Guina and I just got back from our walk this morning. We managed 1.3 miles of these hills, which amazes me, because I was struggling to breathe when we started out. If it kept up, we would have turned to the left instead of the right when we reached the upper corner.
When one is struggling to breathe, a fear grabs hold that actually worsens the struggle. Fear often cuts us short, leading us to choose paths that make our journey easier, rather than choosing that which makes life fuller, more fulfilling and abundant. Overcoming the fear is vital to breath, and to our walk in life.
Remembering this helped me today. As I considered the Lord, who gives me breath, He calmed the panic, and I found breathing eased. By the time I topped that hill, my breathing was much improved and we got a good walk in for a great start to our day. The struggle was still there, though much lessened because the fear was gone.
What causes You fear and hinders you from going the full course? Finding and remembering the solution to fear’s attack is vital for victory. Seek the Lord. He will direct you to the weapon you can use when the battle rages, which always flows out of a trust that seeks Him.
“Do not be afraid of sudden fear Nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes; For the LORD will be your confidence And will keep your foot from being caught.” — Proverbs 3:25-2
“But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity. Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to BE CONTENT in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” – Philippians 4:10-13 NASB1995
In Day 7 of the devotional series linked below, author Andrew M. Davis advises, “In day three, we recognized that Christian contentment is a learned skilled. It also involves the supernatural. Contentment will not come easily. You will need to focus your soul on it, moment after moment, for the rest of your life. Our friend Jeremiah Burroughs offers further understanding: “Contentment is possible if you get skill in the art of it; you may attain to it, and it will prove to be not such a difficult thing either, if you but understand the mystery of it.” In other words, we must be willing and aspire to become proficient in gaining an attitude and spirit of contentment.
“Not only does it take remarkable spiritual skill to attain contentment; it also takes immense strength to protect it. Valor paints a picture of the determined defense we must wage for consistent contentment. Satan and his demonic forces will assault the citadel of your contentment every moment of your life for the rest of your days on earth. In Ephesians 6, you are called on to “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might”. You are called to put on the full armor of God and stand in the evil day, fighting off the schemes of the devil. You are facing forces of cosmic evil whose power you can scarcely imagine. And if you do not fight, you will be discontent. The demonic forces will defeat you and carry off your treasure.” (End quote)
Contentment is a learned skill, taught to us under God’s supervision, grown in us through God’s Word in the working of His Spirit, exemplified for us in the life of Christ. Satan’s evil wants to rob us of contentment, because contentment is first and foremost a symptom flowing out of sincere trust in God’s sovereignty and faithfulness. Striving to hold onto contentment is a front lines battlefield for all the days of our lives.
On the path of contentment in every circumstance, it is required of us to stand firm in Christ and in God’s Holy Word. God’s word is truth, and we must stand firm in it, refusing to allow evil to rob us of our understanding of the faithfulness of God to His Word, and of His right as Sovereign Lord, God, and King, to direct and dictate our every life experience for His eternal purposes.
Only Believe! And let belief bring us to obedience that flows out of trust in God.
Such trust in God produces righteousness in us as a breastplate, being holy as He is holy, protecting our hearts before God and keeping us set on the things above where Christ sets as King. Trust in God that holds us in stability, makes us ready servants, prepared with the gospel of peace for those desiring the contentment we possess.
Our faith to trust God in the good and the harsh, hard, and pressing, empowers us to stand firm. And stand we will, for God is able to make His servant stand (Romans 14:4). We stand on the very Word and integrity of God. His Word in us: strengthening trust; making us righteous as we practice our belief; emboldening our testimony; all becomes a shield protecting us from the flaming arrows of evil’s assault.
The saving grace of God, in Whom we trust, becomes our helmet, protecting our mind from the whispering lies of our flesh, this world, and the demonic. And the very Word of God, settled in our hearts and minds, is our Spirit-powered-sword, cutting to the quick of every false understanding that comes against God’s truth to and through us, disturbing us within, and unsettling the peacefulness of our contentment.
Contentment: that true contentment that rests itself in God’s faithfulness and sovereignty, is a worthy pursuit. It is that part of us who, like Christ, can honestly say, “yet not my will, but Yours be done,” and walk boldly forward into all the future God holds out to us, looking to the blessed reward of eternity with Him that we do not yet comprehend. Nor can we, for it is beyond imagination.
For the glory of His name and the good of eternity, stand firm with the assurance this contentment in God houses. Contentment trusts God’s love for us, knowing He cares for us. Because we love Him, contentment follows God’s will, His way, obeying out of trusting faith that He will accomplish what concerns us (Psalm 138:8). Contentment perseveres, even when suffering long, knowing we will see His glory.
“We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.” – 1 John 4:16-18 NASB1995
““If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” – John 14:15 NASB1995
“I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints; and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ’s sake. For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.” – Philemon 1:4-7 NASB1995
There’s a lesson here that instructs us in the ways of an effective and growing fellowship of believers. It translates to such through each effective and growing member of the group who fellowship together in Christ. Looking at its wisdom, as I evaluate my own practices and value as a Christ follower tasked to encourage those with whom I fellowship, I am called to higher ground: to keep growing strong in the practices of our common faith. To be light as He is light.
The first thing that stands out to me is
** “making mention of you in my prayers.”
As a strong member of a strong fellowship, we pray for one another. We often think of prayer as fervency, and fervent prayer is vital. However, I am finding in this world we live in that there is so much to pray over, it can be overwhelming. We should be fervent in prayer, focusing on pressing needs, seeking God’s will in our way of praying for those needs. But one thing I have noticed of late is Paul‘s practice of mentioning churches and individuals before God. He keeps them lifted up before the one who knows their needs and meets them where they are.
In practicing this method of prayer, I have found that as I pray, mentioning each organization or person to the Lord, through my mind flashes their needs. In mentioning them, I lay the whole of who they are and the needs I know of at the feet the Lord. Laying it at His feet in faith, I trust His sovereignty over their lives. “Mentioning” is part of the effective, fervent prayer of the righteous.
