SERVING, SECURE AND GUIDED

For You are my rock and my fortress; lead and guide me for the sake of Your name.  —Psalm 31:3

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.  He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.  He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for the sake of His name.  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.  You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.  Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. —Psalm 23 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cx9-LkuVWt4

            The Sovereign of the all creation cannot be moved.  I am safe in Him and I can trust Him completely to lead me according to His plans and purposes.  “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you” (Psalm 32:8).  He can be fully trusted to accomplish what He has promised.  “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

            He promises to keep us secure and calls us to follow Him.  “Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me” (John 12:26).  “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:27-28). Trust Him to keep you secure and to guide you.  What He promises, He will do.  Now may you and I be faithful in serving as we follow Him for His glory and honor.  Dear Father may this be so in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son, Jesus.  So be it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVFGqEmUSB8

SINGING, THANKFUL SAINTS!

Sing to the LORD, O you His saints, and give thanks to His holy name —Psalm 30:4

            Do you have a song of thanks to our Lord in your heart today?  New Hampshire woke up to a blanketed snowscape.  It is a wonderful reminder that it is He who says to the snow, “Fall on the earth” (Job 37:6, Psalm147:16).  As we age we might not be so excited about snow removal, but we need to remember that He has purposes even in snowfall.  So, even in our older age we can be thankful for the snow.  It melts, runs off and provides us water which we need to survive.  He provides snow to show us His Creative beauty and yes for our pleasure as well.  Be thankful for the snow.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blbslHDgceY

            Snow… I always love its reminder that He washes me to “be whiter than snow” (Psalm 51:7).  “Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool” (Isaiah 1:18).  He Himself was transfigured and “His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow” (Matthew 28:3).  Daniel used snow to describe the Lord— “As I looked, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze” (Daniel 7:9).  Snow… a picture of His Holiness and He said, “as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do” (I Peter 1:15).  He is holy— totally set apart from us, but He has called us to be holy as well— set apart for His purposes.  We are set apart from the world to live for Him.  Oh, that we would do so for His glory! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfNu3Ml41jc

Dear Father, thank You for Your AWESOMENESS in all that You are and in all that You do.  May I live a thankful and holy life for Your glory in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Jesus.  May it be so!

OUR WORK IS WORSHIP

Then Moses said to the Israelites, “See, the Lord has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic crafts.  And he has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamak, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others.  He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as engravers, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers—all of them skilled workers and designers.  So Bezalel, Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the Lord has given skill and ability to know how to carry out all the work of constructing the sanctuary are to do the work just as the Lord has commanded.” —Exodus 35:30-35, 36:1

            The Lord filled Bezalel with: 1-the Spirit of God 2- wisdom 3- understanding 4-knowledge 5- all kinds of skills 6- all kinds of work 7- how to carry out the work 8- the ability to teach others.  The Lord called these men into a specific work and He gave them all they needed to accomplish what He desired.  He even gave them the ability to teach others to be able to accomplish what the Lord desired.

            Do you see your work like that?  We are not to compartmentalize our lives and worship.  We are to serve the Lord in this area of work as well.  Worship is not just during the music moments of praise on a Sunday morning, but our whole lives.  Work is an area of worship.  Do we see our job like that? 

            The Lord has given you His Spirit.  He gives – wisdom, understanding, knowledge, all kinds of skills, all kinds of work, how to carry out the work and the ability to teach others.  This is all worship as we use the abilities He has given us.

            Will you worship Him today in your work?  Are you using the skills He has given you to bring honor to His Name?  Do you seek Him to help you in the work He has for you?  When at work are you working “wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people?” (Ephesians 6:7) — “not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord” (Colossians 3:22).

            A survey I was reading by Office Team mentioned that “on average, employees spend eight hours per workweek on nonwork activities” such as:

• Personal emails: 30 per cent
• Social networks: 28 per cent
• Sports sites: 8 per cent
• Mobile games: 6 per cent
• Online shopping: 5 per cent
• Entertainment sites: 3 per cent

Not only that but “58 per cent of employees simply use their personal mobile devices at work to access websites blocked by their employers.”  Brother and sister, may we worship and honor our Lord through our work and at all times.

