Tag: good

When I doubt, “Where is God?” I turn to old hymns to remind me, “He’s right here.”

An old hymn at the bottom of my C.H. Spurgeon Devotional Bible caught my eye today,

When trouble like a gloomy cloud,
Has gathered thick and thundered loud,
He near my soul has always stood,
His loving-kindness, oh, how good!

Though num’rous hosts of mighty foes,
Though earth and hell my way oppose,
He safely leads my soul along,
His loving-kindness, oh, how strong!

Awake, my soul, to joyful lays,
And sing thy great Redeemer’s praise;
He justly claims a song for me,
His loving-kindness, oh, how free!

In the late 1780s, Samuel Medley wrote this hymn originally called, Awake My Soul, to Joyful Lays in 1782, later titled Loving-Kindness.

Today I find these old phrases turn my gloomy thoughts to hope in God, without even knowing the melody.

The words speak faith. My heart is hungry to receive its truth. This is eternal life for the present moment, not some future day. Eternal life is to know Jesus and His present love here and now.

When we base all our hope and trust on what we can see, our hearts fail us and we become discouraged and in despair, but God . . .

He reminds us, not one time, not two, but four times: “The just shall live by faith.”

Habakkuk 2:4, Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, and Hebrews 10:38 each remind us, “the just shall live by faith!”

Faith is believing God. Period. But how can we believe God if we don’t know Him or listen to His voice?

Where is truth today? Who can we trust?

The Bible tells us:

God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it? Numbers 23:19.

We have to know, today, what God has said. It’s no longer a day for “hear-say” about God. We’ve got to open the Bible for ourselves and discover Him.

A tiny letter, an epistle in the Bible inspired by the Holy Spirit written by Paul the Apostle called Titus, opens rich and loaded with substance to chew on concerning God, His Word, and faith:

Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ,

for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, 

which accords with godliness, 

in hope of eternal life,

which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began

and at the proper time manifested in his word

 through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior; Titus 1:1-3.

Do these words give me an appetite to read more of what God has to say in His Word? As the hymn that caught my eye?

To fix my eyes on God’s Word and a God song, I must! We must!

“For the sake of the faith . . . and their knowledge of the truth, . . . in the hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised!”(Exclamation point, mine).

The old hymn puts God’s promise in a summary of what Jesus did for us:

He saw me ruined in the fall,
Yet loved me notwithstanding all;
He saved me from my lost estate,
His loving-kindness, oh, how great!

Jesus says in the gospels, “Follow me.”

Do I choose to follow Him? Today?

The Bible tells us, “God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be SAVED through Him” (John 3:17).

Do we receive Jesus’ love and forgiveness? Do I forgive myself? Can I speak back the hymn in praise to God:

He saw me ruined in the fall,
Yet loved me notwithstanding all;
He saved me from my lost estate,
His loving-kindness, oh, how great!

No matter what is going on around, can you and I look up and agree, “His loving-kindness, Oh, how great!”

And can we trust the “death of death” for you and me who believe?

Yes, let’s take comfort in the hymn, with understanding in the life we live, eternally:

Soon I shall pass the gloomy vale,
Soon all my mortal pow’rs must fail;
Oh, may my last expiring breath
His loving-kindness sing in death.

Then let me mount and soar away
To the bright world of endless day;
And sing with raptures and surprise,
His loving-kindness in the skies.
Loving-kindness, loving-kindness,
His loving-kindness in the skies.

His loving-kindness is never-ending. I share Ella and Irelyn in “Lord, I’m in Your Hands,” by Tim Weeks:

Jesus never leaves us. No matter where we are, we can call His name.

Separate for God or Self?

“Blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired) is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and who keep the things which are written in it [heeding them and taking them to heart]; for the time [of fulfillment] is near” Revelation 1:3, Amplified.

The Revelation of Jesus Christ.

Do I believe it? Do you believe it? Why does this matter?

If God’s Word is truth, as Jesus Himself proclaimed in His prayer for those who follow Him in John 17:17, Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth,

then, I must understand there is blessing in hearing and receiving the Book of Revelation along with the entirety of the Bible. This is the revelation of Jesus.

Jesus is the Word. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God Revelation 19:13.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God . . . And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father,

full of grace and truth John 1:14-15.

Everyday I need revelation of Jesus Christ. I need to see His glory. How about you?

The Bible is the revelation of Jesus Christ. Am I separated to Him that I might receive His amazing grace, one time for salvation, everyday for light in the midst of a dark world.

Let our hearts sing, “I once was lost, but now I’m found, was blind but now I see.”

 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 

 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1:16-17.

“Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved . . . “

Am I separated to receive the fullness of His grace? Grace is His unmerited favor on my life. Jesus offers sufficient grace and forgiveness. Am I in a place to receive this?

Happy, blessed, and safe are those who read and hear, who keep these words in our heart, who choose to believe and follow the prophesy. From the first Book of Genesis to the final Book of the Revelation of Jesus.

