December 29, 2005 – Meanwhile,
Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s
disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters
to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who
belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as
prisoners to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus on his journey,
suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the
ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you
persecute me?” “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus,
whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into
the city, and you will be told what you must do.” The men
traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound
but did not see anyone. Saul got up from the ground, but when he
opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand
into Damascus. For three days he was blind, and did not eat or
drink anything. In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias.
The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” He
answered. The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on
Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he
is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and
place his hands on him to restore his sight.” “Lord,” Ananias
answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the
harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. And he has come
here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call
on your name.” But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my
chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their
kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much
he must suffer for my name.” Then Ananias went to the house and
entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul,
the Lord – Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were
coming here – has sent me to you that you may see again and be
filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately, something like scales
fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was
baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength.
Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. Acts
9: 1 – 19 (NIV)
Saul was a man who was intensely opposed to
Jesus Christ. He hated Jesus and everyone who followed Him. Saul
thought that he was right with God and doing God’s will. But a
person who is opposed to Jesus can not be right with God. Saul
was about to discover this.
Saul knew the writings of Scripture. But he
would have passionately denied that they spoke of Jesus. It would
have been extremely hard for Saul, a deeply religious person, to
admit that he was wrong about Jesus. He would have to actually
admit that he really did not know God. Saul would have to be
humbled by God first.
Who would have thought that a person like
Saul could ever become a follower of Jesus Christ? His hatred of
Jesus was intense. Believers had good reasons to be afraid of him
and avoid him. But God’s divine grace is staggering. Ananias
overcame his fear, went to Saul and spoke to him about Jesus.
There may be people you know who you can see
no hope of them ever becoming a Christian. Be encouraged by this
story of the power of God’s saving grace. Don’t be afraid or
embarrassed to talk to your Saul-like friends (relatives or
acquaintances) about Jesus Christ. God used Ananias in Saul’s
life. Don’t ignore the fact that God may actually be calling you
to be His instrument. Nothing is too difficult for God.
It was no more difficult for God to save Saul than to save anyone
else. The same God who saved Saul is at work in the same way
today.
December
22, 2005 – In those
days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken
of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took
place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went
to his own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town
of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David,
because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there
to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and
was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for
the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, as son.
She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because
there was no room for them in the inn. And there were shepherds
living in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at
night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of
the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the
angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of
great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of
David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This
will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and
lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host
appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in
the highest, and an earth peace to me on whom His favor rests.”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds
said to one another, “Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing
that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they
hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying
in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word
concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who
heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary
treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The
shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things
they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
Luke 2: 1 - 20 (NIV)
This
was the most historic birth that has ever taken place. Jesus
Christ, the Lord of Glory veiled His eternal majesty and humbled
Himself by becoming a baby. Jesus was born in a stable, in the
humblest of circumstances. His bed was a feeding trough. Jesus
Christ, the promised Messiah had entered the world! God made His
announcement of this amazing event to a group of shepherds, not
the rich and powerful or religious. Shepherds where not known as
respectable members of the community. They had no fixed residence
and they had a reputation for loose living and dishonesty. They
were considered so untrustworthy that they were actually forbidden
by law to testify in court. Their occupation also kept them from
participation in religious ceremonies. An angel of the Lord
appeared to these lowly shepherds and God's glory shone around
them. They were terrified at this angelic appearance and by the
spectacular display of the glory of God (not the angel's glory).
The angel's message was an amazing and a personal one; "a
Savior is born to you." God loves shepherds! The
Messiah would be their Savior! Then a multitude of the heavenly
host appeared with a glorious chorus of praise. These shepherds
would never be the same. After they saw him, they spread the
good news about this child and returned to the fields glorifying
and praising God.
The shepherds' testimony was
worthless in a court of law, but God valued it. They heard the
good news, came to Christ, believed and then proclaimed with joy
all that they had experienced. Reflect on the fact that God
humbled Himself and took on human flesh so that you could
experience peace with God. Jesus Christ is God’s gift to you!
Praise and thank God for all He has done for you. Then talk about
the great things God has done for you. Proclaim the good news.
God greatly values you and your testimony.
December 15, 2005 – Now an angel
of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road – the desert
road – that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” So he started out,
and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official
in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the
Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and on his
way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the
prophet. The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay
near it.” Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man
reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are
reading?” Philip asked. “How can I,” he said, “unless someone
explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with
him. The eunuch was reading this passage Of Scripture: “He was
led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer
is silent, so he did not open his mouth. In humiliation he was
deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his
life was taken from the earth.” The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell
me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone
else?” Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and
told him the good news about Jesus. As they traveled along the
road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is
water. Why shouldn’t I be baptized?” And he gave orders to stop
the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the
water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the
water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the
eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.
Acts 8: 26 – 39 (NIV)
God’s incredible love for one individual is
seen in this story of the Ethiopian. God was at work. Philip had
been proclaiming the gospel and ministering to crowds of people.
Many believed and were baptized. God took Philip from a place
where crowds were coming to the Lord to a desert to share the
gospel with one man.
God was at work in the heart of the
Ethiopian. He was reading Isaiah 53 and needed to have it
explained to him. The passage is taking about Jesus. God spoke
to this man through the scriptures and through Philip. This man
would not have understood the gospel unless someone clearly
explained it to him. The cross of Jesus Christ was God’s supreme
act of love. Because of Philip, this Ethiopian understood this,
believed and asked to be baptized. He was set free and saved from
the grip of sin. No wonder that when Philip suddenly was no
longer with him he went on his way rejoicing.
God’s love for one individual is
incredible. He took Philip away from a busy and fruitful ministry
to go to one person. He loves us in the same way. Think about
God’s amazing love for you. Who has God used to touch you with
his grace?
Who are the individuals God wants to love
through you? Will you go out your way to focus on one person so
that God’s love can touch and transform them?
December 8, 2005 – Now for some
time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and
amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone
great, and all the people, both high and low, gave him their
attention and exclaimed, “This man is the divine power known as
the Great Power.” They followed him because he had amazed them
for a long time with his magic. But when they believed Philip as
he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of
Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Simon
himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip
everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw.
When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the
word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. When they arrived
they prayed for them that might receive the Holy Spirit. When
Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the
apostles’ hands, he offered them money and said, “Give me also
this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive
the Holy Spirit.” Peter answered, “May your money perish with
you, because you thought you could by the gift of God with money!
You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is
not right before God. Repent of this wickedness and pray to the
Lord. Perhaps he will forgive you for having such a thought in
your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive
to sin.” Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me so that
nothing you have said may happen to me.” When they had testified
and proclaimed the word of the Lord, Peter and John returned to
Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages.
Acts 8: 9 – 25 (NIV)
Simon was a man who had a lot of people
following him because he amazed them with his magic. He loved the
attention and power he had. When Philip came and preached the
gospel people stopped following Simon and followed Jesus instead.
Simon himself believed and was baptized. Simon had fooled
himself, Philip and many other believers. But eventually he was
confronted with reality. What did he really believe? Did he
really understand and receive the grace of God? He had accepted
Philip’s message and was baptized. But it is clear that he did
not understand or appreciate the gospel of grace. He still showed
all the signs of his old nature; he was full of bitterness and
captive to sin. His heart was not right before God.
When Peter and John came ministering to the
new believers Simon became jealous and craved the power they had.
He was attracted to the miracles and impressive signs that were
occurring. If he had same ability as the Apostles he would again
have the authority and prestige he once had. So he offered them
money to get what he most wanted. Simon’s request resulted in a
very strong rebuke from Peter. “May your money perish with
you, because you thought you could by the gift of God with
money!” Simon’s offer of money was offensive to the entire
message of the gospel.
Simon was fascinated with power, fame and
miracles. He wanted to use God for his own purposes, but God will
not be used by men. He thought he could by the gift of God. This
shows he had no appreciation for the true nature of the gospel of
grace. Peter urges Simon to “Repent of this wickedness and
pray to the Lord.” We don’t know if Simon ever did.
Our hope needs to rest on Jesus Christ, and
nothing else. Our fascination needs to be on Jesus Christ and His
redemption.
What is your hope based on? Has
jealously of other believers hindered your faith?
November 24, 2005 – A Thanksgiving
Meditation: Now on His
way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria
and Galilee. As He was going into a village, ten men who had
leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a
loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” When He saw them,
He said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went,
they were cleansed. On of them, when he saw he was healed, come
back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus
feet and thanked Him – and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were
not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found
to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then He
said to him, “Rise and go; your faith as made you well.”
Luke 17: 11 – 19 (NIV)
Lepers were outcasts,
banned from any involvement in society. They were required to
keep their distance from other people. No one wanted to risk
coming in contact with this terrible disease. Jesus’ reputation
of having the power to heal had spread everywhere. So when these
men who had leprosy heard that Jesus was coming, they were there
to meet Him. When they saw Him, they stood at a distance and
called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”
He did. He told them to go and show themselves to the priests.
Only a priest could officially verify their healing and restore
them to community life again. And as they went, they were
cleansed. Their leprosy was gone!
No doubt, every one
of them was overjoyed and thankful. They all must have been very
grateful. They had been miraculously healed! They couldn’t wait
to go home and be reunited with their families! But only one of
them decided to take the time to go back and express his gratitude
to Jesus. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are
the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God
except this foreigner?”
