Father God, radically change our minds, hearts and hands in 2022 from constant rebellion and disobedience to minds, hearts and hands that fully desire to love and obey You.
Lord God, thank You for this new year! Thank You for this new month! Lord God, may we learn more about Your glory and holiness this year! Lord God, Your glory is seen in salvation and in judgment. Lord, motivate us more in 2022 to warn people of Your coming judgment. Motivate us Lord to love You and worship You more in this new year!
Lord God, for those of us in cooler climates may we wrap ourselves in Your Warmth and for those who are in warmer climates may they know the cool breeze and refreshment of Your Word.
Lord God, thank You for this reader. Lord, help this reader to make spiritual goals rather than New Years resolutions. Lord God, help us to grow in You more this year and in this new month. Thank You and praise You Lord that Your mercies are new each morning. Lord God, as Jesus Christ in His Humanity grew physically, spiritually, emotionally may the same be said of Your people this year. Thank You Jesus that You are God and we are not! Thank You Jesus that You are perfect! Lord, help us to embrace that while You do NOT call us to be perfect You do call us to be holy and wise!
Lord God, help us to be holy this year. Sanctify us and unite us in Your Word and Truth. Lord God, may there be peace among the Body of Christ this year rather than spears, swords and division. Lord God, teach us to set our minds on You and the things above rather than on the things of this life. Praise You Lord that You are Sovereign and that Your will and way will NEVER be stopped!
Lord God, fill this reader with confidence in 2022. Fill this reader with courage and boldness to live for You in this changing world. May we seek to live in Your Kingdom rather than in the metaverse. Lord God, help this reader to cling to You more this year. Help us to put away childish things so that we may love, grow and serve You more faithfully.
Lord God, thank You for this reader. Thank You Lord that for the reader who is in Christ that I will one day see them face to face in Your Kingdom! Lord God, for this reader who does not know Christ as Lord and Savior I ask boldly Lord that today will be their day of salvation. Lord God, thank You that You are still stirring, convicting and bringing individuals to Yourself by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Lord God, thank You that salvation is Your Work from start to finish. Lord God, may we never think that You will give us tomorrow. May we live in a manner each day where we complete the tasks that You have set before us. Not to merit our salvation or for greater reward but because we love You and want to please, honor and glorify You.
Lord God, thank You for this new year and month. Thank You Lord for new beginnings. Thank You Lord that in Christ we are new creations. Thank You Lord that while we still contend with us, when we call on You in repentance You are Faithful and Just to forgive and cleanse us for our sins. Lord, help us live in a manner that honors and glorifies You. May this reader allow You to transform them, sanctify them and use them for Your glory. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.
Psalm 119 encourages believers to love the Word of God and to walk in obedience according to the Word of God. Psalm 119 encourages us to be the Lord’s students and servants. Wise is the person who takes the Lord’s Word to heart, walking in its ways.
Lord God, thank You for this study on Psalm 119. Lord God, may this study be an encouragement to believers and conviction to those who are not. Lord God, thank You for this reader. May this reader grow closer to You through Your Word. Thank You and praise You Holy Trinity to live in such a time to share Your Word online. Thank You again Lord for this reader. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.
Tsadhe 137 Righteous are you, O Lord, and right are your rules. 138 You have appointed your testimonies in righteousness and in all faithfulness. 139 My zeal consumes me, because my foes forget your words. 140 Your promise is well tried, and your servant loves it. 141 I am small and despised, yet I do not forget your precepts. 142 Your righteousness is righteous forever, and your law is true. 143 Trouble and anguish have found me out, but your commandments are my delight. 144 Your testimonies are righteous forever; give me understanding that I may live.
The psalmist knows that the Lord is Righteous and that His rules are right (v 137). The Lord is the One who has appointed His testimonies in righteousness and in all faithfulness (v 138). The Lord is Righteous in His Character and Right in His Conduct. “Trust in the reliability of God’s word is directly proportionate to one’s trust in the Lord himself. The conviction that the Lord is righteous and faithful, as is his word, evokes a response of great devotion” (W. VanGemeren, Psalms REBC, 2008, p. 884).