** “hear of your love”
How’s our love walk with those around us? Love proves our relationship with God and strengthens our relationship with one another. Love is vital to unity, and unity is important to God. Without the unity and fellowship that love brings, the effective service of the church will be hindered.
People are looking for love. Our ability to walk in love is a large part of what makes us a light in the world. It is vital that we know what love is, how to practice it, and daily grow stronger in the way we love those around us.
** “and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints”
Our faith to believe the Faith and practice its instruction for life is vital. The way we live our Faith is another thing people see. Why should they believe if they don’t see the faith we profess practiced in our daily lives. We must be Who and what we say we believe. Along with living godly lives that proves our faith to believe, we need to be aligned with people of faith that we can trust. And we need to prove trustworthy.
** “and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ’s sake.”
God places in each of us skills and giftedness that He can use to help His Body, the Church, function well together. Some have a heart to encourage the body and skill to apply God’s Word to our daily living. Some have a heart that leans heavily towards sharing the gospel with those who need to hear it. We are all called to encourage one another and spread the Word of saving grace, but some are especially gifted at it.
Others have a servant heart especially able to see and quick to jump to the physical needs. Leadership, administration, giving, preaching, teaching, and more. What is your gift? We are all needed for a well functioning fellowship of believers.
Leaders in the church, are you alert to the gifts and calling of each individual in your pews, inviting them to use their areas of strength to help the church function and bring stability to the body? Or are they sitting, bored on the pews? Stewardship includes right and good use of the giftedness of God’s people.
“that the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.” – 1:6 KJV Find ways to use the gift of God’s grace in you for the up building and stability of the body of Christ, beloved. It is the reason God put it in you, and why He put you where He has you established for His glory.
** “I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you.”
This world can greatly weary the heart of Christ followers. For my lifetime, I would have to say “especially” here in this thought. This world can greatly weary the heart of Christ followers: ESPECIALLY in these days when the things going on around us seem worse than ever in my lifetime, my heart gets weary. We need the encouragement of a loving fellowship that helps us maintain focus on God, His ways, the hope we have in Him, and the joy we have in one another as we grow together in Christ. As long as we stay focused and actively apply the Faith we are in, we will do well as Kingdom people amid a fallen world.
Solomon said it this way in Ecclesiastes: “Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.” – 4:9-12 NASB1995
We’re stronger together.
He also wrote the Proverb, “Iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens another.” – Proverbs 27:17 NASB1995
We’re sharpened when we encourage one another in the Word, will, and way of God; made mentally, socially, spiritually, and economically stronger, more alert and cognizant of our position in the Kingdom Life God desires for us when we walk together through this earthly life.
And Paul advises “Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another. For each one will bear his own load.” – Galatians 6:1-5 NASB1995
We are called to help one another recognize ungodly paths and habits we fall into. We sharpen each other, as iron sharpens a double edged sword. But we alone will stand before God for the choices we make.
“… Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you. Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you. I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder,” – 2 Peter 1:1-13 NASB1995
My posts may seem repetitive, covering similar material, calling us (me first) to pay attention to what God’s Word is telling us, but it is because I am the heart of The Encourager. It is God’s gift in me. I enjoy applying what scripture says to life today, breaking it down to its individual parts and, hopefully expressing it clearly for the one who needs it today.
I’ve long left the mindset of caring about numbers. If only one is helped to come up higher and press forward in Christ, my job is done. It is a long lived practice, to stir people up by way of reminder.
“[And I pray] that the participation in and sharing of your faith may produce and promote full recognition and appreciation and understanding and precise knowledge of every good [thing] that is ours in [our identification with] Christ Jesus [and unto His glory].” – 1:6 AMPC
“For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.” – 2 Timothy 4:6-8 NASB1995
Two things stand out to me here: one being the promise expressed. The other is the path to attaining the promise.
The promise Paul possessed here is the attainment of “the crown of righteousness.” There are numerous crowns for the faithful mentioned in scripture, each having a path to obtaining it for those eligible to receive it. Many believe we, like the elders in Revelation, will one day cast those crowns at the feet of Jesus.
When I was younger, immature in the ways of humility, that thought bothered me. I wanted to keep what I earned. Growing in humility, I realize more and more that I truly can do nothing of eternal worth apart from the work of Christ in me. I can’t recall specifics now, but something happened in me about 10 years ago that filled my heart with joy at the thought of casting my crowns before Him who truly deserves them.
If that is a true picture of standing before Him in heaven, casting our crowns before Him; then, here on earth, heaven being in us who are saved by grace, being baptized into Christ, can enjoy casting crowns to Him now. I praise God for the privilege of surrendering all crowns to Him right now in my day to day life, just as I will when I stand at Heaven‘s throne. He is Lord of lords and King of kings. I bow to His rule and give Him glory, surrendering all that I am or ever hope to be to Him who is worthy. He gets full credit for any good in me, and for every success for the Kingdom worked through me. And I strive to walk the path to each crown available to me, joyously casting them before Him as I go. This crown of righteousness is one I strive for each day. And here is the path to it.
The path:
Knowing that each crown has its path to obtaining it; we just have to stop and take time to discern the path in the instructions given. This means that we must be students of God’s Word, writing it on our hearts, meditating on it daily, not only in group studies, but in personal study. Here, in Paul’s proclamation, we see the path he walked to his crown of righteousness, giving us instruction as to how we must live.
1: “I have fought the good fight….”
There is instruction throughout scripture that tells us how to fight the good fight of our faith. Just off the top of my head is Ephesians 6:10-18’s instructions on how we are to stand firm against evil by putting on the armor of God that is available to us, including being always in prayer for ourselves, one another, and our spiritual leaders/warriors. To put on this armor, we need to study each piece and learn of its meaning and function. We cannot put on the helmet of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, or the belt of truth if we don’t understand how to come under Christ’s saving grace, what righteousness and truth are, and how to live these out.
