Following God In Obedience

Psalms 127:1-2---Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.

One of the most repeated messages in the Bible is our helplessness without God. I can build a dwelling. I can create a family. But if God is not in it, all my work is without meaning. It is utterly unproductive. Man has the idea that if he relies on himself, he will surely get things done. The Gospel message tells us that without the LORD we will accomplish nothing. We can't even protect ourselves. Unless God is watching over us, we are clear targets for the enemy of our soul. Consider the infant in the manger. If God was not watching over that helpless baby, what chance would he have had of surviving Herod's extermination of every infant in the area? The Destroyer is held at bay by God. We forget to thank God for that daily protection. The psalmist speaks of a house and a city. The New Testament gives both of these as an analogy to the church. Today, we have many men building churches. There are formulas that work to gather large numbers of people. Still, if God is not the builder, if the work is the work of man and not the Holy Spirit, we will see it end in vanity. Is the LORD building the church you attend? Is the leadership following the Holy Spirit? Encourage that by letting your household be built by God. Let God build your home by faithfully hearing from God and following through on His leading. You can work 18 hours every day. You can put intense effort into something as if all success depended on you, but success comes from the LORD. He doesn't drive His sheep. He calls to them to follow Him. He promises them rest.

Fanning Your Gift Into A Flame

2 Timothy 1:6-8---Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

We have an insight into a special experience between Paul, Timothy and the Holy Spirit. At some time, Paul had laid hands on Timothy. It may have been when he was ordaining him to be an elder. At that particular moment, God gave Timothy a gift. Paul does not say what it was. I would guess it was to teach, preach and evangelize. Just because the gift was given, does not mean it automatically comes forth. Just as you fan coals into a flame of fire, Paul encouraged Timothy to work at stirring up his gift. It sounds like Timothy was a shy person. It is not natural for a shy person to testify to others, or to preach to a crowd. There is a natural fear of doing so. Paul says that God has not given us the spirit of timidity, or fear. Instead, we have been given a spirit of power! Fear implies weakness. In Christ Jesus, we are strong! We have the power to stand up to those who would oppose the gospel. We also have the spirit of love. If we love them, we cannot keep silent. We must share the only hope they have of eternal life. And we have the gift of self-discipline. We can discipline ourselves to say "no" to our old nature and "yes" to the Spirit. What is the worst the listener can do? They could have you thrown in jail or cause you to suffer for Christ. What an honor! Then Timothy would have joined with Paul in suffering for the gospel. Only the power of God can enable us to suffer for Christ, but He has given us that power. Do you lean toward timidity? I do. Yet, I know that when the Spirit prompts me, if I will just open my mouth and speak what He gives, that He will see me through whatever follows. God loves to work through those who are timid, so that people can see Jesus and not man.

Sin Keeps You From The Word, But The Word Keeps You From Sin

Psalms 119:9-11--- Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in our Bible. It is believed to have been written by Ezra during the restoration period when the Jews returned to Israel from Babylon. The entire psalm is about the Word of God. Each section is entitled with a Hebrew letter, and each verse in that section begins with that letter. Every verse mentions the Word of God in some form. Ezra asks how is it possible for a young man to keep his way pure? They are experiencing physical changes and have little experience to know how to deal with it. The world today is of no help. It encourages them to sin against God and not consider it wrong to do so. What would your advice be to a young man who wanted to serve God in all his ways? The Holy Spirit says that the one way is by living according to God's word. There must be time spent in God's Word and the contemplation of what it is saying. That must be accompanied by a desire to keep what one hears from the Word. But that alone is not enough. The next verse shows us that even though we seek God with all our heart, we need to ask God to keep us obedient to what we have heard. "God, don't let me stray from your commands. understand what You are saying, but I need Your help. I recognize that without Your help I would not be able to do it." But the author didn't just leave it at that. He memorized what God was saying to Him. He kept the words like a hidden treasure locked in his heart, brought out to enjoy, examining often. Each day you can take a treasure from your morning time with God and place it within your heart to help guide you through the day. Take it out often. Show it to friends. Let it be the thought that is the backdrop of your whole day. Sin will keep you from the Word, or the Word will keep you from sin.

Trusting In God

Psalms 118:6-8---The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me? The LORD taketh my part with them that help me: therefore shall I see my desire upon them that hate me. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.

