Wow, it’s already been a busy morning as I type these words. How about we switch gears 
this morning and let you be the one offering a truth-nugget? Let me know what verse has been your help/encouragement/challenge in recent days. List the verse out below and give us a short explanation of why it’s important to you right now. I’ll be checking back off and on and plan to comment on what is written.
Ephesians 6 and Psalm 3 – Battles have been thick in my life lately – so thankful for God’s words of instruction and encouragement. I can not afford to waiver in my faith or devotion to the only One who can help me. When you are living on the battlefield, you can clearly see all the silliness of the “things” that consume our lives on a regular basis – you live more focused on eternity – the things of this earth grow strangely dim. No wonder a loving God allows such tragedies in our lives! How weak and superficial would our faith be without them. Stand therefore… and having done all STAND!
I’m a little late but I have to share my favorite Psalm. It is so special to me. The first time I read it, it gave me Holy Ghost hibby jibbys like never before.
Psalm 63. I’ll share some of my fav. verses from it.
..So I looked upon You in the sanctuary, beholding Your power and glory. Because Your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise You. So I will bless You as long as I live. In Your name I will lift my hands..
I love worshipping the living God!
Some of my favorite promises in scripture are found in Isaiah, but this particular verse in Psalms has been a great source of comfort to me in troubling times…”Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him. I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation.” Psalms 90:14-16
Jeff, There are so many scriptures that I hold fast to..one that comes to mind was quoted to me when my younger sister was dying. Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you TRUST in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
I thought this was an odd scripture to give me when it was for a dying sister, but as I travel this road I am on I can see it guides me through every day.
Another one that is on my desk is only a partial verse “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you. Is. 26:3 Also “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding Prov 3:5 I TRUST HIM !
Isaiah 26:3 is so wonderful as it serves us with a blanket promise: Lacking peace? Fix the entirety of your mind upon God Himself. As we think upon Him we are graced to receive proper perspective, spiritual objectivity and inner soul-peace. This experience will remain ours as long as we are able to retain Him as our focus. What an incredibly challenging task!
Changing tack a little from other comments, I’ve been reading in Judges and noticed how often we are told that the people “did evil in the sight of the Lord” (eg 2:11, 3:7, 4:1, 6:1 for a start).
That comes on the back of a John Piper tweet a few days ago quoting JC Ryle : “The sound of a footstep coming has stopped many a deed of wickedness”.
Why are we afraid of what men MIGHT see/hear (and its impact on relationships/reputations), and forgetful of what God DOES see (even in the secret places of our hearts)? (Proverbs 15:3 & Ezekiel 11:5)
Truly “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom ….”
Interesting that you should post this comment, David. Someone recently commented that they would be more careful in how they lived, knowing that my godly mother in law was “watching from Heaven”. I allowed the comment to slide but remember thinking, “what about the fact that her Savior is watching?” I believe that each time we willfully sin we are forgetting that God’s eyes see us and His hand is able to save us from transgression.
It does come down to trust, belief and complete surrender doesn’t it….another verse God gave me earlier this morning made me think of you, Psalm 47:8-9: “God reigns over the nations; God is seated on His holy throne. the nobles of the peoples have assembled with the people of the God of Abraham. For the leaders of the earth belong to God; He is greatly exalted.” (I realize the leaders talked about here were probably kings,) but it made me think of your leadership as our pastor and how you belong to God and continue to “greatly exalt” Him through your and Amy’s trials. Thank you for living out what you preach.
God often runs a “theme” in my study/devotion time..lately He has been reminding me to seek His Will and release mine. I was reminded yesterday trough your blog (John Macarthur’s quote and the truth you wrote about our fear of God’s will “costing” us), and Then a few hours later in my bible study I was taught about His will as prayed in Matthew 6:9-13. Why on earth do I struggle to release my will and take up His that is “..Good, Pleasing and Perfect…” Romans 12:2 !?
Pat, you asked, “Why on earth do I struggle to release my will and take up His that is “..Good, Pleasing and Perfect…” ? For the same reason I do: we are inherently too confident in our own ideas, plans and abilities. Added to this, we are either skeptical or suspicious of God’s intentions toward us. When it comes down to it we just don’t always trust Him like we could. I’m a firm believer that this is why God must send troubles our way. They teach us just how powerfully reliable He is.
Psalms 5:3 (King James version) “In the morning Thou hear my voice; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto Thee and I look up”. In the arabic version it is written “…., and I wait.” or “…, and I expect.” I like this verse because it gives the assurance that God hears us and that God will answer. This verse was the subject of a sermon that I heard from a preacher in the late nineteen hundred and fifties when the so-called ‘directed rockets’ were newly discovered.These rockets were able to hit their targets in great precision.The preacher quoted the description ‘directed’ and applied it to prayers as is written in the King James version and also in the arabic version.
Sam & Zack.
What an incredible analogy from 50 years ago. I suppose we need to launch some heaven-directed prayers today. Bless you both!
Yes we are launching prayers to Heaven every morning for ourselves, for you and Amy and kids and for many family and friends.We pray for Egypt and America.We need your prayers too.God blessyou,
Sam & Zack.
phils. 4 4-7 rejoice in the lord always and again i say rejoice let your moderation be known unto all men. the lord is at hand. be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known unto god. and the peace of god,which passeth all understanding,shall keep your hearts and minds through christ jesus. whenever i have a scan coming up the week before, i get very anxious, and nerveous, wondering if the cancer is back, is god going to take it all away, what to to do if it comes back so as you can see, i get all worked up.so i was suppose to do scan on tues. but got cancelled because the machine broke,doing it today at 3:30. talking about learning patience and humility, god sure know how to work on you you must rely on him always. the love of my life, that god blessed me with (kim) gave this verse on monday it is taped on console in my truck,to see and read everyday. that’s what i am talking about!
Excellent counsel from Mark & Kim. Your battle with cancer puts some power in what you wrote. So grateful for your cancer which brought you to your knees for salvation. So grateful for God who keeps you on those knees! Bless you, brother.
Psalm 138:8 – “The Lord will fulfill [his purpose] for me; your love, O Lord, endures forever —
do not abandon the works of your hands.” The last few years have proven to me the truth that, unless the Lord builds the house [me], the house cannot stand. His enduring love for me reminds me that I can take a deep breath and rest in His commitment to fulfill His purpose for me because He never, ever neglects the works of His hands.
Dad, you may not remember but you shared this verse with me at our lunch the day before amy’s wreck. I’ve held it close and believed it hard and am trusting God to do what He says He will do
I do remember that lunch, Jeff. Any time I can lunch with my son is good but that lunch was special.
All things work together for the good of those that love the Lord and are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
Often I find myself in peril of my own making. It has taken years for me to realize I’m not in control, still have moments of relaspe. major lesson learned, Pray for wisdom, and be comforted for I am His.
praying for your family, miss you guys
Brian, thanks for the prayers – please keep doing so. Your quoted verse has always been a theological anchor in my head. Now it is a relieving cushion in my heart.