Romans 15:4 "For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope."
16-19 “How can I account for this generation? The people have been like spoiled children whining to their parents, ‘We wanted to skip rope, and you were always too tired; we wanted to talk, but you were always too busy.’ John came fasting and they called him crazy. I came feasting and they called me a boozer, a friend of the misfits. Opinion polls don’t count for much, do they? The proof of the pudding is in the eating.”
Word of God for the Children of God
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
“The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and ‘sinners.’” (Matthew 11:19)
I met an individual last year was struggling with a serious illness. When I asked him if he knew Jesus, he said “Sorry, but I’m not ready to give my life to Jesus,”
“Have you told Jesus that?” I asked.
Judging from the stymied look on her face, the idea of praying was the farthest thing from his mind. “Why don’t you take time right now to tell Jesus? Whatever is on your heart, you can tell Him.”
The elderly man gave a smile when I reached for his hand and then bowed his head with mine saying,
“Lord, I…uh…they tell me I should give my life to you…and although I can’t, that is, I guess I won’t, I really do…I really want to believe. Please…help me.”
“You’re well on your way to believing in Christ,” I said after he finished praying.
How could I be so sure?
Because he had opened up his heart to encounter the Lord Jesus.
When someone engages God in prayer, they can never be quite the same.
That elderly man’s prayer, though feeble and faltering, meant the Savior, in turn, had a handhold on him. With much encouragement and prayers, it wasn’t long before he accepted Jesus and was welcomed into God’s family
The good news sounds great to those who see Jesus befriending them. In the gospels, the Lord Jesus is constantly presented as a friend of sinners. He moved among the “untouchable'” people as their friend before He became their Savior.
Who can you befriend on Jesus’ behalf today?
Ask God to bring to mind someone who needs Him, and how about you?
Do you need a friend today?
Ask Jesus to be with you in a way that will be a comfort to you.
What did Jesus say about associating with sinners?
Jesus said, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matt. 9:13).
For Jesus, calling sinners didn’t mean standing at a distance and shouting, “Hey, what you are doing is wrong! Stop doing that and come over here.”
Rather, it meant going to where the sinners actually were and being with them, associating with them.
Does the Bible say Jesus was a friend of sinners?
Jesus is called a friend of sinners (Matt.11:19; Luke 7:34).
Them and us.
No matter what more we might say about his intentions, or the outcome of such friendship, Jesus freely associated with all sinners in a connectional, relational way before any change or expectation of repentance on the part of the sinners.
“In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit …
Praying ….
Psalm 16 The Message
16 1-2 Keep me safe, O God, I’ve run for dear life to you. I say to God, “Be my Lord!” Without you, nothing makes sense.
3 And these God-chosen lives all around— what splendid friends they make!
4 Don’t just go shopping for a god. Gods are not for sale. I swear I’ll never treat god-names like brand-names.
5-6 My 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!
7-8 The 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.
9-10 I’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!
11 Now 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.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
27 John replied, “A man can receive nothing [he can claim nothing at all] unless it has been granted to him from heaven [for there is no other source than the sovereign will of God]. 28 You yourselves are my witnesses that I stated, ‘I am not the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed),’ but, ‘I have [only] been sent ahead of Him [as His appointed forerunner and messenger to announce and proclaim His coming].’ 29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands by and listens to him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this pleasure and joy of mine is now complete. 30 He must increase [in prominence], but I must decrease.
Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
There are people who claim to be experts at reading body language. They can discern what is being communicated in the ways others position their bodies and hands and by the facial expressions they make. This could be a useful skill, especially for knowing—or at least coming close to knowing—whether someone is being genuine or false.
There are ways, though, that Christians can conduct themselves with inauthenticity that cannot be read by people fluent in body language. It’s a sad fact that different motivations drive people to serve in the name of Christ. Some people serve not out of genuine interest in the well-being of others but with self-interest leading the way. They may want to be noticed. They may crave a pat on the back. They may be pursuing a good reputation. Such a motivation may lead to good things being done, but it doesn’t produce genuine service. Christian service, in other words, can be fake. From a distance, it looks like the real thing, but get up close and you find it to be wanting.
So how do we know what is authentic? Here are two signs of a genuine heart of service for us to look for in ourselves, as well as in others.
First is the willingness to serve in anonymity. This is the kind of service that delights in doing good regardless of any attention. “Among those born of women none is greater than John,” said Jesus Himself (Luke 7:28)—and yet the Baptist longed to see Christ glorified at his own expense, a passion articulated so memorably when he confessed, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”
Second is the existence of sincerity. The apostle Paul affirmed that his friend Timothy, for example, was “genuinely concerned” for the Philippians’ welfare, unlike those who “seek their own interests” (Philippians 2:20-21). Epaphroditus, too, was “longing for” the good of the Philippian church (v 26). Such longing cannot be faked but arises out of genuine love.
What does John 3:27-30 mean?
In verse 27,God gives people to Jesus, and they leave John the Baptist and go to Jesus. This is God’s doing. This is part of the “must” of verse 30. And in verse 28, God sends John not to be the Christ but to go declare, go before and point to him. It’s God’s plan John gathers a people and then send them away to Jesus.
What is the meaning of John 3:28-30?
John 3:28-29 (NIV)
John had indeed confessed freely to them that he was definitely not the Christ.
Luke 1:12-17 Amplified Bible
12 When Zacharias saw the angel, he was troubled and overcome with fear. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, because your petition [in prayer] was heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him [a] John. 14 You will have great joy and delight, and many will rejoice over his birth, 15 for he will be great and distinguished in the sight of the Lord; and will never drink wine or liquor, and he will be filled with and empowered to act by the Holy Spirit while still in his mother’s womb. 16 He will turn many of the sons of Israel back [from sin] to [love and serve] the Lord their God. 17 It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous [which is to seek and submit to the will of God]—in order to make ready a people [perfectly] prepared [spiritually and morally] for the Lord.”
John was sent ahead as an ambassador to prepare the way for Jesus’ coming by calling people back to a proper relationship with God through the repentance of their sins.
What does the Bible verse John 3:30 mean?
It is interesting to know that just because Jesus is Lord, He only becomes Lord of your life when you allow Him to do so.
John the Baptist stated here, “He must become greater; I must become less.” If you allow Jesus to be Lord of your life, you are allowing Him to become greater.
Preacher DL Moody declared that he was “content to be God’s errand boy.”
Could you say that with integrity?
Would, should, could, do you, delight in decreasing in status if that means only Christ’s glory will increase?
Do you have real concern—longing, even—for the good of others?
Those around us may not be able to tell what motivates us, but we can be sure that the Savior we claim to serve most certainly can.
Perhaps this is a good opportunity to prayerfully consider the example of Paul, who said,
“I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus” (Acts 20:24).
Dare ourselves to ask God for .01% the grace to echo these words with sincerity.
Who knows what He will do with the life you have fully surrendered to Him?
