The LORD is with You...

And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him, and said to him, “The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valor!”—Judges 6:12

“The LORD is with you!”  These words brought comfort to my heart this morning.  What a perfect greeting.  Such a beautiful reminder of who our God is.   He is Immanuel, God with us.  Gideon, like most of us, did not think the LORD was with him.  Like me...and probably like you, He needed the reminder.  

Gideon said to Him, “O my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the LORD has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.”Then the LORD turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?”  So he said to Him, “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.” And the LORD said to him, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat the Midianites as one man.”—Judges 6:13-16

God’s Presence goes with us!  We are never alone!  We may forsake Him, but He will never forsake us.  We are inscribed on the palms of His hands.  Gideon’s God would be Gideon’s strength in weakness.  He would undertake for him...and for Israel.  The Great I AM would guide him, strengthen him, animate him, support him and assure him of success.  Like Gideon, the Becoming One is with us and He becomes for us whatever our need may be.  

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.2 Corinthians 12:9

I Am Not Alone...

Unless the LORD had been my help,

My soul would soon have settled in silence.

18 If I say, “My foot slips,”

Your mercy, O LORD, will hold me up.

19 In the multitude of my anxieties within me,

Your comforts delight my soul.—Psalm 94:17-19

Oh Father...

These three verses resonate in my heart. When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the Rock that is higher than I. You are my “Go-To” from before my feet hit the floor in the morning until I sleep at night. My God IS the God who stays and who is my stay.  In the multitude of my anxieties within, the Spirit’s soothing word and His hand of grace bring me delight and peace in the midst of trouble.  John 16:32 says this: (Jesus is speaking)

Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. 

I am so thankful for Your steadfast love that never ceases and that sustains me moment by moment.  Truly, truly my soul would have settled in silence unless You, the God who created all, were on my side.   Outside me are conflicts and inside are fears....NEVERTHELESS You, who condescended to make Your home with me, are my great and everlasting consolation.  

ABBA, You have my help, my strength, my song, my meditation, and my comfort throughout my journey here in this vale of tears. You Father, have dealt bountifully with me.  Blessed is the man who puts his trust in You..You will uphold Him with Your righteous right hand.  

For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation abounds in Him. 

But I Have Prayed for You...

And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. “But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death.” Then He said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me.”—Luke 22:31-34

Thank you Father that You see the spiritual battle for our hearts.  You know what kind of temptations I will face today and You, in Your grace and kindness, pray for me.  Even when my faith falters, there is forgiveness with You.  And not only forgiveness, but as I seek You, You work in my heart to change it, to enlarge it with Your wisdom, to unite it, and to encourage it.  You give me what I need both to will and to do according to Your good pleasure.  Thank you, Father that by Your gracious Spirit, You pour out Your love in my heart and give me the privilege of strengthening my brethren who face similar trials.

But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood.

Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.—Hebrews 7:24-25

Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.—Romans 8:26 

Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.  For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.  Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.—Hebrews4:14-16

True Greatness..

And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’ “But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. “For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves.—Luke 22:25-27

True greatness is found in humility. 

Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;—Romans 12:10

Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.—Romans 12:16

Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.—Philippians 2:1-4

Let Your Beauty be Upon Me - Psalm 90:12-17

My husband and I both have taught the Bible in various nursing homes for more than 25 years.  For the past 6 or 7 years we have been blessed to teach a weekly bible study with saints who have been walking with our Lord for decades.  The majority of them are in their nineties.  I have gleaned much from spending time with them.  The one main lesson they have taught me is this:  

Set You mind on things above and not on the earth.  

There is much upheaval, grief and sorrow in each of the lives of these precious saints, and yet they do not allow themselves to dwell there.  They are not tossed about by what life throws at them. They acknowledge their grief, but like the Psalmist they find their solace in God and in His word.  It IS their meditation day and night. 

Oh Father...teach me to number my days that I might gain a heart of wisdom.  You, who are from everlasting to everlasting are my dwelling place.  Life as this Psalm reminds me is brief, and I am very frail. Death is sure and certain. 

Oh Lord, make me to know my end and what is the measure of my days, so that I may know how very frail I am.  Keep me from “busying” myself in vain...focus my heart, mind and soul on You and on You alone. Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things and revive me in Your way. Help me to choose daily, like Mary, the better part...the part which will never be taken from me.  Satisfy my heart with Your merciful Presence that I may rejoice and be glad all of my days.  Let Your work be shown to me and Your glorious power to my children’s children.  Oh Lord, the approval of man is worthless. I want Your delight and Your approval for it is only by Your mercy and grace that my life can have value, significance and meaning.  Let Your favor, then...your beauty, Father, be upon me, and establish the work of my hands.  

