A God Who is Just
“I will proclaim the name of the Lord.
Oh, praise the greatness of our God!
He is the Rock, his works are perfect,
and all his ways are just.
A faithful God who does no wrong,
upright and just is he.”
Deuteronomy 32:3-4
What does the word ‘just’ mean? According to Dictionary.com (1),
“Just” is, “guided by truth, reason, justice, and fairness:
done or made according to principle; equitable; proper:
based on right; rightful; lawful:
in keeping with truth or fact; true; correct:”
Our hearts know there is such a thing as justice and we long for it, but in a fallen world, we rarely see it. We have leaders who promise it, but don’t deliver. We have a legal system that is often more concerned with politics than truth. We have systems that are flawed and people who are selfish and greedy. We demand justice in difficult and unfair situations, but we’re rarely satisfied with seeing it delivered. And when it isn’t delivered, we cry foul; we feel deceived and deprived of what is right. We get angry and we struggle to find our balance. Then, we risk our hearts growing bitter because what we long for is denied. And, too often, we blame God. But here’s the thing. We are looking to flawed systems and people to deliver what is an attribute of God. We need to look to God. We need to see the bigger picture.
God IS just, and all He does is guided by Truth and fairness. What He does is principled and based on what is right. It is True. But in our fallen world, the presence of sin distorts and destroys anything good and true and our limited human understanding can’t grasp all that He is doing. We only see the unfairness of the injustice right here and right now.
God’s plan is bigger than the current circumstances and He uses each and every situation to accomplish His purposes. Consider the following:
The injustice of Joseph being sold into slavery was the very thing that rescued
his family and the nation of Israel. What man meant for evil, God meant for good. (Genesis 50:20)
The injustice of Esther being brought into the King’s harem
was the very thing that ensured the plot to annihilate the Jews
was brought to light and prevented.
The nation of Israel was protected and preserved.
God used her for such a time to accomplish His purposes
and preserve His people. (Esther 4:14)
The imprisonment of the Apostle Paul brought the gospel to Rome,
to the Roman Guard and into the House of Caesar himself.
(Acts 23:11, Philippians 4:22)
God uses difficult things to accomplish his purposes and He promises justice will come.
Matthew 12:18 ““Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
Matthew 12:20 “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory.”
Acts 17:31 “For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.””
Revelation 15:3 ““Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the nations.”
Today, let’s proclaim the greatness of God.
Trust that nothing is out of His control or beyond the scope of His power. He is just. He will accomplish justice. He does no wrong and He uses what the Enemy means for evil and turns it into good for His Kingdom.
Pray that our sons and daughters can understand God’s just nature and trust that He works everything for His glory and our good- even the hard things.
Pray without ceasing.
(1) Dictionary.com. (n.d.). Just definition & meaning. Dictionary.com. https://www.dictionary.com/browse/just.
Sunday Worship-His Mercy is More
It’s Sunday. Take some time to be still before the Lord. Ponder His greatness. Be humbled by His mercy. Rest in His love.
His Mercy is More
What love could remember no wrongs we have done
Omniscient, all knowing, He counts not their sum
Thrown into a sea without bottom or shore
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more
What patience would wait as we constantly roam
What Father, so tender, is calling us home
He welcomes the weakest, the vilest, the poor
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more
Praise the Lord, His mercy is more
Stronger than darkness, new every morn
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more
What riches of kindness He lavished on us
His blood was the payment, His life was the cost
We stood 'neath a debt we could never afford
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more
Praise the Lord, His mercy is more
Stronger than darkness, new every morn
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more
Praise the Lord, His mercy is more
Stronger than darkness, new every morn
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more
Our sins they are many, His mercy is more
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Matt Boswell / Matt Papa
Saturday Review
Once again, lets review our prayer points from the week and pray over them one more time. “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” James 5:16b
Pray Hebrews 4:16 over our sons and daughters, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Ask the Lord to help them draw near to Him and be willing and expectant to receive His mercy and grace.
Take a look at that list you made this week of the most unlikely people to be prayed over. Pray for them again, sincerely. Pray for those you struggle to love. Pray for those whose actions repulse you. Pray for those who seem too far gone to ever be saved. “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” Pray for them by name or affiliation and ask God to work in hearts and minds. Ask Him to let them see Jesus. His mercy is great. Be willing to plead His mercy for others and pray that our sons and daughters would be willing to do the same.
