Psalm 46

Good Morning!! How many times have you heard todays' verse? A hundred? A thousand? This snippet of the psalm is a favorite of mine. It constantly pops into my head when I start getting too busy or stressed out. It's often taken out of context,...and ironically, I hadn’t taken time to read the whole psalm in months until the other night,...and found that I had no recollection of the verses surrounding my favorite one-liner.

"Be still, and know that I am God..."—Psalm 46:10 (NIV)

Here’s a sampling of the other verses in Psalm 46:
"Though the earth gives way…" (vs. 2)
"Though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea…" (vs. 2)
"The nations rage, the kingdoms totter…" (vs. 6)
"Be still and know that I am God… I will be exalted in the earth!" (vs. 10)
"The God of Jacob is our fortress." (vs. 11)

In a setting of uncertainty, war, and all-around "trouble" (vs. 1), the psalmist focuses on the peace that comes from being the presence of God,...even though the earth around him threatens to fall apart. The verse holds even more power in the right context, than in our imagined setting.

This psalm is actually the meditation of a man holding back fear with faith.



Sweet Spirit of God, thank You for the reminder; we are the elect of God, being held in His hand,...what need have we to fear? Amen.

"No matter how difficult of a time you may be going through, you always have a long list of blessings for which you can thank God."

(STAND FIRM, Lifeway Publications, November 25, p. 34)

Clean of Sin

Good Morning, My Friend!! As the perfect sacrifice, Christ only had to die once to atone for all sin,...not daily like all the sheep and goats of Israel. The price of salvation isn’t constantly before our eyes like it was for them. Ironically, that tempts us to be complacent about the cost,...letting the little sins and idols creep into our hearts,...God’s temple.

What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people."—2 Corinthians 6:16 (NIV)

If God gave such specific instructions to keep His earthly home clean of sin, why do we think we're somehow exempt? Our salvation wasn’t purchased buy a lamb that we brought ourself,...it’s the Lamb of God, who came to be slaughtered for us, even before we were born.

As Christians, we are the new tabernacle.
We live in the constant presence of God,...because He lives with us.
We have a direct access, that the Israelites couldn’t have dreamed of.
Because our bodies are the temple for the Holy Spirit, Lord Jesus, we ask that You come into our temple, and overthrow all corruption at work there. We know God simply can not tolerate uncleanness in a holy place. Help us to confess all hidden sins, and wicked desires. The Word says as believers, we are called to be set apart for You, holy before God. Help us today, Lord. Amen.

"No matter how difficult of a time you may be going through, you always have a long list of blessings for which you can thank God."

(STAND FIRM, Lifeway Publications, November 25, p. 34)

Receiving Christ

Good Morning!! Receiving Christ is not like picking up the mail, or downloading a song,...it's more of a posture of the heart. A person comes to God with queries, discontents, and bewilderments, but mostly with a heart open to God. "Teach me, Lord, your deep truth, and let me walk with you today."

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.—John 1:12, 13 (NIV)

For most, it breaks down like this: a person who has rarely if ever, submited to anyone realizes that God’s love draws them to yield. There is resistance, sometimes postponements,...but at last, relief and assurance, that God can be trusted,...and received as "Lord of our life." They come to believe that Jesus died for them,...and now confess that their loyalty, love, and life belong to Him.

Receiving Christ is the gateway to understanding all that God wants to teach us,
...and experiencing all that he has to give us.
We receive You, Jesus, and we know You to be the risen Lord,...our Saviorour,...and our Leader. Amen.

"No matter how difficult of a time you may be going through, you always have a long list of blessings for which you can thank God."

(STAND FIRM, Lifeway Publications, November 25, p. 34

Change and Habits

Good Morning!! Change is hard. We all make goals we don’t meet,...exercise more, eat less, have a quiet time, turn off the TV. Sinful habits are especially hard to change: viewing pornography, for example, or spreading gossip. Repentance is hard work. It means more than regret or embarrassment for our mistakes. Repentance means sorrow for sin, confession of sin, and turning from sin.