And now, Lord, what do I wait for?

My hope is in You.—Psalm 39:7

One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple.—Psalms 27:4, ESV

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.—1 Corinthians 15:58, ESV

Choose This Day...

But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.--Joshua 22:5

Joshua gives the children of Israel his farewell address in Chapter 23 and tells them to take careful heed to love the Lord their God.  In Chapter 24, Joshua tells the Israelites to choose whom they will serve.  Serving is what this devotional is about but Joshua got it in the right order.  I serve my family because I love them.  Loving them makes me want to care for them and serve them.  Serving God should follow loving Him. You see if we truly, truly understand in our hearts what our God has done for us, we will love Him and our desire will be to serve Him.   Our love for Him will compel us!  He who has been forgiven much loves much.  God's love is outlined for us in 1 Corinthians 13.  Read verses 1-3:

"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.  And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.  And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing."

Love should be the motivating force behind all that we do.  Without love as the Scripture says we are nothing and even if I give my body to be burned, it profits me nothing. We serve our God because we "love" to...not because we "have" to.  

Joshua spends the first part of chapter 24 reminding the people that God had done it all for them.  All that they had and saw were gifts from His hand.  In Joshua 24:14-15 he puts the choice to the people and asks them to choose whom they will serve.

Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD.  And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

The only way to serve God rightly is in sincerity and in truth.  Serving God in any other way is a lie and will be fraught with wrong motives.  It is anything but peaceable and pure and as James says, "

"For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there."

Make no mistake each one of us will choose the "god" we will serve.  We will either be impassioned and influenced by the God of Israel allowing Him to be our focal point, our Master, our Savior and our Lord or we will be devoted to arranging our lives around some other passion...money, pleasure, knowledge, etc.  I love how Joshua points out how foolish they would be to serve another God.  The Israelites were not making a blind leap of faith in choosing to serve the Lord...they saw His might and His power...they witnessed His miracles.  Let's look at some other verses that talk about serving.

And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.--1 Samuel 7:3

And Samuel said unto the people, Fear not: ye have done all this wickedness: yet turn not aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart;  And turn ye not aside: for then should ye go after vain things, which cannot profit nor deliver; for they are vain.--1 Samuel 12:20

Samuel warns them not to turn aside from serving and following the Lord, but reminds them to serve Him with all of their hearts.  This "whole heart" message is repeated often in Scripture.  It is so like us to  go after vain things...things that might provide us with temporary relief or temporary distraction but in the end only increase our misery.  They will not profit nor deliver as Samuel says.  In fact, they will keep us from cleaving unto our God and take us out of the place of blessing.  The more we look up to Jesus the more these things will grow dim in the light of His glory and grace. 

Jesus also warns us not to have a divided heart.

Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.--Matthew 4:10

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.--Matthew 6:24

If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honor.--John 12:26

If we are cleaving unto our Lord, then wherever He is, we will be also...ready, willing and available to serve...separated unto the gospel of Christ.  His presence will be with us and will go before us in whatever we face and whatever we do.  If we are nigh unto Him (as a good servant always is) we will  consider His desires before our own...we will listen and wait for His commands...and we will know and pray for those things that He desires.  What does God desire...that His people stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.  

Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.--Colossians 4:12

For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;--Romans 1:9

Hearken to the Lord's voice.  Love Him with all of your heart.  Walk in His ways and keep His commandments.  Cleave unto HIm.   Serve Him with a thankful and grateful heart for all He has done.  Seek to please Him and not man for it is from Him that your reward will come.

For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.--Galatians 1:10

Psalm 119:105

Psalms 119:105 (NKJV) Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.
By Bill L

Darkness without the Lord is a terrible enemy, and there are many kinds of darkness in this world, the least of which is that caused by lack of physical light, and the worst (by far) is spiritual darkness.

Psalm 119 is a deep and rich tribute to the Word of God. It is the longest Psalm, and the longest chapter in the Bible. Throughout its verses we are taught that the illumination that comes only from God is a precious gift of His love and grace to us.

In the verse above, we see that the only way effective way to navigate the spiritual darkness that abounds in this world is the truth that acts as a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. This light originates from Heaven itself, from the heart, mind and mouth of God. It is given to us for our edification and guidance from the One of whom it is said “in Him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5).

