A DOXOLOGY FROM NUMBERS 6:24-26

Numbers 6 talks about the unique requirements of those who felt led to take the Nazarite vow, which really was a vow to separate themselves unto the Lord.  Samson was one who took the Nazarite vow (Judges 13:2-5). In Numbers chapter 6, at the end of giving special instructions related to that vow, the Lord told Moses and Aaron to bless the people:

 

            May the LORD bless you and keep you

            The LORD make his face to shine upon you

            and be gracious unto you

           The LORD lift up His countenance upon you

           and give you peace.    6:24-26

 

This is a doxology that is used by many ministers at the conclusion of a prayer or at the end of a service. It is a prayer of blessing upon the people of God. It is a prayer that praises the Lord for the following:

 

His ability to protect and secure you…forever.

His desire to be present (His face) and be gracious to you.

His purpose in giving you peace.

 

What a prayer to pray for our family, our parents, our children and our friends.

God is a God of security and perseverance.

God is a God of grace and mercy.

God is a God who is our peace in the midst of life’s conflicts!

 

Pray it today for your family!

A DOXOLOGY!

The word “doxology” is composed of two Greek words.

One is “doxa” = glory, grandeur, splendor

The other is “logos” = word or words

 

Doxologies are words or expressions of praise to God, recognizing and honoring Him for who He is in all His glory, grandeur and splendor. It includes praises and adoration of the Lord in all of His wonderful attributes. Theses expressions can be sung, prayed, spoken or chanted. The Church has utilized them for years in its worship.

 

We use to sing a doxology of praise every Sunday:

 

            Praise God, from whom all blessings flow

            Praise Him, all creatures here below

            Praise Him, above ye heavenly hosts

            Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost

 

Now, go back and re-read those words. What is it saying?

 

            God is the source and origin of all blessings.

            We should praise Him for all of them.

            Blessed … even above the angels.

            Directed toward a Trinitarian God!

 

Written by Thomas Ken in 1695! Still sung today, some 330 years later.

 

Both the Old Testament and New Testament have doxologies of praise to God. We are going take a few days and look at some of them and it hopefully will increase your appreciation for the person and character and grace of the LORD!

GROWING IN GRACE

Are you aware that Christians are to grow after they are born again? II Peter 3:18 says unequivocally that we are “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory, both now and forever more. Amen.”

 

The ten-dollar word for growing in grace in called sanctification. It is the process

whereby we are renewed in the whole person after the image of God and are enabled more and more to die unto sin and live unto righteousness. Daily we should be growing in grace.

 

How do we grow? The same way people do. The same way babies do. You need:

 

1.    Nourishment. Food and water and nutrients necessary daily. Jesus said that man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4). You must feed upon the Word daily! Just as your body needs daily nourishment so does your spirit!

2.    Exercise. This is so vital for young and old alike. Our bodies need exercise. If we don’t move our muscles, they will atrophy (become weakened) and they will get where they will not move at all. Use your spiritual gifts in serving the Lord. Or you will become useless.

3.    Encouragement from others. No baby can exist on its own. That baby needs its mother to hold it, love it, and encourage it. So do Christians. That is one reason the Bible exhorts us to attend church faithfully. We need the love and fellowship and encouragement from other Christians.

 

Which brings us to the question: are you growing in grace?

If not, why not?

Is your spirit receiving adequate nourishment? That’s on you!

Is your spirit enough exercise? That’s on you, too.

Are you receiving encouragement from other Christians? It’s all up to you!

 

Growing in grace is a command --- not an option!

GOD'S GREAT LOVE

Have you ever felt especially loved by someone?

Like, they did something very special for you?

Went the extra mile?

Went out of their way?

Did something for you that no one else does?

 

This is what God did for us as His very own. Ephesians 2:4-5 speaks of the “great” love of God for us. He did something for us that no one else could ever do.

 

That “great love” = wonderful, eternal, magnanimous love from God Himself!

 

That great love “makes us alive” --- to God’s truth, beauty, and glory. We were dead to it but His love has quickened us and made us alive to it. We didn’t demand it. We didn’t deserve it. We cannot do anything to earn it. But He loved us, even while we were yet sinners. (Romans 5:6)

 

God’s great love does not make everyone alive but it happened to YOU! God called you; God saved you; God made you alive! And for that, you should be very grateful.