Psalm 139:23-24 Complete Jewish Bible
23 Examine me, God, and know my heart; test me, and know my thoughts. 24 See if there is in me any hurtful way, and lead me along the eternal way.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Praying ….
Psalm 16 Complete Jewish Bible
16 (0) Mikhtam. By David:
(1) Protect me, God, for you are my refuge. 2 I said to Adonai, “You are my Lord; I have nothing good outside of you.” 3 The holy people in the land are the ones who are worthy of honor; all my pleasure is in them.
4 Those who run after another god multiply their sorrows; To such gods I will not offer drink offerings of blood or take their names on my lips.
5 Adonai, my assigned portion, my cup: you safeguard my share. 6 Pleasant places were measured out for me; I am content with my heritage.
7 I bless Adonai, my counselor; at night my inmost being instructs me. 8 I always set Adonai before me; with him at my right hand, I can never be moved; 9 so my heart is glad, my glory rejoices, and my body too rests in safety; 10 for you will not abandon me to Sh’ol, you will not let your faithful one see the Abyss. 11 You make me know the path of life; in your presence is unbounded joy, in your right hand eternal delight.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
15 Now I want to make clear for you, brothers and sisters, the gospel I preached to you, which you received, on which you have taken your stand 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold to the message I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I passed on to you as most important what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. 6 Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers and sisters at one time; most of them are still alive, but some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one born at the wrong time,[a] he also appeared to me.
9 For I am the least of the apostles, not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11 Whether, then, it is I or they, so we proclaim and so you have believed.
Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
The Great Mystery of Faith …
Christ Has Died, Christ Is Risen, Christ Will Come Again!
That is our statement of faith—that Jesus Christ died for our salvation, Christ rose from the dead, and Christ will return again in glory.
Questions surrounding death and dying have faced mankind ever since the fall:
“What will happen when I die?
Will I go somewhere when I die, or is this it?
Is there any significance to my life?
What does it all mean?”
All of God’s Scripture is timelessly relevant, and it provides answers to these questions.
Paul, for example, addresses the issues of resurrection and eternal life in 1 Corinthians 15. Without the resurrection, he says, our faith would be in vain.
Our salvation would be false, for we would still be living in sin.
Death would prove to be stronger than God. Jesus’ claims would be untrue: He would not be Lord, and He would not be returning.
History would have no goal or purpose, and the human race would be going nowhere.
Since that’s the “reality” in which unbelievers live, it’s no wonder there is so much angst in our world!
But the Christian can say, “Hey, not so fast! Don’t say history is going nowhere and all is meaningless! Consider the resurrection.” We believe Christ rose from the dead and promises each of His followers full resurrection—not a resurrection only of soul but one of body and soul(1 Corinthians 15:42-49).
Paul speaks of the death, resurrection of Christ as being “of first importance” in the gospel message (v. 3). The proclamation that Jesus died for our sins, was raised on the third day, and appeared in the flesh to the apostles and disciples was the foundation of everything Paul taught (vv. 3–7).
Even though it was something that happened in history, this was more than just a summary of historical facts. Paul says this is the message that we must stand upon, hold to firmly, and by which we are saved (vv. 1–2).
It is the only message that can actually save us because it calls us to believe in the One who has died for our sins and rose again.
Paul preached this gospel of resurrection both as something he had “received” and as a fact that he had witnessed.
Both are important.
The gospel that Paul proclaimed was handed down to him, not by the other apostles but by revelation from Christ (Galatians 1:12).
Although Paul spoke of it as “my gospel,” it is really Christ’s gospel (see Rom. 2:16; 16:25; 2 Tim. 2:8).
Paul also encountered the living Christ who called him to be His special messenger or apostle (vv. 9–11). We do not believe in fables but in something that is a matter of history and revelation. Christ is risen. He is risen indeed!
Go Deeper
John Locke, 18th-century British philosopher, wrote of Christ’s resurrection that it is “truly of great importance in Christianity; so great, that his being, or not being the Messiah, stands or falls with it.”[1]
1“A Second Vindication of the Reasonableness of Christianity” in The Works of John Locke, in Nine Volumes (Rivington, 1824), 6:341-42.
It is the resurrection that proves that Jesus is who Scripture claims He is, the resurrection that seals our salvation, and the resurrection that transforms our lives.
You can visit the burial sites of Buddha’s ashes, Muhammad’s body, and Gandhi’s urn, but the tomb of Jesus of Nazareth is an empty one.
Belief in the resurrection is the narrow gate through which we enter, and it’s the only one that leads to life (Matthew 7:13-14).
All our hope hangs on this fact: Jesus is alive!
Because of this hope, we can say that this life is not all there is; it is simply the appetizer, the first course.
Shadows fall on our greatest successes on this earth.
We lose loved ones.
We’re confronted by sin.
Even our best days leave us longing for something more.
But the fact is that we are only preparing for a day yet to come, when these former things will pass away and the new, resurrected kingdom will come.
The resurrection of Jesus is what gives purpose to all you do today, and comfort in all your trials, and hope for all your tomorrows.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Praying …
Psalm 16 Complete Jewish Bible
16 (0) Mikhtam. By David:
(1) Protect me, God, for you are my refuge. 2 I said to Adonai, “You are my Lord; I have nothing good outside of you.” 3 The holy people in the land are the ones who are worthy of honor; all my pleasure is in them.
4 Those who run after another god multiply their sorrows; To such gods I will not offer drink offerings of blood or take their names on my lips.
5 Adonai, my assigned portion, my cup: you safeguard my share. 6 Pleasant places were measured out for me; I am content with my heritage.
7 I bless Adonai, my counselor; at night my inmost being instructs me. 8 I always set Adonai before me; with him at my right hand, I can never be moved; 9 so my heart is glad, my glory rejoices, and my body too rests in safety; 10 for you will not abandon me to Sh’ol, you will not let your faithful one see the Abyss. 11 You make me know the path of life; in your presence is unbounded joy, in your right hand eternal delight.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
50 A man named Joseph, who was a member of the Council (Sanhedrin, Jewish High Court), a good and honorable man 51 (he had not consented to the Council’s plan and action) a man from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who was waiting for and expecting the kingdom of God; 52 this man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 And [after receiving permission] he took it down and wrapped it in a linen [burial] cloth and laid Him in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had yet been laid. 54 It was the day of preparation [for the Sabbath], and the Sabbath was dawning.
Word of God for the Children of God
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Jesus’ burial was by no means a foregone conclusion, for two main reasons.
First, the crucifixion of criminals was often not the end of their humiliation; they were often barred from the honor of a proper burial.
Second, the release of a corpse depended solely upon a relative or a friend requesting permission to bury the body—and who was left to bury Jesus?
The disciples had fled for their lives, the crowd had dispersed, and the women were unprepared to make such a request.
It is into this moment of history that an entirely unexpected individual emerges authoritatively, suddenly and silently—a highly respected individual who “was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews” (John 19:38).
Fear silenced Joseph of Arimathea up to this point. Jesus’ life and teaching had attracted him, brought him to saving faith, but his faith remained clandestine.
