II Timothy 4: 17-18
But the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me, in order that through me the proclamation might be fully accomplished, and that all the Gentiles might hear; and I was delivered out of the lion's mouth.
And the Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to His heavenly Kingdom. To Him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Paul wrote this to Timothy from prison in Rome.
His testimony was that God was protecting and delivering him, so that he could finish the task God had given to him: to preach Jesus to all the Gentiles in the whole known world of the time. Paul knew that his life would soon be over, and that he had finished that work (see vs. 6-8).
Jesus had said that the Gospel of the Kingdom would be preached throughout the whole world, then the end would come (Matthew 24:14). So when Paul finished his course, and the Gospel was preached to the whole world, then why did Jesus not come then?
God wanted Jesus as His Son to have "many brothers" (Romans 8:29); so I think that He wanted so many more brothers and sisters for His Son that He continued to let the World carry on, generation after generation, gathering more and more children into His Family from every tribe, every Nation, through all this time.
Now that all the signs for the end of the World are present in this time right now, I think that when all people in all the Nations have heard, of whom many have not, then it really will be the end of this age of mankind, and Jesus will return in our lifetimes.
But Paul also thought Christ's return would be in his lifetime. So I am in good company. But will God still delay the culmination of this World in order to grow His Family even larger? How many is "many"?
Or maybe "all" the signs aren't present, and I missed some. Then God will continue to work His Plan for this World through our indvidual personal lives, and we must continue to carry on.
Like Paul, the Lord will also stand with us to strengthen us, and deliver us from every evil attack, to bring us safely to His heavenly Kingdom.
And He will receive all the glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Saturday, April 14, 2018
Friday, April 13, 2018
The Wise And The Fool
Proverbs 1: 7
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
What is the "fear of the Lord"? Is it being afraid of a stern, harsh Judge?
Not at all. Only the wicked need to have that fear. Because we know God is a just Judge that will give each person what they deserve, He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, because all their chances to turn to Him are gone.
The "fear of the Lord" is a reverential respect for His power and authority. And it brings the knowledge of His gentleness and mercy, His kindness and grace, His goodness and compassion.
But fools despise wisdom and discipline.
Who is a "fool"? The jester in the colorful costume? When someone disdains wise counsel and decides for himself instead, this is foolish. And when he resents the consequences of his own choices, putting the blame on someone else, that's foolish, too.
So the "fool" in the book of Proverbs is someone who is morally deficient, not being able to discern what's right from what's wrong and harmful.
The Book of Proverbs contrasts mainly the wise person and the fool. It repeatedly links wisdom with understanding, and foolishness with lack of understanding.
If we have wisdom, then we will understand the reality of the situation. If we don't understand, then we will see the situation in a twisted or distorted manner, which would rob us of the blessings we otherwise would have enjoyed.
Proverbs has 31 chapters, which lends very handily to reading a chapter each day, reading the book in a month, every month.
Its practical wisdom will permeate our hearts if we familiarize ourselves with this book, immersing ourselves in it each month, reading it through 12 times in a year.
O my Father, Thank You for this Book among all the Books of the Bible. Thank You for the practical counsel it provides for getting along with our fellow humans in the World. Please clarify Your Truth in our minds, so that we will be able to see and understand how Your ways are so far above our ways, and follow Your path in our thinking processes and living our lives.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
What is the "fear of the Lord"? Is it being afraid of a stern, harsh Judge?
Not at all. Only the wicked need to have that fear. Because we know God is a just Judge that will give each person what they deserve, He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, because all their chances to turn to Him are gone.
The "fear of the Lord" is a reverential respect for His power and authority. And it brings the knowledge of His gentleness and mercy, His kindness and grace, His goodness and compassion.
But fools despise wisdom and discipline.
Who is a "fool"? The jester in the colorful costume? When someone disdains wise counsel and decides for himself instead, this is foolish. And when he resents the consequences of his own choices, putting the blame on someone else, that's foolish, too.
So the "fool" in the book of Proverbs is someone who is morally deficient, not being able to discern what's right from what's wrong and harmful.
The Book of Proverbs contrasts mainly the wise person and the fool. It repeatedly links wisdom with understanding, and foolishness with lack of understanding.