We have come to the center of the Bible. Here is the core of it all. The LORD is with those who call on Him in truth. If the Creator of heaven and earth is with you, what have you to fear? Throughout Scripture, God's promise to those who sought Him was, "I will be with you." As long as the LORD is with us, we can be certain that things will turn out in the end. Emmanuel, God with us. It is an incredible thing that God would dwell with man, but He always has and He always will, for He has set His love on us. The world will always look to man, man's wisdom, man's counsel, and man's strength. That often sets believers at odds with the world. But why fear or be concerned? What is the worst man can do to you? As the Apostle Paul said, (forgive my loose paraphrase) "If you kill me, I get to go home to be with Jesus. If you beat me, I just keep laying up treasures in heaven. Take your pick, either way the LORD is with me and I get blessed." The enemies of the LORD will be defeated, but even now, I am more than a conqueror. I'm a mega-conqueror, because the LORD is with me! Because He is with me I have the victory in life and in death. You can trust in men if you want, but that is a sucker bet. You will lose in the end, guaranteed. Or you can trust in the LORD. That is a guaranteed win. What is your situation in life today? Where are you placing your trust? I hope it is not in man and man's best, even if that man is you. The old expression, "You can only trust yourself", is pretty pathetic.

Jesus Is Our Mediator

1 Timothy 2:5-6---For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

Man always tries to step into the role that is reserved for Christ alone. Fortune telling, speaking to the dead, or any other means of trying to commune with God other than through Christ Jesus are all subverting the role of our one mediator. Cult leaders steal this role with devastating consequences to those who allow them to do so. God wants to speak personally with you through His Son. Under the Old Covenant, the prophet and priest stood in this intervening place. Because the Spirit of God was not poured out to all men, those who had the Spirit upon them spoke in the place of God. Though the gift of prophecy is in the church today, the office of prophet ceased with John the Baptist (Luke 16:16). Now that the Spirit is poured out, we are all called to be priests. We can all come boldly to the throne of grace. The Spirit can speak directly to us. You don't need a prophet to tell you what God is saying for your mediator is Christ alone. The gift of prophecy may confirm what the Spirit is speaking to your heart, but it is not the infallible word of God. We are to test all prophecy to see that it lines up with the Word. The Word has been made flesh, Jesus, our mediator. What a wonderful mediator we have! If you are in trouble with another person, you want someone who is impartial, yet, you want someone who has your best interest at heart. Sin makes us all in trouble with God, yet our mediator, Christ Jesus, is ever present before God, interceding on our behalf. You couldn't ask for a better mediator. He paid our debt for us so that we could be right with the Father. Now He mediates our prayer requests. He intercedes for our spiritual growth. He presents requests according to the perfect will of God in order that we might be found faultless at the Day of Christ.

Christ Is Lord Of All

Psalms 110:1-3--- The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.

This was the most quoted verse of Jesus. There are two different words for lord. The first (all capital) is Jehovah, the eternal God. The second is Adon, the Master. The conversation between God and Jesus is overheard and recorded by the psalmist. Eternal God says to Lord Jesus to sit at His right hand until He makes all His enemies a footstool. The Jews thought the second lord was referring to David. It was most quoted right at the last few days of Jesus' earthly life. Jesus was looking forward to the promise of His Father, sitting at His right hand, watching God's sovereign will bring everything in submission to the Son. You and I are watching too, as the world does its best to have man make heaven on earth without success. Verse 2 promises that Jesus' ruling scepter will go out from Zion and throughout the enemy camp. When He returns to reign, he will not come as the humble servant. He will come as the majestic Lord of glory, and we will follow as warriors in our prime, enforcing His rule in the earth. Perhaps Jesus quoted this so often because He wanted us to look forward too, and to understand that this transition period is only for a short time. With our eyes set on this future, we have a very different perspective of our present. Our destiny is to rule and reign with Him in righteousness. All the troubles of our present day will be past.

Facing The Truth

2 Thessalonians 2:9-11---Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

The Thessalonians were concerned that perhaps they had missed the Second Coming of Christ. Paul told them that there would be a falling away first and that the man of sin would be revealed. Then he went on to tell them what that would be like. He called him the lawless one and said that Satan would work to produce counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders. He will work in such a way as to give those who refuse the truth something to believe in. This method has always been at work, but it will reach a crescendo before Christ's return. If people refuse the truth, God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie. To believe in and love the truth and become a son or daughter of God is a wonderful privilege. Those who refuse to do so, those who reject the gift of salvation, will be given something they can believe in. It happens today in a less obvious way. There are many false religions that allow you to remain on the throne of your life and yet give you a false sense of spiritual growth. These religions are based on pride and selfishness. Man desires to cling to these two vices more than any other. Satan has custom designed lies that feed these desires. Those who refuse to love the truth readily accept them. It can also happen in small ways in the believer's life. When the Spirit points out an area we have not given over to the lordship of Christ, we can make excuses and even come up with reasons why it is alright to stay in control. God allows this for a time, but in every believer He will continue to confront it until we face the truth.

