November 25, 2024

God’s Goodness

March 5, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Praise the LORD.
Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever.
Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the LORD or fully declare His praise?
Psalms 106:1-2

I love the Lord for His love endures forever. In verse 2 of Psalm 106, the psalmist had come to a point of failing to understand the manner of love the Lord has for His people.

Why all that love? It is because He is good.

The goodness of God endureth continually
Psalm 52:1

God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.
1 John 1:5

The “goodness” of God refers to the perfection of His nature.  There is such an absolute perfection in God’s nature and being that nothing is wanting in it or defective in it; and nothing can be added to it to make it better.

He is originally good —good of Himself—which nothing else is; for all creatures are good only by participation and communication from God.  He is essentially good; not only good, but goodness itself.  The creature’s good is a super-added quality, but the goodness of God—it is His essence.  He is infinitely good; the creature’s good is but a little drop, but in God there is an infinite ocean or gathering together of good.  He is eternally and immutably good, for He cannot be less good than He is.

The goodness of God appeared most illustriously when He sent forth His Son “…made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might received the adoption of sons” (Galatians 4:4, 5). Then it was that multitude of the heavenly host praising their Maker and said, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good-will toward men” (Luke 2:14).

The goodness of God is the life of the believer’s trust. It is this excellency in God which most appeals to our hearts. Because His goodness endures forever, we ought never to be discouraged.

The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knoweth them that trust in Him.
Nahum 1:7

When others behave badly to us, it should only stir us up the more heartily to give thanks unto the Lord, because He is good.  And when we ourselves are conscious that we are far from being good, we should only the more reverently bless Him because He is good.  We must never tolerate even an instant’s unbelief as to the goodness of the Lord; whatever else may be questioned, this is absolutely certain—that Jehovah is good; His dispensations may vary, but His nature is always the same.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Father, we thank You for Your goodness.  The love that You show us is so great that we always give You honor.  May You receive all the praise and honor in Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen!!

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Better Courts

February 23, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

For better is a day in Your courts than a thousand [elsewhere];
I prefer standing at the threshold in the house of my God
more than dwelling in the tents of the wicked.
Psalm 84: 10

Psalm 84 is a song of longing for the house of God, to be where the Lord dwells, and where His praise is sung and His people gather for worship. It may have been sung by Hebrew pilgrims making their way to Jerusalem for a festival, but whatever the context, it expresses the heartfelt desire for worship that should be in every believer.

The psalmist makes two comparisons in this verse. The first is between spending a day in the courts of the Lord than a thousand days elsewhere, or in other places. The Temple in Jerusalem had a series of courts, an outer court for Gentile converts, a court for women, a court for Israelite men, and a court for priests. There were also various gateways into the courts, used by different people for different purposes. At the center of the Temple was the Holy of Holies, which is where the Ark of the Covenant was and where, once a year, the sacrifice for atonement was made by the High Priest.  The psalmist says that to be in the courts of the Lord–and he doesn’t specify which one, so we can presume any of these courts, is better than spending a thousand days anywhere else.  Just to be within the vicinity of where God’s people are worshipping just for a day is more precious than being anywhere else for a thousand days.

The second comparison is between standing at the threshold of the Temple (some translations speak of being a “gatekeeper”–but I think “standing at the threshold” makes more sense of the comparison), and dwelling in the tents of the wicked. Someone who stands at the threshold of a place is someone who is not planning to stay. They’re visiting, or just looking in, as opposed to someone who dwells, who has made their abode in that place. The psalmist has made a choice (my translation “prefer” is probably not strong enough–the verb is “to choose”): he would rather hang around the entrance to the Temple, able to hear the worship of God’s people, than live with the wicked in their tents, far removed from the praises being offered to the Lord.

We don’t worship in the Temple, but we do gather for worship every Lord’s Day with God’s people.  And we do know the Lord inhabits the praises of His people, so the place they are gathered for worship is, indeed, the Lord’s house.  Do we consider going to church better than being anywhere else?  Would we rather stand in the lobby, hearing the voices of God’s people lifted in praise, and the words of the Scriptures read and expounded, than be among unbelievers? Church is not an optional extra for Christians.  The Lord expects us to gather with our brethren in Christ for public, corporate worship.  May the words of this psalm impress upon us the attitude we should have toward church.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Lord, we give You glory for the privilege to be among people who worship You. We will dwell in Your courts forever; in Jesus’ name. Amen!