Pray that our sons and daughters are the aroma of life because of God’s mercy shown to them. Pray that they fully grasp the greatness and beauty of God’s mercy and all it has rescued them from. Pray that they have a heart for the lost, to pray and share the gospel to those who are dying.
Ask the Lord to help our sons and daughters realize the wonderful forgiving mercy of our Lord and Savior. In their failures and shortcomings, His mercy is great and it’s what they need to continue moving forward, accomplishing what God has planned for them.
Pray that we, as believers, would wait for God’s justice and would look for His mercy in even the most difficult and painful situations. Let’s pray that our sons and daughters would realize the blessing of His mercy, held for them and showered on them by a God who is willing to wait and show patience.
Pray without ceasing.
Wait for it….
Isaiah 30:18 “Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.”
The Lord waits to be gracious to us. He waits...for us. Strong’s Concordance says that the Hebrew word for wait also means to ‘long for’ (1) He ‘tarries’. He doesn’t want us to miss his mercy, so He waits. Friends, think about that.
But, He doesn’t just wait, He exalts Himself. He makes His greatness known. He needs no other to announce His greatness. His position does not depend on His followers. He alone is worthy and is exalted above all. We have a great and mighty God who is without rival or comparison and He raises Himself up in order to show….mercy. Not His power. Not His might. But His mercy. Oh, friends, our God contradicts all of the expectations of this world for His glory and our good.
Blessed are those who wait for Him. Today, let’s pray together that we all, as believers, would wait for God’s justice and would look for His mercy. Let’s pray that our sons and daughters would appreciate His patience and would realize the blessing of His mercy, held for them by a God who is willing to wait.
Let’s pray too that this world sees the mercy God extends and would grab hold of it and of Him.
Why not print this verse out and meditate on it today. There is so much richness in this scripture- don’t miss out on it because you’re in a hurry. Tarry here and consider His mercy.
Pray without ceasing.
H2442 - ḥāḵâ - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h2442/kjv/wlc/0-1/
Start Chiseling…
Exodus 34:4-7 “So Moses chiseled out two stone tablets like the first ones and went up Mount Sinai early in the morning, as the Lord had commanded him; and he carried the two stone tablets in his hands. Then the Lord came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the Lord. And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.””
Exodus 34 follows the whole debacle of the golden calf and the Israelites exchanging their worship of God for worship of something made by their hands (Ex. 32). Moses saw what was happening and was so outraged, he smashed the stone tablets on the ground. Yes, THOSE tablets, given by God, showing the 10 commandments. Moses had just come from the presence of God and then walked into the scene and totally lost his temper.
Oh, friends, how many times do we do that? We come out of a beautiful quiet time or time of worship and immediately our human nature takes over- we speak harsh words, cast judgement, or show selfish behavior and then, like Moses, we have to go back to the Lord and face our errors.
God could have told Moses that he’d blown his one and only chance. Sure….but He didn’t. The Lord could have banished Moses and chosen another to take his place. But He didn’t. The Lord could have berated Moses and made him feel worthless and a failure, yet He didn’t. He showed mercy. He simply told Moses to ““Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke.” (Ex. 34:1)
God’s mercy is more than we could ever fully comprehend. Yet, too often we gloss over it or disregard it. Too often we want to withhold it from others because we’ve decided they’re not deserving. Oh, we are so foolish and full of ourselves. Our pride and arrogance stand in the way of the most wonderful gift God could give us- His bountiful mercy. He is a loving God, faithful and slow to anger. Do our sons and daughters understand this?? Do they really know what God’s mercy is and that it can be theirs?
Friends, our kids will mess up. They will make poor choices. They will focus on the wrong things, yet, they are still learning. If we’re honest, we are still learning too. Can we show mercy as God does or are we going to hold it against them because they didn’t meet our expectations?
Today, let’s pray that when our sons and daughters ‘mess up’, they realize the wonderful forgiving mercy of our Lord and Savior. Rather than berating them or telling them all the ways they disappointed Him, He simply hands them another tablet and says “start chiseling”. Can we do that with our sons and daughters as well?
“Lord, I pray that You would help me to be merciful. Keep me from arrogant sin that would elevate my expectations and my abilities over someone else and cause them to feel inferior, insufficient or incapable. Help me not to do this to my sons and daughters. Lord, if you did that to us, we would never survive. Yet, in Your mercy, You reach down and support us, encourage us and give us the strength we need to complete the task You’ve given us. I pray for (name) today. Let them focus on You, not things, people or accomplishments. Help them to trust You and rest in You for all they need. May they securely find their identity and meaning in You. Give them insight to understand how Your great mercy is the very thing that sustains their life each day. I pray that they would humbly acknowledge You and all You do for them and then, following Your example, show mercy to others who need to know You too. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Pray without ceasing.
