The Law of The Lord is Perfect

 

THE LAW OF THE LORD IS PERFECT 

Psalm 19:7

The Law of The Lord is perfect, converting the soul: The Testimony of The Lord is simple. 

Perfect: unblemished, complete, whole, blameless 

2 Timothy 3:16, 17

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 

That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 

    Though the word "perfect" is used to describe both Scripture and people, the meaning is nearly the same. We are to live lives of moral integrity: our personal ethics and principles by which we live must reflect The Word of God which is in us. Do people see Christ in us when they interact with us, or even recognize that we are believers in Christ, though they have never met us? 

    Let's say you go shopping and pay for the things you set near the register. On your way out the door, you realize you left an item in your cart. Do you take it back and pay for it, give it to the clerk and explain your mistake, or do you just keep on walking and consider it a "freebie". If you do the latter, that's theft, which would make you a thief. A thief's heart is not God's heart. When we live a life of integrity, we stand out from among the crowd because the Light of Christ shines through us. 

    THE LAW OF THE LORD IS PERFECT 

    As Christ is without blemish and perfect in every way, God chose Him to be the sacrificial Lamb required to take away the sins of the world once and for all. From the first people to the last, anyone who has chosen to follow The LORD God regardless of the cost to themselves, is covered by this blood. 

    He is Eternal Life to the believer and in Him we are made perfect. We are in a constant state of change, as the stream flows from the rocks and over the landscape, it is in perpetual motion from being filled with the rains. This is our life in Christ. Over and over and over again we are being made more perfect in Him daily, when we choose to let Him lead us where He wants us to go. He never leaves us: our GOD is  faithful. 

    The church Christ is coming for must be perfect. She must live a perfect life and her heart must be made perfect through her obedience to The Law of The Lord. 

Hebrews 4:12

For The Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 

    God knows our hearts and our thoughts. When we delve into the Scriptures, seeking to know God better with a deeper understanding of Who He Is and His great love for people, we draw closer to Him. Our yearning for His presence is an act of devotion to The Desire of Nations (Haggai 2:7).  We say, "Come, Lord Jesus. Come and take Your perfect church to the place which You  have prepared for her." But at the same time, we pray that our families, our friends, our enemies come with us. 

    Have you made that decision yet? To put down your own life, take up your cross and follow Jesus wherever He may lead you? Now is the time to make that decision. "The Spirit and the bride, we say, 'Come. Come and see The Savior Who died for you, fought death, hell and the grave, for you. Come and meet The One Who walked out of the grave for you. To save you, to give you eternal life, that you might dwell forever with Him'. 

    Is today your day to give your heart and your life to Christ Jesus? Come. Come to Jesus. And live. 

YOU HAVE WON THE VICTORY

    

The Law of The Lord Is Refreshing To The Godly

 

Psalm 1:1

Blessed (the happiness which comes from being in a right relationship with God) is the one who does not listen to ungodly advice, nor live life accordingly (to that ungodly advice), nor keeps company with sinners (who deliberately live ungodly lives), nor sits with scorners and mockers (who rail against godly wisdom).

THE LAW OF THE LORD 

Psalm 1:2

But his delight is in The Law of The Lord;

On His Law he meditates day and night. 

Delight: the inclinations of the heart 

    The Law of The LORD is The Word of God. We more than lean towards The LORD's presence: we yearn to be as close to Him as He desires to be close to us. We are trees of righteousness yielding to The Righteousness of God. We are clothed with that which is more beautiful than the flowers of the field: Jesus Christ. 

    The Law of The LORD is Eternal: permanent, neverending, everlasting, without end. It is Life; not just any life, but an abundant Life in Christ and Christ in us. 

    Have you believed The Law of The LORD for your own salvation? The LORD GOD is calling everyone to repentance, to godly sorrow which leads to a changed heart and life. Are you ready for The Law of The LORD to clean your hearts and change the course of your life? Better get ready. Come to Jesus. It's the most important decision you will ever make. 