The zeal that the psalmist has for the Lord’s Word is an all consuming zeal because his foes forget God’s Words (v 139). This zeal is a deep anger that almost destroys the psalmist. Ultimately, “he could not however stand by while the word of the LORD was being nullified, for it is truth. The reliability of the word of the LORD is not something he had heard, or had been taught—it has been proved by him. He had been in situations where he was forced to rely on the promises of the LORD, to discover that the LORD keeps his word” (A. Ross, A Commentary on the Psalms 90-150 KEL, 2016, pp. 572-573).
The psalmist knows the Lord’s promises firsthand, and as His servant he loves it (v 140). Even though the psalmist is small and continually despised (niphal, participle, 2ms, absolute) he does not forget the Lord’s precepts (v 141). “Being the little son, the youngest, or being small of stature, means being insignificant and not counting. That is the suppliant’s status in the community; it likely reflects the troubles the psalm has referred to. Trouble leads to being discounted and disregarded” (J. Goldingay, Psalms 90-150 BCOT, 2008, p. 433).
Unlike his foes who forget the Lord’s Words, the psalmist does not. Even though the psalmist is being afflicted and continually despised by his foes, he still loves the Lord’s promises. “The psalmist acknowledges candidly that he is totally unimpressive, with no importance or prestige or honor. Nevertheless, he does not let his low status deter him from staying true to the Lord. What distinguishes him is his commitment to God’s word, nothing inherent in himself that would cause others to be impressed with him” (D. Estes, Psalms 73-150 NAC, 2019, p. 432).
Returning to the theme of righteousness (vv 137-138) the psalmist states the Lord’s righteousness is righteous forever and His Torah (law) is true (v 142). What the Lord says is true and can be trusted because of Who He Is. The Lord NEVER speaks nor acts in a manner that violates or contradicts His Character!
Although trouble and anguish have found the psalmist, the Lord’s commandments are his delight (v 143). “From the context of this stanza as well as the previous stanzas the difficulty most likely has been caused by his enemies in high places who are oppressing and demeaning him (Ross, p. 573). Zeal and obedience to God’s law (v 139) are what drive his foes to oppress him. “The psalmist might have wished not to feel so strongly about people’s ignoring Yhwh’s word, but passion does not give options. No doubt declaring this passion again signals that the psalmist is definitely not someone who fails to be mindful of Yhwh’s words” (Goldingay, p. 432). The psalmist delights in the Lord’s commands even when it hurts.
The psalmist ends this stanza again stating the Lord’s testimonies are righteous forever; and because of this, he petitions the Lord to give him understanding so that he may live (v 144). Understanding here is a hiphil, imperative 2ms with 1cs suffix. As the psalmist has done in other verses, he is commanding God to cause him to have understanding. God here is as He was in verse 27 is the Agent: “the person or thing that instigates an action or causes change in another person or thing” (J. Thompson, The Lexham Glossary of Semantic Roles, 2014, n.p.). The Lord has never ceased being in the heart changing business! The Lord is the One who causes effectual and lasting change and understanding in His people. The psalmist knows that the Lord and His Word are righteous; as such, he delights in it with his whole being. Because the Lord is always calling people to grow in their love and devotion to Him, the psalmist knows that God will hear his petition for understanding so that he may live for him. “As the Lord is perpetually righteous (v. 142), so his decrees are righteous forever. There will never come a time when God’s word will fail, so obeying God’s word is always the right thing to do. The psalmist, therefore, calls on the Lord to give him understanding (cf. v. 130) so that he can choose the path of life” (Estes, p. 433).
Lord God, thank You and praise You that You are Righteous forever! Thank You Lord that Your Word is Righteous and True. Thank You Lord that You are not like finite humans who change their mind 500 times a day, oh Lord God how my family and friends can attest to how guilty I am of that! Lord, thank You that in Your Sovereignty and Timing You appointed Your testimonies in righteousness and in all faithfulness. Lord God, thank You that in Your Sovereignty and Timing You sent Jesus into this world to be born of a Virgin, taking on flesh, dwelling among sinful people who was crucified, dead, buried and resurrected on the third day. Thank Father that Jesus is now seated at Your Right Hand and when the appointed time comes, Jesus will return. Thank You Father that at the appointed time through Jesus’s Work on the Cross, You sent Your Holy Spirit into the world to convict sinners of their need for Jesus. Holy Spirit, thank You for indwelling and sealing Your people. Holy Trinity, for the reader who is not in Christ may today be their appointed time for salvation.
