November 28, 2024

Seek and Rely

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O God, Thou art my God; early will I seek Thee:
my soul thirsteth for Thee, my flesh for Thee, my flesh longeth for Thee
in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;
To see Thy power and Thy glory, so as I have seen Thee in the sanctuary.
Psalms 63:1-2

 

God wants us to seek Him. I try to seek Him everyday-from the time I wake to the time I go to sleep. I often fall asleep praying because I talk to God until I fall asleep. My soul thirsts for God on a daily basis. However, that human side of me still exists. When I face trials or things happen beyond my control, I still try to take control. I often feel that if I can control it then it will turn out like I want it. I am wrong every time.

 

God uses His power and glory to keep us with Him. I often find that if I just turn things over to Him, the situations I can’t really control—but try to control—will turn out the way that He has already determined.

 

When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.
Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.
Psalms 63:6-7

 

All I have to do is turn things over to God, and life will turn out as God has it planned. He is not leaving me and never will. It just feels like it when I try to control things that I already know that I can’t. When I do realize that God has control, life is much better. I just have to think and remember that God is in control, and that He already knows the outcome. I just have to rely on Him to deal with the pressures and things I can’t control during certain situations.

 

God wants us to rely on Him no matter what the situation is. A situation gets worse when we don’t because we as humans try to fix it ourselves. Relying on God is the only way to fix a situation—He already knows the outcome. We as humans need to seek God and thirst for Him during our times of blessings and needs. This way we get the full attention of, and relationship with, our God.

 

* * * * *

Dear Heavenly Father, we come to You today because we thirst for a relationship with You. We long for You, and we have seen Your power and glory. We pray that You help us through the hard times and bless us in the good.  In Jesus name.  Amen.

Hunger and Thirst for God

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O God, thou art my God early will I seek Thee, my soul thirsteth for Thee,
My flesh longeth for Thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is.
To see Thy power and Thy glory so as I have seen Thee in the sanctuary.
Psalms 63:1-2

This psalm is describing a man’s deep longing in his heart for God.  Every believer should pray as David did in this psalm.

My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God; when shall I come and appear before God?
Psalms 42:2

As water is essential for physical life, so God and His presence are essential for satisfaction and wholeness of life.  True believers will hunger and thirst for God and His grace, blessings, and supernatural activity in their lives.  To stop thirsting for God is to die spiritually; thus we must not allow anything to diminish our intense desire for the things of God.

“Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).  The Lord we serve will supply our needs according to His riches in His glory.  When we show ourselves to have a willing heart to interact with Him, we need to seek Him where He may be found.

Do we know God?  Have we come to a point of being passionate for Him?  Those who profess to know God must examine themselves by asking themselves the following: “Do I really possess a strong desire for God and His Presence in my life? Or do I go through life largely consumed with secular pursuits and worldly entertainment, while prayer, bible reading, and a deep hunger and thirst for God and His righteousness have little place?”

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Matthew 5:6

The foundational requirement for all godly living is to hunger and thirst for righteousness.  The spiritual condition of a Christian all throughout their lives will depend on their hunger and thirst for the Presence of God…the Word of God…communion with Christ…fellowship of the Spirit.

It is essential that we be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s convicting work in our lives.

Righteousness—our righteousness—is Christ Jesus Himself living in our hearts. Through this indwelling we might become “…the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).  We must hunger and thirst for the things of God and not of this world.

* * * * *

Father, we come before You giving You all the praise and honor for this good day that You have given unto us.  May You reign over our lives so that we can reign with Christ Jesus.  May You increase our thirst to study Your Word and know You more than now.  Let us embrace the gift of righteousness with gladness!  In Jesus’ name I have prayed.

Amen!!

Do Not Be Ashamed

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Let the people praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You.
Then the earth shall yield her increase; God, our own God, shall bless us.
God shall bless us, And all the ends of the earth shall fear Him.
Psalms 67:5-7

Praise God—no matter what.  Praise God in times of happiness, sadness, and strife.  We should praise God all the time—no matter what is going on in our lives.  Praising God in our daily lives and routines lets God know we are His.  It also lets those around us know that we have chosen God over the desires and temptations of the world.