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , ,

I Love the Lord

February 19, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Thinking of personal testimonies, I want us to look at Psalm 116 as a personal testimony.  We do know that this man faced great peril and was delivered by the Lord.  This is a very personal psalm, with the writer making reference to himself 37 times in 19 verses.  Only in verses 5, 15, and 19, is there is not at least one personal pronoun used.

The exciting thing is that we can relate to this man’s testimony.  As we study this passage we find that what was true of this man should be true for us as well. Because the Psalmist used the personal pronoun “I”, let’s you and I use the personal pronoun as well.  In this passage let’s consider:

I love the Lord, for He heard my voice;
He heard my cry for mercy.
Because He turned His ear to me,
I will call on Him as long as I live.
Psalms 116:1 and 2

Many Psalms begin with praise.  This Psalm alludes to praise, but is actually a statement of the Psalmists devotion, “I LOVE THE LORD!”

If someone were to ask us, “Do you love the Lord?” our natural inclination is to say “YES.”  In this statement of devotion it is something that the Psalmist should, also, have thought about before making the statement.  (I imagine that he did.)  You and I should think about this statement, “I LOVE THE LORD!”  It’s very easy to say ‘I LOVE THE LORD’ and a lot more difficult to actually practice that love!

And He said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
and with all your soul, and with all your mind.
This is the great and first commandment.
And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
Matthew 22:37-39

Next the Psalmist says, I love the Lord BECAUSE… ”He turned His ear to me, I will call on Him…” I think we can sum up our love for the Lord with 1 John 4:19, “We love Him, because He first loved us.”  The Psalmist’s expression of love is because the Lord heard and answered his prayer.  (Re-read Verses 1-2).

The Psalmist was in grave trouble and the Lord came down and heard (so to speak).  How many times has God done the same for us?  When we’ve been in great need and cried out, He has been there for us!

Notice something else here.  The Psalmist says, “Because He has turned His ear to me, I will call on Him as long as I live.”  That should be our attitude as well—because the Lord has answered our prayers, we should continue to pray.  He has shown Himself to be my God.  I should treat Him as such and continue to call on Him.

The decision we can make today is to love the Lord.  The psalmist gives a specific reason for loving the Lord.  His reason was that God had heard his prayer.  There are many more reasons for deciding to love the Lord.  Some of the reasons we should love the Lord are because He loves us (1 John 4:10, 19), He died for us (2 Corinthians 5:21), He keeps us (John 10:27-30), He helps and protects us (Psalm 121), and He indwells us (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Lord God, thank You for ever-present help in times of my need.  Thank You for answered prayers whenever I call unto You.  You are a wonderful God.  May Your name be glorified in all the earth!  In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Hardest Thing About Trusting God

February 9, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

As for God, His way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried:
He is a buckler to all those that trust in Him.
For who is God save the LORD? or Who is a Rock save our God?
It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.
Psalms 18:30–32

Faith is not faith as long as it is holding onto a branch.  There is a story that goes like this:

One day on a hiking trip, a man fell off the edge of a cliff and began the 800-foot drop to the bottom. He thought it was all over for him until he grabbed a tree branch which stopped his fall. Hanging on for dear life, he cried out for help, “Is anyone up there?”
There was no response. The seconds turned into minutes. The branch was sagging beneath the hiker’s weight. The tree’s roots would only take so much more strain before they gave way. When it seemed the poor hiker couldn’t hold on any longer, he heard a voice: “I am God. Do you trust Me?”
“Yes, Lord. I trust You. Can You help me, please?”
God answered, “Yes, I will help you. Just let go of the branch.”
The hiker was silent for a moment. Then he shouted back, “Is anyone else up there?”

There is perhaps nothing more difficult than releasing our grip on a “branch” we have been trusting for life, stability, and the provision of our needs.  The hardest part is not knowing how the landing will turn out.  This is what happens when we practice faith, only we are leaving the outcome of our situation in God’s hands.  We’re used to holding onto our relationships, jobs, homes, families, friends, bank accounts, retirement savings, and even our plans for the future.  But God can’t help us until we are willing to let go of these things and completely trust Him.  He knows that when we are trusting Him, we are in a place of safety.  Our branches may fail us, but His hand will never let us go.

