Month: September 2017

I want to thank the Almighty God on high for His every gift and condescension toward me, a sinner and person of no great merit within the higher strata of the learned society on earth.  Yet I read in His Holy Word, that I and every soul are worth everything to God.  I have the verification of this fact, because God, the Father allowed Jesus, His Son, to come to earth in human form, and face without sinning, the temptations and assaults of Satan: ending in the death of Jesus.  This was offered and allowed, so that Jesus became our permanent, acceptable sin sacrifice; thus reconciling everyone who ‘believes on Him’ to His Father.  To me today, this knowledge is wonderful, and almost incomprehensible!

I have been reading a story in the Bible that reveals that no sinner or action can permanently bar such a one from God and salvation, until they are irrevocably decided and set upon a course of rebellion and opposition to God and His way.  The following story in Acts 9 reveals that Jesus will call even a notorious murderous person to Himself.   Saul a scholarly Jewish Pharisee, of great piety and dedication, gave much of his energy to rooting out those who followed the teachings of Jesus, and not the now useless temple traditions.  He had caused many new Christians after the resurrection of Christ, to be persecuted and put to death.  Jesus in a blaze of light appeared to Saul, on a lonely road between Jerusalem and Damascus and asked V 4, 5 “………..Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?  And He said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’  Then the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.  It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”  Here we have a man who had set out on his trip, with self-righteousness, and as he thought godly zeal in his heart. V 1, 2 “Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest.  And asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.”  However when Jesus reveals Himself, the amazing thing is, Saul did not resist or debate with the voice of Jesus, V 6 “So he, trembling and astonished, said, ‘Lord, what do You want me to do?’  Then the Lord said to him, ‘Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.’”  There was no debating with Jesus or prevarication, Saul who had been temporarily blinded, obediently got up and was led by the hand to Damascus, and he remained blinded and without food or drink for three days.  Ananias, a disciple of Jesus who resided in Damascus, was called in a vision and told to go and be used by Jesus to give Saul back his sight.  The Lord had also revealed to Saul in vision how it would be and who He would send.  Ananias did not jump at the chance, and attempted to educate Jesus about the doings of Saul in Jerusalem and intentions for coming to Damascus.  In answer, Jesus showed that He was the Lord, and in full knowledge and mastery of the events occurred and yet to happen.  Verse 15, 16 “But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.  For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”  It was then, that Ananias ceased his protest, and went on his way and did as the Lord had first asked.  What a lesion in the results of obedience to God, for both men (and us).  God knows all things and His purpose is the salvation of people.  Saul, who later was called Paul, truly was converted, and gave his whole heart and service to Jesus and being used to bring salvation, for all who would accept Jesus.

I thank Jesus, not only for salvation through Him, but also for His challenging commission to every Christian, to spread His good news.  Mark 16: 15 “And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.’”  I note that Paul with his now love filled heart for Jesus, diverted his ‘full on’ zealous efforts, to preaching ‘the gospel to every creature’.  We cannot all do the work of Paul, or in his style, but Jesus reveals to the willing, many different ways, of representing Himself to others, and then promises the wisdom and power to do so; without which we cannot be effective.  I am so thankful He does!  Luke 11: 13 “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.”  Proverbs 2: 6 “For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.” 

Dear God, I am assured that Your promises can never go unanswered, when claimed by a humble truly seeking person.  I crave Your blessing and direction upon my life and the activities I undertake, believing You have asked me to do so. I rest in the assurance of past experience, and surety of Your promises and written word.

 

I am amazed and am in awe about the workings of God.  I am equally stirred to praise and give thanks to God, for His creative works all around me, as I am for the love He shows me, when little prayers, on every day matters are answered – in so many different situations.  I can only feel that I am loved beyond my measure, by the Infinite, Everlasting God All-powerful.  In response I desire to give my whole heart and allegiance, in love and healthy fulsomeness.  1 Corinthians 10: 31 “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

When we claim Christ as our Saviour, we have a responsibility to look after the body that has been gifted to us and use it as God has asked or said He wanted.  Thankfully the scriptures are full of wise instruction, and we are in no doubt about these matters.  ! Corinthians 3: 9 “For we are God’s fellow workers, you are God’s field, you are God’s building.”  We were born with a complex structure, systems and abilities, much of which can be built up, maintained or damaged by our own self and choices.  Verses 16 and 17 “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?  If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him.  For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.” 