Always Look Forward Not Back

Psalms 103:10-12---He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

These songs of praise are rich with teaching. In this psalm, the writer tells us a fact we need to remember. We never get what we deserve. Never ask for justice, or you may get it. We always forget our sins and remember our good deeds with a little embellishment. If we got what we deserve, we would all be cast into the Lake of Fire. We are by nature rebels against the loving goodness of our Creator. Instead of giving us what we deserve, God lavished His love upon us by sending His one and only Son to take what we deserved. Only Jesus could bear it. How did we ever learn to fear Him, that is, to reverence His just nature that will not let sin go unpunished? It is only an undeserved gift of grace! It is an expression of His great love. That love is much greater than you or I could ever muster. What is your attitude toward those who have betrayed your love for them? God just continues to love us to the fullest extent of His love. Satan would try to get us to dwell on all our failures and past mistakes. God doesn't, so why should we? Satan's accusations are true, but so is the fact that those sins are covered by the sacrifice of Jesus. They are removed from us as far as east is from west. That is a long ways! Next time the enemy tries to get you down about a past sin, remind him of this verse. The future is as bright as the promises of God. You are a work in transition, but the scrap that has been chiseled away is already cleaned up and hauled off.

Being An Instrument Of God

1 Thessalonians 5:16-19---Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit.

Several times in the letters of the New Testament, the author gives a list of present, active, imperative commands. The verb tense in Greek tells us that each of these instructions is something we must do now. Right now and always we are to be joyful. It is a fruit of the Spirit. Joy does not mean that we are happy. How could you weep with those that weep and be happy? Joy is something much deeper than your present emotional state. It is the sense that comes when you believe that all is in the hands of your loving Father. Joy in difficult circumstances is a powerful testimony to the reality of your faith. The next instruction is to pray continually. People often ask how this is possible. If you mean to isolate yourself and speak out loud to God without stopping, it is impossible. If it means to walk in constant heart to heart communion with God; it is the life of the Christian. Jesus should be our closest friend with Whom we share the moments of each day. A constant sharing with Him and listening to His voice will keep you walking in the Spirit. God's will for us is that we give thanks in every circumstance. Everyone knows this is impossible without a radical commitment to walk by faith and not by sight. How can we thank God for loss and pain? It is only possible when we trust that He will work out everything for good. Giving thanks changes our perspective and cuts short the damage that the enemy intends. The commands go on, but the last one for today is to not quench the Spirit's fire. The Spirit of God will cause you to share His passion for certain needs you come in contact with. Don't squelch that. Don't harden your heart to His leading. Go with it. He is encouraging you to step out and meet that need in His power. The reason we throw water on that fire is that we know it will cost us. Worrying about the cost is a carnal perspective. The godly perspective is that it is an opportunity to be an instrument of God, pleasing His heart, and laying up treasure in heaven.

Christ Is Our Protection, Abide In Him

Psalms 91:1, 4---He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

This psalm is a favorite of many people. Contemporary songs have been written with the idea it presents. The idea of being under the wings of God, like chicks under the shadow of a mother hen's wings, runs throughout Scripture. It is a beautiful metaphor full of meaning. We should not look too deeply or make too many analogies from the picture, but a few are quite obviously intended. First, we need to seek that nearness to God. A mother hen will give a certain call to her chicks when there is danger, and the ones with any common sense will immediately run for the cover of her wings. God has given us that call in His word. The Devil is like a roaring lion roaming about looking for those He can devour. The call has been given. Are you using your common sense to respond by running for the shelter of wings of the Most High? To dwell (abide) there is really the only safe place to live. We need to experience a constant living there under His shelter. Some refer to this lifestyle as 'practicing the presence of God' or 'abiding in Christ'. It is the one way to live in the rest of God. He has invited us to experience His Sabbath rest, but with the enemy on the prowl, the only way to experience the rest is to live in the shadow of His wings. There are several comforting names of God used here. Most High is the Hebrew Elyon, the God above all gods, or Lord of lords. The other is Shadday translated 'Almighty'. This is no ordinary hen. Satan dare not mess with this mother hen. Nothing stands a chance against this One.

Asking In Prayer

Colossians 4:2-5---Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.

What does it mean to devote oneself to prayer? What would you say you are devoted to? Paul encouraged the Colossians to make that kind of life commitment, watching for God's instructions, and expressing thanks for all His goodness. In that devotion to prayer, Paul asks that his team be remembered. He asks for prayers for a door to open for the message they were proclaiming. This is an essential prayer for all those who preach. Unless God opens the doors of hearts to hear, our labor will produce few results. He also asks for prayers that he might proclaim it clearly. Spiritual truths must be expressed in words. The preacher's ministry is to find the right words so that the message will be clear and understood. Pray that your pastors have a door opened for their message and for their ability to express it clearly. You have a part in their ministry when you pray in this way. Paul asked the Colossians to be wise in the way they acted toward those outside the family of faith. What a need we have for this today! We lose the opportunity to share the Gospel when we needlessly offend unbelievers. We must act in wisdom, realizing that God may give us an opportunity to speak the truth to them. Every person we meet we must consider a potential child of God seeking the truth. Our actions and speech should always represent Christ.

