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Our Intimate God

“Praise the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty.”  Psalm 104:1

Praise be to you, my God,

the God of relationship,

of intimacy, of personality,

of interaction a

nd communication.

You, O Yahweh, I will praise with

my mind,

my will,

my emotions,

with my whole being;

without reservation I will exalt you.

You are worthy of worship for you are great:

you are mighty,

immense,

immeasurably expansive,

filling the universe with your presence,

knowing all,

seeing all,

performing all that is good.

In th light of your perfect, pristine character, Lord, may my attitude, my trust and my obedience give you the glory where my tongue fails. Honor and praise be to you, Lord Jesus, in my life today. Amen.”

Picture: HE fills the whole universe.

No photo description available.

The Beauty and Perfection of God

“Praise the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty.” Psalm 104:1

You, Lord God, are great because:

You are the God of goodness,

the Lord of Love,

the King of Kindness,

the Judge of Justice,

the Sovereign of the Supernatural,

the Highest of Heaven,

the Ruler of Righteousness,

the Protagonist of Purity,

the Adopter of antagonists,

the Transformer of truants,

the Spring of Spirituality,

the Spirit of Sanctification,

the Paragon of Patience,

the Terminator of time,

the Ender of the earth,

the Extender of eternity,

the Eliminator of evil

and the God of Glory!

You only are worthy of worship!

Words fail to express the greatness of your goodness,

the perfection of your personality,

the beauty of your being.

In response to your love,

I must fall before you in wonder and weakness,

rise up filled with the Spirit,

and  move into the day in obedience.

To you be glory and exaltation, joy and pleasure in my worship of you all this day long.

Picture: the beauty of God reflected in His creation.

May be an image of lake

Make the most…

We are called to be ambassadors of Christ, carrying the message of the King to all around us. Here are two verses that give us direction in our responsibilities.

“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5:15,16.

“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect….” 1 Peter 3:15

Many believers wait for opportunities to share the gospel, and we should look for such possibilities. And, I would add, we should create opportunities. For instance, wearing a cross, having a t-shirt that stirs curiosity (see picture below of my “witnessing t-shirt) or carrying a Bible. 

I’ve already told you about my favorite way to stimulate people’s thinking, talking about death, then adding that “we all are going to die. And when you die and get to the gate of Heaven where the angel says, ‘why should I let you in,’ what will you say?” That opens  up clear opportunities to share the gospel, as most people do not know the needed answer, of having Jesus as our Lord and Savior. 

Another opener is to talk about God sightings, telling some I’ve had recently. They make people curious.

So, look for opportunities and create them when you can, so others may also enter the Kingdom of Heavenl.

Picture: All the imaginary heroes listn to the true Savior who actually saved the world! People ask about it.

The Path of Jesus

Psalm 2:9 “You will rule them [the nations] with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”

You, Lord Jesus, will deal with sin, punish evil and sweep away all who refuse to enter your shelter of protection and forgiveness.

I praise you that you are not soft on sin, that you are firm and faithful in your determination to keep wickedness and evil out of of the new Heaven and new Earth to come. I praise you for the prospect of living there with no sin nature within, with no evil enemy without, with no selfishness encouraging me to do my own thing.

Today I praise you, Lord Jesus, as my God and King, my Shepherd and Guide, my Protector and constant Companion.

I give you glory and honor for your great and deep work in my life. And I praise you for all that you will do today—

the surety of your protection,

the certainty that you will work powerfully and incisively,

the reliability that you will allow some difficulties to make me grow,

the challenges you will give me to trust you,

you leading me to pray and to further obey your Word.

Help me to join you in your great plans for today. Amen

Picture: following God’s path for today

May be an image of 1 person, mountain and nature

God’s Great Love and Faithfulness

Psalm 2:7 “…the LORD…said to me, ‘You are my Son; today I have become your Father.’”

 

[These mysterious words, written in 1000 BC, are quoted again in Hebrews 1:5, and clearly refer prophetically to the Lord Jesus.

 

I praise you, my Savior, that you are not only the Son from eternity past, but that you became the Son in a more specific way by being born as a baby, fathered supernaturally, living as both the human and heavenly Son of your eternal Father.

 

Your relationship was and is doubly unique in a trinity of ways:

twice the Son (in eternity and in time);

twice the Savior (saving us from our sins in your death, saving us from eternal separation in your resurrection in giving us everlasting life);

twice incisively entering this world (once as Savior, once to come as Judge and Conqueror).

 

I praise you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit for your deep and long wisdom displayed here, for your unshakable commitment to love us stubborn rebels, and for your perfect follow-through on your promises (to save us) and predictions (to take us to Heaven).

You, Lord God, are The Trustable One. In you we have all the security and significance we need. Help us to rest in that!

Picture: the beauty of God’s love

No photo description available.

The Battle to be Won

“The Lord watches over all those who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy” (Psa. 145).

 

I praise you that you not only offer us all that is needed to fight in the evil day and having done all to stand (Eph. 6:10-18),

but you have also command us to do this.

You make full provision and you call us to full obedience.

 

In this day, I want to join you in the battle, Lord.

In the midst of my present physical limitations of old age,

I want  to keep on the full armor

and stand in your strength against the evil in and around me,

against my corrupt natural heart, against the devil and his forces.

Without your provision, your power, your presence, this is impossible.

 

Help us today to heed your call, to bow down in worship and to rise up in submission,

to be filled so full with your Spirit that He spills over on those who meet us,

washing wickedness from relationships,

bringing peace and grace.

 

Praise you, Lord Jesus, for what you will do in our lives today.

Picture: Hold me in your hand, keep me safe.

No photo description available.

