What Does it Mean to Really Walk with God in Faith? Genesis 5:21-24

Genesis 5:21-24Amplified Bible

²¹When Enoch was sixty-five years old, he became the father of Methuselah. ²²Enoch walked [in habitual fellowship] with God three hundred years after the birth of Methuselah and had other sons and daughters. ²³So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. ²⁴And [in reverent fear and obedience] Enoch walked with God; and he was not [found among men], because God took him [away to be home with Him].

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

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

Walking with others is often a time of sacred, deeply personal fellowship.

As people traverse a trail or path together, they can talk to one another about their struggles, goals, or worries.

Many people might not even ever think about those steps they take with a friend, but walking with a friend can truly help a relationship grow stronger.

The same is true about our relationship with God.

From the very beginning, He wanted to walk with us, to know us personally, and for us to follow Him all of our days – we were created to walk with God.

When we choose to place our faith in Christ for salvation, we can walk with Him in fellowship.

No longer, do we or must we, live our lives according to the ways of our sinful nature, but we can out the days of our lives by the Spirit.

Biblical Examples of Walking with God

When God created humans, we almost immediately read He walked with them.

Genesis 3:8 describes how Adam and Eve heard the Lord walking in the Garden, they heard Him walking on leaves and branches which prompted them to hide.

They did not want Him to discover they had sinned.

Adam and Eve recognized the sound of God coming towards them, indicating apparently that He regularly walked on earth with them in Eden before the fall.

However, after Adam and Eve disobeyed the Lord had hid, God could no longer physically dwell with humankind because of the presence sin.

Later, the Bible describes how other people “walked” with God, although He was not physically dwelling with them as He did in Eden.

Enoch loved the Lord and “walked faithfully” with Him (Genesis 5:24).

Interestingly, Scripture tells us that Enoch did not taste death but was taken up by the Lord (Genesis 5:24 and Hebrews 11:5).

Noah, the great-grandson of Enoch, is also described as someone who walked with the Lord (Genesis 6:9).

His close fellowship with God is significant when we remember that the people during Noah’s time were wicked and did not worship the Lord (Genesis 6:5-7).

When God the Son took on human flesh and came to earth to save humankind from their sins, He dwelled among us (John 1:14).

As part of His ministry, Jesus walked everywhere, traveled by foot constantly.

In fellowship, Christ talked to them and taught them as they walked.

For example, after Jesus was resurrected, He walked with two of the disciples on the road to Emmaus and taught them (Luke 24:13-35).

In the future, when God establishes the New Heaven and New Earth, He will physically live and walk among humans again.

John describes this truth in Revelation 21:3:

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.”

The Lord will dwell with and walk with believers for all eternity.

A Relationship with the Lord

Based on the examples of those who walked with the Lord in the Bible, to walk with God means we have a relationship with Him.

Adam and Eve walked with God physically but also had a close relationship with their Creator.

After the Fall of Man, humans lost the privilege of dwelling physically with God.

Also, sin separated them from the Lord (Isaiah 59:2).

Only those who had faith in the Lord, like Enoch and Noah, were able to have a close relationship with God.

The reason Jesus came to earth was so we could receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life (John 3:16; 2 Corinthians 5:21).

When a person trusts in Christ’s death and resurrection for salvation, they receive an everlasting relationship with Him (John 17:3; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

Compared to knowing Jesus, everything else seems like trash (Philippians 3:8).

At salvation, we enter a relationship with the Lord.

However, just as people need to spend time with each other and communicate to build a relationship, we also need to spend time with God and talk to Him.

To “walk” with the Lord involves communicating and listening to Him.

Praying to God is essential, but we must also read and study and pray through His Word, which is the way He speaks to us (Hebrews 4:12).

Furthermore, Christians need to discipline themselves to regularly examine their lives to ensure nothing hinders their walk with God. (Psalm 139:23-24)

Sin interferes with a believer’s relationship with God.

If we confess our sins, telling God that we know we did wrong, then He is “faithful and just to forgive” (1 John 1:9, NLT).

Thus, we need to examine ourselves regularly and confess our sins to the Lord.

In addition to confessing sins, believers need to be aware of anything that distracts them from walking with Christ.

Some of these distractions include sinful thoughts, behaviors, and doubt (Matthew 6:14-15, 24; James 1:6-7).

However, good things can also distract us, such as focusing too much on a career, a family, a human relationship, a comfortable home, or a hobby.

In these instances, we need to obey the words of Scripture and die to ourselves, so we can learn better follow the Lord and invest in our relationship with Him (Matthew 16:24).

A Way of Life

In the Bible, to walk with the Lord involves having a relationship with Him, but it also means living a specific way.

To walk with God means we are living in obedience to His standards instead of our own.

Scripture poignantly, succinctly, tells us to “walk humbly with your God,” which means humbly submitting ourselves to His direction (Micah 6:8).

At salvation, we receive the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit, who baptizes us (John 14:17; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Titus 3:5).

Holy Spirit enables us to live and walk in the way God desires.

In turn, we must follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance in our own Christian walk (Galatians 5:16).

As Paul emphasizes in his letter to the Galatians, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25, NKJV).

To live in obedience to God, we must have faith.

The Bible tells us that “we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7, ESV).

Often, when we follow the Lord’s leading, we will not know what lies ahead.

For instance, Abraham had to walk by faith when God told him to sacrifice Isaac, his promised son (Genesis 22:1-2; Hebrews 11:17-19).

For clarity, God did not want or command human sacrifice (see Jeremiah 19:5; 32:35).

He wanted to see if Abraham would trust Him (Genesis 22:12).

Likewise, some of the things that the Lord asks us to do might not make sense at the time, but we can trust Him and step out in faith.

Finally, when individuals walk with God, others will take notice.

The fruit of the Spirit and Christlikeness will characterize their life (Galatians 5:22-23; 1 John 2:6).

Those who walk with Jesus will talk about His love and demonstrate that love practically to others.

Instead of seeking their desires or preferences, they will want to obey God’s Word no matter the risk.

This does not mean they are perfect.

All believers will continue to struggle with sin.

However, Christians who are walking (Micah 6:8) with the Lord will enjoy a strong relationship with Him, will seek to live according to His principles, morals and ethics, instead of the sinful standards of the flesh and the world.

What Does This “Walking With God” Mean for My Life?

Walking with God means having a connectional relationship with Him and living, walking, a certain way that follows His standards based on Scripture.

This is important to all people because humans were created by God to love God and ultimately give all the glory, honor and praise and their thanks to God.

However, our sin separates us from Him.

Believing in Jesus’ death and resurrection is the only way to restore this vital relationship.

Once we trust in Christ (John 14:1-14), we can begin walking (Micah 6:8) with Him.

As part of our walk with the Lord, we need to prioritize our relationship with Him by spending quality time in reading, studying His Word and talking to Him.

Also, we need to examine ourselves regularly to see if any sins or other things in our life are hindering or distracting us from spending time with God (Psalm 51).

Finally, we need to listen to the Holy Spirit’s guidance so that we live and walk in a way that is more consistently pleasing and perpetually honoring the Lord.

“Walking” with our Lord in fellowship and obedience is the best way to live.

Psalm 15 The Message

15 God, who gets invited
to dinner at your place?
How do we get on your guest list?

²“Walk straight,
act right,
tell the truth.

^3-4“Don’t hurt your friend,
don’t blame your neighbor;
despise the despicable.

⁵“Keep your word even when it costs you,
make an honest living,
never take a bribe.

“You’ll never get
blacklisted
if you live like this.”

Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

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

https://translate.google.com/

Our Gracious Host Forever Following, and Our Vigilant Shepherd is Forever Keeping Us Safe Inside His Dwelling Place. Psalm 23:6

Psalm 23 King James Version

23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

²He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

³He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

⁴Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

⁵Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

⁶Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

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

https://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/psa/23/6/t_conc_501006

Throughout Psalm 23, David reveals the intimate, personal nature of his close relationship with the Lord.

David has said “me” a total of six times, “I” four times, and “my” seven times.

In this beloved psalm, David writes a total of seventeen personal references in only six verses, making this passionate song of trust intensely, self-disclosing.

We expect this emphasis, because walking with the LORD by faith involves, first and foremost, a close fellowship with Him.

At its essence, true spirituality is not about going through the empty motions of bare religion.

Nor is it about the mere external activities of longstanding rituals.

Rather, a life with God is about knowing Him and loving His Son, Jesus Christ, in intimate, personal communion.

As we approach the last verse, verse 6, Psalm 23 steadily builds to this closing crescendo.

David writes, “Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever” (verse 6).

Here, David builds upon the vivid analogy that he used in the previous verse.

In this context, he sees himself as a special guest in a grand banquet hall, where he is being served a feast by the LORD Himself.

However, this dining hall is located in a very special place.

It is found in a royal palace—but not merely a worldly ruler’s palace.

It is found in the dwelling place of the highest of nobility—in “the house of the LORD.”

“Surely Goodness and Lovingkindness”

David begins with this emphatic word, “Surely” (ak).

This word could be translated as “indeed,” “absolutely,” “beyond any doubt,” or even “only.”

There is no place for any equivocation in David’s mind about what he says next.

He is deeply persuaded of what he is about to affirm.

This steadfast conviction should mark every believer.

David says that “goodness” (lob) will follow him.

This word speaks of the abundant blessings and lavish benefits God has bestowed upon him.

In this word is evidenced the spiritual prosperity that he has experienced in following the Lord – All that David has needed, God has always provided.

David also confesses that the “lovingkindness” (hesed) of the LORD has followed him.

This is the Lord’s unconditional, loyal, royal love for David—and for all who put their trust in Him.

This word comes from the Hebrew root (hasad) that means ‘to bend down, to bow down.’

This describes God’s condescending love as He reaches all the way down from heaven to where exactly David is.

Could there be anything greater given to David’s life than the “goodness and lovingkindness” of the LORD?

God has given him the very best portion in His great love.

His steadfast, covenantal love for His own people never wavers, even in the furnace of affliction.

God gave each of us the very best portion of His great love – His Son Jesus.

John 3:16-17 King James Version

¹⁶For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

¹⁷For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

“Will Follow Me”

David adds that the Lord’s goodness and lovingkindness “will follow me.”

“Follow” (radap) means ‘to pursue after, to chase after, to run after.’

He knows that God’s mercy and grace are in close pursuit of his life.

No matter wherever he goes, he cannot get away from these ever-following assurances.

Regardless of whatever he does, he cannot escape them.

They will never let him go, even when circumstances seem to deny their reality.

These two attributes of God—“goodness and lovingkindness”—actually represent God Himself, who is continually pursuing David.

It is the figure of speech known as personification, which assigns humanlike qualities to inanimate objects.

To be sure, these two attributes represent God, who is personally following David and caring for his every need.

By this testimony, David states that God is relentless in His love toward him.

David is assured though he will falter and fail, God will never give up on him.

Regardless of how he may disappoint the LORD, he is persuaded that God will never stop pursuing and caring for him.

Even if he trips and falls, he knows God will never distance Himself from him.

Instead, God will pick up His servant and continue to walk with him.

David will testify elsewhere, “The steps of a man or established by the LORD, and He delights in his way. When he falls, he will not be hurled headlong, because the LORD is the One who holds his hand” (Psalm 37:23-24).

This is an irrevocable promise firmly established in God’s own faithfulness.