Then there’s Colossians 3:1-17 that instructs in two major areas. First, we are to “set your minds and keep them set on the things above where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God” (AMPC). We are now and forevermore citizens of God’s Kingdom, tasked to truly represent Christ’s interests on earth. To do that, we must not let our souls (thoughts, will, and emotions) get trapped in worldly pursuits. We must seek God’s will, intent on accomplishing it in His way, always motivated by His purposes.
Second is the call of God for us to take off the old man described in verse 5-11, and put on the new creation God has placed in us. Verses 12-17 tell us how to do that. Study that passage. Seek Father for its fulfillment in you. Be intentional in striving for it.
There are many more such passages and we are instructed by God to study it out so that we may be approved (2 Timothy 2:15). Get in the Word daily for these life changing insights. If you are new to Bible reading and study, we are people of the New Testament (NT) Covenant. Start reading in the NT. I’ll post a plan of reading in the comments to help you get started. (If I forget, remind me.)
2: “I have finished the course…”
We are frequently encouraged throughout scripture to practice endurance and perseverance in the things of God, standing firm in them (Ephesians 6:10-12); persevering in hope (Romans 5:3-5); striving to win the prize laid up for us in heaven (1 Corinthians 9:23-27). This road is not easy and there are many evils that challenge our perseverance and chance our loss of reward. But stand we must, over and over and over again. Thankfully, God has provided for times when we fall: calling us to turn back to Him in repentance. Getting up from there, we dust off, and press forward to the goal.
3: “I have kept the faith.”
The word “faith” is used in two main ways throughout scripture. One is the faith described as “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). It is that which is in us that equips us to believe God, and taking Him at His Word, to live in hope; to hear the promises and trust God’s faithfulness to His word.
The second is the belief system in which we walk. We are Christian, putting our confidence in God and His Word, coming into covenant agreement with God through Christ, and walking in obedience to the faith covenant we made with Him because we love him and desire our union to stand strong. This faith hears Paul’s words to us and perks our ears to attention. Listening for instruction that gives us the “how to,” we choose to walk the path as he did. Striving to keep the covenant agreement with Christ, knowing that as we fight the good fight of faith, persevering to finish the course, and as we keep the tenants of God’s Instruction Manuel (the Holy Bible), we set our course to receive the promise of the crown.
Our faith in God’s promise that we can obtain a crown we cannot yet see is accomplished as we follow in the covenant agreement of the faith we have become part of in Christ. Ours is not a religion: it is a Faith.
Paul’s proclamation, “I have kept the faith,” means this second defining parameter of living in covenant agreement. He has faithfully maintained his covenant with Christ, walking in His instruction for Christian living laid out in God’s Word. In other words, Paul obeyed Jesus, proving his love of Christ, who appeared to us for the sole purpose of drinking the cup we could not drink so we could possess the eternal life we would otherwise not have hope of living.
“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15).
Our part of the promise:
“…in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but ALSO TO ALL WHO HAVE LOVED HIS APPEARING.”
We love the appearing of Him who made The Way, so that we may truly Live. I don’t know about you, but I am determined to walk this life with God because I love Him in all His Triune glory. HE IS OUR EXCEEDINGLY GREAT REWARD. And He gave His Son to provide for us a path on which we may gain that blessed reward. If we get nothing else, we get Him!
The attainment of many crowns is a plus I strive toward for the great joy of casting them at the Holy Feet of Jesus Christ. Study to be approved, beloved, and let’s walk this life together.
“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” — John 14:15
“May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble! May the name of the God of Jacob set you securely on high! May He send you help from the sanctuary And support you from Zion! May He remember all your meal offerings And find your burnt offering acceptable! Selah. May He grant you your heart’s desire And fulfill all your counsel! We will sing for joy over your victory, And in the name of our God we will set up our banners. May the Lord fulfill all your petitions.
“Now I know that the Lord saves His anointed; He will answer him from His holy heaven With the saving strength of His right hand. Some boast in chariots and some in horses, But we will boast in the name of the Lord, our God. They have bowed down and fallen, But we have risen and stood upright. Save, O Lord; May the King answer us in the day we call.” Psalms 20:1-9 NASB1995
This is an excellent prayer from the Psalms. I often pray it, using it as a pattern of prayer over myself and those I love – even verse three: “May He remember all your meal offerings And find your burnt offering acceptable! Selah.”
We don’t make meal offerings and burnt offerings. Jesus took the need of that away. He became the sacrificial Lamb for all who are truly His. But I always keep that verse when I note this passage, because we do have, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me” (Luke 9:23 ). We have, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42). We have, “You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you” (John 13:13-15).
We don’t kill sheep and goats for sacrifice, but we do put to death our fleshly lusts and desires that stand against the instruction and commands of God. We leave our will and way on the altar of sacrifice to take up the will and way of our Lord. We choose intentional selflessness, deadening our flash and relinquishing our own desires to show the love and care of God to others.
When I read of the sacrifices of old, I thank God we don’t have to do that to be with God and walk in the light of His love. But I am also reminded that we, who follow Christ, do have a sacrifice to give. It is not given to win favor with God or earn our salvation. It is always and only one thing. It is simply a love offering made from a grateful heart; a fragrant aroma to our God found in a life that honors our King.
“So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh—for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” – Romans 8:12-13
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” – Matthew 5:14-16 NASB1995
“But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men; for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments.” – Matthew 23:5 NASB1995
“Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.” – Matthew 6:1
“When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.” – Matthew 6:5
“Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.” – Matthew 6:16
The problem is not that we are seen by men as we do the good we’re called to. We are light. Light is visible. The darker the night, the harder it is for light to hide.
