THE QUICKLY PASSING SEASONS OF LIFE Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away. Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands. —Psalm 90:10, 12, 17 The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts…

WONDERFUL NAME OF JESUS Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes. —Romans 10:4 “Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe” (Galatians 3:21-22). There are none on this planet that are righteous, no, not one person (Romans 3:10). Therefore, none can become righteous on their own.…

FORMED FOR HIS PURPOSES Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use? —Romans 9:21 You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, “You did not make me”? Can the pot say to the potter, “You know nothing”? —Isaiah 29:16 Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. —Isaiah 64:8 Imagine you are at the potter’s wheel and just finishing…

LONGING TO BE WITH HIM 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. —Psalm 84:10 Do I have a longing for God like this? Or, am I too tied to this world and its ways? Would I truly rather be with Him for one day rather than one-thousand days doing something else? How about today, would I rather be spending time with Him or will I get busy with all kinds of other things and not spend time with Him? Would I truly rather be a doorkeeper…

A CHILD OF GOD Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. —Romans 8:17 Do you think of yourself as a child of God? Do you think of yourself being an heir of God and co-heir with Christ? Do you think of yourself sharing in the glory of Christ? A child of God! What else do we need to be known by? There is nothing greater than this! God is our Father and He is giving all that is His to us as His heir. Try…

AFFECTING THIS GENERATION AND FUTURE GENERATIONS He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands. They would not be like their ancestors— a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to him. —Psalm 78:5-8 Discipleship is just teaching others, whether they are our flesh and blood children or others,…

NO LONGER SLAVES For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. —Romans 6:14 As children of God we are not under sin as our master. We are no longer slaves to sin. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTi3RJOVj2M Now we need to proclaim the Good News so others can also “come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will” (II Timothy 2:26). Satan is a cruel sin master holding people in chains, bound in sin. Let us go to them with the keys that can rescue them from their bondage. The Law was…

GET THE PROPER PERSPECTIVE 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 common human burdens; they are not plagued by human ills. —Psalm 73:2-5 Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and have washed my hands in innocence. All day long I have been afflicted, and every morning brings new punishments. —Psalm 73:13-14 Have you ever thought these thoughts in the above verses? Have you ever pondered many of the wicked and how they…

BURDENS Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. —Psalm 68:19 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” —Matthew 11:28-30 Is there any burden the Lord cannot carry? Of course not and we are told that He “daily bears our burdens.” Do we understand this? Are we allowing Him to carry them or are we trying to carry them? Oh,…

CALLED TO BE DISCIPLE-MAKERS May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine on us—so that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations. —Psalm 67:1-2 It is only by God’s grace and blessing on us that His ways may be known on the earth and His salvation be made know in all the nations. He has blessed us greatly and shed His wonderful grace upon us through our Lord Jesus Christ. So, what keeps us from impacting our sphere of influence in this world? What keeps us from showing His ways on the earth? What keeps us from showing His…