Psalm 101:2 (100:2 LXX)

I will sing and understand in a blameless way;
When will You come to me?
I walked in the innocence of my heart in the midst of my house.

Personal Challenge…

As the psalmist reaches out to his Lord to start his day with a blessing of mercy so do I. My desire is to be reminded to call out to my Lord every day, to sing His praises, and to seek His understanding. I need to desire His coming and to strive to walk in His ways with a heart filled with innocence. This only comes from submitting my all to Him in humility. Help me, oh Lord, to walk in this way.

John 4:13-14

Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”

Encouraging Words…

Oh, to never thirst again! We are promised here by our Lord that when we receive Him into our loves He will place within us a well that will feed our thirst forever. That well is the Holy Spirit and He dwells within me. Why is it that I still have those dry periods where I thirst? The answer is so simple, I do not spend enough time at the well drinking and taking in that which God has provided. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Personal Challenge…

Oh, how easy it is to forget that I have been bought for a very expensive price…the life of my Lord. And because of that I no longer belong to myself. Do I take care of myself in a way that glorifies and honors my owner? The food I eat, the way that I take care of my body, what I let my eyes take in, the words that come out of my mouth, where I let my mind go, what I let my heart hold on to? I know that I have a long way to go to honor my Lord in all of these areas. But I also know that by God’s grace He is loving me through this growth and gracing me with His mercy. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.

Psalm 119: 89 (118:89 LXX)

Forever, O Lord,Your word continues in heaven.

Encouraging Words…

This verse makes me wonder…if God is never changing, always the same, and His word remains forever, then why is it that we have chosen to create so many variations of how we worship and follow Him? I know that we must adapt to fit our culture, but can’t we do this without totally reinventing God and His Gospel? Even the old covenant as laid out in the Old Testament continually points to Christ and His new covenant. I believe that it is in our pride that we split off from each other and create our own doctrines and followings. I am blessed to be able to worship and grow in my faith in a practice of Christianity that strives to stay as close as possible to the way that it originally started over 2,000 years ago. Yes, I know that we too have adapted and adjusted but we have not really changed all that much. Glory be to God.

Acts 10:34-35

Then Peter opened his mouth and said: In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.

Personal Challenge…

Our justification in Christ is not a one time event. It is an active, ongoing process. Through Christ and the work that He has done our faith in Him begins the process of justification. But God wants us to grow in our fear (respect and awe) of Him and our works of righteousness. As James also reminds us (v. 2:24) our justification comes through our faith in Christ and the works that we do flowing out of that faith. There are no couch potatoes in His household.

Hebrews 2:14-15

Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

Encouraging Words…

Why did Jesus become man? In order for Him to redeem man from the clutches of Satan He had to become a man and as a man defeat Satan on his terms. The only power that Satan had over mankind was death. Death entered God’s creation through the sin of man, Adam and Eve. So why do we sin? The early church Fathers taught that it is because we fear death and its consequences. We want to get what we can out of life before we die. However, Jesus defeated death by living a sinless life and being put to death. He then confronted Satan and broke the bondage of death by coming back to life as the resurrected Christ. He has broken the power of death and therefore the power of sin for all mankind. Hence, I do not have to worry about death and I don’t have to sin either. In Christ, through the Holy Spirit, I can choose to say no to sin. This is powerful and I need to hold on to this tightly.

Romans 8:10

And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

Encouraging Words…

Because of the sin in my life my body, my mortal being, is dead and will someday be put into the grave. However, since I am a child of God, the Holy Spirit dwells within me and gives me life in the spirit…eternal life. This is the victory that Christ had over death.

John 6:68-69

But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Personal Challenge…

My desire is to come to this same place that Peter and the other Apostles were at in their lives…knowing that there is nothing else in life other than Jesus. I desire to believe and know Jesus to the point of abandoning all else in life for Him. This does not necessarily mean that I quit work and become a derelict for Him but it does mean that I do all of my work for His glory and give sacrificially for His kingdom. This does not necessarily mean that I become some recluse living in the desert pursuing Him, but it does mean that I pursue Him in every aspect of this life that He has placed me in. This is the challenge…to die to self so that I can live for God and love others. Lord have mercy! Lord have mercy! Lord have mercy!

Acts 3:19

Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,

Command with a Promise…

Salvation comes only through the work of our Lord Jesus Christ, but it does require action on our parts. We are commanded to believe, to repent of our sins and our sinful ways, and to be converted. Being a follower of Christ, a child of God, is an active life not a passive one. And some of the rewards of this active life is having my sins blotted out and having the Lord’s refreshing presence in my life.

Psalm 139:23-24 (138:23-24 LXX)

Test me, O God, and know my heart;Examine me, and know my paths,
And see if there is a lawless way in me,
And lead me in the way everlasting.

Personal Challenge…

What a bold request the psalmist offers up to our Lord. I know that I would not be able to ask my Lord to test my heart and examine my paths looking to see if there is any lawlessness within me. This is my desire to be found blameless, righteous, and free of sin by my Lord. I also know that this will only be accomplished by totally submitting to Him and letting Him reign supreme in my life.