Month: June 2017

We can only imagine how, work places, families, friendships and relationships world-wide, would be, if we all followed the command of God, to love each other?  Many Bible writers encouraged their fellow believers to love others. To quote from Paul, in Romans 12: 19, 20 “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.  Therefore ‘if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.’”

If we all followed the command of God, to love our fellow man and walk blamelessly before God, we would not need law enforcement, and world conditions would be as, originally in the Garden of Eden.  Here’s harmlessness portrayed and what an attractive thought!  Romans 13: 8, 9 “Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.  For the commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ ‘You shall not murder,’  ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ ‘You shall not covet,’ and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’”  After all, we have nothing that matters, to lose, by loving others.  Verse 10”Love does no harm to a neighbour; therefore love is the fulfilment of the law. Ideally God wants us all, to treat others as we would like to be treated ourselves, because He is love and willingly loves us all, though we deserve not His total and continuing love.  I guess put another way, how dare we treat badly any of His creation.  Each person who has ever lived, is precious in the sight of the Lord, and Jesus gave all in His life and death, to save every one; eternally.

It is never good to put things off and procrastinate.  This is especially so, when it comes to actively and freely spreading the love God has given to us, and in turn reap blessings for our own well-being, and that of others.  Verses 11, 12 “And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.   The night is far spent, the day is at hand.  Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.”

Jesus never withheld healing or aid from any needy person, despite the disease or situation being because of their own sin and wrong doing.  He did not turn a ‘blind eye’ either, and in loving concern for their soul, asked them to ‘go sin no more’.  It was His loving care, not censure, that broke their defiant hearts, and then they wanted to forsake any godless way, and follow His example of right doing.  Romans 15: 1, 2 “We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not please ourselves.  Let each of us please his neighbour for his good, leading to edification.”  When we sincerely love Jesus, we do not expect to have it easy all the time, and just live for ourselves; for He has bought the freedom of each person; at a price.  Paul reminded his congregation of believers, Verse 3 “For even Christ did not please Himself; but it is written, ‘The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.’” (quoted from Ps. 69:9).  But apart from that, when we claim to be a follower of Jesus, we are strengthened to do Christs works of self-denial.  Verse 5, 7 “Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus.”  7 “Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the Glory of God.”

I am so grateful Jesus, for Your moment by moment, love and care, and ask that You have my heart and mind, again today.  Fill me, with Your love and grace, and the ability to truly reveal these gifts to others with whom I interact with each day.

Amazing, we are half way through 2017.  I give thanks to God, for the blessing of life, and provision for all that is necessary.  Most importantly, I give thanks for the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ and my salvation that comes through His total atoning sacrifice, for everyone who has ever lived.  It is such a sad thing, that we often stray from loving Jesus absolutely, when He loves each person, no matter what they have done and who they are.

Moses was given much to say from God, to the wayward Israelite people, and to all people who have lived since.  Deuteronomy 6:4 – 6 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one! 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.”  So important were these instructions, that Jesus repeated Verses 4 and 5, when asked, which was first commandment; and added the words”……This is the first commandment.” Mark 12: 30, followed by a further commandment, Verse 31 “And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.”  There is no other commandment greater than these.”  Because God is love, and the source of all love, within us, nothing can be more important that loving Him, with all my being, and then passing that love on to every family member, others that come into my life, or across my pathway.

When we really love someone, our heart is affected, and we know the feelings we have for them is carried in our heart; as something very precious.  And so it is to be for us, with God, Deuteronomy 6: 6, 7”And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.”  The love Moses is teaching the Israelite’s about, is not a ‘puppy love’, a half-hearted affair, or tired, almost forgotten love, this is as fresh and whole hearted as when first experienced. Kept alive through reading the scriptures and interacting with God; as well as talking with others about the deep love God has for each person and I/you have for Him.

1 John 2: 1, 2 “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin.  And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.  And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.”   There is no point deluding ourselves, we cannot have a living, daily love experience with God, and keep engaging in known premeditated sins; including rebellion against how God has told us to live.  Such behaviour does not work with human relationships, and cannot with our Omniscient, Heavenly Father.  It is good that the scriptures tell us we can know God, Verses 3, 4 “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in Him.”

Dear Father, thank You for loving me, and leading me further through Jesus, in knowing you more and more, each day that I dedicate my life to walk obediently in Your statutes.

