Tag: God's Promises

The Beautiful Significance of “Let the Words of My Mouth and Meditation of My Heart” spoken in Psalm 19:14!

Exactly, what are our words? They are more than just what we speak from our mouths but they each originate from our mind as we think, and we ponder their meaning. As we reach a conclusion based on what we think and what influences us regarding the topic. It then becomes a seed we allow to be planted not only in our minds but also in our hearts and others. As these lifeless seeds get fed by outside circumstances, they begin to grow deep roots, are not easy to remove.

We cannot see what is inside these seeds. We cannot see their inherent beauty or their potential for bringing forth great fields of the very ugliest of weeds. I can only see the outside shell of the seed and know something will grow from it. I can’t control the measure of beauty or the indescribable potential for ugliness. I can only trust the care and compassion I use to plant it will bear all of its fruit. Watch my words, my thoughts become as the sunshine or become barrenness.

Psalm 19:11-14 The Message

11-14 There’s more: God’s Word warns us of danger
    and directs us to hidden treasure.
Otherwise, how will we find our way?
    Or know when we play the fool?
Clean the slate, God, so we can start the day fresh!
    Keep me from stupid sins,
    from thinking I can take over your work;
Then I can start this day sun-washed,
    scrubbed clean of the grime of sin.
These are the words in my mouth;
    these are what I chew on and pray.
Accept them when I place them
    on the morning altar,
O God, my Altar-Rock,
    God, Priest-of-My-Altar.

The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.

The Bible says we speak out of things stored in our hearts. If we are serving and seeking God on a consistent basis. And we are also taking every thought captive to the mind of Christ so that it’s all based and founded on the truths and sacred principles plumbed, discovered from the Word of God, we have nothing to fear.

In these times of prolonged social distancing, if we are basing our thoughts and decisions from the worldly point of views and ways established in darkness. We risk polluting the gardens of our heart with seeds that in time will only corrupt and badly tarnish the good seeds. Then the plants and roots will need to be dug up and burned as well as purifying the soil so new seeds will not be corrupted.

The Bible teaches that words are generative, and they wield great power and influence to transform, renew our minds. Science backs this up as we’re always learning more about the plasticity of our brains and how thinking new thoughts can have a profoundly positive or grievously negative impact on overall health.

Throughout the pages of Scripture, we also learn that what we meditate on in our hearts reveals what we treasure. Also, that the “words of my mouth” or what we choose to say, comes from what’s within the heart (Luke 6:45).

The Book of Psalms can be experienced as a literal outpouring of words on the hearts of those seeking and appreciating God. Offering us poetry and songs of praise, lament, and thanksgiving from Moses, David, Solomon, Asaph, Heman, Ethan—and a host of anonymous authors—psalms can feel like a window into our own deeply personal even intimate longings. The words bear witness and give a stark testimony deep inside the meditations in the hearts of humanity.

What the Psalmist Means by “Words of My Mouth and the Meditation of My Heart”

Psalm 19 is a psalm of praise, for all the glorious works of God in creation, and how they offer a “still small, nearly imperceptible voice” we all understand. As it opens, we see a beautiful portrait of the heavens declaring, and day and night pouring forth… refreshing us in the way the Law of the Lord refreshes the soul.

As David closes in Psalm 19:11-14, he is imploring God to make him blameless through meditating, seeking, searching and forgiving him, he seeks a right and righteous relationship with God. As he sings out to God “may these words of my mouth and this meditation on my heart be pleasing in your sight,” he is 1000% surrendering to God’s guidance, and praising him as his Rock and Redeemer.

The psalm relates the voice of God to a treasure infinitely more precious than gold, and infinitely more sweeter than honey straight from the honeycomb. David is asking in Psalm 19:11-14 for this God of unmatchable worth to warn, search, forgive, and keep him from thoughts and words that lead to sin.

It is by his own passionate confession that he needs his words to come from the Provider who moves the sun and earth…not from the sinful desires of his heart.

This psalm is praying for a power infinitely greater than ourselves to search, and cleanse our thoughts, reveal our errors, and hear our prayers. It is an act of relinquishing self-absorption and inviting God to direct us in ways that please and reflect his heart. In Psalm 19 we hear a song of celebration that when we ask God to guide our words and thoughts, there is great reward (Psalm 19:11).

Two ways to test the state of your heart is to

1.) record the words and thoughts you have on a particular day especially during times of stress when it’s easy to let it fly without giving it a second thought.

I understand we are not perfect and will make mistakes. But it’s during those moments I discover what’s in my heart by how I speak, react to those moments.

2.) the second way which is easier to do but harder to face, respond accordingly.

Be honest and bold enough to ask God to show you what’s in your heart.

Either way, things must be dealt with if we are to continue to grow and mature in our relationship with God. There is no shortcut to this process and the longer we put it off the more painful it will be to overcome.

God patiently waits for us to turn to him in these matters so that he can give us the keys to victory provided by the resurrection power of Christ. I believe this is what the Psalmist meant as he beautifully prayed to God in humility to examine his heart so that he might only speak life and not death to those around him.

Psalm 19:14 concludes that when we make the choice to come away from the world and move our whole beings, praise and meditate on the wonders of God’s creation and redemption, the gratitude we feel inevitably creates thoughts and words and deeds transforming the stark reality of our world, bringing forth joy.

The Context around Psalm 19:14

Having experienced a God who dictated the Law through Moses, David sings in Psalm 19 of how the Law of the Lord revives us. These first five books of the Bible that comprise the Pentateuch would have been well-known to David, as Jewish boys memorized the Torah.

What David knows so very well, and indeed, quite intimately, as he sings this psalm, is that God’s Law proves that God is the creator, rescuer, and father who has from the beginning been relational in the trinity and with his creation.

David trusts the Law of the Lord because he has seen his deliverance and the reality of his commandments. David not only desired to be fully pardoned and cleansed from the sins he had discovered and confessed, but also from any he may have overlooked that only God could see.

https://www.blueletterbible.org/study/parallel/paral18.cfm

One theological resource proposes Psalm 19 might have been inserted toward the end of David’s life, as was the beloved Psalm 23. It’s fitting then that David surrenders in Psalm 19 wholeheartedly in thought and speech to a God who has seen him through seasons of giant-conquering, adulterous sin, and terrifying persecution. This is definitely and definitively a psalm of a man who has no doubt in his mind that he met God in the wilderness, in a cave, and in victory.

According to David, exposing ourselves to the beauty of God, letting the beauty of God go to work inside of us, over the darkness of the revealed world, having our sins exposed by the light of truth of God, revives our souls, and brings sweet joy. And even though Christ would not restore us all on the cross for 1,000 years from the singing of this psalm, we know that every single word of Psalm 19 is God-breathed and directly points to the restoration of humanity through Jesus.

This means that no matter what state our heart is in, or what state our soul is finding itself wallowing in, or what words we’ve been spewing that may not be pleasing to God, we lift up our heart, soul and voice unto Him…and He restores.

How Might We Apply Psalm 19:14 Today?

The Bible teaches that our mouths speak of the things which fill our hearts.

…For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. – Matthew 12:34

And when Psalm 19 concludes in verse 14 with “May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer,” we sense from within the heart and soul of David an openness and selflessness which focuses squarely on God’s sight and might. It acknowledges that our very own thoughts and words can definitely be renewed in the light and power of the forgiveness of the Lord alone, not by our own wayward tendencies.

It admits that we need an unaltering, unshifting Rock and Redeemer to deliver us from our spoken and secret sins. And as with any and all of God’s word, we can ask, seek, explore, discover, find, experience new life in this song of David.

Here are three ways I suggest we try to apply Psalm 19:14 to our lives today:

1. Seek God in His creation.

There’s nothing quite like allowing yourself to be overwhelmed by the glory of God’s creation. Imagine, as the psalm suggests, that the heavens are pitched in the sky by God like a silken tent for the sun. Start with a heart of praise as you stary your day by inviting, weaving, Creator God into your thoughts and words.

2. Pray! Ask God to cleanse your heart.

Because the world is always warring for your attention, and troubles can stir up things in your heart that you wish weren’t there…remember you can always ask God for help. He can find and forgive your “hidden faults” (Psalm 19:12) and keep you from willful sins. Ask God to reveal what needs healing, and to keep you “blameless and innocent of great transgression.” (Psalm 19:13)

3. Ask God to give you the words He desires.

Although David emotes so beautifully and eloquently in Psalm 19, he gives glory ultimately to God in Psalm 19:14 for making his thoughts and words pleasing. When you feel shackled, imprisoned by your thoughts within, or afraid of what you will say or will do, God gives us this example of calling on him in Psalm 19.

God knows we all can misspeak, say hurtful things, or harbor ungratefulness in our hearts. He is showing us in Psalm 19 that he is absolutely faithful to save us from these things. And if we genuinely want what’s in our hearts to produce pleasing words, we can ask God to give us the words He desires for us to say.

Remember, God has given us his Word. His Word reveals the goodness of his heart. Let’s make an honest and humble effort to meditate on it, and let it purify the volume of words we share…so that they may draw others to the glory of God.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us pray,

Holy, Creating, Creative God,
We sing from the depths of our sorrow.
We sing from the abundance of our joy.
We sing in voices separate and unique.
We sing with one voice as your body.
May the words of our mouths, whether in speech or song,
and the meditations of our hearts, whether in prose or poetry,
be pleasing in your sight. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.

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5 Powerful Lessons from Psalm 139 about God’s Truest Wonderfulness! 

I absolutely adore Psalm 139. The words bring me to tears almost every time I read them.  I have quoted sections of this Psalm over and over again in my life as it has become one of the most precious examples to me of how intimately the Lord knows and loves me. Yet, we get all too shy about expressing it There is no viable reason we should ever to ever try and hide from the love of God because God is not afraid of any darkness in me. He sees it and He know it intimately! We may play our children’s game of “Hide and Go Seek” but God never does!

Psalm 139 is an eloquent psalm of prayer, meant to be sung in praise at worship services. When we but seek to learn, when we look for help or healing, when we express gratitude or anxiety, and when we celebrate God’s blessings … we pray!

Prayer is conversation with God, layered upon layered with all of these intricate levels which contribute to our relationship with God our Creator and our Father.

The NIV Study Bible shares, “Nowhere (outside of Job) does one find expressed such profound awareness of how awesome it is to ask God to examine not only one’s life but also one’s soul.” Life deep within the unconditional love of Christ further amplifies what words the psalmist poured from his heart. We have been each created by God, purposefully. He knows us, intimately better than we know ourselves! He is mighty to save, He’s always mightily good. He is all-knowing and everywhere. Because of whom He is, we are always loved and never alone.