God can grow all of us, and use us to instruct and bless others.  To do so, can seem irksome or too much at the first, or when observed from without, but for the one who has loved and served God, it is never seen that way, for the blessings from God, are placed within heart and mind by God Himself.  3 John 2 “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just your soul prospers.”  In Jesus, as we follow His teaching and leading, we will be a healthful balance, physically, emotionally and spiritually.  What a blessing we will then be to ourselves and others, as the love of God lights up our countenance, shines out of our eyes, and is revealed in our words and actions.  3 John 4 “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in the truth.” 

Glory and praises to God, for He has changed my life, and purpose.  Not me only, for His gifts and purpose are freely available to every inhabitant of earth; if all would only accept.

Jeremiah 29: 12 “Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”  I pray that this will be the reality for each reader of this post.

 

It is with an expectation of being blessed, that I come again this evening to meditate upon my wonderful Lord and His mercies.  I am very grateful to be able to freely study, pray and worship God, again today; and every day.

Though Almighty God is merciful and extremely patient, there comes a time for a wayward, unrepentant person or people group, when God has said enough is enough, and says ‘He will not answer or talk to them anymore’.  However until the time of the end of earth as we know it; it is still true, that when we repent, and sincerely seek God, He is available to answer our questions, and our deepest need.  Isaiah 55: 6, 7 “Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near.  Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.”

King David had always had a close relationship with God, because He had delighted in God and walked in righteous obedience to his God and treated his fellow man, righteously.  However in self-indulgence and absence of self-awareness, his life record became stained by the sins of adultery and murder. He had been very clearly been told via a prophet what God thought of his actions.  Suddenly the ‘lights went on’ for him, and he felt unclean and very repentant.  Psalm 51: 10 “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast Spirit within me.”  Now that King David understood how God, viewed his sinful actions, David was very repentant and desirous of making things right with God; but he was also now not as confident as He prayed and interacted with God.     Psalm 51: 11, 12 “Do not cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of Your salvation.  And uphold me by Your generous spirit.”  It is so good to know, that God did just that, and the prayers of King David were more than answered.

While on earth, Jesus Christ, wanted people to know and believe, that all genuine, faithful prayers would be answered.  I have found this to be truly so, especially when praying through the scriptural promises of God the Father, and God, His son, Jesus Christ, for they cannot deceive or lie.  Every person of every age are invited to come.  Matthew 7: 7, 8 “Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”  I have been so blessed lately, because I have used the above text and have asked much more boldly, with belief, for an answer to a physical problem that is distracting when reading the word of God or praying to Him.  God answers my prayer day after day, and I delight in His care and love.

I am growing more confident and trusting in my prayer life, and it is not due to me, but the prompting and strengthening of the Holy Spirit.  I realize more and more, that the prayer of the humble, trusting, persistent Christian opens the spiritual storehouses of God.  Jesus knew we tend to become overly self-confident and prone to complicate, our relationship with God.  Matthew 18: 2-4  “Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, 3 and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”  I obtain pleasure from hearing the simple trusting love and belief of little children in Jesus, and how they can interact and pray to Him for all things.  They have no thought as we often do, that He may not answer, or they are not good enough to come to Him and obtain the answer.

Dear God, I come believing that You will answer my prayer, to put all else aside, and take You at Your word, and as taught by Glenn Coon in, “ABC of Prayer”, ask, believe and claim, as many of the scriptural promises, as are applicable and that I come across.  I am thankful for them, and know that it is faith in You that unlocks rich spiritual treasures; and when I ask, You will supply that lack also.

Praise Your wonderful and all powerful name and self.