“All the Days of My Life”

God’s love for David will follow him “all the days of my life.”

This tender affection and unchanging allegiance of God will be a never-ending pursuit of David to the end of his days.

His devotion toward God will surely fluctuate.

There will be times when it will strengthen or subside.

But God’s love for him is ever strong and steadfast.

God’s loyal love for David does not depend upon his love in return.

God’s love for David depends upon God Himself, who never weakens or wavers.

This is why God’s lovingkindness is always following after David.

Likewise, this same love of God is always in hot pursuit of every believer.

This divine love never takes a day off.

It never rests, never sleeps, never stops, never stumbles (Psalm 121:4).

Even in the midst of trying times, the love of God never goes on sabbatical, never takes a vacation.

It is ever strong toward us, ever sure.

“And I Will Dwell in the House of the Lord”

The last line begins with the word “and,” which indicates that what follows is inseparably connected with what preceded it.

With great certainty, David knows that he will “dwell in the house of the Lord.”

“Dwell” (yasab) means ‘to sit down and stay.’

It conveys the idea of making one’s own abode or home.

This is to say, David will always be at home in the Lord’s presence, always in personal relationship with Him, no matter where he goes.

David pictures this meal in which God serves him as taking place “in the house of the Lord.”

Of course, the temple in Jerusalem has not yet been built by his son Solomon.

Instead, this “house” represents the intimate fellowship that David enjoys with the Lord as he lives in the very presence of God each day.

David is pointing his readership to the close communion, intimate interaction that he has with the Lord.

“Forever”

The relationship between David and the Lord will last “forever.”

What starts in this lifetime will never come to an end.

The word “forever” here means literally ‘for the length of days, for prolonged, never-ending days.’

Once David began this relationship with the Lord, he knew it would never be severed.

In the words of this analogy, once David moves into the house of the Lord, he will never move out.

This is the eternal security of every believer.

The Lord Himself is their dwelling place.

Once they dwell in the house of the Lord, they will always be living in the fullness of His love and grace.

David wants us to know that the Lord who pursues us with lovingkindness is He who keeps us forever.

The Lord who is ever following us is ever keeping us.

Once God begins His pursuit of us, He will never let us go.

No believer can be separated from the love of God, our great Shepherd, Host, and King.

Jehovah God is dwelling within us exactly right now so that we may dwell with Him, both now and forever more.

Let all of His Children raise up!

Bless His holy name!

Jehovah Ra’a, the Lord is our Shepherd, is with us and exactly right beside us, both now and forever more.

Let all of sheep of His pasture turn their heads and give their fullest attention!

Bless His holy name!

The essential truth of our Christian life is that God has come to save us and live in us as “‘Immanuel,’ which translated means, ‘God with us’” (Matthew 1: 23).

This is the essential truth of our ministering to the Lord as well.

Forever we are Safe, Sitting in His sanctuary, abiding and residing in His house

Ministering unto the Lord, from within the sanctuary our inner temple, this is our response to the truth of Immanuel.

Because God is with us, abiding in us, and calling us to abide in Him, indeed to become one with Him, even as He and the Father are one (John 15:4, 10:14-15, 17:21-24), we joyfully, innately, instinctively, obediently, we respond, as God’s Own New Covenant priesthood (Revelation 1:5-6, 5:9-10, 1 Peter 2:5-9).

“Ministering to the Lord” (Acts 13:2) is surely what we know we must do, what our spirit within desperately, longingly yearns for, because God does live within us.

So it is a right and good and joyful thing for us to frequent the temple of the Holy Spirit within us (1 Corinthians 3:16), our “inner room” (Matthew 6:6), so we may be with our Lord in His presence, offering praise and adoration, stillness and reflection, gratitude and humility, even as He securely envelopes us in His Own “goodness and lovingkindness.”

The simple point I make here is that the more quality time and frequency we spend in God’s house now, dwelling within us, the more consistently sure we will be, every day, that “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Amen.

Love and dwell with our Lord now and looking forward to our joy of loving Him and our joy of dwelling with Him forever, always remembering with 100% joy that, “we love, because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19), we live because He lives.

We praise, thank, and bless You Lord God. Yes Lord, we gratefully and joyfully dwell in Your house today.

“Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Hallelujah!

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 150The Message

150 ^1-6Hallelujah!
Praise God in his holy house of worship,
    praise him under the open skies;
Praise him for his acts of power,
    praise him for his magnificent greatness;
Praise with a blast on the trumpet,
    praise by strumming soft strings;
Praise him with castanets and dance,
    praise him with banjo and flute;
Praise him with cymbals and a big bass drum,
    praise him with fiddles and mandolin.
Let every living, breathing creature praise God!
    Hallelujah!

Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

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

https://translate.google.com/

5 Ways to Truly Engage, Enjoy Christ. Luke 24:28-35

Luke 24:28-35 Amplified Bible

²⁸Then they approached the village where they were going, and He acted as if He were going farther. ²⁹But they urged Him [not to go on], saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening, and the day has just about ended.” So He went inside to stay with them. ³⁰And it happened that as He reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them. ³¹Then their eyes were [suddenly] opened [by God] and they [clearly] recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight. ³²They said to one another, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He was talking with us on the road and opening the Scriptures to us?” ³³They got up that very hour and went back to Jerusalem, and found the eleven [apostles] gathered together and those who were with them, ³⁴saying, “The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon [Peter]!” ³⁵They began describing in detail what had happened on the road, and how Jesus was recognized by them when He broke the bread.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

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

The disciples had been with Jesus for three years.

They had sat at his feet and seen him as their Teacher.

They had followed his instructions as their Lord and Master.

Jesus was also their Friend, and they loved sharing their hearts with him.

Jesus was their Messiah, and they enjoyed being with Him, in His presence.

But, as Henri Nouwen puts it, “His body and blood and their body and blood had not yet become one.”

Now, after his resurrection, Jesus broke bread with two of his followers, and this brought their relationship to a whole new level.

Jesus revealed Himself through the Scriptures, showed them the way by going before them and opening up a whole new realm as he is explaining his mission, Father God’s redemption plan for sinners, as told throughout Holy Scriptures.

As Jesus gave them the bread, they recognized him.

They realized that their Lord, Master, Teacher, and Friend was with them again.

He was alive!

He was with them!

They carried on an engaging conversation with Him for several miles.

When evening had come, they stopped and rested with Him and ate with Him.

He broke bread and shared the bread with them – and their EYES were OPENED!

The revelation: “The Lord Jesus had risen from the dead!”

This revelation brought them to their feet.

They returned (ran back as fast as they could) to Jerusalem to tell their story, and they found the other disciples saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen …!”

The reality of Christ’s resurrection brings the community of faith together to celebrate and enjoy the One who NOW walks with us, NOW lives within us!

Joyful, joyful, we adore thee,
God of glory, Lord of love;
hearts unfold like flowers before thee,
opening to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness;
drive the dark of doubt away.
Giver of immortal gladness,
fill us with the light of day!

Luke 24:28-35 The Message

^28-31They came to the edge of the village where they were headed. He acted as if he were going on but they pressed him: “Stay and have supper with us. It’s nearly evening; the day is done.” So he went in with them. And here is what happened: He sat down at the table with them. Taking the bread, he blessed and broke and gave it to them. At that moment, open-eyed, wide-eyed, they recognized him. And then he disappeared.

³²Back and forth they talked. “Didn’t we feel on fire as he conversed with us on the road, as he opened up the Scriptures for us?”

A Ghost Doesn’t Have Muscle and Bone

^33-34They didn’t waste a minute. They were up and on their way back to Jerusalem. They found the Eleven and their friends gathered together, talking away: “It’s really happened! The Master has been raised up—Simon saw him!”

³⁵Then the two went over everything that happened on the road and how they recognized him when he broke the bread.

Now, I want to ask you some very important and rather personal questions:

Why did Jesus walk all those miles with those two folks on the Emmaus Road?

Why did Jesus first choose to come close to those two raging skeptics?

Why did Jesus choose to come to your skeptical self and reveal Himself to you?

Why did Jesus first choose to reveal himself to those two raging skeptics?

Why did Jesus choose to reveal Himself to your skeptical self through Scripture?

In that most unexpected of moments, what did you feel when your eyes opened?

Why do you believe Jesus chose to “open your all too skeptical eyes?”

Why did Jesus save you?

Some might think it’s to take us to heaven or to bless us. (Psalm 23:5-6)

While these things are part of it, they are not the main reason.

The main reason Jesus revealed Himself to you, opened your eyes to His life and saved you is so He could be in a BFF intimately personal relationship with you.

I know that may seem mightily overwhelming when you think of who Jesus is and where you were, who you are and where and who we are, but it is 100% true.

For the joy which was before Him, and is now before you, since Jesus saved you for relationship, how can you make the most of it and truly enjoy Jesus Christ?

5 Ways You Can Enjoy Christ

1. Engage His Presence

Enjoying Christ means being able to enjoy his presence.

The best way to enter his presence is through worship.

Psalm 22:3 says God inhabits the praises of his people.

This verse means God sits among the people who praise him.

When you worship, you get God’s attention, and he draws near to you.

The one thing God desires more than anything else is to be close to you. He desires this because He wants, deeply desires for you to enjoy his presence.

There are so many Scriptures that invite us into his presence and the beauty of his presence is everything we need is there.

You will find joy, peace, comfort, freedom, and the ability to leave every worry and care behind you.

If you really want to enjoy Christ, then you must spend time in his presence.

Spending quality time in his presence does not always mean you always have to open your mouth and say something.

Sometimes sitting quietly, in His sanctuary, in private before him and allowing his Spirit to minister unto, you is exactly what you need. (2 Samuel 7:18-29)

You cannot enjoy Christ without being in his presence, so make quality time for it – take every advantage of it and God in Christ promises you will not regret it.

2. Engage His Promises

Part of building your relationship with Jesus is studying and praying, getting to know what he says, reveals in His Holy Scriptures, and promises He has made.

Sometimes we like to focus on the promises of blessing, but what is greater than those are his promises to be with you.

If it comes down to making a choice between having the One who blesses or the blessing, His wisdom says choosing the One who blesses wins out every time.

One way to really enjoy Christ is to think of the many promises he has made to walk with you through life.

“…And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

“So do not fear, for I am with you: do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).

When You’re Between a Rock and a Hard Place

43 ^1-4But now, God’s Message,
    the God who made you in the first place, Jacob,
    the One who got you started, Israel:
“Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you.
    I’ve called your name. You’re mine.
When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you.
    When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down.
When you’re between a rock and a hard place,
    it won’t be a dead end—
Because I am God, your personal God,
    The Holy of Israel, your Savior.
I paid a huge price for you:
    all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in!
That’s how much you mean to me!
    That’s how much I love you!
I’d sell off the whole world to get you back,
    trade the creation just for you. (Isaiah 43:1-4 Message)

“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” (Deuteronomy 31:8).

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).

I know God has promised to provide and bless and those things are wonderful.

But knowing he will be with you is the greatest of all the promises because if he is with you and for you, then who can be against you (Romans 8:31)?

The comfort, the place of Shalom, knowing there is nothing in this life that can ever separate you from His love sets a foundation for you to love, enjoy Jesus.

3. Engage and Value His Purpose

If you want to enjoy your relationship with Christ, then you need to value the things he values.