Let us now pick up our Bibles, dust off the dust covers and take the time to read the whole Psalm – not just separate the verses out individually or in groups of verses as I generally do when I am writing a devotional focused on one point.

Psalm 139 New International Version

Psalm 139

For the director of music. Of David. A psalm.

1 You have searched me, Lord,
    and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
    you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue
    you, Lord, know it completely.
5 You hem me in behind and before,
    and you lay your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too lofty for me to attain.

7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
    Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
    if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
    if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
    your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
    and the light become night around me,”
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
    the night will shine like the day,
    for darkness is as light to you.

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

19 If only you, God, would slay the wicked!
    Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty!
20 They speak of you with evil intent;
    your adversaries misuse your name.
21 Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord,
    and abhor those who are in rebellion against you?
22 I have nothing but hatred for them;
    I count them my enemies.
23 Search me, God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting.

The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.

Let us ask the question, what truths were on David’s heart writing Psalm 139?

Psalm 139 reflects David’s prayerful meditation of God’s omnipresence and omniscience, and the effect those characteristics of God have on the human heart. Omnipresence means God is everywhere, simultaneously. Omniscience means that God is all-knowing, His knowledge is not limited. Knowing God creates gratitude and praise for who He is and what He does for us. We were made to glorify God. Our personal experience and knowledge of God directly affects our relationships, especially in times of hardship, injustice, and pain.

David’s heartfelt journey with God, through the good, bad, challenging, and unbelievable, remains alive and relatable throughout Psalm 139.

https://archive.spurgeon.org/treasury/ps139.php

“It sings the omniscience and omnipresence of God, inferring from these the overflow of the powers of wickedness,” Rev. Charles H. Spurgeon’s Treasury of David explains, “since he who sees and hears the abominable deeds and words of the rebellions will surely deal with them according to his justice.”

Who God is, allows us to understand who and Whose, we are. Life within the love of Christ Jesus, Immanuel (God with us), changes our hearts forever and continually until we finally arrive home in heaven. The journey of each human heart is truly unique, purposed, and intimately known by the One True God.

Here Are 5 critically essential truths from Psalm 139 to Strengthen Your Heart:

Critically Essential Truth # 1 — We Are Intimately Known!

Psalm 139:13 Amplified Version

13 
For You formed my innermost parts;
You knit me [together] in my mother’s womb.

Before we were known to our mothers, God was forming every intricate detail and fabric of who we are. We often default to a critical view of ourselves and others. Psalm 139 helps each of us to see ourselves and others through God’s perspective. Color, ethnicity, disability …every trait and characteristic were intricately crafted by our purposeful God. We are each God’s Masterpiece!

We are crafted personally and purposefully, to bring all glory to God. Nothing about us is the least bit accidental. God doesn’t simply allow us to be a certain way or to carry a certain trait – every cell of our being is intentional. When my wife became a mother, she experienced love on another level. Yet, she only could carry her son into this world in her womb. God alone gave them life and God alone cares for them infinitely more. We are all loved by God this way.

“God has perfect knowledge of us,” Theologian and Commentator Matthew Henry wrote, “and all our thoughts and actions are open before him.”

Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary:

https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/

We cannot control the thoughts popping into our minds all day long, every day. But we do have some say over what happens to them once they arrive.

Scripture advises to take our thoughts captive. Some of the rogue thoughts that enter our minds are absolutely crazy! God sees every last one of them. He knows all of our words before we let them exit our mouths. He knows what we will do. He’s numbered our days. We are intimately known by God, not just outwardly, but inwardly too. When the heart is mentioned in Scripture, it often refers to the seat of our souls, the place from which we make all decisions, and we harbor all our beliefs. God is there. He is not surprised by our physical or mental struggles!

Being intimately known by our sovereign God means we are not hidden, nor should we feel compelled or convinced by guilt or shame to hide from Him in any way. The sacrifice Jesus made on the cross negated 100% the shame which compelled Adam and Eve to hide from God in the garden. Though the curse of sin we live under compels us to do the same—run and hide when we sin—God made a way for us, through Jesus, to bring our sin to His feet and confess and repent of it. God’s faithfulness, God’s forgiveness, His mercies, and the grace available to us through our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus, are new every day!

Critically Essential Truth #2 — We Are Purposefully Made

Psalm 139:14 Amplified Version 14 

I will give thanks and praise to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.

We were each made with purpose, to bring glory to God. Each talent, gift, and occupation have a place in the workforce of the Kingdom of God. Who we are is meant to bring fearful reverence to God! Not a fear to be anxious or afraid of, but a respectful, reverence for God. When people look at the lives of those who follow Christ, they should witness the life He shed dripping from our daily lives.

According to Biblestudytools.com, wonderfully means “to be distinct, marked out, be separated, be distinguished.” We aren’t made wonderful in the eyes of world, but from the heart of God, to bring glory to His name. We have each been intentionally set apart, different from the world. In the midst of their daily life, Christians do well to remind themselves of the Good Shepherd’s knowledge and provision, most of our doubts, anxieties, and fears that occupy our Christian soul can be attributed to our own lack of trust in Christ as the Good Shepherd.

Even though David penned this psalm at least a thousand years before Jesus walked the earth, everything in Scripture points to God’s greatest expression of love for us in the birth, life, ministry, crucifixion resurrection of Christ Jesus.

Living in these New Covenant times, we can read this psalm knowing Jesus has defeated death and is seated at the right hand of the Father. Those who follow God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit will ultimately be welcomed into heaven for eternity upon death on this earth. God moves through the whole of our earthly lives to spread the gospel. His desire is not to leave behind even one!

Critically Essential Truth # 3 — God Is in absolute Control

Psalm 139:16 Amplified Version

16 
Your eyes have seen my unformed substance;
And in Your book were all written
The days that were appointed for me,
When as yet there was not one of them [even taking shape].

We may try to hide ourselves from the truth here is infinitely more happening in the world and our lives than we can plausibly see. But God’s view is limitless, transcending all time and space. He has numbered our days, and nothing can change or alter His good plan for our lives. His will overcomes what we want. 

It’s hard to genuinely grasp, comprehend God is in control of a world spinning far off its rails. So much injustice, unfairness, tragedy and heartbreak surround everyday circumstances world-wide. Even devout Christ-followers gaze up to the depths of the heavens to wonder where God is during tumultuous seasons.

“God’s sovereign control is complete, not partial,” Reverend Dr. John Piper explains on desiringGod.org, “Whether it’s more or less direct or more or less indirect, more or less by active intrusion or more or less by tactical permission- however it is, God controls it, and the control is complete and pervasive. Nothing in the universe is random without divine design and purpose.”

Critically Essential Truth # 4 — We Are Never Alone

Psalm 139:7 Amplified Version

7 
Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?

One of the biggest tricks and deceits of our greatest adversary is to isolate and convince us we are alone. Especially in today’s society, as the world endures a global pandemic, isolation has become a reality we experience for long periods of time. Even when we are out in society, masks and plastic barriers isolate us from each other. Quarantine puts us in our rooms alone for half a month’s time!

But even when the physical presence of other people is socially distant, even absent from our lives for a designated time, we are never alone. God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are always and forever with us. God is impossible to escape from. And He is mighty to save. David knew these qualities of God well, as he was chased down by a very vengeful King Saul and exiled to hide in a cave!

God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit encompass the One True, Triune God. God is everywhere, all at once. The Zondervan Illustrated Bible Dictionary explains, “Not a part but the whole of God is present in every place. This is true of all three members of the Trinity. They are so closely related that where one is the other can be said to be also.”

https://bibleandbookcenter.com/read/zondervan-illustrated-bible-dictionary/

Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father in heaven, interceding for us. Through His life’s sacrifice on the cross, the Holy Spirit dwells in every Christ-follower.

Critically Essential Truth # 5 — Judgment Belongs to God Alone

Psalm 139:19-20 Amplified Version

19 
[a]O that You would kill the wicked, O God;
Go away from me, therefore, men of bloodshed.
20 
For they speak against You wickedly,
Your enemies take Your name in vain.

Throughout his life, David experienced many “wicked men” who sought after his life. Yet he spared his greatest enemy King Saul when him and his best men were asleep in a cave. David knew, judgment belongs to God and to God alone. Much of the Psalms teach us to love our enemies, pray to God on their behalf.

What does David mean, then, when he wrote verses 15-22? David’s pen was divinely inspired by the Holy Spirit of God. God’s Word is Truth, and in its entirety points the devout follower decisively and directly unto Christ Jesus.

Sensibly, these verses are followed by: “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24)

When we genuinely and humbly pray this verse, God faithfully answers! We are to pray for all our enemies and the enemies of God and beseeching, He searches our souls as well. He knows our enemies, and ourselves, far better than we do.

Psalm 139 is a deeply personal and intimate prayer and song of praise to God.

Though Author and Creator of the entire universe, and each of us, God is 100% personally invested and in touch with every single one of our lives! He cares deeply and compassionately for us, not only as a whole but individually.

The NIV Study Bible relays, “This final Davidic collection contains the Psalter’s two most magnificent expositions of the greatness and goodness of God, one of them (Psalm 139) focusing on his relationship with an individual…” (emphasis added). https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/

Because of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and resurrection from the dead, we are able to come freely to God through Christ. In hope, in prayer, praise, and everyday life, He is our constant companion. Jesus calls us friends. What a God we serve! A God who 1000% saves! We are 1000% known, loved, never alone.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us pray,

Dear Father in heaven, your Son promised that we would see him again if we wait patiently and listen to what the Holy Spirit says to us. Illuminate our hearts and send your Spirit in. All that is yours will be ours through your Spirit. I pray that I learn to quiet my mind so I can hear the Holy Spirit. I pray that I am filled with the understanding to know how to follow its guidance for me. Amen.

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Relationship with God, the Father! Our Relationship with God the Son! Our Relationship with God the Holy Spirit! God, You know me Perfectly!

As I read the Psalms I’m constantly struck by the power of the poetry.  It evokes strong emotions from deep within me, and indeed, when we truly consider the breadth of Imprecatory Psalms (those which invoke judgment, curses, and a call for action against one’s enemies or those who are seen to be the enemies of God), one can’t help but think that these words of Scripture were written both in the heat of and from the height of emotion.  But such a human expression of emotion is part of who we are.  It’s part of how we are created by our loving God.

When is it that we, ourselves consider the scope of God? Our God is quite big. He is all-wise and all-knowing and all-powerful. He knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows us from inside out. GOD KNOWS EVERYTHING ABOUT US!!! 

Psalm 139 New American Standard Bible

God’s Omnipresence and Omniscience.

For the music director. A Psalm of David.

