dailywalkinthelight

A Daily a Walk in the Light of God's Word

Archives for March 2018

Love Is

A dear friend of mine shared an old song with me this morning, and that song led to a few more.  They all centered around love and mercy.  They were not specifically “Christian Songs,” but as I listened to them, I could not help but think of my Heavenly Father and be filled with a feeling of thanksgiving.

We talk a lot about the wonder of God’s creation and how beautiful it is and how just seeing these things show His power and glory.  We ask, “How could anyone see the beauty of this world and not believe in God?” I know that is true, but I have another question, “How can one truly love and not believe there is a God?

I am not speaking of lust or infatuation.  I am speaking of that love you have for a spouse that you cherish or your child.  I speak of that look you get that will melt your heart because it tells you how much that person cares for you, even in the difficult times.

Science may explain it as a simple chemical reaction.  A poet or songwriter that does not believe simply may define it as unexplainable, but we that believe; we know from where it comes.  We know love.  I like 1 John when I consider these things, as a good place to start.

1 John

This love is a deep and abiding love.  It is something the world cannot fathom because they do not know God.  When I think of God, I realize that every word that I use He defined.  He placed in my heart an understanding that I could not realize until I came to know Him.  He defined these words used by believers and nonbelievers, but without God, they are only words.  Without God, the world can and does attach their meaning to them and there is a hollowness to the words without Him.  I think love shows that more than most.  Look at 1 John 3:16

1 John 3:16 (ESV)

16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

Then there is 1 John 4:19

1 John 4:19 (ESV)

19 We love because he first loved us.

How much clearer can it be than that?  Without God where would we find Love?  For me, as I consider this, my heart swells with this joy and thanksgiving.  It pushes out jealousy and anger for compassion and patience.  When I consider these words it is hard to forget forgiveness, especially during passion week between Palm Sunday and Easter.  I cannot help but spend some time in 1 John 4.

1John 4

Chapter four, beginning at the seventh verse, speaks of how God is love.  John is so clear in this text it just humbles me and reminds me how awesome a gift God gives us in His love…  a love that we can and must share with one another.

1 John 4:7-21 (ESV) God Is Love

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

What a wonderful gift we have been given.  A love that without the indwelling Holy Spirit surpasses all understanding.  We cannot love like this without loving Him first.  It simply takes my breath away and fills my heart with joy and thanksgiving.  What power there is in these words that God speaks through John.

I cannot put into words how God has changed my life once I faced my old ways, repented, was baptized and truly accepted Jesus Christ as the Son of God; my Redeemer and Lord.  Suddenly things changed from shades of gray to brilliant color, and the freedom I thought I had was replaced with real freedom in Jesus Christ.  This love God gave me filled me with a desire to make my life right with Him.  I mess up regularly, but He gives me the gift of grace and a desire to repent of my sins as soon as they occur.  What a wonderful love this is that God shares with us, and you cannot discuss the love of God without 1 Corinthians 13.

1 Corinthians 13

I love how Paul puts it in this chapter.  There is no power in my words but there is in God’s Words so I will simply share them.

1 Corinthians 13 (ESV)

1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

I read this passage from verse 1 through 3 I see me trying to come to terms with the truth and power of love.  In verse 4 through 7 I see my savior Jesus and his loving example.  Every step he took exuded this love, especially that last week of His life and His resurrection.  Verses 8 through 13 remind me that all the things that make of this world will pass away, and that faith and hope will help me endure, as will love but love is eternal.

Closing Thoughts

I have little to say in closing today.  My words seem so small when I look at the power of God’s Word.  The more I know, the smaller I become.  The smaller I become, the greater and more magnificent God becomes in my life.

Every time I think about how much He loves me…  how much he loves us…  the more overwhelmed I am I cannot help but think of Isaiah

Isaiah 6:5 (ESV)

5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

Or of Peter

Luke 5:8 (ESV)

8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”

Both men realized that they were in the presence of God, and both knew that they were not worthy as am I, but for God’s grace and the blood of Jesus.

Ephesians 2:8-10 (ESV)

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

What a glorious gift of God’s indescribable love.  Thank you, Father,!!

Prayer

Father, I love you, and I praise you.  I am overwhelmed by your glory and grace. I cannot fathom the love that you share; it takes my breath away.  Father thank you!  Thank you for all that you are and all that you do and all that is and is to come.  Help me that I might boldly proclaim the Gospel in all that I say and do in Jesus name, Amen!