His purpose for your life and your purpose for your life must align.

If these two things don’t agree, then you will never enjoy Christ.

Part of his purpose for you is to walk in obedience and avoid sin.

There was a 30 year period of time in my life where I allowed sin to rule, which was clearly never in alignment with even .001% of Jesus’s purpose for my life.

I can assure you those were the most miserable times in my life.

I have discovered the best place to be in life is walking in the center of his will.

When you innately know you are doing what God has called you to do, there is a definite place satisfaction and a decisive source of enjoyment that comes that is utterly, fully and completely unmatched by anything, anyone else on this earth.

This has nothing to do with how big or small your family is, how much money you o an do not make or how successful, how big a failure you are in your career.

Those things are not germane nor are they the foundation of enjoying Christ.

When you walk and talk with Jesus, listen to His Words with intent to align your life with His life, His purpose, there is no greater joy you will ever experience!

4. Engage His People

You cannot enjoy your life with Christ if you do not engage with and enjoy his people.

A friend I know who is married and has one kid recently told me this story.

He and his wife were invited to share a family dinner with another couple.

They could find no one to watch their son and asked if they could bring them.

They were told they were welcome, but we don’t really want kids in our house.

That dinner never happened.

A friendship was damaged …

You cannot say you love Jesus if you don’t love the ones he calls his own.

It is simply not possible.

Here is how the Bible puts it.

“Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen” (1 John 4:20).

Make a friend, Be a friend, Bring a friend to Christ ….

If you are going to enjoy Christ, then you must learn to enjoy his people.

So often we focus on the faults and failures, failings and imperfections we see in others, and most of the time they are quickly obvious and easy to spot, mention.

I know mine are.

But guess what?

So are yours.

We are all imperfect people who are reflections of a perfect Christ.

Sometimes we get it wrong and mess this up, but as the expression goes, you do not throw the baby out with the bath water.

If you want to enjoy Christ, you cannot separate that from enjoying his people.

By the way, you better get used to His people because you are going to spend eternity with them, so you might as well enjoy them now.

5. Engage His Position

The last thing you need to enjoy Christ is to engage the position he must have in your life.

He must be Lord of all.

The truth of walking and talking with Jesus is either He is Lord of absolutely everything, or He is Lord of absolutely nothing.

There is no in between.

People that never make Jesus Lord of their life never experience the full joy of walking with Jesus.

When Jesus is Lord, and he sits at the center of your life, then life takes on a whole new perspective.

You will face many of the same challenges, but you will do so with Jesus at the helm of your life.

Knowing this alone can free you from anxiety because if He is at the wheel, you will arrive safely wherever He wants you to go.

Build Your Relationship

Enjoying Christ is all about the relationship you and I share with Him, and if you and I miss this, then you and I miss it all.

The fact is you and I have someone we can be completely transparent with, who knows everything thing about us good and bad, yet still desires to fellowship.

This is truly amazing.

I encourage you to lean muchly into your Koinonia relationship with Jesus.

Be intentional about spending time with Him, make him the center of your life.

If you do, you will discover your walk with him will get sweeter and sweeter every day.

I will leave you with the words from a song by the Heritage Singers.

“I just keep falling in love with Him
Over and over, and over, and over, again
I keep falling in love with Him,

Over and over, and over and over again
He gets sweeter and sweeter as the days go by,

Oh, what a love between my Lord and I
I keep falling in love with Him
Over and over, and over, and over, again.”

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 100 The Message

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

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

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

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

Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

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

https://translate.google.com/

“Do You Really Want to be Made Well?” Surrender to God’s Healing in Your Life! John 5:1-9

John 5:1-9Amplified Bible

The Healing at Bethesda

5 Later on there was a Jewish feast (festival), and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

²Now in Jerusalem, near the Sheep Gate, there is a ^[a]pool, which is called in Hebrew (Jewish Aramaic) Bethesda, having five porticoes (alcoves, colonnades). ³In these porticoes lay a great number of people who were sick, blind, lame, withered, ^[b][waiting for the stirring of the water; ⁴for an angel of the Lord went down into the pool at appointed seasons and stirred up the water; the first one to go in after the water was stirred was healed of his disease.] ⁵There was a certain man there who had been ill for thirty-eight years. ⁶When Jesus noticed him lying there [helpless], knowing that he had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to get well?” ⁷The invalid answered, “Sir, I have no one to put me in the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am coming [to get into it myself], someone else steps down ahead of me.” ⁸Jesus said to him, “Get up; pick up your pallet and walk.” ⁹Immediately the man was healed and recovered his strength, and ^[c]picked up his pallet and walked.

Now that day was the Sabbath.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

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

Picture the scene: a pool of water surrounded by covered porches.

Bethesda was known as a place of healing.

At certain times of the year, an angel of the Lord stirred the waters.

It was then that the porticoes were often crowded with destitute people who were blind, lame, and paralyzed – waiting to be the ones who were 1st healed.

Among them lay a man who had been lame for thirty-eight long years.

He came! Except there was no one willing to help him get into the pool.

Jesus was watching the proceedings from a short distance away.

Jesus approached asked the man, asking him; “Do you want to get well?”

On the surface, the answer would seem obvious.

Of course the man wanted to be well!

But here, Jesus was asking a deeper question.

He was probing the man’s heart.

Did he really want to be made whole-

-Did he really want to be healed, to be transformed inside and out, healed in body, mind, and soul?

Without waiting for the man to give his response, to tell Jesus his story ….

Jesus spoke to him a second time: “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.”

From a human standpoint, it was impossible for the man to get up.

To others who were listening, this may even have sounded a bit cruel.

But at that moment the healing power of Jesus touched the man, filling his body, mind, and spirit with wholeness.

As Jesus healed the man, he was saying, in effect, “Pick up your mat and be out of here. You never have to think of coming back to this kind of life again.”

The steps Jesus took in healing this man give us an outline of how our Lord meets us today.

He probes our hearts, commands the impossible, provides the power, and tells us, up close and personal, to “be healed, ” get up and leave our old life behind.

What Presence …

What Authority …

What Sovereignty …

What a Savior!

How to Surrender to God’s Healing in Your Life …

At first glance, one may raise an eyebrow at the title of this devotional.

Why would one need to surrender to healing?

We pray for, ache for, pray without ceasing, generally get on our hands and knees searching for healing in so many aspects of our lives.

So why would someone resist it when it is offered to them?

Or is it resistance?

Perhaps, surrendering to God’s healing has nothing to do with fighting against it so much as it is our coming to the realization and acceptance that we need it.

This means coming to a point of humility and admitting our shortcomings or, perhaps worse, the vast diversity our very worst faults, failures and failings.

But then, we may be well aware we need healing.

So then, surrendering to God’s healing isn’t something fraught with resistance or stained with denial, but it is shrouded in the most severest spoken, unspoken actions, expressions, of doubt that God really can bring healing to a broken life.

Or that after an extended period of suffering, He will ever really bring healing.

Have you ever found yourself thinking,

“I know God can heal my life, but I do not know if I believe He ever will.”

Whether surrendering to God’s healing has to do with resistance to healing, denial of the need for healing, or doubting the possibility of recovery, it’s good to step back when in need of healing and take a “selfie” – a clear photograph of your spirit and heart.

What part of “self” might stand in the way of our surrender to God’s healing?

Here are some areas to self-examine and see if any of these may be a part of your surrendering difficulties or process:

1. To heal means to freely and fully admit your weakness.

There’s a verse in II Corinthians 12 that is often quoted when it comes to recognizing one’s weaknesses. “For when I am weak (in human strength), then I am strong (truly able, powerful, drawing from God’s strength),”

2 Corinthians 12:7-10Amplified Bible

A Thorn in the Flesh

⁷Because of the surpassing greatness and extraordinary nature of the revelations [which I received from God], for this reason, to keep me from thinking of myself as important, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan, to torment and harass me—to keep me from exalting myself! ⁸Concerning this I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might leave me; ⁹but He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you [My lovingkindness and My mercy are more than enough—always available—regardless of the situation]; for [My] power is being perfected [and is completed and shows itself most effectively] in [your] weakness.” Therefore, I will all the more gladly boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ [may completely enfold me and] may dwell in me. ¹⁰So I am well pleased with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, and with difficulties, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak [in human strength], then I am strong [truly able, truly powerful, truly drawing from God’s strength].

Apostle Paul clearly states his beliefs of strength in the last part of verse ten.

The idea is that to gain strength, one is best set by first coming to the end of themselves.

Only in that weakness can their strength be infused with the might of the Holy Spirit, thus bringing about a strength that only comes from God, Himself.

But let’s step back a bit to a portion not as often quoted in verse 9. Jesus said, “My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness.”

This is a critical portion of the text when looking at the final part of verse ten and coming to terms with your weakness.

Admitting our weaknesses can make us feel as though we’ve been put into a vulnerable and exposed position.

In a way, it’s “waving our white flag” coming before God for healing with naked souls and our sins, failings, hurts, and brokenness splayed with no disguises.

But His “straight to the point” answer in this healing process has nothing to do with pointing out the errors of our ways or making sure we are valid in our hurt, or our ideations or perceptions or our reality of our brokenness is .01% justified.

His answer is straightforward and strong:

“My grace is sufficient for you.”

His grace is enough.

Enough.

1. Marvelous grace of our loving Lord,
grace that exceeds our sin and our guilt!
Yonder on Calvary’s mount outpoured,
there where the blood of the Lamb was spilt.
Refrain:
Grace, grace, God’s grace,
grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
grace, grace, God’s grace,
grace that is greater than all our sin!

To first admit our weakness is to place ourselves into the submissive role of someone who needs to be rescued – sit still and accept Jesus Christ is God.

And Who better to do this with than the one whose power is made perfect in weakness?

2. Abandoning denial means you embrace the truth.

The truth can be a painful place to go.

The whole “the truth will set you free” concept from John 8 may be remarkably true, it can also mean “coming to terms” with some very harsh, frank realities.

It may mean you must face the abuses that have broken you.

You may need to travel to some dark places to come out the other side into a place of everlasting living hope.

Denial can be a protective mechanism.

If it doesn’t exist, therefore, there is no problem.

Or, stated differently, if everything is working, then nothing needs fixing.

But are you thriving just because you have duct-taped and paper-clipped an industrially stapled your life together in a way you can only barely function?

Are you experiencing the strength and power of God’s grace being sufficient for you when pretending to be healthier than you truly are?

Surrendering to healing may mean ripping off some bandages that have dried onto the wounds.

The hurts may need to bleed again in order to, this time, be healed properly with as minimal scarring as God will allow.

Can you find the courage to be honest and say, “I need to experience God’s healing in my life”?

3. Surrendering means acting in faith God will keep His promises.

Nothing can kill a dream faster than the disappearance of hope.

So when doubt and trepidation enter the healing process of our brokenness, we can begin to embrace the complexity and diversity of the all of the lies and the insinuations we have weaved that God may not do what He has said he will do.

However, God has promised to heal the brokenhearted.

He has promised to meet our needs (Psalm 23).

He has promised to be the Savior to a bleeding and busted soul (Psalm 22).

Coming before God in surrender may mean we go to Him with speculation and concern.

It might also mean you come to Him and lay aside your perceived ideas of how He will heal you.

In the same way physical healing may not be provided to you in the way you imagine it, your emotional, spiritual, and mental healing may come through avenues and processes you have not considered.