The problem is our heart in the work. Trying to be seen so people notice us and glorify us in our supposed good, robbing God of His due, is the sin. Doing good to please and honor God and Him getting the glory is the goal.
The heart of those seeing is in play here as well. When they see our good works, who do they glorify? Man’s deeds, or God’s goodness in bringing it all about?
Watch your own hearts, for from the depths of that which makes us who we are flows the springs of life. That which is in us – our desires, motives, intentions – will seep out as a light of revelation, making our true nature known.
““No one, after lighting a lamp, puts it away in a cellar nor under a basket, but on the lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light. The eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye is clear, your whole body also is full of light; but when it is bad, your body also is full of darkness. Then WATCH OUT THAT THE LIGHT IN YOU IS NOT DARKNESS. If therefore your whole body is full of light, with no dark part in it, it will be wholly illumined, as when the lamp illumines you with its rays.”” – Luke 11:33-36 NASB1995
Lord, let my mouth be filled with Your praises, proclaiming Your righteousness and faithfulness from a heart that knows your trustworthiness. Let loving kindness and truth, preserve me in a way that causes these attributes to pour forth from me. I pray that You be magnified in my life, words, and deeds. Show Yourself strong as my deliverer. May all that I do and all that I say glorify You. In Jesus, amen.
“Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent], and when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6 AMPC [see also Eph. 6:4; II Tim. 3:15.]
“He who withholds his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him diligently.” – Proverbs 13:24
A shepherd’s rod and the parental rod are not far removed from each other. The rod/staff of a shepherd has two ends, often with one end crooked. The straight end is mainly used to beat off predators, though it may also be used to tap the haunches, turning a sheep to the correct way. The staff end is used to grab a lamb and pull it away from trouble, or closer in for protection and the building of a loving relationship.
All of these methods of discipline are important in raising children.
There are times they need their bottoms swatted. Especially younger children who only understand “now” and need a method of training that quickly links correction with unacceptable actions.
There are times we must get between our children and the dangers they too readily run headlong into.
And there are times we have to grab them and pull them back from harms way, closer in to protective custody and loving care.
In each case it is vital the discipline includes instruction in righteousness. We get tired of our children asking why, but they need the whys and wherefores if they are to learn truth, righteousness, and consequences. Even if the why is to tell them they wouldn’t understand the reason right now, but will eventually, and they need to trust you have good reason.
God doesn’t always tell us the whys and wherefores, so teaching children to trust is a vital part of training in discipline. That means we must prove trustworthy and train our children to know they can trust the God we faithfully follow as we raise them.
As I look into the defining parameters of a rod today, there’s another aspect of the “rod” that is vital. The rod is also defined as a symbol of authority.
There’s a saying that goes like this, “Rules without relationship breeds rebellion.”
This is true. Being hard, harsh, and pressing with our kids without including an attitude of loving care, produces an anger in them that God warns against (Ephesians 6:4). Rebellion is likened to divination, insubordination, and idolatry in scripture. It is the sin that lost Saul the throne (1 Samuel 15:23). When parents cause a rebellious heart to develop in their children, it most often delivers a citizen into the world who fights authority at every level of life.
However, relationship without rules breeds inordinate self-regard, to our children, producing in them varying levels of narcissism: making for extremes of self reliance, conceit, and a lack of compassion toward and ability to work with others. It does not teach the importance of working under authority, failing to prepare the child for a future that finds authority figures around every corner.
We need to grow a loving relationship with our kids that hears their hearts, deals with them appropriately, and teaches them to be good citizens of God in a world of rules. If we do not teach them to follow authority while they are young, they will have difficulty following God when they are old. God is the ultimate authority. We have no sense of covenant with God without exemplary, parental authority following Him. Without faith to trust God, following close under His authority, we cannot please Him.
The rod of authority is a vital instrument in the hands of the parent. Both ends of that rod includes and flows from the word of God. Any discipline we give our children should point to God and His rule found in His word. It should lead the children to love God and desire to please Him. The word of God is a living and active sword that cuts deep into the heart and soul of the child to help them become the best person they can possibly be.
“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-27; Hebrews 4:12).
This requires parents to be students of the Word. We cannot rightly teach what we do not know. The role of parents is to raise up children who will be a profitable member of society. As Christians, we are to raise up citizens of the Kingdom of God, who know and follow Him in Christlikeness, being people of God that are adequately equipped for every good work opportunity He brings their way. Good Kingdom citizens make good citizens on earth, following first God’s authority, honoring parents, and knowing how to follow those authorities set up on earth.
The rod of discipline is a vital tool in our parental arsenal as we fight for our kids to be all God created them to be, protecting them from a world of evil. The rod of discipline couples with love for the good of the child and the glory of God.
Father, thank You for the truth that Your wisdom calls to us, desiring relationship with us. Understanding that comes from wisdom lifts her voice. You desire wisdom for us and call us to seek her diligently, promising those who seek her to practice that wise counsel, will find her. May my ears be found truly listening for the noble things wisdom speaks.
The opening of wisdom’s lips reveals right things. Wisdom is better than jewels; and all desirable things cannot compare with her. She dwells with prudence, and leads us to find knowledge and discretion.
Wisdom instructs our hearts to understand that the fear of the Lord is to hate evil. Pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverted mouth, wisdom hates. Counsel belongs to sound wisdom. Oh how I need it and long to see it in those I love and those who lead. Wisdom is understanding, and power is possessed by it. Wisdom loves those who love it. Those who diligently seek wisdom, will find it.
The fruit of wisdom is better than gold, even pure gold; its yield better than choicest silver. I pray for myself and for mine to walk in wisdom, whose way is righteousness, and whose paths are justice. Wisdom leads to true wealth for those who love her wise counsel and walk in it, that she may fill their treasuries.