 

The Joy of Salvation

In this past few days, I have been thinking about the joy, wonder, and glory of God and His promises.  It started one day with an email, and it has just bounced around in my head for several days.  It came together last night with a Facebook post that just touched my heart.

The original verse was in 1John 5.  It just reminded me what joy I have in Jesus.  The glory and wonder of this gift I have in knowing Him and having Him in my heart.

1 John 5:12-15 (ESV)

12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

The first part of that passage just thrills me – ”Whoever has the Son has life.”  It is not something we will get it is something we HAVE been given.  The next part is clear as we; the only way to obtain that is through the Son of God.  John wrote this to remind those of us that believe that we have eternal life.

The last two verses are just as powerful.  ” 14 And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.”

IF we ask in accordance with His will He hears us…  What a wonderful promise and the only caveat is it must be in accordance with His will, but that is easy to find in His Word.

Reflections

I pondered over that passage for a while not because I questioned it but because of the peace and joy it brought to me, and at the same time the desire to share it with others, because of the second half of verse 12 – “whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”  That is a serious issue.  See I was one of those people.  I knew who God was, but I was arrogant.  I fit in with a passage from James.

James 2:19 (ESV)

19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!

The only difference is that I was not smart enough to shudder.  I was whiskey bent, and hell bound and thought I was a “Good Person” and would go to heaven.  In truth, I was a foolish person.  But today I am so thankful and am filled with this wonderful news.  God snatched me from my selfish ways and showed me the truth of freedom in Him.

I ended up looking at some scriptures over the past few days.  I began in Romans

Romans 8

I began in Romans 8 beginning with verse 12. Paul was speaking of the debt that we owed and to whom.   He spoke of the gifts we have received through our redemption.  My heart nearly jumps out of my chest as I read it.

Romans 8:12-17 (ESV)

12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

I am a child of God.  Adopted as a son.  I know this because the Holy Spirit Himself bears witness with my spirit that I am a child of God.  I am speechless when I consider this gift and the price paid not only for my freedom from sin but my salvation and eternal life.   It makes the meaning of the next verse in this chapter so clear.

Romans 8:18 (ESV)

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

Some days it is hard to speak.  Some days my balance does not work and sometimes my head throbs but in all that I still have Jesus.  In all that I still am dancing on the inside regardless of what my shell may be experiencing, and I am filled with Joy and thanksgiving.  I cannot fathom what it would be like without Jesus.  I am thankful that I do not have to experience that kind of life.  I pray that others may be freed from that prison.

From Romans, I went to Peter.  I love how the Holy Spirit impacted Peter.  I love his letters.

1 Peter

I began in 1 Peter chapter 3.  Peter spoke of the kind of person we should strive to be.

1 Peter 3:8-13 (ESV)

8 Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. 9 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. 10 For

“Whoever desires to love life

and see good days,

let him keep his tongue from evil

and his lips from speaking deceit;

11 let him turn away from evil and do good;

let him seek peace and pursue it.

12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,

and his ears are open to their prayer.

But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good?

Now I read this passage, and I am reminded that the world is looking for an excuse to hate me and point out my hypocrisy.  I know I have been goaded by people to try and make me argue and get angry, but there is not any value in that.  When I was of the world, I used intimidation and anger to get my way.  But nowhere do we see Jesus intimidate, even in those final hours before the cross.

For me, anger was often a response to fear.  You startle or threaten the old me I got angry.  I like what Jesus said about fear in Matthew.

Matthew 10:28 (ESV)

28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

I think that kind of says it all, don’t you?  No one can do that, but God and my hope is in Him.  I am a child of God…

2Peter

From 1 Peter I went to 2 Peter.  I cannot help but think about the soon return of Christ and balance that against all that are still lost.  I wish for Him to return now, but in the same breath I wish for more time to share Gods Word, and I ended up in Chapter 3 of 2 Peter.

2 Peter 3:8-13 (ESV)

8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

  11 Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13 But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

What a beautiful passage.  Peter reminds us that all things come in God time.  His desire is for all to come to repentance.  I thought it was interesting that he said repentance instead of any other words like salvation or Jesus.  The more I thought about it, the more sense it made.  Repentance is so important, but sometimes folks overlook that word for others.