Lord God, may our zeal and passion for You and Your Word be productive and not a hindrance. Lord God, I love You and I love Your Word more than life itself. Lord, I hate how Your Word is being mocked and twisted by apostate believers. Lord, each day when I hear what these apostates are saying I come to a greater understanding of Paul’s zeal and passion for wanting the Judaizers to castrate themselves! Lord God, help me to have righteous anger and not sinful, vengeful anger. Lord God, may we never make excuses for unbelievers behavior but may we not be surprised when unbelieving people act like unbelivers. Lord God, how well Your people know Your promises and intervening in their lives. May we always be Your servants who love Your precious promises.
Thank You Lord that Your Good News was first revealed to the humble. Lord may we remain a humble people even if that means we are deemed small and provincial, despised by the world. May we never forget Your Word because we know in both times of trial and times of joy You are Righteous and Your Word is true. May we never cease delighting in Your Word. May we never cease in asking You to cause us to have more understanding so that we may live more for You. Lord God, may we never forget that You never teach us anything to keep it to ourselves! Lord God, stir Your peoples hearts to want to have understanding and to obey the understanding that You give us! Lord God, thank You for this reader! Holy Trinity, cause this reader’s understanding to grow by the Spirt, through the Son, for Your Glory Father. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.
Sunrise, 1 December 2021. Photo taken by Mandy Sweigart-Quinn.
Thank You Lord for this new month. Lord God, thank You that even when the sunrise and sunset fizzles, You never fade away. Thank You Lord that when we burn out, we know that You do not burn out. Praise You Lord that You never slumber nor sleep.
Lord God, help us to grow this month in understanding that we are stewards and not owners. Help us Lord to give our lives in service to You and to others. Lord God, help us to be a people who worship and serve You with authentic and sincere hearts. May we be a people of whole hearted devotion to You. Lord God, helps us to offer You our sacrifice of obedience willingly. Help us Lord to be a people who seek Your Kingdom first and in doing so, we will grow in rejoicing and worshiping You.
Lord God, regardless of what this reader thinks about Christmas, thank You and praise You Father for sending Your Son Jesus to be born of a virgin, taking on flesh and dwelling among sinful people. Lord God, may we meditate and reflect on the mystery and wonder of Jesus’s Incarnation more this year. Lord may we look on the manger scene with Your eyes and not our own. May we meditate and reflect that the Baby in the Manger grew to become the Suffering Servant who paid our sin debt on the Cross. Lord may we never separate the Incarnation from the Resurrection.
Lord God, help us to end 2021 well. Lord God, impress on us that this world is not our home. Lord God, prepare our hearts to meet Jesus whether it be through death or rapture, prepare us to see our King in His Beauty. Lord God, may we strive to love You more this month. May we strive to obey You more this month. Lord, may we seek ways to serve You. Lord God, thank You that You do not call us to do life alone. While the Internet has many, many ills, thank You Lord that it does provide us with a means of connecting with others.
Lord God, with all the turmoil, darkness and chaos that is rampant in the world today, help Your people to be wise and discerning. Help us to exercise common sense and to hold everything we read, hear and see up to the Light of Scripture. Lord God, may we not fear new variants, geopolitical issues, societal and economic collapses but rather view them with an end time lens. Lord God, may we not bury our heads in the sand, but to face what is to come in Your strength and with Your mind.
Lord God, thank You for this reader. Lord, thank You for the opportunity to get to know some of my fellow bloggers outside of WordPress. What a gift and joy this community is to my life. Lord God, for the reader who does not know Christ, stir their heart toward You. Lord God, thank You and praise You for the gift of salvation. Thank You Jesus for Your first coming (Advent) and prepare our hearts for Your second coming. Thank You Lord for this reader. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.
108 Accept my freewill offerings of praise, O Lord,
and teach me your rules.
109 I hold my life in my hand continually,
but I do not forget your law.
110 The wicked have laid a snare for me,
but I do not stray from your precepts.
111 Your testimonies are my heritage forever,
for they are the joy of my heart.
112 I incline my heart to perform your statutes
forever, to the end.
Psalm 119:105 is a beloved verse for many and in Hebrew it is a verbless clause. “In Old Testament times, lamps were made of clay in the shape of a shallow cup or saucer pinched on one edge to support a wick [see image above]. They were not carried outside for travel lest oil spill out of the open top; rather, they were used indoors or in a cave where neither sunlight nor moonlight illuminated the darkness” (J. Hilber, “Psalms” ZIBBC, 2009, p. 423).