139 Lord, You have searched me and known me.
2 You know [a]when I sit down and [b]when I get up;
You understand my thought from far away.
3 You [c]scrutinize my [d]path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
4 [e]Even before there is a word on my tongue,
Behold, Lord, You know it all.
5 You have encircled me behind and in front,
And placed Your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is too high, I cannot comprehend it.

7 Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
8 If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in [f]Sheol, behold, You are there.
9 If I take up the wings of the dawn,
If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,
10 Even there Your hand will lead me,
And Your right hand will take hold of me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will [g]overwhelm me,
And the light around me will be night,”
12 Even darkness is not dark [h]to You,
And the night is as bright as the day.
Darkness and light are alike to You.

13 For You created my innermost parts;
You wove me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will give thanks to You, because [i]I am awesomely and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.
15 My [j]frame was not hidden from You
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully formed in the depths of the earth;
16 Your eyes have seen my formless substance;
And in Your book were written
All the days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of them.

17 How precious also are Your thoughts for me, God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them, they would outnumber the sand.
When I awake, I am still with You.

The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.

The 139th Psalm is yet another song within the Psalter which gives us insight into the truths about ourselves, including our emotions.  Verses 21-22 (outside of the scope for this devotional writing) expresses our all to obvious capacity for hatred.  And yet portions of the devotional reading, particularly verses 1-2 and 13-15, celebrate the awe and wonder of humanity while giving perspective on the awesomeness of Divinity.  “Lord, you have examined me.  You know me.  You created me.  You knit me together in my mother’s womb.”  Somehow our capacity for both hatred, and joyful emotions belongs to the mystery of our personhood. 

The Right Reverend John Wesley once commented “this psalm is, by many of the Jewish scholars, esteemed the most excellent in the whole book.”  He said this, in part, because of the crystal-clear testimony given within all its verses which genuinely demonstrate God knows what all of our thoughts will be long before we do, God discerns every step we take, with God’s all-seeing providence He keeps us 100% secure with His strong hands in His sight, under His power. 

And yet far from being a source of fear, worrying that we are so well known, and our emotions and lives are often not in line with God’s will, John Wesley saw this rather as a Psalm of the greatest assurance.  God knows us!!!  And yet, as the Scriptures point out time and time again, God loves us ALL, nonetheless.

Saint Ambrose, writing around the year 383, said of this passage that God is clearly “our supporter, for He has supported us with His hands.  He is called a supporter as the Creator of the human race.  And He is our supporter, for He has supported us by His visitation, that He may protect us.”

It ought to be for us, even in these days of pandemic and fear, a source of great comfort to know that God knows us so well, and yet loves us so much.  “Your eyes saw my embryo, and on your scroll every day was written what was being formed for me, before any one of them had yet happened (Verse 16).”  It can boggle the mind, “your plans are incomprehensible to me! (Verse 17),” and yet there can be a peace that comes from trusting in the One whose “knowledge is too much for me; it’s so high above me that I can’t fathom it (Verse 6).”  

When we look to our Lord and Savior Jesus, we see One who, because of His own self-awareness, was able to love selflessly and serve graciously even in the face of greatest and deadliest animosity.  He knew that He was God’s Son, beloved and well-pleasing.  He was secure within Himself and therefore could not be demeaned by any task or distracted by any temptation.  Knowing that God was 1000% with Him, that God loved Him, allowed Him to fulfill His mission for us.  

When we have that measure of 1:1 personal divine security it enables us to be freer in how we live and serve, too.  If I have assurance, security in my job, I can speak freely to my boss without fear of being fired.  If I have such security in my neighborhood, I can leave my car unlocked without fear of it being stolen. If I have such security in my relationship with God, I can express my questions thru prayer and my doubts without fear of losing His love or falling out of His grace.  

When we 1000% know God is with us, that God loves us, it allows us to live free lives in fulfillment of God’s calling.  If I have security in my relationship with my Lord, a 1000% assurance of my salvation, then I don’t have to fear what others may say or what life may bring (see Psalm 118:6 and Hebrews 13:6).  

Psalm 139, our Scripture text for today, makes outrageous claims about God.

  • God has searched every last inch of you and known every last centimeter of you.
  • God knows exactly when you sit down and exactly when you rise up again.
  • God knows every single one of your thoughts – not one escapes His notice!
  • God knows what every single word of what you’re going to say before you say it

We are absolutely known to God! God knows us yet loves us 1000%.  So, we can say with 1000% confidence, “I give thanks to you I was marvelously set apart.  Your works are 1000% wonderful, my soul knows that very well (verse 14).”

Psalm 139 is a glorious celebration of the multi-faceted splendor of God and the imminently practical implications that it bears for you and me. The treasures in this psalm concerning the nature and activity of God are timeless and priceless, 1000% knowable and genuinely deserve our prayerful, considerable attention.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us pray,

Psalm 100 The Message

100 1-2 On your feet now—applaud God!
    Bring a gift of laughter,
    sing yourselves into his presence.

3 Know this: God is God, and God, God.
    He made us; we didn’t make him.
    We’re his people, his well-tended sheep.

4 Enter with the password: “Thank you!”
    Make yourselves at home, talking praise.
    Thank him. Worship him.

5 For God is sheer beauty,
    all-generous in love,
    loyal always and ever.

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My Soul Praises You, O’ Lord for I am So Fearfully and Wonderfully Made!

Praise the Lord, O my Soul! For I am fearfully and wonderfully made by God! You are made by God! I am made by God! Just as surely as ANY one has been made by God; we have been made by God. He knew us before anyone knew we were there. He had already devised plans for all of us before anyone planned our arrival. God made us well! How do we know? Look around at all God has made.

Psalm 139:13-16 The Message

13-16 Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;
    you formed me in my mother’s womb.
I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking!
    Body and soul, I am marvelously made!
    I worship in adoration—what a creation!
You know me inside and out,
    you know every bone in my body;
You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,
    how I was sculpted from nothing into something.
Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;
    all the stages of my life were spread out before you,
The days of my life all prepared
    before I’d even lived one day.

The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.

14 
I will give thanks and praise to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.

Psalm 139:14 is among the most quoted verses in the book of Psalms. However, not all of us really know what this verse really means. In this devotional, let me take some time to share with you 5 lessons for you to understand Psalm 139:14!

What can we learn from Psalm 139:14?

There are many important lessons we can learn from our verse for the day.

We can rather easily and quite eloquently turn it into a full Psalm 139:14 sermon because of the immeasurably, indescribably rich lessons this verse possesses.

This beautiful and inspiring verse gives us a glimpse of God’s creative work. He created us in a fearful and wonderful manner. Among God’s creation, it is only us that God personally hand made. He went down from His throne on high and step down to gather a handful of dirt and soil to form His most special creation.

God’s creation of man is intimate, personal, and most importantly, special.

We are the pinnacle of God’s creation and that means that you and I come with a great purpose devised and implemented by God Himself.

So, here are the five Psalm 139:14 lessons you should learn today.

Lesson Number 1: God’s wisdom is infinite

The Bible tells us we are created fearfully and wonderfully. As what we have already read, it takes a great measure of wisdom, I would say, supernatural wisdom and massive creative power beyond our imagination for a Being to create such a magnificent design.

Take a look at our human body, from the smallest subatomic unit to its biggest organ, is made with such intricate precision and complex design to support life.

No doubt: God our Creator is beyond our wildest imagination.

His ability is beyond us and is able to perform whatever He wishes.

He is sitting on His Majestic Throne on High and at the same time, playing out His great plan to bring forth as many children as possible to His Kingdom.

Lesson Number 2: Humans are not the product of evolution

It is really not the lack of evidence that is causing people to abandon their faith or deny the existence of God. The true reason is that people willfully ignore the evidence. If you have eyes to see, and ears to hear, then you will find a world of wonders that shouts the existence of an Intelligent Maker.

The human body, among the many amazing wonders on earth, is just a living testimony of the creative works of our heavenly Father. The human body is a super complicated creation, beyond words to simply just evolve from a single cell organism in a primordial soup.

When you carefully consider all scientific facts and studies, you will arrive at the conclusion that the universe is far too complex to be a product of random evolution. Indeed, it takes more faith in believing evolution than it does creation.

Lesson Number 3: God created you and me

Life is a miracle. Your very existence is a miracle itself.

The problem with us is that we get too accustomed to miracles that we don’t take the time to appreciate them anymore.

Genesis 1:26-27 Amplified Version tells us:

26 Then God said, “Let Us (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) make man in Our image, according to Our likeness [not physical, but a spiritual personality and moral likeness]; and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the cattle, and over the entire earth, and over everything that creeps and crawls on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them.

I want you to remember that God created you. Because of that, you are unique, special, and most importantly, have a purpose in life.

Don’t let other people tell you otherwise.

Nobody’s ugly, worthless, or not good enough. You are the child of the Living God and in your veins run the blood of a person created by God.

But what if you have physical challenges? Are you still a fearfully and wonderfully made person?

This is a hard question to answer especially for people who have those challenges or those people whose loved ones suffer from those conditions.

However, let me tell you. Even if you have such challenges, it doesn’t change the fact that you are still a child of God.

In such a situation, yes, it’s hard to understand why anyone is in a certain condition, that life seems to be unfair.

In God’s time, we will know the answer why, but don’t let your conditions be the cause of losing faith and hope. Instead, use it as a way to learn the lessons God wants you to learn. God will not give you a problem you cannot handle.

This might be a cliché, but still, I will say it: fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Just trust God’s timing, He will make all things beautiful in His time.

Lesson Number 4: We are made to give reverent praise and worship our Creator

In the realization of how awesome our human bodies are and how impressive the creation is, we must each bow down in humble adoration to God’s majesty.

Like David, when he fully and fearfully realized he was fearfully, wonderfully made, he praised God! He deeply recognized how marvelous God’s creation is.

God obviously does not need our praise. He is not a malignant narcissist who lives on an eternal chorus of flattery and adulation.

We need to worship God for our own sake. When we praise God, it helps us to remember YAHWEH and YAHWEH alone is our great Provider.

He is the Source of all good things that we have.

When we worship God, it helps us appreciate our great dependence on Him and His authority over us.

We ultimately submit to His will, do our best to fulfill His purpose in our lives.

Lesson Number 5: God is our Father

Do you know what’s really amazing that you should never forget?

It is that God is our Father.

King David knew we are created in the image of God and that we are His children.

It is comforting to note that God is genuinely our Father who takes care of us. He provides all our needs. He protects us, heals us, comforts us, listens to us, guides us, and most importantly, immeasurably and unconditionally loves us.

God already knew us even before we were born.

He wanted to build a close relationship with us.

He already knew us intimately.

Now, it is our turn to know Him deeper and better each day.

Final words

These are just but a few of the best lessons we can learn from Psalm 139:14.

Indeed, we are fearfully and wonderfully made.