I am very grateful
for all God has blessed me with (my wife, children, family, home,
health, friends, etc...); but I do not take time to stop and
express thanks to God as often as I should. It isn’t enough just
to be grateful; we are expected to actually express our
thankfulness and praise to God. We are to personally express our
thanks to God for what He has done for us.
Has Jesus Christ healed you spiritually,
emotionally or physically? Have you been blessed by God in any
way? Spend time today personally and specifically thanking God
for all He has done for you. It is not enough to be grateful. We
need to take the time to actually express our gratefulness and
praise.
Give thanks!
November 18, 2005 – When they
heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. But
Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the
glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
“Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at
the right hand of God.” At this they covered their ears and,
yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him,
dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile,
the witnesses laid their clothes at the feet of a young man named
Saul. While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus,
receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out,
“Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this,
he fell asleep. Acts 7: 54 – 60 (NIV)
Stephen was full of God’s grace and power
(Acts 7: 8); God was greatly using him. When enemies of the
gospel attempted to argue with him no one could stand up
against his wisdom. They had to resort to a different tactic
to stop Stephen – lies and producing false witnesses. Stephen
suddenly found himself falsely accused of blasphemy and other
crimes. He had to defend himself before the religious leaders.
As Stephen’s defense went on, anger against him increased to
intense rage. They were furious. But Stephen remained calm,
controlled by the Spirit of God.
When a person suffers for the sake of Christ
they are never alone. God is present with them in a special way.
God was with Stephen in a powerful way. The presence of Jesus
Christ was more real to Stephen than the angry rage of his
enemies. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Stephen saw the glory of
God and His Lord, Jesus standing at the right hand of God.
This situation reminds me of Jesus. Jesus
is asked at His trial, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the
Blessed One?” “I am,” said Jesus. “And you shall see the Son of
Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the
clouds of heaven.” (Mark 14: 61 - 62) Because of this
statement Jesus was condemned as worthy of death. Now Stephen
declares that these words Jesus spoke are true. “Look,” he
said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right
hand of God.” They could not free Stephen unless they
admitted that they had been wrong about Jesus.
It is evident that in his suffering and
death Stephen had the same Spirit as his Lord. On the cross Jesus
prayed “Father forgive them; for they know not what they do.”
As he is being brutally murdered Stephen cries out “Lord, do
not hold this sin against them.” God was honored and
glorified by way Stephen suffered. His death became a powerful
witness to the glory of Christ.
Allow this story of Stephen to deeply encourage you. Jesus Christ
promises to be present with us in any and every circumstance we
face. Stephen was never alone and we will never be alone. Jesus
said, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the
age.” For the believer in Christ death is not a terrifying
unknown. We will be with the Lord and we will be like Him.
November 10, 2005 – In those days
when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews
among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their
widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food.
So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It
would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of
God in order to wait on tables. Brothers, choose seven men from
among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We
will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our
attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.” This proposal
pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith
and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon,
Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They
presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their
hands on them. So the word of God spread. The number of
disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of
priests became obedient to the faith. Acts 6: 1 – 7 (NIV)
The community of believers was experiencing
Christ in rich and amazing ways. God was powerfully at work. But
the devil will never let God’s people rest. We are in an intense
spiritual battle. When God is at work and greatly blessing His
people, the more likely it is that Satan will also stir things up.
Tension between ethnic groups that had been
incorporated into the community of believers surfaced. Complaints
began to arise that one group was being overlooked and another
favored. One group’s widows were not getting a fair share of the
daily food distribution. The fact that we are one in Christ
should be much more than words; it needs to be a living reality.
When there is disunity disputes arise.
The strength of this community (the Church)
is revealed in the way this problem was handled. They did not
avoid the issues or run from them. They faced the problem honesty
and came up a practical solution. God was glorified and everyone
involved blessed.
I am very encouraged by Acts 6: 7: So
the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem
increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient
to the faith. God’s blessings often are followed by
problems but great blessing will also follow trouble when
problems are dealt with in a God honoring way. Don’t give up on
the Christian community you are a part of when there are problems.
Special Note:
Power has been out because of hurricane Wilma and has just
returned to our office in Fort Myers today (October 28). Bob
has also been in Kenya at a New Mission Systems International
conference and returned earlier this week. The next
On My Heart
weekly devotional will resume soon.
September 29,
2005 – Then the high priest and all his associates, who
were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with
jealousy. They arrested the apostles and put them in the public
jail. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors
of the jail and brought them out. “Go, stand in the temple
courts,” he said “and tell the people the full message of this new
life.” At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had
been told, and began to teach the people. When the high priest
and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin –
the full assembly of the elders of Israel – and sent to the jail
for the apostles. But on arriving at the jail, the officers did
not find them there. So they went back and reported, “We found
the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors;
but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” On hearing this
report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were
puzzled, wondering what would come of this. Then someone came and
said, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple
courts teaching the people.” At that, the captain went with his
officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force,
because they feared that the people would stone them. Having
brought the apostles, they made them appear before the Sanhedrin
to be questioned by the high priest. “We gave you strict orders
not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled
Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty
of this man’s blood.” Peter and the apostles replied: “We must
obey God rather than men! The God of our fathers raised Jesus
from the dead – whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God
exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he
might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. We are
witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has
given to those who obey him.” When they heard this they were
furious and wanted to put them to death. But a Pharisee named
Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people,
stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside
for a little while. Then he addressed them: “Men of Israel,
consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. Some time
ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four
hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were
dispersed, and it all came to nothing. After him, Judas the
Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of
people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were
scattered. Therefore, in the present case I advise you: leave
these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose is from God,
you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find
yourselves fighting against God.” His speech persuaded them.
They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they
ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
The apostles left the Sanhedrin rejoicing because they had been
counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day,
in the temple courts and from house, they never stopped teaching
and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ. Acts
5: 17 – 42 (NIV)
The evidence that
Jesus Christ is Lord continued to grow. Still, opposition to the
truth grew stronger. The power of God was very evident, yet the
religious leaders would not believe. Even putting the apostles in
jail again clearly showed the power of God. But they still would
not believe. Confronted with Jesus Christ, the world killed
him. They thought that they had seen the last of Jesus. They
attempted to disgrace him by hanging him on a tree. We do not
have a dead martyr. God raised him from the dead and exalted
him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior.
What is important
is how we view Jesus Christ. These believers saw Jesus in a
category all of his own. He was unique. No one could challenge
him. Jesus is glorious risen Lord and Savior. No one had more
authority than the One who had commissioned them to teach and
proclaim the good news that Jesus is the Christ. How they
viewed Jesus Christ gave them a new perspective on everything they
experienced. They were actually rejoicing because they had
been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name of
Jesus Christ. They now considered it a privilege to suffer for
Jesus.
Have you ever
wondered if you would be able to joyfully endure suffering for
Jesus Christ? It is not about strength of character. Mental or
physical toughness is not what will count. It is about the
clarity of our spiritual vision. Everything in the Christian life
depends on how we view Jesus Christ. If our view of Jesus Christ
is high, if we see him as our exalted Prince and Savior, then we
will be given grace to suffer with joy. We will see all of life
from a new perspective.
There is no one
like Jesus. The Son is the radiance
of God's glory and the exact representation of His being,
sustaining all things by His powerful word. And after He made
purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the
Majesty in heaven. (Hebrews
1: 3)
Is Jesus Christ more than just a name
to you? How do you see Him?
September 22, 2005 – Now a man
named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece
of property. With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of
the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the
apostles’ feet. Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan
has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and
have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the
land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it
was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think
of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God.”
When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. A great fear
seized all who heard what had happened. Then the young men came
forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.
About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had
happened. Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and
Ananias got for the land?” “Yes,” she said, “that is the price.”
Peter said to her, “How could you agree to test the Spirit of the
Lord?” Look! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at
the door, and they will carry you out also.” At that moment she
fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and,
finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her
husband. Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard
about these events. The apostles performed many miraculous signs
and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet
together in Solomon’s Colonnade. No one else dared join them,
even though they were highly regarded by the people.
Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and
were added to their number. As a result, people brought the sick
into the street and laid them on beds and mats so that at least
Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. Crowds
gather also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick
and those tormented by evil spirits, and all of them were healed.
Acts 5: 1 – 16 (NIV)
It might be possible to fool other people
but you can never fool God.
Believers in the early church who sold their
possessions and gave their money away to meet the needs of others
were greatly admired. But they were admired because they were
only thinking about meeting the needs of other believers. They
were focused on glorifying God. Everyone could tell God was
at work in an amazing way.
Ananias and Sapphira wanted the praise of
others. They longed for it. Appearances were more important to
them than reality. So they acted as if they had sacrificed
everything. They lied. They presented a false image of
themselves, implying that they were more spiritual and more
generous than they really were. God severely judged Ananias and
Sapphira for attempting to deceive His people. God showed that He
was in control and that He could not be fooled.
Do you present a false image of yourself to
people? Do you let others think that you are more spiritual than
you really are? Have you ever tried to fool God? Jesus is the
lover of our souls. He will not tolerate sin but He is very
patient with us. His capacity for forgiveness is amazing.
