“If anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.” ( I Corinthians 8:3)
The ball is in our court. Jesus hit the first ball by dying for us. Now we need to respond by hitting that ball of love back into His court. He always hits that ball back with love. We can’t ever out-love Him and even the score.
Out of all the Greek definitions for “known” I prefer the word “understand.” To be understood by God is for Him to see our genuine love that we have returned for the great debt of love we owed Him for paying the ultimate price so we could be free from the bondage of sin; to become children of God; to have life everlasting with Him (beginning now). If that doesn’t compel us to love Him, nothing will.
No one can “live” without love, we may "exist" but we cannot truly “live.” I am sure we all have heard or read the sad stories that came out of many of the Communist-block countries, but especially Romania, where the orphaned babies were kept isolated in cribs without any human touch, except for diapering, and propping their bottle up on a pillow – no caressing, no whispers of love. Out of those children who lived, most were emotionally and psychologically affected – not knowing how to love and be loved. They were emotionally detached.
Jesus said in John 10:10, “I have come to give you life and life````````````````````````` more abundantly.” To give us life was His reason for coming into this world and He did it by loving us completely and unconditionally, and then He spread out His arms and died on the cross to prove His love. Dr. John Townsend, a noted writer and theologian, said, “A life full of love, even in hard times is a good life. A life empty of love, even in good times, is a sad life.” Whether even one human being ever loves us, if we experience God’s love we can live that “abundant life.” The only way we can experience and recognize His magnanimous love is to accept His gift - Jesus. When we were still sinners He loved us (Romans 5:6-11). We cannot repay our debt of love to Christ, but we can give Him all the love we have by giving Him our complete and committed life to Him – that is all He wants. He has and will love all He can love and now the ball is always in our court, but we can never outlove God. The score is never, “LOVE.”
The Love Of God
Frederick M. Lehman
The love of God is greater far than tongue or pen can ever tell,
It goes beyond the highest star and reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care, God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled and pardoned from his sin.
When years of time shall pass away and earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,
When men, who here refuse to pray, on rocks and hills and mountains call,
God’s love so sure shall still endure, all measureless and strong;
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race – the saints’ and angels’ song.
Could we with ink the ocean fill and were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill and every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above would drain the ocean dry,
Nor could the scroll contain the whole though stretched from sky to sky.
O love of God, how rich and pure! How measureless and strong!
It shall for evermore endure – The saints’ and angels’ song.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Monday, July 25, 2011
Remember The Sabbath
July 14, 2008
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” (Exodus 20:8-10)
As I become older my memory has become not so keen. Although I may not remember new acquaintance’s names and I have to make grocery lists, lists of things to do and mark my calendar, and forget a few unimportant things, but one thing I can never forget no matter how old I may get to be, and that is the Christian Sabbath.
Within the first hundred years after Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension, the early Church began keeping their Sabbath on the First Day of the week, Sunday. This was the day Jesus rose from the dead and they remembered Jesus’ resurrection every First Day of the week by religious observance and a day of rest. We, like they did, meet together to corporately worship and celebrate Jesus. Even God rested on the seventh day from His labors of creation. God makes time sacred by declaring the Sabbath day holy. The first or the seventh day (the Jewish Sabbath), whichever we choose, should be kept holy and separate, unlike all other days.
As most of the Ten Commandments have been compromised, over the years the fourth commandment also has been compromised. Notice these are called “Commandments” not options. The eighth through the tenth verses of Exodus 20 details this commandment in how to keep it holy – “withdraw from common employment and that it should be dedicated to God” (Amp.).
I remember when I was very young some states and Canada enacted what was called a “blue law.” This law was designed to enforce religious standards and observance of Sunday as a day of worship and rest,with prohibition of any commerce on Sunday, with the exception of groceries and drugs. Some have repealed the law and some declared the law unconstitutional and some just don’t enforce it. There are still some places where this law is still enforced due to religious principles and others retain the law as a matter of tradition or convenience.
When we moved to Marshall in 1966 this “Blue Law” was still in effect. I don’t know if it is still on the books, has been repealed or just isn’t enforced. I still am very hesitant to go shopping on Sunday for unnecessary things, and I really don’t like to eat out on Sunday because I think if all of the "church people" would go home to eat and we would do our shopping the rest of the week, then all the restaurant and store workers could go to church and have a day of rest. I have thought about this commandment a lot. I don’t want to be legalistic or hard-nosed about it, but I do want to obey it, without compromising. There are circumstances that call for buying on Sunday, but I want to be very conscientious about it.
I believe God put every word in His Word for a reason. He wants the best for us. He doesn’t want to ruin our fun or keep us from making money but I believe He saw we greatly needed a day that we could focus just on Him, not all the activities we do all week long. A good example is Chick-fil-A. Their owners are Christians and made that decision from the beginning not to stay open on Sunday to honor God and directing their attentions to things that mattered more than their business. The Lord has blessed their commitment to honor the Christian Sabbath and they now are one of the fastest growing fast food chains in America. I believe the love of money is the main reason for Christian business people to compromise the Fourth Commandment. God never blesses disobedience but always blesses obedience in more ways than in monetary gain.
