Safe Heaven House Of Prayer

"Blessed are you who hunger for now, for you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you, and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man's sake. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, for in like manner their fathers did to the prophets." Luke 6:21-23 Pastor and Nazi war victim Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, "When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die." This statement is consistent with what Jesus said in Mark 8:35, "Whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospels will save it." So we should not be surprised when as we follow the Person who once said, "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you" (John 15:18) we encounter opposition. The Luke 6 verses above come from the Beatitudes section of Jesus famous Sermon o

"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? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father and His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works." Matthew 16:26-27 Abraham Neumann once said, "The soul is the place where man's supreme and final battles are fought." We cannot afford to relinquish this battlefield of the soul, for that is where the flesh and the spirit go to war every single day of our lives. Those of us who live in the lavishly affluent culture unique to America may find it quite enticing to "gain the whole world" at the expense of our souls. However, the stakes of that battle are very high. If we exchange the gospel of Jesus Christ for the temporary fame, fortune, and personal comfort that the world offers, the effect on our eternal destinies will be catastrophic. Years ago we often heard it said, "He who dies with the

"Behold I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last." Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. Revelation 22:12-14 A recent poll that eighty-five percent of Americans said they believe in heaven, and more than 87 percent of Americans said they believe they are headed there. So what about the two percent who believe themselves to be headed to a place they don't think really exists? Besides making us smile, these humorous findings illustrates the amount of confusion surrounding heaven, hell, and judgment. According to Jesus, heaven is a real place. It isn't a product of religious imagination or some pie in the sky fantasy. Heaven is the place where God dwells and where Jesus sits today at His right hand. As Jesus said, "I go to prepare a p

"Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you." Matthew 5:11-12 Theologian John Stott once said, "Persecution is simply the clash between two irreconcilable value systems." If this is true, then persecution is unavoidable for a follower of Jesus Christ. After all, our value system is diametrically opposed to the value system of this world. That means persecution is not a matter of if, but of when, how, and to what extent. Throughout church history and it's happening around the world today faithful followers of Jesus have endured unspeakable violence, relentless oppression, and brutal deaths. Because the United States has respected the right of individuals to practice the faith of their choice, American Christians have been insulated from this kind of persecution. But this

The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me. For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God. For all His judgments were before me, and I did not put away His statues from me. I was also blameless before Him, and I kept myself from iniquity. Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in His sight. Psalm 18:20-24 At the day of doom, the question will be whether or not you were a doer or a talker. James, the half brother of Jesus, made a similar point in his epistle: "what does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?...Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead" (James 2:14, 17). James and David, writer of the psalm above, each said that saving faith would manifest itself in a life surrendered to God in active service to Him and others. No one

"When you do a charitable deed, do not let your left haw what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly." Matthew 6:3-4 Look again at the verses above. You might even read through the three chapters that contain Jesus Sermon on the Mount. If you do, you'll realize that nowhere in that sermon did Jesus explicitly command His followers to be generous or charitable. Why? Because He likely assumed they already were: "When do you a charitable deed," He began. So instead of issuing a command, Jesus offered principles to guide His followers in a lifestyle of generosity. Specifically, Jesus said that one's giving is to be humble, discreet, and completely uninterested in recognition from others. Jesus makes it clear that we should not seek praise from others for our generosity because God will reward us publically. Anyone promising us an immediate or tangible return for o

A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth. 2 Timothy 2:24-25 Every follower of Jesus is a missionary. Therefore, your life must represent Jesus well. The number one attack on the message of the gospel of Jesus is false teaching. You do not have to look far to find someone who is watering down the message, adding to the message, or creating a new message altogether. It is incumbent upon you to know the truth and be ready to give a defense of the truth. Paul warned that when giving a defense of the truth, we must make sure to watch our attitudes. We may say the right biblical things, but if we deliver it with a sour attitude, we may turn people away from Jesus. Also we must work not to clash severely with unbelievers. We can and need to be bold but without being mean. We can be kind as we present the truths of the go