Grant us ears to listen for wisdom and not move without her, for there is blessing in keeping her ways. Fill us with desire to heed her instruction and be wise, and let us not neglect it, for blessed is the person who listens to her, watching daily at her gates, waiting patiently for her at her doorposts. For those who find wisdom find life. They obtain the favor of the Lord. But he who sins against wisdom, ignoring her counsel, injures themselves with many pangs. For those who hate wisdom, love death.
Your Word is wisdom. It’s living and active and sharper than a double edged sword, cutting deep into our souls to make us holy as You are holy. May we love Your Word and walk in it, finding true wisdom and righteous paths for life abundant and full. In Jesus, amen.
“…The Father gave us life and the incredible treasure of what He made us to be. He gave us His Son in order to retrieve that treasure, and the instant we yield our lives to Him, He gives us the kind of life that not only transforms us now but provides assurance of eternity with Him forever.” (Jack Hayford)
You know the plans You have for me, Lord. You gave me life through my parents, placing me in the environment and time You planned me to live in. And You gave me new life in Christ, revitalizing Your image in me for Your purposes, working constantly to restore me to Your perfect intent and purpose. What a treasure trove of discovery You give me.
Lord, I am aged, but not dead. I am in a time and place that can feel quite had, harsh, and pressing. Help me to remember that You are with me. Grant me to remember the yoke I share with Jesus. May I know You, enter Your rest, and discover the treasure You have for me to possess in this season. As long as I draw breath, there is a work to do in bringing Your plan to fruition and Your Kingdom purpose to its fulfillment. Make me faithful to be found doing the good work You planned for me even now. In Jesus, amen.
Father, I receive Your words and treasure Your commandments within me. Make my ears attentive to wisdom. Incline my heart to understanding. I cry out to You for godly, righteous, and true discernment, lifting my voice for understanding. Your truth and wise counsel are as silver to me, hidden treasures I long to possess. Thank You that, in finding these, I will discern the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God.
You, O Lord, give wisdom; From Your mouth comes knowledge and understanding. You store up sound wisdom for the upright. You are a shield to me as I walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice before me, and preserving my way in godliness. Grant me to discern righteousness and justice and equity and every good course. Cause Your wisdom to enter my heart as I earnestly seek You. Make knowledge of You, Your Word, will, and way, pleasant to my soul. Let discretion guard me in The Way, and understanding watch over me, delivering me from the way of evil, and from those who speak perverse things. Deliver me surely from those who leave the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness; those who ho delight in doing evil and rejoice in the perversity of evil; whose paths are crooked, and who are devious in their ways.
I pray this not only for myself, Father but for my children and grandchildren to the thousandth generation, for loved ones and friends, for neighbors and the stranger on the streets with me, and most assuredly for the leaders of nations, especially for the current and the future President of these United States. In Jesus, according to Your Word, I pray, amen.
“Ah Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You, who shows lovingkindness to thousands, but repays the iniquity of fathers into the bosom of their children after them, O great and mighty God. The LORD of hosts is His name; great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, giving to everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds; who has set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, and even to this day both in Israel and among mankind; and You have made a name for Yourself, as at this day.” – Jeremiah 32:17-20
As I read verse 17, putting it into context through verse 20, God, seeing our ways and giving to all according to our deeds, stood out to me. Meditating before Him, seeking His counsel regarding my ways, the words “desire truth” came to heart. Looking that up lead to:
“Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.” – Psalm 51:6
Praying for this truth in my innermost and seeking God’s wisdom, the next applicable passage that came up in my search instructs my heart.
“First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” – 1 Timothy 2:1-4
I am extremely frustrated with our national leaders and struggle to listen to their bickering and mud slinging. Such frustration hinders my prayers for them, which points to my fall from belief that nothing is too difficult for God. It all seems impossible and beyond help. Here God is instructing my heart that I must listen and pray. Listen to what’s being said, while seeking God’s wisdom to know truth, and pray God’s heart for these United States.
God advises through Jeremiah, in chapter 29, “Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare.” (29:7). The people of God must pray the heart of God for the welfare of this nation as found in the truth of God, for it is still true that in its welfare, we have welfare. Pray for those leading now to know and walk in truth. Pray for the candidates we will vote on in November. Their constant personal attacks on one another distract from the issues this nation is facing. It is nonproductive and nonprofitable.
Seek God to reveal truth to and through our leaders. Pray they discover the truth God desires them to possess, speak, and live out in their leadership positions. May they be saved from sin’s death and the destructive force of false understanding, for then they will lead in truth and righteousness to paths of peace and prosperity.
Another desperate need in these days is for our leaders to lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This will deaden the often false rhetoric and bring peace to debates, granting a tranquillity that creates an atmosphere allowing ears to hear and minds to understand, hearts to comprehend and a willing spirit of cooperation to develop.
God is telling me, stop fretting and start praying His ideal for our leaders at every level. It is God’s ideal that will get us out of this mess we are seeing in our nation. As I pray the will of God found in the truth of God’s holy scriptures, I can pray with hope, trusting the truth that there is still nothing too difficult for God.
Jesus willingly drank the cup, knowing it was necessary for the glory of the Father in fulfilling His plan for the good of all He came to save. Likewise, there are times the cup placed before us simply must be drank in willing faith, trusting God’s purpose to work His glory and plan for the good of those He loves and is reaching out to through us.
We may not understand the whys and wherefores at this time, but put the sword into the sheath. Trust God has a purpose in this challenge, As Jesus once told Paul, “It is hard for you to kick [repeatedly] against the goads [offering pointless resistance].” (Acts 26:14, AMP)
It is senseless to fight the purpose of God. Drink the cup, fight the good fight of faith, and trust purpose to be fulfilled.
I do cry out to You, O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who still preserves the covenant and lovingkindness for those who love You and keep Your commandments. In the righteousness of Christ covering me, I bow before You through the veil. By Your gracious mercy, sufficient for me in that blessed union, I pray that Your ear now be attentive and Your eyes open to hear the prayer of Your servant which I am praying before You now, day and night.