He went about his spiritual business in a secretive way—until the cross brought him out out of the shadows, into the open. And so, after too long hanging back in the shadows, Joseph walked, “went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.”
The Gospel narrative describes Joseph’s careful handling of Jesus’ body as he “took it down” from the cross, “wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a tomb cut in stone, where no one had ever yet been laid” (Luke 23:53).
We read likewise of Rabbi Nicodemus, “who earlier had come to Jesus by night … bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes” to assist Joseph in the burial process (John 19:39).
Joseph and Nicodemus’ brief and singular appearance is also a clear reminder to us of God’s subtle providence at work at all times and in all places.
God prepared both Joseph and Nicodemus for this very moment. Both were highly fearful and secretive, but God used them for good, just as He does us.
Those first steps away from the darkness will always be the hardest to walk.
Both Joseph and Nicodemus had presumably missed many opportunities to stand up for their true King; they had presumably kept quiet so many times when they should have spoken out.
Yet it was these men whom God ensured would be present on this day for this important task. And both rose to complete it, risking everything—status, his reputation, his safety—to honor Jesus by ensuring that He had a proper burial.
You may find yourself identifying with either Nicodemus or Joseph: you have been living as a secret shadowed disciple, believing but afraid to let anyone in your neighborhood or workplace know about your faith.
If so, then today, pray, like both Joseph and Nicodemus to ask the Lord Jesus Christ to forgive your fearfulness and enable you, like both both men, in the light of the cross, to take your stand boldly for Him in the love of Christ.
You may have missed too many moments in the past when you had the chance to stand for your King; but God is always ready to give you the task of honoring His Son, and in those future efforts you need not pass up the next opportunity.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Praying …
The Lord, the Psalmist’s Portion in Life and Salvation in Death.
16 Protect me, God, for I take refuge in You. 2 [b]I said to the Lord, “You are [c]my Lord; I have nothing good besides You.” 3 As for the [d]saints who are on the earth, [e]They are the majestic ones; all my delight is in them. 4 [f]The pains of those who have acquired another god will be multiplied; I will not pour out their drink offerings of blood, Nor will I take their names upon my lips.
5 The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You support my lot. 6 The measuring lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; Indeed, my inheritance is beautiful to me.
7 I will bless the Lord who has advised me; Indeed, my [g]mind instructs me in the night. 8 I have set the Lord continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 9 Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will dwell securely. 10 For You will not abandon my soul to [h]Sheol; You will not [i]allow Your [j]Holy One to [k]undergo decay. 11 You will make known to me the way of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
7 I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons. 8 I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Where is your focus?
Psalm 16:7-11 Easy-to-Read Version
7 I praise the Lord because he taught me well. Even at night he put his instructions deep inside my mind.[a]
8 I always remember that the Lord is with me.[b] He is here, close by my side, so nothing can defeat me. 9 So my heart and soul will be very happy. Even my body will live in safety, 10 because you will not leave me in the place of death. You will not let your faithful one rot in the grave. 11 You will teach me the right way to live. Just being with you will bring complete happiness. Being at your right side will make me happy forever.
I absolutely love how this verse starts: “I keep my eyes always on the Lord.”
Must we ask why?
Why does this verse start with these words?
As we read deeper, further in the passage we see the result of keeping our eyes on the Lord. Let’s take a moment or two look at what happens when we do this.
He is our strength.“With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”
The Word tells us in Psalm 61:3,
“For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe.”
Also we see his strength in our lives in Psalm 28:7
“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.”
When we keep our eyes focused on the Lord, He is always with us.
Regardless of the battles we may be facing, He is our strength.
With Him by our side, we will not be shaken.
We can rest in complete assurance that He is with us in all situations.
Even in our thought life.
Even at night while I am sleeping.
Have you ever had something come rushing into your mind that gave you fear, frustration, anxiety, or anger?
These things are not from the Lord.
These are things the enemy uses as a strategy to shake us up.
You see, Satan knows that if we take our eyes off the things of the Lord, then our eyes will be focused on what he has distracted us to see.
The Lord says that we should focus on,
“whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.” (Philippians 4:8-9)
When we remember to direct our focus our eyes, think of Him, we have peace.
We have joy. We will not be shaken.
He gives us joy and He is faithful.
Verse 9 states,
“Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay.”
As we just read in Philippians, we will have joy and peace, and we can rest when our eyes are focused on God.
He takes delight in us and views us as His perfect and most beautiful creation.
He is faithful to the maximum (As God knows the word) to us, is always with us.
We see His goodness in Zephaniah 3:17
“The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”
This beautiful time with the Lord is what the enemy wants to steal from you.
How can you stay in this place of perfect peace?
A place where you have lasting joy, no matter your situation?
The answer is simply by moving your eyes, putting your focus on Him always.
He gives us direction and all eternal pleasures!
“You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”
What a way to end this passage!
By keeping our eyes on the Lord, we can know the path of life, we are filled with joy and His eternal pleasures!
No wonder the enemy would love for us to take our eyes off the Lord.
My prayer for you today is that you turn your eyes and your focus to Jesus.
That you combat anything that the enemy of this world tries to use to distract you. I pray that you can truly remember the Lord’s protection and love for you.
As you finish reading this blog entry, I would ask you to focus on the words in this next passage.
Psalm 121 Easy-to-Read Version
A song for going up to the Temple.
121 I look up to the hills, but where will my help really come from? 2 My help will come from the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth. 3 He will not let you fall. Your Protector will not fall asleep. 4 Israel’s Protector does not get tired. He never sleeps. 5 The Lord is your Protector. The Lord stands by your side, shading and protecting you. 6 The sun cannot harm you during the day, and the moon cannot harm you at night. 7 The Lord will protect you from every danger. He will protect your soul. 8 The Lord will protect you as you come and go,[a] both now and forever!
This is His promise to you today.
He will absolutely see you 100% of the time!
He will absolutely give you 100% of His attention.
This is what He will give you when your eyes are on Him.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 27 Easy-to-Read Version
A song of David.
27 Lord, you are my Light and my Savior, so why should I be afraid of anyone? The Lord is where my life is safe, so I will be afraid of no one! 2 Evil people might attack me. They might try to destroy my body. Yes, my enemies might attack me and try to destroy me, but they will stumble and fall. 3 Even if an army surrounds me, I will not be afraid. Even if people attack me in war, I will trust in the Lord.
4 I ask only one thing from the Lord. This is what I want most: Let me live in the Lord’s house all my life, enjoying the Lord’s beauty and spending time in his palace.[a]
5 He will protect me when I am in danger. He will hide me in his tent.[b] He will take me up to his place of safety. 6 If he will help me defeat the enemies around me, I will offer sacrifices in his tent with shouts of joy. I will sing and play songs to honor the Lord.