Let’s look at the Hebrew meanings in the key words of this scripture. “Remember” means to, “to mark as to be recognized.” Recognize it as a day that God has purified and set apart (made “holy”) from the other days of the week for us to rest and worship. “Sabbath” means “rest.” This rest doesn’t mean we have to nap and lay-around all day but we rest from our manual labors. Worshipping the Lord is a wonderful way to rest. Enjoying the fellowship of others, group or individual Bible study, playing games and enjoying God’s creation – all are ways to “rest.”
I read some statistics several years ago of workers in Russia who worked seven days a week, never having a day of rest. Their health was poor and their life span was much lower than others who had a day of rest. God didn’t need to rest on the seventh day but He set an example for us, who do need a day of rest. Let’s plan our week so we can enjoy a day of rest and worship. Let’s “withdraw from common employment and be dedicated to God for one day” – the rewards are great!
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” (Exodus 20:8-10)
As I become older my memory has become not so keen. Although I may not remember new acquaintance’s names and I have to make grocery lists, lists of things to do and mark my calendar, and forget a few unimportant things, but one thing I can never forget no matter how old I may get to be, and that is the Christian Sabbath.
Within the first hundred years after Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension, the early Church began keeping their Sabbath on the First Day of the week, Sunday. This was the day Jesus rose from the dead and they remembered Jesus’ resurrection every First Day of the week by religious observance and a day of rest. We, like they did, meet together to corporately worship and celebrate Jesus. Even God rested on the seventh day from His labors of creation. God makes time sacred by declaring the Sabbath day holy. The first or the seventh day (the Jewish Sabbath), whichever we choose, should be kept holy and separate, unlike all other days.
As most of the Ten Commandments have been compromised, over the years the fourth commandment also has been compromised. Notice these are called “Commandments” not options. The eighth through the tenth verses of Exodus 20 details this commandment in how to keep it holy – “withdraw from common employment and that it should be dedicated to God” (Amp.).
I remember when I was very young some states and Canada enacted what was called a “blue law.” This law was designed to enforce religious standards and observance of Sunday as a day of worship and rest,with prohibition of any commerce on Sunday, with the exception of groceries and drugs. Some have repealed the law and some declared the law unconstitutional and some just don’t enforce it. There are still some places where this law is still enforced due to religious principles and others retain the law as a matter of tradition or convenience.
When we moved to Marshall in 1966 this “Blue Law” was still in effect. I don’t know if it is still on the books, has been repealed or just isn’t enforced. I still am very hesitant to go shopping on Sunday for unnecessary things, and I really don’t like to eat out on Sunday because I think if all of the "church people" would go home to eat and we would do our shopping the rest of the week, then all the restaurant and store workers could go to church and have a day of rest. I have thought about this commandment a lot. I don’t want to be legalistic or hard-nosed about it, but I do want to obey it, without compromising. There are circumstances that call for buying on Sunday, but I want to be very conscientious about it.
I believe God put every word in His Word for a reason. He wants the best for us. He doesn’t want to ruin our fun or keep us from making money but I believe He saw we greatly needed a day that we could focus just on Him, not all the activities we do all week long. A good example is Chick-fil-A. Their owners are Christians and made that decision from the beginning not to stay open on Sunday to honor God and directing their attentions to things that mattered more than their business. The Lord has blessed their commitment to honor the Christian Sabbath and they now are one of the fastest growing fast food chains in America. I believe the love of money is the main reason for Christian business people to compromise the Fourth Commandment. God never blesses disobedience but always blesses obedience in more ways than in monetary gain.
Let’s look at the Hebrew meanings in the key words of this scripture. “Remember” means to, “to mark as to be recognized.” Recognize it as a day that God has purified and set apart (made “holy”) from the other days of the week for us to rest and worship. “Sabbath” means “rest.” This rest doesn’t mean we have to nap and lay-around all day but we rest from our manual labors. Worshipping the Lord is a wonderful way to rest. Enjoying the fellowship of others, group or individual Bible study, playing games and enjoying God’s creation – all are ways to “rest.”
I read some statistics several years ago of workers in Russia who worked seven days a week, never having a day of rest. Their health was poor and their life span was much lower than others who had a day of rest. God didn’t need to rest on the seventh day but He set an example for us, who do need a day of rest. Let’s plan our week so we can enjoy a day of rest and worship. Let’s “withdraw from common employment and be dedicated to God for one day” – the rewards are great!
Friday, July 22, 2011
The Door To Everything Good
“When He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray.” (Matthew 14:23)
If Jesus needed to pray so often, and by Himself, how can we resist the enemy’s temptations; how can we intercede for others; how can we strengthen our inner man and grow in the Lord without an intentional, often, regular, alone and focused time of communicating with the Lord – speaking and listening.