Seek First - Seek My Face

 

PSALM 27:8

My heart said, "Seek His Face." Your Face, O LORD, I will seek.

    I ended the year 2024 with the phrase "By Faith" for moving forward in my life. I am beginning 2025 with "Seek First" added to it. 

    You would think the longer a person walks with God the easier it is to walk with God. Not so. Life is still life and there are always distractions to tempt us away from walking out our faith on this Way of Holiness. 

    When David wrote this psalm, he was praising God for deliverance. Both his age and his circumstances at that time are unknown. Here he reveals his own heart that the saints may be encouraged in The LORD and strengthened in their commitment and desire to seek out God's presence at all times. 

    We, too, can praise God for the deliverance He has given us in these New Testament times. For the deliverance with which He has blessed us in His own Son, Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God. Our deliverance came by way of the cross on which He died. Our eternal life came by way of the empty tomb, where His body once lay as He Himself fought hell and won, for He holds the keys of death, hell and the grave. 

    No more would death be feared, for The King of Kings and Lord of Lords, The Ruler of All Nations, had conquered them all and made a Way to reach God and live forever in His presence. But in order to receive this wonderful deliverance we first have to believe that Jesus Christ is Lord. 

    Though the saints of the Old Testament had not yet seen The Promise of God, they lived their lives believing God, even when they stumbled in their walk, they repented and moved ahead. By faith. Seeking God's divine will first and then following in obedience to that will. 

    So, today, as this new year has begun, let us by faith enter into a divine relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and daily seek His face, His presence. Not asking anything, just wanting to spend time with Him: in prayer, in Bible study, in worship. For there is no better way than The Way to get through what we are about to go through. 

WALK WITH ME - Jesus Culture

The Lord is My Shield, My Glory, The Lifter of My Head

 

PSALM 3:3

But Thou, O LORD, are a Shield for me, My Glory and The Lifter of my head. 

The Shield of God defends, protects, hedges in and covers round about (encompasses) the one who is in Christ, Who is in God (John 17:21).

The Lord My Defense

Psalm 94:22

But The LORD is my Defense; my God is The Rock of my Refuge.

Psalm 18:22

The LORD is my Rock, my Fortress, and my Deliverer. My God is my Rock, in Whom I take refuge, my Shield, and The Horn of my Salvation, my Stronghold.

The Lord My Shield

Psalm 5:12

For surely You, O LORD, bless the righteous; You surround them with the Shield of Your favor.

The Lord Lifts Me Up

Psalm 27:6

Then my head will be held high above my enemies around me. At His tabernacle I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD.

Psalm 30:1

I will exalt You, O LORD, for You have lifted me up and have not allowed my foes to rejoice over me.

1 Thessalonians 4:17

Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

    Whatever it is you and I are facing or going through right at this moment, remember that if you are a born again believer in The Lord Jesus Christ, He is with you. You are not alone, and there is no reason for you to fear what lies ahead of you. He has promised to always be with us; to never leave us, nor forsake (abandon) us. 

    Now is the time to praise The Lord. Now is the time to rejoice that we have been found worthy to suffer for His Name's sake. Now is the time to seek Him out in His Word, to dig in a little deeper that our anchor in Him would be steadfast and immovable; that our faith would remain secure, yet increase. 

    Ephesians 5:19

Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your hearts to The Lord, always giving thanks to God The Father for everything in The Name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

THOU ART A SHIELD FOR ME-Kent Henry 

GOD WILL LIFT UP YOUR HEAD - Jars of Clay 

 

PSALM 119:105

Thy Word is a Lamp unto my feet, and a Light unto my path. 

    John 1:1-4

In the beginning was The Word, and The Word was with God, and The Word was God. The Same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was Life; and the Life was The Light of men.  

    John 8:12

Then spoke Jesus again to them, saying, "I Am The Light of the world: he that follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but will have The Light of Life." 