7 Lord, hear my voice. Be kind and answer me. 8 My heart told me to come to you, Lord, so I am coming to ask for your help. 9 Don’t turn away from me. Don’t be angry with your servant. You are the only one who can help me. My God, don’t leave me all alone. You are my Savior. 10 Even if my mother and father leave me, the Lord will take me in. 11 I have enemies, Lord, so teach me your ways. Show me the right way to live. 12 My enemies have attacked me. They have told lies about me and have tried to hurt me. 13 But I really believe that I will see the Lord’s goodness before I die.[c] 14 Wait for the Lord’s help. Be strong and brave, and wait for the Lord’s help.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
19 Remember my affliction and my wanderings, the wormwood and the gall! 20 My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me. 21 But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:
22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;[b] his mercies never come to an end; 23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”
25 The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. 26 It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. 27 It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.
28 Let him sit alone in silence when it is laid on him; 29 let him put his mouth in the dust— there may yet be hope; 30 let him give his cheek to the one who strikes, and let him be filled with insults.
31 For the Lord will not cast off forever, 32 but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; 33 for he does not afflict from his heart or grieve the children of men.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
A Prayer for Steadfast Patience for the Good God Promises
Lamentations 3:22-27 Easy-to-Read Version
22 We are still alive because the Lord’s faithful love never ends. 23 Every morning he shows it in new ways! You are so very true and loyal! 24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my God, and I trust him.”[a]
25 The Lord is good to those who wait for him. He is good to those who look for him. 26 It is good to wait quietly for the Lord to save them. 27 It is good for a man to wear his yoke from the time he is young.
How is it with your soul, today?
I have to confess that it’s been a really hard year for me and my wife.
One of the hardest we can remember actually.
And right now, our inner sense is that the hope-light within us seems to be dimming a little more each day.
We know God is good.
We know He has us both etched in the palm of his righteous hands. But, as the disappointment and difficulties linger longer and longer, our patience thins.
How do we hold on?
How do we swell with hope and joy, peace and love when our shared hurts seems to overpower all the encouragement we desperately try to cling to?
I don’t know about you, but as a whole, humanity is really good at wearing an “all is well” smile.”
I mean, who wants to be hanging around with a perpetual frowner anyway? But on the inside, regardless of how justified we seem to feel defeated and deflated, the long depressing struggles of life over these last 18 months can eat us alive.
Do any of you readers feel any of this as we enter both Advent and Christmas?
Getting through Thanksgiving was a tough ride. Do you know God is good and still trust he has good in store for you, but right now, through a tough season or situation, you’re really struggling to rest in patience for his promises to prevail?
For specks of the promised goodness and peace you long for.
For relief from the struggle and deep breaths of refreshment to renew your sorrowful soul?
I know.
My Wife knows.
My Wife and Me echo this longing too. We all want the good God has promised.
And we all wish we could be more patient.
So what do we do? I believe we need to keep clinging… to God.
Patience is extremely difficult for us too, but we must keep clinging.
I recently placed a bookmark in my Bible, in Lamentations 3, highlighting verses 24 and 25 to remind us both that the Lord is our portion.
We all need to remember this.
Holding on to reassurance that he is and will provide our exact needs each day.
True, maybe not all of our wants—though some may come our way—but God provides the perfect portions of “perfect peace” we all need now, and he will assuredly provide every necessary portion for all our tomorrows. Those days and places ahead that deep down we question will hold any speck of light at all.
Therefore, we are to wait for him. Because we know—and his trustworthy word says so— that God’s portion is now and then.
This is the surest hope we can cling to. He is the surest hope we can cling to.
A sure and certain hope that will fortify our patience as we hold tight to it.
Proverbs 27:17 Complete Jewish Bible
17 Just as iron sharpens iron, a person sharpens the character of his friend.
And we keep seeking him.
Because these words of truth also remind us the Lord is good to those who do.
And yes, we will find goodness even today as we seek him, day to day cling to him, and moment by precious moment we still keep placing our hope in him.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
16 Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. 2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.”
3 As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.[b]
4 The sorrows of those who run after[c] another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips.
5 The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. 6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
7 I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.[d] 8 I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being[e] rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure. 10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.[f]
11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
1 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. 2 Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. 3 Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. 5 For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Just a few small, exceedingly simple, uncomplicated commands …
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord.
Serve the Lord with Gladness.
Come before His Presence with singing.
Know ye that the Lord He is God.
Enter into His gates with Thanksgiving.
Enter into His Courts with Praise.
Be thankful unto Him.
Bless His Name.
WHY?
it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
Do we need anymore a better reason to ….
Not just today because it is Thanksgiving and we get to get together with our families and friends, with our church communities; go into the streets, into the homeless shelters serve those who have little to nothing in God’s Kingdom with an abundance of food, clothing, shelter, donated from our own abundance, to sit with them, eat with them, drink with them, talk with them, share a feast of plenty GOD fit for egregious sinners like us, perhaps even watch some football or some other favorite sport, or plan for a calm wild black Friday shopping blitz.
To just read and share the Word of God …
To have some time of personal and group reflection … why do I say “Thanks be to God” anyway? followed by a blessed opportunity to pray with high gratitude!
To sing with whatever great cacophony of noise our thankful hearts can muster;
Give thanks with a grateful heart, give thanks to the Holy One; give thanks, because he’s given Jesus Christ, his Son. Give thanks with a grateful heart, give thanks to the Holy One; give thanks, because he’s given Jesus Christ, his Son.
And now let the weak say ‘I am strong’, let the poor say ‘I am rich’, because of what the Lord has done for us; and now let the weak say ‘I am strong’, let the poor say ‘I am rich’, because of what the Lord has done for us. Give thanks…
100 Earth, sing to the Lord! 2 Be happy as you serve the Lord! Come before him with happy songs! 3 Know that the Lord is God. He made us, and we belong to him. We are his people, the sheep he takes care of. 4 Come through the gates to his Temple giving thanks to him. Enter his courtyards with songs of praise. Honor him and bless his name. 5 The Lord is good! There is no end to his faithful love. We can trust him forever and ever!
Find it from some place deep in your soul to Sing … Thanks Be to God …
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! … Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise!
Leave ‘somber’ behind…place God at the center, the forefront of your thoughts.
What do we have to lose but … sadness, tears, grief, anger, misery, loneliness?
What do we have to gain?
1 Corinthians 13 Easy-to-Read Version
Let Love Be Your Guide
13 I may speak in different languages, whether human or even of angels. But if I don’t have love, I am only a noisy bell or a ringing cymbal. 2 I may have the gift of prophecy, I may understand all secrets and know everything there is to know, and I may have faith so great that I can move mountains. But even with all this, if I don’t have love, I am nothing. 3 I may give away everything I have to help others, and I may even give my body as an offering to be burned. But I gain nothing by doing all this if I don’t have love.
4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, and it is not proud. 5 Love is not rude, it is not selfish, and it cannot be made angry easily. Love does not remember wrongs done against it. 6 Love is never happy when others do wrong, but it is always happy with the truth. 7 Love never gives up on people. It never stops trusting, never loses hope, and never quits.