We should begin our time in prayer with praising God for Who He is; after all He is the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, all loving, and full of mercy and loving kindness. He is Truth, the Way and the Life. He is “Jehovah,” the self-existent One. He is “Rohi,” our Shepherd, Who guides, provides, protects and delivers us. He is “Tsidkenu,” He is all Righteousness and makes us righteous. He is “M’Kaddish,” the One who purifies us and sets us apart. He is “Jireh,” our provider, He is the one who provides all our needs. He is “Ropha,” our healer, spirit, soul and body. He is “Nissa,” our banner of victory, He causes us to triumph in all things in Christ Jesus. He is “Shammah,” the God Who is there, and He will never leave us nor forsake us. There are many more names describing God’s nature and character but these mentioned above are the redemptive names of God.
The Psalmist tells us to “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise! Be thankful and praise His name! For the Lord is good. His mercy and loving-kindness are everlasting. His faithfulness and truth endure to all generations,” (Psalm 100:4-5). Spend quality time just adoring the Father for His goodness to us, and Jesus for being our Savior, friend and sending the Holy Spirit to be our guide, teacher, comforter and Who gives the fruit of the Spirit: joy, love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal.5:22, 23).
After praising Him for Who He is we should thank Him for what He has done and, in faith, thank Him for answering our future needs, He will show up, listen, speak and act. Wherever praise is happening that is where God will be (Ps.22:3). Whenever you enter His presence with praise and thanksgiving your requests will become shorter and your faith will be exercised and grow stronger, and it causes the enemy of our souls to tremble and leave, it causes our doubts to dissipate, and brings great joy to our hearts.
We must also include confession in our daily prayer. Although the Father already knows how we fail (sin), He wants us to acknowledge that failure and recognize that we have sinned against a holy God. When we confess (agree with Him) that we have sinned, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and will cleanse us from all unrighteousness, (I John 1:9). By confessing our sins daily we can walk in unbroken fellowship with the Father. Confession is like spiritual breathing – we breathe out impurities and sin, we then breath in God’s forgiveness & cleansing. We stand clean and holy before the Father. We may have to go through this confessing and cleansing process many times a day as we recognize we have sinned. We should stay sensitive to the conviction of the Holy Spirit that we have sinned and be quick to confess. It is good to say there is nothing between my soul and the Savior. Walking in peace and joy is a great reward for our confession.
Last of all we bring to the Father our requests for our needs and intercessions for the needs of others. Come in faith, believing that God exists and He is a rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him out (Heb. 11:6). He will answer – sometimes “yes,” sometimes “no,” sometimes “wait.” Whatever His answer, it is the best answer – trust Him (Rom.8:28).
If it makes it easier you can follow this little acrostic: ACTS: A=adoration, C=confession, T=thanksgiving, S=supplication. However you use these suggestions, be faithful in prayer, come in faith believing, focus on the Father, choose a time and place that will be most conducive to communicating with our Savior, the God of creation. Don’t forget to wait to hear the Father’s still small voice (not audibly but in your heart) or through the Word. Peace and assurance will follow. Prayer to the Almighty God opens the door to all of His goodness He is waiting to give us – just pray! Call on Him and He will answer and show you great and mighty things that you do not know. His number is Jer.33:3.
Prayer is the door to everything good!
Sweet Hour of Prayer
William W. Walford
Sweet Hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer, that calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father’s throne, make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief my soul has often found relief,
And oft escaped the tempter’s snare by your return, sweet hour of prayer.
Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer, Your wings shall my petition bear
To Him Whose truth and faithfulness engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since He bids me seek His face, believe His Word, and trust His grace,
I’ll cast on Him my every care, and wait for you, sweet hour of prayer.
If Jesus needed to pray so often, and by Himself, how can we resist the enemy’s temptations; how can we intercede for others; how can we strengthen our inner man and grow in the Lord without an intentional, often, regular, alone and focused time of communicating with the Lord – speaking and listening.
We should begin our time in prayer with praising God for Who He is; after all He is the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, all loving, and full of mercy and loving kindness. He is Truth, the Way and the Life. He is “Jehovah,” the self-existent One. He is “Rohi,” our Shepherd, Who guides, provides, protects and delivers us. He is “Tsidkenu,” He is all Righteousness and makes us righteous. He is “M’Kaddish,” the One who purifies us and sets us apart. He is “Jireh,” our provider, He is the one who provides all our needs. He is “Ropha,” our healer, spirit, soul and body. He is “Nissa,” our banner of victory, He causes us to triumph in all things in Christ Jesus. He is “Shammah,” the God Who is there, and He will never leave us nor forsake us. There are many more names describing God’s nature and character but these mentioned above are the redemptive names of God.
The Psalmist tells us to “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise! Be thankful and praise His name! For the Lord is good. His mercy and loving-kindness are everlasting. His faithfulness and truth endure to all generations,” (Psalm 100:4-5). Spend quality time just adoring the Father for His goodness to us, and Jesus for being our Savior, friend and sending the Holy Spirit to be our guide, teacher, comforter and Who gives the fruit of the Spirit: joy, love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal.5:22, 23).