Each of us is clinging to a branch of one kind or another.  Your branch might be your job, a relationship with a friend,  the stock market, your health, or your home.  Today God is asking you to let it go and trust Him.  You might not see how the landing will turn out, but God can.  He has promised to keep you safe.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Dear Lord, we thank You for the love You have for us even when we don’t trust You. Help our unbelief.  Let us trust You more and more each day, in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen!!

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Those Who Fear Him

February 3, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo
Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in His mercy;
To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
Psalms 33:18-19

While the eyes of the Lord are on all people (as in verses 14-15), they rest in a special way on those who fear Him.  (Also Psalm 34:15 “the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their cry…”)

‘God’s eye’ refers to God’s caring love and providential oversight of our lives—‘to deliver them from death and famine.’  This means that as long as we fear the Lord our hope in Him waits for Him and remains in His will. God will watch over and protect us so that we will not die unless it be according to His plan.

Recently I read a story that is just too good to keep to myself, so I’d like to share it with you this week.
“The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him. Every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming.
Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect himself from the elements, and to store his few possessions.
One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, with smoke rolling up to the sky. He felt that the worst had happened and everything was lost. He was stunned with disbelief, grief, and anger. He cried out, ‘God! How could you do this to me?’
Early the next day, he was awakened by the sound of a ship approaching the island! It had come to rescue him!
‘How did you know I was here?’ asked the weary man of his rescuers. ‘We saw your smoke signal,’ they replied.”

Sometimes it’s hard to see God’s hand at work in your life.  He may seem hidden, far away, or totally out of reach, yet nothing could be farther from the truth!  Your tender Savior is always watching over you, and always at work behind the scenes.  As you pass through the waters and look back, you’ll see the way He worked on your behalf.  Remember, although you might not be able to see His hand, you can trust His heart.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Our Father, we thank You for Your eyes that are watching over us as Your own chosen generation, a royal priesthood.  Make us a people of Your heart by increasing our faith and trust in You always.  Help us understand Your oracles and remain under Your wings forever. In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Awesome Nature of God

January 27, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

 

Your steadfast love, O Lord extends to the heavens
Your faithfulness to the clouds.
Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
Your judgements are like the great deep,
You save humans and animals alike, O LORD.
How precious is Your steadfast love, O GOD!
All people may take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.
They feast on the abundance of Your house
and You give them drink from the river of Your delights.
For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light, we see light.
Psalms 36:5-9

Awesome is one of those words that has been so over used and inappropriately used that it’s meaning has all but been lost. These verses from the heart of the 36th Psalm seem, at least to me, to provide a wonderful summary of the truly “awesome” Names of God. Gods steadfast love, faithfulness, righteousness, and judgments, are what awesome is all about.

While our love is often too conditional and limited, God’s love for us knows no bounds. Our love can be shallow, self – serving and unpredictable. God’s love is steadfast. You can count on the consistency of God’s love revealed in the beauty of creation, in the gift of God’s love and preeminently in the life death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. There are no limits, no lines, no conditions. God loves us to the end…and beyond.

When we profess our faith as followers of Christ we promise to “turn from sin and renounce evil and its power in the world” yet sometimes in spite of our most earnest efforts we fall back into the same old patterns. Or like the would-be followers of Jesus in Luke’s gospel (Luke 9:59-62) we set conditions: “When I have completed this task,” OR when I have more money, OR when I have more time, OR if it won’t be too demanding.” God’s faithfulness to us is unwavering and sure. You can always rely on God.

God’s righteousness the psalmist tells us that it is like the mighty mountains – majestic, firm, immovable, eternal. God’s ways are just and true, his truth unchanged and unchanging. To say that God is righteous is to say that in God all things are as they should be so that God is the standard by which all things are measured – love, justice, peace, kindness, generosity….

God’s judgments, the psalmist tells us are like the great deep: unfathomable in their understanding and truth, neither shallow nor easily manipulated. Yet they are also tempered by mercy and filled with forgiveness.