I am so grateful to God for my life, and for the pleasure of growing roses, fruit trees, vegetables and some very fragrant shrubs, and other living ‘bits and pieces’.  Of course as an older retired person, it is all too much for me, but I am learning to enjoy God’s creation and the continuing health benefits from gardening, midst the neglect.

In heaven all flowers, fruit, plants and trees will be untouched by decay, and I expect to be enthralled by the beautiful scene.  All sickness and death well be done away with, 1 Corinthians 15: 54 – 57 “So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ 55 ‘O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory? 56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 

Deep enjoyment comes, from the anticipation of the second coming of Jesus, and going to and arriving in His heavenly home, with new completely made-over bodies.  The thought of seeing God and Jesus in heaven, with sinless bodies, that will never die, is worth considering deeply.  To daily contemplate upon what Jesus has done for all mankind, along with the prospect of being able to thank Him and humbly bow before Him, sing praises and give Him glory, with the vast throng of redeemed doing likewise;  would keep us true, in all situations, good and bad, while life lasts.  1 Peter 4: 7, 8 “But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.  And above all things have fervent love for one another, for ‘love will cover a multitude of sins.’”  Verse 10 “As each one has received a gift, minister to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.  Most Bible authors focused on similar themes; giving spiritual support, education and warning.   

To believe the Holy Bible, means we will take the words of Jesus, as they are written, and form expectations and beliefs, that are solidly set on the principle of ‘thus says the Lord’.  Revelation 16: 15 “Behold, I am coming as a thief.  Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.”

Even though some will be less than pleased, everyone who has ever lived will see the second coming of Jesus.    Though to some this may seem impossible, by the power of God the Creator, the Scriptures tell us how this is so.  The already dead are not passed over, 1 Thessalonians 4: 15 – 17”For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God.  And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”  What about the wicked in their graves and the alive wicked?   In the recorded words of Jesus, John 5: 28 “Do not marvel at this, for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves, will hear His voice.”   “’and come forth– those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.”

I pray that I will stay true and focused upon Jesus during my whole life upon earth.   I ask God that I will be willing to share with others about salvation, through the blessing of knowing Jesus.

Trained to be an Egyptian prince and military leader, then a wilderness shepherd for 40 years, Moses had not landed a ‘cushy’ task, when God called him.

The people troubles never stopped for Moses when he was doing his God appointed task, of leading the people out of Egypt to the Promised Land.  The people for the most part were so complaining, ungrateful and unbelieving toward God, that He said, Exodus 33: 3 “Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in your midst, lest I consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked people.”  The Presence of God did go with them, but not in the fullness that God wanted to manifest to His chosen people.  Moses still had questions for God, and was close enough to Him, to express them and not be chastised.  Verses 12 – 14 “Then Moses said to the Lord, “See, You say to me, ‘Bring up this people.’  But You have not let me know whom You will send with me.  Yet You have said”, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found grace in My sight.’  13 “Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in Your sight, show me now Your way, that I may know You and that I may find grace in Your sight.  And consider that this nation is Your people.” 14 “And He said,” ‘My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.’”  Because Moses was true to God, he was never deprived from being able to interact with God, One to one, as before, despite the apostasy of many of the people that he led.  He reiterated to God that the presence of God must go with them, and God responded as his Friend, Verse 17 “So the Lord said to Moses, I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name.”  How very special to be that close to God!  No place in the Scriptures do I read that such a relationship is not possible for every Christian, when they draw very close to God, in every way.  The scriptures do teach that there is nothing stopping us from coming very close to God.  God and all of heaven are just as available to each of us, as they were for Moses.

The apostasy of the people that Moses led increased, and his warnings to them from God, continued for the most part, to go unheeded.  Deuteronomy 4: 29 – 31 “But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and all your soul. 30 When you are in distress, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, when you turn to the Lord your God and obey His voice 31 “(for the Lord your God is a merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them.”

As we look around at the attitudes and activities of many of the people on this earth at this time, it could be said, that a good number are way more wicked than most of the people Moses was despairing over.  We find an apt description of human behaviour and the response of God to it, in 1 Peter 5: 5 (last part) “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”  Whilst a person draws breath, God does not give up on any one. no matter their thoughts and deeds.  The Holy Spirit continues to bring them to repentance, and a turning away from active, known sin; and to call upon the mercy and faithfulness of God.  That is a wonderfully good and encouraging truth found all through the Scriptures.  If only more people would believe and come to God, no matter what they have done wrong.  We have the simple and only solution to sin and wrong doing, and so be reconciled with God.  Verses 6, 7 “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him for He cares for you.”

