BibleTrekToday.com

Category: God with us

  • Guided to Glory!

    Scripture reading for September 11: Psalm 73:23-26 “Nevertheless, I am continually with You; You hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my Portion forever.”

    Jude 20-22 “But you beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt, . .”

    Have you ever envied someone who appeared more prosperous or blessed than you? This psalm deals with the honest confession of a person who struggled with envy and coveting the apparent prosperity and blessing of the wicked. Evidently he was suffering with some affliction as well and he entertained thoughts like “in vain have I kept my heart clean.” (vs 13) But as he continued the psalm, he entered God’s sanctuary and saw the end of the wicked in judgment by the Almighty. Though they had lived in apparent luxury, they would be swept away in a moment at the judgment.

    In spite of the psalmist’s doubts and envy, God was with him and held his right hand, leading him with His unfailing counsel. He revealed that in the end, in spite of the suffering and eventual death, he would be with God in glory. God would be the strength of his heart and his Portion forever!

    Jude, wrote to the church to contend for the faith once delivered to the saints. (vs 3) Jude was aware of the battle for our faith waged by our flesh and our enemy, Satan. Jude encouraged believers not to be deceived by the false, but to build up their faith through prayer in the Holy Spirit. They must faithfully wait for the mercy of God and show mercy on others who struggled. That’s our merciful Father and Lord guiding His church home to eternal glory!

    Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your mercy and the Wonderful Counselor You sent to live in us and help us to pray and stand in our faith. Thank You for empowering Your Church to share that message with the lost and doubting. In Christ’s Love, Amen.

  • Declaring God’s Power

    Scripture reading for September 10: Psalm 71:17-19 “O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim Your wondrous deeds. So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim Your might to another generation, Your power to all those to come. Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the high heavens. You Who have done great things, O God, who is like You?”

    Mark 16:15-16 “He said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the Gospel to the whole creation. . . . and these signs shall accompany those who believe: in My Name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.””

    Psalm 71 does not list an author, but from the content we know that it was an older believer who had known God from his youth. Now, later in his life, he offers this hymn of worship and intercession to be sung by the congregation. He declares the wondrous works of the Lord and exalts Him. He humbly asks not to be forsaken in old age, but to become empowered to declare God’s wonder and power to the next generation. Aging has distinct challenges for most people. We sense our abilities physically slowing down and we are aware of the battle against our faith by a deceptive enemy, Satan. This psalmist’s intercession for God’s help was answered and is available to all today.

    According to Jesus Christ, the mission of His disciples was one of declaring God’s love and power to those who did not know about it. He would work with them as they were going to demonstrate and declare the Good News of Jesus Christ by deliverance from evil spirits, healing of sick or deformed bodies, being supernaturally protected and showing God’s heart of mercy. In the New Testament, Jesus took disciples from different age groups. He gave them spiritual empowerment to declare God’s power and promised to never leave or forsake them.

    Father God, thank You for answering prayers from older believers that may be under physical or spiritual attack. Thank You for empowering Your people to declare your power and love to a lost world. I worship the Ancient of Days and declare Him! Amen.

  • Make Haste, O God!

    Scripture reading for September 9: Psalm 70:1, 4-5 “Make haste, O God, to deliver me! O Lord, make haste to help me!. . .”May all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You! May those who love Your salvation say evermore, “God is great!” But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God! Your are my Help and my Deliverer; O Lord, do not delay!”

    John 11:5-6 “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when He heard that Lazarus was ill, He stayed two days longer in the place where He was.”

    All people who are caught in a crisis of disease and pain want quick answers. Those who seek God for help soon learn that God hears and answers prayers, but that His timing is not always our timing or our expectation. King David wrote Psalm 70 for the memorial offering and it was given to the choirmaster. This prayer and praise song seeks to entreat God to make haste to bring deliverance and help. David confessed his own need of God, that before God he was poor and needy. He stated that God was his Help and Deliverer. He appealed to God to end the delay and bring the help needed immediately! I have been there and am there now as our family is going through a difficult illness.

    John, the apostle, records an incident he witnessed where Jesus was told about a friend’s illness and asked to respond. The family had requested that Jesus come and they were hoping for immediate results. But Jesus knew and loved His friend and delayed coming for two more days. In the mean time, Lazarus had died and his body was placed in a tomb. Mary and Martha were concerned that Jesus had delayed, but still trusted that God would answer their prayers. Jesus wept over the death of His friend, and stood at the tomb and called him to come out. Lazarus got up and came out, decked in the grave wrappings and God was glorified. God’s timing fulfills His purposes.

    Prayer: Father God, we ask you to make haste and not delay to help us and deliver us from our current situation. But we trust You as our Healer and Deliverer to be on time! Help me to wait in faith and patience. Amen.