This incident was the beginning of a time of
blessing for God’s people. Christians were in awe of the reality
and greatness of God. God did amazing things. More and more
men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number.
We need a greater vision of the greatness
and glory of God. We need a greater awareness of the reality of
God. What God did, He can still do today.
September 15, 2005 – On their
release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported
all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. When they
heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God.
“Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heaven and the earth
and the sea, and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit
through the mouth of your servant, our father David: ‘Why do the
nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth
take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord
and against his Anointed One.’ Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate
met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this
City to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you
anointed. They did what your power and will had decided
beforehand should happen. Now, Lord, consider their threats and
enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.
Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and
wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” After they
prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they
were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God
boldly. Acts 4: 23 – 31 (NIV)
This was a crisis; it could affect the
entire new community of believers. Peter and John had been jailed
and then threatened. These threats did not lead to fear and
silence but to prayer and power. The restrictions that were
placed upon them united these believers in prayer. They focused
on the Lord Jesus; their prayers were full of Christ and praise to
God. Their prayers were full of God’s Word. They knew their
sovereign Lord was in control. Those who opposed and killed Jesus
Christ were simply carrying out God’s plan. They asked that God
would continue to approve of their witness by healing and
performing miraculous signs the name of His Holy
servant Jesus.
There will always be people who will oppose
the gospel and seek to silence those who proclaim it. God is
faithful. When facing opposition God will give grace and power to
His people.
How do you respond to opposition and
threats? Do you pray? Are your prayers like this prayer when
facing a crisis situation?
Let the example of these believers encourage
you. In a difficult situation, in opposition, they were
determined to remain faithful to the Lord. They were brought
closer together in unity and love. God answered their prayer by
strengthening them and giving them confident boldness. God’s
presence and power was strongly manifested (the place was
shaken). God’s Holy Spirit filled them all and their
confidence was renewed. God’s Word was boldly proclaimed. What a
faithful God!
September 9, 2005 – The priests
and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to
Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. They were
greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people
and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. They
seized Peter and John, and because it was evening, they put them
in jail until the next day. But many who heard the message
believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand. The
next day the rulers, elders and teachers of the law met in
Jerusalem. Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas,
John, Alexander and the other men of the high priest’s family.
They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question
them: “By what power or what name do you do this?” Then Peter,
filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of
the people! If we are being called to account today for and act
of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed,
then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name
of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God
raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He
is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the
capstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no
other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they
were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took
note that these men had been with Jesus. But since they could see
the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was
nothing they could say. So they ordered them to withdraw from the
Sanhedrin and then conferred together. “What are we going to do
with these men?” they asked. “Everybody living in Jerusalem knows
they have done an outstanding miracle, and we can not deny it.
But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the
people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to anyone in
this name.” Then they called them in again and commanded them not
to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John
replied, “Judge for yourself whether it is right in God’s sight to
obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what
we have seen and heard.” After further threats they let them go.
They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people
were praising God for what had happened. For the man who was
miraculously healed was over forty years old. Acts 4: 1 – 22
(NIV)
As is often the case, God’s blessing is
closely followed by an attack by enemies of the gospel of Jesus
Christ. Peter and John (and probably the man who was healed) were
seized and put in jail. Jesus’ promise to them was proven to be
true: But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you
will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that
none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.
(Luke 21: 14 – 15) John and Peter are an example to all believers
of how to wisely respond in similar situations. Their Godly
response to this difficult situation brought even more honor to
Jesus Christ.
They knew that God was in control, not their
captors. They allowed God to direct their response. Peter was
filled with the Holy Spirit. And it was very evident to everyone
that they had been with Jesus. Peter clearly presents the
uniqueness of Jesus Christ and declares the truth that
salvation is found in no one else. Because this is true, the
worst thing they (or we) could do would be to stop telling the
world about Jesus Christ. When they were told that not to speak
or teach about Jesus they had to obey God. “For we cannot help
speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
Peter and John were unschooled, ordinary
people but that did not hinder them – it helped. What was
important was that they had been with Jesus. That is
why they were confident and bold witnesses. Their abilities,
giftedness and education were not what mattered most. They were
close to the Lord and allowed God to use them. Their confidence
and trust was in the Lord.
Be encouraged. You may feel very ordinary
but that can be a great help to your witness if you allow God to
use you as you are to glorify Him.
Is
your relationship with Jesus Christ growing deeper? Do you spend
time with Him? How has knowing Jesus Christ shaped your character
so that others notice that you have been with Jesus?
September 1, 2005 – While the
beggar held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished
and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade.
When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Men of Israel, why does
this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power
or godliness we had mad this man walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant
Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him
before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. You disowned
the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released
to you. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from
the dead. We are witnesses of this. By faith in the name of
Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is
Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has given
this complete healing to him, as you can all see. Now, brothers,
I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. But this
is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the
prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer. Repent, then, and
turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of
refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the
Christ, who has been appointed for you – even Jesus. He must
remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore
everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.
For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet
like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything
he tells you. Anyone who does not listen to him will be
completely cut off from among his people. Indeed, all the
prophets from Samuel on, as many as have spoken, have foretold
these days. And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant
God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your
offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’ When God raised
up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning
each of you from your wicked ways.” Acts 3: 11 – 26 (NIV)
A crowd of people quickly surrounded Peter,
John and the man who had been healed. A very large audience was
ready to listen to anything they had to say. They did not
understand the spiritual significance of this miracle. Now Peter,
sensitive to what God was doing, had an opportunity to speak to
the crowd. He made it very clear: God did this miracle through
Jesus.
Peter could have talked about miracles or
offered to heal others. Instead, Peter fearlessly confronted the
crowd with their rejection of Jesus. Their sin was enormous.
Jesus, who they had so viciously rejected and murdered, was
responsible for this amazing miracle. You killed the author of
life, but God raised him from the dead. The people listening
to Peter had treated Jesus a lot differently than God treated
him. He confronted them with their guilt before God and urged
them to repent and turn to God. They may have committed their sin
in ignorance, but they were still guilty and Peter demanded that
they repent.
Preaching like this is not popular today.
It does not entertain. It brings a deep conviction of sin and
repentance to those who believe. When our attitude toward Jesus
Christ is changed and brought into line with God’s attitude our
sins are wiped out and times of refreshing may come from
the Lord. Even the sin of killing the author of life is
forgiven. That is the amazing grace of God.
How has repentance from sin and turning to
God brought times of refreshing to you?
Peter was sensitive to the spiritual
significance of what had happened. He followed the leading
of God's Spirit. When God gave him an
opportunity to proclaim Jesus and bring glory to Jesus name he did
not hesitate to respond. He knew that this would be very hard for
the crowd to listen to. He did not know what their reaction would
be to his message. Peter’s example encourages me to be faithful
to God even when it is not easy or popular. Thankfully, many who
heard did believe, repent and experience the grace of God.
August 25, 2005 – One day Peter
and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer – at
three in the afternoon. Now a man crippled from birth was being
carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put
every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. When he
saw Peter and John about to enter he asked them for money. Peter
looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at
us!” So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get
something from them. Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not
have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of
Nazareth, walk.” Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up,
and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped
to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the
temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. When all
the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him
as the one who used to sit begging at the temple gate called
Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what
had happened to him. Acts 3: 1 – 10 (NIV)
God used Peter and John in an amazing way to
bring glory to Jesus Christ. A man who was crippled from birth
and who never could stand or walk was miraculously healed. He was
now walking! He was leaping in the air, discovering all his legs
were now capable of doing. He now accompanied Peter and John,
rejoicing in God’s goodness as he went along.
God was pleased to bless and use Peter and
John. The sovereign power of God’s Holy Spirit was at work in and
through them. Peter and John had also been cultivating qualities
in their lives that God greatly blessed and used. They had
oneness of spirit; they were worshiping and ministering together.
Their lives were focused on God, they delighted in Him. They had
a deep spiritual thirst. They were going to pray at three in the
afternoon; not out of duty, but out of a love for Jesus Christ.
They were also sensitive and alert to the needs of people they met
along the way. They took time to stop for a person in need. They
actually stopped for a beggar; an outcast that most people tied to
avoid. Peter and John also completely relied on Jesus Christ for
everything. They knew they had something far better than silver
and gold to give to a world in need. Do you believe this?
By God’s grace we need to cultivate the same
qualities in our lives that God greatly blessed in Peter and
John’s lives – Unity of spirit with our brothers and sisters in
Christ; a hunger and thirst for the living God; being alert to
people in need and taking the time to stop and care for them; and
completely relying on God and His resources.
August 19, 2005 – And everyone who
calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Acts 2: 21 (NIV)
Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three
thousand were added to their number that day. They devoted
themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the
breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe,
and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.
All the believers were together and had everything in common.
Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had
need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple
courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with
glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying favor of all
the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who
were being saved. Acts 2: 41 – 47 (NIV)
Peter’s message to the crowd that gathered
on the day of Pentecost is centered on Jesus Christ. He
immediately starts talking about the death and resurrection of
Jesus. Salvation is completely dependent on God. It is in Jesus
that God deals with our sin and provides forgiveness. About three
thousand people repent and are baptized. More people are added to
the community of believers in one day than had aligned themselves
with Jesus in three years of His ministry. The Holy Spirit’s most
amazing work is God’s work of salvation. Without the Holy Spirit
we would never see our need of salvation and turn to Christ.
