God's Law (A Prayer)

Today's prayer: Psalm 119:153-176

Father,

I bring myself and ______________________ before you today in the name of Jesus. I pray that when we suffer, we will not forget your law so that you may look upon us and deliver us. Please defend our cause and redeem us; preserve our lives according to your promise, your great compassion, and your love. I pray that we will not swerve from your testimonies even when many foes persecute us. When rulers persecute us without cause, I pray that we will tremble not at them but instead stand in awe of your words.
We affirm with the Psalmist that the sum of your word is truth, and that every one of your righteous rules endures forever. May we rejoice in your promises like one who finds great spoil. Prompt us to hate and abhor falsehood but to love your law. Let us praise you seven times a day for your righteous laws.
I claim your promise for us that those who love your law will have great peace, and that nothing can make us stumble. May we long for your salvation and wait for it; please deliver us according to your word when our cries and our pleas come before you. I pray that we will choose your precepts and that your law will be our delight so that your hand may be ready to help us.
When we stray like lost sleep, please seek us and draw us back to you. Give us understanding according to your word. May our lips pour forth praise as you teach us your statutes, and may our tongues sing of your word. Let us live that we may praise you, and may your laws continue to help us and sustain us. Amen.
- Written by Bryan Fischer of Focal Point on American Family Radio.

Psalm 1 (Lyrics)

V. 1 
O greatly blessed is the man,
Who walketh not astray
In counsel of ungodly men,
Nor stands in the sinner's way.

V. 2
Nor sitteth in the scorner's chair,
But placeth his delight
Upon God's law and meditates
On His law day and night.

V. 3
He shall be like a tree that grows,
Set by the waterside
Which in its season yields its fruit,
And green its leaves abide.

V. 4
And all he does shall prosper well.
The wicked are not so
But are like chaff which by the wind
Is driven to and fro.

V. 5
In judgment therefore shall not stand
Such as ungodly are
Nor in th'assembly of the just
Shall wicked men appear.

V. 6
Because the way of godly men
Is to Jehovah known
Whereas the way of wicked men
Shall be quite overthrown.

Tune: Am I A Soldier Of The Cross?   
Music: Thomas A. Arne
This hymn is in the Public Domain.

True Love

1 John 4:19 NKJV
We love Him because He first loved us.

I don’t know how to genuinely love without God.
I don’t know how to give tangible love without Jesus.
I don’t know how powerful love can be without the Holy Spirit.
True love doesn’t just change a life for the moment; it transforms countless lives far beyond the moment. - JSS

Luke 6:27-36 NKJV
“But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.
“But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful.”

Waiting At The Traffic Lights

We all dislike the inconvenience of traffic lights.  They stop us mid-journey and delay us from reaching our destination.  However, think of the chaos on our roads without them.
In our busy lives we can become so impatient to reach our destination that we grow irritated with life’s many red lights.  Sadly, when interruptions make us frustrated, it is the first sign we are losing our graceful way.  It won’t be long before we are so preoccupied with our own plans that we are completely insensitive to the destinations of others.
Instead, we should take every delay as an opportunity to relax and look around – otherwise, we will never enjoy life’s journey because we are so focused on reaching our destination.  God is in control of all life’s traffic lights.  We should be confident of reaching our objectives at precisely the right time - even allowing time to show compassion and consideration to other travelers.
If we continue to speed through life’s red lights, God is the policeman who stops our reckless driving to avoid a fatal accident.  He gives us a ticket (divine discipline) to remind us there are other drivers on the road-of-life who also have very important destinations. (Philippians 4:11-13)
- Taken from www.freechristianillustrations.com.
Designed by Ian & Sue Coate.
Used with permission.

Grow In Faith

2 Peter 1:3-11 NLT
By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.
In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.
The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.
So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

In The Furnace Of Affliction (Part 2)

Fear not, Christian, Jesus is with thee. In all thy fiery trials, His presence is both thy comfort and safety. He will never leave one whom He has chosen for His own. “Fear not, for I am with thee,” is His sure word of promise to His chosen ones in “the furnace of affliction.” – C. H. Spurgeon

Daniel 3: 24-25 NKJV
Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?” They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.” He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

The burden of suffering seems a tombstone hung about our necks, while in reality it is only the weight which is necessary to keep down the diver while he is hunting for pearls. - Richter

In The Furnace Of Affliction (Part 1)

Isaiah 48:10 NKJV
Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.

Pain’s furnace heat within me quivers,
God’s breath upon the flame doth blow;
And all my heart in anguish shivers
And trembles at the fiery glow;
And yet I whisper, “As God’s will!”
And in the hottest fire hold still.

He comes and lays my heart, all heated,
On the hard anvil, minded so
Into His own fair shape to beat it
With His great hammer, blow on blow;
And yet I whisper, “As God will!”
And at His heaviest blows hold still.

He takes my softened heart and beats it;
The sparks fly, off at every blow;
He turns it o’er and o’er and heats it,
And lets it cool, and makes it glow;
And yet I whisper, “As God’s will!”
And in His mighty hand hold still.

Why should I murmur? For the sorrow
Thus only longer-lived would be;
The end may come, and will tomorrow,
When God has done His work in me;
So I say trusting, “As God will!”
And, trusting to the end, hold still.
- Julius Sturm

I Feel Blessed

Have you ever had one of those days, although far from perfect, where you felt very blessed. Well, today is one of those days for me.
As a matter of fact, I've felt this way for a few days now. I'm breathing. I'm relatively healthy (although I could use a little tune-up). I have an awesome group of kiddos who love me. I have beautiful, loving parents who helped to create who I am today. I have faithful friends who I've grown up with over the years. I have a good job that takes care of my needs, the needs of others and even some of our wants. I have a sound mind that seeks after knowledge and truth (although the memory could use a little work). I have a long-awaited home in Heaven to look forward to.
But most of all, I have a Heavenly Father who loves me unconditionally and provides endles mercy, forgiveness and grace. I have a Savior, Jesus Christ, who died on the cross so that I may truly live. And I have the Holy Spirit who guides and strengthens my steps.
So, I feel very blessed today...and that makes all the difference. - JSS