In Christ There Is Joy, Peace And True Blessing

Psalms 84:10-12---For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.

Psalm 84 is called "the pearl of the Psalms". It is neatly divided into three sections, each ending in "Selah". The first section is about the desire to come near to God. The second section is about the journey to the Temple. The third is arriving in the Temple of God. The Jews most likely sang this as they journeyed to Jerusalem to participate in the feasts of the LORD. The Psalmist loved to be in the Temple. He said that just one day there was better than a thousand anywhere else. Today, the Temple is the body of believers, the body of Christ. Do you desire genuine fellowship like the psalmist who longed to be in the Temple? He wished he was one of the Levites assigned to keep one of the gates of the Temple. To him, that was better than any pleasure the world could offer. Where do you consider true pleasure to be found? If it is hard for you to relate to the psalmist desire, perhaps you need to ask the LORD for a clearer revelation of genuine fellowship in the presence of God and the horror of the end of this world's pleasures. He goes on to say that the LORD God is a sun and shield. The sun is the source of life. It provides the energy from which our planet derives all energy. God is the source of all strength and life. He shields us from the onslaught of the enemy of our soul. He brings good things into our lives. In fact, every good and perfect gift is from the Father of lights (James 1:17). The Psalm ends declaring the blessedness of the man who trusts in God. Where is your trust placed for the activities that lay before you today? Are you trusting in self to get things done, to provide, to meet your family’s needs? If so, you are not going to find the peace in your heart that the psalmist is speaking of. But if you are trusting in the Maker of heaven and earth, you will be blessed.

Your Daily Portion

Psalms 73:24-26---Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion forever.

In this beautiful poem, Asaph asks God why it seems the wicked have all the fun and never seem to pay the price. When he went into God's sanctuary, he understood that in the end they will meet with justice. Asaph was troubled by how bad his attitude had been while envying the wicked. He said he was like a wild beast, only concerned about the physical. Then he pondered the wonder of God loving someone with such impure and selfish motives. Why would God love someone so ignorant? Why does He stay with us and hold our hand? What a wonder that He would guide us with His counsel, and afterward receive us into glory! When we consider where we are coming from and where He is taking us, it is truly miraculous. Maybe, as the Apostle Paul implied, God picks the worst just to show how amazing His power is to transform us. Who do we have in heaven but God? There are those that have gone before us, but God so outshines them in all that He is and in all He has done for us, that He stands alone as our greatest desire. How could we want anything greater? Everything the earth could offer pales by comparison. Do you have such a vision of God? Has He captured all your heart's desires? Or are you still trying to find something on the earth that satisfies? Our strength and health will fail. These bodies are designed for a designated period upon this earth, but there is more to life than these bodies. The Lord is the strength of our life. Every day the king's household was served their allotted portion for their service. It may have been something like a loaf of bread, a piece of meat, and two cups of wine. In this psalm, Asaph declared that the LORD is his portion, forever. What do we receive for serving the King? Christ Jesus today, Christ Jesus tomorrow, Christ Jesus forever!

Growing In Your Love For Christ

Colossians 2:6-8---As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

The mystery that had been a secret for thousands of years was finally revealed. The Christ was to come as a man in Whom dwelt all the fullness of God, and yet die for our sins as our sacrificial lamb. Now that they knew the secret of the ages, having received Jesus as Lord, Paul encouraged them to continue to live in Him. Moment by moment we must decide whether or not we will abide in Him or return to reigning over our own lives. It helps us to make the right choice when we realize the goodness of God in bringing this mystery to light. More than merely living in Him, we need to sink down roots and grow strong in this new life. We know that the winds of adversity and temptation will come, so we should prepare for it. Go further today than you were yesterday in surrender, submission, and love. Grow stronger in your faith by exercising the faith you have been given. Learn more of the wonderful truths of Christ from His word. Express your gratitude for all He has done for you frequently and at every opportunity. There will always be false teachers that try to lure you back into letting the flesh reign. Their teaching can be cunningly clever, but you can recognize it by its similarity with human traditions and worldly principles. It certainly won't be based on Christ, God's answer to the need of man. Paul said this type of teaching takes you captive. If, like the Israelites, you wish to return to the old, someone will present you with a plan that can justify doing so. The only way to prepare yourself against such deception is to grow deeper in dependency on Christ. Live in Him. Sink down roots. Grow up strong in your faith.

A Place Of Abundance

Psalms 66:10-12---For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried. Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins. Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.