8 Love will never end. But all those gifts will come to an end—even the gift of prophecy, the gift of speaking in different kinds of languages, and the gift of knowledge. 9 These will all end because this knowledge and these prophecies we have are not complete. 10 But when perfection comes, the things that are not complete will end.
11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, and I made plans like a child. When I became a man, I stopped those childish ways. 12 It is the same with us. Now we see God as if we are looking at a reflection in a mirror. But then, in the future, we will see him right before our eyes. Now I know only a part, but at that time I will know fully, as God has known me. 13 So these three things continue: faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love.
Loving one another isn’t a simple one to five minute matter of warm, fuzzy feelings and weak knees and pounding hearts. It’s a matter of doing the right thing because that’s what Jesus would do and did. Sometimes it can even bring unpleasant results for us. Hardcore loving often calls for doing the unexpected.
As followers of Jesus, we know that love is not something we can just opt to do or not do. It’s a command from our Master, whose life showed us how to love.
If we’re ever asked why we are showing love, we can answer, “Because we’re disciples of someone who loves us. We do it for Jesus’ sake.”
What’s more, we can show love only by the power of Holy Spirit working in us.
Then we’re able, like the twelve apostles, to witness, testify to, we’re serving Christ by loving the people we interact with and serve (Matthew 14:13-21).
Loving “one another” is often challenging.
It may call us to love the strong-willed child or an aging parent or spouse angry with dementia.
At home or church it may involve loving someone who is always negative and critical.
At work it may be the coworker claiming to be indispensable while barely doing their job.
It may mean foregoing a new coat so that someone else can have one.
The “other” in our lives could be someone we don’t even know but who comes to love Jesus because of something we did.
To whom will you show gratitude and thankfulness of Jesus’ love today?
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 16 Authorized (King James) Version
Psalm 16
Michtam of David.
1 Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust. 2 O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee; 3 but to the saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight. 4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips. 5 The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. 6 The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.
7 I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons. 8 I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. 10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
16 Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. 2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.”
3 As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.[b]
4 The sorrows of those who run after[c] another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips.
5 The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
People make all kinds of choices – great, neutral, simple, easy, safe, complex, life and death, tasty (Psalm 34:8) distasteful but necessary, 100% catastrophic.
David says, in the midst of his words about choosing to follow and come under the protection, care, benevolence of God, that many people will inexplicably choose otherwise. They worship, take another god or gods: little gods, or idols.
David observes how they singe mindedly pursue idolatry and how that lifestyle never seems to take long before it reaps a multiplication of big sorrows in lives.
Sorrow is defined as:
A feeling of deep distress caused by loss, disappointment, or other misfortune suffered by oneself or others.
In the midst of ten other uplifting verses, verse 4 of Psalm 16 is the one sad one.
It does not seem to be a specific rebuke or a call to repentance for the people of God who’ll one day go or they have already gone wayward and become spiritual adulteresses, but a “just saying”, matter-of-fact, or it-is-what-it-is, truthful assessment of the sinful human race that the people of God are surrounded by.
I have not wanted to write on this verse, because it is ugly. It is not good news.
The fact that people “choose otherwise” and “wed themselves” to another god, is greatly distasteful and repulsive to me. It is discouraging and mind-blowing.
But, I get it, that we all need salvation and deliverance. I was not born saved. I was 41 years old and had to be broken (left hip) down and saved and so set free.
I was deceived by my own thoughts and beliefs and my own hatred of God and in bondage to all those lustful things which draw a young man into true misery.
Jesus saved and delivered me. The thought of not serving him is distasteful, but I understand and have compassion for those who are deceived and in bondage.
Humans were designed for relationship with God, the one and only true God.
That relationship involves bowing and kneeling down to and coming under the reign and sovereignty of God, and receiving 24 hours a day 7 day care from God.
From the beginning, we were created in the Image of God to worship, serve God.
We obey God and live our lives before God with one another.
God is good and God is love, by the way.
God does not force people to come into relationship with him.
He relentlessly loves people who have not chosen him and is kind to them.
Yet, many people will still choose to wed themselves otherwise. We are designed to be worshipers and serve God and to be 100% cared for by God.
The idea is we have, of our own free will chosen to be in a covenant relationship with God where we are giving fidelity to God, and we are taken care of by God.
Folks who say, “thanks but no thanks”, to God, then and now, are choosing to make themselves vulnerable to idolatry. By choosing not to follow God, they are open to following someone else. And who, whom you follow is your “god”.
David had to have observed the pagan religions of his geographic area, who did “drink offerings of blood”, and “spoke the names”.
This was the popular pagan idolatry that surrounded Israel.
David, in line with the OT commands, says, “I will not do that”.
Remember the first of the 10 commandments is, “No other gods”, and the second is, “No graven images (carved idol or representation of a god used in worship)”.
Something we observe, is that if a person does not choose God, that they often choose “gods”.
It is easy to see this with people in other religions, especially ones that involve prayer and/or have statues (idols).
Sometimes, people who say they have ‘no religion’ are also choosing another god or gods.
That god or those gods are things like their self, humanism, or libertine-ism, for example. Narcissism is a very popular religion today. Money also gets a lot of worship time. And money is not the root of all evil, but the love of money is.
What David is saying in this side-note in Psalm 16, verse 4; is that these other paths that people choose, are paths of deep sorrow, sadness, and grief.
There is no happiness outside of the God of the Bible, the One God, The Creator, and His Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.
Those outside, who have chosen others, can really only distract themselves, get “mood altered”, be in more of a distracted state of mind, and be more and more deceived, then living and becoming deceivers to others who have yet to choose.
Death, destruction, and massive heartache seems to be their only assured and chosen inheritance.
Challenging Situations Where Christians Must Run to God.
Psalm 16:4-6 The Message
4 Don’t just go shopping for a god. Gods are not for sale. I swear I’ll never treat god-names like brand-names.
5-6 My 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!
In our greatest needs and facing our most difficult obstacles, we desperately need God. It’s urgent we run to Him and not the failing philosophies of man.
Every need we have is answered in who God is.
Here are some (far from all) of the times we need to run to our Father God.
1. Run to God When You Need Wisdom
We aren’t God, and His thoughts and ways are way beyond us (Isaiah 55:8-9).
But that does not mean we shouldn’t run to Him when we get confused, or when we desperately need His perspective for decisions or to deal with tough circumstances.
The writer of Proverbs(3:5-8) we should not lean on our own understanding — our own wisdom — but rather we submit to God and allow Him to direct us.
The wisest place to begin that submission is in the living Scriptures, which offer every manner of guidance for many areas of Christian living (2 Timothy 3:16).
God spoke through the prophet Jeremiah, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3 ).
Paul said we should come to God with all our requests (Philippians 4:6).
That certainly would include a plea for wisdom. James specifically encouraged believers to pray for wisdom or discernment concerning their trials (James 1:5).
James 1:5-8 The Message
5-8 If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves. Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open.
When nothing makes sense, or when you struggle to understand, turn to the matchless wisdom of God.
