Call on God

'Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.'

Jeremiah 33:3

What a fantastic promise this is from God. That if we humble ourselves and pray to Him, He will answer us. God doesn't promise to answer the prayers of those who have no faith in Him. But He does promise to answer the prayers of the one who prays in faith, believing that God will answer. He may not answer as we request, but always will answer for our best and for His glory.

The Eternal Light

"And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb."
Revelation 21:23

When it is dark, we cannot see things as they really are. But shine a light into the darkness and suddenly the indistinguishable becomes very clear. Jesus referred to Himself as "The Light of the World". He came to bring salvation; to erase the darkness ushered in by sin. That is exactly what He did on Calvary's cross. All those who come to Him and receive Him as Lord and Savior walk in the light of His truth. Someday there will be a new heaven and a new earth, spoken of in Revelation. And the new holy city Jerusalem will not be in need of the sun or the moon, for the Lord Himself will be the only light required. Jesus, the Light of the World and the Eternal Light.

Walk By Faith

"Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord--

for we walk by faith, not by sight--

we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord."

2 Corinthians 5:6-8

The world thinks it strange that we believe in a God we can't see. But God has made Himself known to us through His word. We know He exists because the Bible tells us He does. For each of us there comes a time when we must choose whether we will lay aside our unbelief and live by faith, or remain obstinately skeptical. It truly is a choice. Once we make the choice to believe, we are no longer governed by the temporal things of this life, but rather live in light of eternity. There is so much more, something so much better, to come. As Christians we have the assurance that when our spirit leaves our earthly body we will be present with the Lord. This is a promise God has made to us, and we look forward to that day with confidence and joyful anticipation.

Whiter Than Snow

"Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; 

   Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." 

Psalm 51:7

The Hebrews used hyssop in their sacred purification rites, and God instructed them to dip hyssop in the blood of a lamb, then wipe it on their doorposts as a sign to Him to pass over their homes during His righteous judgment against Egypt. This was a foreshadowing of the crucifixion. The blood of Jesus Christ, the precious Lamb of God, washes away the sin of all who receive Him as Savior. Jesus' blood cleanses us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).  It covers our sins and God's judgment passes over us. Where once we were stained with sin, now we are washed in the blood and made whiter than snow. I can't look at snow without thinking of Christ's amazing love and sacrifice.

Oh! precious is the flow

That makes me white as snow;

No other fount I know,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

The Power of Three

"Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor.

 For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.

 Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone?

 And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart."

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Everyone needs a friend. A friend encourages us when we're down, stands by us when everyone else has left, and challenges us to turn around when we're headed the wrong way. Work is always easier when someone helps, and the cold is less noticeable when you're with someone. The most rewarding friendships are those where Christ is the common bond. For though there is more strength in two than one, when Jesus is present and acknowledged the friendship becomes eternally strong.

Making a List

"I shall remember the deeds of the LORD;

         Surely I will remember Your wonders of old. 

    I will meditate on all Your work

         And muse on Your deeds." 

Psalm 77:11-12

As we enter the first week of the new year, it's a perfect time to reflect on the many blessings we have received from the Lord. This morning I sat down and listed all the blessings I could think of from the past year. In no time I had 55 separate blessings. I'm sure I've only scratched the surface of the Lord's wonderful deeds in 2010. I'm going to keep adding to the list as God brings more blessings to mind. How about you?

Making Plans

"Commit your works to the LORD

         And your plans will be established." 

Proverbs 16:3

So often we plot our course without so much as a nod toward God. The Lord is gracious and allows us the free will to plan and do what we choose, but it is to our good advantage to ask Him for guidance and direction before we undertake anything. When we do, we can rest with calm assurance that in the end all will be well, even if at times it doesn't appear that way. If God is in the work, ultimately it will stand firm.