Becoming a Christian does not mean that all trials will cease and life suddenly become as smooth as it can be On the contrary, throughout Scripture we see God's people enduring great trials that nearly crush them. Paul the Apostle promised that if we suffer with Him, we will reign with Him. What is this difficult life we are called to all about? God is refining us. In the Father's eyes, the work is done, but here on earth as we live out our day-to-day life, we find our old nature is trying to reestablish its ways in us. It was our familiar pattern, and one into which we would easily slip. Through the difficult situations we face, God reveals to us the old ways that we are tempted to cling. If we try them again, we find they are contrary to our new life. It is like the refining of a metal. The heat brings up the lighter contaminants so that they can be removed. One old silversmith said that he knew that the silver refining process was finished when he could see his reflection in the silver. God is looking for His reflection in you. In the end, God brings us out into a place of abundance. For many, that will not be in this life. You may have to wait for eternity, what a place of abundance. Those who died in faith and did not receive the promises in this life will go to a better reward, writes the author of Hebrews. Many wonder about the expression "filling up the sufferings of Christ". As a part of His body, your sufferings in the process of refinement, are a part of that mystical suffering. Jesus suffers with you for you are a part of His body; when one member hurts, all the members suffer, including the head. You are not alone in your suffering. Let the Comforter comfort you.

One Word From Jesus Will End Evil

Colossians 1:15-17---Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

Paul had no doubts about the deity of Jesus. He understood that Jesus was the visible manifestation of the invisible God. Every manifestation of God throughout Scripture is Jesus Christ. God is a spirit, but when He is manifested, we are seeing Jesus in some form. The place of firstborn is usually given to a firstborn son. Jesus is eternally existent with God, but He was born into the world of creation at a point in time through Mary. The firstborn is the heir of the Father, with a double portion of the inheritance. So, though everything is God's, the double portion of inheritance belongs to Jesus. Our adoption as sons would give us a single portion of the inheritance. What is incredible is that Jesus is willing to share His inheritance with us, considering us His brothers. This passage also declares Christ to be the instrument of creation. Everything that was made, everything that exists other than the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit was made by Jesus. It was made for Jesus. The rebellion in the Garden only detracted for a moment in eternity, from the ultimate will of God. Everything will glorify the Son. There is no other possible outcome. He holds it all together. At His word, it would all cease to exist. At times, we forget the supremacy of Christ and grow concerned over our temporal situations. It helps us to go back and look at the big picture and realize that everything is in His hands. Everything will bring Him glory. The whole earth is filled with His glory.

Fear, Just Trust Christ

Psalms 56:2-4---Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High. What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.
There are times in life when it seems the whole world has unjustly conspired against you. Slander can turn your good reputation into one in which people unwittingly believe lies about you. Those who join together to bring you down have believed the slander and think they are serving a righteous cause. It is their pride that tells them they are more righteous than you, and therefore they must see that you are removed from the place of respect that your life has earned. It can seem that life is out of control, that evil has a free reign. That is a fearful thought. If there is no justice, if lies can destroy the innocent, what hope is there of any kind of godly achievement in life? That would cause anyone to fear. But when we are afraid, we need to look to where all power truly lies. It is not in the power of slander. It is not in evil destructive powers, even though it may appear so at the moment. To God belongs power and might. Those who trust in Him are never disappointed. We turn to His unfailing promises and find faith that moves us beyond the present to the promised outcome. When we see life from this perspective, we can say with David, "What can mortal man do to me?" He can lie, slander, and deceive, why, he can even beat and kill my mortal body, but all power and might belong to God. I will be eternally rewarded for my trust in Him. My enemies will either be conquered by Him, as I was, and become my brothers, or they will be punished for their rebellion against His love and truth. Every knee will bow! Either way, righteousness and truth will prevail. I can count on it. His word has never failed and it never will.

Wear A Smile

Philippians 4:6-8---Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Here is the attitude of the Christian that has a living relationship with the Lord of the universe. They know God is sovereign over all things and loves them dearly. They know they are in the palm of His hand and that nothing can get to them without the Father's permission. If things are difficult or painful, they know that there is good coming from the experience and that the Father will see them through. What peace the child of God should have as they walk through this life! When troubles come their way, they submit them to God and seek His desired response for them. Once they have discerned the godly response, they act. Then they leave the rest in His omnipotent hands. This understanding and resolve allow God to give us His very own peace. It is peace for our heart, which means our desires are left with Him. It is peace for our minds. We don't have to revisit the problem, again and again, fretting with worry about what we should have done or can do in the future. Your heart and mind are kept in Christ Jesus. As the Lord abides in your heart and mind, you yield to His desires and thoughts about your situation. Then your attitude will be entirely different from the flesh. This is when people truly see Christ in you. Paul adds that we need to keep our minds on what is good. We must take control of our thoughts, dwelling on the things that are uplifting. The enemy of our soul wants us to dwell on the opposite of these. That would be to declare that he has more power than God. Dwelling on the good says that God will prevail. That is the attitude most in tune with Christ, most in line with reality. This will affect your attitude about life, your countenance, and your health, not to mention your daily witness.

