Heart of the matter

Act 7:48  Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, Act 7:49  Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? Act 7:50  Hath not my hand made all these things?

 God is not impressed with all the pomp and ceremony that goes into much religion.  What can we offer to impress the God who made heaven and earth?  It isn’t our great sacrifices or gifts that God desires.  God is interested in what is in our heart.  God desires that we know Him, love Him and worship Him.  Don’t get so caught up in religion that we miss knowing God.  

Our faithful God

Psa 48:14  For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.

 In this constantly changing world, there is one constant: God remains faithful.  He has been our God in the past, leading us and guiding us, protecting us.  He will be faithful today.  We can trust Him to take care of us tomorrow, and every day, all the way to the end.  God will lead, guide, protect and care for us all the way to death, through death and into our eternal home.  Trust Him.

Those who know Him will trust Him

Psa 9:9  The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Psa 9:10  And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.

  What reassurance is given us in God’s Word!  Again, we are assured that God will never forsake us.  Through the difficulties and dangers of this life we have a safe hiding place.  In times of turmoil and distress, we have a safe retreat.  We can put our trust in Him.  Those who know the Lord, know His goodness, His love, His trustworthiness.  Put your whole trust and confidence in Him.  Run to Him to find that place of safety.  Run to Him to find the help you need.  God will never, never forsake those who seek Him.  

He will not forsake His own

1 Sa 12:22  For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.

 Over and over God bolsters our faith with an assurance that He will never forsake us.  In this promise we are assured that God will not forsake His own people.  We are reminded that it pleased God to make us his people.  It was God’s doing to make us His people, not our initiative.  Therefore, God will never bring disgrace to His own name by forsaking His own people.  Take courage and faith, persevere, God will not forsake His own.

None like Him

Isa 46:9  Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,  Isa 46:10  Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

 What an awesome God!! There is none like Him! God knows everything that has been, everything that is, and everything that will be.  He knows the future just as clearly as the past. Nothing has taken Him by surprise.  God in His infinite wisdom and foreknowledge will accomplish everything that He intended to accomplish in this world.  He will accomplish everything when He intended to accomplish it.  We can trust Him, we can trust His Word.

A song in your heart

Eph 5:19  Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Eph 5:20  Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

 Here is one of the keys to a happy life and a winsome spirit.  It is singing in your heart, singing to yourself hymns and songs of praise, keeping a song in your heart to the Lord.  Couple this with thankfulness, and you will be well on your way to living a happy life.

His law our delight

Psa 40:8  I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

 This passage exemplifies the attitude of one who truly loves the Lord.  There is a readiness, an eagerness to please Him.  One of our great joys in life should be in doing God’s will.  Pleasing God involves keeping His commandments.  One who truly loves God is committed to knowing and doing the will of the Father, which is contained in His word

Live in peace

2 Co 13:11  Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

 There is a connection between our harmony as the children of God and the blessing of God.  This passage instructs us to aim to be whole (perfect), to strengthen and encourage one another, have the same purpose and intentions, and live in peace and harmony.  If we do these things, the God of love and peace will be with us.  Let us value and strive for harmony and peace in the family of God.

Our portion

Lam 3:24  The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.  Lam 3:25  The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.

 For a Christian, God is our portion in life; He is our “piece of the pie”. Because God is our portion in life, our hope is in Him. In our search for satisfaction, safety and help in life, our hearts and minds should be turned to the Him who is our portion in life.  This passage assures us that the Lord is good to them who look to Him and expectantly hope in Him.

Our sympathetic High Priest

Heb 4:15  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Heb 4:16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

 There are times when life seems out of control.  There are difficulties and disappointments that frustrate us.  We need someone who understands, who can help.  We have the perfect One to go to! We have One who intercedes for us, One who truly understands us.  He has lived this life, endured the difficulties and temptations, and overcame. He was truly a human, yet He is also truly God.  This is who we flee to in prayer…One who is all wise, all powerful and also truly understands.  This is to whom we come to find mercy and grace to help in time of need.    

More than we can imagine

Eph 3:20  Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

 This is one of the most awesome promises in all of God’s Word! Our God is able to do more than we can even think or imagine!  God is able to help us much more than we often even allow ourselves to dream.  God is able to do so much more than we ask of Him.  God is able to help us to do and be much more than we think, by His Spirit dwelling within us.  What are you facing? Does it seem impossible?  Take it to our awesome God in prayer.  Do you lack wisdom or strength?  Seek help from the One who can do everything, whose Spirit dwells in us.  

