What God Has Been teaching Me Lately LXXVII (77)
Greetings My Friends~
As a simple pilgrim
following the Lord Jesus
through the rainforests and deserts of this earthly life,
I would like to humbly share
some of what God has been bubbling up in my mind/heart lately
through the Bible.
I pray that these thoughts are
cushions in your shoes,
balm to your burns,
umbrellas for the rain,
and shade to the scorching heat
as you too follow the Lord Jesus each day.
(please click on the Bible books/chapters/verses below
to read the actual Scripture passages)
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Metamorphosis Accomplished & In Process
YES! What a promise for those who are in Christ Jesus by faith!
2 Corinthians 3:18: “And we all, who with unveiled faces
contemplate [or reflect] the Lord’s glory,
are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory…”
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God Qualifies The Called (Not Vice Versa)
All Christians, & especially pastors:
2 Corinthians 3:5-6: “Not that we are competent in ourselves…
but our competence comes from God.
He has made us competent…”
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Word Down…Word Up
Christ Jesus: The God Who gives us our diagnosis straight up (Romans 3:9-31)
& provides His cure by coming straight down
to suffer & die & rise again!
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What…Or Who…Is Your Cushion?
A. May we be glad in the Christ our King,
not in the comfort of our circumstances,
let’s rejoice in our Maker
not in our mattress–Psalm 149:2:
“Let Israel rejoice in their Maker;
let the people of Zion be glad in their King.”
B. When the LORD Himself is our portion–Psalm119:57–
we can feast even with empty plates;
we can rest having Him
when we dont have the results we want.
C. What was the “spacious place” (verse 5)
that the LORD brought the writer of Psalm 118
when he cried out to God?
Verses 6-7: Trusting that “the LORD is with me.”
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Faith
A. To carry out our mission from the Lord Jesus,
facing danger requires not courage
but faith in Him
that this life isn’t all there is:
B. Some of the earthly blessings/triumphs
that God brought
through the strong faith of His people: Hebrews 11:32-35a—
praise the LORD!
But…don’t forget some of the earthly burdens/trials
that God brought
thru the strong faith of His people: Hebrews 11:35b-38—
praise the LORD still!
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The Bible
A. Psalm 119:143-144–Facing trouble & distress, in order to survive & thrive
the writer asks the LORD for help in understanding His Word–
seeing as God sees is vital to us surviving & thriving.
“Trouble and distress have come upon me,
but your commands give me delight.
144 Your statutes are always righteous;
give me understanding that I may live.”
B. God is our powerful refuge
when we hope in what He said–Psalm 119:114:
“You are my refuge and my shield;
I have put my hope in your word.”
We’re our own powerless refuge
when we hope in what we want/feel/think.
C. A boat of sugar (easy times) dissolves in a storm–we’re sunk;
A boat of Scripture (God’s Word) endures a storm–we’re sustained.
Psalm 119:116-117:
“Sustain me, my God, according to your promise, and I will live;
do not let my hopes be dashed.
117 Uphold me, and I will be delivered;
I will always have regard for your decrees.”
D. May the LORD bless us to clutch His precepts (Word)
when we’re trapped,
not any pragmatic solutions (whatever works) that seem best.
Psalm 119:110: “The wicked have set a snare for me,
but I have not strayed from your precepts.”
E. From the sturdy tree trunk
of understanding God’s Word more & more,
grows the fruitful branch
of hating sin more & more-Psalm 119:104:
“I gain understanding from your precepts;
therefore I hate every wrong path.”
F. Psalm 119:99-100: One can be a teacher & not be wise,
one can be an elder & not have understanding;
they key is thinking deeply about & obeying the Bible.
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Waiting On The LORD
Waiting on the LORD is active, not passive.
“I wait for your salvation, LORD, and I follow Your commands” (Psalm 119:166).
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Get Ready!!!
Tailgating is feasting/celebrating
in anticipation of the game before it occurs.
Rejoicing in God’s promises now
is tailgating heaven–Psalm 119:162:
“I rejoice in your promise
like one who finds great spoil.”
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Sin
Celebrating sin & thinking it’s right
comes from considering some of God’s Word to be wrong &
valuing other things more highly–
Psalm 119:127-128: “Because I love your commands
more than gold, more than pure gold,
128 and because I consider all your precepts right,
I hate every wrong path.”
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Who’s Teaching Who?
It’s one thing to minister to/serve non-Christians;
it’s another to be discipled (trained) by them.
Are you starting to act/think/believe like the world?
Proverbs 13:20: “Walk with the wise and become wise,
for a companion of fools suffers harm.”