Repentance

As I reread 2 Peter 3:9 this morning several other passages about repentance came to mind.  First was Peter in Luke 5.  Several were fishing with Jesus in the boat, and they fish all night without catching a fish.  Jesus told them to put their nets in the deeper water, and they would catch fish, and the catch was so big that they nearly sank the boat and another that came to help.  Peter realized the truth of Jesus and said the following:

Luke 5:8 (ESV)

8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”

Peter saw the power and glory of God in Jesus and his wretchedness and could not bear it.  But Jesus told him not to be afraid.  The other that comes to mind always is in Isaiah 6.

Isaiah 6:5 (ESV)

5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

This too is so powerful.  Isaiah is cleansed when a hot coal is touched to his lips.  It blows me away how both these men came to realize how unworthy they were and when they realized it they were forgiven.

They realized, probably for the first time, how great God was and how small they were.  It happened for me at a very difficult time when I had no clue how to proceed and I threw myself at God’s feet and he changed the world for me; at least my world.  I will never stop being thankful for that.

Peter led me to Revelation 3

Revelation 3

Thinking of God’s timing from Peter I thought of Laodicea.  Laodicea gets the harshest of reprimands of the seven churches.  But even so they are not left without hope.  Every time I read this passage in Revelation I am reminded of the Glory of God.  He is just, and He does not hold back His reprimand, but he tells them what they must do to escape judgment.

Revelation 3:15-22 (ESV)

15 “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. 21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

How amazing is our God?  He reminds them that He reproves those that he loves and asks them to be zealous and repent.  He does not leave it there He tells them what is in store for them if they do.  My heart is filled with joy as I read this passage.

Closing Thoughts

Our God is an awesome God.  If we truly believe we have eternal life.  His plan is very specific.  It is not multiple choice.  I like the way Paul says it in Ephesians 2.

Ephesians 2:4-10 (ESV)

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

What a gift we have been given and what an opportunity we have been given to serve with these good works that He laid out for us that we should walk in them not to be saved but because we have been saved.  I am filled with this overwhelming joy and thanksgiving.

Prayer

Father, thank you for all you are.  Lord, it is hard to find words that say more than that.  I am thankful that you have drawn near to me and given me this hope and joy that comes from knowing and loving you.  In Jesus name, I pray, amen!

The Freedom and Salvation in the Light

I have been caught up, for lack of a better way of describing it, in the thought of salvation in Christ Jesus and how some get it and others don’t.  It just makes my heart ache that so many seem to miss the whole idea of salvation through Jesus Christ.  This morning the thought was almost overwhelming.

I woke and like the past several weeks my head was a thick cloud of almost confusion, but as I worked to wake up there was this light that was burning through the fog.  It was just like the sunrise I photographed this morning.  There was a strange haziness this morning, but there was still this light that could not be contained, and it pushed through all that haze, and I was moved to John 1.  If I have a favorite apostle today, it is the Book of John.  It is the view that John shares that moves me.  To me, he shares the heart of Christ Jesus in a way that just fills my heart and this morning as I ached for those that seem lost I was drawn to John 1.

John 1, (the first five verses)

I read the first 18 verses, and it chipped away at that fog that filled my head.  The first five verses just put me on my knees.  I am filled with a feeling of thanksgiving.

John 1:1-5 (ESV)

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

This passage reminds me who Jesus is and what He has done and how powerful He is.  Through Him, all things were made, and without Him, nothing would be made.  He is a light so powerful that the darkness cannot overcome it.

Have you ever been in absolute darkness?  I went to Mammoth Cave when I was about 11 or 12.  We went on a tour and deep in the cave as part of the tour they turned out all the lights.  It was a dark that still amazes me now.  I remember smoking was still commonplace and a guy up front had a cigarette lit, and this little red dot was so bright, but I could not see my hand.

Just think of that darkness against the light of Jesus.  No matter how dark it might be, it cannot overcome the light of Jesus.

Consider This

As I look at these five verses and apply the circumstances of my life to that image of the darkness of Mammoth Cave, there is no darkness or circumstance that Jesus cannot overcome.  There have been three times in my life that I have come to terms with my mortality and in two of the three times were before I knew Jesus. The third was after I had a relationship with Him.

The first two scared me badly.  I knew who Jesus was, but I did not have a relationship with Him.  I suffered from Pride, Selfishness, and Self Control.  I did not trust in God.  I felt everything was my job.  I had no real understanding of Jesus.  I could see no further than my circumstances.  I was fortunate that I survived both situations.  Now I had to remember I had to be more careful.  But I was an unconscious incompetent; I did not know what I did not know.  Jesus was in the middle of both of these situations.  He saved me both these times and much more I just was too blind to see.