Oh, His Mercy Brings Life.
Ephesians 2:4-5 “ But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.”
Roadkill is something we’re sure to encounter if we spend any amount of time driving. And roadkill in the summer...well, that is a whole other experience that is difficult to put into words. It smells...no, it reeks. It is pungent and awful and we can smell it long before we see it. We might quickly put up the windows and hold our breath until we’re past the offensive carcass, but somehow the stink of death lingers and we remember it even when we are long past the location. And somewhere, someone is tasked with cleaning that up, but it’s not a job to be envied and few would admit to doing it.
What if we took that roadkill and ‘dressed it up’? It would still be dead and stinking. Oh, we could put it on a pedestal, give it a title, but, even then, it would still be dead. The process of decay would continue and the stench with it. You see, it’s dead. It is unredeemable. No amount of effort, attention, accolades or affection will revive it. It will just continue to bear the stench of death. It has no life and cannot mimic it.
Friends, that was us. We were dead in transgressions. We were rotting corpses of sin, stinking and decaying spiritually. Oh, maybe we tried to dress ourselves up and go through the motions, but we were still decaying. Perhaps we tried to give ourselves importance and align ourselves with others who could give us value, but death ruled and robbed us of any worth.
And then came Jesus. He was and is bold and brave enough to step into our death and misery. He could tolerate our stench because He already faced death and won. He paid the price for our sin. Because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive in Christ even when we were dead in transgressions. He loved us when we were unable to love Him. He made us alive in Christ when we had no power to embrace life on our own.
He wasn’t afraid of our stench. He wasn’t repulsed by our rotting souls. He could have swept us aside, scooped us up with the refuse or walked away to a cleaner, more pleasant experience. But He saw our worth despite the death that surrounded us and He took hold of us and redeemed us. He gave us a new name and called us His child. Now, we bear the fragrance of Christ, the fragrance of life.
2 Corinthians 2:15-16 “For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life.”
God’s mercy is powerful.
Today, let’s pray that our sons and daughters are the aroma of life to those around them because of God’s mercy in their lives. Pray that they fully grasp the greatness and beauty of God’s mercy and all it has rescued them from. Pray that they have a heart for the lost, to pray for and share the gospel to those who are dying.
Pray without ceasing.
Time is Short but His Mercy is Great
2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”
The events going on in Afghanistan are heartbreaking. The news is devastating. Desperate people are scrambling to get into the airport for a chance to leave the country. They’re climbing walls and fences and even clinging to the sides of a transport plane as it taxis for takeoff. Parents are desperately trying to give their children to anyone who might carry them to safety outside of the reach of the Taliban. They’re trying to leverage who they know and what they’ve accomplished to buy their way out of the country. The panic on their faces and the fear in their eyes communicate much more than words ever could. They see how this is going to end and they want to do everything possible to save themselves and their loved ones.
But why didn’t they leave last week? Yes, there was concern in Afghanistan, but no real desperation. Although the threat of evil was present, it wasn’t as visible. They thought they had more time.
Friends, this scenario is very much akin to the spiritual condition of the world right now. Things are getting worse and Jesus’ return is near, but few seem to be concerned. People think they have ‘more time’, they’ll get right with God ‘later’, yet, when that moment of Jesus’ return is upon us and believers are taken from this world, there will be massive panic and desperation. People will be scrambling to find a way out. The pages of Revelation will come to life and those who thought they had more time to get right with God will be desperate. But who they know and what they’ve accomplished will mean nothing.
Admit it. We are overwhelmed with the evil that we see and we just want God to smite the evildoers and be done with it. Yet, He waits. Why? Because He wants to give many the opportunity to turn their hearts to Christ. He doesn’t want any to perish...and neither should we.
Rather than complain and worry about how bad things are getting, let’s pray. Really pray. Let’s point our sons and daughters to the value of an eternal focus and get them to pray as well. Pray for those being persecuted. Pray for those who fear for their lives. Pray for believers, that they would stand strong in their faith and pray for unbelievers, that they would come to know Jesus. We can do that, right?
