How many of us, after receiving bad news, will immediately – first thing – take it to the Lord? Not after we’ve tried to fix it on our own…not after spending time moaning, groaning and complaining about how mistreated we are…but right away. God wants us to take all our cares in supplication before Him, seeking His mercy…sooner, not later.
Tag: relationship with god
Proverbs 27: 9 ” Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of one’s friend springs from his earnest counsel.”
As you go through life, you’ll probably only have a few…they are rare finds and more precious as time goes by…they’re those special friends that you can always depend on. A close friend you can bounce ideas off, confess your failings, and ask stupid questions…all knowing that you will receive thoughtful, sincere, and wise advise. Such friends are few, and worth much.
Ephesians 1: 13-14 ” And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked with Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of His glory.”
One day you heard the gospel, and that saving truth resonated deeply within your soul…while the Christ-shaped hole inside you was being filled with His love. By accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior, your freedom was purchased by His blood shed on the Cross…and as a stamp of your redemption, He gave you the Holy Spirit as a down payment on your eternal life with Him.
Isaiah 42: 8 ” I am the Lord; that is My name! I will not give My glory to another or My praise to idols.”
There is absolutely no one like the Lord. His majesty and splendor cannot be duplicated by anyone or thing in the universe…but we try to place things in front of Him all the time. Things like pride and selfishness, or material wealth and fame we make our idols rather than bowing down to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. But make no mistake, the Lord will not be mocked, nor will He ever yield His glory to another. (Isaiah 48:11)
I Peter 1:8 ” Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy…”
The personal relationship we have with Jesus cannot be summed up in mere words. We don’t have the vocabulary to somehow articulate the exuberance our soul feels when pondering His love for us, and our love for Him. It’s at those times, we want to leap for joy with happiness and gratitude for what He’s done in our life.
Romans 16:17 ” I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them.”
We’ve all seen it…a Church splits due to dissension and disagreement. Usually there’s a faction of a few disillusioned people who divide the flock by decisive means, and before you know it – the Church is split asunder.
The Greek word for “obstacles” in this verse is most interesting…for it means the trigger of a trap on which the bait is placed, and which, when touched by an animal, springs and causes it to close, trapping its victim. We are told to keep away from such people and their traps.
Micah 2:13 ” One who breaks open the way will go up before them; they will break through the gate and go out.”
This verse references Jesus the Messiah – the one whose death on the cross opened our way to God. Jesus goes before us making a way when there seems to be none. For not only did He kick wide open the gate for us, He is the Way.
And with jubilant shouts, we too can burst through the gate that has kept us from God.
Psalm 41:1 ” Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the Lord delivers him in times of trouble.”
Do we even pay attention to the poor and needy around us…or are they just problems we’d rather not deal with – so we walk past, or change the channel, or choose not to get involved. But God wants us to not only acknowledge their plight, but consider how we can help them in their struggles…and in doing so, reap the blessings of being Christ to the downtrodden.
Job 25:2 ” Dominion and awe belong to God.”
It says in Psalm 47:9, ” The kings of the world belong to God.” He rules and reigns over all…every people group, every country, every person. Stand before the Lord today in wonder and reverence that is befitting only Him…for He is God.
Jeremiah 10:5 ” Like a scarecrow in a melon patch, their idols cannot speak; they must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them; they can do no harm nor can they do any good.”
Do you carry your idol around with you? Maybe it’s in your pocket, your purse, on your finger or wrist. But if you think about it…what benefit do you really get from it? What good have you obtained? Idols are like that…no real benefit, other than what it takes.
Safetypinlove 