2. Run to God When Fears Assault You
Rather than run in fear or pull inward, Christians are encouraged to press forward with God who reaches out His hand and says, “Do not fear; I will help you” (Isaiah 41:13).
When fears assault, we need courage that comes from His presence.
When afraid, we can run to and trust in Him (Psalm 56:3-4).
God is our refuge, our strength, and our hiding place until the storms of life pass by(Psalm 27:1; 46:1-3; 57:1).
The Son of God advised His disciples concerning fear.
He told them He would supply His own supernatural peace, and then He urged, “do not be afraid” (John 14:27, 16:33).
Even when we must face horrendous circumstances, threaten to swamp us or drown, it is God’s presence and peace that carries us through. (Mark 4:35-41)
When fears mount up and threaten to overcome you, remember the Overcomer, Jesus, who came to bring you salvation and peace.
3. Run to God When Life Seems to Fall Apart(Psalm 42)
How truthful or fake do you believe this statement is:
“It’s easier (harder) to accept God’s providence — His caring provision for us based in His sovereign control — when we’re unchallenged by struggles or loss. But when so many things seem to fall apart at the seams and we instantly, innately, fail to see something positive happen, it’s too close to impossible to see any flicker of light.”
Joni Eareckson Tada has suffered greatly as a quadriplegic and with cancer.
In Is God Really in Control?she wrote about the times we wonder what God is up to when life seems to fall apart.
“Real satisfaction comes not in understanding God’s motives,” but in our own efforts at understanding His character, in trusting His promises, and in leaning on Him and resting in Him for everything as the Sovereign who reigns over us, who always knows exactly what He is doing and always does all things well.”
When we experience pain in life that, from a human standpoint, makes us feel everything is falling apart, it’s wise to turn to, lean on, and rest in Father God.
Nothing takes God by surprise, and nothing is outside the span of His control.
All the details of our story — even those things we cannot understand this side of Heaven — are designed with His holy purposes for us and His glory in mind.
He is sovereign, loving, and good. If you are a follower of Christ, one of the Father’s purposes is to make you more like Jesus (Romans 8:28-29), and He can use anything to accomplish that, even things that confuse us or bring us pain.
Keeping always in the forefront of our minds that God alone is in complete control will help us face your greatest troubles.
When life seems to crumble, put on sneakers, run to and take comfort in Him.
God, Our first and best choice for our closest friend
Proverbs 17:17 The Message
One Who Knows Much Says Little
17 Friends love through all kinds of weather, and families stick together in all kinds of trouble.
One of God’s greatest gifts to humanity is relationships. We are created for relationships; we are all designed by God to be in community with others.
We will meet many people over our lifetime.
With some, we will have no more than brief interactions in passing by, and with others we will have friendly acquaintances.
Still others will become friends, even close friends, and others will become best friends forever companions for life.
With some friends our relationships can feel as close as family, like a brother or sister, and we may love them just like family members.
These are friends who will be there in both good times and bad, triumphs and tragedies, times of joy and times of sorrow.
Did you know that, in Jesus, God is actually our closest friend?
He isn’t a passerby who merely sizes us up, or an acquaintance who enters our life from time to time. Jesus is our brother, our closest friend, who gave up his own life so that we can become the adopted children of God, members of God’s everlasting family, and coheirs in his eternal inheritance (see Romans 8:14-17).
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 42 The Message
42 1-3 A white-tailed deer drinks from the creek; I want to drink God, deep drafts of God. I’m thirsty for God-alive. I wonder, “Will I ever make it— arrive and drink in God’s presence?” I’m on a diet of tears— tears for breakfast, tears for supper. All day long people knock at my door, Pestering, “Where is this God of yours?”
4 These are the things I go over and over, emptying out the pockets of my life. I was always at the head of the worshiping crowd, right out in front, Leading them all, eager to arrive and worship, Shouting praises, singing thanksgiving— celebrating, all of us, God’s feast!
5 Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues? Fix my eyes on God— soon I’ll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He’s my God.
6-8 When my soul is in the dumps, I rehearse everything I know of you, From Jordan depths to Hermon heights, including Mount Mizar. Chaos calls to chaos, to the tune of whitewater rapids. Your breaking surf, your thundering breakers crash and crush me. Then God promises to love me all day, sing songs all through the night! My life is God’s prayer.
9-10 Sometimes I ask God, my rock-solid God, “Why did you let me down? Why am I walking around in tears, harassed by enemies?” They’re out for the kill, these tormentors with their obscenities, Taunting day after day, “Where is this God of yours?”
11 Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues? Fix my eyes on God— soon I’ll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He’s my God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
(1) Adonai, who can rest in your tent? Who can live on your holy mountain?
2 Those who live a blameless life, who behave uprightly, who speak truth from their hearts 3 and keep their tongues from slander; who never do harm to others or seek to discredit neighbors; 4 who look with scorn on the vile, but honor those who fear Adonai; who hold to an oath, no matter the cost; 5 who refuse usury when they lend money and refuse a bribe to damage the innocent.
Those who do these things never will be moved.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
“Who shall dwell on your holy hill?”
Though these questions were inspired by God, running deep through the very heart and soul of David, asked, spoken and recorded 3000 years ago, were not edited out of the canon centuries later by scholars and scribes, the questions which David poses in the first verse of this psalm are of utmost importance.
They may strike us as questions that are tied only to times of worship in ancient Israel, but as they have survived and inspired for thousands of years, in His own truth they take us to the very doorstep of heaven asking, Who will enter these gates?Who will enter the Tabernacle of the Lord, Who will rest upon His mountain?
While the answer is explained in the rest of Psalm 15, the general point is one we find throughout New Testament Scripture.
Matthew 5:1-12 Complete Jewish Bible
5 Seeing the crowds, Yeshua walked up the hill. After he sat down, his talmidim came to him, 2 and he began to speak. This is what he taught them:
3 “How blessed are the poor in spirit! for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
4 “How blessed are those who mourn! for they will be comforted.
5 “How blessed are the meek! for they will inherit the Land![a]
6 “How blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness! for they will be filled. 7 “How blessed are those who show mercy! for they will be shown mercy.
8 “How blessed are the pure in heart! for they will see God.
9 “How blessed are those who make peace! for they will be called sons of God.
10 “How blessed are those who are persecuted because they pursue righteousness! for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
11 “How blessed you are when people insult you and persecute you and tell all kinds of vicious lies about you because you follow me! 12 Rejoice, be glad, because your reward in heaven is great — they persecuted the prophets before you in the same way.
Matthew 11:27-30 Complete Jewish Bible
27 “My Father has handed over everything to me. Indeed, no one fully knows the Son except the Father, and no one fully knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.
28 “Come to me, all of you who are struggling and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.[a]30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
Mark 2:13-17 English Standard Version
Jesus Calls Levi
13 He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. 14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.
15 And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 And the scribes of[a] the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat[b] with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
John 17:22-26 Complete Jewish Bible
22 The glory which you have given to me, I have given to them; so that they may be one, just as we are one — 23 I united with them and you with me, so that they may be completely one, and the world thus realize that you sent me, and that you have loved them just as you have loved me.