After praising Him for Who He is we should thank Him for what He has done and, in faith, thank Him for answering our future needs, He will show up, listen, speak and act. Wherever praise is happening that is where God will be (Ps.22:3). Whenever you enter His presence with praise and thanksgiving your requests will become shorter and your faith will be exercised and grow stronger, and it causes the enemy of our souls to tremble and leave, it causes our doubts to dissipate, and brings great joy to our hearts.
We must also include confession in our daily prayer. Although the Father already knows how we fail (sin), He wants us to acknowledge that failure and recognize that we have sinned against a holy God. When we confess (agree with Him) that we have sinned, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and will cleanse us from all unrighteousness, (I John 1:9). By confessing our sins daily we can walk in unbroken fellowship with the Father. Confession is like spiritual breathing – we breathe out impurities and sin, we then breath in God’s forgiveness & cleansing. We stand clean and holy before the Father. We may have to go through this confessing and cleansing process many times a day as we recognize we have sinned. We should stay sensitive to the conviction of the Holy Spirit that we have sinned and be quick to confess. It is good to say there is nothing between my soul and the Savior. Walking in peace and joy is a great reward for our confession.
Last of all we bring to the Father our requests for our needs and intercessions for the needs of others. Come in faith, believing that God exists and He is a rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him out (Heb. 11:6). He will answer – sometimes “yes,” sometimes “no,” sometimes “wait.” Whatever His answer, it is the best answer – trust Him (Rom.8:28).
If it makes it easier you can follow this little acrostic: ACTS: A=adoration, C=confession, T=thanksgiving, S=supplication. However you use these suggestions, be faithful in prayer, come in faith believing, focus on the Father, choose a time and place that will be most conducive to communicating with our Savior, the God of creation. Don’t forget to wait to hear the Father’s still small voice (not audibly but in your heart) or through the Word. Peace and assurance will follow. Prayer to the Almighty God opens the door to all of His goodness He is waiting to give us – just pray! Call on Him and He will answer and show you great and mighty things that you do not know. His number is Jer.33:3.
Prayer is the door to everything good!
Sweet Hour of Prayer
William W. Walford
Sweet Hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer, that calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father’s throne, make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief my soul has often found relief,
And oft escaped the tempter’s snare by your return, sweet hour of prayer.
Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer, Your wings shall my petition bear
To Him Whose truth and faithfulness engage the waiting soul to bless.
And since He bids me seek His face, believe His Word, and trust His grace,
I’ll cast on Him my every care, and wait for you, sweet hour of prayer.
Words, Words, Words
July 22, 2011
“My mouth shall speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart shall give understanding” (Psalm 49:3).I don’t believe any of us understand how important our every word is. Solomon, the wisest man ever to live, said in Proverbs 23:7, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” David prayed in Psalm 19:14, “May the meditation of my heart and the words of my mouth be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my impenetrable Rock and my Redeemer.” Both of these patriarchs knew there was a direct correlation between our thought life, our words and our actions. Remember the old adage: “Sow a thought – reap an action; Sow an action – reap a habit; sow a habit – reap a character.”
When others evaluate your character they can ascertain what value you have put on your thoughts and meditations. Another old adage says: “You can’t help the birds flying over your head but you don’t have to let them build a nest in your hair.” Satan works in our mind to plant temptations – doubt, fear, worry, lusts, etc. A tempting thought might come but we don’t have to meditate on it or consider it in any way but we are instructed in II Corinthians 10:5 to intentionally choose to lead every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. When a negative thought (whether critical, untrue, impure, judgmental, destructive, etc.) comes into your mind, acknowledge it for what it is and refuse to dwell on it. Instead begin meditating on what is good, on what the Word of God says. Submit yourself to God and resist the devil and he will flee from you (James 4:7). Quote scripture back to Satan, the tempter and your enemy, just as Jesus did when Satan tempted him (Matt.4:1-10).
“Even a child is known by his doings whether they be pure and right” (Prov. 20:11). We are known by what we do (our words, our acts, our attitudes, etc.). This becomes our reputation and character. We must place a guard on our thoughts and meditations because we will speak them out in words and act them out in deeds. If we want our words and acts to be pure, right and wise we must, first of all, “guard our heart with all vigilance, and above all you guard, for out of it flow the issues (the outgoings) of life,” (Prov.4:23). Next, submit ourselves to God and thirdly resist the devil with God’s Word.
If we diligently follow this formula we will succeed in thinking and living intentionally.
Paul gave good advice to the Church in Philippi, “And God’s peace shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is love and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things (fix your minds on them)” (Philippians 4:7-8).
Yield Not To Temptation
Horatio R. Palmer
Yield not to temptation for yielding is sin.
Each victory will help you some other to win.
Fight manfully onward, dark passions subdue.
Look ever to Jesus, He’ll carry you through.
Shun evil companions, bad language disdain.
God’s name hold in reverence, nor take it in vain.
Be thoughtful and earnest, kind-hearted and true.
Look ever to Jesus, He will carry you through.
To him that over-cometh God gives him a crown.
Through faith we will conquer though often cast down.