But here’s a challenge for you….pray for the evildoers. That’s a shocking thing to think about. Maybe it startled you to read it. Good. Jesus died for them too. They are image-bearers. Despite the evil that indwells them, they have a Father in Heaven who longs to have relationship with them. 2 Peter 3:9 says “not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” That “ALL” includes even the most evil people. They need Christ. It is not for us to decide who deserves prayer. It is just up to us to follow Christ in obedience. Matthew 5:44 “But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,”
God has the power to do more than we could ask or think. Today, sit down and make a list of the most unlikely people to be prayed over, and then do it. Pray for them, sincerely. Pray for those you struggle to love. Pray for those whose actions repulse you. Pray for those who seem too far gone to ever be saved. “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” Pray for them by name or affiliation and ask God to work in hearts and minds. Ask Him to let them see Jesus. His mercy is great.
And then pray for our sons and daughters that they would have a heart that longs to see others know God’s mercy.
Pray without ceasing.
Expect Mercy
Hebrews 4:16. “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
As a school-aged child, the thought of being sent to the Principal’s office was often an anxious one. If we were sent there, it likely meant we did something wrong and we would have to face the consequences. We knew enough about the Principal to know he was an authority figure who we feared. We likely carried our backpack and waited with trepidation to hear our sentence. We expected punishment.
But, if the Principal was a friend, someone we trusted who treated us with kindness, we might find ourselves eager to stop in and say hello. The office wasn’t a place to be feared but a welcome place where we were seen and encouraged. We could drop our backpack, unload our worries and likely get a sticker and a smile to encourage us. Even if there we’d done wrong, we trusted those there to treat us fairly.
When we mess up in life, what is it that we fear most? If we don’t know the Lord, maybe we fear the consequences of what we’ve done- the fallout from our choices, actions and words. Perhaps we struggle with the angst of ‘karma’ and the just repercussions of what we deserve. We drag our baggage with us with no sign of relief or rest and no expectation of any mercy. Or maybe we know enough to understand the wrath of God is to be feared… and we fear how it will impact us.
But knowing about God and knowing God are two very different things.
If we know the Lord, we should understand the mercy of a Loving Father. He welcomes us into His throne room. We can run in without hesitation, drop our baggage and throw ourselves into His merciful embrace. He’s got mercy for us in abundance. No, He won’t excuse away our willful sin, but He will forgive our trespasses when we come to Him with a contrite heart. He wraps His loving arms around us and tells us that His mercy is enough to cover all of our mistakes, completely and for all time. We can approach His throne of grace with confidence, not fear and expect mercy.
What do our sons and daughters understand about God’s mercy, really? Let’s pray Hebrews 4:16 over them today and ask the Lord to help them know and have confidence in His mercy.
“Heavenly Father, I pray for (name) today that they would, with confidence, draw near Your throne of grace. Lord, don’t let them be anxious or fearful, but to come before you knowing that You love them and want to welcome them in, show them grace and mercy and help them in their time of need. Lord, work in (name)’s heart this morning. Help them not just know ‘about’ You, but to know You personally and to love you deeply. Help them to be confident they can trust You with anything, even their worst mistakes, knowing You will treat them with grace and mercy. Lord, be near to them today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Pray without ceasing.
Sunday Worship: Great Is Thy Faithfulness
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father
There is no shadow of turning with Thee
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be
Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside
Great is Thy faithfulness, great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me
Songwriters: William M. Runyan / Thomas O Chisholm / Eric Allyn Schrotenboer
Saturday Prayer Review
Don’t stop praying!! Even when we don’t see progress, God is working! Even when we can’t understand what He’s doing, He’s got a plan!! Trust. Pray. Believe.
Take time to name your worries and lay them before the Lord. Remind yourself of God’s faithfulness and that He is the Creator who commands the wind and the waves. He can calm the storm in our hearts and minds. Meditate on the Lord’s faithfulness, strength and protection. Trust Him with your precious ones and pray for them by name.
Pray for that our sons and daughters would walk faithfully with the Lord. Pray for those who are wandering off or running away. He knows what path they will take and, like a watercourse, He can and will direct it. Remember, sometimes He allows us to follow our rebellion, but He’s still in control. We need to trust Him and pray for softened hearts and ears that hear, eyes that see spiritual truth and minds that understand.
Thank the Lord for all of the times He’s shown His faithfulness to you and to your family. Recount the ‘Stones of Remembrance’ that will serve as reminders for future generations.
Pray Lamentations 3:22-23 for our sons and daughters today. “The LORD’S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.”
Now, pray Psalm 33:4 “For the Word of the Lord is upright, And all His work is done in faithfulness.” Thank the Lord for His faithfulness and ask Him to continue working in the hearts of your sons and daughters.