24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am; so that they may see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. 25 Righteous Father, the world has not known you, but I have known you, and these people have known that you sent me. 26 I made your name known to them, and I will continue to make it known; so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I myself may be united with them.”
In addition, The anonymous writer of Hebrews advised his readers to “strive for … the holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14).
The Lord Jesus similarly instructed that “the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Matthew 7:14).
Those who stand on the holy hill of the Lord, enjoy His presence for eternity, then, are those who arrive there by the narrow way, striving after holiness.
Philippians 3:12-21 New American Standard Bible
12 Not that I have already [a]grasped it all or have already become perfect, but I press on if I may also take hold of that [b]for which I was even taken hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not regard myself as having taken hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Therefore, all who are [c]mature, let’s have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that to you as well; 16 however, let’s keep [d]living by that same standard to which we have attained.
17 Brothers and sisters, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. 18 For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even as I weep, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their [e]appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who have their minds on earthly things. 20 For our [f]citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 21 who will transform the body of our lowly condition into conformity with [g]His glorious body, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.
The sad truth is that too many assume they will dwell on God’s holy hill because they once said a prayer, tithed, walked down an aisle, are a member of a church.
It is a grave mistake to think that those acts on their own will merit eternal life if they are accompanied with living a way of life which gives no evidence of our knowing Christ as Lord.
Matthew 6:1-4 Amplified Bible
Giving to the Poor and Prayer
6 “Be [very] careful not to do your [a]good deeds publicly, to be seen by men; otherwise you will have no reward [prepared and awaiting you] with your Father who is in heaven.
2 “So whenever you give to the poor and do acts of kindness, do not blow a trumpet before you [to advertise it], as the hypocrites do [like actors acting out a role] in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored and recognized and praised by men. I assure you and most solemnly say to you, they [already] have their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the poor and do acts of kindness, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing [give in complete secrecy], 4 so that your charitable acts will be done in secret; and your Father who sees [what is done] in secret will reward you.
Reverend Charles Haddon Spurgeon once preached,
“If the man does not live differently from what he did before … his repentance needs to be repented of, and his conversion is a fiction.”[1]
1“What Is It to Win a Soul?,” The Sword and the Trowel (December 1879), p 561.
So, who will ascend the hill of the Lord?
It is the one who “walks blamelessly,” in a way which cannot be confused with that of an unbeliever, whose life manifests the reality God has saved him or her.
It is the one whose talk is not marked by slander but who “speaks truth in his heart.”
This is someone who doesn’t merely say what is correct but says what is true, with no gap between what is said and what is lived.
The combination of reading Psalm 15 and looking honestly at ourselves will very likely be discouraging.
Only the Lord Jesus embodies the psalm’s portrayal of holiness to perfection; only He deserves to dwell on His Father’s holy hill, and only because He chose to die for His people’s sins and clothe them with His perfection are we invited, here and now, in this precise moment, in these seasons to live with Him there.
But it is good and right to let the light of God’s Word shine on our hearts and expose what is there, for it’ll move us to repentance, to gratitude to our Savior.
And those who know they will stand there because of Him will seek to be like Him. Consider your walk and your words, and pray that you would be ever more conformed to the image of Christ until you dwell with Him on God’s Holy Hill.
Dwelling in God’s Sanctuary
What is God’s sanctuary?
Probably too many of us think of it only as a church building.
In its widest, richest sense, God’s sanctuary is wherever we experience God.
It is the place where our heart is.
On Sunday, on whatever day meets to read, study, pray over God’s Word, a church building becomes a sanctuary as God’s people gather and make up the building blocks of God’s spiritual temple (2 Corinthians 6:16; 1 Peter 2:5).
There we are inspired, empowered, refreshed, strengthened for another week of work, another week of serving God—out in the sanctuary of God’s vast world.
Psalm 15 reminds us that what pleases God is not rituals but a life that seeks to live God’s way.
When we walk with God on a daily basis, we will do what is right, speak the truth, refuse to slander others, and not harm our neighbors in any way.
What’s more, we won’t be impressed by people who delight in doing wrong or act immorally, mocking God, and we will honor those who faithfully serve God.
We will keep our promises, even when it hurts. And we will help the poor and protect the innocent, taking no part in bribery, fraud, or other corruption.
When we live as the psalmist describes, we experience God’s presence.
This happens not only in church gatherings but also in our everyday activities.
Those who live God’s way are building a life that cannot be shaken—regardless of the way uninvited trials can try to shake up, shift the ground under our feet!
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 16 Complete Jewish Bible
16 (0) Mikhtam. By David:
(1) Protect me, God, for you are my refuge. 2 I said to Adonai, “You are my Lord; I have nothing good outside of you.” 3 The holy people in the land are the ones who are worthy of honor; all my pleasure is in them.
4 Those who run after another god multiply their sorrows; To such gods I will not offer drink offerings of blood or take their names on my lips.
5 Adonai, my assigned portion, my cup: you safeguard my share. 6 Pleasant places were measured out for me; I am content with my heritage.
7 I bless Adonai, my counselor; at night my inmost being instructs me. 8 I always set Adonai before me; with him at my right hand, I can never be moved; 9 so my heart is glad, my glory rejoices, and my body too rests in safety; 10 for you will not abandon me to Sh’ol, you will not let your faithful one see the Abyss. 11 You make me know the path of life; in your presence is unbounded joy, in your right hand eternal delight.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
(1) Protect me, God, for you are my refuge. 2 I said to Adonai, “You are my Lord; I have nothing good outside of you.” 3 The holy people in the land are the ones who are worthy of honor; all my pleasure is in them.
4 Those who run after another god multiply their sorrows; To such gods I will not offer drink offerings of blood or take their names on my lips.
5 Adonai, my assigned portion, my cup: you safeguard my share. 6 Pleasant places were measured out for me; I am content with my heritage.
7 I bless Adonai, my counselor; at night my inmost being instructs me. 8 I always set Adonai before me; with him at my right hand, I can never be moved; 9 so my heart is glad, my glory rejoices, and my body too rests in safety; 10 for you will not abandon me to Sh’ol, you will not let your faithful one see the Abyss. 11 You make me know the path of life; in your presence is unbounded joy, in your right hand eternal delight.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
I Will Have No Good Apart From God …
Psalm 16:1-3 New American Standard Bible 1995
The Lord the Psalmist’s Portion in Life and Deliverer in Death.
16 Preserve me, O God, for I take refuge in You. 2 [b]I said to the Lord, “You are [c]my Lord; I have no good besides You.” 3 As for the [d]saints who are in the earth, [e]They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight.
What do you treasure in this life?
We all have something that brings us great delight or somewhere that just seems restful and right.
Sometimes, though, we catch a glimpse of life without those earthly pleasures.
Maybe it’s illness or even bereavement that clarifies things for us.