It is to dear Jesus that we owe the hope of eternal life that many upon this earth have and do hold dear, as a precious expectation.  But not only that, we owe our very life to Him, for He was there at our creation, and is interested in the ‘doings’ of everyone who lives.  Such an arresting, stunning thought!  Does it mean that I should ‘lift my game’, as all of heaven knows and cares about me and what I do?  I can only answer yes, from what I have read in scripture.  I thank God, that not only does He ‘hold the world In place’ but every one of us as well.  I am so glad He does not look down upon us for the purpose of scolding or ‘point scoring’, but out of love, and care for our present well-being and future happiness.  Hebrews 9: 26-28 “…………..He has appeared to put away sin by sacrifice of Himself.  And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgement, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many.  To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation. 

1Timothy 3: 16 “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:  God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory.”  Considering the investment that God the Father, and Jesus His Son, have made, so we do not have to die eternally, it is absolutely expected, that all will be done by God, to save as many people as possible. Romans 8: 31,32 “…..If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” Naturally there has to be a judgement, for how else would every one of us be in no doubt about whether we had really been at one with God, or instead doing our own thing; while going through the motions and giving the outward appearance of being His true child.  That is another arresting thought, but very sobering as well.

Dear God, please reveal my own heart to me, and never allow me to delude myself.

With Paul I give praise, that no matter our history, all who are repentant will be received by God.  1Timothy 1: 14 “And the grace or our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.”  I am really taking ‘on board’ more deeply that I have everything going for me in my spiritual life, because not only has all been done so that I can have salvation; it is not static, because all is still being done for my salvation.  I can only say, it is wonderful, wonderful.  God, 1 Timothy 2: 4, 5 “who desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.  For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.”

Paul wrote an appeal to a Christian of long ago, and then finished, with the thought, Philemon 25 “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.  Amen”  I believe grace is especially upon me this evening, and I am so very thankful, and encouraged.

 

Dearest Father, God, I certainly lost my focus today, and allowed myself the unproductive feeling of self-pity, that just made me feel lonely and miserable.  I am thankfull that I prayed for help, and it was given, and then I was lifted in my thoughts, with the feel of the love from heaven, smiling upon me.  Truly undeserved, but received by me, with gratitude, that just builds and confirms, my love for You.  I also can say with the prophet, Jeremiah 17: 7, 8 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord.  For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters.  Which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.” 

Day by day my prayers are heard and answered, in a way that fills me with thankfulness and wondrous joy, for I know I am undeserving.  But this must always be so, for I am ever the sinner, and both You, the Father, and Your Son, are God.  Jesus is all and all for us here on earth, for He came to earth as God, in the frame of man, and as such sacrificed His life, so that my sins can be forgiven, and with an eternal heavenly home, freely offered to me.  Psalm 40: 4, 5 “Blessed is that man who makes the Lord his trust, and does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.  Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done, and Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.”

Though in this a mainly non-religious culture, that many of us find ourselves, there is a blessing that lightens the mind and inner spirit, when I do speak up and tell others, just what You mean to me, and of the continual blessings and prayer answers bestowed upon me.  Every fulfillment of my physical and inner needs, that are given me in answer to my asking, believing and claiming Your biblical promises, is precious to me.  Such needs and prayer answers, are worthy of recounting, so that others will feel impressed to drink, at the bottomless, eternal well, of care and love that is available, to all who seek  believing, and  pray for help and answers.  The concern is, why so many of us frequently keep silent about Your care and when we do speak it seems diffident and almost apologetic.  I can and do today, take notice of the words of King David as I meditate on them for myself.  Psalm 40: 8 “I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart.”  This shows a deep desire, to have Your teachings within the mind, actuating life and actions.  The thought alone makes me very glad, for only You can be trusted as my daily moment by moment companion.  Verses 9, 10 “I have proclaimed the good news of righteousness in the great assembly; indeed, I do not restrain my lips, O Lord, You Yourself know. 10 I have hidden Your righteousness within my heart; I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth; from the great assembly.”

My hope of an end to my sinfulless and resulting eternal life is founded on the very many promises and statements, made by the prophets recounting Your words in scripture.  Isaiah 25: 8, 9 “He will swallow up death forever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces; the rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth; for the Lord has spoken. 9 And it will be said in that day: ‘Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us.  This is the Lord; I have waited for Him; we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.’”

The past, the present and the expected future, I owe to Your creative power, and now I wait for the coming of Jesus, in expectant pleasure.  I am so glad I have the freedom to tell others.