PSALM 119:1 WALK IN THE LIGHT

WALK IN THE LIGHT

Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord!

Psalm 119:1 (ESV)

You’re only truly happy

when you walk in total integrity,

walking in the light of God’s word.

Psalm 119:1 (TPT)

We are incapable in and of ourselves of being completely blameless, operating with integrity one hundred percent of the time. However, as the old hymn by Jessie Brown Pounds states, “The way of the cross leads home.” And God’s word sheds the light that leads us to the cross of Jesus Christ (Psalm 119:105). Reading or hearing the Bible preached leads us to Jesus’s sacrifice and our redemption. True happiness is found in a life well lived, a life of integrity, a life dedicated to following Jesus. Jesus declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). Once we place our total trust in Jesus, we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to live lives which are pleasing to God and a testimony to others (John 15:5, Acts 1:8). When Christians try to stray from the path illuminated for us by God’s laws (His instructions), we are miserable. However, we are blessed, truly happy, when we live lives of obedience and service. God is not asking us to do the impossible using our own feeble abilities. Instead He empowers us, making the impossible task of following His instructions a doable reality.  

But if we walk in the light,

 as he is in the light,

we have fellowship one with another,

and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son

cleanseth us from all sin.

1 John 1:7 (KJV)

Father, thank You that we are saved by grace not works because we could never be perfect enough to please You. Thank You that once we are saved by Your grace, You give us the Holy Spirit to enable us to do the good things You have prepared for us to do. Help us today to tap into the power source of Your Spirit in order to serve You boldly with integrity.

PSALM 119:175 INVIGORATE ME TO KNOW YOU INTIMATELY

INVIGORATE ME

TO KNOW YOU INTIMATELY

Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee; and let thy judgments help me.

Psalm 119:175 (KJV)

The Passion Translation uses the word “invigorate” for live and says, “may your truth be my strength.” The strength of Jesus living in and through us is the ultimate life, the abundant life (John 10:10). God uses His word to infuse us with His strength in order to do whatever He has called us to do (Philippians 4:13). We must choose to make the time to read, meditate on, internalize, and even memorize Scripture. It is a tool the Holy Spirit uses to help us live productive lives for the Kingdom of God. True joy is found in being in an intimate relationship with our Creator and Savior, Jesus Christ. He is our strength: “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him” (Psalm 28:7 KJV). Our strength is found in the truth of God’s word. When we are strong in the Lord, we have joy which results in praise. Susan’s earth-suit may look weak to most people, but her inward strength that comes from the Lord and through understanding His word results in a life filled with joy overflowing into praise.

Father, thank You for preserving Your word through the centuries that we may gain wisdom, strength, and an intimate knowledge of Your character through it. May we read with intentional fervor in order to know You intimately, and may our praise be raised daily to You.

PSALM 119:130 LIGHT FOR THE CHILDLIKE

LIGHT FOR THE CHILDLIKE

The entrance of thy words giveth light;

it giveth understanding unto the simple.

Psalm 119:130 (KJV)

“Entrance” in some versions is rendered “door.”  The mental picture is the door of the mind being opened to allow the light of God’s truth to shine in. Whenever we open that door, the light will flow in and illuminate God’s will and way to our simple or as the Amplified version clarifies, “childlike” minds. Even someone with limited intellectual ability can come into a relationship with Jesus because God’s word gives them understanding of His love. In fact, Jesus proclaimed that simple faith is required to in order to come near to God, “Verily I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3). Childlike faith is the trust we see as a child clings to his or her parent when afraid. We are to cling to Jesus, knowing that He will save us. All we need is a heart that desires to know Jesus more intimately, and He will give the understanding we need as we read His word, the Bible. We loved The Passion Translation’s rendering of this verse:

Psalm 119:130 (TPT)   Break open your word within me until revelation-light shines out! Those with open hearts are given insight into your plans.

Father, shine a light on Your word as we read it each day. Then let that light shine back out of us to bring light to the lost and draw them to You. May Your Holy Spirit give us insight and understanding and flow like a river of light through us onto others.