 

God has a special, unique and redemptive love for His own people. He not only says it --- He actually expressed in the gift of His Son on the cross. That love should inspire faithfulness in every area of our spiritual lives! Every area!

 

Thank you Lord for loving me!

7 SECRETS TO SUCCEEDING IN LIFE

Life can be very cruel. It can be quite difficult as we face multiple challenges. There are, however, certain fundamental and foundational issues that we must always strive to know and live. If you know what these are and give them your time and attention and support --- then, they will help guide you through life’s journey. If you want to really flourish, thrive, and succeed in your life, it begins with:

 

1.    FAITH – in Christ and His Word

2.    FAMILY – is a gift of God and are to be nourished

3.    FINANCES – must work hard and know how to manage money

4.    FITNESS – our body is Temple of the Holy Spirit; care for it!

5.    FRIENDS – we all need them but they are rare indeed

6.    FUN – learn how to take some time off and to relax

7.    FUTURE – God is in charge; leave the future to Him

 

If you invest yourself in the above seven things, life will be a lot more enjoyable. It will never be easy for it wasn’t designed to be. But when you give priority to the above listed things --- I assure you that you will be able to navigate your way through life a lot better than if you don’t!

 

Proverbs 3:5-6 says:

 

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own            understanding; In all thy ways, acknowledge Him and he shall

 direct your paths.”

A DEFINITION OF SALVATION

The Bible teaches us that salvation is a gift. It is something that God does for us and in us. If you asked 10 people to define salvation you would get probably 10 different answers. Some would respond with:

 

Putting your life together

Getting back in church (a big one)

Living right

Being good

Helping others

Giving a little money

 

Do you want to know what Jesus said? John 17:3 “and this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”

 

Here Jesus says, unequivocally, that salvation involves a personal relationship whereby we know God as revealed in the person of Jesus Christ. We know God because we know who Jesus is! And this Jesus “lives in us.” (Colossians 1:27) He reveals what God says about salvation, what God expects of us and as well as how we should live.

 

Salvation is not so much a “thing” that He gives as it is a “who.” He doesn’t give us salvation as Santa Claus would give away candy and toys. Jesus gives us Himself and therefore, He is our salvation. Jesus alone saves!

 

And, by the way, if you know Him, you will follow Him and obey Him and serve Him personally. And not from a distance. (John 10:4, 14, 15 and John 14:23-24.)

 

YOU HAVE AN ENEMY!

 

The Bible teaches us that we have an enemy and that enemy is relentless in his pursuit of us. Did you know that every day that you get up, there is someone who is trying to kill you? That enemy is Satan and the Bible teaches that he is real.

 

Satan pretends to be your friend but he is not.

He is a liar and a deceiver.

He is powerful and strong.

I Peter 5:8 says he is a “roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.”

Jesus said in John 8:44 that the Devil is the “father of all lies.”

 

Behind every lie that is being told you will find Satan lurking about. Think about that for a second. All the lies we are told by the Media about COVID 19, political parties, polls, people, social issues, etc. Behind them all is the Devil of Hell.

 

Jesus said about him that he “comes to kill, to steal and to destroy,” John 10:10.

 

Satan wants to kill you and take you to Hell with him.

Satan wants to steal your life from you by making promises he cannot keep.

He wants to destroy you and your reputation by any and all means necessary.

And … he uses lies to do it.

 

He is not a little red man with horns and a pitchfork.

He is disguised as an angel of light.

 

So, be on your guard. Watch out. Know the truth. Your enemy is not your neighbor, or that disenfranchised family member, or that co-worker, or that other political party.

WHY DO YOU GO TO CHURCH?

If someone asked you “why do you attend church”, what would you say? Do you go because of:

 

Location --- close by and easy access?

Only for the music?

Like the people there?

Good program for youth and seniors?

Good habit to do on Sunday? Bored?

Friendly people?

Free Do-nuts and coffee?

To see family and friends?

 

Or do you go to church for the following reasons?

 

Obedience to the command of Lord?

To pray for and encourage other people?

To set a good example for your family?

Ascribe honor, praise and worthiness to the Lord?

To say “thank you, Lord” for saving me?

You are encouraged or challenged to live closer to Lord?

To nourish your soul and be fed from the Word?

