Place Your Confidence in Christ!

Walk in Him, Rooted and Built Up in Him!

Colossians 2:5-7; 1 Timothy 1:3-5

Again, I like using the Amplified, classic edition. Particularly, the emphasis it puts on faith. In Colossians 2:5, faith in Christ is explained as a leaning of the entire human personality on Jesus in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness. It is more than a mental assent. It is a sold out to Jesus without holding back. 

Verse 6 instructs me to walk in Him; meaning I am to regulate my life and conduct myself in union with and conformity to Jesus. I am to strive to act in accordance to what Jesus would do. 

Verse 7 tells me that the roots of my being are to be firmly and deeply planted in Him, fixed and founded in Him and to overflow with thanksgiving. When I stop to comprehend this all, I see that Jesus has given me all that I need, in order, to place my full confidence in Him and that He can bring about the changes in my life so that all I do and say brings glory to God.

1 Timothy 1:3-7 confirms what was said in Colossians, yet it is this faith in Jesus that keeps me from being mislead by any other doctrine and meaningless arguments. The world is an ever growing hostile place to the Name of Jesus and yet He died for all. I desire to be firmly rooted in Jesus because I know that without Him I would not be where I am today. Jesus has never failed me nor has He forsaken me.

My Prayer: Dear Jesus, Thank You for giving Your life so that I am reconciled to God. Help me to live my life rooted and firmly established in You. May others place their confidence in You. Amen.

What Does God Take Delight in?

God Delights In or Takes Pleasure In.

Psalm 147-10-11; Micah 7:17-19; Philippians 4:17-19 

AMP, classic edition

I was reading Psalm 147 today and I was struck by verses 10 & 11.

¹⁰ He delights not in the strength of the horse, nor does He take pleasure in the legs of a man.

¹¹ The Lord takes pleasure in those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy and loving-kindness.

 

I thought to myself, "What does God take delight or pleasure in?" So I went in search of what God delights in and I came across the above scriptures. 

In Psalm 147, I found that God delights in those who fear Him and put their hope in his mercy and loving kindness.

In Micah 7:17-19, I found that God takes delight in showing loving kindness and mercy to His people. He also shows compassion and will cast our sins into the depths of the ocean.

In Philippians 4:17-19, Paul mentions that gifts that he received from Epaphroditus that the Philippians had sent him. Paul referred to them as a fragrant offering and sacrifice that God welcomes and in which He delights. Therefore, God delights in offerings given to the benefit of those who are in service to Him.

What does this mean to me? In order to delight my God, I am to reverently and worshipfully fear Him and put my hope in His steadfast love and mercy. Receive His loving kindness and the fact that He will remove my sins to the depths of the ocean. In gratitude for what God has done for me, give cheerfully to aid those who serve God. I know that according to Zephaniah 3:17 God takes delight in me and rejoices over with singing. I do desire to bring delight and pleasure to my God and King.

My Prayer: Dear God, may all I do and say bring pleasure to You. I give You praise for Your loving kindness and mercy for You have removed my sins to the depths of the ocean. Forgive me, Father, when I fall short. Amen.

Be Merciful and Judge Not One Another

To Forgive is More than Mere Words

Luke 6:36-37

When I came upon this passage in the Amplified, I was struck by two things.

1.) I am not to judge others self-righteously nor condemn others when I am guilty and unrepentant and I will not be condemned for my hypocrisy. 

2.) I am to pardon (forgive) others when they are truly repent and change and I will be pardoned (forgiven) when I truly repent and change. 

Repent means to change direction; to turn from what I was doing wrong. Change is to do that which is right in the sight of God. God is merciful (responsive, compassionate, tender) and desires that I am merciful too. As I do unto others it will be done unto me. 

For if you forgive people their trespasses [their ^[a]reckless and willful sins, ^[b]leaving them, letting them go, and ^[c]giving up resentment], your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

Amplified Bible, Classic Edition

 

Here, I am instructed that in forgiving others I am to leave their reckless and willful sins, letting them go, and giving up the resentment. This I cannot do on my own but is possible with the help of the Holy Spirit. It is a process and a willful choice on my part to let go of the resentment. With God's help, I can choose not to remember someone's sin against me when I am with that person. I can honestly say that I have experienced this and it is so liberating and I know that it is a God thing. By the grace of God, I am able to be merciful to those around me. God makes it all happen and all that is required of me is to be open to His work in my life. In times like these, I stand amazed at what God has done in me. 