    Have you seen The Light? Are you a sinner saved by grace, or do you still walk in the darkness of your own ways, your own self-centeredness? To walk in The Light is to live out our daily lives in the full assurance and knowledge that we belong to Jesus Christ, Who purchased us with His blood on the cross and gave us new life in Him when He walked out of the grave. 

    The Word of God is Jesus Christ. There is no other word that can reveal the will of God to us but Jesus Christ. There is no other name that can save our souls from eternal damnation but Jesus Christ.

     To have The Light of Life--Jesus Christ--as one's personal Savior is to recognize sin for what it is: disobedience to God's Word, God's laws, God's precepts, God's Way and God's will. This is the first part of a repentant heart. 

    To have The Light of Life is to acknowledge with humble hearts our wrongdoings and confess them aloud to God, whether we are at the altar in our churches, sitting in our cars, kneeling at our bedsides: wherever we are when The Spirit tugs at our heartstrings revealing The Light of The Word to us, that's when and where we pray to The God who loves us and sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for us.

    To have The Light of Life is to stop committing the sinful things and do the obedient things which God has prepared for us to do as our way of life. When He says to do a certain act or think a certain way and we don't, then that is sin. When He says not to do a certain thing or not say or think ungodly words or thoughts, then that, too, is sin. 

    To have The Light of Life is to forgive anyone who has wronged us and to go to anyone we have wronged and forgive them. For without forgiveness to each other and one another, we cannot be forgiven by God. 

    To have The Light of Life is know godly sorrow for our sins. It is seeking out God in His Word personally, if we are able to attain any part of The Bible for ourselves. It is to hear God's Word being preached, taking into our hearts and applying it to our lives through the power of God's Holy Spirit, Whom we all desperately need within us, leading us through God's Holy Word and growing us in God's kingdom.

    To have The Light of Life is to walk in newness of life. For our souls have been redeemed by God's grace: we are new creations, we have been born again: we are made new. And because we are new, we need to learn how to walk God's paths in God's Light: seeing clearly and understanding with clarity of thought; developing a heart that follows The Word of God with love and joy. 

    To have The Light of Life is to be a Philippians 4:8 thinker. It is learning to live Philippians 4:12, as well as many other verses which will guide us into living a changed heart and mind lifestyle. 

    No more do we have to walk in the darkness of this world. No more must we live like the rest of this old world lives. We have The Light of The World living in us through the power of God's Holy Spirit. And now we are the light of the world, because we bring The Light of Life to all who will hear us, when we speak the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ. 

JESUS IS THE LIGHT - Carman

LIGHTS SHINE BRIGHT - TobyMac 

    

Joy In The Lord is Strength

 

NEHEMIAH 8:10

Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of The LORD is your strength.”

    Why were the people sorrowful after hearing the words of the law that was read to them? Because it convicted their hearts of the sins they had committed. The law of The Lord reveals what is sin and sin's consequences: death. For this they began to weep and to mourn, but Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Levite priests reminded them that that day on which they heard the words of the law was a holy day, a day of rejoicing and a day of sharing what we have with those who had less. 

     In Nehemiah 8:8 the words of the Law of God were explained clearly and to their understanding. The Spirit of The Law fell on their hearts and caused them to grieve, as it does still, when people hear The Word read and explained to our understanding. The letter of The Law wounds and kills. The Love of The Law of The Lord heals and gives life to those who believe it and receive it into their hearts. 

    Psalm 19:7-11 describes The Law of The Lord very well:

1. The Law of The Lord is Perfect, it revives the soul.

2. The Testimony of The Lord is trustworthy, making the simple wise.

3. The Precepts of The Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart.

4. The Commandments of The Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.

5. The Fear of The Lord is pure, enduring forever.

6. The Judgments of The Lord are true and righteous:

    a. They are more precious than gold.

    b. They are sweeter than honey.

    c. By these Judgments the servant of The Lord is warned. 