 

Only YOU and YOU ALONE can answer that question!

 

David in Psalm 27:4 “one thing I have desired of the LORD that I will seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and inquire (meditate) in His temple.”

 

THE KINDS OF PEOPLE GOD USES

The message of the Bible is simple: GOD SAVES SINNERS! Jesus did not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance. The Lord uses people to accomplish His purposes. But not just any people. He is looking for people who exhibit certain qualities and they are listed as follows:

 

He is looking for FOOLISH people. In I Corinthians 4:10, Paul speaks of being “fools for Christ’s sake.” To the unbelieving world our message is foolish. Our method (preaching the Gospel) is foolish. I Corinthians 1:18 says that “the preaching of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing.”

 

He is looking for FRAIL people. I Corinthians 4:7 asks “what do you have that you did not receive? Who made you different from others?” Everything you have is a gift of God’s grace. And it all could vanish in a second! Don’t be arrogant and proud and haughty! Be humble. Remember your human frailty.

 

He is looking for FAITHFUL people. I Corinthians 4:2 “Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.” Faithful to God. To the Church. To Truth. To using spiritual gifts. To the financial support of supporting church. To missions. To other believers. To the Bible. To your family!

 

Is God using you? He only uses foolish, frail and faithful people!

WHEN MUSIC BECOMES YOUR GOD!

Those people who know me well know that I love good music. I love different kinds of music and I believe that all music is really a gift of God. Music is good for the soul and the heart and the mind. Music can do many things:

 

It can lift our spirits.

It can comfort and console us.

It can be a place of refuge during times of trial.

It can encourage us.

It can express what is in our hearts.

It can touch us deeply.

 

Music, like all of God’s gifts, can be abused and mis-used. For example, it is possible to confuse “feelings” with the truth. Music may make you feel good but does it help you to do good and be good? Music can inspire but does it produce obedience and faithfulness to God’s Word?

 

However, Jesus and the Word of God is always better than music. Why is that so?

 

1.    The Giver is always better than the gift!

2.    Eternal comfort is always better than temporary comfort.

3.    Truth is more powerful than a tune.

4.    Actual unity is better than just feelings of unity.

5.    Only Jesus can save.

6.    Only the Holy Spirit can convict of sin, righteousness and judgment.

 

Colossians 3:16 says, “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

 

 

SECURITY OF THE BELIEVER!

Home security is big business in today’s world. There are lots of security systems that are available for your use. Some like CPI; others choose ADT; some SimpliSafe and others have their own security with a dog and personal arsenal. When God saves you, He secures you for all eternity. You can never be lost again because salvation is not something God gives but it is a personal relationship with God through the Lord Jesus Christ!

 

A must read is Romans 8:35-39. Paul says “in all these things” we shall never lose our relationship with the love of God in Jesus Christ. In all the conflicts and battles and struggles that we face in life, our salvation is secure! We can never lose our salvation in all those things he mentions. We are secure in Him.

 

Death cannot separate us from the love of God.

Story of Lazarus in John 11:25-44.

The thief on the cross in Like 23:43.

 

Nothing – no created thing – can defeat us or destroy the love of God in Christ!

No thing! Not any thing! Read that list in Romans 8:35-39. For we are kept safe by the Creator of all things, who just happens to be our blessed Redeemer as well.

 

Romans 8:37 says “we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us and gave Himself for us.”

 

Interesting that chapter 8 begins with “no condemnation” and ends with “no separation.” Why? Because eternal life is ours!

THE HANDS OF GOD

The Bible speaks at times about the “hand” or “hands of God.” For example, Jesus has ascended into heaven and is seated at the right Hand of God. The right hand of God is the hand of power and authority. (Hebrews 1:3 and 8:1)

 

The Bible has a lot to say about the “hands of God.” In John 10:28-30 Jesus declares, “I give them eternal life and they shall never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand; My Father, who has given them to me, and is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of my Father’s hand …”

 

They are STRONG hands. Martin Luther, the great human catalyst for the Protestant reformation of the 16^th century, said, “I have held many things in my hands and have lost them all. But whatever I have placed in God’s hands, that I still possess.”

 

Place it all in the hands of God. All of it, my friend. All of it.

