A Daily Devotional – Amen – The Eternal Word (8)

A Daily Devotional – Amen – The Eternal Word (8)

Comment: Would it not be comforting to revisit the early church as in the days shortly after the resurrection and ascension of our LORD Jesus Christ? How does this question spark your mind to respond with thoughts about the modern church of today? Should we be complacent with our thoughts! Or should we seek the God of peace who brought up our LORD Jesus from the ‘dead’, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant – Hebrews 13:20.  
  

Devotional: I sometimes think that man believes he can help God out by temporal performance, but I would like for those who believe this to study the scriptures, God needs NO human effort since it is always God, THE GREAT SHEPHERD, through the BLOOD of the EVERLASTING COVENANT who makes us COMPLETE in every good work to do HIS WILL. God is working in us (He needs no temporal help from temporal man) – Hebrews 13:21.

I find it dishonoring to God when church leadership seek to make temporal celebrations of worship the ways and means of sanctification in the lives of God’s children. Look again at Hebrews 13:20-21. Of course, one could exhort for hours on these two verses; after all, these are the words of the writer of Hebrews exhorting his readers in his benediction to reject the temporal and acquire an eternal Spiritual outlook.

We should also consider that God is pleased in His Son (in His willing sacrificial death to whom is glory forever). The thought then ought to be are we living sacrificially in the will of God as the Great Shepherd of the sheep seeks? Do you not see that “In Christ” is the eternal glory? Again, God is not glorified by the outward expressions of our churchy methods of today. God is glorified by the OBEDIENCE of His Son.

One clue to this truth is found in verse 21 and is the word AMEN. The word is unique and only found in sixty-four verses of scripture; thirteen in the Old Testament leaving fifty-one in the New. Here is the rub! AMEN means that the statements before the word AMEN are TRUSTWORTHY. Thus if what we do as church service today is not eternally trustworthy, than it is not hard to understand that what is being done is temporal and will be destroyed at the Bema Seat of Christ – 2 Corinthians 5:9-11.

Please know, that we will be on vacation until November 10th. We will resume the devotionals on the the tenth, in the meantime, seek the LORD while He can be found - Isaiah 55:6.

A Daily Devotional – Preserving – The Eternal Word (7)

A Daily Devotional – Preserving – The Eternal Word (7)

Comment: When we are downtrodden (depressed) our eyes are usually ‘downcast’, our thoughts are selfishly inward and our activity to live is idle. The unknown writer of Psalm 121 is having just such a day and he is focused on finding relief. He has a question, a wise one in fact so let’s read the question, “From whence comes my help?” the word ‘whence’ is unique as it ponders or meditates a specific answer; like what place, source or cause will provide a proper solution. Note the psalmist has lifted his eyes to the hills. In a depressed state of mind, the beauty of Creation is dulled, but not distorted. Notice “my help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth!” Verses 1 and 2.

Devotional: Of course, the writer is Jewish, praise God; his nationality means that he is God’s agent to the rest of the world to testify of his personal faith in the grace of God. This man’s depression does not last long; notice!

He (God) will not allow your foot to be moved (literally – slip). He who KEEPS you will not slumber. Behold (Look), He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber, nor sleep. (God is eternally awake, meaning God is omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient).

No more depression in this man, now he is a teacher of Truth; notice verse 5b-6; The LORD is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD provides protection twenty-four hours a day, in other words; NOTHING will happen any of His children at any time that is beyond His Will for us.

The LORD’s protection for us is directed at preserving us physically, mentally and spiritually. God alone is our ‘keeper and protector’ His love for His children is to preserve our SOUL from all EVIL. Evil is the destroyer of life, liberty and soul; we have no ability to protect ourselves from evil; notice again.

The LORD shall preserve (keep) you’re going out and you’re coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore.

The next time you feel depression creeping in, turn to the Creator of the heaven and the earth. Read Psalm 121 if need be, or one of the other Psalms from 120 to 134. Have a wonderful weekend. 

We will be going on vacation on November 1^st through the 10^th so there will be no devotionals during that time, Monday October 31, 2016 will be the cut off of devotionals until November 10, 2016.

A Daily Devotional – Preserving – The Eternal Word (6)

A Daily Devotional – Preserving – The Eternal Word (7)

Comment: When we are downtrodden (depressed) our eyes are usually ‘downcast’, our thoughts are selfishly inward and our activity to live is idle. The unknown writer of Psalm 121 is having just such a day and he is focused on finding relief. He has a question, a wise one in fact so let’s read the question, “From whence comes my help?” the word ‘whence’ is unique as it ponders or meditates a specific answer; like what place, source or cause will provide a proper solution. Note the psalmist has lifted his eyes to the hills. In a depressed state of mind, the beauty of Creation is dulled, but not distorted. Notice “my help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth!” Verses 1 and 2.

Devotional: Of course, the writer is Jewish, praise God; his nationality means that he is God’s agent to the rest of the world to testify of his personal faith in the grace of God. This man’s depression does not last long; notice!

He (God) will not allow your foot to be moved (literally – slip). He who KEEPS you will not slumber. Behold (Look), He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber, nor sleep. (God is eternally awake, meaning God is omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient).

No more depression in this man, now he is a teacher of Truth; notice verse 5b-6; The LORD is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD provides protection twenty-four hours a day, in other words; NOTHING will happen any of His children at any time that is beyond His Will for us.

The LORD’s protection for us is directed at preserving us physically, mentally and spiritually. God alone is our ‘keeper and protector’ His love for His children is to preserve our SOUL from all EVIL. Evil is the destroyer of life, liberty and soul; we have no ability to protect ourselves from evil; notice again.

The LORD shall preserve (keep) you’re going out and you’re coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore.

The next time you feel depression creeping in, turn to the Creator of the heaven and the earth. Read Psalm 121 if need be, or one of the other Psalms from 120 to 134. Have a wonderful weekend. 

We will be going on vacation on November 1^st through the 10^th so there will be no devotionals during that time, Monday October 31, 2016 will be the cut off of devotionals until November 10, 2016.