If it be consistent with thy eternal counsels, the purpose of thy grace, and the great ends of thy glory, then bestow upon me the blessing of thy comforts;

If not, let me resign myself to thy wiser determinations.

_{(from the Valley of Vision, page 11)}

Over the last several months, I have had to be resigned to God’s wiser determinations.  When a trial begins suddenly, it causes us to take stock.  Yet even during a period of challenges, God’s blessings still come through.  I have been amazed at the daily comfort provided by the Holy Spirit, by the outpouring of prayer from church, family, and friends.  I thought initially it would test my faith, yet it has instead strengthened my faith.  It has drawn me closer to those that I love.  Miracles have happened, many miracles.  Yet, the trial continues and I now am able to thank God for it.  His mercies are never ceasing.

The quote from the Valley of Vision is hung over my desk.  I refer to it many times each day.

Father, thank you.  Praying in the matchless name of Jesus, my Lord and Savior.  Amen

Job 8:3 Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert what is right?

Romans 8:33b  God is the one who justifies

From the hymn, “He Will Hold Me Fast”, Justice has been satisfied; He will hold me fast.  We are told in scripture that God loves justice, that one of His attributes is justice, that we are justified by faith in Jesus, that God demands justice for all that is done against Him.  Without the satisfaction of justice, without the penalty paid, we are hopelessly lost.

Father, thank you for your many perfect attributes.  Thank you for justice that was paid for by your Son.  Holy Spirit, sanctify me each day into the image of Jesus.  I know I have a long way to go, but with your help I know it will be accomplished.  Praying in Jesus name.  Amen.

Always praying for the glory of God.

Matthew 26:29.  But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”

Matthew 26:39.  And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.”

Matthew 26:42.  He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done.”

Yesterday’s sermon from Matthew 26 was a beautiful picture of Jesus in his last hours before his death on the cross. We were reminded that, while the disciples fell asleep, Jesus did not. And He doesn’t sleep today. He is always there during our tribulations, always able to hear our prayers, always able to take the thoughts we cannot put into words and present those requests to God.

Jesus was also a mixture of sorrow and joy. He was sorrowful for what He was to face, even asking the father to take that cup of wrath from Him. Yet as he prayed the second time, still asking for relief from the cross, He understood that it was the Father’s will for Him to take on the sin of the world. However, even as He was sorrowful, there was joy. He knew that the result of what was coming was the redemption of God’s people. He knew that because of what He was about to do, we would be with Him in paradise in the Father’s kingdom.

Everyone goes through tribulations in life. But only those that know and love Jesus can have true joy during those times. Those that don’t know Him can only know sorrow. Sorrow without joy. What a blessing it is to know Jesus.

Father, thank you for the joy that you provide during times of sorrow. Thank you for the love of the Son that brings us comfort. Thank you for the Holy Spirit that watches over, sustains, keeps, and upholds us. In Jesus name we pray. Amen

Always praying for the glory of God.

Psalms 97:1-2
The LORD Reigns
The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice;
let the many coastlands be glad!
Clouds and thick darkness are all around him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.

Righteousness and justice in the Old Testament come from the same root word.  They are indistinguishable from each other.  God is righteous and He is just.  And because God is one being, His attributes (which we separate into  individual parts in order to understand them) are not separate in God.  His attributes are never in conflict with each other.  His mercy and love never quarrel with His justice.

The Bible teaches us that we were all born in sin and therefore deserve the punishment of God - death.  Only the atoning work of Jesus can change that.  God’s justice is perfect.  We either receive life by being justified through faith, or we receive death if we live for sin.  For those that have received life, Jesus said the following: 

John 10:28-30
“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one.”

Father, praises to You for your justice is perfect.  Jesus, praises to You for the cross that gives life to sinners like me.  Forgive me for ever questioning the justice of God.  I pray these things in the matchless name of Jesus.  Amen.

Psalms 34:8
Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

The goodness of God is an attribute that is most often thought of, even to the exclusion of  other attributes.   God is good, He is kind, He is kindhearted and loving.  All of that is true, but even more so than we think.  For God to be good, He must be infinitely good.  There is no boundary to His goodness.  And if God is good, He must be perfectly good, perfectly kind.

