Will…

Will…

This, then, is how you should pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.~ Matthew 6:9-10

When Jesus taught His disciples to pray this manner, the focus of prayer was totally on the Father. To hallow the name of God means to greatly respect it; to give reverence to it; to consider it holy. The third commandment affirms: “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses His Name.” (Exodus 20:7) Indeed, King David instructed: “Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His Name; worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness.” (Psalm 29:2)

As we pray to our Father and approach Him with holy reverence, Jesus outlines certain prayer points that I believe guide us into effectual prayer … prayer that brings us into agreement with the sovereignty and authority of the Father (His Kingdom) … prayer that brings our wills into alignment with His Will. Jesus affirms that the will of the Father IS done in heaven, and He instructs us to pray that the will of God is done on earth as well. So, one might ask, “What is the will of God?”

The Holy Scriptures reveal God and His existence to us. The Word of God expounds upon His Nature … His Character … His Thoughts … His Will. We see all these facets of His Being unfold through His interactions with creation; His commandments and ordinances; and the truths He reveals through His prophets. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:21) Thus, we need to study the Scriptures which are filled with direct expressions of God’s will.

When they asked Jesus, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one He has sent.” (John 6:28-29) First and foremost, the will of God is for us to believe in Jesus … the Son of God … who is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His Being. (Hebrews 1:3) And God has ordained that those who put their faith in Jesus will be conformed to the image of His Son. (Romans 8:29) Yes, we are to be holy because He is holy! (Leviticus 11:44, 11:45, 19:2, 20:7, 20:26, 1 Peter 1:16)

1 Thessalonians 4:3-8 (NIV)

It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you His Holy Spirit.

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 (NIV)

May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The One who calls you is faithful, and He will do it.

My friends, it is clear that God wants His people to be set apart … to be sanctified and consecrated to serve Him and His purposes. Our Lord Jesus prayed to the Father these words: “Sanctify them by the Truth; Your Word is Truth.” (John 17:17) Even more, I find great comfort knowing this truth: “For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose. (Philippians 2:13) Indeed, God works to align His will within us so that we will act according to His will. And so, God fulfills our prayer: Your Kingdom come … Your will be done … on earth as it is in heaven! Amen.

Have a Blessed Day!

Created in Christ Jesus…

Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Our Verse of the Day is one that I often quote in our studies and commentaries. I believe its revelation of purpose for our lives remains true and unchanged. It is a straightforward declaration that forms a framework in which to view our lives in the light of the transforming message of the Gospel. Let’s look closer at the context:

Ephesians 2:1-10 (NIV)

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh (sinful nature) and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But God, because of His great love for us, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

When Paul uses the phrase “we are God’s handiwork” (also translated workmanship), I think he is referring to His loved-filled power to make us alive in Christ … to become new creations in Him. As Jesus explained, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So, it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” (Cf. John 3:5-8) And Paul affirmed, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (Cf. 2 Corinthians 5:17) And, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation.” (Cf. Galatians 6:15) In other words, it is not about what or who you were before you came to faith in Christ Jesus, it is about the new creation you have become through faith in Him … and that is not of yourself. It is the gift of God!

Yes, in Christ we are spiritual creations … the workmanship of God the Father; and He has ordained for our identities to formed apart from our physical characteristics … our ethnicities … our biological determinants … or our social status. “So, in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Cf. Galatians 3:26-28) Indeed, in Christ Jesus we have received new identities as united members of His Body. We have been gifted and equipped to serve and minister to others; yes, we are saved to serve and to do those good works which God prepared in advance for us to do. I truly believe this is how we should view ourselves … and submit ourselves to God and to one another. As Paul expounded:

Romans 12:1-8 (NIV)

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. ²Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

My friends, it is my prayer that we will always remember our salvation through faith in Jesus is a precious gift of grace. We have been saved to serve! This is our identity as new creations, and we are inseparable from the Father who created us in His own image. That image is manifested in His Son, Jesus, because He is the exact representation of the Father. (Cf. Hebrews 1:3) As Jesus told Philip, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” (Cf. John 14:9) Indeed, let us remember that whoever claims to live in Him must live as Jesus did. (Cf. 1 John 2:6)

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. ~ Ephesians 4:22-24

To Be Born of God…

John 1:12-13 (NIV)

Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

In our Verse of the Day, the Apostle John provides us with a profound statement of theology; and I think we should take a look at what it asserts for believers and unbelievers.

