Today’s scripture: 1 Timothy 4:4-5
I love everything about our new Tennessee home … well, except the humidity. I’m
still trying to get used to it.
Then I read verses like these, and I’m reminded—yet again—that “everything
created by God is good …” Even those things that may not be my favorites—like humidity—I
can accept with gratitude.
This also ties in well with one of the best-known and oft-quoted verses in the
New Testament: Romans 8:28. God really does work all things for good. All
things.
But sometimes, this is hard to accept. So much is just not good in this world.
Violence. Death. Illness. Abuse. We live in an ongoing and an escalating battle
with the enemy, and our world becomes darker each day.
Yet even so, we can be confident that God is in control, and He will work
through all circumstances. If we trust Him, if we know the promises in His
word, if we pray to Him at all times, then we can live with the knowledge that
all things created by Him will work out for our good.
Today’s scripture: 2 Corinthians 10:14-18
I know I’ve written about this before, but we really have nothing to boast
about in ourselves. Or perhaps I should speak only of myself.
I’m so flawed. So very flawed.
I want so much to be a godly, humble woman, but then my flesh rears its ugly
head. And suddenly, I’m discontent. Or I’m discouraged. Or I’m prideful
I get a chance to use a God-given gift, and someone affirms me. Instead of
immediately giving praise and honor to the Lord, I think, “Yeah. I did well.
Good for me.”
Instead of boasting in the Lord, I boast in myself. And that truly breaks my
heart.
I know—truly know—that nothing I have, nothing I am, nothing I can do is of my
own merit. My abilities to speak and write and teach come directly from God. It
is His voice that sings or acts through me. I live in a home that He gave me. I
drive a car that He provided.
And as Job said (and I paraphrase), “The Lord gives, and the Lord can take
away.” Because it’s all His.
We have nothing to boast about. Absolutely nothing.
Instead, we should give praise and gratitude to the One who chooses to bless us
by entrusting our gifts and our things to us.
Today's
scripture: Psalm 9:19-20
There’s Steven Curtis Chapman song where he sings, “You are God, and I am not.”
Jehovah God is the Creator. We are the created. He is infinite. We are finite.
He is Savior. We are sinner.
Yet, we live in a world where a lot of people think they can be their own gods.
They are self-sufficient. They are in control. They’re more than mere men—or so
they think. But their sadly—and eternally—mistaken.
I believe with all I am there is one God and one only. And I believe with all I
am He’s the God of the Bible. There is no other. And man (and I’m using the
generic “man”) certainly isn’t god—in any way, shape or form. It saddens me
that we live in a nation where God has been neglected or forgotten or outright
denied. And it may take God’s having to “put them in fear” for this nation to
“know that they are but men.”
He’s chastised nations that have rejected Him in the past. He may just have to
do the same with us … and perhaps He already is. Financial crises. Political
scandals. Escalated natural disasters. Hmmm. Perhaps He’s trying to get our attention.
We need a reawakening. We need a revival. We need to remember that we are but
men.
Today's
scripture: Psalm 71:14-16
Today's devotional is short and sweet.
We are given a great privilege of praising God, and He deserves nothing less.
He is the Creator; we are the created. He is strong; we are weak. He is holy;
we are sinful.
Yet, even though we are weak and sinful, He wants to hear from us. He wants to
know that we honor and revere Him—and rightfully so.
I've heard recently that praising God is for us because it makes us feel good,
and yes, when I praise Him, I certainly feel very blessed. But my praising God
should never be about me. About how I feel. About how I sound when I sing.
No, I should be praising Him because I am in awe of who He is. Because He
deserves my focused worship. Because He is worthy of every ounce of glory and
honor. Because He is the only way to redemption. Because He is righteous. Because He is my source of peace and hope.
Because He is God.
And I am not.
Today's scripture: Psalm 71:12-13
One of the many reasons I believe in the God of the Bible is the promise that
He is a personal, loving God. He is not one of many. He is not some omnipotent
being somewhere "out there." He didn't just create the world and set
it off spinning on its own.
No. He is close, as close as my next breath. When I come to Him in prayer, He
listens. When I cry out in pain, He offers comfort. When I'm in need, He helps
me.
I really feel sorry for those who aren't in relationship with this personal
loving God. I really do.
Not being confident that all-powerful God is in loving control.
Not being confident that He gives them daily strength.
Not being confident that He is deeply interested in their lives.
So sad.
When I wake up each morning, I can say, "This is Your day, Lord. Do with
it as You will." He'll take that day, and whatever happens, He will work
out for His glory and my ultimate good (Romans 8:28).
We are dearly loved by the sovereign Creator of the universe. He is our ever-present,
ever-good, ever-loving God.
Today's scripture: Psalm 72:8-11
As I wrote a couple of days ago, this psalm describes Solomon’s rule as well as
the prophecy of the Messiah’s eventual reign. And again, I see more of the
latter than the former.
Only our Lord Jesus will one day “have dominion … from sea to sea.” One day,
everyone—kings and peasants—will fall down before Him. One day, all nations
will recognize that He alone is Lord. And all of us who have chosen to accept
His gift of salvation will serve Him.
The apostle Paul wrote something similar in one of my very favorite books,
Philippians.
“ … God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every
name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in
heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (2:9-11).
But
we don’t have to wait until His return to fall down before Him. We can—and
should—be on our knees praising and worshiping Him every day. We have the
privilege of communing with Him, and we so often take that privilege for
granted.
And we don’t have to wait until His return to serve Him. He invites us to
participate in His plan for kingdom growth.
Do you fall to your knees daily? Do you ask the Lord to reveal how you can
serve Him?
Don’t wait. Praise Him and serve Him today.
Today's scripture: Psalm 111:1
I'm taking a brief break from John and revisiting one of my favorite psalms. (It's "crunch time" for the fall semester, and I'm having to re-prioritize for a few days.)
One of the greatest privileges we have as followers of Christ is praising our
Lord. He—the Sovereign Creator of all things—wants to hear our voices. When we
lift our voices in abandoned praise, He is well-pleased.
And we can praise Him at any time. As we rise in the morning. As we go through
our days. As we lie down at night. Words of praise can and should fill our
hearts—our whole hearts.
Praise Him for His grace, His mercy, and His love. Praise Him for His holiness,
His justice, and His righteousness.
Praise Him for His attributes: He is our refuge and strength (Psalm 46:1). He is
our Provider (Genesis 22:14). He is our Healer (Exodus 15:26). He is the Lord
of Peace (Judges 6:24).
Praise Him through struggles, knowing He’s working everything out for good
(Romans 8:28). Praise Him for His blessings, knowing He’s taking care of you (1Peter 5:7).
Sing songs of praise. Memorize and recite psalms that lift His name in worship.
Stand in the congregation of other believers and lift your hands in reverence.
He is worthy of our praises—our whole-heart praises.
