November 18, 2024

Redemption From the World

September 8, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Praise the Lord, my soul;
all my inmost being, praise His holy name.
Praise the Lord, my soul,
and forget not all His benefits—
Who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
Who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
Psalms 103:1-5

I am going to go ahead and admit it.  I have played the lottery—both scratch-offs and picking the numbers.  It’s a temptation that is hard to avoid when I am in certain places—Florida and Georgia.  I am not going to lie.  It’s especially hard when you live right on the Alabama-Georgia border.  Thankfully, due to gas prices, I have a worldly reason to avoid it.

Winning the lottery or winning a prize can make anyone feel elated.  That elation only intensifies when you actually obtain the prize.  Many kids love to go to Chucky Cheese—not for the pizza—but for the games.  Kids play games there to win tickets.  And with those tickets, they can redeem prizes from the prize department.  Lucky are those who get enough tickets to win the oversized prizes like the big stuffed animal or toy (that you can get at a department store for way cheaper than what you paid in money for the games).  Redeeming the prize makes us feel good, but it is only finite.  The elation only lasts for so long.

O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption.
Psalm 130:7

Yet there is a redemption that we can receive that is even better than redeeming a ticket for a prize—the gift of the Cross.  Jesus died on the Cross for our sins and transgressions.  He gave His own blood to redeem us from the fate of death and burning in the lake of fire at the end of time.  He redeemed us from the world because He loved us.  Jesus was thinking of us when the guards nailed Him to the Cross.  He was thinking of us when He drew His last breath. Jesus was redeeming us when He gave His life to save us from the sentence of death.

We receive this redemption upon welcoming Jesus into our hearts and entering into a relationship with Him.  He not only redeems us from death and sin, but He is our Rock and Foundation.  Jesus never leaves us and He gives His love unconditionally.  He is our Redeemer, Foundation, and so much more.

  *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the redemption that Your Son gives us upon our acceptance of Him.  Without Him we would surely not be able to escape the sentence of death at the final judgment.  He is our Rock and Foundation.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Jehovah Jireh

September 7, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget none of His benefits;
Who pardons all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases;
Who redeems your life from the pit,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;
Who satisfies your years with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.
Psalms 103:1-5

As I read this passage “Jehovah Jireh” came to mind.  According to Easton’s Bible Dictionary the name “Jehovah Jireh” means, “Jehovah will see to it. Jehovah will provide.”  1 Timothy 6:17b (AMP) states we are to set our hopes “…on God, Who richly and ceaselessly provides us with everything for [our] enjoyment.”  God continually provides for us.  It is not a “one and done” event. He is always giving—concerned with even the smallest details of our lives.

In this passage there are at least six benefits mentioned that God provides:

  • Forgiveness
  • Healing
  • Redemption
  • Love, compassion & mercy
  • Goodness, good things
  • Renewal

Most of these are self-explanatory and such monumental occurrences that they are not easily forgotten.  But what about “goodness” and “good things”?  What does that encompass?

“All my need fully supplied, and everything “good.” Goodness is God expressed.”
– Frederick Whitfield

Good things not only supply our every needbut they are our personal blessing, our choicest favors.  They may not be monumental occurrences or breathtaking events.  Maybe they are small things we sometimes overlook, like finding a parking spot or campsite at just the right time in the perfect place.  Or having the sun break through just in time for a special event or occasion.  Perhaps it is a majestic view, a stunning sunrise, or a glorious sunset.  It could be something as simple as a reassuring or encouraging word appearing (and reappearing) at the point it is needed the most.  Often we fail to recognize these choice favors and we take these good things for granted.  Yet they are personal blessings designed specifically for us.

Psalm 116:12 (AMP) poses a very important question…

What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits toward me?
[How can I repay Him for all His bountiful dealings?]

How could we possibly repay Jehovah Jireh?  What could we offer Him?  1 Corinthians 2:9b (AMP) offers a partial answer: “…promptly obeying Him and gratefully recognizing the benefits He has bestowed.”  Being obedient and grateful is definitely a step in the right direction. But the first two verses of Psalm 103 hold the key:

Bless the Lord, O my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits;

Charles Spurgeon summed it up this way:

“Surely the goodness of God has been the same to us as to the saints of old. Let us, then, weave his mercies into a song. Let us take the pure gold of thankfulness, and the jewels of praise and make them into another crown for the head of Jesus.”