"It was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." Luke 24:46-47 God the Father predetermined by His divine foreknowledge to give His Son over as a substitute upon the cross. Jesus was the Righteous given for the unrighteous. He bore in His body God's full wrath against sin. But then, like an incompetent employee, death did not have the necessary skill set to keep Jesus in the grave. Jesus resurrection was proof from heaven that God the Father had accepted His sacrifice. Jesus death and resurrection dealt with two major problems. First, the problem of sin was handled: we deserved to die for our sins, but Jesus paid the death penalty for our sins. Now all who trust Him by faith are by His grace granted forgiveness. Second, Jesus also dealt with our significance problem: upon trusting Jesus as Savior, we are adopted into the

"What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, "Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!" I say to you likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance" Luke 15:4-7 Jesus told this parable when the Pharisees were grumbling about Him. They spoke negatively of Jesus because He apparently enjoyed welcoming sinners and tax collectors into His company. With this parable, Jesus hoped that the religious elite might compare their reactions to the reactions in heaven when one sinner repents. Jesus began by stating the obvious: if you've lost a sheep, you go and find that sheep. Then, after finding the l

"Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: "I desire mercy and not sacrifice." For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." Matthew 9:12-13 The religious people of Jesus day did not need Him. They had created rules and kept those rules as others watched. With prideful hearts, they pointed fingers at those who didn't live up to their standards of righteousness and avoided such people at all costs. Their so called spiritual lives kept them feeling superior to others and gave them a false assurance that their activity was pleasing to God. Jesus, however, did not adhere to the man-made rules and traditions of the Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes. Whenever people flocked to Jesus, He was quick to spend time with the worst. The religious mocked Jesus as defiling Himself by eating and drinking tax collectors and sinners. Imagine the wildered looks on their faces when Jesus s

"Now, therefore," says the Lord, "Turn to Me with all your heart, was fasting, with weeping, and with mourning." So rend your heart, and not your garments; return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of the great kindness; and He relents doing harm." Joel 2:12-13 God's covenant people had rebelled against Him, and their disobedience prompted His discipline. In Joel 1, the prophet recalled an invasion of locusts that destroyed their produce. These locusts served as an object lesson as Joel warned the people of the enemy invasion they would experience if they did not repent. Joel encouraged the people of God to repent wholeheartedly. The Lord did not want merely a display: he didn't want people ripping their shirts and saying, "Woe is me!" God wanted their hearts truly to turn from sin and be realigned with His purposes. Joel spoke of God's patience and His willingness to turn from cursing them to bl

I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. 2 Corinthians 7:9-10 Have you ever said something you regretted? That is how Paul felt. His first letter to the Corinthian church was a strong rebuke: he pointed out the ungodly divisions within the fellowship, the immoral activity occurring among the members, their lack of love for one another, and their self-centered service. Paul regretted sending the letter until Titus returned and shared with him how the Corinthians had responded. The believers in Corinth were not merely sorry for being rebuked for their sins. That would have been worldly grief, which typically produces a prideful desire to justify one's behavior. In this case, it would have also prompted great animosity toward Paul

His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness....We have been given...exceedingly great and precious promises, that though these you may be partakers of divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:3-8 I often hear these words: "it's is hard to live the Christian life." Usually the person means that it's difficult to live a moral life in an extremely immoral world. And it's getting harder. Christians around the globe face difficulty, suffering, persecution, and even death for one simple reason: they follow Christ. Following Jesus

If the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. Hebrews 9:13-15 Imagine coming to worship on Sunday and seeing several bulls and goats at the altar. Well, that was ordinary worship for an Old Testament saint. The temple priest would sacrifice the animals and sprinkle the blood seven times upon the temple altar. This ritual sacrifice was a sin offering for the Jews. Then entered Jesus Christ, who "came as our High Priest " (Hebrews 9:11). All the Old Testament scarifies were a foreshadowing of the once and for a