We are living in troubling times.  God has been taken out of almost everything we would like to do or where we go.  There are many people who feel that God needs to stay in the home and the Church and are pushing for laws to prohibit God in public places.  But God did not create us to hide behind closed doors to worship Him.  We were created for open worship of God.   When we praise God through our work and our actions…people see it.  We can influence those around us by being the light that God has made us to be.  By doing this, the earth increases her yield to God.

God blesses those who follow Him and do what He commands.  If we spread His Word and show others what He has done for us, God will bless us in ways that we can never imagine later on—earthly AND heavenly. The ends of the earth shall know God and come to fear Him if we spread His Word and increase the earth’s yield.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation
to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Romans 1:16

We must not be ashamed to praise God.  Praising God is one way of spreading His Word.  The disciples praised God during their time with Jesus.  Then, as Jesus had commanded, they spread Jesus’ message about salvation.  Their work has continued through thousands of years because those who chose to follow Jesus picked up where the disciples left off when their time on earth was over.  They were not ashamed; and so we should not be either.   We should spread God’s word through praise and other actions that glorify God.

* * * * *

Dear heavenly Father, thank You for Your blessings.  We praise Your name in all we do.  We pray that our praise and our actions will lead others to choose the gift of salvation that You have so freely and lovingly given.  In Jesus name.  Amen.

Let the Nations Praise God Together!

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May the peoples praise You, O God; may all the peoples praise You.
May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for You rule the peoples justly and guide the nations of the earth.
May the peoples praise You, O God; may all the peoples praise You.
Psalms 67:3-5

Our great God’s worthy to be praised for Who He is and for the things that have happened in history because of Him, for the things that are currently being fulfilled because of Him, and for the wonderful things that are to come because of Him!  If you follow Christ, how can any day be an ordinary day?

Recently, a friend from college posted on social media the song, How Great is Our God.  The words alone are powerful and true. But what made this particular presentation even more amazing is that Chris Tomlin had worship leaders from around the world on the stage with him, and they were praising God singing with their voices and whole hearts! At designated times, you heard the different languages spilling forth, praising God!  The place was filled with worshippers! (I couldn’t help but wonder if what I was witnessing was a tiny glimpse of what heaven might look like!)

The song starts with the line “The splendor of a King….”  Do you get that God is the King of kings?  He is majestic, powerful, and above all in His rule and reign!  And yet, He is so personal that He hears your deepest thoughts and prayers—even if they are said silently in your heart, not even spoken in a whisper! He is that powerful King, and He is that personal Savior to you, if He reigns in your heart!!!

At one point in the video, there is a man jumping…waiting in anticipation for his part to join in on the singing!  Are we like that?  Are we so in awe of God that we can’t wait to do our part to give Him great honor and glory through song or whatever else He calls us to?  Oh, how I hope so!

TOGETHER they all sang the line, “How GREAT is our God!”  How wonderful is that? VERY! Let’s sing praises to Him together, and let’s do life together when we can.

When I have the great privilege of meeting someone from a different nationality or culture, I hope I always see it as a great move by God’s Hand for me to embrace someone who may be very different from who I am and as an opportunity to build a friendship.  If that person is a believer then, as a brother or sister in Christ, we are family!  It doesn’t matter what language they speak, what clothes they wear, or what color their skin is!!!  And, if they don’t believe, may the Holy Spirit help me to handle this possible relationship in such a way that I may have the opportunity to share Christ or at least show them that a Christian will point the way or shed light in the direction of Jesus.  How?  In the way I reach out, befriend, and love them….  It needs to look as close as it can to how He loves me. (Oh, how I thank Jesus for reaching toward me/us with His love!)

* * * * *

Oh, Lord, help us to reach toward people of other nations and cultures with a heart of love that looks like Yours.  When we extend our hands and hearts toward others, in any given moment, let our hands and hearts look like Yours.  Let us embrace people of different nationalities…like You do…and let us ALL lift our voices of praise and our hands up to You in one extravagant, thankful choir of voices and hearts giving praise that is heard around the world…and, one day, in heaven!  In Jesus’ Precious Name,

Amen.

Blessed Blessing

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May God be gracious to us and bless us and make His face shine upon us,
that Your ways may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations.
Psalms 67:1-2

Everyone loves to be blessed.  People don’t typically wander around praying curses for themselves.  We, as Christians, have a Father who loves to bless. (Take a look at the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3-12.)  Yes, our God is all about blessing His children!