My Prayer: Dear God, I am forever grateful for Your forgiveness of my sins. Thank You for helping me to forgive others as You have instructed me to. May this help others to see that the power to forgive comes from You. Continue to give me the desire to do Your will. Amen

 

Footnotes:

1. Matthew 6:14 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.
2. Matthew 6:14 James Moulton and George Milligan, The Vocabulary.
3. Matthew 6:14 Webster’s New International Dictionary offers this phrase as a definition of the word “forgive.”

 

In Times of Persecution

To Have the Faith of 

Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego

Daniel 3:16-18; 6:6-11

Hebrews 10:19-25; Psalm 112:6-8

First, I want to apologize for not writing in a long while. Life has gotten hectic but God is faithful and has brought me through it all. In light of recent events and what God has shown me in His word, I think it is appropriate to talk about persecution and the faith to persevere.

In the passages from Daniel, I found examples of faith and trust in God that I desire and want to share with you. First one is the faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego when faced with the fiery furnace. They trusted God to deliver them and if not they still would not serve the gods of the King or the golden image. Their trust was in God and they were committed to Him no matter the cost to themselves. God delivered them from them from the fiery furnace untouched.

The second one is Daniel's faith when the satraps set out to trap Daniel and have him thrown into the lion's den. The satraps tricked King Darius into writing a decree that could not be revoked that if anyone did not worship the King for 30 days they would be thrown to the lion's den. When Daniel heard of this he did not throw a fit or make a fuss. He just did what he always did and left the results to God. To King Darius' credit, he did not want to throw Daniel to the lion's den. However, he had to follow the edict. The next morning, King Darius found Daniel unharmed for Daniel told him that God sent an angel to shut the mouths of the lions.

In the Hebrews passage, I find three ways to strengthen my faith. One, I am to draw near to God with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with my heart sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and washed with pure water (baptism). Two, I am to hold fast to the confession of my hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. Third, I am to consider how I can stir up others to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together and encourage one another.

Psalm 112:6-8, talks of the righteous and that they will not be moved nor are they afraid of bad news for their hearts are firm, trusting in the Lord. Their hearts are steady; they will not be afraid.

So in conclusion, I will put my trust in God and do what I have always done when my rights are challenged leaving the results to God. I need not fear for my God is faithful and mighty to save.

 Memory Verse: Daniel 2

 ²⁰ Daniel answered and said:“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
    to whom belong wisdom and might.
²¹ He changes times and seasons;
    he removes kings and sets up kings;
he gives wisdom to the wise
    and knowledge to those who have understanding;
²² he reveals deep and hidden things;
    he knows what is in the darkness,
    and the light dwells with him.

No Matter How Bad It Gets, God is in Control!

Daniel 7 & 8

As I have been studying Daniel in a group setting, I have learned a lot about the character of God. Daniel, in his time, was an interpreter of dreams, yet, he did not try to interpret his own dreams (7:16; 8:15-17). He was wise not to try to interpret such awe inspiring and yet terrifying dreams. He looked to God for answers. Even still, he had an emotional response to both dreams with the second making him physically sick (7:15; 8:27) . After a time he was able to get up and go about the king's business (8:27). In Daniel's second dream (8:23-25), there is a description of a king of bold face who shall cause fearful destruction with great power that is not his own. What strikes me in this passage is the last part of verse 25, And he shall even rise up against the Prince of princes, and he shall be broken—but by no human hand. Though this king is great and powerful, he is brought down not by human hand, meaning that God brings him down. This tells me that God is sovereign and nothing is beyond His control. 

My take home on this is that though times be tough and fearful, I need not fear for God is, without doubt, in control. He removes kings and sets up kings. Jesus has been given a dominion that is everlasting and His kingdom shall not pass away (7:13-14). Come what may I will be okay for God is in control and knows all things. It is like knowing that outcome of the game before it is even played. God wins!

All praise and glory be His now and forevermore!

My Prayer: Dear God in heaven, I praise Your Holy name for You are indeed in control and there is nothing to fear. Thank You for Your Son, Jesus, who reigns forevermore. Amen. 

 

Now For Something Completely Different

Could Even Illness/Infirmity Serve a Purpose?

Ecclesiastes 3:2-8

Yes, I believe it can. Having come through a recent experience of my own, I have come to realize that if I expect myself to always be healthy or if I have a pity party when I am ill, I am being a perfectionist and unrealistic. It is wrong of me to think that life should always be sunny for after awhile I no longer appreciate it and start wanting it to rain. To expect God to instantly make me better is not being realistic either, though He can if it is His will for me. 