He Who is our Savior, our strength will renew.
Look ever to Jesus, He will carry you through.
Ask the Savior to help you, comfort, strengthen and keep you.
He is willing to aid you. He will carry you through.
“My mouth shall speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart shall give understanding” (Psalm 49:3).I don’t believe any of us understand how important our every word is. Solomon, the wisest man ever to live, said in Proverbs 23:7, “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” David prayed in Psalm 19:14, “May the meditation of my heart and the words of my mouth be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my impenetrable Rock and my Redeemer.” Both of these patriarchs knew there was a direct correlation between our thought life, our words and our actions. Remember the old adage: “Sow a thought – reap an action; Sow an action – reap a habit; sow a habit – reap a character.”
When others evaluate your character they can ascertain what value you have put on your thoughts and meditations. Another old adage says: “You can’t help the birds flying over your head but you don’t have to let them build a nest in your hair.” Satan works in our mind to plant temptations – doubt, fear, worry, lusts, etc. A tempting thought might come but we don’t have to meditate on it or consider it in any way but we are instructed in II Corinthians 10:5 to intentionally choose to lead every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. When a negative thought (whether critical, untrue, impure, judgmental, destructive, etc.) comes into your mind, acknowledge it for what it is and refuse to dwell on it. Instead begin meditating on what is good, on what the Word of God says. Submit yourself to God and resist the devil and he will flee from you (James 4:7). Quote scripture back to Satan, the tempter and your enemy, just as Jesus did when Satan tempted him (Matt.4:1-10).
“Even a child is known by his doings whether they be pure and right” (Prov. 20:11). We are known by what we do (our words, our acts, our attitudes, etc.). This becomes our reputation and character. We must place a guard on our thoughts and meditations because we will speak them out in words and act them out in deeds. If we want our words and acts to be pure, right and wise we must, first of all, “guard our heart with all vigilance, and above all you guard, for out of it flow the issues (the outgoings) of life,” (Prov.4:23). Next, submit ourselves to God and thirdly resist the devil with God’s Word.
If we diligently follow this formula we will succeed in thinking and living intentionally.
Paul gave good advice to the Church in Philippi, “And God’s peace shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is love and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things (fix your minds on them)” (Philippians 4:7-8).
Yield Not To Temptation
Horatio R. Palmer
Yield not to temptation for yielding is sin.
Each victory will help you some other to win.
Fight manfully onward, dark passions subdue.
Look ever to Jesus, He’ll carry you through.
Shun evil companions, bad language disdain.
God’s name hold in reverence, nor take it in vain.
Be thoughtful and earnest, kind-hearted and true.
Look ever to Jesus, He will carry you through.
To him that over-cometh God gives him a crown.
Through faith we will conquer though often cast down.
He Who is our Savior, our strength will renew.
Look ever to Jesus, He will carry you through.
Ask the Savior to help you, comfort, strengthen and keep you.
He is willing to aid you. He will carry you through.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Apple Of Your Eye
Blog – “Apple of Your Eye” July 15, 2011
“Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me under the shadow of Your wing.”
(Psalm 17:8)
I just had cataract surgery on my right eye which brought clear, colorful sight again. When my left eye gets its new lens my renewed eyes will see like in my youth before the lens became cloudy. I didn’t realize how bad my sight was until I got a new lens in my right eye. I now have 20/20 vision in my right eye, but since my left eye isn’t “fixed” yet I still have a little problem with blurred vision.
The word, “apple” of Your eye actually means, “pupil.” As of now, the pupil cannot be replaced. We guard and protect it for we know if the pupil is destroyed our sight is gone. The Psalmist was asking the Father to “keep” him as He would His precious eye. We are precious in God’s sight as the “apple of His eye” (Deut.32:10). The Word says that His very thoughts toward us are “precious” to Him (Psalm 139:17, 18).
Nothing is more precious to me than my eye sight. I guard my eyes, wash them; have them checked, doctored and medicated, if necessary. They are irreplaceable. The pupil of my eye is precious. In the same way, we are vital and precious to the Lord. He wants to keep us safe under the shelter of His wing (his protective presence, close to His side).
What makes us so precious to God? It is because He created us and He loves us with an everlasting love. Just as a child is precious to his parents, God sees us as His children. He sees the "worth" He has created in us. He is building into us the qualities of Himself that will last forever. He is "refining" us as gold and some day when all the dross has been removed, we will come forth as pure gold. But even the unrefined gold is precious because of its potential. The Father wants to make us into “vessels of honor.”
“So whoever cleanses himself from what is ignoble and unclean, who separates himself from contact with contaminating and corrupting influences will then himself be a vessel set apart and useful for honorable and noble purposes, consecrated and profitable to the Master, fit and ready for any good work” (II Timothy2:21) – precious. He is the potter and we are the clay (Isa.64:8). To become a precious vessel of honor we as clay in the Potter’s hand must be yielding and pliable – not my will but yours. We must choose to be yielding and pliable to the Potter, not to temptation (Psalm 1:1-6).