“Bless the Lord, oh my soul, oh my soul and worship His Holy name.”  Jehovah will see to it and we will gratefully praise and worship Him with all that is within us.

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Father, thank You for all the good things You provide.  Forgive us for the times we fail to recognize or take for granted Your blessing and favor in our lives.  Make us aware of Your Presence in the even the smallest details of our lives so that we may gratefully lift up praise and glorify You.  In Your Holy name we pray, Amen – it is so!

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I Will Not Be Shaken

September 6, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Lord, I seek refuge in You;
let me never be disgraced.
Save me by Your righteousness.
Listen closely to me; rescue me quickly.
Be a rock of refuge for me,
a mountain fortress to save me.
For You are my rock and my fortress;
You lead and guide me
because of Your name.
You will free me from the net
that is secretly set for me,
for You are my refuge.
Into Your hand I entrust my spirit;
You redeem me, Lord, God of truth.
Psalms 31:1-5

 *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Singer / Songwriter: Jadon Lavik

 

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Those Days

September 5, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

 

Since You are my Rock and my Fortress, for the sake of Your name lead and guide me.
Keep me free from the trap that is set for me, for You are my Refuge.
Into Your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me, Lord, my faithful God.
Psalms 31:3-5

Those days.  You’ve had those days—the ones where everything that could go wrong, does goes wrong.  You leave for a trip—get a flat tire, forget your debit card at home, the bank is closed for some secret holiday, get a call and it’s some sort of family emergency—and all you wanted was a nice relaxing day. Those days, or just those moments when things just aren’t working in your favor.

I’ve had those days and moments.  They used to rock my world and send me into a funk that felt like it would never end.  But, as I’ve progressed in my relationship with Christ, I have learned to lean on Him instead of freaking out.  God is our Refuge and if we go to Him, He will help us.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything,
by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7

Prayer has definitely helped keep me sane and I believe that, the better my prayer life becomes, the more leveled I can be when things do not go as planned.

For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.
1 Corinthians 14:33

Another thing to keep in mind is that You can trust the Lord in those situations, because if anyone can bring order to them, it’s the God of order.

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Lord, thank You for being the God of order.  Thank You for giving me the opportunity to trust You in all situations.  You are amazing.  Amen.

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Always and All the Time

September 4, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

In You, LORD, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
deliver me in Your righteousness.
Turn Your ear to me,
come quickly to my rescue;
Be my rock of refuge,
a strong fortress to save me.
Since You are my rock and my fortress,
for the sake of Your name lead and guide me.
Keep me free from the trap that is set for me,
for You are my refuge.
Into Your hands I commit my spirit;
deliver me, LORD, my faithful God.
Psalms 31:1-5

  • Refuge

  • Deliverer

  • Rescuer

  • Fortress

  • Rock

  • Leader

  • Guide

  • Faithful

  • God

I can’t imagine what David was feeling when He was penning these words to God…I can’t imagine what his life’s struggles led him to think or to feel.  But I do know what these words make me feel.  I do know what it feels like to know these words for myself—and believe these words for myself.

Not only in times of strife and struggle have I called on God to be these things for me, but He has proven, in times of hurt and pain, that He always is here in all of these roles.  He is my Rock and my Fortress when I juggle the everyday mundane tasks.  When I wake to iron, make lunches, drive people to school and practice, He is my Strength.  When I interact with my family, friends, colleagues, He is my Leader and Guide.  When I am tired at the end of the day but still have things to finish, He is my Rock.  He is Faithful to help me when life gets crazier than it seems I can handle.

The beauty in David’s words is that God is not a sometimes God…He is an always God…He is always these things. Always and all the time.  Good times.  Not so good times.  We could be living in a palace at this place in our life, or we could be running through the wilderness.  Beautiful sisters, remember that He is constantly these things to me, and to the woman next to you in line at the store, to your friends and family…and to you.  He is always and He is all the time.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Let’s Pray:  Dear Heavenly Father, sometimes I forget that You are Here all the time, sometimes is easy to only reach out for You when times are bad, when I’m in the wilderness.  But David’s words remind me that You are an ‘always and all the time’ God.  And we need that reminder because life can get crazier than we can handle alone.  Lord, thank You for being a constant Refuge in the good and bad.  Thank You for being our Strength, our Rescuer, and our Rock.  In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

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Help

September 3, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Lord, I seek refuge in You;
let me never be disgraced.
Save me by Your righteousness.
Listen closely to me; rescue me quickly.
Be a rock of refuge for me,
a mountain fortress to save me.
For You are my rock and my fortress;
You lead and guide me
because of Your name.
You will free me from the net
that is secretly set for me,
for You are my refuge.
Into Your hand I entrust my spirit;
You redeem me, Lord, God of truth.
Psalms 31:1-5

In reading this passage I was captivated by David’s personal, confident prayer of faith.  Faith and prayer go together hand-in-glove.  Charles Spurgeon wrote:

“Faith is the foundation of prayer. Faith gives to men on earth the protection of heaven.”