My infirmity serves a purpose in quite a few ways. One, it slows me down and requires me to call on God for strength. Two, it allows the opportunity for someone to serve and to give. Third, I can experience healing through different venues such as medicine, prayers of others, including the laying on of hands, and time. 

You see, in the Ecclesiastes passage there is a time for everything. In being ill, I have come to appreciate the help of others and the good health when it returns. Illness is the other side of the coin of health and it is a consequence of the fallen world. In the garden of Eve, long before sin entered in, there was no sickness and in heaven there will be no sickness either, therefore, until Christ returns, I must face whatever comes my way with God's grace for in 1 Corinthians 12:9 His grace is sufficient. I cannot experience that grace unless I am in need of it. In my infirmity, I am to a be patient and be willing to ask for help. Psalm 46:10, Be still and know that I am God. This is something I am still learning to do and He has a away of causing me to be still before Him. 

I challenge you the next time you find yourself ill, seek Him for His strength and His grace. Ask Him what He wants you to learn from Him.

My Prayer: Dear Gracious God, thank you for helping to see things differently and to understand that into my life illness will come but Your grace is sufficient. Be with those who are ill and give them strength. Amen. 

Prinicples of Conscience: Romans 14

Let Us Not Criticize One Another Anymore.

Romans 14:13 AMP

There are several good messages in this chapter of Romans. I want to pull out a few verses.

 Verse 1,  

As for the ^[a]one whose faith is weak, accept him [into your fellowship], but not for [the purpose of] quarreling over his opinions. 

I know from my own experience how easy it is to get caught up in arguments with other believers over trivial matters. This does not do any good for the body of believers. It also turns away unbelievers.

Verse 4 reads,  

 Who are you to judge the servant of another? Before his own master he stands [approved] or falls [out of favor]. And he [who serves the Master—the Lord] will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 

It is not my place to judge another believer, however, if someone sins I am to speak the truth in love to win the person back.

Verse 10,
But you, why do you criticize your brother? Or you again, why do you look down on your [believing] brother or regard him with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God [who alone is judge]. 

I am thankful that there is only one judge. I am often guilty of judging others, therefore, I have to ask God to help me see them as He does and to forgive me of my critical spirit. 

Verse 13,
Then let us not criticize one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block or a source of temptation in another believer’s way.  

This is how I am to live among my fellow believers. On my own it is not possible but with Jesus all things are possible. It is by my actions and being like Jesus that I can influence another to grow spiritually. I am to be considerate and not do something to cause another to stumble.

Verse 19,
So then, let us pursue [with enthusiasm] the things which make for peace and the building up of one another [things which lead to spiritual growth]. 

It is by my example and the words that I use that others are encouraged to good works or drawn to Christ. All the time speaking the truth in love and living out Jesus's words to me.

In conclusion, I, with the Lord's help, am to be a living example of Jesus, to speak the truth in love, to encourage others on to good works, and live in peace with other believers. Most importantly, I am to no longer criticize my fellow believers for God is the only judge.

My Prayer: Dear Jesus, please forgive me of my critical spirit. Give me eyes to see others as You do. Help me to speak the truth in love and to encourage others on to good works. Amen.

Footnotes:

1. Romans 14:1 Some Jewish believers may have struggled with abandoning all the old requirements of the Law regarding eating things considered unclean, while some Gentile believers may have been overly sensitive to anything associated with paganism, such as eating meat offered to idols.

To Forgive or Not to Forgive...

That is the Question.

I have acrostic for this.

Forgive

Others            Matthew 6:12

Regardless

Grace             Ephesians 2:8-9

In

Virtue to         Colossians 3:13-14

Everyone!

I am instructed to forgive other regardless of the other person's reception. For it is about me and not them. In Matthew 6:12, I am to forgive others in order to receive forgiveness of my sins. In doing so, I receive grace, peace, and freedom because holding on to grudge is only hurting me and my relationship with God and others.

Grace is a freely given gift. I am, in turn, to share grace with others. Jesus made it all possible. I am grateful for this because on my own; I would fail.

To forgive is a virtue for every believer in Jesus. It is what sets us apart from the rest of the world. I am to forgive others as Christ first forgave me. I did not deserve it and there were no conditions to be filled before I could receive other than believing and confessing Him. He will help me work to forgive others. All need to do is ask Him to help me.

