One Life Changed by the Power of God…

 

Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, "Look at us." So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God. Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.—Acts 3:1-10

—Peter and John go to the temple at the hour of prayer…

—Their eyes look outward and upward as Jesus’ did and they see the hopeless and helpless beggar laying at the Gate Beautiful and have compassion.  

—-Peter and John have empty hands and empty pockets but their hearts have Jesus.

—They give the beggar what they did have.  They gave Him Jesus.

—And by the faith that comes from Him…by the power of God…healed the man who was lame.

—One life changed…

—One life changed gave Peter an opportunity to preach Christ

—One life changed confirmed some in belief and others in their sin

—One life changed by the power of God yielded much fruit

In Acts Chapter 2 Peter proved by the Scriptures (Joel 2:28-32) that God had raised Jesus from the dead. In Acts 3 a lame man was healed in His name. 

—In Acts 4 they were arrested by the Sadducees who were greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 

Verse 3 of Acts 4 says this

And they laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening.

Verse 4 this..

However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.

Praying today that we as believers would walk in those works that He has prepared beforehand for us. That we would walk like Peter and John looking outward and upward with hearts of compassion for the hurting and lost. That we would not be ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes.  

Oh Father…by Your Holy Spirit make these precious words from the book of Philippians come alive in each one of our lives. 

And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.—Philippians 1:9-11

For God is My Defense, My God of Mercy...

 

But I will sing of Your power;

Yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning;

For You have been my defense

And refuge in the day of my trouble.

To You, O my Strength, I will sing praises;

For God is my defense,

My God of mercy.—Psalm 59:16-17

…I will sing psalms, and hymns and spiritual songs with grace in my heart to You, my Lord. I will give thanks to my God who performs all things for me. Riches and honor come from You....in Your hand is power and might...you give strength and reign over all. 

I know, like Job did, that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.  All power belongs to my God!  

Your mercy, oh Lord, is great above the heavens, And Your truth reaches to the clouds.  Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us,

But to Your name give glory,

Because of Your mercy,

Because of Your truth.

You are my refuge and my strength.

A very present help in trouble.  Therefore I

will not fear.  

You, LORD, preserve the simple;

I was brought low, and You saved me.

Return to your rest, O my soul,

For the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.

With my enemy is an arm of flesh; but You, the LORD my God are with me to help me  and to fight my battles.  You delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, For they were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but You were my support.  You also brought me out into a broad place; You delivered me because You delighted in me.

Oh Lord, my God, in You I put my trust!

Known to God from Eternity Are All His Works…

 

 "Known to God from eternity are all His works.—Acts 15:18

And now, Lord, what do I wait for?

My hope is in You.—Psalm 39:7

The counsel of the LORD stands forever,

The plans of His heart to all generations.—Psalm 33:11

I am just gonna rest here today.  As Spurgeon is apt to say, I am gonna lay my head down on the pillow of my God’s sovereignty and immutability.

God’s plans stand forever!! Known to God from eternity are all His works. The world, my circumstances and the people around me (me included) change so quickly that it is difficult for me to keep up! My God, thankfully, does not.  He is completely trustworthy.  Neither He, nor His plans for me, ever change and it is in Him that I live and move and have my being. 

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.—Galatians 2:20

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.—Ephesians 2:8-10

1 O LORD, You have searched me and known me.

2 You know my sitting down and my rising up;

You understand my thought afar off.

3 You comprehend my path and my lying down,

And are acquainted with all my ways.

4 For there is not a word on my tongue,

But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.

5 You have hedged me behind and before,

And laid Your hand upon me.

6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;

It is high, I cannot attain it.

7 Where can I go from Your Spirit?

Or where can I flee from Your presence?

8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there;

If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.

9 If I take the wings of the morning,

And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

10 Even there Your hand shall lead me,

And Your right hand shall hold me.

11 If I say, "Surely the darkness shall fall on me,"

Even the night shall be light about me;

12 Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You,

But the night shines as the day;

The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

13 For You formed my inward parts;

You covered me in my mother's womb.

14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Marvelous are Your works,

And that my soul knows very well.

15 My frame was not hidden from You,

When I was made in secret,

And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.