David cries out for help.  He has great faith in God.  In Psalm 18:2 (AMP) he confidently asserts that God alone is His protection.

The Lord is my Rock, my Fortress, and my Deliverer;
my God, my keen and firm Strength in Whom I will trust and take refuge,
my Shield, and the Horn of my salvation, my High Tower.

David was wise to recognize his weaknesses.  As Chuck Smith states: “Wisdom is knowing your weakness.” I would add that wisdom is also knowing where to turn for help.  In Proverbs 30:26 the hyraxes (or conies) are considered wise because they realize they are small and weak then seek shelter in the rocks.  In 2 Samuel 22:2, 7 (HCSB) David cried out to his Rock, his Fortress to be rescued.  He said:

The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer,
I called to the Lord in my distress; I called to my God.
From His temple He heard my voice, and my cry for help reached His ears.

I searched for definitions of “rock”:

  1. noun – shield, defense, fortress, refuge, stronghold
  2. adjective – immovable, impenetrable, secure

I want to be like David—

  • I want to recognize that I am weak and open to attacks from the enemy.
  • I cannot provide shelter or a refuge for myself.
  • I owe my safety entirely to God.
  • I want to take refuge behind the immovable, impenetrable shield of my Rock and my Redeemer.

He has sheltered me before…is defending me even now…and will continue to keep me securely in His grasp.  With faith-filled anticipation, we pray; and in faithfulness, He answers.

“Faith establishes a claim to have it’s anticipations made good”
– Pulpit Commentary

  *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Lord, we are so very thankful and grateful that we can seek refuge in You, our Rock and our Fortress, knowing we will be protected and secure as we stand behind the rock solid walls of Your promises.  Thank You for hearing our cries for help.  Let us always be mindful to seek shelter in Your stronghold and nowhere else.  In your Mighty and Holy name we pray, Amen – it is so!

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Redemption

September 2, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Into your hands I commit my spirit, redeem me O Lord the God of truth.
Psalm 31:5

Redemption is the topic of my devotional this week. We read of redemption in many of the Scriptures, such as,

He provided redemption for His people;
He ordained His covenant forever – holy and awesome is His name.
Psalm 111: 9

O Israel put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love
and with Him is full redemption.
Psalm 130:7

But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel,
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine!”
Isaiah 43:1

Praise be to the Lord the God of Israel because He has come and had redeemed His people.
Luke 1:68

And many, many more Scriptures concerning redemption.  But our question should be “What IS redemption?”

In simple and well-calculated manner it means “ to pay off.”  We are so lucky, my friends! While we were yet sinners, Christ came to die for us.  He paid the highest price and took us to Himself.  We were kind of in an auction—where someone has to bid and then later pays off.  We are the redeemed of Christ and we are rightful to claim anything that our Redeemer has.  Because if you redeem, you are taking a thing to yourself for it now belongs to you.  Let us allow Christ to operate in us fully for He redeemed us.

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Father, we thank You for redeeming us from all bondages in this world—sicknesses, failures, etc.  We pray for more grace in our lives…in Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

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Faith

September 1, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;
    let me never be put to shame;
    deliver me in your righteousness.
Turn your ear to me,
    come quickly to my rescue;
be my rock of refuge,
    a strong fortress to save me.
Since you are my rock and my fortress,
    for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
Keep me free from the trap that is set for me,
    for you are my refuge.
Into your hands I commit my spirit;
    deliver me, Lord, my faithful God.

Psalms 31:1-5

David was fearful for his life. He knew the only way out was to cry out to God for his provision and protection.  David was not weak minded.  He was a great statistician and knew how to outwit his enemies in many situations.  Yet, occasionally, he was in a place where his only hope was to cry out to God.  We do the same.  We look at a situation and know how to get free.  But there are those situations where God has placed us to test our faith.