The third was after I came to love and accept and respect Jesus.  It was strokes.  It startled me.  I realized how much worse it could have been, but God used it to draw me closer.  He showed me there was so much more than my circumstances.  Jesus showed me through Paul that this is not my home.

Romans 8:18 (ESV)

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

He reminded me that my goal is to focus my eye past my circumstances.

Matthew 6:33 (ESV)

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Reflections

I look at these things that He showed to me, and I ache for those that just cannot seem to see it.  I know that God has a plan and it is beyond my understanding.  I know that everything happens in God’s time.  When I think about these things, I have to remember that I was just like those that do not see it for 52 years and the truth of it is people continued to pray for me and show me Christ through their lives.  God showed me amazing things and now reminds me of every time he intervened in my life, including those two times I nearly did not make it.  He had a plan, and I am thankful.   That brings me to John 1: 14-18

John 1 Continued

As I ponder the power of Jesus and the wonder of His incarnation I cannot go forward without considering verses 14-18.  These verses fill me with joy and thanksgiving.

John 1:9-18 (ESV)

9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.

What an amazing gift that God gave us.  Jesus, who created the world, became flesh.  He gave His life that we might have eternal life in Him.  What amazing thing it is to know that He loved us that much.  I cannot help but think of chapter 2 in Paul’s letter to the Philippians.

Philippians 2

I love how Paul speaks of Jesus sacrifice; It is so clear.

 Philippians 2:5-8 (ESV)

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

What a gift we have in Jesus.  In human terms this is impossible.  But through God alone it is possible.

Romans 5:6-11 (ESV)

6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

What power there is in God’s Word.  No man can do this.  No man alone can say this.  Only God has this power to share these things through man.  Even as I think of these things, I have no memory.  That is a gift from the stroke, but as I ponder the wonders of God’s love HE reminds me of the things that I have seen in His Word.  I am overwhelmed by His grace and mercy.  I am thankful for His gift of repentance through which He forgives my sins as far as the east is from the west.  There is no darkness that can overcome the light of God’s love and grace.

Closing Thoughts

As I ponder all of this I am drawn to my families favorite Psalm.  It is Psalm 121

Psalms 121 (ESV)

My Help Comes from the LORD

A Song of Ascents.

1 I lift up my eyes to the hills.

From where does my help come?

2 My help comes from the LORD,

who made heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot be moved;

he who keeps you will not slumber.

4 Behold, he who keeps Israel

will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The LORD is your keeper;

the LORD is your shade on your right hand.

6 The sun shall not strike you by day,

nor the moon by night.

7 The LORD will keep you from all evil;

he will keep your life.

8 The LORD will keep

your going out and your coming in

from this time forth and forevermore.

He is my strength, hope, and understanding.  I have all these things because of the saving grace of Christ Jesus.  I do not know who will or will not hear and believe the promises of Jesus.  I only know that I must continue to share them every day.

I am thankful that my heart aches for the lost.  It assures that I cannot stop sharing this message.  I think again of Paul’s letter to the Philippians as I close.

Philippians 4:12-13 (ESV)

12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

I know Paul was speaking of the physical, but I see the spiritual in these words as well because I know what it is to be brought low and to abound.  I have also learned to face plenty and hunger for God and His Word.  For I can do all things through Him for I am never really alone.  The Holy Spirit is with me always, and I am filled with thanksgiving.

Prayer

Father, thank you for this joy that you fill my heart with.  Thank you for giving me a desire to share it even when I cannot find the words.  Help me to always hold fast to you, especially when the adversary tries to deceive me with the hint of darkness in your abounding light.

In Jesus name, I pray. Amen!

Trust, Vanity or Peace

Light of Hope

Lately, I have been having a difficult time with focus.  I am not sure what it is that causes it but the cloud that surrounds my thought process has been making things very difficult; especially study and writing.

This morning as I prayed I asked for help with this issue.  I wish it had a name or a clear description, but I cannot seem to find one, so I just call it a cloud.  But this morning, after my initial prayers, I was prompted to look at two passages.

The first passage came from K-Love’s verse of the day and was in Psalms.  The second came from my Keller devotional, and as I read them, I received some peace and contentment that only comes to me by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God.

Psalm 19

The first passage was Psalm 19. It is a Psalm of David and the Heading in my ESV translation is “The Law is Perfect.”  The K-Love verse was 19-1

Psalms 19:1 (ESV)

1 The heavens declare the glory of God,

and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

That is a wonderful verse, and it is such a blinding statement of the truth.  It touches my heart because I look for that every day and try to capture that beauty with my camera.  What a glorious God we serve that even this fallen world could be this beautiful.

