Pastor Johnnie's Devotional Archives
January 2006
January 10, 2006
Psalm 99:1 says, "The Lord reigns, let the nations tremble; he sits
enthroned between the cherubim, let the earth shake."
No earthly dignitary is 'safe' from the despicable behavior of those who
condemn whatever they stand for and who make no bones about their hatred
for them and their ways.
If that is so from an earthly point of view, imagine the intensity of
hatred for the living God and His Son, Jesus Christ! Jesus told a story
in Luke 19 which described the hatred of the King's subjects who said,
"We don't want this man to be our king!" Such, by and large,
is the attitude of the 21st Century earthling regarding God and His Son,
Jesus. And, while we Christians have a serious responsibility to live
out our Christianity in such a way as to corroborate the Lord's overwhelming
and sovereign work of grace in our lives, there will, nonetheless, always
be those who will refuse to tremble or shake at the idea of a sovereign
God to whom they will ultimately be accountable. But that doesn't change
the fact that the Lord reigns. And you know what else? He sits on His
throne even now, in sovereign control over all, totally unbothered by
either the treason or the contempt of His rebellious subjects whose knees
one day will indeed bow to Him, and whose trembling hearts will fail them
for fear!
Thank you, glorious Father, that in 2006, your throne, your authority
is not threatened by the growing number of those who obviously hate You
and all things righteous. Glorify Your name in all the earth, for Jesus'
sake! Amen.
January 16, 2006
Psalm 116:3-4 "I was overcome by trouble and sorrow. Then I called
on the name of the Lord: 'O Lord, save me!'"
How often this year, 2006, will each of us be overcome by trouble, hassles
and demands of life, or possibly sorrow? Of course, we don't know. What
we DO know, however, is that we have the option (gracious and merciful
opportunity), in any situation of life, to call on the name of the Lord.
When Manasseh was taken prisoner, a hook placed in his nose, and he was
bound with bronze shackles and taken to Babylon, in his distress he sought
the favor of the Lord and humbled himself greatly before the God of his
fathers (II Chronicles 33:11-12). I'm so glad he did! (see verse 13)
Every time I hear an embittered Christian spewing out vehemence against
the Lord for their circumstances of life or for His apparent failure to
"care one bit for them", I cringe inside; not because I have
never experienced bitterness or may have never questioned the timing of
the Lord in His responses. Because we're all the same, I think. For example,
when we feel secure, we say "I'm rock solid! I'll never be shaken!".
But, when the sovereign Lord 'hides' His face or delays His response,
we are dismayed (Psalm 30:7-8). Where we need to shore up our faith is
in realizing that "weeping may remain for a night. But, you know
what? Rejoicing comes in the morning". (Psalm 30:5) What we must
not forget is: The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them. (Psalm 34:7-8) And, when tempted to doubt His goodness
and love, we must cling to the truth that the Lord is good; as a matter
of fact: blessed is the person who takes refuge in Him.
Thank you, Father, for the reminder to continually call on the name
of the Lord! Amen.
January 23, 2006
Psalm 123:2 is a great challenge for persistence in prayer: "As the
eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid
look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God,
till he shows us his mercy."
I have to admit: I don't' think I've ever heard someone in my lifetime
claim failing eyesight as a result of waiting to 'see' the Lord's response
to their prayer and show Himself strong on their behalf! (Psalm 119:82,
123). Jesus challenged us that we should "Always pray and not give
up!" (Luke 18:1) And, by God's grace, we will do so, putting our
hope in His Word, and waiting for Him more than the watchmen who wait
to 'see' the morning (Psalm 130:5-6). The danger facing the modern day,
busy, accustomed-to-a-fast-paced-schedule-with-quick-responses-and-little-waiting
Christian, however, is that we fail to learn the faith-building lessons
of persistence of which Jesus spoke. So, we must continually bombard our
easily discouraged, occasionally misfocused hearts with the truth that
"the Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks
him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord." (Lamentations
3:25-26)
Faithful Father, forgive our frequently rushed and faithless hearts
when it comes to prayer. Grant us the grace to persistently and faithfully
look to You and to wait quietly as we anticipate Your mercy filled response.
Amen.
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