And, finally, the psalmist assures that in spite of the vastness of God’s love, faithfulness, righteousness, and judgment, the truly awesome nature of God, He is never too big to care for us.

Let us Pray: Our dear heavenly Father, we come to Thy throne of grace because You are the great God who never fails and whose love is unconditional. Teach us to love as Your own children in Jesus name we pray, Amen!!

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , ,

Do Not Harbor Sin

January 22, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo
If I had cherished sin in my heart the Lord would not have listened.
Psalm 66:18

Those who take pleasure in unrighteousness have no hope of answered prayer when they call on God. God wants us separated from sin, only then will he respond to us as a Father to a son.  2 Corinthians 6:14 says “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?”

Sin comes to us in different forms. One way of sinning is by being disobedient to God. When we live in disobedience we become children of darkness; therefore there is no way the light of God can fellowship with the darkness.

Sin separates us from God and it is not the will of God that we should live sinful lives. God tried to make it simple by simply saying “If you confess your sins, I am faithful and just to forgive you.”  What is it that we do instead? We confess today yet we do again tomorrow and take advantage of His grace and mercy to us.

I have learnt in life that most of the prayers we pray are unanswered not because we don’t know how to pray or that it is not time yet but it is because we harbor sin and God cannot answer us. In Jeremiah 29: 12-13, God is saying “Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.”

Everything starts from the heart. And therefore we have to take care of what is in it. Remember in Proverbs it is written, “Above all things guard your heart for it the wellbeing of your life” (4:23) meaning out of it there are springs of life or death. As long as you are in the right standing with God your heart will spring forth life; if vice versa, then doom.

Therefore I beseech you, my sisters, that we should let God direct our path…letting Him be our light so that we see where we are going. He should be our Salvation and our Strength. Let us hide the Word of the Lord in our hearts so that we do not sin against God. God loves us and He wants us to fully obey him—so therefore, let us not harbor sin.

*  ~  * ~  * ~ * ~ *  

Lord, I thank You and bless You for all who You are and what You have done in our lives. I pray, Lord, for Your continued grace for us all. May the Holy Spirit be with us and guide us as we meditate on this Word further. We thank You for Your goodness and mercy that is following us all the days of our lives. In Jesus’ name we have prayed. AMEN!

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Seek Him First

January 7, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

 

Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me
and I will listen to you.
You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:12-13

Strategic timing is often involved in the fulfilment of Gods promises. God fulfils His Word and His promises both in relation to the fullness of His redemptive purpose and in response to His faithful peoples’ earnest prayers.

Jeremiah prophesied that at the end of the seventy year captivity a new ‘fullness of time’ would occur. God would then move within a holy remnant so that they would seek Him in prayer with all their hearts. And there God would listen, answer from heaven, and fulfill His promises of restoration.

Note two principles:

  • When God desires to do great things for His people, He moves His people to great praying; and,
  • The timing of God’s answers to their prayers is often linked to God’s purposes for His people as a whole

 The lions may grow weak and hungry
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

Psalm 34:10

Note that the promises in this psalm are conditional and reserved only for those who seek the Lord. God promises to deliver us from fear, save us from trouble, send angels to encamp around us, supply our needs, give us abundant life, hear our prayers, comfort us with His presence and redeem us – but only if we seek the Lord.

Ask and it will be given unto you,
seek and you will find
knock and the door will be opened.
Matthew 7:7

When we are seeking, it implies earnest petitioning along with obedience to God’s Will. See that doors and gates are opening for those that are seeking the Lord diligently. I therefore request you, my sisters, to seek the Lord at all times. For it also says, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and its righteous and all the things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).  It is only when we seek the Lord that all things shall be added unto us. The doors to prosperity, to good health, to divine protection, etc. will be added unto us. All the prophetic messages we heard on New Years Day concerning 2014 will be fulfilled when we diligently seek the Lord.  Let us seek the Lord not in vain. Let us seek Him with all our hearts.

I did not speak in secret, in a land of darkness;
I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, ‘Seek me in vain.’
I the Lord speak the truth; I declare what is right.
Isaiah 45:19

   *   *   *   *   *  

Father, we come before You for we know there is no one who is like unto Thee and You alone we seek for we know we can’t go wrong and all these things will be added unto us. Create in us a steadfast spirit, Lord, in Jesus’ name we have prayed. Amen.