Pray without ceasing, friends. God is faithful!
Daily, Abundant Faithfulness
“The LORD’S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23
“For the Word of the Lord is upright, And all His work is done in faithfulness.” Psalm 33:4
“Tomorrow is another day” “Things will look better in the morning” “One day at a time” These are all good reminders that hint at something of more substance, something that is coming that should encourage us. But as believers, Lamentations 3:22-23 are the ‘golden nugget’ verses that we should carry with us. God’s lovingkindness never ceases- never!! And...it’s new and fresh every morning!! His compassions NEVER fail and his faithfulness is great. Wow!! (Someone should put that on a poster! ;-))
Friends, how do we encourage our sons and daughters? Do we just tell them ‘things will look better in the morning’ or do we go all-out and give them Lamentations 3:22-23? What would WE find most encouraging?
When our sons and daughters say “I messed up today” “Today was awful” “I can’t wait until this week is done” - it’s a perfect opportunity to encourage them with those promises from Lamentations.
But, when things are difficult for a prolonged time, what then? Friends, this is when we talk to our sons and daughters like the adults they are. This life was not meant to be ‘all the things’. We live in a fallen world and what God intended for us was corrupted by sin. Yes, there will be pain and suffering. Yes, we will face disappointment, betrayal and injustice. But ALL of God’s work is done in faithfulness. His work in our lives is to make us more like Christ- a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief (Isaiah 53:3) If we lived our best life here, would we long for Heaven? If everything was pleasant all the time, would we realize our need for God? Oh, ALL his work is done in faithfulness. We need to trust Him. His mercy is new everyday and is always enough for what we will face while we walk with Him. Today, encourage your sons and daughters with these scriptures.
“Lord, thank You for the promises You give us in Your word that assure us of Your faithfulness and strength for each day. I pray that You would work in (name)’s heart and mind today to encourage them. Give them Your assurance. Help them to see that You are always faithful and You have purpose in each and everything they might face. Give them strength to keep walking with You. Feed their soul today with Your Word. Bring others alongside to encourage them. I pray that they would personally know your new mercy today and would draw on that to sustain them. Don’t let them try and ‘conserve’ or hoard it… it’s new every day, let them lean on it fully. Let them drink eagerly from Your well of living water and know with confidence it will never run dry. Lord, sustain them today, I pray in Jesus’ name, amen.”
Pray without ceasing.
Faithful Promises
Hebrews 10:23 “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.”
Have you ever held onto a certificate or coupon, guarding it carefully, only to realize it expired, lost its value and is now worthless? That once-treasured ticket of much value is only paper now.
Hebrews chapter 10 explains how Jesus’ blood sacrifice and resurrection open the way for us to stand in the Holy of Holies- in the very presence of God. If we have faith that Christ’s substitutionary atonement was and is sufficient to atone for our sin, we have an eternal promise from that Lord that He sees us as His own. He is faithful. He doesn’t go back on His promises. His guarantee never expires and the seal of the Holy Spirit on our lives, marking us as saved, redeemed, adopted and beloved, that seal will never lose its value or expire.
Let us hold fast to the confession of our faith without wavering- because He who promised is FAITHFUL!!
Friends, do our sons and daughters have this depth of confidence and security in their faith? Do they trust that once saved, they will always belong to the Lord? God doesn’t offer salvation and indwell us just to change His mind and cast us aside. We have an anchor for our souls that can weather any storm, whether physical or spiritual. Our Lord is faithful!!
Today, let’s pray that our sons and daughters fully understand the depth and longevity of God’s faithfulness to them.
“Heavenly Father, thank You for your Faithfulness to us- it’s hard to comprehend with our finite minds the infinite nature of your Faithfulness and Goodness to us. I pray that even today, (name) would begin to really understand just how faithful, reliable, and true You are. Lord, grow their faith and deepen their trust. Strengthen their grip so they can hold fast to the faith they have. Make them strong, Lord, so they don’t waver. This life is unpredictable, but You are steadfast. Circumstances can become difficult and tumultuous, people can be unreliable and hurtful, but You are steady; You are peace; You are the anchor for our souls in the hard of this life. I pray that (name) would know this, believe this and live with confidence in Your faithfulness to them. Lord, build their faith and trust today. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Pray without ceasing.
Faithful Through the Generations
Deuteronomy 7:9 “Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations,”
Often when we gather as families, we reminisce about significant events, fun times, funny things that happened to us. We laugh and recall with joy those things that stand out in our memories. But do we take time to recount the ways God has been good to us? Do we really share the miraculous and mundane ways God made Himself known?