Ross’s commentary on verse 105 states, “The comparison of the word of God to a “light” and a “lamp” (metaphors) indicates that divine revelation brings spiritual guidance for the faithful who live according to it. The figures of “foot” and “step” (implied comparisons) refer to what Scripture elsewhere calls the believer’s walk, the course of actions in life. The image of light in the Bible also has the connotation of joy and happiness in life. On the other side, the world is enveloped in darkness because of the presence of evil and what it produces” (ACommentary on the Psalms 90-150 KEL, 2016, p. 551).
There is danger in darkness. “Without God’s word [the psalmist] would be walking in the dark, unable to see the path before him” (Estes, Psalms 73-150 NAC, 2019, p. 425). Believers today have the entire canon of Scripture to light their path and we would be wise to read and heed it! The only time that believers are said to be “of the world” is when they shining the Light of the World, Jesus Christ (John 8:12). As this world grows darker and darker by the minute, may believers, like this psalmist not deviate from the Lord’s Word and Path.
The psalmist is so commitment to staying on the Lord’s path that in verse 106 he uses legal language to solemnly swear an oath to keep the Lord’s righteous rules. “Rather than insisting on his freedom to choose as he pleases, he firmly holds to what the Lord decrees” (Estes, p. 425). The Lord’s decrees for the obedient brought life and blessings, but for the disobedient the Lord’s decrees brought consequences.
In verse 107a the psalmist again states he is severely afflicted (see also vv 22-23, 25, 39, 51, 61, 69, 71, 78, 81-83, 85-87, 92 and 95). In his affliction the psalmist knows to cry out to the Lord to give him life (piel, imperative, 2ms with 1 cs suffix) rather than running away from God or becoming angry with Him. The psalmist makes his petitions according to the Lord’s Word (v 107b), offering praises (v 108a) and with a teachable spirit (v 108b).
The psalmist “depicts his praise in the language of sacrifice that is not compulsory but freely given. He knows that to be accepted by the Lord his praise must be genuine and not a cover for his insincerity. As he praises the Lord, he also wants to continue to learn from him, so he approaches the Lord as a humble suppliant and not with a spirit of entitlement” (Estes, p. 425). Oh that the people of God would approach the Lord in the same manner today!
The ESV does a poor job translating verse 109a and in Hebrew it literally says, My life is continually in my palm. Goldingay states, “To take your life into your hand is an image for risking your life (1 Sam. 19:5; 28:21). “Palm,” kap, rather than the general word yād, helps to explain the idea: having your life on your open hand makes it easy for your enemies to take it” (Baker Commentary on the Old Testament: Psalms 90- 150, 2006, 422). Even thought the psalmist’s life is in his palm he does not forget/ignore the Lord’s torah/law (v 109b).
The Lord’s Word is a lamp to his feet and light to his path (v 105) and even though his life is continually in his own palm (v 109), the psalmist does not stray from the Lord’s precepts even though the wicked have laid a snare for him (v 110). “[E]ven when facing threats, he keeps listening to the Lord. He does not allow dangers to deter him from God’s way, but he fixes his compass on the true north of God’s word and does not deviate from it” (Estes, pp. 425-426).
The Lord’s testimonies are the psalmist’s heritage and joy of his heart (v 111). Heart in Hebrew thought encompasses the entire being: mind, will and emotions. The psalmist’s entire being delights in the Lord’s testimonies to the point where he inclines his heart to perform His statutes forever, to the end (v 112). Good theology always moves from the head, to the heart, to the hand; and that is how the psalmist ends this stanza, with active obedience. The psalmist is “intentional about obeying what the Lord has commanded, choosing to live according to the Lord’s way rather than his own way. This commitment to obedience is complete and permanent, extending “to the very end.” As in v. 33, he will obey the Lord all the time throughout all his life” (Estes, p. 426).
