Fear need not motivate our thoughts and actions…it need not grip us in paralyzing terror. Fear is not of the Lord…quite the opposite, Satan uses fear very effectively to stop us from moving forward with what the Lord would want us to be doing. Instead, the verse says that God has given us the ability to discern with a logical, sound mind what is true. As Romans 8:15 says, ” For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave to fear, but you received the Spirit of Son-ship.” You have been adopted into the family of God, and are joint-heirs with Jesus…and this family of yours doesn’t know the meaning of fear!
Tag: faith
Numbers 23: 19 ” God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change His mind.”
Two things that the Lord cannot do…He can’t lie, in Hebrews it states, “it’s impossible for God to lie.”…secondly, He can’t change His mind, in Malachi it states, ” I the Lord do not change.” Our ways are not God’s ways, but we’re always trying to slap our human emotions onto Him…trying to make Him a little more like us…riddled with the flaws we have. But God is so much bigger than we can ever imagine…His plans will stand forever, He will fulfill and keep every promise, You will never hear a falsehood from His mouth, you will never see Him change. Our ways are not His ways…His ways are perfect.
Psalm 33: 2 ” Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to Him…”
Years back, I was the Director of Nursing at a large Alzheimer’s Unit in Washington State. It was a very demanding, but yet very gratifying job. We had just admitted a lady with end-stage Alzheimer’s as well as many other serious medical problems.
She was not eating well, so I took it upon myself to sit with her during meals in the Dining Room to encourage her to eat. Music was an important part of our day in the Building…depending on the time of day, different types, rhythms, and tempos were played. Music Therapy can be used to help calm, motivate, and engage those lost to this Disease process known as Alzheimer’s. Lunch was over, everyone had left the Dining Room ,except this lady and me. I went over to the CD Player and selected an instrumental CD of Celtic harp music. As the music filled the empty space, she suddenly looked, pointed and smiled. I asked her what she was looking at…she asked me if I couldn’t see the angels playing the beautiful music?? Oh, I wish I could have, but from the look on her face it was a wonderful performance…she died a day later… and I can only imagine with those same angels welcoming her home with heavenly music.
Proverbs 30: 7-9 ” Two things I ask of You, O Lord; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown You and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’ or I may become poor and steal and so dishonor the name of my God.”
Two simple, but quite profound things the sage writer of this Proverb is asking of the Lord…First, place a hedge of protection up between deception, wickedness, and me, and secondly, provide me with just a common, usual, and customary lifestyle. The writer is asking God to not only keep Satan far from him, but to also guard his heart, mind and soul from demonic attack. The other request plays on Man’s propensity to become proud when he thinks that it’s because of his own power and strength that he’s wealthy. As it says in Hosea 13:6 “When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot Me.” That “self-made man” ideology has been the downfall of many a person who mistakenly thought it was them and not the Lord who supplied all their needs. The writer of this Proverb did not want to turn his back on God through arrogance and pride, or disgrace the name of the Lord, by stealing.
Proverbs 15: 30 ” A cheerful look brings joy to the heart…”
A face that “lights up” with a smile is so very much easier to look at than a scowl. A person with an optimistic outlook and positive attitude is nicer to be around than one with the opposite. I realize it can hard to be around negative, down, people with chips on their shoulders, but a cheerful look can transform the crankiest of people by bringing delight to their hard heart. A sincere smile and kind word can change a heart of stone into a heart of flesh.
Isaiah 30:18 ” Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; He rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for Him.”
Our Lord earnestly desires to show us kindness, He is constantly wanting to give us His love and mercy…as a Father would lovingly treat His child. But He is also just, and justice is one of God’s great attributes…it’s something rooted in His character…God loves justice. It’s something, we as Believers should strive to emulate in our own lives. The Lord is truly good to those whose hope is in Him…Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart.
Luke 24:5 ” Why do you look for the living among the dead? “
The angel asked this query of the women who had come to the tomb of Jesus…but, I would ask you the same question. Have you been trying to fill your life with empty, useless things of the world…ever searching, but never filling that emptiness inside. The stagnant and futile things of the world will never compare to the breathing, living things of God. So, I would ask you again this question…Why do you look for the living among the dead?
He is Risen!…He is Risen indeed!
Early that morning the women came to the tomb and found the stone rolled away from the entrance. Jesus didn’t need this to happen for the Resurrection to occur, but this gaping hole was a physical sign that something miraculous had taken place. What was left behind was a cold, empty tomb…maybe like your heart today…someplace where Jesus might have been at one time…but is no longer. Today is the best day of the year to renew your commitment to the Lord and start afresh…let Him Arise in your heart today.
Mark 15: 38 ” The curtain of the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom.”
This curtain hung between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place in the Temple. It’s function was to separate all men, even the Priests, from the presence of God. Only the High Priest was able to go beyond the curtain, and that was only once a year, on the Day of Atonement. The moment that Jesus breathed His last breath on the Cross this curtain was torn in an instant from above, downwards. The barrier that separated us from God was suddenly…gone! We no longer needed someone else to inquire of God for us…the middleman now was no longer needed. That open curtain had made a way for us to go confidently into the Most High Place…and to have intimate access to our Lord. That ripped curtain hung as a memorial to the Old Covenant, and the shed Blood of Jesus.
John 12:7 ” Leave her alone, Jesus replied. It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial.”
When Mary had learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s home she knew this was her chance to meet this man everyone was talking about. She looked around her room for something to take as a gift…her eyes settled on a beautiful alabaster jar of nard. It was an extravagant indulgence she had treated herself to, but now it sat there as a symbol of her vanity and pride, and all she was ashamed of. She slipped it under her cloak and set off silently moving through the side streets. The servant girls were all busy when she arrived at the home, no one barred her from entering. Mary moved quickly, drawn by the men’s voices, then she heard Jesus speak and the tears started to well up in her eyes. Now was her chance, but fear and panic stopped her from interrupting the dinner, so instead she stood crying behind Jesus as He reclined on the couch. Mary’s eyes fell on His feet, they were dirty and dusty, and she was suddenly indignant that none of the servants had washed His feet before the meal. But then a quiet voice within her spoke…”But you can.” For a moment her haughtiness took over…”Me?! Wash someone’s feet?! The lowliest of the servants do that! I am far too important to get my hands and clothes dirty!” But again the quiet voice spoke…”Look where your importance has gotten you. You are no better off than the servant girl who forgot to wash His feet…you are both lost.” Struck by the stark truth, Mary began to sob. All pride and vanity inside her broke and she fell to her knees in front of Jesus’s feet. Her tears flowed from her bowed face onto His feet, washing away the dirt. Transfixed, Mary watched as Jesus’s feet became clean. She quickly undid her hair and dried them…ever afraid that Jesus would stop her, she hurriedly broke open the jar of nard and poured the perfume onto His feet. She signed deeply , and as the fragrance filled her head she felt her old life melt away…she felt…free. Free from all that had held her captive in the past. The guilt and shame gave way to a wonderful peace…. A Peace she had never experienced before. Suddenly Mary realized that Jesus had turned towards her and was speaking to Simon the Pharisee. Mary and Jesus eyes met as He said, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house and you did not give me water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not put oil on My head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins are forgiven- for she loved much. Then Jesus reached out and touched Mary’s face and said, “Your sins are forgiven, your faith has saved you, go in peace.” He then smiled at her and Mary’s heart was filled to overflowing with gratitude and love. “Thank you,” was all she could murmur as she slowly got up. A new Mary stood…the old Mary had died at the feet of Jesus.
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