To surrender genuinely does mean to step out in faith, trusting and believing that He is sufficient and can bring healing; not presenting Him with a list of ways you believe He absolutely needs to bring that healing into your life and then stepping back to gnash teeth, bite your fingernails, doubting He’ll read it.

Can you fully, genuinely say, “I trust God to do what He has promised without expecting Him to tell me how and without putting a timeline on it?” (Psalm 24)

Healing is a process.

It’s not a simple one, nor is it straightforward and standardized.

Plus, let’s be honest.

Since when is God predictable in the journeys He takes his people on?

Surrendering to the Lord for healing is, in and of itself, a process.

It’s coming to terms with admitting you need healing, it’s realizing that there will be some tough stuff to relive, walk through, evaluate, and even admit; it’s recognizing you probably won’t know how healing will come—just that it will.

In the end, healing isn’t a simple process with an easy answer.

Neither is “white flag” surrendering.

You may find yourself surrendering to God’s healing in one moment,

then in the next, you’re taking it all back, trying with all remaining strength to wrestle it back from Jesus and rebuilding up your defensive walls once again.

So hold on to and grasp that His strength will be made perfect in your weakness.

That His grace is sufficient for this journey on which you will embark.

And also, know that His healing isn’t a three-step process.

His healing will be customized for His relationship with you and for His glory to be seen and shown to the world around you.

Be ready for great things.

“White Flag ” healing is miraculous, so hold on tight, proceed with great hope!

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

Let us Pray,

Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we give all glory to You, for through Your mighty power at work within us, You are able to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. By thy grace help us not to grieve You, dear Spirit, but to kneel, “wave our white flags” to wholly submit to You, allow Your power to have full an maximum sway in us. We thank You for Your gracious presence dwelling within us. We thank You for thy intercession on our behalf. Glory to You in the Church and in Christ Jesus.

Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

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

https://translate.google.com/

Evidence God Is at Work in Our Lives. John 5:17

John 5:10-17Amplified Bible

¹⁰So the Jews kept saying to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and you are not ^[a]permitted to pick up your pallet [because it is unlawful].” ¹¹He answered them, “The Man who healed me and gave me back my strength was the One who said to me, ‘Pick up your pallet and walk.’” ¹²They asked him, “Who is the Man who told you, ‘Pick up your pallet and walk’?” ¹³Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away [unnoticed] since there was a crowd in that place. ¹⁴Afterward, Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” ¹⁵The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. ¹⁶For this reason the Jews began to persecute Jesus continually because He was doing these things on the Sabbath. ¹⁷But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now [He has never ceased working], and I too am working.”

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

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

“My Father is always working, and so am I” (John 5:17).

Always is a big promise.

We cannot uphold the promise of always meaning always any more effectively that we can uphold the promise of never saying never again.

But God can.

He is always working.

Jesus is always working.

The Holy Spirit is always working.

But what is all of this work, and what does it have to do with us?

“Man was created from the beginning in God’s image that he might image forth God’s glory,” John Piper wrote. Paul wrote to the Corinthians,

“So whatever you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Jesus was in argument about working on the Sabbath with Jewish leaders when He said, “My Father is always working, and so am I.”

They were upset Jesus had performed a miracle on the Sabbath.

The Life Application Bible explains

“Genesis 2:2 says that God rested on the seventh day, but this does not mean he stopped doing good. Jesus was saying that when the opportunity to do good presents itself, we should not ignore it, even on the Sabbath.”

Work, in the context of John 5:17 and translated from the original Greek language it was written in, means to work out.

The days on our calendars flip over with purpose.

God goes before us, behind us, and is with us.

We were created to bring glory to Him with our everyday lives.

Paul wrote to the Philippians, “Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear” (Philippians 2:12).

Work, in this context, means to bring about.

We bring glory to God by obediently following His lead on our lives, as the Holy Spirit progressively sanctifies us.

Everyday life may seem ordinary, but if we stretch our perspective to align with the Lord’s, we will certainly start to notice the extraordinary in our daily lives.

What is God’s Work?

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

God’s plan all along was to save us from ourselves.

He gave us free will, and we chose to rebel against Him.

It began with the original rebellion in the garden, and continues to flood into our current existence. Jesus didn’t pop onto the pages of the Bible in the New Testament Gospel accounts.

The apostle John clarified, He was with God in the beginning. (John 1:1-5)

Jesus was sent to live among us and die for our sins.

Through Him, we are justified by His atoning sacrifice, once for all (Romans 3:25-26).

He did this to accomplish the will of His Father, so we can live life to the full (John 10:10).

He came to give us an example to live by, though we will never accomplish it in perfection as He did, without sin.

Jesus came to serve not be served (Mark 10:45).

Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10)

Jesus came …. (John 10:14-17)

¹⁴I am the Good Shepherd, and I know [without any doubt those who are] My own and My own know Me [and have a deep, personal relationship with Me]— ¹⁵even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father—and I lay down My [very own] life [sacrificing it] for the benefit of the sheep. ¹⁶I have ^[a]other sheep [beside these] that are not of this fold. I must bring those also, and they will listen to My voice and pay attention to My call, and they will become ^[b]one flock with one Shepherd. ¹⁷For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My [own] life so that I may take it back.

Jehovah God’s work is infinite and ongoing, and never ends from the scenery surrounding us to the days of our lives and onto eternity. (Psalms 121, 139)

What is Evidence of God’s Work?

Genesis 1:26-28 Amplified Bible

²⁶Then 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.” ²⁷So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him; male and female He created them. ²⁸And God blessed them [granting them certain authority] and said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth, and subjugate it [putting it under your power]; and rule over (dominate) the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and every living thing that moves upon the earth.”

We are evidence of God’s creation.

“Very good,” is the way He described His creation.

“In His image” gives us a sneak peek into the question of what God looks like and is like.

“The existence and attributes of God are evident from creation itself, even though sinful human beings suppress and distort their natural knowledge of God,” James N. Anderson wrote.

Psalm 19 vividly expresses a doctrine of natural revelation: the entire created universe ‘declares’ and ‘proclaims’ the glorious works of God.

Beautiful sunsets and scenery around the globe automatically give way to the evidence of God’s creation.

But He isn’t done yet.

He’s still creating.

Scripture says He knit us in our mother’s womb. (Psalm 139:13)

We have unique purpose on this earth, as evidence of Him.

In a parable Matthew recorded, Jesus said,

“The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’” (Matthew 25:23).

The evidence of His work in our lives is the by-product of the work He has given us to do based on the talents He’s placed in us.

Whatever our age and stage in life, He is working through our relationships with the people He has placed around us.

The work we do is meant to point to Him.

The way we live is meant to lead others to Him.

We are made in His image.

We are evidence of God.

The Great Commission utterly envelopes us as it did those disciples, to ‘GO!’

God’s goal is to reach every heart and soul, and eye and ear, hand and foot with the Gospel, and He’s never failed to keep a promise.

We are part of that promise.

Not because He needs us, but out of His love for us.

The work He gives us isn’t easy, but it’s light.

Matthew recorded Jesus words:

“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

The evidence of God’s work in our lives is the way we live them, in our active and daily pursuit of Him.

Telling of Him, not only with our mouths delivering Gospel truth, but our lives putting it on full display, bringing above and beyond maximum glory unto Him with everyone who comes to know Him, experience Him, love Him through us.

What is Our Part?

Colossians 3:22-24Amplified Bible

²²Servants, in everything obey those who are your masters on earth, not only with external service, as those who merely please people, but with sincerity of heart because of your fear of the Lord. ²³Whatever you do [whatever your task may be], work from the soul [that is, put in your very best effort], as [something done] for the Lord and not for men, ²⁴knowing [with all certainty] that it is from the Lord [not from men] that you will receive the inheritance which is your [greatest] reward. It is the Lord Christ whom you [actually] serve.

Life has a purpose we cannot fully see from our limited perspective.

Whatever we find ourselves doing, we are called to do with all of our hearts.

Not perfectly, because that’s an impossible thing for us to attain.

God wants the totality of our hearts to be dedicated to Him.

Our part is to put Him first, not ourselves and not the opinions or approval of other people. Jesus came to serve, not to be served.

Our part is to serve others, get our hands and feet dirty with all of our hearts.

Paul wrote to Timothy,

1 Timothy 1:14-16 Amplified Bible

¹⁴The grace of our Lord [His amazing, unmerited favor and blessing] flowed out in superabundance [for me, together] with the faith and love which are [realized] in Christ Jesus. ^15 [a]This is a faithful and trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance and approval, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost. ¹⁶Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost [of sinners], Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example or pattern for those who ^[b]would believe in Him for eternal life.

Our part is not to lose perspective on our dependance upon Christ alone and our need for constant forgiveness and redemption in this life.

“For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost,” Luke recorded Jesus’ saying (Luke 19:10).

Our part is remembering we once were lost, now are on a mission for the lost.

Our part is communicating we once were lost, now on a mission to labor in the fields of God’s kingdom, to give aid and comfort, a living hope of a true future.

Hebrews 11:1-2 Amplified Bible

The Triumphs of Faith

11 Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses]. ²For by this [kind of] faith the ^[a]men of old gained [divine] approval.

To lead, guide and direct others towards the voice of their Savior Jesus Christ.

To be evidence of Jesus to the people in our lives, which brings glory to God.

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

Let us Pray,

God, Builder of all things, I know that when I acknowledge your authority and your power that you will make my paths straight in front of me. Please empower me to live a greater life in Christ. May your Holy Spirit who lives in me draw me closer to you. Give me a mind of understanding. Let me see as you see, and not as the world sees. Let me labor as You labored, Let me serve as You first served, let me love as You first loved. I trust your judgment fully and know that my own judgment is limited. I believe you have everything in control, and you will guide me and my hands and my feet, my heart and my soul to labor to exactly where you require me to go. Amen.

Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

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

https://translate.google.com/

Living Life Under Pressure: Dr. Jekyll, and Mr. Hyde and Our “Christianality.” Ephesians 4:17-24

Ephesians 4:17-24 Amplified Bible

The Christian’s Walk

¹⁷So this I say, and solemnly affirm together with the Lord [as in His presence], that you must no longer live as the [unbelieving] Gentiles live, in the futility of their minds [and in the foolishness and emptiness of their souls], ¹⁸for their [moral] understanding is darkened and their reasoning is clouded; [they are] alienated and self-banished from the life of God [with no share in it; this is] because of the [willful] ignorance and spiritual blindness that is [deep-seated] within them, because of the hardness and insensitivity of their heart. ¹⁹And they, [the ungodly in their spiritual apathy], having become callous and unfeeling, have given themselves over [as prey] to unbridled sensuality, eagerly craving the practice of every kind of impurity [that their desires may demand]. ²⁰But you did not learn Christ in this way! ²¹If in fact you have [really] heard Him and have been taught by Him, just as truth is in Jesus [revealed in His life and personified in Him], ²²that, regarding your previous way of life, you put off your old self [completely discard your former nature], which is being corrupted through deceitful desires, ²³and be continually renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh, untarnished mental and spiritual attitude], ²⁴and put on the new self [the regenerated and renewed nature], created in God’s image, [godlike] in the righteousness and holiness of the truth [living in a way that expresses to God your gratitude for your salvation].