{ Faith:  confidence or trust in a person or thing }

Besides my faith in God, other ideas that pop into my mind are:

  • faith that my car will start
  • faith in my employment status
  • faith in my spouse
  • faith in  our children to do the right things
  • faith in our pastor to lead us

When do you feel that your faith is true—when you are tested or when a friend is tested?  We are all tested at one time…a time to make us stronger and more dependent on God for our everyday needs.

Think of Noah, when he was first asked to build the Ark….  Can you imagine the conflicting thoughts coursing through his mind?  Out of holy fear and obedience, Noah built the Ark.  Preaching while he built, he did his best to tell people about the end of the world if they did not turn from their wickedness and join him and his family.  The people, ridiculing him and his family, did not understand what a flood was.  They did not perceive that life was going to end.  They did not care. They just knew that they were happy with their life and did not care about serving another god.

How many of us, as we walk through life, have replaced God with idols?  How many of us pursue that name-brand purse, name-brand clothes, ‘name- brand’ whatever?   Should we dwell on those things or should be pursue our family, our children, and our friends with the same kind of enthusiasm?  We are to be about Kingdom business.  We are to have the faith that when we step out to share God’s love, He will reward us for wanting to spread the Good News.

For that is our purpose—to share God’s love with others. And to share with others the good things, as well as our trials and our future in God.

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying,
All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:
and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Matthew 28: 18-20

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Father, Thank you for loving us enough to share your son Jesus with us.  Forgive us when we forget to share our faith or when we become afraid to share our faith with others.  Give us the courage we need to become evangelist and disciple makers for you!  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Making It Through the Hard Times

August 31, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
deliver me in your righteousness.
Turn your ear to me,
come quickly to my rescue;
Be my rock of refuge,
a strong fortress to save me.
Since you are my rock and my fortress,
for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
Keep me free from the trap that is set for me,
for you are my refuge.
Into your hands I commit my spirit;
deliver me, Lord, my faithful God.
Psalms 31:1-5

Everyone experiences rough patches in their lives.  Sometimes it may seem like we go through more roughness than we think we deserve.  Right now in the Middle East, Jews and Christians are being persecuted at an alarming rate.  They are being forced from their homes or even brutally murdered—men, women, and children—for worshipping Christ.  We are being warned that the same is coming all around the world.

In our little corner of the world, we are fighting those that want to take prayer out of public life.  We are fighting those who want to make religion a private relationship maintained behind the closed front door at home.  We are fighting those that are wanting to take our voice away and not wanting us to voice the good news of Jesus Christ because they either do not believe it themselves or worship some other idol.

Yea, and all that will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
2 Timothy 3:12

We have been explicitly warned that we will be persecuted if we ‘live Godly’ lives and choose to worship Jesus.  Jesus already knew that it was going to happen before He was crucified.  Yet we know who wins in the end.  God will rescue us in the time of great need.  He will be the Rock that we lean on when the world gets to be too much.  He is our Refuge.  He is the guiding Spirit that keeps us from trouble.  He comes to our rescue in ways that we cannot ever imagine.  He is our Fortress.  God is our guiding Light.

God is our Savior.  He is our Shield of faith.  He is our rescuer.  Through our relationship with Him, God guides us through a turbulent world that is only going to get more turbulent. God will be our Refuge no matter when or where we call on Him.  We deliver our spirits to Him because He is faithful and will keep us safe.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Dear Heavenly Father: Thank You for Your refuge and love. Without Your greatness, we would not have anywhere to turn when times get rough. You rescued me from death and now You lead and guide me through life and keep me from wandering into the trap that the devil sets everyday. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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Shout To The Lord

August 30, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Sing for joy to God our strength;
Shout joyfully to the God of Jacob.

Psalm 81:1

My Jesus, my Savior
Lord, there is none like You
All of my days I want to praise
the wonders of your mighty love 

My comfort, my shelter
Tower of refuge and strength
Let every breath…all that I am
Never cease to worship You

Shout to the Lord
All the earth, let us sing
Power and majesty praise to the King
Mountains bow down and the seas will roar
At the sound of Your name

I sing for joy at the work of Your hand
Forever I’ll love you, forever I’ll stand
Nothing compares to the promise I have in you….

Songwriter: Darlene Zschech/ Performed by American Idol Top 8, Season 7
 

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