John 1:1-13 (NIV)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him. Yet to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

We see the Apostle John laying the foundation of who Jesus is … His identity … and His divine origin. Unlike the synoptic gospel writers (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), John does not begin his gospel narrative with the physical born of Jesus into the world; rather, he establishes that Jesus is an eternal being … the Word of God from the beginning … the Word who became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We see the divinity of Jesus from the inception of his eyewitness account, and we understand that it is Jesus who “gives us the right to become children of God.” It is upon the basis of His authority that a human has the capacity to be born of the Spirit … to be born of God. There is no other way for this spiritual birth to take place. For Jesus to transform a person, He must be received in faith. Indeed, Jesus is the assurance of what we hope for and the evidence of what is unseen…. (Cf. Hebrews 11:1)

Have you ever wondered why a “second birth” is necessary to see and enter the Kingdom of God as Jesus told Nicodemus? In John 3:6, Jesus affirmed: “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” To be sure, we bear the physical image of a human being … the image of Adam; but read this account very carefully:

Genesis 5:1-5 (NIV)

This is the written account of Adam’s family line. When God created mankind, He made them in the likeness of God. He created them male and female and blessed them. And He named them “Mankind” (Adam in Hebrew) when they were created. When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth. After Seth was born, Adam lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Adam lived a total of 930 years, and then he died.

In the natural … in the physical … we are made in the likeness of Adam (human beings). We bear his image; however, the likeness of God (the holiness of God) in which the first male and female had been created, this likeness of God was “lost” due to their disobedience in the Garden of Eden. When sin entered the world through the rebellious act of Adam and Eve, our holiness was foregone through the knowledge of good and evil. But God provided a plan of redemption … a path of reconciliation … through the sacrificial atonement of His own Son. To those who receive Jesus … to those who believe in His Name, He gave the right to become the children of God … to bear His image. Through faith in Jesus, we receive His righteousness … His holiness … and we are hidden in Him before God. Our identity is in Jesus and our holiness is restored through Him!

Romans 5:12-17 (New Living Translation)

When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. Yes, people sinned even before the law was given. But it was not counted as sin because there was not yet any law to break. Still, everyone died—from the time of Adam to the time of Moses—even those who did not disobey an explicit commandment of God, as Adam did. Now Adam is a symbol, a representation of Christ, who was yet to come. But there is a great difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gracious gift. For the sin of this one man, Adam, brought death to many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and His gift of forgiveness to many through this other man, Jesus Christ. And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ.

Consider this for a moment. We bear the physical image of the earthly man in our bodies; but in order to bear the image of the heavenly man, we must be born-again of the Spirit. Thus, the “second” birth has implications for our resurrection bodies. The Apostle Paul had occasion to explain this concept for the Church:

1 Corinthians 15:44-50 (NIV)

If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So, it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven. As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man. I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

Through faith we know that Jesus is the Son of God and the exact representation of His being. (Cf. Hebrews 1:3) And I believe this truth should give us deeper insight into what this Scripture asserts: “For whom God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son….” (Cf. Romans 8:29) God desires us to be like Jesus … to be conformed to His image! This is why we are drawn by the Holy Spirit to pursue holiness in our lives. We who are in Christ Jesus receive in Him wisdom from God – that is, our righteousness, holiness, and redemption. (Cf. 1 Corinthians 1:30) We have been taught, with regard to our former way of life, to put off our old selves, which are being corrupted by their deceitful desires;to be made new in the attitude of our minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Cf. Ephesians 4:22-24) For without holiness, no one will see the Lord. (Cf. Hebrews 12:14)

Like Nicodemus, there are many people who do not understand the theological concept of being born-again. And I hope this brief overview helps us to see its presentation through multiple writers of the New Testament. The spiritual implications of the new birth are tremendous and it all begins with Jesus … the One who proclaimed: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him.” (Cf. John 14:6-7) My friends, it is only in Jesus that we have the right … the “authority” … to become children born again of the Spirit.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Ah, Sovereign Lord…

Jeremiah 32:17 (NIV)

Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.