Forgiveness is not that we forget but in choosing not to pick up and mistreat/gossip about it. Matthew 18:15-17, provides instructions on how to go to someone and offer forgiveness for a wrong that has been done to you. Reconciling is a healthy and right thing to do. I heard it said in a sermon that if that person refuses after every effort has been made you are treat the person as an unbeliever and try to win them back. Reconciliation is the ultimate goal. Yet, this passage is often abused because people will quote it but rarely is it ever modeled in the church. I would like to see it modeled in a sermon via a skit.

Max Lucado put it this way; when I forgive, it sets the prisoner free and that prisoner is me. I can honestly say that I am free!

I choose to forgive. Is there someone that you need to forgive?

My Prayer: Dear God, forgive me as I forgive others. Remind me that holding on to a grudge only hurts me more than the other person. Cause me to embrace Your forgiveness that I may, in turn, forgive those who have hurt me and offer amends to those I have hurt. Amen.

God Searches All Hearts and...

Understands Every Plan & Thought.

1 Chronicles 28:9b

Here I am reminded that there is nothing hidden from my God. He knows my heart and my thoughts. He searches the heart and test the mind to give to every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds, Jeremiah 17:10. The rest 1 Chronicles 28:9 reads, If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever. I know that if I seek Him, I will find Him. He desires an interactive relationship with me. Yet if I forsake Him, He will cast me off.  There is no other place I would rather be than in a relationship with my God. I seek Him and He is found and He cares for me. He provides for me, He comforts me, He gives me strength, He is my hope and everlasting refuge and most importantly He saved me through His Son, Jesus Christ. My self worth comes from knowing Him and His opinion of me matters more than anyone's. Apart from Him I can do nothing, I am selfish, I am uncaring and hurtful, and lost. 

He can be trusted after all He made all that there is and ever shall be. Great and mighty is He.

My Prayer: Dear God, merciful and mighty are You. I give You praise that You know my heart. Search me and know me. Amen. 

Do Unto to Others...

As You Would Have Them Do To You.

Luke 6:31

I want to examine this more closely. I have done some reading on personalities in Marita Littauer's book, "Wired That Way." It is from understanding my personality that I can begin to understand others. If I understand, for example, that someone I love is wired differently then I can think to myself that if I were wired that way how would I want to be treated. Personally, I crave respect and affirmations. I, therefore, try my best to show respect and give positive feedback yet for some people who are wired differently they don't necessarily receive it as it is intended. I know people who are wired to crave credit for their work and desire loyalty, therefore, I strive to acknowledge that person's hard work promptly. This also helps me to not look for what I need from someone who is wired differently. 

God has made each person unique and one of a kind. If I expect others to be like me then I am doing them a disservice and not respecting them for the uniqueness that God has created. Besides if everybody was like me it would be nuts because nothing would get done. I have come to accept myself for who God created me to be and now I can accept others for who God created them to be. According to Marita's book my personality is one that likes to fun have and do things the easy way. This has its drawbacks of not being very motivated but it also has its blessings of being a people person. 

One of my recent favorite verses in the Bible is Romans 12:18, If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. The key here is that as far as it depends on me not someone else. I am responsible for my actions and the words that come out of my mouth not for anyone else just me. Understanding the personalities helps me to live in peace with others. Each person is God's workmanship created in Christ Jesus. He knows each of us better than we know ourselves. With His help, I can love and appreciate the people who are in my life and those who come into my life.

My Prayer: Dear God, You are the creator of every person and everything. All Your works are right and Your ways are just. Thank You for creating me to be who I am. Help me to love and accept others for who You created them to be and to do unto others as I would want them to treat me.. Amen. 

No Grumbling Allowed Only Trust

If You Must Take It to God.

Philippians 2:14-15; Jeremiah 31:25

I was reading my Jesus Calling for today and yesterday (10/10 and 10/9). I was struck by the fact that if I think that I have reason to grumble I should take to Him. If I grumble and complain to anyone else it opens the door for deadly sins like self pity and rage. Yet, by going to Him He will lift it and replace it with His thoughts and put His song in my heart. Wow, what a shift in paradigm this is. God after all can handle it better than anyone else could.

For today, I am reminded that I am to live in the present and not to divide my life into things that I can do myself and things that require His help. I am to train my mind to seek His help continually. All I need to do is relax and refresh myself in the light of His presence. This is easy to do when I am in need of Him yet it is a challenge to do so when I am feeling on top of the world. 