The Word of God for the Children of God

Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

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

I would like to share about the pressures of life we encounter on a daily basis.

It is important for us as believers to recognize that all of the who’s, the what’s the where’s the when’s and the why’s we are bombarded by everyday will have either a significantly positive or a very negative form of influence in our lives.

There are people, places an things who, which if we let them, will cunningly manipulate, pressure us, into situations where we got no business being in.

In today’s world pressure begins at an early age.

There’s the social pressure of fitting in.

There’s the pressure of looking a certain way, financial pressures.

I once told a former boss I needed a raise, that 4 other companies were after me.

He asked me which ones, I said;

“anywhere else north, anywhere else south, anywhere else east and anywhere else west, just anywhere else except here!”

We experience mounting pressures in the workplace, emotional and social relationships pressures, fitting in, making keeping new friends, moving, being a caregiver, divorce, illness, the pressures of measuring up, having all the latest gadgets, the pressures of social media, pressure of keeping up with the Joneses.

Pressure will have stress and anxiety eventually creep up on you and it will get in the way of your daily life, your work life, your family life, social life, church life and even your daily walk in God, the Father, Savior Christ and Holy Spirit.

But my bible tells me …

Something pretty radical and diametrically opposite ….

Psalm 23 Amplified Bible

The Lord, the Psalmist’s Shepherd.

A Psalm of David.

23 The Lord is my Shepherd [to feed, to guide and to shield me],
I shall not want.
²
He lets me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still and quiet waters.
³
He refreshes and restores my soul (life);
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
for His name’s sake.

⁴
Even though I walk through the [sunless] ^[a]valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort and console me.
⁵
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You have anointed and refreshed my head with ^[b]oil;
My cup overflows.
⁶
Surely goodness and mercy and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life,
And I shall dwell forever [throughout all my days] in the house and in the presence of the Lord.

Know that when you go to God, He will provide you with every last measure and degree of His Shalom, His peace as necessary to withstand the pressures of life.

Which God did when He sent His Son Jesus to us and Jesus died for us at Calvary.

Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hyde, The World, Living Out Our Christianality

Do you ever feel as if sometimes you are two different “Christian” persons?

Under one circumstance you are staunchly Christian because that is what your Mother and Father taught you when you were too busy trying to just “grow up.”

Then you encountered the “real world” where you had to really live your life on your own – you got your first apartment, went off to college in another state or country, you got your very first job in a fast food place or department store and all of a sudden life comes at you at warp 10 – you have to adjust, then readjust?

When you realize that real life is not always going to be, cannot always be really lived, realistically understood by what your Mother and Father had taught you?

Economics change.

Politics change.

Society and Culture changes.

We are caught up in those changes.

Subtly or “in a heartbeat” suddenly we have to adjust life to those changes.

What Mother and Father taught us – biblically or not so biblically.

What the world is teaching us – challenging our perceptions of “biblically.”

Moment by Moment, do I live my life “Biblically versus Realistically?!?”

Moment by Moment, can I live my life “Biblically versus Realistically?!?”

Moment by Moment, should I live my life “Biblically versus Realistically?!?”

Then comes the inevitable progression to inserting the question – “WHY?”

And that becomes the greatest question we all have to grapple with everyday, in everyway we were probably never taught either by our Mothers and our Fathers.

Back in the nineteenth century, Robert Louis Stevenson explored that idea in his short suspense novel titled “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.”

In an effort to become a better person, Dr. Jekyll, a mild-mannered man of science, develops a potion that can separate his good self from his bad self.

Expectedly or Unexpectedly, what happens instead is that his good side fades more, more away, the bad side turns out to be much more evil than expected.

At night he changes drastically and dramatically and he becomes Mr. Hyde, a mysterious, ugly and violent man whose life can think only of its own desires.

Once Dr. Jekyll realizes his own evil, he makes “the only choice possible” and clamps down on his Mr. Hyde, resolving not to take the magic potion anymore.

But Mr. Hyde has become too powerful, strong, too influential to overcome.

In despair of ever changing himself for the good, Dr. Jekyll commits suicide.

In no way do/would I ever advocate the act of suicide as any solution to crisis!

As such thoughts enter into your mindset – get professional help immediately!

Do NOT ever act upon those self-destructive thoughts – Call 911 locally

Home

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a United States-based suicide prevention network of over 200+ crisis centers that provides 24/7 service via a toll-free hotline with the number 9-8-8. It is available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress.

International Suicide Hotlines

International Suicide Hotlines

One Biblical versus Worldly Response

Some of you are probably feeling like you’re losing it, you’re at a breaking point.

God is surely, certainly telling you today, Pray! stay with me, I’m going to get you thru this, stay in my will, don’t lose your courage, come stay in my house …

Psalm 23 The Message

23 ^1-3God, my shepherd!
    I don’t need a thing.
You have bedded me down in lush meadows,
    you find me quiet pools to drink from.
True to your word,
    you let me catch my breath
    and send me in the right direction.

⁴Even when the way goes through
    Death Valley,
I’m not afraid
    when you walk at my side.
Your trusty shepherd’s crook
    makes me feel secure.

⁵You serve me a six-course dinner
right in front of my enemies.
You revive my drooping head;
my cup brims with blessing.

⁶Your beauty and love chase after me
every day of my life.
I’m back home in the house of God
for the rest of my life.

A Father, Son and Holy Spirit Inspired Response:

The apostle Paul speaks of the same struggle in different terms—“old self” and “new self.”

One of the great issues of life is how we can change permanently and deeply so that we look, live and love far more like Jesus and less of ourselves all the time.

Will it take moral effort, or meditation, or what?

In Ephesians 4 Paul says it requires “the truth that is in Jesus.”

There is much to learn about how the power of the cross creates that truth in us.

But today let’s give thanks Christ can change our old self into a new self which honors all of him and nothing of ourselves.

There is a significant difference between the pressures of the world upon our shoulders and the pressure God our Father sometimes want you to grow thru.

You see the world wants to do everything it can to crush you, to drive you into despair, make you feel forsaken, destroy you, but my bible tells us otherwise.

Ephesians 4:17-24 J.B. Phillips New Testament

Have no more to do with the old life! Learn the new

^17-19This is my instruction, then, which I give you from God. Do not live any longer as the Gentiles live. For they live blindfold in a world of illusion, and cut off from the life of God through ignorance and insensitiveness. They have stifled their consciences and then surrendered themselves to sensuality, practising any form of impurity which lust can suggest.

^20-24But you have learned nothing like that from Christ, if you have really heard his voice and understood the truth that he has taught you. No, what you learned was to fling off the dirty clothes of the old way of living, which were rotted through and through with lust’s illusions, and, with yourselves mentally and spiritually re-made, to put on the clean fresh clothes of the new life which was made by God’s design for righteousness and the holiness which is no illusion.

Sometimes there are seasons in which there is one trial after another.

Remember this Verse to the Hymn …. “What a Friend We Have in Jesus?”

“Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
Take it to the Lord in prayer.”

Temptations are around us at all times, so we can answer the first part of this Hymns verse with a great big resounding, heaven shaking, “Yes!!!”

We all well understand that many times in the midst of trials and temptations that our hearts can subtly, so quickly and suddenly lose hope and be tempted to descend into deep discouragement if we do not stay focused and remain in faith.

I praise God that my Savior Jesus knows me inside and out and He also knows very well EVERY single last one of my least and greatest weaknesses within me.

I pray as I may descend into measures and degrees of discouragement, I may remember to stay in fellowship with Him in prayer and He will reveal to me calm meadows filled with lush grasses and still waters to slake my thirsty soul.

I deeply this wonderful BFF Friend named Jesus will not only show me my weaknesses but He will enable encourage and inspire me to learn, grow and sitting at His table, to become far strong in those weak places within my soul.

I encourage you to take your known and unknown weaknesses to Him in prayer, and to ask Him for wisdom and healing.

To reveal in His times the weaknesses within you that you are not aware of.

Many times it is when we are standing in the midst of hardships that we awaken our awareness of His awareness to areas within our soul weak or broken down.

We can think we are so strong to find out differently in the midst of a trial.

Let this not become a constant or instantaneous source of discourage for your heart but rather a source to determine yourself to grow in the midst of it all.

I thank God today that I serve and walk with my good friend Jesus.

He said He would share in all of my sorrows,

and even though He knows every weakness of yours’s and mine,

He continues to forever stand with us and vigilantly walk beside us.

What a friend we have in Jesus!!

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

Let us Pray,

Most glorious, kind, and blessed God of the present moment, I beg Your grace and Your presence that I might be able to reject the temptations of the enemy and my flesh that drive my mind to obsess on the past or worry about the future. Help me instead to embrace the sufferings and challenges of the present moment knowing that You are with me in them and that if I surrender myself to You and the duties of this life in the present moment, You will give me all I need to endure or overcome any challenge, take care of all matters that are outside of my control, and will reveal Yourself and Your holy will within and through them. By Your grace I reject, in Jesus’ name, all regrets, laments, frustrations, or other temptations that draw my thoughts and attention away from the duties of this present moment and more importantly, away from Your presence and provision. I affirm, invoke, and implore the power of Jesus’ name against the efforts of the enemy to draw me out of Your presence in this moment, and I, by God’s Grace, His Divine Will, my human will, through the power of thy Holy Spirit, choose to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

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

https://translate.google.com/

My Life is Under Pressure, My Faith is Under Pressure, “Even Though My Life is Being Torn,” I Will Make Time for God! James 1:2-4

James 1:2-4The Message

Faith Under Pressure

^2-4Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

God has a way of changing us deeply through various crisis points in our lives.

But what happens when God strings together a long series of crisis points?

Eventually the trail of change-points will lead somewhere, like stepping-stones crossing a river – the whole thing is this – the pressure we apply on ourselves of wanting to know where “where” is – where are all of these “crises” taking us to.

As we come to realizing this, our collection of snapshot crises starts to become an “epic” movie with a story line with more plot twists we can shake a stick at.

But how does one tell where the story is supposed to be going?

How does one know where we are being lead to by all of this “story writing?”

The pressure we place upon ourselves to always “have to know” our destination so we can better prepare ourselves, “packing our suitcases” better for traveling.

Last Minute Details – one after the other – from every which direction and we have to adjust our lives to it all – ceaseless change – and ceaseless adjustment.

When our bodies, spirits confronts an experience called a diagnosis of cancer.

Heart Failure ….

End of Life Issues ….

Then something else happens with our jobs, our schooling, our finances –

Ours, our spouses housing situation changes as our, their, health changes ….

Then our children give us a phone call …. Illness, finances, marriage issues ….

And then still try to live a “normal” life ….

And still make quality time for God …. and Trust God to keep things in our lives in good order, make a space, keep a space, be the space in the “peace of Christ.”

That’s not easy.

“My God! My God … Everything in my life is moving too fast for me!”

Dear God … “Stop the World I Want to Get Off – Right Now!”

Multi-Tasking is not everyone’s gift.

Even if it were, repeated multi-tasking over the duration of repeated crises becomes exhausting to our bodies, our minds and our souls – we get tired!

God assures us that he has plans for our lives, but it can be hard, seemingly impossible to tell from the midst of the storm where those plans might lead.

Sometimes it would be nice to have a burning-bush episode like Moses had—something concrete to see through the fog of life’s busyness (see Exodus 3).

Why is it so difficult to determine God’s direction for our lives?