Friends, if we are believers, we are building a legacy of faith for our children, grandchildren and generations yet to come, if the Lord tarries. It’s hard to imagine next week, but a thousand generations? Yet, this is what God promises!! It’s likely very few people in history thought their story would have significance, yet, how beautiful is it to read stories of those who lived faithfully for the Lord? What about the stories of those who left all they knew to carry the gospel to another land and people? They were doing what God called them to- yet we learn so much about His faithfulness in the midst of their daily obedience. What is it that we want our children, grandchildren and future generations to know about God’s faithfulness to us?
Let’s be bold and share those stories of God’s faithfulness. Write them down. Share them with your family. Record them where they can be heard. Someone, someday, will read or hear them and be encouraged. They will become the treasured stories that evidence God’s goodness and faithfulness to your family through the generations. What accounts of God’s faithfulness can you recall today?
Today, take some time to write out the accounts of God’s faithfulness to you...then share it with your sons and daughters. It may feel awkward at first, but go on and do it. The more you testify, the more excited and appreciative you will be of God’s faithfulness and the more you will come to love Him. Create those ‘Stones of Remembrance’ so that when future generations ask “What is that?” You can beautifully testify to God’s loving faithfulness to you...and to them!
Pray without ceasing!
Faithful, Despite Our Choices
2 Timothy 2:13 “If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.”
Sometimes our hearts ache to see the path our children choose. Oh, as a child they loved Jesus, so very much. They were excited to go to church. They sang songs with their whole heart; and the joy they had in knowing the Lord was contagious. Their passion and energy inspired us!
But along the way, something changed. They grew indifferent, or even cold. They bristle at the mention of His name. They are arrogant and confident that they don’t need the Lord.
Friend, is your heart aching this morning?
Jesus sees and He knows. His word does not return void. Even the hardest hard isn’t impenetrable by the Word of God and the work of the Holy Spirit. If our sons and daughters made a commitment to the Lord, He will not disown them. ! Corinthians 6:17 says “But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.” He will remain faithful. He cannot deny Himself.
We only see what is ‘right now’. We can’t see the future. But we can pray and trust, because God is already there. He exists outside time and He is the Master of all things, time included. He knows what path our son or daughter will take and like a watercourse, He can and will direct it. Sometimes He allows us to follow our rebellion, but He’s still in control. We need to trust Him and pray for softened hearts and ears that hear, eyes that see spiritual truth and minds that understand and discern wisely..
It’s not too late, really, it’s not. Keep trusting and resting in the sovereignty, power and faithfulness of God.
“Lord, You know the burden in my heart for (name). I pray that even today, Holy Spirit, You would move and work in them. Open their eyes to see the rebellion they have puts them on a spiritual trajectory to a dead end. Bring them back to the joy and passion they had for You when they were a child. I pray that even as they sleep, the verses they memorized would flow through them and ignite a hunger and thirst for righteousness. As they go through their day, bring those beautiful scripture songs to mind to renew their first love. Thank you for Your faithfulness Lord. I pray that even today, You would bless us with a glimmer of change, a softening of (name)s heart and a step toward repentance and restoration in Jesus. It’s in His name I pray, Amen.”
Pray without ceasing. God is faithful.
Faithful Protector
2 Thessalonians 3:3 “The Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.”
Be honest, sometimes as parents we get anxious. We worry about our sons and daughters, where are they? What are they doing and who are they with? Are they making good choices? Then we worry over their safety, are they taking risks? Are they safe on the road? If our brains kick into overdrive we can have them off the side of the road, in a ditch, alone...in the dark in just a matter of seconds. Then we can’t sleep; we worry, we stress and, Oh! Our minds can carry us farther and faster than a NASA rocket. Just one suggestion (or news story) can start our minds spinning and our stomachs churning.
Friends, the Lord is faithful. He’s faithful! He will always be steady, reliable, protective and loving. He’s 100% all the time. We can always rely on Him.
Not only is He faithful, He will establish us. What does that mean? Strong’s Concordance defines ‘establish’ as: to set fast, i.e. (literally) to turn resolutely in a certain direction, or (figuratively) to confirm:—fix, (e-)stablish, steadfastly set, strengthen. (1)
HE will establish our sons and daughters. If they are following Him, He will ensure they are set in the right direction and He will strengthen them. Can we trust Him to do what He says? Of course! Will we, though? We need to check our hearts on this.
