"Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments." Psalm 112:1
There are blessings in every area of life for the person who fears the Lord and delights greatly in His commandments. You will have to read the rest of the chapter to discover what they are.
But to name a few:
His children and all the generations that follow shall be blessed.
Wealth and riches shall be in his house.
He will have light to guide him in times of darkness.
He won't be moved when trouble comes.
He will be remembered when he passes from this life.
He won't be afraid when he hears a bad or evil report because his heart is fixed in trust in the Lord.
He won't be afraid when his enemies rise against him. He knows the Lord will fight his battle for him.
His heart is changed to be more like the heart of God.
His character will be transformed to the degree that he is not greedy but compassionate, caring, giving, a lender, he shows favor to others, he is gracious and he is righteous in character and his affairs.
He shall be exalted with honor.
There are many blessings that we desire and strive to receive. But we can't be flippant about our relationship with the Lord and expect them to come. We have to heed the commandments, obey them and put them into practice in our lives. If we do, those blessings will automatically come and even chase us down.
Have a great day. The fear of the Lord and delighting in His commands bring multiple blessings.
Monday, July 31, 2017
Friday, July 28, 2017
"The Substance Of Faith"
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1
I think we tend to forget what faith is. I think we also tend to forget that as Christians, we live by faith. Faith is the substance of things hoped for. It is the evidence of things not seen. We tend to get upset, anxious, fearful and discouraged when we don't "see" things changing or taking place. Faith is not sight. Faith will become sight eventually. But until it does we have to live by faith-- believing without seeing.
Faith is not mere hope so. It is not make believe. It is not just a positive confession. It is not believing hard enough or long enough.
Faith is not only substance-- it is the foundation for what we believe-- is has substance. It has something backing it up. It has something solid upholding it. It has roots and grounding. What is the substance of faith? God's Word.
The source that gives faith power is God's Word. Just because we may "want" or desire something, doesn't mean we can just start believing for it if it has no substance to it. Our faith is not in our faith. It is in the immutable, unfailing, unchanging Word of God. Faith holds on to, trust in, is confident in, is rooted in the faithfulness of God to do what He says He will do.
We live by faith. Not by sight. Not by hope so. Not by mere desire. But our faith has to have substance and that substance is God's Word. We can believe what He says.
Have a great day. We live by faith. God's Word gives substance to faith.
I think we tend to forget what faith is. I think we also tend to forget that as Christians, we live by faith. Faith is the substance of things hoped for. It is the evidence of things not seen. We tend to get upset, anxious, fearful and discouraged when we don't "see" things changing or taking place. Faith is not sight. Faith will become sight eventually. But until it does we have to live by faith-- believing without seeing.
Faith is not mere hope so. It is not make believe. It is not just a positive confession. It is not believing hard enough or long enough.
Faith is not only substance-- it is the foundation for what we believe-- is has substance. It has something backing it up. It has something solid upholding it. It has roots and grounding. What is the substance of faith? God's Word.
The source that gives faith power is God's Word. Just because we may "want" or desire something, doesn't mean we can just start believing for it if it has no substance to it. Our faith is not in our faith. It is in the immutable, unfailing, unchanging Word of God. Faith holds on to, trust in, is confident in, is rooted in the faithfulness of God to do what He says He will do.
We live by faith. Not by sight. Not by hope so. Not by mere desire. But our faith has to have substance and that substance is God's Word. We can believe what He says.
Have a great day. We live by faith. God's Word gives substance to faith.
Thursday, July 27, 2017
"Can Do Strength Or Pride?"
"..... for without me ye can do nothing." John 15:5b
Children are famous for their "can do" attitude. You know what I mean, they have an independent attitude. They don't need your help, they can do it, they know what they are doing. (All along we know they can't.) You try to help them and they don't want your help. They insist they know what they are doing and can do it. So, what do you do? You let them. (At least you let them try.) Sooner or later they realize that they can't do it and don't know it all.