This shows us how special we are in the sight of God.

No matter what problems you and I go through, just remember that God is our Creator and our Father.

He won’t leave you nor forsake you. He is always there to help us in times of needs, comfort us in times of suffering, and rejoice with us in times of our joy.

Because God loves us, we need to use this knowledge to encourage us and move us even closer to our Father. By doing so, we will then be able to experience the fearfully beautiful love, fearfully immense joy of God’s outpouring care for us.

Therefore, dear Christian, rejoice in the fearful wonder of your God. Rejoice in how he fearfully knit you and I together in our mother’s womb. From the very beginning he was taking care of us. Fearfully rejoice in how he knows all of our days. Nothing is beyond his knowledge or power.

He takes care of you and me each day of our lives until you and I wake up in the glory of heaven and are with our Lord Jesus forever. How fearfully, wonderfully our Creator and Father God works! All Praise to the Lord, the Almighty! Amen.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us pray,

Jeremiah 33:1-3 Amplified Version

Restoration Promised

33 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the second time, while he was still confined in the court of the guard, saying, 2 “Thus says the Lord who made the earth, the Lord who formed it to establish it—the Lord is His name, 3 ‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and tell you [and even show you] great and mighty things, [things which have been confined and hidden], which you do not know and understand and cannot distinguish.’

God my Creator and Father, teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your Holy Spirit lead me on level ground. I see your faithfulness and goodness in what you have done for me throughout my life. I think about these things, and I thirst for you. Let me hear of your unfailing love every morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you. Keep me on firm footing for the glory of your name. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.

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Tell Your Heart to Beat Again! Facing, Confronting our Fears, Trusting God!

Jesus Christ was the Son of God from all eternity, but it is clear that his ministry and life was empowered by the Holy Spirit (Luke 3:22). The Holy Spirit led him, tested him, and empowered him. When he went into the wilderness to do battle with Satan, he went “full of the Spirit” (Luke 4:1). If Christ needed and relied on the Holy Spirit in his reliance on his Father, then ask yourselves, just how much more did his disciples rely on the Holy Spirit? He told them that they must wait for power to come upon them before setting off on his mission (Luke 24:49).

One sure and certain test of what spirit is working in us is the result that it has upon our hearts and our souls. Do we feel timid, fearful or do we feel the joy and strength of the Lord (Nehemiah 8:11)? Do we feel hate and indifference to God and others, or do we feel love? Do we feel out of control, led around by the lusts of the flesh (Philippians 3:19), or do we experience self-discipline? God did not leave us on our own, but gave us his powerful Spirit, so often underestimated and unappreciated and under taught, if even taught at all, by we, God’s people.

2 Timothy 1:1-7 The Message

1 1-2 I, Paul, am on special assignment for Christ, carrying out God’s plan laid out in the Message of Life by Jesus. I write this to you, Timothy, the son I love so much. All the best from our God and Christ be yours!

To Be Bold with God’s Gifts

3-4 Every time I say your name in prayer—which is practically all the time—I thank God for you, the God I worship with my whole life in the tradition of my ancestors. I miss you a lot, especially when I remember that last tearful good-bye, and I look forward to a joy-packed reunion.

5-7 That precious memory triggers another: your honest faith—and what a rich faith it is, handed down from your grandmother Lois to your mother Eunice, and now to you! And the special gift of ministry you received when I laid hands on you and prayed—keep that ablaze! God doesn’t want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold and loving and sensible.

The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.

This passage and these verses are extraordinarily powerful and empowering because within them God tells us that we do not have to be shy about glorifying God, Exalting Christ, or expressing, living, loving or being afraid of our faith.

Did you catch that, or did it fly right past you?

Let me say it again, God, through the Apostle Paul, tells us that you and I do not ever have to be the least bit shy or even the least bit afraid of living in and into our faith in the name of God, His Son, our Savior Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.

But what about in time of sudden or chronic or deadly sickness? What about at or approaching the point of death? What about that wavering economy? What about my keeping my job or retiring? What about my being able to maintain my house? What about supporting my family, loving my neighbors, community?

What about the current socio-cultural political climate in our country and in your own country? The list could go literally on and on ad infinitum because there is no limit to the wholly unique situations that’ll tempt us to be afraid.

While all of these things are undeniably important, none of these situations mentioned or not mentioned is cause for the Christian to fear or to shy away from his family or his or their faiths. Let’s discover together why this is true.

Not a Spirit of Fear

First, notice that God does not take credit for the spirit of fear.

“Spirit of fear” speaks of fearfulness and timidity.

It is cowardice in the face of hostility.

In Timothy’s case it was the fear of an unknown future, carrying on in ministry and mission with a new growing and maturing orthodoxy that did not include the brilliant guidance of his mentor and teacher Paul helping and guiding him.

Paul wrote this letter to Timothy shortly before he was executed in Rome by the Emperor Nero for advocating, preaching of the necessity of faith in Jesus Christ.

Timothy, no doubt, was incredibly fearful of losing his father in the faith, Paul.

He was afraid of ending up in a prison similar to Paul and perhaps he was afraid of receiving the same immediate, sudden, sentence of death as Paul received.

Timothy felt as if he had too much to fear and too little maturity to grow out of it and to lead and guide the new and growing and maturing Church he pastored.

Paul writes to Timothy, speaking the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), to tell him the fear he is experiencing is not any spiritual gift from God therefore it must be rigorously, vigorously challenged, prayed through, using God’s Holy Scriptures.

Not a Spirit of Fear but instead an Inspired Spirit of Power and Empowerment.

God has not given us a spirit of fear, but the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 5:5).

One characteristic of the Holy Spirit is power.

This power is mighty and strong, and it is irresistible and forever available.

From the very beginning, the Holy Spirit was powerful at the moment of Creation as He “was hovering over the face of many waters” (Genesis 1:2).

It was “by the Spirit of God that [Jesus] cast out demons” (Matthew 12:28).

It was by the Spirit of God overshadowing Mary that she was able to conceive Jesus without ever knowing a man (Luke 1:35).

It was the Spirit of God that rushed upon the timid, fearful disciples and then transformed them into bold apostles that very first moment of the Pentecost.

Peter, for example, went from being fearful and refusing to acknowledge Christ in the presence of a servant girl in a courtyard to being bold and powerful before the Jewish religious leaders as he resoundingly, soberly proclaimed, “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified” (Acts 2:36).

The Holy Spirit brings God’s power, passion and purpose not shyness nor fear.

Not a Spirit of Fear and Shyness but a Spirit of Unconditional Unwavering Love

God has not given us a spirit of timidity or fear, but the power of the Holy Spirit.

Another characteristic of the Holy Spirit is unconditional and unwavering love.

Jesus said in John 15:12, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”

This point is very important, and 1 John 4:13-21 explains it perfectly:

By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So, we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also, we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

Our hearts and our souls do not need to have any degree or measure of fear that God, the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit does not love us in more ways we can ever hope to define or imagine or comprehend. (John 3:16 – 17)

The Holy Spirit, who is given to us, gives us certainty and confidence (not fear) in this world because He gives us His assurance, His 100% confidence in the Day of Judgment which is to come. This perfect love of God casts out all fear because “there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).

Not the Spirit of Fear and Shyness but the Spirit of Sound Mind & Self-Control

God has not given us a spirit of fear, but the Holy Spirit.

The last characteristic of the Holy Spirit mentioned here is Self-Control (or more easily understood as a Sound and Disciplined mind).

The Spirit of God gives power and love and also brings discipline, self-control by transforming you to become more like Christ. (Romans 12 whole chapter)

Romans 8:29 tells us that those who are foreknown by God are “predestined to be conformed into the image of His Son.”

The Holy Spirit works in us to preserve us daily and help us to live a life that is pleasing to God.

We now read in the words of St. Jude 1:24, “to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy.”

We are not to be shy nor be enveloped by being afraid, but we are to work boldly and confidently knowing that if we are united with Christ “we are more than conquerors” (Romans 8:37) who can never be separated from the Love of God (John 10:27-30, Romans 8:38-39)

because

“He who is in you is greater than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

How about a contemporary application of this passage from 2 Timothy? ….

I have heard it repeatedly preached and taught that fear is

“Our failure to realize what God has given us, and is giving us, in giving us the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Let’s be a wee bit more intentional in these coming days, weeks and months ahead in refusing to be afraid and having and living into and out of our faith.

Second Timothy 1:1–7 encourages Timothy to be brave in the face of hardships. Paul is reminding Timothy that he is being prayed for, and that he comes from a family of strong faith. Paul also reassures Timothy that they are both in service of the same God, who gave them a spirit of ”power and love and self-control.”

Timothy, like us all… need to be continuously, continually, reminded that we have the permanently, indwelling Holy Spirit of God, who has gifted us with Spiritual Gifts of God, and has empowered us with all that we need for life and godliness, no matter how difficult or dangerous life in this world may become.

We each have it within us to make a difference and be and become a difference!

God already knows what that difference is and will become when we move forth.

God, the Father, knows exactly what and who is holding us back!

God the Son knows exactly what and who is holding us back!

God the Holy Spirit knows exactly what and who is holding us back!

Do we know or even want to minimally know who or what is holding us back?

Dare any one of us too afraid to pray unto God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit?

Psalm 139:23-24 The Message

23-24 Investigate my life, O God,
    find out everything about me;
Cross-examine and test me,
    get a clear picture of what I’m about;
See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong—
    then guide me on the road to eternal life.

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us Pray,

Faithful Father, thank you that you are the resurrection and the life, death holds no power over you. The power that you used to conquer death now lives in me. Use your miracle-working power to bring a breakthrough in my life. May I truly and genuinely know your all-conquering power, today, Lord. Hear my prayer.  You have loved me, and you have freed me from my sins by your blood. To you be glory and power forever and ever. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

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In Christ, we are being Transformed into a New Creation! We are Helping More People Become God’s Friends!

One of my favorite past times involves watching the array of home renovation shows on television and you tube.  There is simply something magical about the transformation of a tired old room or tired old house into a cozy place of rest.  From dated, decrepit and broken to new, refreshed and restored.  From hideous and unsightly to beautiful and welcoming.  From useless to hopeful and useful.

Having participated through several renovation projects following the days of Hurricane Katrina, I can assure you there is nothing magical about the process itself!  Our Volunteer in Mission team I spent two years renovating old homes.  It was dirty, tedious and tiresome.  Many days were spent tearing down the old walls, pulling out nails, getting dirty, tired, and sometimes, frustrated.  But the results were homes that were beautiful, refreshing, functional, and welcoming.

Why is it that our human nature receives so much satisfaction in viewing the process of transformation?  We delight in watching this progression over and over again as is evidenced by the popularity of renovating shows on HGTV and similar channels.  We simply can’t get enough of seeing what was once old and ugly being changed and renewed into something our minds had not conceived.