Where do I stand? Where do you stand. Are we separate unto the Lord?

Can we sing, “How precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed.”

What does it mean to be sanctified?

Why would I want to be separated to God? Will He take away my life’s desires? Does fear keep me from receiving God’s love and life eternal through His Son Jesus Christ?

Am I half-hearted or set apart?

Jesus was all in:

After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit John 19:28-30.

Jesus gave all when our backs were turned to Him: But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8.

The revelation of Jesus is grace and truth. “And of His fullness we have all received grace for grace.” We receive because he gave us what we didn’t deserve. This makes me want to be on His side, no?

Read in Webster’s American Dictionary of the English Language, 1828, the definition of sanctify:

SANC’TIFY, verb transitive . . .

1. In a general sense, to cleanse, purify or make holy.

2. To separate, set apart or appoint to a holy, sacred or religious use.

God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it. Genesis 2:3 . . .

5. To cleanse from corruption; to purify from sin; to make holy by detaching the affections from the world and its defilements, and exalting them to a supreme love to God.

Sanctify them through thy truth; thy word is truth.

John 17:17. Ephesians 5:26 . . .

7. To make free from guilt . . .

8. To secure from violation . . .

To sanctify God, to praise and celebrate him as a holy being; to acknowledge and honor his holy majesty, and to reverence his character and laws. Isaiah 8:13.

God sanctifies himself or his name, by vindicating his honor from the reproaches of the wicked, and manifesting his glory. Ezekiel 36:23.

Is this not safety? In a day where so much expense and time is being spent on safety are we safely set apart to God, the keeper of our souls?

Am I a lost soul? or am I sanctified to the Lord, the One who is able to save us to the uttermost:

Therefore he is also able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, seeing that he lives forever to make intercession for them Hebrews 7:25.

“Give me revelation,” we pray in this dark day. We need to know truth. Let’s read aloud the Amplified version of His grace upon grace for those who choose Him today:

Grace [be granted] to you and peace [inner calm and spiritual well-being], from Him Who is [existing forever]

and Who was [continually existing in the past]

and Who is to come, and from the seven Spirits that are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful and trustworthy Witness, the Firstborn of the dead, and the Ruler of the kings of the earth.

To Him who [always] loves us and who [has once for all] freed us [or washed us] from our sins by His own blood (His sacrificial death)— 

and formed us into a kingdom [as His subjects], priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the power and the majesty and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. 

 Behold, He is coming with the clouds,

and every eye will see Him,

even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes (nations) of the earth will mourn over Him [realizing their sin and guilt, and anticipating the coming wrath]. 

So it is to be. Amen. Revelation 1: 4-7.

I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”Revelation 1:8.

Separated to God? Yes!

Let’s proclaim together: “I will be careful and safe, making the most out of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

Today, we ask to be cleansed and emptied of ourselves and filled with the Spirit of God, that we might have lives that bear much fruit. That God’s love and joy and peace would permeate from our lives because we choose to be separate to Him.

That we might have patience in all things. That we might have the fullness of self-control and gentleness.

We ask for a filling of His Spirit over and again. That we would be faithful to read and hear the revelation of Jesus Christ through the entirety of His Word.

He has given us a new song. Today we will choose to make music in our heart to the Lord.

Let’s continually give thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of His love, He has made glad, me, you, and those we are around!

PS: If you’ve never asked the Lord Jesus in your life, . . . do it now.

Simply bow your head and talk to Him. Ask forgiveness for your stubbornness and hardness of heart. Ask Him to wash, cleanse, and purify.

He will. He will sanctify you.

Ask the Lord to fill You with His Spirit and understanding in His Word, in the revelation of Jesus.

He will. He looses the stronghold of every chain. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

And tell someone that you have opened your heart to Love.

Did you see the Son rise today?

Perhaps your body hurts with too much pain.
Or your heart is broken, there’s so much strain.
The sadness has caused your eyes to close.
“Jesus loves me …” in this day, who knows?
The clouds are too thick. Is there a Son rise?
Forever, yes. And not as far as you think.
If you stop, and be still … and open your mind.
Put off the doubt, and a young child do find.
If you are able, sit with a youngster or just watch, the wiggles and squeals for a short while or else:  think back of a sweet memory as far back as you can, and sit in the warmth, to cheer up your soul.
Make thinking ‘on good’ be your new style. Sacrifice some time to offer to God a thankful heart for awhile.
Put off the dark colors for a minute and see, the light, the blues and yellows and pink. The Lord will cover you in His tenderness and get you through the  moments of great sadness.
Sacrifice thanksgiving, even though clouds still hang from the sky, somehow, miraculously,
you see the sun rise.
“He, (Jesus) said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”  Mark 10:13-15.
Can you see you are His child in His arms? He desires to touch and bless you, even now,
even today,
with His love charms of hope and grace always.
 “And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.” Mark 10: 16.
Let us make a ‘Thank offering.’ Oh how beautiful the Son is to our eyes.
“…Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Matthew 6:9-13.