If we have wisdom, then we will understand the reality of the situation. If we don't understand, then we will see the situation in a twisted or distorted manner, which would rob us of the blessings we otherwise would have enjoyed.
Proverbs has 31 chapters, which lends very handily to reading a chapter each day, reading the book in a month, every month.
Its practical wisdom will permeate our hearts if we familiarize ourselves with this book, immersing ourselves in it each month, reading it through 12 times in a year.
O my Father, Thank You for this Book among all the Books of the Bible. Thank You for the practical counsel it provides for getting along with our fellow humans in the World. Please clarify Your Truth in our minds, so that we will be able to see and understand how Your ways are so far above our ways, and follow Your path in our thinking processes and living our lives.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Thursday, April 12, 2018
Our Unformed Substance
Psalm 139: 15-16
My frame was not hidden from Thee, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the Earth.
Thine eyes have seen my unformed substance, and in Thy book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.
This is from the same Psalm as yesterday. David had insight that people even today lack. Not everything that is legal is right.
David acknowledges here that God sees us before we're born, while we're growing in our mother's womb. God sees our "unformed substance" and already has planned out our lives, writing every day we are to live "in Thy book."
Every child that is conceived is another person, who God sees and cares for, from the moment of conception. That moment, the father's and the mother's DNA join to form a new person, different from every other person.
This "foetus" or "fetus" (the Latin word for "offspring" or "baby") is similar to both parents, but different from either one. And twins are different from each other, even when they're identical.
Each member of Mankind is a unique individual. "When God made you, He broke the mold!" is a saying I heard as a child. It's true, though, God made each one of us as a unique Creation, God loves a variety. We are all the same race, the human race, so we can be categorized into groups with similarities, but every member of each group also has differences from the others.
We are all made in the image of God, in His likeness; and in that distinction, each person is to be respected, loved, and honored as valuable. Each of us is of tremendously great worth, even the worst criminal. Every person is offered that great Salvation that not even the best of us deserves. "The ground is level at the foot of the Cross." No one has any easier or harder choice than any one else to choose Him. We all need to humble ourselves before Him, admit that we deserve to die, and let His death be our own.
I think those who think that they are righteous have a more difficult time turning around their thinking processes, because their pride gets in their way. But when God calls them to faith, they also know that they need Christ.
No one is exempt from this need, because, unlike Jesus, we are all born of Adam, and have that damage in our DNA that pollutes everything we do, even our very best altruisms.
O my Father, thank You for all You have done for all of us! Thank You that You are calling people to Yourself from every Nation, from every part of the world, from every ethnic group, from every economic strata. Thank You that You are no respecter of persons, but You made us all and You value us all, and You have already met all of our needs, for both now and forever.
Please continue to call Your chosen to Yourself. I don't understand why You don't save everyone, but I know You know best. I know that those who refuse You don't want any part of You, and You will never force Yourself on them. So they will experience the consequences of their own choices, to spend eternity away from Your Presence.
I do hope that my humble writings will be clear to those who don't yet have God's Holy Spirit living in them to teach them the Truth, so they will repent and come to You, Father, as You draw them.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
My frame was not hidden from Thee, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the Earth.
Thine eyes have seen my unformed substance, and in Thy book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.
This is from the same Psalm as yesterday. David had insight that people even today lack. Not everything that is legal is right.
David acknowledges here that God sees us before we're born, while we're growing in our mother's womb. God sees our "unformed substance" and already has planned out our lives, writing every day we are to live "in Thy book."
Every child that is conceived is another person, who God sees and cares for, from the moment of conception. That moment, the father's and the mother's DNA join to form a new person, different from every other person.
This "foetus" or "fetus" (the Latin word for "offspring" or "baby") is similar to both parents, but different from either one. And twins are different from each other, even when they're identical.
Each member of Mankind is a unique individual. "When God made you, He broke the mold!" is a saying I heard as a child. It's true, though, God made each one of us as a unique Creation, God loves a variety. We are all the same race, the human race, so we can be categorized into groups with similarities, but every member of each group also has differences from the others.