Then, He will guard us from the evil one. Not ‘He might’ or ‘He could’ but HE WILL. He will guard us.
Why not take our worry-energy and pour it into prayer? Rather than dwelling on the ‘what-if’s’ we should meditate on the ‘what IS’ and the ‘Who’ that commands the wind and the waves. He can calm the storm in our hearts and minds. Meditate on the Lord’s faithfulness, strength and protection. Trust Him with your precious ones.
“Father, today I pray for your faithful care and protection over (name). Help me to trust You and not slip into having an anxious heart and mind. I know You are faithful, always. I know you are stronger than anything (name) might face today. I know you are able to keep them from the evil one. I pray that You would do each of these today. Lord, guard my own heart and mind in Christ Jesus and let me be an example to (name) of trusting in You and resting in You in every circumstance. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Pray without ceasing.
G4741 - stērizō - Strong's Greek Lexicon (kjv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g4741/kjv/tr/0-1/
Sunday Worship
Psalm 57:7-11
“My heart, O God, is steadfast,
my heart is steadfast;”
“I will sing and make music.
Awake, my soul!
Awake, harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.”
“I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
I will sing of you among the peoples.”
”For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.”
“Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let your glory be over all the earth.”
Pray It Again
When we ride a Ferris wheel, we don’t just go around once. Why? Because once isn’t enough. We take several trips around and each time, we take in something new, appreciate things more as we get to see them once again, and we have a richer experience because we get a perspective that we normally would not. Praying through our prayer points again gives us a chance to look at things more deeply, pray over things yet again, bringing those burdens and requests to the Lord.
Pray that God’s goodness and mercy are evident to our sons and daughters.
Let’s pray today that our sons and daughters run to His arms, find shelter in His embrace and trust Him for His goodness. Let’s pray that their eyes are opened to the plentiful goodness of God around them, despite the brokenness of this world. Pray that they can see and be encouraged by God’s provision for them.
Let’s pray that our sons and daughters believe with all their hearts that the Lord is GOOD and that they trust Him, fully. And let’s pray they look to the Lord for their safety and refuge, always.
Pray that our sons and daughters crave the good that God gives and teaches!! He is good and what He does is good.
Pray that our sons and daughters would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to them. Pray that they would find satisfaction in Him for the longings of their soul.
Pray without ceasing.
The Source of Goodness
Psalm 107:8-9 “Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.”
Hamsters are funny critters and watching them use a hamster wheel is fascinating. They climb on and begin to run at breakneck speed. Round and round they go, but they never get anywhere. They run themselves ragged. Sometimes they lose their footing, but the wheel is at such a high rate of speed that the hamster is then mercilessly whipped around until the wheel finally slows down. Once it stops, they crawl off to recover and make sense of the world that is still spinning so furiously.
Life is like that sometimes, isn’t it? We climb on that ‘wheel’ and we are pulled and pushed, pressured and stressed and the world spins around us. We go and go, yet our speed and effort only tends to make things more complicated and dizzying. We see the brokenness and struggle around us and our frantic pace doesn’t change it. It’s hard to make sense of it sometimes. But, if we stopped and grounded ourselves in God’s Word, we would gain understanding and perspective. HE satisfies the longing soul!! He SATISFIES the longing soul!
Sometimes we run ourselves ragged, trying so hard to gain peace, contentment, joy, satisfaction...the list goes on. We climb onto the proverbial hamster wheel and before we know it, our pursuits have us spinning yet never reaching a destination. Instead of gaining satisfaction, we grow weary. We lose our bearings and find ourselves disoriented and exhausted.
Stop. Give thanks to the Lord for His goodness. Go back to the basics. Did you sleep last night? Give thanks; God gave you rest. Did you wake up this morning? Give thanks; God’s goodness is blessing you with another day to live, breathe and serve Him. Is life hard right now? Give thanks; you have the sense to understand and to realize the ‘hard’ only because it means you’ve also enjoyed good things to compare this ‘hard’ to...and God is faithful. He doesn’t make you walk through the hard times alone.
So often our discontent is connected to our disconnection from God. The Apostle Paul got it. Philippians 4:11-13 says, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Paul knew what it was to be satisfied with God so much that his circumstances didn’t drive his thinking and emotions. The circumstances were just another day, opportunity or situation that God walked through with him. He trusted God. Situations change. God does not. His peace was grounded in the One who is unchanging.
Today, let’s pray that our sons and daughters would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to them. Pray that they would find satisfaction in Him for the longings of their soul, and trust that He fills the hungry soul with goodness.