I ended up reading all of Psalm 19, and it was very encouraging.  I love the closing verse of this Psalm.

Psalms 19:14 (ESV)

14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

be acceptable in your sight,

O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

What a wonderful way to close the Psalm.  As I pondered this passage, I remembered a passage in 1John that I love that speaks of God’s commandments.

1 John 5:3-5 (ESV)

3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. 4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

These thoughts just fill me with a sense of contentment, in spite of the fog, and as I reflect on these things, I look at Psalm 20.  The heading is “Trust in the Name of the Lord,” and I had to read that.

Psalm 20 Trust in the Name of the Lord

As I read this passage, I knew that this was part of what God was reminding me of in regards to this struggle I have been having.  I know that He is always with me.  I find great peace and contentment in His presence, but sometimes these struggles can become a distraction that can set me off track a bit, but today the Holy Spirit reminded me that I was not alone.  The opening verses touched my heart.  I ended up reading the whole chapter.

Psalms 20 (ESV)

1 May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble!

May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!

2 May he send you help from the sanctuary

and give you support from Zion!

3 May he remember all your offerings

and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices! Selah

4 May he grant you your heart’s desire

and fulfill all your plans!

5 May we shout for joy over your salvation,

and in the name of our God set up our banners!

May the LORD fulfill all your petitions!

6 Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed;

he will answer him from his holy heaven

with the saving might of his right hand.

7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses,

but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

8 They collapse and fall,

but we rise and stand upright.

9 O LORD, save the king!

May he answer us when we call.

It was hard to find the words to describe my response.  I was filled up with joy as I was reminded of regardless of my circumstances my trust rests in the Lord.  I am reminded of Paul’s letter to the Philippians in Chapter 4

Philippians 4:11-13 (ESV)

11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

That is why I am so thankful for God’s Word because I know that when I struggle or when physically things are not working as they should if I will take it to the Lord He will show me what I need if I will listen and look. But He had more to share this morning in Ecclesiastes.

Ecclesiastes 1

After my time in Psalms, I read my devotional for the day from Timothy Keller and his reference verse for today was 1:12-18

Ecclesiastes 1:12-18 (ESV)

The Vanity of Wisdom

12 I the Preacher have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. 13 And I applied my heart to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven. It is an unhappy business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. 14 I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.

15 What is crooked cannot be made straight,

and what is lacking cannot be counted.

16 I said in my heart, “I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me, and my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.” 17 And I applied my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a striving after wind.

18 For in much wisdom is much vexation,

and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.

I read this passage a couple of times in the devotional and then in my ESV translation.  I have not given as much effort in studying Ecclesiastes as other books so until today I had missed a key point in this passage.  I knew that striving to figure things out ourselves without God was vanity.  That I understood, but what I missed was the vexation and sorrow part.

We push and struggle to figure things out on our own to the point of frustration or sorrow before we seek God’s help and it is such a vain waste of time and energy.  “What is crooked [we] cannot [make] straight.”  It takes God’s intervention to resolve the issue, whatever it might be, and He always has the best solution.

Reflections

I thought over all of these things this morning.  Prayed and pondered, meditated and reflected and ultimately settled into contentment.  I received sufficient clarity to write this and to study just enough to respond the insight provided by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God.  I am thankful.

He leads me to one last place in His Word, and I will close with that.

Closing Thoughts

I do not know that this cloudy feeling will leave completely.  I know that it is frustrating, but I know that regardless God will use it to help me grow closer to Him.  He has shown me too many times that all things work together for good.  It does not mean there are not moments that I do not freak out a bit, but ultimately I place my trust in Him.  There are two passages that I always hold onto in the difficult moments.

The first is in 2 Corinthians.

2 Corinthians 12:8-9 (ESV)

8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

The second is in Romans 8

Romans 8:28 (ESV)

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

These passages speak to me.  I have not seen what Paul has seen and I am not even saying that these issues I have are to keep me humble, but they do.  Every time I read 2 Corinthians 12:8-9 I am reminded of what Paul withstood, and I am reminded of how much I have to be thankful for.  The same is true of Romans 8:28.

I will never claim to understand any of the things that are taking place in my life or those around me.  I only know that I have been blessed beyond measure and every struggle has been met with blessings, hope, and strength; not because of anything I have done but because of what God has done in my heart.