Dear Father, thank You for the gifts and abilities You have given me.  May I serve and worship You through them in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Jesus. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agROj9nTQP4

THANK GOD FOR FORGIVENESS

Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him, in whose spirit there is no deceit.  When I kept silent, my bones became brittle from my groaning all day long.  For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was drained as in the summer heat.  Selah  Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not hide my iniquity.  I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and You forgave the guilt of my sin. —Psalm 32:1-5

“David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do” (Acts 13:22).  The testimony of God about David in the New Testament is that David would do everything the Lord would command him to do.  Yet, as we look at the life of David, he was far from a perfect, sinless man.  God’s grace is so awesome.  He is slow to anger, compassionate, kind, longsuffering, loving, merciful… and “he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities” (Psalm 103:10).  He works through imperfect people to accomplish His desires for His glory.  For that we should be eternally grateful.

Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your loving devotion; according to Your great compassion, blot out my transgressions.  Wash me clean of my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.  For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.  Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You may be found just in your speech and blameless in your judgment. —Psalm 51:1-4

Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities. —Psalm 51:9

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. —Psalm 51:17

            There are so many examples in God’s Word of how He has worked through believers regardless of their imperfections.  This gives us great hope that He can and does work through His followers today even though they have imperfections.  “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  If we say we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar, and His word is not in us. (I John 1:8-10).  It is interesting that the writer, John, included himself in these statements— “If WE say WE have no sin, WE deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in US.  If WE confess OUR sins, He is faithful and just to forgive US OUR sins and to cleanse US from all unrighteousness.  If WE say WE have not sinned, WE make Him out to be a liar, and His word is not in US.” 

Seems there were those in John’s day who believed they did not sin anymore.  John includes himself in these statements to show that even if he said he had no sin then he was deceiving himself and the truth was not in him.  But he said if he confessed his sin that God is faithful and just to forgive him his sin and to cleanse him for all unrighteousness.  If John said that he has not sinned then he would be calling God a liar and God’s Word was not in him.

This false teaching is still around.  Don’t be deceived!  Cults use God’s Word, but they mean something totally different!  Beware! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRGNGVe9Ojc

Dear Father, I am so grateful to know what Your Word says so when deceivers come along I can know exactly who they are.  Thank You for giving us Your Word.  Thank You for Your mercy and grace and for our home in heaven where things will finally be perfect.  Until then, please help me run the race you have mark out for me as I keep my eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of my faith. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_ZWEO36jok

WHOM SHALL I FEAR

The LORD is my light and my salvation– whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life– of whom shall I be afraid? —Psalm 27:1

The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.  What can man do to me? —Hebrews 13:6

            I have no reason to be afraid of any person.  The worst man can do to me is kill me and that is not so bad since I will then be in heaven with our Lord Jesus Christ!  Man thinks they are accomplishing the ending of a person’s life, but the believer is immediately ushered into the presence of Jesus… forever.  Wow!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_FmqI7QKck  (Revelation chapters 21-22).  “We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord” (II Corinthians 5:8).

            Jesus is my light and reveals truth to me.  Jesus is my salvation and He keeps me, shields me.  I need not fear any man.  I need not fear death. “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death” (Hebrews 2:14-15). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgWkmyzmTMc  Let us seek to be fearless as we follow our Lord Jesus Christ.  May He give us to power to be so!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLX83HbefrI&list=PLf6xSpnb3gQyqfTPJA8s-rSPZYr67Q3Ul

Dear Father, may I go forward in Your strength and be faithful and fearless in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son, Jesus.  So be it!

LEVEL GROUND

My feet stand on level ground; in the congregations I will bless the LORD. —Psalm 26:12

He refreshes my soul.  He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. —Psalm 23:3

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. —Psalm 1:1-2

            Being on uneven ground can be dangerous.  Once I was trimming hedges from a stepladder and the ground was uneven.  There was one more area close to the house that I needed to get and leaned in, put my hand on the house and trimmed the spot.  Now I found myself in a situation.  I was eight feet off the ground, leaning well off center of the ladder and the ground was not completely level.  I turned off the trimmers and let them go.  Then with a push off the house I sought to upright myself.  Well, that did not go too well.  With the uneven ground and not enough leverage to get back to center of the ladder or close to it, down I went.  Fortunately there were no broken bones and nobody taking a video to post.

