Tag: Glory forever
Day 5–Blameless in His Presence!
Scripture reading for June 19: Jude 24-25 “Now to Him Who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory 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.”
I love to give blessings to those I minister to. These blessings are powerful revelations of God’s amazing love to His people. Faith works by love so that faith is increased as we receive these words of blessing from God’s heart as our Father. Blessings also give us vision through declaration and vision keeps us focused forward on God’s plans. So it is good to declare these blessings out loud over your own life and family. As our Father loves to bless His children, so pastors and fathers of children on earth should bless God’s children and declare God’s love and promises over them.
Jude’s blessing declares that God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are able to keep us from stumbling and present us before God’s glorious presence as blameless and full of joy. This will be the highest blessing that we ever receive. We who have sinned and are worthy of judgment and eternal punishment in the fires of hell are granted deliverance from our earned fate. By grace through faith in the Lord Jesus, we are declared righteous and blameless in His sight. Our own works count for nothing. Christ’s righteousness is our covering and robe as we stand or kneel in His presence, overflowing with thanksgiving and joy. All glory and majesty and dominion and authority are given to Jesus Christ now and forever and ever. Amen! It is finished!
This blessing brings us great peace as faith-filled first responders. Even if we stumble in our personal lives or in service to others, our Lord will keep us moving towards the goal of eternal joy in God our Father’s presence. We can joyfully serve now and live a life that exalts our Lord and Savior, sharing His blessing everywhere we go.
Prayer: Father God, thank You for keeping me from stumbling and picking me up when I have been tripped up. Thank You for vision beyond the troubles and trials of this life to the glorious presence that You will present to us when our work here is done! Amen.
Our Great Shepherd!
Scripture reading for October 30: Hebrews 13
“Now may the God of Peace Who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the Great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to Whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Hebrews 13:20-21
The writer of Hebrews concludes his letter with a blessing for a benediction. I love blessings and all God’s people love to be blessed and rejoice in their deliverance from the curse of sin and death. Here God the Father is called the “God of Peace” because of His wonderful plan of redemption that worked out peace with God and sinners who were separated from God and under His wrath. His amazing plan was to send His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to demonstrate the love of the God of Peace. Jesus would be God’s final Word that would draw mankind to repentance and faith and adoption into His forever family.
Jesus Christ is introduced in this blessing as the Great Shepherd of the sheep. Jesus came to call His sheep out of the world of sin and darkness. He came to lead them to quiet waters of peace with God and green pastures of transforming food. This Great Shepherd laid down His own life as a sacrifice for sin to purchase back the lost sheep. He gave His own blood to make an ‘eternal covenant’ of righteousness by faith. The Father sent His Holy Spirit to equip the purchased sheep to love Him and others and do His will. The Holy Spirit would make them pleasing to God as He worked increasing faith and obedience into their lives through a deeper walk with God. All this results in glory and honor and praise to God the Father and Jesus Christ forever and ever! Amen!
Have you received this blessing from the God of Peace? Are you pleasing God through a life of faith, doing what is pleasing in His sight? Is the Great Shepherd leading you each day to fulfill God’s will and live a life of peace and worship?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your peace through faith in Jesus Christ. Thank You for the Great Shepherd Who leads me daily through His Holy Spirit to do what is pleasing to God. May my life and faith bring joy and glory to my Great Shepherd and the God of Peace. Amen.
God’s amazing mercy and wisdom!
Scripture reading for June 27: Romans 11
“For God has consigned all to disobedience, that He may have mercy on all. Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable are His ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been His counselor?” “Or who has given a gift to Him that He might be repaid?” For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen.” Romans 11:32-36
As we have been listening to God through the writings of Paul, we have been challenged to expand our world view to see God’s grand vision of showing mercy to all men and women, Jew or Gentile. All people are shut away from God through disobedience. The Jews have broken God’s law and covenant. The Gentiles have violated God’s laws known through conscience. Not one person has right standing before God through their own effort or works. We humbly come to God as debtors needing mercy and grace.
No religion of man or wisdom of man can add to what God has planned and accomplished in Jesus. God stands above all in wisdom. His ways are holy and just. He is merciful and mighty. He has created all things and all things belong to Him. He needs nothing but deserves all glory and honor forever and ever! His people can only fall down in worship and adoration at the free gift of salvation through Jesus the Christ. All creation owes its existence to the One Who created it all and holds it together by His powerful Word. All creation awaits the final revelation of God’s Glory in His Son as King of kings and Lord of lords!