Sometimes it’s simply because we forget to ask.

It’s surprisingly easy to charge into the events of a day without bothering to ask God what he wants from us that day.

Sometimes that can prompt God to allow a minor crisis to pop up as a wake-up call to pull our attention back to him.

When was the last time you asked God to show you his plans for your day?

When was the last time we sought out a direction for our lives ….

When was the last time we simply shout to each and every single crises to do their absolute worst because we know that even when the crisis is catastrophic:

– God is always going to be at His absolute best-and that will be enough for us?

How about just “standing still” (Psalm 46:10-11) against the wind shear, all the wild and wilder and wildest winds, shouting, giving God every ounce of Praise?

How about asking him right now?

Slap a smile upon your faces ….

Declare to all ….

Even though ….

Even Though My Life is Under Great Pressure, My Faith is Under Even Greater Pressure, Even Though My Life is Being Torn Apart,

My God Was, My God Is, My God Forever will Remain My God!

I will Testify ….

I will make my Testimony ….

I will shake, rattle and roll the Gates of Heaven ….

Unto God’s Throne itself ….

Even though my Life Maybe or Actually is Torn ….

I will kick down the gates of hell ….

I DECLARE THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD OVER MY WHOLE LIFE!

Psalm 34:1-12The Message

34 I bless God every chance I get;
my lungs expand with his praise.

²I live and breathe God;
if things aren’t going well, hear this and be happy:

³Join me in spreading the news;
together let’s get the word out.

⁴God met me more than halfway,
he freed me from my anxious fears.

⁵Look at him; give him your warmest smile.
Never hide your feelings from him.

⁶When I was desperate, I called out,
and God got me out of a tight spot.

⁷God’s angel sets up a circle
of protection around us while we pray.

⁸Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see—
how good God is.
Blessed are you who run to him.

⁹Worship God if you want the best;
worship opens doors to all his goodness.

¹⁰Young lions on the prowl get hungry,
but God-seekers are full of God.

¹¹Come, children, listen closely;
I’ll give you a lesson in God worship.

¹²Who out there has a lust for life?
Can’t wait each day to come upon beauty?

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

Let us Pray,

God of truth, Author of my life, Perfecter of my faith, sometimes I not sure if I’m actually hearing your voice, or if it’s just another one of my own cascade of thoughts from within another crisis or confusion or even another spirit. Sharpen my spiritual hearing, Lord, so I can recognize your words when you are speaking to me. Help me know it’s really you, with no doubt or second-guessing. When I’m asking for your guidance in important decisions, give me your peace that surpasses understanding with your answer. Help me remember that your words to me will never go against your written word in the Bible. Give me a clear mind and push out all my confusion. Let my Testimony be one not of repeated Crisis Control, but of highest praise to You!

Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

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

https://translate.google.com/

Actually Leaving Matters unto God’s Hands: Making the Best Use of God’s Time. Ephesians 5:11-20

Ephesians 5:11-20The Message

^11-16Don’t waste your time on useless work, mere busywork, the barren pursuits of darkness. Expose these things for the sham they are. It’s a scandal when people waste their lives on things they must do in the darkness where no one will see. Rip the cover off those frauds and see how attractive they look in the light of Christ.

Wake up from your sleep,
Climb out of your coffins;
Christ will show you the light!

So watch your step. Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times!

¹⁷Don’t live carelessly, unthinkingly. Make sure you understand what the Master wants.

^18-20Don’t drink too much wine. That cheapens your life. Drink the Spirit of God, huge drafts of him. Sing hymns instead of drinking songs! Sing songs from your heart to Christ. Sing praises over everything, any excuse for a song to God the Father in the name of our Master, Jesus Christ.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

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

This passage of Scripture gives us a moment to think about using our time well.

Have you or I or anyone we know ever figured out the best way to use your time?

Lots of books, articles, podcasts, and videos have been produced to share the latest, best and greatest tips on how best to use the time we have in our lives.

Some of the ideas are great for edifying, building relationships, truly caring for others, getting an education, working efficiently, even planning for retirement.

As we grow older, and wiser and more aware of time, many of us realize that we have wasted some time along the way, and so, we may have regrets about that.

God knows we cannot gain back the hours we have spent, but, in the power of God’s Spirit, as we do seek to change how we live, we can make the most of the time ahead of us: How we spend our time—with God and with others—matters.

Which is it, Grudgingly or Willingly Taking Time With God ….?

Isaiah 30:15-17The Message

God Takes the Time to Do Everything Right

^15-17God, the Master, The Holy of Israel,
    has this solemn counsel:
“Your salvation requires you to turn back to me
    and stop your silly efforts to save yourselves.
Your strength will come from settling down
    in complete dependence on me—
The very thing
    you’ve been unwilling to do.
You’ve said, ‘No way! We’ll rush off on horseback!’
    You’ll rush off, all right! Just not far enough!
You’ve said, ‘We’ll ride off on fast horses!’
    Do you think your pursuers ride old nags?
Think again: A thousand of you will scatter before one attacker.
    Before a mere five you’ll all run off.
There’ll be nothing left of you—
    a flagpole on a hill with no flag,
    a signpost on a roadside with the sign torn off.”

Some days when I “stop” to look at my family life, all I can see busy and hectic.

Some days, in my business, in passing, I will actually take the time to look at my family life with quick and fleeting sense of serenity, solitude and thanksgiving.

When we work, we work a lot.

When we are on the road at our employment, we have ourselves to take care of.

When we play, we go all out.

We place high value the time away with our friends doing whatever is “fun.”

When we are home, we have kids to take care of or school events to attend.

When we are at home we have spouses to care for, who take time to care for us.

Sometimes, because of long term chronic illness, we are the one’s who have to devote enormous amounts of time, effort and resources to give 24 x 7 care to.

Sometimes the maximum efforts and resources of our entire families are being drawn into that singular “Christian” effort to care for the ailing family member.

We have homes and cars that require our time and attention to keep in order.

When it comes to church, we could be at a service or small group every other day if we really wanted to devote our times to such a search for our maturity.

It can be hard to put time aside from our eventful days to rest and be quiet before God as our Scripture from Isaiah 30 instructs.

Spending time with God, being quiet before God, away from our noisiness gets even harder when an unavoidable monkey wrench is thrown into our busy lives.

This could be a death in the family, a rebellious child, the loss of a job, or anything at all that is unexpected.

When any of these happen to us, our first response is often to set things back to “normal mode” – whatever it is which defines “normal” for us in that moment.

Under “normal” circumstances, Who would not want to “normally” do this?

We “normally” look for the plans of action necessary to set things in order and not so “normally” we might “take time” to ask God to bless us along the way.

We fall into the trap that action is the only solvent for the unexpected problems we cannot take the time, make any minimal effort to avoid encountering in life.

When many times, we simply need to, but refuse to, to live as the Psalmist and actually make, take the time to “be still and know that [He is] God” Psalm 46:10.

Our comfort won’t come from making and taking our own time to “solving” the issues alone, but learning and knowing God and his ways during our busy life.

Begin taking 5 minutes out of your workday to be in a quiet place and rest in God.

As we begin to make this a habit, we will understand its importance and remember to make more time during our busy lives for God.

How are we spending our time each day?

There’s a cartoon that quips, “We only live once,” and the comeback line says, “We only die once; we live every day.”

What matters is how we live every day.

What matters is how we love every day.

The question we have to consider praying over is;

“Will our lives reflect the majesty of Jesus, or ourselves, lament our lost time?

Ephesians 5:15-17 The Message

Wake up from your sleep,
Climb out of your coffins;
Christ will show you the light!

So watch your step. Use your head. Make the most of every chance you get. These are desperate times!

¹⁷Don’t live carelessly, unthinkingly. Make sure you understand what the Master wants.

The Paul here desperately urges us,

“Don’t waste the time that you have.”

Aim to live for God, Christ Jesus our Savior and the Holy Spirit with no regrets.

Live abundantly and fully with the life you have been given in Savior Christ.

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

Let us Pray,

Dear God, turn our wayward ears and eyes, hands and feet towards you. forgive us for the times that we have spent ignoring you and selfishly focusing on what is not important. Help us to use our time wisely, honoring you. Thank you for your grace.

Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

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

https://translate.google.com/

An Attitude Adjustment? How Can We Know ‘Goodness and Mercy Will Follow’ Us When We are Hurting? Psalm 23:6

Psalm 23Authorized (King James) Version

Psalm 23

A Psalm of David.

¹The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
²He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
he leadeth me beside the still waters.
³He restoreth my soul:
he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
⁴Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;
thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
⁵Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
⁶Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

The Word of God for the Children of God.

Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

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

One of the great hymns of the faith is “Surely Goodness and Mercy.”

In its verses, this hymn summarizes what is taught in Psalm 23.

The chorus, of which I’m sure you are familiar, simply quotes verse 6.

Please read Psalm 23, then sing along with this hymn (at least verse 1):

A pilgrim was I, and a wandering—In the cold night of sin I did roam

When Jesus the kind Shepherd found me—And now I am on my way home.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days, all the days of my life;

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days, all the days of my life.

If you want to keep singing, then you’ll have to look up the other verse in your hymnal or online, but please wait to do so until after you have finished reading the rest of this devotional.

Of all the words that David could have used to describe the blessings of God, he chose “goodness and mercy.”

In this brief study of this Psalm, we have previously talked about our Shepherd providing for us, about restoring our souls, leading us, comforting us, securing us, anointing us with oil, fattening our lives, and overflowing us with blessings.

David sums all this up as “goodness and mercy.”

Goodness supplies all of our needs, and mercy saves us from our sin.

What wondrous blessings our Shepherd has lavished upon us!

Yet, the focus of this final verse is not on the blessings of goodness and mercy, but on their temporal extent—how long will they last – they will last forever!

God’s goodness and mercy will follow me “all the days of my life.”

This means that God is good and merciful when the days are bright and sunny, and when the days are dark and grey.

God lavishes me with goodness and mercy in the days of feasting and in the days of fasting.

God shows me goodness and mercy when I am in the prime of life, and when I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life!

But God’s goodness and mercy are not limited to this life only!

They will be shown to me “forever!”

When I pass from this life to the next, “I will dwell in the house of the Lord.”

I will not be condemned to destruction.

I will not be made to pay for my sins.

I will not be isolated from my Lord. I will dwell in His house forever!

Surely goodness and mercy will follow me, all the days of my eternal life!

What Does ‘Surely Goodness and Mercy Will Follow Me’ Mean?

This verse appears in the beginning of Psalm 23:6.

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

King David wrote this Psalm.

It very eloquently an passionately speaks of the goodness of God.

One of the rewards of being a Christian is the love that God shows to us.

He loves all His creation.

However, submitting to God and accepting Jesus Christ as personal Savior affords us special benefits.

As Christians, God’s goodness and mercy are available to us even when we miss the mark.

We have access to Him through Jesus Christ.

We can ask for forgiveness, and it is like we have a clean slate.

You will not receive this sort of treatment from man.

Man keeps a record of our faults and is quick to remind us of who we were.

Sometimes it is hard to imagine someone just forgetting about all the stuff that you used to do, but that’s God. God sees our worth.

He sees the brighter picture.

Jeremiah 29:11 reads, “I know the plans that I have for you says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

I pray that God will help you to grasp what it means to know that goodness and mercy shall follow you all the days of your life.