     This knowledge of The Law of The Lord brings joy to the repentant heart and causes a body to rejoice and have an overflowing joy such as cannot be contained. It must overflow into our families and onto our neighbors and friends, strangers and foreigners among us. Why would we ever want to try and contain such as we have received of The Lord our God? We are compelled to go out and share the blessings of The Lord with each other. 

    The Law of The Lord having been read on a feast day, a holy day unto The Lord God, meant that it was not a time for weeping and grieving: it was a time of fellowship, of joy and rejoicing. It was The Feast of Tabernacles, the year of Jubilee, when all debts are forgiven and The Law of The Lord is to be read to all the people gathered in the courtyard of the temple: men, women, children, foreigners. (Deuteronomy 31:9-13).

    The Joy of The Lord is the knowledge of forgiveness and salvation through Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, Who took our sins upon Himself and died in our place. For sin requires a death, and the most perfect lamb in all of Israel was Jesus Christ (John 1:29), Son of David (Matthew 9:27), Lord of David (Psalm 110:1; Matthew 22:44). 

    This is my Joy. And my Strength. 

Pardoned & Sanctified

 

Psalm 32:1

A psalm of David, Maschil. Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sins are covered.

Maschil: an instructive, didactic poem (didactic: intended to teach moral instruction)

Transgression: breach of trust, rebellion

Forgiven: to lift, carry, take away

Sin: *from the ATS Bible Dictionary* Any thought, word, desire, action, or omission of action, contrary to the law of God, or defective when compared with it.  Contrary to the nature, worship, love, and service to God. Ungodliness, iniquity/unrighteousness. In Genesis it is referred to as "the flesh". 

Covered: to cover over as to not be seen again, to clothe

    When we believe that Jesus Christ is Lord, our sins are forgiven, for the blood of God's perfect Lamb, which was shed on the cross, covers our sinful nature--through the power of God's Holy Spirit--and clothes our souls with the righteous nature of Christ Jesus. 

    Romans 13:14 But put on The Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the desires of the flesh. 

    Galatians 3:27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 

    Romans 6:4 We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead to the glory of The Father, we, too, may walk in newness of life. 

    Which brings us to being sanctified. In his letter to the believers' church in Rome, Paul was giving his references, his qualifications, for being the one who would bring the gospel message to the Gentiles--the non-Jews--ethnicities unrelated to the Hebrew culture.

Romans 15:16 ..to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by The Holy Spirit. 

Sanctified: made holy, consecrated, set apart, dedicated, hallowed, to separate

    It is the work of The Holy Spirit in us to make us holy. It is our job to listen to Him and obey The Voice of God when He speaks to us. And God does speak to us. In His written Word and in the nudgings of His Spirit within us. In prophetic tongues through His people God reveals Himself. The Holy Spirit will lead us and guide us in God's Word on a daily basis, when we read what the prophets and the apostles have written thousands of years past. We just need to believe that God's Word is True and Faithful. 

THE OLD RUGGED CROSS - Alan Jackson 

WORD OF GOD SPEAK - MercyMe

    

  

God's Faithfulness and Love Are Enduring

 

Psalm 36:5 

"Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the skies."

Psalm 57:10
"For Your loving devotion reaches to the heavens, and Your faithfulness to the clouds."
Psalm 103:11
"For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His loving devotion for those who fear Him."
Jeremiah 9:24
"But let him who boasts, boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am The LORD, Who exercises loving devotion, justice and righteousness on the earth--for I delight in these things," declares The LORD."

 

I LIFT MY EYES - Kristyn Getty/Jordan Kauflin/Matt Merkel

Psalm 121:1
"I lift up my eyes unto the hills, where my Help comes from."
Hebrews 13:5-6
"Let your conversation (character and lifestyle) be without covetousness; and be content with such things as you have: for He has said, 'I will never leave you, nor forsake you.'

So that we may boldly say, 'The Lord is my Helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.'

  

GOODNESS OF GOD - Bethel Music

Psalm 23 - The Lord Is

 This week I am in Psalm 23 and Psalm 23 is in me. 

