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!

Mighty…

Mighty…

The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; but because the Lord loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage….” ~ Deuteronomy 7:7-8

Mighty! It means possessing great or overwhelming power and strength. The Lord revealed Himself to Abraham as El Shaddai – God Almighty. (Genesis 17:1) Yes, He is the all-powerful One who reigns over all creation! And it is this attribute of our God that comes into focus as He draws unto Himself a people for His treasured possession and inheritance….

With a mighty hand and outstretched arm, God manifested His power to bring salvation for His people. Indeed, “When the Israelites saw the mighty hand of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in Him and in Moses His servant.” (Exodus 14:31) As Moses attested: “Sovereign Lord, you have begun to show to your servant your greatness and your mighty hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do the deeds and mighty works you do? (Deuteronomy 3:24)

King David, a man who sought the heart of God, would exclaim: “Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.” (Psalm 24:8) And, “My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge.” (Psalm 62:7) Indeed, “Who is like you, Lord God Almighty? You, Lord, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you.” (Psalm 89:8) Isaiah resounded: “I, the Lord, am your Savior, your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob. (Isaiah 60:16) Jeremiah reflected, “No one is like you, Lord; you are great, and your name is mighty in power. (Jeremiah 10:6)

One of my favorite verses is Zephaniah 3:17 – which reads: “The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in His love He will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” Oh, how I pray all people would see that our God is mighty to save! (Isaiah 63:1) Indeed, Jesus is not only mighty to redeem us, but He is mighty to preserve His people in sanctification and holiness. As Paul expressed it: “He who began a good work in you will carry it one to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:6)

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people, and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength He exerted when He raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms…. (Ephesians 1:18-20) Oh, my friends, let us to be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power! Amen.

Have a Blessed Day!

The Lord is Our King

Isaiah 33:22 (NIV)

For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our King; it is He who will save us.

As I pondered our Verse of the Day, I decided to read the entire chapter of Isaiah 33 … wanting to gain a sense of the context for our verse. I found the chapter filled with that inner hope each of us have within us … that longing for what we feel is wrong in life to be corrected … that desire for our lives to be made right again. And the Prophet Isaiah leads us to find this hope in the Lord. I prayed Verse 2 out loud as I read it: “Lord, be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress.” Is that not a perfect prayer point to start each day?

Isaiah takes us through the ebbs of challenge and hardship along with the crests of victory and triumph that we will find in life; but he reminds us that in all these things we are totally dependent upon God … the One who created us and exercises His sovereign will over us: “For the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king; it is He who will save us.” And while the insight and wisdom Isaiah shares can and should be applied individually; I believe the greater context is one of a community … a people … a nation in view. There is a collective and interdependent need to place our complete trust in the Lord to protect and deliver us:

Isaiah 33:5-6 (NIV)

The Lord is exalted, for He dwells on high; He will fill Zion with His justice and righteousness. He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.

So, as we tackle the days ahead, I want us to remember these two verses above. He is exalted! He will be our sure foundation! In Jesus is all the wisdom, knowledge, and salvation for your life. And, most of all, the fear (reverence) of the Lord is the key to finding this treasure for life. Let these thoughts be your guide for today and every day….

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped. ~ Revelation 5:12-13

Great and Unsearchable Things

Jeremiah 33:2-3 (NIV)

This is what the Lord says, He who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it—the Lord is His name: “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”

In our Verse of the Day, the Prophet Jeremiah declares an incredible word from our Sovereign Creator. Yes, the Lord (YAH) is His Name! It is this Being … God the Father … who says to us: “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” I thought, “How wonderful is that word to us?” But then I continued to read the rest of Chapter 33 for context; and its message of restoration … its confirmation of hope and salvation for wayward Israel … became the focus of what God was declaring through Jeremiah. I encourage you to click on the link provided and read its prophetic, messianic word.

Jeremiah 33:14-16 (NIV)

“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will fulfill the good promise I made to the people of Israel and Judah. In those days and at that time I will make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line; He will do what is just and right in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. This is the name by which He will be called: The Lord Our Righteous Savior.”

It was then I realized that Father God has already fulfilled that great and unsearchable thing. His name is Jesus! Who among us can truly comprehend what God has done? “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. The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (Cf. John 1:1-3; 14) Do we truly understand what this means? Is this not the greatest mystery ever foretold … revealed … fulfilled? Indeed, “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; And His greatness is unsearchable. (Cf. Psalm 145:3) And so, I feel like Paul who concluded:

Romans 11:33-36 (NIV)

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

Ephesians 3:8-11 (NKJV)

To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the dispensation of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the Church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.