God I am so grateful, that we can cast all our care upon You and be forgiven, grow in grace and come to a close relationship with you, as all heaven wants.  There is such joy in knowing and following in the footsteps of Jesus our Shepherd.

Love is a wonderful motivating force, and when combined with faithfulness becomes more generating for amazing actions of self-denial.  In the Old Testament book of Ruth is recounted, such a story.  Naomi had gone with her husband and two sons, to the land of Moab to escape famine conditions in Israel.  Things had for a while gone well, and her two sons married, but later, both her husband and her two sons died.  Apparently Naomi got to thinking, ‘what was the point of staying in this foreign land, when all of her immediate family had died, and the famine conditions in her home country, had stopped’.  She was not prepared for how much love the two daughter-in-law’s had for her when she determined to return to Israel.  Orpah and Ruth turned up planning to travel with their mother-in-law to Israel.  Naomi believing they should be with family and have marriage prospects, and managed to persuade Orpah to go back to her own family, but her other daughter-in-law, clung to Naomi, Ruth 1: 16, 17 “But Ruth said: ‘Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following after you; for wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.  Where ever you die, I will die, and there will I be buried, the Lord do so to me and more also, if anything but death parts you and me.” 

Despite the grief and despair Naomi felt about God and her bereft life, she herself and her way of life, must have been attractive enough to motivate Ruth to give up all that was familiar and follow her.  This also meant, she chose the Almighty God of Naomi as her own.  She was rewarded by God, for she married an important kinsman of her dead husband and had a baby boy by him, and the baby was in the ancestry of David and Jesus as well. Matthew 1: 5, 6 “Salmon begot Boaz by Rahab, Boaz begot Obed by Ruth, Obed begot Jesse, and Jesse begot David the king and then V 16 “And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.”

There are many examples of people following Jesus when He was on earth and others when Jesus asked His disciples to forsake family and their occupations, and follow Him.  The newly called disciples gladly left all, for a hard life of self-denial.  Jesus was the ultimate example of hardship and self-denial within His life dedicated to teaching, helping and healing people.  As Ruth is an example of someone who left her family and friends, and way of national worship, without expectations of reward or honour.    Her actions were rewarded by God; as are the actions of all those who choose to put all else aside and in self-denial follow Jesus.  There are many immediate emotional and spiritual pluses from loving and following Jesus and there are promises of the later reward of eternal life in heaven.  John 8: 12 “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ‘I am the light of the world.  He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.’”  Matthew 10: 28”So Jesus said to them, ‘Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.’  Generally we have a keen anticipation about any promised reward.  Therefore I wonder why most people are not really keenly anticipating Jesus coming to earth again, bringing with Him, His reward of eternal life for the righteous?

The Psalms are so good to read for their many aspects on God and life, and never more so, for the joyous words of praise to their/our God and Creator.  Psalm 96: 1-3 “Oh, sing to the Lord a new song!  Sing to the Lord, bless His name; proclaim the good news of His salivation from day to day.  Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.”  The reason given for our need for joy ant song toward God is apparent, when it is recognized and remembered that the Israelite people had personally experienced real measurable prayer answers and divine interventions on grand scale. The worshipers of man made object gods had no such experiences or stories to remember or celebrate with peons of praise.  It is a shame that so many Israelite’s forgot Almighty God and went after man made object gods.  These same temptations are constantly before each of us today, and many times we follow the example of the Israelite people and are no longer true to God.

Let us instead join the Psalmist in praises for what He has done and is, Psalm 96: 4-6 “For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods; for all the gods of the peoples are idols, but God made the heavens.  Honour and majesty are before Him; strength and beauty are in His Sanctuary.”  Verse 13”For He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth.  He shall judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with His truth.

I am thankful, my heavenly Father, that You are so very merciful, and do not give up on me, when I do the wrong thing, or generally lose direction.  To have a relationship with You and Your beloved Son Jesus is so very important to me.  My inner being is not fulfilled or content unless I spend time in prayer and Your Holy Bible.   There is a blessing that comes when I share and tell others about the wonder of worshipping You and having even the smallest seemingly trivial prayer answered.

