Psalm 72:18-19

Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel. Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel. Who only doeth wondrous things. Who only doeth wondrous things, blessed be His glorious name forever! And let the whole earth be filled with His glory amen, amen, amen and amen. Glory Hallelujah blessed be the LORD God!

For some one who is not that in to music, I sure love to sing God's word. It is a way of taking what I read in the morning with me all day. This is one song I don't mind getting stuck in my head!

more on prayer

Today we started Philippians and there is Paul praying again. But I noticed something this time. He was praying for them even when things were going well with them. I tend to pray for people only when they need something. Paul was the one suffering in jail but the worst part for Paul was knowing that his friends were hurting because of it. What an example that is for me! Here's Paul in a Roman jail spending his time praying for and encouraging his friends. I have often prayed for more compassion. I think the place to get it is by praying for others.

prayer

The theme I saw today was prayer. Maybe that's because I need to be doing more of it! Isaiah 56:7 calls God's house a house of prayer for all nations. It also says that it is a place of joy. In Eph.6, after listing the armor of God, Paul mentions prayer 4 times. Psalm 70 is called a petition. It's a beautiful short prayer where in 5 verses, David prays for himself, for fellow believers, and for justice to be done. There is no end to the things we can be praying about. Not that God needs our help, but I think He likes to hear our voice.

unity

Isaiah 46:10 "My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please." As I read thru Eph. 4, it is clear that unity in the body of Christ is part of God's purpose. In verse 15-16 I see that it is truth and love that brings unity and immaturity that works against it. Many, many years ago when I went thru pre-marriage counseling, we learned that the closer we got to Jesus, the closer we would get to each other. I have found this to be so true. I love the picture in Psalm 68 of everyone coming together in victory and praise for our awesome God!

Paul prays that we would be able to grasp how big God's love is and then says that God is able to do more than we ask! Paul started out persecuting the church and ended up expanding the church to the whole known world; such is the love of God to all people!!

When I read in Psalms how David prayed for the destruction of his enemies, I wonder if that is how I should pray in this time of grace, knowing that God's will is that none should perish. Today it occurred to me that if a really evil person who has done really evil things becomes a Christian; doesn't that in effect kill or destroy the evil person? He is then a new creation. So I think that I can pray that God destroys all those with evil intent in this world; if it is possible thru salvation.

boasting

Ephesians 2:8, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast." The Lord has been teaching me about boasting and wanting to take credit for things that do. This morning as I read through our passages, especially this one, I got some real insight. I have always understood how the free gift of God's grace removes the source of our boasting; God does the work so how can I claim any credit? So far so good, but this has never helped with my NEED for boasting. If you watch little kids, you'll see them jump up and down saying,"Look at me Mommy." or "Watch me Daddy." We all have a deep need to be loved and accepted. I believe that righteousness is the currency to get God's acceptance. That's why so many turn to some form of legalism. Religion is all about rules, Those who shun religion, just make up their own rules to follow in an attempt to create some form of righteousness. But God... He has a better way. This grace by faith imputes righteousness to us so we don't have to earn it. When I receive His righteousness, I no longer need to try to get credit for anything I do. This is such a freeing thought for me.

Ephesians 1

Ephesians 1:3 is often quoted,"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." This is a wonderful verse. I have had a vague idea of just what those spiritual blessings are; I knew they were good and that I wanted them, but today I realized that the balance of chapter one is pretty much a list and description of those blessings. Here is what I came up with: We are chosen; we are blameless in His Spirit; we are predestined to be adopted in His Spirit; we are given grace; we have redemption and forgiveness; He makes known to us the mystery of His will; we are included, marked, and sealed with the Holy Spirit. All this is given according to His good pleasure for the praise of His glory. Are we blessed or what?!! There is no such thing as a poor Christian.

Galatians 6:1

"Brothers if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself or you also may be tempted." I have always thought this warning to mean that I might be tempted by the same sin that I am trying to rescue someone from. While this is true, I am learning that there is another sin to be aware of as well; that is the self-righteous superiority that comes from not falling into that particular sin. I am learning that true compassion and true humility are closely related. I am also shocked to find how little of either I have. At least I know the source of both!

Isaiah 29:13

This verse in Isaiah always causes me a little pain because it is just too true. " These people come near to Me with their mouth and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me." I have been a Christian for a long time, I know the right things to say and how to say them. I also know that even though I may fool the people around me, I never fool God. He knows my heart all too well. I am thankful that at least once a year I can read this verse and repent of all the times my mouth and my heart have not matched. Empty me, Lord, of all the junk that comes between You and me and fill me to overflowing with Your precious Spirit. I never want my heart to be far from You!