Perhaps we are drawn into this reclamation process because it reflects the very work, we wish we could do on ourselves if we should be granted the chance to do it over again and differently. Perhaps it is the recognition what God longs to do in each of our hearts, souls and lives.  When we receive Christ as our Savior, scripture claims we “exchange our old life for a new one.”  We exchange sin for forgiveness, pride for humility, legalism for grace, fear for love, weakness for strength, immorality for morality, self-defeat for victory in God, anger for joy.

2 Corinthians 5:11-21 Easy-to-Read Version

Helping People Become God’s Friends

11 We know what it means to fear the Lord, so we try to help people accept the truth. God knows what we really are, and I hope that in your hearts you know us too. 12 We are not trying to prove ourselves to you again. But we are telling you about ourselves. We are giving you reasons to be proud of us. Then you will have an answer for those who are proud about what can be seen. They do not care about what is in a person’s heart. 13 If we are crazy, it is for God. If we have our right mind, it is for you. 14 The love of Christ controls us, because we know that one person died for everyone. So, all have died. 15 He died for all so that those who live would not continue to live for themselves. He died for them and was raised from death so that they would live for him.

16 From this time on we do not think of anyone as the world thinks of people. It is true that in the past we thought of Christ as the world thinks. But we don’t think that way now. 17 When anyone is in Christ, it is a whole new world. [a] The old things are gone; suddenly, everything is new! 18 All this is from God. Through Christ, God made peace between himself and us. And God gave us the work of bringing people into peace with him. 19 I mean that God was in Christ, making peace between the world and himself. In Christ, God did not hold people guilty for their sins. And he gave us this message of peace to tell people. 20 So we have been sent to speak for Christ. It is like God is calling to people through us. We speak for Christ when we beg you to be at peace with God. 21 Christ had no sin, but God made him become sin[b] so that in Christ we could be right with God.

The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation is come; the old has gone, the new is here!”  2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV

There are those among us who are deeply pondering the questions: “can who I am now, can where I am now, can my future be brighter and more hopeful and hope-filled than it is right now?” What chance is there that the outlook on my life would be, could be, should be, will be changed if I had a chance to do it over again?” “What can I do to remove myself from my past choices, and decisions?” “There is no more of me which I can surrender, I have done all I know how to do!” “But I am still stuck, in my here and my now and I am going nowhere fast.

Who is it who is not asking themselves this series of questions in these times? We do not dare to surrender ourselves to the ravages of pandemic, we want to live, we want to be wholly alive healthy and wholly more prosperous than we were yesterday and the day before that. Someone once said we were promised a future filled with hope and prosperity, but who said it and where is it right now?

Jeremiah 29:10-14Easy-to-Read Version

10 This is what the Lord says: “Babylon will be powerful for 70 years. After that time, I will come to you people who are living in Babylon. I will keep my good promise to bring you back to Jerusalem. 11 I say this because I know the plans that I have for you.” This message is from the Lord. “I have good plans for you. I don’t plan to hurt you. I plan to give you hope and a good future. 12 Then you will call my name. You will come to me and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will search for me, and when you search for me with all your heart, you will find me. 14 I will let you find me.” This message is from the Lord. “And I will bring you back from your captivity. I forced you to leave this place. But I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have sent you,” says the Lord, “and I will bring you back to this place.”

Where we are now and where we have been and where our current outlook on our future is right now will definitely continue to have a powerful influence on who we are in this moment. We cannot escape our past, but we can refresh it. We can change our perspectives; we can re-interpret them and reframe them. We can choose to reassign, re-consign them into the waters of forgetfulness. We can give them their beach towels, their beach umbrellas and just walk away.

We take a chance; we exercise our God-given right to risk everything on the sure belief that there is an absolutely better future waiting for us to discover it and experience it. We take a chance; we risk it all in faith that God does in fact have the greater and greatest plan for our future than we did. Once we surrender our lives unto, into, God, He sends his Holy Spirit to dwell within us and begin a process of transformation.  But into what exactly are we all being transformed?

“And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:18

GOD SLOWLY TRANSFORMS US

Transformed into the image of God.  Though we are created by God in His image, sin taints how we view God and, therefore, how we see ourselves. An incorrect view of God leads us into a warped view of ourselves.  But once His Spirit lives within us, God begins to peel back the layers of deceit and doubt that cloud our vision of Him, and which prevent us from reflecting His image in our lives.

Just as any home renovation takes time, our transformation is slow and steady. Day by day, God strips us off the old habits and old thoughts that keep us blind and replaces it with truth.  Though the echoes of our old life will come calling, we do not have to assign them any priority or relevance or any power over us.  Sometimes, we fear that we haven’t changed at all, but rest assured, if you are walking obediently in God’s Word, you are not the same person you used to be!

Exercising this personal risk of choosing God and choosing transformation does and will not come easily.  Though God does the internal work, we are called to surrender every inside and outside area of our life and live in obedience to His will. If it seems like hand-to-hand combat with an enemy you cannot see, it is because it is supposed to be internal hand to hand combat! We will Overcome!

Liken your experience to watching a jumbo jet soaring gracefully in the skies.  From the ground, the flight seems smooth and graceful.  We would never know, unless you are on the plane, the amount of turbulence the passengers could be or actually are experiencing.  In the same way, we feel every bump and bruise in our journey with Christ, and sometimes we get discouraged because it gets so very difficult.  But that’s not what others see.  They see your victories, your joy, your faithfulness, your hopefulness.  They see the light of Christ in your life.

Along with the old passing away, “the new has come!” Old, dead things are replaced with new dynamic, vibrant living things, full of an empowered life and the indescribable glory of God. The newborn soul delights in the things of God, abhors the past things of the world and the flesh. Our purposes, feelings, our desires, understandings are fresh and different. We see the world differently.

The Bible seems to be a new book, and though we may have read it before, there is a beauty about it which we never saw before, and which we wonder at not having perceived. The whole face of nature seems to us to be changed, and we seem to discover ourselves in a new world. The heavens and the earth are filled with new wonders, and all things seem now to speak forth the praise of God.

There are new feelings toward all people—a new kind of love toward family and a refreshed kind of love for neighbors, a new compassion never before felt for enemies, and a new love for all mankind. The things we once loved, we now detest. The sin we once held onto, we now desire to put away forever. We “put off the old man with his deeds” (Colossians 3:9), and put on the “new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24).

What about the Christian who continues to sin?

There is a substantial difference between continuing to sin and continuing to live in sin. No one reaches sinless perfection in this life, but the redeemed Christian is being sanctified (made holy) day by day, sinning less and hating it more each time he fails. Yes, we still sin, but unwillingly and less and less frequently as we mature. Our new self-hates the sin that still has a hold on us.

The difference is that the new creation is no longer a slave to sin, as we formerly were. We are now freed from sin, and it no longer has any measure or degree of power over us (Romans 6:6-7). Now we are Holy Spirit empowered by and for righteousness. We now have the choice to “let sin reign” or to count ourselves “dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11-12).

Best of all, now we have “holy boldness,” and the power to choose the latter.

The new creation is a wondrous thing, formed in the mind of God and created by His power and for His glory. When we reflect on the ways in which we have grown and matured, we can see how slowly, ever so slowly, God has been chipping away at places in our lives that needed restoring.  Be encouraged by the promise found in Philippians 1:6, “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us now pray,

Psalm 40 The Message

40 1-3 I waited and waited and waited for God.
    At last he looked; finally he listened.
He lifted me out of the ditch,
    pulled me from deep mud.
He stood me up on a solid rock
    to make sure I wouldn’t slip.
He taught me how to sing the latest God-song,
    a praise-song to our God.
More and more people are seeing this:
    they enter the mystery,
    abandoning themselves to God.

4-5 Blessed are you who give yourselves over to God,
    turn your backs on the world’s “sure thing,”
    ignore what the world worships;
The world’s a huge stockpile
    of God-wonders and God-thoughts.
Nothing and no one
    compares to you!
I start talking about you, telling what I know,
    and quickly run out of words.
Neither numbers nor words
    account for you.

6 Doing something for you, bringing something to you—
    that’s not what you’re after.
Being religious, acting pious—
    that’s not what you’re asking for.
You’ve opened my ears
    so I can listen.

7-8 So I answered, “I’m coming.
    I read in your letter what you wrote about me,
And I’m coming to the party
    you’re throwing for me.”
That’s when God’s Word entered my life,
    became part of my very being.

9-10 I’ve preached you to the whole congregation,
    I’ve kept back nothing, God—you know that.
I didn’t keep the news of your ways
    a secret, didn’t keep it to myself.
I told it all, how dependable you are, how thorough.
    I didn’t hold back pieces of love and truth
For myself alone. I told it all,
    let the congregation know the whole story.

11-12 Now God, don’t hold out on me,
    don’t hold back your passion.
Your love and truth
    are all that keeps me together.
When troubles ganged up on me,
    a mob of sins past counting,
I was so swamped by guilt
    I couldn’t see my way clear.
More guilt in my heart than hair on my head,
    so heavy the guilt that my heart gave out.

13-15 Soften up, God, and intervene;
    hurry and get me some help,
So those who are trying to kidnap my soul
    will be embarrassed and lose face,
So anyone who gets a kick out of making me miserable
    will be heckled and disgraced,
So those who pray for my ruin
    will be booed and jeered without mercy.

16-17 But all who are hunting for you—
    oh, let them sing and be happy.
Let those who know what you’re all about
    tell the world you’re great and not quitting.
And me? I’m a mess. I’m nothing and have nothing:
    make something of me.
You can do it; you’ve got what it takes—
    but God, don’t put it off.

Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.

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Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayers. My heart is overwhelmed: God of my Salvation, I Pray! Lead me unto the Rock which is Higher than I!

One thing I love about reading, studying and praying and meditating through the book of Psalms is that each Psalm usually begins with a Psalmist’s heavy heart crying out, and ends in praise and rejoicing. Psalm 61 is no exception.

There are several reasons I love Psalm 61, and verse 2 is a bit part of that. Here are some of the reasons that Psalm 61:2 is such a huge encouragement for me:

  • No matter where we are on this earth, God hears us. There is no where we can go that God cannot reach (Psalm 139:7). This fact alone should provide comfort and encouragement to the heart and soul of the reader identifying with “alone”.
  • We all feel overwhelmed at some point or another. David says, “when my heart is overwhelmed”. Not if, when. It is completely normal for our hearts to feel overwhelmed on occasion. The key is that we each need to take it unto the Lord.
  • God is our rock. What an encouraging and reassuring fact, to know that we have a rock which cannot be moved (Psalm 62:6).