Our Verse of the Day affirms God as the creator of everything and sovereign over all His works. But if we look at the surrounding context, we will see that Jeremiah prayed this prayer in the midst of an impending national crisis. The remnant people of Israel were being invaded and taken over by the Babylonian Empire because of their unfaithfulness to God; and yet, he is buying land (while in prison) as a display of his trust in the ultimate mercy and goodness and faithfulness of God to redeem and restore His people:

Jeremiah 32:8-23 (NIV)

I knew that this was the word of the Lord; so I bought the field at Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel and weighed out for him seventeen shekels of silver. I signed and sealed the deed, had it witnessed, and weighed out the silver on the scales. I took the deed of purchase—the sealed copy containing the terms and conditions, as well as the unsealed copy— and I gave this deed to Baruch son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, in the presence of my cousin Hanamel and of the witnesses who had signed the deed and of all the Jews sitting in the courtyard of the guard. In their presence I gave Baruch these instructions: ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Take these documents, both the sealed and unsealed copies of the deed of purchase, and put them in a clay jar so they will last a long time. For this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Houses, fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land.’ After I had given the deed of purchase to Baruch son of Neriah, I prayed to the Lord:

Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you. You show love to thousands but bring the punishment for the parents’ sins into the laps of their children after them. Great and mighty God, whose name is the Lord Almighty, great are your purposes and mighty are your deeds. Your eyes are open to the ways of all mankind; you reward each person according to their conduct and as their deeds deserve. You performed signs and wonders in Egypt and have continued them to this day, in Israel and among all mankind, and have gained the renown that is still yours. You brought your people Israel out of Egypt with signs and wonders, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with great terror. You gave them this land that you had sworn to give their ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey. They came in and took possession of it, but they did not obey you or follow your law; they did not do what you commanded them to do. So, you brought all this disaster on them.

The disaster that Jeremiah speaks of is the Babylonian invasion of Jerusalem and the land of Judah. Indeed, God brought judgment upon His people for their disobedience to His covenant; but there is still hope for a future. If you go back to the famous passage (most of us can quote it) from Chapter 29, we can see the confidence Jeremiah had in the promises of God to restore His people once again.

Jeremiah 29:10-14 (NIV)

This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

We are not told, but perhaps the cousin was selling his land to Jeremiah out of fear; or maybe, just survival. I would think there was all kinds of distress at the time because of King Nebuchadnezzar and his ensuing armies. But I believe Jeremiah saw the situation as an opportunity to demonstrate his confidence in the prophetic words of God to restore a remnant of believers after His justice has been meted out. Buying the land with the intent to possess it after the exile offered hope and encouragement to those around him; and perhaps, to those who otherwise distrusted Jeremiah’s prophecies and the instructions from God concerning the exile.

My friends, I believe there is an application for us in this generation as we see and experience economic distress and the travails of upheaval coming upon our land … even the world. Could the unrest and tribulation be judgment for the unbelief, rebellion, and hostility toward God in our culture? Perhaps. God has been more than patient with the sin and unrighteousness of this nation! He has not treated us as our iniquities deserve. (Cf. Psalm 103) Yes, there will be a day of wrath … a day of judgment. And so, we are admonished to persevere so that when we have done the will of God, we will receive what He has promised. For, “In just a little while, He who is coming will come and will not delay.” (Cf. Hebrews 10:36-37) As Peter advised: The Lord is patient and not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (Cf. 2 Peter 3:9)

For me, Jeremiah has presented a prophetic metaphor that speaks to our faith in the power and promises of God for those who love Him. Indeed, we should be investing in the Kingdom of God “now” to be received in the Kingdom of God “not yet”. Our devotion and service to God now … as we engage with a rebellious culture … serves to demonstrate our faith in God’s word and His promise of redemption and resurrection! In other words, we should not be fearful or distressed by what we can already see is coming upon this nation (and the world) in these latter days; rather, we should be prepared and at work for the harvest … being confident in the gracious love of God for those who have placed their faith in Jesus.

