February 29
There are things we feel we must have in life. We need a roof over our heads, we need viable work to do, we must have food to sustain our bodies, we yearn for meaningful relationships with other people. But when we’ve attained our fine home because we’ve distinguished ourselves at our work, and the food of our table is more than enough to sustain life and we have forged friendships and associations and romances that satisfy, what do we yet lack?
We know we lack something because like the Israelites who wandered in the wilderness for forty years because they could not stay on the straight path to the Promised Land, we, too, find ourselves floundering through an aimless abyss. Even though they had manna to eat and even though we are rich and full, we still have an insatiable longing within that nothing seems able to satisfy.
Jesus addressed this very situation in John 6:32 when He said, “Verily, verily I say to you, Moses did not give you manna from Heaven, but it was My Father. It is He who gives you the true Bread of Heaven.” What is this “true Bread of Heaven” that is supplied by our Heavenly Father? What is it that can sustain life when all we endeavor to achieve and to possess leaves us feeling empty and unfulfilled?
Of course, the answer is that it is Jesus Himself who is our Bread of Life. It is only Jesus who can satisfy the inner longing of our hearts and spirits. It is only Jesus who can nurture our inner man so that no matter how the outer man may succumb to the ravages of hatred or war or simply old age, the part of us that is to be alive for evermore will be sustained and transported safely to its eternal reward.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
February 28
In I Chronicles 28:9, King David speaks candidly to his son Solomon who will assume his throne upon his death. He speaks from the heart of a wise monarch who has unified his nation and who has vanquished all her enemies. But more importantly, he speaks from the depth of a loving father’s heart.
In His words, we hear the love of our Heavenly Father and we, like Solomon, will be the better if we heed them. David says, “…know the God of your father and serve Him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches hearts and understands the imagination of all thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found of you, but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.”
These words are at once a tender yet sobering reminder of the power we have over our own destiny. They affirm the desire of the Holy One to discover Himself to us as the fullness of all we need and in the entirety of all we long to have and yearn to be. Yet, as in any covenant, in any contractual relationship, there are stipulations and provisions that must be met if the agreement is to remain in effect.
Would Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, have allowed himself to be turned aside from his enormous potential by the “foreign women” who captured his imagination and caused him to abandon his high calling if he had know the disaster he unleashed upon himself in so doing? Should we not learn from his mistakes and avert similar failure to our potential through our indulgence of any distraction that might cause our being cast off as Solomon was!
In I Chronicles 28:9, King David speaks candidly to his son Solomon who will assume his throne upon his death. He speaks from the heart of a wise monarch who has unified his nation and who has vanquished all her enemies. But more importantly, he speaks from the depth of a loving father’s heart.
In His words, we hear the love of our Heavenly Father and we, like Solomon, will be the better if we heed them. David says, “…know the God of your father and serve Him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches hearts and understands the imagination of all thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found of you, but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.”
These words are at once a tender yet sobering reminder of the power we have over our own destiny. They affirm the desire of the Holy One to discover Himself to us as the fullness of all we need and in the entirety of all we long to have and yearn to be. Yet, as in any covenant, in any contractual relationship, there are stipulations and provisions that must be met if the agreement is to remain in effect.
Would Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, have allowed himself to be turned aside from his enormous potential by the “foreign women” who captured his imagination and caused him to abandon his high calling if he had know the disaster he unleashed upon himself in so doing? Should we not learn from his mistakes and avert similar failure to our potential through our indulgence of any distraction that might cause our being cast off as Solomon was!
February 28
In I Chronicles 28:9, King David speaks candidly to his son Solomon who will assume his throne upon his death. He speaks from the heart of a wise monarch who has unified his nation and who has vanquished all her enemies. But more importantly, he speaks from the depth of a loving father’s heart.
In His words, we hear the love of our Heavenly Father and we, like Solomon, will be the better if we heed them. David says, “…know the God of your father and serve Him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches hearts and understands the imagination of all thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found of you, but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.”
These words are at once a tender yet sobering reminder of the power we have over our own destiny. They affirm the desire of the Holy One to discover Himself to us as the fullness of all we need and in the entirety of all we long to have and yearn to be. Yet, as in any covenant, in any contractual relationship, there are stipulations and provisions that must be met if the agreement is to remain in effect.
Would Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, have allowed himself to be turned aside from his enormous potential by the “foreign women” who captured his imagination and caused him to abandon his high calling if he had know the disaster he unleashed upon himself in so doing? Should we not learn from his mistakes and avert similar failure to our potential through our indulgence of any distraction that might cause our being cast off as Solomon was!
In I Chronicles 28:9, King David speaks candidly to his son Solomon who will assume his throne upon his death. He speaks from the heart of a wise monarch who has unified his nation and who has vanquished all her enemies. But more importantly, he speaks from the depth of a loving father’s heart.
In His words, we hear the love of our Heavenly Father and we, like Solomon, will be the better if we heed them. David says, “…know the God of your father and serve Him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches hearts and understands the imagination of all thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found of you, but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.”