 

Those hands are SAVING hands. The hand of grace is extended to all sinners. The Lord Jesus, through His Word, pleads with sinners to repent and come to him. He said that whoever comes to me I will in no wise cast out. It is true and true forever that Jesus saves! John 6:37

 

Those hands are SECURE hands. When you place your life into the eternal, loving, powerful hands of God, your life is secure. Forever. There is no better nor safer place to be than to be in the hands of God. Nothing can ever separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus! The classic passage on this is Romans 8:35-39.

 

Today, I am especially grateful for the hands of God! Amen? Amen!

For I am sheltered in the hands of God.

THE SUFFICIENCY OF GOD'S WORD

“The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.

The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart.

The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.

The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever.

The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.”

 

In Psalm 19:7-9 David makes six statements about the characteristics of God’s Word. That Word is called by various names:

 

The law of the Lord

The testimony of the Lord

The precepts of the Lord

The commandment of the Lord

The fear of the Lord and

The judgments of the Lord

 

That means that the Holy Scriptures came from the Lord Himself.

It is His truth, His Word. That Word is active, not passive. It is dynamic, not static.

It is life transforming. And it is sufficient for all things!

 

The Law restores the soul.

The Testimony of the Lord imparts wisdom.

The Precepts of the Lord produce joy!

The Commandments of the Lord enlightens the eyes.

The Fear of the Lord endures forever.

The Judgments of the Lord bring accountability.

 

Be a lifetime student of the Word!

INFANTILE CHRISTIANITY

The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ is under attack! Jesus warned and Paul warned that the greatest enemies are those from within. The real enemy is always within the walls, not outside. The greatest threat to the Church today is what I call “infantile Christianity.” Translated, that means we have a lot of Baby Christians around who have never matured and never grown up. (And that is assuming they were actually saved … to begin with)

 

II Peter 3:18 says “but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”

 

Children who do not grow physically can easily become malnourished and disabled. They need constant and special attention and assistance. They never mature and experience the reality and joys of adulthood. May cost extra money.

 

There is such a thing as a baby Christian – someone who has never grown up. Still in diapers. Always making messes. Requiring constant attention. Crying. Selfish. Always insisting on their way. Stunted growth. Unable to think and do for themselves. If you saw a 30 year old man in diapers, sitting on his mommy’s lap with a bottle in his mouth --- what would you think? You would feel great sadness for the man AND his mother.

 

That is “infantile Christianity” and a spiritual picture of many Christians today. They have never grown up. Never learned how to feed themselves. Never walked alone. Never matured. Never served. Never tithed. Never used their spiritual gift. Never grew in Christ! And sadly, no desire to grow. They are still in the same place spiritually that they were … when they first got saved!

 

It is a curse that still plagues the church! Grow up!

THE ATTACK ON THE BIBLE

The Bible is under assault and one of the primary sources of that assault is from within. The biggest threat to the truth of God’s Word does not come from outside the church but from within. Ever since the time of Christ the church has had to confront false teachers. Part of the reason for the writing of the New Testament was to combat heresy and false doctrine. So, confrontation from false teaching is nothing new to the church! (See Acts 20:29 and II Timothy 3:1-9)

 

The havoc of which I speak has come from six sources … according to Pastor and author John MacArthur. I do not have space for elaboration but I will list them for your reflection:

 

1.    Roman Catholicism exchanged the authority of Scripture for the authority of man and religious tradition.

2.    Higher criticism of the Bible exchanged the authority of Scripture for human reason and atheistic naturalism.

3.    Modern day cults exchanged the authority of Scripture for the self- appointed wisdom of people like Joseph Smith and Joseph Weatherford.

4.    Pentecostalism exchanged the authority of Scripture for the authority of personal revelations and experiences.

5.    Clinical psychology exchanged the authority of Scripture for the authority of Freudian theories and clinical therapies (psychotherapy).

6.    Market driven churches have exchanged the authority of Scripture for the authority of felt needs and various marketing schemes.

 

Doctrine gave way to pragmatism.

Pragmatism gave up to popularity.

Popularity became soft on sin.

Compromise redefined as love.

Doubt was extolled as humility.

Truth was substituted for error.

 

The results were and are catastrophic!