So we often minimize His goodness.  

And on the other hand, we may reject other attributes of God.  How often have you heard people say that God wasn’t responsible for a disaster, because a good God would not do that?  I remember after 9/11, people were asking how God could allow something like that to happen.  And even some pastors responded by saying that God was not involved in it.  We can’t seem to accept that God is sovereign over all things.  He is a just God, but that is for a later discussion.

Oh Father, You are good beyond my comprehension.  Jesus your goodness brought You to the cross for our salvation.  Holy Spirit, You whisper good thoughts to me every day.  Praise God, praise the goodness of God.  Thanks be to God for I can take refuge in You.  Amen.

 

Psalms 147:4-5
He determines the number of the stars
and calls them each by name.
Great is our Lord and mighty in power;
his understanding has no limit.

Completely grasping the concept of infinity is probably impossible for a finite human.  We try, but come up short.  God knows no ends, for if there was a limit to God’s existence, then He would not be perfect.  If his understanding was not without limit, then God wouldn’t be infinite.   

We try to put limits on God every day.  We question His word.  We think we know better than an infinite God.  We think our universe is infinite, because it is so big.  But God contains the universe and beyond.

Putting this limitation on God infects our prayer life.  Do we pray to an infinite God, a God without limit, perfect in goodness and love?  Do we pray to the perfect One?  Or do we assume by our petitions, that we know better than God?  Even though it is probably impossible, we should attempt pray to Him as we think infinitely about God.

Heavenly Father, You are without limits.  Your understanding is without limits.  Holy Spirit, as you work in my heart to sanctify me into the image of Jesus, help me to petition You in a way that brings You glory.  Forgive me when I don’t.  In the glorious name of Jesus, I pray.  Amen.

(First in a Series on the attributes of God)

Isaiah 14:12-14
12 How you have fallen from heaven,
morning star, son of the dawn!
You have been cast down to the earth,
you who once laid low the nations!
13 You said in your heart,
“I will ascend to the heavens;
I will raise my throne
above the stars of God;
I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,
on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon.
14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High.”

These passages from Isaiah refer to the fall of Satan, when Satan’s pride attempted to replace God by making himself the Most High.

But, isn’t that the original sin in our lives, too?  It seems that all other things that are sin are simply symptoms.  Symptoms of our attempt to raise our self to His level.  If we place ourselves where God deserves to be, then we can choose what is right and good.

Self-existence is an attribute of God that is not transferred to His creation.  I AM THAT I AM can only be attributed to God.  God is the origin of all things.  Jesus was clear that we must deny our “self”, deny our urge to replace God with ourselves.  It seems rather silly when you think about this attribute of God, to even attempt to put ourselves in His place.

Matthew 16:24
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.

Father God, You have always existed, everything is created by You.  Jesus, forgive my pride of self.  Holy Spirit, help me to deny my “self” and follow only You.  Amen.

    						

to be found by You, and known as yours
to possess by faith what I could not earn.

Thank you, Jesus. 

Psalms 100 (NASB)
1 Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before Him with joyful singing.
3 Know that the Lord Himself is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving
And His courts with praise.
Give thanks to Him, bless His name.
5 For the Lord is good;
His lovingkindness is everlasting
And His faithfulness to all generations.

Psalm 100 is a model of how we might approach each day. It is a mindset that would transform us. It would transform a family, a neighborhood, a city, a nation, even the world. I was thinking this morning about how often I awake with this as my direction for the day. Sadly it is not often. But with His help and meditation on these five verses each morning, I am challenged to give thanks for His many blessing and to be joyful.

Heavenly Father, forgive me for my lack of joy. I am so blessed. I pray that your Holy Spirit will prompt me to meditate on this psalm as my waking thought and it would direct me throughout the day. Your love is everlasting and your faith continues for all time. I bless your name and give thanks for the One who is Lord. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

Always praying for the glory of God.