The lives of these believers were marked by
a sense of awe and wonder at all God was doing. They had a new
passion about their lives. They had been transformed by God’s
grace. A new priority was learning and growing in grace. They
devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the
fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. As a
result, a deep and loving community developed that was based on a
common experience of the saving grace of God. They genuinely
praised God and God’s Spirit continued His work. And the Lord
added to their number daily those who were being saved.
God has not changed. The Holy Spirit is
powerfully at work, bringing about salvation and transforming
lives. People desperately need the Christ-centered message of
Jesus’ death and resurrection. The death and resurrection of
Christ are central to the gospel. Don’t be reluctant to talk
about Jesus and His death and resurrection. (...it is the
power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes –
Romans 1:16)
Make learning and growing in God’s grace a
priority. Deep and lasting fellowship with Christ and with one
another will be the result. They devoted themselves to
the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of
bread and to prayer.
August 11, 2005 – When the day of
Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a
sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and
filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what
seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on
each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and
began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Now
there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation
under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together
in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own
language. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Are not all these me who
are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them
in his own native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites;
residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,
Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene;
visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans
and Arabs – we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own
tongues!” Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What
does this mean?” Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They
have had too much wine.” Acts 2: 1 – 13 (NIV)
When I read this Bible passage it is very
hard to understand exactly what these believers heard and what
they actually saw. What is very clear is that God showed up in an
amazing way. God’s presence was revealed to Moses in the fire of
the burning bush – here God comes in what seemed to be tongues
of fire. In John 3: 8 Jesus tells Nicodemus, “The wind
blows wherever it pleases. You can hear its sound, but you can not
tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with
everyone born of the Spirit.” On this day they hear a
sound like the blowing of a violent wind. John the Baptist
foretold of one who “will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and
with fire.” Jesus promised, “You shall receive power when
the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be my witnesses in
Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the
earth.” (Acts 1: 8) One thing is certain; God’s Spirit came
upon His people with power.
Here was the power needed to evangelize the
world and change lives; fulfilling the promise of Jesus. Power
came upon all God’s people, not just the apostles. All
of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. With the power of
God’s Holy Spirit working through all God’s people, the world
would be changed. People saw something in the first Christians
that made them take notice. It was the power of God. They would
be misunderstood and made fun of, but they could not be ignored.
We
desperately need to know the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives
today. When Jesus Christ is honored and glorified, the Holy
Spirit comes with power. Are you experiencing His power? Are you
experiencing and empowering from Christ to be His witness?
August 4, 2005 – In those days
Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a
hundred and twenty) and said, “Brothers, the Scripture had to be
fulfilled which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through the mouth
of David concerning Judas, who served as a guide for those who
arrested Jesus – he was one of our number and shared in this
ministry.” (With the reward he got for his wickedness, Judas
bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and
all his intestines spilled out. Everyone in Jerusalem heard about
this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that
is, Field of Blood.) “For,” said Peter, “it is written in the
book of Psalms, ‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to
dwell in it,’ and ‘May another take his place of leadership.’
Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been
with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
beginning with John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up
from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his
resurrection.” So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas
(also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they prayed, “Lord, you
know everyone’s heart. Show us which one of these two you have
chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to
go where he belongs.” Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to
Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles. Acts 1: 15
- 26 (NIV)
This is a community living out the grace of
God. Peter had failed; he had denied Christ. He had also
experienced God’s grace and Christ’s restoration. This was one of
the first tests for Peter and for this new community of
believers. Would Peter hesitate in taking the leadership role
Christ entrusted to Him? Would he live in God’s grace? How would
others feel about his leadership? Would they follow him? Would
this community of believers extend grace to people who had failed?
Are you resting in God’s grace? Are you
living a life of grace?
This is also a good example of good God
honoring decision making. When an important decision needed to be
made about who would replace Judas the disciples of Jesus were
careful. They searched the scriptures for wisdom. They prayed
and asked for God to guide and direct them. Two well qualified
godly men were proposed as possible choices to replace Judas. The
final choice was left to God by casting lots; a Biblical method of
final decision making (not commonly used today). The lot is
cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.
(Proverbs 16: 33)
Matthias
was chosen as the one to fill the vacant place. The number of
Apostles was finally restored to twelve. There are some who
suggest that the decision to include Matthias as one of the Twelve
Apostles was premature. Some suggest that Paul was actually God’s
choice and that the disciples should have waited until he was ready to
fill the vacancy. However, Paul testifies that his apostleship
was unique – one of a kind. Paul did not meet the qualifications
of being a companion of the Lord from the time He was baptized by John
until His resurrection. This choice was not a mistake.
Matthias proclaimed the gospel and faithfully fulfilled his ministry
until he was martyred over thirty years later. Unlike Judas,
Matthias was faithful to the Lord until death. This was a wise,
God-directed
decision.
When you (or a group you are a part of) have
an important decision to make, what do you do? Do you pray and
trust God to guide you? Do you seek wisdom from God’s Word?
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and
lean not on your own understanding; in all your way acknowledge
Him and He will make you paths straight. Proverbs 3: 5 - 6
July 21, 2005 – After his
suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing
proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of
forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. On one occasion,
while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not
leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which
you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but
in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” So when
they met together, they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time
going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is
not for you to know the times or date the Father has set by his
own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit
comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in
all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” After he
said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid
him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky
as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood
beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here
looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from
you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him
go into heaven.” Acts 1: 3 – 11 (NIV)
When He had led them out to the vicinity
of Bethany, He lifted up His hands and blessed them. While He was
blessing them, He left them and was taken up into heaven. Then
they worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And
they stayed continually at the temple, praising God. Luke
24: 50 – 53 (NIV)
The ascension of Jesus was the one of the
greatest events in world history. Jesus Christ left the place of
His humiliation and suffering to enter His glory. He went from
being a despised Rabbi (teacher) to being enthroned as King of the
universe. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. At this very
moment Jesus reigns in power. He possesses all authority in
heaven and earth. His kingdom is invisible but is no less real.
Jesus Christ is not finished with this
world. He will return. That promise should greatly encourage and
motivate us. For centuries there have been believers who have
speculated about when Christ will return. We do not know when
Jesus will come back. We know He will return. We ought to live
every day as if He is returning today.
One of the first acts of Jesus after He
ascended was to endow His church with power from on high. He gave
us His Holy Spirit!
In His ascension Jesus Christ entered the
sanctuary of heaven as our High Priest. He has entered the Holy
of Holies to intercede for His people. We are a people who have a
King who prays for us.
When Jesus left the disciples they were not
sad, they were rejoicing with great joy! They knew Jesus
was entering is glory as reigning King. They were now ambassadors
(witnesses) of their King.
Celebrate the great news that Jesus Christ ascended to glory and
has given us His Spirit! In grace, God has given us exactly what
we need.
July 14, 2005 – Praise the Lord.
Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens.
Praise him for his works of power; praise him for his surpassing
greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise
him with the harp and lyre, praise him with tambourine and
dancing, praise him with the strings and flute, praise him with
the clash of cymbals praise him with resounding cymbals. Let
everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.
Psalm 150 (NIV)
The final Psalm in the Book of Psalm is a
short very inspiring Psalm of praise. We are told to praise
the Lord.
Where? We are to praise God
everywhere. In His sanctuary, anywhere on earth where God
calls His people together. But also praise Him in His
mighty heavens. God’s awesome glory fills the entire
universe; praise must also fill both heaven and earth. The
praises of God’s glorious heavenly host intermingle with our
praise to God. Heaven and earth are at one when praising God
almighty.
Why? We praise God for His
amazing works of power. He is an incredible risen Savior
who brought His people from death to eternal life. He created
everything that exists. We praise Him because He is great. His
greatness surpasses comprehension.
How? We are to praise God
with everything we have! All kinds of instruments are mentioned
in this short Psalm: percussion, string and wind instruments.
Loud and soft melodic instruments are all utilized to praise the
Lord. We are also told to praise God with dancing. All we
are, every part of our being and all we have is to be used to
praise our Lord God.
Who? Everyone, no matter who
they are - rich and poor, adults and children, powerful and
servants, men and women – are to praise God. Let everything
that has breath praise the Lord. One day every living
creature will be praising our wonderful Lord Jesus.
Then I heard every creature in heaven and
on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in
them, singing: To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be
praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!
Revelation 5: 13
Is your worship mainly mental appreciation
of God or mainly emotional? Do you praise God with everything
that you have?
Praise the Lord.
Note: On My Heart devotionals
for the past year have focused on Psalms. Next week we will begin
looking at the New Testament book of Acts. There were no
devotionals the last two weeks because of my travel schedule. -
Bob
June 23, 2005 –
I will exalt you,
my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. Every
day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever.
Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one
can fathom. One generation will commend your works to another;
they will commend your works to another; they will tell of your
mighty acts. They will speak of the glorious splendor of your
majesty, and I will meditate on you wonderful works. They will
tell of the power of your awesome works. They will celebrate your
abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness. The
Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in
love. The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has
made. All you have made will praise you, O Lord; your saints will
extol you. They will tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak
of your might, so that all men may know of your mighty acts and
the glorious splendor of your kingdom. Your kingdom is and
everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all
generations. The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving
toward all he has made. The Lord upholds all those who fall and
lifts up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and
you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand
and satisfy the desires of every living thing. The Lord is
righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made. The
Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in
truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears
their cry and saves them. The Lord watches over all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy. My mouth will speak in praise
of the Lord. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and
ever. Psalm 145: 1 – 21 (NIV)
Have you ever thought about praising God
through the alphabet from A to Z? This Psalm of David is
called an acrostic Psalm. Each verse begins with a different letter of the
Hebrew alphabet. Our great God is worthy of praise and deserves
our extravagant praise. God’s true greatness is revealed
throughout Psalm 145.
Think of all the reasons there are to praise
and exalt God. You might want to write out a list starting with
all the reasons that start with the letter A, then go to the
letter B, all the way through the alphabet to Z. Then celebrate
God’s goodness, rejoice in His rich love. Meditate on God’s
greatness and praise God for His power, might, faithfulness,
compassion and provision. He is worthy of praise and adoration.
My
mouth will speak in praise of the Lord. Let every creature praise
his holy name for ever and ever.
June 16, 2005 – O Lord, you have
searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and
my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word
is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord. You hem me in –
behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. Such
knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to obtain.
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your
presence? If I go up to the heavens you are there; if I make my
bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the
dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand
will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say,
“Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night
around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night
will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. For you
created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s
womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not
hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was
woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my
unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your
book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your
thoughts, O God! How vast the sum of them! Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still
with you. Psalm 139: 1 – 18 (NIV)
Can you imagine living with someone who
knows what you are thinking all of the time? When my wife or a
good friend asks me “What are you thinking about?” there are
definitely times when I do not want to answer that question.
Sometimes I don’t want to admit what I am thinking about. It can
be embarrassing. My thoughts may be sinful, selfish or foolish.
There is a person who does know what we are
thinking. He knows everything about us. He knows our thoughts.
He knows when we sit down and when we stand up. He knows every
word that we speak before we even say them. He knows our past; He
knows our future. He knows us completely. Our first reaction to
the wonder of God knowing us so intimately might be the urge to
run from God. But God’s loving hand will not let us go. The
amazing thing about God’s knowledge is that we do not feel
embarrassment, fear or pressure because of His knowledge. His
knowledge is wonderful. His knowledge about me gives brings a
feeling of confidence, comfort and peace.
Nothing about us will ever surprise God. He
sees all of our life. No unexpected weakness will ever come to
the surface that will surprise or disillusion Him. He knows me
intimately and completely yet He still loves me.
David in Psalm 139 says, I praise you
because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are
wonderful, I know that full well. God wonderfully created us
and carefully fashioned the complex pattern of our life.
How
do feel about the total knowledge that God has about you? Does it
free you to experience His love? Or do you feel like fleeing to
escape God’s scrutiny? Pray: Search me, O God and know my
heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any
offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Psalm 139: 23 – 24
June 9, 2005 – How good and how
pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! It is like
precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron’s beard, down upon the collar of his robes.
It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For
there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.
Psalm 133 (NIV)
Unity among God’s people is something that
God longs for and blesses. Jesus prayed that there would be unity
among all those who would believe in Him. I pray also for
those who would believe in me through their message, that all of
them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.
(John 17: 20 – 21) May they be brought to complete unity to
let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as
you have loved me. (John 17: 23) The Apostle Paul also urged
God’s people to unity. Be completely humble and gentle; be
patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to
keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is
one body and one Spirit – just as you were call to one hope when
you were called – one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and
Father of all, who is over all and in all. (Ephesians 4: 2 –
6) The source of this unity is Jesus Christ; it is the result of
God’s work in Christ through His Spirit. Jesus Christ is our
one Lord.
Unity is a radical concept. It is easy to
have unity with people who are like us. But in the body of Christ
there are people with very different personalities, styles,
abilities, politics, views and opinions. When real unity exits it
is very evident to everyone because of this huge diversity.
Unity does not mean uniformity. Conformity
is not unity. Our unity exists because of our diversity.
In fact, unity is vital because of our diversity. We are
interdependent. We desperately need one another. Our differences
contribute to the functioning of the body of Christ so that we
will all obtain greater maturity in Christ.
Are
you making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through
the bond of peace? What relationships do you have with
believers who are not like you? (Or don’t think or act like you?)
May 26, 2005 – Out of the depths I
cry to you, O Lord; O Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be
attentive to my cry for mercy. If you, O Lord, kept a record of
sins, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness;
therefore you are feared. I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and
in his word I put my hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than
watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the
morning. O Israel, put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord
is unfailing love and with him is full redemption. He himself
will redeem Israel from all their sins. Psalm 130 (NIV)
Every believer knows the feelings expressed
in Psalm 130. It expresses the feelings of one who wants
desperately to be right with God.
The writer asks a very powerful question:
If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand?
If God did kept a record of sin, then there would be no hope
for us. But that is the real problem we face. We are all
answerable to God and one day we will have to give an account.
Thankfully, the message of the gospel is that the slate can be
wiped clean. But with you there is forgiveness. Because
of God’s unfailing love there is complete forgiveness and
full redemption in Jesus Christ.
He himself redeemed us from all our
sins. Our amazing redeemer, Jesus Christ, has set us free.
Full redemption means that all our sin
has been taken away and dealt with. There is nothing that is too
bad or too big to be forgiven.
Has sin created a rift between you and God?
Do you long for closeness with God to be restored?
Put
your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and
with him is full redemption.
May 19, 2005 – Unless the Lord
builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord
watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain
you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat – for he
grants sleep to those he loves. Sons are a heritage from the
Lord, children a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a
warrior are the sons of one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose
quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they
contend with their enemies in the gate. Psalm 127 (NIV)
This Psalm is a timeless and vital reminder
to me. When I take over the building of my house (my life,
work, family etc…), the end result is often a fiasco. I may have
success, but I also end up enslaved. When God, the Master
Builder, in grace, does the building of our house He often
blesses in surprising and unexpected ways. Jesus Christ is the
foundation and He gets the honor and glory for what He builds. We
can confidently rest in the Lord and trust Him for He grants
sleep to those he loves.
No matter what activities we are involved in
– work, raising a family or community life – if it is not God’s
doing, it is pointless (vain). When we build for ourselves (for
our own security or our own honor) without God, where is the
ultimate value?
What
are you building? How are building it? These are questions we
need to ask ourselves. Unless the Lord builds the house, its
builders labor in vain.
May 12, 2005 – I will lift up my
eyes to the hills – where does my help come from? My help comes
from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth. He will not let
your foot slip – he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed,
he who watches over Israel will neither slumber or sleep. The
Lord watches over you – the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord
will keep you from all harm – he will watch over your life; the
Lord will watch your coming and going both now and forevermore.
Psalm 121 (NIV)
Since moving to Florida I have really missed
looking up at the mountains every day. Seeing hills or mountains
immediately reminds me of God, the One who created them. The
thoughts of this Psalm jump beyond the hills to the heavens and
then to the Lord. The Lord is our refuge and help.
When you feel vulnerable (when you are
exhausted, unprotected or when you feel you are going to slip),
where do you go for help? Here is real help; living help that is
wise, immeasurable and personal. This is God’s promise: the
Lord watches over you. It does not matter where you are,
this promise is sure. Day or night, the Lord watches over
you. This is not a wish or a prayer; it is a confident
statement of reality.
This does not mean we will have a life
insulated from problems. But we can be confident of God’s
presence as we go through all of life. Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for
you are with me. (Psalm 23: 4)
Be
encouraged by this today; the Lord will watch your coming and
going both now and forevermore.
May 5, 2005 – Give thanks to the
Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let Israel say:
“His love endures forever.” Let the house of Aaron say: “His love
endures forever.” Let those who fear the Lord say: “His love
endures forever.” In my anguish I cried to the Lord, and he
answered by setting me free. The Lord is with me; I will not be
afraid. What can man do to me? The Lord is with me; he is my
helper. I will look in triumph on my enemies. It is better to
take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes. All the nations
surround me on every side, but in the name of the Lord I cut them
off. They swarmed around me like bees, but they died out quickly
as burning thorns; in the name of the Lord I cut them off. I was
pushed back and about to fall, but the Lord helped me. The Lord
is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. Shouts of
joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: “The Lord’s
right hand has done mighty things! The Lord’s right hand is
lifted high; the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!” I
will not die but live, and will proclaim what the Lord had done.
The Lord has chastened me severely, but he has not given me over
to death. Open for me the gates of righteousness; I will enter
and give thanks to the Lord. This is the gate of the Lord through
which the righteous may enter. I will give you thanks, for you
answered me; you have become my salvation. The stone the builders
rejected has become the capstone; the Lord has done this, and it
is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day the Lord has made; let
us rejoice and be glad in it. O Lord, save us; O Lord, grant us
success. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. From
the house of the Lord we bless you. For the Lord is God, and he
has made his light shine upon us. With boughs in hand, join in
the festal procession up to the horns of the altar. You are my
God, and I will give you thanks; you are my God, and I will exalt
you. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures
forever. Psalm 118 (NIV)
This Psalm bursts out in praise and thanks
to God. But we as we continue to read we discover that it is not
praise that comes out of a time of great blessing. It is praise
and thanksgiving that flows from difficulty and trouble. In my
anguish I cried to the Lord.