ALBERT EINSTEIN

Einstein was a German born brilliant physicist (1879-1955) who was famous for the discovery of the theory of relativity and the equation E=MC2, which really foreshadowed the development of the atomic bomb. His IQ was about 160 and he won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921. He died in Princeton, New Jersey in 1955.

 

Einstein was famous not only for physics but also his quotes:

 

“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” Guilty?

 

Or perhaps this one “Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I am not sure about the universe.”

 

During the days of Nazi Germany, he felt betrayed by the elites of Germany (the elites were the universities, the press and its newspaper editors, the authors and intellectual leaders) who publicly “professed” a love for freedom but gave their allegiance to Hitler.

 

But Einstein, who was Jewish, said this about the church:

 

“only the Church stood squarely across the path of Hitler’s campaign for suppressing the truth. I never had any special interest in the Church before, but now I feel a great affection and admiration for it because the Church alone has had the courage and persistence to stand for intellectual truth and moral freedom. I am forced to confess that what I once despised, I now praise unreservedly.” (J. S. Conway, The Nazi Persecution of the Churches 1933-1945, an opening unnumbered page.)

 

In America, our universities, our media, our elites have suppressed the truth. The Church of Jesus Christ must have the courage to stand for the truth!

SUFFERING

Nobody I know likes suffering, whether it is physical, mental or spiritual.

Nobody I know enjoys suffering nor takes great delight in suffering. Nobody!

But suffering is real. Pervasive. And we cannot escape it! We see it everywhere!

And because it is so prevalent, it is good to remember that:

 

1.    God uses suffering for our good and His glory. Romans 8:28 “and we know that all things work together for good, to those who love God and who are the called according to His purpose.” God doesn’t say that our pain is good but He uses pain to work for our good in His miraculous and mysterious way.

2.    God uses suffering to mature us in Christ. James 1:2-3 declares that we should “count it all joy, my brothers, when you falls into trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness and let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect (mature) and complete, lacking in nothing.”

3.    Suffering allows us to comfort others who may be going through similar circumstances. You can be an encourager and a supporter of someone who faces something similar. My wife, Linda, is a cancer survivor. Having gone through the experience she is able to encourage others who may be facing similar challenges. II Corinthians 1:3-4 says “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

 

Remember that as you battle and face suffering in your life!

It will make you stronger!

CHARLES HADDON SPURGEON

Charles Spurgeon is one of my favorite all time preachers. He lived in the 19^th century in England and is often called “The Prince of Preachers.” He would preach sometimes up to 13 times in one week. His voice could be heard in a crowd of 20,000 people without any amplification. His sermons sold over 56 million copies and he died before he was 60 years old!

 

Here are a few truths you may not know about him:

 

1.    He was deeply theological and doctrinal oriented. His sermons are deep and robust and filled with Scripture and doctrine. He especially was found of the old Puritans and had a tremendous grasp of history.

2.    He loved preaching about the Cross. He preached many, many sermons about the death of Christ and His glorification and exaltation on that cross. His love for the Cross was seen in the fact that his church celebrated the Lord’s Supper every Sunday!

3.    He loved life and enjoyed living life. He liked to take long walks in the hills or along the beach. He believed those walks would sweep the cobwebs out of your brain. He said, “a mouthful of sea air or a stiff walk in the wind would not give grace to the soul, but would give more oxygen to the brain, which in next best.”

4.    He periodically suffered from severe bouts with depression. He faced a lot of personal tragedy, physical illness and loads of stress. He also knew that suffering would help conform us more into Christlikeness.

5.    He was really a Christ-centered man! To him, Jesus Christ was central to every ministry he led. Everything in his life was centered around the person and work of Christ! He said that “Christ Himself is the Revealer and Redeemer, the Doctor and the Doctrine, the Illuminator and the Light.”

 

Spurgeon was indeed one of a special kind! I love him and look forward to talking to him one day in heaven!

THE LOVE OF GOD

I want to share with you today five truths about the love of God as seen from the perspective of the Bible:

 

1.    God’s love is incomprehensible! No human mind can fully comprehend and understand the great and infinite love of God. We cannot totally, fully define  God and neither can we understand His love. I Timothy 6:16 says “He dwells in unapproachable light.”

2.    God’s love can be known and experienced. His love is revealed in creation, providence, history and most supremely, at the Cross. There you see the love of God on display as never before.