1 Corinthians 2:9-10

However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” (Citing Isaiah 64:4) – the things God has prepared for those who love Him— these are the things God has revealed to us by His Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.

I am hopeful the application is discernable to us. In the midst of tribulation, we need to stay positive and active – confident in the future God has planned for us. “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” (Cf. 2 Timothy 1:7) Yes, I think we need to respond to our current circumstances like Jeremiah did in his generation … forward-looking and trusting in the Almighty God who is for us and not against us … believing in the loving, compassionate Father who has planned an inconceivable future for us!

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going. ~ John 14:1-4

God … My Protector

Psalm 91:1 (NIV)

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most-High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

Our Verse of the Day is the launching verse of Psalm 91. This Psalm is filled with gracious words and affirmations of the deep care and protection of God for those who love Him. I want to reprint it here for us today. Let this be a prayer over your life! Let it bring encouragement, hope, and comfort to you.

Psalm 91 (NIV)

¹Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most-High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty (El Shaddai)
²I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

³Surely He will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.
⁴He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
⁵You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day,
⁶nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.
⁷A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.
⁸You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.

⁹If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most-High your dwelling,
¹⁰no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent.
¹¹For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;
¹²they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
¹³You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

¹⁴“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
¹⁵He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.
¹⁶With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

As I read this Psalm, these thoughts came to mind:

Isaiah 54:16-17 (NIV)

“See, it is I who created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon fit for its work. And it is I who have created the destroyer to wreak havoc; but no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the Lord.

Romans 8:31-39 (NIV)

What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” (Quoting Psalm 44:22) No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The message here is that God desires to be a refuge for His people. He wants us to position ourselves underneath His protection and safety. The imagery provided to us is like that of a mother hen or eagle spreading its wings over her chicks to protect them from harm. Indeed, our Father is Protector! He is mighty and able; and He has promised to watch over those who love Him! As David prayed, let us follow his example in our petitions: “Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.” (Cf. Psalm 57:1) And, “Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge.” (Cf. Psalm 62:8) And, “But the Lord has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge.” (Cf. Psalm 94:22)

Oh, my friends, may we all submit our lives into the hands of our mighty, powerful, compassionate, gracious, merciful, loving Father and Savior. This is my prayer, in Jesus Name.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip— He who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you— the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm— He will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. ~ Psalm 121

A Father to the Fatherless…

Psalm 68:4-5 (NIV)

Sing to God, sing in praise of His name, extol Him who rides on the clouds; rejoice before Him—His name is the Lord. A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling.

Our Verse of the Day caught my eye. I had been reading Psalm 37 today, but as I read Psalm 68, a theme began to emerge that I believe is a word for us today: “The Protection and the Justice of God”.

Track along with me for a few verses:

Psalm 37:1-9 (NIV)

Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret—it leads only to evil. For those who are evil will be destroyed, but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.

Psalm 68:1-6 (NIV)

Let God arise, Let His enemies be scattered; may His foes flee before Him. May you blow them away like smoke— as wax melts before the fire, may the wicked perish before God. But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful. Sing to God, sing in praise of His name, praise Him who rides on the clouds; rejoice before Him—His name is the Lord. A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy dwelling. God makes a home for those who are lonely; He leads out those who are captive into prosperity; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land….

I encourage you to read both of these Psalms today … and let them speak to your heart. Let the Word of God assure you that Father God is still on the throne! Yes, and He will forever be the power and strength of His people … our Great Defender! God knows both the wicked and the righteous! He knows their end from the beginning! So, I encourage us to remember these following words and to trust our Heavenly Father:

Psalm 139:13-18 (NIV)

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful; I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How amazing are your thoughts concerning me, God! How vast is the sum of them! If I were to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand; when I awake, I am still with you.

