Jul

24

Exalt the Lord!

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The word tells us to let our light shine before men so they may see our good works and glorify our Father, which is in heaven. Do we light a candle to put it in the closet or for the light to be seen?

The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation… ~ Psalm 18:46 (NASB)

In a psalm, David entreated the people to exalt the Lord together. In a trial while dealing with King Achish, David underwent a struggle for his life. Although he made a weak defense of feigning insanity to escape from him, David was certain that the Lord was the cause for his deliverance.

I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together! ~ Psalm 34:1-3 (ESV)

Singing to the Lord, praying, praising, thanking, teaching, preaching, witnessing for Christ daily in our walks are some of the ways to magnify the Lord. Lifting up his name is the least we can do for the loving savior whose light lives within us.

Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So, I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands ~ Psalm 63:3-4 (ESV)

Jul

17

A gracious helper

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Without a shepherd’s guidance or a sturdy fence, a flock of sheep can easily roam right out of the pasture and end up falling off a cliff. Sheep are soft and cuddly but not too bright. People are sometimes referred to as sheep. Though for the saved, we have a personal 24-hour shepherd who holds us in the palm of his hand—no fence required.

I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father ~ John 10:14-15.

 Like a sheep, we know the Lord’s voice when we hear it. Whether it’s that still, small prompting or a verse from the Bible, God speaks to our hearts. As we know him better, we tend to trust and follow him more. We recognize when he’s talking to us because we’re open to his instruction and our ears are tuned to Him.

A believer should be forever grateful to be part of the Lord’s flock because of the great shepherd, the Rock of Ages, who guides us. Though we may need prodding, to be one of the Lord’s sheep is the most gratifying places to find oneself.

We were once like sheep who went astray, but the Lord saw fit to call us by name into his sheepfold where we will remain safe throughout eternity. Surely, he’s our help in all of life’s situations.

Jul

10

Storm tossed

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After losing his little boy in the great Chicago fire of 1871, Horatio G. Spafford, who penned the words to the hymn, It Is Well with My Soul, later lost all four of his daughters in a ship accident at sea.

 When sorrows like sea billows roll…

Despite the tragedy, Spafford kept close to Christ, knowing God’s comfort would be true and sufficient for anything—and everything.

Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord ~ Psalm 31:24

Like Job, David, Paul, Daniel, Joseph and many other saints from old, they leave us examples of hardship and persecution. With their dire troubles—even unto death—they maintained an abiding faith as they rested in the spiritual arms of Jesus.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction… ~ 2 Corinthians 1:3-4a

 Some by the fire and some by the flood…but all through the blood of Jesus are we sifted and refined like choice silver and gold. It would seem like Horatio Safford had been sifted with both water and fire in the Lord’s sanctification of this godly man. Like all of the ancient saints we read about, we are given hope that they survived their trials to tell the tale and only through the power of God.

Jul

04

Happy Birthday, America!

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Almost all of the world’s constitutions are documents in which governments tell the people what their privileges are. The U.S. Constitution is a document in which WE THE PEOPLE tell the government what it is allowed to do. WE THE PEOPLE are free, thus far, from tyranny.

But are we truly free in America?

In the USA, we have freedoms other countries only dream about. However, in our nation today, many citizens are still enslaved. The evil master who ensnares many is way wiser than any tyrannical king and even more menacing.

It’s easy to be led away by carnal devices and become entangled in sin. Though the Holy Spirit of our living God gives believers the power to overcome sin, we alone make the choice of which master we will serve. We cannot serve both God and mammon.

“As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” ~ Joshua 24:15

We may be free in this land, but we are only truly free when Jesus is on the throne of our lives.

“If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free” ~ John 8:31-32

Jun

26

The earth is full of his goodness

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The magnificent works of the Lord are above and beyond amazing.  How can we measure the goodness of the Lord? Can mere words do them justice? Is there a measuring rod or scale big enough? With the rich abundance of all he supplies, it would take an eternity to count the blessings God bestows.

Every time the earth rotates around the sun, there is a new dawn and new opportunities to praise and worship Him, our maker. We are all blessed by what our Creator lends us for life on this planet every day. He brings the sunlight, provides our food for harvesting, and His word tells us that the rain, too, falls on the just as well as the unjust.

Take a look at the natural beauty of the sky, a flower, or a butterfly, and marvel at the handiwork of our Lord. If he can be concerned for such things, how much more for you?

As God has given us life more abundantly, we need to make it a priority to share the good news with others!