The goodness and mercy of God especially follows you when you are hurting.

Psalms 34:18 says, “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saved such as be of a contrite spirit.”

Contrite means to show remorse or be filled with guilt.

You can feel the presence of God draw near to you best when you are in tears.

That is a comforting feeling.

Even when no one else wants to listen, God will draw near to you.

You might say goodness and mercy have not always followed me.

The Bible says that “in this life you will have tribulation but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

God’s peace will allow us to remain stable in an unstable world.

His peace has already overcome the world.

What is the Context of Psalm 23?

Most Christians learned Psalm 23 in Sunday School, or your parents made you read it at home until you memorized it.

In the Kingdom of God, people are often referred to as sheep.

The church leader or pastor is referred to as the shepherd.

Here King David uses the imagery of a shepherd to show God’s blessing and protection of His people (The KJV Study Bible, Barbour Publishing, 2011).

You might ask, why does my pastor care about what I am doing?

As much as we do not like people in our business, pastors are shepherds.

Ultimately, God will hold them accountable for how they tended the sheep.

We are sheep.

If you go line by line, you realize that since the Lord is your shepherd; you shall not want for anything.

I have heard some Saints say that they do not want for nothing.

Think about your life.

You have everything that you need and many things that you want.

You have so much stuff until you must give it away annually.

I know people with some incredible wardrobe closets.

A lot of people would be happy with just two week’s supply of the clothes in someone else’s closet.

God gives us what we need and much of what we want.

When God makes us to lie down in green pastures, that is symbolism for basic needs.

Verse three says “He restoreth my soul.”

God restores you when life or the enemy seeks to depress you and worry you about the cares of this life.

All humans sleep and should wake up refreshed.

I remember the host of times when I have felt that I had a difficult day, all I would desire to do, is to just go to sleep where ever, when ever convenient.

When I would awaken, I would feel refreshed and just have a different outlook on things.

It is a trick of the enemy to make us feel like our situation is the worst that it could be.

That is why you and I need to discipline ourselves to read the Word of God every single day, pray the Holy Spirit, and find out what God says about the situation.

God as shepherd also guides us.

Psalms 23:4 says “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”

We should not be fearful living this life.

God is our shepherd.

Many times the wife and I I have driven by the scene of an accident and thought that if we had been five minutes earlier, that could have been us.

God is going before us and making the crooked places straight (Isaiah 45:2).

We have been, by measures and degrees ill and perhaps even sometimes close to death, but our ever vigilant God sets his rod and staff, keeps us here on purpose.

There are twists and turns on this walk called life, but God is always near us.

Verse five says “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil: my cup runneth over.”

I have been in both enlisted in the Navy and an Officer in the Army.

I have completed both of their Basic Trainings.

During marches from this point of some place to that far off place called “somewhere else, who knows where,” we sang cadences to keep in step.

I have often marched to the song;

“You dig one ditch, you better dig two.”

“You never know whose coming for you!”

Often, your blessing is in the presence of your enemies.

Everyone is not your friend, and you are a nice person.

Different people have different motives and intents, but the plan of the Lord prevails (Proverbs 19:21).

Like a Lion lurking in the brush, the enemy of mankind is wily and persistent- constantly looking to redirect our steps away from where God requires us to be

It is important to note that if you know the purpose that God has for you, you need to stick with the plan, aware of the plan and let Him work out the kinks.

You can talk to God about issues and ask Him to fix it.

Sometimes, I am amazed at what He will do if you just ask Him.

It is even better when you can hear that He is listening.

So I try to be careful about what I say and do because I know that He is listening, and we can always on the fact that He will at the most inconvenient of time (for me anyway) “drop a dime” on you and a quarter on me and on those around us.

God also gives us integrity checks.

So step up to the test.

God, your Shepherd is with your every single “pilgrim” step of the way.

What is God’s Goodness?

God’s goodness is His love.

God is love and, God is good.

Many of us can say that we do not deserve to be here.

Sometimes people do not want God to have mercy on people that have done some awful things.

I remember a soul chilling phrase from the movie Chicago when the defendant was asked why she killed someone. She said, “He had it coming.”

I am still amazed about who God chooses to use.

He is not calling us up and asking for permission to use certain people.

God looks at the heart and sees how repentant people are (1 Samuel 16:7).

His Word says that He is married to the backslider (Jeremiah 3:14).

When we sin, we must repent.

God knows that we are not perfect.

He knows that temptation and trials are all around.

We must get in the Word so that we have some help for what we face.

Look to Luke 15:11-32.

Read about the prodigal son.

He came in like a spoiled brat and demanded what he thought was his.

You normally get these things at the reading of the will.

His still living father gave him his inheritance early.

The younger son went away, lived his life as he saw fit and best for him and in the midst of all his presumed joy and happiness, things did not go as planned.

He ended up broke, wishing he could eat any food with the pigs.

He stood up, took a long accounting of himself in his mirror, returned home, presumably by the longest and the narrowest and the safest paths possible.

Amazingly, Radically, His father waited at home, treated him well at his return.

Sometimes, God will allow us to learn, earn our Doctorates in Life, through the “long way around the barn” school of hard knocks, but in His goodness and in His mercy He remains steadfast, waiting at home, stands ready to receive us.

How Can We Know Goodness and Mercy Will Follow Us Every Day?

Episode by episode, long experience, David knew God’s record of faithfulness.

Episode by episode, experience by experience, we too can know God’s record.

If you have been around for any length of time, you have experienced God’s goodness and his mercy and probably never even fully realized it every day.

If you need confirmation, become the prodigal son as he turns away from the smells and sights of the pig sties, turns around, determines that at no matter what the cost in time and effort and risk, steels himself, and just goes home.

Become that prodigal son and on the “journey home” just search the scriptures.

Look at the scriptures from beginning to end and the many clouds of witnesses.

Read the stories, as much as humanly possible, pray the scriptures, purposely become the people of the scriptures – become like Abraham, leave it all behind.

Pick everything up, go to that far off, unknown place where God is sending you.

Where step after step, meal after meal, day after day, trial after trial, tribulation after tribulation, God is setting up your table of abundance in full sight of every single enemy who will seek to stop you in your tracks from going home to God.

How long did it take for the prodigal son to finally crest the hill where he finally saw, took a glance of home – the Lord who is our Shepherd, guided every step!

Along the way, how many fields and meadows and still waters did the prodigal take his rest in, refresh and bathe himself by and long gulps, slaked his thirst.

Most importantly, look at Jesus who God sent as a sacrifice and atonement for our sins – because ultimately – that prodigal son – made it all the way home.

Hard steps?

Absolutely to be expected ….

Yet by Psalm 23, we must not allow ourselves to give up on the goodness of God.

Because our Father awaits us at our eternal home ….

“AND WEI SHALL DWELL IN THE HOUSE OF THE LORD OUR GOD, FOREVER ….”

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 24 The Message

24 ^1-2God claims Earth and everything in it,
God claims World and all who live on it.
He built it on Ocean foundations,
laid it out on River girders.

^3-4Who can climb Mount God?
    Who can scale the holy north-face?
Only the clean-handed,
    only the pure-hearted;
Men who won’t cheat,
    women who won’t seduce.

^5-6God is at their side;
with God’s help they make it.
This, Jacob, is what happens
to God-seekers, God-questers.

⁷Wake up, you sleepyhead city!
Wake up, you sleepyhead people!
King-Glory is ready to enter.

⁸Who is this King-Glory?
God, armed
and battle-ready.

⁹Wake up, you sleepyhead city!
Wake up, you sleepyhead people!
King-Glory is ready to enter.

¹⁰Who is this King-Glory?
God-of-the-Angel-Armies:
he is King-Glory.

Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

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

https://translate.google.com/

Attitude Adjustment: Our Leaving Matters in God’s Hands. Genesis 16

Genesis 16Amplified Bible

Sarai and Hagar

16 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had not borne him any children, and she had an Egyptian maid whose name was Hagar. ²So Sarai said to Abram, “See here, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. I am asking you to go in to [the bed of] my maid [so that she may bear you a child]; perhaps I will ^[a]obtain children by her.” And Abram listened to Sarai and did as she said. ³After Abram had lived in the land of Canaan ten years, Abram’s wife Sarai took Hagar the Egyptian [maid], and gave her to her husband Abram to be his [secondary] wife. ⁴He went in to [the bed of] Hagar, and she conceived; and when she realized that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress [regarding Sarai as insignificant because of her infertility]. ⁵Then Sarai said to Abram, “May [the responsibility for] the wrong done to me [by the arrogant behavior of Hagar] be upon you. I gave my maid into your arms, and when she realized that she had conceived, I was despised and looked on with disrespect. May the Lord judge [who has done right] between you and me.” ⁶But Abram said to Sarai, “Look, your maid is entirely in your hands and subject to your authority; do as you please with her.” So Sarai treated her harshly and humiliated her, and Hagar fled from her.

⁷But ^[b]the Angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, on the road to [Egypt by way of] Shur. ⁸And He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where did you come from and where are you going?” And she said, “I am running away from my mistress Sarai.” ⁹The Angel of the Lord said to her, “Go back to your mistress, and submit ^[c]humbly to her authority.” ¹⁰Then the Angel of the Lord said to her, “I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be too many to count.” ¹¹The Angel of the Lord continued,

“Behold, you are with child,
And you will bear a son;
And you shall name him Ishmael (God hears),
Because the Lord has heard and paid attention to your persecution (suffering).
¹²
“He (Ishmael) will be a wild donkey of a man;
His hand will be against every man [continually fighting]
And every man’s hand against him;
And he will dwell in defiance of all his brothers.”

¹³Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are ^[d]God Who Sees”; for she said, “Have I not even here [in the wilderness] remained alive after ^[e]seeing Him [who sees me with understanding and compassion]?” ¹⁴Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi (Well of the Living One Who Sees Me); it is ^[f]between Kadesh and Bered.

¹⁵So Hagar gave birth to Abram’s son; and Abram named his son, to whom Hagar gave birth, ^[g]Ishmael (God hears). ¹⁶Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar gave birth to Ishmael.

The Word of God for the Children of God

Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

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

Today’s story centers on the painful triangle of relationships between Abram, Sarai, and Sarai’s slave Hagar.

The ancient story contains moral weakness, self pity, jealousy, competition, contempt, scorn, rejection, revenge, meanness, and other emotional violence.

When the situation becomes unbearable, Sarai sends Hagar to Abram that Abram should have sexual relations with her and then bear the family a child.

A child is conceived and this is where things really break down.

Hagar looks down with jealousy and contempt upon Sarai in her infertility.

What had started with Sarai good intentions, her self sacrifice to give Abram a lasting hope for the continued future of his lineage, just turned seriously sour.

Sarai blamed Abram ….

Sarai wanted maximum accountability from Abram for Hagar’s behaviors.

⁵Then Sarai said to Abram, “May [the responsibility for] the wrong done to me [by the arrogant behavior of Hagar] be upon you. I gave my maid into your arms, and when she realized that she had conceived, I was despised and looked on with disrespect. May the Lord judge [who has done right] between you and me.”

Abram washes his hands of the matter ….

⁶But Abram said to Sarai, “Look, your maid is entirely in your hands and subject to your authority; do as you please with her.” So Sarai treated her harshly and she humiliated her, and Hagar fled from her.

