December 29 – Essential Understanding

“Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the Lord are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.” – Hosea 14:9 (ESV)

For those who need a promise from God that will help them in their daily here’s one found in the book of Hosea. He was the last to prophesy before Israel’s northern kingdom fell to Assyria. In the last verse in the book we find a promise. Like other promises it has consequences or blessings. Many of the promises God gives us in the Bible are instructions regarding how we respond to the wisdom. Hosea cautions us with the this thought, the wise can understand and the discerning can know that whatever the Lord does is right. When we learn from reading or preaching what the Lord wants and promises us, we can know it is right for God does not instruct us to do what is wrong, He cannot. So the conclusion is this: faith believers are upright in their belief and so they guide their lives by God’s instructions. However not all peoples are upright and obedient. Some go their own way plotting their own course and the result is a life of stumbling over the will of God. Why? Because in their refusal and rebellion they fail to understand God’s promises and fail to be discerning.  

 

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June 16 – Love Secures Our Footing

“Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.” Psalm 119:165 (ESV)

We don't usually think of a law as something we love but the law of God is different. When we speak of the law of God we are thinking of more than the ten commandments, although they are a part of what God has revealed to us. We believe that our verse can be applied to the Bible where God has revealed His thoughts on many subjects. We can truly love the truths which He has made known to us in the Bible. What happens when we love God's word? Our verse says that it gives us great peace in our hearts and minds and protects us from stumbling. The psalmist who wrote Psalm 119, includes his regard for God’s Word in every verse. Those like himself who love God’s Word and hope in Him for salvation, enjoy great peace. We do not have to be disturbed and wonder what real truth is in any situation. We know God's Word is true and our hearts sense the peace that he gives. It is a promise for us to remember today. Great peace comes when we love the law of God, and it makes our footing is secure. 

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January 17 – Flying, Running, Walking, Falling

“But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31 (NLT)
“Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand.”  Psalm 37:24 (NLT)

Does this sound too good to be true? We know, of course that the verses chosen for today are speaking of spiritual strength and relief from spiritual weariness, but God also will provide our physical bodies with strength when we need it and ask for it. We have a promise of God’s watchful care over us in both of our verses today.  The prophet Isaiah and the psalmist David tell us what result we can expect if we trust in the Lord. Waiting for God to lead us and knowing that He holds our hand, so to speak.  Even when we stumble and fall, He protects us from destruction.  Our God does not grow tired or weary; He gives strength to us when we are weary; His steady hand keeps us from deadly falls. Our great almighty God has a way of passing on to His trusting children relief from weariness and protection from destruction. Are you tempted to give into the weariness of living for the Lord and of facing trials? Hope in the Lord! He WILL renew your strength and He WILL keep you on your feet.

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November 18 – Before, Now and Future Time

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy,  to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”  -  Jude 1:24-25 (NASB)

Our verses today are the doxology found at the end of the letter written by Jude, a half-brother of Jesus and full brother to James.  There is only one chapter in this book, and it is packed full of warnings against a life of sinful living and in rebellion to God and Jesus Christ our Savior.  But Jude ends the rather harsh letter with these encouraging words and promises. We have the promise that Jesus Christ is able to keep us from stumbling into the life and actions Jude previously warned us off of.  And the promise that Jesus gives us a rightful standing in the very presence before God.  Not just a standing but a standing in His glory and in a blameless state, filled with joy. There is so much here that the next time we hear it recited at the end of a message or service, we should think deeply about these promises and not let them just roll off our tongue.  We can acknowledge that Jesus Christ our Lord has glory, majesty, dominion, and authority from eternity past, before all time, now in time, and forever into eternity future for all time.    

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August 10 – Waiting is Action

“Though youths grow weary and tired, And vigorous young men stumble badly, Yet those who wait for the Lord Will gain new strength;”   Isaiah 40:30-31a ( NASB)

From the book written by the prophet Isaiah we find words of encouragement and promise today.  These verses are really about two different kinds of strength which are often very closely related.  We realize that there is an inner strength which affects a person's physical strength.  So, what the prophet reminds us about in this passage is that this inner strength comes from trusting in the Lord and it affects our ability to perform useful functions in life.  Waiting on the Lord is actually an act of trust, of hoping with the expectation that God will act for us according to His promises.  God knows when we have an attitude of expectation and He responds by strengthening us.  It is new strength because it comes from Him and it comes from trusting in His word – that is what hoping and waiting is all about.  And, it is about what God promises to do for us when we wait for Him to act.   

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June 16 – Secure Footing

“Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.” Psalm 119:165 (NIV)

We don't usually think of a law as something we would love but the law of God is different. When we speak of the law of God we are not thinking mainly of the ten commandments although they are a basic part of the thoughts of God which He has revealed to us. We believe that our verse can be applied to the Bible where God has revealed His thoughts on many subjects. We can truly love the truths which He has made know to us in the Bible. And what happens when we love God's word? Our verse says that it give us great peace in our hearts and minds and protects us from stumbling. We do not have to be disturbed and wonder what real truth is in any situation. We know God's Word is true and our hearts sense the peace that he gives. It is a promise for us to remember today. Great peace comes when we love the law of God, and it makes our footing is secure. 

June 28

“Great peace have those who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.”  Psalm 119:165 (NIV)

Reading the Bible and hearing it taught can bring great blessing to us if we respond to it properly.  This verse promises that great peace will come to us if we love what God tells us in His Word. Peace in our hearts is not something that we can work up by ourselves. It must come from God. It is not surprising that God gives peace to those who obey what He says. If your heart is disturbed today, listen to what God says through His Word, accept it with your whole heart and His peace will flood your soul.