Thank You, Lord, that I am precious to you, I am the “apple of Your eye.” Help me to be yielding and pliable in Your hands so you can mold me into a “vessel of honor,” precious and usable to you.
Have Your Own Way
Adelaide A. Pollard
Have Your own way, Lord! Have Your own way! You are the Potter, I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after Your will, while I am waiting, yielded and still.
Have Your own way, Lord! Have Your own way! Search me and try me, Master, today!
Whiter than snow, Lord, wash me just now, as in Your presence humbly I bow.
Have Your own way, Lord! Have Your own way! Wounded and weary, help me, I pray!
Power, all power, surely is Yours! Touch me and heal me, Savior divine!
Have Your own way, Lord! Have Your own way!! Hold o’er my being absolute sway!
Fill with your Spirit till all shall see Christ only, always, Living in me!
“Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me under the shadow of Your wing.”
(Psalm 17:8)
I just had cataract surgery on my right eye which brought clear, colorful sight again. When my left eye gets its new lens my renewed eyes will see like in my youth before the lens became cloudy. I didn’t realize how bad my sight was until I got a new lens in my right eye. I now have 20/20 vision in my right eye, but since my left eye isn’t “fixed” yet I still have a little problem with blurred vision.
The word, “apple” of Your eye actually means, “pupil.” As of now, the pupil cannot be replaced. We guard and protect it for we know if the pupil is destroyed our sight is gone. The Psalmist was asking the Father to “keep” him as He would His precious eye. We are precious in God’s sight as the “apple of His eye” (Deut.32:10). The Word says that His very thoughts toward us are “precious” to Him (Psalm 139:17, 18).
Nothing is more precious to me than my eye sight. I guard my eyes, wash them; have them checked, doctored and medicated, if necessary. They are irreplaceable. The pupil of my eye is precious. In the same way, we are vital and precious to the Lord. He wants to keep us safe under the shelter of His wing (his protective presence, close to His side).
What makes us so precious to God? It is because He created us and He loves us with an everlasting love. Just as a child is precious to his parents, God sees us as His children. He sees the "worth" He has created in us. He is building into us the qualities of Himself that will last forever. He is "refining" us as gold and some day when all the dross has been removed, we will come forth as pure gold. But even the unrefined gold is precious because of its potential. The Father wants to make us into “vessels of honor.”
“So whoever cleanses himself from what is ignoble and unclean, who separates himself from contact with contaminating and corrupting influences will then himself be a vessel set apart and useful for honorable and noble purposes, consecrated and profitable to the Master, fit and ready for any good work” (II Timothy2:21) – precious. He is the potter and we are the clay (Isa.64:8). To become a precious vessel of honor we as clay in the Potter’s hand must be yielding and pliable – not my will but yours. We must choose to be yielding and pliable to the Potter, not to temptation (Psalm 1:1-6).
Thank You, Lord, that I am precious to you, I am the “apple of Your eye.” Help me to be yielding and pliable in Your hands so you can mold me into a “vessel of honor,” precious and usable to you.
Have Your Own Way
Adelaide A. Pollard
Have Your own way, Lord! Have Your own way! You are the Potter, I am the clay.
Mold me and make me after Your will, while I am waiting, yielded and still.
Have Your own way, Lord! Have Your own way! Search me and try me, Master, today!
Whiter than snow, Lord, wash me just now, as in Your presence humbly I bow.
Have Your own way, Lord! Have Your own way! Wounded and weary, help me, I pray!
Power, all power, surely is Yours! Touch me and heal me, Savior divine!
Have Your own way, Lord! Have Your own way!! Hold o’er my being absolute sway!
Fill with your Spirit till all shall see Christ only, always, Living in me!
Saturday, July 9, 2011
A New Thing
“Behold, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it and will you not give heed to it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” (Isa. 43:19 Amp.)
As a child growing up, my mother, who was raising nine children as a single mom, had very little money for new things. We younger children wore hand-me-downs from the older children and neighbors and friends who shared their outgrown clothes and toys. The only new things I remember were things I received at Christmas: new underwear from my older sisters who had jobs, and pajamas Mother had made. Sometimes we got a few nuts, a few pieces of hard candy, and sometimes an apple and an orange. All the goodies were very rare treats. As I remember, we didn’t even have a Christmas stocking in which to put our goodies, but they were just given in a paper sack with our name on it.
The only doll I remember having was an old hand-me-down from an older sister who was too “grown-up” to play with dolls. The doll had a cloth body and rubber head, hands and feet. The poor thing had no clothes, but it was my baby doll. I would always ask at Christmas for a new baby doll with clothes I could take off and put on; eyes that would open and close and a doll that would cry. Every Christmas I always hoped and anticipated that large, rectangular box under our small tree, with my name on it, that would hold that wonderful new baby doll for me to have and “mother.”