  • “Be Still and Know”

    Scripture reading for July 6: Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble.” vs. 8-11 “Come, behold the works of the Lord, how He has brought desolations on the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; He burns the chariots with fire. Be still and know that I AM God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.”

    When we experience a disruption in our lives because of sickness, emotional breakdown, or unexpected war or trouble, it is good to remind ourselves about God. The psalmist was going through such a time in his own life. He composed this song as an offering of worship and it is now recorded in God’s Word as a revelation of Who our God is. It builds faith in our hearts as we read and receive the truths declared. We can declare that God is with us now and He is just what we need as our “I AM”.

    First of all, God is our refuge and strength. He is always present with us in our trials and troubles. He is the “I Am” that we need when under attack. He is the commander of heaven’s armies (Lord of hosts) and our fortress, giving us His own glorious presence as a wall of fire around us. (Zechariah 2:5) He has already won the battle and we can boast in His victory. We can rejoice in His protection and presence.

    I am encouraged that God fights my battles. I bring to mind previous victories. How wonderful that God makes wars to cease. He breaks bows and shatters the spears of enemies who seek my harm and death. He causes the chariots of my foes to be burned with fire or buries them in the sea with overwhelming waves. As I quiet my mind and encourage myself in remembering and recounting God’s mighty works of deliverance, the Holy Spirit reveals God’s eternal presence and power. The great “I AM” is exalted in my life, I declare Him among the nations, and say ‘amen’ to His Kingship over the whole earth!

    Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your declared presence with me now and always. Thank You for being my refuge and fortress in my time of trouble as well as the One Who fights for me and has defeated my enemies. Help me to be still and know that You are God! I exalt You as God over the earth! Amen.

  • Day 5–Jesus With You In the Fire

    Scripture reading for June 12: Daniel 3:24-25 “And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace. Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.”

    Have you ever had a day when it felt like you were thrown into a fiery furnace with no way out? Possibly the enemy of your soul painted a picture of consuming flames and humiliating defeat. You chose to stand firm in faith, not knowing for sure how it would end for you. But God’s presence took you through the leaping flames and brought you out of the furnace without even a smell of smoke.

    This was the case of three young Hebrew men who refused to bow in worship to an idol set up by the king of Babylon. They were threatened with a painful death in flames of fire if they would not bow and worship the idol. They were mocked by the king for trusting their ‘god’ to deliver them. But they chose to fear God, Who could also cast their souls into a real eternal hell, instead of fearing man who could only kill their bodies. God miraculously delivered them and also revealed His love and mercy to the king of Babylon by allowing him to see a fourth man in the fire and hear the young men’s testimony.

    When we choose to put our lives in God’s hands, He then can use everything, good or evil, for His purposes and glory. This principle is comforting for those in emergency services where we sometimes face these fiery trials that threaten our faith and confidence. We need reminded that God is ever-present in our time of trial and is with us in the fire. He will work out everything for our good and His glory.

    Prayer: Father God, I am thankful for the assurance that I am never alone when I find myself in the midst of a fiery trial. By faith, I can trust You that You will work out all for good to all involved. Strengthen my faith each day as I walk with You through the fire. Amen.

  • Day 4–Don’t Fear Evil

    Scripture reading for June 11: Luke 9:1-2 “And He called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.” Isaiah 54:17“. .no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication is from Me., declares the Lord.”

    When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He instructed them to ask: “Deliver us from evil (the evil one).” (Matthew 6:13) One of man’s basic fears is of evil and the evil one. This comes from the fall in the Garden of Eden when the serpent enticed Eve with his lie to become like God. For most this is an unspoken fear that can also bring torment.

    As Jesus sent His disciples out two by two, He gave them authority over disease and demon spirits. They were to proclaim the kingdom of God as having arrived in Jesus Christ and spoil Satan’s kingdom by healing disease and sending away demonic forces. They weren’t to fear evil, but overcome evil with doing good and proclaiming victory over evil and the evil one through Jesus Christ as Lord. This was walking out the Scripture in Isaiah 54:17 by faith that no weapon of evil formed against God’s people would succeed. Through divine authority they will refute the lies of Satan. As God’s children they had an inheritance from God of His authority and His vindication through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

    First responders often face forces of evil and darkness in every arena of service. The battle we face is not flesh and blood, but wicked spiritual forces in heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12) As believers in Jesus, we do not operate in fear but by faith overcome the evil with good. (Romans 12:21) We remember that we are children of God and enjoy a heritage of authority in Jesus’ Name and are made righteous by Him. Evil forces will not succeed in their lies or destruction.

    Prayer: Father God, by faith I receive Your instruction to pray for daily deliverance from evil and forces of Satan. Help me to remember Whose I am and my heritage from the Lord of authority and favor. Amen.

  • Day 3–Not afraid to speak!