Confess Your Faults And Be Healed

Psalms 51:16-17---For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise

This is from David's prayer of repentance after his sin was exposed. During the time between his fall into sin and the confrontation by Nathan the prophet, David must have gone to sacrifice to the Lord. All the singers he assigned were in place, lifting praises to God. He would have brought the priest the lamb or goat that was without blemish, and ceremoniously lifted his hands to heaven in prayer, as the sacrifice burned upon the altar. He may have even brought thank offerings and celebrated one of the feasts of the Lord, all the while knowing in his heart that he was a murderer and adulterer. Once he finally faced how hard his heart had become, he realized that going through the motions was not what God was after. The motions and ritual did not ease his guilty conscience. What was God looking for? A broken heart! A contrite spirit! That was all that God would accept. The sacrifices were done but were not accepted, and David knew it. The lack of peace in his heart told him that God was after something else. Once he admitted his sin, his heart broke and he realized that brokenness was the real sacrifice. Now his future sacrifices would be accepted. Have you felt that gnawing pain of your worship falling flat? Something in your heart is telling you that all is not well between you and God. You do everything you are supposed to but there is no intimacy between you and God. You don't sense His acceptance. Check your heart. You don't need a prophet to tell you, the Holy Spirit can point it out. Unforgiveness, bitterness, a complaining spirit, or some overt sin you hide from the world but justify in your mind may be the source of the broken relationship.

Our Wedding Song

Psalms 45:6-8---Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre. Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad.

This psalm is by the sons of Korah. Korah had challenged the decision to have Aaron and sons be the priests. The earth opened up and swallowed him. His descendants, however, were still given the privilege to be musicians for the house of God. Many of the psalms were written by them. What an expression of the mercy of God! This psalm was a wedding song, possibly for Solomon. Just as in the Song of Songs, the theme moves from Solomon and his wife to Jesus and the church. Since Jesus is of the lineage of David, He is often referred to as The Son of David, and Solomon is in some respect a shadow of The Son of David who was to come. We especially see the overlap in verse 6. It is God that is being addressed. His Kingdom is the one just Kingdom. He is the One who truly loves righteousness and hates wickedness. God anointed Christ Jesus with the oil of joy (Hebrews 1:8-9). The Biblical picture of Jesus is of One who is more joyful than all His disciples. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). As you grow in Christ's likeness, you will find an increasing measure of joy. His robes are fragrant. As we carry His life into the world, people get a whiff of the fragrance of the Lord (2 Corinthians 2:14). The music of strings makes Him glad. The abundance of worship music today is bringing gladness to the heart of Jesus. Don't you love that thought? I hope this prophetic picture of Christ has changed your impression of the One we serve. He does weep for the lost. He does grieve with you in your trials and feels your pain. Yet, He knows the future, and He is the most joyful One you will ever meet.

Weeping Can Endure, But Joy Will Return

Psalms 42:1-3---As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?

The words of the first verse have become one of the most popular choruses in the church today. In the song, it is used as an expression of a desire to know God more intimately, but in the psalm, it is a cry for deliverance from his situation. It is reminiscent of Job when he pleaded to present his case before God. We don't know what his cause for being in distress was. It may have been when he fled from Saul, or Absalom, or an illness. There are dark valleys, through which God takes us, that increase our desire for God. No one likes to go down them, but oh the maturing of our soul that comes from the pain. We long for the presence of God to be our hiding place from the troubles of this life, but sometimes He even withholds that from us. The dark night of the soul takes us from our apathetic level back up to climbing the heights of life in God. The pain draws us past our complacency and onward to heights of intimacy. The brokenhearted reading this can instantly relate to these words. Those who have not yet gone down this road, remember this, do not harden your heart in this place. If you do, you will come out bitter instead of better. The enemy of your soul will have won a double victory. He inflicted the pain and it will have borne the results that he desired. Instead, defeat him by allowing yourself to be even more tender and allowing your heart to break. The LORD is near the brokenhearted. It is a place where all your trust is on the faithfulness of God, though you cannot see any evidence. Those you have shared Christ with, who know you as a Christian will mock saying, "Where is your God?" He has promised to be near.

Are Your Ears Opened To Hear God?