THE LORD IS SHEPHERD

The LORD is my Shepherd: 

I lack nothing.

He makes me to lie down in green pastures:

He leads me beside still waters. 

THE LORD IS RESTORER

He restores my soul;

He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His Name's sake. 

 

THE LORD IS DEFENDER

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil: for You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff they comfort me. 

THE LORD IS PROVIDER & PROVISION

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies: 

You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. 

THE LORD IS EVER NEAR

Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:

and I shall live in the house of The LORD forever.  

COME TO JESUS - Chris Rice 

The Lord Is King

 

Psalm 47:2

For The LORD Most High is terrible; He is a great King over all the earth. 

Psalm 95:3

For The LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

Psalm 22:27-29

All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to The LORD. All the families of the nations will bow down before Him. For dominion belongs to The LORD and He rules over the nations. All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before Him—even those unable to preserve their lives.

    As both subjects and travelers will bow in the presence of earthly kings, so, too, will all bow in the presence of THE KING. Even if they don't want to, they will. For in the hearts of those who have rebelled against God in life, they will recognize in death that they were wrong and that Jesus Christ is indeed King of Kings and Lord of Lords. But for them, those, as the psalmist writes, they will not live; for they chose in this life to live without Christ in theirs. And, so, their lives were not preserved; their souls perished and will continue to perish. 

Romans 14:11

For it is written: “ As I live, says The LORD, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God.” 

Philippians 2:9-11

Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him The Name above all names, that at The Name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God The Father. 

    God made a Way for every person to avoid going to hell for their sins. He calls this Way, The Way of Holiness. The entrance is through Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, Who came to this earth that He created to die for our sins; Who conquered death, hell and the grave by walking out of the tomb after a major spiritual battle in death, into a new glorious body. 

    The Bible calls Him at this time, The Firstfruits: 1 Corinthians 15:20 "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become The Firstfruits of them that slept." He is the First to rise from the dead and remain so. Though many had been brought back through the power of God from death, they all died again and remained dead. Until Jesus rose from the dead. Until death was conquered with such great a victory! The King is King Forever! The Lord is Lord forever! Hallelujah! What a mighty God we who believe choose to serve!

    YHWH ELOHIM MELEK: THE LORD MOST HIGH IS KING FOREVER!

 AWESOME GOD - Michael W. Smith 

The LORD is Merciful - Psalm 103

 

PSALM 103:8

The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plentiful in mercy.

James 5:11

See how blessed we consider those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen the outcome from the Lord. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

Compassion: according to the Bible, means full of mercy. It is an accusative term applied to God's love, which He extends to us. Not accusatory, but accusative, which is, according to the dictionary: relating to or denoting a case of nouns, pronouns, and adjectives that expresses the object of an action or the goal of motion. And what is the object of God's action or goal of motion: GOD IS LOVE (1 John 4:15-17). In His great love, He sent us His only begotten Son by wrapping His WORD in flesh and having It go through life like any other person....almost. For Christ is sinless, the only Person who never sinned against GOD. How could He? He was, and is GOD. An amazing feat which only GOD could accomplish!

    Here, both David and James write that God is reminding us that He shows us mercy, great mercy, and grace. The gods in the areas in which David and James lived were not. The gods being worshiped in those days are still being worshiped today. Yet, GOD is still extending His mercy towards us. 

    Our God is slow to anger (longsuffering, which is more than just being patient).  It's been nearly 2,000 years, since Christ ascended into heaven to be with His Father. That's more than patient; that length of time is, indeed, longsuffering. He has put up with people ignoring Him, mocking Him, hating Him, betraying Him, loving, then leaving Him. And, yet, GOD extends His mercy out into all the world. 

    Though every heart will not receive His Truth by their own choice, God being love, flows out into all the world like a winding stream, touching every person even if they refuse to be loved by GOD. Please don't be that person. GOD loves you and wants only the best for you. How do we know that? John 3:16,17 "For GOD so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For GOD sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."