I grieve the sin in my own life and seek to fully surrender to Your chastening hand, for You love me as Your daughter in Christ and desire my good, that I honor You and walk in Your ways at all times and in all things. This, too, is my heart cry; so I humble myself today and seek Your face with all that I am and ever hope to be.
Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence nor take Your Holy Spirit from me, but draw near to me as I draw near to You. Fill me to the full with all that You are and created me to be in union with You. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation. Sustain me with a willing spirit of obedience to You, Your will and Your way. Then use me to teach transgressors Your ways, so that sinners will be converted to You.
Also, Father, daily my heart breaks over the sin and struggle I see in many I so greatly love, and for those in this great nation You have caused me to habitat for Your glory and purpose. More still, my heart breaks for those who are blind to You and Your ways, absolutely incapable of seeing and acknowledging their need of You and Your mercy in Christ.
On behalf of those who seek to know You, living as Your servants, confessing the sins we, too, fall into, in which we have sinned against You, I beg Your pardon and ask Your cleansing. Make us to walk as lights in this night, useful to You in drawing the many who do not know and serve You into the saving grace that frees from sin’s grip and the death that comes to those who refuse Your provision in Christ. And open blinded eyes, stirring cold, dead hearts and dulled minds, causing many to see, hear, and know You. This I pray for me, for mine, for this nation, and, indeed, for the world at large. In Jesus Holy and pure Name, amen.
This is my desire: to walk step by step and breath by breath in Your equipping, adequately prepared to introduce Your life, Your love, and Your power into each situation You bring me to. Thank You that we have not been left on the defensive or called to preserve the status quo, but equipped to let Jesus happen through us.
In Jesus, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” This is my hope and life-song as I walk daily in the assurance that You are continually working to bring me to perfection until the day of Christ. In You I trust. And by Your mercies, I present myself, a living and holy sacrifice to You.
May Your will be accomplished in and through me to the glory of Your name. In Jesus name, Amen.
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” – 1 John 4:7-11 NASB1995
Father, fill me with Your abiding love first for You, and then for those around me, for love is from God. Everyone who truly loves is born of God and knows God. Being unloving proves one does not know You, for You, O God, are love, and You bear the fruit of Your image through us who abide in Christ. I pray for Your love to pour to me and through me for the glory of Your name, and for the fulfillment of Your Kingdom purpose.
You manifest Your love in us in that You sent Your only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved You, but that You loved us and sent Your Son to be the propitiation for our – my – sins. Father, since You so loved us, we also ought to love one another. Empower us to die to self and self-will so that others may know You. This heart is my desire and request.
Thank You, Father, that through Christ I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The life which I now live in the flesh, I pray You grant me the faith to live in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. Let this truth be seen in me through the giving and receiving of encouragement in Christ, the consolation of love, the fellowship of the Spirit, and the giving of affection and compassion.
Make my joy complete by making me to be of the same mind with You and Your true people, maintaining the same love; and being united in spirit. Fill us with Your love so that we may be one with You, intent on one purpose. May we do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind grant us to regard one another as more important than self. May we not merely look out for our own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.
Fill us with this attitude in ourselves which was also in Christ Jesus. He existed in the form of God, but did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped – He did not count Himself too good to get in the mud and lift us out of it. Emptying Himself, and taking the form of a bond-servant, being made in the likeness of men – found in appearance as a man, Jesus humbled Himself by becoming obedient to Your will and desire, even to the point of death, the death on a cross that paid my due penalty.
My desire, Lord, is to love so as to lay down my life for others, not only in dying for them, if need be, but in the opportunities to give myself to the simple acts of intentional selflessness that come to us almost daily. Increase my faithfulness in putting my desires aside to meet the need of another. This is my heart cry. True love is revealed in us as in Christ when we willingly give ourselves to the practice of intentional selflessness for the cause of Christ. May I be found faithful at Your coming. In Jesus name, amen.
“And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”” – Matthew 28:18-20 NASB1995
Father, we are first called to “make disciples,” specifically teaching them to observe all that You command us. And when they believe You, we are told to baptize them in the name of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Baptism is important and not to be degraded. We make disciples and baptize them in Your name. That is our clear, undeniable call and instruction. Make us who are disciples of Your teachings and baptized into Your Name faithful to Your call. In Jesus, amen.
In the midst of Your warnings against unrighteous Israel, You throw them a lifeline of hope. When they turn back to You, they can know they will find You there, in their midst, working for their good and Your glory. Father, thank You that You are the same yesterday, today, and forever. You still champion and celebrate over Your people who turn to You as their God, their true hope, their Lord. As I pray that, I realize anew that You again reveal to me that You first do for us what You require us to do for You.
You want us in Your midst, to remain and abide in You. As You fight for us, Your desire is for us to fight the good fight of faith for You. We are Your army, instructed to stand firm and at the ready, fully clothed in Christ and suited in Your armor. One of our greatest weapons is to exult over You with joy, for the enemy of our soul cannot stand in the presence of the praises of Your people who love and serve You. In love, we serve You as we love with Your love, representing You and Your interests in the world. And as we see Your work accomplished and Your name magnified, our joy over You is magnified anew.
Thank You, Father. May we be found faithful at Your coming. In Jesus, amen.
“…For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.” – Romans 12:1-3
Reviewing my memory verses today, this stands out to me. It brings to mind the call of God in my life for this season. The place He has me walking and serving Him. It brings to heart the things that He has set my mind to understand and to accomplish for Him and His glory. It reminds me, again, that these things are too big for me. I cannot do it. My only hope and only help is God. God is the way and I must surrender, remember, and trust Him in it.