I saw the movie Inside Out and in it, I learned that all our emotions have a purpose and one cannot remain in one emotion all the time. Sometimes joy comes out of sadness. It is like learning to appreciate the rain in a drought. I have had plenty of days where I was filled with joy and then the next day I felt the opposite. There was uncertainty and sadness. I didn't like feeling this way. I reminded myself that God remained faithful and that I could not abide in the elevated mood all the time. Maybe my focus on Him had shifted and I needed to be brought back to a place where I would turn to Him. 

From my own experience, when I have trusted Him in every situation (for a time) I have been able to enjoy life more and face each day confidently. Therefore, I need to recognize it better when I have shifted my focus and bring it back to trusting Him more and myself less. I will do my best to take my grumbling before Him and ask for Him to help me to see things differently.

My Prayer: Gracious Lord, I am thankful that not only will You listen to my grumbling but also will give me a change of heart and put Your song in my heart. Forgive me for the times that I lose my focus and rely on myself. When will I learn that You are trustworthy in all things and at all times? Amen. 

God Can Humble the Proud;

All His Works are Right and His Ways are Just!

Daniel 4:37; 19-33

 It took a heck of lot to humble King Nebuchadnezzar before he realized the God rules over the kingdom of men and gives it to whom He will. Daniel had told the King how he was going to be humbled and advised him to turn from his evil ways. Yet, after 12 months, the king did not change his ways. He boasted that "he" had built his kingdom by "his" power and might. Minutes later God spoke and humbled the king as was foretold in his dream. This helps me to be mindful of how I look at things in my own life and to try to stay humble before God and to thank Him for all that I have and for what He has done in me.

There have been a number of times in my life that God has had to humble me. They were not pleasant memories but looking back I now see them in a different light. I would not be where I am today without those tough times in my life. After all God disciplines those He loves. I know that there will be times ahead where I am need to be reminded that God is greater and in control. Having been disciplined before I can hopefully learn quicker and the lesson not be so unpleasant. Staying humble is remembering that God is God and I am not; it is focusing more on Him and less on me. I heard it put this way; humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less and thinking of God and others more. God has made all the good in my life possible. 

I am greatly blessed and thankful for all that I have; friends, family, and ministry involvement. As God has worked on my hurts, hang ups, and habits, He has filled my heart with His great love for me. It is out of this that I am help to love myself in order to love others as myself. I can treat them as I would want to be treat; with respect, forgiveness, grace, and mercy. On my own, I cannot do anything apart from Him.

It is my hope and prayer that you are able to find encouragement in what God has given me to share with you. 

My Prayer: Dear Father in heaven, I give You thanks for the 50 years of life that You have so blessed me with. I praise Your name for all the many blessings that You have given me. Help me to remain humble before You and be a light for others to come to know You more. Amen!

God is in the Details of Our Lives

What an Amazing God!

Daniel 3:19-27 

I am involved in a Bible study where we are studying the book of Daniel. I remember the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and the furnace from Sunday school but studying it in depth I have gained so much already. King Nebuchadnezzar was furious that the three Israelis would not bow down and worship the image that he had made. He was so enraged that he had the furnace heated 7 times and ordered mighty men to bind the men and throw them in immediately. The furnace was so hot that it killed the mighty men instantly. Yet, when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown they were joined by fourth man. The King saw this and was astounded for he saw four men unbound and unhurt.

It is what others observed of the men when the King called them out that strikes me. Verse 27 reads,

"And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king's counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them." 

There was no evidence on them that they were even near a fire for not even the smell of fire had come upon them. God rescued them down to the last detail. If King Nebuchadnezzar had told anyone that he had thrown them in the fire, the people would have called him a liar for there was no evidence on the men. 

You see God is more than able to just rescue for He is in the details as well. He knows my life down to the last detail and watches over me. My God is so great; there is nothing my God cannot do when I call on Him. 

My Prayer: Dear God in heaven, You are mighty to save and You are great and worthy of all my praise. All glory and honor be Yours. Amen.