    Again, in 1 John 4:15-17 - If anyone confesses that Jesus is The Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us. GOD IS LOVE; whoever abides in love abides in God, and God in him. In this way, love has been perfected among us, so that we may have confidence on the day of judgment; for in this world we are just like Him. 

    The 'we' James is referring to is the believers, the ones who have confessed that Jesus Christ is The Son of God. Paul wrote in Romans 10:9, 10 "That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved." 

    This is the mercy which GOD extends to us all. This great and wonderful mercy is mine. Is it yours, too? 

THE CROSS - Anne Wilson & Chris Tomlin 

Mine

 

Psalm 24:1

The earth is The Lord's, and the fulness thereof,

and all they that dwell therein. 

THE CREATION OF THE WORLD

Genesis 1 and 2

THE EARTH IS THE LORD'S

Exodus 9:29

EVERYTHING BELONGS TO GOD

 Deuteronomy 10:14

THE LORD OF ALL THE EARTH 

Joshua 3:11

EVERYTHING UNDER HEAVEN IS MINE

Job 41:11

EVEN THE FOOD WE EAT IS THE LORD'S

1 Corinthians 10:25, 26

SALVATION BELONGS TO THE  LORD 

Psalm 3:8 and Revelation 7:10

WISDOM AND POWER BELONG TO GOD

Daniel 2:20-22

TIME BELONGS TO GOD

Psalm 31:15 

Everything we are, all that we have, belongs to God. Denying these facts, as well as denying God, does not refute God's Authority. 

Recognition of God's Authority is a start. 

A thankful heart for God's blessings is a start. 

Receiving God's greatest blessing, salvation through Jesus Christ, 

His only begotten Son, is a start. 

Being transformed from who we were into who we will become is all the middle ground in-between this life and death journey we are on. For time belongs to God and how we spend the time God allots us is up to us. 
Are we filling our days being obedient to God? 
Are we filling our days with acts of worship to God? 

Are we filling our days with prayer to our God? 

Are we  filling our days with resting in His Word? 

Everything we have and everything we are

BELONGS TO GOD.

I am His and He is mine. 

To Walk With God

 

    To walk with God is to walk in the knowledge that He loves us and desires our companionship, for it is God Who created us from the beginning and continues to transform us into His own image, just as He created Adam in His own image. 

    To walk with God is to walk without fear, without doubt. It is to walk in faith, trusting that God knows what He is doing and where He is taking us. The river has many bends and may even fall over the cliff in stunning waterfalls, but if that is where God wants us to go, then we will follow Him wherever He leads us. For it is not God's intent to cause His children harm, but to nourish us in His Word and cherish us in His heart.

    To walk with God is to walk boldly, fearing no person, no place, no thing. The Bible tells us that "where two or three are gathered together in The Name of The Lord" that "He is there with us". The Lord Jesus did not send His disciples out alone into the cities to share the gospel, but in pairs. It seems in that way there would always be two gathered together and Jesus would be right there with them: in The Spirit. 

    To walk with God is to walk in The Way of Holiness, the old path which God has laid out from time past that He would have His people to walk in. It may sound strange to some folks, but not all paths are physical pathways. There are spiritual and spirit-filled paths, as well. The Way of Holiness is Spirit-filled, for it the path which God designed for His people to walk in that they may obtain righteousness and be made holy, much needed requirements for entering into God's rest.

    God's righteousness is the wedding garment which the invited guest wears to the marriage of The Lamb and The Bride (Christ and His church). Holiness is the attire we wear over our garment of righteousness: without holiness we will not see God and live. Therefore we must walk the old path, the strait and the narrow path, which leaves no room for frivolous accoutrements.

    To walk with God is to walk in integrity, living a holy and righteous life not only in our churches, but in our homes, in our workplaces and in our communities. Every aspect of a Christian's life must match God's example of being Christlike, as noted in The New Testament. Our words and our actions must exemplify the grace which God extended to us through His only begotten Son Jesus Christ. To do less would be the actions of a hypocrite, a fake, a pretender. 