I make mention of you in my prayers: that...the eyes of your understanding be enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power. Ephesians 1:16, 18-19 I love people with passion! To see someone clearly excited  about something not only excites me, but inspires me as well. I feel confident that the apostle Paul was a man of passion. What was Paul so elated passionate about? His Damascus road encounter with Jesus was the reason (Acts 9:11-22). Now, in Ephesians, Paul the Evangelist once again praised God, this time for the saints in Ephesus, as he interceded on their behalf. As soon as Paul heard of their faith in the Lord Jesus, he immediately began praising God and thanking Him for the saints at Ephesus (verse 15-16). Paul went on to pray that God might grant these believers spiritual wi

In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. Ephesians 1:13-14 Years ago, my wife and I were shopping for a new bicycle for our oldest daughter. We found the right one at Kmart, but we didn't have the money to pay the total price of the bicycle. So we made a down payment and had the bike placed on layaway: the store placed our name on the bike and stored it in the back of the store. The bicycle belonged to us, but we couldn't take it home until we brought Kmart the final payment and redeemed our purchased possession. This Kmart shopping experience illustrates what the apostle Paul taught in this passage. God created us to worship and glorify Him, but we became tainted by sin in the garden of Eden. Sin separated us from God. So God

In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will, that we who first turned in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. Ephesians 1:11-12 Over the next couple of days, our devotions will be based on Ephesians 1:11-19. We'll observe God's sovereign plan of salvation for His people and the eternal inheritance He has reserved for us in heaven. The apostle Paul often used the term mystery to refer to God's truth that was once hidden but is now revealed. Christians have not only been blessed with the promise of eternal life (John 3:16), but have also inherited God's eternal truth...through His eternal Word (John 8:32; 1 Peter 1:25). Specifically, it was God's plan from the beginning to send His Son, to be the sacrifice for our sins and the One to save us from our sins. The life-changing truth is gospel's mystery, which Paul alluded to with his often used p

The Lord knows the days of the upright and their inheritance shall be forever. They shall not be ashamed in the evil time, and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. Psalm 37:18-19 Do you ever have days when you feel as though you are losing? Christians know that they ultimately win, but it sure doesn't appear that way sometimes! The world around us seems to be falling apart, and evil too often seems to triumph over good. We may feel like crying out, "Hey, God! We're the good guys!" The prophet Habakkuk must have felt that way when he wrote, "O Lord, how long shall I cry and You not hear?" (Habakkuk 1:2) or "The law is powerless and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous" (verse 4). David had similar thoughts at times, but in Psalm 37, David encouraged fellow believers by expressing his confidence that God's sovereign hand would prevail. In this psalm, David also exhorted us about how to live even as God wat

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance. The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men. From the place of His dwelling He looks all the inhabitants of the earth; He fashions their hearts individually; He considers all their works. Psalm 33:12-15 Have you ever wanted a magic wand that gave you the ability to shape your future or a crystal ball to get a glimpse of what's ahead? When it comes to shaping your future, though, who could do a better job than the all wise, all loving, all powerful Creator God? Our heavenly Father not only created us, but He also chose us as His inheritance (Psalm 139:14; 33:12).  In other words, He has adopted us as His children, making us "joint heirs with Christ" (1 John 3:1; Romans 8:17). That means, among other things, that we are always under the watchful eye of our heavenly Father. Absolutely nothing can escape His oversight of His people. The psalmist also taught that Go

All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. Let no one seek his own, but each one the other's well-being. Eat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience sake; for "the earth is the Lord's, and it's fullness." 1 Corinthians 10:23-26 The big idea in this challenging text is to think about other people rather than about ourselves. Doing so gives God glory! In today's passage, Paul addressed the complicated issue of living out our or who are weaker brothers. Paul discouraged legalism that adds to God's Word. He encouraged liberty in Christ that is found when we live within the parameters of God's Word. But not all issues are clear-cut. Within parameters of Christian liberty, we are called to consider others when we make choices: we want our choices to build up rather than weaken their faith. We never want to make choices that offend a brother or alie

Receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God. Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers, and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy. Romans 15:7-8 If you've traveled to the Middle East, you've seen how most Jews and Gentiles struggle to accept one another. This is not a new problem, and nothing suggests it is going to be resolved anytime soon. Yet God's plan to redeem the world through the death of Christ on the cross is a plan to redeem both Jews and Gentiles. Jesus died for the sins of all people. When we ask Christ to be Lord of our lives, He receives us as we are. We don't have to clean ourselves up before He will save us. We simply go to Him in repentance and faith, and He does for us what no one else can do for us: Jesus forgives us and accepts us just as we are at the time, and all glory of this grace goes to God. So who are we

Abraham did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. And therefore "it was accounted to him for righteousness". Romans 4:20-22 As Abraham neared one hundred years of age and Sarah was long past childbearing years, he still trusted God for the impossible. Humanly speaking, pregnancy was impossible. But divinely choreographed, nothing is impossible! That is why Abraham did not waver in unbelief. Abraham knew that God was able to do anything. He has seen it before, and he knew he would see it again. Trusting God alone, Abraham stood on the Lord's promises and trusted God for the impossible. We cannot think ourselves into a deeper walk with Christ. We cannot feel our way into a deeper walk with Christ. We must instead simply place our faith in Christ alone for every aspect of life. After all, God can do more in a moment than you and I c

When the elders and scribes heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at Stephen with there teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, "Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!" Acts 7:55-56 When the elders and scribes heard Stephen boldly proclaim the Word of God and accuse them of killing the prophets as well as the One about whom they prophesied, they killed Stephen. And in this tragedy, the first Christian martyr taught us something about how to die. Basically, Stephen lived and died focusing on Jesus Christ. Stephen was such a unique man of God that in his death, Jesus enabled Stephen to see Him standing at God's right hand as he died for his faith. Was Jesus applauding Stephen for the way he lived and the way he died? Did Jesus enable Stephen to see Him in order to encourage Stephen about the glo

Jesus said Martha, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?" Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that you have heard Me,"... Now when He said these things, He cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!" And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, :Loose him, and let him go." John 11:40-41, 43-44 Will we choose to believe God today? Every day we face various decisions, many of which come down to acting in faith in God or faith in ourselves, doing what we want to do. It is essential that we look at these decisions through the lens of this key question: will we choose to believe God today? Jesus told Lazarus sisters and friends that if they trusted Him, they would see the glory of God demonstrated and they did! Jesus raised Laza

Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense, wither to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, just as I also please all men in all thing, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved. 1 Corinthians 10:31-33 Your life can be busy with many things this week. You could focus on your financial portfolio, a favorite sports team, an upcoming business decision that may catapult your career, or spending time with your family. While those things are not unworthy of your time, why not choose to focus on something entirely different this week? Why not focus on giving glory to God in everything this week? Refuse to get tangled up in the details of life that drain your energy and joy. Rise above the frustrating details and exhausting demands of everyday life by keeping your eyes and heart looking to heaven. Don't let trivial details weigh heavily on you this week. Make important choices this week. Decide,

Having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:22-23 Christians often hear certain terms used again and again, and we can easily become desensitized to their meaning and power. The gift of eternal life, for instance, is something about which we sing, preach, and teach, yet it is difficult for us to comprehend the concept of eternity. A lifetime is a long time, but eternity is difficult to get our minds around. When does eternity begin? When does it end? I once heard that if each grain of sand on every beach in the whole world represented one million years, that incredible span of time would not even a dent in eternity. Have considered the scope of eternity, let's now reflect on the numerous and wonderful benefits of eternal life. Eternal life is ours because, through Jesus, our sins are forgiven and

The judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift...resulted in justification. For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. Roman 5:16-17 What is the most special gift you've ever received? Did you receive it on your birthday, for Christians, or on another occasion? Through the years I've received some amazing gifts, but Jesus is the most marvelous gift ever given. And it is the most needed gift ever given. The apostle Paul taught that by one man Adam sin entered the world, and death was pronounced upon all, for in Adam all have sinned. On the other hand, grace entered the world through Jesus, and a forgiven life and eternal life are available to all who believe. Adam brought into the world sin, offense, judgment, condemnation, disobedience, and eternal death. Yet Christ brought grace, justi

"These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14:25-27 We live in a dark and troubled world. Political corruption, natural disasters, war, and terrorism have many people living in a perpetual state of fear and uncertainty. Untold multitudes clamor for peace in this chaotic and confusing world. In Scripture peace refers to a quiet spirit despite our circumstances. Peace is a gift from God, and we experience true peace when we know Him. The closer we draw to God, the more peace we experience as our minds and spirits begin to rest in His power and wisdom. In His presence we remember His sovereign power and good plans for us. We can't receive G

"Ask, and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?" Matthew 7:7-10 My wife, Gina, suffered a massive stroke. The doctors told me that she wouldn't live through the day. As I called our children and other family members, I thought about what Jesus said about persistent prayer: if we ask, seek, and knock, our prayers will be answered. So all day long I prayed, and prayer warriors all across the nation and even around the world were notified, and they prayed. Tens of thousands of people were praying, and God answered our prayers. Gina lived through that day, and a year later after nine surgeries and months of rehab she is, according to medical professionals, a living miracle. Persistent prayer is

If you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Matthew 5:23-24 I saw a bumper sticker that read, "Jesus loves you, but everyone else thinks you're a jerk." it's funny and true. Scripture tells us that God loves us all the time, even when we're jerks, and all of us do act like jerks sometimes. That's not how God wants us to live. Jesus made it clear that if we know someone (to whom we've been a jerk) has something against us, we are to go to that person and try to be reconciled. Our reconciliation with others is our response to being reconciled to God through the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. As Paul wrote, "God has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation" (2 Corinthians 5:18). The good news of the gospe

Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:15 If you think about it, love has many languages. In his excellent, book The Five Love Languages, Gary Chapman does a wonderful job of explaining, in practical terms, how we communicate and interpret love. My primary love language is words of affirmation, while my wife's primary language is gifts. I think the greatest gift I ever gave her was on her fiftieth birthday when I flew our oldest son home for a surprise party. When he walked into the room, she was absolutely speechless. She wept and was overjoyed. She later told me that I could not have given her a more special gift. Have you ever experienced something so wonderful that we had difficulty finding the words to describe it? Our relationship with Jesus is like that at times. God often works in lives in ways unnoticed by even those people who are closet to us, yet we see with spiritual eyes the work His Spirit is doing in our minds and hearts. And try as we may,

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth it's fruit in it's season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper. Psalm 1:1-3 Today's passage speaks of two pathways that we can choose between for a possible source of delight. We can choose to walk in the pathway of an ungodly environment or a godly environment. We choose that godly path when our "delight is in the law of the Lord." This word delight means "to take pleasure in or to desire with hunger." What does it look like to delight in God's Law? First, we must meditate on the Word. This means to read it, and think about over and over again until the Word has captured our hearts and is directing our steps. Second, we mu

Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Psalm 37:4-6 To understand what it means to "delight ourselves in the Lord," we must first understand the principle of delight.  Many people quote Psalm 37:4, wanting to believe that God will do for them whatever they desire. But God is not all obligated to do whatever we want. He is obligated to do only what He has promised in His Word. So what does the verse mean? First, in Scripture, the word delight means "to place yourself in the proper position of humility that you might hear God speak, that God might get access to your entire personhood, in order to mold you and conform you to the image of Jesus Christ." When such delight takes place, God places within your heart His desires for you. In other words, God&#

For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, "Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you." And so, after Abraham had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. Hebrews 6:13-15 God's promise changed and blessed Abraham's life; it's fulfillment also eventually change and the bless the world. God promised Abraham a son. We now understand that in the line of Abraham would come a Son who would ultimately bless the world and who was Jesus Christ of Nazareth. We also know that God sent His Son into the world to bless the world because He loves the world. God blessed our world by sending His Son Jesus so that on the cross, "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin  for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:21). On the cross in some cosmic way beyond our imagining, He bore our sins in His body so we could be brought into relat

Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice: "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!" Revelation 5:11-12 Momentarily sit under the weight of this passage. John recorded this powerful scene, describing a moment in heaven when God held a scroll sealed with seven seals. John described an angel asking the question: "Who is worthy to open the scroll and loose it's seals?" Sadly, none was found worthy to open the scroll, and John began to weep. Then one of the twenty-four elders said to John, "Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that He can open the scroll and it's seven seals." John turned to see the Lion but saw only a Lamb standing as tho

All of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling or reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this; that you may inherit a blessing. 1 Peter 3:8-9 Peter was in the upper room when Jesus celebrated His last Passover before His death, when He washed the disciples feet, and when He told them more about His impending death. That meant Peter heard Jesus say, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another" (John 13:34-35). On an earlier occasion, Jesus had taught that the most important commandment was to love God and the second   was to love people. Jesus then said, "On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets" (Matthew 22:40). After Jesus resurrection and the launch of the New Testament church, Peter saw how obedience to Jesus commandment to love began to change the world.

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 Soul satisfying peace comes with trusting someone completely. Such trust is extremely rare and perhaps entirely impossible sine we are part of a depraved humanity. We are too easily suspicious; we too readily expect people to disappoint us. Yes, we trust but we trust only some people, we trust them only to a certain point. Our relationships even with those whom we love may be tinged with some disappointment and impacted by unmet expectations. When writing Christians in Thessalonica about Jesus second coming, Paul instructed the letter's recipients to live everyday in light of the possibility of Christ's return. Believers are to look forward to Christ's return with great expectation, but the unknown timing of the event could motivate peop

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. Ephesians 1:3-4 Some of the best blessings in our lives are the ones we can see and place our hands on, Of course, I'm speaking about things such as our spouses, children, food, water, shelter, technology, and so forth. Recognizing these as blessings helps us remain grateful to God for them. The greatest blessings in our lives as Christ followers, however, are probably the ones we can't see or touch. Paul referred to these as "spiritual blessings," those blessings we receive in and through Christ. Paul mentioned many spiritual blessings in his letter to the Christians living in Ephesus. Consider some of the blessings Paul pointed out. God has chosen us to be His. God has loved us, forgiven us, redeemed us,

Blessed is every one who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways. When you eat the labor of your hands, you shall be happy, and it shall be well with you. Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the very heart of your house, your children like olive plants all around your table. Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord. Psalm 128:1-4 Have you ever wondered how it's possible to be blessed but not feel blessed? How does that happen? How can we know on an intellectual level that we are very blessed but on and emotional and practical level not feel blessed at all? An unfortunate aspect of not feeling blessed is that we lose the ability to enjoy the blessings right in front of us. We see this fact frequently playing itself out in today's culture. Some of the most blessed people on the planet feel empty rather than blessed. What looks likes blessings to outsides doesn't satisfy or fulfill. These wealthy but poor individuals are very different from the writer

The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent."... But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 1 Corinthians 1:18-19;24-25 Our secular society has downgraded the significance of the cross. Believers wear the cross because of our love for Jesus and because of our desire to be His ambassadors and witnesses. However, many nonbelievers wear cross necklaces as simply a piece of jewelry. Others whose lifestyles reflect nothing of Jesus values may have tattoos, and these people make the cross "no effect" (1 Corinthians 1:17). The message of the cross is foolishness to a world that is rebellious and blinded by the deceptions of Satan.

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! "For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?" "Or who has first given to Him and it shall be repaid to him?" For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen. Romans 11:33-36 Human beings individually and corporately have always wondered what makes this world function. We search for knowledge, and there is much out there to be examined. According to the Global Library Statistics, there are between 500,000 and 1,000,000 libraries in the world. A total of 129,864,880 books have received International Standard Book Numbers. A recent report reveals that 60,000 new books are printed annually in the United States and 300,000 worldwide. Now that is impressive. Many of these volumes are written in man's attempt to share knowledge and gain wisdom. The only book needed fo

Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of mouth. Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will keep. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. Proverbs 4:5-7 Any parent can tell you that raising a child is costly. In 2014, the estimated cost of raising a child to age seventeen (before college) was $245,300 for average middle-income American family. This amount of money is staggering, and when you are raising more than one, completely overwhelming. Raising kids is costly! However, the greatest challenge that parents have is not financial; it is instilling godly wisdom in their children. After I sent each of my three children. After I sent each of my three children off to college, I asked myself, "Did I teach them all they needed for life?" I taught them a solid work ethic, how to make eye contact when they shake hands, and how to change a tire. But did they lea

My son, if you receive my words, and treasure my commands within you, so that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding; if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasurers; then you will understand the fear of the Lord, And find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding. Proverbs 2:1-6 Several years ago I found myself single, not by choice, but by death of my first wife. A few months later I was introduced to a young lady who is now my wife. Instantly, I knew there was something special abut Mary, and I knew God was in this relationship. Wanting to know her, I unashamedly pursued a relationship with her. With laser focus I pursued her in order to win her heart. When we were not out on a date, I would call her. When we were apart from each other, I would send her a card expressing my love. There were gift

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandants. His praise endures forever. Psalm 111:10 I am one blessed man! My heart overflows with gratitude for the blessings God has bestowed upon me. One of those blessings was being born into a pastor's family. Jesus was not an afterthought in our home. No, He was the focus. I've been in church from the first Sunday I was home from the hospital. God placed me in an encouraging home as well as in nurturing church, where I learned to be a person of worship. I especially love worshipping Jesus. One of the ways I was taught to worship was through music. My favorite praise song as a child was "Praise Ye the Lord!" Whatever life's circumstances, I was to worship my Lord with praise. What kind of connection is there between praise and wisdom? The beginning of wisdom is reverence for our Creator. He alone is worthy of our worship and our praise. The psalmist reminded

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let ask in faith with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. James 1:5-6 One thing people everywhere and throughout time have in common is this: we all face various trails along this journey called life, No one escapes. What a contradiction to the prosperity gospel that is preached. That false gospel claims a person can live a pain-free, adversity-free life. The school of life, however, teaches that we all face adversity from time to time. Adversity and trails can challenge our decision-making ability. We may find ourselves desperate to know how to respond in the midst of a storm. We must remember that the purpose of any trial is to mature us as followers of Christ, to make us look more like Jesus. Trails are a fact of life. They cannot be controlled, but we can control how we react to them. James encourage

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel your Savior. Isaiah 43:2-3 God is always present with His children, and He draws nearer to us in the midst of our trails. No matter what your struggle or hardship, God promises that He will be with you. When we walk through fires or pass through the waters of life, sometimes we may begin to doubt God. But God allows certain things to happen to us so that we might lean on Him and grow spiritually. If we trust in the Lord with all of our hearts, He promises never to leave us nor forsake us. When we learn this lesson and apply it in our lives, we will experience a peace that surpasses all understanding. We will be able to stand boldly in faith and speak of our love for Christ with great confidence. Remember that the Holy One of Israel, our Sa

There are many who say, "Who will show us any good?" Lord, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us. You have put gladness in my heart, more than in the season that their grain and wine increased. I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. Psalm 4:6-8 Peace in God is the fruit of oneness with God. Every now and then it is helpful for us to take stock of our situation. Right now, you may not be experiencing difficulties during this time of your life. From your perspective, everything may seem sunny and clear; however, storms will come. How do we maintain a sense of peace and spiritual balance when these trails strike? The answer is found in a close, abiding relationship with Jesus. Fixing our eyes and hearts on Him will give us an unshakeable peace. No one but God is equipped to handle our problems. He never meant for us to be strong on our own. He wants us finds courage, hope, and strength in Him and His Word. In Psalm 4

"Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. But the very hairs of your are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows." Matthew 10:29-31 At some point, each of us will face what will may seem like mammoth trials and difficulties. When we encounter these hardships, we must know how to embrace the victorious faith that looks beyond what we can see to what God sees. In times, of extreme pressure, God stretches our faith and deepens our dependence on Him. Without a strong abiding faith, we can quickly yield to temptation and fear, especially when the difficulty is intense or prolonged. Every challenge presents many opportunities for God to show how much He loves you. Instead of yielding to thoughts of fear and failure, make a commitment to trust God, even when you do not know what the next day will bring. Jesus said we should not fear because our value to God is gr

Because you have made the Lord, who is  my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; for He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. Psalms 91:9-11 For thousands of years, this psalm has offered inspiration, comfort, and promise to warriors in harm's way. First, it is amazing to read the psalmist's ancient descriptions of warfare and compare the specifics to what we see in global war on terror today. Insurgency, snipers, suicide bombers, environmental terrorism they seem to be aptly described by "fowler's snare," "deadly pestilence," "terror of night," "arrow that flies by day," "pestilence that stalks in the darkness," and "plague that destroys at midday." What does God say in Psalm 91 that can calm our fears and help us to face these challenges? God chose to speak words of encouragement through David, a

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust." Surely He shall deliver you from he snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. Psalms 91:1-4 Throughout the psalms David referred to God as his Fortress, his Refuge, and his Strength. David faced many physical and spiritual battles throughout his life, and he experienced firsthand how God provides a strong fortress regardless of what attacks come at us. In the ancient world, a fortress was often walled off from the rest of the city. Its supplies of food, water, and ammunition gave the people a place to be protected and a point from which the city could be defended. David knew that he did not need to fear because in God he found a Fortress stronger than any

My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, and from the words of My groaning?...Our fathers cried to You, and were delivered; they trusted in You, and were not ashamed. Psalms 22:1,5 Have you ever felt so completely alone, forsaken, and isolated that you wondered if anyone would ever be there for you again? These famous words of David in Psalm 22 express a level of anguish and pain that I can honestly say I've never felt before, but maybe you have. Jesus Himself uttered these same words later as He hung on the cross to pay the penalty for all of our sins. The words seem to express a feeling of total abandonment, but when we look more closely, we see that David knows that God had provided for earlier believers, and David trusted that God would provide for him too. We also see in this psalm one reason why we can go to Christ for help; we can confident that He truly understands our suffering and grief because He Himself experienced them. Truthfu

After Abraham had patiently endured, he obtained the promise...that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil. Hebrews 6:15, 18-19 Why is hope valuable? Can't we live joyfully and peaceably without it? Maybe. Maybe not. Consider the Hebrews 6 imagery of hope acting as an anchor to the soul. An anchor is used to steady a ship, to keep it from drifting and floating into troubled waters. When anchor is "sure and steadfast," it is well grounded, secure, something we can count on. Then we read that this anchor "enters...behind the veil." In the temple the veil separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies, the sacred place that housed the ark of the covenant where God resided amongst the Israelites. Why are these images of an

Let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5:8-9 Recently, I stood at the bedside of a church member who was near death. As I prayed with the family, I felt their great peace. Although there were tears prompted by the impending loss, these dear people found genuine comfort in knowing that one day they would see their loved one again. In 1 Corinthians 15:19 Paul said, "If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied. For hope to be a reality in our lives, we must believe there is a life with Christ beyond this one. If we make our decisions based on this life only, we aren't being wise and we risk making the wrong choices. Do you see your adversities in light of eternity, or do you get anxious when life does not work out as planned? Do you feel bitterness to

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may be abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 When Paul closed his letter to the church at Rome, he invoked "the God of hope," the Source of joy and peace. This benediction implies that our joy and peace depend on hope. Now, joy is not the same as happiness. We experience happiness when something good happens; we know joy in spite of our circumstances. Finally, peace is inner tranquility even in adversity. And, according to Paul, we find both joy and peace through hope in Christ. Hope is our faith projected into the future. Our attitude toward the future greatly affects our joy and peace in the present. If we look forward to God's blessing in the future, we more easily have an attitude of joy today. If we trust God with out futures and the futures of our loved ones, we experience peace right now. We experience hope through the power of the Holy Spirit, and we receive the H