As much or as little you are in need of some major league encouragement today, just remember, God absolutely hears you when you cry, and when you are just overwhelmed; all you need to do is talk to Him. He will lead you and protect you!

“From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” Psalm 61:2

Psalm 61 AKJV

Psalm 61

To the chief Musician upon Neginah, A Psalm of David.

1 Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.

2 From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed:
lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
3 For thou hast been a shelter for me,
and a strong tower from the enemy.
4 I will abide in thy tabernacle forever:
I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.
5 For thou, O God, hast heard my vows:
thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name.
6 Thou wilt prolong the king’s life:
and his years as many generations.
7 He shall abide before God for ever:
O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him.

8 So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever,
that I may daily perform my vows.

The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.

Hear my cry, O God

Attend unto my prayer

From the ends of the earth

My cry comes unto Thee

And when my heart is overwhelmed

Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I

That is higher than I

For Thou has been

A shelter unto me

A strong tower

From the enemy

And when my heart is overwhelmed

Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I

That is higher than I 

These are the words to a much beloved camp song, and they are also the words to Psalm 61. Hundreds, probably thousands, if not millions of campers have come and gone to summer camp or sat in the woods of a forest by some river or flowing stream and sat around the campfire, trying to quiet their souls from the harsh circumstances of life singing these words, reflecting upon their meaning.

For years upon years, more than they can remember, they have been gathering together both believers and non-believers, just to break away from mainstream civilization to give unto their taxed and tired hearts, bodies, minds, souls some much needed rest., to detoxify themselves from the hustles and bustles of life. And why not? we all need to take that time away to simply “chill out” from life. We can only take so much upon ourselves that we feel like we will just “burst.” For mental health and physical and safety reasons, we need to have that time.

When Life seems to go on forever and ever and ever …. without any end ….

David is recognized as the author of this psalm, and David frequently found himself in many situations where the entire world was against him. After being plucked from his father’s flocks and assigned to be a bodyguard and musician for King Saul, David was constantly sent out into battle and eventually hunted down by the king himself. Saul knew the favor of God had departed from him and had been given to David, and his own failures haunted him to the point of jealously and madness. Even after Saul spared his life and he ascended to the throne, David was assailed by warring nations and his very own sinful desires.

No matter the cause or reasons, we can all relate to David at times. It may seem like everything comes against you: a medical diagnosis, a lost job or loved one, another failure, a fall to temptation, or some other calamity. And it seems like they all just happen at once – when you assess your life and think you can stay steady under this new tension, another weight is dropped on your shoulders.

Psalm 61 was written by David at one of the many times when he was far from home and safety. It begins with his desperate cry to God. He is despairing, lost, and struggling. “My heart is crying, and it is overwhelmed!” he tells the Lord.

If we are rigorously and vigorously honest, with ourselves, and with others, many of us can truly relate to the feelings of David. We know what it is like to sit in darkness and wonder if light will ever come. In his sorrow, David calls out to God in prayer. He knows the only way he can rest and find safety in the Rock of Salvation is if God reaches down and, intercedes and places him atop the rock which is higher than he and everybody else is where only God can reach him.

Are Your Heart and Soul being Overwhelmed?

The depth of sadness described in this psalm is not an everyday sadness. The level of exhaustion and resignation is not the normal tiredness we feel at the end of the day. It is a profound, soul-rending sense of loss and fear. It is important not to make light of the deep struggles’ others may go through by comparing your heart felt soul felt pain, however legitimate, with theirs.

That being said, we will be worn down by the world. Jesus Himself promised us that even our loved ones could turn on us, and practically guaranteed that we would have trouble in this life. Our world is fallen and tainted by sin, and no amount of manmade goodness can cover the stain of evil that has scarred mankind. The weight of our sin weighs heavily upon our souls and shoulders.

Many things can contribute to an overwhelming sense of dread at the prospect of facing even one more day. A sudden and dangerous medical diagnosis, deep personal loss through financial hardships and or death can certainly be a valid reason to grieve and to mourn. On days when it seems that the whole world is against you, that sense of loneliness can be pretty overwhelming. Even in the face of the everyday evils that swarms over the earth devouring the innocent and preying on the weak can overwhelm a soul sensitive to the heart of God.

What Ought We to be Doing in such times as these?

First of all, know and accept that your grief is not being misplaced. When you reach the lowest point, know that your mourning has value, is not worthless. God surely and certainly wants to hear the deepest cries of your heart at all times, if your heart is only capable of producing tears, God accepts that honesty.

Next, we must always remember that God not only wants to hear our cries, but He also wants to heal our wounds. He wants to carve out the broken places in our lives, soothe them with His healing presence, and replace them with more of Himself. Only by inviting God into your hurt can you experience a peace that passes all understanding, regardless of what all else is happening around you.

It is healthy to grieve, but it is not healthy to wallow endlessly, assuming there is no hope. In all things, Jesus is the author of and ultimate place hope for the world. His grace is sufficient for every shortcoming, and His strength is made perfect in every weakness. While we should express our sorrow in healthy ways, we should also be willing to give our hurt to God and trust 1000% He will work something good from it. We will never fully understand the mind of God in this life, but faith can sustain us through the dark times when our walls come down.

In God, David has always found safe refuge and secure shelter. He has found rest, comfort, and retreat in places only God knows. So why would he not, in his darkest moments, cry out to the God who is his “rock,” his hiding place, and his fortress? And as he cries out, David finds 100% comfort in God’s grace and care.

Sometimes, when our hearts are overwhelmed, all we need do is cry out to God and ask that in our desperation and fear, God would place us on stable ground. God would comfort us and lead us to safety. God would shelter us and deliver us. Right in this exact and exacting moment or season, what is overwhelming you?

In this season of pandemic hot and cold, and summer and winter and job loss and only Lord knows the weight what of all those other activities, what weighs heavy, heavier and heaviest on your heart? Hopefully, the words of this Psalm will bring you comfort and a small amount of peace as you remember that when your heart is overwhelmed, YOU PRAY! you always find rest in God, your rock.

The next time your heart seems overwhelmed, try turning to God in worship.

You may not feel fully invested in that exact moment, but the Word of God never returns to God void. God will absolutely use even the smallest amount of faith to work miraculous things in our hearts. Psalms like this one are called psalms of lament, and they are in the Bible for a reason: they can be a model and an outlet for our worship when words simply will not come. Try reading through this entire psalm or another familiar passage and use those words to pour out your overwhelmed heart unto the God Who is never overwhelmed.

God the Father can NEVER be OVERWHELMED!

God the Son, Jesus can NEVER be OVERWHELMED!

God The Holy Spirit can NEVER be OVERWHELMED!

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us pray, (PSALM 61 The Message)

61 1-2 God, listen to me shout,
    bend an ear to my prayer.
When I’m far from anywhere,
    down to my last gasp,
I call out, “Guide me
    up High Rock Mountain!”

3-5 You’ve always given me breathing room,
    a place to get away from it all,
A lifetime pass to your safe-house,
    an open invitation as your guest.
You’ve always taken me seriously, God,
    made me welcome among those who know and love you.

6-8 Let the days of the king add up
    to years and years of good rule.
Set his throne in the full light of God;
    post Steady Love and Good Faith as lookouts,
And I’ll be the poet who sings your glory—
    and live what I sing every day.

Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.

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When Making our Life’s Investment in Jesus, Walk Worthy of the Calling!

Apostle Paul calls us all to be like-minded… having unity in the spirit and the love of Christ in our hearts – being of one accord; encouraging the saints and demonstrating tender-compassion in humility of heart, towards one another. But mercy, truth and unity will only come when we have the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship in the Spirit flowing through our inner beings – for it is only as we are fully surrendered, yielded to the Holy Spirit, that He is enabled to work in us, conform us, into the likeness of Christ.

Ephesians 4:1-6 J.B. Phillips New Testament

Christians should be at one, as God is one

4 1-6 As God’s prisoner, then, I beg you to live lives worthy of your high calling. Accept life with humility and patience, making allowances for each other because you love each other. Make it your aim to be at one in the Spirit, and you will inevitably be at peace with one another. You all belong to one body, of which there is one Spirit, just as you all experienced one calling to one hope. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God, one Father of us all, who is the one over all, the one working through all and the one living in all.

The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.

Paul has written this letter to the Ephesians and God has preserved it for our reading so that we would learn who we are. God wants you to know who you are.

Each and every one of us an identity, and that identity has been given to you by God. Each and every one of us have been called to a great calling. We have been called to being something significantly more than mundane living on this earth.

Ephesians Chapter 3 covenanted that we are to display God’s wisdom and glory. This is what we have been called to do. We are chosen, redeemed, predestined, adopted, heirs, saved, and reconciled so that God would be glorified, and his wisdom would be on display. Ephesians 3:20-21 summarizes the calling. God would be glorified through us (His Body – the church) and through Jesus for all generations forever and ever. God being immeasurably glorified is our calling.

Ephesians 3:20-21 J.B. Phillips New Testament

20-21 Now to him who by his power within us is able to do far more than we ever dare to ask or imagine—to him be all glory in the Church through Jesus Christ for ever and ever, amen!

Walk Worthy (Ephesians 4:1)

Our covenant calling is that God is glorified by people for all generations.

Therefore, Paul urges us “to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called.”

If our purpose is to display God’s glory and God be glorified through us, then there is a particular way to covenant our lives for this calling. We do not get to be a Christian and act and behave how we want to act or do what we want to do. That is not our covenant calling. This walk is our response to all that God has done for us, which we read about throughout the first 3 chapters of Ephesians.

We are to live covenant lives reflecting this new identity. You and I have been called to something great and glorious. Walk worthy of it!

In Ephesians chapter 2 Paul condemned us because we were walking in a way that followed the ways of this world, following the plans of Satan, following the passions of our flesh, and carrying out the desires of the body and mind.

That is the former walk. Now you and I have a new walk. The new walk is not to go back carrying out your desires in your body and mind. The new walk is not following our passions. Our new walk is not following the ways of this world. Now you and I are to walk worthy of the calling to which you have been called.

Now Paul says something subtle, but very important in this first verse. Paul says, “I therefore, a prisoner of the Lord.” Paul starts there before he tells us to walk worthy of the calling. Why does Paul even bring up that he is a prisoner for Christ at this moment? Because we need to know up front, before we make a decision to follow in Christ’s covenant, our walking worthy is going to be costly.

Paul urges to walk in this way understanding that the walk is costly. You and I will not fit in with the world when we start making decisions for the sake of not ourselves but for all of those who God just declared have become our neighbors. Understand that trying to walk according to our calling is countercultural. How you will now behave is the opposite of what the world thinks is right or good.

The Character Which Brings Christian Unity (Ephesians 4:2)

Now, consider what you think would be the first command for walking worthy.