These words are at once a tender yet sobering reminder of the power we have over our own destiny. They affirm the desire of the Holy One to discover Himself to us as the fullness of all we need and in the entirety of all we long to have and yearn to be. Yet, as in any covenant, in any contractual relationship, there are stipulations and provisions that must be met if the agreement is to remain in effect.
Would Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, have allowed himself to be turned aside from his enormous potential by the “foreign women” who captured his imagination and caused him to abandon his high calling if he had know the disaster he unleashed upon himself in so doing? Should we not learn from his mistakes and avert similar failure to our potential through our indulgence of any distraction that might cause our being cast off as Solomon was!
February 27
Psalm 91 is known as the “Psalm of Protection” because it is replete with affirmation of the Lord’s continual watch-care over His people. In a world that grows ever more tumultuous with each passing day—wars, rumors of wars, economic upheaval, hatred run rampant in the heart of a people who profess to do God’s bidding—the reassurance of His protective presence is virtually our only consolation.
How can we assure ourselves of His over-arching care when we are bombarded on every side with evidence of insurmountable problems and the threat of a catastrophic collision of mindsets and belief systems? As in every problem of life, the only viable solution, the only reasonable assurance is that which is found in the Word.
Psalm 91:14 tells us the basis for our confident expectation that the Lord God will be the Keeper of our lives and the Assurance of our well-being. “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him. I will set him on high, because he has known My name.” This is a definite cause and effect promise! This is a promise whose fulfillment lies in the hand of the one who is in covenant relationship with the Father. If we are to be guarded physically and emotionally and spiritually, it will be because we comply with the terms of the covenant.
Our Father does not promise to guide us through the mayhem the world unleashes on itself through its striving for ascendancy over those whose views differ from their own, whose religious beliefs do not conform to theirs because of our goodness or our superior military might! No, His promise is to keep safe in the hollow of His hand the ones who know Him—and who in knowing Him, have fallen in love with Him! Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” Only in their keeping can the promise of our protection be realized.
Psalm 91 is known as the “Psalm of Protection” because it is replete with affirmation of the Lord’s continual watch-care over His people. In a world that grows ever more tumultuous with each passing day—wars, rumors of wars, economic upheaval, hatred run rampant in the heart of a people who profess to do God’s bidding—the reassurance of His protective presence is virtually our only consolation.
How can we assure ourselves of His over-arching care when we are bombarded on every side with evidence of insurmountable problems and the threat of a catastrophic collision of mindsets and belief systems? As in every problem of life, the only viable solution, the only reasonable assurance is that which is found in the Word.
Psalm 91:14 tells us the basis for our confident expectation that the Lord God will be the Keeper of our lives and the Assurance of our well-being. “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him. I will set him on high, because he has known My name.” This is a definite cause and effect promise! This is a promise whose fulfillment lies in the hand of the one who is in covenant relationship with the Father. If we are to be guarded physically and emotionally and spiritually, it will be because we comply with the terms of the covenant.
Our Father does not promise to guide us through the mayhem the world unleashes on itself through its striving for ascendancy over those whose views differ from their own, whose religious beliefs do not conform to theirs because of our goodness or our superior military might! No, His promise is to keep safe in the hollow of His hand the ones who know Him—and who in knowing Him, have fallen in love with Him! Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” Only in their keeping can the promise of our protection be realized.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
February 26
Have you ever pondered the old adage, “If you don’t have something good to say, don’t say anything”? If you’re like most of us, you don’t employ the sound advice contained within that admonition nearly enough. If anything, we’re far too quick to expound upon topics about which we have no authority to speak.
Our intentions may be good. Giving ourselves the benefit of the doubt we can say our only purpose in dispensing our point of view is to benefit the hearer through the wisdom we feel we have. Sometimes, we actually have a viable point to make—but if we convey it at the wrong moment, it loses its punch.
To assure that our words produce the desired impact we must follow the principle found in Proverbs 8:6 which says, “I will open my mouth and speak excellent things; the opening of my lips shall be for right things.” The Lord has further told us that there is a “time to speak and a time to keep silence,” Ecclesiastes 3:7, and it is incumbent upon us that we discern that time wisely.
Certainly, if our only purpose is to elevate ourselves in our own estimation, to behold ourselves in a lofty position in our own eyes, it hardly matters when we dispense the counsel we feel welling up within us, but if our purpose is to draw others to the Savior through our witness of His love and salvation, then we must implement His Word in His way. His way results in His will being accomplished.
Have you ever pondered the old adage, “If you don’t have something good to say, don’t say anything”? If you’re like most of us, you don’t employ the sound advice contained within that admonition nearly enough. If anything, we’re far too quick to expound upon topics about which we have no authority to speak.
Our intentions may be good. Giving ourselves the benefit of the doubt we can say our only purpose in dispensing our point of view is to benefit the hearer through the wisdom we feel we have. Sometimes, we actually have a viable point to make—but if we convey it at the wrong moment, it loses its punch.
To assure that our words produce the desired impact we must follow the principle found in Proverbs 8:6 which says, “I will open my mouth and speak excellent things; the opening of my lips shall be for right things.” The Lord has further told us that there is a “time to speak and a time to keep silence,” Ecclesiastes 3:7, and it is incumbent upon us that we discern that time wisely.