We are all made in the image of God, in His likeness; and in that distinction, each person is to be respected, loved, and honored as valuable. Each of us is of tremendously great worth, even the worst criminal. Every person is offered that great Salvation that not even the best of us deserves. "The ground is level at the foot of the Cross." No one has any easier or harder choice than any one else to choose Him. We all need to humble ourselves before Him, admit that we deserve to die, and let His death be our own.
I think those who think that they are righteous have a more difficult time turning around their thinking processes, because their pride gets in their way. But when God calls them to faith, they also know that they need Christ.
No one is exempt from this need, because, unlike Jesus, we are all born of Adam, and have that damage in our DNA that pollutes everything we do, even our very best altruisms.
O my Father, thank You for all You have done for all of us! Thank You that You are calling people to Yourself from every Nation, from every part of the world, from every ethnic group, from every economic strata. Thank You that You are no respecter of persons, but You made us all and You value us all, and You have already met all of our needs, for both now and forever.
Please continue to call Your chosen to Yourself. I don't understand why You don't save everyone, but I know You know best. I know that those who refuse You don't want any part of You, and You will never force Yourself on them. So they will experience the consequences of their own choices, to spend eternity away from Your Presence.
I do hope that my humble writings will be clear to those who don't yet have God's Holy Spirit living in them to teach them the Truth, so they will repent and come to You, Father, as You draw them.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, April 11, 2018
Searched Me And Known Me
Psalm 139: 1-3
For the choir director. A psalm of David.
O Lord, Thou hast searched me and known me. Thou dost know when I sit down and when I rise up; Thou hast understood my thought from afar. Thou dost scrutinize my path and my lying down, and art intimately acquainted with all my ways.
David knew God. He had such a close relationship with the Lord God that he was able to express in his music so many details of Who our God is.
I am impressed by David's openness with God. Acknowledging how God knows every detail of his personal day-by-day living kept him from sin, from anything that would put a barrier between him and God.
Only when he wasn't acutely aware of His presence did he even consider taking matters into his own hands, like when he was upset that a wealthy man would refuse to help him in return for protection of his flocks, in I Samuel 25, when he was about to attack Nabal and his wife Abigail reminded David of God's care (v. 26).
David appreciated Abigail's faith that gave her boldness to confront him, and when she became a widow he took care of her by making her his wife.
I know that God also knows me that intimately. He knows when I rest and when I am active. He knows when I am at home or away somewhere. He knows when I'm eating and when I'm napping. He knows what I'm going to think about before the thought comes into my mind! Only God can do that, because only He is God.
O my Father, thank You for Who You are! Thank You that I need not be afraid of You knowing me that deeply and thoroughly, because You are Love. I trust You to always sift my every day to strain out everything that the World, the devil and my own flesh would throw into my path, to lead me past it and guide me around it. And when I stumble, Father, You lift me up by the hand, so that I will not utterly fall.
Thank You for including me in Your great Plan of the Ages, to give me a small role in the unfolding of Your Grand Agenda. Continue to lead and guide me, Father, so that I will not wander to the right or to the left, but step every step firmly and confidently in the path You have determined I will walk.
And let me me a conduit through which Your love and grace and blessings flow to others. Let Your light shine through me into the darkness of this World. And use me to bring many others to Yourself.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
For the choir director. A psalm of David.
O Lord, Thou hast searched me and known me. Thou dost know when I sit down and when I rise up; Thou hast understood my thought from afar. Thou dost scrutinize my path and my lying down, and art intimately acquainted with all my ways.
David knew God. He had such a close relationship with the Lord God that he was able to express in his music so many details of Who our God is.
I am impressed by David's openness with God. Acknowledging how God knows every detail of his personal day-by-day living kept him from sin, from anything that would put a barrier between him and God.
Only when he wasn't acutely aware of His presence did he even consider taking matters into his own hands, like when he was upset that a wealthy man would refuse to help him in return for protection of his flocks, in I Samuel 25, when he was about to attack Nabal and his wife Abigail reminded David of God's care (v. 26).
David appreciated Abigail's faith that gave her boldness to confront him, and when she became a widow he took care of her by making her his wife.
