on my tongue and my thoughts, so that I can reflect on how it will sound before I say it, and keep my mouth closed when it will not encourage the hearer or draw them to You, Lord. Continue to keep me in the moment, doing each day what is set before me to accomplish, one day at a time. And I know that all the little things of each day will build into that great thing that You have planned for me to do.
I am waiting on You, my God, to show me when You would have me turn that corner that is ahead of me, in Your time, in Your way, with no regrets or worries or looking back.
And I give You, my Lord God Almighty, all the praise, all the glory, all the credit, for it is You doing everything that is done, working everyone's doings into Your Plan of the Ages, to accomplish Your will in Your time, in Your way.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
We know that God's children do not make a practice of sinning, for God's Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them.
O my Father, my Abba Dad, thank You so much for holding me securely, and the evil one, who is the god of this World, cannot touch me.
O Father, I pray for all those who do not know you but think that they do, that You would make Yourself known to them, to let them know how much You love them, and draw them to Yourself. I particularly pray for my family members and my friends to realize what godliness looks like and see how their lives are contrary to Your ways. You have said that You are not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance to turn away from their sinful lifestyles and turn to You for Salvation and Redemption. And I pray that You would have mercy on me and save these who I know and love. And that You would show Yourself powerful to make Your ways known among those in the World, who have been deceived by the enemy.
O Father, in every age Your people have seen the signs You have given us to look for Your coming. And I also see everything You have said would happen is taking place right now in the World and in my Nation, also. Thank You for Your faithfulness to Your promises and to me. Thank You for giving us the "last chapter" to let us know how all things will transpire to bring all the credit and honor and glory to You, the only One Who deserves all praise.
Thank You, my dear Abba Dad, for teaching me how to put a guard on my tongue and my thoughts, so that I can reflect on how it will sound before I say it, and keep my mouth closed when it will not encourage the hearer or draw them to You, Lord. Continue to keep me in the moment, doing each day what is set before me to accomplish, one day at a time. And I know that all the little things of each day will build into that great thing that You have planned for me to do.
I am waiting on You, my God, to show me when You would have me turn that corner that is ahead of me, in Your time, in Your way, with no regrets or worries or looking back.
And I give You, my Lord God Almighty, all the praise, all the glory, all the credit, for it is You doing everything that is done, working everyone's doings into Your Plan of the Ages, to accomplish Your will in Your time, in Your way.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, June 25, 2017
Real Love
I John 4: 10-11
But this is real love--not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as the Sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other.
That God would know that we would be so rebellious and wicked, and yet create us anyway, knowing what it would cost Him--this is beyond my ken to try to fathom His goodness and greatness and almighty power to give us freedom of will, yet use every one of us as part of His grand Plan of the Ages!
O my Father, Your wisdom and skill to work everything into Your Plan perfectly and seamlessly is amazing and astounding. And I see everything in my life and in this World around me all proceeding toward that tumultuous and shocking end.
Please, I pray, Father, strengthen me, and put a strong guard on my mouth and fingers, to pause to think first of how my words may be perceived by the hearers before expressing the thought; that I may not push people away, but draw them ever nearer to You, my God.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
But this is real love--not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as the Sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other.
That God would know that we would be so rebellious and wicked, and yet create us anyway, knowing what it would cost Him--this is beyond my ken to try to fathom His goodness and greatness and almighty power to give us freedom of will, yet use every one of us as part of His grand Plan of the Ages!
O my Father, Your wisdom and skill to work everything into Your Plan perfectly and seamlessly is amazing and astounding. And I see everything in my life and in this World around me all proceeding toward that tumultuous and shocking end.
Please, I pray, Father, strengthen me, and put a strong guard on my mouth and fingers, to pause to think first of how my words may be perceived by the hearers before expressing the thought; that I may not push people away, but draw them ever nearer to You, my God.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Saturday, June 24, 2017
Pray For Jerusalem
Psalm 122: 6-9
Pray for peace in Jerusalem. May all who love this city prosper. O Jerusalem, may there be peace within your walls and prosperity in your palaces. For the sake of my family and friends, I will say, "May you have peace." For the sake of the Lord our God, I will seek what is best for you, O Jerusalem.