Certainly, if our only purpose is to elevate ourselves in our own estimation, to behold ourselves in a lofty position in our own eyes, it hardly matters when we dispense the counsel we feel welling up within us, but if our purpose is to draw others to the Savior through our witness of His love and salvation, then we must implement His Word in His way. His way results in His will being accomplished.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
February 25
What are the purposes of prayer? We can enumerate a few: inner peace, release from concern, obedience to the Word that admonishes us to pray, and, of course, sweet communion with God. All these sound rather altruistic and our attainment of all them should please God. But is that what HE said? Actually, not entirely.
What Jesus actually said can be found in Matthew 6:6: “When you pray, go alone into your closet and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father, Who sees in secret shall reward you openly.” Yes, we should focus on the greater good when we pray—and peace and release from fear and obedience and fellowship are all part of that—but beyond that, He desires to reward us!
Part of the reward is the peace we receive as we fellowship with Him, but beyond that, there are prayer goals that we know are part of His stated will. He has told us that it is His desire to heal the sick through our prayers. He has made it clear that He wants to use our supplications to transform lives steeped in spiritual darkness into those illumined by the light of Christ’s salvation.
He has said it is His desire to “come in to us and sup with us…” Revelation 3:20, and we know that we invite Him in when we have placed our lives at His feet and open our hearts fully to not only His salvation but His presence in our hearts. When we pray, we continue the commitment we have entered with Him. When we pray, we allow that commitment to be the cornerstone of our lives.
What are the purposes of prayer? We can enumerate a few: inner peace, release from concern, obedience to the Word that admonishes us to pray, and, of course, sweet communion with God. All these sound rather altruistic and our attainment of all them should please God. But is that what HE said? Actually, not entirely.
What Jesus actually said can be found in Matthew 6:6: “When you pray, go alone into your closet and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father, Who sees in secret shall reward you openly.” Yes, we should focus on the greater good when we pray—and peace and release from fear and obedience and fellowship are all part of that—but beyond that, He desires to reward us!
Part of the reward is the peace we receive as we fellowship with Him, but beyond that, there are prayer goals that we know are part of His stated will. He has told us that it is His desire to heal the sick through our prayers. He has made it clear that He wants to use our supplications to transform lives steeped in spiritual darkness into those illumined by the light of Christ’s salvation.
He has said it is His desire to “come in to us and sup with us…” Revelation 3:20, and we know that we invite Him in when we have placed our lives at His feet and open our hearts fully to not only His salvation but His presence in our hearts. When we pray, we continue the commitment we have entered with Him. When we pray, we allow that commitment to be the cornerstone of our lives.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
February 24
The Old Testament is replete with admonitions to prayer. One example of God’s beckoning of us to Himself and its attendant benefits is to be found in Proverbs 8:17 where it says, “If you seek Me early and diligently, you will find Me.” The intent is that we seek the Lord not only early in the day but early in life.
If we will, He assures that we will find Him, and in finding Him, we gain all that His perfect plan for us entails. In Mark 1:35, we see the Sinless One, Jesus Himself, complying with this admonition. We are told, “In the morning, before daybreak, He got up and went out to a deserted place, and there He prayed.”
How telling it is that the Lord God incarnate, when He walked in the flesh among His people, when He was subject to the wiles and ways of the world, kept Himself spiritually strong by seeking the face of His Father before He engaged in any other pursuit through the day. If Jesus felt that HE needed to set aside the first part of the day to commune with our Heavenly Father, how much more should we!
He said before He ascended into heaven that if we believe in Him, we shall be able to do greater works than He had done (John 14:12). Should we not commune with His Spirit that we might gain His direction for our day, that we might achieve the goals He desires us to attain! If we have the ability to be His hand extended, to do the works—the miracles!—He has done, should we not appropriate the power to attain it all! The power that comes through prayer!
The Old Testament is replete with admonitions to prayer. One example of God’s beckoning of us to Himself and its attendant benefits is to be found in Proverbs 8:17 where it says, “If you seek Me early and diligently, you will find Me.” The intent is that we seek the Lord not only early in the day but early in life.
If we will, He assures that we will find Him, and in finding Him, we gain all that His perfect plan for us entails. In Mark 1:35, we see the Sinless One, Jesus Himself, complying with this admonition. We are told, “In the morning, before daybreak, He got up and went out to a deserted place, and there He prayed.”
How telling it is that the Lord God incarnate, when He walked in the flesh among His people, when He was subject to the wiles and ways of the world, kept Himself spiritually strong by seeking the face of His Father before He engaged in any other pursuit through the day. If Jesus felt that HE needed to set aside the first part of the day to commune with our Heavenly Father, how much more should we!
He said before He ascended into heaven that if we believe in Him, we shall be able to do greater works than He had done (John 14:12). Should we not commune with His Spirit that we might gain His direction for our day, that we might achieve the goals He desires us to attain! If we have the ability to be His hand extended, to do the works—the miracles!—He has done, should we not appropriate the power to attain it all! The power that comes through prayer!
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