Mysteries … hidden in God since the beginning of creation! Yet, His glory and wisdom has been revealed to us in Christ Jesus our Lord! God has made known His passionate love for us! Yes, I believe the unsurpassed love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord IS the great and unsearchable thing He has foretold. God has shown and demonstrated to us both His will and purpose! God said, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell great and unsearchable things you do not know.” Well, God wants you and I to know Him! He wants us to know His great love! So, the Father sent us His Son … the Word made flesh:

Hebrews 1:1-3 (NIV)

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. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

My friends, if we truly want to know our Creator … then we need only to know His Son. Jesus declared, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him.” (Cf. John 14:6-7) Indeed, to know Jesus and to have an intimate relationship with Him is how we have fellowship with the Father as well. He is the promise of the Father … fulfilled as declared through the Prophet Jeremiah! Yes, anyone CAN know this great and unsearchable thing … the unsearchable riches of wisdom and understanding found only in Jesus! He is the Lord Our Righteous Savior! He is the restoration of all things! He is the New Covenant! He is worthy of our reverence and adoration! Be forever praised, Lord Jesus!

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord. Therefore, this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to the shepherds who tend my people: “Because you have scattered my flock and driven them away and have not bestowed care on them, I will bestow punishment on you for the evil you have done,” declares the Lord. “I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and increase in number. I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing,” declares the Lord. “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In His days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which He will be called: The Lord Our Righteous Savior. ~ Jeremiah 23:1-6

You Have Preserved My Life…

Psalm 119:93 (NIV)

I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life.

There is a battle that we fight most the time … the struggle with doubt and the sin of unbelief. We are vulnerable and question if there is absolute truth … truth that we can fully trust. And it is possible to succumb to the influence and demonic lies of the enemy at times … especially when we observe a world in great turmoil and where the suffering of people abounds. We might ask, “Where are you, God?” “Where are you when people need your help?” And if we neglect to consult the Word of God for answers to these types of questions, we are susceptible to reaching wrong conclusions and allowing our thoughts to wander in the direction of anxiety and fear….

Our Verse of the Day affirms that the Word of God IS the source of all truth … truth that is able to sustain and preserve our lives when we feel vulnerable or lost. We are encouraged to read it often … to memorize it and to implant it in our minds and hearts. For when we know and embrace its certainty, we will not be swayed or distracted by the uncertainty that we experience in this world. As Jesus taught and affirmed, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Cf. Matthew 4:4; Luke 4:4; Citing Deuteronomy 8:3) So, where is God now in our time of trouble? David declared this truth: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” (Cf. Psalm 46:1) Yes, God is ever-present! He has said, “Never, will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Cf. Hebrews 13:5; Joshua 1:5) I am reminded of what Paul wrote concerning the love of Christ as the anchor for our faith:

Romans 8:35-39 (NIV)

Who (or what) 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.” 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.

Think about what Paul is saying here. We are to expect challenges and hardships to occur in our lives. They are inevitable as long as we live in this fallen world. But none of the things that God allows under His sovereign will diminishes His love for us; rather, He uses them to develop, strengthen, and mature our faith in Him. So, I believe above all things that we need to trust the love of God! If we ever doubt His love, we make ourselves vulnerable to the lies and seduction of the enemy. We may not always understand how God works in our lives or why He allows the circumstances that we face and navigate, but I believe we can be assured that whatever happens is in accordance with His perfect and faithful love. Yes, that is why we need to know the Word of God … to know His will for us … to know His love for us … to be transformed by the renewing of our minds … to receive the salvation He has provided through His Son who is the living Word of God. Through faith in Jesus, our lives are preserved for eternity! We simply need to cry out to Him. As David wrote: “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles.” (Cf. Psalm 34:17)

My friends, how God delivers us from our troubles may not always be how we think He should do it. It is not up to us to make God’s decisions for Him nor should we even desire to do so. We do not have His foreknowledge … the ability to know the eventual outcomes. Only He knows the end from the beginning. (Cf. Isaiah 46:10) And so, we are well advised to trust that whatever happens is in accordance with His loving will and for the good those who love Him. (Cf. Romans 8:28) That is what faith is all about! That is why we are encouraged to persevere in faith! That is why it is important to know the Word of God … for by its wisdom and guidance our lives are preserved….

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word. Fulfill your promise to your servant so that you may be feared. ~ Psalm 119:36-38

Jesus Christ IS Lord…

Philippians 2:9-11 (NIV)

Our Verse of the Day is a declaration of the supremacy of Jesus Christ and the exaltation due Him. To surrender and submit ourselves to the authority and sovereignty of Jesus Christ is the will of God the Father who is glorified through His Son. So, I would like us to take a closer look at Jesus, the exalted Son of God, to whom all authority in heaven and on earth has been given by the Father. (Cf. Matthew 28:18) We can start with the Gospel of John and his introduction of Jesus to the world:

John 1:1-5; 14 (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.¹⁴The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

With this scripture in mind, I want us to look at our verse in some context:

Philippians 2:5-11 (NIV)

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature (in the form of) God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature (the form) of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! 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, ¹¹and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