Father God, may Your Word be the lamp to our feet and light to our path. Lord God, may we walk in step with You rather than this world. Lord God, at some point for the believer in Christ, they have made a faith declaration, impress on Your people, what that declaration of faith means. May we be reminded that our declaration of faith means that we will no longer live for ourselves but for YOU! Lord God, may we be reminded that faith in Christ is not easy. It is the narrow road. Lord God, for the person who is suffering from affliction I ask that You will give them life according to Your Word. Lord, may we run to You in our affliction and not from You. Lord God, may we offer You authentic and sincere praises with teachable spirits.
Lord God, thank You that for believers in Christ, we know that You hold us in the palm of Your Hand. Lord God, help us even when it seems like we are on our own, in enemy territory, that You are with us. May we never forget Your promises so that when the wicked come and lay traps for us we will not be moved. Lord, may we know Your Word so well Lord that when persecution comes, Your Word will be hidden in our hearts.
Lord God, Your Word is our heritage, our inheritance. You preserve Your Word from generation to generation. It never is far from my mind that Your Word is always one generation away from extinction. Impress on us Lord that You have no grandchildren. Lord God, for the reader who does not know Christ, may today be the day of salvation. Lord God, may Your Word be the joy of our hearts! May we incline our hearts to do Your Will! Lord God, may we obey You forever, not to earn our salvation but out of love and reverence for You. Lord God, for the reader who is on the edge and thinking of giving up, I ask boldly that You revive them according to Your Word. Give them light in their darkness. Thank You Lord for this stanza of Psalm 119. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.
Fog Bank on the Susquehanna River. 2 October 2021. Photo taken by Mandy Sweigart-Quinn
For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known (1 Cor 13:12 ESV).
Lord God, thank You that for those of us who are in Christ there will be a day when the veil will be removed and we will see You more clearly, glorifying and serving You forever.
Lord God, thank You that even when we are confused, facing a wall of darkness or a situation with no light ahead, thank You and praise You that we can move forward trusting in who You are. Lord, give this reader clarity where they are confused. Give this reader hope where there is darkness. Lord God, thank You that even though we don’t know what lies ahead, we know that You do.
Lord, in light of my scenery this morning, remind us that our lives are but a mist that is here for a time and then vanishes (Jas 4:14). In all things Lord may we seek to do Your will, making our mist matter to You and to others.
Thank You Lord for all the ways You use Your Creation to teach me spiritual truths and lessons! Thank You again for this reader! In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.
Sunset. August 20, 2021. Photo taken by Mandy Sweigart-Quinn
The Mighty One, God the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to its setting. Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth (Psalm 50:1-2 ESV).
Nathan, PQ and Gary are cat fishing, which means I get a Friday night to myself. What a gift to marvel at the majesty of God. In the midst of all the chaos, do not lose hope dear reader, the Triune God is in control.
Lord God, thank You that You control when the sun rises and when it sets. Thank You Lord that while nightfalls here, day is breaking and in full swing elsewhere. Lord God, no two sunrises and sunsets are the same, each day is unique whether we realize it or not. Thank You Holy Trinity that Your mercies are new each morning. Lord God, for the one who reads this at night, may they rest well in Christ. Lord God, for the one who reads this in the daytime, may they walk in the light of Jesus, being a light to all they meet. Lord God, thank You that nothing that happens under the sun catches You unaware. Lord God, may we never lose sight that one day soon we will see Jesus, our King, in His Beauty ruling and reigning in Zion. Thank You Lord for today! In Jesus’s Holy and Majestic name I pray. Amen.
Sunset. August 20, 2021. Photo taken by Mandy Sweigart-Quinn.Sunset. August 20, 2021. Photo taken by Mandy Sweigart-Quinn.
I was watching a video yesterday (15 June 2021) and the speaker made a good point that there was a time (at least in the States) while people wanted Jesus to return, they were hoping He would prolong His arrival so that they could get married, have children, graduate from whatever school, etc. People were comfortable living in this world. Since 2020, I do not hear people saying they want Jesus to prolong His return for their personal x,y and z.
In a world gone mad more and more people are seeking and asking, “What is truth?” (John 18:38 ESV), yet very few people are accepting the Authority and Truth of God’s Word. The Bible is being distorted, lambasted and outright rejected at record speed.
I have read time and time again that in the Last Days there will be a great falling away, that the Word of God will be traded for lies and that the apostate church and its false prophets will be considered true Christianity. Only now, I am starting to understand what that looks like in real time and place and it is horrifying.
From the time of Israel (Old Testament) until now (New Testament) the Lord has preserved His Word declaring that it will remain forever:
“The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever” (Isa 4:7-8).