3.    God’s love is revealed in Scripture. God is sometimes referred by analogy with different references to Himself as a river or a rock. When referring to God as a rock, it doesn’t mean that He is made of stone. Rather, it means He is sturdy, strong, reliable and trustworthy! God’s love is like a rock.

4.    It is easy to misunderstand God’s love. Just because God loves us redemptively in Christ doesn’t mean that we can choose to live anyway we please. His love “constrains” us to seek a life of obedience. We want to show our gratitude by the way we live.

5.    The love of God must always be seen from a Trinitarian perspective. The Father loves us. The Son loves us. The Spirit loves us. The Father loves the Son and the Son loves the Father. The love of God is always seen in its true Trinitarian character!

 

How much of this love do you know?

WHAT A MIGHTY GOD WE SERVE!

Psalm 103:19 declares that

 

            “the LORD has established His throne in the heavens

            and His kingdom rules over all.”

 

God is completely in charge of the world. His hand may be hidden but He rules over all things and that rule is absolute. The Lord God:

 

Keeps all creatures in being or existence

Involves Himself in all things

Directs all things to their appointed end

 

You should never restrict God’s providence to just His “foreknowledge without control” or His “upholding without any intervention” or just a general oversight without any regards for details. God preserves and sustains and rules the world that He created. See Daniel 4:35; Ephesians 1:11, Acts 17:24-28; Proverbs 16:33.

 

Some of this remains a mystery to us because of our limitations in understanding the greatness of God. He is involved in all that occurs --- without violating the nature of things, the ongoing causal processes and human free agency.

 

He works all things for our good and His glory.  Romans 8:28

He brings good out of evil.  Genesis 50:20

He punishes evil.  Romans 1:26-32

He turns tragedy into triumph!   Acts 2:22-24

 

What a mighty God we serve!

NOBODY IS HOPELESS

Do you know anyone that you think is simply beyond hope? You look at their life and the choices they have made and the lifestyle they have embraced and conclude that they are just desperate, hopeless people. We just shake our heads and believe that there is nothing more we can do. Know anybody like that? Maybe a friend? Family member? Neighbor?

 

They may be hopeless if their future depends on us. We may have tried to talk to them. We may have preached to them and sought to get them to change but we have failed. But God has ways and methods that are far different from ours. And if their future depended on us, they would be really hopeless and desperate!

 

But the Lord Jesus Christ is the One who saves and changes people. Nothing is impossible with God! There is no limit as to what He alone can do. He took the worst sinner who ever lived, Saul of Tarsus, and turned him into the greatest missionary and theologian the world has ever seen.

 

I Timothy 1:15 states that “this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” If God can save the chief of sinners --- and He did --- then, God can do the same with our family member, friend or neighbor.

 

God SAVES sinners!

His power is endless.

Pray that God would save them!

And don’t be astonished when He does!

 

Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation, to the Jew first, but also to the Greek.”

WHY ME, LORD?

I, periodically, make references to songs or artists because I love different kinds of music and because I believe that music is a gift of God. Remember the song by Kris Kristofferson entitled “Why Me, Lord?” I am sure you do. The opening verse goes like this:

 

Why me Lord, what have I ever done

To deserve even one

Of the pleasures I’ve known

Tell me Lord, what did I ever do

That was worth loving you

For the kindness you’ve shown.

 

There is a truth in that verse and it is related to the blessings and grace of a merciful God. The author cannot understand why God has chosen to be good to him. He is somewhat mystified by the grace and love of God. He knows he is unworthy and undeserving. He knows he has done nothing to earn it. So, he asks, why? Have you ever asked that or do you spend your time complaining?

 

I can only speak for myself. But I am a blessed man. God has been so gracious to me. So loving. So good. So forgiving. So patient. So strong. So kind. So merciful. And like Kris, I am unworthy and undeserving. What I have ever done to deserve God’s favor? If my life ended this very day, I could still lift up my hands and say, “Thank you, Lord, for your blessings on me.” God is good. All the time!

 

WHY? Why me, Lord? Why have you blessed me? There is absolutely no reason found in me. The reason is always found in Him, in the Lord. The Lord is good to me because He has chosen to be good to me. Just because He wanted to. And I admit that I do not fully understand that. But I accept it and thank Him for it. There is no way to repay Him. Just live a life that exhibits gratitude.