In this context, there is a focus on humility and submission to one another; and the purpose is to exhort us to be of the same mindset as Christ Jesus. And then Paul introduces the surpassed example of Christ showing how genuine humility should be manifested among ourselves. For God the Creator to appear in the form of a Son of Man, made in human likeness, is an incomprehensible act of divine humility in itself. As John articulated it – “the Word of God became flesh and made His dwelling among us.” It is because of this extreme humility that Christ Jesus willingly took upon Himself (even so far as to experience human death upon a cross) that God the Father exalted Him to the highest place and position of authority. Perhaps, this is the part of the reason why Jesus taught: “For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Cf. Matthew 23:12; Luke 14:11; Luke 18:14) The Apostle James admonished, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.” (Cf. James 4:10) And, Peter likewise taught, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that HE may lift you up in due time.” (Cf. 1 Peter 5:6) If God humbled Himself to reach us, then we should humble ourselves in our relationships with one another.

The other lesson that I see is the exaltation of Christ Jesus. Because of His death upon the cross and because His own blood was shed as an atoning sacrifice for the remission of our sins, Jesus is most assuredly worthy of our adoration, worship, and praise! His name is above every other name! As Peter declared, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Cf. Acts 4:12) And so, God the Father has ordained 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, for His own glory. And we have seen this same call for worship declared through the Prophet Isaiah:

Isaiah 45:22-24 (ESV)

“Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return: ‘To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance (shall confess to God).’” Only in the Lord, it shall be said of me, are righteousness and strength; to Him shall come and be ashamed all who were incensed against Him.

Indeed, every soul ever created by God WILL bow before Him! Every tongue WILL confess that Jesus Christ is Lord! Every person who has rejected God and the Son, who have rebelled and raged against Him, will come before Him and be ashamed. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” (Cf. 2 Corinthians 5:10) There is no one who will be exempt! For He has said, “I am the Lord, that is my name; and my glory I will not give to another nor my praise to idols.” (Cf. Isaiah 42:8) See Also Isaiah 48:6-11.

My friends, it is clear to me that ALL people … of every tribe, of every language, of every nation … will one day bow before the throne of God and worship Him. The issue is whether we will do so now while we are alive through our own free will … or whether a person will be “required” to do so when they stand before the judgment seat of Christ. It WILL happen because Father God has declared it, and He is sovereign over all things. Therefore, it is urgent for ALL people to confess Jesus Christ as Lord now … while it is still called today. “For just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him.” (Cf. Hebrews 9:26-28)

It is my prayer that each soul will come to the knowledge of God and make their confession of faith. And I pray the Church, the Body of Christ, will work as His ambassadors to lead others to the truth … so that repentance and reconciliation will come to those who respond to the Gospel. Jesus declared that He was sent to seek and to save the lost. (Cf. Luke 19:10) And we, as His Body, as His presence in the world, must continue His mission. Therefore, I challenge myself, and I challenge you to consider this as well: to set sight on just one person you know is not saved and to get focused … get intentional … and be persistent. Enter into devoted prayer and intercession for that one person and be patient. Yes, be present and available to them. Engage them when opportunities are presented. Let your conversation be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer them. (Cf. Colossians 4:6) Let your light shine before them so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Cf. Matthew 5:16) This is how we humble ourselves with the same mindset of Christ; this how we serve in hope to prepare them for an authentic encounter with Christ Jesus. We prepare the soil and plant seed; we fertilize and water; and God will provide the increase for harvesting. (Cf. 1 Corinthians 3:7)

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time. ~ 2 Timothy 2:1-6

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

His Way Is Perfect…

Psalm 18:30 (NIV)

As for God, His way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; He shields all who take refuge in Him.

Our Verse of the Day can also be found at 2 Samuel 22:31. In fact, 2 Samuel 22 captures Psalm 18 in its entirety … for those of you interested in bible trivia. This Psalm is prefaced with these words:

For the director of music. Of David the servant of the Lord. He sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said:

¹I love you, Lord, my strength. ²The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. ³I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I have been saved from my enemies….

Psalm 18 – Excerpts

¹⁶He reached down from on high and took hold of me; He drew me out of deep waters. ¹⁷He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. ¹⁸They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support. ¹⁹He brought me out into a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me.

²⁵To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless, ²⁶to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the devious you show yourself shrewd. ²⁷You save the humble but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.

³⁰As for God, His way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless; He shields all who take refuge in Him. ³¹For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God? ³²It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure. ³³He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; He causes me to stand on the heights.

Oh, may each of us remember that our Heavenly Father is perfect in all of His ways! May we embrace the truth of His Word: “The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.” (Cf. Psalm 12:6) “Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.” (Cf. Proverbs 30:5) Yes, God is our refuge and places a hedge of protection around those who love Him … a spiritual barrier around those who trust in Him! I fervently pray that we all embrace the truths His Word has proclaimed….

So Now You Know…

Have a Blessed Day!

But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold. My feet have closely followed His steps; I have kept to His way without turning aside. I have not departed from the commands of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my daily bread. ~ Job 23:10-12

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

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