And in Your book they all were written,

The days fashioned for me,

When as yet there were none of them.

17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!

How great is the sum of them!

18 If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;

When I awake, I am still with You.

19 Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God!

Depart from me, therefore, you bloodthirsty men.

20 For they speak against You wickedly;

Your enemies take Your name in vain.

21 Do I not hate them, O LORD, who hate You?

And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?

22 I hate them with perfect hatred;

I count them my enemies.

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Try me, and know my anxieties;

24 And see if there is any wicked way in me,

And lead me in the way everlasting.—Psalm 139

Waiting on the Lord…

Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.—Psalm 27:14

Strong’s says this about the word “wait” used in verse 14 of Psalm 27. For me it was very helpful.

h6960. קָוָה qâwâ; a primitive root; to bind together (perhaps by twisting), i.e. collect; (figuratively) to expect: — gather (together), look, patiently, tarry, wait (for, on, upon).

My life is wrapped up and bound in my God’s.  All that I think, do and say should come from Him because my life is literally in Him. 

Both the singers and the players on instruments say,

"All my springs are in you."—Psalm 87:7

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain."—Galatians 2:20-21

Jon Courson pictures it as the extension of a cord from one point to another. God is at one point. Our hearts are at another.  That picture brought these verses to mind from the Book of Hosea. 

"I taught Ephraim to walk,

Taking them by their arms;

But they did not know that I healed them.

I drew them with gentle cords,

With bands of love,

And I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck.

I stooped and fed them.—Hosea 11:3-4

God’s steadfast love toward us, His children, never ceases. Wait for Him in faith.  Our faith in Jesus is our access to the marvelous grace in which we stand. 

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.—Romans 5:1-2

Beloved…pray, and spend time in the Word of God. The Lord meets us through His word. By faith we receive it and believe that His Spirit will use it in His timing to do His perfect will in our lives.

My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD;

In the morning I will direct it to You,

And I will look up.—Psalm 5:3

And I will look up…I am Your servant. I wait for You and upon You. My expectation is from You. My eyes are on You. I will wait to see what You will say and do. Your lovingkindness is always before my eyes.

Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed;

Let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause.—Psalm 25:6

Wait on the LORD,

And keep His way,

And He shall exalt you to inherit the land;

When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.—Psalm 37:34

I waited patiently for the LORD;

And He inclined to me,

And heard my cry.—Psalm 40:1

My soul, wait silently for God alone,

For my expectation is from Him.

He only is my rock and my salvation;

He is my defense;

I shall not be moved.

In God is my salvation and my glory;

The rock of my strength,

And my refuge, is in God.

Trust in Him at all times, you people;

Pour out your heart before Him;

God is a refuge for us.—Psalm 62:5-8

I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,

And in His word I do hope.

My soul waits for the Lord

More than those who watch for the morning—

Yes, more than those who watch for the morning.—Psalm 130:5-6

Do not say, "I will recompense evil";

Wait for the LORD, and He will save you.—Proverbs 20:22

And it will be said in that day:

"Behold, this is our God;

We have waited for Him, and He will save us.

This is the LORD;

We have waited for Him;

We will be glad and rejoice in His salvation."—Isaiah 25:9

For the vision is yet for an appointed time;

But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.

Though it tarries, wait for it;

Because it will surely come,

It will not tarry. "Behold the proud,

His soul is not upright in him;

But the just shall live by his faith.—Habakkuk 2:3-4

for the Lamb who is in the center of the throne will be their Shepherd, and He will guide them to springs of the waters of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes [giving them eternal comfort]."—Revelation 7:17

Surely goodness and mercy and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life,

And I shall dwell forever [throughout all my days] in the house and in the presence of the LORD.—Psalm 23:6

All These Things Are Against Me…

 As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness;

I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.—Psalm 17:15

This side of heaven I often feel like Jacob did when he said, all these things are against me. (Genesis 42) This world is filled with sin, grief, sadness, evil, oppression, suffering, and death. Even when they don’t affect me directly my heart still grieves and gets overwhelmed. I long to see His face in righteousness and awake in His likeness but until then I live with my fallen nature in a fallen world. 