O my Father, Lord God Almighty, I pray for Jerusalem! Please let her not be divided and given over to her enemies! Please preserve Your people there in safety from attacks. Lord of Heaven's Armies, defend Your people, Your city, Your holy Temple, the place You have set Your Name--even though the building is gone and an idol's temple occupies that geographical spot at this time.
You have said that Your Temple is now the bodies of Your people whom You have chosen out of every Nation. Please protect Your sheep, Your children, especially those who are in countries filled with Your enemies. And strengthen Your children in America.
I pray for our leaders, our legislators and judges and all our elected and appointed officials over us that they would govern and rule according to Your righteousness, so that we can live our lives freely in godliness.
And You will receive all the glory, all the credit for Your wisdom and power to design and plan it all out and to carry our Your plan in Your way and in Your time.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Pray for peace in Jerusalem. May all who love this city prosper. O Jerusalem, may there be peace within your walls and prosperity in your palaces. For the sake of my family and friends, I will say, "May you have peace." For the sake of the Lord our God, I will seek what is best for you, O Jerusalem.
O my Father, Lord God Almighty, I pray for Jerusalem! Please let her not be divided and given over to her enemies! Please preserve Your people there in safety from attacks. Lord of Heaven's Armies, defend Your people, Your city, Your holy Temple, the place You have set Your Name--even though the building is gone and an idol's temple occupies that geographical spot at this time.
You have said that Your Temple is now the bodies of Your people whom You have chosen out of every Nation. Please protect Your sheep, Your children, especially those who are in countries filled with Your enemies. And strengthen Your children in America.
I pray for our leaders, our legislators and judges and all our elected and appointed officials over us that they would govern and rule according to Your righteousness, so that we can live our lives freely in godliness.
And You will receive all the glory, all the credit for Your wisdom and power to design and plan it all out and to carry our Your plan in Your way and in Your time.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Friday, June 23, 2017
Living In Him
I John 2: 5-6
But those who obey God's Word truly show how completely they love Him. That is how we know we are living in Him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.
Proverbs 28: 26
Those who trust their own insight are foolish, but anyone who walks in wisdom is safe.
O my dear Father, You are such a good Abba Dad to me! You deal with me so gently and patiently, even as I tend to come on strong and barrel over others in my pride and self-promotion. Teach me Your ways, Dad, teach me to be gentle with Your gentleness, patient with Your patience, and compassionate with Your passion for others. Let me see them through Your eyes, for I am so blind still.
I am totally destitute and undeserving of any of Your mercies, my Lord. Please take my stony heart and replace it with a soft heart of flesh, malleable and molded by You to reflect Your love and graciousness. Forgive me, Lord, and cleanse me. Heal me of all my sins and their evil effects on my character, my personality and my body.
And I will give You all the credit, all the praise and honor and glory for having designed it all to work according to Your ways, and for working in me and all of us to accomplish Your great, grand Plan of the Ages.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
But those who obey God's Word truly show how completely they love Him. That is how we know we are living in Him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.
Proverbs 28: 26
Those who trust their own insight are foolish, but anyone who walks in wisdom is safe.
O my dear Father, You are such a good Abba Dad to me! You deal with me so gently and patiently, even as I tend to come on strong and barrel over others in my pride and self-promotion. Teach me Your ways, Dad, teach me to be gentle with Your gentleness, patient with Your patience, and compassionate with Your passion for others. Let me see them through Your eyes, for I am so blind still.
I am totally destitute and undeserving of any of Your mercies, my Lord. Please take my stony heart and replace it with a soft heart of flesh, malleable and molded by You to reflect Your love and graciousness. Forgive me, Lord, and cleanse me. Heal me of all my sins and their evil effects on my character, my personality and my body.
And I will give You all the credit, all the praise and honor and glory for having designed it all to work according to Your ways, and for working in me and all of us to accomplish Your great, grand Plan of the Ages.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
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