Everyone of us are ceremonially unclean before the Lord…like a Leper, we should all be calling out- “Unclean! Unclean!”… Every moral, honorable, or pious thing that we’ve ever done, and that we’re so very proud of, is like a foul obscenity in God’s eyes. Our right standing with Him has nothing at all to do with us, or our works. Those good works will get us no where. Sadly, All those misdeeds- those sins, and their consequences- the results of sin, will slowly wither us up, from the inside out, until we are finally carried off by the tempest of sin…far from God.
Philippians 2: 1-2 ” If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in Spirit and purpose.”
The Apostle Paul was asking the people to examine their own lives and personal relationship with the Lord… and then to turn that outwards towards others. He was exhorting the Church in Philippi to be joined together as one community of life and love, having the same mindset as they moved forward. Paul was using the example of Christ’s unconditional love, mercy, and compassion towards them as a catalyst to spur them on to imitate Christ within and outside the church walls. Even today, we could benefit from Paul’s appeal…all being like-minded in love and purpose as the Church moves forward into the future.
Psalm 9: 9-10 ” The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know Your name will trust in You, for You, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.”
God is that shelter from danger…He is that fortress where we can flee to be safe from attack. If we have a relationship with the Lord, our trust and confidence will be in Him and Him alone…knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that He will never abandon us in the middle of the turmoil. Trust Him to be that citadel of strength and power when worries and distress come into your life…seek Him always as your safe haven.
I John 1:7 “But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin.”
Walking in the Light…to you, what does that mean? You might say things like life, salvation, or wisdom. The scripture says we should share this light with one another and the atoning sacrifice of the Blood of the Lamb will wash us white as snow. Have you shared your light with someone today? Light is really quite easy to share…a smile, a kind word, a loving gesture all simple but effective ways to let your light shine. Yours may be the only twinkling candle of light someone around you will see today in their dark world. Shine on!
Proverbs 11:16 ” A kindhearted woman gains respect…”
Growing up I had three Great-Aunts who never married…back in the day, they were called Old Maids, or Spinsters… but in my mind, they were spirited, intelligent, independent women way ahead of their time. My Great-Aunt Martha traveled when women usually didn’t travel alone. She raised wild birds, painted her house outlandish colors, and cooked meals for her poodles. She also was a savvy businesswoman who owned farm ground, and wasn’t afraid to get her hands dirty. My other two Great-Aunts… Ollie and Kathryn, were outstanding cooks and bakers, who earned hundreds of ribbons at State Fairs, and even sold a cookie recipe to the Archway Cookie Company. They had a thriving Cottage Industry, selling cookies, candy, and fruitcake. Even at a young age, I marveled at their self-reliance, spunk, and zest for life…all three were highly respected and loved members of the family, who lived their lives to the fullest.
Psalm 19:1 ” The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.”
Before we found this house 8 years ago this month, I had been praying that the Lord would bring me the perfect house for sunrises. I’m an early riser…most mornings I’m up at 5 AM so I can spend time in the Word, and I feel the very best time of the day is at sunrise, when the earth is waking up. God graciously gave us this beautiful house that offers magnificent sunrises coming up over the mountains from the large kitchen windows. There is nothing better than to be reading about God’s Wonder and Glory as you are experiencing it personally. So, whether you are a “sunrise” person, or a “sunset” person… take a moment today to fully take in the Lord’s Majesty and Resplendence as it spreads across the skies in glowing beams of color and light.
Judges 6:39 Then Gideon said to God, ‘Do not be angry with me. Let me make one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece.’ “
Putting out a “fleece”…maybe you’ve heard the term before. God wanted Gideon to lead the Israelites in defeating the Midianites…and even though the Lord had promised Gideon the victory several times, Gideon still needed tangible signs that this would happen. So this is where the fleece came in…lying on the threshing floor during the night with the dew either on it, or on the ground around it. The Lord used that fleece to build Gideon’s faith and encourage him to move forward into battle. Gideon was not testing God, but rather wanting confirmation of His promises. And now with total confidence in his God, Gideon marched out with his army to defeat the enemy.
Romans 9:20 ” But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to Him who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’ “
When we’ve really messed up in our lives, and are sitting in the mist of all the consequences…we tend to blame God. We criticize Him for us getting into these predicaments, even though we know deep down that it was us going down the wrong path, not Him leading us that way. The Lord was in fact attempting to steer us in the opposite direction, but we stubbornly refused to listen. So now we sit…having our own little pity party, refusing to take personal responsibility for what we did. But as the scripture says…”But who are you that you would accuse the Lord?” It’s time to stop… and point the finger of blame in the correct direction.
Selah…
The Hebrew word, Selah, is left untranslated in the Bible. It is found in 38 of the chapters in Psalms. The term is so ancient, that they are unsure what it actually means. It may be a musical term – a transition in the melody, or it may show a pause. Either way, it’s a very poetic way of reading though the Psalms, in that the writer wants you to pause…and consider what has just been said. He doesn’t want you to hastily read through the scripture, but rather stop…and ponder what was just written. I think we could all benefit from more “Selah” moments throughout our busy and hectic days…pauses to reflect, meditate and listen to that still small voice.
III John verse 2 ” Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.”
Maybe you’ve heard it called the “Health and Wealth” Gospel…those that quote this particular scripture, propose that God’s Will for His children is for them to always have excellent health and prosper greatly. But if you look up the Greek word for pray, it simply expresses the desire or wishes of the Apostle John towards this person. In no way was he inferring that his friend would have perfect health forever. He was only hoping that this letter found his friend well and having a good and safe journey throughout his life, which signified the Lord’s benevolent provision for the needs of His children. John was very confident that his friend was “Spiritually” healthy, and trusted that everything else in his life was as good.
Safetypinlove 