How has God expanded your world view through hearing His Word? How have you responded to God’s revelation of His wisdom and mercy through Jesus Christ? Do you regularly worship God and gather with His redeemed people to expand your understanding of this Amazing God we know and love?
Prayer: Father God, I worship You and adore You as Creator, giver of the Good News, the Source of all wisdom and power. I have nothing to offer You, but my sincere praise, my heart as Your domain, and my feet to go into Your world and share Your Good news. To You be all glory and praise, now and forever. Amen.
Mercy triumphs over judgment!
Scripture reading for May 30th: Romans 11, Psalm 107, Proverbs 14
Romans 11: 32-36 “For God has consigned all to disobedience, that He may have mercy on all. Oh, the depth of the riches and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable His ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been His counselor?” “Or who has given a gift to Him that He might be repaid?” For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be glory forever. Amen.”
Paul ends his discourse on his desire for the salvation of his own people, the Jews, with this summary and worship. God’s wisdom is wiser than any human wisdom. His knowledge and understanding of man and his deepest needs stretches human ability to comprehend. Because of the darkness of sin over the human mind and soul, there is no man who has not sinned and who is able to advise God! There is nothing we can do or give to God to repay Him, because He has created it all and owns it all! All we can do is worship Him for His amazing grace and His work on our behalf through creation and the cross!
Psalm 107:19-21 “Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them from their distress. He sent out His Word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction. Let them thank the Lord for His steadfast love, for His wondrous works to the children of man!”
Prayer: Father God, thank You for hearing my cry and the cries of the disobedient and hurting throughout our history. Thank You for providing the answer to my greatest need, Your mercy given as a gift of grace through Your Son Jesus Christ! I humbly accept all You have provided and honor You with holy reverence and worship! Let Your kingdom come and Your will be done for all who call upon Your Name! Amen!
Proverbs 14:30 “A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot.”
Rescued and safe in the heavenly kingdom!
Scripture reading for October 7th: 2nd Timothy 4, Psalm 50, Proverbs 15
Key Scriptures: 2nd Timothy 4:16-18 “At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them! But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom. To Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”
Paul knew his time on earth had come to an end. He lamented the desertion of all his friends at his trial but was encouraged by the Lord’s real presence to strengthen him and enable him to fully proclaim the Gospel of God’s grace. He prayed for his friends for their forgiveness. He also proclaimed his faith in God’s ability to rescue him now and eternally. This moved Paul to worship as he ended his letter to Timothy.
Faith Confession: I believe that God will stand by me even if all earthly friends may not be able to or willing. He will strengthen me to fully preach the Gospel, and will take me safely into His heavenly kingdom when my time on earth is up! I say along with Paul: “To Him be glory forever and ever! Amen!”
Proverbs 15:3 “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.”
God stood by me!
Scripture reading for October 5th: Isaiah 29-31 and 2nd Timothy 4
Key Scriptures: 2nd Timothy 4:16-18 “At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them! But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom. To Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”
Paul was writing his last words here on earth to Timothy, his son in the ministry. He showed mercy to those who had deserted him and focus on the priority of the Gospel message being fully preached. He declared his faith in God’s power and presence. His merciful Father would be given glory forever and ever!
Isaiah 30:18 “Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore He exalts Himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice: blessed are all those who wait for Him.”
Prayer: Lord, thank You for the confidence You inspire in me concerning Your faithfulness, justice and mercy! You have been merciful to me and I trust in Your mercy forever and ever. Amen.
Worship is the fitting response to God’s mercy!
Scripture reading for June 28th: Romans 11
Key Scriptures for over-comers: Romans 11:32-36 “”For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that He may have mercy on them all.” “Oh the depths of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments and His paths beyond tracing out! “Who has known the mind of the Lord: Or who has been His counselor?” “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?” For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen!”
God’s wisdom and knowledge are beyond all human understanding. All men are of Adam, and through disobedience are under darkness and death. God’s love bound them over so that He might make His mercy available to all men, Jew or Gentile! This plan of redemption came through God’s own initiative and the Son’s willing obedience to the Father’s plan. The promised Holy Spirit would bring God’s wisdom and knowledge to each person who would believe! From Him and through Him are all things! He deserves all glory, now and forever!
Observations for over-comers: God, alone, planned and worked out our salvation and deliverance from the penalty of death from disobedience! He alone is worthy of praise! Give Him all glory! “Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them up you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is He, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty–He is the King of glory!” (Psalm 24:9-10)