In times of anguish, trouble and fear we
want to know that God is with us. We want to know that God is
near. We want and need to draw near to God. The Psalm writer
prays: Open for me the gates of righteousness – asking the
Lord to grant access to God’s presence. Will this child of God
come into God’s presence to complain? No. I will enter and
give thanks to the Lord. Have you learned this lesson? Do
you give thanks in every difficult circumstance you face? (I admit
that I don’t always give thanks – but I should always give
thanks. I still need to learn this lesson.) Give thanks in
all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
(I Thessalonians 5: 18)
Our problems, difficulties and pain do not
change the amazing wonder of God’s love and grace toward us.
There is always a reason to give thanks to God, even when we are
facing a difficult time.
Read Psalm 118 again. Meditate on the
wonder of God’s amazing salvation. Nothing can change His love
for you. Take joy in the fact that God is always working for us.
He is Lord. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice
and be glad in it.
You are my God, and I will give you
thanks; you are my God, and I will exalt you. Give thanks to the
Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
April 28, 2005 – Praise the Lord,
O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the
Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits – who forgives
all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life
from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who
satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is
renewed like the eagle’s. The Lord works righteousness and
justice for all the oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Israel: The Lord is compassionate and
gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always
accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us
as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For
as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love
for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so
far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has
compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those
who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we
are dust. As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like
a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and
its place remember it no more. But from everlasting to
everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his
righteousness with their children’s children – with those who keep
his covenant and remember to obey his precepts. The Lord has
established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.
Praise the Lord, you angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word. Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts, you
his servants who do his will. Praise the Lord, all his works
everywhere in his dominion. Praise the Lord, O my soul.
Psalm 103 (NIV)
Psalm 103 is filled with praise for the
wonderful character of God. When we see the greatness and glory
of God the only proper reaction is to praise the Lord. The
incredible blessings of our salvation should amplify the praise in
our hearts for God.
Look at what our God is like: He is
forgiving (v. 3 – 4). He forgives all your sins.
What a relief and comfort it is to know that all our
sins are forgiven. God is compassionate and gracious (v.
8). He cares deeply for us and does not treat us as we deserve to
be treated. Our sin deserves judgment, but in grace God lovingly
gives us mercy. He is a loving God (v. 11). For as
high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for
those who fear him. God’s amazing love is impossible to
describe. God’s love is as immense and great as God Himself. It
is a love that was fully demonstrated in Jesus Christ; the One who
died to remove our transgressions from us. God is a sovereign
God; He reigns (v. 19). He rules over all. He is the
almighty, all powerful, sovereign God. His throne is established
in heaven.
Do you tend to complain to God or praise
God? Are you a complainer or a praiser? Why? This Psalm
encourages us to admire and praise God with all of our soul.
Think about and meditate on the glory of your God.
Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy
name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his
benefits.
April 21, 2005 – Shout for joy to
the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come
before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is
he that made us, and we are his, we are his people, the sheep of
his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts
with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord
is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues
through all generations. Psalm 100 (NIV)
The salvation that Jesus Christ provides is
a great salvation. It is not gloomy or sad. Jesus brings us into
satisfying fellowship with Himself. Christ fills us with
inexpressible and glorious joy. Though you have not seen him,
you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe
in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for
you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your
souls. (I Peter 1: 8 – 9) This is a glorious grace.
I have told you this so that my joy may
be in you and that your joy may be complete. (John 15: 11)
Jesus, the eternal Christ, pours His joy
into us. He is the object of our joy and He increases our
capacity for joy. This is a joy that can not be destroyed or
shaken. Joy is a fruit of His Holy Spirit.
How evident is joy in your life? Psalm 100
tells us to shout for joy to the Lord, worship the Lord
with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.
Is your expression of joy, thanksgiving and praise too limited?
Ask the Lord Jesus to fulfill the promise that His joy would be in
us and our joy would be full (complete).
April 14, 2005 – Sing to the Lord
a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and
his holy arm have worked salvation for him. The Lord has made his
salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations. He
has remembered his love and his faithfulness to the house of
Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our
God. Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into
jubilant song with music; make music to the Lord with the harp,
with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the
blast of the ram’s horn – shout for joy before the Lord, the
King. Let the sea resound, and everything in it, the world, and
all who live in it. Let the rivers clap their hands, let the
mountains sing together for joy; let them sing before the Lord,
for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in
righteousness and the peoples with equity. Psalm 98 (NIV)
Psalm 98 is all about victory and rejoicing
in God. God has brought about a supernatural salvation. He
has done marvelous things. We were made to know and treasure
God above everything else. We are to behold God’s glory, glorify
God and make His glory known. God is meant to be at the center of
our lives. When He is not, everything is out of place. When our
focus is on God’s glory we experience grace and healing.
We have a lot to sing and rejoice about, God
has done marvelous things. God has worked salvation for His
people. The Lord has made his salvation known. God’s love
and faithfulness is very evident. For Christ died for sins
once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to
God. (I Peter 3: 18) Satan was defeated by the death of
Jesus Christ. The effects soul destroying sin and guilt were
nullified by Jesus.
Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth,
burst into jubilant song. When we focus on God’s glory and
His victorious salvation, our delight and joy in God is too great
to be contained.
Mediate on the marvelous things God has
done. Think about His creation, His salvation, His grace and
love. Take time today to allow your heart to focus completely on
God and His glory.
April 7, 2005 – Sing to the Lord a
new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord,
praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare
his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all
peoples. For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is
to be feared above all gods. For the gods of the nations are
idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are
before him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary. Ascribe to
the Lord, O families of nations, ascribe to the Lord glory and
strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an
offering and come into his courts. Worship the Lord in the
splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth. Say
among the nations, “The Lord reigns.” The world is firmly
established, it can not be moved; he will judge the peoples with
equity. Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the
sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant,
and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will
sing for joy; they will sing before the Lord, for he comes, he
comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in
righteousness and the peoples in his truth. Psalm 96 (NIV)
“Forget the former things; do not dwell
on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do
you not perceive it! I am making a way in the desert and streams
in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43: 18 – 19
Has God been doing anything new in your life
recently? How long has it been since you learned a new song? My
tendency is to resist change, even when it is good for me. God is
in the business of transformation. He is committed to our
growth. God does not change, but we always need to change. That
means things are often going to be new – unfamiliar – and not very
comfortable. Change, even beneficial change, is often hard.
Psalm 96 is quoted almost entirely in the
Book of Chronicles (I Chronicles 16: 8 – 33). It was written and
used as a part of the triumphal celebration bringing the Ark of
God into Jerusalem. God had done something new; His throne was
being set up in an enemy’s former stronghold. God would reign
where He never reigned before.
What new thing would God like to do in your
life? Old habits, old patterns, old thinking, limitations and
relationships can interfere with what God wants to do in our
lives. Is there anything interfering with God’s reign in your
life? Don’t allow anything to interfere with your singing a new
song today. He is an awesome God of grace.
Sing to the Lord, praise his name;
proclaim his salvation day after day. Declare his glory among the
nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. For great is the
Lord and most worthy of praise.
March 31, 2005 – Come, let us sing
for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our
salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him
with music and song. For the Lord is the great God, the great
King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and
the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it,
and his hands formed the dry land. Come, let us bow down in
worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God
and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.
Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did
at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the desert, where
your fathers tested and tried me, though they had seen what I
did. For forty years I was angry with that generation; I said,
“They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known
my ways.” So I declared on oath in my anger, “They shall never
enter my rest.” Psalm 95 (NIV)
This Psalm has been used by the Church for
generations as a call to worship and a guide to worship. There
are many right ways to come into God’s presence. We can come in
silent reverence or in tears of brokenness. Here we are urged to
come into God’s presence singing with great joy. It is very
appropriate that we come to into worship with unashamed joy and
enthusiasm. Singing with joy expresses love to God. Our worship
of Jesus should be worthy of a Savior who has rescued us. He is
our King and our refuge. When we come into God’s presence in
worship it should never be with apathy. We should not come with
our minds occupied with something other than God. As worshipers
we need to remind each other not to casually drift into God’s
presence.
Our God is amazing and great. He is our
creator and He owns everything that exists. He is above all. His
hands have shaped everything and they hold everything.
Come, let us bow down in worship, let us
kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the
people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Worship
involves acknowledging God’s place and accepting our own place
before Him. We are always to come before God in reverence.
Getting low before God, is a basic aspect of worship. We are not
strangers paying homage to a distant King we do not know. We are
under our Lord’s loving care. We are His people. We prostrate
ourselves before the One who is intimately concerned with us and
committed to us.
Today, if you hear his voice, do not
harden your hearts. Hearing God’s Word is an act of worship.
The worshiper must hear God’s voice, listen and obey. Today
refers to this very moment; waiting to obey God when it more
convenient is not an acceptable option. The worshiper needs to
ask: Whose voice will I listen to? How will I hear God’s voice?