As becometh the gospel

Php 1:27  Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

 Our conduct and life should be that which is worthy of the great salvation we have received.  We should live our life in accord with that which the gospel of Jesus Christ teaches.  We should conduct ourselves in this manner whether anyone is watching or not.  One of the ways we live as becomes the gospel is in our harmony with one another.  The focus of our attention and effort should be to promote the gospel, not contending with one another.  Let’s purpose to live our lives in a manner worthy of this great salvation.

Forgiveness

Luk 11:4a  And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. …

 Forgiveness is the centerpiece of Christianity.  That fact is that we have all sinned and were justly condemned, and that without hope.  It is only by the mercy of God and the forgiveness purchased by Jesus Christ on the cross that we are brought into right relationship with God.  This forgiveness is our only hope.  Our whole future and eternity rests on this forgiveness.  Notice in this prayer that Jesus taught us that our forgiveness is in proportion to how we forgive.  Forgiveness is hard, unless we remember that all that we enjoy and hope for rests on our forgiveness, and our forgiveness is measured by how we forgive others.  Forgive fully and freely, just as you desire to be forgiven.

Love one another

1 Jn 3:16  Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

 We know that God loves us because Jesus gave His life for us.  As God’s children, we are to love one another.  The standard for our depth of our love for one another is Jesus love for us.  We are challenged that our love for one another should be such that we would give our life for each other.  That is a high standard indeed!  Our goal must be to live our life demonstrating our love for one another, behaving as love behaves.  May our love for one another be real! 

Use your gift to God's glory

1 Pe 4:10  As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 1Pe 4:11  If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

 God has given us spiritual gifts in order that we might carry out His work.  We are to minister and work with the gift and ability God has given us.  We are not to envy or disparage the gifts of others, but labor faithfully with that which we have been given.  We are to use our gift to labor and minister in order that God may be glorified through all that we do.  Our goal in working in the kingdom of God should be that God receive praise and honor.  Our purpose in exercising our gifts should be that God receive the honor and glory.  Let’s work and minister with a single purpose: to glorify our God.

Show His glory

Eph 3:21  Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

 God deserves glory.  What is glory?  The dictionary definition of glory is very great praise, honor and distinction.  It is also magnificence and great beauty.  God desires that people see Him and know Him.  He desires that His magnificence, His beauty, His holiness, goodness and love be known.  We who know Him, His church, are to show His glory by our words and actions. We are to show His love, His goodness, His holiness and magnificence to the world around us.  We are to tell of His wonderful greatness with our praise and admiration.  Let’s purpose to bring glory to God in all we do and say so that others may see Him and desire to know Him.    

Our portion in life

Psa 119:57  CHETH. Thou art my portion, O LORD: I have said that I would keep thy words. Psa 119:58  I intreated thy favour with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word. Psa 119:59  I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies. Psa 119:60  I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments.

 Is God our portion?  Everyone wants their “piece of the pie”.  For a Christian, God is our piece, He is our portion in life.  Notice here the proper response to God being our portion in life.  It is a commitment to know His will and obey Him.  It is looking to Him for our help.  It involves considering our ways and quickly applying His ways and will to our life, willingly obeying Him.  Having God as our God requires that we conduct ourselves as His children.  Can we say, “You are my portion, O Lord”?

New every morning

Lam 3:21  This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. Lam 3:22  It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. Lam 3:23  They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

 In the midst of difficulty and trouble, our hope is founded on God’s mercy and compassion.  We need to remind ourselves of God’s great mercy and compassion.  Each day, God’s mercy is renewed. Every morning, God continues with fresh mercy and help.  Renew your hope:  our God is faithful. 

Tell what he has done

Psa 66:16  Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.

 It is a thrill to be able to tell others what God has done for you.  It is especially good to be able to tell others who know the Lord and can identify with that experience.  I enjoy telling the goodness of God to those who also know Him and hearing what God has done for them as well.  Part of the blessing of weekly worship is the sharing of the love and goodness of God.  Don’t keep it to yourself, share your blessings so that we can rejoice together.    

God sees all

Heb 4:13  Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

 God sees and knows everything.  Every deed, every word, every thought and every intention is open before God.  There is nothing about us that He doesn’t know.  This should be both a comfort and a warning.  Your labors for the Lord have not gone unnoticed by God.  God is fully aware of your faithfulness.  He will never misunderstand or misjudge us.  On the other hand, God is not fooled and no evil is hid from His sight.  Let us strive to live a clean and holy life, both private and public. Everything is open to His view.