I know that God also knows me that intimately. He knows when I rest and when I am active. He knows when I am at home or away somewhere. He knows when I'm eating and when I'm napping. He knows what I'm going to think about before the thought comes into my mind! Only God can do that, because only He is God.
O my Father, thank You for Who You are! Thank You that I need not be afraid of You knowing me that deeply and thoroughly, because You are Love. I trust You to always sift my every day to strain out everything that the World, the devil and my own flesh would throw into my path, to lead me past it and guide me around it. And when I stumble, Father, You lift me up by the hand, so that I will not utterly fall.
Thank You for including me in Your great Plan of the Ages, to give me a small role in the unfolding of Your Grand Agenda. Continue to lead and guide me, Father, so that I will not wander to the right or to the left, but step every step firmly and confidently in the path You have determined I will walk.
And let me me a conduit through which Your love and grace and blessings flow to others. Let Your light shine through me into the darkness of this World. And use me to bring many others to Yourself.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Tuesday, April 10, 2018
Sin And Transgression
Isaiah 53: 12
... Yet He Himself bore the sin of many,
and interceded for the transgressors.
This whole chapter describes the life, death, and Resurrection of God's suffering Servant. Read it with an open mind to understand Who Jesus was as a Man living among men, and Who He is as our Redeemer and King.
Because He was willing to come and suffer, that's why He is exalted and honored and given the Kingdom to rule forever.
This last verse in this chapter lays out what Jesus accomplished on the Cross:
He bore the sin of many refers to His "becoming sin" in His flesh. Jesus took upon Himself our very sin-nature that we all as humans are born with in our DNA. He didn't just die for certain sins, He took the whole basket, and everything in it. This is why the Father had to "turn His back" on Him, and He cried out in anguish as God forsook Him there. This was not easy for Him, He prayed three times to get out if it, but He knew there was no other way we could be with Him where He lives.
And interceded for the transgressors. All of us who have transgressed any of God's rules and precepts. All who have ever done what they knew was wrong but did it anyway. We are all transgressors, some more and others less, but the ground is level at the foot of the Cross, and we are all counted as "under sin."
So when Jesus died, He covered all the territory, from the babies who have no understanding yet to the aged sinner who has lived a long, rebellious life of defiance. Everyone in the whole World has an equal chance for this Salvation God offers. Everyone can change their minds and thinking processes to humble themselves before God and let Messiah rescue them.
But not everyone wants to do this. Not everyone is willing to step down from their pride and be humiliated. And they will face a stern Judge.
Those who do come to Him, who are called by the Father to follow Jesus, will find in Him the most gentle, kind and generous Lord (Boss) imaginable. He is easy to follow when you know Him.
I want you to know Him. I hope you do already know Him. If you do, I want you to continually get to know Him better, draw closer to Him every day, and gain the strength from Him and in Him to do right, to do the hard thing, and to endure the pain and sorrow and suffering that this World inflicts on God's own. May the Joy of the Lord be your strength.
And if you don't yet know Him, may the Father draw you into wanting to know the Truth, into seeking that Righteousness to fill the emptiness inside you. That you may know the Truth that sets you free from all the addictive pleasures of the World that hold great promise but prove to be empty.
He is waiting for you with arms open wide, to welcome you to His banquet table, laden with every good thing.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
... Yet He Himself bore the sin of many,
and interceded for the transgressors.
This whole chapter describes the life, death, and Resurrection of God's suffering Servant. Read it with an open mind to understand Who Jesus was as a Man living among men, and Who He is as our Redeemer and King.
Because He was willing to come and suffer, that's why He is exalted and honored and given the Kingdom to rule forever.
This last verse in this chapter lays out what Jesus accomplished on the Cross:
He bore the sin of many refers to His "becoming sin" in His flesh. Jesus took upon Himself our very sin-nature that we all as humans are born with in our DNA. He didn't just die for certain sins, He took the whole basket, and everything in it. This is why the Father had to "turn His back" on Him, and He cried out in anguish as God forsook Him there. This was not easy for Him, He prayed three times to get out if it, but He knew there was no other way we could be with Him where He lives.
And interceded for the transgressors. All of us who have transgressed any of God's rules and precepts. All who have ever done what they knew was wrong but did it anyway. We are all transgressors, some more and others less, but the ground is level at the foot of the Cross, and we are all counted as "under sin."