Of all the things God could command us first to consider in walking worthy of the calling, what do you think that command would be?

Read Ephesians 4:2-3. Notice the first point Paul makes is for Christian unity.

In verse 2 teaches us the character needed to maintain Christian unity.

Verse 3 gives us the charge to maintain this unity.

Ought that we should be overly surprised that the first quality Paul addresses for walking worthy is unity? Unity is very important to our Lord because a lack of unity can never bring any God glory. Disharmony wrecks God being glorified.

Paul begins with the attitudes necessary for unity. Too often there has been an attitude that we can have unity on doctrine alone. There is an attitude that as long as we agree that there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one body, one Spirit, one hope, and one God and Father of all, then we can be ugly to each other, have poor attitudes, be rude, attacking, and the like and still have unity.

Much to the great grief of God, we have each seen and heard far too many times supposed Christians attempt to defend the gospel and defend the truth by being angry, vicious, slanderous, condescending, and sometimes even being deceitful.

I unfortunately experienced this when I was training to preach. A preacher from another church decided that what we were doing was wrong, primarily because we were teaching and preaching the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ from a more traditional Bible Based approach and perspective. The ugly, hateful attitudes, words were just echelons beyond shocking and disappointing to me.

I want us to notice where Paul starts for Christian unity. “With all humility and gentleness with patience, bearing with one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2).

There cannot be any degree or measure of unity without these things. It does not matter how much doctrine we think we have right and correct. We have missed the gospel completely and do not know the calling to which we have been called when we are lacking humility, gentleness, patience, and forbearing.

Jesus exerted the power of God and defended the teachings of Christ without resorting to being ugly or hateful. I think we can get the idea of how we are to behave when we read humility, gentleness, and patience. People are going to say things and do things that are simply not right and unscriptural. We are to respond with humility, gentleness, and patience.

Any number of other Christians in the Body of Christ do not know what you and I know. They may not have studied the Bible as long as both you and I have.

They may not be as smart as you and I think you and I are. They may be confused on some teachings. They may have adopted some ideas that others have learned through culture have taught but are not found in the scriptures.

How are we going to handle important these things? A correcting response must be with humility, gentleness, and patience. Some of you simply will not accept some of the concepts from the scriptures I have taught while I have been studying and praying over the Scripture passages and writing these devotions.

How should I handle that? Should I be angry? Should I be more forceful with you? Should I put you down? Should I intimidate you? Should I make slanderous comments about you to you or to others? No! that’s very much wrong! When Christians are speaking, we must remember humility, gentleness, and patience.

If this was not enough, Paul says that we are to bear with one another in love. We are to endure patiently with one another because we love the soul of the person. We ought to love each other and will continue to work together without bitterness or anger. Think about how we talk to each other. Think about how we act toward each other. Think about each and every one of these things especially when we are too busy vigorously disagreeing. Why? Paul continues in verse 3.

The Charge To Maintain Christian Unity (4:3)

We are to be “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Some translations rightly read that we are to make every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. We are to desire unity and do all we can to continue it. Notice that we are not to create unity but to maintain it. We are to keep the unity that is already in existence that comes from the calling. We have been joined together in Savior Jesus Christ. Be eager to maintain that unity. Be diligent to maintain this unity. Make every effort to continue together in unity.

Consider: We do not have unity if it cannot be seen. Unity is not something that ought to be seen as only a concept. Unity is seen in behavior. A lack of unity in a marriage is evident. Unity in a marriage is evident. If we truly have unity in our marriage to Jesus Christ, then it will be evident. Peace is the bond that holds this unity together. We will see peace in our relationships and behaviors. We desire unity and will, by our marriage to Christ, make all effort to maintain that unity.

Look carefully at this image of a chain. Do you notice even for one hot fleeting moment the “red question mark” linking(?) the two ends of the chain together? This is not unity. Too often we think this is unity. Occasionally all the links sit in the same room. But this is not one chain. They are not unified. There is no unity. We do not have Christ-like unity unless we have participation and involvement.

As I have already said above,

The Apostle Paul calls us all to be like-minded… having unity in the spirit and the love of Christ in our hearts – being of one accord: encouraging the saints and demonstrating tender-compassion in humility of heart, towards one and another. But mercy, truth and unity will only come when we have the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship in the Spirit flowing through our inner beings – for it is only as we are fully surrendered, yielded to the Holy Spirit, that He is enabled to conform us, into the likeness of Christ.

We have the mind of Christ – to think as He did; to speak as He did; to live as He did and to love all our neighbors and behave as He did. And so individually and collectively we have the means to walk and live and pray in spirit and truth.

In his letter to the Philippians the Apostle Paul gives this vital challenge to all believers – IF we have received any consolation in Christ; if therefore we have any comfort of love; if therefore we have any fellowship of the Holy Spirit and if therefore, we have any bowels and mercies in Christ, we are to demonstrate this in our lives by being of one same mind. (Philippians Chapter TWO)

If we, as children of God, have received His goodness and grace, comfort and hope, hope and compassion, then we are to maintain the same goodness, grace, comfort and love and be diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the body of peace. There ought to be no question marks between any two-chain links!

The challenge to all believers is to faithfully and committedly and prayerfully develop a Christlike character, demonstrating the same love that He displayed.

We are to be united in spirit and fervent in love – looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross.

We are to walk worthy of this glorious calling we have been given. Walking worthy means being eager and making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. As we make this walk with Christ, let us place a much higher priority on coming together in Christ, a greater focus on unity.

First, let us be more patient with each other. Let us be gentler with each other. Let us be humbler, not thinking so much of our abilities or knowledge. Let us patiently bear with one another because of the love we have through Christ.

Second, let us be eagerly maintaining the unity which is to be found only through God, the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Unity is visible. Unity is not accidental. Unity requires us merging, weaving our lives together in God’s word regularly. Otherwise, we are individual links who have questionable proximity to one another proclaiming the “united chain” we are to be in Christ.

You will never see any question marks or any missing links between the link of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. It can never ever exist!

In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, let us come together as One Body, “perfectly” united as Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

Heavenly Father I pray that I may show forth the grace of Christ, the love of the Father and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit – in thought word and deed towards all who are the called according to Your purpose, so that in unity of spirit we may honor Your name, through our earthly witness, in Jesus’ name I now pray, Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! AMEN.

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Prayer: The Promise of Praying Together (Matthew 18:19-20)

What Jesus Did! ‘The Lord Is There!’ What Hope is Given! “The Lord is There! What Mercy is Revealed! “The Lord is There!” What Assurance is Experienced! “The Lord is There!” What Grace is made Available to us! “The Lord is There!”

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ manifests His presence in a special way when two or more of His disciples meet to pray. The promise is “that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My Name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:19-20).

Matthew 18:18-20 The Message

18-20 “Take this most seriously: A yes on earth is yes in heaven; a no on earth is no in heaven. What you say to one another is eternal. I mean this. When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I’ll be there.”

The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.

How we ought to rejoice to know that where two or three are gathered together in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, He has promised to be there among us – for He is the Head of our church, we are all members of His body!

Scripture is clear, as believers we are the corporate body of Christ and when two or more members of Christ’s body are united in prayer or praise, thanksgiving or worship – we are in a small way fulfilling Christ’s high priestly prayer: that we may be one, even as He is One with the Father. Christ is the Head of the body – and when as few as two or three members are united together in Him, they are one community of faith, one with Christ, who is the Head of His growing body.

What an indescribable joy it is to know that Jesus has promised to work in and through the prayer and praises of His people. What an immeasurable comfort to know He is with us as we unite together in fellowship around a shared meal or simply join together, we break bread, pass the cup of blessing, in remembrance of Him. How undeniably important to keep Jesus in His rightful place, as HEAD.

When we come to the Lord in prayer or praise, whether it be individually and corporately. I must decrease and He must increase, for there is one Lord; one faith; one baptism into the body of Christ and there is One Head, who is to guard and guide us individually and corporately. (John 3:27-30 AKJV)

He must completely increase, we must sacrificially decrease so that it is Christ’s beautiful Spirit of unity in the faith, which leads us and guides us as we come together in His name – for prayer and petitions; conversation and communion; a simple communal meal or a meeting of fellowship and church governance ‘for where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there among them.’

This well beloved, oft quoted, oft prayed passage of Scripture must also be clearly understood in its proper historical context when Matthew wrote it.

We must also be aware of Several key understandings implicit in this passage:

  1. Because the Lord is present when two or three of his disciples are gathered together, his sovereign power and sovereign authority are present, too.
  2. The power of two or three to agree is not a general statement — in other words, this is not a blanket promise that if two Christians agree about something, God will have to carry it out. It is in the “legal” context of church discipline, sin, and fellowship that these verses apply. (Deuteronomy chapters 17 and 19)
  3. Because the sovereign power and the authority of the Lord are ever-present, the agreement between these gathered Christians is a reflection of what has already happened in heaven, not vice versa!

To understand exactly what Jesus means in Matthew 18:18-20 we have to look at the context, which includes the surrounding verses in the passage, and the passage before and after, the background of the book and author, including the original audience. Sometimes even just the heading of a passage can helps us.

The heading for Matthew 18:15-17 ESV is, “If Your Brother Sins Against You,” or “Dealing with Sin in the Church” in another translation.

Matthew 18:15-17 ESV

If Your Brother Sins Against You

15 “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

Not all biblical translations and versions include the phrase “against you,” but either way we can and should clearly also gather that this passage is about sin and discipline in the Christian community, specifically His Body – the church.

Matthew’s original audience was likely comprised of mostly Jewish believers and some Gentile believers; his gospel was also an evangelistic tool for Jews who did not yet believe as well as good news for Gentiles who did not believe. The Jews reading Matthew’s gospel would have immediately known that this passage dealt with church discipline. Why? Because the passage would have clearly reminded them of the passages in Deuteronomy, concerning the law. 

Deuteronomy 17 and 19 speak of 2 or 3 witnesses gathered to testify in court. The witnesses were necessary to establish a case in court.

The Hebrew Bible (Hebrew [Old] Testament) was Jesus’ Bible, and He used it in preaching and teaching. Jewish readers or listeners would have been all too familiar with allusions to Hebrew Bible passages; they knew their Bible well. Unlike most modern Christians, they would not have needed cross-references. This is just another reason to know God’s Word well and to study both the Old Testament and New Testament, neglecting neither.

This does not in any way shape or form mean Savior Jesus does not hear our prayers when we pray alone or with two or three people etc. …He does. (John 14:13-14, John 15:16, John 16:23-25-27 Authorized King James Version) 

Our Lord and Savior is present when his people gather together. The fellowship they share is vital. The decisions that are made under the Lord’s guidance by the Christians gathered reflect the decisions in heaven. To put it succinctly: Jesus clearly wants all his disciples to be a redemptive community of Godly character.