And when he prayed to him, the Lord was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea.—Chronicles 33:13 (NIV)

Previous wickedness, or the pain it caused, won't just simply be undone. There are some consequences we'll have to live with. But don’t miss these two points; first, all people and most situations can change,...once we turn from sin. And second, God forgives,...come to Jesus and keep coming back. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Repentance is always an option,...as long as you're alive, It’s never too late.



Thank You,
Lord Jesus, thank you that Your yoke is easy and Your burden is light. Amen.

"No matter how difficult of a time you may be going through, you always have a long list of blessings for which you can thank God."

(STAND FIRM, Lifeway Publications, November 25, p. 34)

Peace on the Surface

Good Morning!! Sometimes peace can’t be made unless the fighting parties agree to separate,...and stay parted. However, instead of peace, what they have is an absence of war. When people refuse to solve their problems, they leave room for later flare-ups and grudges,...this prevents spiritual growth.

This heap is a witness, and this pillar is a witness, that I will not go past this heap to your side to harm you and that you will not go past this heap and pillar to my side to harm me.—Genesis 31:52 (NIV)

Jacob and Laban could not get along, so they separated for good. While this certainly solved the surface problem, it left the root issue in their hearts. When we don't truly let go,...just a touch can bring us right back to the same old hurt, and angery feelings. We must learn to Let It Go.

We should have peace, God’s peace,...within us and between us.
We should not carry grudges,...especially against fellow Christians.
Lord, Your love is life to us. Fill us with Your love and give us the wisdom to follow after the things that are pleasing to You. Thank You for loving us; showing us mercy; giving us faith and forgiving us. We don't deserve it but You have given it to us in abundance. Praise Your Holy name forever!

"Man must cease attributing his problems to his environment, and learn again to exercise his will,...his personal responsibility."
(Albert Einstein)

Decisions

Good Morning!! Decisiveness is a strength of mine, one I'm glad to have. So often I've watched friends or family jockey back and forth over something,...while I've already comfortably chosen, and moved down one road or an other. My wife on the other hand,...well, her strength tends to be less in making the decision than in gathering (and gathering, and gathering) the research that presumably is supposed to aid in the making of the decision. This could make for a great partnership, if we could just find a balance.

for waging war you need guidance, and for victory many advisers.—Proverbs 24:6 (NIV)

Too often we forget that Christianity really is a team sport,...rather than an individual one. We have tools and equipment that can make our life choices so much better. We have the ability to take our concerns straight to God. We have His Spirit dwelling in us, speaking for us, whispering to us. And we have His Word written for us to review and consult over and over again. We also have the experience of the those that have already been, where we want to go.

Henry Ford was once asked; "How do you make wise decisions?
Experience. How do you get experience?
By making stupid decisions."
Father, I'm so glad, we don't always have to be the one making the stupid decision, just so we might learn. We don't want to let the mistakes of other go to waste. Let us listen and obey, as Your Spirit speaks,...so we don't go into war without guidance. Amen.

"Man must cease attributing his problems to his environment, and learn again to exercise his will,...his personal

Guidance From the Lord

Good Morning!! Would you like to know what the future holds? For me the answer is both yes, and no! As Christians there are things we already know, like the promise of heaven, and the promise of the Lord’s unfailing guidance all the way there. But not knowing the details may be a positive as well,...because that develops our faith in Him, and our dependence on Him.

By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.—Hebrews 11:8 (NIV)

Of the many examples of people of faith, Abraham’s is the greatest because he knew nothing in advance,...except the promise of a family and a homeland at the end. Abraham “set out” at the word of Yahweh, “not knowing where he was going.” We're not even sure he was told in which direction to go, and so he had to trust God that his own decision would be the right one!

GOD said go, and Abraham went,
...he simply trusted God for the fulfillment of His promises.
Now that’s faith!



Father in Heaven, we thank You for Your Word, which gives us all the strenght and directions we need. Amen, Amen!

"Man must cease attributing his problems to his environment, and learn again to exercise his will,...his personal responsibility."
(Albert Einstein)