So when Jesus died, He covered all the territory, from the babies who have no understanding yet to the aged sinner who has lived a long, rebellious life of defiance. Everyone in the whole World has an equal chance for this Salvation God offers. Everyone can change their minds and thinking processes to humble themselves before God and let Messiah rescue them.
But not everyone wants to do this. Not everyone is willing to step down from their pride and be humiliated. And they will face a stern Judge.
Those who do come to Him, who are called by the Father to follow Jesus, will find in Him the most gentle, kind and generous Lord (Boss) imaginable. He is easy to follow when you know Him.
I want you to know Him. I hope you do already know Him. If you do, I want you to continually get to know Him better, draw closer to Him every day, and gain the strength from Him and in Him to do right, to do the hard thing, and to endure the pain and sorrow and suffering that this World inflicts on God's own. May the Joy of the Lord be your strength.
And if you don't yet know Him, may the Father draw you into wanting to know the Truth, into seeking that Righteousness to fill the emptiness inside you. That you may know the Truth that sets you free from all the addictive pleasures of the World that hold great promise but prove to be empty.
He is waiting for you with arms open wide, to welcome you to His banquet table, laden with every good thing.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Monday, April 9, 2018
Disfigured And Highly Exalted
Isaiah 52: 13-15
See, my Servant will act wisely;
Or, will prosper.
He will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.
He will be given honor and majesty and fealty.
Just as there were many who were appalled at Him--
Everyone who saw Jesus during His Passion. Now it describes why they were appalled:
His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and His form marred beyond human likeness--
This describes the extreme abuse Jesus endured with His scourging and mocking and beating even before His Crucifixion.
So will He sprinkle many nations,
The whole Tabernacle and all the furniture of it and all the priests and people all had to be sprinkled by the blood of the sacrifices to cleanse them so they could be used in worship and be able to worship.
Jesus' death as the Sacrificial Lamb of God would cause His Blood to be sprinkled on the sides of His altar, the Cross. And so, figuratively, His Blood must also sprinkle all of us, the people who worship. All the Nations will have worshipers who will be cleansed.
And kings will shut their mouths because of Him.
The leaders, the important people, will have nothing to say in the face of the King Who is taking control of His Kingdom.
For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand.
Even the peoples of the World who have never heard the name Jesus, the leaders of the Nations who have never learned anything about the Truth or the Creator God, will behold the King, and know that He is in control, that He is the One Who has Authority to rule, and will govern Righteously.
Vs. 8, 10
When the Lord returns to Zion, they will see it with their own eyes ...
And all the ends of the Earth will see the salvation of our God.
When Jesus returns, everyone in the whole World will see Him coming from Heaven to the Earth to claim it for Himself. No one will have any excuse to give him, everyone will clearly understand Who He is and what He's come to do.
This is amazing. God told Isaiah to write about Jesus, how He would suffer and rule. I don't think Isaiah could have possibly understood the full import of what he was writing--I don't know if even we today get it fully--but we have here a clear picture of Messiah, our Savior and Redeemer.
Tomorrow we'll look at what He had to do to come to this place.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
See, my Servant will act wisely;
Or, will prosper.
He will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted.
He will be given honor and majesty and fealty.
Just as there were many who were appalled at Him--
Everyone who saw Jesus during His Passion. Now it describes why they were appalled:
His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and His form marred beyond human likeness--
This describes the extreme abuse Jesus endured with His scourging and mocking and beating even before His Crucifixion.
So will He sprinkle many nations,
The whole Tabernacle and all the furniture of it and all the priests and people all had to be sprinkled by the blood of the sacrifices to cleanse them so they could be used in worship and be able to worship.
Jesus' death as the Sacrificial Lamb of God would cause His Blood to be sprinkled on the sides of His altar, the Cross. And so, figuratively, His Blood must also sprinkle all of us, the people who worship. All the Nations will have worshipers who will be cleansed.
And kings will shut their mouths because of Him.
The leaders, the important people, will have nothing to say in the face of the King Who is taking control of His Kingdom.
For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand.