At the same time, things of daily life responsibilities that overwhelm me come to heart. Then I remember God’s instruction in my Colossians passage. I am to “…walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, FOR THE ATTAINING OF ALL STEADFASTNESS AND PATIENCE….” Colossians 1:9-12 NASB1995
This journey cannot all be done today by me. God could make all happen in an instant, if He wanted. But He has set me on a journey to “attain all steadfastness and patience”. This steadfastness and patience couples with a heart of joyous thanksgiving to the Father, who uses it to qualify us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.
Attain means “To gain as an objective; achieve. To come to or arrive at, as through movement, growth, or the passage of time. To succeed in a directed effort, process, or progression.”
That says to me that I must be intentional about steadfastness and patience in the journey. I must deliberately choose to be joyful and thankful to God for every opportunity He gives to achieve these needful qualities of the proven character He is building in me.
“And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” – Romans 5:3-5 NASB1995
“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” – James 1:2-4 NASB1995
Grant me wisdom for this journey, Father, as You accomplish Your purpose in me. In the working of Your Spirit, grant steadfastness and patience to bear forth perseverance while You build in me the character of Christlikeness with hope, making me perfect and complete in Christ. In Jesus, amen.
“Say to Archippus, “Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it.”” – Colossians 4:17 NASB1995
This verse was written specifically to Archippus. I’ve not researched him to see if we know anything about him, but we are not told specifics of him or his ministry here. All we see and know is it was important enough for Paul to write this word of encouragement, spurring Archippus on. This good word often catches my heart as from God to me, helping me consider my ways so as to finish the course in the things He has me doing.
Today, I read this encouragement in light of the focus to walk circumspectly, redeeming the time in wisdom, which is in accordance with the will of God (Eph. 5:15-17, NKJV), being filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that we will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects (Col. 1:9-12, NASB). The call to fulfill our ministry leads me to ask, in a generalized sense, what Colossians reveals to us as the will of God for us in ministering in His name. Rereading Colossians, here’s some things I found to consider.
“… Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body, which is the church, in filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions. …We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.” (1:23-24, 28-29)
Like Paul, each one of us is called to suffer for the Gospel in fulfilling the afflictions of Christ. We may not all be called to be preachers, teachers, and evangelists; but we are all called to “sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence” (1 Peter 3:15). One way of suffering our flesh as Jesus did comes as we deny fear and any other hindrance that comes to obedience to God in sharing the Gospel message and God’s grace to us.
“Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.” (2:7)
We are the hands and feet of God on earth. As we abide in Him and He in us, we are responsible to fulfill the afflictions of Christ as we daily take up our cross in self-denial to walk in the will and way of God. We continue Christ’s work of revealing the truth of the Father in our actions, reactions, and interactions as we deny fleshly impulses so that we may live in Christlikeness. We are not to represent ourselves and our own desires. We represent God, His will and His way.
One thing I have learned in my years of seeking after and serving God is that many people of the world know we are to be Christlike – though they don’t fully understand what that is. If I forget for one moment the Person of Christ that is to flow through me, they remember, and they catch every slip up, majoring on our humanness to the detriment of our godly example. And the Church of Christ gets the reputation of the hypocrisy the world sees.
In our daily living: “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” (3:16-17)
In the workplace and places of community service or home care: “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.” (3:23-24)
Our walk of faith requires watchfulness for the purpose of maintaining a righteous life testimony. Praying for ourselves and for those of our fellowship is vital. We are called to devote ourselves to prayer, “keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.” A specific hint as to how we are to pray is found in Paul’s encouragement to pray “that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ,” that we “may make it clear in the way I ought to speak.” (4:2-4)
Another hint in our praying for one another is seen in the example of Epaphras. There we learn to pray that we “may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.” (4:12-13)
We are to conduct ourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Thus, we pray to be found faithful. (4:5)
Our speech is to be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that we will know how you should respond to each person. Praying for God’s thoughts to direct and dictate our words is a good plan. (4:6)
Grace is God’s merciful love, set to build up in truth and empower in righteousness, not tear down in discord and destroy in corruption. A study of salt reveals a work of love that purifies, protects, preserves, and cleanses. This is the purpose and goal of our speech and a good hint as to how we are to pray.
Like the Jesus who is called Justus, we are to prove to be an encouragement to one another, and especially to those called to preach, teach, and evangelize, as they are on the frontlines, and often harshly judged. (4:11)
With these things in heart, I pray we each will be found faithful to take heed to the ministry which we have received in the Lord, that we may fulfill it. May we take up our cross daily and follow Jesus, The Christ. In Your name, Lord, make it so.
Father, I seek You in truth, desiring to know, speak, and live Your truth. May I be found faithful, proving to be zealous for what is good. Sanctifying Christ as Lord in my heart, Father, remove from me every fear and dread of intimidation.
May Your truth so reside in me that I may be able to make a defense when called for, yet with gentleness and reverence. Grant me life in You, making me able to keep a good conscience, even in suffering. If I must suffer, let it be for righteousness sake, that I may be found suffering for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong. And use that suffering for the glory of Your name, growing my character to perfection in Christ, shining Your Light so that others may see and be drawn by You to walk in the Light, as You are in the Light.
Father, by Your mercy and grace, grant to me the power and perseverance needed to put to death my flesh, while being made alive in the spirit. Transform me, Father, by the renewing of my mind, so I become living proof of what Your will is: that good, acceptable, and perfect will of my God. In Jesus’ Holy and beloved Name and for Your glory, let it be so. Amen.
“See then that you WALK CIRCUMSPECTLY, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. ….” – Ephesians 5:15-21 NKJV
Digging into first reference passage:
“Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.” – Romans 12:1-3
Study: looking at the mercies of God. What can be gleaned about “the mercies of God”?
