I Corinthians 2:16 “But we have the mind of Christ.”

During His time on earth Jesus revealed Himself clearly and without reserve, telling His disciples in John 8:26, “What I’ve heard from God I tell the world.” And later as He was preparing to leave, He told them, “I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from My Father I have made known to you.” (John 15:15) But there was no higher revelation of divine knowledge and wisdom reserved for that elite inner brotherhood of Jesus’ disciples. For Jesus will reveal Himself to all who will come earnestly seeking Him.

I Corinthians 10:31 “Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

It is rather a momentous time for Safetypinlove. Today is the Tenth Year Anniversary, and this Scripture is a tribute and testament to the plan, purpose, and aim I have strived for all these years. Each of the 3,429 Devotionals governed and determined by what will promote the manifested excellence of God through the drawing of others to the saving faith of Jesus Christ. It’s simple, I write to honor God & for His approval not man’s. And over the course of these ten years God has been faithful in so many ways…starting by taking my personal journaling of the Scriptures and sending them out into the world to encourage others…with today Safetypinlove.com & God’s Word going into 156 countries around the world. Praise His Holy Name! Many thanks to all my friends who have exhorted and encouraged me over the years…you don’t know how much it has been appreciated. God is so very good… and with His help and by His grace I will continue on.

Lamentations 3:40-42 “Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord. Let us lift up our hearts and our hands to God in heaven, and say: ‘ We have sinned and rebelled and You have not forgiven.’ “

As Paul exhorted the Church in II Corinthians 13:5…Examine and test yourself to see whether you’re in the faith. Sin has a way of blinding us to our own wickedness…leading to deliberate and defiant disobedience. These verses are a call to repentance…but much more than that. First, we must acknowledge our sin and confess it…which leads to renewed lamenting of our sinfulness as we lift up our hearts and hands to God as signs of both internal and external repentance. But it can’t stop there, for it must be followed by a change in our behavior…a turning back to God and submitting to His correction and direction Many have declared how sorry they are for sinning…but there is no follow through…and sadly it then only amounts to being sorry they got caught.

Colossians 3:1 “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.”

You have been raised with Christ, His redemptive work in you done once for all. But the route to spiritual maturity is not reached at that moment, but rather just started. This is why Paul was so empathetic, “Set your hearts on things above.” So look beyond the world’s confusion and seek out God’s decrees to integrate into your life. Determine and strive for holy living daily…glorifying God in word and action. Finally, desire to obey God rather than man as you do what is right in His eyes.

Isaiah 57:13 ” When you cry out for help, let your collection of idols save you!”

Unfortunately across the ages there have been times when the wickedness of men as been so great that God has said, “Although they cry out to Me, I won’t listen.” (Jeremiah 11:12) That’s when this verse in Isaiah is more of a taunt…just like Judges 10:13-14 when God declared, “You have forsaken Me and served other gods…go and cry out to the gods you’ve chosen.” or when God sarcastically spoke of the people’s idols in Deuteronomy 32:37-38, “Let them rise up and help you, let them be your protection.” It’s all quite simple, our collection of idols will never be able to rescue or save us…and if we cry out to them in anguish, it will only fall on deaf ears… for in the end it’s our hearts that are deluded, deceived, and misled.

II Samuel 23:16-17 ” So the three mighty men broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out before the Lord. ‘Far be it from me, O Lord, to do this! ‘ he said. ‘Is it not the blood of men who went at the risk of their lives?’ And David would not drink it.”

The Philistines had taken over David’s home town of Bethlehem. His offhand remark of longing for a drink of water from his childhood well was probably more nostalgic than necessity. But three of his warriors took it as a command…bravely going behind enemy lines to bring back water for him. David knew all too well at what great danger these men had risked their very lives to obtain this precious water…and so he poured it out as a drink offering to the Lord rather than selfishly drinking it himself…sacrificing it to God in light of the great sacrifice his men had made for him.

I Peter 1:15-16 ” But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy.’ “

Here Peter is quoting several places in Leviticus where God commands His people to reflect His holiness in their lives…in fact, the major theme of Leviticus is holiness unto the Lord. We’ve been called to live holy lives…it’s the ultimate purpose of our existence…not happiness nor health, but holiness and glorifying God by mirroring and reflecting the moral character and activity of Him. In other words, we are to imitate His goodness. And as Isaiah 35:8 points out, it is called the Way of Holiness or the Road of Salvation where we are to adhere to and closely follow… as we learn to conform more and more to His image .

Matthew 21:23 ” Jesus entered the Temple Courts, and, while He was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to Him. ‘By what authority are you doing these things?’ they asked. ‘And who gave you this authority?’ “

Jesus had ruffled many feathers when He cleared the Temple Courts of the moneychangers and merchants. To the Church leaders He had usurped their control over Temple commerce and they were demanding to know just who he thought he was. And how did He have the audacity to commandeer the people and preach the Gospel message in their Temple? You can almost hear them yelling at Jesus, “How dare you!” But little did these men know just who they were talking to…His permission given by God Himself, His right ordained before the beginning of time, His authority, dominion, and power spoken of throughout the Old Testament…but they were too stubborn to hear.

Psalm 5:11 “Let all who take refuge in You be glad. Let them ever sing with joy. Spread Your protection over them, that those who love Your Name may rejoice in You.”

God is our only secure & reliable stronghold to run to in times of trouble. In the midst of anxiety and fear we can seek solace in His Presence, taking shelter in the goodness of His promises…or as Psalm 34:8 tells us, ” Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him…” The goodness of God’s promises are found in the goodness of His Word, and because of that we can rejoice in the face of difficult circumstances…for God is our refuge in the storm, our shelter during the attack, our protection in the tempest, and our haven in the middle of the assault.

James 1:17 ” Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, Who does not change like shifting shadows.”

God does not change…He is light & in Him is no darkness at all…unlike nature’s luminaries that vary in magnitude and are always changing, depending on phases, eclipses, etc. God is the ultimate Author of light…and in Him there is no fluctuation in brightness or clarity. And this goes also for the gracious gifts that come down from Him. These good and perfect gifts are over and above what is necessary or expected, and in design, character or effect always promote righteousness in the benefactor. God only gives good gifts, (Psalm 85:12) they are always useful, beneficial, and profitable in glorifying Him.