Peter cites Isaiah saying, “The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever” (1 Peter 1:24-25).
Jesus, God Himself says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away” (Matt 24:35).
God is sovereign and He makes it clear, “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it” (Isa 55:10-11).
God will most certainly accomplish His Will and we can either be holy, faithful useful agents/servants of the Gospel or God will continue on with His plan without us by disciplining us, putting us on the shelf, etc.
Both the Old Testament and New Testament affirm that we are NOT to add or take away anything from God’s Word. God’s Word cannot mean, what it did not mean to the original author and audience. Context is indeed king! The Bible is being removed from its original context and this has serious consequences for individuals and for society.
Moses tells Israel in Deuteronomy, “You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you” (4:2) and “Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it” (12:32).
While this refers to the prophecy in Revelation, John states, “I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book,and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book” (22:18-19).
We alter God’s Word when we cherry-pick what we want to believe and apply. We alter God’s Word when we minimize the reality of hell and the wrath of God that John prophesies in Revelation. We alter God’s Word when we say, “love is love.” At no point in time has the Triune God ever changed His design for marriage. It has always been between one man and one woman. God has never ceased creating biological men and women in His image. We alter God’s Word when we interpret it based on our emotions, feelings and desires.
Peter states, “[N]o prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet 1:20-21). Sin and a low view of Scripture is what is altering God’s Word today in terms of marriage, sex, gender etc.
Let us never forget that sin began with a question, “Did God actually say…?” (Gen 3:1). From the beginning, “the most important strategy in Satan’s war against God, His Christ, and us is to undermine our confidence in God’s word. He does this by means of worldly wisdom. The wisdom of the age will always conflict with Scripture” (G. Cook, Severe Compassion: The Gospel According to Nahum, 2016, p. 57).
What is absolutely amazing about the Fall of Man in Genesis 3 is that “God does not intervene to defend his word” (p. 58). God gave His Word directly to Adam, Adam shared it with Eve. God has given His Word to us in written form, in many different languages and it is up to God’s people to rightly defend, interpret and share the Word.
Scoffers of God’s Word have always existed and will continue to exist. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 is still as relevant today as when Paul wrote it: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the [messenger] of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
God asks us to choose an authority. It can either be God and His Word or it can be sinful man armed with Satan’s deceptive, destructive and damning wisdom. Make no mistake every person who has lived, is living and will live will be examined by Scripture, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account” (Heb 4:12-13).
May God and His Word be our ultimate authority. I implore you to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you where Satan is seeking to undermine your confidence in Scripture.
Lord God, thank You for the preservation of Your Word. Lord God, I pray that for those who are being swayed and deceived by false teachers and teachings that You will open their eyes and ears to You and to Your Truth. Lord God, strengthen Your people who hold tightly to Your Word. Lord God, impress on us to know Your Word as we guard our hearts and minds. Lord God, may we never take Your Word for granted. May we never become bored or tired of hearing Your Word read, taught and preached. Lord God, thank You that for those who have never heard the Good News of Jesus Christ that they can know You through nature/creation. Lord God, thank You for this reader. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 ESV).
Are you singing this in your head?! I know I did! I am SO glad my Bible reading plan had me read Ecclesiastes 3 today!
עֵ֥ת (time) is repeated 29 times in verses 1:8. Estes states, “The principle that lies behind the list of illustrations in 3:2–8 is that God has a plan that embraces all humans and all their actions at all times” (Handbook on the Wisdom Books and Psalms, 2005, p. 309).
No book of the Bible is more applicable to our world today than Ecclesiastes. God’s sovereignty is being missed in the midst of all the chaos that is occurring in our world. To this point Estes states, “…despite appearances, God’s activity in the world is not arbitrary or haphazard; closer inspection reveals that there is divine order within the apparent chaos of life under the sun” (p. 309).
God’s plan encompasses the most mundane areas and activities of our lives; as well as the whole gamut of human emotions. Believers need to be confident that all of life is under God’s Sovereign and Providential control, not our human control. Our response is to obey God, trusting that He will equip us and see us through.
When I take my eyes off of God and His Sovereignty, I can have a very negative outlook. When Solomon (author) says, “everything is vanity/meaningless” (Ecc 1:2) and there is “nothing under the sun” (Ecc 1:9) he is saying that without God “everything is vanity/meaningless” with “nothing new under the sun.”
