Friday, June 29, 2007

Devotions 29-06-07

Ps 130:1-4

Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord. Lord, hear my voice! Let Your ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared.

I have been in the depths of difficulties many times and I would imagine that you have too. I have cried out to the Lord and have wondered if He was hearing me but then I know He has promised to hear me. Maybe my crying out to Him is more for my benefit than it is to get God's attention. If I was truly convinced that God always hears me I would be more persistent in my praying.

I am so glad that God does not keep a chart and mark down all my sins. The list would be long and I would be greatly condemned. But God forgives my sin and will never remember them again. It is so comforting to know that my record with God is clean because Jesus died for me and forgave all my sins. This forgiveness causes me to love God so very much and to revere and worship Him as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. There is no one that loves me like Jesus.

So this is all about prayer and letting God help me in living this life He has given me. I need His help all the time and I know He is always ready to help me whatever the situation might be. I know He is good and does what is good. He is just and does what is best for me. I must rest in Him and wait for Him and seek to obey Him in all I do. Thank You Lord for Your grace, mercy, and forgiveness.

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Devotions 28-06-07

Ps 128:1-4

How blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways. When you shall eat of the fruit of your hands, you will be happy and it will be well with you. Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine, within your house, your children like olive plants around your table. Behold for thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord.

It is interesting what the Lord does not say in this passage. He does not mention possessions or how much land you have or what kind of house you have or what your transportation might be. God only mentions your work is fruitful so you and your family can eat. You and your wife will have many children and and you will be happy. This is the blessings of a man who fears(greatly reveres) the Lord.

Forgive me Lord when I think too much about what I do not have and to much about the future. I have been blessed to still have the wife of my youth and four children who are following You. They have given us fourteen grandchildren and they are all so precious. Lord, keep me fearing You and telling my grandchildren how wonderful You are and all You have done for me.

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Devotions 27-06-07

Ps 127:1-2

Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors; for He gives to His beloved even in his sleep.

I am grateful that God taught me early that I needed to let Him build my house and family. He has done it and I am grateful. I think today that I am more grateful than I have ever been. I must never stop being grateful for all the great and amazing works He has done for me.

He has also protected me and my family as we have lived in five countries besides our home country, the United States. We have traveled many miles by air and by car and God has been our protector through it all.

God has also provided for us through those who have prayed for us and those we have ministered to over the years. God has led some folks to faithfully give to us for many years. I have done so poorly at expressing gratitude for these gifts to God and to those who have obeyed the Lord in giving to us. He does give to us even when we are resting in the Lord.

I pray that my walk with the Lord does bring Him honor and glory and He is pleased with my heart to be His servant. I need to spend more time expressing my gratefulness to Him and those who have given and prayed for us so faithfully. O Lord, Your Word is so true and accurate and You do exactly what You say You will do.

Devotions 27-06-07

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Devotions 26-06-07

Ps 1 23:1-4

To You I lift up my eyes, O You who are enthroned in the heavens! Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress; so our eyes look to the Lord our God, until He shall be gracious to us. Be gracious to us, O Lord, be gracious to us; for we are greatly filled with contempt. (lack of respect) Our soul is greatly filled with the scoffing (lack of respect with mocking) of those who are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.

I need to keep my eyes on the Lord and not on what is happening around me that really troubles me. It is God who is in control and knows all things; more than a master to his servants or a lady who has a maid. So I must keep my eyes on the Lord until He is gracious to me. I may seek the Lord in prayer to be gracious to me to help me in my problems. One of my major problems is the lack of respect I have for others. They may be people who are lazy and do little work or maybe the rich who do foolish things with their riches. Maybe it is just proud people who are always causing problems with their arrogance.

God knows all about them and He will deal with them but I must pray for them and seek to help them to know the God of heaven and earth. I must not be disrespectful to them because they are people for whom Christ came and died for and loves sincerely. So I must show them love and respect and share Christ with them.

I write this with confidence because of what God teaches me in His Word but I also know this is very difficult to do in real life. It is so easy to look at others with disrespect because of their selfish and worldly lifestyle and how they are so uncaring toward those around them. But if I am not careful I can have the same attitude and that is sin to me. I need God to help me and be gracious to me so I may honor the Lord in my respect toward others. I must share Christ with them in a loving and gracious way.

