The story that God has woven throughout creation, as evidenced in Scripture, speaks to the work of God in the lives of earthen vessels. Creation was perverted by the curse of sin but the grace of God purposed to restore that fellowship long before it was ever broken. God is at work in the lives of mankind and He has given us everything that we need to survive. God offered up Jesus Christ on the cross for our sins and then He tabernacles within us through the Holy Spirit. We are richly blessed beyond all measure and comprehension. Oh that the story ended at this moment with the war over but the truth is that sin still rages in its lost battle causing as much collateral damage as possible. Continue Reading…
Tag Archive - Cling to God
A question of legacy and posterity: Psalms Summary
Give up the pretense of striving to be good and cling to God: Psalm 143
How are you feeling today? Is your life marked by an eternal perspective or has your perspective wavered as you fight, strive, and toil against your sinful nature? We claim to fully acknowledge our helplessness before God but our thoughts and actions often tell a different story. We consider ourselves to be good but are we living and embracing the grace of God? The grace of God is to be consistently abided in, clung to, and treasured above everything else in our lives. We must give up our pretense, full of our striving to be good enough, and cling to God in our weakness. We cannot make a way through our but God is more than able to help us. “Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning; for I trust in You; teach me the way in which I should walk; for to You I lift up my soul. Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies; I take refuge in You.” Psalm 143:8,9 David knew that in the despairing moments of life it was only God who could move to bring lasting deliverance. His enemies were surrounding him but despite the imminent danger David clung to God. When all you see is despair will you cling to God? Will you give up you attempts to save yourself and let God save you?
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Beloved of God, will you rest in His sufficiency: Psalm 127
“Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” 1 Corinthians 10:31 Is your outlook of life governed by your focus on God? Are the actions of your life enveloped by an inclusive relationship with God? Solomon’s God given wisdom expressed in Psalm 127 realizes that whatever we choose to do we can never exist apart from God. Have you built your life upon you skills and knowledge or have you abdicated the throne of your life to God? “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain. It is for you to rise up early, to retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors; for He fives to His beloved even in his sleep.” Psalm 127:1,2 Have you worked in vain throughout your life? Have you worried in vain about what the future holds? Beloved of God, will you rest in His sufficiency? God is always able and the work He begins will continue until its completion. Will the glory of God be your motivation today? Continue Reading…
Will you find absolute satisfaction in the Word of God: Psalm 119
How are we endure and live lives that have meaning and purpose? What should be of utmost value to us? A simple and prefect guide is presented in Psalm 119 that will fulfill every one of our needs. Our fulfillment in this life is found in: the law of the Lord, God’s testimonies, God’s ways, God’s precepts, God’s statutes, God’s commandments, God’s righteous judgements, God’s word, the ordinances of God’s mouth, God’s testimonies, God’s ways, God’s law, God’s ordinances, God’s wonders, God’s righteous ordinances, the law of God’s mouth, God’s judgements, the testimony of God’s mouth, the commandments of my God and God’s righteous word. To simplify everything stated in Psalm 119 we will find deliverance and absolute satisfaction in the Bible that God has bestowed upon humanity. Do you live out an impassioned love for God’s Word? Continue Reading…
Beware of the idols that encroach upon your peaceful existence: Psalm 115
Beware of the idols that you have elevated to prominence in your life. What draws your devotion and attention away from God? Do you desire to seek God first and foremost in your life? As we go about life in this sin cursed world we take for ourselves many of the habits of our family, friends and culture. Beware of the habits you have developed. Are you seeking to first seek God and love Him with all of your being? The things of this world that you treasure and delight in easily become idols that you worship as they crowd out our desire for God. Beware of these idols that are shallow, powerless and bring death to your life. “Their idol are silver and gold, the work of man’s hands. They have mouths, but they cannot speak; they have eyes, but they cannot see; they have ears; but they cannot heart; they have noses, but they cannot smell; they have hands, but they cannot feel; they have feet but they cannot walk; they cannot make a sound with their throat. Those who make them will become like them, everyone who trusts i n them.” Psalm 115:4-8 Continue Reading…
Satisfying delight found in knowing and clinging to God: Psalm 111
What causes a sense of great delight to fill your heart? Have things in your home have brought you a deep satisfying delight? Do you delight in the friends and family that fellowship with you? Does the satisying feeling you get endure beyond a single moment? Every item that you cherish and delight in will never give you lasting hope and satisfaction. Psalm 111 encourages all believers to find their ultimate delight in God. “He has made His wonders to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and compassionate forever. He has made known to His people the power of His works, in giving them the heritage of the nations… He has sent redemption to His people; He has ordained His covenant forever; holy and awesome is His name.” Psalm 111:4-6,9 Continue Reading…
Turn away from your adventures into the sufficient hands of God: Psalm 108
Think back to when you were a child. Did you ever envision that you were going on a great adventure into your basement, backyard or neighborhood? Did you pack and make preparations until you thought you were invincible? Were there times when you thought that you would finally be able to do everything the way you wanted without pesky adults telling you how everything should be done? As a child it is easy to think that the rules and intentions of our parents are burdensome but once we attempt to head out on our adventure we find that we were not able to sustain ourselves and we turn our backs to our adventure and head home to the provision of our parents. As an adult do you still act in your childish ways, thinking that life is a great adventure to conquered? Can you set your own path through the wilderness of life? Are we any different than we were as children? Continue Reading…
Simple perseverance and its effect on legacy: Psalm 102
In distress what do we do? Do we call out to God or do we run to the house of cards that we have built up to find deliverance. Have the circumstances of life left you helpless and hopeless? In the moments that we are faced with overwhelming distress and despair we must remember that God alone is our hope and help. Our dependance upon God’s faithfulness that carries us through the difficult moments of life is a testimony to God’s ultimate deliverance. “This will be written for the generation to come, that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord. For He looked down from His holy height; from heaven the Lord gazed upon the earth, to hear the groaning of the prisoner, to set free those who were doomed to death, that men may tell of the name of the Lord in Zion and His praise in Jerusalem, when the peoples are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the Lord.” Psalm 102:18-22 Continue Reading…
Embrace the life changing word of God: Psalm 86
Is perseverance a premeditation that must be resolutely fixed in our minds before encountering any situation of tribulation where perseverance must be wielded? Our relationship with God is critically important to our outlook on life, our perception of our abilities and our expression of compassion and love towards one another. What happens as we consistently turn to God for our nourishment and hope by meditating upon His Word? “Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; unite my heart to hear Your name.” Psalm 86:11 As we continually seek out God and open our heart, mind, soul and strength to His teaching in scripture we will wholeheartedly learn that God is truly to deliver us. ”In the day of my trouble I shall call upon You, for You will answer me.” Psalm 86:7 Continue Reading…
Complete wholeness for our vaporous existence: Psalm 81
Remember! Will you remember? Remember the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who is eternally faithful. Psalm 81 is a call for the people of Israel to celebrate, remember and worship God. The people of Israel would often forget God and they would be left to follow the wickedness of their hearts. Asaph is calling the people to remember that they are easily unfaithful to God and choose to wholeheartedly turn to God and worship Him alone. The gods of the world that sought to consume the attention of the Israelites were not worthy to compare with the true God. It is just as easy today to run to the idols and gods vying for our attention and worship them thinking that lasting substance can be found in vaporous pleasure. Only God will bring complete wholeness for our vaporous existence. Continue Reading…