PSALM 119:17 ON DADDY'S SHOULDERS

ON DADDY’S SHOULDERS

Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe:

and I will have respect

unto thy statutes continually.

Psalm 119:117 (KJV)

As we were reading Psalm 119:113-120 this evening, this verse jumped out at us because of the mental picture it evoked. Just this afternoon, our three pastors had joined us for lunch. Our student minister, Damien, has a four-year-old son who is battling leukemia. We had written a Champion Blessing for him and a small gift—a soft, squishy toy lion. Damien was telling us a little bit about his son and mentioned that one of his favorite things was to ride up on his dad’s shoulders. We imagine he feels big and strong perched securely up above the crowd. Therefore, this is how we imagined our Father God holding us up. The mental picture was that of being lifted high by strong arms and held above anything or anyone who would harm us, traveling through life empowered by the strength of One much mightier than ourselves, enabled to do all He has called us to do by His power and not our own.

You may listen to a song this brought to mind by clicking this link:

https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?hsimp=yhs-att_001&hspart=att&p=You+lift+me+up#id=3&vid=2b88bc2a66c1224f872caf8474369ee6&action=click

Father, remind us daily that we are never alone. We are secure in Your all-mighty hands, and You will never drop us. Give us the trust of a child riding on Daddy’s shoulders.

MATTHEW 28:19 - BAPTIZED INTO GOD'S FAMILY

BAPTIZED INTO GOD’S FAMILY

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me

in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, 

and teach all nations, baptizing them

in¹⁵¹⁹ the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:

and, lo, I am with you always,

even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Matthew 28:19-20 (KJV)

1519 εἰς (ӗis) – primary preposition: to or into (indicating the point reached or entered) of place, time, or (fig.) purpose (result, etc.).

Baptism is an outward expression of something that has already happened inwardly. As soon as we surrender our lives to the Lord Jesus, we are adopted into God’s forever family. When someone is baptized, the person officiating usually says something like, “I baptize you, my brother (sister), in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” Let’s look at that phrase “in the name of”. This can and does mean “on behalf of.” Which is how I had often thought of it. However, that little preposition “in” can mean “into.” We are baptized into the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We become one with the God-head as Jesus prayed in John 17:21-13. If this happens the moment we are converted, the moment we surrender our lives to the Lord, then what is baptism? Baptism does not save us. It is an evidence that we have been saved. When a friend of mine adopted children, they lived in her home, began calling her “Mommy,” and she loved them as her own. They were adopted into her family as far as they and she were concerned. Months later, the official papers were signed in court, and the adoption was “finalized.” However, there was a step in the process where she swore under oath before witnesses to be their mother in every sense of the word. This was an outward demonstration of the commitment she had already made to the children and had already made official on the documents. We are adopted into God’s family, and our baptism is the announcement to the world that this adoption has transpired. My friend provides for all the needs of her adopted children, and they are her legal heirs. When we are baptized into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we are acknowledging not only our obligation to obey God but our trust that He will now provide for all our needs, and as Paul wrote in Romans 8:17, we are joint-heirs with Jesus. Are we living like children of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the all-powerful God? Do we stand on the truth that we have been welcomed into sharing His name? Are we remembering all the things we have in Him (see Ephesians 1)?

Father, thank you for the privilege of addressing You this way, the joy of being Your child. Help us to live each day with an awareness of carrying Your name. Help us to enjoy the benefits of being in Your forever family and be careful never to bring shame to the name we bear—Christian.

COMPUTER CRASH!!!

Last week, our computer crashed. We have someone trying to retrieve our data, and PTL we have this new computer. However, we are having to reconstruct our schedules, templates, etc.; so it may be next week before we get back on track with posting to our blogs. We are hopeful that we will be completely back on track by then. Please pray for us during this process, and pray that John is able to retrieve our data, especially a book we have been working on. Thank you!!!

LUKE 17:24 & 2 THESSALONIANS 1:6-7 LIKE LIGHTNING IN BLAZING GLORY!