Pastor Johnnie's Devotional Archives
January 2004
January 27, 2004
Psalm 27:8 My heart says of you, 'Seek his face!' Your face, Lord, I will
seek.
For the authentic child of God, it is not a 'strange' happening that the
heart should whisper, sing, or shout out "Seek the face of the Lord!"
But, with other messages being hammered into our consciousness (i.e. "Run
away, meatball; you don't want to go through this!" or, "Hey!
You're a big guy; you can handle this on your own!" Or, "You
know what? Things are only going to get worse! If this is how the Lord
treats you, it's totally unfair!"), it's sometimes very difficult
to discipline ourselves to hear and obey the right voice, that of the
Holy Spirit within us. Though a thousand voices from both our heart and
the world may call, the challenge for us remains the same: Look to the
Lord and his strength; seek his face always (Psalm 105:4). OK, Lord; I'll
seek Your face.
O God, You are my God. Earnestly (early in the morning, with very
serious intent to trust You, no matter what!) I seek You. My soul thirsts
for You, my body longs for You, like in a very dry and weary land where
there is no water. I have seen You, and I long to continue to see You,
in the sanctuary of my heart. I long to gaze upon You, Your power, and
Your glory! Amen. (Psalm 63:1-3)
January 29, 2004
Psalm 29:10 says, The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord is
enthroned as King forever.
An interesting fact: with the possible exception of Psalm 29:10, today's
verse, the word used for 'flood' always refers to Noah's flood. The eternal
God sits enthroned, in full authority, in complete control over the flood.
That means that the lessons of the flood are also eternal, ever ready
to teach, instruct, and encourage.
For us who weren't there with Noah to experience the miraculous power
of God over the waters, it also means that the lesser 'floods' of trials
and difficulties which would seem to overtake and swamp us in our very
small boats, are also under His authority. Make no mistake about it: there
is no raging ocean, real or perceived, that He cannot quiet (Psalm 65:7)
on your behalf. The voice of the Lord echoes above the sea. The God of
glory thunders. The Lord thunders over the mighty sea (Psalm 29:3). He
says, Victory is yours, my child. Do not look at the waves; do not listen
to the roar of the waters; do not be threatened by the appearance of it
all. Keep your focus on Me. Keep your thoughts on my holy purpose for
you. Trust Me; this is good for you. I will keep you in perfect peace
(Isaiah 26:3). If you allow Me to train you through this flood, afterward
there will be a quiet harvest of righteousness in your life, I promise!
(Hebrews 12:11)
Precious Father, thank You for Your sovereign authority and 'final
word' over all things, for the good of Your children, and for Your own
glory! We love You! Amen.
January 31, 2004 (Already?!)
Psalm 31 describes the result of genuine happiness, which we all know
can only come from our gracious Father. Verse 7 says, I will be glad and
rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of
my soul.
The godless are becoming increasingly bolder in their vilification of
the Lord. Unfortunately, so are some who call themselves 'Christians'.
On the other hand, authentic children of God, though we may be made to
see troubles, many and bitter (Psalm 71:20), have great cause for continual
praise. The gladness of which David speaks refers to spinning around under
the influence of our emotions, and rejoicing, which basically says that
our countenance brightens up and creates an atmosphere of glee. Why all
the happiness? Because the Lord has taken pity on us. He has seen our
difficulties and our problems. He has understood the sinful tendencies
of our human nature and the anguish we so often bring on ourselves. He
has shown great favor toward us, often referred to as loving kindness.
No wonder we should be glad and rejoice - not in the fact that we're in
a good or increasingly better situation - but rejoice in His love which
has reached so far, so deep, to meet us where we're at and to restore
us in His grace.
Father, our hearts dance with delight as we reflect on Your great
love. Thank You for always seeing/knowing the anguish of our souls and
faithfully intervening on our behalf. We love you! Amen.
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