As you start your journey into 2016, are you willing to yield all of yourself to the Lord…conforming yourself to His ways, not yours? Are you willing to give Him that secret part of you that you’ve been holding on to…hiding from Him…unable to give Him fully? Obedience is the fundamental key in our relationship with God…for His love is truly made complete in it. ( I John 2:5)
Tag: theology
Psalm 94:11 ” The Lord knows the thoughts of man; He knows that they are futile.”
The Lord knows them all…every ill-intended, evil thought. He sees every vain and worthless plan, and will listen to every ridiculous scheme when we’re trying to impress Him with our wisdom. To paraphrase I Corinth. 3:20, The wisdom of the world is utterly absurd and ridiculous to God is so very true. Every time we think we know it all…we need to remember that we know nothing.
Jude 1:2 ” Mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance.”
On this first day of 2016, I pray this scripture over you and yours. May the Lord’s compassion be ever evident in your life…may you discover true peace that is only brought about by God’s tender mercy, granting you deliverance and freedom from sin…and may His unconditional love shine brightly on you as you journey ahead in this new year. God loves you!
II Chronicles 20:20 ” Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in His prophets and you will be successful.”
On this last day of 2015, whose report will you believe today? The pessimistic and slanted world’s view, or the Lord’s divine perspective on things? The most reliable truth comes from God and His people. His Word will sustain you, and cause you to prosper…to be happy and victorious in this next coming year. Look to Him and His people for this guidance as you move into 2016.
II Peter 2:20 ” If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.”
So why do Believers fall away…even after experiencing the saving grace and mercy of Jesus? Is the pull of the world too strong, or is their confidence in this new-found faith too frail? Has the self-centered human nature triumphed over the newly gained eternal perspective? And why does Peter tell us they are worse off than before they knew Jesus…could it be that they may spend eternity lamenting their decision?
John 5:7 ” ‘Sir,’ the invalid replied, ‘I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.’ “
Something bad happens to us… what’s the first thing we usually do? We blame someone or thing for it. Blaming others rather than taking responsibility for the circumstances we find ourselves in is something we do rather well. I remember a saying that was popular years ago…”The devil made me do it!” No, the devil didn’t make you do anything…it’s all on you.
John 9: 35-38 ” Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when He found him, He said, ‘Do you believe in the Son Of Man?’ ‘Who is He, Sir?’ the man asked. ‘Tell me so that I may believe in Him!’ Jesus said, ‘You have now seen Him; in fact He is the one speaking with you.’ Then the man said, ‘Lord, I believe.’ And he worshiped Him. “
The beggar had been born blind, but Jesus had healed him of his physical blindness. But now we find Jesus seeking out the beggar again to offer him something far more important… something with eternal consequences. Jesus was asking the man to put his faith and trust in Him, and thus to be then healed of his spiritual blindness.
I Corinthians 15: 10 ” But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace to me was not without effect…”
Every time you discount the work of the Lord in your life…every time you treat with insignificance the miraculous things He’s done in and through you…you are maligning God. In effect you’re saying to the Lord, ” Your unearned favor towards me means nothing .” So today, think about just how far the Lord has brought you, and then thank Him…for you are who you are today because of Him.
Mark 9:35 ” If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.”
Jesus made this statement after hearing the Disciples arguing amongst themselves as to who was the greatest. Pride and arrogance had reared their ugly heads among these Godly men…but now Jesus was showing them that humility and a servant’s heart were far more desirable traits to have.
Proverbs 10:12 ” Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs.”
Hatred is one of the strongest words we humans have…the sheer intensity and emotion tied to it makes the word almost have a life of its own. This unbridled emotion of hatred will provoke all kinds of hostility, bitterness, and strife into ours and others lives. But Godly love shows forgiveness towards others, and a willingness to put away adversity for the good of all. As Jesus said, “Forgive as you have been forgiven.”