Saturday, June 23, 2007

Devotions 23-06-07

Ps 119:169-176

In these eight verses the word "Let" is used 12 times. I was wondering what is the significance of this? It is like the psalmist is asking God to help him. He desires these things so much and he is struggling to do what he really wants. Maybe he is asking God to remove the hinderances that seem to block what he is seeking to do. I can sure identify with his struggles.

I know I desire greater understanding as I study God's word. As I pray I feel that I need help to express my thoughts that are in my heart. I want to praise the Lord more than I do and I can not seem to avoid the obstacles that come in my way so quickly. I want to sing songs based on God's word but I just do not seem to know how. So the list of items go on of what I need God to help me with.

I think there is real humility in the words of the psalmist as he recognizes that only God can help him with his struggles. I must in like manner seek the Lord with a humble spirit and recognize how much I need God's help in whatever I may want to do in my walk with God and my service to Him. I think this is a fitting 8 verses to end Psalm 119. In all our determination and seeking God in His Word we still need God to help us. Let me Lord be the kind of servant of Yours that I truly want to be. Let me overcome evil so I might be the godly man I ought to be.

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Devotions 21-06-07

Ps 119:165

Those who love Your law have great peace, and nothing causes them to stumble.

The last few days the html is not working on this blog but I wll go ahead and use it. I did not use it yesterday for this reason but I can not let this stop my blogging my thoughts.

My love for the Word of God is the source of great peace for me. In fact it really is the living Word,the Lord Jesus, but the written Word keeps me in touch and in a vital relationship with Him.

I let to many petty things cause me to stumble in my walk with God. I must not allow anything to cause me to stumble in my walk with God because I do love God's Word.

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Devotions 19-06-07

Ps 119:73-75

Your hands made me and fashioned me; give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments. May those who fear You see me and be glad, because I wait for Your word. I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are righteous, and that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.

God created me and designed me for His purposes. I need to understand what He is wanting me to do so I can learn His commands and how they fit into what is God's plan for me. I am so grateful for all the blessings of God on my life and how He has taught me and given me a ministry in the lives of others.

How I hope and pray that God's people would see me and be glad because of my love for Your word and the confidence that I have in what You have written for us to obey and follow. Lord give me a greater capacity to learn your word and to live it out in my daily life.

I thank You Lord for the difficulties in my life and how You have allowed them to draw me to You in prayer and to learn from Your word. I feel like I have been such a slow and poor learner but I am grateful for Your patience with me. Help me to be patient with others who are having difficulty learning how to live out Your truths.

Lord each day is a gift from You to learn from You and to minister to the lives of others. I truly have learned so much when life has been difficult and I have not had the strength to do what I desire. You are my strength and I have learned and still learning that trusting in You is the most important part of my whole life.

Monday, June 18, 2007

Devotions 18-06-07

Ps 119:65-68

You have dealt well with Your servant, O Lord, according to Your word. Teach me good discernment and knowledge, for I believe in Your commandments. Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word. Your are good and do good; teach me Your statutes.

Today is the day after Father's day and I am reflecting on all my conversations with my children. I am so grateful Lord for all You have done for me and the family You have given me. I stand in awe at Your goodness and kindness to me.

I see in a fresh new way my great need for discernment and knowledge in order to direct their lives in maturity and to be wise in facing life's issues. I feel so inadequate in helping them as I really should. I do believe Your commandments and know that a good grasp of them would give me the discernment and knowledge that I long to have.

I am very much of aware that the difficult times that I have had have been a blessing in teaching me how much I need Your word in my life. I know this but it is so easy to get distracted by life that I soon fail in keeping my priorities straight. Oh, I know that You are good and that You do good. Help me Lord to grasp this truth and never to let it go. Lord help me to learn and keep on learning all the days of life that You give to me.

Lord, hear my prayer today as I pray these truths deeper into my life. I need Your knowledge and discernment so greatly in following the priorities that You have laid out for me. I know there must be a real focus on my part to make these truths stick in my heart and mind. Spirit of God be my teacher and my guide as I seek to do this for the glory of the Almighty, the God of all the ages.

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Devotions 14-06-07

Ps 119:57-60

The Lord is my portion; I have promised to keep Your words. I entreated Your favor with all my heart; be gracious to me according to Your word. I considered my ways, and turned my feet to Your testimonies. I hastened and did not delay to keep Your commandments.

The Lord is all I need and He fills my life completely. Because this is true I purpose to obey His words and live by them. I need to ask for God's special consideration with all my heart and request that He would be gracious to me like He says in His Word.

