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.

No Longer a Sinner - Reaching Perfection through Christ in Us

 

Standing alone, we are not sinless, because we are not equal to God. We cannot trust in our self for salvation (Proverbs 28:26; John 15:5). Righteousness is not attained by human self-effort (Galatians 3:1-3).

The shelves of self-help books in the stores can give us a clue about what we need to change, and we may even discipline some character flaws out of our personality. However, we cannot perfect our self (2 Corinthians 3:5).

Paul chronicles his struggle with sin and death in Romans 6-7. In his desperation as a wretched human being, he calls out for deliverance (Romans 7:19).

It is then that He realizes that the law of the Spirit of life in Jesus Christ our Lord already delivered us from bondage to the law of sin and death (Romans 7:24-25, 8:2).

God gives us His grace and saves us through faith in Jesus’ work on Calvary’s cross (John 1:17; Ephesians 2:8). We no longer need to focus on sin or the world, but on the righteousness of Christ in us, who is our hope of living in eternal glory (Colossians 1:27).

Jesus in us already overcame sin, death and the devil by His death and resurrection (Colossians 3:15; Hebrews 2:14; 1 John 3:8). Therefore, God’s Spirit changes us over our lifetime by His anointing in our spirit, soul and body (Romans 8:11; 2 Corinthians 3:18).

We walk in His ways by His Spirit within us (Ezekiel 36:27). We simply heed God's conviction, obey His direction and live through faith in His faithfulness, so that we are able to walk in His holiness one moment at a time (Romans 1:5; 16:26).

Prayer:

Father God, create in us a spotless heart, and renew a righteous spirit within us (Psalm 51:10). Work in us according to Your good pleasure and perfect us until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6, 2:13). Give us Your power and anointing to accomplish Your will in the earth each moment of our day (Ephesians 3:16).

Thank You that You already perfected our spirit, because we are born again by Your Spirit - through justification; once we see Jesus, perfection will come to our body through glorification; and You perfect our soul – our mind, choices and emotions – from one stage of glory to another through a lifetime of sanctification.

Thought for the Day:

Christ in us is greater than both our carnal nature and also all of the powers of darkness in the world. - I John 4:4

The Father's Comfort

 

When we focus on God through life's issues, He gives us refuge and never leaves our soul destitute (Psalm 141:8; Deuteronomy 31:6; Isaiah 41:10). There is no reason to fear what life may throw at us, because He will help us (Isaiah 41:13).

God's love for us is unconditional and everlasting (Jeremiah 31:3). We did nothing to earn it, and we can do nothing to lose it. It is perpetually ours (Malachi 3:6; Matthew 28:20).

As authentic Believers, we enjoy continual fellowship with God's Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who abides within us by His Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 1:9).

I am not a great fan of darkness. I like street lights outside my window at night, or a nightlight on in the bathroom. I am not afraid of the dark, but I am a fan of seeing what is around me at all times.

When the sky is cloudy and hides the stars; when the moon is in the dark new moon phase of its cycle; and when there is no electricity all at the same time, I feel like I am blind and I feel stuck in my body with no way to escape.

However, God gives us the treasure of His Holy Spirit within us, even in the darkness. His riches, which He hides in secret places, are always ours to enjoy - even when days are dark and hope is waning (Isaiah 45:3).

Prayer:

Father God, thank You that Jesus is the light of the world, and there is no darkness as we walk in Your ways (John 8:12). Joshua is a good example to us of listening to Your direction. The walls of Jericho posed an impossible obstacle. As Joshua obeyed Your instructions, the walls fell straight down. Even archeology proves the accuracy of this Biblical account.

Joshua did not use human reasoning to capture the city; but He followed Your will for seven days, and then the city fell before his eyes (Hebrews 11:30). The wisdom of man is foolish when compared to Your ways (1 Corinthians 3:19). Teach us to acknowledge You in all of our thoughts, words and deeds (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Thought for the Day:

With Christ in us, we are also the light of the world; as we rest our soul in Christ and bask in the mercies and comfort of God, He uses us to bring His truth and comfort to our world. 

- Matthew 5:14-16, 11:28; 2 Corinthians 1:3-4