Will it be obediently?
Do you come into God’s presence in worship
in a way that honors Him? (With joyful singing, silent reverence
or humble brokenness.)
How do you listen to God’s Word? (Do you
“hearken” to it? – hear and obey it? Or are His Words
just words that have little impact on the way you live?)
Rejoice and sing for joy to the Lord,
shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation; our God promises the
joy of the everlasting Sabbath rest of redemption to His people in
Jesus Christ.
March 24, 2005 – He who dwells in
the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the
Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my
fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from
the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover
you with his feather, and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not
fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the
pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that
destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten
thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You
will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the
wicked. If you make the Most High your dwelling – even the Lord,
who is my refuge – then no harm will befall you, no disaster will
come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning
you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their
hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You
will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great
lion and the serpent. “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I
will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in
trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I
satisfy him and show him my salvation.” Psalm 91 (NIV)
This is a timeless Psalm of encouragement
when we are exposed to danger or when we need to challenge the
power of evil. The focus begins with God. He who dwells in
the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the
Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my
fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Most High is a
title for God that seems to make any threat, no matter how large,
seem very minor. God rules and is above all. Almighty (Shaddai)
is the name of the All-powerful God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
No one or nothing is more powerful than God. The Lord (Yahaweh
– I am) is the Self-existent One who assured Moses that He would
be with him. God is always with me. The general term for God,
my God, shows intimate personal relationship. This is a God
that I can easily trust in every circumstance of life.
Many of the dangers we face, like those in this
Psalm, are unseen. We feel helpless. They may attack our minds
or bodies; but God cares for us. His care combines the protective
strength of armor (shield) with the loving protectiveness of a
parent bird. This Psalm does not say we will not face major
adversity, we will. It does give us the same promise that we find
in Romans 8: 28, And we know that in all things God works for
the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to
His purpose.
God’s servants are victors, heirs of
salvation, who trample deadly enemies under their feet. You
will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great
lion and the serpent. We are victors because Christ has
already won the victory for us.
How well do you know God? Have you made God
your loving refuge and shelter? Do you trust Him to protect you?
Today, will you rest in the shadow of the Almighty?
March 17, 2005 – Lord, you have
been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the
mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God. You turn men back to
dust, saying, “Return to dust, O sons of men.” For a thousand
years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like
a watch in the night. You sweep men away in the sleep of death;
they are like the new grass of the morning – though in the morning
it springs up new, by evening it is dry and withered. We are
consumed by your anger and terrified by your indignation. You
have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light
of your presence. All our days pass away under your wrath; we
finish our years with a moan. The length of our days is seventy
years – or eighty, if we have strength; yet their span is but
trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away. Who
knows the power of your anger? For your wrath is as great as the
fear that is due you. Teach us to number our days aright, that we
may gain a heart of wisdom. Relent, O Lord! How long will it
be? Have compassion on your servants. Satisfy us in the morning
with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all
our days. Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
for as many years as we have seen trouble. May your deeds be
shown to your servants, your splendor to their children. May the
favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our
hands for us – yes, establish the work of our hands. Psalm 90
(NIV)
This psalm is a prayer of Moses. Moses
paints an incredible picture of God’s greatness, grandeur and
eternity compared to our very frail condition. This prayer starts
with God and ends with God. God, whose eternity is the answer to
our brief and fragile life, is our shelter. God, the eternal God,
is our dwelling place. He is our Sovereign Lord to whom we
owe obedience. He is also ours to enjoy.
Most of Psalm 90 is devastating. It humbles
us. Our lives are placed into the context of eternity. Life is
very short. It passes very quickly. Even though life is
incredibly short; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow.
We can not ignore our sin. You have set our iniquities before
you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. Because
of sin, we are under God’s judgment and death is our sentence.
All our days pass away under your wrath.
Teach us to number our days aright, that
we may gain a heart of wisdom.
The wise person turns back to God.
Moses pleads for God to have compassion. Compassion, grace
and mercy are what God’s intention is for His people. When we are
in right relationship with Jesus Christ we can be glad all our
days. There is an abiding (never-ending) glory in all God
does in a world that is perishing. There is a heritage for our
children in a changing world. Our work is not in vain, but it is
blessed by God. God blesses and establishes the work of our
hands. Like Moses, we can face the reality of time and death
with the assurance of God’s unfailing love.
Mediate on God’s greatness, grandeur and eternity compared to our
fragile and brief life. Think about the fact that God, who is
eternal, is the One who is all we need. He is our dwelling place;
rest in His unfailing love. Ask God to teach you to
number your days aright and to give you a heart of wisdom.
February 24, 2005 – Hear, O Lord,
and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Guard my life, for I am
devoted to you. You are my God; save your servant who trusts in
you. Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I call to you all day long.
Bring joy to your servant, for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who
call to you. Hear my prayer, O Lord; listen to my cry for mercy.
In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer
me. Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord; no deeds can
compare with yours. All the nations you have made will come and
worship before you, O Lord; they will bring glory to your name.
For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God.
Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me
an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. I will praise you,
O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name
forever. For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me
from the depths of the grave. The arrogant are attacking me, O
God; a band of ruthless men seeks my life – men without regard for
you. But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow
to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. Turn to me and have
mercy on me; grant your strength to your servant and save the son
of your maidservant. Give me a sign of your goodness, that my
enemies may see it and be put to shame, for you, O Lord, have
helped me and comforted me. Psalm 86 (NIV)
This is a prayer of David. David is
absorbed in God – that is real prayer. David sees God as exalted,
good and glorious. These are David’s thoughts of God as He
prays: You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love
to all who call to you. Among the gods there is none like you, O
Lord; no deeds can compare with yours. For you are great and do
marvelous deeds; you alone are God. For great is your love toward
me; you have delivered me from the depths of the grave. But you,
O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger,
abounding in love and faithfulness.
David’s great view of God gives him the
confidence to pray and to trust God. He expects God to answer.
He has a sense of respect, awe and wonder of God. He has a great
unhindered relationship with God.
David brings his problems to God in prayer.
He is like us, he prays because he has troubles. But he is also
very aware that his biggest problem is his own heart. That is why
first he prays: “Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in
your truth; give me an undivided heart.” What is an
undivided heart? An undivided heart is a heart that
exists to please God. It is undivided in its commitment to
God. It allows no rivals to God. It serves God alone. Jesus
said in Matthew 6: 24 “No one can serve two masters. Either he
will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the
one and despise the other.”
Do you have an undivided heart? If
not, what divides it?
Ask
God to give you an undivided heart. Meditate on the great
thoughts that David had of God in Psalm 86. Allow your heart and
soul to be absorbed in the living God.
February 17, 2005 – You showed
favor to your land, O Lord; you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
You forgave the iniquity of your people and covered all their
sins. You set aside all your wrath and turned from your fierce
anger. Restore us again, O God our Savior, and put away your
displeasure toward us. Will you be angry with us forever? Will
you prolong your anger through all generations? Will you not
revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? Show us
your unfailing love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation. I will
listen to what God the Lord will say; he promises peace to his
people, his saints – but let them not return to folly. Surely his
salvation is near to those who fear him, that his glory may dwell
in our land. Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness
and peace kiss each other. Faithfulness springs forth from the
earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven. The Lord will
indeed give what is good, and our land will yield its harvest.
Righteousness goes before him and prepares the way for his steps.
Psalm 85 (NIV)
Something is needed. God has moved and
worked in amazing ways in the past but something has changed. The
writer of this Psalm asks God, “Will you not revive us again,
that your people may rejoice in you?” This writer says
revive us again, not revive them or
revive your people. He knows that his own spiritual
life has declined and that this is something he desperately needs
himself.
A prayer asking God for revival is first of
all a prayer confessing sin; it is a crying out to God in
repentance. When sin enters our lives our prayers become
powerless. Our lives become characterized by a lack of rejoicing
in the Lord; we forget how to praise God.
When God revives His people, love and
faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each
other. All this happens in the Lord Jesus Christ. We
experience the joy of our salvation. When God revives His people,
Jesus Christ is made pre-eminent in our lives and we delight in
His amazing glory and majesty. We see Him clearly.
Is this what you need? Is this what you
want? Then start praying this prayer: “Will you not revive us
again, that your people may rejoice in you . . . that Your glory
may dwell in our land.”
February 10, 2005 – How lovely is
your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty! My soul yearns, even
faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out
for the living God. Even the sparrow has found a home, and the
swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young – a place
near your altar, O Lord Almighty, my King and my God. Blessed are
those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.
Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their
hearts on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca,
they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it
with pools. They go from strength to strength, till each appears
before God in Zion. Hear my prayer, O Lord God Almighty; listen
to me, O God of Jacob. Look upon our shield, O God; look with
favor on your anointed one. Better is one day in your courts than
a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house
of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. For the Lord God
is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good
thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. O Lord
Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you. Psalm 84 (NIV)
Is your heart preoccupied with God? The
writer of Psalm 84 has a longing for and is preoccupied with God.
His true longing is for God Himself. My heart and my flesh cry
out for the living God. He knows from personal experience
that there is real contentment, blessing and happiness that come
as a result of praising and worshiping God.