9 – Because of God’s mercy, we who are saved by grace through faith are born again into a living hope that obtains an eternal inheritance in Christ Jesus – we are heirs with Christ: 1 Peter 1:3-5
10 – Because of God’s mercy, we are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” – 1 Peter 2:9-10
“Grace, mercy and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.” – 2 John 3
“But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.” – Jude 20-21
“This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope. Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!” The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him.” – Lamentations 3:21-25 NKJV
“But when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out; for they all saw Him and were terrified. But immediately He spoke with them and said to them, “Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid.” Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped; and they were utterly astonished, for they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves, but their heart was hardened.” – Mark 6:49-52 NASB1995
The disciples just saw Jesus feeding thousands. Jesus sends them on ahead of him in the boat while he sent the masses away and went up on the mountain to pray. Coming to them walking on the water, we are told how astonished they were to see him. Then it says of them “they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves.” Why? Because their heart was hardened. They were seeing God incarnate doing mighty things that only God can do, but were refusing to realize the power they were walking beside.
Children of God, we often do the same when we see God meet our needs in ways that amaze our heart and make us know it is him acting on our behalf. Then the next challenge comes and our hardened heart panics without realization that God is still on the side of those who are His and still provides for our needs.
A heart that trusts God remembers the things he has already done for us, and with the hope revealed in our experience, faces the next challenge with a greater peace that understands that God is faithful. He, who has looked after us before, will look after us now.
A heart of trust knows there is nothing too great for God, there is no need beyond his reach. Trust in the Lord, even now, when fear attacks our thinking, and do the good that faith produces.
“See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God.” – Ephesians 5:15-21 NKJV
References for vs. 17:
“Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” True wisdom comes from understanding God, His will and His ways. Wisdom walks us safely through the storms of life in a fallen world.
“Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.” – Romans 12:1-3
“For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.” – Colossians 1:9-12
“Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more. For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God; and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification. So, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.” – 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8
Oh yum! That’s good eating. Be sure to feast on God’s Word daily. Pay close attention to that which clutches for your heart’s full attention. Eat it.
Father God, in the opportunities these devastating fires have presented me and each of us, Your children in Christ, empower us to accomplish Your will done Your way for the glory of Your name and the building of Your Kingdom and people. All I have and all I am belongs to You for Your Name’s sake. Make me a faithful steward of all Your good supply.
I want to use my home and resources well as I help these in need, Lord. Help me trust You with my home and the things going on here that make for wear and tear, and stress my patience and peace. Help me to trust Your supply for household things when this unusual strain is relieved. The important thing is to trust You, be Your light that reveals Your trustworthiness and care, and practice the hospitality that accomplishes Your righteousness and makes You known to the hearts of those I seek to help.
I want to love as You love, with patience, kindness, endurance, and graciousness. Help me give my all fearlessly, as You have given. This need will not pass us by in a day, Lord, as the devastation is extensive and area resources are stressed. It will take time to get people back into homes. Grant us endurance with peace of heart and mind, taking every thought that hinders peace and righteousness captive, so love prevails and encouragement flows to help the stressed and distressed find the hope to be had in You alone.
Grant us Your heart, Lord, as we weep with those who weep, and as we seek to help them recognize Your goodness in the midst of these storms all around us and inside us. These opportunities present eternal purpose, Father. Fill our hearts with Your truth as we encourage the grieving and fainthearted. In Jesus and for His glory, amen.
Grace (as I understand it) is stated in part by the well known acronym “God’s riches at Christ’s expense.” It is the unmerited favor of God, which is His mercy in action, at work in us. The power of God unto salvation. The sufficiency of God manifested in our weakness, as His power accomplishes it’s purpose, giving His strength to brace us up where we fall short, making us able to stand firm as His servant. Grace is powerful. It’s the power of God at work in us.
“How can we sing the Lord’s song In a foreign land?” – Psalms 137:4 NASB1995
Life in these days is so foreign to Kingdom living. Things in life that are so greatly against You and Your ways set our hearts in a tailspin and stop the flow of prayer as we feel we know not how to even begin to pray. So, set our hearts on the things above where You are. Keep our hearts set on You. Only then do we have hope and find help in time of need. You not only hold the answer to every trying situation. You are the answer. We pray You for life. Deliver us and those we love from everything that’s not You. In Jesus, amen.
Grief can darken our understanding of the ways of God and the truth of His care for us. This darkness is dangerous for our relationship with God and can pull us out of His will as the dullness of the light in us makes us feel our inability to be light for others. Recognizing the darkness, refusing its rule over life, and trusting God’s light to reveal to us our path to healing is vital in times of grief that brings the veil of shadow to our hearts. I pray God’s light for our need so we can truly be His light in the land of our living.
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart please and bless You, my God. Whether in eating or drinking or in whatever I do, I pray it glorifies You, for You are God most High, worthy of all glory and honor.
In all I do, whether in spoken or written word, or through the giving of thanks through Lord Jesus to You, my Father, let it be done in obedience and truth to the glory of your name and the edification of those in my midst. Make all the works of my hands accomplish Your purpose. With Your word as a lamp to my feet and a light to my path, make my feet the lovely bearers of the good news concerning Jesus, to the glory of Your name and the good of all who hear. This I pray, in Jesus, amen.
Father, thank You for this new journey You have me on that is definitely stretching and putting my faith to the test. And thank You for the original language study You have me in that warns me today about fainting – losing faith, falling to despondency in fear.
Our nemesis to faith is fear. The sensation of that evil pounding on the walls of my faith in this journey has been frequent, with increasing fervor. Thank You for reminding me today that You are sovereign. You know best and are good. Your plan, will, way, and purpose is perfect. I can and must trust You. It is the only safe path through this life in these evil days.
Forgive my leaning toward the temptation to give self to the fear that is wanting residency in my life, with desire meant to cause me to back away from all You are doing. I choose to stand by faith that fully trusts You and press forward in the strength You supply. In Jesus, amen.
“For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.” – II Corinthians 4:15-16 NKJV
Seeking Holy Habitation, seated at God's feet (Exodus 15:13).
Darlene's Ponderings 