Pray without ceasing, friends. God hears our prayers.
IT’S ALL GOOD
Psalm 119:68 “You are good, and what you do is good; teach me your decrees.”
There were two basic questions we asked when our kids were young. The first was “Who are they with?” And the second was “What are they learning when they’re with that person?”
What most concerned us about the ‘who are they with’ question was who was influencing our sons and daughters. Were they a good influence. What did they value? Did they use good language and were they careful in how and where they spent their time? Then, we likely wondered about the families of those ‘others’. Were they ‘good’ people?
The second question was one that set our parental sense of responsibility in high gear. We had to ensure that our children learned well! We were all about finding the right school for them. We wanted a ‘good’ school, one that had a good reputation, good teachers, and produced good results. We were all about the ‘good’. Why? Because we wanted our sons and daughters to have the best we could provide and we knew that good was better than just ‘okay’. We had certain criteria and expectations. We didn’t want them learning from ‘just anyone’ and we wanted to ensure the education was solid, worth the investment and would prepare them well for life.
Even though our sons and daughters may be grown, those two concerns- who they are with and what they are learning- are probably still our concerns today.
So we pray. We pray boldly that our sons and daughters will choose to walk with God and learn from Him by spending time in His word.
God is GOOD. Strong’s Concordance defines good in so many beautiful ways: As a noun, the Hebrew word “tob” (1), “good” means: to be good, be pleasing, be joyful, be beneficial, be pleasant, be favorable, be happy, be right, be better or good for, to do good and act rightly.
As an adjective, “tob”(2) covers so many things! To be pleasant and agreeable to the senses, to be excellent, rich in value, appropriate or becoming, glad, understanding, kind and ethical.
Read those definitions again, and ponder them. They’re so rich!! They’re so beautiful. That is our God. And that is the content and character of what He desires us to learn and to become.
Wow! Wouldn’t it be amazing if our sons and daughters could describe their ‘friend list’ with those words!! How incredible would it be if they told us they were learning the goodness of Scripture and incorporating it into their life?!
There is no one better to spend time with or to learn from than God. There is no other who will build our character and teach us integrity. He is GOOD and what He does is GOOD.
Today, let’s pray that our sons and daughters crave the good that God gives and teaches!! And let’s pray that we do as well. He is good and what He does is good, let’s learn his decrees!
Pray without ceasing!
H2895 - ṭôḇ - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h2895/niv/wlc/0-1/
H2896 - ṭôḇ - Strong's Hebrew Lexicon (niv). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h2896/niv/wlc/0-1/
A Good God. A Strong Refuge.
Nahum 1:7 “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him”
Tsunamis, storms, tornadoes, they all stir fear and give us visions of people desperate for survival. We see pictures and footage of people frantically clinging to something, anything that will anchor them from being swept away, torn from safety and carried off. In moments like that, people are not worried about superficial things. They are desperate for life, for survival, for their very breath.
When life becomes tumultuous, what do our sons and daughters hold onto for security and safety? The tenuous security of material wealth? That can disappear in moments. Perhaps a relationship? Any relationship involves imperfect people who will disappoint and can never provide perfect refuge or peace. Maybe a job or location that promises ‘better days’? The grass is rarely greener.
Or, do they find and cling to something good….really good…. As in the goodness of God, ‘good’.
When we anchor ourselves in Christ, we find a refuge and strength that will never be shaken because we’re rooting ourselves in the One who is good. He is able to withstand any storm and calm it with a word. He can stand up against any enemy- even spiritual forces, and render them powerless. He is able to ensure our very survival even in the most dire situation. Oh, friends, He Is Good!!
Let’s pray today that our sons and daughters believe with all their hearts that the Lord is GOOD and that they trust Him, fully. And let’s pray they look to the Lord for their safety and refuge, always.
“Lord, the abundance and depth of your goodness is beyond our understanding. We can never fully comprehend how amazing it is. It is always ready to comfort, shelter and care for us. Help us to see You as the ultimate GOOD and run to You for our refuge. Don’t let us fall into a sense of false security in things or relationships. They can be good blessings from You, but they cannot take the place that You should occupy in our hearts and minds. Lord, I pray that (name) would know and trust that You are good and a stronghold in times of trouble. Please, be the One they always turn to when they need a refuge. Always be the One they reach for when they need stability and strength. I pray that their life would exemplify someone who follows after You, proclaims Your goodness and testifies to Your perfect provision of refuge. In Jesus’ name, amen.”
Pray without ceasing.