Psalms 40:6-8---Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

The author of Hebrews quotes this passage and tells us it is about Jesus. He was reading the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the original Hebrew. There is a variation there, possibly a mistranslation in that Greek version. Instead of "but my ears you have pierced" it reads, "but a body you prepared for me" (Hebrews 10:5 (NIV)). Could it be a mistake? I believe every passage is inspired by God and that both expressions are true. The Son of God was given a human body through the womb of Mary. His ears were opened to God. In the tradition of a servant who chose to continue as a slave after his term of service was up, Jesus was a bondservant to the Father. The sign of the bondservant was the pierced ear. Both versions are applicable to Jesus. The sacrifices the Jews made at the altar every morning and evening were merely a shadow of The Lamb to come. They were never what God desired for a covering of sin. Then the Son said to the Father, "Here I am, I have come." The Lamb of God came into the world to be the sacrifice God desired to take away the sins of the world. It was prophesied throughout the Old Testament. Jesus said He had come to do the will of God. That is the expression of a bondservant. He came to do the will of the Father in shedding His blood for our sins. The Law of God was in His heart. He knew His objective because the Law outlined it clearly, "Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin". God told the people of Israel He wanted to make them a nation of priests. There was only one way to do it. The heart of Jesus knew that He had to crush the head of the serpent but that in the process His heel would be wounded. Thank God! The Son desired to do the will of the Father for our salvation.

Forever Linked

History, philosophy, theology, and—in many centers of learning—even the sciences are being studied to discover what they have to say about Jesus Christ. The records of the Early Church are being reexamined for their testimony to Him. Archaeologists are digging to discover new evidence. Some say that Jesus Christ is a myth, and He never existed in history. Others say that He was merely a man, that there was nothing supernatural about His birth, and that His resurrection was a hallucination. Others talk about a Christless Christianity. Some say that no matter what one thinks about Christ, it does not affect Christianity. They are wrong! Christianity is forever linked with the Person of Christ. Carlyle recognized this when he said, “Had this doctrine of the deity of Christ been lost, Christianity would have vanished like a dream.” The historian Lecky remarks, “Christianity is not a system of morals, it is the worship of a Person.”
By, Billy Graham

The Divine Exchange

“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”Isaiah 53:6

Jesus suffered like you suffer. But He suffered more than that, because He took not only your suffering, but He also took upon Himself the suffering of the world. The sins of the world were compressed and distilled upon the Lord Jesus Christ. Hebrew scholars tell us that there is an intensive plural in Isaiah 53 that speaks of the death of Christ. They say that it literally means that He “died a thousand deaths.” Do you know what that means? It means that Jesus, being infinite, suffered for a finite amount of time what you, being finite, would suffer for an infinite amount of time. A great exchange took place. He suffered upon that cross an eternity of hell for every one of us. Can you say today with the songwriter…  “What Thou, my Lord, hast suffered, was all for sinners’ gain; Mine, mine was the transgression, but Thine the deadly pain. Lo, here I fall, my Savior! ’Tis I deserve Thy place; Look on me with Thy favor, vouchsafe to me Thy grace.”

By Adrian Rogers

Being Filled With God's Joy

Psalms 30:5,11-12---For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee for ever.

It is interesting to note that David wrote this psalm for the dedication of the temple, which he knew would happen after his death. He so longed for the completion of a house for God and a permanent place for people to worship Him, that he made every preparation he could before he died, even the songs to be sung. Do we have such a desire for the spiritual house of God? In this song David reminds us that our God given afflictions are very brief, but God's favor lasts all our life. We may cry through the night, but God brings us joy the next morning. Whatever trial we are facing, it helps to remember this truth. Some trials seem long, but in the light of eternity and the favor of God upon our lives, they are fleeting. The Apostle Paul had a thorn in his side for years. It caused him to depend upon the grace and strength of God. This is quite different from dealing with the consequences of our sin. It is the condition of living in a fallen world.God turns our wailing into an exuberant dance of joy. He takes the sackcloth of mourning from us and gives us a robe of joy. Know that on the other side of every trial there will be times of joy again, not just happiness, but heart filled joy. Why does He do this for us? It is so that we may sing to Him for His goodness to us, and thank Him for the lessons learned. We thank Him for walking through that Valley of the Shadow of Death with us.

Be Filled With The Spirit / Not Spirits

Ephesians 5:15-18---See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;