  *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

Interested in joining us for our next Online Bible Study that starts on January 13, 2014?   Click HERE for more details!

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Ever Present Help

January 4, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble.
Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed
nd though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.
Psalms 46:1-2

This psalm expresses the writer’s trust and confidence in God during a time of instability and insecurity. We all experience spiritual barrenness at times. This is not the norm for God desires to be near His people with help and comfort. The power and ability to face the uncertainties and adversities of life are found in God.

Refuge shows a picture of shelter from danger, indicating that God is our true security in the storms of life.

Then the Lord will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there
a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night
over all the glory will be a canopy.
It will be as shelter and shade from the heat of the day
and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain.
Isaiah 4:5-6

Strength refers to His might when battling our foes (Exodus 15:13) and includes His energy that works powerfully in us.

To this end I labour, struggling with all His energy which so powerfully works in me
and enables us to overcome obstacles in life.
Colossians 1:29

God is an ever present help in times for trouble. God is available to His people and wants us to call on Him in any time of need.

Let us then approach the Throne of grace with confidence
so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need
Hebrews 4:16

He is sufficient for any situation and never leaves our side, thus we need not fear. Fear is for non-believers and if you do not believe you are sinning. For with our hearts we believe and with our mouths we confess. How can we confess a thing that we have no confidence in? Therefore it is good we confess what we know for it to be established.

*  *  *  *  *

Father, I thank You for You are our ever present Help. And Your promises to us are yay and amen. We come to Your Throne of grace for we know Whom we serve and we know Whom we are following. You have never failed us in our times of troubles. We call unto You even now as the mountains fall; we shall stand by the powers of Your hand and in Your heart of hearts we shall dwell. As the seas rage we know You shall calm them and there is going to be peace in our valleys, Lord. Help us realize that we serve You our miracle-working God Who is Omnipresent (present everywhere at the same time), Omniscient (all knowing) and Omnipotent (all powerful). In Jesus name we have prayed.  Amen!!!

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Joyful Mood

December 28, 2013 by

SeekingHimLogo

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:
and the government shall be upon his shoulder:
and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller,
The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6

Hey sisters, you know what joys a baby brings to a family! How about a miracle Baby like Jesus, who came into being through so many prophecies, miraculously, for that matter. Think of Mary how much joy did she have in her heart when the angel visited her despite being worried of what people, and what they would say about her.

I tell you a child brings GREAT joy to a family. Think of Hanna…she was grieved to a point of great distress that Eli thought she was drunk. Really, she needed a child. She cried to the Lord for a child and God granted the desire of her heart. She had great joy!

Now a child is given to us, JESUS—He should be received with all the joy a child brings! Especially now that this Child we have been given will have the power to heal all our diseases, remove all our iniquities, at His name every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess His Lordship. A Child who will have the power to speak to the devil and the devil tremble. And this Child is given to us; don’t we think we are privileged to be given this type of a child? I feel like singing aloud for you to hear what am feeling inside. (Thank God for this revelation!) Oh, HALLELUJAH! Praise the Lord!!!

In this world, when we have a child, he/she goes to school and later starts a job and we enjoy the fruit of paying the school fees and the like.

NOW this Child, Jesus, is given to us. He grew up, He worked, and He died on the Cross. He later paid the bill for us…for our redemption. What else do we need apart from appreciating this Child we are given freely by our loving Father in heaven? The way we dance with joy and hug our child when he /she has done something good—that’s the very same joy we should feel about God’s Son, Jesus. We write messages telling our friends/relatives what our child has done.

Here Jesus is not a mere son, but THE Son! He has come to serve; let’s praise the Lord again and again. Let’s tell our friends and relatives of what this Son, Whom we were given, has done and is doing and shall continue to do. Let us embrace Him with our hearts full of joy.
Let this Christmas season be full of joy. Share the joy with others the same way we share when we receive a worldly child.

* * * * *

Father, we thank You for giving Your Son, Jesus, to this world. We appreciate Your goodness and Your loving kindness. May we realize what Jesus came to this world for and let us not take it for granted. Help us, Lord, to realize what He has in store for us! In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Filed Under: Seeking Him Daily Devotional Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »