Precepts!
“I assure you and most solemnly say to you, the person who hears My word [the one who heeds My message], and believes and trusts in Him who sent Me, has (possesses now) eternal life [that is, eternal life actually begins--the believer is transformed], and does not come into judgment and condemnation, but has passed [over] from death into life. JOHN 5:24 AMP
Daily Victories!
[Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight.
Philippians 2:13 AMPC
Not a functionof willpower or sheer strength, but of daily dependence on God's ability to work through us to fulfil his own purpose.
Rituals and Relationships!
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened [by religious rituals that provide no peace], and I will give you rest [refreshing your souls with salvation] MATTHEW 11:28 AMP
Snares and Safety!
The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever leans on, trusts in, and puts his confidence in the Lord is safe and set on high. Proverbs 29:25 AMPC
The Process!
But whenever a person turns [in repentance] to the Lord, the veil is stripped off and taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (emancipation from bondage, freedom) 2 Corinthians 3:16-17 AMPC
Plan, Yet Trust!
A man's mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure. Proverbs 16:9 AMPC
Fear Not!
Be strong, courageous, and firm; fear not nor be in terror before them, for it is the Lord your God Who goes with you; He will not fail you or forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6 AMPC
Paid in Full!
since all have sinned and continually fall short of the glory of God, and are being justified [declared free of the guilt of sin, made acceptable to God, and granted eternal life] as a gift by His [precious, undeserved] grace, through the redemption [the payment for our sin] which is [provided] in Christ Jesus, ROMANS 3:23-24 AMP
Process!
He personally carried our sins in His body on the cross [willingly offering Himself on it, as on an altar of sacrifice], so that we might die to sin [becoming immune from the penalty and power of sin] and live for righteousness; for by His wounds you [who believe] have been healed. 1 PETER 2:24 AMP
Right Answers!
A soft and gentle and thoughtful answer turns away wrath, But harsh and painful and careless words stir up anger. PROVERBS 15:1 AMP
Cleaning Out!
So get rid of all uncleanness and the rampant outgrowth of wickedness, and in a humble (gentle, modest) spirit receive and welcome the Word which implanted and rooted [in your hearts] contains the power to save your souls. James 1:21 AMPC
Mercy's Target!
The saying is sure and true and worthy of full and universal acceptance, that Christ Jesus (the Messiah) came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am foremost.
1 Timothy 1:15 AMPC
Doing Right by God!
Whatever you do [no matter what it is] in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus [and in dependence on Him], giving thanks to God the Father through Him. COLOSSIANS 3:17 AMP
in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk [that is, to live each and every day] in His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments (precepts), so that you will live and multiply, and that the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you are entering to possess. DEUTERONOMY 30:16 AMP
Hearing and Knowing!
Therefore You are great, O Lord G od ; for there is none like You, and there is no God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 2 SAMUEL 7:22 AMP
Comforts!
In the multitude of my [anxious] thoughts within me, Your comforts cheer and delight my soul! Psalm 94:19 AMPC
Settling In!
Let the peace of Christ [the inner calm of one who walks daily with Him] be the controlling factor in your hearts [deciding and settling questions that arise]. To this peace indeed you were called as members in one body [of believers]. And be thankful [to God always]. COLOSSIANS 3:15 AMP
Life by the Word!
I will never forget Your precepts, For by them You have revived me and given me life. PSALM 119:93 AMP
As usual, David speaks here of the importance of the Word of God. Putting today's extract in context makes it clear that familiarity with the Word of God does not insulate you from trials and tribulations. In fact, everything you have ever heard or read from the Word will be tested and tried. Read up the stories about David and his experiences, from the desert with the sheep, to the battlefront with Goliath, the later nightmare with King Saul, and the entire drama of his kingship, and you will know that indeed, no man ever grows in God without the Word. How would you even know God if you never knew his mind or opinion on anything?
A man speaks from experience and when a man makes a commitment never to forget God's precepts, there must be a fundamental reason. For David, maybe it was protection from the lion and the bear whilst he took care of his father's sheep, or it could be God's sure protection whilst he waited for his kingship. Maybe it was during the difficult times as a result of his unfaithfulness with Bathsheba and the consequences that followed with Absalom his son. Who says life will always be rosy? Where did God promise that sin would not be punished? Anyone who says anything like that hasn't met the true God.
What God promises is life and peace in the most difficult of circumstances. He will revive, strengthen, help and sustain, all by his Word. His Word isn't so much theory as it is a Living being, who wants a relationship with me. As I give him the attention he requires, taking time to study, meditate and obey, I open myself up to his power and his wonders. The power in his Word has been sustaining all life since creation and he continues to offer life to all who come to him. Have you found him? Does he know you as his own? His time of favour is here.
Eternal Impact!
Jesus said to her, “ I am the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in (adheres to, trusts in, relies on) Me [as Savior] will live even if he dies; and everyone who lives and believes in Me [as Savior] will never die. Do you believe this?” JOHN 11:25-26 AMP
Before and Around
I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Psalm 16:8 AMP
What is your inspiration? What motivates you to act and what are the motives for all you pursue? The answers to those questions will determine the extent and depth of the impact your life makes. What have you set before you as idols? Does God have absolute control over your life or you share control with other stakeholders?
It is first a personal decision before it becomes a corporate position. You can join hands with others to worship God, but when you set out on your own, is God still before you, or have you conveniently left him at the venue of service? The right hand is a position of strength, a place of authority and command. When God is at your right hand, nothing else can take his place. Every other authority bows to his; every other power is rendered powerless. You are not moved, not because you are strong in yourself, but because you are backed up by the greatest power in the world.
When God is before you, the world loses its allure. When God is the focus, nothing else matters. When God is the only one whose word counts, then every other thing loses significance. If you want stability, make sure you are in God's corner. Setting God before you means there is no room for any other. Setting God before you is the final position, no options. You don't have a back up plan when God is the only one you are banking on. I ask again: what have you set before you? Who is the inspiration? His time of favour is here.
Trust in and rely confidently on the Lord with all your heart And do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him, And He will make your paths straight and smooth [removing obstacles that block your way]. PROVERBS 3:5-6 AMP
And you shall love the Lord your God with all your [mind and] heart and with your entire being and with all your might.
Deuteronomy 6:5 AMPC
Love God , your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that’s in you, love him with all you’ve got! Deuteronomy 6:5 MSG
Today's extract is part of a charge by Moses to the people of Israel as he bade them farewell. Here was a man who was commissioned to lead Israel to the Promised land, yet because of these same people, he was denied that final entry due to a short burst of anger. If you think leadership is all about position and visibility, you may need to look at the life of Moses again. If you are sure God has asked you to go, you had better make him a reference point all through the journey, not just when things look rough.
Moses' experience with the people of Israel was full of inconsistencies. One day they were praising God, singing and dancing, the next day, they were grumbling about water. One day, they were at the edge of Canaan, the next day, they wanted to appoint another leader to take them back to Egypt. What was the problem? Before we criticise these people, we must take a good look at ourselves too. Is our love for God dependent on external circumstances or have we settled our allegiance to God, no matter what comes? Can I say, without any fear of contradiction, that my heart is settled?
Today's extract focuses on the inside, because it is from there that all of life's impact is determined. Love isn't do much about talk, but it is seen in action. With God, the standards are even higher. When dealing with man, you can pretend, with God, you dare not. That's why it is advised that I love God with ALL my heart, not part or almost all. The danger with half hearted devotion to God is seen in men and women like Amaziah, Miriam, Aaron and so many others who never fulfilled their potential because their hearts had other priorities. I have to love God with all that is IN me. He won't demand from me what I do not have, and he will not ask of me what he has not given me power to accomplish.
Love is a command and an admonition and I have the free will to decide what I would do. The decision is mine, the eternal consequences of that decision will also be all mine. His time of favour is here.