            Feet, or ladders, on level ground is a wonderful thing.  Here the Psalmist is stating that being in God’s presence is “level ground.”  So it is with us.  We need to be in His presence to be on “level ground.”  Otherwise we will be on uneven ground and that is a dangerous place to be.  It can be a painful place to be.  Being on level ground helps us to see straight.  Being in the presence of God helps things, good or bad, be more clear and we will be living according to His desires.

            Are you standing on “level ground” today?  It is so much better to be doing so than standing on uneven ground! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pS2Okrg2QU0

Dear Father I am so grateful to know I stand on level ground in Your presence.  Please help me to stay there and not be on unlevel ground.  May this be so in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Jesus.

GOODNESS

Good and upright is the LORD; therefore He shows sinners the way. —Psalm 25:8

            Do you think you are good?  Apart for God you are not!  Jesus said, “No one is good–except God alone” (Luke 18:19). 

“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light” (Colossians 1:9-12).

            We must understand that apart from Jesus we are not good.  Whatever we do apart from Jesus is not good.  Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).  That is pretty clear!  He said, “Apart from me you can do nothing!”  Sure we can do things apart from Him, but they are not things that “pleases him” (I John 3:22).  We can only do those things that please Him when we are obedient to His will.

            Praise God that He has not left us in the dark, but has given us His Son, His Spirit and His Word.  He has given us all we need “for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work” (II Timothy 3:16-17).  Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32).  He has promised to guide us, but are we willing to follow His guidance?  Are we?  “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you” (Psalm 32:8).  “The Sovereign LORD has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed” (Isaiah 50:4).  Will I listen and obey? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8Sx_U0Ztr8

Dear Father, I am so glad to know You are good and upright and that You guide.  You have called me to follow after You and to be good and upright in Jesus.  May I be so in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son.  So be it!

LOVING OBEDIENCE

“All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.” —Exodus 24:3, 7

Whoever has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me. The one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and reveal Myself to him.” —John 14:21     

            To be obedient is to trust the One asking you to be or do something.  God is fully trustworthy.  He is the only One who is.  As His followers we are to also be trustworthy.  As followers of our Lord Jesus Christ if we truly love Him our desire is to obey Him and we will do so consistently.

            Day by day we listen to what He says to us from His Word and then seek to live out what He has said to us.  Isaiah 50:4 says, “The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of discipleship, to sustain the weary with a word.  He awakens Me morning by morning; He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple.”  Are we listening to our Lord Jesus on a regular basis as His disciple?  This is what discipleship is— Listening, learning and then being obedient to what King of kings has said.  May we be doing so!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-LdHCuo5-Y

Dear Father, I do love You and may this be seen in my obedience to what You say.  May this be so in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Jesus.

PRAISE HIM BEFORE THE WORLD

And unto Me you shall be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you are to speak to the Israelites.” —Exodus 19:6

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. —I Peter 2:9

            Israel was chosen to be a testimony to the world and they failed.  Now the Lord has chosen His church to be a testimony to the world.  We are to represent Him to the world.  How are we doing with that?

            A powerful statement made by Jesus is that “A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so also you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34-35).  The church is a chosen people.  All in the church are in the church by His choice and for His purposes.  The church is a royal priesthood.  All in the church are royalty and represent the Lord to the lost world.  The church is a holy nation.  All in the church are made pure by Him and are to live pure for Him.  The church is God’s special possession.  All in the church belong to Him.  The church is to declare His praises.  All in the church are to declare His praises.  The church has been called out of darkness.  All in the church have been called out of darkness.  The church has been called into His wonderful light.  All in the church have been called into His wonderful light.        Who are we speaking His praises to?

            As part of the church, how are you and I declaring “the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light?”  Think about what our Lord God Almighty has done for us.  How can we keep that to ourselves?  We know the King of the universe.  Let us praise His name before this lost world.  So be it!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuuZMg6NVeA 

Dear Father may I praise Your Name before a lost and dying world however You desire me to do that.  May this be done in the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Jesus.  May it be so!