Building a Faith Bridge

Faith Bridge Building: Defeating Spiritual Amnesia

 

The floor of the faith bridge is:

  • remembering the promises and character of God;
  • and we can see these revealed in:
  • His Goodness
  • His Greatness
  • His Grace

And the fact that He has a plan for us.

 

The railings of the faith bridge are made up of God sightings:

  • Remembering how God has helped us and others in the past, such as the
  • God sightings of the Israelites in Egypt
  • Plagues (Ex. 4:12).
  • Red Sea escape (Ex. 14:15).
  • Provision in the desert, water and food.

AND REMEMBERING OUR OWN GOD SIGHTINGS

 

WE ALSO NEED TO REMEMBER THAT

  • What God did for Abraham and Moses,
  • for Joshua and Joseph,
  • For David and Daniel,
  • He  will do for us!

 

SO, WE NEED TO BE BUILDING OUR FAITH BRIDGES BY:

  • Regularly reading, memorizing the Word
  • Regularly Offering the sacrifice of thanksgiving
  • Noting God sightings,
  • Sharing them with others,
  • And Reading biographies of believers.

 

Then we will be ready for whatever gully appears in the road of life!

May be an illustration

 

Spiritual Amnesia 3

Here is a third help to eliminate spiritual amnesia.

Remember how God has helped you in the past—and certainly the longer you have been a believer, the more you have to remember.
I’ll give you three very simple ones from my very recent past.
I was trying to help a friend with a legal problem and went to a lawyer I’d used earlier. He wasn’t there when I arrived, so talked with his secretary, explaining the situation. “I don’t think he can help you,” she said. Just at that moment the lawyer walked in and said he certainly could help. The Lord guided me by having me be there at the right time to meet the lawyer.
Recently I went to Home Depot to buy eleven 80 pound bags of cement. This is a lot for me at 79 to load onto the cart, then into the van. I asked a clerk for help and very shortly a rugged young fellow came, helped me load th cart, waited for me to check out and put all the sacks in my van for me. A great help! That is an unusual happening there, but I had a need, the Lord supplied.
Last night we went to visit our son at the churches’ house for guests. Uncharacteristically, I decided to park in the church parking lot, not at the guest house. After our visit, we got  in our car, and here came the pastor back from walking his dog. He stopped at the car and I could ask him about a project I was thinking of starting. If I had parked at the guest house I would have missed him. A small thing, but God helping me in it.
Now, the next time I’m in a bind, instead of panicking and worrying, I can say, as the Lord helped me there, He can help me here!  And you can do the same. “In the day of my trouble I will call upon you, Lord, for you  WILL answer me!” Psalm 86: 7.
Picture: Like the good Father He is, God leads us through all that comes to us.

Spiritual Amnesia 2

Here is the second help to banish spiritual amnesia before and when a crisis comes:

 

Remember and focus on the character of God.

 

We see His character in His Goodness, His Greatness and Graciousnesse.

 

HE IS GOOD.

As it says in Psalm 86:5: You are “forgiving and good, O Lord,

abounding in love to all who call to you.”

Yes, He is faithful in His goodness, never abandoning us.

And we can that in His goodness, as He helped me in the past He will help me now.

 

HE IS GREAT.

Remember that He created “the stars by the breath of His mouth.” Ps 33:4

He hung the earth on nothing, spinning it at the right speed.

He is the dawn bringer, the time watcher, the history ender.

He fills the whole universe

He is incredibly Powerful

And he is eager to help us.

“The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want.”  Ps. 23:1

 

He IS ABSOLUTELY GRACIOUS

Grace means giving us the opposite of what we deserve.

In His grace He hears and answers our prayers, as it says in Psalm 86:5-7

  • “Hear my prayer, O LORD;
    listen to my cry for mercy.

In the day of my trouble, I will call to you,

for you will answer me.”

With a God like that, what reason do we have to worry?!!!

As He has helped me in the past, so He will help me now.

 

Picture: He is the Spinner of the earth, the Bringer of dawn.

May be an image of 1 person, nature, twilight, horizon and ocean

Spiritual Amnesia

We all tend to suffer from Spiritual Amnesia. This manifests itself when we face a crisis, like the Israelites caught between the Red Sea and the Egyptian army. Did they remember God’s power displayed in the 10 plagues? Did they remember that God forced Pharaoh to let them go? Did they remember the pillar of fire by night and of cloud by day? No, they forgot all this and focused only on the threat of the moment.

God knows that we have this tendency, which is why there are 365 commands in the Bible to “fear not!” This is why Peter urges us 3 times in 2 Peter 1:12-15 to remember:

“So I will always remind you of these things…

“I think it is right to refresh your memory…

And I will make every effort to see that…you will always be able to remember these things.”

So, when we are faced with a crisis, how can we prevent this spiritual amnesia? I will give you one aspect now and more tomorrow.

First is to begin  to make yourself aware of complaining and begin to replace it with giving thanks.

++Traffic is slow? “Thank you, Lord, for this delay. My times are in your hands, I repent of my impatience.”

++Prices too high? “Thank you, Lord, that at least these things are available and I do have enough money to buy a few of them!”

++People unkind? “Thank you, Lord, for the chance  to forgive and let go, to rest in your love.”

++Broke a glass while washing the dishes, “Thank you, Lord, that you allowed that, to teach me to be more careful.”

++Hit your thumb with a hammer, “Ah! Thank you, Lord, that I have a thumb to hit!”

This utilizes this basic truth to banish Spiritual Amnesia: What God allows He does so for a purpose. I can trust Him to use whatever situation I don’t like  for good. He will carry me through. When we learn to think like this, freedom from  complaining will begin to  come, taking a big bite out of our spiritual Amnesia. Tomorrow more help with this.

Picture: Praising during a drought

May be an image of 1 person, twilight and horizon