What kind of car you drive away from the hospital when you find out that your loved one has been diagnosed with malignant cancer doesn’t matter, does it?
The same goes for your clothes, your jewelry, your gadgets, your house—all of a sudden, they’re not nearly as important as they once seemed.
We can and should enjoy what God has graciously given us.
He “richly provides us with everything to enjoy” (1 Timothy 6:17). It’s not that the good things of the earth are bad. But what we have in God is so delightful, so rich, that coming to know Him is like discovering a treasure hidden in a field.
That treasure so enraptures us that in our fullness of joy, we will do whatever it takes to get that field and the abundant delights it contains (Matthew 13:44).
Matthew 13:44 New American Standard Bible 1995
Hidden Treasure
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Without the treasure we have in God, as Psalm 16 tells us, we ultimately have no other good.
When we sit down to a bowl of toast, cereal or oatmeal or whatever breakfast may be, in our minds we ought to be saying,Apart from You, Lord, I have no good thing. You’re the one that made the grain to grow. You’re the one who provides my food.
When we get up and walk out of the door, and have health and strength to do so, who makes it possible for us to walk? When we lie on our beds at night and we can enter into the rest of the evening, who alone makes it possible?
You have no ability even to see these letters, to hold up this book, or to comprehend what you are reading apart from the enabling grace of God.
Only He can preserve and sustain us. Only God gives to us “life and breath and everything” (Acts 17:25).
In the end, we will have no good apart from Him—but He has way more than enough goodness to go around. He is the source of all our treasures—and He is Himself our greater treasure.
When we see Him as He truly is, our natural response will be to make Him the center of our life, around which revolve thoughts, decisions, feelings, actions.
That is, you will say to Him, “You are my Lord,” for in His presence “there is fullness of joy,” and at His right hand are “pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11).
Where else would you possibly prefer to take refuge, and what else would you treasure more than Him?
The Source of Happiness: our One pathway to God’s life
Psalm 16:7-11 Complete Jewish Bible
7 I bless Adonai, my counselor; at night my inmost being instructs me. 8 I always set Adonai before me; with him at my right hand, I can never be moved; 9 so my heart is glad, my glory rejoices, and my body too rests in safety; 10 for you will not abandon me to Sh’ol, you will not let your faithful one see the Abyss. 11 You make me know the path of life; in your presence is unbounded joy, in your right hand eternal delight.
God created us to enjoy the greatest of happiness: communion with him. We experience true happiness by loving God and enjoying intimacy with him.
In the presence of God there is fullness of joy.
The best gifts in life come from God.
But some people prefer to look elsewhere.
Many seek happiness in money; others, in fame and political power.
People also seek happiness in pleasures, or they follow their dreams of success, hoping to find fulfillment in their lives. But, in the end, they will only discover that those things offer only drugged fleeting. mirage and not true happiness.
Happiness is a legitimate desire.
Many people look for it eagerly every day of their lives, but they end up empty-handed.
The source of happiness is not in things or in our own selfish pursuits, but in God. The best things of this world cannot make us happy, but God can, because he created us, calls us by name, and makes us his own. We become truly happy only when we know God and love him, share Him, with all our heart and soul.
If we do not have a safe guide, it is impossibly easy to take the wrong pathways in life. And whom can we utterly trust but God to faithfully show us the way?
It’s been said that Psalm 16 is a psalm of lament. Yet by the time we finish reading it we can also come to a conclusion that it is a celebratory psalm. Just notice the ending of this psalm, “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”
“The path of life” – everyone’s talking about how to find it.
Books in Walmart are filled with such title.
“Joy in your presence” – in a world so dysfunctional and empty joy is the one missing ingredient. “Eternal pleasures at Your right hand” – while earthly goods only offer temporary pleasure God-derived pleasure offers a better alternative, a more lasting fulfillment in the pursuit of His will.
Who would not want any of these?
Psalm 16 also echoes Psalm 14’s assertion that there is no one who does good.
It states, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.”
This is why we teach that goodness in and of ourselves alone is never enough to earn our ticket to heaven.
We need someone outside of us to redeem us from the sin nature passed down on us.
This is where a Savior needs to come in to save us – a Savior who once proclaimed through unequivocal terms, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no one can come to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).
And this Savior’s name is Jesus.
Psalm 16 also contains an admonition, “Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more.”
King Solomon, touted to be the wisest person who ever lived, knows this principle all too well.
He pursued various gods in his lifetime – wealth, fame, education, sex and pleasure. He held nothing back and got everything he desired. When he assessed all that he had done and achieved in life, he astonishingly concluded that apart from God everything is but an absolute futility, like chasing after the wind.
The things that truly matter most in life are few and far between.
Faith in a a living and sovereign God is foremost of them. As the psalmist David looks up to this God and affirms His mighty presence he begins to worship, “I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.”
While this psalm is considered a Messianic psalm which is ascribed to the suffering Jesus prophetically, we can say with David, “You will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave.”
In God, death loses its sting. Make God your refuge and He will keep you safe and secure – not from trouble but in spite of or in the midst of it all (Psalm 16:1).
In the name of God, the Father, and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Psalm 40 Complete Jewish Bible
40 (0) For the leader. A psalm of David:
2 (1) I waited patiently for Adonai, till he turned toward me and heard my cry. 3 (2) He brought me up from the roaring pit, up from the muddy ooze, and set my feet on a rock, making my footing firm. 4 (3) He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will look on in awe and put their trust in Adonai.
5 (4) How blessed the man who trusts in Adonai and does not look to the arrogant or to those who rely on things that are false.
6 (5) How much you have done, Adonai my God! Your wonders and your thoughts toward us — none can compare with you! I would proclaim them, I would speak about them; but there’s too much to tell!
7 (6) Sacrifices and grain offerings you don’t want; burnt offerings and sin offerings you don’t demand. Instead, you have given me open ears; 8 (7) so then I said, “Here I am! I’m coming! In the scroll of a book it is written about me. 9 (8) Doing your will, my God, is my joy; your Torah is in my inmost being. 10 (9) I have proclaimed what is right in the great assembly; I did not restrain my lips, Adonai, as you know. 11 (10) I did not hide your righteousness in my heart but declared your faithfulness and salvation; I did not conceal your grace and truth from the great assembly.”
12 (11) Adonai, don’t withhold your mercy from me. Let your grace and truth preserve me always. 13 (12) For numberless evils surround me; my iniquities engulf me — I can’t even see; there are more of them than hairs on my head, so that my courage fails me. 14 (13) Be pleased, Adonai, to rescue me! Adonai, hurry and help me! 15 (14) May those who seek to sweep me away be disgraced and humiliated together. May those who take pleasure in doing me harm be turned back and put to confusion. 16 (15) May those who jeer at me, “Aha! Aha!” be aghast because of their shame.
17 (16) But may all those who seek you be glad and take joy in you. May those who love your salvation say always, “Adonai is great and glorious!”
18 (17) But I am poor and needy; may Adonai think of me. You are my helper and rescuer; my God, don’t delay!
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 