Darkness and deceit are synonymous, and as we can plainly see, deceit is the fuel that powers so much of this fallen world. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against THE RULERS OF THE DARKNESS OF THIS AGE, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12)

Of all the schemes of the enemy to undermine our faith, lies are the ever present ammunition that he fires at us. From the Garden of Eden (“Has God said?”) and throughout history, his lies are designed to cause us to question God’s goodness, faithfulness, love and power. That’s why we need the whole armor of God, and especially the “…the shield of faith with which [we] will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.” (Ephesians 6:16)

In times of crisis we need to turn to and rely upon His Word more than ever. It needs to be the sure foundation on which we live. We need to remind ourselves daily (perhaps even hourly) that His Word is true, His mercy is everlasting, and His love for us is beyond measure.

Remember, our all-powerful Savior, who gave Himself for us, says…

“I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

Be with Him today, draw close to the safety of His Presence, and walk in the light of His countenance. He implores us to come to Him to find rest for our anxious souls.

Broken Before Him...

Then He looked at them and said, “What then is this that is written:

‘The stone which the builders rejected

Has become the chief cornerstone’?

18 “Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.”—Luke 20:17

You are good and do good!  The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart and saves such as have a contrite spirit.  Father, You preserve the simple; I was brought low, and You saved me. Thank you for the trials You send that humble me and draw me away from the world and into a deeper relationship with You.  Thank you for the trials You allow in my life that reveal to my heart what I really love.  Thank You for the trials that show me, as You showed Paul, that Your grace IS sufficient for me...that out of weakness I am made strong.  Truly, Father, I don’t know how to come in or go out...I need You desperately!  I know, O LORD, that Your judgments are right, and that in faithfulness You have afflicted me. Let, I pray, Your merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to Your word, to me, Your servant.  Fill me today with Your Spirit of Wisdom....give me understanding so I may keep Your law.  I have put my trust in You...I will never be put to shame.

A Song of Sorrow....

 A Song. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. To the Chief Musician. Set to “Mahalath Leannoth.” A Contemplation of Heman the Ezrahite.

O LORD, God of my salvation,

I have cried out day and night before You.

2 Let my prayer come before You;

Incline Your ear to my cry.

3 For my soul is full of troubles,

And my life draws near to the grave.

4 I am counted with those who go down to the pit;

I am like a man who has no strength,

5 Adrift among the dead,

Like the slain who lie in the grave,

Whom You remember no more,

And who are cut off from Your hand.

6 You have laid me in the lowest pit,

In darkness, in the depths.

7 Your wrath lies heavy upon me,

And You have afflicted me with all Your waves. Selah

8 You have put away my acquaintances far from me;

You have made me an abomination to them;

I am shut up, and I cannot get out;

9 My eye wastes away because of affliction.

LORD, I have called daily upon You;

I have stretched out my hands to You.

10 Will You work wonders for the dead?

Shall the dead arise and praise You? Selah

11 Shall Your lovingkindness be declared in the grave?

Or Your faithfulness in the place of destruction?

12 Shall Your wonders be known in the dark?

And Your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?

13 But to You I have cried out, O LORD,

And in the morning my prayer comes before You.

14 LORD, why do You cast off my soul?

Why do You hide Your face from me?

15 I have been afflicted and ready to die from my youth;

I suffer Your terrors;

I am distraught.

16 Your fierce wrath has gone over me;

Your terrors have cut me off.

17 They came around me all day long like water;

They engulfed me altogether.

18 Loved one and friend You have put far from me,

And my acquaintances into darkness.

I have to say that Psalm 88 was a bit depressing.  The first half describes the Psalmist suffering in great detail and the last part his pleas for mercy and relief.  It is unlike most Psalms because there is no upturn at the end...the psalm concludes with the psalmist in a dark, lonely and friendless place.  I sighed and read it through again and then a third time. It came to me as I read, that all of us  have felt this way at one time or another even as believers.  What blessed me was that despite the writer’s despondency and depression, he turned his heart to the Lord.  It brought Psalm 62:8 to mind. 