Power and achievement are realized when those of like mind come together.  Sadly harmony in a group setting can sometimes not occur, because certain or all of the people in the fellowship, have not yet learned to give all of themselves to Jesus, and are therefore unable to humbly surrender pride and work with others in unity.  I am sure all of us will quite often, have pride and self-interest, come to the fore in our mind, which is only assuaged by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Such human attitudes when expressed by individuals, have spoiled church fellowships from the beginning.  The apostles of the early church did not always have an easy time or congregations filled with ‘saints’, either,  1 Corinthians 1: 9, 10 “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.  Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgement.”

The events on earth, before the second coming of Jesus, are prophesied to be troubled times, when the personal relationship of each person to Jesus, will be thoroughly tested.  Malachi 3: 2”But who can endure the day of His coming?  And who can stand when He appears?  For He is like a refiner’s fire and the launderers’ soap.  Verse5  ‘And I will come near you for judgment; I will be a swift witness against sorcerers, against adulterers, against perjurers, against those who exploit wage earners and widows and orphans, and against those who turn away an alien – because they do not fear me,’  says the Lord of hosts.”

In Matthew 24, Jesus had a lot to say about the conditions in the world, that will precede His second coming, and the end of this world as we know it.  To quote just a few thoughts, Matthew 24 : 5 “For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.”  V 11 “Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.”  I understand the words of Christ to be warning us that we cannot live and plan according to our emotions.  There is a need for all to give heed to His words foretelling that people or events may not be as we think we saw; and we cannot just believe what others tell us is fact.  We can only believe and act upon events as predicted in His written word, kept deep in each mind and heart.  Verses 12 – 14 “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.  13 And he who endures to the end will be saved. 14  And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”

For the most part all believers and readers of the Word of God, have a real living hope in the second coming of Jesus.  To affirm this hope, it is important to discuss it with others and support fellow believers in a church fellowship .  Also when we study together and discuss our hope, all of us become more spiritually alive and directed.

I ask that Jesus give me the desire to daily, prayerfully read the scriptures with the understanding which only the Holy Spirit will give.  I also ask that, I will not be deceived by wrong attitudes and human teaching.  I am so grateful, that God does not leave our salvation to chance, and has instead given us every opportunity to find and receive an enduring, close and saving relationship with Him.

In the Week 23 Post, king Solomon and the apostle Paul, in words like a clarion call, advise all people who claim to be one of Gods people, to live in a way, that is ‘harmless as a dove’, loving and right doing in the eyes of God.  They are not lone voices in the Bible record.  Today the words of the apostle Peter call the followers of Christ to live in the same way, 1 Peter 2: 1 “Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and evil speaking.” 

There is more to the statement ‘laying aside’ than might first be evident, when it comes to putting this advice into practice; as all practicing Christians past and present attest.   Romans 7: 15 “For what I am doing, I do not understand.  For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.” Verse 17 “But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.” 19 “For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice;”   All of us born sinful into this sinful world, are allowing or contending with the sin within us.  Many of us do not recognize how many times Satan implants his thoughts and desires into our mind and we in our own strength cannot resist and very often will respond to his influence and temptations.  Verses 22 “For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. V23 “But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.”  Many of us have been made wretched and full of self-recrimination when we behave in an unlovely way.  Verse 24 “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?  Obviously neither Paul nor anyone else has found peace or change of behaviour through our own resolve.  Verse 25 “I thank God-through Jesus Christ our Lord!  So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.” Romans 8: 10 “And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.”

 Praise God there is an answer.  2 Peter 1: 1 “…..To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ: V 2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, V3 as His divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue.”

Each of us desire and need physical food each day to grow and remain healthy.  To also grow and be sustained spiritually, we need to, daily ingest and absorb different and various spiritual ‘ingredients’ within God’s word.  To have the desire to read, and contemplate the messages from God, in his word, will come naturally when we fall in love and maintain a relationship with Him, 1 Peter 2: 2, 3 “As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.”