After many years of longing, looking and being slightly disappointed (because I knew my mother couldn’t afford such a treasure just for me, and we were never taught there was a Santa Claus that brought our gifts. One Christmas when I was about eleven or twelve, there was “the” box under the tree. It had my name on it and inside was a beautiful baby doll with cute little clothes, its eyes opened and closed and it would cry, and it was new. But it was too late, I didn’t play with baby-dolls any more. I had grown out of the baby-doll stage and now desired a more “grown-up” toy. But it was new and so cute so I used it to sit on my bed just to look at and decorate my bedroom I shared with my older sister.
I guess because of living with old and hand-me-down things all my life, when I became an adult, worked and had my own money and could buy my own things, I never, on purpose, bought antique furniture, although now married, we have a couple of pieces we have inherited. Those pieces have memories and meaning from times gone by. I have my grandmother’s cut-glass punch bowl and cups set which I treasure very much. I have a kidney shaped desk that belonged to my mother. I remember as a child it being in our house. We have Wendell’s grandparents’ buffet with a marble top that was passed down to him. It was a wedding gift from his grandfather to his grandmother. Then, it was new and beautiful, now it is very old but still treasured because of whose it was. Also we have a very old desk-table Wendell’s father made. Wendell uses it in his “space” on which to stack his magazines, papers and books, and a place to read. We have two very old window frames which have nostalgic prints behind the panes, which were given to us. Other than these, I don’t believe we have any other antique furnishings. I’m ready for new.
God says He has and will do a new thing for us (Isaiah 43:19).
1) He has put a new song in my mouth (Psalm 40:3).
2) He will give us His new name (Rev.3:12), and give us a new name (Isa.
62:2).
3) He tells us His compassions are new every morning (Lam.3:22-
23).
4) He will give us a new heart and spirit (Eze.11:19; 36:26).
5) He has given us a new testament (covenant) (Luke 22:20).
6) Jesus gave us a new doctrine (Mark 1:27).
7) Jesus gave a promise to all who believed in His name that they would speak in
new languages (Mark 16:17).
8) He gave us a new commandment (John 13:34).
9) Jesus said, “If any person is engrafted in Christ he is an altogether new
creation and the old spiritual condition has passed away.” (II Cor.
5:17).
10) Because of what Christ has done on the cross we have a new way to come
directly to God (Heb.10:19-23).
11) Jesus promised new heavens and a new earth to all who are righteous
and free from sin will live (II Peter 3:13).
12) He says the righteous will live with Him in the new Jerusalem (Rev.
3:12).
13) The King of Kings Who is seated on the throne says, “I will make all things
new! (Rev.21:5)
14) Paul admonishes us to “Put on the new nature created in God’s image,
in true righteousness and holiness.”
I am so grateful for the NEW LIFE I have in Christ and it will never get old but will be forever NEW!
As a child growing up, my mother, who was raising nine children as a single mom, had very little money for new things. We younger children wore hand-me-downs from the older children and neighbors and friends who shared their outgrown clothes and toys. The only new things I remember were things I received at Christmas: new underwear from my older sisters who had jobs, and pajamas Mother had made. Sometimes we got a few nuts, a few pieces of hard candy, and sometimes an apple and an orange. All the goodies were very rare treats. As I remember, we didn’t even have a Christmas stocking in which to put our goodies, but they were just given in a paper sack with our name on it.
The only doll I remember having was an old hand-me-down from an older sister who was too “grown-up” to play with dolls. The doll had a cloth body and rubber head, hands and feet. The poor thing had no clothes, but it was my baby doll. I would always ask at Christmas for a new baby doll with clothes I could take off and put on; eyes that would open and close and a doll that would cry. Every Christmas I always hoped and anticipated that large, rectangular box under our small tree, with my name on it, that would hold that wonderful new baby doll for me to have and “mother.”
After many years of longing, looking and being slightly disappointed (because I knew my mother couldn’t afford such a treasure just for me, and we were never taught there was a Santa Claus that brought our gifts. One Christmas when I was about eleven or twelve, there was “the” box under the tree. It had my name on it and inside was a beautiful baby doll with cute little clothes, its eyes opened and closed and it would cry, and it was new. But it was too late, I didn’t play with baby-dolls any more. I had grown out of the baby-doll stage and now desired a more “grown-up” toy. But it was new and so cute so I used it to sit on my bed just to look at and decorate my bedroom I shared with my older sister.
I guess because of living with old and hand-me-down things all my life, when I became an adult, worked and had my own money and could buy my own things, I never, on purpose, bought antique furniture, although now married, we have a couple of pieces we have inherited. Those pieces have memories and meaning from times gone by. I have my grandmother’s cut-glass punch bowl and cups set which I treasure very much. I have a kidney shaped desk that belonged to my mother. I remember as a child it being in our house. We have Wendell’s grandparents’ buffet with a marble top that was passed down to him. It was a wedding gift from his grandfather to his grandmother. Then, it was new and beautiful, now it is very old but still treasured because of whose it was. Also we have a very old desk-table Wendell’s father made. Wendell uses it in his “space” on which to stack his magazines, papers and books, and a place to read. We have two very old window frames which have nostalgic prints behind the panes, which were given to us. Other than these, I don’t believe we have any other antique furnishings. I’m ready for new.