Now it is true that we will not be completely satisfied until we awake in the likeness of our God, but God has given us who believe His Spirit to dwell in us and be with us as we walk through this life. 

In Him we live and move and have our being. 

In Him is satisfaction. 

In Him we have everything we need. 

In His presence is fullness of joy.  

In Him is our rest.  

He has promised to see us through this life. Beloved…He is on our side. If God is for us who can be against us?  

I found the following verses from my Thompson Chain Reference Bible a comforting reminder that God has given us a way of escape from all those things that rail against us in this world. In His word are reminders of the heavenly satisfaction that awaits us, as well as the satisfaction He desires for us to have here on earth.

Here are the verses from the Thompson Chain that speak to the heavenly...the satisfaction that awaits us when we awake in His likeness. 

1 Kings 22:19

Job 19:26

Psalm 17:15

Isaiah 6:1

Isaiah 33:17

Ezekiel 1:1

Ezekiel 8:3

Matthew 18:10

John 17:24

1 Corinthians 13:12

1 John 3:2

Revelation 22:4

Here are the verses that speak to where our satisfaction is found here on earth. 

Psalm 17:15

Psalm 36:8

Psalm 37:19

Psalm 63:5

Psalm 65:4

Psalm 81:16

Psalm 103:5

Psalm 107:9

Proverbs 14:14

Proverbs 19:23

Isaiah 58:11

Jeremiah 31:14

Jeremiah 31:25

Jeremiah 50:19

Mark 8:8

John 4:14

John 6:35

John 10:9

I don’t know about you but my heart sinks pretty often during the day.  I get overwhelmed, discouraged, depressed and just plain weary. His word quickens me and when it does my spirit rises and communes with His, and I am comforted. 

Beloved…Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face and the things of the earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace. 

You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.Trust in the LORD forever, For in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength. --Isaiah 26:3 

Here We Are Before You in Our Guilt…

 

And I said: "O my God, I am too ashamed and humiliated to lift up my face to You, my God; for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has grown up to the heavens.—Ezra 9:6

O LORD God of Israel, You are righteous, for we are left as a remnant, as it is this day. Here we are before You, in our guilt, though no one can stand before You because of this!"—Ezra 9:15

So much ingratitude...so much trampling and despising on the mercy of God.  So much evil returned for the goodness shown to them by their God.  Nehemiah and Malachi later encountered the same sin.  Neither God’s wrath in the exile, nor His grace in the return was enough to keep them from going there own way once again.  Truly, Ezra says it all when he says “here we are before you in our guilt”.  They were without excuse, as are we.  There was nothing and there is nothing else to say.

They reward me evil for good,

To the sorrow of my soul.—Psalm 35:12

I love that Ezra did not stand “above” the people when he prayed. He did not point fingers nor did he speak to them in anger. Ezra’s prayer came from a heart broken not just by the people’s sin but his own sin as well.  (Even though he did not sin in the way the people had) It was the “humble sound” of a contrite heart that caused the people to acknowledge their sin and rend their hearts and not their garments. 

Now while Ezra was praying, and while he was confessing, weeping, and bowing down before the house of God, a very large assembly of men, women, and children gathered to him from Israel; for the people wept very bitterly. 2 And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, spoke up and said to Ezra, “We have trespassed against our God, and have taken pagan wives from the peoples of the land; yet now there is hope in Israel in spite of this. 3 Now therefore, let us make a covenant with our God to put away all these wives and those who have been born to them, according to the advice of my master and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law. 4 Arise, for this matter is your responsibility. We also are with you. Be of good courage, and do it.”—Ezra 10:1-4

Beloved…Ending this one is hard…my heart is rightly sad.  The sin of the people caused so much heartbreak and loss.  Our own sin does the same. Sin does not just hurt the sinner. The sin of even one person hurts and defiles all who come into contact with them.  

Oh Father!  All of us stand before you guilty at times of going our own way and doing what is right in our own eyes. Help us to look ahead…to see the consequences of our sin not just for us but for our families as well. Give us a heart like Ezra that break over our sin. May it never be enough for us to just say we are sorry.  Help us when we sin to not only confess it but to change our direction as well. 

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.—1 Corinthians 10:13