    To walk with God is to walk in humility. We do not need recognition from our peers for we know that when we are working for God, He sees our hearts and will reward us in heaven. It is to accept being overlooked and underappreciated in this life. It is to be silent in the face of rejection and hate. 

    To walk with God is to know pain and suffering, sorrow and grief. It is to know healing and wholeness, joy and laughter. To walk with God is to know God a little more clearly each day that we walk together. It is to have His hand in mine, as a Father walks with His little child. 

    To walk with God is to walk with purpose. A random encounter to us is a designated destination to God. It is an open door through which we can share the gospel. It is an opportunity to tell someone new what God has done for us. 

    To walk with God is to walk in His Light. In His Light, darkness flees. In His Light His Word is clear to see and understand. His Word is Light for our steps. When His Word is in our hearts, His Light is in our hearts, too. When we accept and believe the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ, God's Light lives in us and shines through us, scattering the dark thoughts and sending them all packing. Though we get downhearted at times, we cannot stay there: we cannot dwell on regret, nor can we quench our thirst for God with tears of bitterness. We must decide and declare whether we want ot live in darkness or live in Light; whether we want to live in fear or live in Love. 

    To walk with God is wonderful. It is the most wonderful way to walk. 

WALK WITH ME - Randy Travis 

WALK WITH ME - Jesus Culture

The Inspired Box - May 2

 

PSALM 27:1

The LORD is The Strength of my life:

of whom shall I be afraid? 

    We are to be bold as lions when we testify of God's amazing grace on our lives (Proverbs 28:1). Though we are like sheep among wolves (Matthew 10:16), we are to be shrewd/wise/sensible/cunning (strategic thinking) as serpents and innocent/sincere/blameless/unsophisticated as doves. On a side note, Strong's Exhaustive Concordance describes sheep as "easily led, forward walking". 

    When we follow our Shepherd faithfully, it is entirely possible to be not only a sheep in His flock, His pasture, but also a lion following The LION OF JUDAH (Revelation 5:5). When Christ spoke to the crowds surrounding Him, He told them He could only speak what His Father was speaking. When we hear Him speak to us, we hear our Father speaking His Word over us and into us. This is our STRENGTH. What, indeed, do we have to fear from anyone? 

    Since we see that God's people are likened to sheep, we also see that the places we will go when we speak God's Word into the ears of those who hear us, will be the territories of they who will try to kill us, for that is what wolves do:they are predatory and viciously attack when least expected. Our weapon in overcoming these wolves are the same as David's: his faith in God to give him strength to defend his position and his flock.  Sometimes the wolves will be allowed to win and overcome the Christian, at other times The Word of God will cause the wolves to cower and slink away. Psalm 27:2. 

    Let us kneel before God in the privacy of our prayer closets/war rooms and find strength in His presence, seeking only to be with Him in His kingdom. And in these times of prayer with our God, let us also pray to be filled with His Light, His Word and His Spirit that we may truly walk as lions in a world filled with wolves. 

THIS IS THE AIR I BREATHE - Michael W. Smith 

CONSUMING FIRE - Hillsong    

 

Bless The Lord - Psalm 103

 

PSALM 103:2
Bless The LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.

What are the benefits with which God blesses us, as listed here in Psalm 103 by David?

GOD FORGIVES US
v3 He who forgives all your iniquities and heals all your diseases,
v4 Who redeems your life from the Pit and crowns you with lovingkindess and compassion,
v5 Who satisfies you with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
v6 The LORD executes righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.
v7 He made known His ways to Moses, His deeds to the people of Israel.
v8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion.
v 9 He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever.

v 10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins or repaid us according to our iniquities.

v11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His loving devotion for those who fear Him.

v 12 As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.

v 13 As a father has compassion on his children, so The LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.