God says He has and will do a new thing for us (Isaiah 43:19).
1) He has put a new song in my mouth (Psalm 40:3).
2) He will give us His new name (Rev.3:12), and give us a new name (Isa.
62:2).
3) He tells us His compassions are new every morning (Lam.3:22-
23).
4) He will give us a new heart and spirit (Eze.11:19; 36:26).
5) He has given us a new testament (covenant) (Luke 22:20).
6) Jesus gave us a new doctrine (Mark 1:27).
7) Jesus gave a promise to all who believed in His name that they would speak in
new languages (Mark 16:17).
8) He gave us a new commandment (John 13:34).
9) Jesus said, “If any person is engrafted in Christ he is an altogether new
creation and the old spiritual condition has passed away.” (II Cor.
5:17).
10) Because of what Christ has done on the cross we have a new way to come
directly to God (Heb.10:19-23).
11) Jesus promised new heavens and a new earth to all who are righteous
and free from sin will live (II Peter 3:13).
12) He says the righteous will live with Him in the new Jerusalem (Rev.
3:12).
13) The King of Kings Who is seated on the throne says, “I will make all things
new! (Rev.21:5)
14) Paul admonishes us to “Put on the new nature created in God’s image,
in true righteousness and holiness.”
I am so grateful for the NEW LIFE I have in Christ and it will never get old but will be forever NEW!
Friday, July 8, 2011
Choice, Our God-Given Gift
“Choose For Yourselves This Day Whom You Will Serve” (Joshua 24:15)
When God created Adam and Eve, our first parents, He gave them the power to choose to love and obey Him or to turn from Him and disobey Him. He has given every human being the same right and power to choose. Nearly every moment of the day we are making some kind of choice. Some of our choices are educated and wise choices, when we seek God’s will and way. Some are ignorant and foolish choices when we choose our own will and way. From both the good and the bad choices there are like consequences. We suffer bad consequences from our bad choices or from the good choices we reap good rewards.
In this Joshua scripture we are being admonished to choose to love and serve God rather than anything else that can be a god in our lives. What or who we love most becomes our god. Yet, God gave us this freedom to choose to love Jehovah God or to choose to love another god. Dr. John Townsend said, “We are not free to love unless we are free not to love.”
The First Commandment tells us to love God with all our heart and our neighbor as ourselves. Love is a choice. We can choose to withhold our love by withholding our acts of forgiveness, of kindness, of giving, of helping. Any good word, thought or deed comes about because we have chosen to love. Even when that word, thought or deed is not reciprocated, we choose to return good for evil. The will to choose to love in this way can only come about through the power of God’s love flowing through us. Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me.” Only with His Holy Spirit living within us and our asking to be strengthened with His love can we love the unlovely. Remember, we once were unlovely, and sometimes we still are, and we have wanted others to love us in our unloveliness, so we must in like manner choose to love others that are unlovely. By choosing to love others we are choosing to love Christ (Matt.25:31-45). The more we choose to live in God’s love and follow Jesus’ example, the easier it is to love those who may not love us.
Today I choose to walk in God’s freedom to choose to love! I choose to serve God!
I am determined to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back!
Though none go with me still I will follow, no turning back, no turning back!
The world behind me, the cross before me, no turning back, no turning back!
I am determined to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back!
When God created Adam and Eve, our first parents, He gave them the power to choose to love and obey Him or to turn from Him and disobey Him. He has given every human being the same right and power to choose. Nearly every moment of the day we are making some kind of choice. Some of our choices are educated and wise choices, when we seek God’s will and way. Some are ignorant and foolish choices when we choose our own will and way. From both the good and the bad choices there are like consequences. We suffer bad consequences from our bad choices or from the good choices we reap good rewards.
In this Joshua scripture we are being admonished to choose to love and serve God rather than anything else that can be a god in our lives. What or who we love most becomes our god. Yet, God gave us this freedom to choose to love Jehovah God or to choose to love another god. Dr. John Townsend said, “We are not free to love unless we are free not to love.”
The First Commandment tells us to love God with all our heart and our neighbor as ourselves. Love is a choice. We can choose to withhold our love by withholding our acts of forgiveness, of kindness, of giving, of helping. Any good word, thought or deed comes about because we have chosen to love. Even when that word, thought or deed is not reciprocated, we choose to return good for evil. The will to choose to love in this way can only come about through the power of God’s love flowing through us. Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me.” Only with His Holy Spirit living within us and our asking to be strengthened with His love can we love the unlovely. Remember, we once were unlovely, and sometimes we still are, and we have wanted others to love us in our unloveliness, so we must in like manner choose to love others that are unlovely. By choosing to love others we are choosing to love Christ (Matt.25:31-45). The more we choose to live in God’s love and follow Jesus’ example, the easier it is to love those who may not love us.
Today I choose to walk in God’s freedom to choose to love! I choose to serve God!
I am determined to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back!
Though none go with me still I will follow, no turning back, no turning back!
The world behind me, the cross before me, no turning back, no turning back!
I am determined to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back!
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