Thanksgiving

I am filled with a thankful heart.  I am overwhelmed by the awesomeness of God and His GLORY!  There is none above Him.  I praise Him and to Him goes all the Glory.

Psalms 19:1 (ESV)

1 The heavens declare the glory of God,

and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

As for me… I am thankful.

Prayer

Father, thank you for this morning and the insight you afforded me.  Thank you for your holy Word and answered prayer.  Thank you for all that you do in us, through us, and around us, in Jesus name, I pray, Amen!

 

Is One Verse Enough

God’s Wonder and Glory

This week has been a good week, but they all are.  Sure, there are trials, and some can be challenging, but ultimately God is in control.  I have stood in awe of God this week.

I am always amazed by Him, but this week as I prayed I found it hard to find the words to give Him the praise that He is worthy of receiving.  I just got stuck.  At that moment I was at a loss for any words, but I knew that the Holy Spirit interceded for me.  It is not that He poked me in the heart and said. “I got this.” I know because God told me through His servant Paul

Romans 8

In Romans 8 Paul talks about life in the Spirit and about two-thirds of the way through the chapter he tells of another place where we need not worry.

Romans 8:26-27 (ESV)

26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

What comfort there is in this passage; what peace.  Sometimes I have no words that can express the burning of my heart.  I get lost or overwhelmed especially when it comes to the majesty of God.  I just struggle to find the words to describe Him and to praise Him, but the Holy Spirit knows my heart.  God has given me that comfort and confidence in His Word.  It is there for me to learn.

John

I look at the word and am amazed at all that God gives us in it if we will prayerfully study it with an open heart and mind.  Jesus promised that He would not leave His disciples as orphans.  He promised to send a helper

John 14:15-17 (ESV)

15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

What a wonderful promise we have in this passage, and unlike us, God keeps His promises, and He did in Acts 2

Acts 2:1-4 (ESV)

1 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Reflections

What comfort we have in the Holy Word.  I am humbled when I read it.  It is a living document that I learn something new every time I open it.  God gives me the understanding that I need every day.  There is a promise in Isaiah that is so powerful.

Isaiah 55:10-11 (ESV)

10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven

and do not return there but water the earth,

making it bring forth and sprout,

giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;

it shall not return to me empty,

but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,

and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

If you take just a moment to think about this, it will blow your mind.  This Word of God that we hold in our hand describes the creation of the universe and everything that has happened, but there is still more to come, and God promises His Word, “it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.“, And I believe in His promises. They give me comfort, joy, and contentment that I cannot find in the world.

Proverbs 3

I think about this peace and contentment, and I think of Proverbs 3:5-8.  This passage is one of those that just strengthens me and reminds me to focus on God, not myself.

Proverbs 3:5-8 (ESV)

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

and do not lean on your own understanding.

6 In all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will make straight your paths.

7 Be not wise in your own eyes;

fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.

8 It will be healing to your flesh

and refreshment to your bones.

He provides for me in all ways if I will truly trust in Him.  But this passage reminds me of another that reminds me even more strongly not to rely on myself but deny myself.

Luke 9

In Luke 9 Jesus speaks of dying to myself.  Placing all my faith and trust in him.

Luke 9:23-27 (ESV)

23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. 25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? 26 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. 27 But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.”

Jesus is more direct than Proverbs.  He explains that we must lose our lives for His sake.  If we do not surrender to Him completely, we will lose our lives.  But that should not scare us but fill us with hope, and a desire to give our all to Jesus,”7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but power and love and self-control.” 2 Timothy 1:7 (ESV).  Our strength may not be sufficient, but John explains that we are not alone.

1 John 4:4 (ESV)

4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

What amazing comfort I find in that certainty.  My God is an awesome God!!

Closing Thoughts

These passages from God’s Word fill my heart and lift my confidence always.  I may have disappointments and challenges, but those circumstances will not take the joy that God has filled me with the Holy Spirit and His Word.  It is more than I can put into words.  So rather than fretting over how to describe that joy I like Paul’s advice.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 (ESV)

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.

23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

Praise God!!

Prayer

Father, thank you for all your promises.  Thank you for sharing each with us in Your Word in your time.  I pray Father that every day my wisdom may grow, and I might grow closer to You through your Word and prayer so that my testimony and faith may grow stronger and you may shine through me to bring glory to you.  In Jesus name, I pray, Amen!

 

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