Tag: World English Bible

O LORD, My Strength

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(Photo Credit: Ales Cerin)

I will love thee, O LORD, my strength. – Psalm 18:1

Some verses of scripture are simple and powerful. Psalm 18:1 is one of them. David starts this Psalm by expressing his devotion and love to God. Then he acknowledges God as his strength.

I am very limited in strength, and God is infinite in strength. When I rely on my human strength, whether it is physical, mental, emotional, or moral, I eventually fail. Does God call us to be weak? I think He just wants us to recognize that He has more strength than we do, and rely on Him for strength.

Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might. – Ephesians 6:10 (World English Bible)

What kind of strength is God’s strength? God is Spirit, so His strength is spiritual. We can receive His strength in the natural world (Samson certainly did), but true strength is pure and holy. The strength and power of the Holy Spirit living inside a Christian is amazing! He gives us strength to endure difficult times and seasons in our life, strength to overcome sin, and strength to love and forgive. The world may not applaud us for it, but God is pleased when we draw on His strength.

Prayer for today: Lord God, you are my strength. I ask you for the strength I need, and the wisdom to use it well. In the name of Jesus I pray, amen!

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Restoration, Part 6

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(Photo Credit: Roberto Burgos S.)

“Yet even now,” says Yahweh, “turn to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning.” Tear your heart, and not your garments, and turn to Yahweh, your God; for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and relents from sending calamity. Who knows? He may turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him . . . . – Joel 2:12-14 (WEB)

If I stop and really think about it, I perceive God very differently at times. Countless times, I have heard that God is a loving God, in songs, in church, and in reading about Him. But I have often pictured the God as quick to anger if I make any mistakes, even little ones. I know He is a loving God, and I have experienced His great love many times. So why do I perceive Him as being quick to anger, especially when Joel 2:13 reminds us that He is “slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness” (Joel 2:13, WEB)? So if God is not the problem, and it never is because He is loving, then the problem is in my perception of Him.

On the other hand, there are times when I have pictured God as not having any emotions, except anger. So as I considered this recently, I think God showed me that I have projected my own thoughts of what a stereotypical male is in terms of emotions, onto God. Males have been called “unfeeling”, “emotionless”, “like a machine”, and other things. But men, and boys, are usually raised and culturally trained to not show the “weaker emotions” like sadness, fear, or even happiness. Anger is often acceptable.

The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry. – Jeremiah 31:3-4

The passage above in Joel, and this one in Jeremiah, reminds us that God is loving and kind. He wants to build us up, not tear us down in anger. I have given God plenty of reasons to be angry with me in my life, and there are times He has been angry with me, and I knew it and deserved it. But every single time I humbled myself and brought myself back to Him, He was there waiting for me in love.

The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. – Zephaniah 3:17

Wow, God actually rejoices over us! He loves us, and although I have never audibly heard God sing, it amazes me to think that the Lord rejoices over me with singing. God sings? Yes, God sings! Who created joy? God created joy! Even if God has been angry with you, humbly turn to Him again. Let Him rejoice over you!

Prayer for today: Heavenly Father, I admit that there are times you have been angry with me. But help me to see that you are not angry with me all of the time. Show me your love, your joy, and your mercy. Let me experience them personally, in ways that I understand. Thank you, Lord. In the name of Jesus I pray, amen.

Note: Joel 2:12-14 taken from World English Bible (public domain).

 

 

 

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Restoration, Part 5

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(Photo Credit: Nasko Marinov)

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. – Isaiah 1:18

It is amazing that the Lord invites us to reason together with Him. Since God knows everything, and everyone, what a great invitation for us! As mentioned in the verse above, the purpose of reasoning together with the Lord is so that He can wash our sins away and make us clean. What happens after that? He can start making us fruitful again!

Allow God to produce fruit through you. In the natural world, fruit provides nourishment for people. In the Body of Christ, we are to encourage and build each other up (Ephesians 4:12-16), and reach out to people (2 Corinthians 5:18-20).

One thing that happened when I went my own way is that I stopped producing spiritual fruit.  I was not building up my brothers and sisters in the Lord, and I didn’t reach out to people with the Gospel message. I tried to be kind and encouraging to people, and talked about God sometimes. There were also a few times that God used me to encourage some people anyway, in spite of me. Most of the time I was not led by God, though.

But our God is a God who does restore. And he can restore fruitfulness to us. I’m still not perfect, but the Lord produced some new fruit in me after I returned to Him. When we draw close to Jesus again and repent of our own ways, His Holy Spirit produces the fruit that will lead us to being fruitful, for us and for others!

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. – Galatians 5:22-23 (WEB)

Prayer for today: Heavenly Father, I bring myself to you. Help me to be honest with myself and with you, and let us reason together. Wash my sins away. I ask you to restore me to you. Help me to repent and be truly fruitful. In the Name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.

Note: Galatians 5:22-23 taken from World English Bible (public domain).

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