Trust in Him at all times, you people;

Pour out your heart before Him;

God is a refuge for us. Selah

Spurgeon calls Psalm 88 a Song of Sorrow.  I really liked that because even when darkness is our only companion and we don’t understand the Lord’s ways, as believers, we always have hope.  Underlying all the Psalmist grief and depression was trust in His God.  He was NEVER alone and neither are we.  The darkness of our circumstances can not overcome the Light emanating from inside our hearts. Despite his feelings...despite his circumstances...it was to God he turned. With childlike faith then...despite our feelings...despite our circumstances...we WILL turn to our God.  

Father...Thank you that You are always with me.  Thank you that You hear my prayers.  Thank you that You sustain through difficult times with Your sustaining grace and Your unfailing love. Thank you that in You...even the night is light about me.  

Faithfulness Rewarded...

‘For I say to you, that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.—Luke 19:26

Our God is good and does good.  He desires our best and works all in our life for our good.  God showed His love for us in that while we were yet sinners...His enemies...He died for us.  Beloved, if God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?  He IS faithful!  We CAN trust Him. Let us, therefore, take heed and walk worthy of the calling to which we have been called...fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. Psalm 87 from our reading today reminds us that all our “springs” are in Him.  Our God is able to make all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) abound toward us that we, always (under all circumstances, regardless of need) would have complete sufficiency in everything (being completely sufficient in Him), and have an abundance for all we face, and for every good work.

"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.—John 10:10

“Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.—Luke 12:32 

for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for [His] good pleasure.—Philippians 2:13 

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.—Ephesians 3:20-21

And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.—Philippians 4:19

for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.—2 Peter 1:11

Teach Me Your Statutes!

Hebron therefore became the inheritance of Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he wholly followed the LORD God of Israel.—Joshua 14:14

Of Josiah...

Then the king stood by a pillar and made a covenant before the LORD, to follow the LORD and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes, with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people took a stand for the covenant.—2 Kings 23:3

Now before him there was no king like him, who turned to the LORD with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses; nor after him did any arise like him.—2 Kings 23:25

Father...teach me Your statutes!!  Fill me with Your Spirit. Enable me to walk worthy of the You, fully pleasing You and being fruitful in every good work.  May I follow You like Caleb and King Josiah did...with all my heart and all my soul and all my might.  May I count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Your precious Son, Jesus.  Use me to be an example of devotion and faith to my family...and to others.  

He has put a new song in my mouth--

Praise to our God;

Many will see it and fear,

And will trust in the LORD.—Ps 40:3

He Gives and Gives...

Then Peter said, “See, we have left all and followed You.” So He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, “who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.”—Luke 18:28-30

You cannot out give God...He is a debtor to no man.  Praising Him today and every day because even in my “losses” for Jesus’ sake, I profit.  I cannot give God anything. He is the self-sufficient One...He needs nothing.  But God, by His divine power because of His great love with which He loved us, gives us, as believers, ALL things that pertain to life and godliness. And Godliness, the Scriptures tell us, is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.  Beloved, our God is our shield and our exceedingly great reward.  

Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.—Phil 3:8

Luke 18

Luke 18

Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,

Then the Lord said, "Hear what the unjust judge said. "And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?

And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!'

"I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

But Jesus called them to Him and said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God.

“Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”—Matt 11:28-30

Oh Father!  

May I enter Your Presence humbly...may I stand before You in grateful thanksgiving.   May it be Your grace that draws me to You with cords of kindness...my soul finds rest in Your Presence. Here in Your Presence, You will speak to my heart by Your Spirit and direct my path as I wait for You.  You WILL, without my help, complete the good work You began in me.  

for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.—Phil 2:13

According to Your Faith Let it be to You...

Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? “Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”—Luke 17:12-19

Lord...May you work this kind of faith in my heart...the kind of faith that brings spiritual healing and wellness to my heart. The kind of faith that allows Your power to work in me and in my life.  I am never a fool when I put my trust in You. Oh help me to trust You to the uttermost.  Help me not to fret in the trials you allow in my life, but to know that Your unfailing love will be with me and will never fail me through each and every one. You are the same yesterday, today and forever.  What You did for me yesterday in my fear and in my need, You can do again today.  My times ARE in Your hands. 

Oh Lord to whom shall I go? You and You alone have the words to eternal life. “My flesh and my heart fail, but You are the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever”.  I can never ask from You “too” much...I can never expect “too” much.  You are the God who says, “I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it”.  I loved reading this yesterday about faith from Spurgeon: 

“The larger your expectations of God, the better, for according to your faith it will done unto you.”

The Lord is my Keeper.  He is my shade at my right hand.  He will preserve my soul.  Ending with portions of Psalm 84: 

Blessed is the man whose strength is in You,

Whose heart is set on pilgrimage.