We are supposed to have a new life in Christ, a new nature and heart. That does not mean that we are not susceptible to slipping back into the old nature or justifying compromise. Paul outlined, in this chapter, what the works of the flesh look like and warned them that living like that excluded them from any inheritance in the kingdom of God (vs 5). It guarantees wrath (vs 6). Then he reminded them to live in the light, expressing the attributes of God. If we love darkness, we need to examine whether or not we have truly repented and been born again. We are to find out what pleases the Lord and live in those ways. It may be something different for each of us, but whatever it is, it will be in the light. That is wise living. It is living with the focus on eternity. Investing in the temporal is unwise living. We have a limited time and number of opportunities. We should make as much of them as we can by the grace of God. The battle for souls is raging, and time is running out. Use the opportunities God gives you without fearing man. That is to understand what God's will is. The foolish miss the opportunities God gives them. The wise step into each one. They know that pleasing the Lord is eternally rewarding. Drunkenness only dulls you to opportunities. Dulling the senses and weakening your inhibitions, it pulls you away from your potential and purpose. It is a substitute for the Spirit, a counterfeit. It allows the flesh to have an upper hand. Eventually, it will destroy you. Being filled with the Spirit is the opposite of drunkenness. It sharpens you to opportunity. It strengthens your boundaries. It helps you step into your potential and purpose. When the inevitable trials come, being filled with the Spirit will help you walk through them in victory.

One Thing

Psalms 27:1, 4—The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.

David declared the LORD to be his light and his salvation. It was the presence of the LORD in his life that enabled him to see things as they really were, that kept him from stumbling in the darkness. It was the presence of the LORD in his life that saved him out of all his difficulties. The LORD was his salvation. He didn’t lean on self to understand or to get him out of danger. He recognized that his help came from the LORD. He goes on to say that men cannot make him afraid. If God is sovereign, and He has become my light and my salvation, what can man do to me? With the LORD as his stronghold, he always knew where to run for safety. Do you turn to God first in all your fears and concerns? Is He your light and salvation, the stronghold of your life? Without that, men will cause you to fear. Situations will overwhelm you. With that assurance, you will always know that the will of the God who loves you will be done. He will see you through anything men or demons can dish out. And if you are called home, you will be in His presence forever. What is the worst man can do? Kill me? Then I will end up where I long to be, gazing upon the beauty of the LORD and seeking Him in His heavenly dwelling place. David may have been referring to the tabernacle, but I think his mind moved from the earthly to the reality in heaven. His great desire was to spend eternity gazing upon God. Somewhere in those years of shepherding or training under Saul, he must have had a vision of the beauty of God. That became the one thing his soul sought after. We need a vision like that so that He becomes our one thing. Then, if illness strikes or men threaten, like the Apostle Paul, we can say, “To die is gain.”

We Are Only Stewards

Psalms 24:1---The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.

We sometimes think of possessions as being ours. We are stewards over things but for a short time. Everything is from God and will return to God. I am speaking not just of physical things but also power and authority. 1 Chronicles 29:11-12 ---Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Whatever you have, whatever authority or influence you attain to, it is all from God, and it will all return to God. He is all-powerful and so all power is from Him and returns to Him. We need to get a grip on this reality so that we don't get wrapped up in the idea of possessing things. Your house is not yours. Your clothes are not yours. Your children are not yours. It all belongs to God. How should that affect our attitude when we must part with any of these? If we think we own it, we will cling desperately to it and be grieved when it is taken. If we realize it is all God's and returns to God, we can let go, graciously thanking Him for the short time we were blessed to be the stewards of God's things. This acknowledgment of reality will also keep us from the selfish attitude that God owes us something. Romans 11:35 "Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him? We have never given to God anything that was not already His. Now, do you still feel as generous about that last big offering you gave? It was already God's. The act of giving at the leading of the Holy Spirit is just a reminder that we are only stewards that should act according to God's direction when He tells us to do something with what is already His.

The Lord, Our Shepherd

Psalms 23:1-3---The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

This is undoubtedly the most famous psalm. The analogy of the LORD being our shepherd was taken up by Jesus in John chapter 10. When He said, "I am the shepherd of the sheep", He was declaring Himself to be the LORD God. It is an analogy upon which many a book has been written. In this short devotional we can only touch upon a few of the points. Sheep are dumb, stinky creatures. I hope you don't feel offended, but I can say that because I am one. Without a shepherd to watch over and guide them, they would be easy prey for predators. They can't seem to find pasture for themselves, and when they try to, they often end up in precarious situations from which they need to be rescued. The Eternal God is our shepherd. Could it be any better? When you realize just how needy we are as sheep, it is a very comforting thought to know the Almighty God is our shepherd. We will never have a need He will not meet. He will guide us to places rich in pasture so that we will have plenty to nourish our souls. He will guide us to places of rest with plenty to eat and drink. And when we are discouraged and feel as if everything is against us, He restores our very soul. He lifts us out of the pit of despair and encourages us with the loving smile from His face. And why does He do all this for these stinky, dumb sheep? It is all for His name's sake. His name is the sum of His marvelous attributes. Would He be good, merciful, gracious, just, loving, holy, and righteous if He just let such dumb creatures as us wander to our doom? To show the excellence of His character, the greatness of His heart, He is our shepherd. You could not find another that comes close in comparison. Why would you try to wander off or go your own way, when you realize your condition and the wonderful offer to us from the LORD, to be our shepherd?