Why?  He loves us.

Why else?  So we can bless others.

Ephesians 4:33 tells us that God forgave us, so we can forgive others.

And in John 13:34 we read that God loves us, so we can love others.

Romans 12: 6-8 speaks about the gift(s) we were given and how they should be used, “…if, it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach…” We don’t use our gift(s) for ourselves, but for others!

May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us,
that our ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.
Psalms 67:1-2

When God blesses us, others see and can come to know Him; just like He promised Judah and Israel,

As you have been an object of cursing among the nations,
O Judah and Israel, so will I save you, and you will be a blessing.
Do not be afraid, but let your hand be strong,
Zechariah 8:13

And, of course, our Jesus leads by example.

…For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich,
yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich,
2 Corinthians 8:9

So… what’s the “catch?” Deuteronomy 28:1-14 explains how obeying the Lord leads to blessings. In order to be obedient you must know His Word.  And to know His Word and apply it as intended you need to have a RELATIONSHIP with him.

So, what’s the “catch?” You are. God gets to have you in relationship with Him and that is what He has always wanted.

* * * * *

Abba, thank You for blessing me.  Thank You for providing rewards for my obedience and discipline for my disobedience.  You have shown very clearly in Your Word the consequences of both.  Help me to be forever obedient that I may constantly reap the benefits of obedience and help me to keep my hands open to others, as I share what you have given me.  Help me to remember that my obedience doesn’t affect myself alone but those around me, as well.   In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

God’s Guidance

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May God be gracious to us and bless us; look on us with favor.  Selah
So that Your way may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations.
Psalms 67:1-2

This psalm speaks of God’s plan for His people when he first called Abraham.  God choose this man so that through his descendants, God might become known to the nations of the world.  He intended that Israel’s reception and enjoyment of His grace and blessing would cause the pagan nations to take notice, so that they might praise Him and accept His ways of truth and righteousness.

Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country,
and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great;
and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee,
and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
Genesis  12:1-3

The declaration all throughout the Scriptures is that God cares about each of us and wants to direct our lives.  How infinitely superior His plan must be in every detail with all the wisdom and knowledge He possesses—past, present, and future—and with all the power at His disposal as the sovereign God of the universe.  The greatest evidence of God’s desire to guide our lives is found in the truth of the Scriptures.  He has given us the Bible that we might know His will and purpose in all areas of life.  This means knowing God and the life He has for us to live.  Our responsibility, by God’s own direction, is to entrust our way to Him for His direction and leading.

Proverbs 14:12 tells us there is a way which seems right to a person, but its end is the way of death.  Jeremiah also clearly states the problem of man’s inability to direct his life.  In Jeremiah 10:23 the prophet said, “Lord, we know that people do not control their own destiny. It is not in their power to determine what will happen to them.”  Because of man’s finite wisdom and ability, his limited understanding of the facts coupled with his sinfulness, man simply cannot direct his own steps. What seems right to him results in the way of destruction and death.  As man’s thoughts are not God’s thoughts, so his ways must likewise fall short of God’s perfect and all-wise plan.

We as believers should pray that God will bless us and our families with His presence, love, grace, guidance, salvation, healing power, and fullness of the Spirit in order that the lost might seek Christ’s truth and salvation through us.  The blessing is described in the New Testament as “the promised Holy Spirit” (Galatians 3:14).  Through this spirit living in us, the proclamation to the nations will achieve its desired results.

* * * * *

Father, we thank You for the love, grace guidance, and wisdom You show us.  May we continually walk in Your truth for You to guide us in Your infinite wisdom. In Jesus’ name we have prayed. AMEN!