I must evaluate my ways and move in the direction of what God has done in the past. I must quickly and without hesitation obey the commands God has given to me in His Word.

I read and write these thoughts but I know how much I need the power of God in my life to accomplish these important truths. I must pray and humbly seek His strength to grasp the value and the urgency to do just what He says. Thank You Lord for how gently and kindly you have dealt with Your servant.

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Devotions 13-06-07

Ps 119:54-56

Your statutes are my songs in the house of my pilgrimage. O Lord
I remember Your name in the night, and keep Your law. This has become mine, that I observe Your precepts.

God's instructions need to be my songs because of the joy they bring to me. I truly want to delight in them. Even at night I want to think on the Lord and purpose to follow God's clear laws for me. I want to have the conviction that I will observe and follow God's principles of living a holy life.

Here or some definitions: Statutes-An act of a corporation or of its founder intended as a permanent rule. or a law enacted by the legislative branch of a government. (a rule or law of God which He wants us to follow all the time)
Law- A binding custom or practice of a community; a rule of conduct or action prescribed as binding by a controlling authority. ( a rule or law which God knows we need to follow to live in community with each other) Precepts- A command or principle intended as a general rule of action. ( God wants us to follow rules that will make our actions effective and reach godly results)

I am getting a new appreciation for God's word and the details in which He specifically directs me and instructs me on how I should live. He has done so much to insure that I will not fail in His purposes for me. All I must do is to be in His word regularly and to learn what He has written down for me to follow. On top of this the Holy Spirit lives within me to remind me and guide me in the paths I should take.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Devotions 12-06-07

Ps 119:41-43
May Your lovingkindnesses also come to me, O Lord, Your salvation according to Your word; So I shall have an answer for him who reproaches me, for I trust in Your word. And do not take the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, for I wait for Your ordinances.

In this part of Psalm 119:41-48 we have seven words used to describe the instructions of the Lord. Two are mentioned in the three verses above. God's word and His ordinances.

The other five words are: law, precepts, testimonies,commandments and statutes. What do these words mean and have to do with the instructions from God. I will work on these the next few days and see what I can learn. I can see that all of these have to do with my conduct and actions to what God says. I think I can safely say that God is very much interested in what I do not what I know but what I do with what He says.

I know that I have much to do in making what I know really affect the actions I do in my life. God says to not have any anxiety in anything but I still become anxious about certain things. I am not obeying what God says so where am I missing the boat. I will do some meditating on this. I know life would be much easier if I would just trust God and not be anxious.

Monday, June 11, 2007

Devotions 11-06-07

Ps 119:33-35

Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, and I shall observe it to the end. Give me understanding, that I may observe Your law, and keep it with all my heart. Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, for I delight in it.

I do not know what has happened to my blog today but there is no color options and I can not find the right tab to restore it. So this is sort of a blah blogg but I know God is in His Word and He will make this profitable if I can set aside my disappointment.

I do want God to teach me because I have so much to learn. I also want to retain what I learn and make it a part of my life and character. Next I need Him to give me understanding so I can apply His truths correctly. I sure do not want to misunderstand what God is saying; that could lead me in the wrong way. I think this requires a lot of prayer and meditation. Last of all I need to live what I have learned and understand. It is the living of God's truth that is the goal. Head knowledge is pretty worthless unless it is applied to me as a person and lived out in my actions.

Lord, help me to learn from You and to seek Your understanding of what You are saying to me. I do want to live out my life walking in the path of Your instructions and commands. I have done so many foolish things in my life doing what I thougt was right and what You were saying to me. I want to pray more and have Your clear understanding of what You are saying before I do anything.

Friday, June 08, 2007

Devotions 08-06-07

Ps 119:25-27

My soul cleaves to the dust; revive me according to Your word. I have told of my ways, and You have answered me; teach me Your statutes. Make me understand the way of Your precepts, so I will meditate on Your wonders.

Do you ever feel like your soul is in the dust? It is not alive like you know it should be. I was like that this morning until I spent some time in prayer. Now I am in the word and I am feeling more and more revived. I have shared with God my ways and He has encouraged me because I know He answered me.

I do want to learn from God what are the actions I should follow in living life. I do want to understand the way of His principles; I do want to grasp His perspective on my life. Then I can meditate on His wonders that He is performing in the world and around me every day. I can rejoice in what He has brought into my life and see the wonders He has performed for me and those I love.

So these verses are my prayer for today. I want to be taught His statutes. I want to understand His principles. I will think deeply about His wonders. Lord, You are the great loving creator and Redeemer. Thank You for Your great love!