My friends, God knows each one of us intimately … and He invites each one of us to know Him intimately. As we come to know our Heavenly Father, as we learn to trust Him in all things that concern us, anytime is a great time and opportunity to pause and give thanks to God. In these Psalms, we are afforded many reasons to worship Him. One of these is that He is a father to the fatherless. And although I did not experience fatherlessness growing up, I have observed how the absence of an earthly father in the life of a child brings challenges to their spiritual development and impacts their psychological health.

Despite any hardships you might have faced, God has affirmed in His Word that He is ever present and available to us! Though we might have never known our earthly father … though we might have been abandoned by our earthly father … though we might have been mistreated or abused by our earthly father; our Father in Heaven can be known. He has revealed Himself through His Son, Jesus Christ! God is full of compassion; and you can rejoice because He will never leave you nor forsake you! Yes, He will ever comfort you and have compassion upon you no matter what you experience in this life! God the Father is all we need to be whole and to grow into the son or daughter He designed us to be. For, indeed, we are created in His image. We are ordained to be His image bearers. And so, He is worthy of all reverence and adoration….

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him; for He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are dust. ~ Psalm 103:13-14

The Glory of God…

Psalm 19:1-2 (NIV)

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.

Our Verse of the Day comes from one of my favorite Psalms. I am always moved by the eloquence of King David … his inspired poetic and lyrical arrangement of words that thoughtfully express what only our souls can understand. I can relate to his observations and meditations as I gaze into the heavens each night and view the handiwork of God … contemplating His eternal power and His incomprehensible design of wonders beyond our imagination. And then I consider His amazing grace … to create us (living beings) to experience the sensory gifts of sight and sound to enjoy such majesty on display:

Psalm 19:1-6 (NIV)

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech; they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voicegoes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun. It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth.

Psalm 8:1-9 (NIV)

Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens. Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet: all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild, the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Isaiah 42:5-9 (NIV)

This is what God the Lord says— the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it: “I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness. “I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols. See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you.”

Isaiah 45:18-19 (NIV)

For this is what the Lord says— He who created the heavens, He is God; He who fashioned and made the earth, He founded it; He did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited— He says: “I am the Lord, and there is no other. I have not spoken in secret, from somewhere in a land of darkness; I have not said to Jacob’s descendants, ‘Seek me in vain.’ I, the Lord, speak the truth; I declare what is right.

Jeremiah 32:17 (NIV)

Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.

Once again, I feel humbled by the Word of God. It reminds me of who I am … who God is … and what this life is all about. We were created to witness and experience the glorious presence of God. We were created to witness and experience His great, lavish, and everlasting love. We were created to encounter Him and be conformed to the image of His Son. Yes, I am reminded that I was created for HIS pleasure … to be surrendered to His Kingdom and not my own! Indeed, the glory of God emanates from His creation…. And so, I confess that You, Almighty God, are the Sovereign Lord! How majestic is Your Name in all the earth! I bow before You … I hail you as King of Kings and Lord of Lords! You are the Alpha and the Omega … the Beginning and the End! You are forever worthy of all praise! Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” ~ Revelation 4:9-11

Be Still and Know…

Psalm 46:10 (NIV)

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Our Verse of the Day focuses our thoughts on the sovereignty and majesty of God. He says, “Be still, and know that I am God.”

Sometimes we just need to stop and get quiet … and allow God to reveal Himself to us in a quiet place; far from the noise of life … away from everyone and everything that can distract us from experiencing and knowing the presence of God and hearing His still small voice. (Cf. 1 Kings 19:12) Sometimes we need to both isolate ourselves and insulate ourselves within a “prayer closet” and spend intimate time with God. The Father wants us to be still because He desires us to know Him in a personal way….

