The Lord Preserves His Faithful

The Lord preserves His faithful, those who love Him and keep His commandments (Psalm 31:23). He does not want us to obey for His sake as much as He does for our own sake.

We avoid so many troubles and trials when we do things His way. After all, Father really does know best. He created us for His purpose and when we walk in His will, our life proceeds so much more smoothly and effortlessly.

Our soul finds rest in God alone. He is our only rock and salvation, our fortress that prevents life from shaking our faith. We have strong courage to face life's issues, because God strengthens our heart as we hope in Him (Psalm 31:23, 62:1).

God is our hiding place and He preserves us in trouble by encompassing us with songs of deliverance (Psalm 32:7). Whenever we are afraid, we can trust in Him (Psalm 53:3). 

Yet, He allows the proud and arrogant who refuse to believe in Jesus for salvation to reap the results of their choices - even to the point of eternity in the fires of damnation (John 3:18; Psalm 31:23).

We are crucified with Christ and share in His death to sin, even though we still live on this earth. Christ lives in us and we live by His faith in us (Galatians 2:20). We are dead to this world and our life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:1-3).

As we delight our self in the Lord, God puts His desires in our heart (Psalm 37:4). We make the effort it takes to clear our heart and mind of things of this world, and instead to love the Lord with all of our heart.

We walk in His ways, keep His commandments and cling only to Him. He orders our steps and He delights when we walk in His will (Psalm 37:23). Even if we fall in spirit, soul or body, we shall not be entirely cast down, or cast out of His Kingdom, because God holds us in His hand (Psalm 37:24).

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for giving us the opportunity to be risen with Christ and for helping us to seek and set our affections and desires only on heavenly, eternal aspects (Colossians 3:1-3). You make our steps firm, when You delight in our thoughts, words and deeds.

Always keep us in the center of Your will; not drawn away by our fleshly desires, but kept on the straight and narrow road, designed to protect us by its simple parameters. Allow us to hear Your still small voice whispering "this is the way, walk you in it.” We always want You to delight in us, and in our ways; so You will keep our steps firm and our footing sure (Psalm 37:23).

Thought for the Day:

God’s river of salvation protects us in any fiery trial, and He alone is worthy of all of our trust.

Live Without Regret

So many mothers are lamenting that their babies are growing up too fast. Others think they will not be rid of their children fast enough. This diversity in attitude stems from their values in life.

Life is too brief to either lament or wish away the time. Rather we can enjoy each moment of it and praise God for His blessings, mercy and grace through each new day (Lamentations 3:22-23).

God left heaven and took on the form of a man in order to bring salvation to the whole world. Anyone willing to humble their pride under the mighty hand of God may come to Him for salvation (James 4:10; 1 Peter 5:6).

God desires a relationship with us that is as intimate as a vine has with its branches. His life flowing through us, sustaining us, and giving us the ability to bear good fruit with our life.

We receive the fullness of God's Spirit at salvation and we spend our lifetime giving Him more and more of our self to use as He sees fit (Ephesians 5:18-19). This allows us to walk in the fullest measure of His presence (Ephesians 3:19).

Honoring God with our perspective, attitude and lifestyle will change the way we live. We will glorify God in all that we think, say and do, because we are totally committed to following Him (Acts 17:28).

This allows us to have peace and patience to deal with life's irritations, inconsistencies and the issues, which cause anxiety to rise up in our heart. It also allows us to live without regret and to reap positive rewards in this lifetime and in the next (Luke 18:30). 

Prayer:

Father God, we realize that we can bear no fruit in our own efforts, but spiritual fruit can only grow in us as we remain attached to the Vine. Help us to walk in holiness, so that we do not have cause to regret the choices we make with our life (2 Corinthians 7:10).

Remind us that we are dead and our life is hidden with Christ in You (Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:3). Each day we realize that You are our life and that without You we can do nothing (Colossians 3:4; John 15:5). Teach us to allow the life of the Vine to flow through us, so that we will bear much fruit (John 15:8).

Thought for the Day:
The risen Christ lives in and through each authentic Believer and causes us to live a victorious life without regrets. 

- Romans 8:37; Psalm 30:12

Knowing God

The key to our life in Christ is to realize that as Born Again Believers, we are one with Him. Jesus gave us the glory that God gave Him, so that we can be united with Him just as He and our Father are one. He lives in us, our Father lives in Him and we are brought into complete unity with the Trinity – Father, Son and Spirit (John 17:22-23). We are one Spirit with them all (1 Corinthians 6:17).

We know God personally through prayer and Bible study and we come to know Him intimately through the experience of Him manifesting Himself in and through us. This personal relationship is what eternal life is all about (John 17:3; Mark 6:53-56). The only issue that blocks our connection with Him is sin. However, confessed and forgiven sin opens the door between us again.

God is more than our ever-present help in times of crisis (Psalm 46:1). He is our Father each moment of the day. Jesus is our Brother. He sits on His throne with our Father in Heaven; yet, lives within us at the same time. The power of Christ is evident through us to the world around us as we live in Him and He lives through us (1 John 4:9). We do not follow our own desires and will for our day, but Christ’s life flows through us (Ephesians 2:10).

He is the vine and we are His branches (John 15:5). We are hidden with Christ in God and Christ is our whole life (Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:3-4). Another analogy is that we are God’s temple and He abides in us. He creates us as vessels, to be used according to His will for our life (2 Timothy 2:20). Rather than work for God, we submit to God working through us. We are united with Him and we do what we see Him do by His Spirit (Galatians 5:6-25).