Even the peoples of the World who have never heard the name Jesus, the leaders of the Nations who have never learned anything about the Truth or the Creator God, will behold the King, and know that He is in control, that He is the One Who has Authority to rule, and will govern Righteously.
Vs. 8, 10
When the Lord returns to Zion, they will see it with their own eyes ...
And all the ends of the Earth will see the salvation of our God.
When Jesus returns, everyone in the whole World will see Him coming from Heaven to the Earth to claim it for Himself. No one will have any excuse to give him, everyone will clearly understand Who He is and what He's come to do.
This is amazing. God told Isaiah to write about Jesus, how He would suffer and rule. I don't think Isaiah could have possibly understood the full import of what he was writing--I don't know if even we today get it fully--but we have here a clear picture of Messiah, our Savior and Redeemer.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
Sunday, April 8, 2018
Beautiful Feet
Isaiah 52: 7
How lovely on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who announces peace and brings good news of happiness, who announces salvation, and says to Zion, "Your King reigns!"
This is such a beautiful scene, of the runner running over the mountains to deliver the good news to the people. The victory message that the war has been won, and there is no more place for fear. There will be dancing in the streets, businesses will re-open and offer their wares, farmers will harvest their fields, and no one will be endangered any more.
Life will go on in the joy of families reunited and prosperity regained.
Now that the King has vanquished our foes and destroyed our enemies, we are free to pursue our dreams in the knowledge that our King has redeemed us from all the stuff that holds us back, all the error and deception that have interfered with our being who we were made to be: His princes and princesses to reign with Him on His throne as kings and queens with Him.
Who wants to be that runner? Who is the King calling to proclaim His Good News? His Good News is the Gospel, that our King Himself waged the war, fought the battles, and vanquished the enemy, giving us His victory, and enabling us to enjoy all the benefits of His conquest.
Is He your King? Does He have Sovereignty over your thoughts and life? Has He carried your sins and stains and negativity far away to drown them in the deepest sea? Has He given you His freedom to do what is right, to forsake all the poor choices that have weighed you down, and turn your thinking around from being a victim to having victory?
He has already accomplished it all. He has suffered and paid our debt that would take us forever to pay, and arose with new Life to give us that Resurrection Life, in place of the debt. He became sin for each of us, so that we can become embodiments of His righteousness (II Corinthians 5:21). The Books are balanced. God put our sin on His side of the page, then put His righteousness on our side of the page.
Now God sees us as perfect, pure and void of any kind of defect or imperfection: fit to withstand His own Presence in Glory without being destroyed by it.
That's how much He loves us. That's how much value He places on each one of us, that we are worth all He has done to redeem us.
I know that I am not "perfect" in my daily life. But whenever I realize that I have "missed the mark," I confess to God, agreeing with Him how sinful my sin is, and He enables me to forsake that path, and turn around to walk on His path before me instead. That's the power He gives me, to be able to make that better choice, to do the hard thing, to be courageous in claiming victory over my weaknesses. It's simple, but it's not often easy.
God has done so much for me, He loves me more than I can imagine, and He's prepared a place for me to spend eternity with Him. How can I not proclaim this God? How can I not share with everyone who will listen how much He loves them, too?
O my Father, thank You for doing Everything! You have finished everything that needs to be done to design, fashion, execute, cleanse, redeem, finish all of Creation, all that exists. And You have given me a small role in Your plan, to run over the mountains digitally to announce and proclaim Your vanquishment of everyone and everything that would mar the perfection of Your work.
You are Perfect, and You are perfecting everything to come up to Your standard. You are the standard, my Lord. You are the measure of what is right, what is beautiful, what is good, what is lovely, what is enjoyable, what is fun.
Continue to teach me, my King, how I can cooperate with You, with how You have designed this World to work, to benefit and bring benefit to others. To prosper and bring prosperity to others. To enjoy the Life You give me, and bring joy to others in You, also. The joy of the Lord is my strength, to overpower all the enemies who come only to kill, steal, and destroy.
Thank You, Father, that I know the end of the Story, that we win! That encourages me to keep on keeping on, trusting You through all the slogs and marshes and wildernesses of this World. I know that Your strength in me will always and continually gain me the victory over all my enemies, and that You will even reward me for doing what You enable me to do!