Selah

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God be gracious to us and bless us, and cause His face to shine upon us—Selah.
Psalm 67:1
A beautiful blessing, yes?  Do you remember when God told Moses to speak this blessing over the Israelites?
And the Lord said to Moses, Say to Aaron and his sons, This is the way you shall bless the Israelites. Say to them, The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you; The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.  And they shall put My name upon the Israelites, and I will bless them.
Numbers 6:22-27
This blessing had particular meaning because Moses and Aaron had been giving many ‘rules and regulations’ to the people from God.  Some of the instruction they received also included ‘cursings’ (consequences that would come due to sinful behavior).  And so, God gave  grace to them and had Aaron speak this blessing over them.
Note the seemingly odd word at the end of Psalm 67:1—selah.  This Hebrew word, selah, has no absolute and definitive meaning.  Most Biblical scholars understand it to connote something that is valued, or can be measured against (such as in a comparison).  One Scripture that immediately jumps to mind talking about value and comparison is Proverbs 31:10.
A capable, intelligent, and virtuous woman—who is he who can find her?
She is far more precious than jewels and her value is far above rubies or pearls.
See, her worth (value) is being shown by comparison, i.e., ‘she is far more precious than jewels,’ and ‘her value is far above rubies or pearls.  We should consider her of much value because she is being compared to these costly gems.
There are quite a few—seventy plus—uses of this word selah in the Scriptures…and almost every one of them is in the Book of Psalms.  We are told to ‘consider the value’ of these things.    Here are but a few:
You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance.  Selah.  Psalm 32:7
In God we have boasted all day long, And we will give thanks to Your name forever.  Selah.  Psalm 44:8
He will send from heaven and save me;… Selah.  God will send forth His lovingkindness and His truth.  Psalm 57:3
Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us.  Selah.  Psalm 62:8
How blessed are those who dwell in Your house!  They are ever praising You.  Selah.  Psalm 84:4
In our selected verse for today, Psalm 67:1, we are ‘considering the value’ of God graciousness…His blessing.  The value of God’s grace…oh my!  It would seem to me to be un-measureable!  It would have great and incredible ‘value,’ don’t you think?  But we are told to consider the value of it…so let us do just that!
  • Grace saves us by faith.  (Ephesians 2:8)
  • In our weakness, grace is sufficient.  (2nd Corinthians 12:9)
  • Esther found grace and favor in the king’s eyes.  (Esther 2:16-17)
  • Jesus came and brought grace and truth.  (John 1:15-17)

 

These are just a very few examples…the Scriptures are filled with examples of God’s grace being given in many, many, many different ways.  What verse comes to your mind that communicates about God’s grace?  Would you share it with us?

* * * * *
Dear Lord, may we always be aware of Your blessings!   May the magnitude and the vastness of Your amazing grace always fill our hearts with praise and thankfulness!  Please help us to recognize Your grace and blessings; and tell others, Lord,  about the blessing of our great God!   We love You, Lord!
Amen.

Continuous Praise

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The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.
Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word.
Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will.
Praise the LORD, all his works everywhere in his dominion.
Praise the LORD, O my soul.
Psalm 103:19-22

So, I need to make a run to the grocery store? (Have a wonderful time in the journey.) Close the car door, start the engine, turn the volume up on the radio, fasten seat belt, put car in reverse, and away I go.

The sounds of praise music and words flood my soul with joy as I praise my great God!

So, I need to wash clothes? (First things first though.) Go to the computer, find the Christian radio station, crank up the music, get the laundry basket, fill it with dirty clothes, and head to the washing machine down the hall.

The sounds of praise music and words flood my soul with joy as I praise my great God!

So, I have the honor of holding a precious baby while her mom is in small group during Bible study? (What a beautiful, tiny blessing of God is held in my arms!) Hold her close, step outside where she likes the warmth of the sunshine, and sing praise songs to her while she falls asleep.

The sounds of praise music and words flood my soul with joy as I praise my great God!

So, I just walked into the sanctuary at church? (This is a favorite time of the week.) I find a seat, the music begins, and we rise to our feet as we sing with the worship leader as words of praise flash on the screen and the instruments fill the room with beautiful sounds.

The sounds of praise music and words flood my soul with joy as I praise my great God!

Four different situations in my life presented as opportunities to praise God in my soul.  David called several different groups of beings to praise God toward the end of Psalm 103 as if he is building a gathering that continues to increase in number and intensity.  By the end of the chapter in verse 22, he calls on all of God’s works everywhere to praise God.

I am going to spend an eternity praising Jesus! I enjoy this life being “a dress rehearsal” for then.

On the days I can’t sing, I need to stop and search my heart to see what’s wrong.  It’s then that I really need to pray.  For praise should always be able to spill forth from my lips.  I have often found that the more I pray, the more I can praise.  The one who prays often will be able to praise often!