We have the sure promise that Jesus will work within us so that we will be made acceptable to God. Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, and by this same power we are destined not to, forever, remain in Satan’s sin and death option.  Hebrews 13: 20, 21 “Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen”

Once again I humble my heart before my God, and ask to be made able to rightly contemplate portions of the precious Bible; for in and of myself, I am not worthy.  With repeated readings of the Bible, more and more is revealed about God and all things needed to direct and keep me on the pathway that leads to loving and knowing Him better.  On this Friday evening my desire is to learn and be prompted about my responsibilities toward God, as I worship and adore Him.   He is truly incomparable!

The following Bible quote, was written by one who had not abided by the principles, he now advocates as an older and wiser man.  Hoping to save the younger person from his experience of sinful excess, sadness and remorse, he gave advice which is applicable for the general well being of people of all age groups.  Proverbs 4: 20 – 23 “My son, give attention to my words, incline your ear to my sayings.  Do not let them depart from your eyes; keep them in the midst of your heart; for they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh.  Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.”  The advice of King Solomon continues, Verses 24 –27 “Put away from you a deceitful mouth, and put perverse lips from you, let your eyes look straight ahead, and your eyelids look right before you.  Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established.  Do not turn to the right or the left; remove your foot from doing evil.”  Hopefully his readers  learn from his negative experiences and follow the advice given by the elderly king.  Commonly some in any age group, will be filled with a measure of self-importance, and determine instead to just ‘do our own thing’; and then if we are honest, most likely end up sadder and wiser as a consequence.

Obviously the advice in Proverbs is timeless, because hundreds of years later, there is similar advice in the New Testament. Paul councils the believers to, 1 Timothy 6: 5, 6, 9 and 10 ‘flee pride, disputes and arguments over words, envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, wrangling,’ ‘desire to be rich,’ ‘harmful lusts’, ‘love of money’.  He then gives the reason for leaving off these activities, Verse 11 “But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.” All these attributes are spiritual gifts from the Holy Spirit, with each to be much desired, by the people of God.  Verse 12 “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” It seems such a personal plus and stress release for each person to follow the way of God.  Then there is comfort in Gods promise of eternal life; ever before His people.  Therefore what is the point for any of us, to be absorbed in, achievements, money, or being envious about people and what they are, doing, or have?  Verse 6, 7 “Now godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.”

From personal experience, Jesus knew the distress of living in this sinful world, and promised His peace and to send the Holy Spirit, as our Comforter, after He left earth.  1 Timothy 3: 16 “Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all.”

Dear Jesus, in my mind I sing and say praises, for your love and provision all through every moment of every day.  It is established in my mind that, ‘the love of God, is beyond compare.”

 

Many hardened criminals, and blatant wrong doers, have spoken of a time, when life seemed so dark and pointless, that they did not want to live any more.  Some cried out to God in repentance, with an overwhelming desire to change and have God’s pardon.  Recorded in scripture are examples showing that it mattered not, whether it was a whole nation or one person that repented of their wrong doing, God never refused to listen or help.  Recorded also in scripture, are the consequential judgements of God that came upon those who did not repent and turn from their corporate or individual wrong doing.  An example of this is when, God prevailed for 40 years with the people Moses led to the promised land, and they chose still to be V 10, 11 “…….a people who go astray in their hearts….. So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’”   Jeremiah 17: 5 “Thus says the Lord: ‘Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the Lord.”  Commonly we spend most of our time pursuing relationships or ‘things’ and they become our ‘idol’ of interest, leaving little time is spent with God or doing things in His name.  Others focus on a man made object to worship and expect direction from.  No idol made of materials found on earth has been recorded in scripture or any other record, as having the power to change the inner person and fill the heart with love; for the idol can only know nothing and there is no brain or breath in them.  When the worship of an idol/s is forsaken, and the God of heaven is discovered and embraced, a great joy comes, because the need placed within by our Creator has been filled.

It is a natural response to give credit and praise when a person is rescued from any dire situation by man or God.  Jeremiah 10: 6, 7 “Inasmuch as there is none like You, O Lord (You are great, and Your name is great in might), who would not fear You, o King of the nations? For this is Your rightful due, for among all the wise men of the nations, and all their kingdoms, there is none like You.”  Psalm 95: 6 – 8 “Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. 7 For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand.  Today, if you will hear His voice.”  I come Lord.

I personally know that I need a new heart, so that I can be more like Jesus, full of love and good deeds.  As I look around me and listen to the world news, it surely cannot be argued, that traumatic events and wrongdoing toward others, is causing havoc and heart break to way too many people. I believe that all people upon this earth would greatly benefit from a new heart, also.  Ezekiel 11: 19, 20 “Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh, and they may walk in My statutes and keep my judgments and do them; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God.” 

God has not yet brought down His final judgements upon earth, and is working still to save as many as He can from eternal death.  Oh why do not more take heed to His voice and message, repent and be saved?  Ezekiel 34: 11 “For thus says the Lord God; ‘Indeed I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out.’” V 15 “’I will feed My flock, and I will make them lie down,’ says the Lord God.”  When things just get too bad, and all the people on earth have made their final decision about whether they will follow God or not, God will finally implement His judgement upon earth.  Revelation 22: 12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.”

God I thank You for a new heart, and that You feed me with Your word and give me rest.  I ask for Your assistance, so that I will be ready for the reward that Jesus gives to all, ‘according to their work’ when He comes again.

My mind thrills with praise toward my God, who is beyond the imagination of those who do not know Him.  I find pleasure, direction and comfort by reading and contemplating words of praise, all through the Scriptures.  Today I ask the Holy Spirit to direct my thoughts and words, as I contemplate several passages of praise, born out of the experience of the writer.

Psalm 113: 3 – 6 “From the rising of the sun to its going down the Lord’s name is to be praised.  4 The Lord is high above all nations, His glory above the heavens. 5 Who is like the Lord our God, who dwells on high, 6 Who humbles Himself to behold the things that are in the heavens and in the earth?”  It is only as over the years as I have come closer to God that I begin to more and more to appreciate His Majesty, and absolute power, combined with total purity.  His whole nature is love manifested in every way, for there is nothing sinful or mean in His nature.  He works for the good of everyone, so that we can be saved from our miserable sinful existence, which always must end in death, unless we accept His offer of salvation from sin, and humble ourselves before Him as God.  For all who accept God, and put aside wrong doing, and believe His promises as they pray for them for themselves, He will answer their prayer of faith. All will learn firsthand to understand that the blessings of God come upon them every day.  Praises to Him will then be a natural energizing joyful response.

Hannah after some years of sorrow and repining took her problem whole heartedly to God in prayer.  In the temple she prayed silently to God with so much emotion, that when observed by Eli, he thought she was drunk.  Eli learned this was not so, and that instead she carried much grief in her soul, 1 Samuel 1: 17 “Then Eli answered and said, ‘Go in peace, and the God of Israel grant your petition which you have asked of Him.”  She believed God had heard her request, and went upon her way without her previous downcast countenance.  Some years later she returned to the same priest in the temple with an amazing gift to God.  I wonder what he thought when she revealed her story and thoughts, Verse 27, 28 “For this child I prayed, and the Lord has granted me my petition which I asked of Him.  Therefore I also have lent him to the Lord, as long as he lives he shall be lent to the Lord.  So they worshiped the Lord there.”  Her prayers for a child had not only been answered, but had wrought a change in her mind and spirit.  She was no longer a down cast person, even though she was about to be separated from her precious child of a very young age.  In the first 2 verses of a longer verbal prayer, Hannah now speaks from her heart a different prayer than the first, 2 Samuel 2: 1, 2 “…..”My heart rejoices in the Lord, my horn is exalted in the Lord, I smile at my enemies, because I rejoice in Your salvation. 2 No one is holy like the Lord, for there is none besides You, nor is there any rock like our God.”  Here is another example that illustrates ‘that it is true to know God, is to love Him’ and brings about a desire to tell others about His goodness.

David, who was chosen by God to be the king of Israel, and could have been continually sad and oppressed, because his life was in constant danger from the current king Saul, who wanted to kill him: and life was hard.  God was so close to him during this time, and for most times of his life, that there are more words of praise coming from him than any other writer in the Scriptures.  Psalm 86: 8 – 10 “Among the gods there is none like You, O lord; nor are there any works like Your works, 9 All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and shall glorify Your name. 10 For You are great, and do wondrous things; You alone are God.” 

Please dear God, keep ever before me, as I read Scripture and assimilate the words into my inner being, that You in all circumstances, give great joy that overflows into prayers of gratitude and praise.  ‘To know You, is to love You’ and will change me personally and bring forth words of praise, privately and to others; so that they also can come to know and appreciate the one and only true God.