You are Awesome! You are Amazing! You are eminently beyond anything I can even imagine! And You see me. You know me. You know my name. You know my every thought. You know my every molecule. You blow my mind!
O Father, make my "feet" beautiful, in broadcasting the seed of Your Good News. Please let some of that seed fall on the fertile soil You have prepared to receive it, and let it produce a hundred fold, for Your Kingdom!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
How lovely on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who announces peace and brings good news of happiness, who announces salvation, and says to Zion, "Your King reigns!"
This is such a beautiful scene, of the runner running over the mountains to deliver the good news to the people. The victory message that the war has been won, and there is no more place for fear. There will be dancing in the streets, businesses will re-open and offer their wares, farmers will harvest their fields, and no one will be endangered any more.
Life will go on in the joy of families reunited and prosperity regained.
Now that the King has vanquished our foes and destroyed our enemies, we are free to pursue our dreams in the knowledge that our King has redeemed us from all the stuff that holds us back, all the error and deception that have interfered with our being who we were made to be: His princes and princesses to reign with Him on His throne as kings and queens with Him.
Who wants to be that runner? Who is the King calling to proclaim His Good News? His Good News is the Gospel, that our King Himself waged the war, fought the battles, and vanquished the enemy, giving us His victory, and enabling us to enjoy all the benefits of His conquest.
Is He your King? Does He have Sovereignty over your thoughts and life? Has He carried your sins and stains and negativity far away to drown them in the deepest sea? Has He given you His freedom to do what is right, to forsake all the poor choices that have weighed you down, and turn your thinking around from being a victim to having victory?
He has already accomplished it all. He has suffered and paid our debt that would take us forever to pay, and arose with new Life to give us that Resurrection Life, in place of the debt. He became sin for each of us, so that we can become embodiments of His righteousness (II Corinthians 5:21). The Books are balanced. God put our sin on His side of the page, then put His righteousness on our side of the page.
Now God sees us as perfect, pure and void of any kind of defect or imperfection: fit to withstand His own Presence in Glory without being destroyed by it.
That's how much He loves us. That's how much value He places on each one of us, that we are worth all He has done to redeem us.
I know that I am not "perfect" in my daily life. But whenever I realize that I have "missed the mark," I confess to God, agreeing with Him how sinful my sin is, and He enables me to forsake that path, and turn around to walk on His path before me instead. That's the power He gives me, to be able to make that better choice, to do the hard thing, to be courageous in claiming victory over my weaknesses. It's simple, but it's not often easy.
God has done so much for me, He loves me more than I can imagine, and He's prepared a place for me to spend eternity with Him. How can I not proclaim this God? How can I not share with everyone who will listen how much He loves them, too?
O my Father, thank You for doing Everything! You have finished everything that needs to be done to design, fashion, execute, cleanse, redeem, finish all of Creation, all that exists. And You have given me a small role in Your plan, to run over the mountains digitally to announce and proclaim Your vanquishment of everyone and everything that would mar the perfection of Your work.
You are Perfect, and You are perfecting everything to come up to Your standard. You are the standard, my Lord. You are the measure of what is right, what is beautiful, what is good, what is lovely, what is enjoyable, what is fun.
Continue to teach me, my King, how I can cooperate with You, with how You have designed this World to work, to benefit and bring benefit to others. To prosper and bring prosperity to others. To enjoy the Life You give me, and bring joy to others in You, also. The joy of the Lord is my strength, to overpower all the enemies who come only to kill, steal, and destroy.
Thank You, Father, that I know the end of the Story, that we win! That encourages me to keep on keeping on, trusting You through all the slogs and marshes and wildernesses of this World. I know that Your strength in me will always and continually gain me the victory over all my enemies, and that You will even reward me for doing what You enable me to do!
You are Awesome! You are Amazing! You are eminently beyond anything I can even imagine! And You see me. You know me. You know my name. You know my every thought. You know my every molecule. You blow my mind!
O Father, make my "feet" beautiful, in broadcasting the seed of Your Good News. Please let some of that seed fall on the fertile soil You have prepared to receive it, and let it produce a hundred fold, for Your Kingdom!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
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