Thursday, June 07, 2007

Devotions 07-06-07

Ps 119:17-19

Deal bountifully with Your servant, that I may live and keep Your word. Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderful things from Your law. I am a stranger in the earth; do not hide Your commandments from me.

In all of Ps 119 the focus is on the written truths of God. His word, testimonies, ordinances, statutes, commandments and more. The psalmist is wanting the blessings of the Lord so he could live and be able to obey God's word. That is a prayer of mine as well. Not to be rich but to have enough so I might be able to live and have time to be in His word and to help others to be in the Word as well.

I pray that God would open my eyes and help me to see clearly the wonderful truths from His word. I know there are many wonderful truths to live life by in His word but often I am blind to them. The world gets me distracted doing so many good things but not the best thing.

I am truly a stranger in the earth since Jesus Christ changed my life. This is no longer my real home but home will be in heaven with my Savior where I will spend eternity. In the mean time I need God's commands found in His word to do the right things and to live righteously and godly.

I know I must delight in God's Word all the time. I must read it, memorize and meditate on it and most important of all living it out every day of my life. God's Word is so clear and powerful and satisfying but I get to busy and I fail to use it in all I do every day of my life. Lord, would You help me in my old age to become more faithful at listening. to You and obeying You more. Thank You Lord for Your patience with me and your loving kindness over these 74 years.

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

Devotions 06-06-07

Titus 2:11-13

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus.

I have experienced this grace of God and His marvelous salvation. Now I am seeking to make this great salvation known to all. In the process I am seeking to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live with an awareness of what is going on around me; to do what is right before God and others and in the process to honor God in everything I do. I want to do this aware of the time in history that I am living. Knowing that there is a time and it may be soon that Jesus Christ will come again and begin a new age in history.

The main part for me is the living life in this present world to be doing what God has created me to do. Doing His will and following His purposes is what is on my heart the most today. There is so much to do today but I must not be distracted from doing what God has for me to do that is of eternal value.

I am grateful for my salvation in the Lord Jesus, and I grateful that Jesus in coming again and I will be with Him forever. I am also grateful for the privilege of being His servant and being able to help others to grow in their relationship with the Lord and join with us in building God's Kingdom. God does the building but we are His servants to help Him to accomplish His work.

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Devotions 05-06-07

Ps 119:9-11

How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. With all my heart I have sought You; do not let me wander from Your commandments. Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You.

As a 74 year old man, I would say this applies to old men and young men in how to remain pure in your thoughts and actions. It is by having a consistent intake of the bible and applying it to my life. This is not to be a half hearted effort but with all my heart. I must be ever so conscious that I have the tendency to wander away from the truths in God's Word.

I must treasure the truths of God in my heart and reflect on them consistently so I can minimize the sin that I am so prone to do. I know the evil one and my flesh does not want me to do this or it would be much easier to do. Even at my age I must keep memorizing God's Word to have the protection I yearn to have against sin.

This is a truth that I have known for 50+ years and it is as vital to me today as it was then. Oh, that I could get others to see the value and the profit in having the Word of God in your heart. I must work with my grandchildren and help them to see the value and to help them to accomplish this for their good and safety. Lord I have said this so many times but I really want to have a better routine at memorizing and meditating on Your Word. Please help me.

Friday, June 01, 2007

Devotions 01-06-07

Ps 119:1-3

How blessed are those whose way is blameless(having integrity), who walk in the law of the Lord. How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, who seek Him with all their heart. They also do no unrighteousness; they walk in His ways.

There are three things the psalmist urges me to do. (1) Walk in the law of the Lord. Live my life according to the teaching of the bible. (2) Seek the Lord with all my heart. Make it a focus in my life to learn to know God more. (3) Walk in the ways of God. Live life with eternity in view. Seeking to be like Jesus in all I do.

There will be three results. (1) I will be blessed as the results of knowing God's word and will have a life of integrity. (2) I will be blessed from my seeking the Lord and will be careful to do what God has told me. (3) I will avoid the ways of unrighteousness because I am following the ways of God.

Now all I have to do is to get this into my life. Not so easy as seeing what I should do and writing about it. It is a start; now the real work begins. And yet it does not depend totally on me because the Holy Spirit lives in me and He gives me the strength and power to do this. It does mean that I must maintain a close relationship with the Lord through the Word and Prayer. Lord, thanks for Your great work of Grace in my life in all I seek to do for Your glory.