Imagine, if you will, this picture. You are on one side of this deep abyss, and God is on the other, and there is no physical way for you to get across to Him. But now imagine a bridge spanning between the two sides so that you may reach God. The Cross of Jesus is that bridge, giving all of us access to God the Father. For it is only by the saving faith of Jesus we can approach the Throne of grace with confidence. (Hebrews 4:16) But we must continue to hold firmly to our trust in Jesus Christ…”so that when He appears we may be confident and unashamed before Him at His coming.” (I John 2:28)
Tag: daily inspirational devotions
Romans 14:10 ” You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.”
I may not think I do, but I judge people all the time. It’s our human nature to discriminate between good and bad…but most times it’s more subjective than objective! For we usually judge someone according to our own personal preferences, upbringing, and mores… rather than assessing them impartially through eyes of mercy and love. The Bible tells us there is only One that can judge, and we know we have a righteous and just God that is more than capable…and doesn’t need our help!
I Corinthians 13:12 ” Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.”
Now, we can barely distinguish the outer fringe of God’s works…so faint the whisper we hear of Him. For God’s greatness is beyond our understanding. (Job 26:14 & Job 36:26) But then, we will see God…with our own eyes we will see Him, and we know that when He appears, we’ll be like Him, for we’ll see Him as He is. (I John 3:2) Now, God’s magnificence hasn’t yet been made known to us, but then, we will stand face to face, gazing into His glory…and all things will become clear.
Proverbs 8:4-5 ” To you, O men, I call out; I raise my voice to all mankind. You who are simple, gain prudence; you who are foolish, gain understanding.”
These verses are Wisdom’s call to all of humanity…with the basic purpose of wisdom described in Proverbs 1:4-5, “For giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young – let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance.” But why do we need wisdom? Simple, because our hearts can be easily deceived, and a deluded heart will certainly mislead us.(Isaiah 44:20) So how do we start to obtain wisdom? Easy, Proverbs 1:7 tells us that, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge…” And James 1:5 goes on to add, “If any of you lack wisdom ask, for the Lord gives wisdom and from His mouth comes knowledge and understanding.” Wisdom is calling today, and if you’re like me, you could definitely use an extra measure of insight, discernment, and common sense in order to navigate through the mountains of information we’re being bombarded with right now.
Psalm 33:4 ” For the word of the Lord is right and true; He is faithful in all He does.”
This morning I was reading a very insightful blog from a dear friend about truth. Her Website is called Cantstealmyjoy.com by author Bekah Bowman, and the title of the blog was “Put on Truth.” But how difficult has it become now a days to discern truth, especially in these past chaotic months of the COVID 19 pandemic and world-wide protests? The voices are very loud, coming at us from all sides, each claiming to hold the truth…but who do we believe? As Bekah’s blog points out, we need to go back to the foundational truths of God, and that means getting back into His word. For without knowing His revealed word, we are left open and vulnerable to confusion and deception. But when we have a solid knowledge of God’s word, the outside noise isn’t nearly as loud, for we have the certainty and trustworthiness of the emphatic word of God to guide us. Or as Psalm 25:10 says, “All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of His covenant.” So, if you’re searching for the truth today amidst all those voices vying for your attention… first start in the bedrock of God’s word, the Bible, to learn for yourself what is genuine and true.
Philippians 1:3-4 ” I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy…”
Maybe this has happened to you. The Lord lays someone on your heart, and you’re like, where did they come from? But the Lord persists, so you call them up and they tell you they had just asked God to send someone to help them. Think about it…by being obedient, you have become an instrument in God’s hand to answer that person’s prayer. That’s because there’s nothing as sweet as hearing someone say, “I prayed for you today.” So when God brings someone to mind, pray with gratitude and gladness for them…but follow it up with a phone call in order that you may encourage and uplift their spirit with the simple words, “I remembered you in my prayers today.”
Genesis 12:1 ” The Lord had said to Abram, ‘Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.’ “
The beginning of any journey begins with that first step…but you have to be willing to move! In this verse God told Abraham to take that first step, and it was a big one. For not only did God want him to leave his homeland, relatives, and everything he was comfortable and used to, but he had to leave not having any idea where he was going. Many times throughout our life God’s call will involve stepping out into the unknown…of taking that proverbial leap of faith, and trusting that God will be there to lead the way.
James 3:9 ” With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness.”
James writes about attempting to tame the tongue…but the tongue is more powerful than we have the ability to control it. And here in this verse he gives the example of just how careless our tongue can be. One minute we can be praising God…and with the next breath we can be speaking harshly and wishing evil against a brother or sister. How can this be possible? I’ll give you a little analogy. Say I’m going to make potato salad, so I place potatoes and eggs in a pot of cold water and place it on the stove. Over the course of 15-20 minutes they cook together in that pot of simmering water…but the potatoes soften while the eggs harden. Same pot, same water, but out came two different responses…one tender, one hard.
Jeremiah 18:6 ” ‘O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?’ declares the Lord. ‘Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel.’ “
This verse is a very vivid reminder of God’s sovereignty over man. The prophet Isaiah wrote, “Woe to him who quarrels (or complains) with his Maker, to him who is but a potsherd among potsherds on the ground. (Isaiah 45:9) Well, that kinda puts us in our place doesn’t it?! God is the potter and we are the clay…it’s as simple as that, but we humans don’t take kindly to being told what to do by anyone in authority, let alone God. Our rebellious spirit bristles at God’s perceived supreme power over us. But in Romans 9:20, Paul asks in amazement, “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?” We are like clay in the hand of the Master potter…and He will fashion us as He sees fit…His Will and Way always prevailing.
II Corinthians 1:8 ” We don’t want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.”
2020 has started out to be a year of tremendous difficulties, afflictions, and grief. And in many ways we all have been affected. But the next time you’re tempted to go on Social Media and whine…ask yourself this question. Am I attention-seeking, and eliciting participants in my personal pity-party…or am I like Paul who made his friends aware of the hardships he was enduring in order to show them where his trust rested? For in the next verse, Paul points out that this happened that, “we might not rely on ourselves but on God…” Enduring pain, bearing up under persecution, and experiencing grief are all part of the human experience…no one is immune. But it’s how we react to it that makes the real difference. It’s called suffering well. Of placing our reliance on God rather than man…and of pointing to Him as the one we depend on…so that all the glory goes to Him, not us.
Safetypinlove 