* * * * *

Dear Lord, let us praise You here, there, and everywhere.  Let it not be a designated moment in time, but instead a continuous state of our hearts turned toward You.  Each time we hear praise music or belt it out ourselves, let our hearts overflow with thankfulness that we can hear it, sing it, and praise You in this life and in the one to come!  In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.

 

His Steadfast Love — A Promise

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But the steadfast love of the Lord
is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him,
and His righteousness to children’s children,
to those who keep His covenant
and remember to do His commandments.
Psalms 103:17 and 18

Such a beautiful promise!  Perhaps words like these ‘…to children’s children’  particularly impact women’s hearts.  Does this promise resonate in your heart like mine?  I have one daughter…and by marriage to her…one son!  And through their love for one another—four grandchildren!  So ‘children’s children’ yes, that catches my eye…and my heart.  I pray every day (just like you!) for the Lord’s love and His righteousness and His blessings to be upon my children and grandchildren.  That they would always be under His protection and receiving His provision is very important to me.  So as I read this promise, I pray, ‘Please, Lord!  By Your grace, Lord!’

But whether you have children or not, the promise of His steadfast love is from everlasting to everlasting <FOREVER!> to every one who has the fear of the Lord.  We play a part in these promises coming to pass, y’know.  Many, many, many of God’s promises have a stipulation attached.  God’s people have something to do to receive the promises that He makes to them.  It is kind of like when I promise my grandchildren, “Okay now, when the playroom is cleaned up we are going to the library.”  I have promised…but they have something to do, too.

According to these verses, the steadfast, everlasting love of our Lord is on those who fear Him (so that’s one thing we need to do).  And His righteousness carries over to our children’s children who obey His commandments (another thing we have the responsibility to do).

God’s heart to bless and care for His people’s lives is incredible!  He always wants to do good for those who love Him.  And He is faithful!

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
Romans 8:28

Do you remember the message that Moses gave to the Israelites after delivering God’s Ten Commandments  to them?   (Deuteronomy 5 and 6)

These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.
Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home
and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.
Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
Deuteronomy 6:6-9

So we teach all the children in our lives about loving God with their whole heart, soul, mind, and all their strength.  We help them to grow in their understanding of how great our God is, and to have a worshipful fear of His AWEsomeness.  We impress upon them the right way to ‘walk’ with God, and to love everyone around them.  We teach them about Jesus and all that God has made available through Him and how they, too, can make Him Lord of their lives.  And we—they and we—will be blessed with the promises of God!

* * * * *

Dear Lord, oh how much comfort it brings to our hearts to know of Your promises…not only to us but to our loved ones!  You are so very good to us!   We trust and have confidence knowing that You are faithful to do what You say You are going to do; please help us to remember we have our part to do also.  Our desire is to obey You, trust You, have godly fear…and love You.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.

God’s Mercy

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Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.
For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.
Psalms 103:13 and 14

God shows mercy to those who truly fear Him.  The fear of the Lord is a redeeming fear that motivates us to turn away from evil, to keep God’s precepts, and to seek the Lord’s nearness and grace.

The blessings God gives to those who fear Him are His Mercy, Love and Forgiveness.

Mercy
Psalm 23:6  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Luke 7:12-14  Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.  And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.

Love
John 3:16  For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

Song of Solomon 2:4  He has brought me to his banquet hall, And his banner over me is love.

Forgiveness
Isaiah 1:18  Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

God has compassion on His children because He knows their weaknesses and infirmities. Even the best of His followers stand in need of His compassion. As a father has deep compassion for his children when they fail, suffer or are mistreated, so also our heavenly Father hurts when His own are hurting.  Hence the Bible says “I will bless those who bless you and will curse those who curse you” (Genesis 12:3) all because of His compassion on His very own.  The Bible even talks of fighting with those that fight us.  We are His children.

In the midst of trouble, failure, and struggle we must not think that God is aloof  or uncaring, rather we must remember that His eyes look on us with compassion and He will help us according to our need.  He promised that when we call unto Him He will answer us and show us great and mighty things we know not (Jeremiah 33:3).

He is so wonderful that we can rely and believe in His word which is true.

* * * * *

Heavenly Father, we worship You today!  You are worthy of our praise!  You alone are holy and mighty; and great are You, Lord!  Thank You for Your mercy, love, and forgiveness.  We adore You, Lord!  In Jesus name we have prayed.

Amen!