Now more than ever do we need to remind ourselves that God is in control. That He knows individuals and He knows and rules over this world. We know that God’s Word brings life and yet we consistently seem to be feeding ourselves with the things of this world. I am NOT suggesting that we should not be informed! God does not call us to bury our heads in the sand! He calls us to be in this world but not of this world.
May we take time today and this weekend to mediate on how God’s Presence has worked in the mundane times of our lives. May we start reading autobiographies or biographies of godly saints who went before us and how they endured persecution or stood for Jesus when it was costly.
Only in Jesus do we find value and meaning. Only in Jesus do we have peace and hope in a world gone mad. Only in Jesus do we know that regardless of what happens in this life, we will be with Him in the end. There is indeed a time and season for everything “under heaven” and the Lord Jesus Christ is in control of it all.
Father God, thank You that You are Sovereign over all. Thank You that there is NO moment this world has ever seen where You were not in control! Lord God, may we focus on You and the meaning and purpose You have for us. Lord God, may we preach Your Word to ourselves when we are discouraged and in despair and fearful. Now more than ever Lord is it essential for believers to be in community with other believers. What that looks like Lord for each person only You know, but may this reader know they have a friend in me! Lord God, thank You for all the times that You do not give us new insight but rather remind us of the insight You have already given us. Lord God, may we obey You. May we trust You walking by faith and not by sight or feeling. Lord God, thank You for this reader. Please Lord, fill this reader with the Peace of Your Presence. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.
“And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not” (Deut 8:2 ESV).
Father God, thank You for this new month. Lord God, as these days are rapidly getting darker and more evil, help us to remember the past. Help us to remember what You have done in Your Word, from delivering and leading Israel to the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. Help us to remember and read Your Word this month!
Lord God, now more than ever may we share our testimonies of Your faithfulness in our lives. Help us to remember You. Help us to want to remember You. Help us this month to reflect on who You are, and who we were before You. Help us to remember the joy that lies ahead for those of us who are in Christ.
Lord God, prepare our hearts for Resurrection Sunday. Lord God, may You call more people to Yourself this Easter. May we reflect today how You washed Your disciples feet and gave them (and us) a new commandment to love one another. Help us to remember that for those who are in leadership positions, we cannot lead anyone unless we are first following Christ. Lord God, may we pause and reflect on Good Friday to remember the crucifixion of Christ. Lord God, cause us to reflect on Saturday the darkness that would be in the world if it were not for the Resurrection of Christ the next day! Lord God, thank You that we live on the Resurrection side of the cross and help us to remember those who lived faithfully before as is written in Hebrews 11.
Lord God, I do not know what any of us will face in this month, but what I do know is that You will strengthen Your people who are actively seeking to love and obey You. Thank You Lord that works based salvation is debunked in both the Old and New Testament. Thank You Lord that from Genesis to Revelation You teach us that we are saved by grace through faith. Lord God, may we respond to Your salvation with singing and obedience.
Lord, how taboo and repugnant obedience and submission are in today’s culture. Lord, may we be willing to be thought foolish and primitive for our singleminded love and devotion to Christ. Lord, in this new month, help us to live more focused on You than ever before.
Lord God, people everywhere, believers and unbelievers are restless. People want a return to normal. Lord help us to understand You are not calling us to normal or status quo. You are calling us to Yourself, to live for You, to imitate and look like You!
Lord God, thank You that like Israel, when we fail tests, You give us second chances. Lord God, may we be reminded of the one thing that we will NOT be doing in heaven: Evangelizing. Lord God, help us to share our faith more this month knowing there are no redos, no make ups for those who die without Christ. May we trust You to give us words to witness when You lead us to share but above and beyond, may our actions reflect Your heart. May our hands be quick to do Your Work. Not because we think our works will save us but because our works are a manifestation of the gift of salvation You have graciously given to us.
Lord God, thank You that no matter what happens, know matter where we are, You are with us. Strengthen Your people Lord. Help us to stand strong sharing our faith with the lost knowing that one day soon and very soon we will be with You in glory. Lord God, draw this reader closer to Yourself this month. In Jesus’s Awesome, Holy and Victorious Name I pray. Amen.
Blue Collar Theologian 