His Way

    The world is ever-changing, in the seasons, in the nations, in our lives. We age. Our lives are filled with the roller-coaster of joys and sorrows, of comfort and turmoil, of peace and anxiety. One thing remains steadfast and unchanging and that is our Lord.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. Hebrews 13:8

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. James 1:17

     As your life unfolds each day, remember your God is faithful, unchanging, the same yesterday, today and forever. He remains faithful, steadfast and He has loved us and will continue to love us with a sacrificial love. Do not fear. He is there, right beside you, forever.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid. Do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

Father,

We rely on you day-by-day, minute-by-minute. Your presence remains unchanging in an ever-changing world. Give us the inner peace and hope You provide today as we move into the chaotic world around us.

In Jesus name,

Amen

His Way

     God’s ways are higher than ours, His thoughts higher than ours. He is sovereign over all things and His purposes will unfold in His timing. And to think He is mindful of us! We saw on Monday, His intimate knowledge of our every word, our every thought, our every step.

What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? Psalm 8:4

     As we contemplate God’s sovereign power, it becomes even more awe-inspiring to imagine God becoming man to save us from death. Jesus became one of us. And He conquered death. Our sovereign God found a way. It is Jesus.

But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. Hebrews 2:9

    God made lower than the angels for a little while for us. He took death and our sins upon Himself and now He resides in all power and in all glory!

Jesus,

There are no words, as we take in the magnitude, once again, of what You did for us. We did not deserve it and we praise and thank You today, our sovereign Lord.

Amen

His Way

     Sovereign: Possessing supreme or ultimate power. I love knowing that God is sovereign over all things. He created the heavens and the earth and His purposes will reign and rule through the end days of the earth to the forever rule of the new heaven and the new earth.

     Let the truth of God’s sovereign power over all things, including our short lives, give you peace. He is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, in all things and through all things, from the rain and snow that water the earth, to the trees, rivers and streams, to the oceans and the mammals, from the birds, rocks and animals, to His beautiful creation of you and me. Praise our sovereign Lord.

But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the sovereign Lord my refuge. I will tell of all Your deeds. Psalm 73:28

For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise rise up before all nations. Isaiah 61:11

When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God, “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “You made the heavens and the earth and the sea and everything in them.” Acts 4:24

Sovereign Lord,

You hold everything in Your hands. We praise You this morning, as we give thanks for all You have given us. We remain steadfast in our faith and in our trust. Your ways are as high as the heavens.

In Jesus name,

Amen

His Way

     Trusting God to know best does not come easily, does it? The “whys?” cannot be answered in human terms. We do know, and have experienced, the ways God uses our weaknesses, our struggles, our suffering, to grow us into a deeper relationship with Him. He teaches us to use our suffering to help others, along with teaching us to persevere and grow us into a deeper truth of who we are and why we are here.

     Have you experienced deep growth after, or in the midst of, a time of deep hurt? Have you seen the light in someone else’s gaze as you share compassion and understanding? Trust God to know the higher truth, the deeper purpose, the higher goal in your life. Hear His voice today:

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8=9

Father in heaven,

We return to You again and again. You have the answers and we do not. You are there, our faithful God, to see us through, to use us in our weakness, to grow in understanding and deep spiritual truth. Help us to see with the eyes of faith.

In Jesus name,

Amen

His Way

     Our God is everywhere. As believers, we can trust in His presence for all of our days. He is beside us, behind us and before us. He understands us so intimately, He knows what we will say before we speak.

You know when I sit and when I rise. You perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down. You are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue, You Lord, know it completely. Psalm 139:2-4

     He is there, everywhere, when we rise, when we lay down, before we speak, before we say the next word. Count on His presence. Acknowledge His wisdom and care. Reach out for Him through the worry, through the struggles, through the unanswered questions. He knows. He is faithful. His ways are too wonderful for us to comprehend.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Psalm 139:6

Lord,

We acknowledge You and Your wisdom this morning. You know us completely and Your ways are too wonderful for us to understand. We relax into Your presence, leaving our day in Your mighty hands. Guide us and teach us as we go on our way.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Our Perfect God

     We have looked at our perfect God this week and the ways He works in us. It is a miraculous work He performs in  fallen humans, but it is HIS work, not ours. As we read the Word, listen to Jesus in prayer and follow His ways, He changes us and most of all, it is all about love.

     There may be fear as we step out into this crazy world filled with anxiety and hate. But His perfect love casts away fear.

There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18

     We know we will not reach perfection until heaven, but resting in God’s perfect love will take away our fear, even unto death. Remember, God is faithful. We can stand forever in our faith. Faith always brings hope and hope will bring us into our eternal home. God is perfect and unchanging. We can believe.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17

Lord,

Every good gift is from You and Your unchanging ways. Your perfect love sustains us every day. Keep working in us, even when we fall. You never give up. Your ways are perfect. Your will is perfect. We love You and place our trust in You.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Our Perfect God

    As we grow in our faith and listen for the voice of Jesus, the changes begin from the inside out. What are some of the attributes that begin to shine through us as we delve deeper into our faith? Listen to these verses.

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another. If any of you has a grievance against someone, forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues, put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Colossians 3:12-14

     God, through Jesus, has forgiven me so very much. How about you? As we soak in His love and His mercies that are new every morning, we can give others the benefit of the doubt. In addition, we can remind ourselves, that unbelievers have not experienced this great love.

     Put on the spiritual clothes of forgiveness, kindness, humility, compassion and patience. And above all, love. We are representing the One who died for us. The perfect man, the perfect God.

Lord,

Give us the strength to be different in the culture around that appears to be filled with hate and violence. Shine through us as we maneuver through these short lives. Work in us to make us into Your image.

In Jesus name,

Amen