As they pass through the Valley of Baca,

They make it a spring;

The rain also covers it with pools.

They go from strength to strength;

Each one appears before God in Zion.—Ps 84:5-7

For the LORD God is a sun and shield;

The LORD will give grace and glory;

No good thing will He withhold

From those who walk uprightly.

O LORD of hosts,

Blessed is the man who trusts in You!—Ps 84:11-12

Counting the Cost...

And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it--“lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, “saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ “Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? “Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. “So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.—Luke 14:27-33

Consider the cost...yes.  Also, consider the cost of not following Him.  It is greater.

For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

Those who trust in their wealth

And boast in the multitude of their riches,

None of them can by any means redeem his brother,

Nor give to God a ransom for him--

For the redemption of their souls is costly,

And it shall cease forever--

That he should continue to live eternally,

And not see the Pit.—Psalm 49:6-9

Self-sacrifice:  laying aside one’s personal interest or well-being for the sake of another

Let no one seek his own, but each one the other's well-being.—1 Cor 10:24

does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;—1 Cor 13:5

Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.—Phil 2:4

For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.—Matt 16:25

Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."—Matt 19:21

It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.—Romans 14:21

Jesus Laments and Weeps...

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!—Luke 13:34

Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. “For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, “and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”—Luke 19:41-44

There is nothing in us that compels God’s love but my Jesus weeps for my loved ones who resist His gentle drawing.  His heart is broken by our rejection and His love toward us is one of compassion...even pity.  My God’s desire for us is good.  He is “good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon [Him]” (Psalm 86:5). “To the Lord our God belong compassion and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against Him” (Daniel 9:9). He is “compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth” (Exodus 34:6).

Oh Father...we are humbled by Your love!  We cry out for our unsaved loved ones that You would give them eyes to see those things that make for peace. We pray they are willing! We plead that they would know and believe in the time of their visitation!

Help Us to be Found Faithful...

"Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning—Luke 12:35

Lord..help us to be faithful and wise stewards... among those who know Your will and do it.  Among those who walk in those works that You prepared beforehand and live by faith seeing those things that are eternal.  Help us by Your Spirit of Grace to be found faithful, persevering to the end. If we speak help us to speak as one  who speaks the very words of God. If we serve, let us do it with the strength God provides. May our love abound more and more in knowledge and insight so that we can discern what is best and be pure and blameless for the day of Christ filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

Inscribed on the Palms of His Hands....

“Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”—Luke 12:6-7

I am never forgotten by God.  I WILL trust in His unfailing love.  

Sing, O heavens!

Be joyful, O earth!

And break out in singing, O mountains!

For the LORD has comforted His people,

And will have mercy on His afflicted.

14 But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me,

And my Lord has forgotten me.”

15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child,

And not have compassion on the son of her womb?

Surely they may forget,

Yet I will not forget you.

16 See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands;

Your walls are continually before Me.—Isaiah 49:13-16

Before he left London to be executed, Rowland Taylor wrote his final thoughts in a book and presented them to his son: “I say to my wife and to my children, the Lord gave you unto me, and the Lord has taken me from you and you from me: blessed be the name of the Lord! I believe that they are blessed which die in the Lord. God cares for sparrows, and for the hairs of our heads. I have ever found Him more faithful and favourable than is any father or husband. Trust, therefore, in Him by means of our dear Savior Christ’s merits. Believe, love, fear, and obey Him: pray to Him, for He has promised to help. Count me not dead, for I shall certainly live and never die. I go before, and you shall follow after to our long home.”—from BLB courtesy of D. Guzik

Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem,—Luke 9:51

These verses always bring my heart to these verses from one of the Servant songs in Isaiah.  Christ is speaking...

Therefore I have set My face like a flint, And I know that I will not be ashamed. He is near who justifies Me; Who will contend with Me? Let us stand together. Who is My adversary? Let him come near Me. Surely the Lord GOD will help Me; Who is he who will condemn Me? —Isaiah 50

Beloved, we are more than conquerors through God who loves us.  There is nothing that can separate us from His love.  Like Jesus, we can set our faces like flint and follow in His steps, because He is our Rock and our Defense.... He will not allow us to be moved.  We can put off offenses against us and lean on our Beloved, depending on both His strength and protection because we know He cares for us and will guide us continually. The worst the world can throw at us is truly the best thing that can happen to us here on earth. (death)