During witnessing opportunities, we open our mouth and God fills it with the right words to speak (Matthew 10:19). If we counsel or mentor or disciple someone, God gives us the words to share with this person to set him/her free to honor God with their life (Psalm 81:10). We take no credit for the results and God gets all the glory. We can do nothing from our own human effort, but God manifests Himself through us (John 15:19).

Prayer:

Father God, if we lack wisdom, we merely need to ask and You fill us generously without finding any fault in us (James 1:5). We come to know You through our salvation and then through spending each moment of our day with You. Help us not to allow the flesh, the world and the devil to distract us from walking by Your Spirit, but allow us to keep our mind on You (Isaiah 26:3). Then You will keep us in perfect peace as we go about doing Your will for our life (Ephesians 2:10).

Thought for the Day:

The Holy Spirit teaches us at all times what we are to say. - Luke 12:12

Our Rest Secured

 

Speaking to the Hebrews, Paul showed concern over those who heard the Word, yet did not enter God’s rest. The Word they heard did not help them, because they did not turn away from their sinful lifestyle and put their faith in Christ (Hebrews 4:1-2). Due to their disobedience and unbelief, they simply prayed a hollow prayer and then hardened their hearts and continued their routine of sin (Hebrews 4:3-7).

The Bible is very clear on the topic of those who are convicted, yet are never truly converted from their behavior. They are not truly Born Again. God intends for us to fully enter His rest, relinquishing our hold on sin and living our life in God’s truth (Hebrews 4:8-9). Rest is a symbol of heaven; however, we can enter God’s rest now (Hebrews 4:10). It takes a bit of effort on our part to stop striving and to realize that we are dead and that our life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3).

If we continue to reject God’s free gift of salvation or to work FOR God, then we take a chance of walking in disobedience and living life our own way (Hebrews 4:11). The Bible warns us not to allow works, and eventually sin, to take the place of faith and obedience in our life (Hebrews 3:12-13). We are called to hold each other accountable in love, so that no one falls short of God’s rest (Hebrews 3:19). Even though some may come to resent our care and call it interference or pressure, God calls us to warn one another.

We can also take a warning from the life of Israel. God spent decades attempting to draw them into His rest; however, they continued in stubborn disobedience and compromise with their world.  As we mature in our faith, we learn to trust God’s Word, to live according to its precepts and to be led by God’s Spirit. We live in more peace and fulfillment as we submit to God gifts of both the desire and the power to live the abundant Christian life (Philippians 2:12-13).

Prayer:

Father God, You promise us a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11). We can take the gospel of Christ to the ends of the earth without fear, if we first fear You (Hebrews 10:31). We are not afraid of You, but we tremble at Your awesome power (Jeremiah 33:9). We praise You for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, to save us from our penchant for sin and for setting us free from the degradation and despair of a life of sin. You are compassionate, gracious and slow to anger. You always abound in love, kindness and forgiveness (Exodus 32:6-7).

Thought for the Day:

When we fear the Lord, we have no need to fear anything in life, because all the power of the Trinity dwells within us. - Proverbs 9:10; Colossians 1:27

 

Living an Abundant Life

 

As long as we are human, Satan will try to tempt us to sin. The first thought, which infiltrates our mind, encouraging us to sin, is from the world, the flesh or the devil. The temporary temptation is not the sin; and we should not entertain any guilt for the number of times Satan tempts us. We are only responsible if we entertain those thoughts, even if we do not act on them (Matthew 5:28). When the first thought goes through your mind, let it go immediately.

Do not give the devil a place in your life by entertaining these notions, or letting them bear fruit in your thoughts, words or actions (Ephesians 4:27). Some temptation is greater than our resolve to live a pure life before God. If we do sin, however, Jesus is our advocate with the Father, and He is faithful and just and forgives every sin we confess (1 John 1:9). There is no penance, which we can perform to absolve us of sin; only the sacrifice of Christ on the cross can free us from the penalty of sin (Romans 3:23, 6:23).

The good news is that Christ in us is greater than anything Satan has to offer us (1 John 4:4). With each fall, we learn to walk straighter, with more spiritual purpose and humility. Selfishness is at the root of every sin. Sin is dead works, which deny the life of Christ within us. When the temptation comes, submit to God, resist the temptation and Satan has to flee from us (James 4:7). Christ always comes to our rescue, if we call on Him.

Our flesh may not have the power to resist sin, but Christ in us will resist through us (2 Thessalonians 3:3). We learn from our failings to take one step closer to total union with Christ each moment of the day (Galatians 2:20). Since we are dead, and our life is now hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3), we no longer have any need to cater to our flesh or to give in to temptation (Galatians 5:24; Romans 7:5, 8:8-9). We soon learn to resist temptation, until sin no longer holds any value for us at all (2 Peter 2:9). We live an abundant life in Christ.

Prayer:

Father God, thank You for sending Jesus to take the power away from Satan and his demons (1 John 5:18). We will keep our eyes on Jesus and submit to the leading of Your Spirit in our life (Hebrews 12:2). Thank You for always providing a way of escape from every temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13). Once Christ abides in us as our whole life, then sin does not interest us any more (Colossians 3:4). We are always kept by Your power (Hebrews 2:18; 1 Peter 1:5). For this, we thank You and give You all the praise, honor and glory.

Thought for the Day:

When we make no provision for the flesh, Satan cannot tempt us. - Galatians 5:16,25