GOD REMINDS US OF OUR FRAGILITY

v 14 For He knows our frame; He is mindful that we are dust.

v15, 16 As for man, his days are like grass—he blooms like a flower of the field; when the wind passes over, it vanishes, and its place remembers it no more.

GOD SHOWS US MERCY IN HIS KINGDOM

v 17, 18 But from everlasting to everlasting the loving devotion of The LORD extends to those who fear Him, and His righteousness to their children’s children—o those who keep His covenant and remember to obey His precepts.

v19 The LORD has established His throne in heaven, And His kingdom rules over all.

SO WE BLESS THE LORD GOD

His Angels Bless Him

v20 Bless The LORD, all His angels mighty in strength who carry out His word, who hearken to the voice of His command.

His Mighty Armies Bless Him

v21 Bless the LORD, all His hosts, you servants who do His will.

His Creation Blesses Him

v22 Bless The LORD, all His works in all places of His dominion. Bless The LORD, O my soul!

BLESS THE LORD - Matt Redman

GOODNESS OF GOD - Bethel Music

The Faithfulness of God

 

 

    While there are only a few verses describing the faithfulness of God, there are many instances in The Bible telling us of God's faithfulness. But, first, what does the word 'faithfulness' really mean? 

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance #530 (faithful, faithfully, faithfulness, responsibility truth): firmness, steadfastness, fidelity

Dictionary: 

• Firmness: the quality of having a solid, almost unyielding surface or structure
• Steadfastness:  the quality of being resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering:
• Fidelity: faithfulness to a person, cause, or belief, demonstrated by continuing loyalty and support 

    So we can see that the faithfulness of God is unyielding, unwavering and true. While our faithfulness on the other hand is sadly lacking at times. We try but fail Him so many times. Yet, in His grace and mercy, God still loves us and only wants us to keep drawing near to Him, where we find forgiveness and restoration. 

HEART OF MY HEART - Charlie Daniels 

GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS - Austin Stone

    Of the more than one-hundred verses using the words 'faithful and faithfulness', thirty-five refer to God's faithfulness to us. The words 'faith and faithfully' are in reference to us and how we behave to God. 

    The first verse in The Bible that tells us of God's faithfulness is in Psalm 36:5

 

and the last verse referring to the faithfulness of God is in Revelation 22:6.

    But what about all those other verses referring to God's faithfulness? Today is just the foundation; the next few days are about the layers. 

Statements of Faith - I Delight Myself In The Lord

 

PSALM 37:4

Delight yourself in The LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.

SPEND TIME WITH HIM IN PRAYER

Matthew 7:7, 8

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you

For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. 

Matthew 6:9-13 is an example of prayer that Jesus gives His disciples. 

(9) Acknowledge Who God Is and that He is holy, recognize that we are not, then 

(10) Receive His kingdom [Mark 1:15; Acts 2:38], Surrender and submit to His will [Romans 12:1-3; Psalm 63]

(11) Ask for and receive that which God desires us to have daily

(12) Ask for forgiveness every day for the sins we have committed and receive it, because we are forgiving those who have sinned against us (don't retain bitterness, don't hold grudges against anyone), knowing that God will forgive us as much as we have forgiven others [Matthew 6:14; Mark 11:25]

(13) Pray for strength to withstand temptations and be separated from such [Luke 22:40; John 17:15; 1 Corinthians 10:13; 2 Thessalonians 3:3)

MEDITATE IN THE LORD (ponder, think about)

Psalm 19:14

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Psalm 104:34

My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD.

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

STUDY HIS WORD

2 Timothy 2:15

Study to shew yourself approved to God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing The Word of Truth.

Ephesians 1:13

And in Him, having heard and believed The Word of Truth--the gospel of your salvation--you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. 

Ezra 7:10

For Ezra had set his heart to study The Law of The LORD, to practice it, and to teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel.

SWEET HOUR OF PRAYER Casting Crowns

WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE LORD 

ANCIENT WORDS  Robin Mark

GIVE ME WORDS TO SPEAK Aaron Shust