When we come to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in prayer or praise, whether it be individually and corporately as the local church. We must each sacrificially decrease, and Savior Jesus Christ must then absolutely increase, for there is one Lord; one faith; one baptism into the body of Christ and there is One Head, who is to guard and guide us individually and corporately as communities of faith.

It is important to realize that inherent in the whole procedure is love for each member of the fellowship, including the fallen brother. It is the concern of a family. Where consuming love for truth and the church flow together, Jesus says that “whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 18:18).

We must sacrificially decrease so that it is Christ’s beautiful Spirit of unity in the faith, which leads us and guides us in all things as we come together in His name – for prayer and petitions; conversation and communion; for a simple communal meal or a meeting of fellowship, and church governance, for ‘where two or three are gathered together in My name, I Jesus am there among them.’

What do you believe God for today? Not what you ask, but what do you expect that He will answer? This may well disclose our faith — and our likeness to Christ. Yet it may also urge us to rise to a higher life in the fullness of His Spirit.
Think of the potential, the unlimited vistas of prayer open to us! “If two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them by My Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My Name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:19-20).

In the name of God, the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us now pray,

Loving Father, how glorious it is to know that the Lord Jesus is my living Head. May He lead and guide all my intercessions and prayers – my conversation and communion with others, both individually and corporately. As I gather together with other brothers and sisters, to pray and praise and worship You, I thank You that Christ is the Head in our midst. May all I say and do, both individually and corporately be honoring to You, in Jesus’ name I pray, Alleluia! Alleluia! AMEN.

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We are Made in the Image of God – It is the very Basis for Our Significance!

What if we were, during a time of prayer, bible study and fellowship, suddenly challenge each other to take our crayons to paper and to do two self-portraits? The challenge is to look into a mirror, take a snapshot with our souls of who we see looking into and then back at us. First, look in the mirror for about a minute and then walk away, return to our living rooms and immediately start to draw what and who we remember seeing in that mirror and draw it as fast as you can. First draw it with a mindset of how you believe the world sees you. Finish it, set it aside. Then immediately start drawing yourself as you believe God sees you!

Now, or at your next gathering, present them to each other without comment. Then read a passage of Scripture, study and pray and reflect over that passage of text. Following this communion, do a comparison and contrasting of those drawings after discussing and praying over the passage of Scripture. Spend a quality of time fellowshipping with each other. What did you learn about your- self and each other from your self-portraits? What did you, could you, should you, learn about your significance to the world versus your significance to Father, Son, Holy Spirit?

Genesis 1:26-28 The Message

26-28 God spoke: “Let us make human beings in our image, make them
    reflecting our nature
So they can be responsible for the fish in the sea,
    the birds in the air, the cattle,
And, yes, Earth itself,
    and every animal that moves on the face of Earth.”
God created human beings;
    he created them godlike,
Reflecting God’s nature.
    He created them male and female.
God blessed them:
    “Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge!
Be responsible for fish in the sea and birds in the air,
    for every living thing that moves on the face of Earth.”

The Word of God for the Children of God. Gloria! In Excelsis Deo! Alleluia! Amen.

Our self-worth is connected to our Creator. If God is genuinely, 100%, of great and inestimable worth, then human beings made in his image must be of great value, too. Do we celebrate and embrace that self-worth against what the world would have each of us believe is our self-worth or do we celebrate and embrace our self-worth against what God our Father reveals thru the inestimable love of Jesus Christ?

Our dignity, our significance is present from the very beginning creation when God spoke us into existence and gave us eternal stewardship over the animals. The world struggles mightily against God to assign each of us to our places in the communities we live, love and move and have our being. Too many people strive too hard to keep a status quo of who is large and in charge, who will be the great influencers who dictate who is what and when they are that what.

So, we are assigned to a certain socio-cultural, socio-economic status and told all about our significance and insignificance, we are we are supposed to be, and we should be happy and joyous all the live long day with that assigned measure of significance or insignificance because that we can ever hope for in our lives.

This is the “reality” of what the world has come to accept as a matter of nature, as a matter of unchangeable truth, as the best course of living a significant life. The world challenges all of us to either accept their assessment and evaluation. Somewhere along the way, every day we look into a mirror against that image. We have a choice to either accept that image and move on as if nothing of any significance will ever come of us – we are who we are – because the world says. We are powerless to change our mindsets – insignificant now and forever more.

Except, is that really the only significant or insignificant view we should give our fullest attention to, devote the maximum amount of self into believing? Is that mirrored view the only view available to us from which to draw ourselves? How deeply woven into our hearts, into our souls is this in our belief system? How readily do we accept its significance or its insignificance to challenge it? Do we accept it as the only significant Gospel available to us for our lives today? Only each of us as worldly individuals can significantly answer these questions.

However we might significantly or insignificantly give our responses to these questions, we ought to be made aware of the truth that the Gospel according to the world we live, love and move and have our being in, is not the only Gospel which has been made available to us. There is another perspective to consider when we are challenged to look in the mirror and draw who it is we actually see.

There is the Gospel of God, the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. It is worthy of our time and energies and efforts to assess, evaluate our significance. The question of who we are, just how significant we are, is asked and answered.

Psalm 8 New King James Version

The Glory of the Lord in Creation

To the Chief Musician. [a]On the instrument of Gath. A Psalm of David.

8 O Lord, our Lord,
How excellent is Your name in all the earth,
Who have set Your glory above the heavens!

2 Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants
You have [b]ordained strength,
Because of Your enemies,
That You may silence the enemy and the avenger.

3 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
4 What is man that You are mindful of him,
And the son of man that You visit[c] him?
5 For You have made him a little lower than [d]the angels,
And You have crowned him with glory and honor.

6 You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands;
You have put all things under his feet,
7 All sheep and oxen—
Even the beasts of the field,
8 The birds of the air,
And the fish of the sea
That pass through the paths of the seas.

9 O Lord, our Lord,
How excellent is Your name in all the earth!

To which we can add these verses for the purpose of this devotional.

“O Lord, our Lord, How Significant am I in all of Your Kingdom?”

“O Lord, our Lord, How Insignificant am I in all the world I live in?”

We can safely say that our significance is measured against the standards which GOD has long since placed before the eyes, ears, and mouths of human beings.

But what does that all mean in the here and the now of the lives we live today?

Implications of Being Made in God’s Image

1. There are no ordinary people. 

One of my favorite quotes from C.S. Lewis appears in his book “The Weight of Glory:

There are no ordinary people. You have never met a mere mortal. 

The people you see every day, even the ones to whom you and I give little regard to, are the insignificant ones which are going to live forever either under God’s salvation or mankind’s worldly judgment. Even the most obscure person is not ordinary in God’s eyes. All lives are absolutely significant in the eyes of our God.

In light of this truth, how do we significantly move forward into the Kingdom of God to affirm and repeatedly reaffirm the dignity of all of the people around us?

2. We should not focus on our sin for long without also noting God’s grace and our own dignity. 

Ephesians 2:8-10 Amplified Bible

8 For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God; 9 not as a result of [your] works [nor your attempts to keep the Law], so that no one will [be able to] boast or take credit in any way [for his salvation]. 10 For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us].

Today, some people focus on our dignity and self-worth without much mention of our sinfulness. On the other hand, in the past and in too many sectors of the present, the emphasis has been weighted down on our utter unworthiness and sinfulness without any note of our dignity and our significance or God’s grace.

The apostle Paul offers a different example. He never mentions the depth of his sin without also mentioning God’s grace:

  • 1 Corinthians 15:9-10 “For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle… But by the grace of God, I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect.”
  • 1 Tmothy 1:16: Paul calls himself the “foremost of sinners,” but also notes, “yet for this reason I found mercy…that in me, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience…”.

We can say the same. No matter what we have done, God’s grace works in us. To deny or fail to acknowledge this significant truth is to say God’s grace is in vain.

Certainly, it is a right and good step to take quality time for self-examination, confession, and repentance. But we should always come back to God’s grace and our own dignity, significance, stemming from being made in the image of God.

3. The restored image of God looks like Christ. 

While the image of God remains after the fall, it is certainly marred and defaced. As we are redeemed, what will we look like when the process is completed?

Our individuality as created by God will shine even more brightly, and our gifts will reach their full potential. We will also look like Christ.

Romans 8:29 reminds us, our significance comes from our being “conformed to the image of his Son.” Jesus is the perfect representative of the image of God, and we are gradually being made and remade into the likeness of him.

Much more remains to be said on the image of God, but we need to begin to appropriate the meaning and experience of this idea. If we do, we will see a revolution in our relationships and in our vision of the “least of these.”

What This Means for Our Ministries, Our Missions and our Work

Being made in the image of God provides the basis for our work and vocation. If we are made in the image of God, we share his characteristics. For example, because God is creative, we can be creative in our ministries and in our work, and in fact, are called to such creativity – we draw ourselves in His significance!

Also, knowing the basis for our dignity and worth helps us believe we have gifts and talents to employ. I know many people who haven’t discovered their calling because they do not choose to believe they have anything to offer. They do not believe they have dignity and worth and fail to recognize their God-given gifts as a result. Their belief in their own significance does unexercised, unpracticed.

Rediscovering the biblical doctrine of work begins with understanding who we are and where we came from. It begins with knowing we are made in the image of God.

God reminds us through His Scripture that He has created us for eternity. This world is not our permanent home, this is a temporary place. This is transition, a prelude to what God has in mind for us. In our limited perspective we look at the present and ask Why. God keeps His eternal perspective, tells us to trust Him. He gives to each and every one of us tiny glimpses of what He has in store for us.

John 14:1-3 English Standard Version

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

He further paints a picture of this eternity thus.

“Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:3-4)

So, God continues to answer us our Why am I Significant” questions, with Who answers all questions of significance and insignificance. (Exodus 3:1-6 ESV) Draw your self-portraits against that image. We are each God’s Masterpieces!!!

Today, this day, may God give us significant strength to accept the answer as it is. Know that our why questions are getting answered, but that there are several answers to the “Who is more Significant” question. Let us exercise significant faith to believe in the absolute significance of God, the Father, Son, Holy Spirit.

In the name of God, the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,

Let us pray,

Lord Jesus Christ, your power is beyond compare. You turned water into wine. You restored sight to the blind and made the deaf hear. You made the lame walk. You healed the sick and raised the dead. You died then revealed the significance of Your empty tomb and revealed yourself to mankind. You conquered death in your resurrection. Everything you touch is powerfully transformed. Pray, let me know that powerful touch in how I live my life. Lord, please bless me and keep me, make your face shine upon me.  Through your mighty name, Amen. Amen.

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