    Scripture reading for June 10: Luke 12:11-12 “And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” Luke 21:13-15 “This will be your opportunity to bear witness. Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict.”

    One of man’s greatest fears is public speaking. As a young man in high school, I was very shy and faced a fear of speaking. I took a speech class and joined the school’s public speaking team. I forced myself to write and memorize speeches and dramatic readings. I also volunteered to be in a class play and was selected for a lead role. I disciplined myself to master these fears in spite of internal opposition.

    Jesus Christ recognized that His own disciples also had a fear of public speaking. They were tax collectors and fishermen, common people in the workforce. Jesus was calling them to go and proclaim the ‘Good News’ of the kingdom. He knew that they would face opposition, both internal and external. He told them not to let fear of what to say or how to defend themselves hinder them. They should by faith trust God through the Holy Spirit to give them what they needed at the exact time they needed it. God would be with their mouth and supply them with words and wisdom that their adversaries, visible and invisible, could not withstand. Every incident of confrontation or opposition was an opportunity to witness the love and heart of God the Father.

    First responders work mostly behind the scenes but have regular interaction with people in situations of need. Often, we must speak to individuals we do not know and family members or friends. This instruction from our Lord brings freedom and confidence in every incident as we invite the Holy Spirit to give us words and wisdom.

    Prayer: Father God, I invite You to be with my mouth every day as I have need to speak to those in distress or great need. Give me confidence to speak to those who may be intimidating or combative. Thank You for no fear of speaking. Amen.

  • Day 2–No Fear!

    Scripture reading for June 9: 2 Timothy 1:6-7 “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the Gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” Romans 8:15-17 “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by Whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, . . “

    Fear is a spiritual force that comes to torment us with doubt and unbelief. An acronym that I have borrowed from others is ‘False Expectations Appearing Real’ and our enemy Satan likes to draw our minds away from trusting in God and His Word. Satan uses thoughts and our senses to steal our peace, make us react in haste, and lose self control. He paralyses us with tormenting fears of failure, punishment and rejection by man and God.

    Tormenting fear is not from God. The Holy Spirit produces in us the qualities of God which are power, love, and a sound mind. The apostle John stated that God’s perfect love has cast out all fear. He stated that fear has torment because of fear of punishment for sin and Christ Jesus lovingly gave His body and blood to pay for our sins. (1 John 4:18) Since we have His Spirit in us, we can fan into flames the Gift of God which is given to us by the Father to empower us for His service. The Holy Spirit is a Spirit of adoption that affirms our true identity as sons and daughters of God. This identity brings freedom from guilt and fear of rejection.

    First responders, especially, need regular reminders of their identity and worth. Those in law enforcement regularly face attacks on their identity and even attacks on their lives. Those in the fire and medical service also face derision from hurting people under influences of drugs, alcohol, anger or fear. The Holy Spirit in us affirms us and gives us a sound mind to work from.

    Prayer: Father God, thank You for affirming us regularly as Your children and helping us to rest in all that Jesus Christ has done and is doing for us daily. Help me to live in the Spirit of power and love and a sound mind today as I serve You and others. Amen.

  • Week 23 Responder Video Highlight–?

    Scripture reading for June 6: Colossians 1:27 “Christ in me, the hope of glory.” Pastor John Kilough–Army Veteran and soul care specialist!

  • Day 5–The Mystery–Christ In You!

    Scripture reading for June 5: Colossians 1:27-28 “To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone will all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.” 1 John 5:11-13 “And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”

    The great mystery of God’s indwelling presence in each believer is discussed in this passage by Paul the apostle. God’s specialty is revealing mysteries to those truly seeking answers. He delights in showing grace to the humble, but opposes the proud and arrogant.(1 Peter 5:5-6) Although hidden from many Jews, God had revealed the mystery of His grace made available to Jew and Gentile through Christ Jesus. In Christ, God’s glory was displayed in His death for lost sinners and His resurrection from the grave in power and glory. God was making forgiveness of sins and His indwelling presence in the Holy Spirit available to all, Jew and Gentile, not based on works or deeds of righteousness, but through faith alone.

    The mystery was simply, “Christ in you, the hope of glory!” The Holy Spirit reveals the ever-increasing glory of Christ in our mortal bodies as we live by faith. (2 Corinthians 3:17-18) Paul proclaimed Christ as Lord and Savior, warning them to repent and believe, teaching all the revealed mystery that all may become mature in Christ through His indwelling Holy Spirit. John stated plainly, “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” Eternal life through the indwelling Son and Holy Spirit is revealed to whoever believes.

    Prayer: Lord, thank You for responding to my need to have Your indwelling presence with me each day by bestowing on me the Holy Spirit. Teach me daily the riches of the glory of this mystery: “Christ in me, the hope of glory.” Use me to proclaim Jesus Christ through my life and service. Amen.