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.