Set Your Mind on the Spirit;

You Will Find Life and Peace

Romans 8:6; 14:16-19

 Let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual up-building. This is only possible when I set my mind on the things of the Spirit of God through reading and meditating on His word. The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. I have this through Jesus who has reconciled me to God and therefore, I have peace with God. It is no longer my place to bring others down, I am called to live at peace with others and to do my best to build others up. To set my mind on the flesh (my sinful nature) is death therefore, I choose to set my mind on Christ which leads to life and peace. Having peace with God I am equipped to love others as myself and do as He would have me do.

This is a major paradigm shift from the world's point of view. The world wants me to believe that it is all about me and my wants and desires. I know that if I delight myself in the Lord He will give me the desires of my heart. There are needs that I have that if I do not tend to them I will not be at my best to live at peace. They are basic needs and I know how to get them filled without taking advantage of others. God knows my needs and helps me to get them met. He does have my best interest at heart for He created me and loves me unconditionally. I cannot nor will not believe any different.

Romans 12:18 tells me that it is my responsibility to live at peace as far as it depends on me, not if it feels right or if others treat me right. I am responsible for my side of any relationship not for the other side. Sure it would be nice if it worked both ways and it does for some but not all people. I am to love mercy, act justly, and walk humbly with my God. Again this contradictory to the world's way of thinking. Yet, I have a peace that passes all understanding and I can sleep at night.

Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you. This, indeed, holds true.

Peace to you from God our Father!

My Prayer: Thank You Jesus for reconciling me to God through Your death and resurrection. Help me to be a messenger of peace and hope. Amen.

 

Be Glad in the Lord and Rejoice!

Rejoice in the Lord Always!

Psalm 32:10-11; Philippians 4:4-9

The word rejoice is found 202 times in the Bible. In Philippians, we are called to rejoice and let our reasonableness be known to everyone for the Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let you requests be known to God. When you look up rejoice in the Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary, you will find that it gives you several reasons for rejoicing; His presence in our lives, our salvation in Jesus, the gospel just to name a few. Rejoicing makes one cheerful. A glad heart makes a cheerful face (Proverbs 15:13) and the cheerful of heart has a continual feast (Proverbs 15:15). James 5:13 reads, "Is anyone among suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise." I have found that when I am struggling that if I offer praises to God, my heart is glad and I receive His strength to carry on. 

One can make a decision to rejoice in the Lord despite the circumstances because God is in control and will see you through. Remembering what Jesus went through to bring us reconciliation to God, I would hope, would give anyone cause to rejoice. I rejoice in the Lord because of His steadfast love.

 ^{Psalm 40}

¹⁶ But may all who seek You
    rejoice and be glad in You;
may those who love Your salvation
    say continually, “Great is the Lord!”
¹⁷ As for me, I am poor and needy,
    but the Lord takes thought for me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
    do not delay, O my God!

What reason do you have for rejoicing in the Lord? Rejoice and be glad!

My Prayer: Dear God, I rejoice in You for You are my salvation and my deliverer. There is no one like You in all the earth. Amen. 

 

Christ Has Set Us Free!

Yes, There is Freedom In Christ Jesus!

John 8:31-32, 36; 2 Corinthians 3:17; Galatians 5:1

As a believer in Christ, I have been freed from the slavery to sin. In Stasi Eldredge's book, becoming myself embracing God's dream of you, she lists the things that we have been freed from and to those that we have been freed to do.

We can be free from:

Bondage, sin,the fear of man,shame, regret,rage,disappointment, addiction, fear, You name it.

We are free to:

Be happy, be glorious, succeed, love, live, forgive, not be bound by chains. She goes on to say that we are free to fail! Because we are free from the cages of other people's expectations, demands, yokes and judgements-- even our own.

Hallelujah!! How amazing is that?! I no longer have to be "perfect" in the eyes of others or my own. I can admit my mistakes and seek forgiveness therefore I am free from guilt and shame. 

Don't let faulty thinking rob you of the freedom that there is in Christ. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Yes, I will fail but I know that if I confess my sins to God, who is faithful and just, He will forgive all my sins. If I allow someone's inability to forgive me keep me captive in shame and guilt, I am giving that person to much power and what is that saying about God's forgiveness? I am not accepting of it. This is no longer to be the case for the law of the Spirit of life has set me free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. The word free is found 56 times in the New Testament. I have a new lease on life for I have been made new. I choose to live in that freedom to be me and all that God created me to be. I know live for Him and for His glory.

I challenge you to embrace the freedom that is in Christ Jesus. Ask Him to show you how.

My Prayer: Dear Father God, thank You for setting me free in Christ Jesus, Your Son. Help me to choose to live in that freedom daily. All to Your glory. May others embrace it as well. Amen. 