Sometimes we just need a reminder in these unsettled days that God is still on the throne…. He is still King of Kings and Lord of Lords! (Cf. 1 Timothy 6:15) He is the Alpha and the Omega … the beginning and the end! (Cf. Revelation 21:6; 22:13) Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Cf. Hebrews 13:8) And there is nothing in this world … not in all creation … that will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord! (Cf. Romans 8:38-39) And so God says to us: “BE STILL!” Yes, know that HE is God and that HE will be exalted!

Isaiah 45:22-24 (NIV)

“Turn to me and be saved, all you people of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear. They will say of me, ‘In the Lord alone are deliverance and strength.’” All who have raged against Him will come to Him and be put to shame.

Indeed, all the people … all the nations … and all who have ever dwelled upon the earth WILL bow to their knees before God and exalt Him! We can do so now out of love and obedience … but we will certainly do so on the Day of Judgement! No one will escape that day…. As the Apostle John prophesied: “Behold, He is coming with the clouds,” and “every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of Him.” So shall it be! Amen.” (Cf. Revelation 1:7) Yes, on that great day of the Lord, EVERYONE will acknowledge Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father! And so, if we know Him, if we know Him intimately … He bids us to be still. “The Lord is in His holy temple; let all the earth be silent before Him.” (Cf. Habakkuk 2:20)

I believe the Lord Jesus wants us to know it is wise to be silent before Him … to rest in Him … to wait for Him. It is good to stop and sit at the feet of Jesus and just listen to Him. It is good to stop and sit at the foot of the cross and to ponder all that took place upon it. It is good to stop and kneel at the entrance of the empty tomb and just meditate on the power that raised Jesus from the dead. Yes, it is good to stop and worship the Alpha and the Omega and to exalt Him!

My friends, we do not need to walk in fear because of the circumstances we face or the hardships we might encounter in this life. God is sovereign over every aspect of our lives! He delights for us to know and trust Him. Our Lord Jesus encourages us to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all the things we need shall be provided to us.” (Cf. Matthew 6:33) Jesus invites us to approach Him: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Cf. Matthew 11:28) Yes, Jesus invites us to trust Him when He affirms: “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (Cf. John 11:25-26)

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Therefore, God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. ~ Philippians 2:9-11

The Mysteries of God…

Ecclesiastes 11:5 (NIV)

As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.

Our Verse of the Day continues to examine human contemplation of the mysteries of God. King Solomon expresses a couple of examples here to give us a broader perspective of what we do not have the ability to comprehend with our finite minds. Who can see the wind or know the course that it takes through the air? It is invisible … undiscernible; and yet, we can feel its force and know when it is moving. Likewise, we do not know HOW the body is formed in the womb. Oh, we can see ultrasound images of the human life as it grows from a fertilized egg; but we do not know how or why it develops into a human being. Indeed, who can understand HOW a seed when placed in the ground can germinate and become a tree bearing its own fruit? Yes, such are the things of creation God allows us to experience, examine, and study; and yet, we can only marvel at the intelligent design He spoke into existence….

The inspired writer of the Book of Job shared ancient wisdom about the origins and mysteries of God and His creative power in Chapters 36-39. How great is God—beyond our understanding! The number of His years is past finding out. (Cf. Job 36:26) Solomon observed: “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” (Cf. Ecclesiastes 3:11) The Prophet Zechariah described God as: “The Lord, who stretches out the heavens, who lays the foundation of the earth, and who forms the human spirit within a person.” (Cf. Zechariah 12:1) And the Prophet Jeremiah affirmed: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can understand it?” (Cf. Jeremiah 17:9) These are just a few of the OT Scriptures that address our inability to fully comprehend what we cannot see; and yet, through faith we know these truths to be evident. Yes, such are the things of faith … the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Cf. Hebrews 11:1)

Still, I like to read the inspired writings of the Apostle Paul to gain his perspective on theological matters. And in the matter of mysteries, Paul had quite the insight to challenge us. I like to ponder the thoughts he shared in this passage:

1 Corinthians 2:9-14 (NIV)

However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” (Citing Isaiah 64:4) — the things God has prepared for those who love Him— these are the things God has revealed to us by His Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.