Is worship dull or exciting for you? Do you
long for the living God? Do you want to spent time with God? Do
you enjoy spending time with God? Do you celebrate His goodness
and greatness?
Do you find your strength in the Lord or
yourself? Blessed are those whose strength is in you.
Do you trust in the Lord Almighty or your
own resources? O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts
in you.
Take time to meditate on this Psalm and
honestly consider these questions.
February 3, 2005 – Sing for joy to
God our strength; shout to the God of Jacob! Bring the music,
strike the tambourine, play the melodious harp and lyre. Sound
the ram’s horn at the New Moon, and when the moon is full, on the
day of our Feast; this is a decree for Israel, an ordinance of the
God of Jacob. He established it as a statute for Joseph when he
went out against Egypt, where we heard a language we did not
understand. He says, “I removed the burden from their shoulders;
their hands were set free from the basket. In your distress you
called and I rescued you, I answered you out of a thundercloud; I
tested you at the waters of Meribah. Hear, O my people, and I
will warn you – if you would but listen to me, O Israel! You
shall have no foreign god among you; you shall not bow down to an
alien God. I am the Lord your God, who brought you up out of
Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it. But my people
would not listen to me. So I gave them over to their stubborn
hearts to follow their own devices. If my people would but listen
to me; if Israel would follow my ways, how quickly would I
subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes! Those
who hate the Lord would cringe before him, and their punishment
would last forever. But you would be fed with the finest of
wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.” Psalm
81 (NIV)
The first part of Psalm 81 believers
describe who are seeking God and delighting in Him. They are
enjoying God’s presence. The last part of the Psalm describes
believers who ignore God, they don’t listen to Him; they are
stubborn.
These two parts of this Psalm are separated
by the statement: Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.
This is what God wants for us. He wants us to open wide our
mouth. This is a picture of a baby bird in a nest with a wide
open mouth ready to devour all the food a parent will feed it.
This tiny bird is totally dependent. The hungry baby bird is not
half-hearted; it wants all the parent has to offer. When food
gets to the baby bird’s mouth it provides nourishment. The bird
grows and is strengthened.
This is how we are to look to God; with
intense hunger and dependence. God is willing to fill us and meet
our spiritual needs. He promises to provide nourishment and
strength. When our life is filled with and by God, satisfaction
abounds.
Open wide your mouth; use the means
God has graciously given you – prayer, God’s Word, mediation,
worship, Christian community, etc… - so He can feed and
satisfy you.
January 27, 2005 – Surely God is
good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart. But as for me, my
feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I
envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They
have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are
free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human
ills. Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves
with violence. From their callous hearts comes iniquity; the evil
conceits of their minds know no limits. They scoff, and speak
with malice; in their arrogance they threaten oppression. Their
mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of
the earth. Therefore their people turn to them and drink up
waters in abundance. They say, “How can God know? Does the Most
High have knowledge?” This is what the wicked are like – always
carefree, they increase in wealth. Surely in vain have I kept my
heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence. All day
long I have been plagued; I have been punished every morning. If
I had said, “I will speak thus,” I would have betrayed your
children. When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive
to me till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their
final destiny. Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast
them down to ruin. How suddenly are they destroyed, completely
swept away by terrors! As a dream when one awakes, so when you
arise, O Lord, you will despise them as fantasies. When my heart
was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and
ignorant; I was a brute beast before you. Yet I am always with
you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your
counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I
in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my
heart and my portion forever. Those who are far from you will
perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. But as for me,
it is good to be near to God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my
refuge; I will tell of all your deeds. Psalm 73 (NIV)
Asaph, the writer of this Psalm, describes
how he almost became a casualty in the battle to remain faithful
to God. But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had
nearly lost my foothold.
When we are experiencing problems it is
tempting to look at the people around us who seem to have nothing
to worry about. Godless people who have no time for God and even
mock Him seem to be free from many problems. One of the Satan’s
tactics is to lure us from being grateful for what we have to
envying what we do not have. When we compare ourselves to others
we lose our ability to think clearly.
Comparison and envy leads to self-pity.
Asaph feels sorry for himself and comes to the conclusion that
living a righteous life is a waste of time. Surely in vain
have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in
innocence. All day long I have been plagued; I have been punished
every morning. Self-pity is a very destructive force in a
Christian’s life; once you indulge in self-pity the downward slide
begins and quickly accelerates.
Asaph regains God’s perspective by changing
both his location and his thinking. I entered the sanctuary of
God. He got away and spent some time with alone with God. He
was reminded that life is much more than pleasure and success.
Those who appear to have everything are often those who really
have nothing, because they do not have God.
Are you tempted to compare yourself to
others? Do you focus on what you have or what you don’t have? Do
you realize how rich you truly are as a child of God? Do you know
what a blessing it is to know God?
The supreme blessing in life is to know God!
January 20, 2005
– May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face
shine upon us, that your ways may be known on earth, your
salvation among all nations. May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you. May the nations be glad and sing
for joy, for you rule the peoples justly and guide the nations of
the earth. May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples
praise you. Then the land will yield its harvest, and God, our
God, will bless us. God will bless us, and all the ends of the
earth will fear Him. Psalm 67 (NIV)
Psalm 67 reveals God’s vision and purpose
for His people. God is a God of grace and greatly blesses His
people. We are the recipients of an amazing salvation! But God’s
blessing is not meant to be kept to ourselves. When God blesses
us, the impact of God’s goodness to us is meant to be much greater
than just our own lives. God desires that His blessing us benefit
the nations. Because we are blessed; we are to bless
others and we are to make known the gospel of His salvation
known among all nations.
What blessings has God brought into your
life? Why has God blessed you? What is God’s wider purpose for
blessing you in this way?
God will bless us, and all the ends of
the earth will fear Him.
January 13, 2005 – Shout with joy
to God, all the earth! Sing the glory of his name; make his
praise glorious! Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! So
great is your power that your enemies cringe before you. All the
earth bows down to you; they sing praise to you, they sing praise
to your name.” Come and see what God has done, how awesome his
works in man’s behalf! He turned the sea into dry land, they
passed through the waters on foot – come, let us rejoice in him.
He rules forever by his power, his eyes watch the nations – let
not the rebellious rise up against him. Praise our God, O
peoples, let the sound of his praise be heard; he has preserved
our lives and kept our feet from slipping! For you, O God, tested
us; you refined us like silver. You brought us to prison and laid
burdens on our backs. You let me ride over our heads; we went
through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of
abundance. I will come to your temple with burnt offerings and
fulfill my vows to you – vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke
when I was in trouble. I will sacrifice fat animals to you and an
offering of rams; I will offer bulls and goats. Come and listen,
all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for me. I
cried out to him with my mouth; his praise was on my tongue. If I
had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened;
but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer. Praise
be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love
from me! Psalm 66 (NIV)
Just knowing truth about God does not
produce an excitement for God. You must be alive to the fact that
God is alive and at work. The writer of this Psalm is passionate
about God. Praise and adoration flows naturally from his lips.
His eyes are open and he sees God at work. God is real. He is
alive and powerfully at work.
It is easy to lose our passion for the Lord
when we lose sight of God and fail to appreciate what He is
doing. Our excitement about our faith can fade when our eyes are
not open to seeing God and to seeing him working around us. Think
about some of the things God does for us. He redeems His people.
He saves us for His eternal purposes. Even though our lives have
been invaded by sin, God’s grace and love keeps us. God
refines us like silver, removing the impurities from our
lives. Our Lord then brings us to a place of abundance.
These are just of few reasons the Psalm writer gives for praising
the Lord.
Are you excited about God and your
relationship with God? Do you see and appreciate what God is
doing around you? Allow your passion for God to grow. Take some
time today to consider and appreciate God and what He is doing.
Praise be to God, who has not rejected my
prayer or withheld his love from me!
January 6, 2005 – O God, you are
my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body
longs for you for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no
water. I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and
your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will
glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your
name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with
the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.
On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of
the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your
wings. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me. They
who seek my life will be destroyed; they will go down to the
depths of the earth. They will be given over to the sword and
become food for jackals. But the king will rejoice in God; all
who swear by God’s name will praise him, while the mouths of liars
will be silenced. Psalm 63 (NIV)
The introduction to this Psalm says, “A
Psalm of David. When he was in the Desert of Judah.” David has
had to flee for his life. He says that he is weary; there is no
relief. He is thirsty. There is no water. David has experienced
God’s power and glory in the past and this encourages him to seek
God. This situation gives him a deep thirst for God. He can not
get God out of his mind. God’s love is better than life.
When I am dealing with problems, loneliness
or sorrow my soul can become dry. My soul also becomes tired and
weary. This is why I need to seek God. The answer to my need for
rest and refreshment is always found in God. The problems we face
are real but God is more real. Seek God earnestly, with
eagerness. He is not a stranger. He is the lover of my soul.
When I earnestly seek the Lord my soul will be satisfied as
with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise
Him. This is the ultimate outcome of seeking God.
What “desert” have you been through
recently? What did you long for the most? Did your “desert”
experience increase your longing and thirst for God? Try reading
this Psalm every day for the next week; allow this Psalm to impact
your soul.