As children of the Lord, we tend to do the same thing with Him. We have a "can do" attitude. We act like we can do it ourselves. We act like we don't need His help. We act like we can manage on our own. We act like we have it all figured out. Then we later discover that we don't. But if we are insistent that we "can do it", just like us as parents, He will step aside and let us try it for ourselves.
While a "can do" attitude can be applauded in many areas, it isn't when it comes to dealing with the Lord. He doesn't call it a "can do" attitude or see it as a strength of character. He calls it "pride". He calls it arrogance and a haughty spirit. It is not a strength of character. It is independence from Him.
I said earlier that just like we step back and let children discover on their own that they can't do, or know, everything, the Lord will step back too. He does this because He loves you. This is a chastening method of the Lord. (Whom He loves He chastens.) In His stepping back, you will discover that you can't do it because you will fall and fail at your attempt. (Pride goes before destruction.) When He steps back and lets you do it on your own, pride will cause you to fall. Failure will cause you to repent and acknowledge your dependency on the Lord.
We can't do it/anything without Him. Are you trying to? Do you think you can? Do you really think you are wiser and stronger than He is? If so, you don't have a "can do" mentality, or strength of character, you have a "pride" problem. Repent and confess your dependency on Him.
Have a great day. If you think you can do it without the Lord, you have a pride problem.
Children are famous for their "can do" attitude. You know what I mean, they have an independent attitude. They don't need your help, they can do it, they know what they are doing. (All along we know they can't.) You try to help them and they don't want your help. They insist they know what they are doing and can do it. So, what do you do? You let them. (At least you let them try.) Sooner or later they realize that they can't do it and don't know it all.
As children of the Lord, we tend to do the same thing with Him. We have a "can do" attitude. We act like we can do it ourselves. We act like we don't need His help. We act like we can manage on our own. We act like we have it all figured out. Then we later discover that we don't. But if we are insistent that we "can do it", just like us as parents, He will step aside and let us try it for ourselves.
While a "can do" attitude can be applauded in many areas, it isn't when it comes to dealing with the Lord. He doesn't call it a "can do" attitude or see it as a strength of character. He calls it "pride". He calls it arrogance and a haughty spirit. It is not a strength of character. It is independence from Him.
I said earlier that just like we step back and let children discover on their own that they can't do, or know, everything, the Lord will step back too. He does this because He loves you. This is a chastening method of the Lord. (Whom He loves He chastens.) In His stepping back, you will discover that you can't do it because you will fall and fail at your attempt. (Pride goes before destruction.) When He steps back and lets you do it on your own, pride will cause you to fall. Failure will cause you to repent and acknowledge your dependency on the Lord.
We can't do it/anything without Him. Are you trying to? Do you think you can? Do you really think you are wiser and stronger than He is? If so, you don't have a "can do" mentality, or strength of character, you have a "pride" problem. Repent and confess your dependency on Him.
Have a great day. If you think you can do it without the Lord, you have a pride problem.
Wednesday, July 26, 2017
"Peace Defined"
" Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14:27
Most people define peace as-- the absence of problems. When all is going well in their lives, they have peace. But let a storm come, let conflict come, let problems come, let trials hit their lives and there goes their peace.
Peace is not the absence of problems. You can still have peace even when in a storm. You can still have peace when your heart is breaking. You can still have peace when your world is falling apart. Why? How? Because it is His/the Lord's peace that you have.
When the disciples were in the boat and the storm arose, they were fearful. They were afraid of drowning. They were toiling to try to remove the water from the boat. They were abandoning all hope. They were convinced they would perish. We see Jesus in the same boat and same storm with them. But we see a different reaction in Him than in the disciples. He was asleep. He was resting. He was at peace.
Was Jesus in the storm? Yes. But He was at peace in it. He was at peace because He knew the Father was with Him. He was at peace because He knew that He was in the will of God. He was at peace because He trusted the Father to take care of Him. The storm was raging-- it was very present-- but Jesus had peace in the midst of it. This is the true definition of peace.
If you are going through a storm, a trial, a problem, a situation this morning, I am not saying that it is not real. But you can still have peace of heart and mind during it. That is what real peace is.
Have a great day. Peace is not defined as the absence of a problem. It is defined as a state of rest while in the problem.