But now she is in a desperate situation: pregnant and alone in the desert with barely enough provisions for survival.

It all began with a promise from God to secure Abram’s family future.

Time had lapsed and a hopeful, hope-filled promise turned into a situation of impatience and desperation, a lapse of personal faith in God to change lives.

We are greatly shocked by the sequence of events – great promise to an even greater descent into great jealously, rage, humiliation – threatening the family.

Putting the prospect of great hope in a blessed and abundant future in jeopardy.

But the one thing we notice which seems to be missing from this tragic story is anyone’s attempt to seek out God, to pray for change, courage, patience, mercy.

The one thing we do not see is any sincere desire for an “attitude adjustment.”

To caught up in their very raw emotions …. there is no offer of prayer to God.

This instantaneous moment when all Abram, Hagar and Sarai can see is each other trying to sort out an extraordinarily volatile situation by their own wills.

Was grace an unknown commodity?

Was the thought of compassion or mercy an unknown commodity lost to anger?

On the human side … very much so.

Too fast to respond with raw unfiltered emotions is all too soon our first hope, first response for lasting meaningful successful resolution to a hopeless cause.

But, what if we were to counsel these parties and try to insert a moment or two of “attitude adjustment” – set these people apart – insert another perspective?

Remind them in the midst of this, there’s grace and mercy in this raw story too.

Remind them and ourselves of the promise: the presence, sovereignty of God?

The name for God in this text draws from the Hebrew word ‘roi’, which has to do with “looking,” “appearance,” “seeing,” and “sight.”

Abram and Sarai seem to have lost their sight, vision, of God’s faithfulness.

Yet, alone and utterly forsaken in the desert—in her darkest moment—Hagar realizes that El Roi, “the God who sees,” sees her, has never lost sight of her.

Some choose to see God, envision God, prayed, inserted into their situations.

Look for hope in seemingly hopeless situations ….

Believe all things “impossible in our eyes” are always possible in God’s eyes.

Others?

Like Abram and Sarai (and perhaps us?) in that moment …. not so much ….

Don’t we all find ourselves at times in desperate situations?

Even if our circumstances are not desperate, they can certainly be difficult at times, and we can absolutely feel as if we will never have a hope for any future.

Life was harsh and difficult in those ancient of days and even today is difficult, and living in today as a Christian does not mean we are spared those difficulties.

As we will continue to confront and face illness, unemployment, heartache, broken relationships, separations and divorces and other moral challenges, we are always and forever will be confronted by this single fundamental question:

Is their an “Attitude Adjustment” anywhere in our futures?

Is there time for a “God sized” “Attitude Adjustment” anywhere in our plans?

Is God’s perspective going to be even minimally, voluntarily sought out?

Remember the faithful Promises of God for an abundant future of hope?

Not our own hope or lack of hope we exclusively reserved for ourselves?

Lose sight of God’s wisdom to know how we should respond to adversity?

Walk the narrow paths of God’s promises?

Walk the broad pathways which lead to our destruction? (Matthew 7:13-14)

Walk the path of faith or will we try to take matters into our own hands?

Abraham was a man who was just like us—he experienced both triumph and failure in his walk of faith.

God had personally promised Abram to make his family a nation and to bless the world through someone from that nation (Genesis 12:1-3).

Though childless, elderly Abraham and his wife, Sarah, would have their “very own son” who would be their heir (Genesis 15:4).

Abraham “believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness” an even Sarah herself received the ability to conceive Isaac. (Hebrews 11:8-11)

But after years and years of waiting, Abram and Sarai’s faith had wavered.

They were expecting God to act in good faith, but now had grown impatient.

Presumably, on a monthly basis, their hopes would rise and collapse—and with every passing month and year, Sarah grew older, sadder, and more impatient.

So it was that they reached an explosive crisis of faith.

They knew that God is real, that God is all-powerful, and that God had promised them a son, but they also knew they both got older and didn’t yet have a son.

Would they allow the questions of their hearts to overturn their faith or would they allow their vision of faith in God to overturn the questions of their hearts?

The verses above narrate the sorry conclusion: they took matters into their own hands, and the “best” solution that they adopted was a destructive self-effort.

In doubting and despair, Sarai ordered Abram to sleep with her maid servant, Hagar, in hopes of bringing about the promised child, and Abraham complied.

Perhaps this was acceptable practice in that time and culture, based on the idea that the children of such a union would belong to the owner of the slave-girl.

Abram undoubtedly informed Sarai of God’s promise to him, and Sarai perhaps thought that this was necessary in order to bring about God’s plan for them.

Ancient and Contemporary 20/20 hindsight being what it is, always will be;

It was the wrong decision.

Doubting that God would keep His promise, they instead sought to bring it about by their own (immoral) actions.

They made their decision based on expediency.

They didn’t ask, What is right?

They asked, What can we do for ourselves that will “work things out” for us?

They allowed pragmatism to be their guide over and against faith—and in doing so, they brought about more suffering, more pain, and more heartache for themselves and for Hagar.

They thought intervening by their own devices and their understanding of human nature would simplify things; instead, it complicated everything.

Making Attitude Adjustment, Leaving Matters in God’s Hands

Whenever we set faith aside and apply self-effort, we complicate our lives.

Whenever we seek to take things into our own hands and make our own plans instead of trusting God to keep His promises, we end up with chaos, heartache.

Faith and waiting go hand in hand.

Do not lose heart as you sit in life’s waiting rooms.

It is always right to wait upon God, and it is always right to wait for God.

God sees and knows everything and everyone.

We do not know everything and everyone.

But we can know God more than we do now – if we want to know Him more.

If we want to surrender the sum total of who we believe we are in our eyes.

What areas of life do we need to “make adjustments” to live this out today?

But even in times of hopelessness,

can we adjust our way of thinking an believing we are each Blessedly Assured:

El Roi, “the God who sees,” is 100% watching over us, 100% seeing us, 100% protecting, 100% providing for us all in our darkest hour of need (Psalm 23)?

It is too deep in our human nature, our bleakest moments we too feel all alone.

What is my natural response?

What is your natural response?

What is our natural response?

With a bit of tweaking (attitude adjustment) by the Lord our Savior,

By God’s matchless grace, faithful mercy. one and done forgiveness and love,

What might our “God-Adjusted” responses become?

Job 19:23-27Amplified Bible

Job Says, “My Redeemer Lives”

²³
“Oh, that the words I now speak were written!
Oh, that they were recorded in a scroll!
²⁴
“That with an iron stylus and [molten] lead
They were engraved in the rock forever!
²⁵
“For I know that my Redeemer and Vindicator lives,
And at the last He will take His stand upon the earth.
²⁶
“Even after my [mortal] skin is destroyed [by death],
Yet from my [immortal] flesh I will see God,
²⁷
Whom I, even I, will see for myself,
And my eyes will see Him and not another!
My heart faints within me.

El Roi, “the God who sees,” has never lost sight of us, promises to care for us.

Surely, the Goodness and Mercy of God do follow us all the days of our lives!

What greater, more blessed assurance can we “adjust” ourselves to believing?

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

Let us Pray,

Psalm 16 The Message

16 ^1-2Keep me safe, O God,
I’ve run for dear life to you.
I say to God, “Be my Lord!”
Without you, nothing makes sense.

³And these God-chosen lives all around—
what splendid friends they make!

⁴Don’t just go shopping for a god.
Gods are not for sale.
I swear I’ll never treat god-names
like brand-names.

^5-6My choice is you, God, first and only.
And now I find I’m your choice!
You set me up with a house and yard.
And then you made me your heir!

^7-8The wise counsel God gives when I’m awake
is confirmed by my sleeping heart.
Day and night I’ll stick with God;
I’ve got a good thing going and I’m not letting go.

^9-10I’m happy from the inside out,
and from the outside in, I’m firmly formed.
You canceled my ticket to hell—
that’s not my destination!

¹¹Now you’ve got my feet on the life path,
all radiant from the shining of your face.
Ever since you took my hand,
I’m on the right way.

Adeste Fidelis! Venite Adoremus! Dominum.

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

https://translate.google.com/

Genesis 5:21-24Amplified Bible

Biblical Examples of Walking with God

A Relationship with the Lord

A Way of Life

A Way of Life

What Does This “Walking With God” Mean for My Life?

Psalm 15 The Message

Share this:

Psalm 23 King James Version

“Surely Goodness and Lovingkindness”

John 3:16-17 King James Version

“Will Follow Me”

“All the Days of My Life”

“And I Will Dwell in the House of the Lord”

“Forever”

Psalm 150The Message

Share this:

Luke 24:28-35 Amplified Bible

Joyful, joyful, we adore thee,God of glory, Lord of love;hearts unfold like flowers before thee,opening to the sun above.Melt the clouds of sin and sadness;drive the dark of doubt away.Giver of immortal gladness,fill us with the light of day!

Luke 24:28-35 The Message

A Ghost Doesn’t Have Muscle and Bone

5 Ways You Can Enjoy Christ

1. Engage His Presence

2. Engage His Promises

When You’re Between a Rock and a Hard Place

3. Engage and Value His Purpose

4. Engage His People

Make a friend, Be a friend, Bring a friend to Christ ….

5. Engage His Position

Build Your Relationship

Psalm 100 The Message

Share this:

John 5:1-9Amplified Bible

The Healing at Bethesda

How to Surrender to God’s Healing in Your Life …

1. To heal means to freely and fully admit your weakness.

2 Corinthians 12:7-10Amplified Bible

A Thorn in the Flesh

2. Abandoning denial means you embrace the truth.

3. Surrendering means acting in faith God will keep His promises.

Share this:

John 5:10-17Amplified Bible

“My Father is always working, and so am I” (John 5:17).

What is God’s Work?

What is Evidence of God’s Work?

Genesis 1:26-28 Amplified Bible

What is Our Part?

Colossians 3:22-24Amplified Bible

1 Timothy 1:14-16 Amplified Bible

Hebrews 11:1-2 Amplified Bible

The Triumphs of Faith

Share this:

Ephesians 4:17-24 Amplified Bible

The Christian’s Walk

Psalm 23 Amplified Bible

The Lord, the Psalmist’s Shepherd.

A Psalm of David.

Dr. Jekyll, Mr. Hyde, The World, Living Out Our Christianality

International Suicide Hotlines

One Biblical versus Worldly Response

Psalm 23 The Message

A Father, Son and Holy Spirit Inspired Response:

Ephesians 4:17-24 J.B. Phillips New Testament

Have no more to do with the old life! Learn the new

Share this:

James 1:2-4The Message

Faith Under Pressure

Even Though My Life is Under Great Pressure, My Faith is Under Even Greater Pressure, Even Though My Life is Being Torn Apart,

My God Was, My God Is, My God Forever will Remain My God!

I DECLARE THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD OVER MY WHOLE LIFE!

Psalm 34:1-12The Message

Share this:

Ephesians 5:11-20The Message

Which is it, Grudgingly or Willingly Taking Time With God ….?

Isaiah 30:15-17The Message

God Takes the Time to Do Everything Right

Ephesians 5:15-17 The Message

Share this:

Psalm 23Authorized (King James) Version

Psalm 23

Joyful, joyful, we adore thee,
God of glory, Lord of love;
hearts unfold like flowers before thee,
opening to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness;
drive the dark of doubt away.
Giver of immortal gladness,
fill us with the light of day!