Through the indwelling Spirit of God, we have the mind of Christ. Believers ARE able to discern and to know the truth of those things revealed and declared in the Word of God. The truth about what is incomprehensible for our finite minds does not discourage us at all; rather, it increases our faith in a holy, sovereign, almighty Creator. His love is revealed to us in His creation. His desire for intimate relationship with each of us is revealed in His creation. Indeed, in the past God spoke to our ancestors through the Prophets at many times and in various ways; but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom also He made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. (Cf. Hebrews 1:1-3) To me, all the mysteries only serve to make our Heavenly Father all the more knowable. For we can discern through our Lord Jesus that the Father is worthy of all reverence! He is to be praised and adored! As Paul would conclude:

Romans 11:33-36 (NIV)

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom andknowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments, and His paths beyond tracing out! “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” (Citing Isaiah 40:13) “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?” (Citing Job 41:11) For from Him and through Him and for Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen.

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. ~ 1 Corinthians 13:2

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made…

Psalm 139:13-14 (NIV)

For You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful – I know that full well.

In my times of meditation and prayer, I often ponder the mysteries of God. Our loving Father who created all things is incomprehensible in His sovereign, eternal power; and yet, God is knowable by the intelligence of His design and the wonders of all His creation! (Cf. Romans 1:19-20) I sense that David, too, had this overwhelming feeling of awe and reverence when he was inspired to pen our Verse of the Day. We can look no further than our own bodies to internalize what God must be in truth and in love. It is hard to imagine that He purposed and granted us the grace of experiencing life … to be conscious, living beings … enabling us to observe and to marvel at His handiwork all around us and within us. And God has revealed in His Word that we (human beings) have been created in His image. Such thoughts are too high for me! It overwhelms me!

Psalm 139:1-18 (NIV)

You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, and I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How amazing are your thoughts concerning me, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you.

As I read this Psalm, I feel overwhelmed with the divine power and presence of our Creator … a God who expresses deep concern and love for a mere speck of dust on a speck of solar dust traversing through one of billions of interstellar spirals within the infinite expanse of what we call the universe…. Indeed, like David, I find such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Yet, this infinite God is an intimate being. He knows each of us … every detail from conception through all the days ordained for each one. The gift of life each one of us receives is wholly an experience of grace … which is why I believe we should feel nothing less than deep reverence for Him. Our lives are 100% in His hands from beginning to end whether we choose to embrace this truth or not. There are no surprises for God. Nothing has ever happened or will happen in your life that He is not aware. He is unmoved, unshaken by anything within His created order.

Psalm 8 (NIV)

O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens. Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. When I consider your heavens,the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars,which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them,human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet: all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild, the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

David appeals to that inner knowing we can experience when we are at a loss for words … when only our spirits can express with sighs and groans what our hearts feel inside. It is in that quiet contemplative moment we ponder: “Lord, what is man, that You take knowledge of him? Or the son of man, that You are mindful of him?Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow.” (Cf. Psalm 144:3-4) Like his father, King Solomon contemplated the observance of creation and its profound mystery as the manifestation of a personal, relational Creator. God enables human beings to see the handiwork of His Word in all of its majesty; yet, we cannot find out the work that God does from beginning to end. (Cf. Ecclesiastes 3:11) Perhaps, it is the mysteries of God and His Creation that were designed to intrigue us and to initiate our faith in Him….

My friends, it is my hope that we will become lost in these thoughts for a moment; to be inspired by the reality that we are ALWAYS in the presence of God; to realize that we are inseparable from Him. I pray that this knowledge would both humble us and encourage us to seek Him while He is near. I pray thanksgiving will be formed in our hearts and praise be continually upon our lips. Then, let us be still and know that He is God!

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Day and night they never stop saying: “‘Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.” Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will (for your pleasure) they were created and have their being.” ~ Revelation 4:8-11