Great is the Lord!

Psalm 145

⁶ They shall speak of the might of Your awesome deeds,
    and I will declare Your greatness.
⁷ They shall pour forth the fame of Your abundant goodness
    and shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.

Continuing on a theme, God is great no matter what I am going through. I heard it said that when God wants you to grow He makes you uncomfortable. Therefore, I will praise Him for the times in my life that He has made me uncomfortable. Often it is personal conflicts that make me the most uncomfortable. My biggest hang up was having to make someone else uncomfortable with a decision or choice that I made. I have come to realize that it is not wise to make myself uncomfortable for the other person's sake. If I am honest and speak in truth and love both parties are far better off.

Without growth, one becomes stagnate and therefore makes no progress in becoming all that God has created that person to be. Growth does not come easy or cheap. There is some discomfort and cost but the outcome far exceeds it all. For me, I like what God is doing in my life and I enjoy life and I can fully love others as Christ would have me to do. With God's help, I am learning to be comfortable with the uncomfortable in my life knowing that He is wanting me to grow.

How has God made you uncomfortable? Give Him thanks and praise for He is good!

My Prayer: Dear Father God, thank You for making me uncomfortable and forgive me when I grumble about it. Help me to see where You want me to grow. Amen.

God is Good; All the Time!

Psalm 145

³ Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
    His greatness no one can fathom.
⁴ One generation commends Your works to another;
    they tell of Your mighty acts.

I know that it is the easiest to say this when all is going well but it holds true even when times get tough. Looking back on this year so far I have had some tough times. 

I have had to go to the emergency room on New Years day and two surgeries in the same month; God is good! 

I have had another surgery in May; yet, God is good!

There have been three deaths in my family thus far, one was my biological father; God is good! 

There have been changes in key relationships for the better; God is good!

There has been an addition to our family, the birth of my niece, Yeah, God! God is good! 

Though my life may be buffeted by good times and turmoil, God has remained faithful and unchanging. I have seen amazing answers to my prayers. Though there are those who would refute my belief in God, I will continue to put my trust in Him for He has proved Himself time and time again. His greatness, indeed, no one can fathom! I will tell of His mighty deeds!

I encourage you to look back and see what God has done in your life since the start of this year. Remember and treasure His mercies.

My Prayer: Dear God, You are, indeed, a good and just God. Thank You for Your tender mercies. May others be inspired to look back and see Your greatness. Amen 

(I will) Praise God Like Daniel Did

He Is Worthy to Receive All Glory & Honor

Daniel 2:20-22 ESV

Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belongs wisdom and might. He changes the times and seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; He reveals deep and hidden things; He knows what is in the darkness and the light dwells with Him.

This is only part of the praise that Daniel said after God revealed to him the nature and interpretation of King Nebuchadnezzar's dream. I love it because it puts many of God's attributes in a nutshell. God is responsible for the changes in seasons and He establishes kings or takes them down. God is the source of all wisdom and knowledge. Yet, I really like that the fact that it is God who reveals deep and hidden things, therefore, He knows all things. God knows what is in the darkness, therefore, nothing is hidden from Him. Light dwells with Him. What a comfort it is to know that in Him I can find wisdom and knowledge and that He has everything under His control. I cannot hide anything from Him for He knows what is in the dark.

I rejoice in God, my Savior, for He has made a way to reconcile with someone dear to me when I did not see a way. He knows my heart and He gives me the desire of my heart because I delight in Him and His word. Indeed, He has become my everything and my all. I can say, with conviction, that I am satisfied in Him. With this satisfaction comes the quiet acceptance of the way things are. I can embrace the fact that life is what it is and let go of what I wish it were. Sure I grieve a little because somethings did not turn out the way I thought that it should but God has helped me to see thing in a different light. Much like the Big Daddy Weave's song, Different Light, there is no after without before. Without what has happened in my life, I would not be where I am today. He is enough and everything He says He is and more. I know that whatever comes my way, I will be okay for I know who holds my future and my life in the palm of His hand.

Great and mighty is the Lord, my God!

My Prayer: Dear God, may I be Your instrument of hope to people who need to know You. Thank You, Lord, for revealing to me the deep and hidden things and for Your wisdom and knowledge. Help me to impart it to others. Amen

Disclaimer: I apologize for being out of pocket and with God's help I hope to continue in His good grace to bless you with the comfort that He has given me.