Yesterday, I marveled at Abraham's faith. Today, I see the source of that faith, God's promise. Gal.3:16 says that the promise is Jesus. 3:10 says, "All who rely on observing the law are under a curse." I am currently reading The Prodigal God by Timothy Keller. The book focuses on the older brother's attitude in the parable of the prodigal son. He was relying on his good works and was unable to enter into the feast the father had prepared. In Isaiah 25:6, we see the Father preparing a feast! Verse 8 ends with, "the LORD has spoken" Here is a promise to hang on to!

In Galatians 3 we read that Abraham,"believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness." Then in Psalm 60 David says, "With God we will gain the victory." Both men had such inspiring faith. They did not have a Bible like we do, nor the finished work of Jesus on the cross to consider. We also have a 2000 year history of God's faithfulness to His church. So why is my faith so weak at times? I wish I knew.

Isaiah 14:24

This verse is from yesterday's reading; it might just be my new favorite verse! "The LORD Almighty has sworn, 'Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will stand." This applies to every promise of our wonderful God. What a place of rest we have in a God who is able to do everything He says He will do!!

I also liked today's Proverb 23:12, "Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of wisdom." It's amazing what my ears hear when my heart is willing to be instructed.

one solution

Today I saw three men with three different problems but all three came to the same conclusion. First was Isaiah. He lived in a nation that had turned it's back on God. Isaiah was a prophet, he could see the judgement coming. But look at Isaiah 8:11-13, "The LORD spoke to me... do not fear what they fear and do not dread it. The LORD Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, He is the one you are to fear." The next guy is Paul. His problem was a physical limitation that he had asked for deliverance from. His answer is found in 2Cor.9-10,"My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness... that is why I delight in weakness..." Then there is David. He had a close friend who had betrayed him. David could not trust any one but He ends Ps.55 with the words, "But as for me, I trust in You." Whether our problems are from outside the home or inside our close circle or even in our own body, the answer is the same. If we fear God and trust God then we can even "delight in difficulties"

"but I'm a good person!"

How often I have heard the phrase, "but I'm a good person" come out of the mouth of someone who has done something really horrific. Isaiah 5:21 says,"Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight." Psalm 53:3 says,"There is no one who does good, not even one." I have observed lately that people universally crave not only love but a sense of righteousness as well. They will do anything to convince themselves that their sin does not count. Our psalm starts with, "The fool says in his heart there is no God." One quick glance at God and it becomes very clear just how unrighteous we are. David ends by longing for salvation; Isaiah looks forward to the Branch of the Lord. How blessed we are to know that Savior who gives true righteousness!

boldness

In 2Cor.10:1 Paul says that he is timid when face to face but bold when away. I can relate to that. With that in mind, I started reading Isaiah. I am always so impressed with the prophets' boldness. I just can't imagine standing up and saying the things that these guys said. That kind of boldness can only come from the Holy Spirit. I am praying for more boldness.

Proverbs 22:18

Just a quick note today. I love this verse from Proverbs, that it is pleasing to keep the teaching of God's word, "in your heart and have all of them ready on your lips." The world may call us Bible thumpers but we are pleasing to God. I think the key here is to let the Word into our hearts before we let it out of our mouths.

2 Cor.6-7

Today starts with, "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers." I have always been a little unclear as to just where and how to draw that line. As I read today's passage, I sensed a frustration on Paul's part due to the lack of instant communication and information that we take for granted today. Wouldn't it have been nice if Paul could have had a live chat with all the elders of the Corinthian church? Then I realized that we would not have this letter today if Paul had access to our technology. I also started to think about being unequally yoked. It seems to me that all our computers, phones, tvs, etc. have us more yoked to the world than ever. Maybe that is why the line is so hard to draw. As I read thru Ecclesiastes, it becomes very clear that possessions can quickly start to possess us. My prayer is that I can use the tools God has given me to use without becoming their slave and not get sucked into the world's mind set.

eternal riches

In 2Cor.6:10 Paul says,"having nothing yet possessing everything." Solomon had everything but saw that it amounted to nothing. People everywhere long for fame, fortune and power. They want the easy life and envy the celebrity. Solomon had more of everything then anyone ever had and he found that it did not satisfy. Paul on the other hand found the secret. He poured out his life for God's work into the lives of others and accomplished something eternal. Solomon said that there is nothing new under the sun but he forgot about people; created in God's image and no two alike. God's heart is focused on people not stuff. The only thing I can take to heaven with me from this life is the people I have touched for God. Those are riches that last forever!

Job

OK we get to the end of the book and read that Job lives happily ever after. I'm left with a question that probably doesn't get answered because it's not important, but it has always bugged me. Here it is. I get how instead of responding to Job questions, God's presence gives Job a peace that passes understanding and it's life changing for Job. But in chapters 1-2 we the readers are given the behind the scenes look into the events in heaven that led up to Job's problems. So this is my question: Who wrote the book and how did they find out what went on in heaven? I think that Job must be the original author, if not the written account at least the oral account and God must have filled him in on the details even though this is not included at the end of the book. Has anyone ever heard this question addressed? I know that I can over think things and miss the main point.