Most people define peace as-- the absence of problems. When all is going well in their lives, they have peace. But let a storm come, let conflict come, let problems come, let trials hit their lives and there goes their peace.
Peace is not the absence of problems. You can still have peace even when in a storm. You can still have peace when your heart is breaking. You can still have peace when your world is falling apart. Why? How? Because it is His/the Lord's peace that you have.
When the disciples were in the boat and the storm arose, they were fearful. They were afraid of drowning. They were toiling to try to remove the water from the boat. They were abandoning all hope. They were convinced they would perish. We see Jesus in the same boat and same storm with them. But we see a different reaction in Him than in the disciples. He was asleep. He was resting. He was at peace.
Was Jesus in the storm? Yes. But He was at peace in it. He was at peace because He knew the Father was with Him. He was at peace because He knew that He was in the will of God. He was at peace because He trusted the Father to take care of Him. The storm was raging-- it was very present-- but Jesus had peace in the midst of it. This is the true definition of peace.
If you are going through a storm, a trial, a problem, a situation this morning, I am not saying that it is not real. But you can still have peace of heart and mind during it. That is what real peace is.
Have a great day. Peace is not defined as the absence of a problem. It is defined as a state of rest while in the problem.
Tuesday, July 25, 2017
"What Must I Do?"
"And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" Acts 16:30
"And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" Luke 18:18
The age old question-- "What must I do to be saved?" It was asked by a Roman jailer. It was asked by a young Jewish ruler. They both asked, "What must I do?" The emphasis in the question was on "I". We think that there is something we can do to be saved, to have eternal life, to enter into heaven, to be right with God.
We think that there must be some "good work" or "religious deed" that we can do to be saved. We think that if we keep the commandments, if we attend church, if we are baptized, if we join a church, if we help the poor, if we read our Bibles, if we give offerings to the church, then we are "saved".
"I" can't do anything to save myself. I can't do enough good deeds to save myself. Adam and Eve tried to save themselves all the way back in the Garden of Eden by sewing fig leaves together to cover their sin. It wasn't possible then, it still isn't possible now.
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God." (Ephesians 2:8) Salvation is a gift. It is something that is given, not something that is earned. There is only one thing that you can do to be saved-- receive the gift.
God loved the world so much that He gave. He gave the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ His Son. We don't earn the gift. We don't work for it. We don't purchase it. We believe that it is intended for us. Then we receive it by faith. That is the only "work" we can do. Have you? Or are you still trying to work for it? Are you still trying to be good enough to posses it? You and I never will be good enough or do enough to earn it. We just have to receive it.
Have a great day. There is nothing you can do to be saved, other than put your faith in Jesus Christ to save you.
"And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" Luke 18:18
The age old question-- "What must I do to be saved?" It was asked by a Roman jailer. It was asked by a young Jewish ruler. They both asked, "What must I do?" The emphasis in the question was on "I". We think that there is something we can do to be saved, to have eternal life, to enter into heaven, to be right with God.
We think that there must be some "good work" or "religious deed" that we can do to be saved. We think that if we keep the commandments, if we attend church, if we are baptized, if we join a church, if we help the poor, if we read our Bibles, if we give offerings to the church, then we are "saved".
"I" can't do anything to save myself. I can't do enough good deeds to save myself. Adam and Eve tried to save themselves all the way back in the Garden of Eden by sewing fig leaves together to cover their sin. It wasn't possible then, it still isn't possible now.
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God." (Ephesians 2:8) Salvation is a gift. It is something that is given, not something that is earned. There is only one thing that you can do to be saved-- receive the gift.
God loved the world so much that He gave. He gave the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ His Son. We don't earn the gift. We don't work for it. We don't purchase it. We believe that it is intended for us. Then we receive it by faith. That is the only "work" we can do. Have you? Or are you still trying to work for it? Are you still trying to be good enough to posses it? You and I never will be good enough or do enough to earn it. We just have to receive it.
Have a great day. There is nothing you can do to be saved, other than put your faith in Jesus Christ to save you.
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